Synopsis: A Handful of Clouds

A maverick monk goes missing.

His protégé, the naive and idealistic Ar-Shen, is the third son of a Warrior Lord. Thwarted by familial tradition in his ambition to be a warrior, Ar-Shen’s future lies in the priesthood. However, after nine months without word of his master, Hanzu Dao, Ar-Shen defies his Abbot and sets out on an adventure to find and rescue, Hanzu. Rumours leave a phosphorescent trail of doubt behind them. Can Ar-Shen trust the unlikely news that his master has uncovered the whereabouts of a fabled ruined city, and has set out alone to further his unorthodox studies? Accompanied by a disillusioned swordsman, a self-righteous warrior priestess, and a young brigand, Ar-Shen pursues Hanzu across the inhospitable Dragon Back Mountains into the lawless Wildlands.

Eventually Hanzu’s obsession will lead Ar-Shen into the trackless wilderness of the Deep Country, where he slowly accepts the failure of his quest, but is given the opportunity to realise his master’s goal and discover the ruined city himself. But what will this newfound ambition cost him?