The Duel

At the onset of the Revolutionary War, grandiose rice plantations line the coastal rivers of the southern colonies. It is a world of marshes and mansions, where the planting class rules with strict cruelty, while among the communities of the enslaved laborers, traditional practices such as ritual recipes, basket weaving, storytelling and hoodoo medicine quietly thrive. 

When rebels burnout the Hardin Plantation for Master Hardin’s loyalty to the British Crown, Johab, a feared and respected root doctor, is gravely injured and separated from his wife and son. Dream walking, rootwork and spirits of the dead guide Johab as he searches the Lowcountry for the family he cannot live without. 

Meanwhile, a desperate and dangerous landowner, August Toombs, is in a battle with his brother over a shared love and divided land, and when his world collides with the realm of rootwork and conjure, a plot to take over Toombs Plantation, a newborn’s paternity and a secret love affair are all brought to light.