From the introduction: In the farthest northern reaches of icy darkness stands a fabulous palace—the grand home of a mysterious tribe of gift-giving elves. At least, rumors speak of such a place. Great riches and rewards supposedly emanate from the Northern Palace, so surely any party of adventurers will find it a worthy location to seek out. The rumors are only partly true. While the so-called Northern Palace is indeed home to a famous gift-giver, its principal inhabitants are not elves—they’re gnomes, reindeer, and a couple of humans. The Northern Palace serves as the home and workshop of Nicholas the Gift-Giver and his helpers.