- Hedge Wizardry Program
- The Hedge Wizardry Program is a program for those of mundane families with absolutely no magical background to be allowed to learn and further develop their skills in the arcane arts. Although the first year teaches students a well rounded set of abilities and magical skills, by the second year of the curriculum, a student can choose to specialize in a specific magic craft. The four schools taught to aspiring wizards in this program are Thaumaturgy (Healing), Evocation (Offensive Spellcasting), Abjuration (Defensive spell casting), and Utility, which encompasses a wide range of teachings, from alchemy, transmutation magics, Illusionary spellcraft, and other skills useful to every day life. No matter what the wizard chooses to focus on, they still retain a degree of skill in the three other schools.
Hedge wizards stay in the Common Dorms with those of the Combat Program, and as such are often accompanied by a student of the combat program on assignments in gathering alchemical ingredients from monster filled forests. Its of no coincidence that these two programs have closer bonds than the other programs. Because they often get old and worn resources to work with, Hedge Wizards have a bitter contempt for the highborn, and that isn't just because of the highborn's tendency to look down on the wizards of mundane blood. Perhaps because of their lower status in the academy however, Hedge Wizards are often the most earnest and passionate students in the academy, raising their skill through determination and teamwork. More than any other program, the hedge wizards solve their problems together, and help each other out. But they are also the busiest on campus since their assignments have them traveling a lot.
Bardic Arts Program
- In the Bardic Arts Program, it doesn't matter if you come from a magical background or not. There are only two deciding factors upon entry. The ability to play an instrument or sing. And the size of your wallet. Only the rich can afford to attend the academy as bards, though occasionally those of exceptional musical talent are given grants to attend the program. What is a Bard in this academy exactly? And what separates them from any other musician? Well, a bard is one who is capable of exploiting the inherent magic in music. All songs have magic in them, which could entrance audiences, inspire courage, and incite sorrow. But if a troubadour has learned how to use magic, then the magic created through songs become so much more potent. There are plenty of examples of this in old legends. A fiddler who charmed a dragon just in time to save a village from a landslide. A flute player in ancient times, who bought the sympathy of the guardian of the gates of the afterlife to let him pass so that he may see his wife one last time. And a particularly evil bard who in medieval times caused an entire city to go mad in murderous rage, just to spite the king who exiled her.
Bardic music enchants more than just the moods of those who hear it. And a skilled bard is either one to be cherished, or feared. Because Bards are usually from high standing upon entry to the school, the Highborns usually allow some into their social circles, and do not look down on Bards as much as they do Hedge wizards and Rangers. Bards stay in their own dormitory, located within the main campus. Though travel is not as common to their program, as they spend much of their time right there within the academy walls, their abilities make them handy on assignments for other classes. And a small degree of martial training with light weapons does make their role a bit more versatile.
Combat Arts Program
- Students of the combat arts are trained in a versatile array of weaponry and hand to hand techniques specifically gearing them to be guardians to wizards, and hunters of dangerous monsters. Though being the newest program, and the most drastically different one, this program has yet to prove itself in the eyes of the administration. The idea of training adolescents to use knives and swords seemed a bit extreme, despite the increase of aggressive monsters in the countryside. Granted, safety was a weak argument once the subject of the already high injury rate caused by magic was brought up. But among the Hedge Wizards and even the Cobble Town Railroad company, the existence of this program is a godsend. The Cobble Town Railroad Company in particular loves these swordslinging, monster slaying students, and often go as far as to lend them well paying part time jobs as guardians to their trains. It used to be that student wizards were taken into these positions, but that ended as quickly as it began when the misfiring of powerful evocation spells did more damage to the trains they protected than the monsters.
Rangers (The term given to combat art students) are often seen with other students as well, accompanying them on assignments. Their program allows them a large deal of free time and freedom once their daily drills are complete, so they are encouraged to do so. And since they share the common dorms with the Hedge Wizards, its usually them who get first dibs, despite any privileges that power and class may grant those of the highborn and bardic programs. Humans of all walks of life, as well as other races, are all eligible for the combat arts program. But only the current headmistress understands why they are truly needed.
Highborn Wizardry Program
- The highborn are students who are descended from long, and still very influential families of strong sorcerous bloodlines. Highborn are famous for their pride, which to hedge wizards and rangers translates to snobbery. This sometimes hard to bare for most, but their smug self assurance in their name allows them to feel as though they have earned a right to be at the top of the student Hierarchy. Not always the case however. Some Highborn choose to be shining examples of fairness, so as to portray their family heritage in a good light, but whatever the case, The Highborn are almost always put under the pressure of family tradition and the opinions of others. Self image is a very important factor to highborn society after all.
The Highborn Program, like the Hedge Wizards, are allowed to choose in their second year a single spellcraft to pursue. In addition to the four schools that the Hedge Wizards have to choose from, there are other schools of magic that only Highborn Wizards can choose. Necromancy (Magic of death and unlife), Elemental magic (Further specialized evocation schools that center on a single element), Conjuration Magic (Summoning), And Divination. Also unique to the highborn is an entirely different class, known as Spellswords, who blend martial training with evocation magic, as they imbue their weapons with destructive magics. Though spellswords often hate being in the presence of the Rangers in the combat program, and will avoid grouping with them as much as possible, seeing their mundane swordsmanship as a mockery of the true art of the sword. The Highborn stay in the Roderick Dormatory.