Welcome to Gaia! ::

As we come up the drive you can see our lawn, where many students study and relax. At the center of the lawn is a fountain created by our founder and first headmaster, James Messier, who's biography you can find in the library. There are paths passing all throughout the lawn, which lead to the many buildings of the university.

The first of the these buildings you can see on the eastern side of the campus. The large gothic looking structure over there. That is the dormitory which houses most of our students. Some of the more advanced students live off campus, studying independently. The dormitory is divided down the middle, one side being the male side, the other being the female side. All of the rooms are singles, we find it's easier to manage the students that way. Less fights, less injuries from experiments gone bad.

On the western side of the campus you can see where most of the classrooms are housed. The classes are really only used for theory lessons and exams. This is because alchemy is learned best through a hands on approach, practicing and perfecting skills outside, where less damage can be done. Behind the classes building are the training fields where most of the students and teachers have their lessons.

The building you see just ahead of us on the northern part of the campus is the library. Alchemy is a very technical science and requires lots of study and concentration. Our library is one of the largest in the world that is dedicated to the study of alchemy and contains countless volumes on the subject. The headmaster's office located in the observatory at the top of the library. The telescope was relocated decades ago and the whole section of the building was redone. You can see the dome is mostly glass. The present headmaster likes to be able to see the whole campus spread out underneath him.

Our school is unique in that we don't have legal degrees. We have a type of ranking system consisting of 9 different levels. You can climb these levels at your own pace, but you will have to pass examinations and sparring matches to show that you have improved enough to move up. Later on you'll be given a sheet of paper that has this list printed on it, as well as an application.

Now, if you will all follow me into the library i'll answer any questions you may have to the best of my ability...

Below is the ranking system. In parenthesis is what you must do to advance to that level. (Ex.: To advance to Sophomore level, you must win a sparring match against another Freshman, or a teacher must approve you.)

1: Freshman: (Pass initiation)
2: Sophomore: (Advance by winning a sparring match against another Freshman, or by teacher approval.)
3: Junior: (Advance by winning a sparring match against another Sophomore, or by teacher approval.)
4: Senior: (Advance by holding a sparring match with a teacher. The teacher decides if you advance.)
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5: Associate's: (Advance by proving teaching skill through mentoring a younger student.)
6: Bachelor's Degree: (Advance by defeating another teacher in a sparring match.)
7: Master's Degree: (Advance by proving teaching skill through mentoring an older student.)
8: Doctorate: (Only through my approval.)
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9: Specialist: (Only through my approval.)
10: Headmaster: (Me)


Below is your application which MUST be sent in a PM, and MUST have the subject "A.T.U. Application." I'm sure there won't be any problems with that request.

Usually I would prefer to start everyone at the lowest level and let them climb the ranks as the RP went on, but I've decided to let two teachers join at the beginning to save me from trying to be a teacher to lots of students. Anyone who would like to be a teacher needs only to mention it when they send their application and i'll discuss it with them.

As a warning, you have to understand the alchemy well enough that you believe you can teach it. If you have no idea what you're doing when it comes to chemical reactions, you probably shouldn't bother asking for a teacher position. The two that are accepted start at the Associate level.

If there are any questions, PM me.

Teachers

Username: Shtona
Character Name: Alain Cobbald
Character Nicknames (if any): None
Gender: Male
Age: 28
Specialization: Earth
Weapons (if any): Staff
Personality: Alain is very friendly and outgoing toward his staff and students, always helpful and patient during his lessons. He does demand a lot of everyone though. He won’t let people slack off while he’s around, hoping to bring out their full potential. He thinks very logically, sometimes forgetting to take other people’s emotions into account.
Bio: Alain grew up in a mining town at the foot of a small range of mountains. It was the perfect playground for an aspiring alchemist. The number of minerals and chemicals that passed through his hometown made it easy for him to acquire materials for his little experiments; most of which were displayed proudly on the living room mantle. His parents were so proud to have a child that had a chance at escaping the mines.

When Alain was 13 he started helping in the mines, transmuting broken tools and strengthening supports that had been worn. His obvious talent in the science caught the attention of one of the wealthiest men in the town, Gregory Clearwater, who was one of the few philanthropists in the town. Clearwater became Alain’s backer, funding his many experiments and using his many connections to publish Alain’s essays in magazines and papers.

