Don't worry about anyone looking over your shoulder. Only those with magic in their veins can read the true contents. Mundanes (nonmagic folk) will only see an ordinary letter to one's lover. You have been accepted to the Academy of Merlin. We are a prestigious school famous for protecting the sacred oak tree in which Merlin was trapped by Vivienne, his treacherous apprentice. You will find enclosed a list of school supplies and directions to the school itself. We hope to see you at the start of the new semester!
In the case that you are from a mundane household, we will send another letter shortly after this one, saying you have won a scholarship to a highly prestigious academy, shortly for you to show to your parents.
-- Headmaster Louis Soulstone
Quote:
Dear Professor _______,
Don't worry about anyone looking over your shoulder. Only those with magic in their veins can read the true contents. Mundanes (nonmagic folk) will only see an ordinary letter to one's lover. We at the Academy of Merlin are excited to welcome you back to our faculty and look forward to your contribution to our students' academics in the following year. However, we have also received news from the Order that a Blood Pact unit was last seen headed in the direction of the school. As such, we ask that you help in the protection of the students and Merlin's Oak. Thank you for your cooperation.
-- Headmaster Louis Soulstone
Hello! Are you wondering where all of the character skeletons, teacher openings, rules, starter info, etc, is? It's just below, so enter the door and get ready to begin your journey! Make sure you read this all the way to the end!!
The crew is willing to be tolerant of rule-breaking to an extent, but there are some lines that you are expected to know not to cross. Most incidents, both IC and OOC, will follow this line of consequences: First Offense: You will be let off with a warning. Second Offense: You will be banned from the guild for a week and your character suspended for a week. Third Offense: You will be banned from the guild for a month and your character suspended for a month. Fourth Offense: You will be banned permanently and your character expelled.
OOC Rules 1. Follow Gaia's ToS - this should be a no-brainer. 2. Be respectful of other players. 3. Before you post, send your character skeleton (filled out of course!) to Jennalaia so the crew can screen your profile. We reserve the right to ask you to edit it and to reject it altogether. 4. More than one character is wholly encouraged, but be careful not to overwhelm yourself. 5. You can only be a character that you yourself created. Crew is happy to help in character creation if necessary. 6. You do not need to go all out on a post layout - something simple with text and a picture will suffice. This is actually encouraged as characters frequently change outfits for events. 7. If you use any images that are not Gaia avatars, please source them.Saucenao is an excellent tool to source your images, but only if it's a picture and not a photograph. Unsourced images are not allowed. 8. When you do go to post, please don't make your text a blindingly bright or a very light color. It's hard to read. 9. Minimum 5 sentences per post. Forum roleplay in this guild is intended to be fast-paced. Don't slack on your posts, but don't write a novel either. 10. The captain reserves the right to change these rules at any time. 11. You may resend your profile up to three times to crew. After that, your character will be rejected automatically and you can send them again after one week. 12. Anyone who violates the rules will also be removed from the Skype chat for the duration of the offense. 13. Characters can only be one of the six races described below, no exceptions.
IC Rules 1. All students are allowed an owl for communication purposes. (If you do not have an owl, one will be assigned to you.) Beyond that, a registration form is required for most pets. 2. During school hours all students should be in uniform. 3. Students must be inside the campus walls by nightfall, as the doors have a charm that will activate once the sun goes down. This charm seals the doors shut and they will remain locked until morning. 4. Students will have one homework assignment per class per week. They may use the lesson of the week and any chapters in the proper textbook to complete it. 5. Students are permitted to explore Nimue's Forest, as long as they remain within the boundaries of Carrmin's sphere of influence and go in groups. Anything beyond is forbidden. 6. Students are permitted to visit the town of Justus, located about a mile from the Academy's walls, at any time. Justus contains many disguised shops where they can replenish potion supplies, buy a new textbook, and shop for new uniforms. 7. Entering the Catacombs via a teacher's entrance is explicitly forbidden. 8. Vandalism of any sort of Merlin's Oak will result in immediate expulsion. 9. The headmaster reserves the right to change these rules at any time. 10. Students are classified as "missing" if they have not been sighted for three days. Search parties will look for the student for up to two weeks, after which the student will be declared dead if they have not been found and the family informed.
