3rd Cycle of Optia, era XVI Post Fractum of the Longest Winter. The Reign of Prince Milo, First of His Name.
Originally written by Kaelon, edits and updates by Caerydd. Continued from this post
The Academy of Magic
"Most who have the gift pursue formal training, since an untrained hedgemage is a danger to himself and others; but only a select few are able to move beyond petty magic schools and common arcana learning houses. For those with the sharpest minds, the greatest of talents, and grandest intellectual curiosity, there is only the proudest and most prestigious institute in the world: the Academy of Magic."
--Mistress Pullen, Regent of the Academy
The Academy of Magic is the foremost institution of higher arcane learning in the Kingdom. Firmly anchored at the heart of the Saint Gabriel Parish ward of the Scholar Quarter district in Aelyria Prime, the Academy's gleaming ivory towers and marble courts can be found at the intersection of the Avenue of Knowledge and Boulevard of Eternity. Epic for its accomplishments in education and legendary for the great mages and powerful wizards who graduated, the Academy of Magic is also renowned for its stewardship of the famous Bibliotheke Arkanos, the library of countless grimoires and manuscripts, spellbooks and lexicons from the ages. The Academy of Magic has a loose affiliation with the Council of Arcana, an influential guild of powerful wizards controlling the Amethyst Tower, one of the highest points in Aelyria Prime, wherein the legendary Tome of Spells catalogues all known spells in existence.
Secrets :
Founded over one thousand years ago, the Academy of Magic was established by Queen Candace as a royal college to promote the study of arcana and advance the scholarship of magical knowledge. Originally called "the Aelyrian Academy of Magical Sciences", it has been known simply as "the Academy" to generations of worshipping magi and idolizing wizards, all who exalt the organization as the greatest institution ever devised by mortals in their quest to master magic. Under its earliest Headmasters, the Academy witnessed a proliferation of intense interest from across the burgeoning new borders of the Kingdom of Aelyria, and by the time that the First Empire was proclaimed, the Academy of Magic was widely recognized as the most prestigious institution of higher magical learning in the Realm.
Under the Headmaster Archmage Abar, the Royal Court Mage appointed by Queen Charisma, the Academy of Magic witnessed the flowering of its profound influence upon the Realm when its pronouncements affected how the magical community regarded events and circumstances that unfolded in Aelyria. Since the time of Empress Michelle, the Academy also constructed the famous Bibliotheke Arkanos, a great library of spellbooks and lexicons, grimoires and manuscripts, tomes and scrolls, all pertaining to the study of magic or the application of arcana. The fundamental tension between the Academy being seen as a "teaching college" versus a "research university" has been at the core of heated disagreements between members of the governing Board of Regents who set policies and guidelines for the Academy's future. The small class sizes of usually no more than a dozen students has typically ensured that the Academy of Magic maintains the highest standards for admissions into its selective society of scholars. Through the recent Headmaster Magister Bindar Ibarra, the Academy undertook an exhaustive translation of ancient works and books that depicted innumerable incantations, gestures, and rituals.
Recently, the Academy's Board of Regents elevated an eccentric and whimsical Professor of Incantations, Trimagister Raphoulus Garcae, to the office of Headmaster in direct response to the perceived threat to the security of magical knowledge and arcane power posed by the return of the Ancient Aelyrians (see: "Induction of the Headmaster"). Despite the intended secrecy of such selections, it was a well-known fact that the Board of Regents was determined to select a Headmaster who would guide the oldest and proudest magical institution in Aelyria, and so they selected their greatest prolific educator rather than a tried-and-true administrator or career-minded bureaucrat. Within hours of taking office, Headmaster Gar ordered the Academy's name simplified from its long and rambling name to the more succinct and direct moniker it holds today, and a new campaign to recruit a new generation of students and dedicated scholars was launched.
The Academy of Magic is a gated complex, whose broad ironwrought high walls encircle the campus. Before the main gate is the marble-and-stone Fountain of Knowledge, a serene plaza where students and townfolk often mingle. Atop the arched gates are the words "ACADEMIA ARCANORUM" in bevelled golden and emerald lettering. Just beyond the gates is an open walkway with lush gardens leading towards an immense temple of marble filled with rooms of instruction and halls of learning, flanked by ivory towers, where the Regents and Faculty keep their offices. To the East near the Forum can be seen the rising citadel of the Amethyst Tower, a tall purple-gemmed spire wherein both the mysterious Council of Arcana and the Office of the Headmaster can be found. To the West at the edge of the complex are a series of whitestone and redbrick townhouses serving as residences and meeting halls, flanked by the embracing wings of the Bibliotheke Arkanos, a columned palace housing the seven libraries of the Academy.
The Gates to the Academy are enchanted, yielding only to those who have magical ability or potential. Applicants must often endure a series of tests and interviews before they are granted enrolment, and even then only a small handful of students are allowed to matriculate each year. Outside the gates, proclamations from the Regents or decrees made by the Headmaster are posted to keep the public at large informed about notices pertaining to the Academy of Magic. Students are often distinguishable from pupils of other universities or academies by their distinctive hooded robes and gold-lined crimson cloaks, while many of the Faculty wear full regalia colored for their school of magic: Purple for Sorcery, Red for Elementalism, Blue for Mysticism, White for Thaumaturgy, Green for Druidism, Black for Necromancy, Yellow for Bardism, and Grey for Iconomancy. It is common to often see students traveling towards Bookseller's Row to purchase mundane supplies.
