[Vitrax] Seeking Higher Education (Clyde)

[Verilian]

Timestamp: Summer 3, 511 AV Characters: Clyde Sullins The Vitrax was an intimidating fortress floating in the heart of Ravok. Officially it was a part of the Temple of the Black Sun, but it was also the headquarters of the Ebonstryfe, Rhysol's elite. It was here that one came for matters of official business with the city including that of gaining entry to the city's university, the Institute of Higher Learning. One approached the entrance of the Vitrax through a large courtyard under the stony gaze of the massive statue of the Ebonlord, Gru'tral, commander of the Ebonstryfe. The gates to the fortress were guarded with archers above and armed soldiers on the ground. To enter one had to first speak to the guards. If deemed worthy they would be guided inside. If unworthy they would be turned away or worse, killed on the spot. Clyde would have to pass he guards test if he wanted to gain entry even to the Vitrax. And that was merely the first. More tests would await once inside to see if he was worthy of studying among Rhysol's most gifted. When Clyde approached the gate he was stopped by a dark figure. The guard wore black armor, and had a black hood which obscured most of his face from view. He carried a nasty looking axe in his right hand, and on his left arm was a shield bearing the symbol of the Ebonstryfe. The guard's voice was a deep bass, which made him all the more intimidating, and all Clyde could make out was the gleam of the guards eyes beneath his hood. "Halt. What business do you have with the Ebonstryfe?" The guard gripped his axe tightly, as if he were just waiting for an opportunity to use it. Clyde could imagine the damage the weapon would do to him. It was easily large enough to sever a limb, perhaps even lopping off the would be student's head in just one swipe. How Clyde responded to the guard would determine whether he lived or died.

[Clyde Sullins]

Here Clyde arrived in Ravok. He had come seeking an expansion to his education, and had been directed here. This was the place were he would be tested, and judged if he was fit to learn at the Institute. Slowly Clyde approached the gate, with a quick glance at the archers above, and the defenses protecting it. This was clearly there to awe anyone approaching, and to make clear it would be folly to attempt an attack on the building. The only way to get inside was to be invited in. Coming up, the slow tapping of his staff hitting the ground told of his presence long before he could be seen. There he faced a axe wielding guard, who looked very intimidating. There he asked Clyde of his business being there. It was clear at once that this was not someone to mess around with. Best to be clear and direct about his purpose, and no beating around the bush. "I am Clyde Sullins, I have newly arrived here in Ravok, and wish to request entry into the Institute of higher learning. I am a somewhat accomplished wizard, in several branches of magic, and wish to expand my skills and to learn of what the institute can teach me." Saying this, Clyde did his best to keep eye contact with the guard, or were he guessed the eyes were inside the helmet. This was to show that he was being truthful, and was not afraid, and he did indeed do his best attempt to not show fear to the man. He was pretty sure his answer had been clear and concise, and had clearly said his purpose and anything they would want to know.

OOC: I arrived at Ravok day 2 of the current summer season. So perhaps i came here on day 3? That should be good.

[Verilian]

He had done well, though there was no telling by he guards reaction. The man was a statue, and did not move or speak for some time. When he finally did he said merely, "Come," and turned from Clyde, leading him into the Vitrax. Assuming the would-be student followed he would be taken into the building and down a hallway to the right. Eventually they would come to a well made marble door. "Wait here," the guard said before passing through the door. Clyde could just barely make out muffled sounds through the thick door, there was another person in the room, and after all fell silent once more the guard opened the door and motioned for Clyde to enter. He guard did not stay, but instead returned to his post leaving Clyde alone in the room with an elderly gentleman sitting behind a desk covered in papers. The man was writing something on a piece of parchment and did not seem to register Clyde's presence for a few chimes until finally he motioned to the chair across from him. "Sit." The man seemed to study Clyde as he moved to the chair and when he sat down the man jotted down a few more notes before returning his attentions to the applicant. "So, Madus tells me you wish to apply at our school? That you are a wizard? I will need to know what magics you already have training in, and what you seek to learn in coming here. If we can help you we will go from there." As Clyde answered the man wrote down everything he said or did. It was all very methodical, very ordered for being a city devoted to chaos. Or perhaps that was the point? To make one think it was all ordered when truly nothing Clyde said even mattered. There was no real way of knowing for sure. At some point the man would interrupt, "And you say you have had formal training elsewhere? Where, to be exact, and do you have any documentation?" He asked other questions such as, "Why should we accept you? What will you bring to the school that someone else may not? Will you swear loyalty to Rhysol?" Finally they came to the most important question. "Do you have mizas for tuition?" OOCSorry, this post is kinda short. We'll get to some more interesting stuff soon.

