World Sphere - 180 - Academy Changes

Chapter 180 Academy Changes

Walking with with Sana to the Dungeon Academy in Aegis City quickly got me noticed. The locals know me from my healing and the Shiny Platinum, and my presence had spread like wildfire. What was curious was over half the people in the crowded streets were not natives of Skyholme. That was evident by their dress or the fact they were not human.

“Looks like you are famous,” Sana said as we walked. “I was once such in the islands.” Was Sana jealous of my popularity?

“It is more of a burden. I try not to go out in public too often, or I will have to spend hours healing people.” I said as the streets parted for us to pass.

“You could just say no,” Sana questioned my dedication.

I gave my answer some thought. “Growing up in Skyholme, I only thought about myself. I wanted to protect Freya, but beyond that, I was selfish. After seeing the harm the Bricios had done to Skyholme and the Wolfsguard, I felt the need to intervene.” We walked for a time. “I am not going to lie. The adoration I get from the people for healing them is intoxicating. But healing a little girl’s broken arm, taking away the pain, and seeing her innocent smile and happiness, that is the true reason.”

Sana seemed to consider me, “Why not just heal them? Why do you heal all comers? Even the rich come to you, from what I hear.”

“At first, it was a counter to Loriel. But now I think of my generosity as currency,” I smiled, “I am not entirely altruistic. When I do need something from the people of Skyholme, they will likely support it. For instance, taking over the Academy would not have happened so easily.”

Before entering the Academy gates, I announced to the crowd, “I will be here to heal when I emerge. I have a few hours but not a lot of aether. I hope you can put those who need it most at the front of the line.” A few city guards I was familiar with started organizing the crowd. Sana nodded appreciatively as we entered.

The familiar Dungeon Academy looked to be in excellent shape. A few combat classes were progressing through the courtyard, and the classrooms were full as we walked by and headed to the offices. We found Headmaster Illium Louan and Mage Instructor Neelan in Neelan’s office.

“High Mage Storme!” Neelan greeted me with a smile. Neelan was an experienced healer and had been my mentor in my first and only year enrolled in the Dungeon Academy. Now, I just paid for private lessons from the best instructors at the Academy. The old mage gave me a hug, and I returned it.

The Headmaster looked less thrilled to see me, “High Mage, we just received word from Ruler Loriel and Prince Consort Antioch that the Dungeon Academy of Aegis City has been transferred to your care.”

“Indeed. I am excited about the opportunity. Were you informed of the new policies as well?” I asked the Headmaster.

“No,” he said heavily. He was probably prepared to be supplanted by me.

“Well, the biggest change is that only residents of Skyholme can enroll in this academy now.”

The Headmaster soured, “It will cut off a stream of new revenue for the Academy. We have a number of high-paying individuals from the lowlands.”

“Then expedite their applications to become residents of Skyholme,” I said, dismissing his concern. “The is the infamous mage Sana Velin. She will be administering the Dungeon Academy in my place.” The Headmaster looked hurt, so I added, “I see your role changing, Headmaster, but not your compensation or standing within the Academy.”

His face looked a little relieved, and once Remy went through the books and confirmed he was not skimming from the Academy, I would make his administrative role permanent. Mage Instructor Neelan, who I considered a friend of both Sana and I, asked, “What are your plans, High Mage Storme?”

I decided to be honest with them, “The Guildmaster is a headache. The primary reason is to get guaranteed access to the two dungeons in Aegis City. The charter gives the Dungeon Academy guaranteed access for training students.”

“Guildmaster Huckle is a handful,” Headmaster Illium concurred. “We have denied his requests to assign Guild Instructors here in Aegis City. Our instructors can more than prepare the students for the local dungeons.”

“Agreed. Can you give me a tour of all the Academy’s assets? I want to see what I am working with before deciding how much to invest.” I tailored my words to get them excited.

Sana Vellin added, “And I need to see what I am working with as well.” She reminded me that I had promised her the position of administrator I had given the Academy.

We walked the Academy while Headmaster Illium talked. He was obviously extremely passionate about the Dungeon Academy. He had been the Headmaster for nearly thirty years and taught spellcraft for a dozen years before that. He knew the history of the Academy, in and out. They prepared young men and women to succeed in delving into the dungeons throughout Skyholme. They typically got the castoffs from the Capital Island Dungeon Academy.

All students at the Academy paid quite the sum for their education but were usually sponsored by one of the seventeen Skyholme Delving Guilds. Of course, that had changed with free trade. The guilds have now consolidated into just seven, not including Shiny Platinum Delving and Dungeon Heart. Even now, those seven guilds were struggling to compete with adventurers arriving from the lowlands. Before too long, all the delving guilds of the islands would be absorbed by the lowlands or become obsolete. The competitive nature of delving made it inevitable.

