deathsmajesty | Strixhaven Campus, Arcavios, Friday (Fandom Time)

Strixhaven Campus, Arcavios, Friday (Fandom Time)

For once, Liliana hadn't made too much of a fuss getting up early. Today was the Midsummer Music Festival at her alma mater, Strixhaven University, and as a thank you to Prompto for finishing the job of teaching her to drive, she had invited him to go see it. Which, of course, had turned into an invitation to his family, and there was no way that Ignis wasn't going to come along, and also no way that Prompto would stand for leaving anyone out, and so it was a merry party of seven that stepped through the portal. Liliana had asked folks to wear nothing too Earth modern and explained that very few people, if anybody, they would meet knew about other planes (many, many, many Quandrix theories aside) and to please keep it that way. Once any questions were out of the way, they stepped through a portal...

...And onto into a large walkway made from gleaming white stone. A short staircase led up to a park, full of greenery, fountains, and comfortable benches. In the center of the park was an imposing statue of a magic user made of white marble and curving over its head was a arc of huge stones, the largest easily hundreds of feet long, hanging in the air in a perfect arch. Above them shone two suns, beaming brightly down, though the heat was not particularly oppressive. The area was crowded with people, though there was still enough room for people to walk without being pressed against anyone else. "Welcome to the Archway Commons," Liliana said, possibly grinning more broadly than any of them had ever experienced, save Ignis. "So named because of the star arch above there - the second largest star arch on campus. The largest is the Dawnbow, over the Bibloplex. Star arches get their name from their irregular spokes evoke the radiating lines of a shining celestial star. They're found all over Arcavios, made from spokes of natural materials that float in an arch shape, with a precise inner curve and a rough and irregular outer arch. They can stand straight or lie at an angle; they can be small or enormous, whole or broken, grown over or mysteriously clean. Their origins are a mystery lost to the Dawning Age, though many people have said that they've seen an arch appear to them at a critical juncture in their lives, helping them understand a lesson or answer a burning question in their mind." She laughed. "It's important to note that I've never had a star arch manifest in front of me, so I can't say for certain how accurate that is, but there are plenty of theories about them."

Arm laced through Ignis', she led them forward through the central campus, pointing out various landmarks, though there were a few that she clearly didn't recognize, like the Strixhaven Stadium where it seemed like some kind of game was underway, the stands maybe half full of cheering people. The large crowds continued as they went along, an excitement in the air.

"I see the popularity of the Midsummer Music Festival has grown since I was a student here," Liliana said with an almost apologetic smile. Almost. Liliana Vess didn't apologize. "It was large even then but not like this!" Strange what a difference almost two hundred years could make. "Anyway, I brought us early enough that we'd have enough time for quick tours around the other college campuses if you'd like? We can also go right to Prismari, there's plenty to explore there and we can get set up."

[For thems what are here! NFB for awayness.]

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

Welcome to the one place in the Multiverse where Liliana is just...uncomplicatedly happy.

(Don't worry, this unfettered happiness will be ruined for her later.)

"Oh, wow," said Prompto, wide-eyed as they arrived to get their first look at Strixhaven, feeling like this had made the whole entire struggle of convincing Noctra to wear something other than her chocobo outfit worth it. His fingers were itching for his camera right now, though, but he was reminding himself that if they even had to be careful about how they dressed for this thing, then whipping out his LOKTON was definitely right out. He'd just have to settle for pointing things out to Noctra as he saw them, his grin growing wider and brighter by the minute, and just sort of shaking his head as he marveled.

He'd only been there the once, and it had been incredibly brief, and they hadn't exactly had the time or desire to sight-see while they were there, but Prompto couldn't help wondering if this was what Tenebrae had been like. He wanted to ask Ignis, since he was the only one who had spent any notable time there, when he and Noct were kids, but, well...obviously, he wasn't going to do that.

He was just going to gawk a little and appreciate it in the moment, and shake his head a little wonderingly at the idea that, in some potential future, he might have sent his kids here. Would it be too early to start filling out an application for Noctra while they were here, actually?

"This place is amazing."

"I know," Liliana said. Usually that would have been said with a fair bit of smugness (of course it was amazing, why else would she have brought everyone here/did he think would she have gone anywhere not amazing for her continuing education?), but - for the moment anyway - her voice held nothing but happy agreement.

And then she was giving him an extra bright smile, all just for him. "No pictures?" she asked innocently. "And here I thought you wouldn't be able to keep your proprietary magical artifact out of your hand as soon as we arrived."

Jeans? Jeans were weird. Immediately raised questions about what that fabric was and where did they get it and who was wearing it that way. Made peoplecurious. Magical artifacts? Especially on Strixhaven campus? Easily a dime a dozen. And calling it proprietary meant that even if some curious person came over to talk about it, Prompto had a reason he couldn't show them how it worked.

At that, Prompto's eyebrows lifted.

"What?" he asked. "For real? You think it'd be okay? I, uh, well, it's just when you said we had to be careful, I just sort of figured...."

He trailed off, because he could tell Liliana already knew what he figured, by the way she mentioned his, uh, proprietary magical artifact.

Which of course he still brought. Like, he could be discreet enough to not just start gawking and snapping pictures like a tourist the moment they got here, but was he maybe hoping to sneak a few shots here and there? Totally. Especially to help preserve the memory for Noctra. But he was saving that for when he could be nice and subtle and quick, like when he took his battle shots.

"Prompto, darling, remember how this is a thank you?" Liliana teased. "Of course I was going to find a way to make sure you could take pictures. Granted, Strixhaven makes it easier than most places, but either way, this was one time I would have bestirred myself to ensure it could happen anyway." She glanced around and then leaned in to whisper in his ear, plenty loud enough to be overheard by the gentleman in question, "How else are you going to document how often Ignis smiles today?"

