This is actually in response to The International's question posed in the Muse Thread. A few bajillion years ago, back during the now-concluded Raiaera FQ, I basically blew up Anebrilith and remade it into a place called Beinost. Residing within Beinost is a bona fide College Arcana, a Wizarding School. Sorta. Both were accepted by the region writer at the time and, to the best of my knowledge, incorporated into Althanas canon. The region's not been edited yet, but that shit takes forever and a day no matter who's doing it.
This is for The International and anyone else who wants to make use of Beinost and associated shrubbery (the college, the NPCs related to it, etc).
Beinost, the Beautiful City
Towards the end of the Corpse War, the Old City of Anebrilith was torn down to the last brick by an act of alchemy and necromancy the likes of which has not been seen in living memory; one that hopefully will not ever be seen again. What replaced Anebrilith was the city of Beinost, a literal ghost-town formed from the ashes, ruins, corpses, and even the willing souls of the city that came before it.
Beinost is a crescent-shaped wonder, its ends stretching out into the sea as part of an enormous harbor complex capable of docking up to fifty large ships with room to spare; even a shipyard all its own. It boasts a great wall nearly eighty feet high and thick enough to sport hallways, living quarters, and even supply stores at certain parts. Architecture closely resembles that of pre-War Eluriand with touches of Alerian and Salvic influences, assuming someone knows what they're looking for. Most of the city sports a dazzling color scheme of reds, purples, blues, and gold trim. The streets are cobblestone and brick, lined with sidewalks and enchanted lamps, and the entire city stands atop one of the most advanced sewer systems in the world -- all byproducts of how Beinost came into being. There is a certain eerie uniformity to the construction of houses and other small buildings in Beinost, but this can also be attributed to how the city was born.
The city is naturally carved into six major districts:
Law District: The center of the city. Ironically not named for one of Beinost's creators; Law is where the government resides, along with all of its bureaucracy, the city council, the police, so on and so forth. As of this writing, Law District also hosts the only bona fide Alerian embassy in Raiaera -- whether occupied or not.
Military District: Located in the southwestern section. The military district houses several barracks, training facilities, smithies, armories, and the like. Here is the second-largest concentration of Alerian and Salvic influences -- the buildings are considerably less artistic, darker, and more pragmatically designed.
Naval and Merchant Marine: Actually two districts, with the Navy to the South and the Merchant Marine to the North. These dominate the entire coastline of Beinost, filled to the brim with warehouses, harbors, a few inns, taverns, so on and so forth. The two districts are distinguished mainly by signage and construction -- the Naval District is more obviously fortified, both in the streets and on the docks. The two are separated by an as-yet-unnamed shipyard.
Market District: The largest part of the city, taking up a huge swath in both the middle, and along the wall to the North. Everything from bazaars to outdoor marketplaces to auction houses can be found here, along with a surprisingly large portion of the city's emergency food and water stores. Most of the city's artistic pursuits are also situated in the Market District, with several large theaters and concert halls scattered throughout.
Magic District: The Magic District is where foreign influences, particularly Salvic, are at their strongest. This whole area is utterly dominated by Raiaera's first, and to date only, College Arcana. Other features include a number of small, currently inactive shops, libraries, archives, and vaults, as well as between ten and thirty unoccupied towers of varying height and size.
Misc Information
Beinost is geographically enormous, but its population is incredibly small. At the time of its founding, the city only had around five thousand people living in it; almost all of them Elves or Half-Elves, with a small minority of Drow. At present, its population is likely no more than 10,000 at the most and it may or may not have recovered some of Anebrilith's Human and Dwarf minorities. Much of the city remains uninhabited and unpossessed, with the local government doing everything in their power to divy up the land fairly and without favor for any would-be robber barons looking to buy up a ton of real estate.
Culturally, Beinost has survived the War to become a much more cosmopolitan place than most of Raiaera. Owing to the heavy hand that both Drow and Humans played in creating the city and preserving Anebrilith before it, you will find a unique acceptance, tolerance, and even friendliness towards both peoples. Beinostian Elves lack the stereotypical arrogance of their kin elsewhere; they've been through too much to stay high and mighty, and they've had their fat pulled out of the fire too many times to be ungrateful about it. Drow migrants often find themselves so welcome here as to be completely disoriented by it, and it's only a matter of time before the first round of intermarrying kicks off.
