Centuries have passed since the hollow world of Sha'li split apart when the Instrumentalities, the Avendar and Odendar, warred, ripping the Tapestry apart. People survived but the shards of Sha'li still orbit the inner sun, Yom'paler, and the whole orbits the outer sun, Vani'tala. The inner surface of Shard T'Kat, once the south polar region of Sha'li, is ruled by the Viit'katall Imperia. But not all Qun'yets, provinces, are content. Elements in Qun'yet D'Ilie LiitKoku are moving to bring down the Imperia. Otho d'Gamas, Professorri of the Verisitas Viit'Shortel, leads an expedition to excavate the remains of an Instrumentality on the island of Unnales. His information is sketchy; his superiors humoring him with a small grant. But something much darker lurks on that island. Qaa Lo, agent of Koku, directs a string of agents through the Viit'katall capital of Shor'telli'kala. Nutra, the son of a fisherman, accompanies his father's partner to the capital to sell fish. Attacked by thieves, the Threads of the Tapestry he never knew lived within him emerge, killing the miscreants. But his power is more profound then anyone thought. Embroidered on the Tapestry, these events pull these people together. Soon the fisherman's son must confront a monster which sprang from the bones of an Instrumentality, a servant of the creators of the world.