RP Rules(you know, general rules of how the world works.) 1. Casting spells one after the other is incredibly fatiguing. You can only do so much before your magical power runs out. 2. Potions heal fatigue, not wounds. 3. Healers only hasten the natural process of healing and are likely to leave scars if they rush. 4. Dark magic is classified as any magic that fills the body with taint (a substance that makes the body decay and erode into black dust) or any magic used for unethical things, such as murder, mutilation, necromancy, etc. 5. Dark magic is strictly prohibited by law. 6. The magick world and the mundane world are to be kept strictly separate. 7. Spells can be uttered without incantation as long as you've got the right picture in your head. Curses must be uttered in full, along with the method to break the curse. This can be in riddle form, though it will be imprinted upon the victim's subconscious. Charms are usually cast on objects and have a temporary lifespan once they are activated. However, their potency can decay over time if they are not activated soon enough.
The Academy of Merlin is a private magick school centered around one of the world's most famous wizards. It was first founded in the 1300s, then called the Merlin Sanctum, as a large shrine to protect the sacred Merlin's Oak, the ancient oak tree that Merlin was believed to be trapped in by the sorceress Vivienne. As the centuries wore on, restrictions on who could enter the Merlin Sanctum increased until only human magicks were permitted to enter to pay their respects. After a war broke out and the government was reorganized in the late 1600s, the Merlin Sanctum was reopened as the Academy of Merlin, as the new government realized that youth could benefit from studying nearby Merlin's Oak. Merlin's Oak is one of the magick world's most powerful magical hotspots, making it the perfect place for youth to master their powers. Modern society, however, began to close in on the Academy's old ways in the 1960s and endangered the future of the Academy. Putting a sphere of influence around the Academy was discussed, but the plan was never officially put into action. Instead, it was agreed that the Academy would keep up with modern technology while also retaining its original roots. Today, the Academy is advertised to the mundane public as an extremely prestigious school that is difficult to get into and to the magick community as a first-class educational experience.
A Tour of the Academy
As the years continued on, the faculty of the Academy integrated modern technology with their magical school. The entire facility has electric lighting and modern plumbing and other modern conveniences. As a whole, it resembles a large castle and several smaller stone buildings within the walls. Student dorms are on the west side, classrooms on the east side, the practice fields and ranges on the north side, and just about anything else on the south side. Dead center in the courtyard of the Academy lies the famous Merlin's Oak, which is protected by many enchantments and spells. The school is very successful because of Merlin's Oak, as the ancient tree is one of the biggest magical hotspots in the world; just being within the Academy's borders makes one's magical power stronger. Inside every building are sweeping staircases, polished stone walls, and the occasional trap door and secret passage. The whole campus is surrounded by high, thick stone walls that are interwoven with enchantments to keep the beasts from Nimue's Forest and other evils at bay.
A feature that has been added in the last few years is the language debarrier, set up as far as Justus. Upon entering, all human languages are heard by a student in their native tongue. (Dwarven, Elven, and other non-human languages are exempt.) An update was added in the last year: written human languages are now translated as well. The only exception to this is ancient languages that are no longer spoken with an exception of a handful of scholars.
For students going outside the debarrier, there is the option of translator charms, a collaborative effort between Professor Reynolds and Professor Pilon, that behave like Google Translate. They do not, unfortunately, translate written word.
The Catacombs
The Catacombs are a tunnel system that runs under the school and also extends underneath the forest and leads into the sewer systems of Justus. They are huge, complex, and very easy to get lost in. For these reasons, students are not permitted to enter unless on class business or accompanied by a member of the faculty. Every teacher has an entrance to the Catacombs in the event of an emergency, but it is usually sealed off to prevent students from entering that way. Naturally, there are other ways to enter, the most popular being the numerous secret entrances, but those are carefully monitored. It should also be noted that the tunnels underneath the forest are more earthy while the tunnels underneath the school are rockier.
Nimue's Forest
Nimue's Forest, a large forest located south of the school, is full of magick creatures and interesting landmarks. Students are free to explore under a sphere of influence created by Carrmin, the local Okiri forest elf that lives in the forest. It is highly advised that students do not venture very far out of Carrmin's sphere of influence, as it is that barrier that protects students from most of the dangers in the forest. Far outside Carrmin's sphere of influence lies Merlin's Tower, a half-completed, burnt-out shell of a tower built many centuries ago by a man named Vortigern. Despite its appearance, the Tower is rumored to hold incredible treasure. However, no student in living memory has ever entered the Tower and lived, as it is guarded by a white dragon. The white dragon does not harm students unless they harm it, but the red dragon that the white is protecting the Tower from does. Students are not advised to go near the Tower for any purpose. Students are also advised to return to the campus borders by nightfall, as there is a charm on the door that leads to Nimue's Forest. Once the sun goes down, the charm will activate, and the door will seal itself for the night and will not open again until morning.
