In the Land of Statues, art rules & artists cower. Upon its five thrones sit silent-shouting statues. Its streets are populated with stone people of masterful vitality. Only in five secret places - cave, roof, boat, tower, treetop - do five underfed humans draw breath. They cannot leave, for they cannot trust anyone beyond the blue glow of what they hold in their hands.

To the north lies China. A tomb-garrison of stone soldiers stands in formation facing Kumandra. The new Emperor has declared the Dragon River too cursed to conquer. But he does not know the dead have sent their own emissary to Kumandra: Fa Mushu, the Last Dragon.

To the east lies Motunui. On a beach full of sand-dusted statues, a huge glimmering monster sidles out of the water. It is the crab Tamatoa, who uses the silent cities of Kumandra as his personal jewelry-box.

To the west lies the Jungle. Statues of firebearing apes decorate the borderlands. Yet the sneakiest monkeys managed to evade the billowing Druun. They lurk in the Kumandran treetops, waiting for a moment of carelessness in which to steal a shiny object.