Dragonvale Academy (Inactive)

Game Master stardust

Prologue
A Gathering of Power

An image of the external of the academy.

As the professors arrive from distant lands, they find the doors to the Central Hall of the Academy wide open. A notice written in elegant calligraphy is posted to the open door.

"This place is bright and airy... Perfect for my studies. I will retrieve my stave at my own pace. In the meantime, I shall rest in my dorm. Good day." the man says after reading the note.

Apollos is a tall, pale man whose hair is as hoary as snow, though his face does not show as much age. He is wearing a long grey cloak that reaches down to the floor. Under his arm rests a hefty tome that has green and yellow markings on the outside that resemble storms and lightning.

As Apollos reaches his quarters, he may be surprised to feel the presence of an invisible force removing his cloak from his shoulders. With no hostility or ill intent behind it, the cloak is placed on a peg on the back of the door.

A moment later, a silver ewer of water is poured by (perhaps the same) invisible force into a turquoise jeweled basin.

Without even blinking, Apollos says "My pouch." in a strict voice. He lifts his arm so that the force may take it from him. He watches where it takes them for reference.

Apollos stares out the window on to the scenery below, thinking What wonders I will do? Truly this is a marvelous place.

Wysteria walks up to the door and reads the notice, "Hmm, It's addressed in the plural, I must not be the only one arriving today."

She walks over to the staves and looks them over. After a moment she grabs one that is all black with white highlights and simple geometric decoration, save for a few large deep crimson rubies. "Doesn't look like one's been taken yet, I must be the first. Unless..." She shrugs, then looks around for the kitchen. Starting off to the right of the hall, she quickly finds herself in storeroom.

Rubedo smiles as he enters the hall alone wearing an emerald green cloak and a handsome leather haversack, his lower hands placed casually in his pockets, his upper hands retrieving and opening a pocket watch in his waistcoat. He glances at it and replaces it into his pocket.

Then Rubedo walks to the hall and takes up a staff, and blinks as the psychic link is established. The staff becomes a curious wooden rod: ebony on the bottom half, with swirling patterns into a ivory colored wood on the top half. On top is a red-gold colored crystal phial. Curiouser and curiouser, one spell per day, this shall be interesting. So used to the potions and extracts I imbibe working magic that to be a wandwaver will be quite the experience... he says to himself

Rod in hand, he goes in search of the alchemy lab to become acquainted with its setup.

Wysteria comes back into the main hall figuring it unlikely the kitchen would be past the machine shop.

"Ah! I figured I wasn't the only one arriving today. You can call me Ms. Saviz. Who are you? I'm in search of the kitchen, care to join?"

Pleased to meet you! Rubedo grins and holds out his upper right hand to shake. I am Dr. Grimoire, potions master. What subject is your speciality, Ms. Saviz? His hand feels a bit rough, as though chapped.

He considers thoughtfully her offer, and nods. I was hoping to find the alchemy laboratory, but I am hungry after my journey and the lab isn't going anywhere. Very well, let's find the kitchen then.

The sky overhead darkens for a few moments and a peal of thunder can be heard far up above.

A chime can be heard in the Central Hall, but what it indicates remains to be seen.

"I will be teaching various craftwork, and craftmagic. Though, why do you have four arms?"

She looks around at the sound, "That doesn't sound good."

She becomes much more alert and ready for something to happen.

Oh, these? he holds up his bottom sets of arms. Side effects in the quest for that elusive quarry, alchemic perfection! I sought a way to quickly heal from any injury, but was a tad generous with the essence of mandrake I added to the elixir I was making. I sprouted an extra arm after the first draught! Naturally, I felt quite lopsided, so I took a second dose to even things out. Eventually, I perfected the regimen and am now brimming with regenerative energy, which I can even use to heal others! Can't pretend I haven't found the extra arms, forgive the pun, quite handy! Rubedo guffaws.

Hearing the chime, he stops laughing and listens. Hmm, I wonder what that's about. Suppose we should check it out?

"Let's go this way and see what we can see." Wysteria goes down the central passage.

"There's no need." A booming voice comes from the Grand Stairs, where a tall attractive man with a goatee and neatly trimmed mustache walks down the stairs at an accelerated rate. He is surrounded by an aura of light that brightly glows, lighting the floors and walls around him.

"Welcome, my friends, to Dragonvale Academy! I am Vertius Nightingale. I apologize both for my delay and my abrupt entrance. I would have preferred to use the front door, but I was dropped off at the dragon gardens above."

As he approaches closer you see a number of lights and orbiting crystals surrounding his head and swirling in strange patterns. In his hand is a beautifully carved staff standing some eight feet tall, it is solid black and shaped like a dragon with a large red crystal sphere in its mouth.

