Your followers are happy to tell you all what they know of the Collegium.

While originally it was a place to trade game and mountain goods with the nomads of the area, it's also developed into a city to service the magical college, and contains a number of hangers-ons who want to be students as well. As a result, it has a "core" that's essentially a city unto itself to support the college, on top of a (very) small mountain.

Further north is the collegium itself, built at the bottom of several small valleys. The collegium itself is fairly small, with smaller labs to teach each discipline spread out through the valley. Del Schiavone guards patrol regularly, checking the individual labs to ensure nothing too unsafe is taking place, and to make sure some very stupid rogue nomads don't to decide to make a raid.

There are guard posts on the top of the hill, regularly shining magical lights here and there.

It's officially a neutral institution of learning and takes all sorts of students, but all the instructors are attached to Del Schiavo. Other families may hire powerful mages as high ranking and valued retainers, but Del Schiavo carries the potential to join the family, and are open about funding magical research, so gather a huge portion of up and coming mages in their ranks.

* * *

You have all gathered outside the city for the journey to the place. However, how are you getting there?

Gathered together, the Pantheon is a fearful gathering of power. As you prepare yourselves, the question arises, how will you approach this situation?

You may wish to attract a lot of attention.. or take paints to avoid that, depending on how you want to handle this. The college might let prospective students tour the main facility, and Goatherd is a public city, but the Collegium is probably not going to let you just poke around a crime scene without an excuse.

The way you play this is up to you.

How are you approaching the area?

Vasati was a creature of many competing and often opposing natures, a conflicting dichotomy of instincts and drives.  As tempting as it was to make an entrance, the time had not yet come in his story to do so.  Still, no reason to pretend to be a pauper.  He had more than enough wealth to not need to arrive on foot, and so he spread a little around to make his first appearance at the Collegium a little less pedestrian.


The first to arrive, he stepped out of the doors of his carriage and tipped the driver well, looking around expectantly for those he was there to meet.  They wouldn't recognize his face, but no matter, names and reputations were what was really important.

  "Just keep him from wandering anywhere," said Gaja, pulling a drab muslin cloak out of her saddlebag.  She threw it over her shoulders and tied the cord at the neck while she continued with her instructions.  "You're mostly just here to reassure people he's not a wild beast wandering free.  I shouldn't be more than an hour."

  She pulled the hood up and started south.  It was an inconvenience, but she did want to get a sense of the route the thieves had taken, and she didn't want to draw attention to herself around the Collegium just yet.  In theory, she wouldn't need to come back to finish the task she'd taken on, but better not to bring the magic mutant around to make herself memorable in advance.  Just in case.  She'd left him with Sarnai about a mile away, but the towers of the Collegium itself made for a much better rendezvous.  So it was that she came near enough to see the carriage depart, and to see the body language of the posh stranger left behind.  It didn't take graced senses to tell he was waiting for someone, but the pace said a group.  Worth checking out.  She turned to approach him directly and slowed her pace.

  "Hmm, are you looking for me, maybe?" she asked when she came near enough, pulling her loose hood down.  The tone and the accompanying smile were friendly enough to generally make the answer yes, even if it hadn't been before the question.  She had that effect: it made her cover stories a lot easier when she just played along.  "Because I'm looking for someone who finds what he's looking for."

Vasati raised both his hands, the sigil flashing in light blue magelight in each palm.

"Ah, Signora Gaja, you are perfection herself."

His voice was almost the same, resonate and melodious, but there was a twinge to it that was altered as a result of his new face.  The smile was all too familiar though, even if the features which bore it were not.

"Is it to be just the two of us then, or have you found us more to add to the tale?"
This message was last edited by the player at 05:34, Tue 29 Jan 2019.

Claire arrived a few moments behind Gaja. She'd run the entire way there, taking advantage of her ability to sprint the length of a marathon, but she slowed to a jog as she came in sight of the group. As Gaja hadn't wanted her to draw attention, Claire was wearing a Patrian-style tunic (common enough in Vissio) and plainer boots over her idol suit and under the Unitary cross pendant she'd adopted, along with a high-peaked scholar's cap that disguised her very famous ears, and had combed her bangs over her forehead to hide her flaming record brand. It wouldn't survive close scrutiny, but it was good enough not to draw too much attention, and she'd left her signature gloves and boots back in Gaja's room.

"Good morning, Gaja. Who's your friend?" she asked, quietly and calmly sizing up Vasati.

