In the Mediterranean‑Adriatic republic of Vespera, foreign‑born ordnance craftsman Gareth obtains an ancient prophetic fragment foretelling that nineteen‑year‑old noble heir Tavian will bring the republic to ruin. To rewrite this doomed fate, Gareth and his partner Tamsin start from scratch: they purchase enslaved people, build their own troops with the "Iron Oath" code of honor, and seek survival space amid noble factional infighting. After surviving assassination attempts, arena high‑stakes gambles, commercial sabotage and marriage‑alliance plots, Gareth gathers a diverse group of followers including wolf‑blooded Ylva and giant‑race Runa. He contends against power‑hungry nobles such as Lucan and Quintus over trade routes, mineral resources and political representation. Through court confrontations, minefield crises and armed stand‑offs, Gareth wins legitimate political standing. Though the prophetic text no longer dictates his choices, complex power games and lingering conflicts stil
