Lumiose Magic Academy: Year One
In the city of Lumiose, Kalos, there is an old but prestigious school known as the Lumiose Magic Academy. It traces its history back through many centuries, back to when it only served royalty and nobility. It's far more open now, but still selects its students with great care. Some students are accepted based on good exam scores, some are accepted for accomplishing great deeds, some are accepted by showing great skill in Pokemon battling at a young age, some are even accepted due to family history with the school. And a few are accepted though mysterious means, invited without prior contact by the head mistress. How this happens is the subject of many rumors, but it has been known to happen every year in LMA's long existence.
The unanticipated invitations are hardly the only mystery surrounding LMA. There are odd school traditions that few will explain about, secret passages and rooms, rumors of hauntings, and many strange stories about the school that may or may not be true. As an old school, with old buildings and a long history of teaching magic, such mysteries have accumulated naturally. But not all of its secrets are old. For instance, this year an entire basement level of one of the school buildings has been locked down and forbidden from students, even though classes are normally held there. None of the students are certain about why, as they don't remember anything big happening last year and the teachers aren't explaining it. But as strange events begin to happen, perhaps some students might defy those orders to find out what's going on.
Still, the mysteries and odd traditions give Lumiose Magic Academy a unique atmosphere. There is the trial of the Battle Club, one of the oldest continuous clubs of the academy, where a puzzle based on a enigmatic device on campus needs to be solved in order to qualify for enrollment (but even that puzzle doesn't solve the device). There is the opening ceremony every year, where the meaning of its symbolism might not make immediate sense to the modern student. And there are events that observe certain days that no other school would hold. The quality of its education gives it a high prestige as well.
In its current configuration, the academy acts as a school for Pokemon Trainers of all kinds. Whether you wish to become a master battler, a Pokemon researcher, a Pokemon caretaker, a scholar of Pokemon magic, or just want to understand Pokemon well, LMA is an excellent place to study for such careers. It won't be easy, but if you succeed here, you are almost certain to succeed after graduation as well.
Welcome to Lumiose Magic Academy; we hope you have a good school year.
Additional Information of Lumiose Magic Academy
This is a private boarding school in Lumiose City, located northeast of Prism Tower. Students come through application or invitation, not automatically. New students are accepted around 10 to 15 years old, although exceptions have been made for a few years outside of that range. All students are required to live on campus. However, it is a very small school, so the dorms are quite nice.
There are seven grades to the academy's program. Each grade is split into three homerooms; a teacher will stay with a homeroom class for all seven years that the students are there. While some use homeroom simply as a study period, homeroom teachers can assign class projects or involve the students in school activities. For required classes, students stay in their homeroom and teachers come into the class. For optional classes, students will go to a specialty classroom or the teacher's homeroom.
There is a school uniform, based off the regular outfits worn by Sina and Dexio. (note: I have been unable to locate a reference picture for them so far, sorry) Personalizing through accessories is allowed. Students are expected to wear their uniform during classes and some school events. Outside of those times, casual clothes are allowed.
While this game is labeled year one, whether or not it advances years depends on activity. You can choose which grade to start with.
This is a rough diagram of the school layout:
N^
___________Boys Dorm___________
___Cafeteria/Rec______Gym________
_Girls Dorms__small park____Admin__
__Classes (1-2)_________Library____
___Classes (3-5)_Audi _Classes (6-7)_
Cafeteria/Rec: The school cafeteria, nurse's main office, school store, club rooms not tied to other buildings, and recreation rooms are located here. Basically where students gather in their free time outside of the dormitory common rooms. Has been outfitted over the past few years with modern technology so it's half old and half new; some areas are still being worked on even though the school year has begun.
Gymnasium: The gymnasium has a swimming pool and a basketball/tennis court on the ground level, with various battle arenas on the upper and basement levels. Battle classes are often held here. It's the newest building of the whole campus, having been rebuilt only a few years ago.
Small park: An open area with a few trees. There's a central patio where a portion is covered over for gatherings and outdoor classes. In the very center, there's a mysterious artifact which is currently used as a test to join the Battle Club, something that resembles an armillary sphere. Here is a wikipedia page on the armillary.