Secrets :
Trimagister Raphoulus Garcae
Professor Gar (male human master) was recently installed as Headmaster by the Board of Regents, but unlike his predecessors still maintains a full teaching schedule of Incantations classes in addition to his administrative duties. A middle-aged man standing at around five feet eight inches, his black hair exhibits the patterns of scholarly balding. His greying moustache and beard are always neatly trimmed, and over his bright blue eyes he wears wide spectacles held in place by a gold chain around his neck. His hairy arms are neatly tucked into his trademark elegant white silk long-sleeved button-down dress shirt, while his black and crimson vest bears the insignia of the Academy. His long trousers form the black pantaloons bound by matching leather black gold-buckle belt and accompanied by his black loose wyrmskin sandals over thin linen socks. This is the same uniform attire he has worn for the past few decades, and forms only a part of his legendary eccentricity.
Repeatedly turning down prestigious appointments offered to him by the Academy, Professor Gar has maintained rather famously his intent to teach Incantations as a principal course. Considered an obsolete lost art, the study of using words to focus and direct spells originates from the Headmaster's homeland of Daltina to the far south. His passion and dedication to teaching this ancient craft is famous, and students from as far away as the Metamagical Institute of Medonia seek transfers just to take his famous Incantations I: Introduction to Invocation, while graduates of institutions and academies far and wide enduring their lonely years of Journeymanship would desperately yearn to audit his course on Incantations IX: Vocative Theory. Known to break out into dancing in his classroom just to make a point, Professor Gar is known to be both stern and professional, but jovial and vivacious in his expressions and enthusiasm.
Master Tarn
Master Tarn (male human master) is a member of the Board of Regents, the leading body of administrators at the Academy. Like all Regents, he divides his time between administrative duties, scholarly research, and teaching; his speciality is Divination Theory in Sorcery. A tall and elegant fellow, Tarn wears the white-feathered purple cap of a Magister and his sparkling gold eyes often reveal the depths of his love for rituals. His narrow and proud face's elderly features routinely give way to a disgruntled look; he has limited patience, and often demands excellence of his students and compliance of those around him. He is known to adore debates, and when dining in the Great Hall with students, he goads them and fellow professors into heated discussions over such impossible questions as the origins of nothingness and the depths of infinity. He usually only takes on a couple of apprentices at most, but during their time toiling for their hard and strict master, his pupils claim to learn more about magical theory than they ever will the rest of their lives.
Mistress Pullen
Mistress Pullen (female human master) is also a member of the Board of Regents, and with Master Tarn, the two of them serve as co-chairs of the governing body of the Academy. Genuinely happy, her rotund and pudgy face glows with grandmotherly concern for her pupils whom she often chides with lessons on proper magical etiquette. Often seen wearing a flowing White Robe with an elegant silk hood commonly drawn when she is outdoors, Mistress Pullen looks like she may have once been quite a stunning beauty in her youth, but in her middle age seems like a harmless baker of cookies and coddler of children. It would be a mistake to underestimate her phenomenal power, as she is known to have considerable talent in channelling divine energy and teaches Thamaturgical Arcanomechanics to a small but dedicated following of students.
Master Crannach
Master Crannach (male human master) is a red-bearded northerner whose stern features are tempered by his soft green eyes. Also a Regent, he wears a Red Robe with its hood typically drawn and a pointed rimmed connical hat of his profession. Rumored to have a fascination with extraplanar beings, Master Crannach teaches Elementalism to first and second year students, but he is also famous for the number of apprentices he can typically juggle at the same time: his record, several years ago, was twenty-one in a single term. He enjoys debating with Master Tarn, with whom he shares a friendly rivalry, and the two of them often put on magic duels to teach and entertain students. Master Crannach is also known to have counseled the Army on the use of destructive spellcrafting and forced evocation, two topics that he continues to refine and review as "necessary evils" to preserve and protect the world of magic from the hostility of ignorance.
Master Maddoc
Another northerner himself, Master Madoc (male half-elf master) stands modestly with a rimmed-bald head of black hair, a black-beard and goatee, with blue eyes and rosey cheeks contrasting with his Blue Robes. A Regent himself, unlike his other peers on the Board, he is known to disappear for months on end as he undergoes great travels to explore and seek out new magical knowledge. He makes reappearances at the Academy for important hearings or crucial sessions of the Board of Regents, but otherwise is not believed to accept students. A talented mystic with a penchant for scrying effectively and interpreting visions, Maddoc "the Wayfarer" as he is commonly called by students is famous for the stories he tells about the elf lands of his forefathers. When on campus, he is a much-sought counselor that dispenses with valuable advice for students who are lost in their magical careers.