And not only was there confirmation that the gentleman in question had heard as Prompto glanced over in time to see him utterly fail at keeping a faint smirk down, but now there was a picture of it, too, because Prompto had, in that short amount of time and even with Noctra in his arms, managed to slip his camera out and snap a shot of it.

Perfect timing. And he snorted.

"Although, you know," he pointed out, taking a moment for an adjustment of the camera expertly on his hip before lifting it up and snagging a quick shot of Liliana, too, before the camera became victim, temporarily, to Noctra's always grabby hands, "the need for actual proof that he can smile is becoming less and less important these days, for some reason...."

There was some of that expected arrogance as she tossed her hair and smirked back at Ignis. Oh good. It would have been weird if it had been gone for too long. "Oh, darling, this is just so you can collect evidence that it's happening so I can present him with facts, figures, and numbers about this year's smile numbers compared to last. We have a small bet, you see."

They loved their games.

Prompto had to snicker a little bit at that, and, now that the camera was out and he could confidently take pictures without worrying about upsetting the entire balance of this universe with his flippant use of technology, he was snapping away eagerly as he talked, about half of which would be photos of Noctra's hand trying to get in the way of the shots with giggles to let it be known, perfectly clearly, that she knew exactly what she was doing.

"And if there's one thing that Iggy can't argue against," he said cheerfully, "it's facts, figures, and numbers. Nice. Really hit him where he lives. What's the bet, though? I should probably know so that I can make sure all my hard work isn't being used for nefarious business!"

"Mmm, an excellent point," Liliana said with a wise nod. "Ignis is known for being quite nefarious if you don't pay attention."

Who else could Prompto be accusing of potential nefarious intent?

"And we didn't place stakes on it or anything, but I simply mentioned that I was going to make him laugh and smile even more this year than I had last--" why were they dividing years by some random date in early September? Don't even worry about it. "--and he declared that he certainly wouldn't make it easy on me, as if I needed the help." She sniffed, nose in the air. "So now you understand, my pride is on the line."

"Don't you worry," said Prompto, nodding with a smirk as he lifted his camera and gave it a little shake for emphasis on how well armed he was for this particular battle, "I've got you covered. I'm sure he'll brand me as a traitor and a turncoat, but that's what he gets for being a big old serious sourpuss."

He chuckled a little, a bit softly, as he shifted the camera over a little so that Noctra could pretend like she was taking a few pictures, too, without actually fully relinquishing the LOKTON to her, because, while there may be Ebony on the shelves now and maybe one day they'd get a shipment of his beloved brand at the store one day, he sure wasn't going to risk it before then! And that soft smile turned toward Liliana.

"Although a lot less of one these days," he noted, then laughed, rolling his eyes, "for some mysterious, unknown reason that, you know what? I just can't put my finger on!"

"Oh, it's me, dear one," Liliana 'informed' him, laughing. "Entirely me. Have you not yet realized I'm a delight in all ways?"

Seemed fake, Prompto; you'd met her.

"You know what it really is?" Again, the leaning in to confide in him. "I've taught him that it's not just all right but actually beneficial to be a little bit selfish sometimes. Does marvels for the constitution."

Had Gladio considered using the directive to not wearing anything too Earth modern as the basis for an appeal to just go shirtless? Yes. Obviously. Of course he had. But he was being good and wearing a shirt without complaint (he'd feel the vibe of the place first before trying to find excuses to conveniently lose it, though, maybe), and he was giving Strixhaven a seemingly mild inspection as they arrived, before his eyes sort of drifted to Liliana, momentarily, with the faint quirks he wanted to give his brow and his smirk in check. He did shake his head, though, and went back to just sort of checking things out and glancing over at Prompto, too, since, you know, this whole thing was essentially for him in the first place...

Oh, did he have thoughts. But he was definitely keeping them all to himself, and decided to just focus on what kind of food they were going to be able to get at this thing, because that he was more interested in than most of the music and grandeur, and sticking close to Nell and taking note of good places to step aside for a breather if she started to get a little overwhelmed with it all.

"I think you'll enjoy Lorehold, if you end up visiting," Liliana said, stepping up to him, for once not even sounding exasperated. "And the Biblioplex. Granted, I think everyone should be impressed by the Biblioplex, but as a noted bibliophile, I think you might truly appreciate it."

"I'm impressed by even just the name Biblioplex," Gladio had to admit, with a faint snort, and another shake of his head. "Gotta hand it to 'em, they're on point with their names. Lorehold? Like a stronghold, but for lore? I mean, how could I not at least have a little peek?"

And he wasn't sure if it was a good thing that Nell was here so that she could be mindful enough to drag him out of there to actually do what they came here for, or if she'd just end up joining him and none of them would see either of them again until it was time to leave.

But he'd started eying Liliana a little more openly now, a little more obviously, before offering, "This place seems pretty cool. Thanks for bringing us here."

He still wasn't entirely sure he was ready to let his guard down because usually, 'going places with Liliana' didn't really have the best turnout in his experiences and from what he'd heard from Iggy so far, but....this all seemed pretty legit and less likely to go south quickly.

But always being ready for that kind of thing was sort of what he did best.

Bah! Most of the time they'd gotten into trouble, they'd been going to places where they expected it. Maybe not the magnitude or scope, but they'd often been prepared for something.

But Strixhaven was different. Strixhaven was peaceful. Protected. Safe.

...Don't worry, that, like her pure happiness from being here, would absolutely be ruined! But not today.

"The Colleges are actually named after the dragons that founded them," Liliana said. "Galazeth Prismari, Beledros Witherbloom, Shadrix Silverquill, Tanazir Quandrix, and, Velomachus Lorehold." She took a moment to preen slightly. A decade or two shy of two centuries and she could still name all five without missing a beat. "They were the first beings on the plane to explore not only the tensions inherent within the enemy mana color combinations, but the ways in which they complemented each other, too. After the devastation of the Blood Age, they realized that only through disciplined study would magic be in safe hands. So, centuries ago, they each founded a college devoted to the study of the mana dichotomy they found most fascinating, with an overall institution that united them." She waved a hand around. "And here we are."