Library: The school library. Most of the books, references, and periodicals are kept on the second and third stories. There is an artifact and rare book storage in the basement that requires special permission to enter. On the ground floor, there is a tutoring hall where older students volunteer to assist younger students in their studies.
Admin: Housing the school administration, this is for all the official and often unseen business of running a school. Nicknamed the ghost building because it appears less active than the rest and what goes on in there is mysterious to a lot of students. Includes the headmistress' office and a detention room.
Audi(torium): The school auditorium, used for school-wide assemblies, school plays, music classes, special events, presentations, and graduation.
Classes (1-2): Nicknamed the Ground building, this has classrooms for first and second year students. The basement has an odd layout (like a natural cave) where a few tunnels lead to extra classrooms and a medical studies lab. Some of the more commonly known 'secret passages' have an entrance in this basement. Sixth year students have been shifted here temporarily.
Classes (3-5): Nicknamed the Psychic building, this has classrooms for third, fourth, and fifth year students. Includes one of the most infamous classrooms of LMA: the Star Gazer's room has always been used for classes on special mental abilities such as precognition, divination, and aura reading, however it is said to require such skills to even find it. Most students don't know where the entrance to that classroom is. There is also a small greenhouse attached to the building, so extra herbalists and potion classes are held here.
Classes (6-7): Nicknamed the Water building, this has classrooms for the sixth and seventh year students.. Includes a dark room and a kiln, so extra art classes are often held here. This is the building where students have been forbidden from entering the basement for any reason. The sixth year students, normally on the first floor, have their homeroom and classes elsewhere so the art classes can be moved from the basement.
Dorms: Where the students live. Each dorm has a common room on the ground floor where students living there can meet.
Clubs
As stated elsewhere, new clubs can be formed. These are what are currently listed in this thread
Official Battle (deals with Pokemon battle and magic duels, requires a test to enter)
Casual Battle (deals with Pokemon battle)
Cooking
Art
Drama
Lacrosse
Gamers' Club
Astronomy
Required Class Schedule
What most students are expected to have for classes. While the homeroom class sticks together for required classes, differences in age at acceptance lead to a different learning system. Lectures or demonstrations are given to the whole, then the students are to hold self or small group studies in class under observation (sometimes individual guidance) of the teacher.
First and second year: language, math, basic magic, basic science, social studies, PE, art
Third and fourth year: language, math, basic magic, social studies, PE, Pokemon care, one optional
Fifth year: language, math, magic, PE, Pokemon care, two optional
Sixth and seventh year: magic, Pokemon care, five optional (unless remedial in another required subject needed)
A Quick Look at Magic
I will be handling the majority of magic instruction in the game since it's a system I've created and worked with, but here is some information that should get everyone started. This would be information that a student having passed the second level should know. If you wish to know more about the system, for a particular character, scene, or event, feel free to drop me a note asking for further information.
There are three bases to magic that humans use: emotion, intelligence, and willpower. It can be related to how a fire requires fuel, air, and a spark to be created. Emotion provides the fuel and power to a spell, intelligence provides form and function, and willpower provides the spark to cast and control a spell. For a perfect casting, each base must be in equal portion. But as long as all three are present within the caster, the spell should be activated.
In order to cast a spell, a human magic user first must learn its form. This can be done to an extent through observing a Pokemon use a move like the spell desired, but this method is a slow process for most people. Instead, most human magic users rely on a runic alphabet where each letter describes a different aura effect. The runes are put into words to describe a spell. For instance, the spell for Bubble would include have four runes that say [water, aura 40, attack, slow line movement]. This is the use of intelligence in magic.
Each living being is surrounded by an aura, a form of raw magic. Most people and Pokemon cannot sense aura naturally, but such a sense can be learned. It comes across differently to different people, sometimes through sight as various colors and textures, sometimes through hearing as a layer of noise, sometimes (though rarely) through touch or smell. Aura is not constant and can change rapidly. This is because aura is a product of emotions. Translating what the appearance of another's aura means is known as aura reading and is an uncommon skill. Aura, and thus emotions, are fuel for magic.
