In this intriguing and frankly erotic tale set in an intricately developed alternate world, the moon has rings, mammoths survive in the far north, and a patriarchal empire rules over provincial kingdoms where the Goddess is still revered. At the heart of the Kemnoan Empire, in the imperial capital Ulan, handsome Prince Dare is the heir to the throne. But this restless young man flees from his duty on a journey of self-discovery with his chameleon cat, Maumet, as his only companion. Telling himself that he's seeking enlightenment, Dare sets off on foot for the mountainous kingdom of Loonapoore, where sacred mammoths are revered. The Loonapoori term for enlightenment means "tusk of the moon." As much as spiritual enlightenment, the young man really seeks the truth of the feelings and passions in his maturing body. Meanwhile, a young Loonapoori noble named Hosis flees from his own family destiny riding on the back of a stolen mammoth cow. From separate directions, the two young men are pulled inexorably toward what will be to both a startling rendezvous and the beginning of an epic adventure together. Accompanied by the mysterious Lady Dee, they will journey to the South Seas to seek the fabled Dream Orchid, said to bestow either enlightenment or death. Along the way Dare encounters both the threat-and the promise-of alluring erotic fulfillment.