Wards of Power

King's Bard Chronicles, Book Two:
Fresh off his victory over the Anak of Dagon, King Ruarc sends Riordan and Jeshurun's mightiest captains on perhaps an even more dangerous mission. Guided by the Dun Adventurer Ged, the king has ordered the quest to search for a talisman of incredible power, the Scepter of Adon; even though misguided use of the artifact by ancient kings ended the First Age in a devastating cataclysm. Ged claims to have discovered an ancient vault that contains metals and ore of advanced alloys, with a forge capable of creating deadly weapons. It is also hoped that this stronghold would be one of the ancient king's Wards of Power, and lead to the location of the scepter. But these ancient storerooms, Ged warns, are guarded by unseen terrors with an apparent taste for blood. What the adventurer doesn't tell them is that he has a separate mission of his own, involving a pact made with an evil demi-god named Moloch. So, with no real idea of the dangers they are about to face, the quest enters the Valley of Magor - Missabib, translated "the terror on every side".