As the sun fades the leader of the witches returns. Exiled to a far distant star after the defeat of the witches, Llorio the Murthe has made her wicked way back to the Dying Earth. A dramatic warning from the past alerts the magicians of the 21st Aeon among their number: Rhialto the Marvellous magician of the highest order. Against the intrigues of the Murthe, Rhislato and his ally, Ildefonse the Preceptor, have a battle of magical power on their hands.

Black Trillium. Those with the gift have the power. One stormy night, three princesses are born. As each baby is placed into her mother's arms, so the Archimage Binah bestows on her a gift of great power: a pendant containing a bud of the long-extinct Black Trillium. One day that power will be all that protects the princesses from certain doom

Swords Against Death, the second story in the Lankhmar series, finds Fafhrd and the Gray Mouser beginning their real journey. Their hearts altered by the loss of first true love, they embark on a long and winding path of drunken debauchery and womanizing until crossing paths with two cross wizards, Sheelba of the Eyeless Face and Nigauble of the Seven Eyes. A most violent of clashes ensues.

Fafhrd was a huge, full-bearded barbarian from the Northlands. His weapon--a broadsword. The Gray Mouser was a small, nimble man dressed all in gray. He carried both rapier and dirk. In Lankhmar they were considered brawlers, cutpurses, rogues..and the best fighting-men in all of Nehwon. For which reason Overlord Glipkerio Kistomerces hired them to guard an important shipment to a neighboring monarch. For once, in their lifetimes of adventuring, our heroes looked forward to an easy time--until...