The Dyslexic Mage

You are twelve years old. The village you come from doesn't have a school house or academy, so you gained much of your knowledge from listening to your Grandfather and your Mother talk about life, reason, and history. Reading and writing were never your strong suits, but after years of practice you have virtually memorized every word of the few books your family owns. You have a very good memory. Today is the Twelfth of August, and you're about to start your first year at the ''Al'Bazra School of Magic''. [[Begin|Arrivals]]

You stand at the threshold of an immense bronze gateway. White marble walls, twenty meters high, extend on either side of the gargantuan gate doors. You remember your Mother reading about this from the itinerary the School had sent you. //Upon your arrival at the Eastern Gate, please speak the following incantation to gain access to the premises:// You pull a battered letter from a back pocket and examine the words of the incantation. //Impunye Oppotomye// [[Imdunye Obronomye|No go]] [[Indumye Oppotonye|No go]] [[Andunei Qquotonei|No go]] [[Indunyeh Obromyeh|No go]] [[Aindone Oddadae|No go]] [[Impunye Oppotomye|No go]] [[Impuunyi Op-onyi|No go]] [[Aindone Oppotomye|No go]]

You speak the words of the incantation loudly, and clearly... Nothing happens. [[Try Again|Try Again]]

Still nothing. The doors haven't moved an inch! What on earth could you- [["Need any help?"|Need any help?]]

You turn around to see a small, dusty-haired boy standing not far behind you. "Pleased to meetcha!" He says snatching up your hand and shaking it excitedly. "My name's Sib!" He smiles, releases your hand, and inspects the gate. "Is it tricky? I'm a first year myself so I've never read an incantation before. May I take a shot at it?" [["No, I think I've got this"|You don't]] [["Uh....yeah. Please do."|Good choice]]

Sib grins and stations himself in front of the gate. "Impunye Oppotomye!" He bellows. The great doors began to rumble and creak as they swing outward. Sib cries with excitement and scurries forward. "Off we go eh? Big night tonight. Can't be late!" [[Hopefully the rest of school isn't this frustrating.|Day 1]] [[Maybe you're just not cut out for Magic School|Quit 1]]

NOTHING! Not a blasted thing! You're beginning to think someone might be playing a cruel trick on you. You look back at Sib. He just gives you an encouraging smile and a thumbs up. [["Hey, it's Sib right? Why don't you take a crack at this?|Good choice]] [[Try Again|One last try]]

The great, bronze doors remain motionless. Your shoulders sag with defeat. You hear Sib's timid voice, "Hey there pal, maybe uh, maybe I could try my hand at it?" [["Yeah...go right ahead.''|Good choice]]

This isn't anything like you thought it would be. If opening the blasted doors is this hard, there's no way you're cut out for actual magical training. You turn around, and head back toward the highway. "Where are you going?" Yells Sib from somewhere behind you. [["Home."|Home]]

When you finally arrive home, your Mother is crying. She tells you that this was the first real opportunity you've had. She blames herself for not teaching you any better. You will never practice magic. [[Maybe in another life...|Introduction]]

Last night you completed first year orienation, recited the Oath of the Al'Bazra School of Magic, ate dinner, made some friends, and unpacked in your dormatory. But right now, you're [[late|late]].

Apparently, your dormmates thought they'd let you sleep in! Now you have three minutes to get to class. Sprinting, you take a sharp, right turn down a vaulted corridor. You just can't be late for ''Fundamentals of Spellcraft''. There's a rumor Master Morkin has a bad temper. Rooms 98 and 99 fly past on your left and right. Mid-sprint, you glance at your class schedule, //Fundamentals of Spellcraft - Room 112// There's no time to waste! [[Head for Room One hundred and Twelve|Wrong room]] [[Head for Room One hundred and Twenty-one|Still late]] (click-replace:"112")[121](click-replace:"121")[112](click-replace:"112")[121](click-replace:"121")[112](click-replace:"112")[121](click-replace:"121")[112](click-replace:"112")[121](click-replace:"121")[112](click-replace:"112")[121](click-replace:"112")[121](click-replace:"121")[112](click-replace:"112")[121](click-replace:"121")[112](click-replace:"112")[121](click-replace:"121")[112](click-replace:"112")[121](click-replace:"121")[112](click-replace:"112")[121]

