Library ofKorranberg. The Library of Korranberg
boasts the greatest collection of learning in Khorvaire.
Its prestige means that people associated with it often
look down on their colleagues at Morgrave University,
but they still celebrate the two institutions' common
purpose of pursuing knowledge. If Morgrave's own li
braries are insufficient for the task at hand, your group
can probably find help in Korranberg.
The Twelve. For many scholars of magical studies, the
idea of pursuing their research under the auspices of
the Twelve is a cherished dream. Some faculty mem
bers at Morgrave have had the opportunity to do just
that, and many others have nurtured connections to
the Twelve in an attempt to secure that honor. Those
connections can give your group access to powerful
magic and the other resources of the Twelve.
Wayfinder Foundation. Morgrave maintains extensive
connections with the Wayfinder Foundation-an exclu
sive guild for adventurers, which fu nds expeditions to
distant locales. Should your group needs a grant or re
sources from the Wayfinders, a letter of recommenda
tion from someone at Morgrave carries some weight.
Enemies. Morgrave University has few true enemies
but many rivals. Despite the friendly ties among aca
demic institutions, Morgrave occupies the low end of
the prestige scale among academic bodies, so its faculty
tends to look for opportunities to steal glory from its aca
demic peers. Beyond rivalries with allied organizations,
Morgrave openly competes with the fo llowing group:
University ofWynarn. Foremost among Morgrave's
rivals is Aundair's University of Wynarn, whose ad
ministrators have been known to refer to Morgrave as
an "institute of learning, relic hunting, and grave rob
bing." The University of Wynarn is ancient-the first
university established in the Five Nations-and more
prestigious than Morgrave. It sponsors many of the
same kind of expeditions and can boast many great
discoveries, yet, somehow, Morgrave is more famous,
and that stings many among the university's staff.PATRON BENEFITS
With a university as your group's patron, you gain the
following benefits:
Compensation. The university pays for the work you
do on its behalf. The nature of your employment in
fluences how you are paid. On average, the university
pays each member of your group 1 gp per day, or
enough to sustain a modest lifestyle. Or you might be
paid a bounty for each ancient artifact you bring back
from your adventures and give to the university.
Documentation. Each member of your group has
identification papers that include your affiliation with
the university, which carries some clout in academic
circles. The university also secures documentation,
letters of introduction, and traveling papers for you if
your work requires them. Finally, if your adventures
take you to Xen'drik, the university secures the neces
sary letters of marque issued by the king of Breland,
which grant you permission to explore the ruins there.
Research. Research might be part of your group's job,
but your patron has abundant resources to facilitate
it. You can call in a favor to delegate the work of re
searching lore (a downtime activity described in the
Player's Handbook or Xanathar's Guide to Everything)
to a colleague, contact, or research assistant. Yo u're
responsible for covering all expenses occurred as part
of this research, and the DM determines the success,
failure, or other possible results.
Resources. Most universities have extensive libraries
and museums, which you have access to. You can call
in a favor to gain access to resources that are gener
ally not on exhibit-dangerous relics or possibly magic
items, spellbooks, and the like. Additionally, the fac
ulty of your university might make it possible for you
to consult with experts in various fields-so long as
you can coax them away from their work.
Training. Because you're associated with the university,
you receive a discount on any education you wish to
pursue. When you undergo training as a downtime
activity (as described in the Player's Handbook or
Xanathar's Guide to Everything), you pay only one-half
the normal cost, assuming that what you are studying
is something the university teaches. Training in lan
guages, musical instruments, and other tools might
also be available, at the DM's discretion. In addition,
you can gain proficiency in the Arcana, History, Na
ture, or Religion skills by this method, as if you were
learning a language. A character can only learn one of
these skills in this way.BUILD YOUR GROUP
A group sponsored by a university might look very much
like any other adventuring party, with a range of diverse
skills and capabilities. The only significant distinction
lies between characters who are scholars and those who
are more traditional adventurers. Consider some or all
of these roles for characters in your party:
Field Researcher. The academic in your group might
also be a character with plenty of training and expe
rience in the dangerous life of an adventurer. Some
times called tomb raiders or grave robbers, such
characters know that groundbreaking work requires
firsthand experience with the creatures, cultures,
fo rces, and histories being investigated, and the best
way to get that is in the field. This role is similar to the
Scholar, but the Field Researcher is armed with com
bat-oriented spells that supplement the knowledge-fo
cused capabilities of the Scholar, preparing them to
face those who guard the world's greatest secrets.
Financier. Whether they're hunting for grants or seek
ing donations from wealthy philanthropists, the Finan
cier seeks the funds to pay for academic expeditions.
Such characters might know their ways around ball
rooms, boardrooms, and seedy taverns, willing to do
whats necessary to get what they need. Those in this
role often exude Charisma and might be adept with
the Deception, Intimidation, and Persuasion skills.
Bards and rogues make natural academic Financiers,
as do those with the charlatan and noble backgrounds.
Research Assistant. Whether their seeking to graduate,
get published, or make their academic mark, the Re
search Assistant's fate is likely tied up in the success
of another scholar or a specific project. Alternatively,CHAPTER 1 I CHARACTER CREATION
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