ansem breaks the course down into 6 sections. each of the main topics ( telekinesis, astral projection, compulsion, and telepathy ) is divided between beginner and more advanced. depending on the class’ comfort level, their year, etc, he’ll focus more on one designation over the other. telekinesis and telepathy, the two bigger mediums, are divided even further between advanced and beginner subsections. he definitely starts with the more introductory concepts and advances with the curriculum as they become more comfortable with it.
TELEKINESIS: B
binding/freezing/telekinetic grip: keeping objects stationary and firmly in place.
levitation: the ability to raise objects and maintain it.
telekinetic maneuver: directing an object’s path / trajectory.
telekinetic pull/push: drawing objects in / pushing them away.
by the end of this section of the curriculum, students should have a good understanding and control over moving objects physically. he also introduces breathing tactics, how to visualize and calm your mind, and maintaining your focus. ( he sometimes yodels while they’re trying to practice just to see how they handle distractions. )
TELEKINESIS: A
motor skill manipulation: controlling the movement of individuals
telekinetic attacks: primarily used defensively, using the mind to keep others from attacking then or preventing attack. deflection mostly. sometimes, if students are showing particular skill, he’ll let them try offensive attacks. very infrequently and with direct supervision.
psionic manipulation/healing: using telekinesis to manipulate your own molecules. they’ll heal small cuts. nothing major or severe.
telekinetic flight: the ability to use your telekinesis to levitate. levitating can lead to flight but this is normally only advanced for ninth and tenth year students who have been studying mental magic for years / show a natural aptitude.
vibration emission: to manipulate powerful vibrations, often strong enough or contained enough to shatter objects. this is normally only advanced for ninth and tenth year students who have been studying mental magic for years / show a natural aptitude
by the end of this section of the curriculum, students should have an advanced understanding of telekinesis. he reinforces the importance of focus, of ensuring you’re finding the right head space to ensure safe practice. by the final exam, students should be able to levitate 5 inches above the ground ( minimum ), heal a minor injury, and deflect a minor attack using telekinesis.
TELEPATHY: B
empathy: interpreting/sensing the moods of others. ( for this, he usually pairs students up with people they aren’t that buddy buddy with so he’s sure they’re not just guessing. )
thought detection: picking out thoughts from the minds of others.
memory access: accessing and viewing the memories of others. ( they pair off again with the pairs picking specific memories for the others to try and access. )
psychic communication/speaking: speaking to each other telepathically.
TELEPATHY: A
dream walking: the ability to enter someone else’s dreams.
emotion manipulation: the ability to influence the emotions of other people.
knowledge replication: the ability to temporarily learn / replicate a skill, or language, from accessing it in someone else’s mind.
pushing: the ability to implant memories, thoughts, and emotions, into someone else’s mind. ( limited to basics. nothing serious / harmful. )
speaking inducement: the ability to speak through someone else with your thoughts. ( this is only covered briefly here. it’s covered more extensively in compulsion. )
by the end of the course, students should be able to influence thoughts, moods, dreams, and even memories. beginners is with permission, meaning it’s much easier, but at the advanced level he has the pairs resist to make it more challenging. he starts both portions of the course section with two classes directly relating to consent. straight off the bat. he also, for the more advanced section of the course, frequently switches pairings.
COMPULSION
suggestion: influencing others. this includes emotions, thoughts, actions, etc. they start with suggestion first to become more familiar with influence.
thought projection: implanting a thought/concept in their pair’s mind.
speaking inducement: the ability to speak through someone else. this is expanded beyond what was initially covered in telepathy.
telepathic control/instruction: manipulating others to do as you compel them. ( this is the primary subject in the advanced class. they also cover tactics, and exercises, to resist compulsion. )
by the end of the course, students should be able to suggest and resist successfully. being able to do complete compulsion is not a requirement to pass the course and is only used in advanced classes / natural talent situations. in some cases, if students are interested, he has agreed to small sessions outside of class to allow students to pursue telepathy/compulsion further. again, he has a lengthy discuss on consent and boundaries before diving into this topic.