At 17, Clearwater offered to pay for Alain’s college education. He was grateful, but worried. He’d lived a very simple life, with few people to socialize with, and now he was going to be thrown into a more urban lifestyle. He shocked himself though. He thrived at the A.T.U., quickly gaining the admiration of his professors and peers. Even the headmaster saw his amazing potential and hired him on as a teacher after he’d graduated. Years later, Alain was chosen as predecessor to that same headmaster, and he took the job graciously.
Appearance: At first glance you would think he was a Senior student rushing across the grounds to his next class. Then you notice the medium built person you’re observing has no books, no bags under his eyes, and is rather clean cut. From your vantage point you can tell there’s really nothing remarkable about him. Shorter hair set atop a bland face. Skinny and pale, but not unhealthy. If you were closer, you’d notice his bright green eyes, which seem to be analyzing the world they’re viewing. And if you were to follow this very unremarkable person, you’d see him burst through one of the lecture hall doors (shocking more than one of the students in the room), and stride quickly past everyone to the podium at the front of the room to start his lesson.

Username: Mr. Blackbird Lore
Character Name: Dr. Newton Klein
Character Nicknames (if any): None
Gender: Male
Age: 28
Specialization: Earth
Weapons (if any): Steel short sword
Personality: Newton is a very deep and philosophical thinker; there is never a time when he is not questioning the world and the people around him. He is never willing to believe that something is entirely impossible; he admits to the improbability of many things, but will never exclude any option. Due to his "distrusting" nature, Newton is prone to being an awkward partner in social interactions. This has led to a very... limited romance life. This is also due in large part to the fact that Dr. Klein finds romantic relationships to be third or fourth on his scale of importance: alchemy and teaching always come before anything else, and his own private time for reading and writing is also vital. However, this also significantly aids him in his own research and teaching; he pushes himself to find new avenues of discovery and pushes his students to think beyond their cultural indoctrination.
Bio: Newton Klein was born to parents whose love of alchemy was only surpassed by their love for him. He grew up in a warm family the only child, but was certainly not spoiled. He was taught sternly and loved deeply. His father taught him practicality, and the way the world worked; his mother taught him to ask questions. Together, they taught him alchemy until he was old enough to attend A.T.U. He was accepted, and excelled greatly in the Earthen realms which had also been his father's forte. His years there were filled with grueling, self-imposed research, essays, and theory. Quickly, he was recognized as a bright beacon of intelligence. Those years were also lightly salted (or peppered, depending on your point of view) with failed relationships, both friendly and romantic. Regardless, he excelled academically, and at 26 he became one of the teachers for "Practical Applications." Since then, he has attempted romantic relations twice; obviously, both also failed.

His nearest friends are his colleagues and the headmaster, and even they are rather distant. So most of Newton's attention is spent on his students and his research; he will go out of his way to make sure each student keeps up. Newton would make a great father if only he could find someone capable of handling the way he prioritizes life. Until that time, he guides children of all ages toward alchemic greatness, or at least insofar as it can be applied to daily, variable situations.
Appearance: Newton Klein is a well-built man with the lithe frame of an Olympic runner. His form is slim, his muscles compact and taut. He does well to keep his body as fit as his mind. Newtons choices of clothing color are rather bland: all neutrals. Always, he wears a pair of sturdy leather boots with cuffs halfway up his calves. His black cotton pants rest over his boots. His tunic is white and also cotton, and is tightly fitting, but not form-fitting: he finds those sorts of shirts narcissistic. Over this, he wears a black corduroy jacket lined with cotton-silk. The waist of the jacket does not fall any lower that his hips, and the collar stands up to his chin. On his hands are half-finger gloves; the one on his left is black, and the one on the right is white. On the palm of each is the Earth Transmutation Circle in the contrasting color. Lastly, his face. Newton's expression is almost always a very serious, analytical, and thoughtful one. It is very intimidating, disconcerting, or intriguing to others, both students and teachers alike. It lightens rarely. His eyes are a piercing crystal green, set behind a pair of black-rimmed, rectangular glasses, and more than one person has felt unnerved by his stare. His hair is black and straight; the bangs fall to his eyebrows, and at the sides it falls over the top half of his ears. And his sword, although sheathed, is never worn by him. Rather, he leaves it upon his classroom desk, left alone until he is challenged for a duel.

