benthic_university | Correspondence Scholarship, Class Three [Tuesday Morning, June 24th]

This week, The Academic was on time for their own class. They’d cleared the chalkboards, refilling them with an extensive list of symbols. Though each clearly corresponded to The Correspondence, not one was scarcely more complex than the radicals they’d learned last week.

“While technically correct, you will almost never see any of these symbols on a plaque or temple wall. We’re still one step away from proper symbols." The Academic stepped away from the display, inviting the eyes of the students to begin to roam over the writing." But put your goggles on now, and look! You can see it now, can’t you?”

a white-haired figure gestures

Not all of the symbols were rendered in plain white chalk. Every tenth symbol or so, there were tinges of something else, something reddish, or violet, or-

The Academic smacked the dust from their claws. “Yes, there is a touch of violant pigment in some of the chalk. I’m making very, very sparse use of it, in order to assist you in memorization of these patterns and connections. Under regular circumstances, it would take a scholar roughly a year of back-breaking expeditions to The Forgotten Quarter, or Bazaar Back-Alley deals to find and collect scraps of symbols from under the watchful eye of the government.” The Academic clasped their hands behind their back. “Don’t try to memorize it. Simply take your time with it, as you might glance at a broadsheet on your way to the green grocer.”

It wasn’t impossible to look away from. These symbols were laced with neither compulsion nor trickery. If anything, it was little more than a word search. There was no need to read from right to left, when the pattern is as interesting upwards, or diagonal.

But the longer you look, the less the symbols seem to be aligned into strict rows and columns. The entire thing feels convex. But that can’t be right, because each one is right above the other. Some on either edge of the entire grid have more in common with one another than the ones that are next to them. But why does the noun for “light” have so much in common with the verb for “to commit violence?” Why is your stomach so tight? How does your gut balance that with the satisfying scratching under the surface of your skull, the itching sated again and again by noting which symbols connect to which ones connect to which ones connect to which-

A snap as wood clatters against wood. You aren’t done when The Academic pulls down a second layer of boards, filled with another grid. But when you glance at the wall, over an hour of the class’ time has fled into the void of the past. That feels wrong both ways. You’d only just looked up. But you’d also been playing for days. Playing? Yes, of course. If it hadn’t been fun, you would’ve looked away. But your mind feels as though you’ve finished solving a fiendishly tricky puzzle. Indeed, as you look back to the new symbols, you’re about to connect new information. You’re not just looking.

You’re reading.

The Academic clapped their hands, startling any new reveries before they began. “You may wish to stretch your legs before diving into the next set. These ones shouldn’t take quite as long, but you’ve already been working very hard.”

Faces stirred around the classroom, the other students managing to blink. Each stirring snap of eyelids knocked tears loose to stream down their faces, landing and pooling in the cups of their goggles.

Oh. There was a tickling sensation on your cheek, and a coldness at the rim of your googles. You too.

Perhaps that break wasn’t such a bad idea.

Once everyone had a good chance to stand up, get a good drink in and a good cry out, The Academic reconvened class.

“This is applied use of The Correspondence. Heavier usage of violant pigment can force a reader to recall certain words, and there are ways to inscribe symbols in a way that conveys, conducts, or enhances meaning.” The Academic gestured back to the board. “This grid system invites the reader to draw connections, and the use of the faintest dash of violant helps the mind to hold onto important information while continuing to read. This effect is only temporary, but the best study happens when you are able to begin employing the symbols on your own terms. Perhaps the effect could be made permanent if I’d written the entire thing with a stronger shade of violant...” The Academic clucked their tongue against their teeth. “But I’m not looking to burn my readings on these symbols into your mind. It’s much better for me to pass on what I know as a foundation, and to get you building your own voices as quickly as possible.” They tapped their boot on the stone floor, and lifted an eyebrow. “If we wanted everyone to simply agree with me, we might as well throw me into a Rubbery vat and attempt to make copies. But your perspectives are valuable. Irreplaceable. Don’t forget that, while you look at the next set of boards."

