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Pug and
Tomas, two kitchen boys at Castle Crydee, were caught up in the
invasion of their homeland, the Kingdom of the Isles on the world of
Midkemia. Four years had passed since Pug’s capture by soldiers
of the Empire of Tsuranuanni. He was working as a slave in a swamp
camp on the Tsurani homeworld, Kelewan, with newcomer, Laurie of
Try-Sog, a minstrel. After trouble with the camp overseer they were
taken by Hokanu, youngest son of the Shinzawai, to his father’s
estate. Pug and Laurie were ordered to train Kasumi in every aspect
of Kingdom culture and language. There Pug also met a slave girl,
Katala, with whom he fell in love. The brother of the Lord of the
Shinzawai, Kamatsu, was a Great One, a magician of power, beings who
were a law unto themselves. One night the Great One, Fumita, learned
Pug had been apprenticed as a magician on Midkemia. He claimed Pug
for the Assembly, the brotherhood of magicians, and they vanished
from the Shinzawai estate.
Back on
Midkemia, Tomas had by then grown to a figure of stunning power, made
so by his ancient armor, once worn by a Valheru—a Dragon
Lord—the legendary first people of Midkemia, masters of all.
Little was known about them save they were cruel and powerful and had
kept the elves and moredhel as slaves. Aglaranna, her son Calin, and
Tathar, her senior advisor, feared Tomas was being consumed by the
power of Ashen-Shugar, the ancient Dragon Lord whose armor he wore.
They feared an attempted return of Valheru domination. Aglaranna was
doubly troubled, for beside fearing Tomas, she was falling in love
with him. The Tsurani invaded Elvandar, and were repulsed by Tomas
and Dolgan’s forces, aided by the mysterious Macros the Black.
After the battle, Aglaranna admitted her feeling to Tomas, took him
as a lover, and thereby lost her power to command him.
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