Master Laerg
Master Laerg (human half-elf master) is a young and proud middle-aged half elf with noble featuers and thinning short-hair; the most recently-added member of the Board of Regents has piercing slate eyes with a hint of frightening hazel with an air of arrogance and aristocratic gestures about his personage. Laerg's high cheekbones and thin lips complete the package of this Master Iconomancer, whose distinctive Grey Robe he wears with ornamental sashes and rune-etched fabrics. Hailing from an influential and wealthy family of mages, Laerg nevertheless worked hard for his position as a Regent and is known as a gifted researcher and strict teacher with exceedingly high standards. Valued for his impartiality, Master Laerg has often broken many tie-votes in the Board, and by most measures because of this exerts considerable influence on the Academy's policies and guidelines.
Magister Bindar Ibarra
Master Ibarra (male human master) is a guest lecturer at the Academy, and an honored guest of the Headmaster. A former Headmaster himself, like many of the Academy's community, he still lives within the walls of the institute and maintains his residence in one of the elegant townhouses to the West. An expert in the Ancient Tongue, Master Ibarra still occasionally guest lectures his courses on Transcription and Memorization, basic mind techniques that help mages store and recall magical knowledge on command. A thin and somewhat frail-looking elderly human, Bindar Ibarra is known for his simple robe and fondness for freshly sharpened quills and crisply-milled paper scrolls. With aging slate eyes and a wrinkled face, his pale skin is nevertheless graced by elongated ears and a slender nose.
The Academy of Magic has an annual schedule of two terms, the break between them coming directly from the Winter Solstice and the Vernal Equinox. Students can apply for either term, and if admitted, can expect to spend at least two years learning basic and advanced magical theories and techniques. While a longer study than other institutes, matriculation in the Academy is considered a major boon, and the potential for networking and acquiring knowledge are without parallel in the Kingdom. Potential applicants for admission into the Academy are requested to make their presence known at the Main Gates.
It was lucky indeed for the young diantar that Prime was well policed these days. While Diantar walked publicly in many a provincial city, they were rare enough in the Scholar's Quarter that their passing caused a murmur and a mutter in the general populace. None offered violence or insult, but there was an ugly tone to the muttering. As he followed his directions to the Academy, here and there he felt the strange slight tug of the Call that told him of the presence of dracons. Near but muffled. He was certainly not the only one of his kind in the city, though he did not see another diantar on his long walk through the Wards of Auster and Saint Michael. Humans and elves everywhere, as far as the eye could see in these leafy, illustrious neighbourhoods. The King's Square, the first landmark he came across as he entered the city, was a huge open space of marble colonnades and lofty stonework. The general feeling, even in the bite of Longest Winter, was one of prosperity as those clever enough to profit from the cold times rubbed soldiers with the poor academia. Gradually the King's Highway gave way to the Via Ioannes, and the happy bustle of Auster Ward turned into the quiet wealth of Saint Michael.
Here the young dracon could see the hidden underclasses of prime going about their business - servants dived off down side streets built expressly for the cause of giving them access to the servants doors of the large houses. Quiet boarding houses for respectable academics stood alongside large private homes, and all was dotted about with quiet libraries and leafy trees. The constabulary of Saint Michael was one of the best in the city.
Finally the Via Ioannes reached Saint Gabriel, and Lexxum was directed by a friendly student to the Boulevard of Eternity. The student, a young blond human boy, called it 'Endless Street' in rather disparaging tones. Obviously not everyone was so enamoured of the grand names.
ACADEMIA ARCANORUM
He was now before those hallowed gates. He had travelled a long time for this. Would he enter?
Last edited by Caerydd; July 13, 2009 at 05:37 AM.
3rd Cycle of Optia, era XVI Post Fractum of the Longest Winter. The Reign of Prince Milo, First of His Name.
Lexxum Vordic took in all of the sites and sounds as he walked. Snow was everywhere through the long winter. Teachings of the Dracon society passed through the youth's mind. Feeling the tugging of various other Dracon hidden in the shadows, the youth felt something akin to excitement. Lexxum Vordic was a youth of few words, he preferred action despite his book-worm ways. His eyes were narrowed to thin slits, and his hood was held tightly to his head so that it could keep him warm.
Though he wore but linen, the clothing was somewhat enough to keep his epidermis warm. Lexxum Vordic's tail swung from side to side seemingly of its own volition. Lexxum attempted to make himself a mental map of the surrounds so he would not get lost. He needed to be self-reliant in this day and age, as all sentients under the banner of the empire needed to be. Lexxum Vordic suddenly found himself in front of the gates of the Academy.
There were people all around going about their own business. The Dracon was unused to the customs of the men-folk in the land. Still, the Elder Shaman of his tribe had deemed it worthwhile to study the customs and ways of the men-folk of in Aelyria proper. The Dracon he had sensed throughout the kingdom would be sought out later on for a sense of familiarity and comfort.
He had not spotted any Dracon Hunters-yet. He was certain that they existed in the city, but something upheld a natural code of civility in the air as strong as a vibration. Lexxum Vordic stepped through the gates and began to make his way towards the building that he assumed was his Academy he was searching for. He required some place to learn the tools of his trade, learn the unbinding, and learn the ways of Men. Lexxum Vordic walked over to a man who seemed like an important official.
