words to books to knowledge

[Wildfire]

The sun rose lighting the contours of the clouds in pink hues. The white trillium had been planted and its' growth with the coming spring offered a sense of hope for the dark times. The journey of the party was by no means over. In fact much of the mountain of the mission was left to climb. 'Will we ever reach the top' Quinton wonderd.

Growing up as poor farmboy Quinton never had the time or the means to read. He was the only one to work the fields to keep any sort of living. His parents were older and their backs could no longer withstand the daily toil. His mother would stitch, mend and embroider to help bring in some money. At night his father would tell tales that would send his imagination soaring like an arrow into the sun. Tales of great warriors and princesses. Stories of Pirates, Knights, and the mysterious Druids. He would go to sleep thinking about felling evil with his sword. He never read about these things but he still knew of them.

Now things were different. He was recently told that he "should read on the history of things" by one of the "Merchants of Blackport". The Merchants are better known as Pirates. Could this Merchant-Pirate have the ability to read? Probably. As the heir apparent to the throne of N'arth he felt that he should know more. This world was now open to him and one of the paths to it was through the written word. Right now words are simply inked symbols on parchment. They were as elusive as the antidote to the Deltharite poison. However, the antidote had been found. So will it be with the key to decphering script.

A tepid morning wind blew across the treeless hill that overlooked the ancient, now decrpit city of Zarethia. How many books were in that old city of wizards? No doubt there are or were more than Quinton could hope to read in ten lifetimes. All that knowledge would pass him by leaving him in the dust of ignorance if he did not learn to unlock that power. Literacy could be more powerful than any weapon. A few days ago His friend Alleryan had to read The Book of Delthara because he could not. His illiteratacy was now becoming a liability and putting his friends in potential harm. This just wasn't right.

The sun had now fully crested the horizon and the clouds were lit in a divine magnificence in shades of gold and red. The rest of the party was stirring from their slumber. The first to rise was the newest member Lur' Ion. Lur'Ion was a member of the Druid order that Quinton's father had spoken about years before. After shaking out the stiffness of his muscles Lur'Ion came to stand beside Quinton admiring the morning light.

"The southern winds are the winds of change." Quinton said. "They bring with them a farmers weather and warmth to break the cold of winter. Many winter nights did I listen to my father speak of great people and their deeds. Everything that I've learned about them was told to me for i could not read and neither could my parents...but they remembered. Until now I've never had much of a need to read the written word. I need someone to teach me how to do it. Could you, Lur'Ion, teach me to read and to scribe? I want to know more about the ways of things and someday write the goings on of our venture so that others will know in the hopes that these times will not circle back. Will you teach me? "

[Wildfire]

"That would be great...and thanks..." Quinton said quietly.

[Griznuq]

"Most who have this skill take it for granted, and those who don't seldom admit to it." Lor'hion mused.

"Certainly. We can start right away."