Justus
Justus is a small town that is located about a mile from the Academy's walls. Students are permitted to visit, but obviously they are not allowed to use magic. Like most mundane towns, there is a magick community enfolded into the local shops. Students can replenish potion supplies, buy magic candy, get replacement textbooks, go in for wand repairs, and more. In the event that students get in trouble with the local police, the school has secretly installed a few entrances to the Catacombs in some of the jail cells that only require a wand tap to open. Naturally, students are encouraged not to cause trouble that would require them to use this security measure. Students are also reminded that, just like the entrance to Nimue's Forest, the doors that lead to Justus will seal at sundown and will not open again until sunrise. For that reason, students are required to be inside by nightfall. Students are also not allowed to go to Justus unless accompanied by an adult.
The Dangers
Naturally, the Academy of Merlin has its own dangers. The Academy trusts that the students are able to handle their own affairs, but are always ready to step in should the situation become too dangerous. Students are reminded that dimensional rips are scattered through the forest. These dimensional rips usually lead to a pocket dimension, where the rules of the world are different and can be difficult to escape if one is not thinking straight. The Catacombs, though technically barred from students, has been mapped by several students over the years, but there are many, many chambers and tunnels that have not yet been found while other tunnels have simply collapsed or flooded. Nimue's Forest contains creatures that will do students harm, should students venture too far from Carrmin's sphere of influence.
Students this year are reminded that they are not to leave the campus for any reason whatsoever unless accompanied by an adult, be it a professor or a member of the Committee of Education Enforcement.
In this world, there are two types of beings: the magicks and the mundanes. Mundanes do not possess the ability to perform any type of magic at all. Magicks on the other hand, is an all-around term for any being that can perform magic. This term is used for most creatures that use magic; humans, elves, dwarves, mermaids, vampires, et cetera. All these beings and more exist, living in their own societies.
Most of these societies are not known to the rest of the world, because the atmosphere of this world has become very toxic for magicks. Mundanes have overpopulated the globe, making the popular opinion "magic does not exist". Dragons, fairies, dwarves, and thousands of other magick species have ceased to be nothing but fairy tales. If they were discovered by mundanes today, most magick species would be brought into captivity, or even dissected to be studied, as human mundanes have an inherent fear of things they do not understand. For this reason, the magick community has gone into hiding. Humanoid magicks have taken precautions to hide the beast magicks in spheres of influence, which is simply a barrier that shields a certain area from whatever the caster wishes; beast magicks, mundane detection, evil influence, and more.
Government
Several centuries ago, the humanoid magicks realized that they needed a system to govern the magick world. During that time, only human magick scholars were permitted into the Merlin Sanctum. Other species of magicks found this to be unfair and argued that all magicks had the right to pay their respects to one of the greatest magicks that ever lived. A devastating war broke out that resulted in heavy losses for all sides. It finally ended with a peace treaty, stating that the affairs of the Merlin Sanctum would be handled after a government was formed among the three largest populations of magicks. These three magick species, the humans, the elves, and the dwarves, formed the Trimagick Order, headed by the Magick Council. The Order, with the help of dozens of branches, handles the magick world's affairs.
The humans, elves, and dwarves all have very different lifestyles.
Humans
Human magicks usually live either among human mundanes or in magick villages. When living in mundane cities and towns, magicks keep their magical tendencies under wraps and do their best to not get noticed. In most mundane cities, there are many shops and buildings that have a mundane front and a magick back to serve the magick community that lives there. These shops are marked with a pentacle somewhere.
Standard in any magick community is a wand shop, an apothecary, a bookstore, a menagerie, and a fortuneteller. Magick villages usually have other shops such as a broom emporium, a robe tailor, and a knickknack shop full of magical wares. Humans make up the biggest portion of the Magick Council and control the majority of operations, which has been a controversial topic over the last decade.
Elves
Elves are scattered throughout the world and are just as diverse as humans. They tend to be darker-skinned than the humans in the surrounding area, but of course there are plenty of places where this is not the case. Elves usually live in either the forest or in urban areas. Forest elves tend to be more orthodox and strict about traditions. They are usually extremely prejudiced against humans and half-elves, the latter of which they believe to be an abomination of nature. They tend to wear tunics they make themselves and teach their children nature magic, which allows them to harness the power of the earth. All elves have this power, but of course the strength of it varies depending on one's skill and age.
Urban elves are more open-minded, but also far more secretive. They usually wear hoodies and headphones to hide their ears and live in small communities with other elves, usually hidden from mundane eyes by spheres of influence. Urban elves can usually be identified by their more cautious habits, constant hoodie wearing, and strangely colored eyes. (Elf eye colors are usually brown, green, yellow, or orange.) Their nature magic is often much weaker than forest elves, as urban elves tend to leave the harsher forest villages early in their lives, not giving them a lot of time to hone their power. (There is also a theory that their power is weaker the further they get from the forests.)
