Help with a Wizard School

[Solauren]

Hello Everyone

In the campaign I am running, a group of characters is founding a wizard/adventurer school


The characters are broken down as follows
Please note: We use the Gelsalt rules for classes from Unearthed Arcane, and I allow prestige-class gelsalting, withing certain perameters

The group is a family of 3 sisters and 3 brothers and there spouses

Sister #1
ClassA: Fighter 15, Monk 10, Temporal Defender (MGP: Chronomancy) 8
ClassB: Wizard 15, Archmage 5, Arcane Avatar (MGP: Q.Wizard) 5, Elven High Mage 8 (Races of Faerun)

Sister #2
ClassA: Cleric (of Corellion) 7, Contemplative (Complete Divine) 10,, Heirophant 5, Fighter 11
ClassB: Wizard 10, Divine Oracle (Complete Divine) 10, Archmage 5, Elven High Mage 8

Sister #3
ClassA: Bard 4, Wizard 1, Fighter 6, Butterfly (MGP: Q. Bard 2) 10, Keeper of Songs (Q.Elf) 5, Archmage 5, Elven High Mage 1
ClassB: Psion (Telepath) 12, Spellkiller (Q.Psion) 5, Archpsion (Wizards of the Coast Website) 5, Metamind 10, Elven High Psion 1 (Custom Psionic version of Elven High Mage)

Brother #1
ClassA: Fighter 12, Cleric 1, Knight of the Chalice (Complete Divine) 10, Tornado (Q.Fighter 2) 10
ClassB: Psion (Kineticist) 10, Psychic Predator 5 (Q.Psychic Warrior), Spellkiller 5 (Q.Psychic Warrior) (note: Variated to increase Manifester level Once every 2 levels), Archpsion 5, Elven High Psion 8

Brother #2
ClassA: Fighter 12, Arcane Archer 10, Order of the Bow (Complete Warrior) 10, Master of the Order of the Bow 1 (Dragon Magazine)
ClassB: Wizard 10, Seigebreaker (E.Arcane: Abjuration) 10, Archmage 5, Elven High Mage 8

Brother #3
ClassA: Wizard 10, Embermage (Book of Eldritch Might) 10, Archmage 5, Elven High Mage 8
ClassB: Sorceror 5, Elemental Savant (Complete Arcane) 10, Artillerist (Q.Sorceror) 10, Elemental Lord (FFG: Path of Magic) 5, Arcane Lord (Dragon Magazine) 3

Husband #1
ClassA: Fighter 20, Legend (Q.Fighter) 5, Legendary Dreadnaught (Epic Level Handbook) 8
ClassB: Range 11, Tornado 22

Husband #2
ClassA: Werewolf (Natural) (Dragon Magazine) 5, Barbarian 5, Frenzied Berserker (Complete Warrior) 23
ClassB; Fighter 20, Wrecker (Q.Fighter 2) 5, Adamantine Warrior 5 (FFG: Path of the Sword), Legend 3

Husband #3
ClassA: Monk 5, Five Animals Fighter (Q.Monk) 5, Iron Legs Kick Boxer 5, Mage Slayer 5, Enlightened Scholar 5, Perfect One (Epic or DMG) 8
ClassB: Fighter 13, Shinato Monk (Oriental Adventures, update from Dragon) 10, Elemental Fist Boxer 5, Street Acrobat 5

Wife #1
ClassA: Wizard 10, Warden (E.A: Abjuration) 10, Archmage 5, Elven High Mage 8
ClassB: Cleric (of Mytherian Sarath, see Dragon Magazine #251) 10, Mythrien Seeker (Custom prestige class of speciality cleric from Dragon Magazine #251) 10, Heriophant 5, Gatekeeper (Q.Elf 2) 8

Wife #2
ClassA: Wizard 10, Effiy Master (Complete Arcane) 5, Argent Savant 5, Archmage 5, Puppetmaster (Path of Magic) 5, Elven High Mage 3
ClassB: Sorceror 10, Spellfire Channeller (Magic of Faerun) 10, Spellfire Heriophant 10 (Player's Guide to Faerun) 10, Artellierist 3

Wife #3
ClassA: Wizard 7, Windchaser (E.A: Transmutation) 10, Aeromancer (Dragon Magazine) 5, Archamge 5, Elven High Mage 6
ClassB: Cleric (of Mystra) 7, Dweomerkeeper (Faiths and Pantheons) 10, Patron of Five Spirits (Q.Witch) 5, Heriophant 5, Void Disciple (Complete Divine) 6


Now then, about 20 years ago game time, they saved the world from being sucked into Hell.
The being behind it was Haladriel (see Green Ronin's Book of Fiends/Legions of Hell, but add on 16 levels of Fighter and Sorceror). And the sigil point was across the face of the WORLD
Specifically: The Forgotten Realms
there were sigil points near Silverymoon, Calimport, the capital of Halurra, capital of Dambrath, the capital of the Land of Fate, one in the Tempat Larang Mountains in Kara-Tur (see OA6; Ronin Challenge), 1 in Tu-lung, 2 in Shou Lung, 1 in Wa, 1 off Korozuku, 1 in the drow city under Shadowdale's land, 1 in Hlondeth, 1 in Mulhourandi, 3 in the Hordelands, and finally the last one was near Kou Milean (see various pre-3e Oriental Adventures products)
(In game, Haladriel and Milean were the same being, and Milean was using Shou-lungs fortune to fund the Shrieking Violet Society to create the sigil)
They travelled over land in 2 groups (one takeing the north part of the sigil, the other the longer southern route), and they meet alot of important people along the way
Specifically: The council of Halura, the Princess of Dambrath, the Grand Caliph of Al-Qadim, the Emperor of Shou Lung (now dead), the Imperial Wu Jen of Shou Lung, the Shogun of Wa, a few unique beings (approximatations of Cthulhu and Godzilla), the Wu Jen Shin, the ruling family of Hlondeth, the God-King of mulhourandi, (and upset some powerful Demons and devils)

