InsaneJournal

No one's quite sure at this point when it was that Dr. Holyfield became the President of Marrowston University. Then again, no one's quite sure of anything much to do with the good doctor's timeline, from birth to family life to academic career. As a foremost master of Temporal Studies, however, it's fairly easy for him to overlook the fact that such minor details have been lost in time and, at this point, little to nothing he says or does seems to surprise much of anyone... except, perhaps, the Freshmen.

The former Dean of Psychic Enchantment, Ms. Mento is the latest in a respectable line of Vice Presidents at the university. A grand Illusionist, she takes a great deal of pride in keeping the school perceived as clean, fresh and well-decorated. Though many students find her to be rather intimidating, rest assured that, while she can be quite severe and expects students to be respectful, Ms. Mento joins Dr. Holyfield in making this one of the friendliest administrations that Marrowston University has ever seen.

People on Earth and even some residents of Meminisse might see Divination as a bit of a joke but Professor Gunia is definitely no laughing matter. A strong and capable woman in all subjects, she takes to Divination for the same reason most of her majoring students do: it comes naturally. Unlike most diviners, however, she doesn't have a single form that speaks to her most easily and is, instead, highly skilled in all forms of reading, from symbols to patterns to trances.

Contrary to his most common first impression, Professor Milliman is not nearly so stuffy and scholarly as one might initially come to believe. He can, in fact, be something of a practical joker and his students tend to have quite a bit more fun than they came into his upper level classes expecting. An extremely gifted elemental, he can call and control all four elements with equal mastery, though he has a certain personal affinity for the air. Finding him taking books down from top shelves without the aid of a ladder is not uncommon.

Professor Goucher is, while a fascinating woman and extremely knowledgable on a vast array of subjects, probably one of the least exciting professors currently working at Marrowston. For someone so gifted in the arts of language, it's often a wonder to many how difficult it seems to be for her to fully grasp many facets of its modern usage. While she can technically speak approximately two dozen languages, the subtle nuances of even her native English are generally beyond her. She is an extremely literal person, unable to understand slang or sarcasm.

Considering his well-earned reputation as a grouch, it's somewhat startling how many students actually seem to enjoy taking their classes with Professor Brack. A little bit no-nonsense and a lot bit surly, he's a very straight-forward sort of person and has no qualms about speaking his mind, even when others would advise him to keep his mouth shut. From day one, he makes sure that his students realize that his subjects are extremely hands-on and aren't meant for those afraid of getting dirty. Do what you're told and say what you mean and you'll likely get on just fine.

One of the younger Deans, Professor Tay is easily seen as the most mysterious member of the Marrowston staff. In fact, even many of the othe professors are unsure of how to handle the quiet, matter-of-fact manner and, frankly, get a little creeped out by the habit of astrally projecting without any warning. Amongst the students, two issues tend to crop up most often, one being how little the professor speaks outside of classes and the other being the question of whether Professor Tay is male or female. If asked, the professor rarely helps matters by simply answering "No."

Having taken over for Ms. Mento as Dean of Psychic Enchantment, Professor McNemar is the youngest teacher to ever be promoted to the title. As such, she also tends to be one of the most involved. Ready and willing to take part in just about anything that she deems a worthy cause, it's easy to see why she tends to be one of the student body's favorite professors year in and year out. Somtimes a bit exciteable, she has no problem expressing emotion and never tries to cover up her pride when a student does exceptionally well or overcomes a serious obstacle.

Professor McGaugh is confused. This is no big surprise and is, in fact, simply a way of life around Marrowston. Brilliant though he may be, the professor has a habit of thinking far more quickly than he can act and therefore often skips a couple or a few or many or all of the steps between Point A and Point B of any given discussion. Things just aren't nearly as linear to him as they are to everyone else, it seems, a fact which Temporal Studies students fine makes rather a lot of sense, given that he may actually be teaching you on Friday before he teaches you on Wednesday.

