When he comes of age, the young nobleman Hagen von den Goldquellen begins his training as a mage at the Splinter and Spirit Academy. But his father’s words of praise about the academy quickly give way to the realisation that he is only supposed to start his training here in order to be as far away from the court at home as possible. Instead of an intensively supervised wizard training programme with dedicated mentors in a well-kept academy, he is greeted by oppressive walls far away from friendly people. Classmates and teachers are not well-disposed towards Hagen and make his life difficult.
An encounter with a wildly fantasising visitor to the academy leaves Hagen even more perplexed. What is the stranger blathering on about, a secret of the academy and traitors among the mentors?
Hagen must solve the mystery, but who can he trust?
Everything for appearances is a modern fantasy novel with elements of crime and horror from the award-winning Splittermond series.