Elves age about half as fast as humans do, beginning around their late twenties. Most elves, at least the ones that grew up in elf communities, speak Elvish, an ancient language that allows them to converse with other elves and most creatures. There are thousands of different dialects and grammar systems for Elvish, but most communities teach their children the original dialect as well. Urban elves generally speak it conversationally while forest elves are completely fluent.
Elves make up the second largest portion of the Magick Council, and have been working for the last decade for equality on the chairs.
Dwarves
Dwarves, like elves, live worldwide and are just as diverse as humans. Dwarves have a very set lifestyle. They live in large, complex underground colonies (like an anthill) that are usually protected by spheres of influence. When a dwarf, regardless of gender, reaches age eight, they are assigned to a master blacksmith to learn how to work the forge, as forged weapons are the dwarves' main export. Because dwarves work in the forge so much, it is relatively uncommon for a dwarf to have potential in magic. All dwarves possess magical power, of course, but much of it goes unused as they devote their lives to forging better and better weapons such as swords, axes, maces, and even magical weapons as well.
Dwarves tend to work with mages to create forged items with magical abilities, which usually go to sell in magick communities. However, more recently dwarves have expressed interest in learning to become mages themselves so they can eliminate the need of relying on others. Identifying a dwarf is easy; they are usually short, brawny, and have calloused hands from working in the forge. They have more hair than humans and the females are just as muscular as the males.
Dwarves also make up the smallest portion of the Magick Council, a widely controversial topic... at least by non-dwarves. Dwarves seem to be content with their arrangements in present time, but other non-dwarves have been getting concerned for how the dwarves' skills have been used in the last decade.
Half-breeds
Naturally, in a world with dozens of different magickal humanoids, there's bound to be cross-breeding. Unfortunately, half-breeds tend to receive unfair treatment in the magick world, and more often than not will try to pass for one race or the other to avoid discrimination.
First there are half-elves. Half-elves are half-human, half-elf. They do not have long pointed ears, though the tips of their ears are more pointed than a human's. They share the same eye colors as elves, but do not possess nature magic. Half-elves can also understand only a smattering of Elvish and cannot communicate with other creatures directly, though empathy links are possible. They have a higher magical capacity than humans but tend to be physically weaker as well.
Half-dwarves - half human, half dwarf - are often taller and skinnier than regular dwarves, as well as possess less strength. They are also more apt to grow body hair, regardless of gender. They also have more magic than most dwarves. Half-dwarves usually grow up within dwarven communities anyway, as dwarves are among the most welcoming of the races.
Finally, there are dwelves, which are half dwarf and half elf. Dwelves usually either look like short, solidly-built elves or tall, lithe dwarves with an odd eye color. The magic potential dwelves possess varies, but on average they are about as physically strong as the average human. Dwelves are the most uncommon of the half-breeds.
There exist four houses at the Academy of Merlin. Students, while at Merlin, spend most of their time with their house, so it is important that they are sorted correctly. There are four houses: Lucian,Janus,Ekaterina, and Tomas.
"One head is better than two."
Lucians fly solo. They do not work well in groups, but if allowed to work solo they do very well. Lucians only put effort into subjects that specifically interest them, which can vary from student to student. Lucians also tend to stop and think of a plan first, visualizing it in their head on their own and evaluating it on their own. They often take everything upon themselves, but will accept support if they really need it.
"Don't expect the unexpected - be the unexpected!"
Janus tend to think outside the box when it comes to finding solutions. They rarely stick to the book in school (which leads to some interesting grade fluctuations) and prefer to use their own intuition to solve problems. They work best in environments that are not too restricting, allowing them to use as many solutions as they please. Janus also often have a tendency to act first and think later, coming up with plans on the fly, which may explain why their plans are so wild.
"We have the book - why not use it?"
Ekaterinas will use any and all solutions they have at their disposal to solve any problem. They rely on their knowledge of past events and other resources to make decisions and plans accordingly. Like Lucians, Ekats will often step back and view the whole situation at once so they can evaluate it correctly and find the solution that will work best.
"All for one and one for all."
Tomas are the team players. They rarely move forward themselves without bringing those behind them along with them. Tomas work best when they work together, because they will always ensure that everyone gets an equal workload and nobody gets a problem they cannot handle. They will often form groups to brainstorm and find solutions that none of them would have been able to think of on their own. The Tomas are often called the most ordinary house, but in reality they are anything but.
