[Nobilis] Ashflower Academy

[Revanmal]

Ashflower Academy: "The Greatest School on the Ash"™

This is the home of over 100,000 students and faculty, housed within a campus that could conservatively be called a Kingdom. An entire city of eager young minds and wise scholars, learning and teaching for all time. Within these grand halls the finest minds of generations past, present, and future gather, to find solutions, discover new horizons, and plot a course for a better tomorrow.

"This place cannot exist" they say to themselves. "There's no place like this on Earth."

They are half right.

For you see, Ashflower Academy is of the world, and yet not - hidden away within the secret Chancel of the Lord Abarron, Imperator of Parenthood, and his Nobilis - Noble of Toys, Noble of Necesarry Evil. Nobles of Perfection Missed and Perfection Only Imagined. The shard-selves, these Lords, these Servants, shall guide, protect, and care for this place and all of creation. For if they do, they shall recieve Father's sweet praises; and if not... Father's anger most terrible.

What follows is their adventures, great and small.

Nobilis - The Game of Sovereign Powers

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You Nobilis find yourselves in a room familiar enough: that of a Board Room, with an array of 12 people all glowering somewhat haughtily at you from behind a long desk. This is the esteemed Board of Education you all love so very, very much.

The woman directly in front of you is the currently elected Head of the Board, Mrs. Hackett. She is a severe-looking woman with slightly graying hair in a bun that looks like it's about to pull her face over her ears, but is still not entirely unattractive. Still, one cannot help but feel sorry for Mr. Hackett... if he exists.

She is head of the Guidance branch of the Board, with the other heads arrayed to either side of her:

Professor Thag - Head of Math
Mrs. Skjeveland - Head of Literature
Coach Piper - Head of Physical Education
Mr. Crowley - Head of Magic
Professor Artey - Head of Science
Mr. Rivera - Head of Art
Mr. Haydn - Head of Music
Dr. Insano - Head of Applied Technology
Ms. Rochet - Head of Language
Dr. Ivanova - Head of Social Studies
Ms. Hakimichi - Head of Media

As if they were some kind of hivemind, all these people gaze at the four of you with some measure of disdain, albeit not without a little awe and perhaps fear in their faces.

"Thank you for coming... Esteemed Lords." Hackett begins, her voice not quite sarcastic as she deigns to give you a token of respect. "We've called you here to discuss the school's upcoming Anniversary Celebration. The Student Government's reports of what is planned are... ambitious in many ways. We and the students themselves may need some of your unique abilities if we are to succeed. Especially with 'XYZ' getting increasingly violent as of late."

She peeks over the rim of her glasses. "When is that little nuisance going to be apprehended, by the way?"

[Green Bean]

Danielle almost enjoyed sessions with the Board. Yes, they were petty little politicians squabbling over the miraculous forces of creation like raccoons over a garbage can, but their presence was needed to keep the Academy running smoothly. Every petty inconvenience they threw in her way was halfway to a prayer, a tribute to the necessary evils of any large enterprise.

Of course, respect was still an issue. Abarron had entrusted the Board with a great deal of power, but they were not Nobles. Occasionally, they needed a reminder. "I have no doubt that XYZ will be caught and...dealt with. At our earliest convenience." Her tone is level, but quite clear about just whose convenience really matters. "He or she seems to be gaining some support from the student body. I will persuade them to see reason."

"In any case, I am interested to see plans that even the Board of Education thinks ambitious."

[Yuki Akuma]

Jessica always felt conflicted at these meetings with the school board. She'd only been enNobled a scant year prior, and had been promptly sent to school at this place - she was, after all, still a child. She was a Noble, so mere mortals shouldn't be at all threatening to her - but these are her teachers.

The littlest Noble shifts slightly uncomfortably. She is nominally a member of the Student Government, after all, although she only has the same vote as every other member. They had all seemed so excited by these ideas, how could she possibly have voted against them? Not that a single vote against would have changed anything.

"...I don't have anything better to do, I suppose. Except homework. But homework's easy." She tries to avoid looking directly at any members of the school board who are actually her teachers. This feels really, really weird.

[Revanmal]

"Yes, of course, my Lady." Despite your reassurances, most of those on the Board seem skeptical of your willingness to handle XYZ. All the same, their opinions go unvoiced.

