The Mage’s Academy is located on the sky island Valona, serving as Faia’s preeminent institution for magical education and research. Tuition is free to any Faian with an activated affinity, regardless of age or species. The Academy is dedicated to producing generations of respected and accomplished Mages, in the hopes that they will go on to do great things for Faia.

The Mage's Academy is a playable feature in the ARPG! More info in the guide.

Hierarchy

• Archmages: The Academy is led by four Archmages, each a master of one of the four affinities. They guide the institution and make major decisions, representing the highest magical authority for not only the Academy, but Faia as a whole.
• Masters: The Academy hosts highly specialized Mages in specific fields of affinity magic, responsible for teaching advanced material to higher-ranked students. The Masters are as follows: Master Healer, Master of Combat, Master of Enchantment, Master Alchemist, Master Summoner.
• Professors: The professors are responsible for general magical education. They teach students foundational principles that are applicable to all types of magic and affinities.
• General Staff: General staff are in charge of a variety of non-education related tasks. These include cooking meals, cleaning, and administrative work such as dorm organization.
  
  

Academic Ranks

• Rank I (Entry): All Faians are placed in Rank I upon enrollment.  Students learn the fundamentals of affinity magic: magical law, magical history, discipline, basic spellcasting, and the core principles of all affinity magic. Students also begin memorizing runes and incantation sequences, which they will continue to do throughout the next two ranks.
• Rank II: Students start focusing in on their own affinity, learning more advanced spells and specialized applications. 
• Rank III: Students begin to receive highly specialized training in a chosen field (such as healing, alchemy, illusion, etc.), taking classes from one of the Masters. They also receive their Mage’s Staff around mid-rank.
• Rank IV: Students gain access to specialized facilities, such as the Academy Arena and secret library. Unlike other ranks, the length of Rank IV is undefined. Students officially graduate as soon as their Lesser Affinity Spirit transitions into a Greater Affinity Spirit, which can take anywhere from weeks to years. Each student is given their own graduation ceremony, where their Mage’s Staff is blessed by an Archmage.
  
  

Structure

The Mage’s Academy is composed of a mix of affinity-specific spaces and common areas. Affinity-specific spaces are called Houses (Arcane House, Beast House, Divine House, Fae House), and are reserved for students of specific affinities. Each House includes dormitories, various common rooms, classrooms, and a small library. Other facilities, such as dining areas, the main library, workshops, and common rooms are shared between all students.

The building itself is massive, and features four main spires: the central spire hosts the meeting room of the Sanctum of the Fourfold (as well as the Archmages' common rooms), and the remaining four spires each belong to one of the four affinity Houses. It is said that the Academy is bigger on the inside, especially in these spires... but this is all just speculation.

Rooms and Areas

• Courtyard: The main entrance of the Academy leads into a courtyard, filled with lush flora and floating lights. There are five doors that lead out of the courtyard: four leading to affinity-specific areas, and the fifth leading to the common areas.
• The Lightkeeper’s Rotunda: The Lightkeeper's Rotunda is the ‘assembly hall’ of the Academy, where important announcements are made. The room is completely circular, with a central stage and benches lining the sides. Various celebrations and activities are also held here.
• Libris Lumyera: The main library of the Academy, open to students of all affinities. It is located in one of the Academy’s spires, so much of it is vertical. An enormous staircase, various lanterns and glowing crystals hanging from its corners, spirals along the center of the space. The stairs branch off into walkways on each floor of the library, and even includes a mechanism to reach ground level quickly. Each floor holds books of different genres and types, with higher floors holding more advanced books. The walls and ceiling are made of stained glass.
• Dining Hall: Students meet in the dining hall for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Food is prepared by the Academy’s cooks, often with the help of magic. Students are allowed to take their food to other locations, although most are too lazy and simply eat in the hall.
• Snapdrake’s Garden: A garden full of magically potent plants from the Snapdragon’s Glade as well as other islands, allowing for convenient ingredient-harvesting. Students under Rank IV are only allowed to enter under supervision.
• Labs: Various labs where research is conducted. Most of these are for Academy faculty only, although there are a few that are open to higher-ranked students.
• Arena: The Academy Arena is a colosseum-like structure located behind the main Academy building. It is only open to students in Rank IV, and used to practice magical combat. Various enchanted weapons are available for practice-sparring.
• Secret Library: A hidden library that is only open to students in Rank IV. Its entrance is located in the Snapdrake’s Garden, so well-hidden that to this day, no Faian has ever found it without first being told. It requires a passcode to enter.
• Celestial Chambers: The Archmages meet here to discuss private matters, or simply just to relax. All others are forbidden from entering. The room is located in the central spire of the Academy, and doubles as an observatory. Four exits lead to walkways to each of the Archmages’ private rooms.
• Sanctum of the Fourfold: The Sanctum of the Fourfold, Faia’s council of Mages, meets within the Academy in the central spire. Its entrance is located on the floor above the Celestial Chambers, guarded by four enchanted gargoyles and a wall of spells.
  
  

Student Life

Life as a student at the Mage’s Academy is rigorous, but ultimately rewarding. Unlike regular education, classes run year-round, with breaks during each seasonal festival (Bloom Festival, Rite of the Reef, Harvest Festival, Frost Festival) and short breaks during miscellaneous Faian events. Rank-ups for Ranks I to III occur annually during the Rite of the Reef, after the student participates in the lantern tradition (required each year).

Weekdays are filled with classes, with workloads heavily depending on each student’s rank and specialization. After classes, students head to libraries, common rooms, or their dorms to study. Students all live in affinity-specific and gender-separate dorms located in their affinity House. Each House also features various spaces for students to gather, study, or relax together. Students are not allowed to enter other affinities’ Houses.

While the separation of different affinities into Houses does not create significant rifts in the community, it does spur some friendly competition. Students are typically teamed up by affinity for casual sports, and Houses eagerly welcome newcomers of their affinity. It is also more common for students to make friends within their own House, simply due to spending more time together. Indeed, despite the academic rigor, the Mage’s Academy has a strong community aspect. Students are free to hang out on campus whenever they’re not in class, or even head to Lysborough. With no classes on weekends, faculty and students alike host various activities such as seasonal festivities, casual sports, and performances.

Traditions

• When a student graduates and becomes a Mage, it is tradition for them to paint a new star onto the interior ceiling of the Libris Lumyera (the main library). symbolizing a pledge to use their magic for pure purposes.
• Each year, the Academy transports all students to Lylluna for the Rite of the Reef, free of charge. They make quite an entrance!
• Plays are performed annually in the Lightkeeper's Rotunda, typically mid Bloom Season. Many students participate for the sole purpose of learning new tricks and illusions in the proces.