Academy of Mind & Fire

[JimBob]

OOC: Continued from here.

Towards the end of town, south of Orator Square, closer to the volcanic mountain ranges of Demios, sat an elegant building. Some might have described it as a palace, but then, they hadn’t seen some of the buildings on the mainland. The outer walls of the structure were painted a fiery red orange, making it blend somewhat with the mountains behind it. It was two stories high, and it had a black domed roof. It almost looked like the tip of the volcano came out of the dome. Two black columns stood on either side of the large doorway, which was usually left wide open, ready for new customers. A simple garden consisting of red and yellow flowers sat under the windows at the front of the building, giving off a pleasant smell to contrast the pungent stench of sulphurous fumes that sometimes found it’s way down into the town.

A path of fine black gravel led up to the door, and it crunched under foot as one stepped along it. Looking in through the door, one could see a large room, extending upwards right to the roof. Directly opposite the door was a grand staircase, made of black volcanic rock. Veins of red ran through the stone, giving a texture that would be similar to that found in the mountains. The staircase led up to another level, which ran around the room supported by columns similar to the ones outside. Numerous doors adorned the walls of both the ground level and the upper level, all leading off into other rooms. Some for teaching, some for studying, and some for other purposes. Off to the right was a mahogany desk, it’s wood reflecting off the dark marble floor.

A human sat behind the desk, rocking back on his chair, looking very laid-back. His skin was a tanned colour, and his untidy black hair hung down just past his ears. As a person approached he leaned forward and placed his hands on the desk and his chin on his hands. “Need some help?” He said, a smile creeping across his face. Stuck to the desk beside him was a piece of parchment, with prices arranged on it, colour coded for easy reading.

Elementalism
~Initiate - 400 crowns
~Apprentice - 800 crowns
~Journeyman - 1500 crowns

Mysticism
~Initiate - 400 crowns
~Apprentice - 800 crowns
~Journeyman - 1500 crowns

Druidism
~Initiate - 450 crowns
~Apprentice - 1000 crowns
~Journeyman - 1900 crowns

Prices are negotiable. For Master training speak to the Masters.

[Zim Rage]

"Yes," Zim said after entering the build, 'it seems I'm in the right place,' Zim thought, "I would like to Enroll in Initiat Elementalism. I have the money with me now. Is there anything I need to sigh?" Zim got out the 800 crowns in bank notes and set them down on the table top and pushed them over to the clerk.

[JimBob]

The man leant back again on his chair, surveying the half-elf that had just entered. He seemed to know exactly what he wanted, and obviously had the funds to pay for it. He chuckled slightly, deciding to play a game that he enjoyed.
"So, you're not going to barter? Oh, come on, that little yellow bit down the bottom means you don't have to pay the full 800 crowns. Everyone barters, don't spoil it..." He said, trying to convince Zim to beat the price down. As he spoke, he made playful gestures with his hands, and the smile on his face made it obvious that he was just playing.

"Yes, well, you do need to fill out a form, just so we know who to charge the bill to if something catches fire," he said, winking.
He moved a piece of parchment across the bench, and handed a quill to Zim.

Name:
Race:
Age:
Home City:
Field to be learnt:
Level taught:
Previous Knowledge:
Signature:

"Fill that out, and we should be all set." He said, rocking himself back and forwards on the rear chairlegs.

[Zim Rage]

Zim took the quill and paper and filled out the form.

Name: Zim Rage
Race: dracon
Age: 32
Home City: tirisfal
Field to be learnt: Elementalism
Level taught: basic
Previous Knowledge: none
Signature: Zim Rage

After seeing the signiture portion of the form Zim looked at the clerk odly, "Why would you ask for my signiture, it's like asking for the name... twice! Eh, ohwell. So here you go." Zim pushed the form over to the clerk and looked at him waited for some comment on his race or something along those lines.

[JimBob]

The man spun the parchment around, skimming down through the details, before picking up a quill of his own and changing something. Zim's personal details remained the same, but "basic" was changed to "initiate". Skimming through it again, he gave a satisfied nod, and pulled out a drawer below him, placing the paper in.

"We ask for your signature because it verifies that you, are, in fact, you. Now, see that door up there?" He said, pointing towards a door up the stairs and to the right. "Go in there, and down the corridor to the second door on the right."

