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{{Neath_Location
{{Neath_Location
|image1 = University.png
|image1 = University.png
|caption1 = The life of the mind. Art from FL.
|location = [[London]]
|location = [[London]]
|alias = University College London (Benthic)<br>King's College London (Summerset)  
|alias = University College London (Benthic)<br>King's College London (Summerset)
|allegiance =
|notable_inhabitants = [[The Provost of Summerset]]<br>[[The Principal of Benthic College]]
|notable_inhabitants = The Provost of Summerset<br>The Principal of Benthic College
|music = [https://failbettergames.bandcamp.com/track/an-embassy-waltz An Embassy Waltz]
}}<blockquote>''"What is the University? It is what you may call a castle manned by learning and scholarship. Or a vicious and permanent dog-fight between Benthic College and Summerset College."''<ref>{{Citation|https://fallenlondon.wiki/wiki/Category:The_University|The University|Fallen London|}}</ref></blockquote>
}}<blockquote>''"What is the University? It is what you may call a castle manned by learning and scholarship. Or a vicious and permanent dog-fight between Benthic College and Summerset College."''<ref>{{Citation|https://fallenlondon.wiki/wiki/Category:The_University|The University|Fallen London|}}</ref></blockquote>


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[[File:Provost.png|thumb|100px|The Provost of Summerset.]]<blockquote>''"What's Summerset College like? A place of indolent privilege. Minor nobles rub shoulders with the black-gowned children of clergy, parliamentarians and lawyers in its peaceful quadrangles."''<ref name="snippets">{{Citation|https://fallenlondon.wiki/wiki/Sidebar_Snippets|Sidebar Snippets|Fallen London|}}</ref></blockquote>'''Summerset''' is the more well-bred side of the University, typically comprised of the children of higher society, [[The Church|clergy]], lawyers, and [[The Constables|officials]].<ref name="walk around">{{Citation|https://fallenlondon.wiki/wiki/Hallowed_quadrangles|Hallowed Quadrangles|Fallen London|}}</ref> It does not allow the [[The Soul Trade|soulless]] in.<ref name=":0">{{Citation|https://fallenlondon.wiki/wiki/Disguise_yourself_and_cause_mischief|Disguise yourself and cause mischief|Fallen London|}}</ref><ref name=":1">{{Citation|https://fallenlondon.wiki/wiki/Lurk_disconsolately_around_the_margins.|Lurk disconsolately around the margins.|Fallen London|}}</ref>
[[File:Provost.png|thumb|100px|The Provost of Summerset.]]<blockquote>''"What's Summerset College like? A place of indolent privilege. Minor nobles rub shoulders with the black-gowned children of clergy, parliamentarians and lawyers in its peaceful quadrangles."''<ref name="snippets">{{Citation|https://fallenlondon.wiki/wiki/Sidebar_Snippets|Sidebar Snippets|Fallen London|}}</ref></blockquote>'''Summerset''' is the more well-bred side of the University, typically comprised of the children of higher society, [[The Church|clergy]], lawyers, and [[The Constables|officials]].<ref name="walk around">{{Citation|https://fallenlondon.wiki/wiki/Hallowed_quadrangles|Hallowed Quadrangles|Fallen London|}}</ref> It does not allow the [[The Soul Trade|soulless]] in.<ref name=":0">{{Citation|https://fallenlondon.wiki/wiki/Disguise_yourself_and_cause_mischief|Disguise yourself and cause mischief|Fallen London|}}</ref><ref name=":1">{{Citation|https://fallenlondon.wiki/wiki/Lurk_disconsolately_around_the_margins.|Lurk disconsolately around the margins.|Fallen London|}}</ref>