A folder stuffed thick with the ideas of the thousands of classes, teams, and clubs is presented to you by Mrs. Hackett, although Jessica has seen most of these already.

Many schools in the Prosaic world would celebrate festivals with races, games, stores, and presentations. Ashflower Academy did all these things as well. In addition, they also held multi-tier freeform fighting tournaments, hosted decathlons, summoned hill-spirits, recreated the Sistine Chapel out of cake and fondant, displayed murals over 1,000 feet long, and you're fairly certain the words "anti-matter bomb" are somewhere in there too.

And that's just the first page.

"Very ambitious. By Ashflower standards. Which is to say, the highest standards." Hackett responds with a thick coating of pride.

"But we have every confidence in our students." Mr. Crowley states, leaning forward to obscure his mouth behind his hands. His monocle catches a seemingly nonexistent beam of light and reflects it outward, obscuring one of his eyes behind a bright glow.

"Thousands of hands with thousands of eyes working simultaneously can do a great deal of work in a very short time span." he says.

Ms. Hakimichi smiles at you all brightly. Her syrupy-sweet manner was out in full force, something she was prone to do no matter who she was talking to. "And we just know our wonderful little flowers would be forever grateful if you would help, Esteemed Lords. This could be the best Anniversary Ashflower has ever had!"

[Kessler]

Several Hours prior the meeting with the Board:

In a small, windowless room, dominated by a giant wardrobe, two people stand. One is trying on different clothes and talks unceasingly. The other is dressed as a butler and silently assists the first man with his search for the fashionably passable attire.

''Okay, this one doesn’t work either. The gloves really don’t fit with the costume. I can’t appear before that Board of Vultures not looking my absolute best... So as I was saying. I’m almost done constructing the wall, when a mare appears and lures my trusted steed away. I keep screaming and trying to drag the beast from this distraction, but to no effect. Of course this completely disrupts the work graphic and I’m left completely cheated by that contract, I signed. The second I try to raise objections, bam! The bloody savages smash my head and dump my body into the ocean. James, I think I’d like to try a blue one.’’

The butler rummages through the enormous wardrobe producing a large, blue tie.

''Than that story with Zanifar Tower. Construction is finished, red ribbon is cut, I think I’m in the clear with that one. Three days later the whole structure collapses, buries thousands under the rubble, and worst of all leads to the suicide of the main architect. You should have seen the chap, such promise, like a son to me he was. All because of sub-contractor delivering material of sub-quality. Now is that proof that they outright hate me. I think that’ll do, at least for today. You are dismissed, James.'’

Butler disappears into thin air with a sigh of relief.

Somewhere on Earth, James Brisket wakes up in his bed.

''Another bad dream?’’
''Yes’’
''The one where you are a butler to some pseudo-British guy?’’
''Yes, the same dream I have almost every night. He just drones and drones about some nonsense, and I’m forced to stand there and listen’’
''Start taking sleeping pills’’
''I just don’t know’’

A short silence ensues.

''Do you believe in the afterlife?’’
''No, not particularly, why?’’
''I think I’m going to hell. And this is a preview’’

At the Board Meeting:

Cassias looked ridiculous in his blue tie, but of course no one could ever tell him that. He could come into the school wearing invisible clothes (which mercifully never happened) and no one would say a word. So he floated through life blissfully unaware of how terrible his fashion sense was. Or at least would have, if it weren’t for ‘’XYZ’’. The little criminal wrote on the walls of academy, something no one was willing to tell to the School Headmaster: ''Your tie sucks’’.

‘’Oh, we are going to put a stop to the ''XYZ''. If it's the last thing I do, we are puting stop to him.''.

[Green Bean]

Danielle gave Cassias a look somewhere between amusement and pity. "In any case, I have some preliminary plans for the festival."

She clapped, and a shimmering three dimensional map of the campus courtyard they had set aside for the festival appeared. Danielle flipped through the pages of the proposal, and the map began to change as she began to add booths and facilities. "Arena should go here, for easy intervention in case of accident. Bathrooms here for minimum crowding. Keep classes from Verne and Wells buildings separate to avoid repeat of last year. Food courts here so..." In her mortal life Danielle had been a pretty good organizer, but since her enNobling she had become incredible. Walking paths in the exact right place, no "dead" areas, and carefully organized to prevent clogging at the most popular events. Sure, the Magic Department's summoned spirits could still get loose and kill everyone, but they'd do so on efficiently placed paths, with sit down areas in the shade in case they got tired.