Increase arrived after Claire. He was wearing his normal minimalist clothing, having opted to maintain Lommish clothing over the more common Vissian ware. It was simply what he was most comfortable in and didn't feel as though his inconspicuous clothing would draw attention to them. All the same he left behind his stave, concerned what its heretical inscriptions and symbols might invoke in the minds of common people.

"And so we gather."

Plaga didn't take much longer to arrive, joining the rest of the group at the meeting. The stranger that had joined them had something familiar about him, but Plaga couldn't quite tell where she had seen him before.

"Greetings everyone. Are we all ready?"

Vasati was in a brilliant azure jacket with silver embroidery at the hems, thrown over simple homespun tunic and trousers in browns and grays.  His rough hair was pulled out of his eyes by another brilliant band of blue, and a cigarillo burned merrily between his teeth.

"Ah, faces both old and new!"

He said with some delight, his deep basso voice rolling out contentedly.  As he spoke, he made a large and flourishing bow that Plaga instantly recognized.  This time though, he splayed his hands out wide, and a rune of blue magelight flared briefly in each palm.  The symbol was intricate and unique, twisting circles and lines forming a detailed sigil.

"Signora Doctor, I was too hasty with my introductions last time, my apologies.  I was still too fresh faced from my long retirement, and forgot my manners.  It is fixed now, eh?  Names can be such tricky things, but they have their uses.  For the others, I will go first then.  I am Vasati, a humble chronicler of stories and secrets, and your guide for much of what comes next."

He threw a wink towards Claire.

"The mighty Claire Durand needs no introduction after that spectacular show with the icebergs.  Fantastic work, by the way.  Are you to be our Mage or our Warrior?"

His piercing eyes, blue this time, finally fell on Increase Scholar.

"You my little whispers have not heard much about, and I would very much like to correct that.  Would you be so kind as to introduce yourself?"
This message was last edited by the player at 20:38, Tue 29 Jan 2019.

"Greetings Vasati. For you and the rest I am Plaga. You may call me that. After all, this isn't strictly related to bussiness. Not in a direct way, at least. My instinct was right it seems, since you have find our way into our group without any introductions. You are as resourceful as you claimed it seems."

Increase gave a slight inclination of his head to Vasati.

"I am known as Increase Scholar. It is my name and desire."

  Gaja matches Vasati's bow flourish for flourish.

  "I did say I had friends to collect," she replies with a broad grin.  With each introduction, she skips lightly up to the person in question.  Claire gets some particularly creative miming of flight and arm-cannons.  "Mister Increase, the Scholar," she wraps up.  "He knows so much, some of it is not even true yet!  The impossible boats are his creation.  I know You've heard about those."

  She turns to Plaga then, at the end.  "He was very impressed with Szkarik.  Who, by the way, is waiting for me on the road north of here.  We should walk as we clap shoulders and welcome each other."

"Ah, my whispers had indeed.  I am pleased to meet the man behind the man behind the legend then.  I imagine we will have ever so many stories to tell one another upon our journey.  I know of a few local curiosities that might pique your interest as well.  Well then, Doctor, Mage, which means you must be the Warrior."

He said finally to Claire, fingering a chain about his neck.  It disappeared into his tunic, making it impossible to see what was held on the other end.

"Excellent, are we ready to depart?"
This message was last edited by the player at 06:33, Wed 30 Jan 2019.

[OOC - Scholar already has a bit of a reputation for building a boat in a week and being a Captain on that job, but he wouldn't be nearly as recognizable on sight as Claire.]

Increase looks briefly to Plaga and wonders with of the two of them was the doctor and which was the mage. Deciding that it was neither here nor there he nodded his agreement.

"Yes let us be off."

By carriage, it's a relatively fast and pleasant journey.

The exterior city gives way to several hours of winding through the long spread of plantations and estates that help feed the city. They extend substantially further than most, as the soil is not good and the land quite warm and dry. Marching slaves, travelers, poor merchants and the occasional guard give your carriage an eye as you travel: it's not exactly a common way to travel.

Eventually, you veer away from the estates. The ground becomes a little greener, the air a bit cooler, and the states give way to grassland.  The farmers and city folk are gone.

After a few nights of travel, the grassland gives way to hills, and you start to see the occasional roaming herd of wild goats and llama. There are far less slaves and more herder in leathers.

