School of Heroes

Overview

The School of Heroes is the pre-eminent training facility for the adventurer class in Avendar. While its actual location is kept quite secret-- and its grounds are warded with the most potent of protective magics-- it is never far from any of Avendar's cities; wherever adventurers may be found, a portal to the School will be waiting for them until they've found their footing. While the School, in one form or another, has existed for hundreds, if not thousands, of years, it has undergone many renovations, restructurings, and had countless proprietors.

Its current owner is a man named Zebenar Kinest, once famed throughout Avendar for ending the lives of an astonishing number of young adventurers. Eventually, he tired of the sport-- but his fascination with young adventurers continued unabated. He acquired the School of Heroes because of its unsettling track record of imp-related deaths, and has given it his own special touches. It contains merchants, specific tests, and is connected to the Tower of Testing-- Zebenar's personal gauntlet. Those who complete it receive the famed Sigil of the School of Heroes, marking them as one of the facility's more capable graduates.

Notable NPCs

The School of Heroes contains many named NPCs, many of which are intended to give new characters exposure to a variety of races, locations, and/or religious affiliations. Some are associated with specific tests, while others provide information or support to young adventurers. For any additional details on a specific NPC, please read their description.

Arafis Tindel

Arafis is human, and an Earendamian veteran of the Fourth Kankoran War. He is a water templar, but because of his low level, he uses only a handful of specific powers in combat. He greets all adventurers who arrive at the School once per session.

Jimacha

Jimacha is caladaran, and a former member of the Hakuran Order. She is a psionicist, but because of her low level, she only uses passive abilities. She tends the School's front desk, helping to direct characters to different parts of the School.

Issthali

Issthali is srryn, and is of the Fenthiran saurians of the Crimson Sands region. She has no specific class, with remedial abilities in combat. She directs students to the Hall of Fates, and will attack low level characters who have become criminals.

Loqel Arastha

Loqel is ethron, and is a servant of the goddess, Lielqan. He has no specific class, with remedial abilities in combat. He directs players to the area which reflects their specific alignment.

Aiasha Ly'rae

Aiasha is ch'taren, and is associated with both Jh'ten and the martyr-god Vaialos. She has no specific class, but is associated with the Spirit sphere. She directs good-aligned players to the chambers which reflect their specific ethos-alignment combination.

Eronth Todok

Eronth is alatharya, and is a follower of the goddess, Enirra. Although he is ostensibly a fighter, he uses no fighter-specific skills. He directs neutral characters to the chambers of their respective ethoi.

Jajikk

Jajikk is shuddeni, and hails to the shuddeni city of Yithoul. He is a void scholar, but uses only a single passive effect (cloak of the void). He points evil-aligned characters to the chambers which discuss their ethos-alignment combination.

Narana Innova

Narana is aelin, and was born in their home city of Ilodaiya. She has no specific class, and uses no particular skills in combat. She resides at the weapon desk, handing out free copper weapons to any characters who may wish them.

Toglath

Toglath is alatharya, and has no particular religious or locational association. He also has no specific class, relying on his smithing hammer in combat. He serves as the School's blacksmith, repairing weapons and providing an overview of weapon damage.

Ichiaj Chidak

Ichiaj is nefortu, and is from the sea cave of Rahh-Nefor. He is a fire scholar, although he only uses a single passive effect (flame shield). He operates a makeshift stand in the Hall of Arms.

Arslan Cuningsforth

Arslan is human, and is an Earendamian veteran of the Third Kankoran War. He has no particular class, using only a limited selection of skills in combat. He operates the Hero's Armory (see also-- Shops), which sells low level armor.

Essandra Istan

Essandra is human, and has ties to the Var Bandor Merchant Council. She has no specific class, with no special combat skills. She operates the White Satchel (see also-- Shops), which provides common adventuring gear at reasonable prices.

Yria Hashin

Yria is human, and is a nomad from the Crimson Sands. He is a gladiator, but uses few class-specific skills in combat. He is one of the School's trainers, teaching all basic warrior skills up to level 10.

Koranna

Koranna is kankoran, and is a Girikhan from the Ryarl. She is a thief, but uses few class-specific skills in combat. She is one of the School's trainers, teaching all basic rogue skills up to level 10.

Jassin Destaul

Jassin is human, and a former adventurer with the Company of the Zephyr in Earendam. He is an air templar, and uses passive class abilities such as blur. He is one of the School's trainers, teaching all basic templar skills up to level 10.

