Titan Ecological Academy

An eclectic mishmash of small buildings piled around a titan trunk and titanic tortonid shell, the Titan Ecological Academy is Aridara's leading college of ecology and biology.

Apprentices and professionals alike band together to study the unique lifeforms of the Sian Lowlands. While this school may not be any world leader, it has a strong reputation for pumping out academic brilliances, many outgrowing their planet, finding adventure farther out in the galaxies.

The two co-founders, Presidents Doidea Caenos and Lea Acora, both envisioned a grand academy where students flocked to from around the globe, to study the fascinating life of this region. Their differences as two separate species were put aside for the greater good of this academy. The school now has around three hundred students and a hundred professors.

Precarious Infrastructure

Titan Ecological Academy by Mochi

The Academy has formed itself around the remains of two of Norrab's most enormous creatures: the shell of a titanic tortonid, and the husked remains of a titan trunk.

Metal infrastructure weave its way through the dead titan trunk, preserving the landmark's completely natural appeal, while maintaining some level of structure and stability.

Both the shell of the tortonid and the titan trunk provide great protection from planktonic storms, a not uncommon weather phenomena plaguing this region.

Each storm weakens this academy's infrastructure, causing fractures all down the trunk, and yellow moldy markings and stains to become apparent.

Putting immense pressure on the titan trunk's cap are large hanging conservatories, with hydroponic gardens growing crops with just sunlight and water.

Is that a basement door? What's down there?
...nothing. Don't worry about it.

— Student and a professor

Clash of the Cohorts

Anda, how on Norrab did you lose the propellor kelp race? You lost to someone four years younger than you - he's so short you can barely see him in his school photo.
— Bickering friends

Tensions are at an all time high with both adamnans and norrabians attending this academy. Groups, societies, and clubs are plentiful in this academy, typically exclusive to either species. During "friendly" competitions, organisers always manage to pit the two species against each other, causing intense rivalries that either cause both sides to do exceedingly well, or crumble under the desire to win, falling short of a victory.

With co-founders both adamnan and norrabian, the academy has always felt some level of separation. Professors often experience some level of bullying from the other species, from both teachers and students.

Curriculums & Calendars

Claris, this is such impressive work. You managed to study all of these plants in three days? And put together this gorgeous piece of art? 100 points, you've passed with flying colours.
— An impressed teacher

Every academic year is focused on unique experiences, school trips, putting emphasis on their students studying local wildlife. As students age and climb through the ranks of the academy, they will have more opportunities for longer school trips, farther away from the school.

First and second years explore the gardens around the school, helping tenured professors in the conservatories, managing crops and studying dangerous fauna.

Third years get the opportunity to spend several days exploring the Algol, working out of a research facility a mile from Seven Falls. Fourth and fifth years are invited to three other sister academies dotted around the planet. It is an expensive, yet rewarding, opportunity. Sixth years, the final year, get a taste of floramancy. Those that find magic appealing often take the next step to a magical university, of which there are many available.

Games & Holidays

The academy hosts annual games, teambuilding competitions to ignite competitive fires within students. Propellor kelp races are the most popular of said events, where participants must create a raft and swim upstream. These powerful plants can hold the weight of several students on a single raft.

Summer months are off curriculum, a chance for students to decompress from an intense school year, only to repeat the process again.

History

The Titan Ecological Academy is one of the oldest ecology-centric academies on the planet. It caused a significant wave of these types of schools popping up in different regions, dedicated in educating youth on the ecology of Norrab. The academy was founded almost three hundred years ago, in 1624.

Hmmm... what about this... not that's not right. I can't risk blowing up the school... hrrmmmm...
— Doidea muttering to himself

Doidea Caenos and Lea Acora were co-founders, Doidea an adamnan and Lea a norrabian. This pairing was immediately controversial, many avoiding this academy out of concern and judgment. Doidea kept himself in the shadows, monitoring the academy from the background. Lea was the face of the school, attending all fundraising events, participating in school trips when she found time, and supporting Doidea with his work.

Doidea was largely absent throughout the initial founding years of the school. He was swamped with personal projects that he kept compeltely private, even from Lea. She sometimes wondered what these projects were, but he refuse to disclose them.

Around this time the academy was struggling to enrol enough students. The school was on the brink of financial collapse, and had no respect from the local community.

Tortonid Attack

Titan Tortonid by Mochi

What brought the academy into the spotlight that occurred in 1714 was a devastating attack from a mindless monster. A titanic tortonid burst through a perimiter fence surrounding the academy, designed to keep out these exact creatures.

Overgrown gardens were ripped from the ground, trees flew into the sky, and a line of toolsheds were obliterated as this animal trod its way over to the academy. Five brave students, all well-versed in magic, were able to defeat this monster, who seemingly wanted to consume the academy and all within.

The students were able to overpower this creature, slaying it. Unfortunately, one of these students did not survive the battle - all of their names are etched into golden plaques in the Hall of Honours.

The destruction unearthed large metal plates buried under the academy. Doidea was quick to dismiss all students and professors from the site, sending them on an extended break as he single-handedly cleared up the mess, and carefully hid whatever lied undereath the school.

Ever since this attack and the success of the students in the battle, the academy has been held in high esteem. People from around the globe enrol in this academy, in the hopes of achieving the skills and strength of those five students.

Hall of Honours

The Hall of Honours is a large circular room above all classrooms, located within the titan trunk's cap. In it are plaques and portraits honouring students and professors that have gone above and beyond for the school. The Hall of Honours was formed after the destruction of the school two hundred years ago, when five students slayed an aggressive titanic tortonid.

Hover over the plaques to read more!

Deceased