//Room 112//! You burst through the door and stumble into a classroom of much older students. An elderly Master with a red turban looks up from the summoning circle he was drawing on the floor. "Can I help you little one?" You feel the eyes of everyone in the room. Your heart sinks. [["Fundamentals of Magic?"|Guess again]] [["Sorry, wrong room!"|Still late]]

You keep running. Rooms 117 and 118 pass in a blur. Almost there... //Room 121//! You press on the door as quietly as possible and slip inside. "And just what do you think you're doing?" A loud voice booms from across the room. A large man with a bristly, black beard stalks between the rows of desks and towers over you. [["Well I acutally have a really great excuse."|SILENCE]] [["Sorry sir, I mean no disrespect."|SILENCE]] [["Overslept, but it doesn't look like I missed much."|SILENCE]]

The old Master cocks and eyebrow. "Master Morkin's room is further down the corridor." Some of the older students snicker and stare. [["My bad. Thanks for the help!"|Still late]]

"SILENCE!" The man booms, cutting your sentence short. "I am Master Morkin, and //you// are Late! That's all anyone needs to know. Now take a seat!" Master Morkin stalks back to the front of the room and you pick a seat near Sib and some other first years you recognize. "Now!" Shouts Morkin. "Unlike most of your first year Masters, I see no need to dawdle in introductions before engaging you scrawny magelings in some practical spellcraft! Today we'll start with the casting of major and minor wards! Do I have any volunteers?" The room is silent... [[Volunteer|Oh no]] [[Sit quietly like your classmates|Oh no]]

Master Morkin scans the room then fixes his gaze on you. "Ah, Mageling Late. Grab your spellbook and join me at the front of the room." Nervous, you shakily grab your book and take your place next to Master Morkin. "Wonderful, now everyone open your books to //Chapter 6: Casting Minor Wards//. That includes you Late!" You nervously thumb through the pages, it seems like an eternity before you find the right chapter. When you look up, the whole class is watching. "Glad you could join us again Late! Does it take you as long to find chapters as it does for you to find classrooms?" Some of the other first years titter and scoff. "Now that we have your attention, please extend your casting hand and recite the warding spell written below the chapter heading." The words on the page seem confused and undecipherable. Right now you are seeing all ''e's'' as ''a's'', all ''b's'' as ''p's'', all ''y's'' as ''er's'', and all ''m's'' as ''z's''. //Ra'pulek ahs Nayper Boznern pallzyrip// [[Re'pulek ehs Neerper Pomnyn pellmerrip|Wrong]] [[Ra'bulak ahs Naerby Bozmern bellmerrip|Wrong]] [[Re'bulek ehs Neyber Bomnyn bellmyrib|Right]] [[Re'bulek ehs Naerby Bomyn pallzyrib|Wrong]]

You raise an arm and struggle to shape each word as you read. Your face grows hot and you hear whispered voices among your peers. Master Morkin hovers threateningly above you. As you hazard the last phrase of the spell you know you have already failed. Nothing happens. No magic, no minor ward, no nothing. Your arm falls to your side. "Are you sure you're on the right page?" Master Morkin leans in curiously and inspects your book. "It's probably time you took your seat and let one of your classmates have a go at it." [[Slump back to your seat and hide your face|Stick around]] [[Storm out of school|Quit 2]]

You raise your arm and laboriously sound out the words of the spell. A hazy disc of liquid glass sputters and fades at the end of your fingertips. Everybody is staring at you. "Well mageling!" Barks Master Morkin. "That was truly pathetic. I recommend reading the words a little faster next time. You should take your seat now." [[Slump back to your seat and hide your face|Stick around]] [[Storm out of school|Quit 2]]

Embarrassed, you spend the rest of ''Fundamentals of Spellcasting'' avoiding curious looks and spitefully watching other students successfuly cast the minor ward. Your gut boils with anxiety at the thought of your next class... [[''Alchemy''|Alchemy]]

You can't do this any more. The embarrasment is unbearable. You're just not cut out for this magic business. You head back to your room, pack your things, and an administrator contacts your family to arrange for your travel home. In what version of reality could you ever become a real mage. You'll be better off [[home|Home]].

