Taldor--Academy
Part of the Taldor Campaign
Planudes Academy for the Enlightened Arts and Sciences
Overall Organization Alignment: Lawful Neutral
Common Classes: Aristocrat, Expert, Bard, Oracle
Rarer, but not unheard of: Alchemist, Rogue, Wizard, Witch, Loremaster, Collegiate Arcanist, Cleric
Rare: Commoner
Extremely uncommon: All others
Favoured Deity: Aroden, Abadar. Many students favor Cayden Cailean.
House Blazon: The Taldor Crown resting on a Golden Scroll, on a Field of Blue
House Motto: History Is Our Strength (Six years ago the student who painted "Our Strength is History" on the side of the ampitheatre in letters six feet high was summarily expelled, and strangely never seen again within the walls of the city. A note to those who might be so inclined to such antics in the future.)
Overview
The Planudes Academy is a highly regarded school for the enlightenment of the youth of Taldor and the perpetuation of Imperial culture. It is by design extremely conservative, and although the quality of the education granted within its walls is second to none, some might take issue with the strong nationalism espoused by the instructors and headmaster, perhaps believing that such a single-minded devotion to the idea of Taldan glory might compromise one's academic detachment. Then again, some people are just traitors to the crown and ought to be banished.
Students in the Academy are trained in rhetoric and the other 'noble scholarly arts', mostly in preparation for senatorial careers or other political aspirations. It is considered a mark of pride to have a student of one's House graduate from the Academy, especially with honors. Even those sons and daughters destined for more military careers can often benefit from a year or two of tutelage, to give them a certain refinement. It is also not unheard of for young men and women who might lack either good breeding or good finances to attend the Academy with the underlying purpose of finding someone with strengths to offset their own deficiencies. More than one marriage proposal has occurred in the week just before graduation, to the point where 'Handfast Day' is almost an unofficial tradition.
As a private school, the Academy is supported by hefty tuitions and noble donors, with no direct funding from the Crown. However such things are mutable and difficult to track, and it is an open secret that in recent years in particular the Emperor has saw fit to make substantial contributions to the school's general fund, perhaps in an effort to curry favor with the broad alumni community. In general the Academy has a sterling reputation, and enrollment is much sought after for the sons and daughters of the Bearded classes.
Students typically range from 10 to 25. (Though students age 10-16 will be off-screen). Class schedules are rigorous, the requirements for students having been followed for hundreds of years with little deviation. Some students may spend up to a full year just to learn the various ins and outs of the seemingly unending set of regulations, traditions, and "guidelines" -- a transgression against any of these may result in substantial delays on the student's path toward matriculation, and in some cases may even lead to expulsion. The total student body at this time numbers approximately 400 men and women -- the Academy does not discriminate on the basis of gender, and does not openly discriminate on the basis of race. While most of the students are from the Bearded class, a certain number of scholarship slots are available to anyone showing exceptional academic merit, following a personal interview with the Headmaster.
Facilities
The main campus for the Academy is located within the city walls, within easy eyesight of the Senate building. The campus is renowned for its physical beauty, being a perfectly maintained example of classical Taldan architecture. Or, at least, a neo-classical view of what ancient Taldan architecture is supposed to have looked like. The white marble buildings are capped with gilded domes, many of the walls are inlaid with centuries-old frescos (or near-perfect modern reproductions), and the grounds are highlighted with perfectly ordered Taldan gardens, fussed over by a geriatric groundskeeper and his fanatical staff.
The main campus is dominated by Haldrian's Clock, a massive yet elegant clock tower visible from a considerable portion of the city. The interior clockworks date from the height of the Taldan Empire. Sadly the mechanism has not functioned for over four hundred years, and the knowledge to repair it has been lost along with all of the original plans. In an effort to turn this to a positive the Academy has permanently set the clock hands to 6:17, marking the month and date of the return of the current Grand Prince Stavian III to the throne. Lemonade from lemons, as they say.