Alliene Listas

Alliene is aelin, and a native of Earendam. She is ostensibly a water scholar, due to having permanent sanctuary, but has no other class-specific spells. She is one of the School's trainers, teaching all basic scholar and alchemist skills up to level 10.

Kashelle Eroq

Kashelle is ethron, and a follower of the goddess, Nariel. She is a ranger, although she does not use ranger-specific abilities in combat. She is one of the School's trainers, teaching all basic naturalist skills up to level 10.

Palako

Pakalo is human, and associated with the Alajian Monastery. He is a psionicist, but like Jimacha, uses mostly passive psionic abilities. He is one of the School's trainers, teaching all basic mentalist skills up to level 10.

Laoti

Laoti is alatharya, and much like Toglath, has no particular regional affiliation. She reflects no specific class, relying on her fists in combat. She is the bartender in the Adventurer's Lounge (see also-- Shops), selling food and drinks to low level characters.

Yagrin the scribe

Yagrin is human, and a former Hakuran monk who worked in the library of Gaald. He has no specific class and does not use class-based skills. He adds the names of adventurers who complete the Tower of Testing to the scrolls of heroes and gives an overview of factions to new players.

Eliaj Onat

Eliaj is nefortu, and serves on the Var Bandor Merchant Council. He has no specific class, and uses no particular class skills in combat. He oversees package delivery to the guilds of Var Bandor from the School grounds.

Shiguln

Shiguln is a chaja, and is an escaped shuddeni slave. He is a warrior, although he does not reflect a specific class of that profession. He guards the Hall of Victors where Zebenar Kinest resides, only allowing characters with the School sigil to pass.

Zebenar Kinest

Zebenar is human, and the proprietor of the School of Heroes. He is a fire templar, and behaves like one should one be foolish enough to attack him. He imparts additional wisdom to characters who complete the Tower of Testing, should they visit him afterward.

The School Sigil

The Sigil of the School of Heroes is the first brand most characters will receive, and is itself an introduction to the <branded> wear slot. It cannot be located, removed, or uncursed, and is destroyed the first time a character is killed. Because it is almost exclusively held by young characters (in the youthful age bracket), it provides some bonuses which will mirror the gains they receive upon reaching maturity.

• Strength +2
• Dexterity +1
• Hp +10
• Mana +10

The Hall of Trials

This section of the School provides a series of tests about basic universal game mechanics. These tests are administered quickly for veteran players, and with greater elaboration for new ones. Each test has its own NPC teacher, and other related items or characters. Each test rewards the player with one gold coin upon completion.

The Test of Keys

This test reviews locked doors and their manipulation. Its administrator is a shuddeni void scholar named Kajjias, and the test requires the slaying of a (very weak) imp to obtain the key.

The Test of the Statue

This is possibly the most popular test within the School of Heroes, as it provides a gem of guarding upon its completion. This test reviews "soft" contextual commands provided by verb_progs.

The Test of Water

This test introduces water-related mechanics, such as underwater rooms and the drowning mechanic. The test is administered by an ethron girl named Teloqi, and requires retrieving her ring from the pool in which she dropped it.

The Test of Darkness

This test introduces light-based mechanics, such as wearable lights and dark rooms. The test is overseen by a Sithean srryn named Rshil, who is afraid of the shadows. It requires retrieving Rshil's mouse from the adjacent room and giving it back to him so he can eat it.

The Test of Discovery

The discovery test is designed to demonstrate to new characters how the search command works. The object is to help a hoarder named Arriden find his missing monocle, which he has lost in his many piles of junk.

The Test of Flight

This test introduces characters to some of the mechanics of flight, such as the natural flight fly command, and rooms which cannot be entered without flying. It is overseen by Michadi Fippirea, an air scholar, and she asks adventurers to retrieve her floating coin for her.

The Test of Potions

The potion test is designed to demonstrate the quaff command. The test's administrator, Mehtai Vazlen, is an alchemist, and he provides a special potion which grants a permanent gain of either +5 hp or +5 mana.

The Test of Altars

This test is intended to demonstrate getting items from within containers-- specifically altars. It is administered by a healer named Judicas Alisto, and requires handing him a bangle from on the altar in the room. For new characters, he also provides information on death in Avendar, as well as how to use the heal command.

The Test of the Pitch

One of the more troublesome tests, it is designed to introduce the pitch command. Because of the problematic nature of this sort of test, it uses a verb_prog to simulate pitching green paint at a test dummy. Amusingly, many people have tried to throw the paint at the teacher instead of the target, resulting in early player deaths.

