1st Year Courses

Connections

Groups: None

Quests: None


Compulsory Courses

General Studies + Required College Course

General Studies

A Is for Ankheg: A Complete Guide to Twenty-Six Classic Monsters

Professor Verelda Lang

Taught by Professor Verelda Lang, a dryad specialising in General Studies, this compulsory course introduces students to the foundational taxonomy of magical flora and fauna through an alphabetical lens. Beginning with Ankhegs and working methodically onwards, students will examine the anatomy, habitats, behaviours, and arcane significance of twenty-six iconic creatures.

Lessons frequently take the form of themed lectures such as “B is for Basilisk” and “C is for Chimera”, supported by extensive independent research conducted within the Biblioplex. Emphasis is placed on safe identification, academic classification, and understanding how magical creatures interact with their environments — and with careless adventurers.

Lorehold

Digging Up the Past: Introduction to Archaeomancy

Deans Augusta Tullus & Plargg

This introductory Lorehold course is jointly taught by the college’s deans, Augusta Tullus and Plargg, whose sharply opposed philosophies define the very nature of the college. Instruction may alternate between the two, occur in parallel sessions, or shift unpredictably, often within the same lecture.

The class is notably overcrowded, strictly lecture-based, and allows no time for questions. Students are expected to absorb material despite frequent contradictions and philosophical clashes. Through an overview of historical record-keeping methods and exploration practices, students gain their first glimpse into what it truly means to study Lorehold — confusion and all.

Prismari

Fashionably Late: History of Magic and Art (Required for Prismari)

Deans Uvilda Mistcoiler & Nassari

This introductory Prismari course is jointly taught by the college’s deans, Uvilda Mistcoiler and Nassari, whose opposing philosophies create a deliberately disorientating learning environment. Instruction may alternate between the two, split the class entirely, or shift unpredictably over the term.

Classes are heavily attended, strictly lecture-based, and allow no time for questions. Through the study of historic magical art — from revered masterpieces to chaotic, temporary installations — students are introduced to Prismari’s core belief that expression matters as much as execution. The course offers no tangible reward beyond preparing students for the intensity of their future studies.

Quandrix

Connecting the Dots: Beginning Computational Magic

Deans Kianne & Imbraham

This introductory Quandrix course is jointly taught by the college’s deans, Kianne and Imbraham, whose contrasting approaches to theory and application define the discipline. Instruction may alternate between the two, be divided into parallel sessions, or shift without warning across the term.

Classes are densely populated, strictly lecture-based, and allow no time for questions. Students are immersed in deliberately complex and often unsolvable theories before learning how minor alterations to equations can refine magic, optimise everyday life, and impose order upon chaos. The course offers no immediate reward beyond preparing students for the demanding logic of future Quandrix studies.

Silverquill

Mightier Than the Sword: Beginning Inkomancy

Deans Shaile Talonrook & Embrose Lu

This introductory Silverquill course is jointly taught by the college’s deans, Shaile Talonrook and Embrose Lu, whose sharply opposed philosophies shape the discipline. Instruction may alternate between the two, divide the class entirely, or shift unpredictably throughout the term.

Classes are large, strictly lecture-based, and allow no time for questions. Through demonstrations of biting prose and defensive projection, students witness firsthand the dual power of language: its ability to wound and its capacity to shield. The course offers no immediate reward beyond preparing students for the demanding rhetoric of future Silverquill studies.

Witherbloom

Putting Down Roots: Arcano-Botany for Beginners

Deans Lissette & Valentin

This introductory Witherbloom course is jointly taught by the college’s deans, Lissette and Valentin, whose opposing philosophies reflect the balance between nurture and decay. Instruction may alternate between the two, split the class entirely, or shift unpredictably across the term.

Classes are large, strictly lecture-based, and allow no time for questions. Through study of magical flora and the raw vitality of the natural world, students are introduced to Witherbloom’s core ethos: respect for nature, acceptance of death as a necessary process, and the harnessing of life energy for personal power. The course grants no spellcasting reward, serving instead as preparation for future, more demanding studies.


