Thorgal and his family are back in Europe, where a pregnant Aaricia insists on giving birth in Northland. Unable to find a ship to sail north in the middle of winter, Thorgal sets off by land to reach his old village and bring back a drakkar. His trip takes him through the land of Saxegaard, Master of the Mountains, a ruthless warlord who terrorises the surrounding country. One night, in a burnt-out cottage, he meets Torric, an escaped slave, and finds a strange ring in the ashes. An extraordinary adventure begins...