As Rincewind involuntarily becomes a guide to the naive tourist Twoflower, they find themselves forced to flee the city of Ankh-Morpork to escape a terrible fire, and begin on a journey across the Disc. Unknown to them, their journey and fate is being decided by the Gods playing a board game the whole time.
As Rincewind is hounded across the Discworld by the Wizards of Unseen University, he is helped by Twoflower the Tourist, his luggage and Cohen the Barbarian.
Constantly failing at the Unseen University, the wizard Rincewind is given the task by the Patrician of looking after the Discworld's first tourist: Twoflower.