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synodiporia_ooc2019-07-13 05:40 pm
powersthatbe) wrote in synodiporia_ooc2019-07-13 05:40 pm
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HER MAJESTY'S (SUMMER) HOUSE CUP: WALKABOUT INFO
a magical art (summer) school walkabout
July 19 - August 27th
At Her Majesty’s Royal Academy of the Arts (Majesty’s for short), a prestigious boarding school for Britain’s most talented (or most well connected), students learn to harness the magic of creation. In this world, art is literally magic--and magic itself is a form of art.
Although not part of the normal school calendar, for the last few years, Majesty’s has been offering a special summer session for their students--and for an extra fee, students from other schools can also study at Majesty’s during the summer session. But just because it’s only a summer session doesn’t mean that the traditions of Majesty’s will be ignored!
That’s right! It’s time for Majesty’s (Summer) House Cup! Who will win the most house points? Who will lose the most house points? And, most importantly, who will win the Final (Summer) Art Competition?
WORLD INFO
Art, therefore, has a greater significance in this society. And for those who have the creativity needed to be able to cast powerful magic, there are special magical schools where one can go to learn how to create art - and spells. There are many such schools that teach creativity magic on all grade levels. Most primary schools have weekly or bi-weekly lessons. Most secondary schools have it as elective. Most universities have it as a possible major. There are private schools and magnet schools that have it as their primary focus.
There are, however, three schools that are known to be the most prestigious of all: Her Majesty’s Royal Academy of the Arts in Britain, Lone Star Academy in the United States, and Teikoku Majutsu-shi no Gakuen in Japan. Every three years, the chosen students of those schools gather at one of their campuses for the Triad Creation Tourney, a celebration of skill and creativity. Each school is allowed up to thirty student representatives in the tourney, although there is usually one student who everyone’s hopes rest most fully upon, nicknamed that school’s champion.
Ten years ago, Majesty’s played host to the Triad Creation Tourney of 2007, which was marred by both internal and external sabotage. Last year, the Tourney of 2016, was the first to be held at Majesty’s since then and there were concerns that it would end badly as well. Luckily, however, the Dark Magician who’d caused such trouble during the third event of the 2007 Tourney was much too busy campaigning for Brexit to make more than a token effort at interfering at the 2016 Tourney.
THE DARK RIVALRY
The Dark Magician is a master of disguise, and no one knows their true appearance. They could be anyone, and it's not uncommon for politicians to claim that they were being impersonated by the Dark Magician when they get into trouble. There are lots of online conspiracies trying to link them to different things. They do have some online fans and would-be followers, mostly kids who are in it for the lols or don't know any better. Patriotic and nationalistic followers also exist, because the Lord Protector Loves Britain the Very Most.
Nine years ago, the Dark Magician's schemes suddenly started getting thwarted on a very regular basis by a mysterious costumed figure. Said figure ended up being assumed to be some sort of vigilante/protector and was dubbed the Dark Knight by the media. (The Dark Magician/Lord Protector was not amused, because the Dark Knight hadn’t really been knighted. You can’t call yourself a knight when you haven’t been knighted.) Their true identity still remains unknown, but they have legions of fans online, many of which are super into the masked man thing.
(It goes without saying that fans of the Dark Magician and the Dark Knight enjoy speculating on the true appearance of their respective idols.)
At some point thereafter, some of the Dark Knight’s and the Dark Magician’s bickering was caught on camera and it was revealed that the Dark Knight also wants to take over Britain. Their constant thwarting is because the Dark Magician is a rival and not because they’re trying to protect everyone. The media immediately dubbed this the Dark Rivalry and it’s very useful for slow news days. It’s also gained its own share of specific fans who enjoy messy drama. (And also, there are shippers. But then there are always shippers.)
CREATIVITY MAGIC
Where does the magic come from?
At its core, this magic comes from creative energy. As such, it is the act of creation that forms all magic. So, to cast a spell, a mage might paint a painting or create a dance.
Who can do this magic?
Technically everyone, but in practice the more creative ability you have, the more aptitude you have for magic. Creativity itself can be learned, but usually those who learn magic are those who have great natural creative ability.
How do you use magic?
Magic is cast by the act of creating a thing - whether that be a painting, a sculpture, a film, or a dance.
Limitations?
While it’s the act of creating that makes magic happen, the magic is still physically tied to the things that are created. This means that spells last only as long as the thing that has been created - destroy a painting, and you destroy the spell as well. This also means that inherently transitive art forms, like dance or theatre, will only last as long as the performance itself. Additionally, only the original physical artwork holds the spell. Copies of a film will not have the magic of the original.
