Life in the Kingdom of Mavinor was always lived according to "The Scrolls", a set of holy documents written by men but believed to be inspired by a deity known as "The Author". When the people of Mavinor were attacked by the army of a neighboring kingdom (Xamnon), every copy of The Scrolls was destroyed in the war. Despite countless hours of labor, the task of reproducing them remained far from complete, and their society slowly but surely began to unravel.

King Onestus, childless and very ill, sees his kingdom crumbling before his very eyes but feels helpless to reverse the trend. In his darkest hour, he receives a sign...a breakthrough in The Scrolls achieved by the scribes. Believing it to be authentic, Onestus announces that he will assemble a group of 13 men to undertake a prophesied quest to return a sacred medallion to the kingdom. The quest will ultimately decide his successor, the one whom The Author has chosen to rule Mavinor and lead it back to prosperity.

The Quest of the Thirteen is the story of how a select group of very different men learn to work together: experienced warriors, a scholar, a rich man, a fisherman, young men aspiring to make something of themselves...all thrown together against nearly impossible odds. They cross rugged terrain, battle mythical creatures, and experience death-defying adventures as their world expands further and further beyond the boundaries they once knew. Despite countless external threats, in the end it is the internal conflict they must master in order to achieve their goal and save Mavinor.

Dr. John DeFilippis was born on March 9, 1970 in Bayonne, New Jersey. He grew up in the Greenville section of Jersey City, graduating from Our Lady of Mercy Grammar School in 1984. In 1988 he graduated with high honors from Saint Peter's Prep and went on to study at Rutgers College in New Brunswick, New Jersey. after earning his Bachelor of Science degree, Dr. DeFilippis attended the School of Theology at Seton Hall University for three years, from 1993 to 1996. During this time he earned his master's degree in theology and discerned a call to the Catholic priesthood. After ultimately deciding that he did not have a religious vocation, Dr. DeFilippis transitioned into the field of education. He taught for four years at both the elementary and secondary levels, and earned a second master's degree in educational administration. In 2000 Dr. DeFilippis made yet another transition, this time accepting an offer to become an academic administrator at Saint Peter's College in Jersey City. He would spend the next seven years there, and in 2007 he completed his PhD in educational leadership at Seton Hall University. After finishing his doctoral degree, he accepted an offer to become a director in the Division of Academic Affairs at New Jersey City University.