Exarhi University (ɛkˈsäːr̥i)

...and thus we shall bask in [our God-Creator's] reflection and become creators ourselves. Heed my word: thou controls what thou understands. And so be that through study, thou shall inherit the world...

— Ascethi Exhaasi, "Thus My Grandfather Hath Spoken", fragment

The Exarhi University of Magical and Mundane Research is considered by all the most developed academic institution of the Meridian plane. Its creation was the byproduct of the Continental Magical Alliance of 198 NE, which sought to restrict and regulate the free use of magic in an attempt to scale down the destruction caused by powerful mages. The University, alongside its sister organization, the Exarhi Council, was founded in order to bring the mage community closer; both of them act as authorities and work together and alongside the goverments of the Meridian plane to ensure magic is not misused by the corrupt.

The Exarhi Plane

Exarhi From Afar by perchance.org

The University, alongside the Council, can be found on what is known as the Exarhi Plane, a pocket dimension carved into the Meridian plane by the legendary Kohimo the Spatiomancer, one of the founding members of both the University and the Council. The Exarhi Plane contains a stretch of floating island, big enough for one mid-sized university town, formally known as Exarhi City, housing the sister organizations, alongside various other buildings such as shops, houses, squares, inns, places of worship etc. Access to the Exarhi Plane is done through portals that connect the university town to the mainland. These portals, according to CMA legislation, are maintained both by the Council and by the country that controls the territory surrounding the portal ("...three fourths shall be paid by the sovereign country to be of use to the people, and the final fourth by the newfound Council, which shall oversee each and every portal, present or future..."). The Exarhi Plane is an independent territory, its right of self-governance acknowledged by the nations of the Meridian. The City maintains a neutral position in every political discussion, thus upholding its legacy of impartiality during such debates. As the motto of the University implies, everything inside Exarhi City is tailored towards academic research, was born because of scientifical advancements, or exists to satisfy the scholars' physical or psychological needs.

Admittance

The entry is notoriously hard and requires a passing grade on the yearly entry exam, as well as a recommendation from a mage that has already achieved exaltation (graduating EUMMR and being approved by the Council). This barrier prevents most mages from even entering the university, and while this form of exclusivity contributes to the fame and influence of the Exarhi University, it also restricts the flow of information outside the Exalted community.

What? Study for Divination? 'Course not. That damn Alkohori can kiss a halpurgian's ass for all I care... What? Yeah, he caught me cheating last time... Still have no clue how he knew...

— Xisalis Mixen

School life

EUMMR prides itself in the rigorous learning experience it provides; from application to graduation, a student must work hard in order to succeed, sometimes alongside their fellow students, sometimes against them, and sometimes completely alone, depending on the tasks and challenges presented. From group learning and friendly competitions to student-managed extracurricular clubs, the university welcomes those who harbor both an inquisitve mind and an open heart, for those who succeed harbor not only the desire to reach higher, but the strength to help the ones below them too.

Classes are structured in three main categories, based on whether or not students are required to attend them:

• Mandatory classes: these make up 60% to 70% of all courses an undergraduate attends in a year; they usually belong to a Department and are held by a Pillar of its respective Department. Pillars are professors that have contributed to the growth of their Department, either by teaching for a long period of time or by research in that field. Every student must enroll in one Department, and each Department has its own curriculum tailored around the general field of study; because of this, mandatory classes are considered the most important part of a student's life and are treated accordingly by the teachers.
  Some popular mandatory courses include: Exotic Botany and Zoology (Dept. of Natural Research),Construction of Magical Arrays (Dept. of Analytic Magic) and Free-Form Combat (all Dept.).
• Optional classes: depending on the year of study, each undergraduate is required to attend optional classes in order to meet their credit quota; most people attend up to three of them per year, while the scholary types and the students who barely pass their mandatory classes attend four or even five.
  This category includes most, if not all of the profession-oriented subjects, such as Blacksmithing and Cooking; it also includes Geopolitics and History, courses known to attract students of royal or noble heritage.
• Elective classes: these classes offer no credits and, consequently, are considered of lesser priority by a majority of undergraduates. These subjects require at least fifteen students to submit a formal request to the respective teacher; otherwise, the class is not officially recognized or endorsed by the University. Each professor has the freedom to hold any number of elective courses, as long as they don't violate the Code of Conduct and have enough time in their respective schedule. If the minimum requirement of student attendance is not met every half-semester (two and a half months), the class is considered "unworthy of academical pursuit" and is dissolved by the EUMMR Bureau.
  In practice, some of the most beloved subjects in the Exarhi University are elective; they are kept alive by the love, passion and dedication of the students and teachers alike. Some noteworthy classes include: Beast Taming, Ancient Archaeology and Foreign Linguistics.

