The Acadamae - An All Arcane Pathfinder Adventure

[pyrocide]

Welcome to the Acadamae, home of the greatest masters of the Arcane in all of Varisia, if not the entire Inner Sea. Or at least that's what they told you when you first entered. You've realized after three and a half years of living inside the black marble walls of the collage that the Acadamae is really one badly controlled experiment put on by the headmaster, Toff Ornelos. You managed to get through the first of this school's experiments, that being how much hard labor a student can handle under dangerous living conditions. Not everyone did. You consider yourself lucky on two fronts: The first being that you are still somehow alive, despite errant fireballs, devils on the loose, and the constant harassment by Imps, pseudodragons, higher grade students, and even the faculty. The second reason being that finally the professors have begun to teach you in the arcane arts.

It's been just a little over six months since you've undergone the actual training in your chosen arcane field. The training is hard, and a much faster pace than you're comfortable with, but so far you've been able to keep up with the coursework. You have learned a fair bit about magic and what it means to be able to shape that magic to your will.

We begin our story with the group as they arrived to their lecture for the day in the Hall of Lies, otherwise known as the Illusion Hall. The Hall of Lies itself changes its appearance each day, and this day the Hall of Lies sported the look of a Chelish Hellknight outpost. The walls were a dark stone, jutting out in dangerous, but calculated angles. There were menacing spikes that adorned the top of the walls like a crown of thorns, and the banners of Cheliax were hung from every side of the building.

The classroom sat mostly empty - only a few of the 'overachievers' made it to their seats as of that moment. That is because there were a good five minutes before the class started. Most of the students milled about outside conversing with each other about the recent events of the day, the rumors of disappearances and rules violations made by various students and professors. There were also a few teachers also outside, trying to slowly corral the students into class, so as to not be late.

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Go ahead and describe where you are, who you'd be talking to, ect ect... This will give you all a chance to get some introductory roleplaying in between yourselves as you wait for class to start.

[Morbis Meh]

Markus sits near the back of the class somewhere in the middle. One first impression, most would judge him to be a odd duck but that is only because he has his eyes closed, both his hands up and he appears to be mumbling something to himself. Every now and again Markus opens his eyes to see who threw a balled up piece of paper at him, but quickly begins resuming his exercise.

[Frosty]

David

The scrawny, but handsome in a boyish way David is walking towards class, with one of his books floating besides him as he walks. He is never so early as those nerdy overachievers, and never as late as those who get in trouble for being 'fashionably late.' Morrighan, wearing a long white dress with slits up the side, is is following close behind, nervous around all these people. David is of mixed feelings keeping his guardian angel around for long periods of time. On the one hand, it's nice to something to defend oneself with should one get attacked. On the other, having a Celestial around is sometimes the cause of said attacks/bullying.

Once outside the classroom, he spends time chatting up one of his classmates who has been more blessed in the chest area than other girls her age. If it gets to one minute before class starts, David will enter the classroom and take a seat either close to the same girl or to a side where Morrighan has room to stand comfortably.

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If anyone is using Detect Magic, DC20 to know that David is using Mage Hand to carry his book for him.

[Kon Lesh]

Lekti arrives about 10 minutes before before class begins. This is not to impress anyone but to be able to hear the current rumors and gossips. They might be unreliable but ever so often you hear that gem of importance. Like that cursed wand of sleeping which turned out to be a "Senior Prank" in the Halls of Crafting a month ago. Never know what you are going to hear.

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sense motive from rumors and gossip (1d20+5)[6]

After hearing the 'daily report' and with class being only a moment from starting, Lekti walks into the Hall and finds a seat along the aisle. Erymanthos greedily takes the seat next to her. "Don't be greedy Ery. Come here." As Lekti moves Erymanthos to her lap to open the seat for another student.

[Zweanslord]

Ziref Doran

A young boy, the youngest of his class, was trying to get to class in the last few minutes before it starting. He hoped that he would be able to get there without being noticed bothered, but that was an idle hope. Despite his figure being smaller due to the lack of age, he had a certain kind of natural magnetism around him, despite trying to cover that up with the uniform's cloak and the hood over his head. Underneath the hood black hair reaching to his shoulders reaches out. The hood seems kind of filthy.

