Wizards know when they are about to die. It gives them time to nominate a successor. An aging wizard arrives in the village of Bad Ass up in the Ramtops. He seeks out the village smith, an eighth son, who already has seven sons. Mrs Smith is just giving birth again. The wizard hands his staff to the newborn child, only to discover that the child a she. But what has been done cannot be undone, especially when a wizards staff is involved.

            
The Spring issue from the Ramtop         The 1 crown stamp from Ohulan Cutash     .
Post one farthing series of stamps     Issued in Year of the Year of Sneezing Panda

Eskarina Smith grows up, able to compete with her elder brothers, and shows signs of magical capabilities. She comes to the notice of Granny Weatherwax, a witch who lives in the outskirt of Bad Ass - it was too small to have more than one -  who decides Esk needs proper training and takes her in as a trainee witch. But Esk is determined to make the grade as a female wizard. So Mistress Weatherwax and nearly-9 year old Esk set off for the Unseen University in Ankh-Morpork. Unfortunately the small cities en-route have yet to issue their own stamps, but this may change with the coming of the Iron Girder and increasing travel across the continent. Zemphis has since become a place where you can buy anything, and Ohulan is your destination for mountaineering escapades.

At Ohulan Cutash Granny meets an old friend, Hilta Goatfounder, but Esk gets lost and falls asleep in the hold of a barge carrying wool, which travels south down the Ankh River, Luckily the Zoon family which own the boat are friendly. The cargo is sold at Zemphis, with Esk using her powers to detect if the buyers were dishonest, Esk, determined to reach Ankh-Morpork, joins a party to cross the wild lands south of Zemphis, led by trail boss Gander. Here she meets Treatle, second in line to the Chancellor of the Unseen University, with a new recruit Simon. Granny, meanwhile has got her broomstick working, and finds Esk. Together they arrive in Ankh-Morpork.

The Ankh-Morpork skyline as shown on the $1 Civic stamp
The Unseen University lies at the centre

The twosome take rooms in The Shades which suits Granny as it is quieter during the day. They are admitted to the Unseen University but purely as visitors. The wizards make it clear that a female wizard is out of the question. Granny talks Mrs Whitlow at the university to employ Esk as a cleaner. Granny and Cutangle, the Chancellor, knew each other as children - he was from Brassneck close to Bad Ass - and they indulge in a magical duel in the Great Hall. The result, to Grannys credit, is a 0-0 draw. But meanwhile Simon has become a conduit for the Dungeon Dimensions. Esk proves her worth by defeating the demons, and so she is taken on as the first (and only?) female wizard. She and Simon work together on new forms of magic.

                                
                             The Shades Post Office Box Wincanton label                                                 The first Penny Farthing Unseen University
                                 issued as a response to the similar                                                                      stamp showing the Great Hall.
                                           Royal Mail stamps,