The Vasteel Atheneum is the most prestigious school of magic in the kingdom. While students are roaming abroad gaining real-world experience, the school offers robust correspondence courses to help them hone their craft. The courses are expensive and have a reputation for being mind-
To enroll, students pay a tuition of 5,000 gold pieces. The Atheneum provides student financing options, but you are required to pledge your soul up as collateral. For most it’s better to come up with the money upfront or simply bride a professor.
Mechanics
After paying an authorized Vasteel Atheneum administrator 5,000 gp for tuition, select the course book you wish to study. Upon doing so, it materializes in your hands. Your tuition only covers one course.
After spending 8 hours studying, make a DC 15 Intelligence check. On a failed roll, you gain one level of exhaustion and can’t study the book again until you are fully rested. On a successful roll, you gain the effects of the chosen course book.
Once the book has been successfully understood or you fail to read it after three attempts, it magically transports back to the Vasteel Atheneum. You can not complete the same course twice and you must wait a minimum of 3 months before enrolling into another one. The DM is free to put additional limitations on the courses.
Courses:
| The Fundamentals of the Fundamentals You can cast one 1st level spell as a cantrip. |
| Efficiency Gains And The Rule of Fours Add 1d4 to your spell damage rolls. |
| The Anatomy of Everything Gain another 1st, 2nd, and 3rd level spell slot. You must be at least 3rd level to take this course. |
| The Big Book of Spells Learn 5 new spells. The new spells cannot be higher than your current highest level spell. |
| 7 Habits of Highly Effective Spellcasters Gain +1 to your spellcasting modifier. |
| Magwa’s Magic Item Compendium You always succeed on skill check dealing with the history, identification, and usage of magical items. |
Rare, Requires spellcasting