12: The school’s plan and politics
Felinia looked at them and smiled. It was clear to everyone that she could see the general gist of what they were thinking.
When the fuss had died down she told them “With that knowledge, I will tell you the plan for this school, town and world!
“I may not be allowed to take those who follow other Powers, but I have gathered up those who followed none. In that world and the town, no new souls may be formed. Thus all the children will be reincarnations of souls that had no-where to go.
“Here you learn the basics and train, but in the town you will put it to practical use and convert people. Yes, I expect religious fights and even death occurring. They and their souls will be sorted and you will begin to learn how things really are. It will let you find out who you are as a person, and as a Deity. Then, after that you will go to the world I have made. You shall go there and get converts to help you grow strong. Again there will be deaths, and the souls will have homes with you. Then, when worlds are formed, you and your followers may move there, taking firstly your followers from the training world. If you can survive all that then you may have potential to be a Deity!”
Everyone was stunned at the audacity and planning of what was going to happen. She was creating an entire world just help people find afterlives and save their souls!
Felinia continued. “The Earth Motes you are sleeping in? As you change them, have the areas grow and move them around, they may form the basis of plans of reality that will be formed! Plan well and you can shape an entire level of existence!”
That got people interested!
“And for those who do not wish to try for Divinity, you can try for other things, and your followers will join you in your realms, be it Fiend, Celestial, Elemental, or something else! Even some Fey.”
Grinning and showing her fanged mouth, “So, what do you say? Want to help rule a Multiverse?”
There was massive cheering at that!
When it died down she said “I will be adding levels of existence focusing in singular things, like a Plane of Shadows, Void, and Planes of the main elements. Your motes are floating in the Astral Plane, and that is where souls of the dead will be sorted, so those who seek to be Deities of Death and the Dead can easily make your home there if you so wish.”
Someone called out “We can make anything we want?”
Felinia nodded eagerly “An endless battle? Sure. An endless orgy? Why not? A place for animal souls to reside? Already have a basic plan from D&D books. A moon made from green cheese? Well, that would be different, but I don’t see a problem with it.”
Someone called out “I prefer Cheddar!”
There was massive laughter at that.
After the laughter Felinia carried on.
“You will be having only one class per day so you can focus on using and studying what you were taught. In theory I could just hand you a book with all the basic information or cover the very bare bones in an hour . . . but you would not actually learn anything.
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“Just remember: The lessons may finish, but the learning should always continue.”
Smiling at them “And for those interested in the optional classes, they are going to be held in lecture hall 2. The teacher will meet you there and let you in. See you tomorrow.”
And she left.
Garion and almost everyone else got up. Garion and Jane headed to the Lecture Hall 2, and on the way were joined by Drenak and Harlen among others.
From a side passage they were joined by a punk girl with green skin and a Caucasian colored Mohawk haircut.
She walked just in front of them and when she got to the hall it was closed and no teacher was there.
Everyone waited around and she tried the door, it was locked. Smiling she pulled out some lock picks and opened the door letting everyone in.
Garion frowned at that, and something was off.
When everyone had been sitting for five minutes, people were asking themselves where the teacher was. The punk girl went to the microphone and asked them “Does anyone have any idea where the teacher is?”
None of them did. She sighed and told them “I believe I do. Felinia gave the clues.”
Suddenly Jane groaned and the punk faced her “Do you have an idea?”
Jane said “You are the teacher!”
“Why do you say that?”
“Because you were here waiting when the rest of us got here, and you unlocked and opened the door to let us is, just like Felinia said the teacher would!”
The punk smiled and shifted into Gallen. After a moment he changed his outfit as well. “Correct!”
Looking around he added “First lesson: Things are not always as they seem!
“Officially this module is called politics. Unofficially it is called manipulation, scheming, and many other things. You will learn how to get people to do as you want them to, and have them willing to pay you for it! This is politics. You will learn how to make someone’s assets a liability, and turn liabilities into assets. How to scheme so even a loss is a victory, and achieve contradictory outcomes at once. You will learn how to hide one scheme as another, and how to make people willingly join your plots. You will learn how to weave many schemes together so they reinforce each other, yet not need them. You will learn how to make the most out of chaos that normally destroys carefully laid plans.
“You will learn the different kinds of power, how to maintain, use and abuse them. You will learn how to save many things to many different people at once without them catching on using what is called Double Talk.
“However, these will require you to think! Even if you have no desire for these things, learning about them can help protect you!
“Any questions?
A muscle bound freak of a guy called out “What do you mean by different kinds of power? There is only one type of power; what you can do yourself!”
Gallen calmly replied “No. I define power as the ability to get things done. It comes in three flavors; Personal, Positional and Persuasive.
“Each comes with its advantages and disadvantages. Persona is what you can do on your own, but it is limited to what you can do, and you need to maintain it. Positional is what your position allows you to do, or order to be done. It can be limited and you agree to abide by the rules that govern the position. Lastly is Persuasive, what you can convince others to do for you. It is limited only by your ability to convince people, but you can’t make them obey you.”
The student snorted. “I don’t believe it.”
Gallen smiled. “An example then. I and others here have the ability to beat him up. My position does not allow me to just do that, but nothing is stopping the other students. My positional power includes how easy to understand I make my lessons. I can use that to persuade other students to convince you not to cause me problems while I step out for 5 minutes.”
Gallen quickly left before realization and horror set in on that student’s face.
After five minutes there was barely a pulse and he was sent to the infirmary.
Garion and many others were sickened. Jane was actually puking.
Gallen looked over the crowd. “This is what happens when someone knows how to use the 3 main flavors of power together.
“Let us begin the lesson proper.”
Everyone was either in shock, paying close attention out of fear or both.
Which of the two teachers were the more terrifying was up in the air, but either way the students were going to lose!