Um, I hope this is the best folder for this, if not, let me know?
I?ve got an idea that I think would be pretty cool to RP out, but I don?t know how feasible it is, or how many people would be interested. I?m pretty new to DR, so I don?t know how this would go over.
I propose a group of people to RP being professors and students at Asemath Academy. I?ve looked around and haven?t found any list of who the current professors, so I don?t think there would be any in-game conflict (I hope). I?ve been thinking of this as something people would get involved in more for the RP reasons than anything else. (I?m just brainstorming this on the spot, so I apologize if it sounds garbled.)
This is how I envision something like this working: First of all, professors would have to be at least 20th circle in their guild, unless they are a commoner, in which case they would need a sum total of skill ranks comparable to a 20th circle guild member. Players applying for professorship would need to have strong, in-character role-playing reasons for doing so. Professors would also be restricted in their choice of pre-name titles (and perhaps even be required to wear one.) This is just an RP thing: what Warlord would be teaching at an academy? Barbarians would have to have titles like Veteran or Weapon Master. Bards would be Orators or Historians, etc. Professors would also be required to give IC, IG speeches or lectures. Professors will be attached to `departments,? so a Bard who is a professor of history (Historian) would lecture on history, while a Bard who is a professor of literature (Poet), could just recite poetry or tell tales. It would be really neat if professors not only lectured about things, but also responded to the lectures of other professors....e.g. ?Professor X claims that Moon Mages actually bring about the effects of their predictions, but I disagree....?
Also, professors would be required to actually TEACH. That is, teach skills to students on a regular basis. We could gather at Asemath. Professors would only teach skills that are related to their IC area of specialty: historians would lecture on scholarship, etc. Also, it would be cool if this teaching were RP?d out to some extent, as opposed to ?teach primary magic to person?, then having a conversation about something completely unrelated. It wouldn?t have to be complicated, I don?t think, but e.g. if you are teaching forage, then you would discuss areas to forage for specific things, and the uses of the various things you might find. Or you could just hold a Q&A session while you teach.
Professors would divide into departments that roughly correspond to the six skill sets, but not according to guilds. I don?t think there should be a professor of moon magic, for example. The guild halls are for that. But there should be a moon mage professor of magic, so that he could teach lunar magic.
New professors would be elected by the current staff.
Students would apply for study to whatever department they are interested in, and would be selected by the professors in that department. Students would also be restricted in their choice of pre-names. (moon mages would obviously be Students)

Okay, I?ve written a lot here, and I?m not even sure if anyone would be interested. If anyone is interested in at least this concept, email me at l.v.sineath@att.net. Let me know if you would want to be a professor, or student. I myself am pretty low in circle, and would just be a student (unless I circle very quickly or it takes forever to get this off the ground.) If enough people are interested, then we can set up a time for a general interest meeting to hammer out the details. Maybe you like the idea but not my interpretation of it? Let?s work something out. Tell your friends! I really have no idea how much detail people would be interested in getting into. (Me, I actually love details.)

My Paladin is up for it as a guest lecturer whenever he wanders in. I normally have him lecture when I teach classes.

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Absorb...
and Transform!!!

I posted this on the boards as well, so you don't have to re-read it there if you've read this already..

I've actually always wanted something like this in the game, and have spoken with other people of creating such a thing. Not simply for the roleplay, but also to have a particular time and place where people who need teaching or a class could go and receive such.

My idea was more along the lines that the faculty would set aside an hour or two when they could take the time to go to a place of learning, and let others know that they are available to teach a certain class. It could be nice to have students who we know that would definitely be there as well, however.


I mean, we have Asemath Academy in the Crossing, the Academy of Learning in Riverhaven, that University in Leth, and the Magical College in Therenborough. Whenever it comes out, there will be a Bardic College in Kwarlog. So many places hardly used at all, except for their function of TDP gain.

Now, I do think that to be a full professor, one should be much above 20th circle. Here is one reason why..

0 to 25 Ranks = 1 student max
25 to 50 Ranks = 2 students max
50 to 100 Ranks = 3 students max
100 to 200 Ranks = 4 students max
200 to 400 Ranks = 5 students max
400 to 800 Ranks = 6 students max
800+ Ranks = 7 students max

Which means, going by the current circle requirements...

Empaths of 20th circle can teach 3 students.

Bards of 20th circle can teach 2 students.

Clerics of 20th circle can teach 2 students.

Moon Mages of 20th circle can teach 2 students.

