Unanswered Questions:

What is the power possessed by the Ardanian Clergy that allows them to suppress magic?

Given that magical creatures can not long survive in barren Ardania -- why the hell did a dragon attack Jaden and his girlfriend?

What was the significance of the butterfly pins given to Jaden and Stephen? Who gave them? Why? What are the Great Houses? --We now know that the pins are an ancient symbol of Elvish Royalty. Why they were given remains a mystery.

According to Max's letter to Raven, by the end of the 2nd school year 8 of the original Companions had died (3 during the original adventures, 5 more recently). Can we assume that 4 are alive? (12-8=4) Who are the 4? Max in the same letter implies that Alisande, Chrystofer, Firiel and Gelmir are alive -- at least he THINKS they are. That's 5. Are there more Companions than you know about? Does he count Wakanda as a Companion?

Back to Jaden -- why did one of the most decorated knights in Alusia, and personal friend of the most powerful man in Alusia, take a job as a manservant to Jaden's father? And why all the secrecy?

Who would want to kill Sir Alfred, and why? Why make it look like the elves did it? The setup was poorly done -- was that because the attackers were unprepared, or just stupid? Or did the elves really DO it, and are muddling the trail behind them? -- The reasoning is still muddled, especially why... but it seems certain that Alfred was killed by Blackcloaks -- the Hunter brothers, in all likelihood.

Where WAS Wakanda from?

As part of the Initiation, you appeared to go back in time. Was that real, or an illusion? Regar's Banner, which you saw flying over his camp, still hangs in the main hall of Regar's Keep -- BlackHawk and Stephen have seen it, and it appears identical. If it was real, what would have happened if you had failed?

Firiel's appearance at Graduation was rather unexpected, and she seems to possess unexpected seniority within the Guild. But the big question is -- how did she get to Alusia? Max implied that she was in the Isles at the time he wrote, and we know that no ships have arrived from the Isles in several months. For that matter -- where is she now?

What did everyone see at Stephen's performance?

Where was BlackHawk (and what was he doing) that he encountered Laurelyn in the woods after her attack? Who were the thugs who attacked her? Why were they camping in the woods? Were they associated with the attack on Sir Alfred?

What's the failure rate for Amelia's students? -- 1 in 3

What was Max's dream (in Raven's letter) about? -- Part of the dream ties to real places in the Isles.

Riordan's behavior needs a lot of explaining. Why did he go to such lengths to keep Wakanda's people a secret from his fellow companions? What made him change his mind about staying in the Isles with his family, declaring “I must get them back to Ardania. The magical threats here are too strong... we’re almost out of time.”? Whatever it was -- was it really bad enough to leave his wife's body behind where she fell, and hijack an entire ship? WHAT THE HELL WAS CHASING HIM?

Did Riordan die of natural causes?

What is the purpose behind the black stone squash court on the side of the mountain on Tholos? What alphabet could that be therein? What about those flattened-semi-precious-stone grapes in the Mayor's collection? Is there a connection?

Why hasn't anyone seen the red-sailed ship before? What does its existence mean to the Ardanian people? -- The Red-Sailed ship seems to be a warship operated by the Ardanian Church.

What in the Creator's Name were the Blackcloaks doing using magic? Ardanians of ANY rank that use magic are burned at the stake.

Isn't the attack on the Moonwind (and the Fox family) rather a bold move on the part of the Blackcloaks? Max is the King's childhood friend, and collectively the Foxes have enormous power -- power to keep the Church at bay for centuries. Did Nathaniel and friends simply think that there was no way they were going to get caught? Or do they think that they can counter the Foxes political power?

How did the Blackcloaks manage to get themselves hired on as crew members of the Moonwind?

What happened to the Seafox, the Darkheart, and the Trident (the other 3 ships sailing at the same time as the Moonwind)? -- A piece of the Seafox washed up on Dirao's Cay. The Trident was sunk by the Blackcloaks after it passed through the Veil, by the use of a Sphere of Annihilation. Jotork was the only known survivor.

What did Raven's dream about her dad juggling knives mean? Was the woman in the dream Carlotta de Grey? -- The knife-juggling may have been a clue to the party's location, an island chain called the Daggers. The women certainly seems to have been Carlotta de Grey.

What is the stone structure on the sandbar the party washed up on? Why would you build something on a sandbar in the first place? It doesn't seem to be much as a defensive structure -- could it be a lighthouse as one person suggested? -- According to the otter, it WAS a lighthouse.

What happened in the longhouse? Fire still going in the firepit -- meals and drinks left abandoned -- boots and shoes still on the drying racks -- weapons at the ready (but untouched) lining the walls. Did the collapse of the tower happen at the same time, or later?

What was the chunk of rock crystal that BlackHawk found in the rubble of the tower?

What was going on with the jewelry Stephen discovered on the big chair? There was an amazing ornamental torc of gold and silvery metals in a knotwork pattern culminating in two dragons, and two armbands of gold with eagles in an ornamental knotwork.. When Stephen put the Torc on, nothing happened, but when he added the armbands all three pieces vanished, and he felt a slight chill. Although the pieces are invisible, Stephen can still feel them touching his skin. Why can't he take them off again? -- No explanation yet, but the jewelry has been identified by Andarta (and by extension an otter and a dragon) as being the regalia of the Taoiseach, Chief Executive of the long-vanished High King.

The place is thick with "ravens" these days.... wonder what all that is about...

What color is the dragon that keeps buzzing the party? Is that really an earring, and what side is it on? (...not that there's anything wrong with that...) What sort of dragon wears jewelry, anyway?

What did the dragon respond to Stephen's greeting?

Is there anything on Sandy Isle?

What does "Mageweed" do, anyway? (I'm taking a guess that mageweed and bean burritos don't mix.)

Does that jewelry of Stephen's DO anything? -- Other than identify him as Taoiseach? Unknown.

About the Otter -- How is it he can talk? Why would he know anything about Seagate or Uncle Max, or Bliss? Does he have a name?

What was the structure on Otter Island? Was it related to the structure on Tholos?

Were there any other survivors from the Trident?

Why did Carlotta get agitated by Raven?

Why did the raven stop visiting Stephen?

Have the female Fianna been celibate all this time? Or is this REALLY like a Xena episode?

What sort of being is Andarta, anyway?

What is in the interior of the Sacred Isle?

Did Lia ever find the herb she came looking for?

Does Lia know Jaden is alive?

Jotork is a pretty fit guy. Why would he be moving so stiffly during kayak training?

Wonder what the Secondary Characters are doing?

Did the red-sailed ship know about the Sacred Isle? Did they suspect anything when Andarta "blew them away". Did they survive?

Where exactly was Raven for 3 days? What was she doing?

Why was Andarta in a good mood?

What's with Raven's new outfit? Does that claw signify anything?

What sort of animal companion is a small housecat anyway? When the enemy attacks, do you throw it at them?