Getting into College Isn’t That Difficult

Aryth, 991 YK

After learning and helping in the library, gramps helps me branch out some by introducing me to other scholars in Stormreach. Along with his work for the Lassites, it seems that Sandal is also a research asset and adjunct professor at Morgrave University’s satellite campus in Stormreach. This when I meet Gwendolyn Nephret, the professor from Sharn I mentioned previously. This intro, and my ability to impress Professor Gwen with info on the goblins, etc. is also how I became a student at Morgrave University (MU). This began with a two-year study program at the Xen’drik campus and eventually gets me a trip to Khorvaire to complete my studies there. But that’s a little later.

My introduction to Gwen (Professor Gwen at that time) was the start of our long-lasting friendship. That is, long to me (going on 11 years now) not to Professor Gwen who was already 110 years old when we met. It turned out that she was a professor of Anthropology and Elven Antiquities. She was in Stormreach for a couple reasons. One, she was studying the three major subsets of Drow that live on Xen’drik. Two, she had recently lost her older sister, Gydd, a professor as well. That had kind of thrown her world into a spin where she ended up deciding to do one of the most dangerous things she could think of. Head to Xen’drik to study the Drow in person.

To me, this sounded like a great idea, but the Professor was not really one for adventure. Or even stepping off university grounds for that matter. This was a huge change for her and would turn out to be one for me too. But first…

Grandpa Sandal and I had been discussing my time with the Dhaakani in a coffee shop near the Morgrave campus. I do get excited when talking about them sometimes (I’m somewhat excitable at any time and coffee certainly doesn’t help matters), so I was likely speaking a bit too loud when we were overheard by a comely young elven woman (well, she looked young to me). This was Professor Gwendolyn Nephret, as my Grandfather said when he was introducing us. I stood and gave a bow and then deftly pulled another chair over for her to sit down. It was probably done a bit too eagerly but at least my gangly teenage body had the dexterity to manage the maneuver without tripping over itself. Anyway, the Professor had worked with my grandfather on a few occasions, but it had always been about all things Xen’drikan. However, she had overheard me use the term “Dhakaani” and wondered where I had heard that. Long story short, her sister (the one that had passed) was a history professor at Morgrave University in Sharn who specialized in the Dhakaani Empire. Now, you need to realize that there are very few people that even know about the Dhakaani let alone one that would be in a coffee shop on Xen’drik. This is a crazy coincidence but works out well for all involved. At this point I realize I have a rapt audience and it’s one that is very cute at that. So of course, I begin spilling everything. This goes for about an hour and Gramps has to excuse himself and return to work. This doesn’t stop me, and the Professor continues to listen and question me for another hour before she realizes she also needs to go. Before going though, we set up another meeting at the coffeeshop for the next day.

We both show up and the discussion continues. I also ask about her work researching the Drow and she gets both excited and… nervous? Although she loves to talk about what she has found, it seems that she is coming to a difficult position where there isn’t much more to read and the next step is adventuring into the jungle to meet/observe them in person. Gwen is not the adventuring type. As it turns out, she’s a somewhat nervous person in general and it’s only the incredible coincidence that I was talking about her sister’s rare specialty with my familiar, and charming grandfather that gave her the courage to approach us in the first place. Of course, this launches me into a whole new line where I talk to her about my father being a guide and me having already met some Drow. Unfortunately, time was up so we’d have to talk about it more some other time. We do, and after a few more talks (and with the help of Sandal and dad) we manage to get her set up with a few Drow who come to town on occasion for trade and to make strange inquiries of my Grandfather. Also, I go ahead and get enrolled at the university. The Drow turn out to be the rarest offshoot called the Umbragen (which is strange because they’re the most isolationist and some even think they’re just a myth). The link to the Umbragen allows Gwen to stay in town for a while longer and I take a full class load with specialties in history, anthropology, and linguistics. There wasn’t much here on goblinoid history, so I had a bit more concentration on general elven history at this point. I seemed to have a knack for this kind of stuff and when Professor Gwen was given an invite to learn from the Umbragen in a more hands-on fashion she invited me to go along. This would count towards my university work and I would earn some pay for my “internship.” I’d be getting hands-on experience and I’d get some credit for helping with anything she got published out of this. All-in-all a good deal.