In 1823, warriors from the Zulu Empire headed by Shaka, a brilliant but ruthless military strategist, begin to encroach on the outskirts of the colonial South African colony of Capetown, South Africa. In desperation, Capetown's Governor requests assistance from King George IV of Great Britain to bolster their tenuous position, but the British have no more resources to send. Instead, Lt. Francis Farewell, Dr. Henry Fynn and a volunteer cadre of mercenaries, explorers, and professionals are recruited and sent to Zululand to try to make contact with Shaka and assess the real threat of his storied army.