He scribbled on a small piece of parchment, and handed it to Zim. To the dracon, the words were illegible.
"Give that to whoever is teaching you."

OoC: Make a new thread entitled "Initiate Elementalism (Zim Tengear - Private)"

[Zim Rage]

Zim took the paper and headed whare he was told to.

[Balin]

Sheer curiosity had brought Balin to the Academy. His father was a Cheap Tanrips Magician, well he used sun light and mirrors and knife’s to make a light display and said it was magic. But it was not really magic, but the thought of becoming a real mage or learning real magic sparked his attention to say the least. Following the black gravel path to the door, Balin entered. At first glance the counterman seemed a little too relaxed, even slightly lazy.

Balin looked at the price’s and then back to the man sitting a the counter.

Yes I do need some help, I am very interested in learning Elementalism. But I am afraid I only currently have 750 crowns. And I most certainly would need food, water, and shelter for my time in study. Does the academy pay for room and board while in study?

Balin has a pondering look on his face as he waits for a reply.

[JimBob]

The man's grin faltered, and a twitch developed in the muscles on the left side of his face. The man in front couldn't pay... That would mean that a barter was afoot.

Pulling his hand up to his chin, he scratched the invisible beard there, and half-closed his eyes, ready to start. As quick as a flash he slammed his hands on the table, an evil grin across his face.

"Well well well. 750 crowns just isn't enough, is it? I'll let you learn for 780, and you have to find your own board and food."

[Vor'ya Olath'barra]

The cloaked and hooded figure of the petite lass had moved silently through the streets of Demios searching for the Academy that the guard had suggested she 'check out'. She might have asked him for directions, but after his insecure outburst during which he tried to assert his authority over the girl, she had decided simply to be rid of him as quickly as possible. Thus, it had taken Vor'ya much longer to arrive at the school after her departure from the docks than she might have hoped.

Well, she was here now, she thought as she walked up the gravel path, her slender shoulders scrunching in a wince at the grating sound of her boots on the gravel. Normally she got some sort of pleasure out of moving much more silently, often surprising those she came upon.

Once inside, her crimson eyes only made a quick scan of the lobby from beneath the hood before she moved gracefully to the desk where a man waited to assist. She scanned the page on the desk, her lips curling into a genuinely pleased smile as she noted that they did indeed teach Mysticism. The Vysstichi lass had big plans for such a gift and it all began here, she thought as she finally looked to the clerk.

"I think you may be able to help me, at that. I wish to enroll in initiate mysticism." She watched him curiously for any adverse reaction to her presence. The sign did say that prices were negotiable and while she had enough to pay full price, her crowns wouldn't last forever. She may as well save coins where she could.

[JimBob]

As he leaned back on his chair, the hooded Vysstichi walked in purposefully, not looking around like some sort of fool who didn't know what they were doing. This particular one seemed to know what they wanted, and weren't mesing around trying to get there.

As she approached, the smile disappeared completely from the man's face, and was replaced by a very serious expression. He listened to her request, and nodded, before starting to open his mouth, as if about to say something, but deciding against it. The man at the desk stood up, and looked down at the sign, seeing if it still offered Mysticism. Alas, they did, and he knew that he would be seeing this dark elf much more often than he had hoped.

"That will be 800 crowns, unless you want to barter..." He said, the sly grin slowly making a come-back performance on his face.

[Vor'ya Olath'barra]

The sly smile seemed contagious as it made its way from his face to hers, her crimson eyes sparkling with the thrill of the contest that was about to commence, though she hoped to have a little more ammunition in her arsenal than the clerk. Her eyes traveled the length of him as dainty hands reached up to remove the hood from her innocent-looking face, revealing long, white hair that seemed to fade to silver toward the ends.

Pushing her cloak back across her slender shoulders to allow the gentleman to better appreciate her shapely form, Vor'ya leaned forward across the desk, giving him a hint of the view within her filmy blouse. Her eyes sparkled with suggestion as she considered him a moment before replying in a low voice. "Of course I want to barter. In fact..." She regarded him with an amused smile as if she were enjoying the 'bartering process'. "...I don't intend to pay one copper more than 500 gold crowns for the beginner course."