Students

Username: DemetriaSky
Character Name: Tenma Yamanaka
Character Nicknames (if any): Shadow
Gender: Female
Age: 16
Specialization: Fire
Weapons (if any): Tenma is incredibly skill in weaponry. She can use most, if not all, kinds of swords. She is a wonderful marksmen when it comes to archery and she also use lances and daggers.
Personality: Tenam tends to blend in with the crowds. She is quiet, but agressive. She is very violent prone and many people claims she talks to an imaginary friend. Those people also claim she should be in an aslyum. Her sanity, however, is very intact.
Bio: Tenma was born in a fighting based village. There, warriors are trained in every art in order to go work for noblemen. These people are incredibly skilled, but none the less, Tenma was a prodigy amongst them all. Her father had begun her training when she was four and one half years. This was considered insane on her fathers point because most boys weren't allowed to train until the age of ten and women until the age of twelve. Granted, no one was about to stop their commander and top warrior.

Ten years; Tenma's twin brother, Tenshi, has died, leaving her the sole heir. Not only does she have to live up to her prodigy expectations, but she also has to pick up where her brother left off. Brutal, no? Well, can't make the family look bad. She trained day in and day out. This year brought a new 'experimental' method of training. Tenma was beat nightly in order to make her immune to pain.

Year fifteen; Tenma had to challenge her father in order to gain the right to leave to the village to recieve 'alternate' education. She had secretly practiced alchemy behind her father's back, and used it to defeat him in battle. True, very true, she is young for being a college student. However, if she had waited any longer her father would have forced her to stay behind in the village to take over at the traditional age of sixteen.
Appearance: Tenma

Username: Q_the_Drama
Character Name: Sonja Terrly
Character Nicknames (if any): N/A
Gender: female
Age: 17
Specialization: Air
Weapons (if any): N/A
Personality: Sonja is a witty and very optimistic person. She always has something encouraging to say even when things are looking very grim. A friendly soul who makes time for studying as well as playing. Sonja doesn't talk much about her past nor the fact that she's blind. As far as she's concerned she can see just as good as anyone else. It's really hard to get on her bad-side and Sonja isn't really one to harbor hatred.
Bio: Sonja was born in a small milling and logging village. She was with her mother and father a small family of three who lived in a log cabin, hidden in the woods apart from the village. Her mother was a baker and her father was an aspiring alchemist. Alchemy was looked down upon in their small village, they believed in hardwork not alchemy; which is why Sonja and her family lived so far apart from the rest of the village. Everyday Sonja would travel with her mother to work at the mill, her mother was set on teaching her daughter to become a baker. To be honest, Sonja had no interest in baking and most the time she'd be "slacking off" as her mother called it. She'd often sit and watch the blades of the windmill turn pondering on questions that were bigger than herself.

It didn't take long to realize that the child had no interest in actual work. By the age of 8 her mother stopped dragging her to the village for work everyday instead she stayed home and watched her father write out equations and draw. It was odd for a girl to be interested in math and science as it was odd for her not to learn cooking skills from her mother. Sonja took to the equations with great zeal. Her father taught her simple transmutation circles and the basic laws, so that she could help him in the experiments. Her father was trying to come up with a greater sourse of heat and light, brighter and hoter than fire, that could for infinte time without being exstinguished, but yet stable. Her father thought himself on the verge of a breakthrough. It was the middle of the night when her father woke her from slumber and told her to fatche so of the wet kindling from the log pile outside. Sonja was quick to oblidge she leapt from her bed and hurried outside. She grabbed several logs so they weighed heavily in her arms and headed back to the house. She had just opened the door when it happened. A giant blast engulfed the house, the light emitted from it burned her eyes and the heat burned her skin. The logs in her arms caught fire and she was sent hurdling backwards into a nearby tree where she was struck unconscious. The blaze could be seen from all around, villagers rushed into stop the blaze. Her mother had been working late at the mill and hadn't been home. When her mother finally reached the house, she found none, just the battered and burned body of her daughter.

The burns eventually healed but her father was killed in the blast, it was nearly a week before Sonja finally woke, only to realize her nightmare was not yet over. Sonja was alive, but she was blind. The doctors said that her vision would never come back, that the extent of damage on her eyes was by far the worst they had ever seen, like the girl had stared into the light of a thousand suns. Sonja's mother wasn't sure what to do, she had no idea of how to raise a blind child, it was later that a travel coming through the village told her of a teacher who taught the blind. She was said to work miracles granting second chances for those who cannot see with their eyes. Wanting her daughter to live a full life, her mother sent her to this miracle working teacher on her 11th birthday.