DC 14 spot check.

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The hair is covered in sooth and ash to make it black and small streaks of the original red colour can be spotted. The hood's filthiness comes from the sooth and ash staying behind on it. When the hood is off, the blackness of the hair is an attempt to cover up the small black horns jutting out of his head, as well as the very noticable red colour of the hair.

As he walked, it seemed like he had trouble with stealth. He tried to blend in, but did so haphazardly, moving in the swatches of open space between groups, obviously seperate from those around him. As he was the only one with his hood on, it was rather obvious that he was trying to hide. Going through the crowd instead of around the edges, and walking with his head down, not paying much attention to those around him in the hopes they would not pay attention to him, walking a bit lurched, it did not exactly help to make him unnoticed.

Nanette Deverly is a pretty human girl, with brown hair in two ponytails to the side. She has a sharp giggle and has a tendency to flirt with the boys. Today, Berkly Hangman is giving it a shot. An arrogant boy, he participates in summoner duels and has a flair for evocation. Boasting about his skills as marksman today, he is prone to making bold claims. "I am the best of this class in hitting something from afar, my dear. And now I am aiming for your heart." "Oh, is that so?" She answers with a sharp giggle. "I bet you could not hit a moving target at all." Her voice is provocative and seductive, leaning towards the boy, trying to push his buttons which is working like a charm as he huffs and puffs at that. "Well, I'll prove it!" He says with a grin on his face and turns to look for a good target. Finding a rather easy traget he has picked on quite a bunch of times before, he starts weaving forth a spell and before anybody manages to interrupt him, a white-blue ray shoots forth with blowing mist around it as the air chills with the spell cleaving through it.

Looking up as he approaches the door, Ziref Doran almost manages to smile, finally having reached a class without problems. Well, until a ray with piercing cold shoots through part of his hood from the side and hits him square in the face. With his hope of a peaceful entry shattered, he mistakingly turns towards the source which causes a few laughs, but especially that of Berkly. "See, I told you so?" Is the last Ziref hears as he quickly rushes in the room, trying to find a seat - any seat - before he starts rubbing out some of the frost still clinging to his face. The chill would have hurt an ordinary child, but Burkly knew his target well. Ziref was the perfect target and test subject, for student and teacher alike, as he withstood the cold of the cantrip easily, but it was still bothersome, especially where Burkly had hit.

Finally managing to get the frost out of his face, he quickly scambered to fix his hood again, using abyssal symbols in gesture and the chaotic syllables he pronounced seemed heavy with an abbysal undertone aluding to torment. They flowed from his mouth as if it were natural, something he was far from proud of, yet it did fix his hood. With that done, he turned to look at where he was actually located in the classroom. And he found out that he was accidentily sitting besides somebody and a girl at that. Looking up at Lekti so that his red eyes would meet with hers, he quickly cast them aside only to find that she was not alone, but that a fox was near her as well. Stammering a bit, he let out: "Ah.. sorry, I can, uhm, move if you want."

There are people who not want to sit next to the kid where there were rumors and stories of him being a demon. Some say that Nichel Wackelby's facial scar is from a fight with Ziref when he turned into a demon during an occassion of constant harassement and beating, but he claims that it was due to a lose summon. Others say that his tiefling blood must come from somewhere and that is the source of his arcane powers. But most do not want to sit next to him because they consider him a stupid young kid.

[Madmal]

Perception roll: (1d20+3)[11]

At around 4 minutes before the start, Ixios slowly makes his way inside the classroom, doing the best he can to calculate every step he takes, and his reaction towards it. This was the Hall of Lies after all, territory of illusionists, everything could already be what it not seemed, and he had already been ridiculed for his gullibility the first time he entered this room.

A couple of metres after, he decides that is not worth the bother and relaxes a little bit, looking around for a known face or an incoming cantrip. He recognizes a familiar fox-tail and goes off to sit near Lekti, giving her a slight smile and a small wave as he moves to slump on a seat in front of her, taking out a book to lose himself into for a while.

