The Sum of All Men

the long version

A world in which people increase their wit, beauty, brawn, stamina, vision, hearing by receiving endowments from others, who are then left witless, ugly, weak, blind, deaf; but well cared for as dedicates. The tale follows the exploits of Prince Gaborn Val Orden of Mystarria, a young Runelord who hopes to win the hand of Princess Iome, heiress to the throne of Sylvarresta, and thereby unite his and her lands. He finds Sylvarresta under attack, however, by the forces of Raj Ahren, whose endowments number in the thousands, making it nearly impossible to kill him. As Gaborn works to save Iome and her father, who have been coerced into giving endowments to Raj Ahren, the young prince faces not only danger, but also his fate to be crowned the new Earth King, with command of the ghosts of his forefathers.