At 18, Maquesta Kar-Thon captains the Perechon to save her father. The minotaur lord Attat poisoned him, and withholds the antidote until she captures the deadly sea monster Morkoth for his private zoo. Attat sends along renegade minotaur Bas Ohn-Koraf and shadowperson warrior Ilyatha to fight pirates, Blood Sea imps, kuo-toa, and a skeptical crew.