Knucklebones & the Black Dragon — Melvin Karew

In a world of fantasy, two enemies square off against one another: Grimlindus, the general, necromancer and suave lord of evil; and Ariadne, young refugee princess, fleeing the invasion of her homeland and the murder of her family. Grimlindus is armed with an evil Sword of Death and has an army of barbarians, knights, wizards, assassins and dragons. Ariadne only has a score of adventurers to assist her -- a ragtag bunch of wizards, warriors and thieves -- many with unclear intentions and dubious morals. With their help, she must escape the clutches of Grimlindus's henchmen and the machinations of foreign lords who would use her for their designs, and must determine how to win back her father's Kingdom. In the end, it will all fall to the roll of the knucklebones.