[JimBob]

A fake gasp of horror crossed the man's face, and he cupped his hand over his mouth upon the utterance of the word 'beginner'. He was a talented actor, and made a few extra silvers by busking on the streets of Demios. Not only did he have acting skills, he was an accomplished elementalist, having completed Journeyman level. His dark brown eyes seemed to light up for a second, almost as if they had been consumed by fire.

"500 crowns? Beginner? Ha! I don't intend to give it to you for any less than 700." He said, the grin completely returning to his face. His eyes took in the sight of the woman in front of him. She was definitely one of the more attractive ones he had seen, and perhaps he would lower the price further just for her...

[Vor'ya Olath'barra]

Dickering away every last crown until they settled on a price somewhere in between was not what the Vysstichi had in mind. She had told the truth when she said she didn't intend to pay 'one copper above 500' and despite the man's counter-offer, she still didn't plan to.

Leaning in closer, Vor'ya ran a well-manicured finger down the man's cheek, trailing the nail down his neck. "I told you, I don't intend to pay more than 500... perhaps there is..." She looked at him suggestively. "...some way I could work off the difference?" In truth, the thought of this man's hands on her made her skin crawl, but she could endure worse to further her goals. It would serve many purposes, after all, honoring Haya as well as saving her the much needed crowns. She had done worse in Herozzal, entertaining her own siblings in honor of the dark goddess. What she suggested would be no more distasteful, regardless of his skintone.

[Kai'lin T. Thamion]

Autumn of Year IX in the Age of the Darkening

The crunch of the gravel announced the newest arrival at the academy. It was a light crunch though, not the heavy steps of dwarf or giant, but the light tread of elven feet strolling up to the open doorway. Standing for a moment to survey the interior, a wry grin of amusement at the grand establishment, Kai’lin shook back the long wisps of white golden hair which had been displaced during her walk to the Academy. She carried her jade green cloak folded over her arm for the walk from through town had warmed her cheeks. Smoothing the dark grey tunic which she wore over the light green shirt, she hoped she was presentable enough if given the chance of speaking with a Mage that very brightening. First impressions were important and despite wearing her travelling clothes, she was neat and clean – a certain pride in appearance being a particular foible of the elf.

A short distance brought her to the desk and she cast a glance at the parchment which was stuck thereon. The grin quickly disappeared. Ron lakwenien…?* The human’s casual greeting was acknowleged with a distracted nod as Kai’lin thought quickly. Eight hundred crowns for an initiate’s course in elementalism seemed a great amount. But then when there was no competition, one could charge what they liked and was it any great surprise? A little mollified by the addition of ‘prices are negotiable’ at the bottom of the list she wondered just how flexible the academy would be. Without work and with little prospect of income, she ran through the possibilities and yet …

Turning her attention to the clerk, she looked at the human before her, her blue eyes coldly assessing the man who lounged in his chair, a vision of sloppiness. What a shame they couldn’t find a better representative to grace this establishment. Was this the person with whom she had to negotiate a price? He reminded her of a stable man that had been the rogue of her village – someone whom she had gone out of her way to avoid. The way he had looked at her had made her bristle with indignation, as though his lecherous glances could penetrate to her skin.

Therefore she stood tall, her slender frame straight and gracefully posed. As she asked her question, her tone was neutral but her eyes contained an icy edge. “These prices are negotiable? I’m seeking training as an initiate mage in elementalism but … how negotiable are they?”


OOC:*Are they joking?

[Vor'ya Olath'barra]

Vor'ya's crimson orbs flashed hotly. Never had she been so thoroughly rejected in all of her relatively short life. She was a worshipper of Haya, after all. She could provide this worthless male with pleasures that he only fantasized about, pleasures that the women of weaker races only blushed about but never provided. And like the fool he was, his silence slapped the Vysstichi's pride full in the face.

With a soft hiss of anger in his direction, Vory's eyes told more than anything of the danger that he had just bought himself. She would never forget this slight on her pride - forgiving was definitely out of the question. 'Just wait,' she thought with a sneer on her lips. 'One day I shall come into my own and you will rue the day your bastard father ever glanced in the direction of your whore of a mother.' With another glare, Vory threw her hood roughly back into place and turning sharply on her heel, strode out of the Academy, already plotting the revenge she would see on this place when she came into the power that she sought.



OOC: No offense, please don't take it personally. I just want to clear the way for my primary PC to come to Carmelyn and Vory's stay in Demios is in the way of that.