"IIssss thisss theee Akaademiii?" Lexxum Vordic asked with his richly thick Dracon accent. He had no use of the Common Tongue up until that point, but was attempting to speak it none the less. The language sounded foreign to the Dracon's ears.
Students everywhere indeed. All around Lexxum they walked and talked, gathering at the fountain and talking, or rushing off through the gates as if alerted by a noise only they could hear. Through it all the soft, calming noise of the grand fountain, liquid even in these freezing temperatures, continued to run. A rotund human with his arms full of scrolls passed through the magical gates just as Lexxum asked his question. "Of course it is, diantar. It says so there on the gates, doesn't it!" Exasperated and out of puff, the gentleman proceeded on his way with an air of pompous importance about him. He wore a brown robe with white edging, a motif that Lexxum could see repeated on many of the figures in the complex beyond the gates, though the trim varied in colour.
"Don't mind him." A soft voice spoke behind Lexxum "He's just in a hurry. This will be the third time that he is late for one of Mistress Pullen's lectures. She gets awfully upset. I don't think she'd mind so much if he wasn't so noisy, but he will grumble so and take so long to fit into his place that she loses track of what she was saying" Another exasperated sigh, although good natured in tone "The first step to entering the Academy is to go through the gates. After that, well, if you get through the gates try the fifth, no, sixth turn, and follow that path. It should take you where you need to go" The voice was definitely female.
The encounter reminded Lexxum Vordic of the many prejudices towards his kind that his people dealt with from time to time. It happened, so be it. This particular encounter though was one that struck Lexxum Vordic as particularly odd. He thought about the rotund man for a moment and thought about the strange attire everybody seemed to wear. He looked at his own clothing, they were quite impervorished compared to everyone else's attire. Lexxum Vordic sighed and was prepared to continue on his way when another presence greeted him shortly after the rotund man.
Lexxum Vordic turned his attention towards the woman who spoke. The Dracon bowed his head towards her in a deep inclination. He then relaxed his physical stance, walking a bit closer but keeping a respectful distance away. He did not want to upset the Men-Folk of this city who were already a paranoid bunch as it was. Lexxum Vordic was just eager to stick his snout in some books and get everything underway. He had a long education ahead of him, he knew that would be true, and he would enjoy every moment of it.
Lexxum Vordic listened to the woman carefully and memorized the numbers that were crunched out. He nodded once more with a thanks. "I thank you kindly." Was roughly said with the Draconi accent. Lexxum Vordic was basically a kind-hearted Dracon with his mind in the right place. He just wanted to become an asset to the Empire. Lexxum Vordic memorized the way the female the instructor appeared, knowing he would need her help down the road again sometime. Lexxum Vordic then began his journey towards the place she said he should go. Walking with a purpose now, the Draconi stood out like a sore thumb in the crowd of fair skinned Elven folk and stout Men-folk.
Lexxum knew he was in for a walk, and an adventure.
Lexxum walked off quickly, before the figure he addressed could reply. She started in surprise, for she had not been the one who had spoken. In fact, the voice that had addressed him had come from empty air. It seemed that who ever had been helpful to the young dracon was either shy or talented. The woman he had addressed turned back to her companions, and rejoined the conversation laughing a little with with them as she explained her confusion at being spoken to by the dracon.
The air fair hummed as he passed through the auspicious gates, and into the green sanctuary beyond. He had passed the threshold, he was gem-blooded. Maintained by druidic students, the majority of the gardens teemed with plant life, tended lovingly by bees and other insects, and bird song was in the air.
Lexxum did indeed stand out, and before he even reached the turn off he was approached by a frail looking cetherhalfling, with sandy blonde hair and a pale complexion. The young male was dressed in a robe of rich brown, edged with red, and wore no cap on his head, although the breast of his robe bore many fine broaches made of finely wrought gold and silver. The fellow was tall for a cether, standing at four foot, but he stood out as much as the tall dracon did, although for the opposite reason.
"You must be new here" He was young, for a Cether, and his voice practically cracked as he spoke. He blushed immediately, a fine bloom that seemed to rise to cover his entire face. "P-p-p-p-please c-c-come th-this way M-M-Mr. Dracon!" He blushed an even deeper red, gesturing frantically for the youngster to follow him. "M-m-m-mistress Pullen s-s-s-s-said s-s-s-someone s-s-s-s-s-s..." He gave up, and tried for another way "..a dracon w-would be c-c-coming t-t-to s-s-s-s-s-s..."
He was still stuttering his way through 'stay' when a lance of cruel laughter silenced him. It was the woman that Lexxum had erroneously thanked before. Tall, blonde and rich, a cruel curl to her smile and an air of smug self-satisfaction. "So it seem you've got yourself a freaky friend to keep you company, Meris!" The voice was certainly not that friendly, soft one that had leant him aid before. "How delightful. Have you invited him back to your dorm for tea yet, Meris? Maybe he will be able to help you convince Master Crannach to promote you!" She was flanked on either side by a group of humans and elves, men and women, most wore the brown robes that Meris did, but some wore a brown that was almost black, and others wore a pale cream. Every sphere was represented here except Ikonomancy, and the speaker herself wore deep chocolate robes edged with crimson.
