#academies

Tridalia Academy

History

– Tridalia Academy, the first school to be built in the city, and is one of the most powerful academies. Founded by General Tridalia, this academy trains the city’s soldiers.

– Story tells that General Tridalia went to meditate on mountain tops, in caves deep enough to reach the bottom of the earth, and fought foes strong enough to annihilate whole seas before he to come up with the idea of the academy. But these are overdramatized stories and myths. The reason was much simpler than that.

– In the time when powerful gods fought for a divine seat in the heavens, a young soldier witnessed the loss of comrades and friends alike. Not wanting more loss, he proposed an idea to Her Grace. An idea that could help them protect the city. 

– Since most soldiers were farmers, they had no skills with the sword. So he suggested a place to train them. He said:

“Why not train new recruits, instead of giving them a sword and wishing them luck as we push them to their deaths? To survive the harrowing flames of war, we must become strong to stand and shield our city. Together, we will rise and become unyielding guardians, defending our land and ensuring its existence in the face of our enemies. And this way, there won’t be senseless deaths.”

– Her Grace, liking the boldness and honesty behind the soldier's words, agreed. She gave him a trial run and a condition. If there wasn't much of an improvement in the army, she would stop the camp. As for the condition: he is the one who has to train the new recruits. And so, the first ‘academy’ was built.

– In its early stages, Tridalia Academy was more so a boot camp, with no academic component like regular ones. Those joining the army could opt-in and go to camp before joining veteran soldiers in the battlefield.

– But because the camp wasn’t mandatory, no one was interested. They all thought it was a waste of time; veterans thought it was a childish idea from a young soldier who didn’t know better, while newer recruits were too prideful and would naturally learn while fighting.

– The young soldier, who was Vimlar at the time, thought that maybe he could give some type of reward for joining. This sparked an idea: Why not give privilege to those who joined? Anyone who joined and “graduated” would receive a last name–an honor to have in its time.

– Hearing this, new recruits joined in droves. Many of the soldiers that came out of the rigorous training became prominent figures in the war, or at the very least, survived the wars with far less injuries than those who didn’t receive the training.

– As time went on, the camp grew bigger and bigger. Her Grace, seeing the number of troops grow and the success of the soldiers, prompted her to give Vimlar a part of land in her grounds to build a far bigger camp for them. This camp later on became what is now known as the Tridalia Academy.

– Because not all who joined the camp passed to become Up-holders, they became the “special armed force” of the city. So the city has regular soldiers who make up for a large portion of the army. Though they are not excluded from having to pass some exams, its difficulty is a far cry from the famous Tridalia exams.

Graduation

–The regimen for entrance started out easy. Sign up, train, you’re an Up-holder! Now you have to go through knight training, law school, psychology, and a few other courses before you can even qualify to be an Up-holder.

╰ There is an exception to skip all the qualifications. The exception being personally getting granted a spot in the exams by Her Grace. Yeah, near impossible, I know.

– Tridalia Academy is the easiest to get accepted into, but the most difficult to graduate from. Less than 45% of students pass their first year, and even less manage to pass the final exam and graduate. It’s some grueling three years, but to be known as an Up-holder is worth it.

Exams

– The exams are divided into three categories: knowledge, group fights, and then singles.

– The first phase, Knowledge, are rigorous tests about law and psychology; some tests are written responses, the majority are multiple choice. You would need at least an 85% to pass each test.

– The next phase, group fights, test students of their ability to work together; the groups are chosen at random, so no, you cannot choose your best friend. This is about knowing if you can work with others when thrusted into any situation.

╰ The test includes different terrains, weapons, and foes; these are also chosen at random, and one can easily go from one to another in the same exam.

– The final phase of the exam is the “Grand Entrance Exam.” This is the most popular of the three trials, accumulating a large crowd each time it is hosted.

╰ This exam is done twice a year. At the beginning of the year in January, to commence the parades for the Month of our Lady, and in early october (dates vary between years).

[Note]: This section will have its own Arc as it is far too complex to explain everything here. Also, I don’t want this to turn into an info-dump. Even IF it already became one…

– Passing the Grand Entrance Exam means graduating from Tridalia Academy and becoming an Up-holder.

Student Life

– Student life? What is that? The students of Tridalia Academy don’t know what that is.

Clelarth Academia of Law

History

– Clelarth Academia was founded as a by-product of General Tridalia’s academy. Reason being, that there wasn’t an institution dedicated to law. And as law became more complicated and complex, the need for studying them became a must.