Following your classmates, you have no trouble finding the Alchemy Lab. No one has mentioned your disaster of a minor ward, but you can feel the judgement of your peers. You hang by the door for a moment and take a seat at the back of the room, trying not to draw any more attention to yourself. A sharp nosed man with two sets of spectacles addresses the class. "Hello all, my name is Master Lundquist, and I will be your Alchemy insturctor this year. Before any of you break into a sweat, I can assure you, no one will be asked to perfrom any magic today. We'll simply review the work for this semester and I'll perform a series of demonstrations." You sigh with relief. No chance of embarrassment in this class. Master Lundquist fiddles with some glass instruments at the front of the room for what seems like an unreasonalby long amount of time. "It would seem I have forgotten a few vital ingrediants for my demonstrations today. You there." Master Lundquist points a finger at you. "Yes, you by the door. Would you please take this list to the Apothecary and fetch the ingrediants we'll need?" [[Oh me? I uh....can't. I don't feel well."|Don't try]] [["Yeah, I'll try."|Try]]

Master Lundquist cocks his head as if trying to interpret what you just said. "Alright then. How about you?" He points to a girl sitting across the aisle from you. "Surely!" She chirps, and retrieves the list from Master Lundquist before exiting the room. Many of your classmates turn and look you up and down. You awkwardly watch the door as if you believe that's what everyone else is looking at. You spend most of lecture worrying about how stupid you must seem to everyone. At the bell, you hurry out to [[lunch|lunch]].

You retrieve the list from Master Lundquist and he points you towards the Apothecary. "Just down the steps there mageling, make it quick will you. I'm afraid I've already wasted too much time." You give the list a glance, but you don't even attempt to decipher the writing. You should be able to hand the Apothecary Attendant the list anyway...right? At the bottom of the steps you find yourself in a tiny, oblong room with a window and countertop lining the opposite wall. You approach the counter and ring a small bell. The space beyond the window appears dark and empty, but you hear a gruff voice bark, "Tell me what you need and I'll get it for you." [["I just have a list here from Master Lundquist."|Avoid]] [["Attempt to read the list of ingrediants."|Confront]]

You feel alone. A cluster of your classmates noisly pushes past you in the hall. Sib is with them. He looks back to give you a weak smile before disappearing into the Dining Hall. Why would anyone want to be your friend? Entering the Dining Hall you take a seat at a deserted table. Clay golems mill about the large hall, delivering food and taking students their mail. "f o o d." rasps a voice at your right. A squat, rust colored golem pushes a plate of fish and rice in front of you. "m a i l." It also produces a crinkled letter and slides it next to your meal. "Mind if I sit here?" asks a human voice. You look up from your mail to see a blonde haired girl slip into the seat next to yours. "My names Hanna." She says."And I promise not to bother you, I'm a second year but I just transferred and I don't know too many people." "Sure." You say, simultaneoulsy opening your letter from home. You instantly recognize your Mother's handwriting, but the words are stressed and distorted. [[Ask for Hanna's help|Hanna]] [[Try to decode the letter yourself|Decode]]

"I'm aware you need something child. You wouldn't be here otherwise. Now kindly read that list or leave me be." [["Attempt to read the list of ingrediants."|Confront]]

