Institute Grounds

In an isolated cavern connected via a tunnel that is still in under construction to the Library of Carnal Knowledge is the Institute Grounds, straight ahead is the grand building known as the Institute Center, a smaller path heads to the right to a bookstore, and to the left are the claw like Wizarding Towers.

Description

The grounds of the institute are on the other side of Library of Carnal Knowledge, on the side of the once hidden grand entrance of the Library of Carnal Knowledge, directly ahead in the same style is the façade of the main college building. A fountain sits between the two buildings, path circling around it, and grass and benches providing multiple options to sit and talk. The grass underfoot does not seem to be able to survive elsewhere, nor the trees, and instead of the green of most plans, or even other solid colors, the plants is a dynamic pattern of dim radiant lights that change between curtains, rays, spirals, dynamic flickers, or other auras through the growths. Another path goes off to the right ending into stone, perhaps something yet remains hidden, another path heads towards the wizarding towers.

The fountain itself bares a center statue, an Avoral in a sharp suit, above them, a shinning burning ball of energy. Although the light is bright and warm, it carries no effects of the sun or moon, yet the grass underfoot seems to thrive. Now and again, whisps of lost or stray magic from students, or other sources, can be traced, swallowed and consumed by the energy. Casting magic in the area feels a bit more difficult, sluggish, but nothing impossible.

Above the door to the Institute building is set the stone crest of the institute appears split into four sections upon fields of white, the separation appears to be done in the style of a waving banner, some sort of archaic text written across it. Each section is adorned with a different charge, illustrating a unique magical concept, although the original meanings have been lost: two Wands or staves each with a bulbus orb at one end and crossed as if in duel, a tome of arcane knowledge, emblazoned with symbolic lettering upon it's open pages, a shape not unlike a revolver in silhouette, but of more... bulbus nature, with a crystal clearly extending where the hammer might be, and a symbolic representation of the philosopher's stone, held within a beaker.

The Artificial Sun

The burning ball of energy has been called an artificial sun, though it carries none of the magical properties of such. While plant life seems to thrive in the area, it is notable that plants brought from outside struggle to survive, and plants brought to other parts of the dungeon die off.

Another notable property of the Artificial Sun is that magic performed under its light feels sluggish and slow to react, it tends to be weaker and wild magic never seems to sparks out. Those who get closer to the artificial sun will find magical items and spells cease to work.

The working hypothesis by Lazuli is that the artificial sun is a safety measure to prevent otherwise out of control magic from being let loose, particularly with the number of living magic spells that were in the area before it was re-enabled. However, the affects on the plant life, and the nature of the energy it produces, and the actual methods involved are all on Lazuli's list of items to study.

History

The ancient history of Institute of Lecherous Learning is shaded, the journals and maps that Lazuli have found indicate that the Institute comprised of multiple buildings. Having to use comprehend languages to understand the labels of the map, it was discovered the Library of Carnal Knowledge was marked 'building housing books for study and fun', the building that would take the name Institute of Lecherous Learning was labeled in what translated to 'center of student service and education', and the cluster of buildings currently known as Wizarding Towers was labeled upon the map as 'The Hand of the Universe', although the reasoning for this is unknown as it seems to break the patterns otherwise noticed.

Other buildings were marked, but are either unexcavated, were destroyed, or simply did not make it to Paradisium, upon the maps that Lazuli has they are labeled 'selling of material for study', which was at some point destroyed as it was found to be a foundation and rubble. Four other buildings are located as such that their fates are not as well known. The first unknown building is labeled 'Esoteric study of the reunition of the divine form and deriving the natural world.' The second building is labeled as 'Study of the threads of everything through raw material that is to be woven.' The third building is labeled as 'Mechanization of the woven material into the benefits of general populations.' The fourth building is labeled as 'Ur-example of educational studies of foundational text and study.'

Lazuli discovered and founded the Institute of Lecherous Learning, based off the maps, and with funds raised from the denizens of Paradisium to fund exploration and reconstruction. The Institute of Lecherous Learning was stripped of rotting and destroyed furniture and relics, those that seemed that they could be salvaged were documented and set aside for further study.

Meanwhile, despite plans to renovate the Institute Grounds, the artificial sun seemed to burn away the old, dead plants and new plants grew rapidly, and new furniture was setup, rooms were made into lecture halls and offices, and Lazuli opened the Institute officially. A few months later, Lazuli paid to have the foundation cleared off, and opened the Institute's Book Store.

Lazuli is not stopping in her plans for the Institute, between exploration and study of the Institute Undercrofts, learning more of the Wizarding Towers and unlocking the secrets of the other three, investigation into the artificial sun, and planning for additional excavations to uncover the remaining lost buildings, if they still exist.