Magic College Graduation

After four years of study at the Magic College of Zephys, the sixteen students in a class (or at least as many of them left alive by the end) are brought to the Magic College Arena for a ceremony.

Graduation Exam

The day prior to the ceremony, the students gather one last time in their classroom for the written exam, where their knowledge of history and everything else they learned is put to the test. The highest scorers on this become Academic Valedictorian, Academic Salutatorian, etc. They are not, however, the true Valedictorian or Salutatorian of the class.
This test is mostly a formality, since it is an academic institution, but very few people have been barred from graduation for failing the exam, as they must truly flunk it for that to be a consideration.

Kilprax Ildial by Jarhed

Due to heavier academic backgrounds, the Academic Valedictorian is often a Tamdian Draconian, an Elf from Camor, or a Dwarf from one of the Dwarven cities, though this is more a pattern than a hard rule, as other species have just as high a chance, just being outshined often by those raised around prominent schools around the world.

The Graduation Ceremony

People from around the world gather into the arena. Largely it is citizens of Zephys and surrounding Draconian villages like Bortan and Yirthum, but prominent figures from around the world will often come to see the tournament. After all, this is where the biggest names often come from, so people come to see those that will shape the future of Totania.
Often, many of these notable figures will offer the graduates opportunities, meet them and gain connections, or are there to cheer on those they are already familiar with. It is a step towards a career for these graduates as much as it is closure for their tenure of study.

Celebration of the Draconians

As the school was founded as a Draconian institution in traditionally Draconian land, it also serves as a showing of Draconian pride in their villages. The host city of Zephys does not participate in this, as their contribution is everything else in the ceremony, but the villages of Bortan, Evity, Ealla, Tamd, and Yirthum do.

The First Magic College Tournament

In the year -773, under Grand Wizard Kilprax Ildial, the first graduating class of the Magic College held their tournament. The initial ceremony was short, a small celebration of the villages with speeches from their Chiefs, then a speech from Kilprax himself.
After that, the tournament began, with sixteen Draconian students battling in a much less refined structure than what would evolve later on from its foundation.
The results of it were as follows, with the placings of the students and their villages of origin:

1. Cruldor Daxur- Bortan


2. Oldruuk Uphal- Tamd


3. Forthash Saxan- Evity


4. Aampeal Ildial- Evity


5. Driarderoc Wulvull- Ealla


6. Teccok Tilrak- Bortan


7. Laarthan Durzire- Yirthum


8. Vixan Lealred- Bortan


9. Cramtel Nurdesh- Tamd


10. Tholthal Aligar- Zephys


11. Elxis Lormorn- Evity


12. Vurnush Jinyax- Yirthum


13. Occin Otiwunax- Zephys


14. Neforian Questus- Ealla


15. Satrin Myathuluc- Yirthum


16. Tobor Tuldad- Ealla

This tournament set the precedent, being the ideal tournament for future organizers to emulate, though it was far from perfect.

It begins with a march, as Bortanni warriors specially chosen by the Village Chief march through the Magic College Arena, followed closely by Evity Skeletons raised by the Village Chief of Evity. If the Village Chief of Evity is not a Necromancer, then the chosen Necromancer of the Chief does it. Behind the Evity Skeletons march an army of Elven soldiers stationed in Yirthum. This has caused much disdain from the Draconian people, as Yirthum is occupied by Elves as a puppet state, but there is nothing that can be done about it in the parade, and some have embraced the inclusion of Elves due to their history with the Draconians and the Magic College.

Oldruuk Uphal by andreaspsillos4

Between these military forces, so that they do not break out into battle during the celebration due to their disdain for each other, chosen bands of Eallan bards march, playing music to accompany the celebration. These bands are chosen not by the Village Chief of Ealla, but by winning competitions in Ealla throughout the year. If a graduating student is an Eallan, they are allowed to lead the bands in song.
Of the original five villages, Tamd is the only one to not march, as they wish to represent their isolation and distance from the other villages geographically and culturally, so instead they have their alchemists prepare fireworks to go off at the beginning of the ceremony and end of the tournament. Throughout the parade, fireworks go off, and some say it is a Tamdian attempt to distract from the other villages.
The Yirthumites at the end carry three enchanted medals for the Valedictorian and Salutatorian, the final being for the one to place third in the class. The enchantments are simple good luck enchantments that are meant to help them in the future. The medals are placed on the wall of the arena to be grabbed after the tournament has ended.
After the year 560, for the first graduating class of 564, when the Magic College reopened alongside the newly founded villages of Ilder, Dembar, and Waire, new traditions were made for the celebration. Ilderian Druids made bouqets of flowers and other plants, which would be carried out by animals controlled by Dembarian Beastmasters. The Vampire Hunters of Waire would march alongside the Bortanni Warriors, Evity Skeletons, and Elven soldiers of Yirthum as another prominent fighting force of the Draconian Villages.
The Grand Wizard, who also serves as headmaster of the Magic College, then gives a speech about how the school itself has been, the last four years for the world and the students, emphasizing afterwards how the last year has been, and finishing it out by talking about the graduating class.

Introduction of the Students

This speech is followed by the two Professors in charge of the class, the Magic History Professor and Magic Theory Professor, introducing the class one-by-one as they wait under the arena, coming out and waving to those present.
The introductions include their name, where they come from, notable accolades and past achievements, what they have done at the Magic College, and their placement in the class rankings throughout the four years.
An example is as follows:

Captain Hadon Leran by Jarhed

"Introducing Captain Hadon Leran, from the gilded city of Camor.
Son of Captain Commander Narkard, Hadon served as the Marshal of the World Court during the Class internships, stopping conflict in Vitroveil during his third year, and in his fourth year being a leading figure in the Elven Civil War.
His sparring partner these past four years has been the Devil Silentium. During his first year, Hadon placed fifth overall in his class overall. During his second year, he placed thirteenth, and finally last year he placed first.
Due to his skill, knowledge, strength, and training, Hadon is the current favorite to win the tournament. Put your hands together for Captain Hadon!"

The students simply come out individually and then stand together in a line. Then, they all hear the rules for the tournament, are congratulated for their four years at the academy, and go sit in the stands.

Graduation Tournament

What follows is the main attraction for the crowd: the Graduation Tournament. The sixteen students are put in a random order, and participate in one-on-one battles against each other. There are 30 battles overall, with the first round consisting of eight, then splitting into a winners bracket and losers bracket. Those that lose once head to the losers bracket, and if one loses twice, they are eliminated from the tournament.

Ordoth Mardaar by fyrcracker

In the end, it comes down to three fighters. The final match of winners bracket are the two finalists, and the loser of that match fights the winner of losers bracket.
Whoever wins that match takes on the winner of winners bracket in the final round, which determines the Valedictorian (the winner) and Salutatorian (the loser). Before that final round, any Valedictorians and Salutatorians present in the audience are asked to go into the arena and choose one of the final combatants to support, taking them into the back to give advice to, offer support, or simply just chat with.

Valedictorian Speech

After the tournament has concluded, the Valedictorian is asked to give a speech to the crowd. This speech can be about anything, though often they thank their parents, classmates, and mentors for helping them to get this far and announce their plans after graduation.
These Valedictorians are then said to suffer from the Curse of the Valedictorian, which means they are fated to tragedy of some sort.

Interruptions

Often, the tournament is interrupted. It is a known phenomena that many Valedictorians are never able to give the speech, as an attack or event of some kind keeps the speech from happening. Some tournaments don't even get official ends, though often those present try to wrap up the trouble quickly so that the event may conclude accordingly.