But simply knowing a spell's form and having the aura to use it is not enough to use magic. Aura is resistant to being changed. Thus, willpower can be the most difficult part to learn about using magic. Even if someone is naturally stubborn, they could still have difficulty actually casting. This is where most humans simply give up on being able to use magic themselves. Once they decide that they can't cast spells, they won't be able to; many end up like this. Overcoming that hurdle is what makes a human into a user of magic.
Having an object to focus on often helps humans to learn and cast magic, but is not necessary. Focus objects can take on many forms, from a wand to piece of jewelry; it just needs to be something that can easily be kept on hand. As for actually casting, a common process is called the spelling method. The user puts together the runic word of the spell in black or white, then colors it in with aura, all in their mind. Shaping their aura into the runes will cause it to take form of the spell. Once the runic word is filled in, the user then 'breaks' the word, causing the spell to activate. Skilled users are capable of holding off on breaking the word to cast exactly when they want to, although doing so is more tiring than simply casting. This is the primary spell casting method taught at LMA, but not the only one.
Most Pokemon moves can be put into runic form, and thus be used by humans as spells. There are some spells that humans have made that Pokemon are unable to copy, including many curative magics. Similarly, there are a few Pokemon moves, mostly high power signature moves, that humans have been unable to translate into runic form effectively.
General Game Rules and Information
Players are free to create their own scenarios, cooperate with others, or play along with the main scenario. I'm flexible enough to work with what comes up (and that's what I plan to do). I expect some independence from anyone who signs up.
I will allow sign ups as students and teachers. I would like the inclusion of a Pokemon battle instructor, preferably someone who feels confident in their knowledge and skills in battling, who doesn't mind helping to arbitrate battles that occur within the game. Players can have multiple characters. If a teacher is your sole character, you're expected to lead a homeroom; you can name that homeroom whatever you like. If you have a teacher and a student character, leading a homeroom is optional but I may ask that you do so if more are needed.
Grade level is tentative, as I would like to make sure that there's no homeroom with only one player in it. If that level lacks a homeroom teacher and another student, I may ask you to change. Reservations aren't necessary, but to help me keep track, post your interest by saying if you want to be a student or teacher, what subject for teachers, and what grade level for students. I'll choose GM assistants if there is need.
If you have a character in a position of leadership, like the teachers, I may give you extra plot information prior to and during the game. Please do not abuse this knowledge. If one of your characters knows something and the other doesn't, make sure you play them accordingly. I might not be telling you everything, after all.
I am giving this game a rating of PG-13 for the ceiling of content that I'm expecting. Most of it should fall below that rating. Don't do anything that would require a higher rating.
Although this is a school-RP, much of the game will probably fall outside of classes, similar to how Harry Potter is. Teachers may still assign large projects as part of gameplay, or to get new events going.
Clubs can be started by teachers or by students on almost any subject. There is the official battle club, but there might even be splinter battle clubs that don't require the formality and the puzzle. I'm considering events that would require club membership/participation, but these aren't set in stone yet. Suggestions will be welcome on this.
As for Pokemon your character can have: no legendaries. Six active Pokemon maximum, although I don't recommend that many (you do have classes to attend, after all). You can also choose not to have any Pokemon, just know that it's rather unusual for this society. As for anything else, I consider the character's age and experience when reviewing SU forms for what Pokemon they have. If the Pokemon seem unfitting, I will request changes made. Use common sense and it should be fine.
I don't mind if you adapt a canon character for this. If you take somebody like the game's player characters, keep them in their initial state!
On Mega Evolution, it is a special ritual magic that is not normally taught at LMA. It is passed down from master to student in a limited fashion. Thus, it would be an unusual skill to have.
Character Sheet
Please read through the form any relevant notes.
STUDENT
Name:
Age:
Gender:
Grade Level:
Description: If your character has a focus object, include it here.
Personality:
History: Part of this should consider how your character was selected to join the academy, even if the character doesn't know himself or herself.
Optional classes: Check required course schedule
Clubs: if applicable
Other: for anything else.
TEACHER
Name:
Age:
Gender:
Homeroom: homeroom name and its current grade
Description: If your character has a focus object, include it here.
Personality:
History:
Classes: What subjects you teach, required or optional
Clubs: if applicable
Other: for anything else.
