Academy of Ithelion

A

t the Academy of Ithelion, one of the rarest professions in Mirintha is taught. Every year, dozens of Augalai apply to be accepted here. However, only two of them are granted this honor in the end. Why is this academy so sought after, you ask? Because it is the only training institution for Woodwhisperers. This profession is capable of producing the rare and highly sought-after Luzidium wood.

Motto

From trees to treasures

History

The academy was founded in the year 117 of the Third Age. At that time, Alin Valade, a renowned Woodwhisperer, decided to establish a school for training new Woodwhisperers. His goal was to raise the level of training and thus ensure the quality of Luzidium Wood in the future. He initially took in ten Augalai in his home and began their training. Soon realizing that this approach would not yield the desired results, he invited some of his colleagues to share the responsibility with him. Nine other Woodwhisperers answered his call and decided to pass on their knowledge at the academy.

Initially, the approach of a traditional school was followed, where one instructor taught all students in a specific area. However, after a few years, it became clear that this method did not adequately address the students' needs, prompting a course change. Henceforth, in the practical part of the training, a student was explicitly mentored by one teacher throughout the entire training period. For the theoretical part, lessons were given in pairs, which could be further deepened by the mentor where necessary.

Founder

Alin Valade (73-159 3rd ZA) was one of the first Woodwhisperers ever. He is counted among the Augalai who discovered the Menyamar Trees and was significantly involved in the development of Luzidium Wood. There was even consideration to rename the academy in his honor to Valade Academy. However, his descendants made it very clear that this would not have been in his spirit, which is why the plan was abandoned.

You must feel the wood. You must speak with the wood. You must listen to the wood. Only then will you master the process.

— Alin Valade, year 113 of the 3rd Age

Location

As the name suggests, the simple building of the academy is located in the town of Ithelion, a small unassuming town on the edge of Helionde, where the Menyamar Trees grow by the Lake of Sorrow. However, the academy itself is actually about an hour's walk away from Ithelion, situated right among the valuable trees. This avoids unnecessary time wasted by students and teachers commuting between their work and study place and their charges, the Menyamar Trees.

Architecture

The academy has hardly changed since its founding. Only the main house had to be expanded by an additional floor, which was done during the founder's lifetime. It comprises three buildings in total: the residential building, a greenhouse, and the workshop.

In the residential building, the ten Woodwhisperers and the ten trainees live, teach, and learn. The upper floor of the two-story building houses the twenty bedrooms, with those of the Whisperers being significantly larger. The lower floor features a small living room where students can spend their evenings together. Additionally, the dining hall with an attached kitchen and pantry is located on the ground floor. Above all, there are five small classrooms where theory is taught. This includes knowledge about the cultivation and care of the Menyamar Trees, as well as the theoretical foundations for processing the wood. The incantation formulas directed at the goddess Daba during the manufacturing process are also taught and recited repeatedly here. Details about the training process can be found in the chapter "Woodwhisperer" in the volume "Science and Technology" of this book series.

Besides the residential building, there is also a greenhouse, whose outer walls and roof are, of course, largely made of Luzidium Wood. Here, under the supervision of their teachers, the students take care of the cultivation of hundreds, if not thousands, of Menyamar Tree seedlings.

Academy of Ithelion

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The workshop comprises the various workstations necessary for the production of Luzidium Wood. Here, students learn to handle the wood, from raw material to final refinement. The facility itself resembles a mix of a forge and a carpentry workshop. More detailed information about the wood manufacturing process can be found in the chapter "Luzidium Wood," also in the volume "Science and Technology."

Organization

Due to the small size of the school, there are no cumbersome bureaucratic structures. Generally speaking, students have to take care of cleaning, cooking, and necessary shopping alongside their training. The most notable aspect is probably that there is exactly one learner for every teacher. This allows the Whisperers to devote themselves intensively to their protégés and give their training the necessary attention. Ideally, during the five-year training, there are always two students with the same level of knowledge at the academy.

School uniforms

The clothing that must be worn by the students at all times when they are within the school or the Menyamar tree grove, or when performing tasks on behalf of the school outside these areas, is simple and functional.

In the first year, the clothing is dyed in a dark brown that almost borders on black, to remind of the earth in which the trees grow.

In the second year, the clothing changes to a bright yellow, symbolizing the fire used in the purification process.

The light blue clothing of the third year represents the water of the Lake of Sorrow, without which there would be neither Menyamar trees nor Luzidium Wood.

In the fourth year, the students are allowed to exchange their clothing for a light, friendly green. The color is meant to symbolize the young saplings.

In the final year of training, the color changes to a reddish-brown, representing the color of the tree trunks.

What a great selection of colors!

Admission

As mentioned at the outset, only two applicants are accepted each year. As a result, the saying "That's like being accepted into Ithelion" has become common among the Augalai to express that something has a very low probability. Normally, the applicants are at least 25 years old at that time, as they must have already achieved mastery as a forest guardian, carpenter, or an equivalent profession. (We are talking about man-years here. At Augalai age, they would only be five years old at this point.) However, most candidates are around 30 years old and have made a respectable name for themselves in their respective fields. In a multi-stage selection process, the candidates are then reduced to two remaining persons.

I wonder if anyone who is not an Augalai was ever accepted? Maybe I should go there and ask ...

To be accepted into the Academy of Ithelion is a great honor. You have to be among the best of your trade to have a chance. So better study hard now.

— A father to his son who is about to finish his training as a forest guardian

Initially, the applicants must write a detailed motivation letter. Those whose letters are not immediately rejected are allowed to visit the school for a week. During this time, they must demonstrate their skills in their respective field and also participate in regular classes. Those whose skills are deemed sufficiently good must then take a theoretical exam at the end, testing the knowledge gained during the week. In the end, two candidates remain who can start their training or further education to become a Wood Whisperer in the next school year.

Famous Alumni

Tirione Vine

Tirione was the first and so far only student to complete his apprenticeship in just four years.

Ormen Thone

He was the best student ever to pass the exams and immediately after graduation became a new teacher at the academy.

Lasea Geliene

Lasea was the first female student at the academy, in a profession that was until then dominated by men.

Current Reserach

For several years, the water level in the Lake of Sorrow has been decreasing slightly each year. Therefore, the teachers at the academy have set themselves the goal of finding something to replace the water from the Lake of Sorrow. Despite several years of research, they have not yet been successful. The water from the lake seems to be more than just saltwater. However, the research work continues. The risk of eventually being unable to produce Luzidium Wood is simply too great for the Augalai to stop their efforts at this point in time.

Myths

There have been rumors for centuries that the school was originally founded on the orders of Daba herself and that she was the one who revealed the secret of Luzidium wood to the Augalai. However, the Augalai insist that they alone developed the process through long-term experiments. The invocations to Daba are essential, as she is the creator of the Menyamar Trees and thus indirectly of Luzidium Wood.

Another, completely unconfirmed rumor suggests that Daba occasionally accompanies a trainee as a teacher in humanoid form, who then excels through exceptional performance. This rumor is supported by the fact that the teachers with the best graduates mostly leave the academy after the five-year training period.

This is more than suspicious

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TLDR for my players

The academy of Ithelion is a school for Wood Whisperes, located in the kingdom of Helionde.
There is an idiom among Augalai to express that something is really improbable: "That's like being accepted into Ithelion".
No documentation on the current students or staff is available outside of the academy.