– Because of this inconvenience, some of the high ranking Up-holders decided to split the law branch of the Tridalia academy and make it its own institution: The Academia of Law; this was the first name of the academy.

– Years later, a nobleman named Clelarth donated a large sum of mora to fund the academys’ teachings. Some may have doubted his intentions, claiming that he did it out of greed. Clelarth saw it differently however. He believed that investing in institutions was a wise decision; a nobleman should pride himself on knowing good investments when they see one.

"I'm not being altruistic by funding the academy. In fact, my motivation is quite simple: the more resources those students have, the more potential they have to become members of society with big pockets, and that means more opportunities for me to profit. It's a win-win situation, and a smart nobleman knows how to recognize a good investment when he sees one."

– Thinking of his wealth rather than the bigger picture, that’s who he was; the man that kick-started the academy’s legacy. The allegations against him did have some truth after all. These are the…grey areas in the city's legislature, but all is well—according to the comments of high nobles.

Student Life

– Students work hard in Clelarth. Well…as hard as a noble can anyway.

– The student population being primarily composed of high elites has its downfalls. The students mainly focus on their image, working on connections rather than bettering the city.

– Most of the time, they are off partying till their heart's content. Less than 20 percent of their time is actually spent studying.

╰ There are many events and parties catering towards Clalerth students. The hosts usually are other nobles trying to be on friendly terms with.

VOXIA, Academy of Mages

Yuri: “I hope you all have a wonderful trip as I am not the one guiding you through this one. Good luck!”

???: “My, has it been a while since I’ve been in the spotlight….” …: ヾ(≧∇≦)ゞ ???: “Oh? Well it appears that I’ll have a little assistant with me.” ???: “…Shall we begin?”

– VOXIA. The Academy of Mages. The most awaited, architecturally beautiful, powerful, and–in my humble opinion–the most important academy.

╰ “But isn't Tridalia academy, the General’s academy, the most important in the city?” They produce top level knights, yes…but even his little school lacks the talent the Academy of Mages has.

???: “Make sure not to tell Head Butler Arias about this, else I’ll get an earful.” …: ( ÒㅅÓ) ? ???: “Why? He’s a die-hard-fan.” ???: “Can’t reason with delusion, now can you?”

– The academy is run by the Nomads of ‘The Three King Mágos’. It is also the most prestigious academy in the whole of Teyvat for producing competent mages. 

╰ Although this doesn’t mean that all the famous mages hail from here. You needn't graduate from the academy to become a great mage. Like the mages of the Hexenzirkel, they never stepped foot in this lovely academy. 

???: *Reading ahead on the script*  “It seems Yuri made everything more complicated again.” …: (・о・)ノ ???: “Curious about the Nomads?” …: ( ￣▽￣) 👍 ???: “Well…”

– Currently, there are four clans in the city, the Nomads are composed of three of them. You can think of the three clans as mini-nations inside of the city, States in other words. They have their own rules and adhere to different leaders, depending on which clan they’re born into.

– They’re rulers, bearing the title “King Mage,” come from a long line of succession dating back to the The Three King Mágos, and the succession doesn’t discriminate against gender. So if you had dreams of becoming one, better start dreaming something else.

History

– VOXIA was created as a deal between the Three Nomad Kings and Her Grace. The deal was struck to better the city’s magic, and for the Nomads to gain land and protection from the city.

╰ This deal also includes the Nomads control over the regulations of magic within the city, as well as establishing a state exclusively for them.

– There have been very prominent mages ever since the Nomads gave their knowledge of magic. Great Mages are known to be the most powerful of the bunch. Great Mage is an official title that can be granted, and many of the Great Mages vary between individuals. They are to be held in high regard, regardless of opinion.

╰  The title is given by the Nomads.╰  The current Headmage of VOXIA has been unanimously agreed to be the greatest Great Mage by the students of VOXIA. Anyone in disagreement is more than welcomed to appeal to the Great Mage's Fanatic Fellowship, otherwise known as GMFF.

???: “‘Note: This will be expanded upon once the time comes.’” ???: “That’s all the information she wanted us to show in this section. …: (´ー`)? ???: “Hmm, I believe she will reveal the rest once she starts writing the plot of the city. Not that she already knows exactly what she wants from it…but you didn't hear that from me!”