Traders of 20th circle can teach 2 students.

Thieves of 20th circle are not required to learn teaching, but may use it for one of their lores which leaves them teaching 2 students.

Paladins of 20th circle can teach 2 students.

Rangers of 20th circle are not required to learn teaching, but may use it for one of their lores, which leaves them teaching between 1-2 students.

War Mages of 20th circle are not require to learn teaching, but may use it for one of their lores, which leaves them teaching between 1-2 students.

Barbarians are not required to learn any lore skill for 20th circle.

I do realize that the above only works if the person is at their circle requirements and has not gone above and beyond.

Here is an example, at least in my mind, of how it could go..

Assistant Professor could be 50+ ranks, or a practioner in teaching.

Associate Professor could be 100+ ranks, or ardent in teaching.

And Full Professor would be a requirement of 200+ ranks of teaching, which under EXP RP is considered "expert"

It would be nice for the role-play of the situation as well, to be able to say that you are a Full Professor of Education, currently teaching at Asemath Academy of Zoluren.

There is also the consideration of the professor having knowledge of actual subject they are teaching.

A Full Professor of Research (scholarship) would need to have 200 ranks IN Scholarship to qualify.

And once again, an Associate would have 100, and Assistant would have 50.

Now, this can make it hard to gain Full Professorship, having to have 200 in the subject and 200 in Teaching.

But really, should attaining such a "title" be easy?

And besides that, that guarantees that you can teach up to 4 people that specific subject who have below 200 ranks, at least, which is a wide enough range to be useful, being able to teach a good amount of the people who play.

If wouldn't do to call yourself a Full Professor of Music and any student above 50 ranks that comes in you can't teach. That would just be silly.

As in real life, certain subjects may be harder still. After the Mech Lore split, there will be many different categories. Perhaps to attain an Associates Professorship in Engineering (General Mechanical Lore) you would need to have 100 ranks not in just ONE of those areas, but in three or more.

This isn't to say you couldn't become a Full Professor of Art (Artistry) with the appropriate ranks, just that Engineering itself would be a blend, and saying that you understand how to work with and construct with various materials.

These are just my suggestions I'm throwing out there, obviously.

Player of Syrath











Kinsmen, Steel, Stone.
www.stone-clan.com

Nin showrskilik dabru dangig kvuthen, "Derg ewn tharfe mate nin verdh suun nin kwin bowr, nin kwin bowr va nin verdh."

Thanks for the awesome reply! I have only received one other e-mail about this, so it seems the general interest level is somewhat low. I haven't started campaigning for this idea in-game, because Themistocles is pretty low circle, so it would be grossly out of character, for him to do so, in my opinion.
I pretty much agree with everything you wrote, also. This is exactly the sort of detail I had in mind.
One concern I have, though, is with splitting the group up across several campuses in Elanthia. Primarily because I'm not sure that we've got enough interest to develop a strong professor base yet. Of course, we could assign specialties to each of the various academies, much like state university systems do: so the academy in Riverhaven might be the 'survival school,' etc. But I'm thinking it would be best to start in one place, and branch out as interest grows. Asemath seems like a good location, being that the Crossing is right in the center of everything. I'm assuming that many professorships will eventually be filled by former students after they "graduate."
I also really don't want to lose sight of the RP factor. RP is the primary reason why I am interested in this, learning skills being just a bonus. (But I don't mean to preclude others interests.) A player needs not only to meet the ooc, rank and circle requirements, but also in game, IC ones. I would like to structure this in a way such that it could be an officially sanctioned house.
So here?s some of the basic requirements I?ve thought about:
1. At least 20th circle in their guild, or equivalent ranks if a commoner
2. At least 50 ranks in teaching
3. At least 50 ranks in each of two relevant skills.
4. A strong ability to RP.
5. Some published or written work in the field they wish to teach in
6. Must be elected by a two-thirds majority vote by the current board of professors
7. Should devote one hour per week to ?teaching?
8. Should give one lecture per term, on some topic relevant to their field.
9. Term of professorship will last 3 real-life months, after which they stand for review by their peers, and must be reelected.
10. Promotion to associate and full professorship is not automatic based on ranks, but also subject to election.
11. The number of professorships should be limited.

If a player is strong at RP, and has written some material, etc, but does not meet the ooc requirements, then they could be considered for an adjunct postion.
I really wish I could figure out a way to pay a salary to the professors, but I don?t think that will happen. I doubt students would pay "tuition." But I suppose that benefits could include: the board of professors could cooperatively lobby the GMs to have their writings published in-game; the group would also promote upcoming lectures or debates. (I personally think doing IC lectures and debates would be a reward, and really fun.)