Course Options (pick 2)

General Studies

Basking in the Glow: Basic Magical Auras

Professor Quentis Orvlo

Led by Orvlo, a meticulous vedalken scholar, this course trains students to recognise and interpret the residual patterns left behind by magic. Through guided observation and practical exercises, students learn how different schools of magic leave distinct arcane signatures upon objects, creatures, and locations.

The course encourages careful attention and patience, laying essential groundwork for identifying higher-level spells in the future. Students are taught to trust their senses, question assumptions, and develop an intuitive understanding of the invisible currents that permeate magical spaces.

Flame of Knowledge: Lessons from the Founders

Instructor Lianna Flametongue

This special offering, taught by Lianna Flametongue, explores the origins of Neverwood and the enduring wisdom of the Founder Dragons. Through historical accounts, preserved draconic teachings, and interpretive discussion, students examine how each Founder shaped magical education and philosophy.

The course blends legend with scholarship, challenging students to reflect on power, responsibility, and legacy. Attendance is limited, and lessons are often delivered with dramatic flair befitting their draconic origins.

Speaking the Same Language: Overview of Magical Notation

Professor Xyla Langning

Taught by Professor Xyla Langning, one of Lorehold’s newest Professors of Order, this course introduces students to the shared symbols, shorthand, and notation systems used by spellcasters across cultures and disciplines. From hastily scrawled field notes to meticulously archived spell formulae, students learn how magic is recorded, preserved, and interpreted.

The course places strong emphasis on cross-disciplinary understanding, enabling students to decipher magical writings regardless of origin. Precision, consistency, and academic curiosity are heavily encouraged.

Keep It Secret, Keep It Safe: Protecting Things Behind Locked Doors

Professor Fain

Professor Fain of Silverquill teaches this discreet and unsettling course on the theory and practice of magical security. Students study wards, locks, concealment techniques, and the psychological aspects of protecting valuable or dangerous items from prying eyes.

Fain maintains a deliberate distance from most students, though those who demonstrate subtlety, initiative, or morally flexible problem-solving may earn his quiet approval. Unusually, attempts to cheat during assessments are met with professional interest rather than reprimand — students who try are encouraged to be better at it next time.

Lorehold

Hindsight: Examining and Identifying Historical Arcane Artifacts

Professor Osgir, the Reconstructor

This course takes place not in a lecture hall, but within the cluttered workshop of Osgir, the Reconstructor. Lessons are frequently interrupted by messengers, students, or adventurers delivering newly recovered artefacts — interruptions Osgir welcomes with open enthusiasm.

Each session becomes a live demonstration as Osgir eagerly disassembles, analyses, and reconstructs items before the class. His passion for historical artefacts is unmistakable, and students who contribute new finds are often rewarded with additional instruction or extra credit. Practical identification and hands-on examination form the core of this course.

Everything Old Is New Again: Methods of Archaeological Preservation

Professor Losheel

One of the few courses taught by Losheel, a Loxodon Professor of Chaos, this class is delivered in an unconventional format. Students are frequently greeted by an animated golem constructed from ancient components, projecting Losheel’s likeness before launching into a pre-recorded lecture.

The golems are notoriously temperamental, often seizing or malfunctioning mid-lesson. Students are encouraged to assist in their repair, learning through direct interaction how preservation, restoration, and controlled application of heat can extend the life of historical artefacts — and the occasional automaton.

Falling into Ruin: Guidelines on Successful Exploration of Historical Sites

Professor Marrick Deepfinder

Taught by the charismatic Marrick Deepfinder, this course focuses on the practical realities of ruin exploration. Students are instructed to be reckless enough to enter forgotten places, yet wise enough to recognise when survival demands retreat.

Through vivid anecdotes and cautionary tales, Marrick emphasises situational awareness, mobility, and the importance of leaving with one’s life — and notes — intact. The course blends humour with hard-earned wisdom from decades of delving into unstable ruins.