Did the grandeur make a little more sense knowing that dragons were involved, Gladio?

"But you'll love Lorehold because it's the College devoted to history. With a particular emphasis on military history. They live it, breathe it, fling themselves from hundreds of feet in the air to dive down into it..."

They were absolutely going to have to drag him out of there.

Good thing there were so many of you, too, because big as he was....that was going to be quite the task to drag him anywhere.

Because, yeah, this kind of thing? If Liliana's words were a salad, Gladio would want to toss them all in a blender so he could just slurp them all up with a spoon. Maybe it was just the fact that his whole position in his life had been so centered around deep history and lore, gods and kings and lineage being passed down generation after generation, but this was the sort of thing that stirred something up inside of him that few things that weren't dehydrated noodles in styrofoam cups could. So there was a grin on his face as Liliana divulged all this information to him, his eyes wandering around the place with a sort of newfound appreciation.

Because, yeah. Yeah. They didn't even need to be dragons, but knowing the why behind all this, and that there was a why like that....did make the grandeur make sense.

Then he snorted.

"Sounds like a pretty good time, if you ask me. I like a little bit of more interactive learning."

Liliana's plan was to just find a team of young luxodon and pay them to do it. Strength was her dump stat, Gladio, she had no intention of lugging anything, least of all you.

"You might even get to be part of a pastraiser tour," she noted. You know, idly and for no reason, certainly not for any gleams in any eyes that might or might not be there. "Pastraisers find and converse with ghosts and, if the ghosts consent, bind them into the monuments that bear their likeness, conversing with them to learn about their lives and their histories, so there are always primary sources available for students to speak to. And learning how to listen to an accounting of an event and winnowing actual facts from them is - or was, I suppose - a full year course for students entering Lorehold for the first time."

Because even being a primary source didn't make one a reliable witness.

"If a ghost gets tired of their position and just wants to rest, the pastraisers remove them from their statues and do their best to honor the spirit's wishes, and the statues get moved to a place of honor in Kollema Hall, with a collection of the knowledge they'd provided the College with bound and available beside it, and given the title Professor Emeritus." She smiled a bit. "I spent a summer working with and eventually as a pastraiser as part of my necromancy training."

Edited 2024-09-13 16:24 (UTC)

And there was another faint snort, more of a huff this time, as Gladio considered all of that, especially in light of his own past deals with learning from the dead. The tombs of kings and the Tempering Grounds and the weight of over a hundred previous Amicitia's etched into his shoulders in ink.

"Makes sense," he said. "Who better to learn history from than those who were there in the first place?"

And then he thought of Ardyn.

"Good way to make sure it doesn't come back later to haunt you, too."

His attention then drifted, not to the grandeur of the school around him again, but just a little bit over, toward where Ignis and Prompto were at that time, the former looking very grave and serious as he listened to Noctra squealing excitedly about something while the latter was just doing his best not to laugh and snapping a picture.

"You can definitely learn a lot from ghosts," he mused, both metaphorically and literally. "Pretty cool that they've got a whole thing here based around that idea."

"The necromancer concurs," Liliana said, amused. "But yes. All the Colleges explore paired dichotemies, and Lorehold looks at things like, 'what truly drives history, the actions of groups or the actions of single people' and 'is it the structures or relationships that we forge that change society'? As always, the answer winds up being somewhere in the middle, but it's a useful lens to focus through."

She looked at him, then back to the group at large. "You would have done well here," she said. "You all would. I mean, obviously, no magic and you three wouldn't have come even if you could, but..." She shook her head, content to let the rest of it remain unspoken. "I'm pleased to hear at least some of my school meets with your approval, Beefslab."

Too much sincerity. Back to sass.

Hopefully, Ignis could be forgiven for not being quite so stunned by the aesthetic grandeur of the place, though he expected Liliana would help him to appreciate it a little more when they had a little more time. Either way, though, he felt he could discern enough of an understanding of it from the reactions of his companions, which he was carefully noting, and a soft smile for the way Liliana did describe it thus far, informative from an introductory standpoint as well as to fill in some of those visual gaps.

Besides, there was plenty enough of a feast for sounds and scents to catch his attention, but what struck him and influenced his perception the most was that clear excitement and the sense o celebration and anticipation in the air, easily feeding into his own, and if there was a moment or two where his arm tightened against Liliana's laced through it as a sort sign of appreciation, then what of it?

And, of course, there was the way that Liliana was almost vibrating on his arm, similar to how she felt when she had a surprise, though not quite. This was pure kid-in-a-candy-shop excitement that she was trying to downplay--with less success than she'd like, but even that wasn't enough to lessen her effervescent pleasure.

"Shall I describe things for you, love?" she asked. "Or are you still taking things in in other ways? We can also walk about the commons a bit more, give you a feel for the space?"

It was, truth be told, a sort of vibration that made Ignis rather wish they'd found time to visit this place before, although he had to admit that there was a certain something...extra, in these specific circumstances, that made him feel almost content in the fact that this would be their first experience here. The way it all tied together, remembering how fondly she spoke of her time at Strixhaven, the peace and contentment she'd felt here, especially after so much turmoil and tragedy in her life. That she would be sharing something so important to her with people so important to him.

To them, really, but he'd be keeping that very much to himself.

And for a brief moment, he wanted to her to just sort of have it to herself, tempting him to put off his own curiosity to just let her linger in it a bit without having to put in the effort of bringing him in on it. But he didn't have to think back very long at all, just a few short days, to recall the last misstep he'd taken when it came to overanalyzing an offer to share a piece of her with him.

So he smiled, giving a small nod. "Please do," he said. "Already, it sounds quite magnificent, and I'm sure your illustrative descriptions will only work to make it even more so....Let my feel for the space work in conjunction with your words."