POKEMON
Nickname: If applicable
Species:
Gender:
Ability:
Personality:
History:
In the city of Lumiose, Kalos, there is an old but prestigious school known as the Lumiose Magic Academy. It traces its history back through many centuries, back to when it only served royalty and nobility. It's far more open now, but still selects its students with great care. Some students are accepted based on good exam scores, some are accepted for accomplishing great deeds, some are accepted by showing great skill in Pokemon battling at a young age, some are even accepted due to family history with the school. And a few are accepted though mysterious means, invited without prior contact by the head mistress. How this happens is the subject of many rumors, but it has been known to happen every year in LMA's long existence.
The unanticipated invitations are hardly the only mystery surrounding LMA. There are odd school traditions that few will explain about, secret passages and rooms, rumors of hauntings, and many strange stories about the school that may or may not be true. As an old school, with old buildings and a long history of teaching magic, such mysteries have accumulated naturally. But not all of its secrets are old. For instance, this year an entire basement level of one of the school buildings has been locked down and forbidden from students, even though classes are normally held there. None of the students are certain about why, as they don't remember anything big happening last year and the teachers aren't explaining it. But as strange events begin to happen, perhaps some students might defy those orders to find out what's going on.
Still, the mysteries and odd traditions give Lumiose Magic Academy a unique atmosphere. There is the trial of the Battle Club, one of the oldest continuous clubs of the academy, where a puzzle based on a enigmatic device on campus needs to be solved in order to qualify for enrollment (but even that puzzle doesn't solve the device). There is the opening ceremony every year, where the meaning of its symbolism might not make immediate sense to the modern student. And there are events that observe certain days that no other school would hold. The quality of its education gives it a high prestige as well.
In its current configuration, the academy acts as a school for Pokemon Trainers of all kinds. Whether you wish to become a master battler, a Pokemon researcher, a Pokemon caretaker, a scholar of Pokemon magic, or just want to understand Pokemon well, LMA is an excellent place to study for such careers. It won't be easy, but if you succeed here, you are almost certain to succeed after graduation as well.
Welcome to Lumiose Magic Academy; we hope you have a good school year.
Additional Information of Lumiose Magic Academy
This is a private boarding school in Lumiose City, located northeast of Prism Tower. Students come through application or invitation, not automatically. New students are accepted around 10 to 15 years old, although exceptions have been made for a few years outside of that range. All students are required to live on campus. However, it is a very small school, so the dorms are quite nice.
There are seven grades to the academy's program. Each grade is split into three homerooms; a teacher will stay with a homeroom class for all seven years that the students are there. While some use homeroom simply as a study period, homeroom teachers can assign class projects or involve the students in school activities. For required classes, students stay in their homeroom and teachers come into the class. For optional classes, students will go to a specialty classroom or the teacher's homeroom.
There is a school uniform, based off the regular outfits worn by Sina and Dexio. (note: I have been unable to locate a reference picture for them so far, sorry) Personalizing through accessories is allowed. Students are expected to wear their uniform during classes and some school events. Outside of those times, casual clothes are allowed.
While this game is labeled year one, whether or not it advances years depends on activity. You can choose which grade to start with.
This is a rough diagram of the school layout:
N^
___________Boys Dorm___________
___Cafeteria/Rec______Gym________
_Girls Dorms__small park____Admin__
__Classes (1-2)_________Library____
___Classes (3-5)_Audi _Classes (6-7)_
Cafeteria/Rec: The school cafeteria, nurse's main office, school store, club rooms not tied to other buildings, and recreation rooms are located here. Basically where students gather in their free time outside of the dormitory common rooms. Has been outfitted over the past few years with modern technology so it's half old and half new; some areas are still being worked on even though the school year has begun.
Gymnasium: The gymnasium has a swimming pool and a basketball/tennis court on the ground level, with various battle arenas on the upper and basement levels. Battle classes are often held here. It's the newest building of the whole campus, having been rebuilt only a few years ago.
Small park: An open area with a few trees. There's a central patio where a portion is covered over for gatherings and outdoor classes. In the very center, there's a mysterious artifact which is currently used as a test to join the Battle Club, something that resembles an armillary sphere. Here is a wikipedia page on the armillary.
Library: The school library. Most of the books, references, and periodicals are kept on the second and third stories. There is an artifact and rare book storage in the basement that requires special permission to enter. On the ground floor, there is a tutoring hall where older students volunteer to assist younger students in their studies.