'''The Provost of Summerset''' is, ironically, affiliated with [[devils]], enough so that there have been rumors about how he's actually a devil who files down his horns and teeth.<ref name=":2">{{Citation|https://fallenlondon.wiki/wiki/Something_to_burn%3F|Something to burn?|Fallen London|}}</ref>
'''[[The Provost of Summerset]]''' is, ironically, affiliated with [[devils]], enough so that there have been rumors about how he's actually a devil who files down his horns and teeth.<ref name=":2">{{Citation|https://fallenlondon.wiki/wiki/Something_to_burn%3F|Something to burn?|Fallen London|}}</ref>


In the ''Sunless Skies'' timeline, following the exodus to [[The High Wilderness|the stars]], Summerset has established a base camp within [[Traitor's Wood]] in [[the Reach]]. Unfortunately, their expedition seems to be for naught.<ref>{{Citation|https://sunlessskies.gamepedia.com/A_Campfire|A Campfire|Sunless Skies|}}</ref>
In the ''Sunless Skies'' timeline, following the exodus to [[The High Wilderness|the stars]], Summerset has established a base camp within [[Traitor's Wood]] in [[the Reach]]. Unfortunately, their expedition seems to be for naught.<ref>{{Citation|https://sunlessskies.gamepedia.com/A_Campfire|A Campfire|Sunless Skies|}}</ref>
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==Benthic==
==Benthic==
[[File:Principal.png|thumb|100px|The Principal of Benthic.]]<blockquote>''"What's it like at Benthic College? Eager young radicals throng the halls. Students flaunt their tolerance and diversity; friendships with devils are highly prized. Revolutionaries infest the eaves. The soul trade thrives."''<ref name="snippets">{{Citation|https://fallenlondon.wiki/wiki/Sidebar_Snippets|Sidebar Snippets|Fallen London|}}</ref></blockquote>'''Benthic''', the lower-bred college, is more inclusive; it allows the soulless, [[devils]], [[Revolutionaries: the Calendar Council|revolutionaries]], and children of poor families to enter.<ref name="walk around">{{Citation|https://fallenlondon.wiki/wiki/Hallowed_quadrangles|Hallowed Quadrangles|Fallen London|}}</ref> Its more tolerant researchers may also exchange items of value with those who've been formally banned from the university<ref name=":4">{{Citation|https://fallenlondon.wiki/wiki/Under_the_counter|Under the counter|Fallen London|}}</ref>, and Benthic actively rewards students for being prosecuted by the Ministry of Public Decency.<ref name=":5">{{Citation|https://www.failbettergames.com/a-secret-about-the-masters/|A secret about the Masters|Failbetter Games|}}</ref>
[[File:Principal.png|thumb|100px|The Principal of Benthic.]]<blockquote>''"What's it like at Benthic College? Eager young radicals throng the halls. Students flaunt their tolerance and diversity; friendships with devils are highly prized. Revolutionaries infest the eaves. The soul trade thrives."''<ref name="snippets">{{Citation|https://fallenlondon.wiki/wiki/Sidebar_Snippets|Sidebar Snippets|Fallen London|}}</ref></blockquote>'''Benthic''', the lower-bred college, is more inclusive; it allows the soulless, [[devils]], [[Revolutionaries: the Calendar Council|revolutionaries]], and children of poor families to enter.<ref name="walk around">{{Citation|https://fallenlondon.wiki/wiki/Hallowed_quadrangles|Hallowed Quadrangles|Fallen London|}}</ref> Its more tolerant researchers may also exchange items of value with those who've been formally banned from the university<ref name=":4">{{Citation|https://fallenlondon.wiki/wiki/Under_the_counter|Under the counter|Fallen London|}}</ref>, and Benthic actively rewards students for being prosecuted by the Ministry of Public Decency.<ref name=":5">{{Citation|https://www.failbettergames.com/a-secret-about-the-masters/|A secret about the Masters|Failbetter Games|}}</ref>
[[The Principal of Benthic College|'''The Principal of Benthic''']] is a kindly yet strict academic, deeply committed to scholarly pursuits and expecting the same dedication from her staff and students. Close associates note that she is occasionally prone to bouts of nervous affliction.<ref>{{Citation|https://fallenlondon.wiki/wiki/Sidebar_Snippets#The_University_2|Who is the Principal of Benthic College?|Fallen London|}}</ref>