Nonsense. These were his people. Liliana didn't want, need, or even understand friendship, and so there. Just ask Jace Beleren!

Having no qualms about leaving the others to their own devices for a bit, Liliana escorted Ignis around the commons, first walking the perimeter so he could get an idea of the vastness of the space, and then winding inward as a leisurely pace, stopping every so often to provide him with a tidbit or other from her time here. This bench had been replaced in her fourth year after a mage duel at midnight had gotten out of hand, this waist-high hedgemaze hadn't been intended to be a hedgemaze, but some drunken Quandrix students had decided that it would be more fun if it were and had cast spells to make it so. Even though the bushes were only waist height outside, they towered above one's head within, the Quandrix trick of folding and embiggening space on full display. And then she'd gotten to demonstrate to him how this hedgemaze was often used, tugging him into a small nook of a dead end and kissing him deeply - several times - before leading him back out.

...She might be able to remember the names of the five Founder dragons easily, but she couldn't remember the name (or even the number) of people she'd kissed in the hedgemaze in the Commons.

At last, they ended up sitting on the edge of the fountain, Liliana telling him about the debate of the statue standing within. "Some people say that it's a statue of the first Voice of the Dragons," she explained. "They don't really have the temperament to be involved with the school as a whole and generally prefer to leave the running of the Colleges to the Deans of their individual schools. But sometimes, if the Deans can't agree or it's something that affects multiple colleges, the Voice of the Founders will step forward for the last say. And this statue was built for the first person appointed to that position, but the proximity to the star arch has weathered away its features so it's impossible to know more about them. Others say that it's a deliberately ambiguous figure - any gender, any race, any type of magic user - a testament to the potential of all Strixhaven students." She laughed. "It's a very stupid debate and one easily solved with just a bit of research, but we've all collectively decided that it's more fun to argue about it than learn the answer. Which is, of course, the third possibility - that it's here to be a bit of a mystery, to remind us to always question even that which seems obvious and debate with our peers, even over the most nonsensical of things, keeps us sharp."

Pity they'd peeled away from their group the way they did for this personal little private tour; Prompto's camera would be full to bursting with evidence of fond amusement all over Ignis' face. Perhaps not quite full on beaming smiles; those were still few and far between, but tended to flit there whenever Liliana's excitement in telling him something was particularly potent, like now, with that laugh, over this very stupid and easily solved debate, a smile that melted into the kiss he leaned in to give her, sitting on the edge of the fountain and its soothing rush of waters while this allegedly unknown figure loomed so presently behind them and in this particular chapter of her life.

"It's no wonder," he said, "you found yourself thriving so brilliantly here, my love. Granted, you'll thrive anywhere you're planted, no doubt, in one way or another, but here." He reached to take her hand, his thumb brushing against her wrist in a mirror of the way she so often brushed hers against his. "Here, I can tell it was so much more than that."

"Are you suggesting I'm argumentative?" Liliana asked, then laughed again, leaning in to steal a kiss in return. Her voice hushed automatically, drawing closer to him to make sure no one could overhear. "I was still something of a...a broken-winged bird when I arrived here. Josu...being a Planeswalker...spending the previous few years in a fury of learning necromancy...it was all so very much. But here was a balm. A place for me to land, to m-mend--" A stumble over that word, that work that was still so very fraught and full of pain itself "--here was where I remembered how to laugh. What joy felt like. Peace. I remembered what it meant to learn for the love of learning, instead of a frenzied attempt to fix what I had broken. I am many, many things, my love, and few of them particularly nice or good. But what good that remains is from my time here."

If Ignis hadn't already had Liliana's hand, he would have found it while she spoke, but, since he did, he could just continue to gently brush his thumb against hers, hoping that she'd find the gesture even a fraction as soothing as it was when she offered it to him, until that little stumble in her words, that brought his fingers to settled by entwining themselves with hers.

He almost wanted to quibble a little on the use of her words, to suggest that there was far more good there than she seemed to let on, but if this was where she felt that good in her flourished best, then who was he to impede on that by poking and prodding at it? He was more than happy to just let it bask in where it had best been cultivated.

"I'm gladio, then," he said, softly, with a smile to match as he now lifted their joined hands to his lips to brush a kiss against her knuckles, "we've had the opportunity to come and visit. I know I don't need to tell you this, but I also know you'll never tire of it, either, so...brilliantly done, 'Iana. You've got quite the finesse for perfect days lately."

She favored him with another pleased, preening smile and followed it up with a kiss. "We'll have to come back," she told him. "Just you and I, when it's less crowded. And I'll make sure you dress appropriately and we can go have adventures in the Sedgemoor," she laughed. "Silverquill's festival is in the winter - oration, drama and theater, monologues, it's a carnival of words. Perhaps we can come back for that."

Her hand squeezed his. "I am glad I could share this with you. I mean, it's Prompto's thank you, but..."

It was another layer of herself peeled back and offered up to Ignis.

Another layer, and this one particularly lovely and warm and so reflective of so many of the things Ignis loved best about Liliana: her resolve, her inquisitive mind, her laughter. It was a rare layer indeed that presented to him happiness in her past, and for that alone, this layer was one he was cherishing greatly.

All the more so with how freely she was giving it to him. Prompto's thank you, yes, but it all turned out to be more precious gifts for him.

"...but we all benefit," he finished, with a crooked smile to go along with his smooth drawl, "from his selfless charity. How very efficient of you, my darling.

"But, yes," he then agreed, after just holding onto that moment a little longer, "a return for a feast of phrases sounds like just the thing. Especially if it falls a bit after Earth's holiday season, when that warmth of all those particular festivities started to fade into the dreary drudgery toward spring. I'd like that very much."

"And here, I just thought I was being incredibly indulgent," she teased back, "getting to spoil so many people."

With the waning of that moment and another kiss to boot, she stood up and tugged on his hand, intending to lead him over to Firejolt and see how long it took him to notice that she was leading him to coffee.

