Who: Will Graham and Open

What: Black Court Classes - Autumn 2023 (retcon) & Winter 2023

Where: Various Locations

Warnings Psychological manipulation, Hannibal canon, discussions of consent to be prey vs being manipulated into it. I have an Opt In/Opt Out HMD locatedhere if you want to discuss anything ahead of time! Will update warnings as necessary.

NOTE: The 'assignments'/prompts Will gives in his classes are ICly just between Will and his students. OOCly, PLEASE do not pursue any of his prompts without first discussing with other players!!! Will is a manipulation loving mongoose, *I* am all about full transparency and fun for all!



The Art of Fishing First Season.

Though he is known to shadowstep in order to avoid a conversation in the hallways, as a professor Will Graham isn't the worst. While his conversational tones tend to be soft and neutral, when he lectures he puts a lot of emotion and engagement in his voice. He doesn't simply stand at the lectern, and drone. He paces and moves around the entire classroom and while he does, at times, have the lecture on a subject when the lecture portion is complete he asks questions.

Lots of questions, designed to engage his students and -if he's lucky- get them discussing a subject between themselves while he acts as a moderator, just occasionally redirecting the focus.

The course focuses on passive techniques for drawing prey in, rather than chasing prey down. He discusses the nature of thralls both the human servants found around the castle and novices who have failed. He discusses the nature of victims, humans in the lands who have not consented to being a snack, other novices who, likewise, have not failed out/consented.

Some questions that come up in class include, but at not limited to:

• When is the best time to start fishing? IE: Do you like to wait until your hunger/instinct is driving you, or do you *cough* plan ahead?
  
• How would you entice a human thrall vs a failed novice thrall to allow you to feed from them?
  
• Would you even bother in the above circumstances?
  
• How would you entice one of your peers to allow you to feed from them?
  
• What are some of the risks of feeding from a fellow novice?
  
• Would you attempt to feed from a youngblood?
  
• How would you accomplish feeding from a youngblood?

There will be three graded assignments this Season.

• What is your fishing style?
  
• How do you intend to avoid becoming someone else's prey?
  
• Use your fishing style to predate upon a fellow novice/youngblood a thrall. Explain if/how successful you were.

Identifying Prey - Second Season.

Same lecture/discussion style classroom technique as The Art of Fishing. He's a little more intense in this course as he delves into the nuances, and techniques of gaining psychological insight in prey.

Some questions that come up in class include, but at not limited to:

• What are some observation techniques that will help develop an accurate profile of potential prey?
  
• Discuss different lure methods for different prey types.
  
• Discuss the nature of being both predator and prey.

There will be two graded assignment this Season.

• Provide your technique of choice for predating on a willing thrall. Human or failed novice, student's choice.
  
• Was your technique successful?

The Hunt - Third Season.

Now we're getting out of the classroom. Oh don't worry, there is still lecture and Will is available for after class one on one sessions. But instead of lecture and then discussion, he gives lecture for two classes and then it is time to put theory into practice!

There will be a total of 3 coordinated Hunts during the course of this class. They are each held out in the woods just beyond the gate.

• The First hunt is vs thralls who have been told to run like they are being hunted. They will lead the novices on a merry chase but once caught are quite agreeable to being bitten. For this First hunt, Will is out there somewhere keeping the wolves occupied, so all his students have to do is focus on their hunting.
  
  
• The Second hunt is also vs thralls who have simply been told to run like they are being hunted. Same as before, they will lead the novices on a merry chase through the woods, but once caught are biddable. This time Will is not in the woods distracting the wolves. This time novices must balance being both predator and prey. Hint: Might help to work together!
  
  
• The Third hunt is vs thralls, only this time Will has twisted their enthralled state so that they do not believe they are willing participants. This time they don't only run, but also fight back, and worse ... some of them will beg and plead for mercy. Black Court isn't just about physical danger. There is also the stark reality of having to do horrible things while looking someone in the eye as they beg for their lives. Oh ... and the wolves are definitely going to be drawn to the hubbub.

Note: This course is well known to have heavy, HEAVY casualties and its fair share of novice deaths. Not saying it's a given, but just in case you need it.




Manipulation from the Shadows - Fourth Season.


Unlike his lower seasons courses, this one is taught as a one-on-one, self-designed class.

Will meets with the students who sign up for this course individually for an hour each week. Mostly he is there for students to bounce ideas off and to offer encouragement for his students to do ... well ... horrible things to their friends and loved ones.

The Will who teaches this course can come across as a lot more self-confident, even cheerful compared to how he uses presents himself. He is talkative and will weave almost lyrical narratives as he helps his students flesh out their most horrible plans. The more nuanced and wrathful the manipulation, the more he seeks to nurture and encourage it, whispering to all the little butterflies in their chrysalis, the way he was whispered to so long ago.

This course is a simple pass/fail. Either you stay the course and pull off the manipulation, or your morals get the better of you and you learn that Black Court really isn't the Court for you.




AKA - Wildcard/Choose your own adventure

When Will isn't teaching, or attending a Court sanctioned event, he can be found in one of the following locations:

The Library

His classroom for private one on one office hours

His apartment

Out walking the grounds shooing wayward novices back to the castle


[OOC: More Notes:

ANYONE is allowed to attend his classes. There is no expectation in any of these prompts, just jump in and have fun.

I live for threadjacking, which means if you want to use this log to have a conversation between characters who are taking Will's class, but not talk to Will himself I am good with it! Please, chat amongst yourselves.

I love a peanut gallery. Want to reference something you see in here? Go for it. IF YOU DON'T want your thread referenced, please mark it "Private".

In reference to the above, if any threads ARE marked "Private" please don't reference them.

These prompts/course subjects are NOT the be all/end all of the topics covered in Will's classes.

Have I forgotten anything? Please feel free to hit me up via PM or on Plurk. Laekhund]