Wizardwood, A sentient wood. The most precious commodity in the world. Like many other legendary wares, it comes only from the Rain River Wilds.

But how can one trade with the Rain River Traders, when only a liveship, fashioned from wizardwood, can negotiate the perilous waters of the Rain River, which is known to flow with magic? A liveship is an extraordinarily difficult ship to come by. Rare and valuable, it will quicken only when three family members, from succesive generations, have died on board. The liveship Vivacia is about to undergo her quickening, as Althea Vestrit's father is carried to her deck in his death-throes. Althea waits with awe and anticipation for the ship that she loves more than anything in the world to awaken. Only to find that the Vivacia has been signed away in her fathers will to her brutal brother-in-law, Kyle Haven. The only way she can win her ship back is to prove her worth as an ordinary sailor on the decks of another captain's ship. But women sailors are not always welcome as part of a male crew...

Others plot to win, or steal, a liveship. The Paragon, known by many as the Pariah, went mad, turned turtle and drowned his crews. Now he lies, blind, lonely and broken on a deserted beach. But greedy men have designs to restore him, to sail the waters of the Rain River once again.

And dark, charming, Kennit, aspiring pirate king, also lusts after such a ship: he well knows the power of wizardwood, and has plans of his own...