Beinost is also home to one of the largest concentrations of Wanderers in Starlight anywhere in Raiaera. This is, in large part, due to the number of Wanderers who fought and died in both the defense of Anebrilith and the birth of Beinost. There are minor shrines to Starlit versions of the Raiaeran pantheon all over the city, as well as a major temple in the Military District, where most of them choose to dwell. Most of the city's native Drow also belong to the Wanderers.
Beyond all that, it might pay to remember that Beinost is a city created from the dead, albeit with their consent, for the living. 11,591 people went into its construction. There's the strong possibility that the city is at least a little haunted. For now, it'd be benevolent. If the city or any parts of it were treated improperly or subject to corruption, that would change real bloody quick. Literally. It would also pay to remember that the area around Beinost -- the farmlands and such -- still bear serious taint from the War and are in need of cleansing to this day.
The College Arcana
The dominant feature of the Magic District is a large campus built around an enormous building shaped like a domed cage and covered in Diamonic wards of both defense and containment. This is the College Arcana and its accompanying dormitories, research facilities, arcane forges, and the private towers assigned to its eventual faculty. This College is unique in Raiaera, and possibly unique throughout the world given current attitudes towards magic, as its only School of Wizardry. It is unique because the magic taught here is completely and utterly free of bardic or divine influences; there isn't a single songbook or holy text anywhere on the campus, at least not yet and possibly not ever. This owes to the fact that the school's founders consist of one Salvic Wizard and seven Elven Magi who were all, in the Wizard's words, "tonedeaf" to the rhythm of traditional bardic magic. They had the gift, they had the power, but they could not sing or play music, and so their abilities had previously gone unnoticed at best.
Following the birth of Beinost, the would-be faculty met and agreed to go their separate ways so that they could all build up their skill and knowledge bases, acquire artifacts and tomes, and generally prepare for the day when they actually would teach students how to sling spells, cast enchantments, perform transmutations and the like. The agreement was to meet again in several years time and hammer out the rest from there.
It bears mention that the College is, as of this writing, operating on a one-woman skeleton crew and its resources are a bit slim. The library has copies of a long distance teleportation spell, the magical portions of at least one Grimoire, and a handful of significant artifacts and writings donated from outside sources and wandering faculty members. It is well-funded and the living quarters are spacious, if nothing else -- an ideal place for a newly minted Wizard or a rookie Mage to start building their careers in the arcane, whether as students, researchers, or teachers.
The Faculty
Neesal Danfras: Elf. Blonde hair, blue eyes, naturally pale, average height and build. Twenty-something. Mother of Iera Law, a half-elf. The child's actual father is unknown and it's probably best that way. Neesal survived the second Siege of Anebrilith, and possibly the first, as a one-woman brothel chained up in a tavern on the docks. While she is much calmer and more at ease now, she still bears the emotional scars from that time, often manifesting as a truly fiery temper. She is a natural Pyromancer with an eye towards indirect and long-range spellcasting, but she can throw down fireballs and dragon's breath and walls of flame in a heartbeat -- she's incredibly strong for someone who came into her power so recently. Neesal is currently serving as the caretaker for the College while the rest of the faculty is away. She receives donations for the archives, keeps out squatters, and has advanced far enough to teach the basics of spellcasting and divination to beginners.
Misc Suggestions and Details: Neesal is roughly equivalent to level 2 or 3 at this point. She was the first to develop a Sorcerous voice, represented as red Times New Roman or Garamond. She probably has her own spellbook by now, which she'd use as her main casting impliment. Given what she's got access to, she probably also knows the basics of enchantment and alchemy by now too. Considering her status as the acting head of the College, anyone wanting to live, study or work there right now would have to deal with her.
Kienelas Tracen: Elf. Black hair, green eyes, naturally pale, tall but otherwise average. Half-brother to Dylver. Generally regarded as The Team Player. One of the most gifted of the founding faculty. Kienelas' magic is weak on its own, but his spells are incredibly durable and he has a natural talent for drawing in ambient energy and using it as his own -- even the power generated by other spellcasters. His fine control is a compliment to anyone he works with. Last seen heading for Corone or Akashami, or possibly both. Unlike most of the faculty, he had no particular elemental affinity to his magic -- he just worked with whatever was handy.