[Clyde Sullins]

Listening to the guard, he was told to follow along inside. For a fleeting moment Clyde thought of turning and sprinting away from the building, but he decided against it. Even if he did not get shot through the back by an arrow, he would most likely not be accepted in again. It was know or never, and he had to go in if he wanted to learn and expand his skills. Walking along Clyde followed, and waited at the doorway when directed. Standing there he heard some conversation from inside, and finally when the guard returned he entered the room and went to the desk to talk to an old man. "Yes, I am a wizard, and i am skilled in a few things. I am proficient in reimancy and glyphing, and am also skilled in magecrafting. Those are my best skills that i have. I am also skilled in a few other things, but it is such a negligible amount that it is almost not worth mentioning it. The thing i am most interested in training is my skills in magecrafting, though I might want to train some others at some point, but for know i am most worried about magecrafting." "I had some training in Zeltiva, though not that much, I mostly just used the library and taught myself in my spare time." "Why to accept me? Well I would be a good addition here, and am ready to learn and train. I am a fast learner, and would be willing to use my skills I have learned to help those who help me. And I never forget those who have given me assistance in the past. I will become a strong wizard, I have the drive, which is always good to have on your side. " This last bit was said with much conviction, it was obvious Clyde believed what he said, and that he was going to do everything in his power to do what he had planned for himself. He was driven, and even if he was scared out of his mind to go here, he still went in, and was willing to do what it took to learn and become a powerful mage. "Others do not have my conviction, and when I say I will do something I will do it. I have been training my skills for a long time, and I am going somewhere, even if through shear work and determination." "Rhysol? To be honest I don't know that much about him, though I try to be pretty fair and not judge others, even Gods, by the preconceived notions others spout all the time. But I don't have anything against him right now." "Mizas? I have some, though I am by no means rich. I would prefer to perhaps use my skills to pay for classes I might take, or to perhaps take on an apprenticeship to use the skills actively, giving my product to the school, and learning from my work."

[Verilian]

The man listened to all Clyde said, occasionally jotting down a note here and there. He didn't seem particularly impressed with Clyde's conviction or story, he had heard the same thing from so many applicants over the years that all of them sounded the same. There were a few things that he did pay attention to however, which he addressed once Clyde was finished. "Rhysol is our god and ruler of this city. The school you wish to join exists only because he allows it to exist. Anything you do there will be in his name. We require all of our students to be well versed in Rhysol's teachings, so that they may aid in spreading his word." The man reached into his desk and pulled out some papers. "So your name is Clyde Sullins?" The man wrote down the name once confirmed and proceeded with his next set of questions. "We just need some basic information about you. Where are you staying in Ravok? Do you have family here? Do you have ties to Syliras?" Whether Clyde answered honestly or not didn't matter, the man made no comments on the information at that time. He just moved on to the next matter. "We do have a Magecrafting program at the Institution. Normally it is very expensive to get in.. but we are rather short on students at the moment. Recent events have disturbed things, and some students were lost. That being said, you could perhaps pay for your classes by assisting the instructor in supplying the Ebonstryfe with magical equipment. If you do well enough, there may be a job for you in the future after you graduate as well." The man jotted down a few more things on the paper before looking back up at Clyde. "Was there anything else you wanted to learn? So far I have you down for Magecrafting Principals, Teachings of Rhysol, Basic Magecraft Application, and Advanced Magical Theory. I might also recommend taking a basic Auristics class, if you aren't already skilled in that field."

[Clyde Sullins]

Here it came, asking his back-story. For obvious reasons he did not often talk about his birthplace, especially here. And he held it in no high regards now. He would like little better than to see the whole of Syliras burn to the ground... But that might be a little dark for an interview.... "I am staying at Tarsin's Boarding house here in Ravok, i have bought a room for the rest of the season. And no I have no family here." The last bit he paused, before answering, with a obvious tone of dislike and vehemence. "I was born in Syliras, and was raised there, I suppose you might call that as ties. Though I left as soon as I could, and hated every moment spent in that stifling place of unimaginative mentality." "If you would believe it, my parents wanted me to be a blacksmith, and would have hated the idea of my doing magic under the un-watchful eyes of the knights." This last bit he said with a bit of the smile, thinking of what his parents thought now, and what they would say if they had known he was a wizard.... He had kept it from them even upon leaving, and never told them why he was gone. "That seems fine, I would be happy to do such with magecrafting. It would be beneficial to us both. Those classes sound fine, and I have already learned the very basics to auristics, so I am okay there."