Graduation

– Entrance exams. The apex of student stress. They are easier than people think they are, and often just constitute checking if you have the qualifications to become a mage.

– Registers need the following: a vision, have a talent or affinity for elemental energy, and know the basics of spell.

╰ The affinity to elemental energy part varies between years, age, and sometimes how one perceives the elements.

╰ The academy is generous enough to offer a few basic spells in the newspapers for oncoming mages to start their long journey.

…: (T_T) ???: “Simple? Well, it has to be simple. This school was built to teach magic, not restrain your pursuit of it. That said, if you don’t qualify, that’s that. You can’t enter the school.” …: (ﾉ◕ヮ◕)ﾉ*:･ﾟ✧💸💸💸 ???: “Pff… You think you can enter…with enough Mora? Yeah right.” ???: “Hmm, I did hear of high nobles trying to buy their children into VOXIA, but it was all for nought.” ???: “I wonder if it’s possible in other academies…” ???: “Ah! If we keep this up, we’ll be behind schedule!”

– Graduation requirements are not as simple as entering, but it is far easier than studying to become an Up-holder. Around 84% of students become graduates of VOXIA. This is due to different programs in which a young mage can apply for. There is the Enchantees Course, the Elemental Mastery Course, the Potion course, to name a few more.

– Once a young mage has chosen a course, they will begin their 3 to 9 year journey–all depending on their chosen course. – Once a mage has successfully passed all their required curriculum, they may take the Final Mage Exam and finally graduate after all the blood and sweat they spilled grinding.

Final Mage Exams

– A mages final exam differs from courses, eg., If you take the potion course, then you’ll need to be tested on your proficiency and quality of potions you make during a selected time period.

╰ Simple enough, isn't it? This is the main cause for the graduation percentage.

– The exams are littered all throughout the year, and each Department decides when and where the exams will take place. Most Departments would try and make tests not collide with each other, or those of other academies. But with how many tests there are, it’s almost impossible.

╰ So if you're looking for that nice long vacation, you’d better reconsider when your professor announces the date of your exam.

– There are two courses that are popular: the Elemental Mastery and Mage Ministry course. More specifically, the examiners are the main focus.

– To pass said courses, you need to prove proficiency in advanced magic spells, mastery of elemental energy, and, for Mage Ministry takers, they will need to pass the Minister Rite of Passage.

???: “Oh, there is an endnote for this section, ‘Note: this section will be expanded upon along with Tridalia’s Grand Entrance Exam.’ endnote.” ???: “...Just how complicated is she making this? Surely, she could have written it much simpler like Dreaming in Parallels world building…” …: ( ͠° ͟ʖ ͡°)? ???: “Hm…? Oh, just one of her many worlds. Don’t worry your pretty little head about it.”

Student Life

– There is a fellowship hierarchy in the academy. The longer you’ve been in the academy, the more status you have.

– Mages in higher years can welcome newbie mages by accepting them as apprentices. The more apprentices a mage obtains, the more ‘status’ you gain.

╰ This means that mages in older grades are constantly scouring for new talent so they can brag about it.

╰ But this also means that those mages who have a high number of apprentices will be selective on who they accept; younger mages will fight tooth and nail to fill in those limited spots.

– Young mages may have class together with other course takers, although this is extremely rare. Encountering older mages teaching younger ones in libraries and classes is not a new sight, and teachers like it, they get a break from having too many students asking questions.

– Young mages will try to get with mages who are in courses that are similar to theirs, with an exception: the Mage Ministry Course. Mages of all courses will try to be apprentices of older mages in the Minister Mage course, mostly because of the implications of it.

╰ Mages taking this course are looking at 9 years of study. After graduation, Mage Ministers can enter the mage ranks of the Nomads, and become well known in the city. Higher than the average Up-holder.

…: (ㄒoㄒ) ???: “Yes, that’s right. The only way to enter the Nomads mage ranks is by becoming a Mage Minister. …: (╭☞•̀o•́)╭☞ ???: “Mage Ministers administer magic across the whole nation. This also includes the Nomads, as much as they want to whine about this authority.” ???: “They are essentially Up-holders of magic.”

– Because of the limited space in VOXIA, there is only a small library. Unfortunately for the students, it’s restricted, and can only be entered if authorized, are a staff, or a Mage Minister. So students like to study in the city’s Grand Library, otherwise known as Her Grace’s Library. 

