The Institute of Magic

The Institute of Magic, located within the City of Magic

~20-30 academics and researchers

> "Graduation from the Institute is an honor. Doors open for you. Lords pull you to their court. Passing the entrance exam is only the first in a long line of difficult tasks. Prepare yourselves, apprentices."
>
> High Arcanist Saphielle Virris

The Institute is an old and well-respected academy for those who wish to study magic, be it arcane, natural, or divine in nature. The Institute teaches a curriculum in accordance with the Spellbind Concordat, and also works with the Order of the Magi on the study, recovery, and preservation of spells and magical items. Notable graduates include the High Mage of Anaar Orphior Thadali and Dark Conductor Clerilius Harnigrad, among others.

## **History**

Founded some eighteen centuries ago, the Institute was an academy for arcane magic. Over the years, it has seen its fair share of ups and downs, including a period of near destruction during the war. During its period of rebuilding, the academy expanded to include other types of magic in order to gain studentship.

## **Structure**

### **Main grounds**

The main grounds include the residences, training groups, a warded area for practicing conjurations (in case a summoned creature tries to escape), a laboratory for alchemical and transmutation studies, a grand library and study hall, a garden and menagerie, a temple, and a cemetery for those who have "donated their bodies to magical science".

### **Residences**

The Institute has enough rooms to house up to 1,000 students. The variety of dorms range from small apartment style for one student to larger houses that can be shared between 3-5 students, depending on tier. Higher tier students tend to stay in the more luxurious rooms, although lower tier students may as well depending on their connections, such as being the child of a noble or having the cost of their education paid for as part of a guild apprenticeship.

## **Academics**

### **Classes**

All students must pass an entrance exam in order to study at the Institute. Students who enroll are separated by tiers, ranging from tier one to tier four. The type of classes a student can take depends on their tier; for example, a tier one student can't take the Conjuring Elementals II class (tier three), while a tier three student wouldn't need to take an Introduction to Cantrips class. Tuition is 500gp for tier one, 2,000gp for tier two, 5,000gp for tier three, and 10,000gp for tier four.

### **All Schools of Magic are Studied**

While necromancy is considered taboo in many worlds, it is studied at the Institute. However, the study of such magic is always conducted in a controlled and heavily monitored area, and only a select few students can learn higher level necromantic magic.

### **Pact Magic**

While arcane, druidic, and divine magic is studied, not much is taught about Pact Magic. This is more because the Institute doesn't want to promote the idea of making a deal with powerful patrons and trading your soul for power. However, warlocks are able to be accepted into the Institute and there are classes about invocations.

## **Departments**

The faculty of the Institute are split into eight departments, split between 15 department heads. The heads report to High Arcanist Saphielle Virris (female elf), a descendant of the Institute's founder Folmar Virris. In total, there are between 30-50 teachers at the institute.

### **Department of the Arcane**

This is the largest department and the main department for wizards, a wide variety of topics focusing on the various schools of magic. This department is split between eight department heads, one for each school of magic, referred to as Magi. They are:

* Magus Kali Kristhyra (female high elf abjurer)
	+ Helps with security for the Institute
* Magus Thaddeus von Eledar (male human conjurer)
	+ The institute's foremost expert on the planes and their denizens
* Magus Lilli Murnig (female gnome transmuter)
	+ Head transmuter at the school
* Magus Astar Modai (male tiefling diviner)
* Magus Aseir Rein (male half-drow enchanter)
* Magus Ember Corvo (male fire genasi evoker)
* Magus Imrae Dryaalis (female drow illusionist)
* Magus Sibila Weiss (female human necromancer)

### **Department of the Arts**

Department for performance arts, the school's Bardic Colleges of Glamor and Valor as well as bladesingers.

* Head: Mistress Meriele Waters (female half-elf)

### **Department of Astronomy**

Department for studying the stars, popular for some Circle of Stars druids and wizards.

* Head: Starseer Isolde Halas (female human)

### **Department of Faith**

Runs the temple, teaches about different deities, particularly Oghma, Mystra, and the Primes; religious studies and the nature of divine vs arcane magic.

* Head: High Priestess Dawn Heron (female aasimar)

### **Department of History**

Department in charge of the library, one of the main departments for academic research. The department is especially important for wizards and the school's College of Lore.

* Head: Loremaster Cassius Blackwood (male half-elf)

### **Department of Martial Magic**

Focusing on the practices of combining magic and martial practices, this department is for students looking to being eldritch knights, war mages, arcane archers, paladins and rangers.

* Head: Captain Myastan Kriv (male brass dragonborn)
	+ Former military captain, turned to teaching after he lost his left eye

### **Department of Nature**

Most classes take place in the garden or menagerie and focus on magic from nature, geared toward druids and rangers, studies on natural magic vs arcane magic

* Head: Archdruid Solomon Vyne (male firbolg)

### **Department of Science**

This department focuses on the application of magic in science and the practice of alchemy

* Head: Master Alchemist Alston Murnig (male gnome)
	+ Husband to Lilli Murnig