The city is located right at the end of the road - where the hills start to become mountains. A number of small terrace farms have been set up outside the city, with a number of watchtowers that give the city ample vision. After the little farms, the city remains behind pallisade gates. Clustered around the enterence to the city is a farmers (well really, herders) market, and the smell and noise from the goats themselves and hawkers selling make quite a distracting cacophony. A few stalls



[Will you be stopping here or continuing on to the collegium/cave?]
This message was last edited by the GM at 06:45, Fri 01 Feb 2019.

Claire and Increase Scholar arrive at the Goatherd very quickly, leading to an obvious question: how are they going to play this?

The Collegium isn't exactly closed to all visitors, but there are a number of ways that they might try and parlay a way to get inside, anything from flying straight in to pretending to be a professor to literally bribing some people.

If Increase Scholar was looking for info on the bits too, that might be a sensitive area.

Claire looked at Increase. "Is this a secret mission?" She hefted the large sackful of juicy metal parts she was carrying. "If not, I suggest we just walk in."
This message was last edited by the player at 08:54, Tue 02 June 2020.

Increase considered the matter for a brief moment.

"It is not that it is a secret mission but prudence would be wise. We do not know of the importance of the bits or who covets them."

He searched his mind for any knowledge that might guide him in this decision.

Pulling on Omniscient Scholar to see if I can locate any lead that might be helpful.

OOC - So, a lot of idea's are beyond the scope of the gift, which is total understanding of nearly ever academic field that isn't magic related.

There are basically two problems here.

1) How do you get into the university and wander the grounds.

Some solutions come to you.

This university is both a centre of learning and a means to power, money and influence for it's staff, city and Del Schavone.

A) You could simply stop by, say you need to do some lab work, and drop off a pile of money or offer to do some service for them. They do this fairly regularly for people willing to drop enough coin who they are convinced won't harm the city. You already have a pretty good reputation.

B) You could ask to speak about becoming an honorary adjunct professor with full access to the publci parts of teh campus. Wow them enough and that may be a possibility. You'd probably still have to bribe them a lot for this and/or really charm them, but you'd never have to worry about getting on campus again.

C) Claire of course is offering to sell her stuff there, and you could say you are there as an appraiser to ensure the fair price. You might get escorted though and yo would probably not get near the access you needed.. but you could just sneak off when you are in. Of course, you won't be able to review the library or labs with this level of access.

2)  How do you investigate the bits once you are there?

A) You could talk to the remainnig professors who are likely to have understanding of the project. A genius like you can figure it out by reviewing the published studies. You can look at the studies on the relevant subjects and work out who are the professors. You should be able to figure out the professors most likely to be associated with the subject manner.

It's not something the university is supposd to talk about, but you might convince a fellow scholar that telling you would be best. Or Claire can threaten to shoot them if they dont: you are godbound, after all.

B) If you convinced the Del Schavone or the Dean to let you invsetigate. You'd have to be SUPER impressive to do this. Del Schavone don't want this info very public and the Dean even less, and you are already known to work for (though not be an agent of) the Lorenzi.

C) Once you are on campus, approach the lab at night. If you get in trouble, have Claire fly you out of there. Sometimes the direct approach is the simplest.

D) Ask professors and students and look for rumors. Schmooze. Ask students about missing professors. It might not be the quickest approach, but you don't have to work very hard to set this up.
This message was last edited by the GM at 16:35, Wed 03 June 2020.

On the subject:

Claire doesn't want to pick a fight because she has reasons of her own to want to establish a positive relationship with the professors (she wants to be able to draw on Collegium techs and manpower for her next project), so let's err away from the more violent (and preferably from the sneaky) options if we can.

However, if we're going for a social approach? Claire is exceptionally charismatic and intelligent, can automatically make friendly contact (Passion Word), and if I'm not mistaken, will be a minor celebrity with the people she's come to deal with (professors interested in automation and theotechnology) by virtue of being one impressive piece of technology.

And these are the kind of people who like to talk shop, which both Claire and Increase can do like a bawse.

Interested in schmoozing a bit and maybe making a few lectures on esoteric subjects, Increase?
This message was last edited by the player at 17:00, Wed 03 June 2020.

OOC: Sure let's go press the flesh.

Increase gathered with information he could and then looked back to Claire.

"I believe it best if we simply approach from the front, make our presences known, and endeavor to endear ourselves to the members of the Collegium. From there we might leverage our station or status to investigating the Bits without earning too much undo suspicion or hostile counter efforts."
This message was last edited by the player at 20:54, Wed 03 June 2020.

Claire nodded, and stepped into the lead. "My thoughts exactly," she said, getting ready to make a pop diva of herself.