To the public at large, the Queensmouth Academy is an upscale finishing school located in the small mountain town of Misthaven, not too far from the city of Port-Au-Feu. With the stately grounds and proud history of an Ivy League institution, the Academy is named for the nearby Queensmouth River, visible in its spectacular beauty from virtually anywhere on the campus. While the academy has a bit of an air of mystique about it and many odd myths and stories about it, all official accounts make it out to be nothing more than a highly exclusive private preparatory academy. Acclaimed and accredited, it has a fine reputation despite catering to a less prominent section of the population than other schools might.
For those who see beyond the school's public face, it is in many ways exactly what it seems to be: an exclusive finishing school. However, it's also more than that. It's also a bastion of arcane lore, a place where students can as readily learn advanced alchemy as advanced mathematics, and where mystic and occult knowledge are held in equal regard to the classics or the sciences. This is a closely guarded secret, and measures both magical and mundane are in place to see that this secret cannot be spread. Even those who somehow learn of it find that any kind of proofs or evidence they might find just seem to dissolve, vanish, fail, or otherwise not prove at all reliable. The school's secrets just endure, almost as if they had a will of their own.
As or what really goes on behind the academy's closed doors, it's much as one would expect. The school is in some ways terribly old-fashioned and in others startlingly progressive, often doing away with much of the bureaucratic nature of more mundane schools and focusing on mentorship and meeting the often very particular and unusual needs of its students. For those who need or want it, there are dormitories and other living facilities available, and of course the school has a wide array of athletics, extracurriculars, and other supplementary activities to participate in. The school's mascot is a Kraken, and its colors are purple and silver. Courses offered at the academy run a wide gamut, and any mage who graduates is almost invariably regarded as a distinguished magus. The academy was formally established in 1666, but records indicate that its roots are far older, and no-one is entirely sure when it truly originated.
Maybe it has always existed in some form.
A finishing school
The academy is intended as a place to complete a foundational education in magic and set any students on a path of wonder. Though the operating assumption of a finishing school is that its attendees already have a fundamental core of learning, basic courses are still of course offered, since not everyone's experience will be the same when they arrive at Queensmouth. Because there is no standard curriculum of sorcery, students often arrive with strengths in one or two areas and lacking--or nothing at all--in others.
Some knowledge is needed before learning other things, but some is entirely optional. A student coming to Queensmouth will be given the choice of a focus at any time, and this may change as they learn more about magic and what suits them individually.
To this end, students are encouraged to develop a personal sense of style. There is no uniform at Queensmouth; that would be counter-productive and honestly anathema to the whole concept of the school. As mature wizards, witches, sorcerers, and other such mages all have a distinct personal style, it is imperative to instill the value of this at an early point.
That said, the academy provides a basic wardrobe of a few simple outfits to all of its students. Many students find the clothes comfortable and flexible, for use in a variety of situations, and so there are numerous students at any time seen wearing those clothes. It is for that reason that sometimes, it may be misinterpreted as a uniform, when in actuality it is only well-made, comfortable, practical clothing. The clothes tend to be fairly neutral and able to be worn by as wide a range of people as possible, but they also can be customized magically by those who know how; it’s also common that students do not know how to do so initially, which further contributes to the mistake of thinking that it is a uniform!
Both the student body and faculty run the gamut of age and experience. Since most all mages learn how to control their appearance, including their apparent age, one cannot really trust first impressions. Many, if not most, of Queensmouth’s students are younger and more inexperienced, but plenty of students are older. Because every student has control over personal curriculum, any student can stay indefinitely and continue to pursue learning and enrichment. Some may become professor of a certain subject, others may engage in research of a number of topics, and still others remain students forever, enjoying the experience of Queensmouth Academy.
It should be noted that people become students or teachers for a variety of reasons, most all of which are accepted by the academy. The most important thing is that these reasons are not harmful to anyone at the school. As the magical sphere tends to be highly liberated and enlightened, this can include romantic and sexual interests, and since age difference is largely irrelevant to most mages, little fuss is made over it. Everyone is made aware of the details of any class, classroom, course, lecture, or activity in general they may participate in, and students always have complete control over what they will or will not engage in. It is rare indeed that a situation arises where someone is found in a situation they did not expect.
The school is protected by some of the most powerful protective wards in the known universe, developed by some of the wisest and most potent mages in history. Even the strength of a legendary figure would be challenged by the mighty shields in place at Queensmouth. Perhaps most importantly, no-one and nothing may meet a demise whilst on the grounds. The wards do not prevent serious injury, but they will stop anything truly grave.
Classes and other activities occur throughout day and night at Queensmouth, although things typically are quieter at night, and less faculty and students tend to be around. Of course, a wide selection of assistance is available for anyone to get a little bit of energy or to relax into a restful sleep.
Healing and First Aid
Some of the magically-able pursue the focus of becoming a healer or something similar, but virtually all mages are taught at least basic healing and first aid. A refresher course (or a quick training for those without prior instruction) is given to incoming students at Queensmouth, regardless of specific individual path. Students are also informed of a variety of approaches to healing and ways to help heal others.
Naturally, a school medical staff is available at all hours, in case of any injury. Even serious problems can be addressed, courtesy of Queensmouth Academy. And of course, anything between patient and healer is totally confidential.
Any student will learn at least a basic healing method, which can stabilize even borderline serious injury and accelerate healing of more minor ones. At the very minimum, the healing fundamentals can make someone remain okay until they can be brought to a proper healer to treat their problem. All prefects, head students, and student ambassadors are required to know healing to a level above basic, and they are expected to be available as broad a distance as possible. Similarly, all teachers are expected to be at least average-level healers, in case of any emergency.
Queensmouth Prep
For students who have not yet completed a basic education, the neighboring Queensmouth Prep School is specifically designed to prepare them to enroll at the Queensmouth Aacademy.