Luke, player of Themistocles

<<That is incorrect. There is a slight lore requirement, but very little. There is no teaching requirement though.


Thanks for the correction. I thought I remembered them having SOME, but I couldn't find any lore requirements on the Circle req thing I looked at.

Thanks again,
player of Syrath



Kinsmen, Steel, Stone.
www.stone-clan.com

Nin showrskilik dabru dangig kvuthen, "Derg ewn tharfe mate nin verdh suun nin kwin bowr, nin kwin bowr va nin verdh."

I have 1-3 down pat, actually I'd have to say that the majority of my skills are above 50 ranks. That would involve EXP ALL.

4 I know I'm weak on it. I didn't even really try to RP until this past year.
5 I have this really messed up Internet website, that I've totally failed to correctly put together. It was a cool idea, it just wasn't practical. Included on it are my 20+ odd combat lectures.

6 Don't know if my character's reputation is good enough to get elected into anything. Really blew it last month.

7 Should devote 1 hour per week to teaching... yanno if I'm going to travel all the way from Shard or Aesry to Crossing to teach, I'm going to be planting my butt on the Academy grounds and lecturing for 8 hours straight while practicing stationary skills.

8 One lecture per term, not sure what ya mean by that, but sounds easy.

9 Lots of red tape, I hate red tape, I figure as long as your doing a good job at what you do that's fine, if someone starts missing schedules, or stops showing up. They lose the proffessorship.

10 Dang politics. Hate them too.

11 The number of professorships should be limited. Why? I mean even if we get enough people to teach (I doubt it... but still) There are a lot of people out there with 200+ in teaching. Me included. (preens).

12 So according to thee chart I'm staring at... I have a full proffessorship in Percussion Instruments, Primary Magic, Harness, Vocal Instrument, and a few other things, and I qualify for Assistant Proffesor in approximately 50 skills. Too bad I can't teach more than one skill at once.

13 We need a bigger chart, for the higher ranking folks out there.
Assistant HeadMaster of Singing +400 in Vocal and Teaching.

14 Getting Paid. 1 silver per head, that includes 1 hour of listening to me lecture. It's low, it's reasonable and affordable just starting out as an organization.

Later...
We could have tiers set up. Tuition paid by students in advance.
Assistant Proffesor gets 1 silver per head per hour. 50 in teaching, 50 in 2 skills
Associate Proffesor gets 2 silver 100 in teaching, 100 in 4 skills
Full Professor gets 1 gold 200 in teaching, 200 in 8 skills
Assistant Headmaster gets 1 plat 400 in teaching, 400 in 16 skills
Headmaster gets 10 plat 800 in teaching, 800 in 32 skills

That also closely reflects how much a teacher could earn in game through hunting, as well as making it very difficult to achieve Headmaster, but also making the rewards of achieving it substantial.

15 Classes
Something structured, I don't want to have to keep teaching new people every 5 minutes, and then tracking everyone's progress. To much paperwork and I've got cambrinth to charge.

So I was thinking...

Let people in at every Anlas point (every half hour). They pay in advance. If they leave before the time is up, that's just too bad. We keep their coins.

Use Stop teaching, on people who have been listening for an hour and haven't paid up the next silver piece.

Also... what about what teachers and students are doing during class?

Personally I have no problem singing Merelew's Legacy, or chanting Fae's grace to learn, some extra skills, or get a lesson across. I also have no problem, with, in a mech lore class, having some students paperfolding, or crushing herbs in mortars, or cleaning instruments.

But where do we draw the line? Is there a line to draw? Would it be okay for students to practice magic while listening to me teach mech lore?

For IC reasons they're might be a problem, but otherwise, I'd be okay if students wanted to cast spells on themselves, or practiced other things while they listened.

Although I still think, teaching a mech lore class while everyone in the room is paper folding would make for a cool rp. Still there might be the problem of having several students mind lock before they're hour is up.

16 Getting people to come

Might be a small problem, unless we could get the Mentor's backing and the GM's to give us little announcements.

Such as: A pair of students hurry past, one says to another, c'mon, stop petting the dogs. I don't want to be late to Miss Sircha's class on Primary Magic at the academy. She's going to be teaching us all kinds of interesting magical applications.