ASTRAL PROJECTION
this is only taught to students who have a good handle on mental magic. in the early years he’ll discuss it but won’t teach on the hows of doing it.
meditation/centering: ensuring that your mind is focused and that you are in the appropriate head space.
background: detailed theory on astral projection, its uses, and its hindrances. he’ll reference cases where people were unable to return to their bodies, injured while projecting, and the dangers of astral trapping.
astral projection: this is only for advanced students in their final years at arcanas who have the appropriate aptitude for success. he’ll teach them how to project onto the astral plane and how to interact with their plane while projecting.
by the end of the course, students should have a good understanding on astral projection: its advantages and its dangers. most of the testing is theoretical rather than more physically demanding compared to the other subjects.
his exams are a mix of theory and practical. he finds grading papers and tests annoying so the more practical / physical things he can do, the better.
STAFF SCHEDULE.
he wakes up, snoozes his alarm 14 times, and crawls out of bed. sometimes there’s coffee, maybe a muffin, but he’s not very productive before classes start. his early morning class gets the tired version of him but he’s somehow convinced one of the eager beavers into bringing him coffee every morning. ( teacher’s pets are annoying but hey, he loves his caffeine fix. ) he teaches until lunch, has an hour break, and a free period somewhere in the day. he usually sticks around his office for an hour, sometimes two, twice a week in case anyone has questions or needs extra help. depending on interest levels, there’s usually at least once a week where he meets with a smaller group of students for more advanced techniques. they don’t get graded on anything it’s mostly just for fun / their own development.
his night ends at home, watching shitty tv or drinking wine with some of the other teachers, and then he crashes in bed way too late. then he gets up and does it all over again. there’s obviously some days where things get switched up but this is your typical day.
Alchemy, It is the technique of understanding the structure of matter, decomposing it, and then reconstructing it. If performed skillfully, it is even possible to create gold out of lead. However, there are some natural principles in place. Only one thing can be created from something else of a certain mass. This is the Principle of Equivalent Exchange.
Maeve’s curriculum is split into 5 pieces. She spends a lot of time making sure her students have a thorough understanding of the art of it before teaching them alchemy itself.
Equivalent Exchange
Transmutation Circle
Transmutation Array
Human Transmutation
Alchemy Itself
EQUIVALENT EXCHANGE
The mystical practice of alchemy to create objects out of raw matter or turn one object into another is widely believed to be capable of anything - indeed alchemy is often viewed as magical or miraculous by those unfamiliar with the craft - but it is a science and as such is subject to certain laws and limitations, all of which fall under the concept of Equivalent Exchange: "In order to obtain or create something, something of equal value must be lost or destroyed."
The Law of Conservation of Mass, which states that energy and matter can neither be created from nothing nor destroyed to the point of elemental nonexistence. In other words, to create an object weighing one kilogram, at least one kilogram of material is necessary and destroying an object weighing one kilogram would reduce it to a set of parts, the sum of which would weigh one kilogram.
The Law of Natural Providence, which states that an object or material made of a particular substance or element can only be transmuted into another object with the same basic makeup and properties of that initial material. In other words, an object or material made mostly of water can only be transmuted into another object with the attributes of water.
Rebound. Since the alchemical forces being manipulated are not human in origin, but of the world as a whole, the consequences for attempting to bypass the Law of Equivalent Exchange in transmutation are not merely failure and cessation. When too much is attempted out of too little, what occurs is called a Rebound, in which the alchemical forces that are thrown out of balance on either side of the equation fluctuate wildly of their own accord in order to stabilize themselves - taking or giving more than was intended in often unpredictable and catastrophic ways such as accidental mutation, serious injury, or death.
TRANSUMATION CIRCLE
Though no machine or equipment is needed to produce the energy necessary for transmutation, merely understanding the sequence of transmutation and the limitations of Equivalent Exchange is not enough.
In order to begin an alchemical transmutation, a symbol called a Transmutation Circle is necessary. A Transmutation Circle can either be drawn on the spot when a transmutation is necessary (in chalk, pencil, ink, paint, thread, blood or even traced in dirt) or permanently etched or inscribed beforehand, but without it, transmutation is generally impossible. All Transmutation Circles are made up of two parts:
The circle itself is a conduit which focuses and dictates the flow of power, tapping into the energies that already exist within the earth and matter. It represents the cyclical flow of the world's energies and phenomena and turns that power to manipulable ends.