His reading is slightly interrupted a couple of minutes later by some dude trying to show off to that girl Nanette, in this case by throwing frost on the kid. "Moron", he mutters with a slight grin, hoping that the kid would be at least a bit hurt, since this gave better chance of the bloke ("What was his name? Billy?") getting reported.

[Frosty]

Perception checks:

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Morrighan - (1d20+12)[24]
David - (1d20)[20]

David of course also notices a pretty girl such as Nanette. He was even going to talk to her until arrogant, self-assured Hangman barges and and shows off for Nanette. Hey look, that tiefling is walking in...what was his name again...right, Ziref is his name. thinks David right as the cantrip hits the tiefling in the face. While David is normally not a justice-for-all and avenger-of-the-downtrodden type, for some reason this act annoyed him. Maybe David, as a frequent receiver of bullying, just doesn't like to see it happen to others.

"Hey Hangman! That's impressive and all that you can hit someone who's not even trying to dodge, but you still don't have a pretty lady wrapped around your arm yet!" says Davidly loudly, assuming Nanette was not completely impressed with Hangman and totally draped over his arm now.

Morrighan just frowns at the act of bullying, but doesn't quite want to draw attention to herself if she can help it. Her figure, and of course her black, feathery wings makes blending in difficult.

[Morbis Meh]

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perception (1d20)[14]

[Morbis Meh]

After hearing a spell being unleashed, Markus opened his eyes and almost fell out of his desk, initially thinking he was the target but after looking around he noticed that it was the little kid with the red eyes. Wincing a bit, he was grateful that this time around it wasn't him... Of course it was Berkly who fired the spell, he was kind of a jerk, but Marcus did beat him in a practice duel when he wasn't expecting a blow from his sword as Markus unleashed a spell upon him at the same time. Sighing to himself Markus looked around at his classmates. Most he didn't know due to his rigorous combat training but every now and again he would learn a couple of names from just listening quietly in the corner. Markus' eyes focused on the angel with the black wings and they remained there for a brief time... Blushing, he quickly averted his eyes, hoping that no one saw him gawking. Normally students here preferred the company of devils and/or demons but Markus was fond of beauty which this being had in spades.

[Kon Lesh]

perception (1d20+3)[11]

Lekti returns a small wave to Ixios "Morning, ready for another day of pure confusion."

"Oh, no...Don't worry about Erymanthos. He does seem to like the new spot or the common spot as it might be. Do you need cloth?" Lekti replies to Ziref as Erymanthos rolls up in a small ball on her lap. You can already hear soft breathing as Erymanthos tries to sleep. Lekti holds out a small cloth for him to dry himself off.

She then looks up; listening to David's proclamation "A spell duel...here? No...to close to class time. The teacher is probably already here and won't allow that."

[Zweanslord]

David managed to get an amused smile on Nanette's face with that comment as she looked at him. She turned to look curiously at Berkly, eager to see how he would respond to the comment. Berkly turned to David, obviously annoyed that somebody is interrupting his attempt in impressing Nanette. "Well, the only ladies you are able to get at all are the ones you summon!" Is his sniding counter as he makes a waving motion towards Morrighan. Nanette puts her hand in front of her mouth to hide her smile at this remark, though she may be even more amused by the argument between the two boys then the actual remarks.

Meanwhile, Ziref had been pleasantly surprised that Lekti had not want him out of her vicinity. Looking at the fox called Erymanthos rolling up, he looked back up with his bright red eyes as she offered a piece of cloth to help. "Th..thank you." He managed to stammer, accepting the cloth and very carefully dries off the center of his face with it. Nodding when he is done and holding the cloth in front of himself, he looks grateful at Lekti and stammers once more: "Tha..thank y..you."
In the mean time he has tried to catch some glances at the commotion he was listening at and now he has turned to look, or more so, listen to the remark Berkly returns to David. Ziref has only seen so rarely people standing up to people like that when he is involved and feeling as though David is defending his cause, Ziref admires him for his act.

[Frosty]

Ziref may not admire David for much longer. In response to Berkly, David snorts and says, "Morrighan? What about her? She's just kind of annoying, like a little sis that follows you around and you can't get rid of. Why'd you count her as a woman in the important sense?"

