Has anyone expanded it’s role in their campaign? If so how
One of my first thoughts is why is it not at least raided on the Night of Ashes. Educational institutions are often hotbeds of dissident opinion especially ones that refuse diabolic teaching
Regarding the place:
- why has it been dwindling ? Is the idea that since thrune took over the lack of diabolism does not make it popular amongst those seeking expensive education whilst wanting to look good to the state? Is the low level of magic teaching another reason ?
- what sort of classes are the tutors likely to be ? I assume bards, alchemists and experts? Any others ?
Right now it sits there throughout the early books and feels like it could have more of a role
Some things I think are facts but mostly things that are my interpretation...
Barzillai doesn't hit the Academy on the Night of Ashes because many of its students (and maybe professors) are nobles or children of same. Or children of other rich "movers and shakers." That's a lot of enemies to make. His actual targets on the Night of Ashes were comparatively weak, without other powerful allies. Now, he did hit House Victocora and in my opinion it's a bit of a blind spot in the AP that the other noble houses don't seem to have any reaction to that at all. Even if they didn't like the Victocora's - that they were so effectively wiped out should cause some kind of alarm or concern on the part of the other Houses. One might assume Barzillai has given them proof they were part of the Sacred Order of Archivists and spreading "lies" (meaning the truth) about the House Thrune redacted version of history.
The Academy has been declining since before the ascendancy of House Thrune - having one of your most renowned professors (Mangvhune) prove to be a horrific serial killer is bad for business. And with House Thrune's penchant for redacting history and the change in political structure centralizing political and economic power elsewhere in Cheliax, the Academy has become more of a regional institution whereas in its heyday it had national or even international appeal. (No one outside of Cheliax has much interest in going there for an education even in comparatively tolerant Kintargo.)
I would assume the professors/teachers are primarily experts with a smattering of bard, alchemist and wizard levels. Or more accurately, that's how I would build it (if doing so) because the more pc class levels that are present the more it begs the question: why are they not joining/leading the rebellion? Or for that matter throwing in with Thrune? It's more than a bit recursive, but Barzillai did quite a bit of research on Kintargo before arriving and selected his Night of Ashes targets deliberately. If he didn't hit the Academy, he must not have perceived it as a threat. Therefore it probably isn't. These people are academics not field agents. Though they are probably part of any teams of Agitators or Cognoscenti the Rebellion might have.
The Academy exists for two reasons (in my mind): to provide the background for Mangvhune, whose shadow shows up throughout the AP and answer a basic question: what educational instrituations exist in the city? At the level of civilization in Cheliax, a city of Kintargo's size would have some kind of formal educational structure. It's certainly open ground for GM's to enhance and incorporate further. Perhaps it's really Professor Xavier's School for Gifted Youngsters...
It's been dwindling in the decades since Mangvhune was discovered to be a professor there. The scandal of both murder and demonic influence is a double whammy on its reputation and as a place where the aristocrats and middle class will feel their kids are safe.
Thanks. I had forgotten about the serial killer as I haven’t really read past book 4 and it is only tangentially referenced in book 2
I would consider it a bonus if my game gets past book 4 (although with the issues i am having with players currently getting past book 1 seems like a lofty goal!)
I thought the same as you do. So in our campaign I had the Trashing Badger be a meeting place for a large group of professors and students at the Academy who were in (secret, of course) opposition against Thrune. But Barzillai had done his homework pre-AP and the burning of the inn took care of most of the city's malcontent intelligentsia for him. We played out the Night of Ashes and had a scene at the Badger, were the PCs could save a professor who jumped out of a window. So that explained the continued undisturbed existence of the Academy since Barzillai had effectively defanged it. I had some ads appear for new teachers in the local newspaper handout I give to my players, where the candidates were said to become "thoroughly vetted by the Inquisition this time around". None of the PCs applied :-)
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I thought the same as you do. So in our campaign I had the Trashing Badger be a meeting place for a large group of professors and students at the Academy who were in (secret, of course) opposition against Thrune.
Not just your campaign; that's in either the Player's Guide or the first AP book. AFB, can't check, but it's there.
PCs could save a professor who jumped out of a window
This immediately lead my thoughts to the Call of Cthulhu game and its "example of play" piece. (I don't know if the most recent iteration of the rulebook has it, but the earlier ones certainly did.) The hapless investigators are exploring a house, and find something nasty in an upstairs room. A rather one-sided fight breaks out, and the player of Dr. Harvey Walters proclaims "My professor is jumping out of the window!" Only to find out that there are bars on the window ...
@Zimmerwald Ah I'm sure you're right, even if I've haven't checked myself either. It was so long ago (this campaign has taken forever, due to several longer breaks) so my recollection is becoming increasingly vague... no need for any Thrune redactors here, I'm doing that job quite well myself! :-)
@Bellona Such a fun game. Especially for the GM >:-)
Just because I'm compulsive and had a few free moments. See IHBS p. 27:
"PC who succeeds at a DC 15 Knowledge (local or religion) check or a Diplomacy check to gather information knows that the Thrashing Badger was reputed to be a favorite watering hole for the rebellious cult of Milani."
Does anyone have any views on what an Institution like this could look like? And if there are any maps from other modules or APs that I could perhaps steal if my players want to go there?
The map of the city has it as bigger than the opera house
Given the subjects I guess there are labs, geeenhouses and lecture theatres? Probably classrooms ?
Is the image that students stay there? I think they would have done but perhaps not so much now?
Linked to this what sort of creatures could be here as combat encounters? If my players go there I would expect it to be at level 9
Botany and zoology suggest exotic animals and plants but most are very large and under CR’d
The Scrivenites seem like interesting things to bring back - perhaps enhancing them to be more of a combat threat and having more than one (the one in book 1 was literally a blocker and frustrating as it became apparent it could not really hurt my group).
Are there other “academia” inspired monsters that I haven’t spotted? Equally are there any adventures / modules or PFS scenarios that people know about other than Academy of Secrets (and perhaps library of the lion) that are set in educational institutions ? I am attempting to look but was just wondering if anyone knew