The Nome King, Roquat the Red, makes plans to dig a tunnel under the Deadly Desert into the Land of Oz where he will take back his Magic Belt from Princess Ozma. His General Guph tours the neighboring lands rounding up allies, including the comical Whimsies, the strong and brutal Growleywogs, and the powerfully magical Phanfasms. Meanwhile, Dorothy Gale brings her Aunt Em and Uncle Henry to Oz to live (their Kansas farm having been foreclosed). They tour Oz in Ozma's Red Wagon and meet various intriguing people like Miss Cuttenclip and the Fuddles.