Well, how about the fact that Morrighan is curvier than any girl in class, including Nanette. David must be blind to not see that. Plus, he's so lucky to have an actual CELESTIAL at his side...and he doesn't even appreciate that? Ziref can't be too happy about that.

"Forget Morrighan. Last week, I hung out with with Amicae Kerianna for 2 whole hours! Now there's a *woman*. She's a year ahead of us in magical studies, and let's just say she's well-endowed to hold her metamagic rod of extend between her chest." Yep, David's priorities are clear.

As Morrighan listens to this, she looks down at her own chest. What is she, chopped liver? She then shakes her head, likely reminding herself to admonish David after class.

[pyrocide]

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Here's some music, although I suggest not starting it until after the silence: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jmsjh...el_video_title - I think this is a pretty good wonderous,magical,ambient tone that would work for pretty much any regular time in the Acadamae.

The room was dead silent. Almost all of the students had arrived by this point, only to sit in shock over what has happened so early in the morning. While some of the class were in shock over this preamble to what would inevitably boil over into an arcane duel, most (of the guys) were dumbstruck over David's latest comments, suggesting that a mere student somehow outshined Morrighan's otherworldly beauty. None of them would say anything, however. They knew it was frowned upon at the Acadamae to show a favoritism towards the celestial summons, as they were the biggest enemies that their former ruling nation had to fight against.

Only when Berkly tried to finally retort did the class realize the room was silent for an entirely different reason. Berkly tried to talk, but no sound came. After a second or two more, the sound of tapping echoed through the room, a good deal louder than any normal tapping should. It was Rombastle Falgeringer, the dean over the entire school of Illusion. His head barely peeked over the podium, and to even achieve that he had to move a stool to the podium to stand on. Despite his natural comical features of being a gnome, he did his absolute best to maintain a serious disposition. After tapping a his wand on the podium a few more times, he finally spoke.

"Every class I teach..." the dean said with frustration,"... Why can't you all come to class once without threatening to kill each other or boast about the physical attributes of girls that obviously have no interest in you?" The last part was stung at both David and Berkly, and the dean made sure to look both of them in the eye and hold the stare for just long enough that it became uncomfortable.

"Oh yes. Your normal student-teacher, Ms.Tann, is attempting one of her final exams, and so I will be teaching you today. Go ahead and open your Illusion Theory books to page 12..." Dean Falgeringer informed the students, before beginning a rather dull and overly complex lecture for students of your year.

During the lecture David is passed a letter. DC 14 perception to spot, +2 bonus to your roll if sitting close beside or behind him. -2 if sitting at the front of the class. If anyone is sitting directly beside David, you may attempt a DC 18 perception to read the note. Obviously David automatically passes the check and may read the letter, But David should make a stealth check so as to not be caught 'passing notes' in class.

The Note:

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You better watch your back, Angel Boy.
Accidents happen all the time.

[Madmal]

Screw the reading, there was already too much ruckus going on around here. Ixios turns on his seat, sizing the victim of Berkly's bravado, now sitting behind him.

"Oh, you're a "bastard" as well." he says with a bit of poison on his tongue, he wasn't really sure what irked him about the kid, but there was definately something there. "Kind of a shame, have you gotten hurt, would've called the attention of the guard. Though you might have been just as well the spark for a small war."

Ixios was naturally blunt, which was sure a bit off-putting for many of his classmates. Many of them still wondered how was he still around them after more than two years, specially counting the rumors about his upbringing. He liked to think it was because he didn't cared much about his reputation among the rumor-mongers. He tried his best to respect his superiors without sounding like a boot-licker.

"Now listen, you may be in more trouble that it seems right now." He figured it was the best time to let a bit of his crazyness out. "With my excuses towards the lady here; I must say than that Birkly dude thinks more with his crotch that with that brain that mages are supposed to have as a natural. You have been showing us a big sign with "DOORMAT" on capital letters here, now even more now that someone else has stepped in to "defend" you. They're just playing into Nanette's hands, that tease." He snarls. "Yeah, we can take some abuse from these puny humans-no half-offense Lekti, dear- but that just serves as an encouragement."

There it goes, he felt much friendlier now. Time to tone down the snarl. "Anyways, better lay a little low right now. These two guys there - David and Birdy- already have some history together, and you may have given them a chance to burn some testosterone."

