The Holy Grail surfaces in an obscure country parish in England and becomes variously a sacramental object to protect or a vessel of power to exploit. A group of three dark magicians attempt to use it as a power base and a means of destruction. The three who oppose them are an Archdeacon, a Duke, and a Clerk in a publishing house. The battle of good versus evil is played out over the acquisition of the Grail which passes between the two sides. The use of the Grail by the forces of evil displays characters that are not your stereotypical villains. There is the banality of evil about them that makes what they do even more scary. Of the three Inkling fantasy writers Charles Williams is the least known and appreciated. Yet, his series of supernatural fantasy novels are every bit as interesting and original as the books by C. S. Lewis and J. R. R. Tolkien.