((Aspect 4 event planning. Mine is the blueprint that will pierce the heavens!!))

[Kessler]

Cassius gave Mr. Crowly a subtle look of ''I know what you are up to’’. It was the name. There existed names you had to run away from and ''Mr. Crowly’’ was one of them, inevitably hiding some terrifying secret. Cassius would have dealt with the issue himself, but he secretly hoped some plucky students would uncover the dastardly deeds of Mr. Crowly in a thrilling adventure. Such attitude could be explained by a certain book about adventures in a school of wizardry, being his guilty pleasure read.

Cassius noticed Jessica’s discomfort and produced a bunch of crayons and blank paper from his case. Jessica dear, can you help me? I was planning to organize some redecorations and select prizes for competitions of the younger students. But I’m afraid I’m a little out of touch with what your age finds artistically beautiful... cute, what your age finds cute. Can you perhaps draw me some things you’d like to see at the festival or win in a game?

Cassias turned his attention to Danielle, watching as her pen almost sparked at the speed she was writing notes on festival planning. Ms. Danielle, I think you are doing it a little wrong. Your planning is just too right. The school festival must have a certain rhythm of chaos to it. The festival is about creating the best experience for the students, and it just wouldn’t be right if nothing goes wrong. Could you try and be a little less perfect in your work?

[Green Bean]

"You are right, of course, Principal Wormwood. It shouldn't be too mechanical." The translucent ghost map shimmered for a moment as a few paths and booths rearranged themselves. The difference was almost imperceptible, but now there were some artfully arranged trouble spots that were certain to be a bonding experience for all involved. They were mostly minor things; an especially long line here, a badly placed booth there. Just in case, Danielle made a mental note to make sure there were extra staff in place now that the Class Pet Show was right next to the carnivorous lizard exhibit.

[Yuki Akuma]

Jessica takes the paper and crayons a little uncertainly! "Um... things for prizes? Okay, I guess I can do that..." The conversation manages to go mainly above her head. She snaps her fingers, conjuring up a brightly-coloured, plastic desk and chair from out of nowhere. She promptly sits down at it, and gets to work!

She mostly draws toys, of course. All sorts of toys - plushies, action figures, toy weapons, and what have you. She makes careful notes next to each of them - such as 'alive', 'fire resistant' and suchlike. Hey, why not let people win sentient plushies?

[Kessler]

Cassias fiddled with his silver brooch. As my good friend, Duke of Fictional Time Travel always said, always read the book’s ending first. I’ll know to stand behind someone, if those rascals are planning to detonate anti-matter bombs or fling dirty diapers.

Cassias performs a miracle of Major Divination (1 MP) to peer into the future at the ending of the Festival. He’s looking for any signs of major disasters, horrible occurrences and identities of the students, who are going to win the festival’s events.

[Avalon®]

Seeing as the others are all busy with their tasks, Argent decides to get a head start on capturing "XYZ".

"Oh great and respected board, I will take on the responsibility of finding the prankster 'XYZ'. I assume that I will have your full cooperation, resources and support for this?" Before any member of the board could object, he continues on. "Coach Piper, I will need a dozen of your finest football player to accompany me. In full uniform, if you will. Doctor Insano, I will also need to have them equipped with some of your beams and rays, non-lethal only."

After this short tirade, Argent waits to see the inevitable barrage of insults and no's due to his arrogance.

[Revanmal]

Cassias:

As you gaze into the murky future, Cassias, images and sounds assault your senses - cooking food, the screaming, sweating, and rumblings of crowds, something like manure from the petting zoo. Medals are given to athletes, one of them shattering last year's record for the hurdles. Several hundred people appear to be covered in mud, throwing it at cleaner people around one of the courtyards covered in the stuff.

A massive hole is blown out of what you recognize as one of the science buildings, covering almost three floors. No one appears to be around, but you cannot see clearly through the smoke. One of the kitchens seems to have a grease fire problem, while another is filled with what looks like legions of ants.