He offers a hand to Ziref "Name's Ixios, I'm horrible with names, but i'll take an effort to recall yours. But if you're more interested on finding out Her name-" He signals Lekti with his head "-it's Lekti. Nice girl, let me copy some of her notes last term. Of course." He turnes to her with a wink and impish grin "She would look at lot more nicer if she smiled a bit more, but that's just my opinion, and i'll probably get a book in the head for it."

[Kon Lesh]

Lekti gives out a small snicker as Ixios goes on. The bluntness is refreshing to hear. No type of deception or trickery. "No insult taken except for my smile. I smile when it is appropriate. And you know how greedy Ery is when he lays down to sleep. He would yell the moment I move. Oh and this the Erymanthos, sorry but he is lazy and prefers sleeping to studying." You can easily see Erymanthos taking up most of her lap, peacefully asleep.

Lekti says this only instinctively, though. Mmmm...but Ixios is right...there might be a duel...there usually is.

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perception (1d20+3)[4]

[Morbis Meh]

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Perception (1d20+2)[3]

[Morbis Meh]

Markus, not being the most gifted student struggles through the class, blissfully ignorant of the comings and goings of the class... but on occasions looks up and stares at the celestial.

[pyrocide]

Without so much as looking up from reading through the book, dean Falgeringer continues his lecture.

"Illusion, as stated by the late mage Arcanis, is the most complex and hardest of all schools of magic, but also has the highest potential of any school as well. The trick, he said, was not in shaping the spell, but rather understanding how the target of the spell would process such information. You must endeavor to make the target believe what they are seeing. Our brains are unique in that we all process information in slightly different ways. Despite this, there are many ways in which to influence a target into wanting to believe an illusion is truth." The dean stops to take a breath.

"Oh, Mr. Ixios, you may want to look up," The dean says, without even glacing up himself. Directly above Ixios a five foot by three book floated in the air, before crashing down on top of Ixios. The front cover, which was pointed downward so Ixios could read it, read "Mage's Crushing Hand," Ironically enough.

"Ask and you shall receive, Mr. Ixios. Although I took from your meaning another student were to have supposed to have done something similar. I highly doubt anyone else would be foolish enough to interrupt during the lecture though, lest they also get a close look at my private library as well. Now, Can anyone in the class tell me why Mr. Ixios is in terrible pain right now?" Mr. Falgeringer is only just able to stifle a giggle, using all of his willpower to keep from showing his amusement.

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Mechanically, Ixios is not taking any hitpoint damage, but is considered grappled by the book. Of course this doesn't mean the book has arms or anything, just the weight of the book is pinning Ixios to the floor.


Also, as of yet, the dean has not spotted the note, thanks in part to Ixios.

[Morbis Meh]

Markus began to laugh outrageously at the Dean's prank, much much louder than a normal person would have. He begins snorting as his face turns red, unable to control himself...

[Madmal]

"Wait, when did class started? There should've been a bell or some-Oh, bugger."

Damn illusions. Part of him knew this was just a show, that it could just dissappear if he managed to look throught it.

Thing is, He rarely could. Most of the time he just got distracted by the ironic titles. He tought of Dean Falgeringer as an amusing teacher and a generally likeable person, when he wasn't crushing you under an imaginary book.

"At least this isn't enchanting class." He consoled himself. And he had managed to get a snicker out of Lekti. And now he could wonder if Amicae had really developed such a chest, or had that been one of David's bluffs.

[Frosty]

David actually waves the note away, not willing to risk being caught with a dean here. If it were just the student teacher, he might be bolder, but this dean means BUSINESS.

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Before David answers the Dean or not, a few questions need to be answered.

1] Did we see the dean cast any spell before the book of crushing appeared? If so, can we spellcraft it?

2] What's the policy for casting "Detect Magic" in class? Would it be tolerated since it would allow for more learning?

[Zweanslord]

Ziref winced as he heard David's response. Was he truly that blind to Morrighan's beauty or was it a matter of taste? Ziref did not know who Amicae Kerianna was, but he had seen some of the older girls with large assets David clearly approved as he was quite vocal about his preference there. Still, to hear him defend his case like that, sounding rather proud to spend two hours with the older girl, it made Zerif wince and the sprout of admiration was already withering.