Suprisingly the teacher wasn't blind and never had been blind, her lessons were tough, and learning was difficult the first 2 years. It was taking Sonja so long to learn basic techniques with a cane that her teacher decided try something different. She rekinddled Sonja's love for alchemy. She wrote equations in brail and began to develop her own way around being blind. Her teacher greatly approved in her eager to learn the trade of alchemy to help her see. She developed a small clicker which she wears on her bracelet, it works on the foudation of echo location and sonar. She couldn't see again like she had but she could see the shapes and texture of an object, she could tell you how many rings were on a tree trunk to how many grains of salt were in a salt shaker. Now that she could see and get around on her own she no longer needed her teacher, but she stayed helping to teach other blind kids. She told her teacher that she wanted to continue learning alchemy, that maybe she could help other blind kids see through breakthroughs in her research. Her teacher encourage to do so, but that she'd need more training before she applied to any alchemy school. Her teacher taught her self-defense and gave her all the brail alchemy books she could find. She did not make much progress in the 2 years that she used to prepare, but the little progess that she made could be seen on the small clicker the hung like a charm from the bracelet on her wrist. No longer was this clicker just her eyes, it was also her strength and defense. Around the tny device she encripted 3 small transmutation circles.
She said her final goodbye to her teacher with whom she had spent 6 years of her life with as well as the other students she'd come to call friends. It had been 6 years since she last spoke to her mother or last hear anything from her old village and it's honestly just a place she'd like to forget.

Appearance:{Sonja}

Username: Clara33
Character Name: Riyu C. Kosa
Character Nicknames (if any): R-chan
Gender: Female
Age: 17
Specialization: water
Weapons: Her auto-mail limbs.
Personality: She couldn't care less about how girls are supposed to act. Riyu doesn't wear make-up, doesn't have much in the way of manners, and spends most of her time beating a punching bag to a pulp. Both her arms and both her legs are auto-mail, and it's very important that she's coordinated to her. She's the type of person who would own a gun if her parents would let her. Instead, her parents have ditched her, making her feel completely pissed. It showes in her attitude.
Bio: Riyu and her mom don't exactly get along. Her mom is an alcoholic, a druggie, and she smokes. Riyu's the middle child in a family with 5 children. Her mom would continually blow off her kids and go find a new husband to...mate with several nights a week. Riyu hated her mom, and her mom hated her. They weren't an honest to decent family. Her mom had gone through 5 husbands in Riyu's life and Riyu was tired of it. And then, her mom got so pissed off at Riyu that she sent Riyu off to an orphanage. It was a very low quality orphanage, and several of the orphans had scars to prove it. If you were bad, the owners would brand you with hot iron. It was pretty hard not to be bad. After a while, Riyu went back to her house to beg her mom to take her back, and what did she find? Man slaughter. Her mom had gotten a little too drunk and had killed several of her family members, including Remy, Matthew, and her late-current husband. That was when Riyu gave up holding back. She tried to kill her own mother.
But her mom wasn't exactly going to stand for that. No one likes to be dead, and her mom was one of them. After taking Riyu down and beating her to a pulp, her mom jumped out the window, saying if anyone found out about this, Riyu would be her first new victim.
Riyu spent several years trying to figure out how to ressurect her siblings. She didn't care about her step-dad, she had lost several, and he wasn't her real dad anyway. But she found what she thought was a way, and she tried it. She had never considered that it wasn't safe, but she lost all her limbs when she tried twice.
Not smart.
Her boyfriend opened a possibility for her: She could get an auto-mail body. So she tried. She took the surgery and great sucsess(sp?) came from it. But she had to get coordinated, and she spent years trying to do it before she crossed that bridge.
Appearance:Riyu

((Despite the lack of players, we're going to go ahead and start...))

Alain stood and faced the outside wall of his office, which was made entirely of glass, and looked down on the campus. At the center of the lawn was the fountain, water shooting almost twenty feet in the air, being carried off by the wind toward the dormitories. Only a handful of students were walking the paths, which was understandable so early in the morning. He smiled when he saw a younger looking student (he honestly couldn’t tell from so high up) scurrying along down below, a large pile of books hugged closely to his chest. The young boy reminded him of himself a little.

He turned around and checked the clock on the opposite wall, then quickly grabbed his jacket and bolted out of the office. You could hear him clattering down the stairs as he rushed to sparring fields for his first class of the day. They were all Freshman, which meant he’d have to fight them all to make them understand just how much they needed to learn. He dreaded the thought…

The cool morning breeze swept across the training grounds as Tenma waiting for, not only her fellow freshman, though she doubted she would remain at that level for long, but her teacher as well. Her legs, long and slender, were crossed "Indian style". Her chin tilted downwards towards the ground, listening to the elements around her. This school was perfect. She could hear every element resound their individual calls all around her. Her hands shook slightly with excitement as she listened to the symphony.

