Anthea Thayer lives in a world where orcs and goblins are developing uranium deposits, elves are improving medicine, trying to extend their already long lives, people and courtyards are mired in economic and social problems, and snake negurs are endlessly redrawing their political system, trying to achieve utopia. But behind the dimensional life of each state looms the shadows of past and future wars, smoke rises from the pipes of arms factories and even magic is almost forgotten for the sake of nuclear programs. One word can start a war, but how many lives must be given to prevent it?