dispatch99
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Celestial University: Hexata's Door
Ages and ages ago, when the sun first rose to warm the land, magic was a powerful and omnipresent force. It was something wild—uncontrollable, chaotic, often harmful. Those who were blessed and cursed with the power to shape reality were shunned, as the people were afraid of the power that they had no hope to control. The world was dark and full of ignorance, and for the "Cursed Ones" who had been given the power of magic, life was often violent and short. Across each one of the Million Worlds, the story was the same grim tale.
Then, from the dark void between the stars above, the Teachers arrived: Diomathus, Bikukei, Althoth, the Weasel, among many others. They took on mortal forms, walking down to earth from the lines that made the constellations which they showed to us, and they promised to help humankind.
"Bring us your so-called 'Cursed Ones', those people who bear this power," they said. "Once they come of age, we will take over, and train them and educate them: to you we will return them as luminaries, and holy men."
And so they were gathered: from the Land of Punt, from Mu, from the Tripura, from El Dorado, from Atlantis, from Hyperborea, from Shambala and all the great mystical ancient civilizations sent their magically gifted young adults to the great Celestial University—a floating island, part city, part academy, part fortress, and part mysterious labyrinth, capable of teleporting itself with powerful arcane forces between the Million Worlds.
You are one of the students who have been chosen to attend the Celestial University, and study under the mysterious Teachers. Already, you have shown aptitude for the supernatural and arcane, and here you hope to expand your knowledge, hone your skills, and to become a better human in the process, all while experiencing the magical wonders of the Million Worlds and the academy which brought you there. But beware: mysteries and dangers abound for students, both within and beyond the Celestial campus. Dangers ranging from violent gangs of fellow students armed with spells of fire and lightning, to booby-trapped abandoned corners of the labyrinthine floating island, to eldritch dark forces that are said to have followed the Teachers down from the stars—and even, perhaps, the Teachers themselves, who by their own admission are not as they seem… What, exactly, is the true nature of things here? Are you smart, or strong, or brave, or righteous enough to survive and thrive in this strange land? What are the powers and truths that you can uncover?
Welcome to the interest thread for my latest story idea I had: a new adventure called Celestial University! The idea is a story about students attending a mysterious magic university—something like a mix between a 18+ version of Harry Potter or Sky High, with elements from HP Lovecraft and with all sorts of fantasy and science-fantasy thrown in for fun and flavor. The characters would all be undergrad or grad students at the Celestial University, and would be faced with challenges mundane and mystical as they develop and master their own unique magical skills, and as the secrets of the School are revealed piece by piece.
The expected vibes of the story are going to be relatively chill—worldbuilding, mystery, adventure, exploration, and fun fantasy slice of life, with combat only occasionally showing up. Planning on also keeping this a relatively clean RP, setting it in a PG-13 style—romance and fighting is allowed, encouraged even, but I'd like to keep it something fully SFW.
Let me know what you thinkl!
LINK TO IN-CHARACTER STORY THREAD FOR CELESTIAL UNIVERSITY: HEXATA'S DOOR
Name: (Please include any titles, nicknames, or aliases!)
Age: (Needs to be 18 or older—because you all are new arrivals, if you don't already have an idea they would probably be in the 18-22 college age range.)
Gender: (If applicable.)
Appearance: (Put a spoilered picture or a short description here—include any clothes or accessories you'd like!)
Personality: (What makes them tick? What are their likes and dislikes? How do they behave when everyone's watching, and when no one is? How do they treat their friends and enemies? Include romantic orientation here if you want.)
Homeworld: (By the direction of the powerful teachers, the University regularly blinks through space effortlessly, the island and itself serves as the nexus for a whole host of different magical portals.
Where are you from: a mythical land like Atlantis or Mu, Shangri-La or El Dorado? Did you rise from a dark and mysterious place like the Hollow Earth, R'lyeh, or dim Carcossa? Or did you come from somewhere entirely different, some distant and unknown tribe?
Also tell us, how did you get here—were you picked up by the University as it stopped over your world, did someone bring you here, or did you track it down yourself?)
Backstory: (Give us some biographical information: some depth to fill in the surface. It doesn't have to be long, but major points should be filled in.)