As we walked, the Academy grounds controlled just under three blocks of buildings on the city’s western side near the Frost Vault Dungeon. The primary buildings had a large block of classrooms, large combat and conditioning yards, and indoor training warehouses. In addition to this, they had a five-story apartment building and three smaller residential buildings. Fortunately, the damage during the Maurader attack was minimal, and all repairs were complete.

We finished the tour in the cafeteria. And sat down while we were served fried chicken at the head table. Headmaster Ilium asked, “Now that you have seen it, what are your plans, High Mage.”

The chicken had been sitting out too long and was dry. “The first thing we need to do is improve the cooking. I can get some of my cooks from the Shiny Platinum over here, and I will personally enchant the kitchens. We will compete with the Adventurers Guild in the Capital for the best prospects in the islands. Loriel is giving the Adventurers Guild control of that Dungeon Academy. I don’t plan to lose.”

Sana asked several questions during the tour and understood things well. “Storme, if you don’t like losing, it is going to take a lot of coin to fight the Adventurers Guild on this front.” She had a sly smile, “I may know a few Delvers that wouldn’t mind retiring to some safe floating islands. Elora and Elijah could probably be convinced for the right price to return to the islands as well.”

Elijah was a monster hunter from the lowlands and a master axe wielder. Elora had been my staff instructor and was also a well-known dungeon delver. I know both of them well as they taught me during my first year at Academy and were friends of Callem. As for her other potential recruits, I looked skeptical, “Are they anything like Toblin?”

“Toblin is a special case. It takes a certain type of person to risk their life just to open a door.” Sana shifted gears away from the topic, realizing our company didn’t need to know about my quest to access the Black Spire’s upper floors.

San nodded to Illium, “I think the Headmaster can continue with day-to-day operations. I was always partial to the title Chancellor. So you can pay me for that title. In order to draw my acquittances here, they will need some excellent accommodations and compensation of 500 gold a year.”

I arched my eyebrow as that did not seem like a huge wage for experienced Delvers. “Is that it? Anything else?” I sounded eager.

Sana looked around, “Five hundred gold is not a small sum, Storme. You tend to throw coins around like an infant throwing peas at dinner. The Academy itself is going to need to be expanded and remodeled. I doubt you will be able to acquire more property from Loriel, but building up shouldn’t be an issue.”

It always came back to the coin. I rubbed my forehead, thinking and figuring out a long-term plan. I could tell Sana and Illium what my vision was, and they could enact it. I finally said, “No more sponsors. This Academy will no longer take students that Guilds or individuals are sponsoring.”

Headmaster Illium was shocked and angry, “How will we recruit enough people to fill the roles? We won’t be able to sustain our staff,” he indicated to Sana, “Or any new staff.”

“I will pay for everything.” I held up my hand to stop questions. “In the past, the students of the Academy never had to pass classes. Since they were paying, they could do as much or as little work as they wanted. That is going to change if we are going to produce Delvers that match the standard of the lowlands. Everyone at the Academy will be on scholarship but can lose that scholarship if they don’t meet the standards.”

Sana nodded and considered, but the Headmaster seemed shocked. He asked, “How many student scholarships will be available?”

“How much does it normally cost to educate a student?” I asked.

Mage Instructor Neelan took the opportunity to answer, “It depends. Mages take more resources overall, but fighters and scouts need weapons and armor.” He considered a moment more, “Housing and food would be five to seven gold. Prices have been increasing in the last few months, so they will probably be higher. The rest…property taxes, instructor costs, support staff, equipment…20 gold a person annually. But that is just a guess. With Sana’s new instructors, it could go much higher and depends on how large the classes are…” 

Headmaster Illium was about to add his own perspective when I stopped him, “We will not be paying property taxes. Or I should say I am bartering my work for the Navy to pay for the taxes. Let’s plan on spending 100 gold per year per student.”

A wave of shock between the two men while Sana smirked. The Headmaster rasped out, “How many students then, High Mage?”

Like all Academies, the Dungeon Academy was structured for seven years. After four years, most students got everything they needed and just took a class or two while they started their delving careers in their fifth year. “Four hundred in each year’s class will be the limit with a five-year curriculum.”

The Headmaster was shocked, “That is a budget of two hundred thousand gold annually!”

“That does not include the renovations or expansion of buildings that Sana wants.  Your budget for that is one million gold, Sana.” As I said it, her eyes were already twinkling with ideas. I was sure she had a thousand ideas stirring in her head to improve the Dungeon Academy.

“When can we expect funds and the transition,” Sana inquired while looking around the cafeteria mapping changes in her head.

