Arcane Academies

In Therium and Vaaler'nia, schools in which people can learn to use magic are called Arcane Academies. Each school is built on, or otherwise near, a Font of Power, so that students can harness the magical energy of the area to more easily learn their craft. Students travel from across the kingdoms to either hone their preexisting magical abilities or to learn how to use magic. Each kingdom's Academies differ slightly, but students in both kingdoms must complete the Rite of Graduation in order to graduate. Those who graduate from either of them are generally greatly respected for their accomplishment.

In Therium

In Therium, attendance at and graduation from an Arcane Academy is required for any person born with magical abilities. Additionally, anyone wishing to learn how to use magic would need to attend an Academy to do so.

History

Shortly after the establishment of Therium as a kingdom, the first Fonts of Power were discovered, and cities quickly sprung up around them. When their magical energy and effects were realized, the Royal Family of Therium began the construction of the Academies around them in order to allow the people of Therium a place to practice and enhance their magical abilities. It wasn't until the death of Cyn that the policies regarding magic in Therium became more strict, and it was then that the structure of the Academies was truly cemented.

Enrollment

Any citizen of Therium who displays an ability to perform magic must enroll and graduate from an Academy by the age of thirteen, as part of the Kingdom's regulation of magic. Any Perfuga who is captured will be brought to the Academy in order to enroll. In this way, some see the Academies in Therium as a sort of prison, as many students who are enrolled had no choice in the matter. Additionally, anyone who wishes to learn magic may enroll at any of the Academies across the kingdom. Upon enrollment, each student's name is recorded in the Codex Arcanum, a magical database that contains the name of all mages within the kingdom.

Daily Life and Classes

Due to the required attendance of many of the students in Therium, security at each Academy is rather high, ranging from normal guards to other magical methods used to keep the students within the confines of the Academy unless otherwise allowed out. While they may perform magic anytime they're within the Academy, doing so while outside the Academy will result in harsh punishment.
Daily life at an Arcane Academy in Therium can be comparable to any other boarding school. While most students choose to live in the dormitories on the campus of the Academy, some may choose to live at home and travel to the school for classes. In general, most students are first required to take a wide variety of magic classes, focusing in each of the different schools of magic. They must then choose one or two schools to take higher-level courses in - a specialization. Each Academy typically has eight deans - a professor who is a master mage in one of the schools of magic - along with several more lower-ranked professors.
In addition to classes, some students may elect to take non-magic related classes, such as mathematics, history, tactics, or language. Additionally, many students choose to further their magical studies before graduation, performing specialized research directly under the supervision of one of the deans. Upperclassmen can also volunteer to advise younger students, especially those who live in the same dormitory as them or who choose the same specialization as them. They may work as academic tutors or may organize free time activities for other students, but this varies widely between different Academies.

Sources of Magic

Any individual capable of using magic in Therium must attend and graduate from an Academy, no matter what the source of their magic is. This includes individuals who draw their magic from nature or from a divine source. The curriculum can be adjusted for each student to accommodate their unique magical situation. A student may take more classes in one school from the beginning to foster their unique brand of magic.

Graduation

The average time it takes for a student to complete the classes required to be considered for graduation is about two years. However, students learn at different paces; a particularly talented student may complete the courses in only a year, while a less talented student may take many more years. Under extraordinary circumstances, someone might undergo the Rite soon after arriving at the Academy. After completing the required courses, students may elect to perform the Rite of Graduation whenever they feel they are ready. Those who do not successfully complete the Rite may try again at a later date. Those who do successfully complete the Rite are then allowed to graduate from the Academy. They're presented with an Ornamentum Magus and are then permitted to perform magic outside of the Academy's grounds.

In Vaaler'nia

Magic is seen very differently in Vaaler'nia than in Therium, and thus the Academies in Vaaler'nia are very different as well. Because magic is so pervasive throughout the kingdom and much less regulated, attendance at an Academy is not required. Consequently, graduating from one of these Academies is seen as a much bigger achievement.

Enrollment

Nearly every citizen of Vaaler'nia can perform magic in one way or another. However, being able to wield impressive magical power is seen almost as a blessing. Because of this, many citizens choose to enroll in one of the Academies in order to improve their own abilities. Unlike in Therium, the Academies in Vaaler'nia are much more selective in is admitted. Each Academy has a different selection process, but most of them involve some amount of preexisting proficiency in magic and often a significant tuition.

Daily Life and Classes

Life in a Vaaler'nian Academy is much tougher than in Therium. Students at these academies often feel a lot of pressure from their families, friends, and teachers to not only succeed, but to excel. This is because those who graduate from an Academy often move on to become successful tacticians or advisors; they're essentially guaranteed to find and hold a respected position.
This pressure is only compounded by the difficulty of the curriculum at the Academies. Each student has a very busy schedule; they typically are in class for over seven hours a day, and the classes are notoriously difficult. After classes are over, each student typically has additional required training sessions to attend. Students train their magical abilities as well as their physical abilities; not only do they practice to enhance their magical abilities, but they also learn to wield a variety of weapons and learn to integrate their magic into physical fighting. After training, most students spend the rest of their time studying and completing assignments. There's little free time when attending one of these Academies. Because of this rigorous schedule, nearly all students choose to live in the dormitories on the Academy grounds, not wanting to waste time travelling each day.

Graduation

The time it takes to graduate from one of the Academies in Vaaler'nia differs between students. It typically takes at least four years, due to the more severe curriculum. However, this time can be lengthened or shortened depending on the talent of the student in question. Once all of the prerequisite classes and training is complete, students then may undergo the Rite of Graduation. Those who do no complete it successfully may continue to try at a later date, but in Vaaler'nia, it is known that the Rite can be dangerous - both mentally and physically. Those who do complete the Rite successfully receive a Signum Mysticis. Many are offered positions of power in different cities or at the Academies straight after graduation, or otherwise move on to perform more dangerous or specialized research.