The story takes place in an alternate universe wherein Humans cannot commit violent crimes. This is no utopia, however. Violent crimes do occur but they are committed by Others, the politically correct name for the monsters that populate this realm. Protecting Humans from the Others are the Adepts, the Public Interveners (the police) and Nick Merlin, a Private Intervener. The Adepts are basically Human, but practice magic in defense of Humans against the Others. Each Adept has his own specialty of magic which is transmitted from his third EYE that is hidden when not in use. In each chronicle Nick deals with a different Other which has been drawn from ethnic mythology. The chronicles start out goofy, but segue into a morality tale with awful consequences.