Those who have Knowledge (Planes) can make a skill check.

Vicen approached the building slowly, the carriage had a broken wheel on the way and the owner insisted that his passenger shouldn't have to fix it for him and had to do it by hand. As he walked in he found the note and picked up a darkwood staff band with mithral. It was a short staff barely coming to shoulder level for the elf with a dragon grasping the top in its four claws, wings spread tail wrapped around the shaft and opal fixed in the dragon's open mouth.

"Now then," He stated to no one as he looked around the central hall, "Lets see what this place has to offer."

He walked from the hall slowly noting the direction his room laid in but allowing his feet to take him where the would in the interim.

Apollos shuts the book that he was reading. It would probably be a good idea, Apollos thinks, if I were to see if the others have arrived. I should probably get my staff as well.

With that, Apollos puts his book back and retrieves his cloak. As he heads down to get his staff, he sees the elf Vicen Korel.

"I see that I am not the only one here anymore. Tell me, was that you earlier? My name is Apollos." Apollos asks Vicen.

To my understanding, everyone including Nightengale, are in the main hall where Vicen is picking up his staff. Coming from the gardens we would see him coming down the main stair.

"Vicen Korel," Vicen answers with a smile, "No I'm pretty certain whatever it was wasn't me as I just arrived myself. The carriage driver broke a wheel and refused to allow his passenger to fix it, had to do it himself he said. It slowed us down but at least he felt he had done his part right. But where are my manners? It is a pleasure to meet you apollos."

Knowledge (Planes) Check 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (5) + 7 = 12

Pleased to meet you, headmaster, Vicen, and Apollos. I am Dr. Rubedo Grimoire, potions master.

"And I am Wysteria Saviz, craftmaster and ex-major in the army. Nice to meet you all."

"I see. Allow me to retrieve my stave, and then we may discuss this further when we eat the evening meal." Apollos says after hearing the other's words.

Apollos walks over to where the staves once were. He grabs a bland, wooden staff with a small yellow crystal on top.

"My thoughts exactly. I had a few locals from Greenstone prepare some cold dishes for us. The school isn't yet fully staffed as I haven't opened the school for enrollments as some parts of it still have yet to be completed."

He gestures with his staff up the Grand Stairs. "The Dining Hall is on the second floor."

I'll try to provide some links to maps so we won't get completely lost. There are a few changes from the computer game world to reflect a more realistic school. And I also want for you to be able to contribute a little to the design of the school if you like.

Nodding Vicen agrees, "That would be sensible some supper would be nice, A pleasure Dr. Grimoire."

"Which army Wysteria?" Vicen looks her way trying to gauge her age, "I had a bit of service in my youth as well."

"I come from the Clans of the Everfree Forest, Crimson Heart Clan specifically, not that clan affiliation matters much in the army. Where are you from?"

Wysteria is a full grown adult, though certainly not old, she appears about 30 in human terms.

I think the lower levels should stay about where they are, they are make sense and I can visualize those easiest, the upper levels were so akward in moving around them, that keeping track of where eveything was in relation to each other was weird, and I'm awesome at navigation. So I would make the top floors be where all the changes are, unless you had something specific in mind.

Just one player's minor opinion. :)

Vertius leads you all up the Grand Stair and then past a few rooms on the lower levels, before taking another staircase up. This staircase seems to echo strangely due to some unusual acoustic feature of the architecture.

"Ah yes, here we are." are... are... are... here we are.

Vertius pauses for a moment and leans on his cane, then turns towards a door that before had seemed like a section of the wall. He stands up straight again and holds out his staff. The door opens leading to a small gallery with a large window to the cafeteria.

"Down the hall, and to the right." right... right... right... to the right.

The cafeteria is easily accessed and a board has been laid out of cold meat sandwiches, garden salads, cheese and bread, and a cold soup or two. Not to mention several barrels of ale and bottles of wine.

Ho, I like this place already! The university was so laughably mundane in its architecture. Nary a hidden doorway in sight, though, come to think of it, you wouldn't be able to see one, would you? Rubedo chortles approvingly, carrying a plate with a sandwich, a bowl of soup, and a tankard of ale as he sits down.

So now, Messers Korel and Skyborne, what subjects will you be teaching at this academy? he asks, tucking into a sandwich.

Wysteria looks at the available food, selects a glass of wine and then sits across from Rubedo. She puts her cape on the table where it suddenly collects itself and out from the folds if the cloth appears a head, hands, and wings. Now sitting on the table is small 1'3" redheaded angel.

Wysteria smiles, "This is Kit, my assisstant, and my best creation yet. So please don't squish her."

