Student Life -
The Disputation -
Errands and Consequences -
Lessons -
Secrets
Perils -
Allies? -
Discoveries -
Enemies
1: Student Life
In which we meet our young apprentices, learning a little about their lives, and hear of an educational experiment that is about to be undertaken by the four Schools of Syran.
2: The Disputation
In which the apprentices compete, with each other and with their peers, in a contest of logical debate.
3: Errands and Consequences
In which our young apprentices find friends, allies and enemies in unexpected places, use an old secret to confound new suspicion, defy authority with passive resistance and accompany Kiki on a curious errand, before joining Exalian at the library for a book hunt.
4: Lessons
In which our young apprentices have their first joint lessons, including a field trip to a nearby bog where they have some close - and not altogether comfortable - encounters with the local fauna.
5: Secrets
In which Kiki, Eren and Pavel manage to involve themselves in yet more intrigue and mystery.
6: Perils
Pavel tells his sponsor that he wants to learn to draw, but Carrick wants to talk about the man he met in the marshes and the message he delivered to Bastian. They go to visit Bastian, but find his room in disarray and the glassmaker Perronele injured. He tells them that Bastian has been adbucted by two unknown men. Carrick demands that Pavel tell him everything.
Pavel obliges and draws the tattoos that he'd seen on teh man's arms. The first identifies him as a member of the Order of Arkat Liberator, the second - which matches a tattoo Pavel has seen on his father's arm - is a bondmark, the mark of a galley-slave. Carrick is disturbed when Pavel tells him about the man's missing shadow, which implies that the 'nest of vipers' is more extensive than he'd feared.
Carrick asks Pavel to warn the other apprentices who encountered the fugitive in the marsh that they may be in danger, then arranges to meet the apprentice later that evening. He gives Pavel a metal disk inscribed with a symbol and a letter, instructing him to open it and seek out the man named therein if Pavel hasn't heard from his sponsor by noon the next day. Pavel decides to warn Eren first.
Upon returning to the College from church, Eren is tripped in the corridor by and unknown assailant. Badly hurt, she heads for her cell, but hears two men discussing her within and flees. On the way, she meets Vey, who takes her to the infirmary. Matron patches her up, then Vey offers to escort her to the library. He takes her on a shortcut through the college garden, where two sinister figures are waiting: a hooded man, who seems to be an adept and a tall man who seems to be something considerably less refined.
She tries to flee, but finds Vey blocking her escape route. One of the men uses dark magic to bind her limbs, then asks Vey to lead them to the nearest exit. Eren is confused about why they are abducting her, and why Vey is helping them, but concludes that they must be after her Orb. On their way to the back gate, they encounter an Imperial master, but whe Eren calls for help, the hooded man intervenes. The master recognises him and fearfully obeys when the abductor tells him that this is none of his business.
Taking advantage of the distraction, Eren decides to give the abductors what she thinks they want: her orb. The orb's defensive magic stuns the tall man and Eren takes the hooded man by surprise, charging into him and knocking him to the floor. Still convinced that it is the orb they're after, Erenm chases it as it rolls along the corridor.
Meanwhile, Pavel has arrived, just in time to witness the fracas in the corridor. Seeing Vey trying to help the other men, he intervenes. Wrestling with each other, the boys exchange insults, while the two men slowly recover from Eren's audacious assault. Then Eren calls on supernatural aid from the College. The spectral guardians appear and immediately attack the intruders, but also seem to be homing in on Pavel. Eren does her best to divert them and then flees with the Naval College apprentice.
Pavel tells her about Carrick's suspicions regarding the man they had encountered in the marsh and they conclude that Vey must have been responsible for telling the men who tried to abduct her, and possibly the men who abducted Bastian as well. They decide to visit Kiki, but learn that she has left the city with Master Stockfish.
7: Allies?
8: Discoveries
9: Enemies