The Academy of Merlin offers a wide variety of classes for students to take, ensuring that they will be educated in the type of magic that they are interested in. There are three types of classes: Cores, Subs, and Paths.
Core Classes - classes that students will take all four years.
Creatures - The magick world is full of different types of creatures. Pegasi, mermaids, centaurs, vampires, phoenixes, selkies, dragons - these are just a few of the incredibly diverse magick population. This class, taught by the brilliant Qamar Amadi, will cover different environments and the creatures that live within them.
Elements - Earth, air, fire, water. These four elements are the makeup of our world. This class, taught by Alexander Brighton, gives students basic knowledge of the Fundaments, Aspects, and Affinities of the elements. In their second year, students will choose an element to master for the next three years of schooling.
Study of Merlin - The Academy of Merlin believes it's very important that students learn about the man that is trapped in the oak in the center of the campus. Over four years, students will cover Merlin's life, achievements, contributions, and more.
Charms - There are some spells in the magick world that are universally known. These spells can range from sharpening one's eyesight to summoning an item to flight itself. Over the course of four years, students will learn spells of increasing difficulty, starting with a spell to make their channeler light up so they can explore the Catacombs safely.
Sub Classes - Sub classes are also taken all four years, with an exception: one class will be switched out with its corresponding path class.
Potions - Potionmaking is the art of mixing together ingredients just right to bring forth the desired effect. Amara Ambercutter, the Academy's resident potion expert, will help students understand the basics of potionmaking and learn how to make several simple draughts. Hopefully this year the class will be able to conclude without anyone's eyebrows being burned off. Students that excel in this class first year will be recommended to the practitioner course.
Meditation - Keeping magic power strong is incredibly important, and meditation is the primary way most wizards achieve this. Taught by Kura Morioka, this class will not only help students tap into their potential power, but also better the quality of their magic for better quality spells. Students that excel in this class first year will be recommended to the mystic course.
Channeling - A channeler is any item that a wizard uses to channel their magic. A wand is the most well-known example, but in theory it's possible to use anything. Professor Riona Bellis, the Academy's expert channeler, will teach students about the different properties of different materials and encourage them to choose a channeler that suits them perfectly. Most students start with a wand and will begin practicing with a personalized channeler in their second year. Students that excel in this class first year will be recommended to the enhancer course.
Magic Theory - Even after thousands of years, magic is still a mystery to many. This class, taught by Professor Kamala Kadakia, will explore why magic works the way it does, as well as modify existing spells and even creating some new ones. Students that excel in this class first year will be recommended to the academic course.
Students at the Academy of Merlin choose a path class in their second year, to replace the corresponding path class. For example, if a student excelled in Potions, they would drop Potions in second year and take the Practitioner course in its place. After second year, a student will choose one of the paths that branch from the path they chose to study during their third and fourth years.
There are four path classes, and eight subpath classes.
Academics - Academics continue to further their knowledge after traditional education has finished. They are the historians, archaeologists, and experts in dead languages. Their end goal is to solve the mysteries of the universe. The academic course has two subpaths: scholar and scientist.
Scholars are the magick world's source of knowledge. They write the history books and study the concept of magic to get closer to the roots of magic. They are generally the most knowledgeable of the classes, and, as the saying goes, knowledge is power.
Scientists use, naturally, the scientific process to make progress in the magical world. They often team up with healers to make medical breakthroughs, experiment with various ingredients to find new potion effects, and in general do all the crazy stuff that the other classes wouldn't dream of doing.
Enhancers - Enhancers use objects in their magic. While this may sound like any regular old wizard, it's actually a very distinct class. Some enhancers are craftsmen, while others can channel their power through anything they please.
Enchanters are the craftsmen of the magical world, making magical tools that are used not only as weapons but in everyday life. Enchanters will either make objects themselves or will buy objects. Either way, they can infuse the object with magical power and then either keep it for themselves or sell it for profit. Dwarves make perfect enchanters because they can make a magical object themselves instead of selling their crafts to an enchanter.
Mages are the exact opposite of enchanters... sort of. While an enchanter will permanently endow an object with magical power, mages only channel their power through an object temporarily. This often means that mages do not have just one channeler, like most wizards do, but several for several different purposes.
Mystics - Mystics do not use channelers at all. Instead, they rely on their internal power to cast their magic. Naturally, this means that mystics need to be very in-tune with their internal power. As mystics perfect their art, they actually become unable to use channelers without great difficulty. Though this is a heavy price to pay, mystics are capable of amazing things. Elves in particular are excellent mystics, as their magic power is high from the start.
