D&D General Department and program ideas in a wizard academy

[Guest 6801328]

Well, you could blatantly copy the Unseen University... Using relatively normal departments at first, and if the PCs get more involved in the academy, start bringing out more and more fun departments.

Such as:
Department of Traditions
College of Recent Runes
Order of Post-Mortem Communications
Studies of Invisible Writings
Experimental Serendipity
Indefinite Studies
Creative Uncertainty
Inadvisably Applied Magic
Extreme Horticulture
Cruel and Unusual Geography
Recondite Architecture and Origami Map Folding
Morbid Bibliomancy
Oblique Frogs

(The Discworld Wiki has plenty of ideas. )

Experimental Serendipity is my favorite.

 

[TwoSix]

I'd hate to get an F in that class...

Fortunately, the gym is very close to the "Practical Necromancy for the Pre-deceased" lab.

 

[cbwjm]

Do you know Ultima Underworld II CRPG (It is very old)?
It had a ( though abandoned) wizard academy which had a test for graduation that you had to pass.
The fun stuff about it was that most riddles where solvable without magic, it provided some wands where it absolutely was needed.

I've heard of the ultima series though not that one. Sounds like it would make for a fun wizards academy encounter though.

 

[cbwjm]

Well, you could blatantly copy the Unseen University... Using relatively normal departments at first, and if the PCs get more involved in the academy, start bringing out more and more fun departments.

Such as:
Department of Traditions
College of Recent Runes
Order of Post-Mortem Communications
Studies of Invisible Writings
Experimental Serendipity
Indefinite Studies
Creative Uncertainty
Inadvisably Applied Magic
Extreme Horticulture
Cruel and Unusual Geography
Recondite Architecture and Origami Map Folding
Morbid Bibliomancy
Oblique Frogs

(The Discworld Wiki has plenty of ideas. )

I did consider it, the problem being that my players are also Pratchett fans so they'd immediately pick up on them and that would change the tone of the game instantly which, honestly, wouldn't actually be a bad thing, but that's why I initially decided against using them. I still went there for ideas though, with a few tweaks I can get some more serious sounding departments.

 

[Fenris-77]

OMG. There is an actual School of Wizardry that opened in 2004 and is a recognized educational institute. It's called the Grey School of Wizardry. Some highlights form the offered classes are Wortcunning (herbalism), Beast Mastery, and Alchemy and Magikal Sciences. Graduates are recognized as Journeyman Wizards.

This is a real thing, I'm not puling your leg. The link above is to the wiki, and here's a link to the school website.

 

[Guest 6801328]

OMG. There is an actual School of Wizardry that opened in 2004 and is a recognized educational institute. It's called the Grey School of Wizardry. Some highlights form the offered classes are Wortcunning (herbalism), Beast Mastery, and Alchemy and Magikal Sciences. Graduates are recognized as Journeyman Wizards.

This is a real thing, I'm not puling your leg. The link above is to the wiki, and here's a link to the school website.

Recognized by whom, exactly?

 

[cbwjm]

OMG. There is an actual School of Wizardry that opened in 2004 and is a recognized educational institute. It's called the Grey School of Wizardry. Some highlights form the offered classes are Wortcunning (herbalism), Beast Mastery, and Alchemy and Magikal Sciences. Graduates are recognized as Journeyman Wizards.

This is a real thing, I'm not puling your leg. The link above is to the wiki, and here's a link to the school website.

Oh damn, I wouldn't have even thought there would be a real world school of wizardry. Their 16 departments are actually good ideas for inclusion in my fantasy academy.

 

[Fenris-77]

Recognized by whom, exactly?

By the State of California as a non-profit educational institution apparently. Only in California...

 

[cbwjm]

Having taken ideas from people here, from 5e skills, 2e proficiencies, that crazy school of wizardry, I've come up with a number of courses that could appear in the curriculum of a wizard's academy. Possibly more than I needed but it's nice that if I ever use this (perhaps not in my current campaign but future campaigns might) that I'll be able to throw out a few courses in front of my player's if they ask about what they can learn there while studying wizardry. Probably need a few more for some areas but this is definitely a good start.

5e Skill/Tool	Area of study
Arcana	The 8 pointed star (spellcraft through the lens of the 8 schools of magic)
	Magical items
	Arcane architecture
	Eldritch symbols
	Magical traditions
	Planar geography and inhabitants (favoured by conjurers)
History	Arcanology (study of the history of magic and its practitioners and the acceptance of magic in the world)
	Ancient kingdoms and lost civilisations
Investigation	Expanding the Art (magical research)
Nature	Magical zoology
	Extreme horticulture
Religion	Deities & their servants
	Holy rites & symbols
	(Not so) secret cults & their practices
Sleight of Hand	Performance magic (favoured by illusionists)
Herbalism Kit & Medicine	Wortcunning/Herbalism
	Anatomy (favoured by necromancers)
Alchemist Supplies	Alchemy & magickal sciences (favoured by transmuters)
Other
Spellbooks	Protecting your spellbook
	Methods of recording spells
Saving Throws	Mental Resistance
School of Magic
All	Ceremonial magic/rituals
	Experimental components
	Arcane Implements, on their benefits and use
	Metamagical studies
Abjuration	Wards and warding
Divination	Psychic arts (getting the most out of your divination magic)
Enchantment	Charms, their strengths and limitations
Evocation	Battle magic
Illusion	Crafting your illusion, elaborate vs. believable
	You are not an illusionist (don't advertise your tradition)
	Shadow magic
Necromancy	Necrology & the netherworld
Transmutation	Alteration of the natural world

 

[seebs]

I had a campaign world which started with the world being mostly-destroyed by the aftermath of work in the department of High-Energy Particle Theology.