Admin: Housing the school administration, this is for all the official and often unseen business of running a school. Nicknamed the ghost building because it appears less active than the rest and what goes on in there is mysterious to a lot of students. Includes the headmistress' office and a detention room.
Audi(torium): The school auditorium, used for school-wide assemblies, school plays, music classes, special events, presentations, and graduation.
Classes (1-2): Nicknamed the Ground building, this has classrooms for first and second year students. The basement has an odd layout (like a natural cave) where a few tunnels lead to extra classrooms and a medical studies lab. Some of the more commonly known 'secret passages' have an entrance in this basement. Sixth year students have been shifted here temporarily.
Classes (3-5): Nicknamed the Psychic building, this has classrooms for third, fourth, and fifth year students. Includes one of the most infamous classrooms of LMA: the Star Gazer's room has always been used for classes on special mental abilities such as precognition, divination, and aura reading, however it is said to require such skills to even find it. Most students don't know where the entrance to that classroom is. There is also a small greenhouse attached to the building, so extra herbalists and potion classes are held here.
Classes (6-7): Nicknamed the Water building, this has classrooms for the sixth and seventh year students.. Includes a dark room and a kiln, so extra art classes are often held here. This is the building where students have been forbidden from entering the basement for any reason. The sixth year students, normally on the first floor, have their homeroom and classes elsewhere so the art classes can be moved from the basement.
Dorms: Where the students live. Each dorm has a common room on the ground floor where students living there can meet.
Clubs
As stated elsewhere, new clubs can be formed. These are what are currently listed in this thread
Official Battle (deals with Pokemon battle and magic duels, requires a test to enter)
Casual Battle (deals with Pokemon battle)
Cooking
Art
Drama
Lacrosse
Gamers' Club
Astronomy
Required Class Schedule
What most students are expected to have for classes. While the homeroom class sticks together for required classes, differences in age at acceptance lead to a different learning system. Lectures or demonstrations are given to the whole, then the students are to hold self or small group studies in class under observation (sometimes individual guidance) of the teacher.
First and second year: language, math, basic magic, basic science, social studies, PE, art
Third and fourth year: language, math, basic magic, social studies, PE, Pokemon care, one optional
Fifth year: language, math, magic, PE, Pokemon care, two optional
Sixth and seventh year: magic, Pokemon care, five optional (unless remedial in another required subject needed)
A Quick Look at Magic
I will be handling the majority of magic instruction in the game since it's a system I've created and worked with, but here is some information that should get everyone started. This would be information that a student having passed the second level should know. If you wish to know more about the system, for a particular character, scene, or event, feel free to drop me a note asking for further information.
There are three bases to magic that humans use: emotion, intelligence, and willpower. It can be related to how a fire requires fuel, air, and a spark to be created. Emotion provides the fuel and power to a spell, intelligence provides form and function, and willpower provides the spark to cast and control a spell. For a perfect casting, each base must be in equal portion. But as long as all three are present within the caster, the spell should be activated.
In order to cast a spell, a human magic user first must learn its form. This can be done to an extent through observing a Pokemon use a move like the spell desired, but this method is a slow process for most people. Instead, most human magic users rely on a runic alphabet where each letter describes a different aura effect. The runes are put into words to describe a spell. For instance, the spell for Bubble would include have four runes that say [water, aura 40, attack, slow line movement]. This is the use of intelligence in magic.
Each living being is surrounded by an aura, a form of raw magic. Most people and Pokemon cannot sense aura naturally, but such a sense can be learned. It comes across differently to different people, sometimes through sight as various colors and textures, sometimes through hearing as a layer of noise, sometimes (though rarely) through touch or smell. Aura is not constant and can change rapidly. This is because aura is a product of emotions. Translating what the appearance of another's aura means is known as aura reading and is an uncommon skill. Aura, and thus emotions, are fuel for magic.
But simply knowing a spell's form and having the aura to use it is not enough to use magic. Aura is resistant to being changed. Thus, willpower can be the most difficult part to learn about using magic. Even if someone is naturally stubborn, they could still have difficulty actually casting. This is where most humans simply give up on being able to use magic themselves. Once they decide that they can't cast spells, they won't be able to; many end up like this. Overcoming that hurdle is what makes a human into a user of magic.
