On the beach, young Martin bids farewell to his noble father Luke who departs to drive away the raider pirates. Martin is soon captured and enslaved by Marshank's leader Badrang.
As Martin and his new friends languish in Marshank's Prison, Rose and Grumm hide from Clogg's advancing seaborne corsairs. Badrang and Clogg finally meet, pretending to be the other's friend, but they both soon skirmish and Clogg retreats.
At camp, around a blazing fire, Clogg makes plans to rebuild his ship but is interrupted by Ballaw and the Players. Impressing him with magic 'tricks' they persuade him to allow them into Marshank Prison to entertain Badrang.
Felldoh finds his father in a slave compound and they all escape over the wall, but the alarm was raised. The remaining slaves manage to escape. Martin and friends come face to face with The Mirdop, the monster.
Rose and friends battle Mirdop only to discover it is a giant doll created by timid rabbits to frighten away intruders. Upon learning of Martin's mission, the rabbits agree to help the travelers and warn them of cannibal lizards.
Brome announces his plan to save all the slaves. Brome kicks down the wall to reveal Grumm's escape tunnel to freedom. Rose and the others head for the distant mountains but are attacked by unruly and unpredictable rogue squirrels.
Under attack by the Gawtrybe, Martin and friends seek shelter in a cave and meet the huge owl Boldred who helps by chasing the Gawtrybe away. Rose offers to show Martin and his friends the way to Noonvale by a tunnel through the mountain.
Felldoh returns to camp with a strange and troubling levity. He seems to have made his mind up about something that he will not reveal. He creeps from the camp. Felldoh attacks Marshank alone, unaware that he is walking into a deadly trap.
