Foundation (Collegium Chronicles Book 1)

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## POV Information

**Gender**
**Char Name**

Male
Mags

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## About the Book

* **Genres**: Young Adult, Epic Fantasy, Sword and Sorcery
* **Theme**:
* **Narrative style**:

## Description

Mags had been working at the Pieters’s mine, slaving in the dark, cold seams, looking for sparklies, for as long as he could remember. The children who worked the mine were orphans, kids who had been abandoned, who had lost their parents, or were generally unwanted. But Mags was different.

Mags was “Bad Blood,” because his parents were bandits who had been killed in a raid by the Royal Guard. “Bad Blood” because he’d been found in a cradle in the bandits’s camp. Blood so bad that no one had wanted to take him in except Cole Pieters. When he was big enough to see over the sides of the sluices he had gone to work at the mine. Mags knew nothing of the world beyond the mine, and was unaware of how unusual his paltry existence was. Then some strangers on huge white horses forced their way past the Pieters family and carried him away to Haven to become a Herald Trainee.

Suddenly the whole world opened up for him. He was warm and well fed for the first time in his life, and he had Dallen, his Companion, who seemed more miraculous than an angel. But the world of the Collegium was not all heavenly. There was political upheaval in Valdemar’s capital, for the court had been infiltrated by foreign “diplomats,” who seemed to be more interested in seeding discontent than in actual diplomacy…and Mags seemed to be the only one who’d noticed...

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### Synopsis

This novel tells the story of Mags, an orphan who was enslaved in a gem mine along with other orphans. He is Chosen and brought to Haven. The Herald, Bardic and Healers' Collegia as we later come to know them in the Arrows Trilogy are under construction, causing overcrowding in the old Collegium residences, so Mags is asked to sleep in a room in the Companion stables. Mags, who is used to sleeping in worse conditions, does not mind; however, one Herald accuses him of bringing all manner of illicit goods into his new quarters and nearly attacks him, until the Companions intervene.

Because of Mags' upbringing, he does not understand many things that most people in the Collegium find to be the utmost of importance; however with Dallen's help he finds two friends in the form of the Bardic and Healer trainees Lena and Bear. During the Midwinter break, Mags makes friends with Master Soren, and is introduced to his niece Lydia and their circle of friends.

Mags is soon trained by Nikolas, the King's Own, in the art of spying, and is assigned to keep an eye on some foreign 'dignitaries' and their entourage who are visiting and causing trouble. One is revealed to be a mage when the Vrondi drive him mad. The other members of the foreign delegation appear frightened and rumours spread that they and the Palace are haunted. Mags is able to discover the hauntings are pranks set up by a group of Trainees and Blues using their gifts and skills. Nikolas recruits the pranksters to keep the dignitaries on their toes so he can find out why they are in Valdemar.

Lena and Mags start an investigation into Mags’ background by looking through the Guard archives. Their search is stopped when a blizzard is foreseen and all of Haven has to bunker down. In the chaos at the Collegia, Bear goes missing. Mags deduces Bear is in the Guard archives and he and the search party of Guardsmen become worried when they notice signs that someone else has entered the archives as well.

Mags and the Guardsmen discover a deranged assassin has captured Bear and is holding him hostage. The search party confront and distract the assassin while the pranksters rescue Bear. Mags is shocked when the assassin recognizes him but is unable to get any answers as the assassin commits suicide. The foreign delegation and their bodyguards also disappear, leaving behind a book of poetry and many questions about their goals.

The dignitaries digging through the guard archives they attack Bear who was doing the same thing for personal reason Mags ends up rescuing Bear and dispatching the guards.

## Characters

Characters appearing or mentioned in the book.

### Major Characters

* Dallen - Companion to Mags
* Cole Pieters - Mine owner and master of Mags
* Herald Jakyr - Assists Dallen with rescuing Mags from the mine and escorts him to Haven.
* Dean Caelen - Dean of the newly established Herald Collegium
* Bardic-Trainee Lena - Mags’ first friend at the Collegium
* Healer-Trainee Bear - Mags and Lena’s friend at the Collegium
* Councillor Soren Mender - Friend of Mags, Guildmaster and member of the Privy Council
* Herald Nikolas - King's Own and Mags' mentor
* Foreign merchant delegation
	+ Lord Krahailak - Head of delegation
	+ Unnamed mage - Member of delegation who is haunted by "the eyes"
	+ Various bodyguards - Escorts of merchants, bullies the students during Weapons training
	+ Unnamed assassin - Kidnaps Bear

## References

1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 *Foundation* - Valdemar wiki