The Test of Belief

The final test in the Hall of Trials, it introduces the disbelieve command. Like the pitch test, actually using disbelieve (because of its potential for paranoia) is not ideal, and instead simulates it with a verb_prog. The intent of the test is to disbelieve Grace, the platinum dragon which is present in the test room.

Guilds

The School of Heroes is unique, in that its guildmasters are divided by profession rather than by class. This allows low level characters to get an overview of their general archetype here, and then something more specific when they arrive at their guild in Var Bandor (see also-- Services).

Guildmasters

• Warrior: Yria Hashin
• Rogue: Koranna
• Templar: Jassin Destaul
• Scholar: Alliene Listas
• Naturalist: Kashelle Eroq
• Mentalist: Palako

Shops

The School of Heroes provides shops for young adventurers with gear specific to their needs. These usually have minor stat bonuses, to let them practice their early skills more effectively.

Arslan Cuningsforth

• Armor
• Hours: 0 to 23
• Sells:

• a copper shield
• a copper chainmail shirt
• a copper helmet
• some copper chainmail leggings
• a leather belt
• a copper bracer
• a pair of dark leather gloves
• a pair of fur-lined sleeves
• an embroidered cape
• a woolen cloak
• a pair of hide boots
• a copper ring

Essandra Istan

• General store
• Hours: 0 to 23
• Sells:

• a ration-cake
• an earthen jug
• a packet of travel wafers
• a small hide pack
• a wooden canoe
• a quilted bedroll
• a small firekit
• a shining brass pendant
• a roll of maps

Laoti

• Food and drinks
• Hours: 0 to 23
• Sells:

• a slice of strawberry cheesecake
• a thick slice of herb bread
• a roasted ear of corn
• a spicy, glazed bjorcha steak
• a mug of dark ale
• a cup of orange juice

Services

The School of Heroes has services, rewards, or quests available to PCs, assuming they meet the required prerequisites (if any). Because of the nature of the area, most are quite limited in scope.

The Traveler's Purse

• Bank
• Prerequisites: None

Judicas Alisto

• Healer (paid)
• Prerequisites: None

Ichiaj Chidak

• Shares active rumors
• Prerequisites: 1 silver

Teloqi

• Water breathing spell
• Prerequisites: Completed the Test of Water

Michadi Fippirea

• Fly spell
• Prerequisites: Completed the Test of Flight

Eliaj Onat

• Quest: Find Your Guildmaster
• Prerequisites: Currently branded with School sigil

Shiguln

• Entry into the Hall of Victors
• Prerequisites: Currently branded with School sigil

Zebenar Kinest

• Reward package
• Prerequisites: Currently branded with School sigil

Other Features

There are miscellaneous features of the School of Heroes which don't fall into any of the prior categories.

Travel wafers

The package of travel wafers sold in the White Satchel contains a number of melt_drop wafers which grant refresh on the character who eats them. They are level-limited, no longer granting refreshment above a certain threshold.

Recognition by other students

After a character's name has been added to the scroll of heroes, he will be made a friend of the School of Heroes faction. Once a friend, other NPC students will take note of the character's presence sometimes via greet_prog.

The bulletin board

This explains requirements for becoming a hero, as well as other commands such as worth or prompt. Its primary purpose is to direct players to help questlist, which contains a list of quests in the game and the general requirements of that quest (such as where to find it, or the level it can be attempted).

The magic mouth

There are a number of instances of the magic mouth within the School of Heroes and Tower of Testing. Each one serves a different function.

• In the portal chamber, the magic mouth provides an overview on the locations connected to it.
• In the Adventurer's Lounge, the magic mouth demonstrates how keyworded NPC conversations work.
• In the Hall of History, the magic mouth runs a small trivia game based on the race history book.
• In the Tower of Testing, the magic mouth asks a riddle before transporting characters to Yagrin the scribe.
  • It has a set of riddles it can ask, with a variety of different answers.
  • Each character who enters the room is offered an independently tracked riddle.

The Thunderdome

In the Tower of Testing, the fourth floor is designed to simulate a basic PK situation. It uses a verb_prog variation of the where command to show the locations of the combatants, and each one uses specific abilities for their respective class. These NPCs are among the Tower's most aggressive.

The secret passage

For characters who either cannot, or do not wish to, traverse the Thunderdome, there is a secret passage on the third level of the Tower. It can be found through an unmarked exit, which is noted in the room description, and transports characters to the fifth floor.