Style/Form: (How does your character make their magic happen in the world? Do they brew potions, wave around their hands or a wand or staff like a martial art, do they sing or speak it into the world, or do they draw signs and sigils? Are there rituals involved, or special events needed to make it happen? Do planets or ley lines have an impact? Are there any special totems or instruments they require? Let us know.)
Affinity/Focus: (What sort of things do your character's magical powers tend to lead towards? Do you have a knack for elemental magic or alchemy? Perhaps you have powerful luck with stone circles and other sites? Maybe the stars call you towards astrology? Or maybe you have an arcane green thumb, or a connection to magical creatures?)
Other Skills & Interests: (What else can your character do? Can be as mundane as cooking or sports, or it can be as high-minded as philosophy or art.)
Pet: Every student is permitted to bring one (1) per with them to the University, for emotional support and assistance with research. The rules are that the pet must be smaller than the owner (or, if it is a shapeshifter, it must stay in a correctly sized form unless given permission), and that it cannot be inherently dangerous—a baby dragon that spits fire is okay, but a baby basilisk that kills everyone it looks at is not. Students will be held responsible for the actions and care of their pets.
Age: (Needs to be 18 or older—because you all are new arrivals, if you don't already have an idea they would probably be in the 18-22 college age range.)
Gender: (If applicable.)
Appearance: (Put a spoilered picture or a short description here—include any clothes or accessories you'd like!)
Personality: (What makes them tick? What are their likes and dislikes? How do they behave when everyone's watching, and when no one is? How do they treat their friends and enemies? Include romantic orientation here if you want.)
Homeworld: (By the direction of the powerful teachers, the University regularly blinks through space effortlessly, the island and itself serves as the nexus for a whole host of different magical portals.
Where are you from: a mythical land like Atlantis or Mu, Shangri-La or El Dorado? Did you rise from a dark and mysterious place like the Hollow Earth, R'lyeh, or dim Carcossa? Or did you come from somewhere entirely different, some distant and unknown tribe?
Also tell us, how did you get here—were you picked up by the University as it stopped over your world, did someone bring you here, or did you track it down yourself?)
Backstory: (Give us some biographical information: some depth to fill in the surface. It doesn't have to be long, but major points should be filled in.)
Style/Form: (How does your character make their magic happen in the world? Do they brew potions, wave around their hands or a wand or staff like a martial art, do they sing or speak it into the world, or do they draw signs and sigils? Are there rituals involved, or special events needed to make it happen? Do planets or ley lines have an impact? Are there any special totems or instruments they require? Let us know.)
Affinity/Focus: (What sort of things do your character's magical powers tend to lead towards? Do you have a knack for elemental magic or alchemy? Perhaps you have powerful luck with stone circles and other sites? Maybe the stars call you towards astrology? Or maybe you have an arcane green thumb, or a connection to magical creatures?)
Other Skills & Interests: (What else can your character do? Can be as mundane as cooking or sports, or it can be as high-minded as philosophy or art.)
Pet: Every student is permitted to bring one (1) per with them to the University, for emotional support and assistance with research. The rules are that the pet must be smaller than the owner (or, if it is a shapeshifter, it must stay in a correctly sized form unless given permission), and that it cannot be inherently dangerous—a baby dragon that spits fire is okay, but a baby basilisk that kills everyone it looks at is not. Students will be held responsible for the actions and care of their pets.
A mysterious and powerful force that permeates the universe, magic is—to humans, at least—a volatile and chaotic aspect of their world. Fundamentally and at the most abstract level, it is the capability of special objects, living things, or signs to interact with the world in a way beyond the explanation of natural phenomena. Songs that can cause stars to fall from the sky, scrolls that can provide raise the dead with nothing but normal paper and ink, and simple motions of the hand that can cause distant rocks to levitate without being touched—these things are all the result of different ways to interact with magic. There are also magical creatures, weather patterns, forests, buildings, stones, mountains, celestial objects, words, thoughts, et cetera—if it exists in the world, there is likely a magical version of it out there.
Humans, especially humans who have no magical ability, typically have a suspicion of magic—and not without good reason. Like any tool, magic can be used for good or for evil, and can create as well as ruin. Magic waters can cause your orchard to grow in beautifully: magic sun-storms can burn it down. A magic curse can cause you to fall ill, and a magic potion can cure you. It seems to many that the only limit to magic power is imagination—and imagination can be as absurd as it can be ordered, and as cruel as it can be kind.
