Book One: The Foundling

     In Book One, Ymir, a young ogre raised by adoptive dwarven parents, faces a dangerous trial: the Faewild Rites of Passage known as the "Little Death." To prove his worth and earn his place among the Treebeard Clan, he must drink a deadly potion brewed from the Faerie's Breath Mushroom and faerie blood. This perilous concoction separates his spirit from his body, allowing him to journey to the otherworldly realm of the Ethereum. There, he will glimpse his true destiny and undergo a spiritual rebirth, shedding his monstrous nature and embracing his higher self. Only by achieving this "Whole Self" can he begin training with the Five Elemental Maesters, who will guide him in mastering the hidden powers within nature.

     Ymir's path is fraught with challenges from a young age and endures countless setbacks in his training. Elder Balin Grumblechin, the Keeper of the Ancient Ways, vehemently opposes Ymir's presence among the dwarves, believing an ogre should never be entrusted with the secrets of the Faewild. Grumblechin makes it his personal mission to thwart Ymir's progress, convinced that he is protecting the Faewild from a monstrous threat. Were it not for the intervention of his Uncle Galen Wordbender, a respected elder and counselor to the Queen, Ymir would surely fail in his quest to prove his worth so he would be accepted to train with the Five Elemental Maesters, and ultimately become a Chosen Guardian.