Other structures on the main campus include an enviable library, ornate and airy lecture halls, and expansive dormitories for students and faculty. The Academy main lecture hall has often been used for political speeches and announcements, though the Academy itself espouses neutrality in political concerns other than support for the Grand Prince. The Headmaster's Manse is especially grand, and contains beneath it a truly impressive series of tunnels and chambers built over hundreds of years by various Academy Heads, most particular Tenevius the Madman.
The Academy owns several smaller properties, including an Observatory (outside the city walls) surrounded by a small area of wilderness (for use by the natural sciences department). Also a school yacht, a guest house for visiting scholars, a working farm with notable olive groves, a student-run tavern, and a well-appointed Alumni Club, at which any Alumni in good standing may always request and receive a meal and two alcoholic beverages. The drink limit was imposed after a particularly bad seven-year period which led to a number of debts incurred to the Oppara constabulary, some of which are still being paid off today. Entrance to the Alumni Club is achieved by presentation of a Planudes Class Ring. Possession of such a ring by a non-alumni is considered a grave affront to the school, and any true alumnus is bound by oath to redress this grievance.
In a very grand chamber near the center of the campus resides the Academy's printing press. Few of these devices exist in Taldor, and all are heavily controlled by the state. It is a mark of distinction that the Academy is permitted to own and operate such a device without a representative of the Crown being present at all times. The Press is used sparingly, and largely for academic purposes.
Curriculum
The Planeudes Academy is pleased to offer instruction to discerning scholars in the grand and noble spheres of:
Rhetoric (Perform: Oratory)
Law (Knowledge: Local)
Grammar (Linguistics)
History (Knowledge: History)
Philosophy (Knowledge: Religion)
Natural Sciences (Knowledge: Nature)
Mathematics (Knowledge: Engineering)
Etiquette (Knowledge: Nobility) (Not covered by the Planudean Anthology)
The Academy does not teach in the areas of Magic, Alchemy, or Artifice and Item Creation, among other fields. There is some instruction in Music, but not enough to be a true competitor to the two Bardic Colleges. Students may engage in athletic competitions among rival chapters, but no formal instruction is given in the combat arts.
In the natural course of one's education at the Academy, one may well develop the skills to work professionally as part of the extensive Taldan bureaucracy. In particular, the skills of Profession: Clerk, Profession: Barrister, Profession: Librarian, Profession: Clerk and Profession: Bureaucrat may easily be developed within these hallowed walls.
The Planudean Anthology - Seven volumes of wisdom transcribed and annotated by the founder of the Academy, Maximos Planudes, over eight hundred years ago. These books still form the core of the Academy curriculum. New students are expected to spend many hours transcribing their own copy of the venerated works (always working from other copies; access to the originals is strictly monitored).
The Shadow Academy
Concealed within the physical and organizational boundaries of the Academy is the far well less known Shadow Academy. This clandestine organization numbers no more than twenty souls. It is neither a thieves' nor assassins' guild, but an association of spies and information brokers dedicated to collecting, analyzing and appropriately distributing information within Taldor. The Shadow Academy spends little energy on matters outside of Taldor; they do not spy on other countries, and have little interest in foreigners in general. Most of their efforts are focused on the intricate politics of Oppara. The goal is to maintain the strength of the Empire, and the current Headmaster (who heads the Shadow Academy as well as the main school) interprets this goal as supporting the current Grand Prince. The Shadow Academy has existed for nearly the entire life of the Academy and has miraculously remained hidden until the present day.
Though the Shadow Academy is not beyond the occasional theft or assassination, generally they function with complete discretion. Their agents will never identify themselves as part of the organization. Very few agents retire from the organization, but when they do they tend to be reabsorbed as faculty of the Academy to live out the remainder of their lives peacefully. This is true even if there isn't a very good opening for them to fill, which explains the current nearly illiterate Deputy Librarian.
