Aliza Satine is a scrapper, finding artefacts and curios from earlier ages of Velin where she can, intent on uncovering more about its history. What the Reliquistors tell the people of Velin's past only goes so far, and Aliza is nothing if not curious. One day she is given a gift, a small glass bottle. A type of curio she thought long-extinct, if it had ever really existed at all. Knowing the danger if she's found to have such an object in her possession, Aliza resolves to find out more about it before she has to give it up ? and discovers so much more than she ever thought possible.