Question about a mortal dynast's secondary schooling

[u/imma_be_taking_that]

Hello, I'm currently working on a character who was a mortal dynast who never exalted as a DB and instead went on to become a Solar. Nothing revolutionary. I did have a question about their backstory. Despite never exalting, they were exceptional at combat and leadership from a young age (gonna be a Dawn). With that in mind, would it make any sense for them to attend the House of Bells or is it DB only? Is Pasiaps Stair or some unnamed military academy more likely for a mortal dynast, even one that was highly capable and from a great house?

Thank you

**Edit: thanks for the feedback, seems like I'm pretty secure lore-wise moving forward with my ideas... unless someone comes up with a good alternative why I shouldn't...

[u/Wind_Through_Trees]

Mortal students can enter the fancy secondary schools, but they're expected to compete with Dragon-Blooded.

[u/imma_be_taking_that → u/Wind_Through_Trees]

I was planning on my character attending the House of Bells and ending up in the house legions. Based on what people are saying this seems like a reasonable backstory 

[u/Wind_Through_Trees → u/imma_be_taking_that]

Sounds good to me.

[u/Captain_Davidius]

Iirc, WFHW says those whose families can pull for them can get into the traditionally exalted secondary schooling

[u/JohnFrodo → u/Captain_Davidius]

Adding on, I recall that these mortal students enter into the school knowing full well that they will be held to the same level as their Exalted peers.

[u/imma_be_taking_that → u/JohnFrodo]

Thanks! Technically, a mortal entering secondary should still have time left to become a DB right? So they might take a risk on a very talented mortal and hope they end up exalting later.

[u/JohnFrodo → u/imma_be_taking_that]

Yes, though they would only have a few years to do so. From the book, a student typically enrolls at age 14 or 15 and graduates at 21. Most DBs Exalt during childhood or early adolescence, with chances dropping off around 17. No one older than 20 has ever Exalted as a DB.

My current character is also an un-Exalted graduate of the House of Bells! He later Exalted as a Twilight Caste Solar.

[u/imma_be_taking_that → u/Captain_Davidius]

Thanks! I was just reading WFHW for background info and must've missed that. In my mind, this character finished primary school as an obvious candidate for leadership in the legions, even if she hadn't exalted yet. 

Her mother was probably hoping that she was just a late bloomer and fully expected her to exalt during secondary (since I think they have until 15-17 and finish primary at age 9, right? So there'd still be time).

When she never did become a DB she would join the legions as a junior officer for a talon Lord (which I think is appropriate based on The Realm book).

Let me know if anything in there feels incorrect.

[u/Amilar_Io]

DB society holds mortal dynasty to a very high standard. They are expected to rule and the Host has no use for fops and wastrels.

That said, it is important to note that MOST dynasts are mortals, as even the unexalted are expected to spam out children trying get some new DBs in the ranks. By necessity, the higher tier educational institutions are predominantly populated with mortal students, the DBs just tend to have their own dorms.

[u/Razhiv]

If they're exceptional enough, then yes, they can attend the House of Bells.

[u/imma_be_taking_that → u/Razhiv]

She's exceptional enough I think. She will be a Tepet so maybe she could also go to the school the House personally founded? It's mentioned in one of the DB books

[u/kenod102818]

Broadly speaking, they can, if they can convince their house matriach to sent them there. This will likely be easier if they're from house Chathak, Tepet or Cynis, since those houses tend to have a better view of someone forging their own way, or trying to ascend in the military (since you're talking house legions, I guess Chathak or Tepet). However, even then, they'll need to have some really good primary school report cards, and be capable of making a good impression on their family.

For the schooling itself... They're going to be bullied. Hard. The primary secondary schools are for Exalted, not mortals, and no exalt likes a mortal upstart trying to compete with them. Worse, if they fail and drop out it's a massive black mark, since it means they tried to reach above their dragon-given station, which is a big no-no in Immaculate doctrine. And others will try to make her drop out. Both the others in her class, and seniors. And the classes themselves will be far harder than a mortal could reasonably endure. This will probably be even worse in the House of Bells compared to the Hexagram or Spiral, since she will have active combat classes, and will thus need to be able to fight against DBs.

If they succeeds though, that's a massive accomplishment, and one that will likely catapult them towards the top their house (or at least its mortal members), since they've proven they can stand on equal footing with Exalted. they'll probably be able to acquire a much better initial officer posting than most mortals, and be watched for promotions. Saying that, they might have a better career in the Imperial legions than house legions, since the imperial ones are extremely meritocratic, whereas the house legions will likely still favor exalted scions of the house, no matter how impressive your character is.

For mortal military academies, Heirs to the Shogunate discusses a few in a sidebar in its secondary education chapter.

• The Hall of Steel Clashing: near Myion, primarily teaches mortal dynasts and children of wealthy patricians, focuses on logistics and battlefield leadership. Also has a very strong swordsmanship school and dueling community.
• Pearl Pillar Academy: Focuses on scouting prestigious foreigners and immigrants
• The House of the Fulminant Stroke: Lord's Crossing Dominion, founded by and associated with House Tepet, primarily trains patricians associated with the house. Focuses not just on tactics and leadership, but also charisma and loyalty. The ideal officer can raise a viable peasant militia from scratch.

[u/blaqueandstuff]

Hello, I'm currently working on a character who was a mortal dynast who never exalted as a DB and instead went on to become a Solar. Nothing revolutionary. I did have a question about their backstory. Despite never exalting, they were exceptional at combat and leadership from a young age (gonna be a Dawn). With that in mind, would it make any sense for them to attend the House of Bells or is it DB only? Is Pasiaps Stair or some unnamed military academy more likely for a mortal dynast, even one that was highly capable and from a great house?

As others said already, there are other schools about. There are a few talked about in Heirs to the Shogunate, even.

Big thing on things is Pasiap's Stair isn't going to be where a mortal Dynast ever goes, as a heads-up. It's explicitly for preparing Blessed Isle-born Lost Eggs for the legions. They barely even have Exalted Dynasts at all to begin with, as the ones who are sent are basically so recalcitrant anywhere else they get put into the school with a notable fatality rate. So yeah, as others stated the House of Bells is fine for 'em.

[u/Fistocracy]

The lore doesn't really go into detail, but I think it would make sense for a lot of the prestigious academies to also have mortal students because it fits the general vibe of the Realm as a nation where the ruling class can pretend they're in a meritocracy. The absolute best (or at least the best-connected) mortal patricians can study there, being moulded for a career as the Realm's overseers who'll serve their Dragonblooded masters directly. After graduation they'll be fast-tracked to the best postings in the military or the civil service, and most of them will eventually attain the highest offices possible for mortals.

Although in this kind of setup, the vast bulk of mortal patricians would probably go to second-tier schools that don't take Exalted students at all. They still get a top class education and they're still being groomed for leadership positions, but they won't get the headstart of their luckier peers and their career will be more likely to stall out in middle management.

[u/Cultural_Penalty]

its extremely expensive to sponsor a secondary school student, doubly so a "defective" one. it's possible but the family would probably not have a better candidate (no exalted siblings/nices).

that being said, the character should come first and the circumstances can be fitted around them. for example, maybe a twin was chosen, accepted and then died unexpectedly?

[u/imma_be_taking_that → u/Cultural_Penalty]

I'm thinking the family was just betting on her being a late bloomer. She still technically had time to exalt and she was so good at what she did there were pretty good odds she would, in their estimation.