"Arcavios has a thirteen year month, not a twelve, so the timing will be a bit up in the air, but it will certainly land somewhere between late January and early March," she said as they strolled. "A birthday trip, perhaps? Though it's no Argentina."

Liz was definitely in awe as she looked around the campus, even though she would have loved to have taken photos she knew that would definitely raise too many questions so she was content to look around and take everything in and was looking forward to spending time away with her family and friends.

“This place is incredible,” she remarked as she looked around.

"It turns out that when the founders of your school are five ancient dragons, you have both the means and incentive to go all out," Liliana said with a soft laugh. And then, like she had with Prompto, urged Liz to take her camera out. "If anyone tries to ask you about it, say it's a proprietary magical artifact and you can't explain more."

"They definitely did an amazing job," Liz smiled as she looked around, "if you don't mind, then I definitely have to take some photos while I'm here," she said eagerly, not wanting to pass up the opportunity.

"Of course," Liliana said, gesturing for Liz to feel free. "This is a thank you to Prompto, it would hardly be fitting to take him somewhere he couldn't take pictures, darling. And of course, that goes for you, too."

Noctra still in his arms because he knew the second he set her down, that girl was going to go running and they'd spend the rest of this tour chasing after a surprisingly sneaky toddler, Prompto leaned his shoulder in against Liz's, and grinned at her.

"Forget potentially sending our possible future triplets to school here," he noted. "I'm wondering if I can attend!"

He didn't have a single magical thing about him, but whatever!

Liz grinned at that as she leaned against Prompto, taking everything in, “it would definitely be amazing to attend,” she agreed, “it’s so beautiful here,”

"Right?" Prompto agreed, with a happy sigh, and he shook his head. "It's amazing what's out there that we don't even know about, and never would, if it weren't for Fandom. Heck, we wouldn't even know each other if it wasn't for Fandom! And all this," he chuckled a little, "just because of a few driving lessons."

“I know what you mean, I know I’m glad I made the choice to move back to Fandom,” Liz grinned at that, “and thank you for teaching her, I actually can’t believe we’re here,”

Nell's long skirts and tunic top were probably just fine here. She gazed in awe at everything around her, sticking close to the group - especially Gladio - with the huge crowd of people around. "This is amazing!"

And, yeah, Gladio definitely wasn't going to let him steer too far from Nell, either. At least not at first. Pretty much until the siren call of the library was a little bit too strong for him to ignore.

But for now? He was grinning over at Nell and watching her as she took it all in.

"Yeah," he said, "it's okay, I guess."

Nell poked him and gave him a grin. "Right. Like you're not practically drooling at the idea of the library."

She just shook her head. "I never could have imagined this."

Gladio pulled back from the poke a little, as if it had actually done anything against those rock hard muscles, and he chuckled.

"What can I say?" he said. "I'm a simple guy, you put some books together in a nice building, I'm pretty happy. But, yeah," his nod became a little more sincere as he looked around again, "this is pretty great. Tenebrae vibes. I've never been except for a quick stop-over on our way into Niflheim way, way back," and the less he thought about that slice of time, the better, "but I've seen pictures. It always looked a little too beautiful to be true."

"Then you need to go and see everything there that you can," Nell said. "WHo knows when or if you'll have this opportunity agaim."

Nell was more than happy to tag along. Sne loved books herself, of course. But for Gladio to have the opportunity to see a whole library of military tactics? That would be amazing for him.

"Thank you, darling," Liliana said, grinning. "I loved my time here very much."

"I'm sure you did," Nell said, still trying to take everything in. "But I can't imagine living here. There's so much - how do you not get lost any time you go anywhere?"

"When you first arrive, you use many, many maps," Liliana said with a laugh. "But before long, you get used to it. And it helps, as a first-year, you mostly stay in Central Campus. Trying to find your way through the Biblioplex is always a trial without an archivist to guide you."

"I imagine you must!"

Everywhere Nell looked she saw something new, some little detail that just amazed her all over again.

"But I imagine it must all be worth it."

"It is," Liliana said softly. "It very much is. The education is second to none and the experience is even more precious than that."

Something soft and a little melancholy flashed over her face. "I was very happy here," she said. "Happier than I had expected to ever been again, at least when I first stepped on the campus."

Nell's smile was gentle and fond. "I'm glad it was such a happy place for you."

She let out a quiet happy sigh. "Thank you again for inviting us along. It's beautiful. And we haven't even gotten to the music yet!"

An excellent change of topic, Nell. Liliana might have gotten stupid and started talking about Josu.

"Prompto would have been less happy if you all couldn't be here to share this with him," Liliana said, waving the thanks away. "And this is a thank you to him. Also, let me know if you'd like a tour of anywhere. I'm sure Gladio will gravitate to Lorehold once we manage to steal him from the Biblioplex, and Prismari is where the concert will be, but that still leaves Quandrix, Silverquill, and Witherbloom."

"I honestly wouldn't even know what to ask for or where to go," Nell admitted. "There's just so much! But I suppose if there was anyone who might want to barter for seeds or plants..."

"Well, Witherbloom would be the campus for that," Liliana said dubiously. "But the plants from there are from a swamp rife with decay and magic, so I'm not particularly sure if anything would thrive on Fandom?"

"Not sure swamp plants are quite what I'm looking for anyway," Nell said with a laugh. "Are there any places that you think I should see?"

"I mean, I think everyone should see Witherbloom, but particularly you, because that would have been your College had you come here instead," Liliana declared with full confidence because obviously. "What little you can see of the Bibloplex in such a short time. You might like Quandrix's Cultivarium, but you absolutely won't be able to take any of those plants. Silverquill...mmm, Silverquill is beautiful, but skippable unless there's a performance happening, and I think you'd appreciate Prismari's Opus walk, too."

"So then Witherbloom and the Prismari's Opus Walk, and then the Biblioplex?" Nell suggested. "That's sounds mostly doable."

