![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
theexdisgracedacademic) wrote in ![[community profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/community.png){kind=small}
benthic_university2025-06-17 07:31 am
Correspondence Scholarship, Class Two [Tuesday Morning, June 17th]
The Clay Substitute laid her hands upon the podium. "PLEASE. OPEN YOUR TEXTBOOKS TO PAGE-"
Much the same as last week, there was a hubbub in the hall outside. The door slammed open, and one figure marched another to the front of the class. The Beleaguered Dean, swathed in a coat of thick tweed and a thicker coat of nervous sweat, was all but pushing The Ex-Disgraced Academic back into their pace behind the podium.
The Academic wasn't missing a beat in the argument: "-can't at all see what the issue is, so long as they learn the material-"
"You cannot offload your duties to an Underclay aspirant!" The Dean's fury is only matched by the fearful tension in his voice, "And an unfinished one at that! How did you get it up here-"
The Academic's eye widened in almost-honorable affront. "You can't prove that this perfectly capable worker is unfinished, can you?"
"No, but I can certainly prove that it's not on the faculty list." The Dean wiped his brow. "Get on with it, man!"
The Clay Substitute barely moved, but the grinding of her turning head rumbled through the floor. "I WAS TOLD THAT I WOULD BE PAID IN FULL, REGARDLESS OF HOW LONG CLASS WENT?"
Coin was exchanged, and, the Dean ushered The Clay Substitute out of the room. The Academic hissed through their teeth, clearly ready to vent their terrible mood at the first faces to cross theirs.
They turned to look at the class. And smiled a terrible smile. "Good morning."
"So! You've all decided to return for a second week. I suppose it can't be helped. Any damage you incur from here on out is upon your own heads." They began their lecture.
“English is a phonographic language, as the distinct letters of the alphabet each represent units of sound. The Correspondence is logographic, meaning that similar to the languages of the second and fourth cities (and the Khanate, of course), Correspondence Symbols each represent units of meaning.”
In bold, rapid strokes, The Academic scrawled a symbol onto the chalkboard:
They whirled around, pointing an accusing claw at anyone unfortunate enough to still be moving their pens. “Do not copy this into your notes! If you fancy yourself cheeky and attempt to copy it whilst my back is turned, I will still know, so do NOT try me.” They turned back, circling the image. Anyone foolhardy enough to ignore the command would earn immediate combustion to their notebook, and a quick, scathing look of satisfaction from The Academic.
“This is the symbol for “an unmappable direction. It is one of the more frequent symbols to be found in practical human application of The Correspondence, as well as in architectural engravings ranging from first city ruins all the way up to lapsarian London. It is also exceptionally flammable. None but the most expensive of papers can contain it.” And with a terrifically wicked smile: "Chalkboards are fine, though."
They continued. “The Correspondence is a purely semiotic construct. There are currently no known pronunciations or verbal applications for these signs-“ The Academic covered a bark of laughter, and then continued, “-apologies, but I would hate for my lectures to contradict the well-documented research that the Ministry of Public Decency has gently requested I adhere to."
The Academic pushed their current chalkboard up and out of the way, revealing an unblemished second layer. They added a tidy column of six simple symbols. "There are one hundred and eight basic radicals, and we've discovered twice as many in total. But for this course, we will begin with six."
And, after writing these on the board, the academic turned to the students. “These you may record in your notes, however-“ their tone sharpened, slicing through the momentum of those who may have rushed to begin- “confine each radical to its own sheet for practice. None of these, alone, is a complete symbol. But some can be converted very easily into real Correspondence symbols, and it is vital that you do not accidentally do so. Spend the rest of today's duration memorizing and practicing these radicals until you can reproduce them by heart. You'll know if you're doing well, because you paper will become warm to the touch once half-full. I will also be writing additional complete correspondence symbols on the other chalkboards. Your homework is to discern which of these six parts of speech each of the symbols is.”
The Academic pointed once more at the spray bottles on each row of desks. “At any sign of smoke, you are to douse the offending student’s work, without hesitation. Last week was not a one-off exercise. Consider this both a basic safety precaution, as well as your first taste of operant conditioning. Get to it!”
Re: Activity
The Pupil lowered their head, voice low in an attempt to not be overheard. Clandestine situations were there forte, but that didn't mean it would be impossible to read their lips or just overhear snippets for someone really listening out.
"I was caught off guard, and promptly planted in the ground like one would a lovely daisy." They hissed a stolen breath. The situation had shaken them, at the time they had supposed it would be their first and most miserable death. "Got spotted somewhere I shouldn't have been. A folly I do not intend to repeat."
Re: Activity
To be caught, by monster or Constable or Drownie or Unfinished Clay Man or heaven forbid Jack, was to be at risk of gave injury if not death. A trip to the Boatman might be of little issue down here, but it still left one shaken, less because of the death and more from the things that preceded it. Fear, most substantively. It was only by being stubbornly prepared (or primarily stubborn) that the Tailor had avoided Death so far, despite heavy blows. It was the fear that was the thing that would kill them, so they made it a point to be angry instead.
In any case. Being shaken was to be expected.
"An abundance of caution sees me through the worst situations," they said. "If you should need anything to better conceal you--you already know my seamwork can be invisible. It isn't the only thing."
If they could ever get their hands on Gant--but their line of work didn't bring the stuff in. They relied only on craftsmanship instead.
Re: Activity
"Mayhaps I'll look into getting a better style for those nights, but I think it was mostly due in part to me getting a bit greedy," That was always the case with pickpockets. "I was confident no one had caught on, but that was a rather wrong assumption." Worse, they still had to return to the place it had happened to get more information. "I'm actually..." They darted their eyes over to The Tailor, a hard steeled look. "Still not entirely certain if I was hallucinating but I could have sworn a root cracked open the box they put me in, dragged me all the way home."
Re: Activity
They sighed. "I suppose then that one will have to practice better restraint. In London, of all places!"
"Well, I can't say I set a fantastic example myself, but I advise rest after responsibilities are met. I will so what I can to find time for your garments. You know how to call on me." They spoke casually and lightly.
Re: Activity
The Pupil would nod in response to The Tailor.
"Even if it's just finding a proper cleaner in time, the favor would be much appreciated. I'll drop by some time in the evening with it then."
((OOC: I SEE ALL THE DRAMA IN WEEK 3 LIKE EYES, eheheh I love this little Tailor!)