The motto of Benthic college is ''"Omnes adsint, quamvis dementi, quamvis nefasti."''<ref name=":6">{{Citation|https://fallenlondon.wiki/wiki/Omnes_adsint,_quamvis_dementi,_quamvis_nefasti|Omnes adsint, quamvis dementi, quamvis nefasti|Fallen London|}}</ref>
The motto of Benthic college is ''"Omnes adsint, quamvis dementi, quamvis nefasti."''<ref name=":6">{{Citation|https://fallenlondon.wiki/wiki/Omnes_adsint,_quamvis_dementi,_quamvis_nefasti|Omnes adsint, quamvis dementi, quamvis nefasti|Fallen London|}}</ref>

Revision as of 08:24, 8 March 2025

"What is the University? It is what you may call a castle manned by learning and scholarship. Or a vicious and permanent dog-fight between Benthic College and Summerset College."[1]

The University is London's primary institution of period-appropiate pseudoscience ahem, knowledge and innovation, formerly known as King's and University College. The University is divided into two colleges, Benthic and Summerset, which have a notoriously fierce rivalry.[2]


Summerset

The Provost of Summerset.

"What's Summerset College like? A place of indolent privilege. Minor nobles rub shoulders with the black-gowned children of clergy, parliamentarians and lawyers in its peaceful quadrangles."[3]

Summerset is the more well-bred side of the University, typically comprised of the children of higher society, clergy, lawyers, and officials.[2] It does not allow the soulless in.[4][5]

The Provost of Summerset is, ironically, affiliated with devils, enough so that there have been rumors about how he's actually a devil who files down his horns and teeth.[6]

In the Sunless Skies timeline, following the exodus to the stars, Summerset has established a base camp within Traitor's Wood in the Reach. Unfortunately, their expedition seems to be for naught.[7]

The motto of Summerset College is "Superbe et sophistice."[8]

Benthic

The Principal of Benthic.

"What's it like at Benthic College? Eager young radicals throng the halls. Students flaunt their tolerance and diversity; friendships with devils are highly prized. Revolutionaries infest the eaves. The soul trade thrives."[3]

Benthic, the lower-bred college, is more inclusive; it allows the soulless, devils, revolutionaries, and children of poor families to enter.[2] Its more tolerant researchers may also exchange items of value with those who've been formally banned from the university[9], and Benthic actively rewards students for being prosecuted by the Ministry of Public Decency.[10]

The Principal of Benthic is a kindly yet strict academic, deeply committed to scholarly pursuits and expecting the same dedication from her staff and students. Close associates note that she is occasionally prone to bouts of nervous affliction.[11]

The motto of Benthic college is "Omnes adsint, quamvis dementi, quamvis nefasti."[12]

Cricket

"Fallen London's two colleges, Benthic and Summerset, enjoy a healthy rivalry. They play team sports with each other. They play pranks on each other. On certain days of the year, they play trumpets and French horns at each other." (Like the Oxford-Cambridge boat race. But with trumpets.)[3]

Benthic and Summerset frequently face off in cricket, with Benthic's team known as the Benthic XI and Summerset's as the Summerset Gentlemen. The Brass Embassy also fields a team—the Brass Embassy Ladies—composed of devilesses in striking pink uniforms.[13] While they often play against Benthic, the Summerset Gentlemen steadfastly refuse to compete with them.[14] Summerset once maintained a cricket field out in Watchmaker's Hill, but it has since been repurposed as an airfield.[15]

A cricketer

These matches attract both faculty and students from the University,[16] offering dusty academics a rare chance to network, and to engage in a bit of spirited sports betting.[17] Since the Fall, cricket has undergone certain... adjustments, with rules that differ from the traditional Surface game.[18][19][20][21][22]

