#MAGIC SCHOOL

[aylameridiandrawsstuff]

Visit Raya Lucaria!

I love this view - one of the most beautiful in the whole game in my opinion.

You can grab prints of this (and all the other Elden Ring travel posters!) here: https://www.inprnt.com/collections/aylameridian/elden-ring-travel-posters/

[dunmeshistash]

Dear Dr. Meshi

The school Marcille and Falin enrolled in was an all-girls academy, right? I could swear it said that somewhere, but I can't remember where!

Would you happen to know? I'd be most grateful!

For a second you got me wondering but I THINK it's not all girls, but it is mostly girls??

Here's some images of the students

I think there's some boys in there but perhaps their classes are divided by gender? Nothing in the description of the school mentions is being girls only I think?

Here's some mentions of it (Falin's profile, Marcille's profile, ch 57) if anyone remembers it being girls only please tell

Edit:

woodsworth In thought in the dream hour there is reference that marcille thinks laios is very manly, being raised in a girl school?

I FORGOT, I was trying so hard to remember cause I thought I had seen something like that but couldn't remember

“For Marcille, who grew up in an all-girls school, her first impression of Laios was that he was too masculine.”

[torteen]

This advertisement is for Infinity Alchemist, a dark academia fantasy about a quest that leads three young alchemists toward dangerous truth, legendary love, and extraordinary power from the bestselling and award-winning author of Felix Ever After, Kacen Callender.

The art featured in this image is by Chris Sack. 

WHAT’S IT ABOUT

Defy All Limits.

For Ash Woods, practicing alchemy is a crime. Only an elite few are legally permitted to study the science of magic—so when Ash is rejected by Lancaster College of Alchemic Science, he takes a job as the school’s groundskeeper instead, forced to learn alchemy in secret. When he’s discovered by the condescending and brilliant apprentice Ramsay Thorne, Ash is sure he's about to be arrested—but instead of calling the reds, Ramsay surprises Ash by making him an offer: Ramsay will keep Ash's secret if he helps her find the legendary Book of Source, a sacred text that gives its reader extraordinary power. As Ash and Ramsay work together and their feelings for each other grow, Ash discovers their mission is more dangerous than he imagined, pitting them against influential and powerful alchemists—Ash’s estranged father included. Ash’s journey takes him through the cities and wilds across New Anglia, forcing him to discover his own definition of true power and how far he and other alchemists will go to seize it.

[fox-teeth]

Will this academic rivalry between two nerdy, socially awkward witches lead them to greater magical heights--or a life of CRIME?!

Find out only in the Perfect Crime Party anthology from Iron Circus Comics -- only a few hours left to back!

The Backerkit projects ends at 11 PM EDT today (9/27), we're fully funded and currently working on creator bonuses!

[sketchinventor]

Benton is excited for today´s lesson

GIFTUARY 5/30

OC BELONGS TO @lobsteritus

[mask131]

I saw again another post implying that J.K. Rowling "invented" the idea of a "school for wizards/school for witches" in fiction... *sigh*. Again, while Hogwarts definitively marked the cultural landscape and changed our modern vision of what a "school of sorcery/magic school" is supposed to be... Rowling invented nothing, and there were many, MANY, magic schools in fiction long before the first Harry Potter book was released. As much in fiction for adults as fiction for children. Let me recap some big points:

The Invisible College, from Diana Wynne Jones' The Tough Guide to Fantasy Land, one year before Harry Potter - AND which forms a parody/reference to most of the schools listed below.

Wizard's Hall, from the titular Wizard's Hall book by Jane Yolen - six years before Harry Potter.

Groosham Grange, from the novel of the same name by Anthony Horowitz, nine years before Harry Potter.

The Unseen University, from Terry Pratchett's Discworld - 14 years before Harry Potter.

Miss Cackle's Academy for Witches, from Jill Murphy's The Worst Witch, 23 years before Harry Potter

The island of Roke, from the Earthsea series by Ursula K. Le Guin - 29 years before Harry Potter.

