ACT 1 opens with the sudden death of a beloved king, setting the stage for the fall of the kingdom. Years later, adventurer Jerry Van Graan and his hunting party discover a small village near Mapungubwe, where an elder named Mokwena recounts the tragic history of the kingdom and the creation of the golden rhino. Despite Mokwena’s refusal to share its location, his niece secretly guides the men to the royal gravesite. The spirits of the ancestors react angrily, but fall silent when the golden rhino is unearthed. Van Graan is then transported back in time to witness the kingdom’s former glory, where he meets the young princess.
