The Wizards of Lungold

At its height, the School of Wizards in Lungold was home to thirty wizards and over two hundred men and women of talent.  Every single man and woman of talent was killed at the School of Wizards destruction.  Twenty-three wizards were also killed at its destruction.  Ghisteslwchlohm, one of these remaining wizards, bound the power of five of the other wizards.    Yrth also escaped but he, as the High One, was in no real danger of being bound.   Morgon, the Star-Bearer, freed the wizards with his attack on Ghisteslwchlohm at Erlenstar Mt.

Aloil

“Behind her, in the torchlight, stood a big, spare wizard whose broad, fine-boned face was carved and battered with battle like a king’s. His dead hair was flecked with silver and gold; his eyes were vivid, smoldering with blue flame.”

Aloil was a wizard who took service with the kings of Ymris for nine hundred years before going to Lungold.  He was a poet who wrote most of his poems to the wizard Nun.  One of the kings Aloil served was Galil Ymris.  During a seige of Caerweddin, Galil Ymris refused to follow Aloil’s advice which resulted in Aloil’s tower being burned.  So Aloil made a stone in the plain above Caerweddin speak for eight days and nights in such a loud voice that men as far as Umber and Mermont heard it, and the stone recited all Galil's secret, very bad attempts at writing poetry.  This was how King’s Mouth Plain got its name.  Upon Lungold’s destruction, he was bound by Ghisteslwchlohm.  He hid in the form of an oak tree for seven hundred years.  Ironically, Aloil chose the King’s Mouth Plain to hide.  When Morgon loosed his power, Astrin Ymris watched his transformation back into a human.

Ghisteslwchlohm

“…a lean, quiet man whose even voice never changed.”

“The High One, his robe sun-gold, his white hair drawn back from his brow to free the simple, austere lines of it, lifted his hands from the arms of the throne and broughtthe tips of his fingers together.”

Ghisteslwchlohm was the Founder of Lungold and its destroyer.  Ghisteslwchlohm was born in the land of Herun (his short name is Ohm).  He founded Lungold and its School of Wizards one thousand years before the start of Riddle of Stars.  He learned of the prophecies of the Star-Bearer from a dead Earth-Master’s child, most likely Tirnon.  He journeyed to Erlenstar Mt. to ask the High One about these prophecies.  Ohm found Erlenstar Mt. deserted.  Here, he assumed the mantle of the High One.  He would found the city of Lungold and gain the title the Founder of Lungold.  He would also destroy this same city seven hundred years before the start of Riddle of Stars.  Afterwards, he would either found or assume control of the College of Caithnard.  Ghisteslwchlohm kills the High One, who had served him as Deth, with the sword he created as Yrth.  He was killed during the destruction of the Wind Tower. 

Iff

“Morgon turned a little to the tall, frail wizard beside him, with the voice of a Caithnard Master. His face was worn, ascetic, but Morgon, watching him step forward, sensed the unexpected strength in his lean body.”

Iff of the Unpronounceable Name was born in the land of Herun.  He was known as the scholar who loved wild things.  It was in this land that he took service in.  All Herun names are nearly unpronounceable to outsiders; however, Iff takes this to a new level.  His name must be sung as well as spoken.  He like the other wizards went to Lungold when it was created.  Like the other wizards, his power was bound.  He chose Herun as his hiding place.  According to him, Herun was always a scholarly place.  He was a member of its court in one form or another for seven centuries.  As an old scholar, he helped the Morgol El open two of his books.  After that scholar died, he took the form of a falconer and then a guard.  Upon being restored to full strength by Morgon, he opened his remaining books at Herun.

Nun

“He recognized Nun immediately: a tall, thin woman with long grey hair and a shrewd, angular face. She was smoking a little jewelled pipe; her eyes, studying him with an odd mixture of wonder and worry, were a shade darker than her smoke.”

Nun took service in the land of Hel, now a province of An.  She was involved in a romantic relationship with the wizard Aloil.  While in Hel, she bred the talking pig Hegdis-Noon.  Upon the destruction of Lungold, Nun took refuge in the district of Hel.  She ruled over the pig herds of Hel for seven centuries.  She claimed to be descended from the witch Madir and thus related to the land-rulers of An.  Upon being restored to strength, she scattered the pig herds of Hel with a Great Shout. 

Suth

“A man stood before Morgon, lean, powerful, his white hair fraying in the wind, his single eye grey-gold.”

Suth took service in the land of Osterland.  He was friends with Har of Osterland and with him learned to shape-change.  In his youth he is described as having been “wild”.  Upon Lungold’s destruction, Suth fled, his power bound.  He eventually ended up taking the shape of a vesta and staying with their herds.  Amongst them, he had a son named Hugin.  He lost an eye to Ghisteslwchlohm in the battle at Lungold.  Shortly before his disappearance, he entrusted the riddles of the Star-Bearer to Har.  He was the only one of the wizards, besides Yrth, to retain his knowledge of the Star-Bearer.  He died when Har sent Morgon to look for him amongst the vesta herds.  He was killed when he attempted to tell Morgon about Ghisteslwchlohm and the last word he uttered was “Ohm”.

Talies

“Kneeling next to one of the crevices in the wall was a dark-eyed wizard with a spare face like a bird of prey. He seemed fierce, humorless, until Morgon met his eyes and saw a faint smile, as at some incongruity.”
“His spare, restless voice was like his eyes, at once fierce and patient.”

Talies took service in the lands of An and Aum.  He was a historian.  He like all the other wizards went to Lungold upon its creation.  Upon Lungold’s destruction, Talies took the form of a falcon and stayed in Anuin for seven centuries.  He was constantly caught, growing old and escaping to grow young again.  He would always return to the hands of the Kings of Anuin.  None of them, not even Mathom of An, ever guessed his identity.

Yrth

“He was a tall old man, with short grey hair and a battered, craggy face.”

Yrth was a disguise of Tir, the High One.  He assumed this disguise after having ruled the Realm as himself.  He abandoned Erlenstar Mt. thus allowing Ghisteslwchlohm to claim the title of the High One.  He took service with the land of Isig.  It was as Yrth that the High One created his starred sword, centuries before Lungold’s founding, and his starred harp, one hundred years before Lungold’s founding, for his heir the Star-Bearer.  Upon Lungold’s destruction, the High One assumed the shape and name of the dying harpist Tirundeth.  Ohm apparently believed Yrth to be either dead or bound, most likely dead.