A foul omen looms in the sky over the scoundrel city of Riddleport, an ominous shadow that defies the light. Is it a curse laid millennia ago by forgotten mages? Does it forewarn against the return of some terrible foe? Or does it portend a terrible new era, a second Age of Darkness? This strange shadow, termed 'The Blot' by the populace has attracted attention from around Avistan, and remains a mystery to all who have studied it.
Far below, in the shadow of The Blot a gambling tournament "Cheat the Devil and Take his Gold" proves to be a welcome distraction from the sense of doom hanging over the city. Here, the down-on-his-luck Saul Vancaskerkin attempts to make a name for himself, as honestly as he is perhaps capable...