At the beginning of every student's university studies, Professor Shake usually gets the short end of the stick. After all, he doesn't teach any magic. No, he just heads World Studies, the department best known for being the fall-back subject when you don't seem to be particularly good at anything else. Pay a bit of attention, however, and it quickly comes to light that he is, perhaps, one of the most fascinating people you could ever find. Well-traveled and well-versed, Professor Shake knows a little bit about a lot of things and a ridiculous amount about a few.

Miss Balmer stepped into the role of adviser fresh from university some years ago and has stuck to it ever since. She likes to help people and the best way to do that is to work in education. A good listener but not much of a teacher, she feels that counseling was the most obvious choice. It was also a bit of a family thing, as her mother was already working as an adviser at Marrowston. Miss Balmer is a whiz with a wand and never quite got the hang of working magic without one.

A tired and often distracted young woman, Miss Philipps does her job well even when she isn't the most focused. Come to Meminisse at the age of sixteen with her newborn baby in her arms, she's one of only two members of staff who lives off campus and commutes into work, what with having a fiesty young lady to raise. Having been a pregnant teen without any sort of support, Miss Philipps is generally the adviser who deals with any such sex-related issues amongst the students.

Mother to Miss Balmer, Mrs. Capellan is one of the two staff members who live in town and commute to work every day. Recently married, she has become markedly more pleasant to be around since first meeting the man she's now married. Try as she might to keep her own life out of her work, years of abuse and neglect had left her understandably bitter. Much more cheerful these days, it's quite a bit easier to remember that she's actually very good at her job when she greets you at her office door with a smile.

Ever the serious one, Ms Hipps expects her advisees to come to her prepared and to never waste her time. She's not one for small talk and will not stand for excuses and doesn't care much for discussing anything aside from one's studies. Needless to say, students assigned to her are likely to become acquainted with one or more of the other advisers, should they find themselves in need of support or assistance on life matters.

The go-to guy, Lance is your source of anything and everything you maybe, probably, definitely shouldn't be caught with on campus. Luckily, his public reputation is pretty much squeaky clean, if a bit spit-polished in places, thanks to his excellent academic record and the company he keeps in public, particularly his overwhelmingly boring twin brother, Clinton, and his darling girlfriend, Allie. He's taking his graduate study in Psychic Enchantment, focusing on his gift for illusions.

Cheerful and bubbly and sometimes a bit of a flake, Allie is every girl's best friend. Well, she tries to be, anyway. It doesn't always work out quite as she'd like it. She loves clothes and make-up and shoes and jewelry and her best friend, Eppa, and boys. Especially boys. Extra specially Lance, her boyfriend and, in her opinion, the sweetest guy ever. She's taking her graduate study in Divination, focusing on Symbol Reading, and has a special knack for clairvoyant dreams.

It's rumored that the juniors can get away with just about anything but, really, they just get to do whatever they want as long as they run it by Eppa first. A bit of a cheeky monkey and always good for a sarcastic remark, Eppa is a good guide on how to properly balance work and play. She's the backbone of the R.A. team, keeping Lance in line, toning Allie down and forcing Clinton to stop being such a hermit. Currently taking her graduate work in Temporal Studies, she always seems to be doing a million things at once, possibly because she is.

Hardworking and cranky, there's no doubting the fact that Clinton is the strictest R.A. Luckily, he's also got a habit of not paying attention to anything but his own studies unless something all but literally hits him in the nose, otherwise there might have been a mutiny amongst the seniors last year. Convinced to take on the position of R.A. because his twin brother wanted to do it, thereby robbing Clinton of his only option for a roommate, the bore takes his Language Studies very seriously.

Everyone at Marrowston knows Mr. Cassinelli. Those who don't will get to know him soon enough. He's been called creepy by some, badass by others, but mostly he's just Mr. C, one of the best earth elementals around, and you better not do too much damage to his gardens if you know what's good for you. The sort of person with a habit of appearing out of nowhere even though he's not that good at teleportation, it's possible that he makes a game out of spooking the Freshmen.

