Arcane University
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The Arcane University, located in the Imperial City, is the seat of power for the Mages' Guild on Cyrodiil.
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[edit] Architectural Design
The Arcane University is located on the City Isle, within one of the two small towers situated to the east of the main White Gold Tower. The walls of the University form a circular area, outside the main city walls, of roughly the same area as the innermost circle of the Imperial City, Green Emperor Way. The layout is similar to the Imperial Prison, located in the northeastern tower, consisting of a single circular wall, surrounding an open grassy area with the main tower situated slightly off-center in the middle of the area. The university layout includes a second, much larger building immediately behind the tower, which houses the Imperial Orrery.
The Arch-Mage's Tower is a smaller version of the massive White Gold Tower, approximately the same size and shape as the Imperial Guard towers found around the outside edge of the Imperial City proper. It's key distinguishing feature is the cone-shaped addition to the top of the tower, which houses the Arch-Mage's personal quarters. The tower also contains the Mages' Guild council chambers, and at the lowest level, a small lobby. The lobby is the only section of the tower open to the public.
The majority of the University grounds are located behind a thick wall, and are off-limits to visitors. The main tower sits precisely in the center of this wall, atop a raised walkway. Large iron gates extend out from the tower along the walls, and will only open for Mages' Guild members of at least Apprentice rank. Non-members are permitted into the tower lobby, where a few guild members are usually found, but cannot exit into the university grounds or Orrery.
As with the rest of the Ayleid city, the walls around the outside of the University house a number of buildings, most of which are two stories with no basement. There is a small Imperial watchtower near the back of the university, shorter than those in the city proper, which is home to the Imperial Battlemages patrolling the university grounds. The only gate through the walls leads to the northwest, to a short footbridge leading to a gate into the Arboretum.
[edit] Access to the University
Access to the university grounds is granted upon reaching Apprentice rank in the Mages' Guild. This rank is bestowed upon you be Raminus Polus, after completing all of the recommendation quests. At this point, both the iron gates outside of the tower, and the two rear doors from the tower lobby, will open. This grants the apprentice access to most of the campus services as well; though the buildings themselves are open to Mages' Guild associates, such low ranking members would normally be unable to reach them.
The upper floors of the tower itself are off-limits to lower level guild members. Access to these floors is through teleporter pads found in the lobby. The pads are similar to the teleportation system used by the Morrowind guild halls, but those in the university are keyed to a single permanent destination, and activate automatically. Once you reach the rank of Evoker, you are granted access to the second floor, which holds the council chambers. The Arch-Mage himself, and the other two council members (Irlav Jarol and Caranya, are found here most of the time. The top floor of the tower holds the private chambers of the Arch-Mage himself, so you will not be given access to this floor until you ascend to that rank.
There are a couple of ways to enter the main university grounds without being a Mages' Guild Apprentice. With a high enough Acrobatics skill (extremely high, well over 100), the wall itself can be scaled. Doing so involves jumping from the parapet nearest the Arch-Mage's lobby, onto the lobby roof itself, then several more jumps over the wall. You will drop down a considerable distance, and take damage even at higher skill levels. You can also wait outside the lobby for one of the NPCs that regularly walks in and out of the university to open the gate, and follow them in. However, even if you manage to get onto the grounds, none of the buildings will open unless you are already a Mages' Guild member (You could, however, harvest the wide variety of plants here, as well as loot the barrels). Another way to gain entrance into the university without being an Apprentice is to use the paintbrush glitch. You should have a decent Acrobatics skill (at least 50) and 10 to 20 paintbrushes. Drop one, jump on top of it, and drop another. Repeat until you get to the top, then jump off. Another way of doing this requires less Acrobatics skill. You need some paintbrushes. Go to the ledge near the left-hand-side iron gate (upon entering the Arcane University area). Drop a paintbrush, jump on it, then repeat until you are high enough to jump on the roofing above that gate. Now jump and move sideways until you are over the top. Landing on the ledge on the other side prevents most, if not all damage.
[edit] Services
The Arcane University provides a number of services that cannot be found anywhere else in Cyrodiil. In addition, the guild members who reside in the university are a wealth of information for the aspiring mage. ((Numbers) indicate the position on the map to the right.)
[edit] Praxographical Center
The Praxographical Center (2) is the home to the spell crafters of the Mages' Guild. It contains several Altars of Spellmaking, and a number of dedicated spell vendors.
[edit] Mystic Archives
- Main Article: Mystic Archives
The Mystic Archives (3) is the central repository of Mages' Guild knowledge in Cyrodiil. It is a vast library, containing many books that cannot be found anywhere else on Tamriel. The archives are run by Tar-Meena, a repository of arcane knowledge. A number of quests, including part of the Main Quest, require you to find books here, or speak to Tar-Meena herself (who sometimes can be found in the lobby).
[edit] Chironasium
The Chironasium (7) provides enchantment services to guild members. The building contains several Altars of Enchanting, where mages can use soul gems to add enchantments to their mundane items. This building is also notable for its caretaker, Delmar, who assists all novice mages in obtaining their Mage's Staff.
[edit] Lustratorium
The Lustratorium (8) is the main alchemical center of the University. It includes a few alchemy books, and is run by Julienne Fanis, a noted alchemical researcher.
[edit] Orrery
- Main Article: Orrery
The Imperial Orrery is one of the few working observatories on Tamriel, although it is in need of repairs. You can reach the Orrery, once Bothiel has fixed it, through the Arch-Mage's Lobby. The orrery can also tap into the arcane power of the moons to grant observers special powers. (To access the orrery you must own and have completed the Orrery .)
[edit] Other Buildings
In addition to the services provided by the university, there are a number of other buildings and areas available for general use.
In the tower itself, the bottom floor foyer contains the Arch-Mage's lobby (9). This is the main audience chamber for higher ranking guild members, and the only area of the University that is open to the public. Master-Wizard Raminus Polus, the second highest ranking member of the guild, is usually found here holding audiences. Whenever you are sent to talk to a university staff member, they are likely found in the lobby during some portion of the day. The lobby also holds the only entrance to the Imperial Orrery. The second floor of the university tower is the chambers for the Council of Mages, and the three council members are usually found here. The top floor of the university tower houses the quarters of the Arch-Mage himself. In addition to the standard bed and storage, the arch-mage has access to his own personal altars of spellmaking and enchanting, as well as an enchanted chest which can replicate alchemical ingredients.
Mages' Guild members can make use of the Mage Quarters (4), which includes a number of beds on the second floor, and houses a few rare items on the first floor. There are also dedicated Practice Rooms (6) containing targets for spell practice.
Outside of these buildings, on the main university grounds, there is a lecture area that is frequently used by instructors to teach classes of approximately a half-dozen students. At other times, various guild members can be found wandering the grounds, or sitting in the open area park benches. As Arch-Mage, you can request for one of these guild members to follow you and fight at your side. In addition, near the entrance to the Lustratorium is a garden full of various plant species, some of them only found in distant parts of Cyrodiil.
The Imperial Battlemages have their own guard tower (5) at the back of the university. The main entrance, on the north-west side in the public area, leads to the City Isle and a foot bridge to the Arboretum (1).
