Ivy tried to operate the character panel, only to discover that the Strixhaven Mascot feat came with a prerequisite.
If Ivy wanted to obtain this feat, she also had to select the Strixhaven Initiate feat as a prerequisite. Since she had already decided to make the Art Elemental Mascot her familiar, she wouldn't give up now. After all, it only cost an extra feat slot, which wasn't a big deal for someone like Ivy, who possessed the Perfect Multiclass talent.
Besides, Ivy had already mastered 3rd-level spells, and she would soon gain her next feat slot. Including the six feat slots granted by her dual progression—15 levels in Wizard and 10 levels in Ancient Mage—she now had a total of seven feat slots. Five of them had already been chosen: Eschew Materials, Metamagic Mastery (Twinned Spell, Quickened Spell), Telekinesis (Intelligence +1), Craft Wondrous Item, and Gaze Spell.
Adding the two Strixhaven feats would perfectly fill all her remaining slots.
Since the Strixhaven Mascot required the Initiate feat anyway, Ivy decided she might as well finish reading through the entry. That way, she could gain a better understanding of what Strixhaven was really about.
In addition to the previously introduced Spirit Statue Mascot and Art Elemental Mascot, Strixhaven had three other mascot forms.
The Fractal Mascot appeared as a wondrous creature with strange fractal structures. Its body was entirely composed of solidified light, with its micro- and macro-structures in perfect harmony. It was an artificial lifeform brimming with mathematical elegance.
The Inkling Mascot was a blend of ink and shadow, resembling a small, living inkblot ooze. It was an exceptional assistant in literary studies and thesis writing, and when its master found themselves in combat trouble, it could unfurl into a cloud of ink, much like a squid's ink spray, obscuring enemies' vision.
The Pest Mascot lived in swamps infused with the mingled forces of life and death. Though they looked ugly and spiny, they contained profound truths about vitality itself. Wizards who studied life and death could glimpse the wonders of natural creation through them. For this reason, these paradoxical little creatures proudly represented Witherbloom College.
Mascots symbolized the educational philosophies of their respective colleges. Like Hogwarts, Strixhaven was a world-renowned school of magic.
After spending a little experience to exchange for a copy of the Strixhaven Admissions Brochure, Ivy eagerly read through it.
The booklet explained that Strixhaven was a comprehensive magical university located in the plane of Arcavios. It enthusiastically recruited talented students from across the multiverse.
Its founding mission was: "To discover and preserve magical knowledge and pass it down through generations; to promote the free and open study of all forms of magic; and to use magic to improve the lives of people everywhere."
Similar to Hogwarts' four houses, Strixhaven had five colleges for students to choose from. However, these represented different fields of research, and unlike Hogwarts' Sorting Ceremony, placement was not decided at the very beginning.
All newly admitted students first undertook a year of foundational magical studies. Only after passing the first year's examinations would they be sorted into their chosen college for further specialization.
There were five colleges to choose from, each founded by one of Arcavios' legendary elder dragons.
From the earlier descriptions of the mascots, Ivy had already grasped the broad differences between the colleges. After condensing the information in the admissions brochure, she came to the following conclusions:
First and foremost, each college had a central theme of research, as well as two opposing yet complementary philosophical viewpoints that guided their inquiry. In this university, philosophical debates were never-ending.
Lorehold College focused on the study of history. Students and professors here devoted themselves to exploring the past and carrying its lessons forward. The eternal philosophical debate at Lorehold was between Order and Chaos.
Prismari College treated elemental magic as a form of artistic expression. Students and mentors drew inspiration from visible and invisible elements alike, creating breathtaking elemental spectacles. To them, magic was simply another art. The guiding philosophies were Refinement and Expression—whether art should primarily provoke reflection upon the inner spirit, or help one perceive the grandeur of the external world. Put simply, Prismari's philosophy revolved around the debate of Inner versus Outer.
Quandrix College delved into the mathematical essence of magic, using precise calculations to uncover arcane truths. Its philosophical focus was Substance and Theory: whether mathematics was a reflection of the material world, or merely a conceptual tool devised by theorists.
Silverquill College believed in the power of magic in language itself, teaching rhetoric, poetry, storytelling, and written spellcraft. Lessons are often transformed into speech contests or theatrical performances. Silverquill mages wrestled with the tension between Radiance and Shadow: whether communication should serve to make the world better, or to achieve selfish ends effortlessly. Regardless of their stance, all Silverquill students shared one thing in common—an excellent command of words.
Witherbloom College specialized in the study of life's essence, specifically the cycle between life and death. Witherbloom students' course schedules always included bizarre and fascinating subjects like life sciences, biology, ecology, botany, and alchemy. Their philosophical focus was, of course, Life and Death, more precisely, the ultimate driving force of nature: was it growth, or decay?
The Strixhaven Admissions Brochure was thin, only a few pages long, but from it Ivy could already glimpse the university's educational philosophy.
Unlike Hogwarts' four houses, which concentrated on students' personal traits, Strixhaven was more concerned with magic's philosophical implications for the world. This was a grander theme—one that had drawn countless spellcasters to dedicate themselves to its pursuit.
For such an institution, the title of magical university was more than deserved.
Following that train of thought, Hogwarts, which admitted eleven-year-old children and mainly supplied clerks and employees to magical shops and businesses, seemed more like a magical secondary school—or perhaps even a magical vocational school.
Hogwarts College of Applied Magical Technology?
Ivy quickly shook the thought from her mind and, one by one, selected both Strixhaven Initiate and Strixhaven Mascot on her character panel.