Misc Suggestions or Details: Kienelas would probably be level 3 by now. While his spellcasting often took on elements of fire, generic arcane, or lightning, he was not limited to them and did not seem to have a favorite element. If you want to learn how to get the most bang for your buck, he's probably your go-to guy.
Dylver Tracen: Half-Elf. Brown hair, brown eyes, naturally pale but tans easily. Tall and a bit pudgy, with a huge scar on one leg and another on his chest. Half-brother to Kienelas. Generally regarded as The Rebel. Dylver was one of the strongest of the faculty members, able to throw around spells as an amateur that had his Wizard of a mentor scratching his head in surprise. He was a natural with thermal magicks, able to move temperatures around in such a way that he could generate a tornado of fire and ice, or juggle ice to one side and fire on the other. His fine control could use some work, but his enthusiasm more than makes up for it. His last heading is unknown, but he might have gone to either Salvar or Fallien -- or both.
Misc Suggestions or Details: Dylver is probably level 4 or close to it by now; he had more tenacity and power than all the others coming right out the gate. Wherever he is, he's probably developed his spellcasting around causing massive destruction and area effects while wearing armor -- he was too injured during the Siege to have not learned the value of good protection. May also know some wicked defensive spells too. If he wears a Hat, it could believably be a turban.
Warram Cael: Elf. Black hair, blue eyes, pale, short and lithe. Wears glasses. Has the look of a natural librarian, even when wearing rags or battle armor. Warram's specialty lies in noncombative magic, particularly alchemy and runic spellwork. She's a natural at both, and probably also an excellent enchantress as well. More than any of the others, she is the most likely to have refined her power into both an art and a science. Warram is an extremely methodical person, not very good in battle, but clever and thorough when it comes to planning and preparation. She's also got a natural talent as a seamstress, able to size someone to within a tenth of an inch just by looking at them. Last seen on a quest for tomes of knowledge.
Suggestionor Misc Details: Most likely level 2 or 3 by now, but her actual repertoire of enchantments, written spells, and transmutations is probably far larger. Warram has probably amassed her own private collection, and is the most likely to have sent back books, artifacts, and the like to the College. If you want to learn any of that stuff, she'll get you started on it. She probably uses a spellbook and an ink pen, pencil, or just chalk for her spellcasting.
Quel'thas Mjoln: Elf. Brown hair, green eyes. Short but incredibly muscular. Most likely permanently tanned by now. Sports a thin goatee or beard. Quel'thas is a natural swashbuckler, and this carries through in his magic -- his spells might seem weak and flimsy, but he has speed and agility with them, and they work devestatingly well in support of his skills as a fencer. He has a natural affinity for magic that resembles ribbons, wind, or water, reflecting itself in improvised bindings, cutting spells, and poisonous energies, as well as counters to them. Of all the College Arcana's prospective faculty, Quel'thas is the best suited to combat. He was last seen boarding a ship in search of lost cities, though he'd probably settle for any seafaring spellcasters. He was also one of the youngest prospective faculty members, barely an adult, and had a short-lived relationship with a Wandering Drow Ranger named Cessae, also barely an adult. Whether or not anything remains between them is unknown.
Suggestions or Misc Details: Probably level 3 by now. Most likely earning a living as a mercenary, adventurer, pirate, privateer, or smuggler, although he was more of a young Han Solo or Indiana Jones than a swarthy cutthroat. Bit of a player. Most likely uses a rapier or duelling saber as his weapon of choice in both magic and swordplay, but he's probably gotten the hang of a dozen other swords and knives as well. Probably familiar with at least two or three styles of swordsmanship, in addition to what he picked up through trial and error; make of them what you will. If he wears a Hat, it's probably a tricorn pirate hat or even a bandana.
Nethenor Eralas: Elf. Blonde hair, blue eyes, average all around. Unofficially nicknamed Nethenor the Mad. Nethenor is a natural adept at anything that has to do with draining energy; he can perform thermal magic to the point that it can hardly be differentiated from true ice magic, and his defensive spellwork often involves absorbing incoming attacks completely. He once drained enough energy to conjure an ice pillar inside of someone. When he was starting out, he simply vented this energy harmlessly. By now, he's probably learned how to store and use it for other purposes. He is easily the most unhinged of the would-be faculty, with the craziest sense of humor, the least restraint, and one of the strongest wills. Nethenor was last seen heading for Dheathain.