Having an object to focus on often helps humans to learn and cast magic, but is not necessary. Focus objects can take on many forms, from a wand to piece of jewelry; it just needs to be something that can easily be kept on hand. As for actually casting, a common process is called the spelling method. The user puts together the runic word of the spell in black or white, then colors it in with aura, all in their mind. Shaping their aura into the runes will cause it to take form of the spell. Once the runic word is filled in, the user then 'breaks' the word, causing the spell to activate. Skilled users are capable of holding off on breaking the word to cast exactly when they want to, although doing so is more tiring than simply casting. This is the primary spell casting method taught at LMA, but not the only one.
Most Pokemon moves can be put into runic form, and thus be used by humans as spells. There are some spells that humans have made that Pokemon are unable to copy, including many curative magics. Similarly, there are a few Pokemon moves, mostly high power signature moves, that humans have been unable to translate into runic form effectively.
General Game Rules and Information
Players are free to create their own scenarios, cooperate with others, or play along with the main scenario. I'm flexible enough to work with what comes up (and that's what I plan to do). I expect some independence from anyone who signs up.
I will allow sign ups as students and teachers. I would like the inclusion of a Pokemon battle instructor, preferably someone who feels confident in their knowledge and skills in battling, who doesn't mind helping to arbitrate battles that occur within the game. Players can have multiple characters. If a teacher is your sole character, you're expected to lead a homeroom; you can name that homeroom whatever you like. If you have a teacher and a student character, leading a homeroom is optional but I may ask that you do so if more are needed.
Grade level is tentative, as I would like to make sure that there's no homeroom with only one player in it. If that level lacks a homeroom teacher and another student, I may ask you to change. Reservations aren't necessary, but to help me keep track, post your interest by saying if you want to be a student or teacher, what subject for teachers, and what grade level for students. I'll choose GM assistants if there is need.
If you have a character in a position of leadership, like the teachers, I may give you extra plot information prior to and during the game. Please do not abuse this knowledge. If one of your characters knows something and the other doesn't, make sure you play them accordingly. I might not be telling you everything, after all.
I am giving this game a rating of PG-13 for the ceiling of content that I'm expecting. Most of it should fall below that rating. Don't do anything that would require a higher rating.
Although this is a school-RP, much of the game will probably fall outside of classes, similar to how Harry Potter is. Teachers may still assign large projects as part of gameplay, or to get new events going.
Clubs can be started by teachers or by students on almost any subject. There is the official battle club, but there might even be splinter battle clubs that don't require the formality and the puzzle. I'm considering events that would require club membership/participation, but these aren't set in stone yet. Suggestions will be welcome on this.
As for Pokemon your character can have: no legendaries. Six active Pokemon maximum, although I don't recommend that many (you do have classes to attend, after all). You can also choose not to have any Pokemon, just know that it's rather unusual for this society. As for anything else, I consider the character's age and experience when reviewing SU forms for what Pokemon they have. If the Pokemon seem unfitting, I will request changes made. Use common sense and it should be fine.
I don't mind if you adapt a canon character for this. If you take somebody like the game's player characters, keep them in their initial state!
On Mega Evolution, it is a special ritual magic that is not normally taught at LMA. It is passed down from master to student in a limited fashion. Thus, it would be an unusual skill to have.
Character Sheet
Please read through the form any relevant notes.
STUDENT
Name:
Age:
Gender:
Grade Level:
Description: If your character has a focus object, include it here.
Personality:
History: Part of this should consider how your character was selected to join the academy, even if the character doesn't know himself or herself.
Optional classes: Check required course schedule
Clubs: if applicable
Other: for anything else.
TEACHER
Name:
Age:
Gender:
Homeroom: homeroom name and its current grade
Description: If your character has a focus object, include it here.
Personality:
History:
Classes: What subjects you teach, required or optional
Clubs: if applicable
Other: for anything else.
POKEMON
Nickname: If applicable
Species:
Gender:
Ability:
Personality:
History:
Last edited:
Changes have been made since then. I hope the exchange student from Hoenn thing isn't going to be an issue... If it is, I can change it. 
