Arcane Academy [MUL]

[Procrastinationary]

Since this is my first attempt at coming up with a game, bear with me if I leave out any important details. Questions are welcome, it's always easier to get things in order when there's a sounding board. I'm not even sure how to classify the game until I know if there are players interested and what their proclivities are. There's a lot more to the world than I can list here, such as the internal politics of the secret arcane society of humans, the fae courts and the demon realms, among other things. More will be revealed through the course of the game, obviously.

The setting of the game is The Karenosha Academy, an ancient institute dedicated to instructing young men and women in the control and application of magic. It serves a dual purpose of educating these potential magi and therefore ensuring a future for the school and The Art, and ensuring that those with arcane potential are taught to harness their abilities in a secure environment to prevent any nasty cataclysms.

The idea was to try to blend the educational aspects with the obviously adult themes that just have to be put in there. Given the unorthodox nature of the school and the stressful lives of those that live in it, romantic trysts among the student body or the faculty are likely to be ignored unless they cause trouble for the school. Affairs between students and teachers are frowned upon, but not strictly regulated against, since magical practitioners tend to be quite fierce when denied what they want. Things could progress to non-human encounters, if someone was foolhardy enough to risk summoning a demon or some other creature for fun and games.

Magic: Magic is one of the many terms used to describe the channeling, control and consequences of the fundamental force known as mana. Woven into the very fabric of reality, mana is an energy that can be used to accomplish virtually any effect, limited only by the channeler's own puissance and the availability of mana in the area.

Potentials: Magical potential among humans is extremely low, with only 1 in every 100,000 possessing any ability at all. Most of those with potential pass through their entire lives without ever realising their abilities, while many more are incapable of anything but the simplest of conjurations, and only then with extreme effort. The remaining few, however, are truly incredible beings, capable of tremendous feats with sufficient training and willpower.

While humans are innately inferior in magical potential, other beings are often brimming with arcane energy. Many of the greatest practitioners in the history of the Art are believed to have had some demonic or fae blood, though other strange unions have also produced gifted individuals.

The Academy: The Academy is a private organisation funded by its own resources and alumni, and is considered the most prestigious school for arcane disciplines. Despite the strange curriculum it is, in almost every other respect, like any other elite private school. Much of the staff are former students and many of them are held in esteem in magical circles, though there are those on the payroll who have little or no magical training and potential. The education offered by the Academy includes not only arcane studies but also a more mundane classical education, ensuring that students are given a well rounded skill set before they face the world on their own. There is no tuition fee, not even for the scions of wealthy arcane clans, whose families already contribute to the school's coffers.

There are no shortages of space and facilities, since the Academy occupies its own personal pocket dimension. The sprawling palace has grounds that stretch for miles and has been kept up with the times, ensuring that progress doesn't suffer because of tradition. Not content to simply be a hidden paradise, the school insists on moving regularly, as happy to settle down in the middle of the Gobi Desert one day and Yorkshire the next. Its ambulatory habits have no effect on its environs, but do allow the students the opportunity to see the world without having to stray too far from safe haven.

Staff: The school hires most of its teachers from among its own alumni, though it doesn't discriminate too heavily against those who have failed to attain such a fine education. A number of non-magical individuals may be hired at any given time, given that the school offers a variety of classes that have no arcane aspects despite their importance.

Students: The school accepts students aged sixteen or older, though the administration usually expect most students to move on by their thirtieth birthday, though only a rare student manages to fail so spectacularly as to not have a journeyman's grasp of the art by their mid-twenties. The school discriminates only on grounds of arcane potential, but since they choose the students this is rarely an issue. Younger students are instructed in the basics of the Art, with studies growing more personalised as students mature and develop their own paradigms.

Characters Needed Characters will be, for the most part, humans. Characters who perhaps have an inhuman parent or ancestry will be accepted, though the school itself is unlikely to allow fae, demons or other inhuman creatures. This is not so much bigotry as the fact that most of those species would be considered utterly insane by human standards and rarely have need of a formal magical education. That being said, it doesn't take a wizard to see the usefulness of a troll working as a porter or a vampire librarian.

Teachers: The people charged with shaping the fine young minds left in their care. While it isn't necessary for every teacher to be a magical adept, those teaching classes of a magical nature will obviously need to be. It may be possible for a person in a teaching position to also serve as a custodian. Examples: Arcane Languages, Psychic Conditioning, Divination, Martial Arts, Demonic Psychology.
Custodians: The people charged with running the school itself rather than dispensing education, they will nevertheless prove to be as influential in the lives of the students and their colleagues as anyone else. It may be possible for a person in a custodial position to also serve as a teacher. Examples: Bursar, Nurse, Counselor, Librarian, Porter.

Junior Students: Aged sixteen to twenty one, these students will be trained in the basics of the Art along with other skills essential for any young wizard. They are afforded a great deal of freedom, though they are expected to excel in their studies lest they find their education terminated.
Senior Students: Mostly aged between twenty one and twenty six, though with a rare few younger or older, these students have progressed to developing their own magical style. The most stressful period of the academic life, it is during this period of study that they will be expected to prove themselves worth of the arcane legacy or be ultimately proven a failure.

[Jefepato]

Sounds interesting.  What's the overall setting (i.e. beyond the school) like?  Medieval fantasy?  Modern?  Is magic generally known to exist or does the general public not know?

[Procrastinationary]

See, now that's something I should have remembered first.

The setting is modern, though there are places all over that definitely don't fit into the modern ideal of the world.

As for the general knowledge of magic, it's a secret. You do get your usual headcases who think they're capable of magic, and the real wizards are happy because it makes them seem far less likely to be real. When you're capable of using imps to make a killing on the stock market, you don't want those secrets getting out. Of course, you still get your fae sneaking across the Veil to woo a mortal or a rogue wizard causing damage, but the Powers That Be are quick to cover everything up.

[Jefepato]

I'd definitely be on board, but it doesn't look like the idea is getting much interest...

[Procrastinationary]

How do you suggest I remedy that? I'm still rather new.

[sassychic]

I think your idea sounds splendid. I would be up for it if you get enough interest :)

[Duchess]

 ;)Count me in when it starts

[blackstardust]

Count me in.  Love your ideas.   :D

[Procrastinationary]

Your interest has been noted, thank you all. At the moment I am constructing the school, the character sheet and a few necessary NPCs. Keep your eyes peeled.

[Procrastinationary]

https://elliquiy.com/forums/index.php?topic=24237.0
https://elliquiy.com/forums/index.php?topic=24253.0
https://elliquiy.com/forums/index.php?topic=24254.0

The character sheet and game information are up, along with the Headmaster. The rest of the game will follow shortly, but in the meantime those of you still interested can start working on your character concepts.

[Arlyn]

This does sound rather familiar to me- I have a game kinda like this going on right now as well, though it's a one-on-one.  This does sound rather interesting to me, I'll have to take a look at the threads you linked to.