This epic quest ended in them stopping a large army of Devilish forces in a major battle using Epic level spells, and killing Haladriel and a evil Force Dragon.
The gods were rather gratiful (Haladriel nearly succeeded in sucking the planet in to hell), and the family said 'no reward needed, but we might ask for a favour later, and in the mean time, let the world know what happened via your clerics'

2 years before that, they stopped Lloth from opening up the world to the Demonweb Pits (modified version of the Queen of the Demonweb Pits arc, this one centered on Everserka), and defeated the Slave Lords (modified version of A1-4) set near Baldur's Gate

Current campaign Year: 1283 DR
The family is opening a wizard/adventurer school in a demiplane they made using the Genesis spell (Epic level handbook, Manual of the Planes).
They have contracted the churchs of the various gods they like (i.e the Elven Pantheon, Helm, Mystra, Torm, etc) and asked them to start spreading word of this schools opening, and that they might need there help as character witnesses
They have begun contacting cities they want to put portals to there Demiplane in.

Now then, the questions
#1- How would most cities react to World-Famous/Saving heroes wanting to put a portal to there own Demiplane in the city, for purposes of a school?
#2- What cost, if any, might the various cities charge?
#3- How many students could they expect, if all the churches are saying 'Yup, these are the guys that saved the world'

 

[Kid Charlemagne]

1. Tihs would depend on the relationship that the heroes have with the rulers of the cities. I'd imagine that if they're on good terms, it would be no problem. There might be some concern about why they're training these highly capable and dagerous people; some may fear that they're grooming a force for world domination, etc.

2. Probably not a monetary cost - it's more fun to require some sort of service, for example defense of the city if called upon.

3. They can probably get more students than they can handle. The bigger question is likely to be how large a school do they want to build, and who is going to teach. I'd shoot for 15 students per teacher or something along those lines. At the largest, I wouldn't try to make it over 1,000 students.

Other questions are: what is the curriculum, how many years does it take to graduate, and is it different for different classes, do students need to be enrolled full-time, or can they take classes piece meal, and so on.

 

[A'koss]

Now then, the questions
#1- How would most cities react to World-Famous/Saving heroes wanting to put a portal to there own Demiplane in the city, for purposes of a school?
#2- What cost, if any, might the various cities charge?
#3- How many students could they expect, if all the churches are saying 'Yup, these are the guys that saved the world'

Sounds interesting - I've had several very similar scenerios happens in various campaigns in the past.

1. As the ruler of a city I am going be very reluctant to allow this, regardless of how grateful I am for all the heroes efforts. Fame in a D&D world is painting a target on your forehead and waiting for the bombs to fall. I have to think of the ramifications over the long term. What if someone of a... less pleasant disposition... were to take over the school? Or it became corrupt over a period of time. Now you have a demiplane with a horde of powerful individuals with direct access to the heart of a number of cities. Thanks, but no thanks. My (humble) suggestion would be set up a single portal somewhere outside of a single centrally-located city. Have one way to get in, and one way to get out. It will be easier for security on both ends.

2. Costs will depend on how it is organized. If you somehow manage to convice various city administration to allow portals in their city, they will charge you a handsome sum for "security measures" and easy means of permanently disabling the portal on their end.

3. I'm sure you'd have little trouble filling classes. Though if start attracting too many, nations are going to want some assurances that you're not just going to build your own private army of spellcasters, regardless of how noble your intentions. Expect spies and thieves to be common problems, but the real problems will come from those who will want to tarnish your reputation (if you are stealing students from other schools) and those who will just want to bring you down (for whatever reason). The latter is going to love all the potential collateral damage.

 

[Torm]

1 & 2. Westgate seems like a nice place to set up a school like this. Might makes right there, so between the sort of power the people you are talking about have and a little bit of palm greasing, setting up there should be no problem. It is a good central location, with ocean access, to get students from all over the place, and the nature of the city would make for plenty of intrigue and/or "training" for up-and-coming adventurers. Additional costs along and along might include training or minor service for city officials.

3. I would expect plenty of students in pretty much any metropolitan area - but a good central location would help lessen the distance for more students.

Seems like certain groups might want assurances, especially churchs who are endorsing this school. Seems like Torm, Mystra, Azuth, and the Elves might all want an eye at the school - perhaps in the form of providing their own instructors? Oghma, too, but for other reasons. Possibly other governments. And depending on how the school leans - whether you want it to be biased toward Good or neutral - you might want to allow for representatives of Shar, Zhentil Keep (ugh), and Thay.

One thing that seems like it could be very interesting, given these characters experiences in the East, would be that their school might acquire instructors to train westerners in the eastern adventuring styles (classes).

Another thing that might be interesting to think about would be what is done with classrooms when classes aren't being held - would the school maybe allow a local cooking or sewing class to be held for a fee in a classroom not being used for standard adventuring classes, for example? (And what sort of plothooks could THAT have? They'd never see it coming. )