Caelum Summary

Apr 28, 201817 min read

Deviation Actions

Anniverse

rollingpoly

Published: Apr 28, 2018

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☁Caelum, meaning heaven in Latin, is a city which floats in the sky, supported by magical artifacts and Annie magic.☁

☁Background☁

There was once a group of Annies that grew so skilled in magic they were rumored to make the very mountains move to their wills. They had traveled far and wide searching for the greatest magical knowledge they could find and eventually had come to find friendship amongst each other along the way. However, they eventually realized that their wealth of knowledge would die with them. Not wanting all their hard work to go to waste, they decided to found a magic school in a small but mana-rich town called Caelum. Within only a few graduating classes the town became well-known for the school itself, and it gained traction as a prominent force in magical society.

Eventually, the school, which had gained more influence in the town than its own government at this point, decided to display their ultimate power in the best way they could think of: they unveiled plans to raise the town into the sky and gave everyone a month to decide whether to stay or go. While met with some protest, there was nobody that could stop them, and thus they used a cluster of strong crystals to bring the entire island up into the sky. Now it floats at the literal height of magical research, academics, and leadership.

However, there exists a rumor that things are different behind the scenes. Some claim that the town was raised for protection instead of a show of power. Others whisper of how all threats that pop up around Caelum seem to be quieted down rather soon after they pop up. Further still claim that the island is actually under watch by the Empire, who hope to snatch their top students for the military whether Caelum wants it or not. While they are never proven, this hearsay never seems to quite fade away….

☁Temp & Climate☁

Cold and windy due to high altitudes, with a moderate amount of rain. -5°C-17°C.

☁Flora & Fauna☁

A small collection of high-altitude-resilient plants grow on top of Caelum, including variants of honeysuckle and pine trees. Small woodland creatures (such as squirrels) and mountaineering birds (such as several kinds of falcon) are also a common sight on the island. Dragon sightings have been rumored but are unconfirmed.

☁Location☁

Northwest region of Aster, at a high altitude (around 7000 ft). The crystals have a pressurization side-effect on the town, drawing extra oxygen into the town in order to help prevent altitude sickness in humans and those Annies whose blessings do not assist them at high altitudes.

☁Special Occasions☁

Caelum Magic Festival:
The students of the Academy group together to show off their powers for the entire city to see. Students can show off their talents by running booths, participating in competitions, or running their own shows. The government allows students to mail out special visas that invite whomever they wish to this seven-day event.

Induction/Graduation Ceremonies:
The entire island celebrates the arrival of new students and the departure of graduated ones during this day. It is treated as a massive holiday for all present.

☁Architecture & Buildings of Interest☁

Due to the difficulty of getting building materials up to Caelum, the buildings retain a somewhat medieval construction of stone and wood. Despite the existence of the ship system, the ships are still infrequent, and never However, they have been fitted with running water and toilets for sanitary reasons via a magic pump system, and when needed the buildings are gradually rebuilt to keep themselves sturdy.

Apicem Caelo Academy
The magic academy the island is famous for, has its own dorms for students and classes for about every aspect of magic you could ask for. Its headmaster might have more sway than the rest of the town’s government. Both Annies and humans can attend, but few humans ever graduate, and even if they do they’ll have to work very hard for the respect their Annie classmates have.

Skypoint Tower
Despite its name, it’s not exactly a very tall tower. It consists of a 10-story tall cylinder with a diameter as wide as it is tall, propped up by strong pillars three stories from the ground. The cylinder is an open space with walls made to display a view above the clouds directly above its location in real-time, as if the tower were in an open space that high up in the first place. Its openness allows Annies to fly in the available space. It’s known for being THE place to ask crushes out and for the rumors of occasionally glimpsing a dragon among the clouds outside.

Aeterna Scientia Library
The academy’s library. Standing at 7 stories, it is open to anyone allowed to enter Caelum, although not every book may be taken beyond its walls. The library is tiered, requiring people to either prove themselves capable of certain magics or achieving special permission to go up to certain tiers. Only a select few are allowed to look at the most top-secret tier.

David’s Brew
The citizens of this town love their alcohol, and this place has a particular reputation for its use of magic in brewing, producing magically-aged drinks that, reportedly, ALMOST taste like the real thing. They can only serve it in rations, however, so they also produce a wide variety of dishes to compensate for the relatively low income of their craft.

The Crystal Chamber
A large, spherical crystal surrounded by several smaller ones keeps the island afloat in this limited-access chamber. The smaller ones keep the larger one from shattering. Only the highest government officials and one painter have seen it in person. The rest have only seen the painting.

Ascension Inn
A building outside of Caelum that serves as a customs checkpoint for those going to Caelum via the mountaintop. The inn serves anyone, but those dropping off or picking up travelers to and from Caelum get a discount on overnight stays, as nighttime is especially dangerous in the lands beneath the town.

☁Government & Laws☁

The city is led by a council of 12. They consist of the headmaster of the school, up to 11 Guardians chosen at the beginning of each scholastic period, and, when there are less than 11 other guardians available, respected community elders. They make the final decision on all major affairs, but delegate to departments below them where possible. The empire does not dictate any control upon them but they remain on amicable terms.

All seeking to enter into Caelum must pass a test to qualify for a passport. The test can vary (at one time they used a special crystal to try and tell someone’s character, for example, while at another point they were provided a series of pointed questions and put in a room with a lie detector to determine their sincerity). There is a separate test to qualify for admission to the school that tests whether a person understands the basics of magic. All such tests are conducted at the Ascension Inn. Those that pass obtain a passport for Caelum. Only a specific maximum number of people are allowed into Caelum at any time, and a number of those slots are reserved for students. One can obtain either a festival visa for 7 days (during the festival), a student visa for students (that lasts until a short time after graduation) or a residency pass (that is valid indefinitely). The difficulty to get one of each of these is ordered here from easiest to most difficult. All passports are invalid after one year off the island and require retesting.

The city has a census and a hard population limit of 4,000. This census keeps the island from getting overpopulated. If having a child causes the island to go over the census the family will have one year to determine a course of action to take, be it leaving the island or sending the child off to other relatives.