Chapter 2: Life's Little Problems

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## Synopsis

Zorian goes to the library to view the mage-restricted section. He finds many of the spells are easy and harmless and wonders why they're restricted to mages. He gets hungry and meets Ben in the cafeteria. Ben, plugged into the rumor mill, tells him that the academy is nicer this year as Cyoria is preparing for the summer festival. They talk about teachers before Zorian heads back to his room.

Taiven meets him at his room, and asks him to come with her on a sewer run. Zorian refuses and spends 3 hours talking her out of his room.

Monday comes and Zorian goes to classes. His first class is with Ilsa. Zorian goes through his various classes complaining about them internally. He ends with his mentor Xvim Chao, who makes him do basic second year exercises until he "masters" them to his liking.

## Characters Appearing or Mentioned

* Zorian Kazinski
* Benisek
* Kirielle *(Mentioned)*
* Zorian's Parents *(Mentioned)*
* Xvim Chao
* Carabiera Aope *(Mentioned)*
* Veyers Boranova *(Mentioned)*
* Taiven
* Nirthak *(Mentioned)*
* Taiven's Parents *(Mentioned)*
* Akoja Stroze
* Briam
* Zach Noveda
* Raynie
* Ilsa Zileti
* Zenomir Olgai
* Kyron
* Neolu
* Jade
* Nora Boole

### Creatures

* Fire Drake (Briam's Familiar)
* Minotaur *(As an Illusion)*

## Magic Used/Mentioned

* Rain Protection Barrier - *(Mentioned)*
* Fire Drake's Fire Breath - *(Mentioned)* Breath used by Briam's Fire Drake.
* Familiar Bond - Familiar Bond between Briam and his familiar Fire Drake.
* "Torch" - A light spell used to illuminate an object, demonstrated on a pen.
* Light-Emitting Shaping Exercise - Unstructured spell comparable to the Torch Invocation.
* Pen Animation - Used by students to copy down the lecture while listening.
* Dispelling - Area of magic, spells that dispel structured spells.
* Summoning Spell - Ilsa summoned several ceramic plates.
* "Levitate Object"
* "De-Illuminator" - A spell that snuffs out sources of magical light. "A general purpose "Disruptor" spell which breaks down the structure of a spell in order to make it go away. While not designed with 'Levitate Object' in mind, it is still capable of affecting it". - Ilsa
* "Ignite" - Ignites fire.
* "Magic Missile" - The class is each given a "Rod of Magic Missile".
* "Basic Three": Includes Unstructured Levitation, Unstructured Illumination.

## Places Mentioned

* Zorian's Room
* Academy Library
* Academy Cafeteria
* Cirin *(Mentioned)*
* Academy Administrative Building *(Mentioned)*
* Sewers *(Mentioned)*
* Essential Invocations Classroom

## Other Items and Terms

* Summer Festival - Occurs annually.
* Planar Alignment - Makes this year's Summer Festival special.
* Fire Suppressant Collar - Mentioned by Briam to possibly put on his familiar if he doesn't behave.
* **Structured Magic**: What most people think of spells and invocations fall under this category. "To cast a spell is to invoke a particular mana construct. A construct that is, by its very nature, limited in what it can do. Structured spells are also called 'bounded spells'." - Ilsa
* **Unstructured Magic**: Can theoretically do anything, but takes a long time to learn.
* Basic Three: Three basic unstructured spells taught to second-year students. Include Unstructured Levitation, Unstructured Illumination and one other.