Also, while creativity gives power, technical skill gives focus and direction. This means that someone uncreative but skilled won’t be able to create very powerful magics, but will be very consistent and precise in their effects. Conversely, someone who is highly creative but unskilled will have lots of power, but very little ability to actually achieve their intended magic results. (This is also why creative kids often get scholarships to magical schools: they have a tendency to accidentally create wild, uncontrolled magics with their creative but unskilled doodles)
Magic can also only take place in the vicinity of the creation. You can’t dance a rain into another country - only in the area around you.
Magic schools:
The different schools of magic are, essentially, art forms. Since technical skill is required to be able to focus your magic, most people will specialise in one art form or another. Most people also learn the traditional art forms, but since ‘creativity’ is the core of magic, any kind of art can be used to create magic. This means that it is entirely possible to work magic via creative lego sculptures.
Different art forms will also have different limitations and strengths.
Perpetual Arts
Perpetual Art Forms can be used to create a thing which continues on after it has been created. As such, Perpetual Arts are used for magics that need to last. They also tend to be more powerful as pieces of magic, since they involve a focus of creative energies into one, singular object. On the downside, though, Perpetual arts can’t easily recast spells or effects; they tend to be one-off magics. Recreating the effect would require a whole new artwork, and you can’t just create a copy of the original. Perpetual Art magics can also be destroyed when the thing created is destroyed.
Perpetual Art forms include:
--Drawing
--Film and Television
--Literary arts
--Painting
--Sculpture
Some examples of magic that can be cast with perpetual arts:
--Creation of new substances and objects (i.e. draw a thing, thing now exists in the real world), which don’t necessarily need to abide by the normal laws of physics
--Transformation of objects and creatures
--Warding (with the artwork being the ‘key’ to the ward)
Performance Arts
Performance Art forms can be created to cast spells that are in effect in the moment. They last for as long as the act of creating the art lasts, and then end. They don’t tend to have the same power as Perpetual Arts, but they have the benefit of repetition; they can repeat a performance and have the same effect, without having to re-create the spell from scratch.
Performance Art forms include:
--Dance
--Mime
--Music
--Poetry
--Theatre
Some examples of magic that can be cast with performance arts:
--Healing
--Telekinesis / moving objects
--Weather manipulation
THE SCHOOL
Called ‘Majesty’s’ for short, this is one of Britain's most prestigious magical schools. (And art school, of course: but in this world, those two things are one and the same.) Majesty’s is an old fashioned boarding school, where children of all genders attend to learn how to master their magical and artistic abilities.
Historically, Majesty’s was distinctly upper crust, with only the children of the upper classes attending. But since creativity is most certainly not exclusive to the aristocracy, over time the school’s makeup has changed to include more students of all backgrounds. Upper class children still attend the school in significant numbers, but many get in on family connections rather than creative ability, and the least talented students will be part of this group. Meanwhile, the bulk of the school population is made up of the most creative children in the country. Most of the students end up here because they displayed powerful feats of accidental magic while doodling.
Take the fanciest and most aristocratic traditional boarding school building. Something like this, perhaps. Then stick that castle on big massive fluffy white clouds, and send it floating around all over the place. This is Majesty’s.
Despite their fluffiness and apparent insubstantial nature, the clouds are perfectly safe to walk on. Students can wander around them as they wish, and the grounds include features such as cricket, tennis, and croquet courts. There’s also a fluffy cloud forest, which has been populated with game (because surely no one could expect the aristocratic students of years past to not be able to hunt foxes while they go around floating all over the place. The horror).
Inside, the castle is fabulously decorated, with secret passageways and magical secrets hidden all throughout. Each house has their own dormitory, with students typically rooming with three others.
More information about Majesty’s sister schools can be found on the original Jaunt info page.
THE HOUSE SYSTEM
The houses students are sorted into are based on their primary reasons for creating art. Although there are certain stereotypes about the students of each house, those stereotypes are no more true than most stereotypes ever are.
The House of Leonardo: Their colours are blue and green. Students placed in Leonardo are ones whose primary reason for creating the art they do is to gain mastery over the established styles of that artform. However, they are no less creative than other students in terms of their subjects. It is a common stereotype that Leonardo students are better leaders and more likely to follow the school rules than students from other houses.
The House of Donatello: Their colours are purple and green. Students placed in Donatello are ones whose primary reason for creating the art they do is to push the boundaries of that artform. They are often innovators with new techniques and styles and quite often their pieces are avant-garde. It is a common stereotype that Donatello students are more intellectual and better with technology than students from other houses.
The House of Michelangelo: Their colours are orange and green. Students placed in Michelangelo are ones whose primary reason for creating is because they want to make artwork that pleases themselves. They don’t need any more reason than that. It is a common stereotype than Michelangelo students are friendlier and more laid-back than students from other houses.
