(Flashback) Teach me about Higher Learning (Solo)

[Faylon Kwanda]

4th of Summer, 509AV [Waking early in the day on Jameson’s boat Faylon rubbed his eyes and rolling to the side almost fell out of his hammock onto the deck. When he looked up old Jameson, the fisherman, was staring up at him with a twinkle in his eye and a bit of a toothy smile on his face. Both of them got on well and though Faylon was neither a fisherman nor a sailor he did know about things on the docks and had made himself a useful set of hands to Jameson himself. Faylon was mostly used to being a labourer since he came to Zeltiva and seeing as how he enjoyed odd jobs it was no wonder that he made out well enough due to the charity of others and his willingness to assist them. Picking himself up Faylon was back on his feet on the deck of the ship just in time for he and Jameson to have a conversation before the beginning of the day’s work.] [There was a lot Faylon had yet to see of Zeltiva and in the season he had been in the city it seemed as though the majority of his time had been spent on the docks where he was accepted by the majority of the sailors and liked by a select few of them which kept him safe. Not that he couldn’t take care of himself as a few men had learned. “Good fishing today. I think I’ll take the boat out and be back come the evening.”...Jameson would begin by saying when Faylon had drawn near him before continuing on by remarking...”You’re a good help lad. Packing heavy things and helping with my nets. I’ll only be doing a bit of light fishing today with my own pole though so you need not come today.” Nodding, Faylon would smile though not to widely, he would have replied...”Fair enough. I could use a bit of a day off myself. Think I’ll talk a walk about the city.”...there were several things that Faylon had still wanted to discover since arriving in Zeltiva and his time was growing more limited with every passing day so he knew it would be best not to dally.] [Bidding one another a farewell Faylon would enjoy a cup of water before jumping the side of the fishing boat and onto the docks where he moved to a post where the boat had been tied off. Fairly acquainted with knot work his hands worked to undo the fisherman’s knot so that Jameson could steer the boat away without any trouble. Waving to the aged Fisherman, his friend, Faylon would watch as the boat grew smaller and then eventually all but disappeared from view before turning away and beginning to stroll down the docks and further into Zeltiva.] [Ever since arriving in Zeltiva it had been Faylon’s goal to see the University. In fact it stood as one of the main reasons he had journeyed to the city to begin with having heard from travellers that came to Denval that the University of Zeltiva was the paramount certain of learning in all of Mizahar. Nothing compared to its annulled halls of learning and the tutors were supposed to be some of the most learned individuals alive. He could barely contain his excitement.] [Imagine his disappointment when he saw it then.] [Figuratively speaking Faylon found the University of Zeltiva easily enough however when he laid eyes on the enormous buildings, probably one of the busiest places in Zeltiva that he had seen, he soon realized why he had once heard a man joking to a would be student that you needed to make it here as early as possible. The line ups leading towards what looked like a main office with enormous Lions craft of stone positioned on either side of large oaken doors was positively endless. All Faylon wanted was information but that was harder to get than he would have expected too.] [Approaching the line Faylon tried to say hello to a snarky looking girl but before he could even finish opening his mouth all he heard was...”Get away sailor! Why don’t you go back to the docks!”...which caused him to blink before looking down at his attire and suddenly starting to understand what went on. He tried several other people in line and was rebuked by them in turn. One man even threatened to call a Guard on him if he didn’t stop harassing the students that came here with real coin to learn from the scholars of the university. His mood souring he finally understood what Jameson had meant when he often talked of a divide in Zeltiva and spoke of the scholars with a bit of disdain. It was definitely a mutual feeling.] [With his spirits failing Faylon began to move out of the Old Quarter and back towards the Docks. Maybe he would learn more of the University from a traveller if he was lucky. Maybe he would clean himself up a bit more too and then he would find himself able to navigate the area a little more freely as well.] [Walking down a street leading out of Old Quarter Faylon didn’t go for before he heard sounds coming from what looked like a narrow alley. Naturally curious he’d turned his head and went to investigate. Looking down the alley way where he saw a thin man with his back to him scuffling with someone else, a woman from the look of it, he was clearly winning too. “Let me go! I already told you no!”...a clearly feminine voice would have been heard shouting as the woman rallied to get away before being caught and thrown down as a nasally voice answered...”Don’t play coy Jessette. We know how whores like you make money to take classes here.”...and it went on but by that time Faylon had heard enough.] [His footsteps were as quiet as he made them when he entered the alley, the man seemed preoccupied anyways and didn’t appear to hear him approaching, when Faylon was behind him he’d shout...”HEY!”...startling the man who whirled around to face him. As the man turned around Faylon had already begun to plant his right foot ahead of his left and driving the same arm upwards would hammer the startled assailant underneath the jaw with a powerful uppercut. It stunned him and sent him wobbling backwards before he lost his footing and fell into a heap. He looked unconscious and Faylon didn’t care enough to check.] [By the time he looked back at the woman she was already standing back onto her feet and using her hands to smooth down the dress she wore. Jessette, as he had heard the assailant call her, looked like she might be more at home at the docks too; she had red hair and an ample figure with meat on her bones even though she wasn’t overly large. Both she and Faylon just stared at one another momentarily in the alley way.]

