Beartoggle University

**Beartoggle University** was the city of Beartoggle's famed educational institution, located in the Tinkertown region and home to its dean, Igor Kellerman. The university offered degree programmes in culinary arts, economics and puppetry, of which the puppetry course was their most popular.

## Description

The university building was situated in the centre of a square paved with bricks, surrounded by a wrought iron fence with a gate in it. The building itself was huge and brick-built with unkempt and overgrown ivy clinging to its sides. The top of the building had a white bell tower with a gold cupula, which gleamed in the sun.

### Central Hall

The entrance led into the Central Hall, which was dark and dank, with guttering lanterns lighting it and not many students or teachers in evidence. No paintings of previous deans could be seen on the walls. There was a small door opposite the entrance leading to the dean's office, either side of which was a set of double staircases leading up to a second storey above. There were also doors to the right and left, leading to wings heading off in each direction.

### The Dean's Office

This was a relatively large, but bare office. There was a desk at the back of the room with a chair behind it. There were no other chairs and although the walls were lined with bookshelves, they were mostly bare.

### Right Wing

This is where the culinary classes were held.

### Upper Levels

The second storey was where all the puppetry classes were held.

## History

At some point in her past, Raphina studied economics at the university, remembering it as being bustling and bright and cheery. She also recalled that the dean's office was packed full of things and very comfortable. However, none of this was in evidence when she visited again with the party some time later. The dean related to them that the university had fallen on hard times and was struggling financially having suffered a number of setbacks. The Sooty Gang had begun causing a problem, harassing students at the entrance, stealing things and assaulting people. Also, "fancy" schools in Carnivar had begun head-hunting some of the young talent in Beartoggle, who began leaving town and going there. Finally, an unfortunate accident occurred during an economics class when some students, who were talking about the importance of gold in the economy, began to debate the weight of gold and ultimately were tragically crushed to death. A rumour then began to circulate that students might catch some kind of disease if they attended the university. The donations of money on which the university depended ceased to support them and the dean was forced to start selling off property to keep things afloat.

## Episode Appearances

* 238: Use Grapefruit Spoon!: We're told that Raphina has a degree in economics from Beartoggle University.
* 247: He Still Doesn't Know He's on a Podcast: Raphina points out a few of Beartoggle city's key locations, including the university.
* 250: A Foil Bag of Cranks: While visiting *The Clock Shop*, the group see two students from the university. Later the halfling proprietor suggests taking Captain Clockface to the university, saying *"they're smart."*
* 251: 50% Milk
* 252: The Pied Piper of Puppetry
* 310: What Kind of God Needs a Carnival?: Shelby: "I don't think the school has much money. They don't charge for classes."

## References

1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 1.6 252: The Pied Piper of Puppetry