There are five realms in the Sphere of Thesa, each totally different and ruled by their own ruler. They usually meet in the Parliament of Palm to make decisions for the good of the whole sphere. But all are wary of the others and make sure that they know what is going on by the use of Scar who spies and sells information to the highest bidder. In the Inner Chamber, King Alphon has been warning the other rulers for years about the irregularity of the beat of Thrum the Life Source which has thumped constantly and comfortingly in the background as long as anyone could remember, certainly since the Beginning. Unfortunately that threat has now become more serious and one ruler tries to take advantage because, as it is written in the 'Book of Thrum', '...Who controls Thrum controls all....' Wert is a funny, crusty little creature, overlooked and ignored by almost everyone in the Sphere of Thesa. Because of this virtual invisibility he is a great source of information to Scar who he regards as his only friend. When a fuzzpocket unexpectedly comes into his possession he decides to emulate Scar and takes it to King Alphon who discovers that the contents are dynamite, proving his theory of a great threat to Thesa. King Alphon awards him the title of Wert the Messenger. Veena is Princess Rihasa's slave girl and is quite content with her lot until Wert opens her eyes and together they decide to try to stop her mistress and the dreaded Colonel Elmer Bow from taking over the whole of Thesa. Veena decides that Snagnail the Dwarf is the only other person that she really trusts. What they find in The Diggings when they arrive to see Lord Aurus to warn him about the Cloudmaker, is beyond their wildest imaginings. Lord Aurus has more secrets than most. He is the owner of The Diggings at the centre of which lies Thrum's Cavern and Thrum the Life Source. His whole life since the Rockfall that exposed the cavern has been secretly dedicated to protecting Her with the help of a strange young man called Gobbett and the unearthly Writhers who eat the choles that is threatening to choke Her. The adventure culminates in a race to get to Thrum's Cavern under The Diggings. Colonel Bow and the ferocious Ulnar Corps scale the heights of the Westland Range to attack the Diggings from the front to stage a coup on behalf of Princess Rihasa. Princess Rihasa herself is convinced that The Book of Thesa has been talking directly to her and that she is 'The Chosen One.' She has no hesitation in double crossing Colonel Bow and decides to enter the Diggings alone by a secret passageway at the rear. Wert, and Veena are trying to warn Lord Aurus before Colonel Bow or Princess Rihasa can invade and take over. Lord Aurus and three trusty miners are approaching Thrum's Cavern to try to administer the medicine to Her to help ease the choking choles of the marshpool in which She lies. But Thrum is obviously dying. Who out of all the assorted people racing to the Cavern is 'The Chosen One'? In the softly spoken sing song words of Gobbett, 'Thrum will decide.' When She rejects Rihasa and sees that Veena is the only one to show forgiveness and understanding, there is no doubt who She will choose. Wert is very sad to lose his friend but he knows that it was written in the Book of Thesa and he has gained a new confidence and a real place in the world at last. In this fantasy adventure, in the strange world of Thesa, sometimes it is the little person who wins."