Founded during the Age of Heroes by the hero-mage Alatannin, the Academy serves as an arena where mages can interact and learn from one another. The Academy serves the interests of specialized magic but does not limit its collection of lore and research. The Academy is one of the oldest organizations in the realm and prizes itself as the foremost archive and resource of magical studies.

Academy halls are prominent in almost every large city in every province. The halls serve as archives of lore, barter posts for arcane items, and centers for magical research and assistance. Its symbol is a ten-pointed star.

Though each Academy hall is independently run, exchange of information and continual communication between halls is constant. In the west, the High Academy, the largest and most powerful of the halls on the mainland, is located in the city of Darkwell on the shores of Darksea in Icuna. In the east, the Academy hall at Atanaeum on the island of Atana, has also gained a great deal of respect and recognition; the Atanaeum Academy hall rivals the size and power of the High Academy.

The Academy's primary motivation is the acquisition and keeping of knowledge. Members are asked to tell the halls of their travels and any experiences gained as well as to donate magical artifacts for study. In return, the Academy often provides their members with access to magical training allowing them to acquire hard to find or Academy spells. The Academy regularly sends members to investigate a subject of interest or to find and retrieve objects of magical worth.

All Academy members follow the code a mana, the "book of magic" or the "word of magic," an ancient volume dedicated to the High Academy by Alatannin himself inscribed with the following laws:

Academy members cannot take Weapon Proficiency for Mortal or greater weapon, buy Armor Proficiency for armors greater than Studded or Ring Mail (4-points), or learn to use any shields.

Characters who wish to join the Academy must meet the following requirements (calculated for Rule of Knowledge):

RANK	REQUISITES	POINTS	GAINED BENEFITS
Accepted	1st Specialization Arche 3 Arche of Power 1 Magic Lore 1 1st Primary Skill 1 Organization 1	33	• membership • Organization perk: Wealth (stipend of 1 Crown per rank per event) • awarded the Star of the Academy (fine quality MP reservoir)
Novice	2nd Specialization Arche 3 Arche of Power 2 Magic Lore 2 Magic Research 1 1st Primary Skill 2 2nd Primary Skill 2	34	• Organizational language: Magespeak
Apprentice	1st Major Arche 3 Arche of Power 3 Magic Lore 3 1st Primary Skill 3 2nd Primary Skill 3 any Language	37	• access to Mnemonic I
Mage, 1st Circle	2nd Major Arche 3 Magic Lore 4 Organization 2	42	• Organizational spell: Sygil Maga • Organizational spell: Detect Mage • awarded a fine quality MP reservoir or a 1st - 3rd level magic item • Organizational perk: Wealth (stipend increase to 5 Crowns per rank per event)
Mage, 2nd Circle	1st Specialization Arche 5 Arche of Power 4 Magic Lore 5 Magic Research 3	59	• access to a 1st - 5th level lost spell
Mage, 3rd Circle	2nd Specialization Arche 5 Arche of Power 5 Magic Lore 6 1st Primary Skill 5 2nd Primary Skill 5	66	• access to a 1st - 6th level lost spell
Mage, 4th Circle	1st Specialization Arche 7 Arche of Power 7 Magic Lore 7	85	• access to Mnemonic II • access to a 1st - 7th level lost spell
High Mage	1st Specialization Arche 8 Arche of Power 8 Magic Lore 8 Magic Research 4 Organization 3	98	• Organizational spell: Know Formula • access to a 1st - 8th level lost spell • awarded a superior quality MP reservoir or a 4th - 7th magic item • Organizational perk: Wealth (stipend increased to 10 Crowns per rank per event)
High Mage	1st Specialization Arche 9 2nd Specialization Arche 7 Arche of Power 9 Magic Lore 9 Magic Research 5	117	• access to a 1st - 9th level lost spell
Archmage	1st Specialization Arche 10 2nd Specialization Arche 8 1st Major Arche 4 2nd Major Arche 4 Arche of Power 10 Magic Lore 10 1st Primary Skill 7 Status 1	136	• access to Mnemonic III • access to an 8th - 10th level lost spell • awarded the Stave of the Archmage (acts a mythic quality MP reservoir, inflicts magical Critical damage, functions as a item of Mnemonic II)

PRIMARY SKILLS: any Lore, Courtier, Streetwise

The Star of the Academy is a small silver medal bearing the symbol of the organization and marks the character as "accepted" to study magic. The Star functions as a fine quality Magic Point reservoir and is given to the member full. Until the member can cast Hold Power, he or she must find another mage to recharge the reservoir. The Star of the Academy is considered a personal item and cannot be taken, stolen, or used by anyone other than the Academy member.

Magespeak is the spoken and written language of the Academy. It is a magical language and only members can speak it, write it, and understand it. All spells given to members are written in Magespeak and can only be copied by members. The skill Read Magic and the spell Translation do not translate Magespeak.

The Stave of the Archmage is made from a fine quality wood of the member's choice. A padded-weapon staff of no less than five feet in length must be made and covered in dark gray cloth and designed with runes of magic. The staff must bear the symbol of the Academy. The Stave functions as a mythic quality Magic Point reservoir. The Stave inflicts magical Critical damage; the mage must call "MAGIC CRIT" when using the stave. Finally, the Stave is permanently enchanted with Mnemonic II allowing the mage to store spells to be invoked from the staff. The Stave of the Archmage is considered a personal item and cannot be taken, stolen, or used by anyone other than the Academy member.

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