Institute of Lecherous Learning

A sprawling educational complex partially buried into the edges of the cavern and stretching deeper yet away from the outskirts, the first building discovered of the complex was discovered when the Market Town Outskirts were mapped, being the Library of Carnal Knowledge, a sprawling library of books maintained by ghostly librarians, and while many of the books are of particularly steamy fiction or scandalous pictures, there are books for the researcher, if they know where and how to look.

Description

From the majority of Market Town the only thing one can see is the Library of Carnal Knowledge itself, only by going through the library, and out the back entrance can one emerge into the Institute Grounds, the closest building once you emerge is the Institute Bookstore, ahead at the other end is the Institute of Lecherous Learning itself, deep within one can explore the Institute Undercrofts. Off to the left, you can see the five towers known as Wizarding Towers.

History

Years after the founding of the Library of Carnal Knowledge, Lazuli found plans indicating a larger complex then the rather plain library existed. Funding an expedition, she saw the excavation of the 'back' of the library, reveling a more decorative entrance, and directed further digging.

Lazuli had to get help multiple times from adventurers, from having to rescue the dig team, which lead to an open cavern where the Institute Grounds were discovered behind a shield. Institute itself, as well as five strange pillars reaching from ground to ceiling, which were dubbed the Wizarding Towers would not be accessible until a set of crests were recovered, which represented the school, and placed back upon the keystones of the gate and doorway over the building.

A year on, she saw the construction of a smaller building, The Institute Bookstore, which would sell supplies for the students, as well as provide scribing opportunities for low level spell scrolls to reduce the burden from Runar while providing experience and work for some of the students interested in such endeavors.

Recently, exploration has been going on in the Institute Undercroft, a spiraling maze of everchanging rooms and hallways, while little seems to make sense of it, and returning to rooms seems impossible after leaving, one thing has remained consistent, every room, even if it is not clear to those exploring, was once dedicated to teaching or discovery.

The Crest of the Institute

The stone crest is separated into four sections upon fields of white, the separation appears to be done in the style of a waving banner, some sort of archaic text written across it. Each section is adorned with a different crest, each with a different charge concerning a magical concept, although the exact specifics are unknown to those in Paraidisum they are of the following designs and meanings:

• A tome of arcane knowledge, emblazoned with symbolic lettering upon it's open pages to represent study.
• The alchemical symbol for the philosopher's stone in a beaker to represent the study of nature.
• Two wizard staffs crossed to express the duality of magic as offensive and defensive arts.
• An Arcane Blaster, to represent the artifice of magic and technology as one.

The text upon the banner is an unknown language, the fact that attempts to use comprehend language to understand it indicates that the text is either cyphered in some way, a set of otherwise unknown glyphs, a combination of both as the words cannot be understood.

The glyphs upon the arcane known in the crest are likewise unknown, but those sensitive to, or well studied in magic will have a vague understanding that they are some representation of magic itself.

Notable Locations

The Institute Bookstore

Reconstructed by Lazuli to provide easy purchasing of lower power scrolls and supplies without having to go to Market Town, and providing scribing jobs for wizards to ease the burdens from Runar, the building fits well with the Library and the Institute of Lecherous Learning buildings, having been commissioned to look as if it was of the same era and material. There is also a small selection of ready to eat and low preparation foods, and a variety of experimental beverages for the students.