The Bleak Academy

X Worldbuilders:

GM James R

Scholars of the academy fawn over a newly dissected brain.

The Bleak Academy is an illithid-controlled institution of higher studies, focused primarily on unusual eldritch activity in the Underdark. It is located in Flayer Territory at Skull City.

Studies

As The Underdark is said to be home to several unimaginable and indescribable powers known as Old Ones, the knowledge hunting Illithids have been on a constant hunt to keep up and learn more about them. However, knowledge of the Old Ones is toxic, and often lethal to the scientists and scholars seeking to learn more. As such, over 90% of those studying eldritch activity fall victim to it's dark and dangerous power. As such, Skull City has a massive city-wide graveyard of those who have fallen victim.

Some artifacts from the Academy, deemed unwieldy, dangerous, or simply too innocuous, are often times sold at the nearby "Bleak Market".

An excerpt from the Academy's study on mind control is found here below:

"The Cerebellum, located just above the nape of the neck, is the driving source of motor capabilities. Magic tells us that control of a subject means overwhelming their own willpower to make them do whatever commands you issue them. But science shows that the subjects willpower is completely ignorable if the subject's cerebellum is controlled directly. Sorcerers and their oafish, untrained abilities can not finely attune to the parts of a subjects brain, but with sufficient knowledge, any Illithid is able to take direct control of the creature. The downside to this immense power is that the Illithid must be able to perceive the subject's cerebellum in such acute fashion that prolonged study of the brain is necessary before this power becomes reliable. Another downside of direct motor control as opposed to necromancy or other magics is the inability to control brainless creatures. Myconids, for instance, have a nervous complex with no central point of control, much like worms. In these cases, the more general mind thrusting capabilities will work, but fine control fails."

Experiments

The Academy also performs a variety of eldritch and questionable experiments, often times on unwilling slaves and kidnapped victims. Notable victims of the Academy's experiments include Gus, Budli, Ildrin, and Forgorith. Experiments will often have their minds wiped clean and then reused for more experiments to keep them fresh and willing.

The Atraakzian Experiment was one of many operations that the Academy spearheaded in order to keep fresh meat rotating into their chambers.

Map of the academy's ground floor

Structure

Guards

Inside the academy, a herd of 'Greater Intellect Devourers' function as large guard dogs. The colloquial name for these traveling brains is "Necrohazards". The entrance of the academy is also protected by a dark Naga, one of many controlled by the flayers of Skull City. These devourers steal not just intellect but health from anyone intruding, and they do so in dark corners of the academy, ambushing those they deem enemies.

Traps

A "gravity well" in a 100-foot long interior hall causes issues at times, as unsuspecting students and intruders who enter the hall will find themselves suddenly falling down the length of the corridor, often times to a fatal collapse at the 'bottom' of the hall.

A burning skull in the south corridor also protects the entrance into the basements of the academy. Victims who come within 2 feet of the skull become drained of life, irretrievably consumed by the 'blackfire' abilities of the skull.

Hall of Petition

A large illithid statue that guards the corrider to the back halls of the academy holds out its hands, telepathically inviting those wishing to pass with a question "What knowledge do you share?". The golem will detect thoughts, and retrieve any sort of dark will or intentions to cause damage to the academy. Those who are allowed will be escorted into the back, but trespassers will be subjected to powerful necromatic energy, burning a tattoo into their skin and ripping the soul from their body.

Faculty

• Professor Drake, a former scientist who specialized in arcane and unholy texts of Culo.
• Professor Ngise, expert in brain dissection. Ngise performed a variety of experiments on brain transplants, seeing how different races of the Underdark function when placed in completely new and alien bodies.
• Ferranifer, an illithid go-to who performs menial tasks such as delivering information about new discoveries directly to the Elder Brain.
• The Elder Brain (also known as "The Devourer") who controls Skull City is said to be located in the basement of the Bleak Academy, but other reports dispute this location.