Long since out of university, Mrs. Selke did an extensive round of graduate study in her attempt to collect as much knowledge of healing as possible. She makes no secret of her past, losing both of her parents and being left in the care of an ignorant, self-important aunt who would have lost custody of any child a hundred times over if they had lived anywhere more civilized than some backwater town. Today, Mrs. Selke continues to perfect healing magics and teaches some few graduate courses on the subject.

Anyone in regular contact with the administration of the universities will agree that, of them, Mr. Grassl is easily the least personable. Some might say that it seems fitting, given the negative reputation swirling around much to do with Whitecliff University. Similarly, Grassl's rather gruff disposition toward Dr.Holyfield is a good reflection of the Whitecliff-Marrowston rivalry. Grassl is also particularly well known for his peerless expertise in the art of invocation and summoning.

There is no one of great power in Meminisse quite as kind at heart as Dr. Behney. Only the second president of Brightpond, it was the good doctor who truly brought her school to the size and strength that it has today. She is a master of Divination and Temporal Studies, though that is hardly the limit to her strengths. Of the presidents, she is the most likely to be found visiting and otherwise doing her best to maintain a positive relationship with the other universities.

Youngest of the presidents, Isidra came to Meminisse at the tender age of four. She had been hidden under the floorboards of a closet by human traffickers during a police raid of their hideout. When the boards were pulled up, however, she wasn't where she expected to be. As it turned out, she was something of a magical prodigy and, though she specializes in Planar Studies, she brings to Lightport an exceptional understanding of all subjects of study, making her tiny school as competitive as the rest.

The party school in the party town would not be complete without a president who loves to party and that's exactly who Mr. Pradier happens to be. An Elemental and Illusionist, this is a man who likes to use his magic as much for fun as for anything else. Don't get him wrong, he's a strong supporter of education and holds his students to appropriately high standards, but he also likes to provide the students of his university, and sometimes the others, with some excellent incentive.

When dealing with a world made up of the forgotten, it quickly becomes obvious that one niche in need of filling is that of the psychiatric professional. That is where Lo and her husband, Zach, come in. Formerly a psychiatrist with a failing small-town practice, continuing her work in Meminisse, where there was such a great need, was a very simple decision for Lo. She could actually help people this way, learning to use her astral projection and trance work in a medical capacity, instead of just being expected to listen and prescribe medications.

A semester away from graduating university and becoming an actual social worker on Earth, Zach found himself in Meminisse. One of the first people he met was Lo. A year later, he was married to her and joining her in the opening of her practice in Thornwell. He specializes in helping young children but also works with many older patients, using his studies in retrovisage to learn what his patients are willing to share but can't bring themselves to voice.

A rather pleasant and extremely well-mannered woman, Miss deCarte is a bit of a blast from the past in her sense of style and decorum. She respects the children she takes in at her boarding house and, as such, she expects them to respect her, each other and, perhaps most importantly, themselves. Coming to Meminisse after years of being neglected in favor of her brothers, Miss deCarte is well-known for her skill with potions and minor wandwork and boarders quickly grow accustomed to her habit of teleporting about the house.

Alphie is a goof. An orphan and one of the first taken in by Miss deCarte, he's returned to help her take care of her house and boarders with strong hands and a cheery disposition. He's a bit weak on the magical side and majored in World Studies due to a general lack of skill but his minor of Pattern Reading is where his real abilities lie. A strong, natural diviner through shape and arrangement, Alphie has been known to see things in everything from tea leaves and bones to the parlor wallpaper or the wood grain on a coffee table.

Once upon a time, Pascal was a grungy, broke-down, homeless alcoholic at the mere age of twenty-two. Within the span of a year, his parents both died, he lost his job, his girlfriend left, he had to sell everything and his house went into foreclosure. Considering all that, it was actually a relief to wake up almost three years later and find himself unable to recognize his surroundings. Since then, Pascal has made a new life for himself by sobering up, studying Physical Enchantment and Teleportation, "treasure" hunting, fixing up various pieces of machinery and running something of a junkyard in Thornwell.