“This Academy year has three months left before the New Year Celebration. We can start renovations then. I will leave some gold with you, one hundred thousand, to get started. I will get the rest of the funds from pirate hunting.” I said with certainty.

A good ship’s aether core was going to be anywhere from 50,000 to 250,000 gold, depending on the size of the ship. Maybe I was overconfident in my abilities, and that of the Maelstrom, but three of four pirate ships would handle the Academy Budget for a few years. I stood, leaving a pouch with 30,000 gold in platinum coins for Sana. “I trust you will hire a good accountant to track spending? I will send Remy by to look at the old books.” Headmaster Illium did not look concerned, so that was a good sign.

“Oh, Storme, you are giving me a playground. I have ideas aplenty. Maybe some post-dungeon processing like alchemy and enchanting. If you talked to the Duskhunters, you know there is an entire support network for delvers that never enters a dungeon.” Sana’s eyes twinkled. I had seen that look before, she was eventually going to ask for more money.

“So, will all these delvers be part of Shiny Platinum Devling?” Mage Instructor Neelan asked of me.

“No,” I replied. “They are certainly welcome to try to apply and try to become a member of my delve operations. But I will not force them. I will train them, and the only thing I expect in return is that if Skyholme comes under attack again, they will help defend it.”

Headmaster Illium went silent and slowly nodded. It was no secret that less than half the Skyholme delvers had risen to help defend it during the Black Maurader attack. And some of those who did fight had no other choice. Delvers, by their nature, were a selfish breed. They risked their lives for personal wealth and glory.

“That might be a hard sell. Even after they complete their five years at the Academy?” Illium queried.

I considered it, “Yes. They will not have to travel to the site of the conflict, but I expect if the Skyholme city they are in is attacked, I want them to help with its defense.”

All three of them seemed skeptical, and Sana answered with deliberate thought, “We can work in classes to that effect. Maybe cross-train them with the Guard Academy down the street. If the situation arises and they don’t help, I don’t see there is much we can do about it.”

“Revoke their residency in Skyholme,” I said flatly. “My father died defending the islands. Maybe fewer people would have died if the delving guilds’ mages and warriors had helped.” I looked over the group, “I expect the Dungeon Academy to give back to the people. If that means healing those in need or harvesting crops that are endangered by weather, I expect this Academy to respond.”

It was clear all of them liked the nobel idea but seemed skeptical it would work. “Sana, you can get the rest of the starter coin from Remy. I trust everything is well in hand. I would like to see the same type of panels of creatures that are in the Shiny Platinum in the Academy hallways. Make them educational.”

I left the three talking, wondering if this commitment was a good investment. I realized it gave me some purpose and tied me to the islands. It was a very expensive rebuke to the Adventurer’s Guildmaster. Also, the Guild Hall in the Capital was the only Guild Hall on the islands that had the pirate bounty books.

I spent my afternoon healing people outside the Dungeon Academy. Surprisingly, it didn’t take too long, and I was back at the Shiny Platinum for dinner. Adrial and Kiara were not happy I had left them behind. Maybe I could have Sana include a landing pad for the Maelstrom at the Dungeon Academy. The entire upper city was a no-fly zone, though.

I was with the cats in my apartment, waiting for food to be delivered up from the restaurant below. Then I remembered that I had a portal next to the Shiny Platinum that went right to Goldreach, the Capital of the Sadian Empire. The portal exited right outside the Emperor’s Palace. Another portal in Aegis City was connected to the ancient portal network of the Sphere. The portal outside the Shiny Platinum, was only connected to Goldreach.

There was an Adventurer’s Hall in Goldreach. It should also be large enough to have the pirate bounty books to peruse. The food arrived, and I shared dinner with them. I picked up my comm stone and fingered the stud for Bleiz. “Bleiz, I am heading down to Goldreach for a few hours. Can you come and watch my back?”

“No. Watching this gnome is a full-time job, even with ten of us. I can send Neoma and Tibault, though. The Night Wraith can drop them off in thirty minutes.” He said, sounding exhausted. The comm stone rumbled as I assumed the Black Spire was shaking from the gnome’s testing.

“Send them over and someone to watch the cats. I am not bringing them to the lowlands.” I replied.

“Sammie and Lana volunteered to watch Kiara and Adrial. Everyone will be there soon.” Bleiz confirmed, and it was closer to forty-five minutes as the Night Wraith had to wait to land at the docks, and they needed to walk over.

The two experienced Wolfsguard, Neoma and Tibault fell in with me as I went to the small building at the back of the park I built next to the Shiny Platinum. I was expecting it to take a little talking and maybe some communication with Goldreach to open the portal. The two mages and four Skyholme guards all recognized me. The portal was open in minutes, and I was stepping through it.