Healers are, of course, the doctors, nurses, and medics of the magick world. Healers are able to heal wounds on the surface, of course, but some healers go on and hone their power to the point that they are able to heal sicknesses of the mind, making magick healers some of the world's most effective therapists.
Tamers use their pure, honed power to command animals to their will. They train to open their minds up to empathy links, which is the method tamers use to connect to their animals. Naturally, the longer a tamer is with an animal, the stronger the empathy link. Tamers are invaluable on expeditions, because they can keep the rest of the team safe from any creatures that try to attack.
Practitioners - Practitioners mix together ingredients such as magical chemicals and organic ingredients to make something new. They often work closely with scientists to learn of new combinations they can make to make better and better products.
Alchemists specialize in the transmutation of one material into the other, most famously gold. Alchemized materials often have stronger magical properties than raw materials, so enchanters and dwarves often buy raw materials from alchemists to make into other objects.
Chemists use magical, chemical, and organic ingredients to make poultices, potions, elixirs, draughts and other magical mixtures for medical and recreational use. They often work with healers and elves to create more effective mixtures.
The Academy of Merlin offers two options of uniform: skirt or pants. Customization of your uniform is not allowed, as decreed by the Committee of Education Enforcement.
The Academy of Merlin is home to some of the world's most distinguished wizards in their respective fields. With so much talent teaching the youth, it's no wonder that the Academy is ranked one of the number one private magick academies.
Headmaster Louis Soulstone has been the headmaster of the Academy for thirty-eight years. A graduate of the Academy himself, Soulstone originally served on the Magick Council before he left after the European Centaur Scandal. Soulstone opened up much of Nimue's Forest to student exploration after making a deal with Carrmin, who took up residence several years ago.
This is Qamar Amadi's third year at the Academy. After xe was kicked out of the house for identifying as gender-neutral, Amadi traveled the globe to view different magick creatures in their environments. Professor Soulstone found xir two years ago as xe appeared in the area to study the different fairies found in Nimue's Forest and the Catacombs, and is looking forward another year.
Alexander Brighton, a half-elf, is far older than he looks and has been teaching at the Academy for twenty-two years. He is well-versed in all four elements after traveling the globe and studying under some of the world's greatest elemental masters.
Marco Giambra has been teaching for five years. Hailing from a mundane family, Giambra took interest in Merlin and magic at a young age and was naturally overjoyed to discover he was in reality a magick. Giambra spent most of his college years studying old texts on Merlin, intent on discovering the location of the Thirteen Treasures, before learning about the Academy. He applied for a teacher position the moment he graduated Faust University.
Caedah Pilon has been teaching for six years. She attended the Academy as a young child, and graduated as the top student from Charms. After graduating, she found herself unable to hold down a job, so Pilon resorted to performing on the streets and at events for cash. After paying back her debts and achieving a master's degree at Agrippa College, she returned to the Academy to begin her teaching career.
Amara Ambercutter, one of the few elves on staff, has been teaching for fourteen years. Hailing from a city elf community, she studied under a famous practitioner and has since been creating her own potion recipes and perfecting the classics. Before teaching at Merlin, she taught the basics of potionmaking to a few forest elven communities.
Kura Morioka has been teaching at the Academy for ten years. Before teaching, she was a teacher at a dojo in Japan. Headmaster Soulstone, considering her to be the ultimate meditation expert, hired her during his travels. She has a nasty habit of falling asleep in class, staff meetings, breakfast... pretty much anywhere.
Riona Bellis has not owned a wand in her ten years at the Academy. Instead, she has been channeling her magic through anything she gets her hands on. Some would say she is better than Professor Reynolds, but she did not get the job because she has not been teaching as long.
Kamala Kadakia has been teaching at the Academy of Merlin for eight years. Before making the Academy her home, Kadakia traveled the world by carpet (not the most practical way to travel, but certainly the flashiest) and visited various magick villages, studying the different ways they viewed magic.
Nicholas Pagonis is one of the best academics in the magick world. With a firm grasp on both the scientific method and magical theory, he is rarely on campus during the summer because he gives lectures to other magick schools around the world. Professor Pagonis has devoted the last ten years of his life to the Academy. It is rumored, however, that he was deeply involved in Project Dawn before he left.
Roderick Bobbitt has been teaching for six years, but the scholar course jumped in attendance since he took up the position. Bobbitt studied and graduated from Agrippa College with his thesis on the healing properties of unicorn horn shavings. He was directly recommended to Headmaster Soulstone upon graduation.
Carlos Gascon has taught at at the Academy for about seven years, although he took a year's absence for a scientific expedition in the southwest United States. Using magic to further his own studies, he has made several breakthroughs in the magick world in the past decade. He was also a supporter of Project Dawn before its government funding was dropped.