Agents of the Shadow Academy do not refer to the organization by that name. The most common cover name is "The Smith's Guild", with members titles such as Goldsmith, Silversmith, Tinsmith, Blacksmith, etc. This has in the past occasionally caused some small amount of confusion, but it's better than tying the organization in any way to the academic world.
The Shadow Academy is not available for hire. Members perform missions at the direction of the Headmaster, in order to further his goals (mainly, the preservation and advancement of the Taldan state).
Notable Historical Personages associated with the Academy
Maximos Planudes
(with apologies to the real-world historical personage) -- A celebrated scholar, beloved by the Emperor of his time and widely reknowned as a bright light of intellectualism. His life's work was the Planudean Anthology, a collection of wisdom still unrivaled today. Tales tell of how Planudes in his elder years ascended to the plane of Pure Thought rather than die. The Academy that he founded continues in his honor, striving to carry out his mission of enlightening the world with the benefits of Taldan philosophy. The true disposition of Planudes' soul remains unknown.
Delvrin Corponicus
A previous Headmaster of the Academy and accomplished wizard. During his tenure the Academy began developing curriculae focused on spellcasting and the creation of magic items, areas traditionally not included within the Academy's focus. Eventually this direction came to a bad end as a group of faculty including Delvrin were accused and found guilty of using dark magics in an attempt to overthrow the government. The stain of this crime was associated with the Academy for over two hundred years, though some contemporary sources maintain that the charges were false, a result of a power struggle with several rival Magic Schools in a sort of turf war. Nevertheless, it remains the Academy's stated policy to this day to direct students seeking magical instruction elsewhere.
Tenevius the Madman
Tenevius' full, sad story is a matter of public record, to the shame of the Academy. The vast majority of the thousands of laws that he instated as Headmaster have been expunged from the record, though occasionally a talented student will dig up yet one more and bring it to the attention to the faculty, perhaps showing that the wearing of a single yellow sock entitles one to a passing mark on mathematics exams or the like. It is very likely that Tenevius suffered from some sort of magically induced insanity, as his sickness struck him quite suddenly. To his credit, Tenevius is responsible for the construction of much of the underground system of tunnels that thread beneath the campus. The Lyre of Building used for this purpose still remains within the Headmaster's Manse, a testament to the historical headmaster's antics.
Notable Members of the Academy
(Work in progress.)
Some of the members of the staff are aware of the Shadow Academy (about which see more below), while others are blissfully unaware that that hidden organization exists.
Ontreus Taliman
Headmaster of the Academy -- Human Oracle // Bard (PC) -- Ontreus has been the head of the Academy for just over twenty years. He is 50 now, having taken the helm of the school at the tender age of 29, making him the youngest Headmaster in over three hundred years. He came up through the organization, serving as both a field agent for the Shadow Academy as well as an instructor of philosophy, and proved very talented at both pursuits. When the prior headmaster died unexpectedly in his sleep (poison was suspected, but never proven), it was natural for Ontreus to rise to fill the position. He is staunchly conservative, a royalist through and through. Though his methods are crafty and flexible, his goal is resolutely fixed on restoring Taldon to its former heights of glory -- a goal whose acknowledgement requires some mental gymnastics from a man who simultaneously and erroneously believes that Taldon is at the height of her power.
Arkal the Beast
Tiefling Barbarian // Sorcerer/Dragon Disciple -- Former gladiator and current deep undercover agent. Personally managed by Headmaster separate from rest of Shadow Academy. Has no position in the open school.
Bolterius Toman
Human 10th level Expert // 7th level Oracle (philosopher) / 3rd level Loremaster -- Bolterius holds the position of Academic Dean of Studies. He is in charge of developing and maintaining the curriculum for the school. This mostly consists of copying whatever was being used last year; so far this system has proven pretty powerful for almost a thousand years. Bolterius is also nominally in charge of all of the other academic faculty, though the Headmaster can and does overrule him frequently. Bolterius is incredibly intelligent, bookish, nearsighted and somewhat hard of hearing. Though he is often underestimated, he will occasionally surprise others with how well he has put pieces of the puzzle together and come to some unlikely but true deduction. Bolterius is not a member of the Shadow Academy, though he has independently figured out many of its secrets. He just doesn't care.
