Imperial University

One institution of the Empire that has made it almost unscatheed into the present day is the Imperial University, which is also in this district. Originally founded by the Emperor, the University has, since the fall of the Empire, been funded by the guilds of the City, and also by the rulers of the Four Kingdoms, each of whom seeks to squeeze as much as possible out of the University's legendary libraries for their own benefit. This is likely to continue as long as the City remains neutral. At present, everyone benefits from using the University's resources, and the balance of power means that it can assert its independence. Rather like the City itself. The University is run by a Chancellor and a fractitious commitee of professors. Some of the more notable departments are:

the Faculty of Mechnomancy: this department is owned lock, stock and barrel by the Guilds of Steam and Clockwork. The rival guilds fight like weasels in a sack over Chairs and other symbols of status in the department. This seems a little curious to some as the guilds have long ago ensured that any really important research or trade occurs elsewhere, in more secure circumstances. But even senior guild members (especially senior guild members) like to dress up in gowns and be called 'professor'. Some people say that agents of the Grey Order are slowly taking over the Department. But some people will say anything.

the Faculty of History: the scholars here have recorded the deeds of man for centuries. In fact, they possess the only reliable records of scores of significant events. One decent fire in these buildings could erase an awful lot of inconvenient facts.

the Academy of Millitary Arts: the rulers of the Four Kingdoms send the cream of their officer class here for training; in addition many aristocrats send their children along to 'round off' their education. As a result this is the place to meet anyone who will be anyone in a few years time. It's also the place to meet many people who were someone a few years ago, as several of the faculty are just at the end of illustrious, or at least notorious, millitary careers.

the Faculty of Alchemy: [I think there should be one but I forget whether we decided alchemy should be a form of magic or just chemistry with added stupidity.]

the Faculty of Cartography: this apparently insignificant department is actually entirely funded by the Ministry of Friendship, and with that Ministry co-supervises the Treacherous Lands Exploration Initiative. Officially the faculty exists to make make maps and perform research into navigation and geology. In fact, under the auspices of the Initiative, its mapmaking activities extend to the high - risk exploration and charting of the Treacherous Lands. Although this department also stores the centuries old maps of those lands that date from the days of the Empire, their very nature means that such old maps may be just useful enough to be dangerous.

Other faculties include: medicine, bestiology (essentially zoology with added tentacles; a sudden surge of funding to this department in recent years is due to its usefulness to the Initiative), literature, natural philosophy (any science not covered by the above).

Central Administration: curiously admin has not changed any of its protocols since the collapse of the rest of the Imperial bureaucracy decades ago. As a result, over 75% of the paperwork done in the University is completely unnecessary. A few years ago this situation went critical, resulting in the paperwork manifesting as a sentient being. Corobodos the Paperwork can manifest a body out of whatever paper happens to be at hand (and is not limited to the University in this respect). It usually appears as a well-dressed professional individual of variable gender, and has recently been turning up at civic events, confidently claiming to run the University. No-one outside of the University knows exactly what to make of this, and the claim is hard to verify as no-one involved in the administration of the University will admit that Corobodos exists. It is uncertain whether they actually cannot see it or just refuse to acknowledge it. In either case, everyone from the Chancellor down will tell you that 'there is no quote-unquote paper man, and the University does not have a problem with its paperwork.'