From the introduction: Vekkoru was a legendary hero of a people now lost from memory. When at last he was slain, his Gods were heartbroken. Rather than allowing him to pass into the Heavens, they bestowed upon him a place in death - to guide and protect the spirits of the dead on their long journey to the afterlife. His tomb became a shrine, and his killer - the Night Hag, Greva - was sentenced to guard over his remains for all time.