We can even go back to Dom Daniel, from T.H. White's original version of The Once and Future King, 58 years before Harry Potter.

And I am not even counting the various "magic colleges" and "sorcery academies" that appeared in role-playing games such as Dungeons and Dragons long before Harry Potter came out...

Conclusion: Hogwarts is interesting and influential... But not inventive.

[apolline-lucy]

THE HOLLOWS moodboard : sapphic witches, ghost cats, & necromancy

[candlelightgames]

We’re thrilled to announce PROJECT SPELLSTRUCK, a next-generation narrative game that captures the ultimate magic school experience✨

[corkinavoid]

Mood board for Fiance to a Star

Chapter 4: Samhain Night

Soundtracks:

Running through the forest - Taboo Gimmick by Junichi Matsumoto (I personally think you can pretty much align it with Tim running from the vulture, then meeting Danny - you'll hear the quiet part - then Cujo appearing and Tim and Danny running again, it's really perfect, I love it)

Fighting - Wizardry Monsters by Junichi Matsumoto

Questions and Forest Ambiance as a whole - In the Ancient Forest by Junichi Matsumoto

Also, welcome the fic's new co-creator, @ashleyreyland, who is now helping me with the editing! Thank you so much <3

[almakrowan]

so i used to love jk stuff growing up but in last 15-ish years this whole franchise is a constant source of series of disappointment and bitter pain that I'm doing my best to avoid LOL 🤧 I really wanted to draw and write my OCs in a wizard world AU so.. I made my own!!!!

I basically built a whole world and stuff, it's still work in progress but I wanted to share anyway!!! [Google doc]

And here are some CUTE UNIFORMS IDEAS for my dark academia magic school 🩷🙏

And some notes on use of familiars! (your OC can have a traditional pet-familiar, or an astral familiar, like a little animal ghost!!!! CUTE!!!)

Anyway, yeah, I've been having so much fun with it so far, I can't wait to make moree 🙏🩷 Please see the google doc for more world- and schoolbuilding hehe it's still pretty barebone but I like it a lot 🩷

[amysgoblinhorde]

The Anti-JK Rowling: Praise for TJ Klune

I am going to overshare. I do not apologise for this.

Way back in the mid 1990s, I was I young girl in school and I was badly suffering the years of harassment and abuse by my peers and also by the grown ups who should have cared for me. I was told I brought it on myself by being weird, I was told I was an attention seeker (yes, and can't you hear me cry for help?) and it was actually the lip curling disdain of the teachers that broke me the most.

I began to feel like maybe I did deserve it. I must have been so unpleasant, so hideous a person that others could see me for what I was and the universe itself was punishing me. I developed Body Dysmorphic Disorder, I kept checking mirrors to see if I could glimpse the monster, mocking myself whenever I thought I looked normal.

Anyway. It all came to a head in my third year, when I became admittedly a bit of an edgelord. I sucked in the darkness and screamed it out.

I was sent to a hospital school. This was a little tiny class of mixed ages for children who needed extra help. It was better here, I made friends - but I also learned a dark lesson here that no child should have to -

There is an appropriate face for trauma.

And I didn't have it. I was not the cute cancer kid. I was not the brave smiling little trooper. I was told by some of the staff in the hospital school that I didn't really belong there, I should consider myself lucky. One teacher said that those of us who were there for mental health issues were weak, we had failed. If we were braver we would be in a normal school.

I would have been 11 when the first Harry Potter book came out, though I didn't read any until sixth form college. I wanted to know what the fuss was about, a movie was being made.

I thought they were fun, as many did. But I can't pretend it didn't hammer an extra nail into my heart as it yet again told me that there was an acceptable face for trauma and it was not mine.

Harry Potter. He was written to be a good looking lad, sporty. Tragically dead parents that he didn't remember anything about. Suffered abuse, but it didn't break him in any inconvenient way. He was a tragically brave little hero with his friends the impossibly clever poster girl (who incidentally was very pretty when she wanted to be) and the token dweeb who appears to have mostly be written to prop up the other two.