Meris, the sandy haired halfling, turned pale and bit his lip. To answer would only open him to ridicule, and to remain silent was to do much the same. Yet he seemed to gather courage from somewhere. "Y-y-ou be quiet, Ayanesse! M-M-Mistress P-P-Pullen sent m-m-me t-t-" He tried his best, but Ayanesse and her posse cut him off with a shriek of laughter.
"What ever you say, Meris. We'll be waiting for you another time."
You're good and a pleasure to work with. Lexxum's scales are bright red with black stripes and other black markings all over his person.
In a splinter across time and space, Lexxum Vordic caught a glimpse of the true nature of humanity. Though a small glimpse, it was a glimpse nonetheless. The cruelty he saw towards the halfling made the Dracon's heart soar with anger for a moment, but he kept silent. There was nought he could do for the gathered alumni that were present had skill that Lexxum Vordic could scarcely imagine. It would not do to insult the alumni so early in the game, so Lexxum Vordic simply observed taking no side in the matter at hand.
Whatever the business between the woman and the small halfling was, Lexxum Vordic had no business butting in. He knew that too, so he simply stood there feeling a bit helpless. He pondered ways he could get revenge, and the thought of eating the woman crossed his mind. However, Lexxum Vordic knew that eating the humans in their cities was against a thing called "The Law." It was Lexxum Vordic's duty to follow this strange and vague concept.
Lexxum Vordic knew he had found what he was looking. Either the blond haired woman, or the halfling had what he needed. So he simply stood there and waited for the situation to unfold. He had no business taking side in either the alumni, or the halfling's behalf. So, he took a look at the surrounds observing the students and their activities. The Dracon was still drawing strange looks from the average passerby, and this made Lexxum Vordic very uncomfortable.
Still, the Shaman-Elder had decreed that Lexxum Vordic learn all that he could. This meant learning the negative behaviors of Men-Folk and their ilk, and learning how to adapt to each new situation that came as a resulting consequence of the negative behavior. Lexxum saw that they were many greens about, and he wondered if magic fueled this phenomenon considering the winter outside the campus. Lexxum Vordic was starting to grow eager to learn again, he felt the desire, the pull. He just wanted to be on his way.
So, Lexxum Vordic acted when the ridicule continued. He acted, but not on behalf of either party. He acted for himself. "I am here to see about enrolling in the Academy." Lexxum Vordic said, hoping he had stated that term properly. "I am here to see about the Unbinding, and learn the ways of Sorcery." He also added, trying to make his purpose known. The Dracon figured if he could do that, then everybody would focus on the task at hand and leave that halfling alone.
Last edited by Lexxum Vordic; July 13, 2009 at 11:18 AM.
Apparently bored with her game, Ayanesse wandered off, but not before subjecting Lexxum to a shrewd look. Meris looked utterly deflated for a moment, like a pip's-bladder ball that had been pierced by a thorn. Yet Lexxum's words seemed to remind him of why he was there, and he straightened his back and nodded at the dracon.
"Y-yes of c-c-course. I w-was s-s-s-s.. asked t-t-o m-m-meet you. F-follow m-m-me" The little halfling trotted off further into the green gardens, the ever present blush receding so that his natural pale colouring showed through once more. Lexxum was a student of humanity, but that which he called humanity was not a simple, monolithic entity. The gods of Aelyria could be both cruel and kind, and their motives could not be guessed at by mere mortals.
Not looking to see if the black and red dracon was following him, Meris had obviously expected Lexxum to keep a-pace with him. Onwards down the green path, and then swinging westwards towards whitestone and brick houses, their doors outlined with patterns made up of intricate lines of colour. These Arcanae Knots represented the spheres of the lecturers and masters within, twining and untwining as another mage entered a building to incorporate another strand of colour. The most common threads were red, blue, purple and white, the most ancient of the arcanic traditions within the Empire. A small door near the northend was twined with silver and yellow, while one forbidding portal was encircled with a doubled twist of black. The pristine pathways were lined with a pale rose-quartz gravel, and yes, Lexxum was right - the air here was warmer and more temperate than the frigid air in the rest of the city. Meris started muttering to himself as they neared a door that was outlined with a single thread of bright azure. Strangely he did not stutter, and the gentle breeze in the air brought a few choice words to Lexxum's ear
The stopped infront of the door, and Meris puffed himself up as much as he could, bolstering his courage before he could bring himself to knock. "If they accept y-you, I will s-s-see y-ou again s-s-on" His words ended in a squeak as the door swung inwards silently, and a figure in an azure trimmed cloack beckoned from the hall way within. And now Lexxum beheld the figure that had advised him so, before the gates, for he heard the voice again. "Be welcome, Dracon, please come in and we will put you to testing." The female, with fine black hair lying in a single plait over one shoulder, and aquiline features that spoke of a heritage of mixed human blood, smiled kindly at Lexxum and dismissed Meris with a friendly nod. "You have done your job well, Meris. I shall speak to Master Crannach on your behalf, as I promised."
