Sunday 19 August 2012

The Egyptian Magical School


Blessed Isis Temple of Spells

Blessed Isis Temple of Spells has been a place for folks to learn magic since the early days of the Egyptian Gods, but was only made an official school of magic in the past 900 years or so. Isis was the ancient goddess of magic; and though she is not revered as so important in modern times, she is the reason the school was developed, so that students may practice their talents in testament to the goddess herself.

Like most schools, students at Blessed Isis begin schooling at age 11, however the term does not start until September 11, the first day of the month of Thout, which coincides with the season of Akhet. Students spend the fourth month of Akhet (Koaik) on break, from December 10 to January 8, and resume lessons on the first day of the month of Tobi, which is the first month of the season Peret. School lets out for a summer break over the season of Shemu, beginning on June 9, which is the season of the harvest.


Curriculum

The lessons taught in the temple focus on more ancient magic, although some traditional courses are also offered. Students are allowed to study any combination of eight classes through fifth year, and may choose to focus on only four more intensive courses in their sixth and seventh year. Students who are accepted into the House of the Sun in their final years may instead pick a single course of study to focus on, attending lessons, an apprenticeship, and up to two optional elective courses.


  • Arithmancy
  • Astronomy
  • Basic Crafting (Wands, Staves)
  • Basic Runes & Glyphs
  • Charms
  • Defense Against the Dark Arts
  • Herbology
  • History of Magic
  • Pantheon Studies
  • Potions
  • Transfiguration

Intermediate courses are available to 6th and 7th year students only. Each of the courses listed as intermediate can also be taken at Advanced level for those students in House of the Sun.

  • Intermediate Wandcrafting
  • Intermediate Carving (Staves)
  • Intermediate Runes
  • Intermediate Glyphs
  • Intermediate Potions
  • Intermediate Transfiguration

Extracurriculars

  • Quidditch Club - This club gathers to practice their skills and play against each other, and occasionally play against other schools.

  • Crafter's Allegiance - Students in higher years of schooling may participate in this club for aspiring crafters of magical artifacts, such as wands and staves.

  • Keepers of the Oasis - An elite club comprising of students with exemplary grades in year three and above. These students are prospective members of House of the Sun, and in exchange for helping to keep the oasis area clean and patrolling the area at night (similar to prefect patrols at Hogwarts,) they are permitted to have an extra study session each day instead of taking a full roster of classes, in order to focus more on their studies and not be overloaded with coursework.


Enrollment

Many of the students attending Blessed Isis come from a long line of magical relatives who also attended the school. Students enroll at age 11 and may attend only if a member of their family tree had been enrolled in the past. Each year, a limited number of students from outside the usual family lines are accepted on application only if they can exhibit sufficient magical prowess. A select number of sixth and seventh year students are also accepted on transfer each year if they wish to pursue an apprenticeship or focus studies in crafting or rune/glyph work.

Arrival at the school happens by way of caravan from the nearby city of Cairo - boarding into carriages and on camelback where they will ride out to the temple in the cover of night. This trip is referred to as the Journey of a Thousand Stars, and while upper-grade students are given the option of arriving by broom or apparation to the front gate, many choose to take the Journey due to the excitement of it all.

Students are placed in one of two houses upon their arrival at the school, the House of the Sea or the House of the Desert. While no one is entirely positive what the values are for each house, due to the ancient nature of their founding, they are selected at midnight following the Journey of a Thousand Stars, as new students are led to the grand staircase before their peers - at least, those who choose to watch a ritual held so late at night. Students are requested to put their hands on either side of a sun dial engraved with runes, that in the dark of night will illuminate in either a shade of blue with the shadow pointing towards the east, or a shade of green with the shadow pointing towards the west.

After achieving an exemplary score on their exams in the fifth year, students are invited to the sun dial once more. As the exam results arrive during harvest season, those students who scored high enough may be invited back to the school in mid-July for the Sun Ceremony, at which point they place their hands on the dial once more at the height of the sun's movement for the day. If the runes on the dial begin to glow, the student has been accepted by the gods and may continue their studies into more advanced magic in the House of the Sun. If not, they must continue at intermediate level in their original houses. Students who do not make it prior to their sixth year may try again at the Sun Ceremony preceding their seventh year.

Uniform

Students uniforms consist of loose white or ivory robes, wrapped similar to togas, secured by a navy colored silk cord at the waist. Houses are denoted by a pure silver cartouche pin above the left breast, and are tinted an earthy green for Desert students, wtih a sky blue for those of the house of the Sea. Each cartouche pin also has the name of the house engraved in heiroglyphics. Hats are not permitted during lessons, but students are welcome to wear jewelry and other adornments if they so choose.

Those who are accepted into the House of the Sun are given a cartouche pin that is golden instead of the silvery-green or silvery-blue of the other houses. Seventh year students, who have senority over the rest, are given a golden cord in their final year at the school to denote their status.

Sandals are required only in the dining area, greenhouses, and while playing Quidditch, with bare feet being acceptable elsewhere. Professors may choose to require footwear in their classrooms if they so desire.

Professors uniforms are identical to students, except that they are required to wear wine colored robes instead of white or ivory. Professors are traditionally given a silver cord, however those that are alumni of Blessed Isis are permitted to wear their golden cord given to them in their seventh year. Professors who were previously in the House of the Sun are also permitted to wear their golden cartouche pin, as it is considered a great honor to have studied in that house.


More information on  http://vault713.com/bb/page.php?p=blessed-isis

xcx

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