Then we have Neville. His story was genuinely heartbreaking and yes it was addressed, but not really. His horrors are not something we talk about. Let's not go there, let's treat it like a dark embarrassing secret. But what a brave lad he is, standing up to his friends! Not for, you know, visiting his brain damaged parents and living with his abusive grandmother. No, no, it's the friends he stands up to. Brave silly Neville. Not the hero, of course. But isn't he brave?

And at last we come to TJ Klune. I read The House in the Cerulean Sea only recently. And wow. I laughed and cried in equal measure.

As with Harry Potter, we have a collection of magical youths, learning to navigate their powers as they grow. But the differences are diamond sharp, the focus instead on all the right things while still being joyful, fantastic and often hilarious.

How can this brilliant man get it so right in such a simple way? It's obvious, when you think about it.

All traumatised children matter.

There is no right face of trauma, least of all on a child, but hey let's not leave out the grown ups. At 40 years of age I thought I knew this, but I must have kept my younger self in a little cell in my mind (ahhh but she's different, she was a monster. We don't talk about her ...).

I was David. And I was Lucy. Why is it so much easier to forgive myself when I see myself as a yeti?

Children will lash out. Forgive yourself that. Children can be little weirdos, little balls of chaos and anger. That's okay. And no child's suffering should be ignored in favour of another, no matter what they look like or what they have done.

No child should be expected to be a poster boy hero, and no child should be chastised if they do not perform trauma right.

So yeah ... Thanks for reading until the end. And thanks to TJ Klune for making a 40 year old woman feel so many things, the strangest of all being forgiveness and acceptance of her 13 year old self.

Also, Chauncey is handsome as crap.

[dungeonofthedragon]

Magical School TTRPG

With the announcement of Dimension 20's Misfits and Magic season two, now is the perfect time for a post about different games for playing out your wizard school dreams, 100% free of TERF nonsense.

(season one of Misfits and Magic used Kids on Brooms, a magical spin on the popular Kids on Bikes. If you're in Aotearoa, you can support a fantastic local business and find copies of the latter here!)

Esoterica, Her Majesty's College of the Arcane

Style: Narrative

Device: Prompts, GMless

The lightest and most whimsical game on this list- also, it's totally free! Grab a friend or three and have your own magical school adventures today.

Our Spell is Steel

Style: Theatre of the mind tabletop

Device: Dice

This game isn't a traditional magic school game, but it can scratch a similar itch if you're looking for a darker vibe. Players take on the roles of neophyte mages born and raised to serve an empire. Tragedy, revolution, and magical drama are all on the cards here, and this game is just as suitable for a one-shot as it is for ongoing play.

Tangled Blessings

Style: Journaling, GMless

Device: Tarot

Tangled Blessings is set in a cursed magical university. The game revolves around a pair of exceptionally talented rivals. It is played from the perspective of one (or both) of these students, who are reflecting on their time studying here before their long anticipated, climactic final duel.

Worth noting is that you and your rival don't have to be enemies! You could also play this from the perspective of siblings, best friends, or even lovers...there are endless possibilities.

Wyrdwood Wand

Style: Tactical grid-based tabletop

Device: Dice

Wyrdwood Wand is a game I've been keeping a close eye on lately. Young wizards attend a magical academy full of danger and intrigue. Monsters and spirits abound, and there'll always be something exciting to get up to!

[dunmeshistash]

are the kids in the dryad chapter cover art supposed to reference characters we know or are they just random kids?

It's other random students from the magic school Falin and Marcille attended I think

[torteen]

This advertisement is for Infinity Alchemist, a dark academia fantasy about a quest that leads three young alchemists toward dangerous truth, legendary love, and extraordinary power from the bestselling and award-winning author of Felix Ever After, Kacen Callender.

The art featured in this image is by Chris Sack. 

WHAT’S IT ABOUT

“Magic was once thought to only be gifted to the unique or special, the chosen ones. Now it was commonly known that every single person in the world had the capability to become an alchemist.”