The kindly human turned back towards Lexxum and beckoned once more. "So you are here for testing then. You are aware that very few are ever admitted to the Academy?" She questioned as she waited for him to enter the building. The hall way she stood in had a floor of ceramic tiles laid out in an intricate mandela pattern, and the walls were a plain white, in contrast to the opulence of much of the complex. Windows high above lit the space, and a stone stair led off to a mezzanine floor above.
Last edited by Caerydd; July 14, 2009 at 05:39 AM.
Sensing the general temperature change in the area, Lexxum Vordic lowered his hood as a gesture of friendliness. He respected the gnome and remembered the face of that racist woman. For the time being, there was naught he could do about the situation so he followed Meris through the complex proper.
Lexxum Vordic saw the archaic lines of power all over the campus. Each building had unique, intertwining lines of power bristling through their very fabric of reality. Lexxum Vordic admired the craftsmanship of human architecture and it seemed to be quite complex. A part of him wondered how these huge buildings were erected and how they survived the test of time. But, that was a lesson for another day.
A specific path had been laid before the Dracon, and he intended to make good on the Shaman-Elder's decree. Meris said some shocking words to the Dracon, but he stood silent and simply listened to the small halfling. Apparently, that woman and he had some sort of history together, and a bad one at that. Lexxum Vordic did not like that. He simply bowed with respect towards Meris when the other walked off.
Thinking about the words of the Elder Shaman, Lexxum Vordic closed his eyes for a moment. Potent memories passed through his cranium. "Heed well my words, my son. The humans are a dangerous, superstitious lot, there are very few kind individuals within their rank. Hunters will dog your every move. And you must be proud and strong. You must endure for the sakes of our people, the Dracon. You must face all the challenges that you will come your way in the traditions of our people. Courage. Fearlessness. Discipline. Remember these tennants always." Lexxum Vordic could almost feel the presence of the Shaman-Elder as the vision faded. He shook his head for a brief moment and walked towards the woman in the building entering the common. Several people were about doing various chores and various studies. Lexxum Vordic felt a tiny bit of trepidition in his heart as he approached the woman, she represented change and an uncertain destiny.
Lexxum Vordic heard her words well. He nodded towards her person. He was attempting to gather courage before the face of a superior. Though he was not afraid, he knew his place in the academy. He was a student of knowledge, and the knowledge he sought would come in due time. This was but the first steps towards obtaining that knowledge. The Elder Shaman's voice passed through his mind once again. "Proceed without fear young Vordic." Lexxum nodded for no reason in particular. Now used to speaking in the Common Tongue, Lexxum Vordic responded. "I understand the risks involved. I am willing to accept full responsibility for the consequences of the hour." Lexxum Vordic said. He knew he would have to be brave to undergo the rigorous training program. The Dracon that he sensed in the city would be watching his progress closely. "I submit myself fully to your teachings. Mi'lady." Lexxum Vordic said, noticing that kindness glowing in her eyes. It practically radiated from her person and he took and immediate liking to her.
Lexxum Vordic waited for her response.
Last edited by Lexxum Vordic; July 14, 2009 at 03:21 PM.
Amusement lined the lady's face, and as Lexxum solemnly accepted that his immediate future would be difficult, and then she gestured again. "Please, come in child. Let us see if you are worthy to be unbound, and to what plane you are most truly attuned." She turned and left the hallway, through a door to the right.
Once inside the building, Lexxum would find that the door would swing noiselessly closed behind him. It was a fault of these academics that they did like parlour tricks somewhat, and in a cosmopolitian city, none was so easy to please with magic as a country bumpkin like Lexxum, for so such as Ayanesse and her like would perceive him. It was partly ignorance, to be sure, for many of them could not believe that he was educated, nor that his faith was true.
"Please follow me, we must get your registration for the Enrollment Exam sorted out. I have already called for a variety of testers" That soft, feminine voice again, speaking as if the lady stood right by his ear, though he knew she was but meters away in the nearby room.
Through the archway was a reception room. The walls were a uniform white, but covered in delicate plaster work that showed flights of birds and dragons in stylised artistic forms. The furniture included a set of carved wooden chairs with tall backs and high arms, although they were bereft of extra decoration they were exceptionally smooth and so highly polished that the grain of the wood gleamed like darkened gold. There was a problem, however, they would not happily accommodate lexxum's tail, nor his wings. As cosmopolitan as the Academy and the city was, Dracons were a rarity except in certain quarters.
By now, Lexxum Vordic had a bit of confusion in his heart. The buildings in this area of the city were apparently randomly laid out. He would require a map to find his way around. Even if he had a map in the first place, the Dracon was no map reader. So he would need to memorize his way around by heart. He was told that this building they traveled to was the reception area. Lexxum Vordic simply nodded when he received the information that he needed.
Taking a look around, the Dracon found that he was enjoying himself. Despite the nervousness in his heart, he actually liked being there. It was a different setting from the one in the Khardran mountain range. There, with the peaks of the moutains touching the sky, Lexxum and his tribe were unawares of the politics of the world below. They'd lived as a nomadic peoples for many ages atop those mountains isolating themselves from Aelyria proper.