While magic is capable of extraordinary things and is ubiquitous, there does appear to be some limits to what it can do, and how it can do it. These boundaries are still being explored by humans and Teachers alike, and finding out more about this force and learning to control it is the core reason this University exists. You're here because you have found that, one way or another, you possess some skill with magical forces: now it's up to you to figure out what powers you want to yield, what mysteries you want to uncover, and how to do it.
Humans, especially humans who have no magical ability, typically have a suspicion of magic—and not without good reason. Like any tool, magic can be used for good or for evil, and can create as well as ruin. Magic waters can cause your orchard to grow in beautifully: magic sun-storms can burn it down. A magic curse can cause you to fall ill, and a magic potion can cure you. It seems to many that the only limit to magic power is imagination—and imagination can be as absurd as it can be ordered, and as cruel as it can be kind.
While magic is capable of extraordinary things and is ubiquitous, there does appear to be some limits to what it can do, and how it can do it. These boundaries are still being explored by humans and Teachers alike, and finding out more about this force and learning to control it is the core reason this University exists. You're here because you have found that, one way or another, you possess some skill with magical forces: now it's up to you to figure out what powers you want to yield, what mysteries you want to uncover, and how to do it.
The enigmatic caretakers and instructors of the University, the Teachers provide guidance, assistance, and protection for the students. They form the ranks of the janitorial and maintenance staff, the cafeteria crew, and the research team, as well as leading some of the extracurricular activities and outside-University institutions that share the island with the main academy.
The Teachers are incredibly diverse in form: some appear as normal humans, others as intelligent creatures, a few as statues or art works—even as talking trees and a black cloud in a bottle! They also have a wide range of personalities, from silent to closely friendly to morose to standoffish—although overall, they tend to keep things under tight control in their classrooms, while leaving the students to their own devices outside (some are nosier or more relaxed than others…). They do have two things in common though: One, is that they are ageless—they are confused by the question, and give nonsensical and noncommittal answers. The other is that their true form is NOT what is shown to the students.They're upfront about that much, but they are coy and evasive about what they REALLY are like, beneath the form-shaping illusions. The more bold students, who have tried to use arcane means to ascertain their true form, speak of a bizarre and alien vision: something like glowing embers, falling from above, into a black void… And that's all that can be seen before the vision is violently severed. This usually followed by a visit from an annoyed Teacher, chiding the offending student for not respecting their privacy like they respect theirs.
This may make you frightened if the Teachers, but there are a few things worth mentioning. The Teachers have uniformly come to the students' defense during the disasters or attacks that occasionally befall the University, arriving in force to rescue students and repel dangers with intense magical forces. Not once has a Teacher been seen harming a student.
The other, is that they are not omniscient, nor are they omnipotent: they can be deceived and fooled, and intense magical effort can cause them to become exhausted—far more than any student could possibly imagine using unaided… Still. They are to be approached with politeness and caution.
The Teachers are incredibly diverse in form: some appear as normal humans, others as intelligent creatures, a few as statues or art works—even as talking trees and a black cloud in a bottle! They also have a wide range of personalities, from silent to closely friendly to morose to standoffish—although overall, they tend to keep things under tight control in their classrooms, while leaving the students to their own devices outside (some are nosier or more relaxed than others…). They do have two things in common though: One, is that they are ageless—they are confused by the question, and give nonsensical and noncommittal answers. The other is that their true form is NOT what is shown to the students.They're upfront about that much, but they are coy and evasive about what they REALLY are like, beneath the form-shaping illusions. The more bold students, who have tried to use arcane means to ascertain their true form, speak of a bizarre and alien vision: something like glowing embers, falling from above, into a black void… And that's all that can be seen before the vision is violently severed. This usually followed by a visit from an annoyed Teacher, chiding the offending student for not respecting their privacy like they respect theirs.
This may make you frightened if the Teachers, but there are a few things worth mentioning. The Teachers have uniformly come to the students' defense during the disasters or attacks that occasionally befall the University, arriving in force to rescue students and repel dangers with intense magical forces. Not once has a Teacher been seen harming a student.