Take a deep breath and examine the list. //- 2 ocnces of Bizmuth - 7 flagons of Gurgucs spittle - 1 Krattle Spine - 3 meascres of Dawn Dust.// [[Read what is seen above.|What?]] (click-replace:"2")[3](click-replace:"3")[2](click-replace:"2")[3](click-replace:"3")[2] (click-replace:"2")[3](click-replace:"3")[2] (click-replace:"2")[3](click-replace:"3")[2] (click-replace:"2")[3](click-replace:"3")[2](click-replace:"u")[c](click-replace:"c")[u](click-replace:"u")[c](click-replace:"c")[u](click-replace:"u")[c](click-replace:"c")[u](click-replace:"u")[c](click-replace:"c")[u](click-replace:"u")[c](click-replace:"c")[u](click-replace:"u")[c](click-replace:"c")[u](click-replace:"u")[c](click-replace:"c")[u](click-replace:"u")[c](click-replace:"c")[u](click-replace:"1")[7](click-replace:"7")[1](click-replace:"1")[7](click-replace:"7")[1](click-replace:"1")[7](click-replace:"7")[1](click-replace:"1")[7](click-replace:"7")[1](click-replace:"1")[7](click-replace:"7")[1](click-replace:"1")[7](click-replace:"7")[1](click-replace:"1")[7](click-replace:"7")[1]

There is silence from the darkness of the window... "What in the blazes are you saying?" Thunders the voice from behind the counter. A green, scaly arm shoots out from the window and tears the list from your hand. "My gracious, that's what you were on about. Try actually reading the ink of the thing, not its aura." You feel insulted, but you keep your mouth shut as the voice rambles on. "Magelings these days, thinking they've got it all figured out. Like they know better'n me?" A silver tray laiden with plump, linen bags and little bottles slides onto the countertop. "Here's what you'll be needin'. Next time consider speaking a language we can all understand." Without another word you take the tray back to class. Master Lundquist greets you with a dismissive sweep of his hand. "A little late I'm afriad, we haven't the time for demonstrations anymore. Set that down on my desk will you. Class is nearly over." You manage to listen to a minute or two of lecture before the bell rings. Time for [[lunch]].

"Hey Hanna, could you do me a favor?" "Totally!" She says, turning her chair toward yours. "I...uh...my hands are greasy and I don't want to ruin this letter. Could you maybe, read it to me?" Hanna blinks hard then smiles, "Sure, why not?" Clearing her throat, Hanna begins to read. //''My darling, Your Grandfather and I hope you are having a wonderful first day at school. It must be awful difficult being so far from home, but I can't imagine a better place for you to be. I hope you aren't too troubled with your studies, just be patient with yourself, your reading and writing will improve with time."// You feel your face warm with embarrassment as Hanna reads on. //"Just remember that I love you. Your Grandfather loves you. And there's no way you can fail if you just keep trying. Signed, Your Adoring Mother"// "Well she sounds wonderful!" Hanna says, handing the letter back to you. "She is." You reply, the squeeze of homesickness pressing in on your chest and throat. [[Wait out lunch and go to your next class.|Djinnese]] [[Go home to the safety and understanding of your family.|Quit 3]]

You lift the letter closer and begin to silently sound out each written word. Right now you are seeing all ''t's'' as ''l's'', all ''f's'' as ''t's'', all ''a's'' as ''o's'', and all ''e's'' as ''a's''. //My dorling, Your Grondtalhar ond I hopa you ora hoving a wondarlul tirsl doy ol school. Il musl ba owtul ditticult baing so tor trom homa, bul I con'l imogina o ballar ploca tor you lo ba. I hopa you oran'l loo lroublad wilh your sludias, jusl ba polionl wilh yoursalf, your raading ond wriling will improva wilh lima.Jusl ramambar lhal I lova you. Your Grondtalhar lovas you. ond lhara's no way you can toil it you jusl kaap lrying. Signad, Your Odoring Molhar// When you look up from your letter the Dining Hall is practically empty. Hanna must've left a while ago. You feel a knot of homesickness tighten in your belly. Today has been such a long day... [[Hurry up and get to your next class.|Djinnese]] [[Go home to the safety and understanding of your family.|Quit 3]]

