Doesn't anyone want to face the demons? In this book the soldier and diplomat Beretos attempts to clear his name against charges that his mission to the Babblers was a failure. Across the Plain from his native Cuzei, a threatening empire is rising. Guarding the mountain pass is a small Babbler barony. Beretos is sent to build up their defenses. That is, if he can help persuade bored nobles that he should be allowed to undertake a mission he doesn't want to do, and if the Babblers even listen to this unwanted foreigner... Mark Rosenfelder's Almea, a world of dizzying complexity, has been explored for years on zompist.com. This is the first full-length story from Almea.