Suggestions or Misc Details: Probably level 3 or 4. Nethenor's magic was typically Killer Defense in the most literal way. He might have learned true elemental ice magic by now, but this would still be different from his natural thermokinetics.
Sigel Ventre: Elf or Half-Elf. Dark red hair, dark green eyes. Pale. Average height and build. Unofficially the Scary One. Very scholarly. Sigel is an ectomancer and conjurer, which puts him one degree shy of being a natural-born necromancer. His talents most often manifest as ectoplasmic shapes or ghostly napalm, conjured up from the negative energies left behind by everything from ghosts or the environment itself. People like him have a natural lean towards the Dark Arts, and everyone remains properly paranoid of Sigel's development. Sigel remains properly paranoid of Sigel's development. He also has some talent for enchantment, which mostly involves setting things on ghost-fire and telekinetically throwing them at people. He was last seen, worryingly enough, setting out first for Akashima, then for a grand tour of the world's graveyards, haunted places, and areas of similarly ghostly activity.
Suggestions or Misc Details: Could be anywhere from 2 to 4 at this point. May or may not have taken to necromancy, but not the raise-zombies-and-cackle variety. He could easily have gotten to the point of summoning dead spirits or minor Lovecraftian entities. Whether or not he's a Bad Guy is anyone's guess. He certainly seemed to have his head and heart in the right places during the Second Siege of Anebrilith, but people change all the time...
Caden Law: PC. Prospective Archwizard/Headmaster/Whatever, but this is not set in stone and anyone with sufficient Wizard Cred could usurp him before he even takes the job.
A Little Bit About Wizardry...
The College Arcana practices a specific type of Wizardry complete with traditions and trappings handed down from the old Orders in Salvar. Most of them are optional to some extent, but I'll list the Big Ones here.
Wizard's Hat: The big thing that identifies a Wizard as a Wizard, at least in terms of recognition and credibility. Only a handful of proper Wizards go around without a Hat, and most of them are either too old to care about that nonsense or young enough that they haven't acquired one yet. Most Hats are at least slightly enchanted for durability's sake, and it isn't uncommon for them to be enchanted so that they can serve as improvised Bags of Holding either. The standard Wizard Hat is tall, pointed at the tip, and has a wide brim, but this is not absolute. Wizards recognize Hats the way normal people recognize facial features; there's a difference between a pointy mess of cloth and a proper Hat. Good luck trying to define it.
Robe, Coat, or Tunic: In addition to the Hat, most Wizards wear stylized robes, coats, or tunics. This is a much less strict requirement, but it does look better. Some Wizards go the whole nine yards and add mantles or capes to the outfit.
Grimoire: Also known as a Spellbook, Tome, or Libram, and in some cases Wizards have had Scrolls. Most often, this appears to be a thick book with well-crafted covers and bindings and a seemingly infinite number of pages. The Grimoire's owner will always be able to find the page they're looking for. Most of these items come about organically, believe it or not: A Wizard just picks one up and writes enough in it for magic to take hold on its own. If an original Grimoire is lost, then the Wizard might need to get a specially enchanted replacement.
Wizard's Voice: Another Big Thing about being a Wizard is that magic can and will seep into your voice, whether you've got Elven rhythm or not. For most, this manifests as an eerily deep voice, usually colored and in a different font from usual. A side effect of this is that Wizards can use, and clearly recognize, punctuation in spoken sentences in ways that ordinary people just plain can't. A particUlaRLY d!ckIsH WiZaRd CoUlD eVeN tAlK lIkE ThIS if he wanted to.
Sorcerous Name: This is actually a feature common to spellcasting traditions the world over, but it's usually associated with Wizardry. A Wizard gains their Sorcerous Name in any number of ways. It can be earned through an ordeal, someone can be born with it, it might be bestowed like a title, or the Wizard might name themselves. Whatever the method, the Sorcerous Name has power -- vague, undefinable power that varies from Wizard to Wizard. Some rely on their Names as insurance policies, others draw power from the concept the Names represent, and others still funnel all of their weaknesses into their Names, turning them into a secret Achilles Heel. It should be noted that these Names, while incredibly significant, are not immune to change.