17 Proffesor's Slant

Should be an updated in game book at the academy, or on a website somewhere that the professor writes describing the gist his or her classes. Like me for example, I know I'm going to always be leaning towards group combat, encouraging people to get together for it.

~Sircha

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Hi

Just to keep the topic going, I really like this idea. It would also be a way for characters who attempt to keep track of in-game history to congregate, compare notes, argue over competing interpretations and theories. From my point of view, this would be it's strongest point. For example, there is already the 'think tank' group in shard (who's name I can't spell), and they would probably like to contribute.

Plus, as you say, people are interested in arguing over the `in character' mechanics of magic, or the economy of the provinces. This kind of thing should happen in the guilds, but having organised lectures and debates would be really cool.

Neill

Hey Sircha,
Sorry for taking so long to reply, etc.
Let's see...as far as the RP thing goes...I think it's pretty open-ended as to what constitutes 'strong RP.' I don't mean to impose a particular style on anyone. But I think one's character should have some motivation for being a professor. Syrath recommended that this req. be weakened to just "one should not be blatantly OOC."
Your combat lectures sound really cool. That's the sort of thing I'm interested in. What I meant by 'one lecture per term' was something like this: The academy would put on a symposium once per DR year, at which professors would just lecture or debate on various topics...(bards could recite poetry or tell tales, etc.) So we'd have 3 per RL year. Syrath suggested that professors be required to participate in 1, and attend 2.
The whole election process doesn't seem to be going over too well, so I don't know. Just an idea. That's the sort of thing that goes on in actual universities, so that's why I proposed it. I also thought it would provide for more RP opportunities, fun stuff like behind the scenes alliances and backstabbing....academia can get pretty harsh at times.
But I kind of like Syrath's idea here...and I've got some new ideas here, myself, so here goes: A very 'young' character (e.g. one with just 50 ranks in teaching, plus 50 ranks in at least 2 other skills) would be sponsored by a full-fledged professor. They aren't elected or anything. These characters will be something like grad students: 1. They will teach, 2. They will have some area they hope to specialize in, some IC goals to achieve within the Academy, 3. They will need to build their teach and 2 other skills (which should be related to whatever subject they are interested in) to 100 ranks, and complete some project. The 'Project' would be worked out with the full professors, and can be pretty varied. E.g., barbarians and Rangers might be required to collect several hundred skins of some particular creature. A bard might be req'd to write a substantial, epic poem about Prince Vorclaf. (But the req. would be something the 'student' was into. In fact, the student should propose it, and the professors approve it.) After 2 and 3 are met, the professors vote them on (or not?) for life. This way there will be some 'quality control' in the RP department, but there won't be constant red tape and bickering. Now, if some professor, after receiving tenure, is obviously not doing anything, a special meeting can be called to review their case. etc.
As far as getting the teaching in at Crossing...no one likes this, but I still feel strongly about it. First, Crossing is a good, central location. Second, most new characters are 'born' in Crossing. Third, There are only 2 or 3 people interested in teaching right now. If they're scattered across Elanthia, we won't have much in the way of a cohesive group. I don't think this thing will ever get off the ground if we don't centralize. It wouldn't req. everyone to permanently move to Crossing; what I had in mind is we would figure a time, say Sunday afternoons, when all the professors would get together and teach en masse. That would establish a presence. I think that would heighten awareness much more than if you were in Shard, all alone, telling everyone that you're a professor. It will be much easier to get people to come if we have actual 'events.' We could just stop by all the guildhalls, where people hang out, and announce that classes will begin in a few roisaen. After we have a good interest base, we can branch out to other cities, get an unofficial group folder, etc. GMs probably won't give us that messaging, unless we are perhaps an officially sanctioned group...which would be a long term goal. (It would also be really cool to get 'Professor' and 'Associate Professor' etc. prename titles!)
As far as classes...yeah, you're dead on. That's what I would like to see, too. I'm actually beginning to think that the game is coded to reward this sort of learning style (teaching while doing.) And yeah, something structured. I think exactly how 'disruptive' students can be should be left up to the professor teaching the class. ('disruptive'=performing activities unrelated to the class.)
But at any rate, what this whole thing turns out to be like is going to be a function of the people who get invovled in its formation. Etc. I think you're contribution will be awe-inspiring.
Btw, is that site with your combat lectures still up?

--Player of Themistocles

Btw, is that site with your combat lectures still up?

hmm... what a surprise! it's not there anymore! I'll have to ask my brother where it went.


~Sircha

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"Morality, like art, means drawing a line someplace." Oscar Wilde