Mind Control Academy: Introduction
© Copyright 2004 by Wiseguy
On the crest of a gentle hill, just a mile or so away from the sprawling campus of Blaumann State University, sits a very discreet institution of higher learning. It is an unassuming-looking place, with well-trimmed hedges inside a black wrought-iron fence and numerous brick cottages and buildings strewn throughout the grounds. It is also small, with a student body of 2500 or less. The carved granite sign at the main entrance identifies this as the main campus of the Puysegur Institute for Advanced Studies (A Privately Funded University; private property, no trespassing). Those who live and learn within its walls simply call it the Mind Control Academy.
The Academy is governed by a Board of Regents who keep their identities secret. For day to day operations the Regents rely on Headmaster Nazarius, an imposing-looking man of indeterminate age. Nazarius has the final say on administrative matters short of the Regents. He is tall and slim, with broad shoulders and a shining bald pate that contrasts with his black mustache and goatee. His eyes are steely grey, cold and powerful. His hands have long, delicate fingers that move with the grace of a pianist or master surgeon. He dresses in black, both for drama and perhaps out of convenience, as he is rumored to be color-blind. Several of the texts used in the advanced courses were authored by Nazarius, a fact which only adds to his mystique with the students.
Much of Nazarius’ work is done through his three Deans. Cyrus Finch, Dean of Admissions, presides over the recruiting and admissions processes. He is a thin, spare-looking man of average height and slight build. His normal uniform is a gray wool suit, impecabbly pressed, with bowtie and diamond cufflinks. His trademark pipe is always with him and his office is specially ventilated so that he may smoke there. No matter what the workload, his desk and office are immaculate and he can tell immediately if anything has been disturbed. Behind his precise speech and finicky mannerisms lurks a sharp mind that remembers everything and can recall anything at need.
The Dean of Academics is Lorelei Crowther. A handsome, elegant African-American woman of advanced years yet still radiating vigor, Dean Crowther manages all academic programs including the research laboratories. She prides herself on keeping the school on the cutting edge of theory and technology. Students are often surprised to discover that this kindly-looking old lady can hold up her end of any technical conversation and then, five minutes later, turn the conversation to physics, chemistry, or even the occult. Dean Crowther is short and somewhat round with clear brown eyes and a ready smile. She dresses conservatively in suits of medium to dark blues and grays.
The youngest by far of Nazarius’ troika is Deanna Trombley, Dean of Students. Dean Trombley is a woman of striking presence. She is average height but quite slim, and is rumored to have been a runway model prior to gaining her PhD in Psychology. She certainly has the fashion sense of a model, often appearing in custom-cut business attire that looks conservative at first glance but always invites a second or third. She has sparkling blue eyes and vibrant red hair that runs to the middle of her back. Dean Trombley is reknowned for her ability to build rapport with troubled students and has been known to suggest highly creative solutions to their problems. Her youth and physical attractiveness have naturally led to several attempts by students to seduce her through MC, but nobody has succeeded. Rumors say that on occasion the Dean will turn the tables on a student she fancies who tries this, but nobody knows for sure whether that’s true.
Unlike most institutes, the Academy accepts applications only from students who have been recruited and invited to apply. The recruitment process varies with each case, but is always discreet and specific. Dean Finch sees to it that finances never bar a student from enrolling or staying in school.
Students at the Academy are expected to master multiple disciplines. Each student selects a major from the available fields, which cover all known methods of mind control, to be the focus of that student’s education. Learning mental defense is also mandatory for all students. To promote the Academy’s philosophy of broad knowledge, the faculty do not specialize in specific topics but teach a variety of different subjects, many times overlapping. Graduate students focus on a specific form of control and hone their skills in that area.
The Academy absolutely requires discretion in all things from its students and staff. Students who need subjects for a project are encouraged to find willing volunteers among their peers. Using the power, in any form, on people from outside the Academy is frowned upon and in some cases can lead to disciplinary action. Still, student folklore is replete with stories of clever alumni who coopted “helpers” from Blaumann State or the community without being caught.
Most students and staff live on campus, the students in dormitories and the staff in small, private cottages. As with any learning institution, though, the Greek traditions are present and students have an array of Greek organizations with which to affiliate if they choose. The nature of the Academy has led to some slight adjustments in the attitudes and behaviors of the houses, but not at the expense of discretion.
Though deliberately not well known, the Academy has over 100 years of history behind it. Numerous tales of the exploits of its students have been recorded and saved for posterity. Some of them, by various authors and covering various time periods, have been collected here for your reading enjoyment.