Acadamae Questions

[Paz]

I'm just about to start running Curse of the Crimson Throne, and a couple of players are interested in playing magic-users, which has provoked some questions about the Acadamae that I am struggling to answer.

One player wants to play a gnome beguiler (from PHB2), and is interested in having the Acadamae as part of his background. How likely is it that a beguiler could be accepted to the Acadamae, either fairly or using subterfuge?
Given a beguiler's lack of conjuration, is it plausible for him to pass the final exam (again, perhaps by using some trickery)? What are the chances of him being kicked out (non-fatally)? Or is neither remotely likely?

One of the other players is interested in playing an Acadamae graduate wizard, which raises the question of how likely it is that these two characters may already know (or know of) each other. How many students does the Acadamae take per year, and what ages do students attend from and to? Is there much mixing between different age groups of students?

Apologies if I've missed these questions already being answered on the messageboards or in the Guide to Korvosa.

[Jodah]

Well, if he's high enough level, he can use Advanced Learning to pick up Lesser Shadow Conjuration to emulate a Summon Monster spell.

[Mike McArtor]

Well, technically, the Acadamae is a wizarding school. Non-wizards need not apply. If I were running a campaign set in Korvosa there's no way I'd let a non-wizard into the school.

But that's me and my campaign. YMMV. If you want a non-wizard in your campaign's version of Korvosa, I'm not going to stop you! (Although I do want to hear how your player rationalizes it.) :)

[Norgerber]

I would recommend making the Acadamae rejection a part of his background as opposed to any form of attendance if this PC really wants a link to the Acadamae.

However, if it is really important to the background of the character that he attended suggest that he was able to dupe those in charge of admittance, but was eventually discovered and managed to barely escape with his life (something many do not do, but a gnome certainly might!)

I would recommend some kind of negative modifier for interacting with Acadamae-loyal personnel in the future, and potentially some positive modifiers for other Acadamae opposition members.

I think it would be quite difficult to rationalize a Beguiler graduating from a Wizard's academy, but of course anything is possible.

[Azoun The Sage]

I would go with the rejection as well. Then you can take it to the other Wizard PC actually having seen each other at application for the Acadamae. This of course could allow for some interesting Role Playing between the two PC's. I mean one wanted to get into the school but couldn't and the other did. I can see the Wizard constantly trying to prove the "lesser" caster as weaker and showing him his faults for choosing his profession of magic.

[Joey Virtue]

To graduate from what Acadamae what level wizard do you need to be?

[Mike McArtor]

Joey Virtue wrote:

To graduate from what Acadamae what level wizard do you need to be?

You need to be able to summon an imp. Although, in theory, a 1st-level PC could take the Acadamae Graduate feat. I should have bumped up the prereqs on that feat. :D

[Paz]

Thanks for the responses; I've passed some info on to him and I'll post next week when I found out what's he's gone for.