Dorin ir'Adan, a former Cyran military officer, travels along the Great Road toward Sharn, where his long lost uncle Nero allegedly resides. A Brelish caravan awakens him and he joins up with them on their way to a hot springs, where they plan to rest and clean up. They arrive at the hot spring and Dorin scales the falls of the springs to bathe with soap given to him by a old Brelander. As Dorin bathes he hears a wheezing sound and discovers a dying human, who clutches a strange object in his hand. The human dies in Dorin's arms and Dorin examines the script encasing the object, some sort of cryptex.