"Well, we might want to save the Opus Walk for last," Liliana said, "just because Prismari campus is where the musical festival is. The Biblioplex is right here--" she gestured at the building that towered into the sky near them, "--but it's very easy to lose all your time in there." She laughed. "Witherbloom, Biblioplex to try to roust Gladio, and then Prismari?"

"Perfect," Nell said. "That will give him a good amount of time there and then he can join us on the walk."

"This way, darling," Liliana said, leading her to a teleportation circle to head to Witherbloom!

~~handwaved or not at your convenience!~~

There are almost too many places to visit in just a few hours, with the power of narrative magic, somehow you can hit as many as you want!

Feel free to stick together, to split up and explore, or handle this however you feel like! Visit all, skip some, have a post or two of narrative and then bail...feel free to engage with as much or as little as you'd like!

So, Strixhaven occupies hundreds of acres, spread out over six campuses. Each of the university's five colleges has its own campus, and the central campus serves as a hub for university life. Well-maintained roads connect the six campuses, and walking from one to another can take a half an hour or more. Regular shuttles - large carriages drawn by horselike automata - run on an hourly schedule between a station near the Biblioplex and each of the satellite campuses, making the journey in about fifteen minutes. In addition, each campus has multiple permanent teleportation circles, which are usually limited to faculty, advanced students, and disabled students, but are open to everyone today in an effort to keep congestion low.

Edited 2024-09-13 08:04 (UTC)

The Biblioplex is a vast library that is said to hold the knowledge of the Multiverse. The largest library in Liliana's Multiverse, it is an enormous domed building that rises above the rest of the campus, in the direct center of it all. All roads in Strixhaven lead to the Biblioplex.

Quite literally, actually. The Torches of Enlightenment, five lines of beacon-towers radiate out from the center of Strixhaven like enormous spokes, stretching more than a hundred miles out into the surrounding countryside. These Torches of Enlightenment burn eternally with magical flame, symbolizing the path toward learning and an escape from ignorance. The five lines converge at the Biblioplex.

Doorless, arch-shaped entrances welcome inquisitive minds into the library. Inside, almost every surface from floor to unreasonably high ceiling is jammed with stacks of books. The interior of the Biblioplex is vast, with impossibly long hallways, archive chambers tall enough to have their own weather, and even pools and moat passages that must be crossed by boat. About one hundred expeditions have been mounted to find students lost in its winding book stacks.

There is a cafe within, but just outside the Biblioplex is the cozy Firejolt Cafe. The cafe's name comes from its trademark beverage which the manager, an elf mage named Ellina, brews with her fire magic.

There are plenty of other place to visit in the center of campus! Its extensive grounds include residence halls for first-year students, dining halls, administration buildings, classrooms and laboratories (mostly for first-year classes and interdisciplinary studies), and space for social events.

Look, the Biblioplex and the Firejolt are the major draws here but if there are other named spots on the map of Central Campus you wanna explore, sure!

Yeah, yeah, yeah. They all knew this was going to happen. But there was no way Gladio wasn't making time to check out this Biblioplex, and he had to admit, he was not disappointed.

The only problem was knowing where to even start, especially with the limited amount of time that they had. He supposed it wouldn't be a bad method to just consider which areas of the library just looked the most interesting and go from there.

It was an undeniably beautiful building, and just learning the layout of the library itself was a labor that could span lifetimes. Fortunately, if Gladio ever wished for help, there were a number of cogwork archivists and cogwork librarians around, as well as several gargoyle assistants about in the stacks themselves, while the front desk was staffed by the Head Librarian, Isabough, a treefolk.

Understanding the layout of the library was much easier when one wasn't limited to a human lifespan, after all.

Lorehold is the College of Archaeomancy, a term that describes the exploration of ancient things through magic. Its mages explore the past by pouring over archaeological sites, calling forth magical energies from ancient tomes, and summoning the spirits of long-dead historical figures. They travel far and wide across the plane, gathering ancient relics and learning dead languages to unpack the secrets of history. Devoted to the study of history (broadly understood to include the various aspects of culture, behavior, and social relationships that shape historical events), its studies include subjects like military history, archaeology, anthropology, psychology, sociology, religion, economics, and overlaps with Prismari in the field of art history. Lorehold examines the interconnection of "human" nature - whether society is more about the structures we build (white magic) or the relationships we build (red magic).

Looking at a map of Lorehold, there are three major places to tour:
Pillardrop is a series of historical buildings excavated directly out of sheer, perpendicular cliffs, now used for research, classwork, and housing. Travelers walk along treacherous bridges from one "neighborhood" of Pillardrop to another, often passing directly by the enormous stone faces of ancient, excavated statues. Many daring students rappel down, and even more daring student fling themselves over the edge and trust in various spells to help them get down safely.

Effigy Row is a main campus area of Lorehold. Its pathways are lined with monuments of famous historical figures, including past professors and prominent mage-students as well as war heroes and heads of state from ages past.

Kollema Hall is a grand, multi-tiered gallery where Lorehold mages gather for large lectures and demonstrations. Thousand-foot-long scrolls spill over the balconies as mages study ancient texts. The center of Kollema Hall is the magnificently restored statue of Kollema, the wise monk who was one of the first Lorehold professors at the founding of Strixhaven.

Edited 2024-09-13 08:57 (UTC)

Quandrix is the College of Numeromancy, a term that encompasses the study of patterns, fractals, and symmetries to wield power over the fundamental mathematics of nature. Quandrix mages are ingenious math magicians. They'll solve intricate puzzles while contemplating the metaphysical properties of the universe. Their color combination ponders whether the sciences are a feat of ingenuity (the blue perception) or merely a lens to observe nature's majesty (the green perception). They are also able to expand their knowledge and even their physical size through the manipulation and bending of numbers. Their magic is formulaic, blending math into their spellcasting. The studies undertaken within Quandrix include mathematics, physics, logic, statistics, metaphysics, and various fields of theoretical magic. Quandrix's studies of nature and Witherbloom's exploration of practical biology have some significant overlap.

