Psiologists (kit and prestige class) and psionics academies in the Tablelands

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I was reading through yet another book (pretty sure that it was The Will and the Way) when I was reminded of a question I had about psiologists.

Both the kit and the prestige class requires that a psionicist studies at three academies. But when you look at the seven main cities, three (Urik, Gulg, and Draj) require that anyone with psi talent study at the state-run academy (often in the “forbidden kingdom” part of the city).

From reading on, it sounds like these academies are pipelines to funnel psionicists into the templarate.

So how does one from those cities get enough freedom to go to two other academies?

For the kit, is this something that you explain in your backstory?

For the prestige class, do you put it in the backstory or do you play it out? And if you play it out, is it as an inactive character in the character tree (given an uncertain amount of time to get into the academy as a journeyman, then to pick up however many levels/skills/powers, then extricate themselves)? Separate sessions with the DM, to play through various political games among the teachers, students, and possibly secret police spying for those opposed to the government?

Mind you, I LOVE the idea of a master of psionics training at multiple academies, getting different perspectives. I’m just not sure that it fits in with D&D and keeping the party together.

As long as I’m on the topic, has anyone used unusual academies? The cities follow the teachings of that psionicist from Raam from 700 or so years ago (name escapes me right now). I think it’s mentioned that thri-kreen and halflings maintain their own traditions. Are there other traditions (non wilder ones) that were used out there?

And is there a mechanical difference between them?

Kind of curious how others have handled this.

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Honestly? DM Fiat. I doubt that the SKs are too eager to give up really skilled psionicists, or to allow people who aren’t vetted into their compounds. They make exceptions for various characters, as the story needs, but I also figure their enrollment is probably low enough that they’re able to be extremely selective… we don’t HAVE to take this rando from Draj, partially because it will annoy Tectuktitlay, and partially because we don’t trust him. If we really want someone in the State School, we send a templar to conscript them.

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When i was running a 3.5e DS game with a psychic warrior, i created several small psionic monasteries - at least one in each city-state, sometimes 2-3 that acted like psi-warror guilds, recruiting and training members and jockeying against each other.

So, who cares, right? Well, psychic warriors were in part created to fill the “mercenary psion” niche from 2e, so those psionic monasteries were part of a larger landscape of psionic institutions in the Tablelands training and working with users of the Way.

Basically, i assumed that unless the text was EXTREMELY prohibitive in regards to how many psionic institutions were in a particular city-state (like, say zero in Eldaarich or the Piazo take set in ~300 FY), there were a bunch in each city-state and maybe some in smaller settlements (if it made sense - like, Altaruk or North & South Ledopolous might have one, but Silver Springs might just have unaffiliated users of the Way…)

Anyway, I’d suggest - similar to @LibraryOgre 's “DM fiat” position - that campaigns demand that there be organizations across Athas that remain unmentioned and undetailed.

Might make a great series of Articles, actually… :thinking:

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And easy to anthologize or jam, really.

“Ok, we have seven different Urik academies of psionics. These five are all very different from the others, but these two? Let’s add some meta that they compete.”

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