Sarkuhar Teaching Free-Form Combat by perchance.org

A core philosophy of EUMMR is the independence of each and every student to choose what, how and where to study, encouraging them to organize themselves and pursue knowledge out of their own volition. Many executive decisions made by the EUMMR Bureau take into account the wishes and advice of the Student Council. Because of this, the University keeps growing and evolving, keeping up with modern times, while promoting concepts such as liberty of speech and community-oriented decision making; many beloved changes were made at the request of the Student Council, such as elevating elective classes to a permanent position. That was the case for Liberal Writing, one of the first elective courses of the University; since then, it has developed into the Dept. of Liberal Creation, growing and absorbing many other forms of creative expression over the years.

The greater the teacher, the greater the students

If you ever encounter Jarayia oher Mguyan on the halls of the campus, it is best for you to steer clear of her. Despite her slender figure and pale skin, the youngest of the Mguyan family is certainly capable of bringing pain and anguish to whoever she deems "scum". Surprisingly though, if you were to approach her in earnest and ask for help or tutoring, she will gladly help you (or tell you about a better-suited person to help you, if she doesn't know the subject). You might even befriend her if you happen to be interested in history and ancient civilizations, but be warned: many of her friends admitted they were feeling watched by something hiding in the shadows. And if you think you saw something in the corner of your eye, rest assured. It has already seen you.

Jarayia oher Mguyan by perchance.org

Well, my little pupils, I'd lie if I said "I hope you studied for this test", because I knew you wouldn't. I'm looking at you, Mixen.

— Alkohori, Pillar of Divination

Alkohori, Pillar of Divination by perchance.org

A beloved, yet strict teacher, Alkohori is the current Pillar of Divination and oversees the Dept. of Cultures and Rites alongside the Pillars of Incantations and of Religions. His tough love has left many students on the verge of repeating his subjects; rumors say that he already knows if you are going to study or not, or that he predicts which students would fail and then gives them harder tests on purpose. The truth is he loves his field and knows how demanding it is to excel in it. He is simply looking for students like him: people brave enough to overcome destiny itself.

History

The War of Old Medeea by perchance.org

The history of the Exarhi University is deeply entwined with the wars and political games of the Meridian plane, since the Exalts represent the most powerful and knowledgeable mages, being the pinnacle of study and mastery of the magic crafts. From its conception to the present day, Exarhi and the Exalted as a whole have represented an attempt to bridge the mundane and the magic facets of the world, to show that through learning we can understand and accept each other.

Myrciel Exhaasi by perchance.org

The founding members of Exarhi were regarded at the time as the most dangerous mages in history, simply because of their unparalleled mastery over the arcane. Many historians consider Myrciel and Artiella Exhaasi as the driving force that led to the creation of the Exarhi plane, with help from other incredible mage, such as the aformentioned Kohimo the Spatiomancer.

Myrciel, loving husband and wise grandparent, is remembered as the benevolent protector of children, magic or not, as well as the first advocate for mage independence; without his tireless work, many mages would still be ostracized out of fear.

What many tend to overlook (often purposefully) is his many contributions to magical warfare; he developed, alongside Kohimo, a new method of storing magic arrays in books and using them as basis for magic casting, skipping the process of incantations or array drawing almost entirely. Nowadays, these dictionaries are used by almost every battlemage, with many versions being created to suit their user's elemental affinity and combat style; their origin is now mostly atributed to EUMMR as an institution, while the tainted past of their creator is commemorated by the frightening spell Exaasifrihoohe (tr. "Exaasi's Tears of Fire"), the spell that destroyed an entire city and ended the War of Old Medeea (cca. 52 NE).

Artiella Exhaasi by perchance.org

Unlike her husband, Artiella had always been a pacifist with a passion for tutoring others. Her pupils grew to be respectable members of the Exalted community, still young at that time; while some chose to work for their countries, others stayed close to her and worked as professors or Council members, spreading the joy of teaching and learning to the younger generations. Many call Artiella Exaasi the "Grandmother of Magecraft", not necessarily because of her contributions (although she did have a remarkable impact on the development of botanical research), but simply because of her grandmotherly nature, patience and love for her students. She was the first Dean and Pillar of the Department of Natural Research and is remembered fondly by the old Exalted, who had the pleasure of studying under her guidance.

In the Name of Knowledge

Founding Date

The 17th of Aiota, 219 NE (New Era)

Type

Educational, University

Alternative Names

Exarhi University of Magical and
Mundane Research (full name)
ExUni (abbreviation used by students)
EUMMR (acronym)
Wizard School (colloquial name)

Demonym

Exalts