Lexxum Vordic felt a strange desire to understand his past. Furthermore, he wanted to understand his place in the world. Lexxum Vordic was told that he had the potential. Up until this point, he had no idea what that could possibly mean, only that he had to venture to Aelyria Prime and learn the ways of the wise. Lexxum Vordic looked at the woman for a time as he pondered what he had to do next. He did not want to rush anything, and he wanted see everything.
"What do you mean by Testers?" Lexxum Vordic asked. He had many questions and was almost certain that this woman would answer them without hesitation. The young Dracon was still an eager student after all and he was a tourist as well. Aelyria Prime was not his homeland, but rather the Primus countryside was. Lexxum Vordic wanted to be outdoors, but somehow he understood that the old life was over. He would fashion for himself an entirely new identity. He wondered how his brother, Draiken Vordic, was fairing somewhere in the city as well.
The black haired woman smiled. "The Vice-Chancellor of the Academy has intended that we instruction and train the people, not just the ability. It is a somewhat new concept for some of our older teachers, but the result is that we must test for greatness of heart, purity of spirit, and the best of intentions." Seating herself in one of the high backed chairs, the lady made an elegant gesture with her hand, and the other wooden chair seemed to shrink and reform, before expanding again right before Lexxum's dracon eyes. The result was a finely crafted wooden stool, just the right height for him, and more comfortable for one with a tail. Motioning for Lexxum to sit, she cleared her throat and began to question him.
"You propose to learn Sorcery, and you speak of responsibility, and of being a good student, but I need to know what you think is a proper use of such power as you might gain." She switched her gaze from his red and black scales, and started at the mandala pattern on the floor. "How do you think a trained Adept spends his days, once he has left the Academy, Lexxum?"
Smiling in the strange scaly smiles of the Dracon, Lexxum Vordic sat upon the newly transmutated chair. His tail swished downward and slightly touched the floor. He listened to what she said and took it all in. Somehow, the hinting of new teachings seemed relevant to Lexxum Vordic. Somehow. But he was unable to put it all together, he knew not the ways of non-Draconi politics. It was clear though that the "new ways" that she spoke of directly affected Lexxum Vordic.
Not knowing what she possibly meant by the revealing of the information, Lexxum Vordic simply sat quietly. He was eagerly awaiting further instruction when she solemnly asked a very specific question. Suddenly, the term tester swam in his head once more. Lexxum Vordic thought carefully about what his response would be, but in the back of his mind he wondered if there was a right and wrong answer. Somehow, he could feel the weight of students past and present that had undergone the very same sort of testing.
Once again, his mind cleared and there was a sudden flash of light. He enviosioned his Father, Kromagnian Vordic did at the very same moment. He missed his family dearly already. Normally, Kromagnian did his job as a Blacksmith Grandmaster. Lexxum Vordic's head cleared up as he imagined the smell of the forge, the archaic practice of blacksmithing and the path of his family. Lexxum Vordic wondered why the Elder-Shaman had sent him on this mission to become a Sorcerer. However, it was not his place to question the way of the Elders. Lexxum Vordic did not respond for a full minute or so, when his eyes finally reopened.
It was as if he was gone to some far away location. "I think." Lexxum Vordic began speaking. "I think that the pursuit of Knowledge is a never-ending pursuit. When one is not on errands for his or her superiors, one should be spending time practicing his art. It should be true of Sorcery, or of any other art. An artist draws, a blacksmith crafts weapons, so on and so forth. So a learned student of Sorcery never truly stops learning. Lest he grows stagnant and his skills grow weak. But this is just my opinion, I am not an expert in these matters..." Lexxum Vordic felt nervous. He wondered if he screwed something up.
The woman shrugged, a little perplexed by the answer that the dracon gave her. "I speak not of what one must do to maintain the ways of the craft, but why one practises it in the first place. Do you think an Adept Druid learns to summon down a tempestuous monsoon in order that she might continue to learn? Or that the Master Sorcerer learns to create a reflective shield so that he can enclose himself safely with his books?" As she said that last phrase, there was the slightest hint of exasperation. Evidently such a situation had occured. "The Royal Mage, Atl Myrsa, required that all Mages register with the Government, and the Legions themselves employ mages for all sorts of work. Mages are not merely academics in this Emp...Kingdom. They are members of general society, especially the Journeyman Adepts who are cast into the world to complete their Masterpiece. Many mages will never make it beyond Initiate, and Prime is rare in that there are so many Academic Masters with the leisure for teaching. Many cities boast of only one master in their local academy, this city has nearly thirty on it's teaching staff. If you stayed in Prime you could remain and learn, and teach, but it is not the only use for Arcana. We wish to comprehend what you will do with your Vis once you have been taught to make use of it."
She gestured with her left hand, and a student entered moments later bearing a tray of refreshments. The student had light brown robes trimmed also with azure blue, and a head of brown hair, with a red nose. He looked about 16 ordinances, and very nervous. The wooden tray trembled, causing glasses and plates to clatter together.
