Young Gareth Greyfin must find a way to save his father Edward after he is bitten by a one-eyed snake. With little time before the venom will reach his father's heart, Gareth follows his father's instructions to bring him to a cabin in the swamps outside of Savannah, Georgia - the home of a witch with a fearsome reputation. The witch sends the fearful young man on a quest for five ingredients for the potion that offers the elder Greyfin's only hope. Accompanied by the witch's Raven as a guide, Gareth's desperate journey leads to encounters with a cast of characters that defy imagination. He slowly discovers that he is stronger and braver than he realized. He