Ghisteslwchlohm some time before his founding of Lungold and the School of Wizards, sojourned to Erlenstar Mountain to ask the High One about the dream of a dead Earth-Master's child beneath Isig Mountain. He arrived only to find the chambers of the High One empty, deserted. Immediately, he assumed the mantle of the High One. He began to formulate a plan to become High One in actuality, not merely name; thus, this would begin his plan which would lead him to the founding of Lungold and its School of Wizards and the College of Caithnard.
The School of Wizards was, supposedly, a center of learning founded around 9 tenets, 9 strictures.
- The first stricture of the Founder of Lungold: the language of truth is the language of power--truth of name, truth of essence.
- The third stricture of the Founder of Lungold: The wizard hearing a cry for help turns away, the wizard who watching an evil does not speak, the wizard who searching for truth looks away from it: these are the wizards of false power.
It was headed by the most powerful human wizard, Ghisteslwchlohm. Lungold most likely would have benefited economically and politically from the presence of the School of Wizards. It was also likely home to many non-wizard scholars. It is unknown if Caithnard existed at this time, although it is likely. Caithnard probably served as a supply port for Lungold, most trade in the Realm of the High One is conducted by sea.
The School of Wizards in Lungold housed the most powerful practitioners of the arcane arts in all of the Realm of the High One. The school of wizards was found one thousand years before the start of the Riddle of Stars series by Ghisteslwchlohm as a means to control the powers in the realm and the knowledge of the Star-Bearer; thus, he earned the name the Founder of Lungold or more simply the Founder. He lured wizards to Lungold with promises of power and knowledge, in direct contrast to his true intentions. In exchange, they had to, and did, place their names in his mind, giving him some measure of control over their power.
Among the most powerful of the wizards Ohm attracted were Aloil, Iff, Nun, Suth, Talies, and Yrth, who ironically was actually the High One in disguise. They are also the only wizards of the School of Wizards to survive Ohm's massacre. Aloil had served the kings of Ymris, Iff the Morgols of Herun, Nun the kings of Hel, Suth served Har in Osterland, Talies the kings on An and Aum, and Yrth served Danan in Isig.
Slowly the wizards realized that the principles that the School of Wizards was founded on were false and that Ghisteslwchlohm had been manipulating them. It is not known who struck first Ghisteslwchlohm or the other wizards; however, it is known that a bloody and violent battle ensued three hundred years after the founding of Lungold. From this battle, Ghisteslwchlohm emerged the victor, with most of the wizards killed or imprisoned. The only wizard to escape this fate was Suth, most likely due to his extraordinary shape-shifting abilities. He, however, was forced into hiding for one thousand years. The sudden disappearance of the wizards would eventually become a riddle to be sifted over by the Masters at the College of Caithnard, who were ironically being controlled by Ohm.
Before and during their time spent at the School of Wizards, the wizards wrote many books. A great many of these books dealt with spells, some may have been compilations of the works of earlier wizards. Some of these books may have covered areas ranging from philosophy to politics. Most of them were locked magically and required some specific audio stimulus to open. A famous collection of some of these books, housed at the College of Caithnard, contain the poetry of the wizard Aloil. Much of this poetry was written to the wizard Nun. For the most part these books are owned by the College of Caithnard, many of which form the basis of the study of Riddlery, or by the various land-rulers and land-heirs of the Realm. The Morgols owns books written by the wizard Iff, and Astrin Ymris owns a book by Aloil.
Lungold itself is situated on the shores of the first of the Lungold Lakes. The city is surrounded by a great and ancient wall. Surrounding these walls are fields, pastures, and orchards that help to sustain the city; and, in turn, these fields, pastures, and orchards are surrounded by pine forests. The walls themselves have seen better days. Originally, these walls stood tall and whole, but, now there are a great many openings in its structure. Buildings have been allowed to grow against the walls and even on top of the walls.
One thousand years before the start of the series, it was a series of great importance. Wizards, kings, and even the High One passed through the city.
The city, apparently, was not planned out but allowed to grow naturally. The cobbled city streets form a maze within Lungold's walls. The burned out husk of the School of Wizards rests on a hill that is clear of all other buildings.
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