Write That Down!: Basics of Complete Historical Record-Keeping

Professor Riri Brighteye

Professor Riri Brighteye teaches students that relevance is subjective, and that the duty of a historian is to record everything, not to decide what matters. The sole assignment for this course is deceptively simple: maintain a detailed daily diary throughout the term.

Students are warned to omit private matters, as Riri personally reads every diary at term’s end. Mundane details are not only encouraged but required, forming the foundation for future scholarly interpretation. Though this course leans towards Chaos in practice, it serves as the bedrock for Riri’s advanced studies of overlooked civilisations and forgotten histories.

Prismari

Playing with Fire: Channeling Flame During Passionate Performances

Professor Ignaria “Iggy” Kahafi

Taught by Ignaria “Iggy” Kahafi, a summer eladrin known for her intensity, this course introduces students to emotional release through performance. Lessons focus on using dance and music as controlled outlets for passion, allowing magical flame to manifest safely — or at least intentionally.

Homework is typically completed in pairs, with students critiquing one another’s performances. Assessments take the form of live showcases before Iggy and the class. Expectations are high, emotions run hotter still, and success requires total commitment.

Eye of the Storm: Fundamentals of Tempest Art

Professor Rock

Professor Rock teaches students how to transform motion, rhythm, and sound into raw, explosive force. This course explores the relationship between physical movement and elemental power, encouraging experimentation and improvisation.

Compared to other Prismari offerings, this class is relaxed and forgiving. Homework is rare, grading is generous, and students are encouraged to find their own rhythm. Mastery comes not through pressure, but through momentum.

Flying Colours: Introduction to Opusmancy

Professor Veyran

This therapeutic, evening course teaches students to channel emotion rather than unleash it all at once. By focusing on specific emotional states, students learn to manifest elemental energy as vividly coloured orbs, arcing across the night sky.

Professor Veyran keeps demands light, rarely assigning homework in consideration of late hours and students’ other commitments. The class serves as both magical training and emotional grounding, blending artistry with discipline.

Art of War: Techniques Used in Combat and Dance

*Instructor Arkin Minexes

Instructor Arkin, an orc with a deep respect for precision and cooperation, teaches students the fundamentals of controlled movement. Through posture, timing, and awareness, students learn to move faster, strike cleaner, and avoid contact entirely.

Exercises are almost always conducted in pairs or groups, reflecting Arkin’s belief that mastery comes through collaboration. The course blends martial technique with performative grace, preparing students for both battlefields and stages.

Quandrix

Birds of a Feather: Introduction to the Recognition of Natural Patterns

Professor Ruxa

Taught by the ursine Professor Ruxa, this course trains students to recognise mathematical principles embedded within the natural world. Lessons focus on recurring phenomena such as the golden ratio, symmetry, and growth patterns observed in flora, fauna, and weather.

Ruxa’s lectures are dense but practical, filled with observational techniques and quiet insights. Students who remain attentive may find themselves unexpectedly inspired during assessments, having internalised patterns they scarcely noticed at the time.

Repetition, Repetition, Repetition: Introduction to Forms and Fractals

Professor Deekah

In this introductory course, Professor Deekah shares her passion for fractology and recursive mathematics. Students learn to conjure living theorems — semi-autonomous magical constructs designed to process complex equations.

Assessment prioritises efficiency over accuracy; grades are awarded based on how quickly a student’s theorem reaches a solution, rather than the correctness of the final result. Through this work, students gain an early understanding of how fractals can fold space itself.

Growing Pains: How Larger Numbers Can Cause More Injury

Professor Renald

This course carries a weight matched only by its subject matter. Taught by Renald, a reborn professor whose lectures often blur into monotonous abstraction, the class challenges students’ endurance as much as their intellect.

Those who remain awake and engaged are rewarded with glimpses into how numerical scaling and abstraction can distort physical reality. Mastery comes slowly, but students who persevere unlock powerful insights into gravitational manipulation.

Don’t Hate, Cultivate: Augmenting for Beginners

Professor Ruxa

In this second offering from Professor Ruxa, students are introduced to the practical applications of augmenting magic. Through physically demanding exercises, participants experience the benefits and dangers of altering size, mass, and proportion.