As before, the end of class came before anyone was quite done. The Academic rolled up each and every board, spiriting the grids out of sight.

“That’s it. Don’t ask for any more time with them. The correspondence can be highly addictive, but looking at these grids won’t teach you anything else you don’t already know. If you’ve still got the itch, look over your study materials this week. Next week you’ll begin writing in earnest.”

The Academic gripped their lectern. “You may be experiencing the dread beginning to overtake you. This is normal. Learning languages opens up new ways of thinking. Learning The Correspondence opens up venues of cognition man was not meant to know.” Claws adjusted their monocle, like fingers worrying at a cuff. “And the speed with which you have all broken new ground this week will be…trying. Your sleep tonight will be unpleasant. That is one side effect of studying The Correspondence. Thus, you have two homework tasks this week. First-“ The Academic added this to an empty chalkboard, “-write down one of your nightmares. Especially if a particular vision proves to be recurring. You don’t need to do anything but be aware of it. If a dream repeats, there is a kernel of truth in it, and it’s better to be aware of what it’s telling you.

Second assignment: get rid of the nightmares.” The Academic underlined this, twice. “If they get worse, you’ll be forced to take a stay in hospital, and that will get in the way of your studies, and effectively waste MY time, too. So. Find something soothing. A good meal, time spent with someone you think you can trust, several bottles of opiates. I don’t care what you use, so long as it works. You don’t need to bring it into class; I’ll be able to look in your eyes next week and tell. Anyone who comes into class with a haggard and haunted look will…” The Academic looked from face to face, then smiled.

“…not receive homework points!” They tossed their chalk back to the lip beneath the chalkboard. “That, of course, is all the punishment which I care to offer. If you choose to ignore my warning, then tonight you will immediately receive a somewhat more natural incentive.” They took up a rag and an atomizer of their own, before promptly beginning to clean the chalkboards.

“Class dismissed!”

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

The slim notebook makes another appearance.
“If you provide me with a list of what we need, could need, or simply just want, I ought to have it by the end of the next week at the very latest. If no list is provided, I will endeavour myself to make one up my own self.”

"Oh, obviously we're not going anywhere without flameproof paper. And some genuine Correspondence writings, no matter the source. All of them can be useful and I don't doubt we will be able to translate them together after this intensive session. Let's better not use violant or more Neathbow for now, better microdose the hidden lights. Perhaps Dr. Rosewood has more ideas? And of course someone adept at staving off Nightmares could propose something that could help just in case, and it's difficult to come by usually."

The claw of the pen speeds across the pages.
"Neither should be difficult to obtain, although I cannot guarantee the reading material will be fit for beginners, nor stimulating for advanced readers. But I shall do my best to secure a variety."

His eyebrows knit over a question, but he waits a moment before he asks it: "Is a meeting place decided upon?"

"It'll be useful nonetheless. Managing with what we can is the traditional way of studying Correspondence after all. And I'd say we could use this very dome as a meeting place. After all the Emissary already confirmed we're the only ones using it during these months."

"I think meeting here would be for the best, unless we make other arrangements for the library or the ruins and decide to meet elsewhere for those times, but that's something to discuss another time. I think having this be the basic meeting room is a good idea."

"And to address the nightmares-"

Maven was pulling out a thick, well-worn notebook from her carpetbag, and began to flip through it as she spoke.

She proceeded to launch into a whole laundry list of effective methods she had found for dealing with nightmares.