Inside the circle are specific alchemical runes. These runes vary widely based on ancient alchemical studies, texts, and experimentation, but correspond to a different form of energy, allowing the energy that is focused within the circle to be released in the way most conducive to the alchemist's desired effect. In basic alchemy, these runes will often take the form of triangles (which, when positioned differently, can represent the elements of either water, earth, fire or air), but will often be composed of varying polygons built from different triangles. For example, the hexagram is a commonly used base rune in Transmutation Circles because it creates eight multi-directional triangles when inscribed and can, therefore, represent all four classical elements at once. Other, more esoteric runes (including astrological symbols, symbolic images and varying lines of text) are prevalent and represent a multitude of other, specific functions for the alchemical energy that is released.
TRANSMUTATION ARRAY
A Transmutation Array is similar to a transmutation circle in that it is used to circulate the energy used in a transmutation. However, unlike a transmutation circle, the runes are not confined to the circumference of the circle and may use the circle only as a small aspect of their function. In some instances, a transmutation array may not even be a circle at all, using different concepts to bring about the circulation or release of the energies involved. Transmutation arrays are often found as full body tattoos on alchemists due to the shape of the human body. It is also possible that the non-cyclical nature of transmutation arrays amplifies the 'destruction' stage of alchemy.
HUMAN TRANSMUTATION
Unfortunately, these experiments have given birth to a dark and sinister side of alchemy. Whether out of despair, malice or inquisitive hubris, several alchemists have been known to attempt the application of transmutation to the human body and/or soul, in essence, playing God with human lives. But, just as the Law of Equivalent Exchange applies to the transmutation of non-living matter, devastating rebounds can occur in Human Transmutation because human lives and souls are priceless according to the flow of the world.
Resurrection - Attempts to bring deceased human beings back to life are the most common practices to be called Human Transmutation. Using various experimental theories and methods, multiple alchemists have endeavored to resurrect dead loved ones, but such pursuits are always failures, forbidden by the flow of the universe and alchemy itself. Doing such could lead to horrible results.
Artificial Humans - The next most referred-to form of Human Transmutation is the concept of an alchemically created artificial human, called a "Homunculus". Though largely considered impossible due to the fact that all recorded and reported attempts to make one have been failures, this act is one of those specifically noted in the prohibition of Human Transmutation.
Human Soul Binding - Another terrible form of Human Transmutation is the manipulation of human souls. There have been experiments with Human Transmutation involving the extraction of souls from their matter bodies and the alchemical binding of said souls to inanimate objects usually by way of a rune drawn in blood on the object itself. Despite the fact that these souls cannot feel pain or die by conventional means, since the "bodies" they now inhabit are not mortal, the act of binding two such different things together is only temporary, as the soul and vessel will eventually reject each other and separate.
Human Chimera - Chimeric Alchemy is a branch of bio-alchemy that seeks to alchemically "marry" two dissimilar life forms into a new creature, but even though this science skirts the line of playing God, the prohibition of Human Transmutation forbids alchemists from incorporating human beings into the practice of chimera production. However, there are alchemists who flout this decree and step across the threshold into monstrous experimentation.
ALCHEMY ITSELF
Though Maeve can’t perform the techniques herself due to being a fairy, she usually has an alumni student demonstrate, and if she can’t get one she has her best student in the class do so. However actually learning the alchemy is the final part of her curriculum so it’s a long time before she needs the extra help.
Comprehension - Understanding the inherent structure and properties of the atomic or molecular makeup of a particular material to be transmuted, including the flow and balance of potential and kinetic energy within.
Deconstruction - Using energy to break down the physical structure of the identified material into a more malleable state so as to be easily reshaped into a new form.
Reconstruction - Continuing the flow of energy so as to reform the material into a new shape.
STAFF SCHEDULE
wakes up in a half-hour before she needs to be ready, gets ready in 20 minutes, has ten minutes to spare before classes to which she spends in the teacher lounge chatting with other teachers. she teaches mostly morning classes in a large block, so by the time it’s lunch she only has a single class to teach before she’s done for the day. on tuesdays and thursday's she gives some extra help lessons for students falling behind. she does this after the normal school day, which is technically ways after she could go home, so in her long long free periods she hangs around the school or reads a book. maeve also lives on campus for the fact it’s easier to get ready, and it’s cheaper for her.
PT ONE: Understanding and drawing power from living things such as the earth and nature; to understand what it is to control death you must understand life first.
— The composition of living organisms and the way magic can be drawn from them.
— using plants and smaller organisms as practice of this skill — controlling the growth of a plant or organism in order to understand the necessary key points in control over the living.
— understanding the ethical and moral implications and laws to apply to the idea that every cause has a reaction and a consequence.
PT TWO: The way the body changes following death.