Your next class is ''Djinnese'', you actually don't know much about the subject but if it's anything like the rest of school you probably won't like it. After wandering a bit you find the classroom in the South Tower. Instead of desks and chairs, everyone in the class is seated on round cushions on the floor. A short, thin woman draped in a ridiculous amount of colored fabric prances about the room distributing papers. She dances past and drops a paper into your lap. "I am Master Ghirra, and welcome to Djinnese for Beginners." Straightening up, Master Ghirra moves to the middle of the room and addresses the class. "Alright my lovlies! Attention please! I have no intention of wasting one minute of this beautiful day. You've each been given a transcript written in Djinnese; the powerful language of the djinn or genie. On the back of the parchment, you'll see the translated text." You flip the parchment over and back again. Both sides look equally undecipherable. "You will be breaking off into pairs..." Your heart sinks. "...and reading with one another to properly sound out and understand the text." Everyone stands up and begins pairing off. You stay seated, dreading your inevtiable embarrassment... [["And what's a cutie like you doing all by yourself?"|Ghirra]]

Wracked with homesickness you go back to the dormatory and prepare to leave school. With bags packed, you walk out the front gate without a word to anyone. You'll find your way [[home|Home]].

Master Ghirra is standing over you. "It would appear that there are an odd amount of students here today." She smiles and offers a hand to help you up. "Perhaps you wouldn't mind partnering with a dumb broad like me?" Without waiting for your answer, Master Ghirra pulls you over to a larger cushion and what appears to be a desk set very low to the floor. "You have your parchment then? Good, let's begin." [["Actually, I don't see too well. Maybe I can skip today?"|Keep going]] [["Um, I'll try. I'm not too good with other languages though."|Keep going]]

Master Ghirra just stares at you. "Nonsense!" She declares. "I know you're smart, and I know you can see perfectly fine! I can read minds you see. Now have a go at it!" You look down in embarrassment and inspect the transcript. //Bockurra Agulagog// [[Bockurra Angulagog|Not Quite]] [[Bokurra Agulagog|Not Quite]] [[Bokuura Angulagog|Not Quite]] [[Bockurra Agulagag|Not Quite]] [[Bockurra Agulgog|Not Quite]]

You awkwardly stumble over the words. Looking up you see Master Ghirra staring again. "Good!" She says, "But not quite. Let's try the translated text." You flip over the paper and prepare to read again. You are seeing all ''e's'' as ''i's'', all ''i's'' as ''e's'', and all ''a's'' as ''n's''. //Bileivi en Nnswirs// [[Believe in Answers|Difficult]] [[Believe in Naswirs|Difficult]] [[Bilveil en Answers|Difficult]]

You hesitantly read the passage and look up for reassurance. "Interesting." Says Master Ghirra stroking her chin. "That was a little difficult for you wasn't it?" [["Yes...|Help]] [["No, I just get nervous that's all."|Lie]]

"I see...this troubles you doesn't it?" "You can say that again." You feel some of your anxiety start to fade away. "How about you and I spend the rest of class working this over, and maybe after that we can make a visit to the Arch Mage's office together?" [["I think I'd like that."|Finish]]

Master Ghirra just stares at you. [["Well I did have a little trouble."|Help]]

//Dear Mother, I'm doing a lot better now. Master Ghirra is helping me with reading and writing and Arch Mage Antillion meets with me every week to check on my progress. It's a little awkward to have my own private tutoring when all my classmates don't need it, but I think I'll catch up to them soon. Now that I know I have dyslexia, I don't feel like I'm dumber than everyone else. I just learn a little differently, that's all. In fact, I've started making a lot more friends. I've got to make my next session with Master Ghirra, but I just wanted to let you know all is well. I love you Mother, and send Grandfather my love too. Yours Truly, The Dyslexic Mage//

For Kaydee [[Introduction]]