After their many adventures together, Ziek took his leave of Mai and Quinn at the Standing Bear in Bolden. He went to seek out his master, Evard the Magister, who lives in Haven. The rest of the party left for the City of Peakshadow to see what the Patriarch might do about a dead comrade.
Just outside of Woodbye, Ziek used his acquired skill at arms to overcome three brigands intent on waylaying him. He took their horses and other equipment as a form of frontier punishment, but left them alive. Later, in the Town of Woodbye, Ziek encountered a hedge knight from Wanderhalt, whipping his Page in frustration. After some words, the knight agreed to release the young apprentice in exchange for one of Ziek's newly aquired horses.
The boy Ward then swore himself into Ziek's service, admitting that he was quite useless with a sword and shield, but quite handy with a pen. He needed to learn a trade, he said, and would cook and clean in exchange for learning how to Read and Detect Magic. Ziek agreed and with his adept in tow, continued toward Haven through the pass at Oromir. This last leg of the trip brought still more brigands -- this time the brigands have the upper hand as it was those in the service of the Scarlett Hood. A much chagrined, but greatly outnumbered Ziek, surrendered a horse and 10% of his carried wealth.
Ward was apologetic, "I fear I failed another master. Had I only been swifer, Master Ziek, and we might not have been caught."
The bad taste of brigands was finally washed away by the hospitality of the Golden Goose in Haven. The two travelers enjoyed some frothy beverages overlooking the river. Ziek took the time to explain his master's eccentricities and ill temper, before attempting to take Ward onto the famed Magister's island, but he need not have bothered. Ward was forbidden entrance and returned to the Golden Goose to inquire about honest work.
Once in Evard's tower, Ziek was treated coldly until he recounted his adventures across Westrun and in the Goblin Kingdoms. Suddenly, Evard seemed quite interested in all that Ziek said. When his tales were finished, Ziek presented his case to Evard to receive further training in the magical arts. Suprisingly Evard relented and the two of them spent countless hours pouring over scrolls and bits of arcane lore. Ziek couldn't help but notice that every time the conversation lulled, Evard was asking indirect questions about the Ziggurat of the Goblin Kingdoms.
As the weeks passed, Evard also began receiving visitors at odd hours. He also took to peering out his windows and taking to the roof of his tower to use his scrying glass. Those odd visits reached their climax with one from a strangely clothed fellow who never revealed his face. That visit culminated in a loud argument that spilled out of Evard's study and into the rest of the tower -- one man stalking while the other paced, and vice versa. The whole time, each man shouted imprecations back and forth. But the last word went to the visitor who ominously intoned, "Because I will it!"
Ziek found this most curious. Before that moment it never occurred to him that anyone as powerful as Evard, might have to answer to someone. After that event, Evard's questions to Ziek became increasingly pointed. Ziek was forced to tell and re-tell every moment he could recall in the Goblin Kingdoms. He was asked to describe the creatures and beings he had met. The procedure was exhausting for the student, but finally came to an end when Ziek's training was complete.
Evard then approached Ziek and requested a boon. He asked him to seek out the society of sages in Wanderhalt and with a letter of introduction, attempt to gain access to the royal library there -- a storehouse of knowledge second only to the bookcases of the one in Peakshadow. Evard was especially interested in the bloodline of the King of Collonia and who the distant relations to the vacant throne might be. He asked Ziek to find out which nobles among those competing had the strongest legitimate claim and make a formal report upon his return. So Zeik lefts Haven with Ward in tow and the two of them ventured to the walled City of Wanderhalt.
In Wanderhalt, Ziek discovered the Histories of the Kings of Collonia. He learned the sad betrayal of Rigelson, last king of Collonia, whose kingdom was thereafter ruled by stewards and councils of nobles. But, as that king died childless, Ziek was forced to visit the tale of that King's father, Rigel. Like many scholars before him, he concluded that no heir existed. Then Ziek aided by Ward, his loyal adept, Ziek noted that the ink of Rigel's history was stronger than the entries of the Stewards which followed it and the slant of the hand which wrote it was different.
Then Ziek made inquiry as to all the sages in the area and discovered that among the humans there were none greater than those which resided with the royal library in Collonia, yet among the elves, there was one called Caelfa who was rumored to live on a Lake of Mist with some knowledge earned by her long life. So Ziek and Ward made haste to the Lake of Mist.
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