The highlight of the season is the annual Tournament of Toasts, the most prestigious sporting event in all of London.[23] Officiated by Mr Wines, the tournament was, in fact, conceived by the Masters of the Bazaar themselves as a grand spectacle of entertainment.[24]


Known Departments

Class is in session. Art from FL.
  • The Department of Additive Surgery (probably involves organ grafting)[25]
  • The Department of Advanced Theology (the study of complex religions?)[26]
  • The Department of Antiquarian Esquivalience (the study of avoiding age-old responsibilities)[27][28]
  • The Department of Chiropterochronometry (the study of using bats' flight patterns to measure time[29][3] and encode messages [30])
  • The Department of Contemporary Cryptotheology (may be related to the rites of the Crooked-Cross)[31]
  • The Department of Criminal Rehabilitation & Eradication[32]
  • The Department of Cryptopalaeontology (the study of cryptic fossils)[33][34]
  • The Department of Cryptophilology (the study of cryptic languages)[35][36]
  • The Department of Cryptospelunking and Transportable Antiquities (the study of the cryptic excavation of relics)[37][38]
  • The Department of Epigraphical Mathematics (the study of trigonometry[39], perhaps?[40])
  • The Department of Esoteric Cryptozoology (the study of specialized cryptic animals)[41][3]
  • The Department of Exotic Herpetology (the study of exotic amphibians)[42]
  • The Department of Extrapolatory Cartographic Zoology (the study of mapping animals?)[43][44]
  • The Department of Infernal Estates (the study of Hell's properties)[45]
  • The Department of Infernal Rarefactions (the study of Hell's substances)[46][47]
  • The Department of Infernal Relations (the study of Hell's politics)[48]
  • The Department of Muscular Amplification (the study of muscle gain)[49]
  • The Department of Neocartography (the study of new maps, because maps are weird down here)[50]
  • The Department of Palaeomycology (the study of extinct fungal lifeforms, very important down here)[51][3]
  • The Department of Paradoxic Optics (the study of the Neathbow)[52]
  • The Department of Phrenology & Applied Cranial Exploration (the study of brain segments, a notorious pseudoscience; usually involves very blunt objects)[53]
  • The Department of Semi-Semiotics (the study of half-symbols?)[54]
  • The Department of Subterranean Divinity (the study of the gods of the Unterzee)[3]
  • The Department of Supernumerary Faculty (the study of High Numbers)[55]
  • The Department of Tonsorial Alchemy (alchemy with barbers, we suppose)[56][3]
  • The Department of Venomous Rarefaction (how pertinent)[57]
  • The Department of Xenotheology (the study of Rubbery Men's religion)[58]
  • The Department of _______ (the Correspondence)[59]

Historical & Cultural Inspirations

Benthic College was the University College London. Established in 1826 as "London University," UCL was founded as a secular alternative to the religiously affiliated universities of Oxford and Cambridge. It was the first university institution in England to admit students regardless of their religion, reflecting a commitment to inclusivity and progressive education. Inspired by the radical ideas of Jeremy Bentham, UCL was also among the first to admit women on equal terms with men in 1878. Benthic's motto, "Omnes adsint, quamvis dementi, quamvis nefasti" (All are welcomed, however insane, however wicked) echoes its real life counterpart's motto, "Cuncti adsint meritaeque expectent praemia palmae" (Let all come who by merit deserve the most reward). That said, UCL has a Provost, not a Principal.

Summerset College was King's College London. The name "Summerset" is a deliberate nod to Somerset House, a historic building adjacent to KCL’s Strand Campus. Founded in 1829, KCL was established as an Anglican institution, emphasizing traditional religious values and catering to the upper echelons of society. It is also known for its classical architecture, including the Grade I listed King’s Building, designed by Sir Robert Smirke. Summerset's motto "Superbe et Sophistice" (Proudly and Sophisticatedly) mirrors its real-life counterpart's "Sancte et Sapienter" (With Holiness and Wisdom). As with Benthic, a small discrepancy exists — King’s College London has a Principal, not a Provost.

