Port Nyanzaru. Thresh Tavern.
As a newly opened tavern, Thresh Tavern was not particularly busy, nowhere near as lively as the other upscale taverns in Port Nyanzaru. It did have one advantage, however: a regular clientele from the Barracks and the Arsenal. The Duergar of Port Nyanzaru, in particular, loved its strong liquor. Compared with other taverns, Thresh Tavern offered excellent value, with mugs as large as earthenware bowls, so most of its customers came from the city's lower and middle ranks.
Today, Thresh Tavern had quite a few customers.
But instead of the usual noisy bustle, the tavern was filled with hushed conversations.
"Have you heard?"
"The higher-ups are planning to open an academy! They say there aren't any admission requirements! As long as you have a Resident ID for Port Nyanzaru, you can enroll!"
"And there's no tuition."
"I heard the great Lord Soren is going to have those noble Wizard masters teach there in person."
At some point, people in Port Nyanzaru had stopped addressing Soren simply as "Lord." More and more of them had grown accustomed to adding "great" in recognition of his achievements. All these changes directly affected their lives. The common folk at the bottom were actually easy to satisfy, and they remembered who had made their lives better and better.
"I know."
"I only heard about it today."
A bearded man took a swig of liquor and said, spittle flying, "City Hall put the word out first thing this morning. But they aren't just hiring Wizard masters as teachers. City Hall is recruiting other scholars and craftsmen to teach, too."
"Apparently, Port Academy will specialize in teaching practical skills."
"But it isn't entirely free!"
"The academy does charge tuition, but families struggling to get by can put off paying it. After graduation, they