Notera Boscon
Human Spymaster of the Shadow Academy, Professor of Literature -- 10th level Rogue // 7th level Wizard / 3rd level Master Spy -- Notera holds a faculty position, but doesn't seem to teach any classes and is actively hostile to students. She has published a number of critical analyses of Taldan literature (all ghost-written), but frankly cares little for academics. Notera is generally well trusted by the Headmaster and is loyal to Taldon, though she believes that the Shadow Academy should take a more active role in political affairs. Shady.
Breckham Dobish
Human 8th Fighter // 8th Rogue -- Head of campus security. Also occasional assassin, as Breckham does not shy away from "wetwork". Breckam is not Taldan; he hails originally from Galt, where he headed an independent security agency. Okay, he was in charge of a group of thugs. Eventually his organization was destroyed by whomever was in authority that week, and Breckham escaped to Taldor. He has served capably in his role. Breckham cares very little for politics of any sort, but he is loyal to his employer and takes both his open and his secret jobs very seriously. Breckham has been known to teach basic self-defense classes for students and has, against Academy policy, taken on private lessons with certain promising young female students from time to time.
Merriam Silvershy
Half-elf. 4th Bard // 4th Sorcerer -- Merriam is in charge of fundraising and recruitment among the nobles. He is ignorant of the Shadow Academy. Merriam presents as flamboyantly gay, which makes noblemen feel comfortable about his consorting with their wives. Nothing could be further from the the truth, though, but he certainly does well in getting the ladies to pony up donations to the school.
Oskina Burrtongue
Halfling Natural Sciences Professor -- 9th Oracle // 9th Druid. Oskina doesn't know about the Shadow Academy. She is a dedicated professor, though a strict disciplinarian to her students. She also functions as school medic and fanatical head groundskeeper. It is considered most unwise to cross this lady, and even the Headmaster is somewhat wary of her wrath. Warning: If an area of the campus has a "Do Not Walk on the Grass" sign, it is best to heed it.
Zomminok
Keeper of the Clocktower -- Crotchety Gnome. 9th level Expert. It is not quite clear exactly what Zomminok does, given that the clock is not operational, but he has tenure, so what are you going to do? He lives in the clocktower along with an animal companion that no one ever sees. At least, it's assumed it's an animal. Generally fairly creepy. Technically he's a Professor of Engineering, entitled to all of the benefits thereto, etc., etc.
Bisselim Topragot
Head of the Observatory -- Human Oracle, Dark Tapestry Mystery. Possibly Darkfire Adept prestige class. Bisselim appears to be nothing more than a very talented, aristocratic astronomer. Secretly he is a fairly insane and evil cultist of the Old Ones, who achieved his current faculty position after the mysterious death of the previous Head Astronomer. He eaches classes (and quite well, too), and in his spare time schemes to bring about the destruction of the planet. Bisselim has claimed the Observatory outside of town as his personal domain, and has already made many alterations to the building and the chambers beneath. He possesses a powerful amulet that shields him from magical detection and conceals his Chaotic Evil alignment.
Marcretia Zilnus
Mathematics Professor -- Human 4th level Expert. There's nothing particularly special about Marcretia. She is an able mathematician, trained at the University of Lepidstadt, and a fairly pleasant person once you get to know her. She also has the uncanny ability of coming across as extremely suspicious, though she has few if any secrets of note. There's just something about her that makes people distrust her and question her motives. Maybe it's a curse.