[Verilian]

The man nodded his head, finishing up the paperwork and slipping it back into his desk. "Alright, we're almost done here. Your classes will begin on the 8th. You are free to explore the institute until then. You go to school four days, and three off. Since you are only taking three classes you will have a lot of free time. I suggest you use that time in the library or labs. Your instructor is Thadeus Lazerin. He will be handling all your classes except for the teachings on Rhysol. Those will be held at the Temple of the Black Sun." The man reached across the table and Clyde was handed a small badge, bearing the institute's crest upon it's face. "You will need to wear that at all times when on school grounds. If you loose it it will cost you, assuming you make it out of the school alive at all." The badge was simple, and bore no magical aura, but it would identify him to the guards and anyone else who saw it that he was a student at the Institute of Higher Learning. "Now if you would just sign these," the man handed Clyde a few sheets of paper, "This first is a non-disclosure agreement. While at the institute you may be privy to certain secrets, both magical and mundane, pertaining to the Ebonstryfe or the Black Sun. Those secrets are not to leave the school. The second is simply states that you are paying for your tuition via a work agreement, in your case Magecraft. And the third is your class schedule. You may keep that." After the paperwork was signed the man filed them along with all the rest. "And that about does it. Make sure you arrive for your classes on time and you should be alright. Enjoy your stay in Ravok." Thadeus Lazarin : Born to the Lazarin family, Thadeus is a shrewd man with the sense of humor of a glassbeak. His family is very close to the Ebonstryfe and Thadeus himself is actually a Paladin of the Ebonstryfe, though not a combatant. Still, he has earned his rank and is entitled all the respect that comes with it. As a teacher Thadeus is very strict and unforgiving. He is a perfectionist and does not expect anything less from his students. Failing to adhere to his instructions may result in anything from Thadeus throwing a childish temper tantrum to more bodily harm being inflicted on his student. All that aside, he is very knowledgeable and a capable instructor. Skills: Magecraft 60 Interrogation 30 Auristics 40 Glyphing 30 Reimancy 45 (Water, Air) Gnosis: Chaon (Rank 1) OOCOkay, so that pretty much wraps the enrollment up. If you want to make an exiting post that is fine, then you can submit it for xp. As for the exact details of your classes and schedule, I will leave that up to you. You are free to use the NPC as long as you stay within normal limits for controlling an NPC. In other words, no killing him or having him kill others. Also, he should remain in the school at all times. If you want to encounter him outside you'll need mod permission. OOC2Also, sorry for the short post/thread. But really, it's just getting you into the school.. didn't need to be a long drawn out thing. Hope that's okay. We can do another thread later that will be more fun if you like.

[Clyde Sullins]

Clyde nodded at the man, he wondered if he had even listened to his last part. He had gone on a bit of a rant, and the man had not even acknowledged it. Still, he had been accepted into the school, and was now allowed to take classes. He happily signed the first paper, as he understood that a institution tended to want to keep its secrets inside and only to its paying students. He did not plan to teach others of magecrafting, and he did not want to lose his head over something he let slip on the ebonstryfe. Next was a work agreement, saying he would work in exchange for tuition. Also very simple. Finally he looked over his class schedule. It all seemed pretty normal, and not to demanding. He should have plenty of time to study, and and work in the lab. "Ah, thank you, I look forward to learning at the institute." Walking out he looked over the badge and his schedule. He could not wait to get started, and to learn what he could.

[Verilian]

Clyde +1 Rhetoric You Question My Logic? : Yeah.. not much I could give here. Lores: A Simple Test of Confidence: Passed, Speaking with Conviction, Student of the Institute of Higher Learning Notes: So I already explained all your class stuff and sent you a PM on magecrafting, but I'm gonna add some more info here just to make it official. You have funding for up to 5000gm of magecrafting per season. Any item you make using this gold goes straight to the Ebonstryfe upon completion and you get no profit from it. If you want to make an item that's price is over your 5k limit and want the Ebonstryfe to fund it, you will need moderator permission. Also, your budget doesn't roll over. It resets to 5000 each season.