Looking at a map of Quandrix, the three places to visit are:
Torus Hall is a central hall of Quandrix campus that lies at the end of a geometric series of walkways, ending in the ascending ramps to the towering building. Inside, Torus Hall's architecture is mapped to an ever-changing three-dimensional grid that slowly changes and evolves over time. Some Quandrix professors insist that mage-students shouldn't linger too long inside the Hall, lest its geometry eventually turns itself inside out while they're still within it.

The Quandrix campus is alive with dynamic sculptures made of water behaving in odd ways: cube-shaped fountains, arching aqueducts that flow through the air, towers of solid-seeming water. One water structure holds a secret: a mysterious inner expanse called the Arithmodrome. From the outside, the Arithmodrome looks like a large cube of water, 10 feet on each side. Inside, it's an infinite-seeming theory-space where the rules of reality are suspended. Mages use this space to explore theoretical numerical possibilities.

The Cultivarium is a eye-popping, sun-drenched garden of spiraling, cyclical plants and fractalized animals. Quandrix professors have repeatedly taught growth spells in this part of campus, and over the centuries, the area has come to intensify any growth magic cast within it.

Silverquill is the College of Eloquence, wielding the magic of words, both spoken, like inspiring battle poetry or biting arcane insults to magical manifestations of the written word, scribing patterns of runic ink in the air. From all colleges, Silverquill has the fastest magic because words can be spoken quickly (unlike mixing ingredients, for example). Because of this they are also the most adept in combat magic, and their training has military aspects. Stylish, intimidating, and tirelessly competitive, these mages are born leaders with a razor-sharp wit and natural charisma that can be used for good or for ill. This power is what fuels the internal conflict for Silverquill; the power of words is inherently self-biased, so should those with this power use it for themselves (ambition and black mana) or for the good of society (order and white mana)? The curriculum of Silverquill College revolves around words, encompassing literature (including fiction, essays, drama, and poetry), languages, rhetoric, and dramatic performance. Silverquill and Prismari see overlap in the area of performing arts, with Silverquill emphasizing verbal performance and Prismari focusing on dance and other forms of movement.

Looking at a map of Silverquill, the three places to visit are:
The main Silverquill building is Grandloft Hall, a vast train-station-like space with shafts of light streaking in from the enchanted windowpanes far above. Grandloft is filled with balconies, loges, booths, daises, and other spaces where orators can perform their craft. Inklings flit around the high windowed ceiling, and enchanted spotlights automatically focus on any mage who's using powerful magic.

Rose Stage is a rotating circular platform on the Silverquill campus with a backdrop of roses made of magical ink (tributes left by spectators of past performances) that create excellent acoustics. Mage-students meet at the Rose Stage to practice performances, spar, or engage in honor duels. Professors and faculty often observe performances at the Rose Stage, watching and coaching the students' magical displays from the sidelines.

The Dramarium is a facility where Silverquill students train in physical fitness, dance, martial arts, and other acts of physical performance. Students can avail themselves of the preparation space called the Gray Room (actually a chain of rooms), which has hair and makeup salons, voice rehearsal booths, mirrored oration rehearsal spaces, and spa facilities. The back of the Dramarium has a special sensory deprivation chamber for mage-students who want complete silence in which to meditate and center themselves.

Witherbloom, the College of Essence Studies, mages draw power from opposing and rival forces, with the best example being life and death. These mages brew their spells from natural components and the essence of living creatures, using that power to heal or harm the living or raise or entreat the dead. They can cause entire forests to blossom out of nowhere or call down old curses that scourge flesh from bone. Some Witherbloom mages defend ecosystems from pollution, while others revel in the power of corruption. The curriculum of Witherbloom College focuses on various sciences, revolving around life sciences. Biology, ecology, botany, chemistry, and the related sciences combine with the study and manipulation of the primal forces of life and death. Witherbloom's curriculum shares some overlap with Quandrix's analysis of the mathematical patterns in nature.

Looking at a map of Witherbloom, the three places to visit are:
The Sedgemoor ishe bayou area that encompasses the Witherbloom campus. It's is known for a range of strange swamp beasts: undead animals, bats, crocodilian monsters, decomposing bayoustriders called trudges, and marsh-dwelling canine beasts called bogroffs. Sedgemoor is an excellent place to find pests, herbs, spider silk, fungi, and other potent ingredients for potions and spells. Necroluminescence is common among the undead creatures of Sedgemoor, giving the midnight swamp an eerie glow.

The center of the Witherbloom campus is Widdershins Hall, a kind of bog mansion that looks like it was grown out of Sedgemoor itself. Widdershins is a network of interconnected wooden pods with planked walkways leading out of it like the tentacles of some kind of swamp creature. Widdershins Hall has a cozy inner chamber where professors bring together student witches for classwork.

Wiltroot Hall, otherwise known as 'the Witch's Clinic' are Witherbloom's medical facilities, where students from all campuses are invited to come for medical aid, provided by Witherbloom faculty, staff, and students. Not many do.

There is also the Detention Bog, but you probably don't want to visit there. It is a stinking, thoroughly unpleasant marshland adjacent to the Sedgemoor, plagued by cantankerous creatures called vineclingers. Witherbloom professors send misbehaving students here as punishment, but it's also an excellent place to gather herbs for certain powerful cures and curses

Prismari, the College of Elemental Arts, is devoted to the study and practice of art intertwined with magic. The mage-students of Prismari wield magic in spectacles of creativity: masterpieces of showy, over-the-top magic. They use elemental magic to express who they are and how they see the world, often combining different types of energy - fire, water, air, earth, lightning, heat, cold - in powerful expressions of conflict and harmony. Prismari's colors reflect the metaphysical nature of art - is it about the technique and how it stimulates the mind (the blue approach), or is it about the expression and how it moves the soul (the red approach). Their magic is gesture and movement-based, putting emphasis on the creation rather than the product - it is not the statue that is magic, but the forming of it. Prismari studies focus on visual arts (including architecture, painting, and sculpture) and performing arts (such as dance, music, and theater). The curriculum overlaps with Lorehold in the field of art history and with Silverquill in the literary arts.

