A Brief History of 124 West Mason Street
The house on 124 West Mason Street was constructed during the spring and summer of 1213. Upon completion, it was given to the revered figure: Merlin Kent Ogden, who would, between 1231 and 1233, allowed for it to be used as a venue by the Cabotton University Council, and would set a mutual obligation in the deed for the upkeep of the downstairs section to serve historical heritage purposes and as a venue for some University functions. Ogden would maintain ownership until his death on 4 February 1238, after which the deed passed to his grand-niece: Ivella Ogden, who would hold the residence until January 1249. In that month, Ivella delegated with University Affairs and University Treasury the terms of the deed, which were then amended to award foundational property rights and tax rights to the University Treasury, to entitle the official House Key to the designated Head of House, and to designate up to three co-residents of the house as the three Keepers. Under these terms, the Head and three Keepers would, like Merlin Kent Ogden, have a right to live in the entirety of the house but would serve obligations to provide museum visitation rights and venue rights to University functions should the occasion arise. It was after these amendments were finalized that the Head of House title passed to Glenda Browen. Browen held the residence until March 1289, after which she passed the residence to Cerea Wen. Cerea Wen would hold the deed until October 1357, after which she would pass it to her great-granddaughter: Meghan Wen.
Over the two years that followed, Arnold Stamp would become the Headmaster of Cabotton University and impose his radical policies. Stamp's tenure would be followed by his resignation, and the imposition of Chief Administrator Jon Den's policies, to which many students, including Meghan Wen, were strongly opposed. Wen, in response, finished her studies and graduated earlier than expected in May 1359, and afterward decided to move away from Cabotton. Thus, she passed ownership of 124 West Mason Street to the Cabotton Scholar Collective. However, in June 1359, after successful persuasion (and possibly oathcrafting), the Cabotton Scholar Collective liquidated is property and assets, including 124 West Mason Street, and sold all to the University Treasury, now under Esurchian management. On 5 November 1359, the University Treasury sold the residence to the Lynn Bank Financial Institute, based in the Canticulan nation of Gamroa. And before long, reports emerged of the Institute considering a renovation on the place before selling it to the highest bidder, a move seen by the Cabotton University population as destructive to University heritage.
A Brief History of the Cabotton Scholar Foundation
The Community Education Initiative was established on 4 September 1234, and consisted of members of the Emoran Community as well as those early Cabotton University students sympathetic toward the Emoran Community. All of the aforementioned members were opposed to the corrupt Emoran Heritage Foundation as well as Thomas Snow and Seydryth Grey. Abiding by the slogan "education about the community for the community," the Initiative sought to raise awareness for the Emorans along with other indigenous nomadic groups.
On 3 June 1237, the Cabotton University Alumni Society was established, consisting of those former Cabotton students with degrees. Membership would later be open to alumni with or without degrees. This organization sought to advocate for the best possible University policies for future generations, and also to help fellow alumni secure successful careers. The latter objective would lead the Society to playing a major role in the University's association with the Global Academy in the 1280s, a move that would sour the Society's reputation. Such a reputation would recover in later years, however, after a majority in membership decried past actions and sought instead for more community outreach. This would, in fact, play an important part in the resistance against Esurchian infiltration.
On 4 January 1250, shortly after the end of Thomas Snow's Headmaster tenure, was established the Thomas Snow Community, consisting of those members opposed to the new Headmaster, Martin Cross, and supportive of the research-based curriculum that had once been present under Snow. There had, over the years that followed, been frosty relations between this Community and the Community Education Initiative, owing to the issues surrounding University property development and the Emoran Community. However, on 14 April 1282, such differences were set aside as the two organizations, acting in solidarity with the faculty anticipating the Great Strike, merged and formed the Cabotton Scholar Collective. Over the decades that followed, the Cabotton Scholar Collective grew in size, establishing local chapters at every Waltmann School as well as localities not associated with the University. Throughout the years, the Collective advocated relentlessly for the rights of students and staff against the University Administration and University donors. The Collective also championed the notions of educational fairness and equality for all.
The reputation gained from this was what led Meghan Wen to giving her residence at 124 West Mason Street to the Collective. However, as aforementioned, the Cabotton Scholar Collective, having been persuaded by the Esurchians, liquidated and sold their properties and assets to the Esurchian-run University Treasury. In turn, the Treasury sold the residence to the Lynn Bank Financial Institute.
It was the elected leadership of the Collective that had made the decision with the University Treasury. A large majority of Cabotton Scholar Collective membership not in leadership, however, was opposed to the move and, after the said transaction, formed an independent faction which, on 7 November 1359, merged with members of the Cabotton University Alumni Society, who had the largest involvement in the upkeep of 124 West Mason Street, and formed the Cabotton Scholar Foundation.
With financial backing from the former Alumni Society, the Cabotton Scholar Foundation, on 10 November 1359, made a successful bid and purchased 124 West Mason Street back from the Lynn Bank Financial Institute. Thus, 124 West Mason Street would be protected from further corrupt transactions.
Jon Den, Oppression, and Resistance
Chief Administrator Jon Den, from his remote location in Northeast Ancondria, made a public announcement to the University on 7 November 1359 that the School of Darkfire, the School of Dymensional Planecrafting, the School of Gyro-Engineering, and the School of Aerospace Engineering would be closed on 23 November, in order to provide more leasable office space to private Circlarian businesses. The Cabotton University population, led by the Cabotton Scholar Foundation, led a petition against this; however, such an effort would be ignored. Thus, protests ensued, during which the Esurchian Scouts and Campus Watch arrested, stunned, trespassed, and even disappeared scholars. More disturbingly, reports began emerging of the disappearance of scholars not even involved in the protests but who were simply voicing opposition through legal channels.
There also emerged reports of the University acquiring additional debt, this time toward Gyrosakian banks; while University Administrators, both Esurchians and Retunian loyalists to the Esurchian State, took large funds in the form of early retirements.
However, it was also during this time that the resistance began to strengthen and organize. Led by outspoken figure, Maxima Tangreen, and the Cabotton Scholar Foundation, the resistance carried out important tasks including spy-work against and reports on Esurchian figures, secure communication networks among resisting Retunian figures, and a secure channel of communication to the Robinson Administration and Retunian federal government.
On 10 November 1359, Den announced that University Council elections were postponed, once again, to "sometime between early January and late March 1360." The Cabotton Scholar Foundation refused to trust this communication and, instead, formed a Delegation Committee, who issued a writ of election to occur for University Council on 8 December 1359. Jon Den declared such a move illegitimate; but nonetheless, Cabotton scholars began obtaining ballots.