In preparation for the arrival of human colonists, the planet Ventus was seeded by an autonomous probe with a suite of terraforming nanotechnology.

The Winds toiled away over the years, maintaining the fragile artificial ecosystem of Ventus – without their efforts, the planet’s livable environment would degrade and become poisonous once more.

But something has gone wrong: the Winds no longer recognize mankind, and begin attacking all human ships and technology as threats to the precarious ecosystem.

A gargantuan war between AI’s is fought, between the “Archipelago” (representing the bulk of humanity) and the malicious “3340” (described in detail in the prequel Lady of Mazes).

Packed with nanotechnology, Armiger secretly installs implants in several unknowing humans around the planet, in an effort to reconnoiter the Winds.