Mafoun is a badly scarred dray who camps perpetually outside the fortress of Grak’s Pool. He offers prophecies and readings for the cost of a drink in the fortress. Mafoun belongs to a secret cult called the Children of the Dragon. The Children believe that the Dragon of Tyr will redeem Athas if it receives enough sacrifices. The world’s failure is that, so far, too few lives have been given to the Dragon for it to achieve its ultimate end.