This meditation ritual was common for young Tenma. It allows her to escape from the everyday hassles. Her breathing was deep, precise, measured. If you weren't paying attention you would doubt she was alive. She could hear a new sound breaking through the harmonic tune of the elements. She stood with a sigh. People were coming, and they were already being so loud that it was nearly pointless to attempt meditating further. She would have to focus too hard to make it a worthwhile process.

She sat off to the side as other freshman arrived. Already they had began to form their little groups. Like the beaded dew that laid on the flower petals. She still sat, no one even sparring her a glance. Granted she didn't expect anything else. Sure, she was a looker, but her eyes always freaked people out. Not because of how they looked, no, not at all. It was what they saw in her eyes. They were dark and a feeling of hopeless abandonment was all you could feel.

Tenma focus some of her energy into figuring out who everyone was. It wasn't that difficult. People kept on referring to each other by name, though that would make sense. Being in large groups that is. It didn't take long to figure out who everyone was. Now she had to find something else to occupy her time. Great, just great. She slipped a book from her bag, handling it with great care. It was extremely old, covered in black leather for the binding. The edges were torn and frayed. Alchemy in raw. It was all written in ancient text that she had decoded years ago. It took scholars years to do what she had done in a few devoted days. Her eyes skimmed the page.

Now only if their professor would arrive.

Tenma had quickly snapped the book shut and replaced it in her bag as the instructor had walked in. She had heard a great deal about him. Though all this information was strictly from books. She watched the man carefully--Alain. Now she knew the entire class, and some of their history. They had been talking about home, families, hobbies, the usual "get to know you on the first day" stuff. Tenma didn't want to jump to conclusions, however, this didn't seem like a very promising class. Especially with how dormant the elements were around the children.

She quietly listened to the teacher. He didn't say much, which made her drink in every word all the more. She would be able to recite every word that man had said in front of her at the end of the year. She would make sure of it. She slipped a tuffet of hair behind her ear as the breeze picked a bit. The air was strong today, absolutely gorgeous. Not only did she love to work with air, but it also fed her strength--Fire.

A hand slipped into her pocket, fingering the designs of a metal medalian. This medalian had a great deal of energy to it. She wasnted to talk to the professor about it. But the time for that wouldn't come until later. Possibly much later. Trust was the first thing she needed before she could confront him. Oh well, that was the way of the warrior. Her way. The wind picked up all the more, causing some dirt to stir beneath her feet.

Alain stood silently, patiently waiting for any questions they may have had. They didn’t have any, and he wasn’t surprised. A young girl approached the class carefully. Every now and then she would click something in her hand. Was she counting steps? he thought. Then he noticed the blank stare behind the glasses she wore. No, not counting steps. That’s her way of seeing. Like sonar… He was impressed. He’d never heard of a blind person with that ability. Even so, she was late, and that wouldn’t be tolerated. He decided to make an example out of her.

“You. What’s your name?” he asked, pointing even though she couldn’t see him. The other students turned and faced her with awed expressions on their faces. They couldn’t believe someone would be late on the first day and either respected her for her gall, or marveled at her stupidity.

"Sonja, can you tell me what my name is? Wait, don't answer. I already know you can't. Do you want to know how I know?" He waited for a second, letting the hypothetical question hang in the air. “I know because you weren’t here when I introduced myself to the class. This isn’t grade school anymore, you all are old enough to take care of yourselves, and you all are old enough to make decisions for yourselves. When it comes to my class though, the only two options you have in that decision is whether to come or not. I don’t care if you’re here, I don’t keep role. If you’re late however, you will be punished. Is that clear?” He waited for the muttered ‘yeses’ then continued. “Sonja, if you’d come here please.” He motioned with his hand for her to stand in front of her. While she made her way forward he explained what they would be doing today.

“Today we’re sparring. I want to see what you all can do before we start your training. The rest of you are lucky, you get to watch Sonja and me fight first. While you’re watching I want you to imagine different ways to beat me. Try and be creative. I don’t want you to hold anything back. Don’t worry about hurting me, I’m a big boy, I can handle myself.” He smiled at Sonja even though she couldn’t see him and nodded. “You ready?”

Alain turned and started walking away without waiting for her reply. When he was a good ways off on the grass he turned around and waited, kneeling with a knee on the ground.