Arcane Senses: A bevy of extra senses that comes with using, and knowing how to use, magic the way that Wizards do. Most of the time, these are just generic sixth and seventh senses (the ability to detect magic, a certain awareness for supernatural goings-on, the ability to see and even read things that have been turned Sideways, etc). For some people, these develop into full-blown powers, but it takes training, effort, and natural potential.
Rod, Staff, or Wand: Most Wizards rely at least partly on some kind of physical focus for casting spells. The most common are the Rod, Staff, or Wand. The variety therein is endless, but the Staff is generally considered the most prestigious while the Wand has acquired a status similar to a handgun or shortsword -- a sidearm that you do not want to be without. Scepters also tend to fall in this category, as do some maces depending on who you ask.
Dagger, Knife, or Shortsword: It isn't uncommon for Wizards to carry a dagger, knife, or shortsword as well. These may or may not be magical in nature. Plenty of time, they're just an insurance policy in case the Wizard runs into a situation where magic is out of reach and something needs a good stabbing to remind it who's boss.
What separates a Wizard from the rest?
Wizards of the College Arcana use the following generalized ranking system:
Mage: You're just coming into your power. You might know some spells. You might just be raw talent. You could even be a self-taught practitioner of considerable power. You do not have a Hat, you might not have a Name or your Voice, you probably can't read or write Sideways. Most of the faculty were Magi when they left; they're probably all Wizards by now.
Wizard: You might be an amateur or a demigod. Either way, your Voice has come in, you've got your Name, and you most likely have a Hat and a Grimoire. Your extra senses have probably developed and you can read and write Sideways. By the time people are calling you a Wizard, your magic's usually matured enough to have a defined path for growth and development, and you've got an idea for what you want to do with it. 90% of the time, you bow to no god and draw your power from the area around you, regardless of its source or consent. More often than not, you're also an academic of some kind.
Archwizard: A largely hypothetical rank for the College Arcana, though Archwizards do exist in Salvar and elsewhere. This is basically the head honcho for a group of Wizards, as determined by power, experience, and wisdom. Archwizards generally only get that title if they're important to begin with; some schmuck with three or four apprentices can't just go around calling himself Archwizard. The College Arcana supposedly has an Archwizard designated in advance, but the position is basically up for grabs, and it might not even be called that by the time the College formally opens.
This is not to say that other types of practitioners don't exist, nor is it to say that a prospective Wizard can't 'multiclass.' Several of the founders would be called by other titles completely if they didn't wear the Hat. It should also be noted that Wizards are, basically, amoral. Plenty of them are die-hard good guys, plenty of them are just plain evil, but the vast majority are less about good and evil; they're more about magic for magic's sake, and the rest doesn't matter so much. There are very few 'evil' branches of magic to a Wizard, and even fewer 'good' ones. Most Wizards inevitably dip their toes into one or the other, just to see what it's like.
Whether by the hand of another Wizard or not, murder is considered a perfectly natural cause of death for a Wizard and few are inclined to hold a grudge over it (unless the killer was just a rotten bastard to begin with).
Endnote
Insofar as Althanas is concerned: All of this is basically public domain. Beinost and the College Arcana were intended to become a part of Raiaeran canon, open to anyone who felt like doing something with it. Prior relationships and backstory are basically just there if you feel like doing something with them. The only thing I ask is that you stick to the definitions of what makes a Wizard a Wizard; don't go barding or godding the place up.
If you're curious about the Wanderers, just go look them up. I did a write-up on them ages ago and it's still basically consistent with how they are now.
The bios for the current faculty are just there in case you feel like using them. It's all just suggestion. Feel like swiping one as an NPC teacher, rival, buddy, or love interest? Go for it. Feel like killing 'em off? Go for it. Want one of the would-be teachers to come back so that your character can meet them? Go for it.
Wanna blow the place sky-fucking-high?
Go for it, you bastard.
And don't worry about the issue of people still playing in Anebrilith. Liquid Time's a bitch and her name is Denebriel.
Submit Thread for Judgment
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Originally Posted by Caden Law
