For long years the northern kingdom of Valdemar, ruled by Queen Luna, had been under siege by Hardorn. Ancar, its ruthless leader, had tried trechery. That had been fioled by the Heralds of Valdemar, the uncorruptable judges, law-makers, and law enforcers of Valdemar. Each Herald. The Heralds are 'Chosen' by horse-like Companions, the nature of which no Herald would ever truly know.
When Ancar tried a direct attack that was stopped by the aid of Valdemar's neighbor Rethwellen, honoring a forgotten pledge of aid, its armies being led by its Lord Marshall prince Daren with the aid of the Skybolt mercenaries lead by Daren's friend Kerowyn. They drove off Ancar's forces and Daren and Kerowyn were chosen in the process. Queen Luna, who aided the Heralds in battle, fell instantly in love with Daren. Thus a truce with Hardron was formed.
Everyone in Valdemar felt that the threat from Hardorn was over, that the magics used by Ancar couldn't hurt them, thanks to a sort of barrier reputedly constructed by the last of the Herald-Mage's, Vanyel. That barrier was so powerful it even made those living in Valdemar doubt the existence of real magic, even though the Heralds used their 'mind-magics' regularly. But that idea soon became apparently wrong as the Heir to the Crown, Lina, was the target of a magical assassination by Ancar. Lina then set about to convince Luna and the other Heralds to let her leave Valdemar to learn magic from Kerowyn's mage friend Quenten. With some 'subtle' manipulation from the Companions she was allowed off, carrying the Sword of Light, acommpanied by her Companion Amelia, her Herald-friend Gourry, and his Companion Filia.
When Lina deduced the Companions had their own plans for her she balked and changed directions, heading towards the Dhorisha Plains where the Shin'a'in lived to seek their help infinding the Tayledras, who reputedly tought Vanyel magic. As they reached that destination the Sword of Light, which they thought was only a 'magical' sword, awoke, proving to hold the spirit of a long dead mage from times before recorded history.
Meanwhile, near the Plains, a Tayledras Clan had problems of its own, with three fourths of it, including all the children, away from the core of the clan because the Heartstone, a Tayledras 'storehouse' of magical energy, broke, cutting them off from those in the selected new location. And that one fourth again split in two between those who wanted to call on outside help, and those who wanted to deal with it internally. Little did they know that the cause of this laid in the hands of Valgarv, an evil 'Changemaster' mage Adept, who had captured and manipulated the leader of the Clan, Rezo, and made him obey his will. It was Rezo, under Valgarv's command, who tainted the Heartstone and broke it, causing his grandson Zelgadis, the youngest involved directly in moving the Heartstone, to become a chimera.
It was thanks to Sylpheil, Valgarv's changechild daughter, that they found out of Valgarv and his plans, but the Tayledras scout Martina was killed by Valgarv while her mind was in her bondbird's body, causing her to be stuck in her bird's body with her mind slowly fading. Also, Valgarv captured her, taunting her. It was at this point Lina and company entered the Tayledras lands perused by Valgarv's mage beasts. Zelgadis with the help of the Gryphons Treyvan and Hydona aided them. It was then Gourry met Sylpheil, and the two became entranced with eachother.
Then, as Martina escaped Valgarv's clutches, not knowing he planned it all, she told them, and Lina, of Valgarv's planned alliance with Ancar. The Tayledras and Lina and friends decided to stop Valgarv then and there, and mounted an attack with the help of the Gryphons, the Shin'a'in, and even some help from the Lord of Nightmares, who changed Martina into a vorcel hawk, the symbol of the Shin'a'in shaman clan, and Her Avatar. Valgarv was severely wounded as his daughter struck him to save Gourry in her first open act of defiance in her life. Valgarv did escape creating a Gate with the energy from his spilled blood, a final act used by some Mages.
In the aftermath Sylpheil disappeared, taking the Sword of Light with her. Under the sword's care she could beat the tain Valgarv left in her. And Valgarv, well, he did do that Gate spell... so he IS gone for good... isn't he??