The historic rivalry between University College and King's College is well documented. Students from KCL have historically referred to their UCL counterparts as the "Godless Scum of Gower Street," mocking UCL's secular stance. In response, UCL students dubbed KCL "Strand Polytechnic," a term aimed at undermining KCL's academic prestige. While the intensity of the rivalry has diminished over time, it persists in contemporary settings, particularly in sports. The annual London Varsity Series, especially the rugby union match between the two colleges, is a testament to this enduring competitive spirit.

While Benthic and Summerset are clearly UCL and KCL. The game's portrayal of the University is also shaped by Cambridge influences. Yasmeen Khan, the primary writer behind much of the University’s content, infused it with her own Cambridge experiences.[60] The cricket matches between Benthic and Summerset likely draw inspiration from The University Match, an annual cricket competition held betweem the Oxford University Cricket Club and Cambridge University Cricket Club.

References

  1. ↑ The University, Fallen London
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 Hallowed Quadrangles, Fallen London
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4 3.5 3.6 3.7 Sidebar Snippets, Fallen London
  4. ↑ Disguise yourself and cause mischief, Fallen London
  5. ↑ Lurk disconsolately around the margins., Fallen London
  6. ↑ Something to burn?, Fallen London
  7. ↑ A Campfire, Sunless Skies
  8. ↑ Superbe et sophistice, Fallen London
  9. ↑ Under the counter, Fallen London
  10. ↑ A secret about the Masters, Failbetter Games
  11. ↑ Who is the Principal of Benthic College?, Fallen London
  12. ↑ Omnes adsint, quamvis dementi, quamvis nefasti, Fallen London
  13. ↑ Match day, Fallen London "The day of the cricket match has arrived! Leather cracks off willow! Tea and sandwiches! The Brass Embassy Ladies await the Benthic XI, splendid in their cricketing pinks."
  14. ↑ Cricket at Benthic, Fallen London "Benthic College takes its cricket seriously. The First XI play teams from across London. It's just a pity that the old enemy, the Summerset Gentlemen, pulled out of the competition when the Brass Embassy started fielding a team."
  15. ↑ Inspect the new Station IX, Fallen London "Water, water everywhere, and not a drop troubles Station IX.II. The wooden platforms have been secured with steel rods that plunge into the murky waters that cover the former Summerset cricket field."
  16. ↑ Interview students and staff, Fallen London "Why did there have to be a cricket match on the day of the murder? Nobody saw anything. Will you ever solve this d--nable case?"
  17. ↑ A serious business, Fallen London "[…] The Principal nods at you graciously from the dignitaries' stand. Matters are proceeding swimmingly. You enter into a series of wagers with the phrenologists regarding maiden overs and the shape of a bowler's head. Always easy marks, phrenologists."
  18. ↑ Demonstrate your cricketing knowledge, Fallen London "Law 52: Infernal teams shall be shod so as not to scorch the pitch" "Law 58: A ball lost to bat swarms shall be regarded as a boundary, and scored as four runs"
  19. ↑ Cricket, Anyone?, Fallen London "Law 39: In a match with two innings per side, each side shall take their innings alternately, except in the cases provided for in Law 45 (The Indignant Wicket), Law 77.1 (Forfeiture), and Law 77.2 (Forfeiture via Honey Consumption)."
  20. ↑ Cricket, Anyone?, Fallen London "Law 13.13: An innings is closed once all batsmen are dismissed, or once half the batsmen are dead. In the event that any dead batsmen come around again before an innings is closed, they must remain classified as deceased until the next innings."
  21. ↑ Cricket, Anyone?, Fallen London "Law 12.9.43: A match is concluded if, without a conclusion having been reached under 12.9.42, the players leave the field under adverse conditions including: glimfall, excessive lacre, revolutionary interference, weasels, or an insufficient wine supply."