— drawing from what has already been learned comes a detailed understanding of the way the body shuts down and decays. ( will include the practice of watching an organism die ).
— then comes the practice of using magic in order to cause said decay and wilting of a plant or organism to make note of the difference between drawing from life force and taking it away.
— understanding the balance the world demands from death and or life magic.
PT THREE: drawing from death and understanding that a dead organism flows within the system of the earth and that in most scenarios death in many ways equals life.
— studying the patterns necessary to understand the magic required to control said organism including resisting and practicing hand movements along with a produced example ( done by the teacher and and student advanced enough ).
— creating an orb of light drawn from the magic the is now pulled from the death of the organism.
This is the general thesis for years 1-7 following these understandings each year progresses onto a bigger organism, a bigger plant, and specimens such as toads or spiders. Years 8 through 10 will learn the more detailed art of control over the dead as listed below;
— understanding the history of Necromancy, both the darker and lighter sides as to show both the good and bad sides of such an art.
— understanding the spell work necessary and practicing the correct pronunciation; there is a complicated pattern to the way necromancy is done it’s hard to control the dead in the correct way without understanding all of it.
— a demonstration on a brief control over a specimen, with the request that the class attempt to keep there own moving and/or showing motor functions for at least 30 seconds.
— a brief mock exam on everything learned so far.
— once a student has mastered motor functions for at least 30 seconds, next will be the art of perfecting it for longer as if the dead specimen can once again function and/or walk around.
— understanding the spirit world and the way that can be used as a fuel to make the dead function for longer granted a brief demonstration and a closely watched practice regarding the subject is iffy to get too into.
— compulsion over half-dead things and their implications e.g. the effect in which it has on the mind should said attempt go wrong.
— a demonstration over the compulsion of a living organism to demonstrate the cause of both correct compulsion and incorrect compulsion ( specimen used in this scenario will be healed afterward ).
— a final attempt and mock examination over the students understanding regarding both necromancy as a whole and the use in which it is capable of good ( applies only to the 10th years but can be adjusted for advanced 9th years )
ansem breaks the course down into 6 sections. each of the main topics ( telekinesis, astral projection, compulsion, and telepathy ) is divided between beginner and more advanced. depending on the class’ comfort level, their year, etc, he’ll focus more on one designation over the other. telekinesis and telepathy, the two bigger mediums, are divided even further between advanced and beginner subsections. he definitely starts with the more introductory concepts and advances with the curriculum as they become more comfortable with it.
TELEKINESIS: B
binding/freezing/telekinetic grip: keeping objects stationary and firmly in place.
levitation: the ability to raise objects and maintain it.
telekinetic maneuver: directing an object’s path / trajectory.
telekinetic pull/push: drawing objects in / pushing them away.
by the end of this section of the curriculum, students should have a good understanding and control over moving objects physically. he also introduces breathing tactics, how to visualize and calm your mind, and maintaining your focus. ( he sometimes yodels while they’re trying to practice just to see how they handle distractions. )
TELEKINESIS: A
motor skill manipulation: controlling the movement of individuals
telekinetic attacks: primarily used defensively, using the mind to keep others from attacking then or preventing attack. deflection mostly. sometimes, if students are showing particular skill, he’ll let them try offensive attacks. very infrequently and with direct supervision.
psionic manipulation/healing: using telekinesis to manipulate your own molecules. they’ll heal small cuts. nothing major or severe.
telekinetic flight: the ability to use your telekinesis to levitate. levitating can lead to flight but this is normally only advanced for ninth and tenth year students who have been studying mental magic for years / show a natural aptitude.
vibration emission: to manipulate powerful vibrations, often strong enough or contained enough to shatter objects. this is normally only advanced for ninth and tenth year students who have been studying mental magic for years / show a natural aptitude
by the end of this section of the curriculum, students should have an advanced understanding of telekinesis. he reinforces the importance of focus, of ensuring you’re finding the right head space to ensure safe practice. by the final exam, students should be able to levitate 5 inches above the ground ( minimum ), heal a minor injury, and deflect a minor attack using telekinesis.
TELEPATHY: B
empathy: interpreting/sensing the moods of others. ( for this, he usually pairs students up with people they aren’t that buddy buddy with so he’s sure they’re not just guessing. )
thought detection: picking out thoughts from the minds of others.
memory access: accessing and viewing the memories of others. ( they pair off again with the pairs picking specific memories for the others to try and access. )
psychic communication/speaking: speaking to each other telepathically.