Gloria Reynolds has been teaching for fourteen years and is the inventor of several charmed items that are in frequent use today. Unlike most of the other professors, Professor Reynolds never studied under a master. Instead, she studied ancient, forgotten texts and developed a unique style of enchanting and maging. She is equally good at both, although some may say that Professor Bellis is better at maging than she is.
Vadomli Oakenback, one of the few dwarves on staff, has created some of the finest magical tools the magick world has ever seen. He is an expert in crafting swords, staves, wands, bows, and just about any other tool you can think of. He has been teaching at the Academy for about fourteen years.
Olivia Alcalde, teaching for nineteen years, is said to be the strictest teacher. Headmaster Soulstone found her when he was touring southwest America. After an incident involving a coyote, a cactus, and the Headmaster's cane, he hired her on the spot. Professor Alcalde strongly opposes the Blood Pact, but no one is sure why.
Katerine Basset has been teaching for four years. Born and raised in France, Basset attended Académie de Sorcellerie, one of the best magic academies in the world, and graduated at the top of her class. She then went into seclusion for several years, perfecting her style of magic. When she reappeared, she applied for Merlin and was accepted almost immediately.
Galan Runesteam has been teaching for eight years. Hailing from the Rana elf tribe, Runesteam studied the art of healing magic under several masters. Unfortunately, several of them croaked before he could finish his apprenticeships. He eventually created his own style by melding the ones he learned together and brought forth one of the most unique healing styles the magick world had ever seen. When Headmaster Soulstone offered him the job, he leaped at the offer.
Aleesia Whisperleaf has been teaching for fifteen years. During this time, her collection of pets has steadily grown. The current count is four cats, three foxes, eight fish, and her familiar Caspian. Whisperleaf lived in a forest elf village that coexisted peacefully with a nearby magick village, trading goods and practices. She learned the practice of taming there before leaving for an urban elf community and working as a zookeeper, putting her taming skills to good use. On one of her vacations, Whisperleaf was discovered by Soulstone and hired on the spot.
Brett Ardee, Jr. has been teaching for ten years. Previous to Merlin, he actually worked in the town of Justus at the diner. Ardee attended the Academy in his youth, but dropped out after his second year to support his family. Ardee, his path never really decided, studied both alchemy and chemistry, using the skills he learned to work as a chef. After several years of working at the diner and establishing a residence in the town, he is now the eyes and ears in Justus for the Academy.
Ayden Aron is seven feet of pure muscle and has been teaching at the Academy for seven years. After being abandoned by his rather orthodox dwarf community when he was ten, Aron wandered the nearby forests and survived for several years until a local alchemist stumbled upon him in his late teens. The alchemist took Aron in and taught him his trade. When the alchemist passed, Aron kept his business going until he was hired.
Josephine Eastwood has been teaching for five years and is an established chemist. Well-respected in the medical community, Eastwood has made several breakthroughs in medical mixtures in the past decade. In fact, many of the poultices and treatments on the shelves in the local apothecary were created or at least modified by her. Professor Eastwood was once approached by a member of Project Dawn, who asked for her help, but she refused.
No one knows a lot about the school nurse, Lillian Harper. Nobody really wants to.
Rapid roleplay, or RRP, is a particular style of roleplay that generally takes place in a chat room or in a flash space such as towns. In the instance of using towns, you generally dress up your avatar as your character. You don't have to get very in-depth, either, so the format is generally something like this:
Quote:
Person A: "Whoa, look at that spaghetti monster!" Person B: Oh my god it looks so tasty we have to eat it! *runs forward* Person A: -Backflips out the window- "PARKOUR"
To notate actions, you can use -dashes- or *asterisks* or whatever suits you. To notate talking, you can use "quotation marks" if you choose. To notate OOC, (you can talk in parentheses) or [brackets] or {whatever you choose as long as it's obvious that it's ooc.}
How can I keep up with everything that's going on!?
Never fear! There's a page for that! Some characters keep journals, and those are all linked in the Journal Database. As friend groups will inevitably be formed, certain journals will be useful for keeping up with specific friend groups. Those journals will be starred.
If you're keeping a journal, it's asked that you post in the Journal Database thread when you post a new entry so people know when certain journals are updated!
I want my character to have a pet! Is that okay?
That's totally great! All students are allowed to have an owl, but if you want more, you should check out the Pet Registration to register them with the school. That has information on which pets are allowed, which pets are no longer available, and which pets are outright banned.
My character is a noble!
