Valerius and Vandoren pay a visit to the Lady of the Keep, who grants them an audience. They ask her more questions about the horrible curse plaguing the northern Frounter, and she explains that the otherwordly entity conjured up by Renah and Naome to revenge the death of their sister Bethseda dwells in a cave beneath the waters of the Tyrn River, near the Shaithim's Steps.

Vandoren asks the Lady about his enchanted psaltery, and she says it is a most cunningly crafted handiwork of the Kindly Ones, who do not proffer such gifts lightly. The Lady tells Vandoren that the psaltery may even manifest new abilities over time.

While at Grimall Keep Valerius meets with the ruckish sorcerer Nod, who appears amenable to forming an alliance of magic users. Nod reveals that the Gory-Moon sorcerer who assisted Prince Briareus was named Narl, and that Narl still serves at Utterbol Castle, now under the command of Sarpedon. Nod also confirms that the brass construct encountered by the consortes was indeed built by the wizard Hecatesseus. Nod notes that the brass minotaur is only one of the first of such things to be created by Hecatesseus, and that more powerful servants are being developed.

Meanwhile, Sir Hamral meets with Lady Alice and asks her advice on gifts. Hamral then proceeds to buy up lots of fine new clothing, including a lady's cloak. Hamral has his men pack up this finery and then the knight travels to the Shrine of the Ebon Quill, where he is given a warm reception by the Pentian ruck-men there. The converted rucks are awed by Hamral's tales of Luke and Mark, which inspire many listeners to vow to undertake similar acts of piety and charity. Hamral then presents the rucks at the shrine with a Yuletide gift of clothing. This most unexpected generosity shown by the Bailiff of Upchurch causes many ruck-men to weep with gratitude.

After Valerius and Vandoren return from the Tower, Vandoren suggests a visit to Langdale Hall, where his friend Bracy lives. Valerius and Hamral are agreeable to this course, but before they depart a stranger arrives in Upchurch: a mysterious man who introduces himself as Dominic Gadling. He, Valerius, Helena, and Hermia hold a brief consult, wherein Dominic describes himself as a fellow philosopher.

Valerius, Vandoren, Hamral, and Dominic then make for Langdale, a small and isolated barony sitting on the edge of the Westwoode, only a couple of days away from Upchurch. As the travelers approach Langdale, they are visited with vague feelings of foreboding, and along the way they discover the corpse of a large bear, which had been cruelly dismembered not far off the trail. Hurrying on, the group reaches Langdale Hall shortly after dark, where they are greeted by Bracy.

Bracy brings the travelers into the great hall and sends a messenger to Baron Leoline to alert him of the unexpected visitors. An impromptu dinner is arranged, and although places are set for the baron and his wife, they do not arrive until the feast is well underway. In the interim, Bracy assures the guests that everything is quite fine in Langdale. Because the holding is so small and so close to the Westwoode, it has not yet had any trouble with rucks.

Eventually, Baron Leoline arrives, a frail, quaking old man. His is accompanied by his wife, Geraldine, a lovely woman many years younger than her husband. The Baron is pleasant enough, though clearly very tired. His wife proves to be every bit as charming as she is beautiful, and she warmly welcomes the visitors to Langdale Hall.

The next day the visitors from Upchurch spend some time wandering around Langdale village, speaking with the men there. The men explain that Langdale is a very quiet, very normal and pleasant little fief that sees very few strangers. The men of Langdale are all very loyal to Baron Leoline, whom they see as a kindly old man. Further, several men express their hope that after the baron's death, the beloved Lady Geraldine will be allowed to assume rule over Langdale. Lady Geraldine, it turns out, is the baron's second wife; his first wife died many years ago without bearing him a male heir, and his only daughter Christabel has run away. The men suspect that the dismembered bear had probably fallen victim to a pack of wolves, although admittedly no one has seen wolves in the area for many years.

After a very nice visit in Langdale, the visitors decide it is time to return to Upchurch, but not before Lady Geraldine makes them promise to return again soon, with more friends. And Sir Hamral, of course, extends an open invitation to the Baron and his wife to visit Upchurch.