Zist was Master Harper late in the Second Interval and early in the Third Pass. His spouse was Cayla. They had a daughter Carissa and an adopted mute son Pellar.
Biography[]
Zist and Cayla took three-year-old Pellar to ex-dragonrider Mikal to be taught.
Zist and Masterharper Murenny were worried about the Shunned and the upcoming Third Pass. When Pellar was ten, Zist and Cayla left Pellar at Harper Hall then took baby Carissa with them while they went to find Shunned. During their travels, Cayla and Carissa contracted an illness. When the three returned to Harper Hall, Cayla and Carissa died.
After the deaths of Cayla and Carissa, Zist accepted an assignment at Camp Natalon - to allow journeyman Harper Jofri to return to Harper Hall to complete his Mastery. Even though Pellar would often visit Zist at Natalon, Zist asked him to try to make sure he was never seen by the other residents - because Pellar's assignment was to hide and keep watch for the Shunned.
While at Camp Natalon, Zist taught the younger residents and conducted vocal lessons for the more talented, including Kindan, Zenor, Dalor, Cristov and nearly blind Nuella, whom Zist taught privately because her father didn't want anyone in the camp to know of her existence.
Zist helped Kindan acquire a watch-wher egg then assisted with the care of the newly-hatched watch-wher Kisk. Kindan and Zist then worked with M'tal and Nuella to try to figure out the best use for watch-whers in fighting Threadfall and protecting the holds.
Before Zist left Camp Natalon, he presented Kindan with an official offer from the MasterHarper of Pern - for Kindan to become a harper - after which time, both Master Zist and Kindan traveled to Harper Hall. After a flu pandemic, which had struck all of Pern, had run its course, Zist became MasterHarper of Pern.
While Bekka and her father Seban were at Harper Hall receiving training, Zist promoted both of them to Journeyman and had them 'walk the tables'. Fiona knew that Zist hoped to promote Kindan to Master, and guessed that the old harper saw Kindan as his successor; but, before Zist had time to do anything, a message arrived which reported Jeila's fall from the queen’s ledge at Telgar Weyr and called for assistance.