Your Mandarin is a long-time student of psychology and has something like fifteen or sixteen degrees in it; it’s tough to remember exactly. One of the more weird things you’ll encounter is the McGurk Effect. Watch this video:

That is not your Mandarin speaking in the video, otherwise you would all be obeying. But the point is that not all illusions are optical; some are auditory, although in this case it is more an illusion caused by fooling sensory integration in your brain.

For example, one of the more prevalent examples of the McGurk Effect is that when someone points out the President screwed up for the umpteenth time, the media simply hears it was the Republicans’s fault. Same thing, exactly. Your brain knows better but it still can’t figure it out.

The Mandarin

The Mandarin, whose real name is 吏恆, joined the order in 1309, and introduced the Gormogons into England during the 18th Century.

The Mandarin enjoys spending time with his pet manticore, Βάρἰκος, or Barry (who can be found in the Bestiary). When not in the Castle…well, frankly, nobody is quite sure where he goes.

The Mandarin popularized the fine art of “gut booting,” by which he delivers a powerful kick to the stomach of anyone that annoys him. Although nearly universal today, the act of gut booting or threatening someone or something with a gut boot is solely due to him.