Arcane Collegiate of Eight Academies

The **Arcane Collegiate of Eight Academies**, more commonly known as the **Eight Colleges**, is an establishment based in the city of Laeth in Lûeth. Lead by the archwizard Grandmaster Céannon Ashcrest, they train the Empire's most up-and-coming wizards and magic-users within accordance of the Krystallan Laws of Magic, teaching a wide range of magic, categorised into what have become known as the Schools of Magic. These schools have recently become an official classification based on the eight colleges, though the schools existed in theory for a long time before this, predating both the Xelaran and Krystallan empires.

## Headmasters

### Grandmaster

Grandmaster Céannon Ashcrest is the main arbitrator of the headmasters, ensuring that they all stick to the proper regulations, as well as solving any disputes that may lie between them. He sets their goals, and is responsible for any shortcomings they have and, as a result, is often in meetings with the Inquisition or, less regularly, with ambassadors from Krystal.

### Abjuration

The school of Abjuration, under the guidance of Headmaster Ada Imri, has prospered, boasting the best graduation results, in addition to the most pupils. Headmaster Imni teaches discipline above all, saying that safety is the best way to ensure a successful career as a wizard, and as such, her school has the lowest proportion of accidents than any other school. Grandmaster Ashcrest started his career in the school of Abjuration

### Conjuration

The Conjuration school and its headmaster, Cristian Fedias, make up the smallest of the eight academies, though their contributions to the organisation are no less than those of the other schools. Having studied breifly under Ada Imni from the Abjuration school, Headmaster Fedias tries to implement Ada's safety policies, though conjuration wizards are more wont to experiment than abjurers.

### Divination

Headmaster Valerie Freestar is an ardent believer of the written word, often pushing her school of Divination to write down any works its students create, whether they produce useful results or not; if the processes are recorded, they can be evaluated and corrected by others, even if it takes a hundred years to do so. Many wizards scoff at the school of divination, and Headmaster Freestar is determined to change those opinions.

### Enchantment

Headmaster Joseck Alegot is different to what one would expect from the head of the school of Enchantment. His colourful appearance often catches people off-guard, but his cheerful disposition and trustworthy nature is what got him the job. The school of Enchantment comes under a lot of scrutiny for the nature of its magics, and Headmaster Alegot has become a master of dispelling suspicions on his school without resorting to his school's magics. He can, however, still be stern to those who misuse his school's magic, trying to enforce teachings of free will above all.

### Evocation

The headmaster of the school of Evocation, Zani Imri, is a young one in comparison to the others. As the daughter of Ada Imri of the school of Abjuration, she received expert magical education from a young age, though she chose to path of Evocation. As such, Ada and Zani are often at odds with each other, one seeing an impetuous fool, and the other seeing a crone stuck in her ways. Grandmaster Ashcrest often struggles to keep the two away from each others throats for any length of time, but he knows the two well enough to dissuade their schools from declaring war on each other.

### Illusion

The school of Illusion likes to educate its students in unconventional methods. Headmaster Ren Sild likes to show his students the power of magic through the joy it can bring others, and how it can be used to brighten peoples' days. Despite his looks, Headmaster Sild is an expert prankster, and where any other headmaster would berate their students, Sild loves if his students manage to catch him with pranks and tricks, knowing that if they can fool him, they have been learning in their classes. Even though these lessons are often fun in nature, the headmaster still ensures that the students understand the power of illusion, and how it can damage others, despite being an intangible magic.

### Necromancy

Headmaster Edwin Arundel often prefers to live in solitude, locking himself away in his spire for weeks at a time. He teaches very few classes in his school of Necromancy, leaving it to other professors, and he rarely talks to people outside of the magical field, stating that they don't understand what the school of necromancy is about. Those that have known him for many years say that Arundel was not always like this, but when his son, Horacio went rogue, it broke Edwin's heart, turning him to the bitter old man he is today.

### Transmutation

The school of Transmutation holds the second highest graduation rate of all the schools of magic, though due to Headmaster Cassandra Sandin's strict application processes and entry requirements, the school in one of the smallest, though still boasting more students than the school of Conjuration. Her teaching philosophy states that magic should always be used in a work capacity, and is often too dangerous to be used to show off or for trivial tasks that could better be performed by someone less qualified. As such, she often comes to blows with Headmaster Sild of the school of Illusion, who she sees as a fool that teaches his students to be lazy, rather than efficient.

## Controversy

There has been much controversy over a few particular schools of magic being widely taught, most primarily and obviously the school of Necromancy. However, the school insists that its users study all aspects of life and death, for example healing and warding from undead, not simply raising the dead. The Krystallans seem happy with there investigations into this school of magic, and thus have allowed teaching to continue, despite the number of rogue students being fairly high in comparison to other schools.

The other controversial school is the school of Enchantment. While less obviously "bad" in the eyes of the people than Necromancy, some have come to realise the true power and horrors of the Enchantment school. Enchantment wizards are often see distrust wherever they go, due to people realising that they would not know when an Enchanter is using their magic to charm and manipulate others, and such enchantment spells can force people to ruin their own lives when applied with sinister motives in mind, and little can be done in courts to overturn this without overwhelming evidence.