The situation was especially awkward because of the silence of the class, though when it became apparent the cause was a spell and the source of said spell was a teacher, Ziref kept himself small. With luck, he was able to remain unmentioned by Rombastle Falgeringer.

He was, however, mentioned by somebody else. Turning towards Ixios addressing him, the poisonous mention of 'bastard' took effect as Ziref fearfully looked around, in the idle hope that the others in the vicinity did not hear. He wondered what Ixios knew, but the idea of having been the spark of a small war soon overtook that worry. He certainly hoped he would not be a target in that fight. But Ixious' mention of even more trouble did little to put that worry to rest.

Ziref looked down at the mention of him being a doormat, lowering his head and looking embarassed. Ofcourse that did little to dispel exactly that accusation. He winced a bit as Ixios painted humankind as puny, as even though he knew he could indeed take more abuse than they could, he did not really want to consider himself as being wildly different from them.

Nodding softly at the mention of Ixios that he should lay low, agreeing with the thought but having proven to be poor in execution of the idea, he looks up at Ixios again as he offers a hand. Surprised by the gesture, as it has been ever so rare for him, a small smile breaks through on his face, his red eyes looking at Ixios in gratitude as he accepts the hand and shakes it. Ixious will notice that Ziref's handshake is rather meek. "H..hello Ixios. I.. I'm Ziref." He says, after which he looks at Lekti when being introduced to her name by Ixios. "He..hello Lekti." He says, after which he adds in a greeting for her fox when hearing the name of the sleeping creature. "A..and hello to you, Erymanthos."

In the mean time, Ziref has not been paying much attention to Falgeringer either, as Illusion is a course that still eludes him. Knowing no illusion spell, Ziref also fails to get around the theory of the material, having difficulty with the whole befuddling of others. Perhaps it is because he is so easily fooled and despite having experienced jests before, he continues to fall for simple tricks from the other students.

And when the book Ixios mentioned does not come from Lekti's hand but crashing down from above, he flexes away a bit in a reactionary move, startled at what was happening. Noticing the attention of the dean so near, he tries to shrink in his seat and assuredly keeps silent and does not answer the question posed by the dean, for two reasons. One, he does not want to be noticed, and two, he lacks an answer all together. At least Ixios was taking the whole ordeal well. Unlike the outrageous laughter they heard from Markus. Glancing to him, Ziref then glances back at the teacher, but swiftly looks down again, not wanting to make eye contact with him.

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Perception for note: (1d20-1)[15]

[pyrocide]

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There were no casting sounds or movements, at least that you heard or saw. You have noticed the 'wand' he holds is a metamagic rod of silence (and the lack of movements is actually because the only part of his body you can see behind the podium is his head, so his casting movements were hidden naturally).

"Oh, I would take it Mr. Crassus has the answer I'm looking for. I do hope that is why you've made such a ruckus." The gnome dean stares with more than a hint of frustration, and ready hands to bring down yet another book on a student for a wrong answer.

(if you would like, a knoweldge arcane of DC 20 will give you the answer. You can also just wing it and hope for guessing correctly)

[Frosty]

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Knowledge (arcana): (1d20+6)[15]

David has a guess that the book itself is an illusion, maybe a shadow conjuration of some sort, but he can't verify whether or not he's even on the right track unless...

He whispers and makes a few gestures, painting in the air some magical arcane symbols of sight, and concentrates on the book on top of Ixios. David himself has always been a skeptic of many things, and it has always bene slightly more dofficult to get illusions past him.

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DC15 spellcraft check for Detect Magic. David has a trait which gives +2 saves vs illusions.

[Morbis Meh]

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knowledge arcana roll(1d20+6)[16]

[Morbis Meh]

Shocked Marcus tries to think of what the answer is but it eludes him like his self control. Ssssorrrry ssuh ssuh sir, I don't knuh know the answer... it won't happen again.

