It's amazing what you can find when you least expect it. By the babbling brooks of the Great River, the halfling Ceannte finds a mysterious piece of gold hidden under the water. He quickly tries to cash in his fortune, but soon discovers an even bigger find. At the center of the world, he learns of a deeper history untold, and the golden coin he holds turns into a quest to find the others. And so begins Ceannte's quest to find the Pieces of Eight, and he starts at home. His quest quickly takes a backseat, however, as a sudden change of heart from the Merchant Queen renders him penniless and stranded. He finds a friend, the seasoned hero Capall Beag, and their partnership leads the fisherman headfirst into a world of magic, piracy, and intrigue. In the first book of the Tales of Mundus, who controls who?