[Faylon Kwanda]

[After they’d both been looking at one another for a few moments it was Jessette that broke the silence between the both of them by saying...”Well are you going to pick up where he left off?”...the woman was definitely rough around the edges and untrusting; Faylon was stunned when he heard her question as though not having expected to hear the words from her. “No, I...uh...thought I was rescuing you.”...he’d stammered before the red haired woman looked him over pointedly, he was still quite awestruck by the question. When he found her she needed help and now it looked like she was ready to fight again already. “What’s a sailor doing up here in the Old Quarter anyways?”...she’d asked Faylon who just shook his head before responding...”I just came to learn about the University. I didn’t realize it would be this much of a hassle.”...his shoulders had fallen a bit again and he was ready to turn away before Jessette had brushed by him and moved briskly towards the mouth of the alley herself.] [Faylon had begun muttering under his breath when he heard...”Are you coming?”...and looked to see that Jessette had turned to look over her shoulder, waiting for him at the end of the alley, he looked a little dumbfounded again and she shook her head before saying...”Well if you want to learn about the University come with me.” ...then she’d disappeared around a corner. Not wanting to miss this opportunity Faylon was jogging to catch up with her and had made good distance before she could get too far. He’d slow down and start walking beside her when he reached her and their footfalls would start coming in unison with one another.] [There wasn’t a lot of talking between them both. Faylon noticed how Jessette was dressed and that she seemed a bit out of place her as well. She didn’t look like a sailor by the way she dressed made it seem as though she belonged serving drinks in a tavern as compared to walking the streets of Old Quarter Zeltiva. If it wasn’t due to his own manners Faylon might have asked but he stopped himself. Jessette looked at him though, impatiently, as though waiting for him to ask a question before prompting him herself with a...”Well?”...and causing Faylon to clear his throat once before asking...”Well for starters what building is this? Why are there so many people lined up outside? I asked for help but it was hard to get some of them to even look at me.”...the question did cause Jessette to laugh heartily a moment. Both of them stopped in the street and with a bit of a sarcastic smile she would go about educating him.] [The way she looked at Faylon made him think he was a moron but she talked to him just the same with the rough edges she had used after he rescued her moments ago...”Shyke. Well you look like a sailor and you definitely know as much as one.”...then with a tilt of her head she’d resign herself to telling him more...”If you want anything out of that building you’re wasting your time. That’s the Registrar’s Office. You go there to register for classes, pay for your classes and obtain copies of any certificates you might get from the University. If you don’t get here early though you may as well not get here at all.”...Jessette would pause then and sweeping her arm out direct Faylon’s attention to the lines of people that seemed to stretch on endlessly before she continued...”There are people at the front of the line that get here before they take in their first meal and everyone is thoroughly disgruntled from waiting that not many will want to help you.”...there was a bit more to it than that of course but Jessette would get into that momentarily. First she pulled Faylon aside and began taking him around the lines as they moved onwards.] [Once Faylon and Jessette had begun moving around to the end of the line that stretched out from the Registar’s Office she would turn to him again and say...”The lines aren’t the worst part either. Once you get inside you have to deal with the Registrar, Sanderson, and he can be a real piece of work. Crusty old man. Quite to the point. Don’t try to waste his time with small talk or you might discover additional fees on your debts to the University.”...fair warning some would say since Faylon did enjoy asking question as was already blatantly clear.] [Walking with Jessette Faylon would not his head and answer...”Got it.”...he had started to ask another question but Jessette was ushering him along quickly. Clearly she felt a little obligated to help him seeing as how he had helped her and all but that definitely didn’t mean she had to be nice about it.]