The final assessment is conducted in isolation and begins as a written examination exploring hypothetical scenarios. Without warning, students are confronted with a real version of one such scenario — secretly orchestrated through Professor Rixy’s illusion magic — and must choose whether to enlarge or shrink themselves appropriately to pass.

Silverquill

Slam Poetry: Devastating Your Enemies with Magical Insults

Professor Breena

Professor Breena is renowned for her unmatched command of cutting language, a reputation students quickly come to understand. Coursework centres on crafting precise, ruthless remarks designed to unnerve and destabilise opponents.

The final examination requires students to attempt to verbally assault Breena herself — an exercise in confidence, creativity, and restraint. Only those whose words truly land earn her approval.

Cutting Remarks: Turning Words into Weapons

Dean Embrose Lu

Though taught by Dean Embrose Lu, this course is less an introduction and more an audition. Embrose instructs first-year students not out of obligation, but to identify individuals worthy of further shaping into formidable mages.

Expect unusually high expectations, with homework and examinations set to a standard well above that of most introductory courses. Office hours are available only to those Embrose deems promising; others receive little attention until they prove themselves. Those who endure the scrutiny and succeed are rewarded with mastery over shadowed steel.

A Kind Word: Introduction to the Magic of Compliments

Professor Smart Mouth

Many Silverquill students enrol in this course for the chance to learn from Smart Mouth, a kenku who remembers every sound and phrase he has ever heard. The class focuses on the supportive power of language, teaching students how carefully chosen words can inspire, embolden, and heal.

Homework and examinations are entirely oral, with students expected to speak aloud rather than submit written work. As the course emphasises uplift rather than harm, assessments are deliberately forgiving.

A Way with Words: Introduction to Oratory Techniques

Dean Shaile Talonrook

Unlike most deans, Shaile Talonrook teaches more than her required course, driven by a genuine love of oration. In this class, students study classical and modern speaking techniques before watching the dean demonstrate them with effortless precision.

Examinations take the form of a public speech on a subject of the student’s choosing, provided the required techniques are employed. Those who succeed leave with a sharpened tongue and an instinctive grasp of verbal control.

Witherbloom

S.T.E.M: Soothe, Talk, Evaluate, Mend — Leafbinding for Beginners

Dean Lissette

Many first-year Witherbloom students discover a passion for healing through this course. Dean Lissette teaches the fundamentals of restorative magic, emphasising that treating a wound involves both physical repair and emotional care.

Students learn how to calm patients, keep their minds focused away from pain, properly evaluate injuries, and apply the correct magical treatment. Compassion and attentiveness are graded just as highly as technical skill.

Getting Bogged Down: Principles of Boughcalling

Professor Kojil the Tamer

Taught by the ever-popular Professor Kojil the Tamer and his scurrid familiar, Tall Ear, this course introduces students to the respectful summoning of spirits from recently deceased creatures. Within Witherbloom, death is taught not as an ending, but as transformation.

Students begin by calling forth minor spirits before progressing to larger and more complex forms. Care is taken to stress balance, consent, and responsibility in dealing with lingering life energies.

A Thorn in One’s Side: The Danger of Misidentified Spell Components

Professor Willowdusk

Willowdusk began teaching this course nearly a century ago after encountering far too many deaths caused by incorrectly harvested components. Lessons are conducted in the field, with students accompanying her on patrol through dangerous terrain.

Students are trained to recognise subtle distinctions between harmless ingredients and those that can prove fatal if mishandled. Final examinations require accurate identification of a series of samples, with successful students learning how to safely repurpose hazardous materials.

Weeding Out the Weak: Introduction to Blight Magic

Professor Venoc Plaguescale

Venoc Plaguescale makes no effort to hide his disdain for uncommitted students. Those who wish to study blight magic or follow the path of the Banelock are met with a single challenge: prove your worth.

Classes are aggressively practical, with Venoc unleashing controlled blight magic at students in an effort to drive them away. Those who endure, adapt, and continue learning earn not only mastery of draining magic, but Venoc’s reluctant respect.