Treistoran Marcellion
Spy, Innkeeper -- Human 5th level Bard / 3rd level Sleepless Detective // 8th level Witch -- Proprietor of the Academy Alumni Club and proficient spy. Treistoran comes across as a distinguished aristocratic gentleman, though he boasts no ties to any particular noble house. His duty is to manage the Alumni club and coordinate intelligence among members of the spy network who may or may not know each other by sight. He also is responsible for brewing potions for use by the organization, using the Cauldron Hex and materials supplied by the school. Treistoran is remarkably perceptive and utterly trustworthy, though as it happens he does have three separate ex-partners (two women, one man) who would gladly kill him on sight. He was not always such a nice man, you see. Luckily only one of these three currently resides in the city of Oppara. Unluckily, she is a vampire.
Simper
Spy -- Fetchling 6th level Rogue // Wizard -- A master of stealth, Simper's ability to sneak in and observe is truly impressive. Unfortunately he's also a bit shy on common sense, and is addicted to voyeurism. The Headmaster has been considering retiring him from active service. Simper originally hails from Shadow Absalom.
Father Alinicus Yostrin
Chaplain -- 4th level human Priest of Aroden -- As a priest of Aroden, Father Yostrin has no divine powers. It is his duty to open and close academic ceremonies with the proper prayers, to bless incoming and outgoing students, and to serve as a confidential counselor to the student body. By Academy law and tradition the Chaplain is empowered to overrule the Headmaster's decisions if such decisions would not "find favor in the eyes of Aroden", though this legal power has not been used in over seven hundred years. Father Yostrin knows nothing of the Shadow Academy, and is generally happy with his limited duties. He is a kind man, much beloved by the student body. Something of a tinkerer, Father Yostrin seems to have the knack of getting the school's printing press to operate when no one else can, as the ornery device acts up from time to time.
Strengths of the Academy
Intellectual resources and reputation: A very well kept library as well as a network of contacts through scholarly circles. Those who graduate from the Academy are well known for commanding respect on the Senate floor. The History of the Academy is widely considered to be a sterling example of Taldan culture (with a few minor blots, to be sure.)
Connections: For over a thousand years Academy graduates have taken their places among the Senate, and Royal students are far from unknown as well. It is often possible for Academy men and women to favor each other in political and financial dealings, much like members of the same fraternity.
Hidden Faces: In addition to the extensive Shadow Academy, the Academy hides many other secrets. The depths of the subterranean library have accumulated texts, treasures and bits of magic and lore over a thousand years. Sadly there's no coherent index, but it's easy to round up a bunch of students and grant them extra credit for sifting through rooms that haven't been opened in decades.
Spy Network: The clearest hidden strength of the Academy is the extensive spy network built up and maintained at the Headmaster's discretion. The Shadow Academy has been in the business of spying for so long that its network of information drops, hereditary information sources, hidden techniques and codes boggles the mind. It is rumored that within this network there may be entire cells of 2-4 agents who have ended up completely disconnected from the main network, gathering data and depositing it in safe holds that are no longer monitored, drawing funds from stagnant accounts, and generally going about their spying business to no productive end whatsoever. This is fairly distressing to the Headmaster, but is perhaps the price to be paid for longevity. Even organizations experience a degree of senility.
Weaknesses of the Academy
Lack of money: For one reason or another, funds always seem to be scarce. It's a constant challenge to squeeze more coin out of the upper crust in order to keep the doors open.
Staunchly Conservative: The Academy does not consider this a weakness, of course. But to others the Academy can occasionally seem somewhat stuck in the past, unwilling to consider new ideas, and generally hopelessly unsuited to the modern world. Depending on one's degree of liberalism.
Diminishing Relevance: There are some who would argue that swords and spells are all that are required to have a great country, and the Academy furnishes neither of these. To such heathens the teaching of millenia-old history is a waste of time. Few will speak such an opinion openly, but whispers can always be heard.
Physically Weak: Not that anyone would particularly want to storm the halls of the Academy with armed men, but if they decided to then the Academy would need to rely on the City Guard to protect them. Though individuals within the Shadow Academy (and some normal faculty) are individually formidable, the campus security force would be outmatched by anything greater than your typical student protest.
Relations to Other Organizations
TODO
