It collects issues 12-19 of Jeff Smith's Bone comic book series along with 5 previously unpublished story pages and 9 new illustrations.

When they arrive at the bar, the taverngoers immediately attack Phoney Bone and Smiley Bone, but Lucius objects, on grounds that their fiscal debts have been paid and that they earlier humiliated themselves by belief in Phoney's confidence trick.

[2] When Gran'ma Ben apologizes to Bone for accusing him of causing trouble, Fone Bone shows her the map discovered in the initial book by Smiley, and she reveals that Thorn's parents were the monarchs of the realm throughout the generation-long war with the Rat Creatures, and that Thorn was moved from the palace during the "Nights of Lightning" (a series of surprise attacks by the Rat Creatures), to safety with the Dragons; but the escort party was betrayed by an accompanying nursemaid, and Thorn's parents killed.

It is revealed that a dangerous, disembodied intelligence called the Lord of the Locusts has reawoken, and has the Hooded One under its command.

A hooded stranger wearing a pendant with a royal crest visits the Barrelhaven, bringing Lucius news that a huge army of Rat Creatures is approaching.