The other, is that they are not omniscient, nor are they omnipotent: they can be deceived and fooled, and intense magical effort can cause them to become exhausted—far more than any student could possibly imagine using unaided… Still. They are to be approached with politeness and caution.
The vast, glittering array of worlds that humans and human-like creatures inhabit is called the Million Worlds. The universe is young, but is developing finely: glorious ancient cities built by superhuman kings, great forests with trees as grand as mountains, terrible desolate wastes that stretch towards the hateful sun, lively and vast oceans teeming with reefs and fish, dark voluminous caverns that gleam with crystals and stone, dark lands shrouded in misery and mystery… All of these places can be found across this universe, and more.
There are 1,234,567 of these worlds (the "Million" is simply a rounding, and the universe is sometimes called "the Numbered Worlds") that humans inhabit. Not all of them are to be reached by crossing the void—some are through or beneath oceans, above skies, through magical doors and mirrors, or through underground fissures and tunnels, or can only be accessed in dreams or with special spells or potions… The true barrier between worlds is an ephemeral, gossamer, indistinct thing, yet quite unbreakable, without the right know-how.
Beyond them lays the Unknown: a seemingly endless array of worlds hostile in body, mind, and/or spirit to human existence—or so it is believed. Very few have returned from leaving the boundaries of the Million Worlds, and even fewer prefer to talk about what they have seen out there. The worlds of the Unknown cannot be reached or survived without very powerful, precise, and fragile magic, and even then, they can usually not be visited for very long.
The Unknown is also where the Teachers come from—though of course, exactly where they won't say. Just that they're from "the lines you've drawn between the stars, that make your constellations".
There are 1,234,567 of these worlds (the "Million" is simply a rounding, and the universe is sometimes called "the Numbered Worlds") that humans inhabit. Not all of them are to be reached by crossing the void—some are through or beneath oceans, above skies, through magical doors and mirrors, or through underground fissures and tunnels, or can only be accessed in dreams or with special spells or potions… The true barrier between worlds is an ephemeral, gossamer, indistinct thing, yet quite unbreakable, without the right know-how.
Beyond them lays the Unknown: a seemingly endless array of worlds hostile in body, mind, and/or spirit to human existence—or so it is believed. Very few have returned from leaving the boundaries of the Million Worlds, and even fewer prefer to talk about what they have seen out there. The worlds of the Unknown cannot be reached or survived without very powerful, precise, and fragile magic, and even then, they can usually not be visited for very long.
The Unknown is also where the Teachers come from—though of course, exactly where they won't say. Just that they're from "the lines you've drawn between the stars, that make your constellations".
The University is the setting of this story: a massive, city-sized floating island held aloft by enchantments, roughly in the shape of an inverse pyramid. At the top of the island is a large City that bustles with renting students, shopping Teachers, and visiting visitors of all stripes, all surrounding the gleaming, orderly Campus in the center, where the students do their classes and research. The Campus itself surrounds the massive stone Observatory tower, sticking up from the island like the handle of a top. At the edge of the island, bordering all of this, is an array of different forests, gardens, badlands, rivers and lakes—some of which drain of the edge of the island in great waterfalls and are refilled magically. Inside the island is a tangled nest of tunnels, caves, rooms, walkways, and balconies, all in a vast array of different styles and shapes, and used for a variety of purposes—by and large, extensions of both the City and the Campus. And at the very bottom, is a multipurpose platform, used as a hangar/landing site for aircraft and flying beasts of burden, as well as an observation post and place for casting spells.
The University island is only accessible by flight or by magical portal—it never touches the ground, and has yet to be forced to land. There are many areas that are off-limits (usually with Teachers or enchantments guarding them), and some that are very dangerous: hidden passengers, forgotten experimental detritus, students with something to hide, and a whole array of skeletons in closets make their home on the island and particularly beneath the surface and outside the Campus. It is unclear who, or what built the University, or for what: the Teachers seem to have a lot of knowledge and control of the place, but when asked if they built it, the Teachers give their typical coy, contradicting, non-answers. The Campus is full of wonders and of dangers—enjoy yourself, but keep your eyes open.
