History
During his brief reign, King Eric commissioned several civil projects in the hope of transforming Amber into the center of Creation. Inspired by the Royal Library of Alexandria, he ordered the construction of the largest library and center of learning. The project was an impressive and costly one, building deep into Kolvir’s sheer rock face and diverting a mountain river to create the famous Tears of Faiella; a waterfall that bisects the three Pillars of Learning. King Eric named the university to honor his mother and many speculate its partial destruction during Prince Corwin’s first siege may have been the true reason behind the King’s choice to blind his brother.
Before the end of the Interregnum, Faiella University expanded in size, faculty, and student population. Its academic collections also grew as the university’s Wayfinder Foundation acquired numerous tomes and artifacts from throughout Creation. However, the university suffered terribly during Chaos’ Siege of Amber. Almost completely destroyed by fire, the ruins remained left untouched until the reign of King Random. Swayed by his brothers, the Princes Caine & Benedict, the King ordered the university rebuilt over the ruins of its former incarnation. As with its previous incarnation, the university became a haven for scholars and explorers alike, its faculty originating from every corner of Creation, including from the Courts of Chaos. Just as King Eric had imagined with the Hellenistic Library of Alexandria, this infusion of cultures and ideas has transformed Faiella University into an unrivaled center of learning.
Current Faculty
Although this is not a full listing of the extensive faculty working at the university, these are best-known (and, in some cases, feared) professors that students can expect to encounter while on—and sometimes off—campus.
Education
A scholastic career at Faiella University begins at the Baccalaureus stage and continues for approximately three years. The most important focus of the university is the Artes Liberales. As such, in the student’s initial semester they are taught the Trivium (Latin: “The Three Roads”), which is comprised of the first three subjects that form the foundation of the university’s liberal arts education: grammar, logic, and rhetoric. This study is mandatory preparation for the quadrivium and subsequent phases of the curriculum.
- Grammar is the field of linguistics that covers the rules governing the use of any given natural language. It includes morphology and syntax, often complemented by phonetics, phonology, semantics, and pragmatics. Several writing systems are offered in addition to the normal Thari, offering students a broad range of languages.
- Logic is the study of the principles of valid inference and demonstration; i.e., the "mechanics" of thought and analysis. As such, it is considered a branch of philosophy.
- Rhetoric is the art of speaking or writing effectively; the study of principles and rules of composition formulated by critics of ancient times, and the study of writing or speaking as a means of communication or persuasion.
The Quadrivium (Latin: "The Four Roads") is taught in the second semester of a student’s academic career and is comprised of four subjects: arithmetic, geometry, music, and astronomy. It is considered the preparatory work for the master’s level of study.
- Geometry is a part of mathematics concerned with questions of size, shape, and relative position of figures and with properties of space.
- Arithmetic is the oldest and most elementary branch of mathematics, used by almost everyone, for tasks ranging from simple day-to-day counting to advanced science and business calculations.
- Music is an art form in which the medium is sound organized in time. The subject of music within the quadrivium is the classical subject of harmonics, in particular the study of the proportions between the musical intervals created by the division of a monochord. Almost every student learns at least one instrument during their scholastic career.
- Astronomy is the scientific study of celestial objects (such as stars, planets, etc) and phenomena that originate outside Amber’s atmosphere. It is concerned with the evolution, physics, chemistry, meteorology, and motion of celestial objects, as well as the formation and development of Creation as a whole. Advanced courses in Astronomy discuss the celestial interactions of each of the major Shadows, as well as the Pattern’s and Logrus’s influences on these phenomena.
These courses are taught throughout the student’s baccalaureus, but starting with their second year students may begin taking other classes outside of this mandatory curriculum. Architecture, Engineering, Economics, History, Husbandry, the Languages, Literature, Mathematics, Philosophy, Politics, and the Sciences are all offered at Faiella University. However, at the moment, the university is best known for its Law, Medicine, Magick Theory, and Theology departments. It also hosts one of the finest Apothecary schools in Creation.
Having completed the three years baccalaureus, the student may choose to enter the five-year Master’s program and will receive their Magister Artium degree. If they so choose, the student may continue for another two years of highly specialized training in order to obtain their Doctor in (Faculty); the faculty being whatever field they’ve chosen as their speciality.
Uniforms 
Due to Prince Benedict’s martial inclinations and influence over the school’s operations, the mandatory student uniforms at Faiella University have taken on a distinct military flair. They consist of a dark gray jacket with a lighter gray lining and red cuffs on the sleeves, worn over a white collared shirt. During the winter months and formal functions, a full-length black cape with red lining and a stiff, high-backed neck is usually worn over the jacket. Male students wear dark gray pants with a light gray striping and black boots, accented at the hip with a light grey sash. Female students may replace the pants with a dark gray full-length skirt if they wish. The symbol of the Unicorn is worn on the right shoulder, while medals of Honor are pinned on each lapel of the shirt. Colored stripes on the tips of the sash represent the student’s current academic year, following the traditional Roy G. Biv mnemonic, while White indicates the doctoral stage of their education. It is an unspoken rule that students of lower rank will show the appropriate deference to their peers.
School Operation & Statutes
Faiella University is a collegiate university like Oxford and the University of Paris before it. This means that the functions are divided between the central administration of the university and a number of constituent colleges. Faiella University differs from a centralized university in that its colleges are not just halls of residence; rather, they have a substantial amount of responsibility and autonomy in the running of the university. Faculty-elected representatives from each college serve on the university’s governing council, who—along with the Vice-Chancellor—set the standards of education, the curriculum, and hours of instruction. Each term, the Vice-Chancellor meets with the Chancellor (currently Prince Benedict) to discuss funding and administrative issues.
The governing council also works closely with a student senate, who are elected by their peers. In addition to the typical student union body (i.e., President, Treasurer, Secretary, etc.), four Nations (collections of students from specific geographical locations) are represented on the student senate: Amber, the Courts of Chaos, the Golden Circle, and Rebma. Minor Nations from other Shadows do exist, but have little to no power in student affairs due to their great diversity and small memberships. This has not stopped them from throwing their lot into the dangerous world of student politics, however.
The governing council and student senate are also responsible for defining and enforcing the statutes for proper student behavior. These statutes include:
- Students must wear their academic uniforms at all times and cannot add garish accoutrements to the ensemble.
- Students may not bear arms on university property. Possession of weapons other than those used for practice is banned.
- Students are strictly banned from dueling on campus.
- Students may not gamble on campus.
- Students may not drink on campus.
- Students must attend all mandatory school functions.
- Female students must have an escort if they are in the Commons after nightfall.
- Thari is to be spoken at all times, including between classes.
- Familiars must be documented and house-trained.
- With the exception of statutory holidays or school projects, students cannot be absent from class for more than a week.
- Students are strictly prohibited from using offensive magic against fellow students.
Violation of these rules may result in fines, demerits, or expulsion. Note: Violating the use of offensive magic statute can result in immediate expulsion.
