Elsewhere University Jaunt Info

[powersthatbe]

Elsewhere University
based on charminglyantiquated's Elsewhere University world
September 19 - October 29

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The University was founded on ordinary, flat ground in the late 1800s in the country of New England. No one knows its original name. The fairy hill came later, around the 1920s. For the unknowing, Elsewhere University--EU or Elsewhere U for short--is a typical school, albeit with a few quirks. Iron washers on strings are given to all the freshmen. Green is noted as bad luck, but it's still the school colors (although the actual shades change frequently). Everyone must go by false names and never, ever say their true names. Ever.

About a third of the campus knows of the Gentry, the Fair Folk, the Good Neighbors, the Lords and Ladies. Call them what you will, call them even by your own culture's name for beings like them, for that is how they may appear to you, but always with reverence. Hailing from a magical world dubbed the Elsewhere, Fae come in all shapes, sizes, and scuttles of life.

A human may be unexpectedly swapped with a Changeling Fae. It happens. The Treaty says no severe harm shall come to or from the Changeling, and that the Taken human may be retrieved at the end of the semester. However, human, Fae, and Other will be caught up in a potentially disastrous Changeling exchange that will lead to an emergency rescue mission in the Elsewhere. Those on both sides of the divide will be tasked with helping one another with wit, bravery, knowledge, diplomacy, and of course, Deals.

Name Directory | Casting Call/Plot Role Announcements | Infiltrator/Investigator Roles | Beings | Glossary | Locations | Skills | Calendar | Player Resources | Questions | Plotting

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BEINGS

[powersthatbe]

The Gentry/The Fair Folk/The Good Neighbors/The Lords and Ladies - It is respectful to refer to them by these. "Fae" is informal. They come in all shapes, sizes, and scuttles of life. They have the Sight, Glamours, and Dimensional Senses. The Fae tend towards anger if they're Seen by humans when they don't want to be. If they touch an electronic device, it glitches them out, and kills the device. They can't cross borders, such as the ones surrounding university land--open running water like the river, the train tracks, and the highway. It repels them. They can't lie outright, but they can twist words. They never do anything big for free.

Other - Some humans have been Involved enough that they're distressingly Other. Some have Fae blood in their ancestry that manifests, sometimes as late as upon entering Elsewhere U. Sometimes one of the professors is a werewolf.

Changeling - Who the Fae leave when they steal a human. Their Glamour attempts to impersonate the Taken, but it's always a little… off. Changelings usually attempt to blend in, e.g. do the coursework in the real student's absence, with varying results. To people who know the Taken, it's usually easy to notice: eating only strawberries, speaking only in Middle English, etc. They usually swap back if they get bored or are asked nicely. Students commonly call them Not-[Safe Name]. OOCly players play both the Taken and their Changeling.

Cats - Pets are banned at the University; people smuggle them in anyway. Ordinary cats can see through Glamours, and walk through twisted spacetime without issue. Not-so-normal cats can be Fae in disguise, or Other Cats in service to the Fae. They avoid the campus crows.

Crows - The crows on campus are too intelligent, and students are routinely warned not to harm them. Intent matters more to the crows than technicalities; they're the opposite of Fae in this regard.

Jimothy - Unofficial school mascot. The thin, horse-sized Fae humanoid on all fours with super dark nonreflective black skin(?) and long arms doesn't mind being Seen and has not been known to wear a Glamour. It's regarded with cautious affection by Involved students.

Involved/Uninvolved - Involved know of the Fae. The Uninvolved are unaware of the Fae. Involved try not to divulge this, but sometimes it can't be avoided. They take it upon themselves to explain the necessities to newly Involved, like the Treaty.

Other Librarians - Coworkers of human librarians. The Other Librarians aren't Fae, but they aren't human (anymore?) either. They're neutral forces, so long as people are quiet and don't hurt the books. They don't often engage in Deals. They are loyal to the library first. Their Safe Name always includes "Librarian". If asked politely they will tell exactly how much time one hour in the deep parts of the library costs. (It depends partly on how far into it you're going, so time measurement is player's choice.)

Taken - The human Fae have Taken. May or may not be replaced by a Changeling Fae. This is the only time when someone may eat the food of the Elsewhere and not be permanently bound to it. Clarification 10/5/2018: Taken can be rescued at any time. Their RA or a member of Involved staff is usually the first one to contact regarding rescues. These are arduous. The Treaty guarantees safe(r) passage to an RA for end-of-term rescues.