She went into the medicinal applications like laudanum, ("while the most common solution due to its cheapness and availability, not practical in the long-run due to its addictiveness and lessened potency after long-term use") various brands of tea ("Beatrice's always has excellent tea selections, but for curing nightmares specifically, I would recommend The Sunlit Special as the most effective.") and using certain wines, ("similar to laudanum, you want to be careful not to become reliant on this method lest you gain an addiction; the hot wine at Ms Plenty's is pretty good at helping with nightmares, I've found, but try not to imbibe too much no matter how bad the nightmares have gotten") specifically highlighting 1862 Spoiring ("a surprisingly very effective method with no downsides to use from what I've observed, but unfortunately not something everyone will be able to get their hands on due to its scarcity")

She listed out the non-medicinal methods such as journaling, ("It can help to put the thoughts and visions down on paper, otherwise it can feel very much like having some Appalling Secret trapped in your mind with no escape.") spending your leisure time doing other expressive things like art, ("the Shuttering Palace offers some art classes that can be effective in helping you find ways to better express yourself, but if you can't take time for the class, I still highly encourage you to try something similar on your own time.") and reading and exercise ("the effectiveness might depend on the kind of lifestyle you already have; an active lifestyle would get more effective use from a calming book, and those with a more sedimentary routine might benefit from getting out and about more, though those go without saying regardless of the nightmare situation.")

She also added that some items are commonly believed to reduce nightmares ("but the effects are not a guarantee and to be honest, with the experiments I've run I'm not sure it can be construed as much more than correlation being taken as causality; that said, the power of the mind, implication, and suggestion can be effective tools, so it certainly cannot hurt to use them in tandem with other methods")

She finished by saying that it can be as simple as having others near you to assist ("Sometimes the best remedy for your nightmares can simply be to talk about them with someone you trust.")

As she put the notebook away she added, "If you need someone to talk to, I can offer my assistance in that area too. I have been studying the effects of dreams both in London and in Parabola, thought I must preface that I am not a Silverer and I understand if you would prefer to seek any Parabola-related assistance from someone with more experience."

"Thank you dear, this will be very useful. And of course I also offer myself as possible help at these times. It's likely we all will be affected, but it's known being left alone with one's thoughts when your mind conspires against you isn't a good choice. And if we share the same source of Nightmares, why not the same cure? Companionship is as good a starting point as any."

OOC(I love how casual you made sound the many in-game methods, so logic right now)

"I agree," Maven nodded, "Better that we be at each other's aid to help since we'll be suffering through it all the same." She pulled out some calling cards for those that she hadn't given one too yet, for ease of contact should they need to in the future.

(OOC: Thank you, I appreciate it! Usually Maven will try and catch herself before she gets too far into a ramble, but here she had the opportunity to just go all out XD)

Field trips and extracurricular study groups... The Pupil found themselves narrowing their eyes, wary with a mix of envy and skepticism. They were clueless, themselves, to see what nightmares their unconscious had in store -- surely they couldn't be that terrible.

Before speaking out they changed their expression drastically to that of a middling interest with a friendly smile.

"If there is to be an expedition I could assist in procuring necessary supplies, after all it could be quite dangerous unprepared..."

"That would be really useful, thank you!" Maven smiled at the Pupil. She had noticed they seemed wary before speaking out, so she added, "Do you think there's anything specific we should concern ourselves about? I know there is the Brass Embassy's Hunt to consider..."

(The Brash Devil, who'd been sitting off to the side listening, twitched at the mention of the hunt)

The Pupil waited for someone else to speak up offering anything else to that point, hearing nothing The Pupil sighed, grubbing the back of their neck with a gloved hand before speaking out.

"I have some friends in The Embassy, if we're caught I have some favors I could maybe surely call in..." Halfhearted about the study group a moment ago, but now offering further use. "But I expect some assistance in procuring supplies if that is a needed circumstance!"

Ah, so the Pupil hung around the Brass Embassy devil. That explained a lot. The Brash Devil thought he could feel the lingering touch of the infernal on them. Plus, anyone openly walking around with a Preening Macaw is highly likely to have hung out with devils at least once, and if this person makes a fashion statement out of it? That says a lot about them.

Nevertheless, the Brash Devil rolled his eyes at the final statement and said, "I can get supplies for going into the Forgotten Quarter if this group ever plans to go there."

Correspondence Scholarship, Class Three [Tuesday Morning, June 24th]

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