For Ash Woods, practicing alchemy is a crime. Only an elite few are legally permitted to study the science of magic—so when Ash is rejected by Lancaster College of Alchemic Science, he takes a job as the school’s groundskeeper instead, forced to learn alchemy in secret. When he’s discovered by the condescending and brilliant apprentice Ramsay Thorne, Ash is sure he's about to be arrested—but instead of calling the reds, Ramsay surprises Ash by making him an offer: Ramsay will keep Ash's secret if he helps her find the legendary Book of Source, a sacred text that gives its reader extraordinary power. As Ash and Ramsay work together and their feelings for each other grow, Ash discovers their mission is more dangerous than he imagined, pitting them against influential and powerful alchemists—Ash’s estranged father included. Ash’s journey takes him through the cities and wilds across New Anglia, forcing him to discover his own definition of true power and how far he and other alchemists will go to seize it.

[sheissoulless]

Grimoires & Gateways: Freshman Year 🍄 Magic college 🌿 Sapphic themes 🌼 Fantasy races 🌱 Four years of mischief

Read the story on AO3 or Wattpad here! ⬇ https://joliebardon.carrd.co/

[macknus]

Febuwhump: Day Seventeen

Prompt: Power instability

THIS DRABBLE IS ACTUALLY AN OLD SCENE FROM MY BOOK THAT I’M WORKING ON, hehehehe!!! I saw the prompt and taught it would fit perfectly, I love power instability tropes!!

Febuwhump Master-post

“Jack, isn't it?” Jack frowned, turning to face the owner of the voice. His heart dropped to his stomach and Jack was just about to call out when Dorian grabbed his arm, and they were in a stone room. A room in the older part of the Academy. The room that dampens powers, Jack realised with a start.  

He clicked his fingers and nothing. No spark. He couldn't feel it. He couldn't feel anything.  Jack looked up at Dorian, his face showing every inch of fear he felt.  

Dorian held up his hands innocently, “I only took you here, because I knew you'd call for help. This way we can both just talk.”  

“What do you want?” Jack demanded, but it came out as more of a whisper. Dorian tutted, his wolf like grin growing as he began circling Jack.  

“You weren't born here, were you?” Jack felt like Dorian already knew the answer, but replied anyways, “No.”  

“Harris rescued you?”  

“Yes.” 

Dorian stopped in front of him and asked, “From what?”  

Jack tried to look Dorian in the eyes, but the hood blocking his face from Jack was unnerving him more than he wanted to admit.  

Jack licked his dry lips and said, “There was a raid on my village. Bandits attacked. I hid. Harris found me.”  

“That's not how it really happened though, is it?” Jack could feel the water pooling behind his eyes, but refused to let his eyes glaze over.  

He took a cautious step back. “What are you talking about?” He asked with a breath.  

“Well, you hid... With others, wasn't it?”  

“If you know, why do you want me to tell you?”  

“You hid. A little hero, you gathered everyone to safety, but instead of going for the neighbouring village you hid them. And you hid with them.”  

“Stop it.”  

“And then you got scared.”  

“Shut up.”  

“And those nasty powers flared up, didn't they Jack?”  

“Shut up!”  

“And you led the bandits right to your hiding spot, didn't you? All those people, died by your hand and they kept you alive. And your father-”  

“SHUT UP!” Jack cried, spreading his arms wide and a bolt of lightning struck Dorian in the chest. Dorian was lifted off his feet with the blast and tumbled in the air before his back hit the brickwork and he crumbled to the ground.  

Jack heaved in heavy lung filling gasps of air, looking down at his hands which had ignited with unfamiliar glowing red veins. Jack stumbled back, terrified. What was happening to him? 

Dorian chuckled. A dark, throaty laugh that reverberated around the room and rang through Jack's ears. Jack frowned, staring at his hands, then at Dorian who was getting to his feet.  

“What did you do?” Jack whispered, looking at his hands, trying to make the red disappear but it wouldn't. It was staining his veins with a bright, burning red. Jack thrust his hands at Dorian, “What did you do?!” He demanded more urgently this time, his hands shaking.  