[Faylon Kwanda]

[Jessette seemed to know where she was taking him so Faylon never questioned her. He’d looked back in the direction of the crowds lined up outside of the Registrar’s Office, as he now knew it to be, when he’d noticed a few people following them with their eyes but just as quickly everyone seemed to be looking away again. Shaking his head Faylon didn’t want to pay much attention to it but as they wandered further into the Old Quarter his eyes would turn to Jessette as well, she didn’t look like a native of Zeltiva but he couldn’t place where she must have been from, curiosity was one of his more notable traits but he knew better than to pry as Jessette had already given him more than one unimpressed glance.] [Eventually Jessette would stop and turn her head to look at Faylon, who hadn’t actually noticed they were now standing in the vicinity of an enormous two story granite edifice that was adorned with columns and carved flowers, before saying...”This is it. The Administration Office. It’s the largest building in the Old Quarter and according to any instructor I’ve heard talking predates the Valterrian, I’m not sure when it was built though. Anyways it’s large and stands out like a sore thumb in Old Quarter. If you miss it you must be blind.”...Jessette laughed a bit then because Faylon must have been blind she likely imagined. Looking up at the building Faylon was quite in awe of the architecture though, he didn’t know buildings this old were still in existence, but when he regained his composure shortly thereafter he’d ask...”This is where the University is run from then?”...it was an unintelligent inquiry but Jessette would only shrug her shoulders and answer him with...”I suppose so. You can find offices for important instructors, the heads of the academic departments and the Board of Regents here. They probably won’t all be here at the same time but this is where you’d go if you were looking for them.”...when he heard her Faylon started to understand the obvious a little better.] [Even though he wasn’t especially knowledgeable about the University he had heard the title Board of Rents passed around several times on the docks, mostly as a curse, which caused him to make the connection a little late but better late than never...”The Board of Regents. They’re the opposite of the Administrative Committee in the Sailor’s Guild. Now I understand a bit better.”...his realization seemed to amuse Jessette who would chuckle a bit. “That’s right. The Board of Regents run the University of Zeltiva and each of them are powerful in their own way. I’ve never met one but I’ve heard stories that they are the most knowledgeable individuals in Mizahar. They don’t run all of Zeltiva though even if more than a few people think they should.”...the way she’d stated her last thought made Faylon think that Jessette didn’t really care who held the power in the city though he’d have pressed her for a bit more by asking...”There are people on the docks that say the same thing about the Sailor’s Guild. Why the divide?”...and then waiting for her answer.] [After he’d asked his question Faylon would notice that Jessette remained silent for a few breathes while motioning him onwards. They were walking around the massive Administrative Office on their way to another point of interest when Jessette had finally decided to answer him...”The Sailors think that the Scholars only have their heads in books and the Scholars think the Sailors are too rough and uncouth to be able to administer the city. Neither side is really willing to give the other a lot of leeway out of a belief that they’d ruin Zeltiva. If they ever worked together then the city might be as divided as it is though.”...which made sense to Faylon. Unless a Scholar, or student, was leaving you didn’t see many of them down on the docks and vice versa a sailor didn’t venture up to the University often which meant between Old Quarter and the Docks the rest of the city was the melting pot. “Maybe if they worked together they could find a way to stop the food shortages I’ve heard about.”...Faylon would say as though he were thinking out loud, Jessette didn’t answer him.] [On their way to the next building Jessette would lead Faylon closer to the granite wall of whatever structure they were walking closer to now, it made him feel like they were sneaking around a little too much, and then he heard her say...”Last stop. I imagine you’ll want to know about this too.”...which perplexed him just a little bit. Nodding his head though Faylon would follow the lead of Jessette, they really weren’t hiding just using the natural shade of the buildings to help conceal them a bit but Faylon got the idea that wherever they were going it Jessette wasn’t about to just walk up to it, maybe she was just having a bit of fun though too.]