TELEPATHY: A
dream walking: the ability to enter someone else’s dreams.
emotion manipulation: the ability to influence the emotions of other people.
knowledge replication: the ability to temporarily learn / replicate a skill, or language, from accessing it in someone else’s mind.
pushing: the ability to implant memories, thoughts, and emotions, into someone else’s mind. ( limited to basics. nothing serious / harmful. )
speaking inducement: the ability to speak through someone else with your thoughts. ( this is only covered briefly here. it’s covered more extensively in compulsion. )
by the end of the course, students should be able to influence thoughts, moods, dreams, and even memories. beginners is with permission, meaning it’s much easier, but at the advanced level he has the pairs resist to make it more challenging. he starts both portions of the course section with two classes directly relating to consent. straight off the bat. he also, for the more advanced section of the course, frequently switches pairings.
COMPULSION
suggestion: influencing others. this includes emotions, thoughts, actions, etc. they start with suggestion first to become more familiar with influence.
thought projection: implanting a thought/concept in their pair’s mind.
speaking inducement: the ability to speak through someone else. this is expanded beyond what was initially covered in telepathy.
telepathic control/instruction: manipulating others to do as you compel them. ( this is the primary subject in the advanced class. they also cover tactics, and exercises, to resist compulsion. )
by the end of the course, students should be able to suggest and resist successfully. being able to do complete compulsion is not a requirement to pass the course and is only used in advanced classes / natural talent situations. in some cases, if students are interested, he has agreed to small sessions outside of class to allow students to pursue telepathy/compulsion further. again, he has a lengthy discuss on consent and boundaries before diving into this topic.
ASTRAL PROJECTION
this is only taught to students who have a good handle on mental magic. in the early years he’ll discuss it but won’t teach on the hows of doing it.
meditation/centering: ensuring that your mind is focused and that you are in the appropriate head space.
background: detailed theory on astral projection, its uses, and its hindrances. he’ll reference cases where people were unable to return to their bodies, injured while projecting, and the dangers of astral trapping.
astral projection: this is only for advanced students in their final years at arcanas who have the appropriate aptitude for success. he’ll teach them how to project onto the astral plane and how to interact with their plane while projecting.
by the end of the course, students should have a good understanding on astral projection: its advantages and its dangers. most of the testing is theoretical rather than more physically demanding compared to the other subjects.
his exams are a mix of theory and practical. he finds grading papers and tests annoying so the more practical / physical things he can do, the better.
STAFF SCHEDULE.
he wakes up, snoozes his alarm 14 times, and crawls out of bed. sometimes there’s coffee, maybe a muffin, but he’s not very productive before classes start. his early morning class gets the tired version of him but he’s somehow convinced one of the eager beavers into bringing him coffee every morning. ( teacher’s pets are annoying but hey, he loves his caffeine fix. ) he teaches until lunch, has an hour break, and a free period somewhere in the day. he usually sticks around his office for an hour, sometimes two, twice a week in case anyone has questions or needs extra help. depending on interest levels, there’s usually at least once a week where he meets with a smaller group of students for more advanced techniques. they don’t get graded on anything it’s mostly just for fun / their own development.
his night ends at home, watching shitty tv or drinking wine with some of the other teachers, and then he crashes in bed way too late. then he gets up and does it all over again. there’s obviously some days where things get switched up but this is your typical day.
Birdie still wakes up at seven every day, reminiscent of her high-school days. She gets dressed and packs her bag for the day before leaving the staff apartments on campus and heading over to the western wing of the school.
At 7:30, she eats a muffin or an orange and then gets to work, which includes:
Organizing the returned books back to their proper locations
Working the checkout and information desk
Delivering requested books to professors and instructors in the other wings
Setting up new displays
Filling out book order forms for texts that the library doesn’t have, so they can get them through a magical inter-library loan system of sorts from other informational/archival locations around the world
She usually goes out to the gardens to eat her lunch, which she either grabs from the cafeteria or brings with her from her room.
In the afternoon, she does much of the same, though if she gets everything done she tends to just read until she can clock out at 5 o’clock. The library is still open in the evenings, but she typically doesn’t work those shifts.
It’s not physically demanding work, but she does want to do a good job, so she pays close attention to every one of her tasks. And while the work itself isn’t super social, she gets to talk to a lot of people throughout the course of a work day so it’s not lonesome.
