The Hearthbound, sometimes called Timberfolk, are a unique species of anthropomorphic wooden constructs, each housing a single Hearth spirit as its host. These constructs are the result of an eldritch ritual conducted by powerful spellcasters, a process that, combined with their relatively short lifespan, renders them rare encounters for most individuals. Many Hearthbounds are created to serve as apprentices or understudies to the spellcaster who brought them into existence. Simultaneously, an equal number are crafted by a group known as the Preservation of the Flame.
Established over a century ago, the Preservation of the Flame pursues a singular goal: to provide purpose to wayward Hearth Spirits. These spirits, left adrift due to homes standing vacant for years or being destroyed by natural disasters, often succumb to bitterness and moroseness. A Hearth Spirit without a hearth to oversee may seek retribution against those it perceives to have abandoned it. The Hearthbound, created by the Preservation, offers these spirits a second chance, albeit a brief one, to find renewed purpose.
- from the publisher's blurb