Vrath is the son of the river-goddess Jeel, and spends an idyllic childhood safe in her waters, guarded by the fish and river-dwellers. Jeel sends Vrath to be trained by his grandfather, the icy-cold mountain Coldheart. Afterwards, a traveling king, Sha'ant, observes the teenaged Vrath's awesome prowess with a bow and arrow. Jeel appears, reveals herself as Sha'ant's former lover, and informs him that Vrath is his own son, the only of their eight children whom she chose to raise, rather than drown to their death. She reunites Vrath with his father and then disappears forever.