“I showed you what you're truly capable of. Something the elders wanted to keep from you.”  

“I don't want it. Take it back!” Jack demanded, energy cackling around him. His eyes widened in fear at the sound. All the while Dorian grinned.  

“Careful with that temper, Jack. You could seriously hurt someone with that.” Jack tried to keep calm; he really did. But the more he thought about the red lightning, the more scared he became and the louder the cackling got.  

Jack looked at Dorian, his eyes glowing with the same red energy. “Change it back!” Even his voice cackled when he spoke. “Change it back!”  

Dorian smirked, “No.”  

Dorian was at the door in the blink of an eye, Jack ran after him but by the time he crossed the threshold of the door Dorian had disappeared. Jack cursed, his mind whirling. The... the Elders. He could find them! They'd know what to do.

Jack ran out of the chamber and up the stairs from the basement of the Academy towards the great hall where the Elders sat. The lightning crackled as he ran, pushing his limbs harder than he ever did before. It crashed against paintings, cracking the glass of frames, some shards shattering to the ground. A banner of the Academy caught fire from a stray jolt of electricity turning the fabric to ash as Jack ran past.

When he emerged to the great hall he gasped as he ran up the empty dais where the thrones sat unoccupied. "No, no, no, no."

“Jack?” Jack's heart leapt. Harris. Harris could help him. Stop what Dorian did to him. Jack whirled, nearly running over to his mentor while the energy in his very being surged and erupted. Jack skidded to a stop a few metres away. He didn't want to hurt Harris. Never.  

“It was Dorian,” Jack began, stumbling over his words he was trying to get them out that quickly. “It was Dorian, he appeared, and he took me to the room where powers can't be used and then he did this.” Jack finished in one breath, rolling up his sleeves and showing Harris. He looked up with glowing, scared eyes. “Help me, Harris. H-help me! I-I can't control it.”  

Harris nodded, swallowing hard but remained rooted in his spot. Jack's smile fell slightly, then returned... A papery smile. “H-Harris, you can help me, right?”  

Jack looked over his shoulder, gesturing at the three empty thrones, “I came for the elders, but they're gone,” he explained, walking down a step. Harris mirrored it. A furrow formed in Jack's brow. He looked down at his arms, his eyes trailing down to his hands.  

“Harris?” Jack asked, but it came out as a broken whisper. Dorian wasn't here, he didn't have to hold back the tears. “Harris what's happening to me?”  

“Not another step.” Jack's eyes found the owner of the voice immediately. His eyes narrowed instinctively at Fletcher, his hands clenching into fists.  

A bitter smile found its way to Jack's lips, “This is what he wanted.”  

“You were with Dorian,” Fletcher said, accusatory.

 Jack tilted his head to Fletcher, “I wasn't hiding that fact. I just told Harris! He did this to me!”  

“Why were you with him?” Fletcher demanded.  

“You can read my fricken mind, Fletcher! You literally can! That's all you can do!” Energy cackled in the air around him, sparking in all directions. “Harris please,” Jack begged, looking desperately to his teacher. The man who took him in. “Harris, help me. I don't know what's happeni-”  

Jack was sent hurtling through the air, as if he was hit with an invisible freight train. Jack groaned, getting to his feet, glaring at Fletcher with one thought on his mind. Jack lunged and hit an invisible wall.  

Jack slammed his hands against the wall and pushed back. He remembered Fletcher using this move in training. He remembered not being able to break it.  

But then, Jack thought wryly, I didn't have these powers last time.  

Jack pressed his palms flat against the wall, not taking his eyes off of Fletcher. He knew Fletcher couldn't keep the wall up for long on a good day. Let's see how he fares with someone fighting against it.  

Jack let the red lightning loose and it cackled and surged around the walls of the dome surrounding him.  

The energy consumed him. It was his every being. Jack felt it all the way from the tips of his fingers to the ends of his toes. He felt it in the back of his throat, pumping through his veins fuelling his hands to push harder and harder against the barrier blocking him from help.  