Kit looks around at the others, "Nice to meet you. And please don't sit on me, I might light your pants on fire if you do." She gets up and starts walking around looking at interesting things, including the other people in the room.

Wysteria continues while watching Kit, "I made her to assist me in my crafting endeavors, and to help teach the students here, after all you can never have enough eyes to keep an eye on kids. She can heal minor injuries if needed as well, though only a few times per day, so if you can't find me in time, she can keep them alive long enough for me to help. Though I hope no one gets hurt quite that badly." She looks rather sternly at the others during that last sentence, then continues watching Kit as though fasicinated by her creation.

"Counterspelling, and spell memorization techniques, with a focus on improved recall and casting procedures." Vicen smiles absently to the group while his eyes instead focus on the petite angel, with a small start he realizes his rudeness and looks back to Rubedo, "I'll also be helping students on improving their skill at concentrating."

"Very good." Vertius proclaims as he helps himself to a glass of wine, and a few slices of bread and cheese.

"I plan on instructing general theory and spell grammar. As we know, those word orders can be quite pesky at times."

He joins the others.

"Is this all of you? There were four missing staves when I arrived."

Anyone there?

"Should there be more?" Apollos asks.

Wysteria shrugs, "I don't know of anyone else. So what was it that you had to attend to today anyway? What can you tell us about this vale?"

"Ah... no. I had miscounted. Apollos, Wysteria, Vicen, Rubedo are all accounted for."

Taken aback at Wysteria's direct question, Vertius raises an eyebrow. "I'm glad you're on our side, Wysteria. Inquisitive natures are, generally, to be encouraged. But carefully, which is why institutions of learning are a good thing."

"There are a few powers in the Vale that you will need to learn about. But I had thought to save that for tomorrow, once everyone is settled in. Walking through the Central Hall should have given you ample clues for what one of those powers is. The grand tour I intend to lead you through on the morrow should give plenty of clues for the other powers of the Vale."

"That sounds... Lovely..." Apollos says cooly.

Good, good, I need to find my quarters. Which way would those be? Rubedo asks, wiping his mouth with a napkin.

The Grand Hall of the Academy is made of dark blue and white marble (a common repeating motif in the lower levels of the school), with giant statues of silver-scaled dragons.

Vertius turns to you all. "Ah, of course. As the letter I wrote said either in the halls from the Whispering Staircase, or up to the second level and to one of the extradimensional areas there. Your staff should give you complete access to most of the Academy."

"But yes, there is something strange going on. And I hope you all get a good night's rest so we can discuss it in the morning."

Perhaps it is a good time to jump to the next morning?

After looking around the various rooms available, she picks one on the second floor with plenty of space and "L" shaped. She rearranges some of the furniture to her liking, does some checking around, paranoia style, then beds down for the night with Kit finding a good spot in a cabinet, with the door just slightly cracked open.

Yes it is... I'll be busy most of the day, but will be able to post later this afternoon. I wanted to wait for the weekday since I know most people prefer to post then.

Chapter One
A Staff of Staves

After a relaxing night in your chambers (indeed perhaps the most relaxing night you've had in a while as the beds are extremely comfortable. They're masterwork beds with a subtle enchantment of sleep, instantly recognizable for anyone who has any ranks in Spellcraft.) the next day dawns clear and bright.

Invisible servants bring silver trays to your rooms an hour after you wake up (individually), each tray has a light breakfast porridge, a small teapot of steaming water and a few containers of different flavors of tea. Each tray also contains a note with the same calligraphic hand of the note on the door.

Rubedo rises early, dressing in an undershirt, his vest of stable mutation--you never know, do you?--and then puts on in his black robes over it and dons his red and gold stole, and begins his daily "ritual". He readies his alchemist's kit, grabbing spare vials and catalysts, placing them carefully in his belt pouch.

He then retrieves his leather-bound formula book and reads it as is his custom--not for any arcane purpose; alchemists, as he well knows, cannot memorize their formulæ entirely and must consult them at the time of preparing the extract. Still, the worn book is his oldest and most prized possession. He smiles as the very first formula he'd ever inscribed: the one enabling use of the simple verbum Decyphra not by combining syllables and gestures but by combining alchemical reagents and catalysts to the same effect. His penmanship was much rougher back then; his most recent formula for Ablue, the purification verbum, took four pages of minuscule but clear, elegant writing and precise diagrams to convey the nuances of exact amounts and timing the spell required.

Seeing the silver tray approaching him, he smiles, stands, takes the tray and places it on his desk. Tucking his formula book into his belt pouch, he sits and starts steeping Earl Grey in his teapot while eating the porridge. Once finished eating and drinking the tea, he stands, takes up his rod and makes his way to the library.