[Faylon Kwanda]

[Becoming mildly impatient with this sort of sneaking around Faylon had opened his mouth after Jessette had lead him onwards a short distance and was still wearing a bit of a confused expression on his face when he asked...”Why all the creeping about? What are we doing? “...wearing a distinctly unconvinced expression on his facial features. “Keep quiet. It’s just around the corner.”...Jessette would have snapped back at him after looking over her shoulder as they went onwards, offering no other explanations than that. Walking closer to the buildings and using the natural shade provided from the architecture Faylon felt a bit silly. He really didn’t even try to conceal himself like it seemed Jessette had wanted.] [Moving ahead Jessette would eventually peer around the corner of the building that they were walking beside before motioning for Faylon to move forward. Obviously she now saw whatever it was she had lead him towards and was waving him forward to take hias own look. Faylon would step lightly but remained unenthusiastic with how it seemed Jessette had wanted him to duck low a bit as he approached her from behind before looking around the corner of the building they were both still hunkering near. Eyes focused ahead of him as Faylon peered ahead where he saw a massive building the was clearly an older piece of architecture. In front of the building he also noticed two large armed guards, both of which only stared ahead. Above the building entrance he saw the words –City Library- engraved in the granite. Ducking his head back around Faylon would look at Jessette even more confused.] [When Faylon looked back towards Jessette he couldn’t help but blurt out...”We’re spying on a City Library? What’s wrong with you?”...which caused the woman to frown before shaking head and barking at him though she purposely kept her voice lower than it could have been. “No this is the Archives Building for the University you dolt!”...Jessette had said before calming herself a bit and continuing...”This is the real mystery of the University. They say it’s older than anything else in Zeltiva and predates the Valeterian. No one goes in there, not the citizens of Zeltiva, the students or most of the faculty. Only the Board of Regents and the Head Archivist have access to that building I’ve been told.”...even though he’d heard what Jessette was saying Faylon found that the idea was rather dubious. He was wondering what reason the University would have their own faculty and students out of the Archives Building even if the general populace wasn’t admitted.] [Looking back around the corner again Faylon also started to notice several other things. No one approached the Archives Building and if they did no one seemed to stray close. Maybe this was the reason for all this cloak and dagger. He also mentally noted after glancing back behind himself that they’d walked back to the edge of the Old Quarter moving towards the building and that the divide separating old quarter Zeltiva from the rest wasn’t far from here. “It’s too odd to think that no one goes into that building. Isn’t there someone you can contact regarding it?”...he asked though his question seemed to have caused Jessette to smirk as though his notions weren’t that original when she replied...”Of course. You could try to contact the head Archivist. Oh wait. No you can’t because he doesn’t exist.”...then she waved for Faylon to follow as she moved away from the corner of the building they were looking around and he did so while saying...”That’s impossible isn’t it? Who’s the head Archivist supposed to be?”...there was no answer as he moved away and back onto the street and into the open with Jessette.] [When both of them were walking away from Archives Building Jessette would turn her head to Faylon and say...”Officially the head archivist is someone named S. Cartsmith. Goodluck finding that person though because I don’t think anyone has ever seen them before. In fact I once heard that people that did look for him had a knack of disappearing so maybe he’s better off not being found at all.”...the answer had caused Faylon to offer a thoughtful expression back to Jessette who only shrugged her shoulders, the disappearances were most likely hearsay but who really knew for sure. “Thank you for your help earlier but I’m late now. I’m sure I’ll see you around.”...was the next thing out of Jessette’s mouth and then she was moving away from Faylon who offered her a quick...”Goodbye Jessette. I’ll look for you some time.”...but she had already blended into the people walking the street and vanished by the time Faylon had said the last bit.] [Now that Faylon was alone he decided that he had spent enough time at the University for one day and moved off back to the streets so that he could leave the Old Quarter. He didn’t have to go far. Enjoying the scenery on the way he wouldn’t hurry back to the Docks just yet though after a few bells he would have found his way back to him. The Docks seemed simpler to him and Faylon enjoyed his time there with the different sailors even if he wasn’t really one of them.]

[Oracle]

Name: Faylon Kwanda

XP Award:

• Boxing +1
• Socialization +2
• Interrogation +2

Lore:

• Zeltiva's Streets - Basic
• The University - The Outside of the Building
• Being shunned
• Coming to a Dame's Rescue
• Prejudice First Hand
• The University - The Registrar's Office
• The University - The Administration Office
• Zeltiva - A City Divided (Advanced)
• Zeltiva - The Archives Building
• Introduction to the Mysteries of Zeltiva.

Notes: Sorry about the delay in grading! Great read, showcases a good understanding of the city. I went ahead and moved your lore "A city Divided" to advanced since you now understand it better now.

Seems Faylon might just stumble into a conspiracy yet.

Keep up the great work.


If you have any concerns with this please PM me and let me know.

A.S. Oracle