The village of Hearthstone has a rat problem. Unfortunately for Gurril Lavoy, he's the only one who can stop the mischief before they attack to eat every last human soul in town. A lifelong misfit and outsider, he is the warrior whose village depends on him yet also seems to loath him. His best friend is slowly turning into a tree, so his only allies are an exiled princess; a quaking old man just released from prison; and a giant ferret who would rather drink a nice cup of tea than fight. A nagging doubt persists: is one or more of them not who they seem? While Gurril struggles with personal loss and alienation, his comrades wrestle with their own demons in a world filled with unique magic, wandering bands of rogues, and unlikely fantastic creatures. Hearthstone is a village full of mischief and surrounded by a mischief. Who will survive once the rats attack?