[pyrocide]

"Well, I appreciate your honesty. The book below you, however, would have rather had an answer." The dean replies, and gives enough of a pause for Marcus look down and see that he is now in fact sitting on top of a large book. The chair he thought he had been sitting in became a few formed pages from said book. The pages he sat on held together for only a brief moment before collapsing, and the book closing around the now fallen Marcus. The title of this such book happened to be called, "The Big Book of Silence."

"The answer, dear students, is because I made them believe what was happening. There is a book above you. There is a book under you. This is the trick to a successful illusion. We are in the Hall of Lies, where everything you experience has the possibility of being completely false. You all already know that. So why do these illusions still work? Because I control your mind through simple suggestion." Dean Falgeringer hops down from the stool and slowly walks toward the middle of the class.

"I am the puppetmaster. And so shall you be as well. You must learn how to make your targets want to believe your illusion is real. The better the suggestion, the better the spell," the dean said as he walked by the two covered in imaginary books. "Please return to your seats, you two." The books vanished as soon as he spoke those words.

After walking the classroom a bit and on his return trip to the front of the class, he stops and looks at Ziref. "You. Mr. Doran. If you were to attempt to cast an illusion of a giant spider, what would you use for the suggestion? Give me something better than, "There is a giant spider behind you." Obviously the two examples I've already given are the baseline. Be creative."

[Kon Lesh]

Lekti just looks in awe as the book appear and disappear. Then as the dean approaches she begins to wonder if he will ask her but relaxes as he speaks to someone past her. Oh, good. I was...Doran that is...Ziref? She looks over at Ziref hoping that both he can come up with something. She doesn't want both the person in front of her and to her side to be hit with powerful illusion magic. But she is too scared to answer in his place.

[Frosty]

David has an idea, but since he wasn't asked, he's not going to interrupt right now.

[Zweanslord]

Looking to see what is happening with Markus as he gives his answer, Ziref turns back to focus on listening to the Dean. He pays attention to him, because the illusionary punishments work to combat distractions. Still not daring to look at him, Ziref hopes that by not making eye contact, he would not be selected for such things as answering questions. Momentarily turning again to look as the books vanished, he is at least happy that the punishments did not last overly long.

When he hears his name, Ziref Doran is inevitly drawn to the source and despite recognising the voice, he still looks at Dean Rombastle Falgeringer. His eyes betray that he is scared to be selected and he casts his gaze down, lowering his head. He has seen what happens if you tell the truth, so he knows it would be better to guess. Unfortunately Falgeringer already ruled out one answer, which leaves Ziref stammering for a moment. "I, uh, well, I'd.. uhm, ah.." Feeling more embarassed as he realises he is making a fool out of himself, he shuts up for a moment. He knows that he does not have the answer ready, that he has to guess. But what? What could he say. Panicking thoughts chaotically swirl in his mind, desperation for the need to give an answer spurting higher with every heart beat. His eyes look at his desk, his feet, Lekti, his chair, Falgeriner's feet, as panick overtakes him and desperately tries to find an answer, even though none of those have one. Feeling the pressure rising as he feels his answer is taking forever as he is the center of attention, though hardly a moment at all has passed, he finally blurts out an answer, which is rapidly coming from his mouth as he quickly wants to be done with it. In his desperation to find an answer in his mind, he pulled forth one that unlocks more and as the words flow over his tongue, the surge from a dark and deep abyss in his mind.

"Well, uhm, I'd.. call forth the predatory nature of the spider, who seeks to maim his prey, using its many claws to bring forth ruin to the body of its target, tormenting the subject with the idea of his life hanging by a mere thread the spider has woven. The terror of death embodied by a spider which seeks out the victim to eat and sate its desire to feed. To imprint the how it can bring forth great pain with its giant mouth as it seeks out its snack to bite. And make its desire obvious, to place your inferior body in a webby cocoon, where it clings to life as it can come at any time to nibble a part of you away, leaving you alone each time only to suffer."

When Ziref is done giving the answer, he reflects on the words he spoke and gulps. He had not intended to give such an answer seeped with darker contant, nor such an elaborate one. Very emberassed by his answer, he tries to make himself smaller in his chair, looking down at his own feet and closing his eyes. Because his answer would most likely be wrong on top of that, and he feared the illusionary punishment that was bound to come.