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Coach Piper glances skeptically at you, Argent. Dr. Insano just giggles nasally at the prospect of lasers being fired.

"Perhaps I did not hear you correctly, Lord Argent. You are asking us to risk the students' safety and valuable school property in an attempt at capturing this harmless, if disruptive, prankster? Can't you take care of this without recklessly endangering our kids' health?" she asks.

Insano cuts in with a high-pitched screech. "Argh, don't be such a party-pooper, Piper. I'm sure Lord Argent knows what he's doing!"

[Avalon®]

"Are you doubting either my power or my competence Coach Piper? Are you afraid that your precious football players won't have what it takes to find and capture a mere prankster? Or is there something else that you're not telling me?"

Before things became any more heated, Argent shrugs and returns to a more nonchalant tone of voice. "Besides, any damage, if any, would be an excellent way for the students to learn first aid or building repair, depending on the circumstances."

"If you are still unwilling, perhaps the resident delinquents will be of better use."

[Green Bean]

Danielle looks up from her still-changing design. "As useful as your idea is for catching XYZ, the issue still remains of finding him. After all, twelve dozen students couldn't search this whole school, let alone twelve." The glowing map continues to shift, despite Danielle appearing to have switched her full attention to the meeting. "Doctor Insano, Mr. Crowley, and Professor Artey, I don't suppose any of your departments would have additional insight into the nature and identity of this prankster?"

[Revanmal]

Coach Piper looks somewhat abashed by Argent's tirade, but the grip she has on her ponytail suggests she wont be giving in. Her mouth opens to respond, consequences of crossing a super-powered demi-god be damned, but Danielle's timely interruption forestalls her.

Dr. Insano looks somewhere between ashamed and confused, fiddling with his completely ridiculous-looking goggles and seemingly trying to crawl inside his own lab coat to avoid your gazes. "Em... well, I'm afraid... not."

Before the mad scientist can elaborate further, Professor Artey cuts in. He is an older man, with a well-tailored black suit and a silk hat on a hook behind him, although his clothing appears aged and well-worn. "Indeed. In fact, we are all but certain XYZ is not one person. Whoever it is has been around for many years; records do not detail when the disturbances started, but details of their pranks go back at least several decades. So it is unlikely to be a student."

Professor Artey brushes some chalk dust from his lapel and continues, hesitating only slightly. "It also carries out these random acts of vandalism and spite without warning and without ever leaving a trace, sometimes near-simultaneously."

Mrs. Hackett resumes control of the conversation with a sniff. "Either this is the work of an underground club of anarchists or something more sinister is at work here, Esteemed Lords. Please try to understand Coach Piper's reluctance in allowing you to risk her students' safety."

Dr. Insano giggles somewhat nervously and raises a hand, however. "Although if you still uh... want those lasers I could have them brought out..." He continues to fidget.

[Green Bean]

"Well, if it's simply a group of students, they are doubtlessly connected with their 'fanclub'. We will have a word them, and move from there." Danielle's smile looks out of place; usually that kind of look takes a dorsal fin and far more teeth. "I have no doubt the Board can provide us with a list of XYZ's biggest sympathizers."

[Avalon®]

"...including, of course, those sympathizers that may be hiding amongst yourselves."

[Kessler]

Cassias coughed a fake cough, directed to Argent and Danielle. He disliked the School Board to a degree, but they were an authority appointed by the Father. If a conflict erupted here he would have to side with the Board, which could spoil relations with his Familia. It was better avoid such situation, than to deal with it.

Now, now we’ve got a lot of things to do. Nobody wants to capture XYZ more than I do, but we have a festival to worry about. Let’s do it one thing at a time. I'll compile a list of hooligans myself, once the festival is over.

[Yuki Akuma]

The Littlest Noble is still drawing away with those crayons, having absolutely nothing to contribute right now. Yay!

[Green Bean]

Danielle quickly realized she had gone too far, and backed down. "Of course, Principal Wormwood. The festival should remain our priority. Still, we need to consider security for the festival proper, as it would make an excellent target for any prankster. Perhaps some cameras from the AV club, and some level of magical protection from you, Mr. Crowley?" Danielle's tone subtly changes, becoming less predatory and more persuasive. "I know we're all stretched thin preparing for the anniversary, but I'm sure any effort toward keeping the Academy safe would look very good, both for the department and the Board member involved."

