As the winter winds stir, a group of fire giants marches home, having been defeated by the human soldiers of the nearby frontier keep. Though they did not take the castle, there is no feeling of defeat for this war band ; taking the castle was not their objective. As the sun rises the following day, soldiers from the keep appear, following the tracks of their rebuked enemies. Instead of attacking the giants, the soldiers surrender, merging their numbers with those they bravely fought against only a night before. What force could motivate the fire giants to war, only weeks before the onset of winter ? What power could cause hundreds of loyal soldiers to betray their fellows and join with their former enemies ? What need could compel the reclusive yuan-ti to set forth from their lairs, in search of human aid ? Is there some insidious plot at work here, or are these events simply beyond all reason ?