Jack was going to kill Fletcher, and it seemed like he was halfway there. Jack grimaced when he noticed Fletcher's nose begin to bleed. He had to push harder. 

It won't be long now. One more blow.  

Jack turned up the heat, and the biggest jolt of red electricity erupted through the dome, smashing it like glass to smithereens, and Fletcher screamed. Holding his head and dropping like a brick.  

Jack's success was short lived. He let out a breath, and all the energy left him, and he fell to his knees exhausted. Harris was at his side when Jack fell, whispering quiet words of reassurance.  

“It's okay. Just rest, let's get you up. Come on.” Jack didn't speak. He didn't think he could. He was drained. Wholly and completely drained. He accepted Harris's support and together they descended the steps. Out of the corner of his eye, Jack saw Fletcher in a foetal position on the floor surrounded by healers.   

Jack's heart hammered against his chest as he watched, utterly helpless. He pushed off of Harris and fell to his knees crawling over to Fletcher. Half of Fletcher's face was covered in blood, most of it from his nose, but some, Jack realised with a start, was from his eyes. Tears of blood. One of the healers were working on his back, while one had their hands either side of Fletcher's head, mumbling their words of healing.  

But why would they be working on his back?  

Then Jack saw it. Creeping over Fletcher's shoulder was a scar... The same kind of brutally beautiful scar of a lightning strike victim. A lump formed in the back of Jack's throat as he witnessed the damage of his actions.  

Peter was there, helping the healers. He found Jack's eyes and the once soft, kind, gentle expression of Peter had hardened into one of utter hatred.  

“Haven't you done enough?!” Peter demanded. “Get away from him.”  

Jack felt hands on him again, and Jack clumsily got to his feet and hobbled away with Harris. 

“I hurt him,” Jack whispered, when he finally collapsed onto his bunk. Harris smiled his reassuring smile and said, “Fletcher will be fine.”  

“No... No, you don't understand... I hurt him, because I wanted to hurt him.” Jack looked up at Harris with wide, scared eyes. “I wanted to hurt him.”  

“Stop,” said Harris with a hard voice. A voice that made Jack halt. “You stop that right now, m'boy. This is what Dorian wanted. He wanted you to feel this way. To feel like a monster. You are not a monster, Jack. You are not a bad person.”  

“But the red-”  

“Is what Dorian wanted you to see,” Harris sighed, sitting on the bed beside Jack. “Dorian is a smart boy. He has always been clever, but he hasn't always used that power for the good. No, he wanted to make you lose control. To fear your power. To see the raw destruction it can bring-”  

“Yeah, well. It worked.”  

“You mustn't let him win,” Harris implored. “When Fletcher realised what Dorian was doing, he came straight to me. He wanted to help in any way he could-”  

“And I fried him for it...” Jack said with a bitter laugh that threatened to choke him.  

“Fletcher knew that you were going to be stronger than him. Dorian tapped into the very source of your power, no one would be able to stand against that. So, Fletcher wanted to rile you up, the same way Dorian did, so you could exhaust your powers on him and no one else.” 

Jack knew that Harris was trying to make him feel better, but Jack couldn't help but feel worse. Fletcher was a hero. Fletcher was a hero who was worried about everyone else, even Jack, and all Jack wanted to do was see him bleed.  

Fletcher was a hero.  

Jack wasn't.  

He had played right into Dorian's hands. 

“You don't pay heed to anything Dorian told you tonight,” said Harris. “Not one thing.”  

How couldn't he? Dorian had hit every nail on the head. Jack was a coward. Jack didn't deserve to be here. He wasn't some hero. All his powers had brought the people around him was pain. Jack was a monster. 

Instead of telling Harris all that though, Jack just nodded and said, “Okay.” Harris didn't look convinced, but he got to his feet all the same and, with one last smile at Jack, he left.  

Jack didn't sleep that night.  

*~*~*~*~*

Tag-list: @whump-in-the-closet @anxious-mess19 @scoundrelwithboba