Wyseria awakens first thing in the morning and before eating she does some exercises, stretching, and katas. The she grabs Kit from the hidely hole and toses her on the bed. "Do you have to be so rough?" Kit complains as she changes and finds her way to the desk where Wysteria has started eating.

"Of course I do! What kind of evil, insane master would be if I didn't?" Wysteria replies with a chuckle.

"An oxymoronic one of course!" Kit says, picking up the butterknife and tossing it around like a baton, until it clatters on the floor.

"Do try not to gouge the floors, they are new." Kit retreives the knife and puts it gently on the tray.

"Well I don't you want expelled by the headmaster guy, then I would have to leave too, cause you can't go anywhere without me to save you every other day!"

This bantering joyfully continues until Wysteria leaves to meet the headmaster in the library with Kit wrapped around her as a cloak.

The library is cool and comfortable, and those who arrive find Vertius Nightingale at a large conference table in the central room. He is also sipping some tea... jasmine by the smell.

"Ah, glad you could make it. We've much to do today. And I do not think I would be too gracious a host or too effective a headmaster if I did not at least try to accomplish everything."

He nods to a stack of papers on the table. "There's those, of course. The final pages of the employment contracts. But before that, I think it is important to introduce you to one of the Powers of the Vale."

When Vicen awakes he opens the window and looks outside for a minute before smiling. Turning he finds the food and note and promptly sets himself at the small table it was on.

Eating quickly but quietly Vicen ponders what spells he might have need for the day, as he dresses he continues muttering to himself deciding on order and form for each of the packets he memorizes only occasionally glancing at his book as he does so. Once dressed he picks up his staff and heads to the library carefully noting the way from his room as he does so.

"[b]Good day and of course, after all time is the one thing no one should waste,[b]" Vicen smiles glancing at the papers before sitting down at the table, "[b] and who or what would we be meeting today?[b]"

Wysteria leafs through the pages, waiting for more people to arrive or for the headmaster to elaborate.

Kit meanwhile, becomes a little angel again, and explores the area and the books, reading quick segments of a few that catch her interest.

Vertius temples his fingers in front of his chin and regards the rest of the instructors mysteriously. "I would not ruin the surprise." The strange cloud of orbs and crystals appears at his shoulder again, and there seems to be some silent communication between Vertius and the cloud.

Rubedo sits, upper hands folded neatly on the table, though fiddling with his rod under the table with his lower hands, awaiting the headmaster's words.

"I believe we are still waiting for Apollos. I hope he was not too exhausted by his journey yesterday." Vertius stands up and begins pacing the space near the far bookshelf of the library they are in.

"Sometimes our work here at the Academy will drag on like this, though I also suspect there will be days when we will yearn for much quieter ones." The cloud hovering at his shoulder glows in strange colors for a second or two.

"No, I don't think we'll face anything that drastic. But we shall see." Vertius turns back to the table and unnecessarily straightens the stack of contracts.

Apollos walks in the room slowly.

"A man once said 'If you can't say anything nice don't say anything at all.' Is this you hinting at such a moment?" Apollos asks. He is obviously tired.

"I apologize if I do not speak much, I am weary."

Vertius looks over to Apollos.

"I am glad you could make it before lunch, though if you had not it would have been no great inconvenience, and we could have rescheduled the meeting for later this afternoon."

"I am a fairly patient person, but there are some Powers of the Vale, who are not. And now that you are all gathered together, we can make our way to the upper balcony." Vertius adds with a nod, picking up his staff from the place where it had leaned against the bookshelf.

"This way, if you please."

"As you can see, the upper corridors are all walkways branching between the tower classrooms, most of which are empty and available for your use at your convenience. Of course, there's the Impossible Stairs, which separates the staff's quarters from the students' quarters. It is unusual to have a stair lead its traveler to a sideways perspective, with gravity shifted it can be discombobulating, to say the least. It's easy to get over, however, if you remember that it is only a transport between two spaces, and not necessarily someplace to stay indefinitely."

The Impossible Stair does indeed lead to other hyperdimensional realities. through various portals, shimmering spaces in the air where reality ultimately shifted to create space where none had been there before.

He steps out on the staircase, his body turning sideways as he continues walking up the steps surrounding one of the towers. "The Balcony is this way, it is easy enough to find. Just look for the smaller dragon statue."

Curious! Rubedo exclaims after stepping through one of the strange gravity areas and using his rod to steady himself.

This place will be most conducive to magical research; a place where one can familiarize themselves with even strange and rare enchantments by living among them! Rubedo beams.

"While we are walking to the upper Balcony, which of the towers of the academy do you think you would like to procure?" Vertius asks his companions.