The University island is only accessible by flight or by magical portal—it never touches the ground, and has yet to be forced to land. There are many areas that are off-limits (usually with Teachers or enchantments guarding them), and some that are very dangerous: hidden passengers, forgotten experimental detritus, students with something to hide, and a whole array of skeletons in closets make their home on the island and particularly beneath the surface and outside the Campus. It is unclear who, or what built the University, or for what: the Teachers seem to have a lot of knowledge and control of the place, but when asked if they built it, the Teachers give their typical coy, contradicting, non-answers. The Campus is full of wonders and of dangers—enjoy yourself, but keep your eyes open.
Also called the "Forbidden" or "Dark Arts", these are areas of magic that are restricted from commonplace use. This is due to the damage they can cause to the caster, innocent bystanders, and/or the fabric of existence—because of this, all the Fatal Arts are handled with extreme caution at the University. Despite the "Forbidden" label, few of these arcana are outright banned, but their use does require special permission or even supervision and chaperoning by the Teachers depending on what exactly you are looking to do. The Fatal Arts do make for an attractive area of study for the rebellious, but truth be told, they are "Forbidden" for a reason…
Some areas that are under the Fatal Arts include, but are not limited to, the following:
Prophecy - Seeing the future clearly, as opposed to simple clairvoyance or fortune telling, which can give a vague sense of the future. Prophecies can be immensely powerful tools, but they are very rarely directly helpful to those who make them because the prophecies and visions almost always come with a catch—a tendency for misinterpretation, the omission of critical information while remaining technically correct, and so on. Generally, they simply cause more harm than good in general. In any case, Prophecy is the most mild Fatal Art—it's not monitored or restricted, but simply cautioned against.
Time Travel - Traveling through time in any way but the normal is highly discouraged. Magic that accelerates forwards time travel is relatively easy but it very rarely works out well for anyone, while backwards time travel is believed to be impossible with only two or three human mages known to have survived an attempt. Fate does not enjoy being toyed with, and the paradoxes involved in reverse time travel are seen to be resolved in a variety of exotic, unpleasant, and deadly ways—sudden, medically inconvenient connections to your past self, causal vibrations that can break reality up and down timelines, holes being punched in the fabric of existence like Swiss cheese and which must be closed by extremely powerful magic. Everything involved in the effort to reverse time is expensive: just attempting a short, few-seconds long reversal is extremely complicated and costly, and will drain all but the most powerful mages to dust. It's simply best not to try this. Normal Chronomancy— speeding or slowing time—is fully permitted.
Plague Magic - Magic relating to making enchanted contagions that spread between living things. This field is one of the few that are outright banned at the University. The only thing this sort of magic is good for is to cause widespread pain and suffering. Plus, it is too difficult to contain, even in situations like pest control where it might be considered useful. Not to be confused with anti-plague magic, which is a standard and safe subset of healing magic whose study and perfection is encouraged.
Curses - A catch-all term for relentless, hostile magic that binds itself to a person or object. Curses are considered a Fatal Art not just because of their inherently hostile nature, but also because curses are often indiscriminate in their targets when applied to families or groups or objects, and they may become nearly impossible to break. Casting a curse of misfortune, for example, can have devastating effects on innocent people or groups whose only crime is being connected to the targeted object—even against the castor's will. Also, if the curse is conditional and the conditions become impossible, the curse may be more or less permanent: for example, if a castor places a curse on another with a condition it is to be released upon apology, but then the castor dies, the curse remains. Studying curses is allowed at the University, but intentionally placing a curse on another student is strictly forbidden and is grounds for expulsion (or worse), and cursed objects must be registered with and monitored by the Teachers.
Invocation - A subset of summoning magic, the difference between Invocation and the related but much more safe field of Conjuration is a matter of scale. When conjuring, you are bringing to bear spirits and forces that are relatively simple and comparatively weak: something you can put on a leash, nothing much more powerful than a bad thunderstorm at worst. When Invoking, however, what you are really doing is getting the attention of vastly powerful, incomprehensible entities that you have little hope of controlling or containing if they don't want it, and asking those things to do your bidding. Some Invocations are safer than others, but all are dangerous, and none should be relied upon. Please consult with a Teacher before attempting an Invocation.