Looking at a map of Prismari, the three places to visit are:
Conjurot Hall is a towering structure with a glassed-in observation area at the top, encircled by constantly changing strands of elemental energy. Artist-mages can see for miles from the Conjurot's main turret, and the view has inspired many artistic creations.

Opus Walk is a winding path through the central campus buildings, along which hundreds of Prismari elemental creations are displayed. Some of the more famous pieces of magical art have been displayed along the Opus Walk for centuries, while other transient bursts of creativity last only a few moments.

Furygale is a notorious region of the Prismari campus where the abandoned creations of thousands of past artist-mages have coalesced over the years. Roped off by wards and warning signs, Furygale is several square blocks of ever-changing magical energies, gales of ice and wind and fire, and elementals gone rogue. It's inherently dangerous but also a source of wild creative inspiration, and despite its dangers, it remains a popular spot for students who want to duel without being interrupted by authority figures.

Starting in the afternoon is more casual, the earlier shows are more casual, including some people that wander around and perform for small groups of people. There are food vendors, and craft areas, guided tours of the Opus Walk, even face paint. There are streamers with illusions woven into them for people to wear around their wrists and ankles to mimic some of the effects of the performers. A few enterprising students are renting blankets for people to sit on for the performances.

There are elemental expressionist that use music to summon elementals for people to ride, the complexity of their music leading to the complexity of the ride. Dancers show off their moves, sometimes even dancing with guests to display their talents.

As the suns set and nightfall comes, the performances get more impressive, both musically as well as magically. Dance battles that are also magical duels take place, soloists sing beautiful arias and summon elementals to perform breathtaking tricks or create exquisite illusions.

The final performances of the night are Dean Nassari herself, a ballerina whose performance evokes the passage of time through a year while different elemental sensations and illusions wash over the crowd; Zaffai, Thunder Conductor whose orchestra summons a series of wild storms, including a tornado and a blizzard, though the audience remains protected by a dome of magic; and finally a rock concert by the student band Stage Revolution.

Enchanted earmuffs are offered to muffle or even silence the music, for those uncomfortable with loud noises, with sensitive hearing, or have small children.

Edited 2024-09-13 10:35 (UTC)

Hey! Prompto had a small child!

Of course, he'd brought Noctra's earmuffs from home, but he was more than happy to switch them out with some enchanted ones if the option was available! She didn't even seem to mind getting them fitted on, either, barely noticing the addition as those big blue eyes that shared so distinctly with her father (heartbreaking as he found them to be sometimes) were just trying to watch and soak in everything around her.

Prompto himself, unfortunately, probably would be missing a lot more of the performances, because he was honestly a little too enchanted with watching Noctra be captivated by all of it to have paid that much attention. Up until some of the slower pieces in the performances sort of lulled her to sleep against his shoulder and he, moved by both the swells of the music as well as everything about this whole adventure as a whole, was just going to be blinking tears away from his big blue eyes and just...enjoying it. All of it. Every little bit.

Liliana settled next to him and tilted an inquiring brow at him. She had wanted this to be a thank you, Prompto. Had it been a good one?

And Prompto, despite the fact that he was really terrible at it, tried his best to not look like he was on the verge of being a happily blubbering mess, sniffling a little and attempting to blink back all those tears and clearing his throat a little. He then turned to look at Liliana with a soft smile, and a nod.

"This is really something, Liliana," he said. "Thank you."

Liliana gave him a face that let him know she wasn't fooled a bit, but allowed the masquerade to stand. At least for now.

"This is my thank you to you," she reminded with real warmth. "I'm glad you enjoyed it. You might have noticed this place is very special to me. I had hoped that you'd appreciated it, too."

And then, more casually, "You know, this is an annual event." Just like. Saying. No reason.

And there was your mistake right there, Liliana. Because you let him get away with it, and now? He was going to be insufferable, looking at her now with a knowing sort of grin, the kind that seemed to be right on the brink of sing-songing something about how she liii~iked them and wanted to shaaa~are with them really cool plaaa~aces that had meaaaaning, because she was one of the chococrew now, whether she liked it or not!

You wanted to kiss up all over their buddy's face and do nice things for them, and so now you were in! Them's the rules!

But, instead, he was going to chuckle, and say something maybe a little different, but probably no less terrible.

"So you're saying," he mused, letting his attention drift over the performance just a little bit more before it returned back to Liliana, "is that we're gonna have to make this a regular thing, huh? Do it again next year? And the year after that, and the year after...."

He let it trail off into perpetuity.

"Makes sense. Should probably get to know the place pretty good if me and Liz are gonna be sending our kids here one day maybe."

And there it was, the lean in, the grin, the shamelessly wagging eyebrows, and, if he wasn't still just a little bit scared (okay, more than a little, let's be honest) of Liliana, he would have even nudged her with an elbow. But she was, at least, saved that particular indignity.

For now.

The look she turned upon him was the baleful, sulking glare of a cat that has realized the mistake in allowing liberties.

"I am going to push you out of the dome and let you get carried off the by the tornado," she decided. "No, worse. I'm going to sneak into your house and feed your daughter candy before bedtime."

A pause.

""Wait, what am I talking about? I can do both."

And yet, inexplicably, neither her glare nor her sulk were quite as ferocious as usual. Probably because he skipped the singsong.

I am pathologically unable to NOT go overboard with things.

NOT EVEN SORRY.

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Strixhaven Campus, Arcavios, Friday (Fandom Time)

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Campus Tours

The Biblioplex (and the rest of Central Campus)

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Lorehold Campus

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The Midsummer Music Festival

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