A duke? Duchess? Prince? Princess? Lord? Lady? You get the idea. In that case, you should definitely go to the Noble Registration to register. Take note that if you don't register as nobility, your character will not be allowed to be nobility.
Do I sent in registrations for pets and nobles before or after my application gets approved?
Send in the noble application with your regular application. (It's recommended that you include as little as possible about your character being a noble in your regular application in the event that you are not approved for nobility.) Send in your pet registration after your application gets approved.
I'm worried about roleplaying - how do I not annoy other people and improve my skill?
You're in luck - we have a guide of what not to do during roleplaying! It's right here and it's highly recommended reading.
How old are the students in each year?
First years are 15-16, second years are 16-17, third years are 17-18, and fourth years are 18-19.
What do I do after my application is approved?
Well, if your character is a second year or up, then you should check out the Second Year + Path/Element Signup in the Bulletin Board forum. After that, or if you're a first year, then why not introduce yourself?
Is there another form for characters to let me flesh them out more?
Indeed there is! The Student Information Database is a form that is much more complex than the initial character application form! It's highly recommended if you plan to be active to fill out this form.
I have an adult character, is there somewhere I can put them?
[color=postingcolor][u]αppeαrαɴce[/u][/color] [size=11][list][Create your character using items from your inventory, and then use a screenshot program like Lightshot or Gyazo to take a picture of it. Upload it to a photo sharing site if you need to, like Photobucket or Imgur, and then put the link between the [ imgright ] tags above.][/list][/size]
[color=postingcolor][u]нoυѕe[/u][/color] [size=11][list][make sure you took the quiz first!][/list][/size]
[color=postingcolor][u]rαce[/u][/color] [size=11][list][you can choose to be a human, elf, dwarf, half-elf, or dwelf.][/list][/size]
[color=postingcolor][u]lιĸeѕ[/u][/color] [size=11][list]● text ● text ● text ● text ● text [feel free to add more bulletins!][/list][/size]
[color=postingcolor][u]dιѕlιĸeѕ[/u][/color] [size=11][list]● text ● text ● text ● text ● text [feel free to add more bulletins!][/list][/size]
[color=postingcolor][u]вαcĸɢroυɴd[/u][/color] [size=11][list][a paragraph or two to sum up the character's background. if you plan to apply for nobility please don't include it in your background.][/list][/size]
● certain possessed students ● Sir Tom ● broccoli ● anything squishy and wet ● getting sucked into interdimensional vortexes man that ruins your day
вαcĸɢroυɴd
Rika had a pleasant early life. Although her father abhorred the forest elves, his wife ended up being a forest elf. Rika would travel to the forest every summer and spend the whole summer with her mother, because the City of Roses was very prejudiced against magic and elves and the like. Rika herself was hated among the elves because she was a half-elf. In most elves' eyes, that meant she was a disgusting halfbreed that wasn't supposed to exist. So every summer, Rika and her mother were isolated from the rest of the village simply because Rika's father was a human.
One day, Rika's mother, Freya, needed to speak with another villager. She left Rika alone in the middle of a field. Rika's magic accidentally started a fire. Freya forced her way through the fire as fast as she could, saving Rika's life at the cost of her own. Rika's father, Erron, after hearing the story, ordered for an anti-magic barrier to be erected around his home and told Rika she could never go outside again. Several years later, Rika ran away to the school.
owl?
A tawny owl named Wicca.
мαry-ѕυe тeѕт ѕcore
32
υѕerɴαмe
Jennalaia
Professor Application This is an application to control one of the professors. (The professors are NPCs, but there are too many of them for crew alone to handle.) Send teacher applications in a PM titled "Arthur's Advisor".
[color=postingcolor][u]do yoυ нαve α cυrrιcυlυм ιɴ мιɴd?[/u][/color] [size=11][list][it's alright if you don't, because there IS a prepped curriculum][/list][/size]
Crew Application NOTE: To be qualified for crew you must have at least 20 RP posts in the forums and have roughly a year of RP experience.
Send crew applications in a PM titled "Merlin's Puppet Master".
[size=14][b]CREW APPLICATION[/b][/size] [list][list][list][size=11][b]Username:[/b] [b]How long have you been on Gaia?[/b] [b]How often are you on?[/b] [b]Would you be willing to (occasionally) play NPCs?[/b] [b]It is a very boring day in towns. How would you involve the students?[/b] [b]Suppose one of the students doesn't want to participate. How would you involve them?[/b] [b]A monster entirely made of soufflés and hot dogs is attacking! What do you do?[/b] [b]Once you are a part of crew, will you remain to be an active part of the crew? [u]Think carefully:[/u][/b] Yes/No[/size][/list][/list][/list]