Always the dishwasher or the prep cook, rarely given his turn at the grill, Johnny Red knew what he wanted to do with his new life the moment he found the broken down retro diner near the outskirts of town. While getting his degree in Psychic Enchantment, he spent every holiday and spare weekend fixing that place up. By the time he'd graduated, it was ready to go. The university crowd took to it in no time and the townies didn't take much longer. Living in the back of the diner, Johnny took to keeping the place lit up like a Christmas tree as a beacon of safety for the lost.

Born and rasied in a very traditional, eastern European family, Marta lost everything when she let her temper get the best of her and informed her parents that she was never going to get married to a nice, young man and pop out half a dozen grandchildren for them to spoil. Needless to say, when she wound up in Meminisse, she was more than happy to start everything all over. A talented diviner with a decent touch at wandwork, she made quick friends around Thornwell and enlisted all the help she could get when it came to opening her pool hall and arcade.

Kim was an aspiring film student when everything went to shit. Abducted and eventually left for dead in a countryside she didn't know, she eventually stumbled into Pascal's junkyard, starving and bloody and delirius. Instead of going back to film school, she soon found herself taking on Language Studies and a minor in History but her passions stayed the same. When it came to her attention that there was a cinema suffering from disuse in Thornwell, she took it upon herself to get it back into working order.

There are a million failed actors in the world but Benny never should have been one of them. The problem was the draft, the war wounds, the psychological damage that was done. No one remembered who he was before he left. No one remembered who he was when he came home. He was young when he came to Meminisse, a natural illusionist with a love of the arts. These days he keeps the Grimm's Theatre in working order and does his best to keep the performing arts alive for the younger generations.

A "Crosser" is a person who makes a habit, if not a living, moving back and forth between Meminisse and Earth. Nini Stone is one such person. Adept at Planar Studies and not a half-bad Chronomancer, she fell pretty naturally into the roll of interdimensional postal delivery personnel. Of course, there are some who don't particularly like what she does, being of the opinion that Meminisse should be working toward full self-sufficiency and all citizens should be forced to completely disconnect from their former lives, but Nini doesn't particularly care what other people think.

A survivalist and adventurer, Tom runs the Military Surplus store in Thornwell. He's a bit paranoid and sometimes just a general nut job but, when it's all said and done, he's a good person. In university, he took Elemental Studies with a minor in Potions, but his preoccupation with survival was always obvious in both, though he would never share information about his past to explain why. The bright side of that fact, however, is that he can often be counted on to be the savior of hapless newcomers who get lost out at night.

Matthew is the calm, quiet, figurative ghost of a librarian most commonly found wandering amongst the stacks at the Victorian. He speaks softly and rarely but, when he does, it's generally worth listening. Always good for friendly and entirely non-judgmental company, he leaves the library door unlocked at almost all times and, though the shelves of his home/place of employ may not always seem at all organized to the outside eye, he can find pretty much any book you may be looking for, even if you don't know that it's the one you're after.

The man behind the popular Club Zombi, Seth is, in actuality, not as often instantly recognizable as one might think. It might even surprise many a regular to discover that he doesn't spend as much time amongst the elite crowd of the Basement as one might expect. In fact, if he isn't watching the dance floor from his living room window, odds are that he's sitting right beside you at one of the public bars, pickling his liver with the best of them. Dreadlocked, blind in one eye, and drinking away his sorrows, Seth is really no different from the people who frequent his establishment, aside from the fact that he has the ability and authority to go from pleasantly drunk conversational companion to violently telekinetic bouncer in seconds flat.

At Stars, her name is Bunny, grand dame of the club's strippers, her career carefully preserved and undeniably profitable with a good number of regulars clamoring for her attention. Outside, however? Well, that's a different story. To those who know her off the stage, she's simply Heather, a careful, caring, and rather practical woman who's had her share of hard times and understands where the kids who get the short end of Whitecliff's seedier side are coming from.

Player submissions for townfolk are always welcome. Please contact the mod with ideas.