Necromancy - Interacting with the dead is a complicated, messy business. In necromancy, deception and danger abounds: zombies, ghosts, and other such revenants have a way of slipping their bonds to wreak havoc among the living, and underworld spirits of all stripes can manipulate and lie to use unwitting necromancers as doors into this world. Possessions, desecrations, and poltergeists are the result, and if by chance you are lured into the realm of the dead it is very unlikely you will be able to escape—Death does not like being mocked, and he gets us all in the end. Necromancy is not banned outright in the University, but it is highly restricted and monitored. And we can't believe we have to say this, but… Please, please do not turn another student's relatives into zombies without their permission. Seriously, people.
Some areas that are under the Fatal Arts include, but are not limited to, the following:
Prophecy - Seeing the future clearly, as opposed to simple clairvoyance or fortune telling, which can give a vague sense of the future. Prophecies can be immensely powerful tools, but they are very rarely directly helpful to those who make them because the prophecies and visions almost always come with a catch—a tendency for misinterpretation, the omission of critical information while remaining technically correct, and so on. Generally, they simply cause more harm than good in general. In any case, Prophecy is the most mild Fatal Art—it's not monitored or restricted, but simply cautioned against.
Time Travel - Traveling through time in any way but the normal is highly discouraged. Magic that accelerates forwards time travel is relatively easy but it very rarely works out well for anyone, while backwards time travel is believed to be impossible with only two or three human mages known to have survived an attempt. Fate does not enjoy being toyed with, and the paradoxes involved in reverse time travel are seen to be resolved in a variety of exotic, unpleasant, and deadly ways—sudden, medically inconvenient connections to your past self, causal vibrations that can break reality up and down timelines, holes being punched in the fabric of existence like Swiss cheese and which must be closed by extremely powerful magic. Everything involved in the effort to reverse time is expensive: just attempting a short, few-seconds long reversal is extremely complicated and costly, and will drain all but the most powerful mages to dust. It's simply best not to try this. Normal Chronomancy— speeding or slowing time—is fully permitted.
Plague Magic - Magic relating to making enchanted contagions that spread between living things. This field is one of the few that are outright banned at the University. The only thing this sort of magic is good for is to cause widespread pain and suffering. Plus, it is too difficult to contain, even in situations like pest control where it might be considered useful. Not to be confused with anti-plague magic, which is a standard and safe subset of healing magic whose study and perfection is encouraged.
Curses - A catch-all term for relentless, hostile magic that binds itself to a person or object. Curses are considered a Fatal Art not just because of their inherently hostile nature, but also because curses are often indiscriminate in their targets when applied to families or groups or objects, and they may become nearly impossible to break. Casting a curse of misfortune, for example, can have devastating effects on innocent people or groups whose only crime is being connected to the targeted object—even against the castor's will. Also, if the curse is conditional and the conditions become impossible, the curse may be more or less permanent: for example, if a castor places a curse on another with a condition it is to be released upon apology, but then the castor dies, the curse remains. Studying curses is allowed at the University, but intentionally placing a curse on another student is strictly forbidden and is grounds for expulsion (or worse), and cursed objects must be registered with and monitored by the Teachers.
Invocation - A subset of summoning magic, the difference between Invocation and the related but much more safe field of Conjuration is a matter of scale. When conjuring, you are bringing to bear spirits and forces that are relatively simple and comparatively weak: something you can put on a leash, nothing much more powerful than a bad thunderstorm at worst. When Invoking, however, what you are really doing is getting the attention of vastly powerful, incomprehensible entities that you have little hope of controlling or containing if they don't want it, and asking those things to do your bidding. Some Invocations are safer than others, but all are dangerous, and none should be relied upon. Please consult with a Teacher before attempting an Invocation.
Necromancy - Interacting with the dead is a complicated, messy business. In necromancy, deception and danger abounds: zombies, ghosts, and other such revenants have a way of slipping their bonds to wreak havoc among the living, and underworld spirits of all stripes can manipulate and lie to use unwitting necromancers as doors into this world. Possessions, desecrations, and poltergeists are the result, and if by chance you are lured into the realm of the dead it is very unlikely you will be able to escape—Death does not like being mocked, and he gets us all in the end. Necromancy is not banned outright in the University, but it is highly restricted and monitored. And we can't believe we have to say this, but… Please, please do not turn another student's relatives into zombies without their permission. Seriously, people.
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