From the back cover: "Cast out from their heavenly domain, the gods of the Forgotten Realms wander the land as mortals - extremely powerful mortals, to be certain, but mortals nonetheless. They seek the lost Tablets of Fate, the key to their return. But as the good and evil gods of the Realms bring their fight down to earth, the people and lands are caught in between. Nature itself revolts: Strange creatures stalk the countryside, and even magic becomes unpredictable. When a band of adventurers are hired by a young apprentice to rescue her sorceress mentor, little do they realize the size of the stakes they will soon be playing for. Caught up in a power struggle that will determine the fate of the Realms themselves, the first step is to find the only mortal who may know what's going on - the legendary sage Elminster. And that means going to Shadowdale."