The House of Raphael: Their colours are red and green. Students placed in Raphael are ones whose primary reason for creating the art they do is to use art to send a message. Many of their pieces are political in nature; all of them have something to say to the person viewing (or listening) to them. It is a common stereotype that Raphael students are have hotter tempers and are more intense about their viewpoints than students from other houses.
Teachers and staff are not sorted into Houses unless they also attended Majesty’s. However, students at the special summer session will get the opportunity to be sorted--after all, Majesty’s is set on upholding all its traditions for the summer.
More information on the house/dormitory system at Majesty’s sister schools can be found on the original Jaunt info page.
SKILLS
Artistic Mastery: You possess technical mastery in a particular art form. This skill can be used for any one art form. May be taken multiple times to gain mastery over multiple art forms. Requires Artistic Proficiency. (Note: this also includes performance arts, such as music or dance)
British Cultural Knowledge: You know British things.
Magical Artifact: Keep a powerful magical artwork from the world of Majesty’s. Subject to Mod Approval.
Perpetual Creativity Magic: Harness the power of your own creativity to cast magic. By creating physical artworks like paintings or sculpture, you can create magical effects that will last for as long as the artwork exists.
Performance Creativity Magic: Harness the power of your own creativity to cast magic. By creating transitive, performance artworks like music or theatre, you can create temporary magical effects that will last as long as the performance.
Secret Passage Finding: If there’s secret passages nearby, you know how to find them
All skills are teachable outside the walkabout.
INFILTRATOR/INVESTIGATOR ROLES
Investigators will be presumed to be either new hires for various teaching or non-teaching positions at the school or transfer students/summer session attendees, depending on their apparent age. If a player wishes, they can age their character up or down for the length of the Jaunt in order to be the appropriate age (11-17) in order to attend Majesty’s.
CALENDAR
LOCATIONS
The Grand Hall: One of the biggest and most impressive rooms in the castle, the Hall is generally where meals are served--but when the tables and chairs are cleared out or rearranged, it can also serve as the place where school dances or assemblies are held. Many students use it as an informal gathering place.
The Headmaster's Office: This isn't a place students are likely to be found unless they're in deep trouble--it's more of a place for the senior staff to make important decisions as to how the school is run and for the Headmaster to try to grab a few moments to themselves every once in a great while.
The Teacher's Lounge: Woe be unto any student who tries to sneak in without permission. There is supposedly an unspeakable magical layer of protection around the Lounge, but surely that's just a story, right?
The Stage: There are many small stages for the drama and music students to use, but none of them compare to The Stage. Housed in a spacious auditorium that always seems to have exactly the required amount of seats for any performance, the glitz and grandeur of this venue cannot be understated. The theater is magical in and of itself, and its ambiance and the precise details of its decor shift according to the needs of the performers. The theater has also been enchanted against cell phone usage, and rumor has it that anyone who tries to use one during a performance will suddenly find themselves kicked out of the castle and plummeting through the clouds. No one has been willing to test this.
The Athletic Field: This is where sports are played, races are run, and where people go when they need a lot of empty space and relatively few things to get taken out as a result of collateral damage.
The Computer Lab: Digital art is also part of Majesty's curriculum, and this is where that particular brand of magic happens.
The Supply Closet: There are many supply closets on the campus, but there is a legendary one that will supposedly show itself only in times of great need, and it will be stocked with exactly the right obscure supplies for any project.
It's definitely not the Room of Requirement with the serial numbers filed off, shhhhhhThe Kilns: Occasionally, things explode here, because that sometimes happens with non-magical ceramics anyway, and then when you put a bunch of magic into the mix? Wear your hard hat.
The Gallery: Located next door to the Grand Hall, the Gallery is home to rotating exhibitions of artwork by students and faculty. There are small exhibitions all throughout the castle's corridors, but the most notable ones go here.
The Hall of Monarchs: This gallery on the other side of the Grand Hall contains portraits of every single monarch Britain has ever had, dating back to the time of King Arthur. However, the pride of the collection is the extremely large portrait of Her Majesty, Queen Elizabeth II, which takes up most of the wall at the end of the hall.
Worcesterhamshire: Majesty's, due to its status as a floating castle in the clouds, often drifts around the English countryside and over various uninhabited locations (for it's kind of hard to go about your business with a gigantic castle in the clouds looming over your head). However, one reoccurring destination for the castle is not quite above the small village of Worcesterhamshire. When the school is parked nearby, Worcesterhamshire is a popular destination for teachers who need a break, students on school-sanctioned weekend outings, and adventurous students who think they can somehow sneak away from a castle in the clouds without being caught.
PLAYER RESOURCES
http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/UsefulNotes/Britain
QUESTIONS
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pretend this is a mod account and also I thought I already answered this, sorry
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