Few twins could ever turn out more unalike than the sons of Kojiro Atani, the Dragon Lord of Ippa. For the elder, Karadur, has inherited his father's power of changing from human to dragon at will. While the younger, Tenjiro, becomes a sorcerer.
Bitterly resentful that he too has not inherited their fathers gift, Tenjiro cunningly devises a way to steal his brother's magic. He then flees the kingdom and rides off into the ice: the vast, nameless territory lying north of Dragon Keep.
There he builds a massive castle, the Black Citadel, soon to be a place of misery and horror. And from the safety of his stronghold he sends out malignant creatures to harry the people of his brother's realm.
Roused from despair to fury by the brutal murder of his people, Karaur finally raises the dragon banner. As spring comes at last to Ippa, he leads a war band northwards to challenge his wizard brother - and regain the magic power that is rightfully his.
