Ever since the Great Plague, the Madcorf family has lived at the Fishing Hole above Maur Tulhau, making a name for themselves as some of the best fishers and hunters in all the Gloomglens. The house is currently owned by Aled Madcorf, the elder of the two sons of the late Madoc. Other residents of the Fishing Hole include Aled’s best friend Kened Baltrod, Aled’s wife Tegiran (née Brocktull), and any children they might have had since Iofan left.

Iofan is the younger son of Madoc. After failing to save his father, he entered into a deep depression, and on his thirty-third birthday began a self-imposed exile, vowing to return with compensation for the death of Madoc. Having gone south by boat, he finds himself caught in the age-old conflict between the Dunlendings and Rohirrim.