[Kessler]

Cassias turned away from the Board, seeing the matter settled. He dropped his voice and addressed Argent Rolle. ''You certainly appear to be in a combative mood today. Perhaps you wish to accept my challenge to a duel, that will settle our long standing rivalry. Well, not actually settle, I personally hope it would only intensify. The choice of form, as the challenged party, is up to you. I personally would prefer either the clash of the cold steel or pie throwing.’’

[Avalon®]

A grin creeps along Argent's face as he relishes the chance to butt heads again with his "brother"/rival Cassias.

"Very well Cassias, a formal duel using only 'ghost miracles' in front of the student body. Shall we say the Great Plaza? If we are to duel, at least we should provide a spectacle for all to see."

[Kessler]

Mrs. Skjeveland, Cassias gave a small bow to the head of the Literature department, have your students prepared to be inspired by our fine performance at the festival, into writing a new classic of the modern literature. The first chapter of it anyway, I expect our next battle would on the battlefield of love and the next one would probably involve the fate of the world.

He then addressed both the Board and his famillia:

It appears this meeting has exhausted its point, so we should go to attend our affairs. I've got a number of detentions for the students, who will break this academy's rules during the festival. If they suffer the punishment now, they'll be able to commit the rule-breaking without fear of consequences.

OOC - [just wanted to remind you, that I have Unblemished Guise 3, so majority of people and some of the nobles would think me a mere mortal]

[Yuki Akuma]

Jessica looks up! "Oh, are we leaving?" She looks, quite frankly, relieved. Standing up, she gathers up all her drawings of the prizes they should make, hmming. "I think I can make all these just fine by myself..."

[Revanmal]

Mrs. Skjeveland smiles somewhat nervously at your insistence, Cassias, not entirely sure how to respond.

"Um... I'm sure they'll be inspired a great deal, Lord Cassias, if they choose to attend your duel."

Yuki:
You hear a faint whisper over your shoulder. With a glance, you spy Marianne, the little cloth doll clinging almost imperceptibly to your shoulder. As usual, she had sat quietly during the meeting, content to let the Nobles and Board bicker.

"That was so boring, Jessie! Even those old farts at the war meetings back in the old days weren't this verbose."] she mutters, though she brightens up quickly. How you know this is not readily apparent to outsiders, considering Marianne's face does not really move. "I liked your toys, though. Especially the fire-breathing dragon! Can you make one big enough for me to ride? Please?"

The Board agrees almost as one to adjourn the meeting, several of them departing almost immediately to attend to their busy students.

Mrs. Hackett remains behind to give you a withering look and a half-raised eyebrow. "I see no problem with your duel, Esteemed Lords, but please do try not to traumatize any students with your illusions."

[Yuki Akuma]

Jessica sighs with relief, and quickly retreats from the board room! "Oh thank God..." She pauses for a second. "I mean... um... Father? Thank Father?" She tilts her head to one side, then shrugs, tugging her cloth doll from her shoulder and holding her in her arms as she heads off to get back to class, so she can find the student council president and give him the good news.

She grins a little bit at Marianne. "Making one big enough for you to ride on would be pretty easy, but shouldn't you stay away from fire? You're flammable."

[Green Bean]

Danielle's plan winked out as the meeting ended, though it remained safe in her head. She made a mental note to create a hard copy to send to the students and staff of the festival's construction crew before turning her attention to her argumentative comrades. "Well, this certainly does look like it will be an unparalleled festival. Best of luck to you both, and so forth. I must be getting back to work." Danielle's tone is polite, almost excessively so.

Danielle headed off to her office, mentally going over the various tasks she'd have to do to get ready for the festival. As she walked, students and staff alike cleared out of her way. Few had met her, but stories abounded of "Miss Kirkpatrick" and her...unconventional approach to student discipline. Most of them weren't true (except for the one about dangling a kid out the window), but Danielle enjoyed the semi-mythic status they gave her, and even added a few tales of her own to the collective consciousness.