The first point at which many students realize that they're not going to Ohio State University, or to their first day of work as an intern in an FTL trading fleet, or to an apprenticeship with the mildly famous and very scary Dark Sorceress who demanded their presence in her City of Dark Sorcery, is when they've unexpectedly walked into an auditorium filled with unexpectedly strange aliens.  In the sense that, no matter how strange the aliens you were expecting, or even if you had no such expectations at all, the aliens you see are stranger than that.

Also on stage you'll find Mesmerra, the greatest interuniversal Goddess of Mind Control, and no matter who you are or what kind of mental shields you thought you had, when Mesmerra speaks, you will pay attention.  There is, in principle, a saving throw you could make, but it's so high it might as well be infinity.

The first point at which many students realize that they're not going to Ohio State University -- or to their first day of work as an intern in an FTL trading fleet, or to an apprenticeship with the mildly famous terrifying Dark Sorceress who demanded their presence in her City of Relentless Gloom -- is when they unexpectedly walk into an auditorium filled with unexpectedly strange aliens.  In the sense that, no matter how strange the aliens you were expecting, or even if you had no such expectations at all, the aliens you see are stranger than that.

On a stage there you'll find Mesmerra, the greatest interuniversal Goddess of Mind Control.  No matter who you are or what kind of mental shields you thought you had, when Mesmerra speaks, you will pay attention.  There is, in principle, a saving throw you could make, but it's so high it might as well be infinity.