"I think.." the lady continued "That I am getting ahead of myself. Lexxum, please help yourself. I apologise, I have heaped a great many concepts you, youngling, before I have introduced myself! I am Adept Felice tu Garrlisson. I will not be tutoring you myself if you make it through the Unbinding Process, but I have been assigned by Professor Wylinda to assess potential students before I am to be allowed to leave the Academy for my Journeyman days. I am an adept of the sphere of Mysticism, and I am told that I have somewhat more than my fair share of compassion. This is a lucky thing, for a Mystic is capable of some fairly horrific things. I wonder if your Elder Shaman ever realised what a nest of vipers he could be sending his young Lexxum Vordic into."
No, he was not imagining it. He had never spoken of Elder Shaman, and yet this human woman dressed in brown and blue knew of him.
Nodding with respect towards the other boy, the Dracon helped himself to a glass of juice. He wasn't sure what the juice was, but it smelled delicious from his position. Taking a gulp of the substance, Lexxum Vordic felt satisfied for the first time since he ventured into Aelyria Prime. A name, he now had a name. Lexxum Vordic listened very carefully to what he was told. It was apparent that Magi were in demand now, and Lexxum Vordic could focus himself to his teachings. Not only that, he could apply himself to his teachings with various works in the kingdom. Lexxum Vordic's mind embraced the possibilities of a bright future. He took another sip of the mystery juice he was drinking, fascinated by its texture and flavor. It was a combination of fruits he'd never tasted before. It was also part of the learning experience. Lexxum Vordic realized he had not introduced himself properly yet either. He waited until Adept Felice tu Garrlisson was done speaking as a show of respect to his superior. Teaching is a possibility. The Dracon thought to himself.
"Well yes. You seem to know my name already..." Perplexed by that relevation, the Dracon blinked a few times. Then, he gathered his compsure quickly. "You spoke of something called a Vis. I am curious, what is the Vis?" Lexxum Vordic asked. He also had another name now, Professor Wylinda. From what she stated to him, Lexxum Vordic was attempting to ascertain what facts pertained to him. Magi worked in all facets of daily life, indeed, he had no idea of the new life that was being thrust on his shoulders.
He could imagine his brother, Draiken Vordic, taking up the training of the Soldier. Somewhere in Aelyria Prime. He wondered if his brother was doing the same things he was, just in a different setting and for an entirely different set of goals. Lexxum Vordic drank some of that refreshing juice one more time, then took some fruits. There were berries of every sort, apples, oranges, and a few other fruits still. Lexxum Vordic also saw treats made of beef of all sorts as well. He took some of the ham and sausages and consumed it realizing how hungry he was. He took his fair share of food leaving plenty on the plate for he to consume as well.
As a predatory creature, Lexxum Vordic was used to hunting for prey from an early age. He had once hunted the beasts of the wild along with the elders of his people learning how to stalk and track creatures and monsters. That old life was over, and not meant for him. He was meant for greater things still. Lexxum Vordic knew that this new life was with its share of danger and risks. The testing sounded like a dangerous process and he was eager to get started. Lexxum Vordic looked over to Adept Felice's person. "I am curious, what is the exact process of The Testing? Will I experience a lot of pain during it? I mean, will I expect it to hurt in some way? I am just curious as to what exactly will be happening and why so I am prepared. In the ways of my people, the Hunter must prepare for the Hunt. I simply want to be psychologically and emotionally prepared for whatever endurance tests must be undertaken." Lexxum Vordic realized he had just said a lot. But he wanted her to get to know him as best as she could.
Like it or not, these people were his Tribe now. Lexxum Vordic became very serious. "Though I am nervous for the moment, I am not afraid." And he was being quite sincere.
The lady laughed, and when she spoke again her voice was ripe with gentleness, though the smile remained, but no ridicule was in her voice as she answered the eager student. "Ah, so many questions. Yes, I know your name and a few other things besides. It was I that spoke to you as you stood beside the fountain at the entrance to our academy, not young Ayanesse. A mystic is able to send out their awareness, able to touch minds, read them. Coupled with ethics and a knowledge of what makes for a mage that is good of heart, that is what makes me good for assessing youngsters such as yourself. Now the testing may end in pain, but it is mainly a test of mental aptitude, of morals, of belief in the Sacred Three, and finally whether you actually have the potential that we see." She paused, and leant forward to pile a plate full of candied fruit treats, and a few strips of cured meat. The decantor that had poured juice for the young dracon now poured wine into another glass for Felice. The warm smell of it filled the room, and the dracon could detect the same fruit of his own drink. Felice nodded to the boy, who smiled at Lexxum, bowed to Felice, and ran out.
"For you, the testing is already underway. I will give my..psychological.. report to the Dean of Admissions later. I am also expected to recommend a sphere for you, although of course many students have an idea of which Plane they wish to be attuned to. Next will come a test of Logic, a Test of Heart, and and finally the Test of Unlocking. Later this cycle you will meet with some of the Masters, and if one choses to accept you, we would normally then make arrangements with your parents for the payment of our fees. However I suspect that your family will not be able to afford them. As such we will determine other ways for you to...contribute to the well being of the academy." She stopped talking again. "Forgive me, I do tend to ramble, and I feel that you have many more questions about Arcanemetaphysics. The theory and knowledge of arcana will be part of your training. If there is any pain, it will likely be that of a boring lecture, or a nightmare during the Test of Unlocking."
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