╰ It is rumored that the restricted library in the academy houses to powerful spells that are not meant for mortal eyes.

…: Σ(･口･)??? ???: “Is it true? *Shrug* It is only a rumor created by some students a few centuries ago.” ???: “Given the mysteriousness of the rumor, the time it’s been brewing, and the libraries inaccessibility, it gave students creative freedom to say what they thought of it. Now, it’s become an urban legend.”

???: “There are other rumors and theories going around at the moment, but this is the most popular.” ???: “And that about sums up what this academy is. It’s a shame I can only say a few things about it, Yuri wants to dive deeper into it herself in the future.” …: ( ◔3◔)? ???: “Just how much does she have in store? I have an idea of what she has up her sleeves…but I'm not telling!” ???: “Now, I’ll pass you, dears, back to Yuri. Have a nice trip! *waving* ” …: (◡́.◡̀)ゞ

Holy Neele Academiae

– Holy Neele Academiae targets all the studies the other academies don’t have, eg., medicine, language, the arts, ect..

– there's nothing much to say about it than that.

Student Life

– Out of all the schools, Holy Neele’s students have the healthiest and most balanced student lives. No over studying until your eyes gush out, no one-nighters, and a healthy dose of student stress over tests and exams.

[Note]: Most students in Holy Neele get traumatized when they make friends from other academies. All they see are zombies and war zones when exams roll around. Poor souls.

Agiasmos

– Agiasmos is newer in terms of when it was established but don’t let that misguide you, as this beautiful building has three centuries under its belt.

– For clarification, Agiasmos is not an academy, but a research hobby for new technology and innovations. It’s similar to the Fontaine Research Institute of Kinetic Energy Engineering, as they research about all types of things related to the advancement of humanity.

– Created by the leading technology researchers of their time, Agiasmos has seen the fruits of many geniuses in their three-hundred year journey. Many came and went, others dedicated their entire lives in the betterment of the city and its people within these walls.

╰ Many noteworthy researchers are known, but are not common knowledge. Unless you’ve made it big and are worthy enough to have a statue in your image–like the famous researcher who build the city’s first Hot-air Balloon–then most citizens won’t know about you.

– In this current era of researchers, the lack of talent is evident. But, there have been a few young researchers that’ve made a reputation for themselves in the last couple of years. One, in particular, has been working to build a machine capable of launching humans to the stars without the use of any type of elemental energy.

Life of a Researcher

– The daily life of a researcher is composed of waking up, drinking three scoops of instant coffee with cold milk, researching whatever piques their interest, getting stuck on their research, pulling out their hair until they somehow make a theory, passing out from sheer exhaustion, and repeat. The day doesn't start when the rays of sun invade, nor does night determine when to sleep.

– In other words, they are workaholics.

[Fun Facts]

– The first batch of Up-holders were trained by Vimlar, along a dear friend of his

Vimlar taught the first batch of Up-holders alongside a dear friend of his.

– The original camp of Up-holders is still in use today. Although it's not the current Up-holder base anymore, it has now changed to accommodate the training of the newbies, AKA, the students’ training ground.

– The name “Up-holders” wasn't the original name for these trained knights. In fact, it was changed to this because the previous name was too uncouth for Her Grace's taste.

╰ They were called “The Bringers of Doom”. Her Grace didn’t like it, sounding too violent for her ideals. Vimlar was a pouting mess for a week because of this. The trainees faced the consequences that week.

– Clelarth has its own library. Good luck trying to find anything unrelated to law, as most of the books within its collection are about just that.

– In recent years, a unique partnership has developed between students of both Tridalia and Clelath Academies. As part of their curriculum, students from both academies need to study law; students realised that they could become study partners.

╰ Their camaraderie has build to the point that a large chunk of Clelarth students go and cheer for their friends during the Grand Entrance Exam of Tridalia academy.

– There's a heated debate among the citizens regarding who's the better ruler for the city. If you happen to stumble into this discussion, I advise you to turn around and not get involved. The 'rulers' in question here are Her Grace and the Head of the Nomads. You don't want to get caught up in that hornet's nest, believe me. 

╰ Last time there was an outright war. At the end, the Up-holders had to step in and stop the whole thing before anyone got injured.

𝚃𝚊𝚐𝚜: @udretlnea. Comment if you want to get added into the Tag section for The Divine City: Arc. Back to The Divine City: Arc Master-List. Go to Story, a related series.