  22. ↑ Cricket, Anyone?, Fallen London "Law 15.1.1: A Master of the Bazaar may declare an innings closed at any time."
  23. ↑ Cricket, Anyone?, Fallen London "On London's social calendar, this is the sporting event. Not least because there's always enough wine to drown a whale. With a saboteur involved, it ought to be even more memorable. You're going to get to the bottom of the mystery, and probably a few bottles along the way."
  24. ↑ Cricket, Anyone?, Fallen London "Benthic and Summerset host it as an annual competition. Between themselves. After enough years have passed, I suppose that they'll finally know who's better. In the meantime," she says, stirring her tea, "this year's match should be quite an event. Mr Wines will officiate, as usual. The Masters of the Bazaar originally proposed the tournament as a diversion. Too much studying at the University. Not enough drinking. Everyone needs a revel, but especially academics."
  25. ↑ A peculiar practice, Fallen London
  26. ↑ Consider your options, Fallen London
  27. ↑ The body in the library, Fallen London
  28. ↑ The Professor of Antiquarian Esquivalience, Fallen London
  29. ↑ A colleague with a problem, Fallen London
  30. ↑ Cricket, Anyone?, Fallen London ""Bats!" [...] what we can learn by studying bats!" [...] Did you know they're sympathetic to a certain frequency? [...] what else you can encode into their flight patterns. [...] like the Hamburg Alphabet. [...] chiroptera can write it across time."
  31. ↑ Take tutorials for a little extra cash, Fallen London
  32. ↑ Address the University, Fallen London
  33. ↑ Trade in academic favours, Fallen London
  34. ↑ Pay someone else to research for you, Fallen London
  35. ↑ Sign here, and here, and here..., Fallen London
  36. ↑ A scholar returns to the Surface, Fallen London
  37. ↑ A meeting with the Dean, Fallen London
  38. ↑ Donate your finds to Benthic College, Fallen London
  39. ↑ Allow the Junior Researcher in Epigraphical Mathematics to seduce you, Fallen London "Now, the fascinating thing about trigonometry..."
  40. ↑ Trade airy theorems with the Dean of Epigraphical Mathematics, Fallen London
  41. ↑ Find someone who can help, Fallen London
  42. ↑ Polite, probing persistence, Fallen London
  43. ↑ Listen to the Implacable Detective, Fallen London
  44. ↑ Listen to the Youthful Naturalist, Fallen London
  45. ↑ Consider your options, Fallen London
  46. ↑ The mechanics of progress, Fallen London
  47. ↑ The Other Thing in the Other Chapel, Fallen London
  48. ↑ Conclude your study of Mr Spices' tears, Fallen London
  49. ↑ The Deadly Dapperlings, Fallen London ""They introduce themselves as graduates the Department of Muscular Amplification, and claim to have formulated a mint that grants you impressive strength. One of them [...] lifts the weight with ease – as if the metal casing were [...] full of feathers.""
  50. ↑ Speak to the Dean of Neocartography, Fallen London
  51. ↑ Claim to know the Dean of Palaeomycology, Fallen London
  52. ↑ The Alarming Scholar, Sunless Sea
  53. ↑ Academic Discipline, Fallen London
  54. ↑ Get the Semi-semiotic Fellow on your side, Fallen London
  55. ↑ Buy your way in, Fallen London
  56. ↑ An Invitation to High Table!, Fallen London
  57. ↑ Visit him at the laboratory, Fallen London
  58. ↑ Accept the Dean of Xenotheology, Fallen London "She is a student of faiths. The Church interests her, but so does the faith of Axile. And, of course, she is a University woman."
  59. ↑ A long list, Fallen London
  60. ↑ Alexis Kennedy, Community Forums "Benthic/Summerset are emphatically UCL/King’s, but Yasmeen, who wrote much of the University content, seasoned it with her Cambridge experience, so those of you who detected that flavour didn’t entirely imagine it."
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