Burtevertree finds himself at the bottom of a huge cliff, along with a lot of skeletons. As he struggles to survive injuries and to recall what got him here, he finds a companion also fallen there. Lorimorning and he struggle to heal injuries and create a living space as winter sets in. Tunneling through the snow they find a cave home that leads them to meet the folk of a lakeside town. Finding their pasts were connected, they slowly fill in what has happened as a result of the Tealer gang's powerful craving to rule all. The lakeside town's system of educational museums has enabled quality engineering and sciences despite little writing available; and together they strive ways to cope with the Tealers.