Greannmhar School of Magick
Founded in 1212, the Greannmhar School of Magick is a school for witches and wizards located in Connemara, Ireland.
"Greannmhar" [ˈɡɾʲan̪ˠwaɾ] means "humorous" or "witty" and reflects the playfulness and cleverness often associated with magic, and the school's focus on teaching students to use their magical abilities in creative and innovative ways.
From the outside, it appears like an old church with two belltowers.
Hidden Place
The school is a hidden place, protected from non-magical eyes and appears as the ruin of a church built at the side of a mountain, a river and a small lake. The location cannot be plotted and wards are in place to keep Mundanes away, instilling the feeling that the place is unsafe and should not be approached.
History
The Greannmhar School of Magick has a long and storied history that stretches back over 800 years.
It was founded in 1212 on the ruins of Anlárdraíochta, an earlier school of magic founded in the 6th century by Merlin. The school has faced many challenges over the years, including the witch hunts of the 16th and 17th centuries. Despite these challenges, the school has persevered and remains the preeminent institution of magical learning in the British Isles.
In more recent times, the school has struggled with the rise of dark magic and the increasing danger it poses to the magical community. During Winter's Treachery, the school took a more active role in fighting dark magic, supporting the Wardens in mitigating the threats caused by it, as well as in pursuing Mafalda Wintergale.
Throughout its long and storied history, the Greannmhar School of Magick has remained a bastion of magical learning and a symbol of the power and resilience of the magical community in the British Isles.
Layout
The true secret of Greannmhar is the fact that it is not located in one place. While the grounds and entrance are in Connemara, parts of it are located in the Burren, the Wicklow Mountains and other locations. Not only are each of these locations hidden places, they are also built in loctions that are very difficult or even impossible to reach on foot. These parts are also shifted slightly back in time a couple of weeks or months, while the entrance in Connemara remains in the present. The parts are connected through liminal pathways, which manifest as doors allowing seamless transition between distant locations. In case of danger, these portals can be closed, completely separating the locations from each other.
School Grounds
The school grounds are located at the shores of a lake and feature a small dock for boats, often used to travel between Greannhmar and Glenmoor, a Wyrdball arena and a large garden.
School Uniforms
Students of Greannmhar are obligated to wear school uniforms during class and while on school grounds. If leaving the grounds during their spare time, they may change into more casual clothing.
The uniforms comprise shirts with long, white sleeves, trousers or a skirt, a cape with patterns stitched onto it, resembling the student's Coven and optionally scarf in the Coven's color and a jacket. The cape's clasp has the Coven's emblem.
Coven
The school's students are sorted into Coven. The sorting is done by an oracle at the beginning of the student's first year. Each Coven represents certain attributes and properties. In Greannmhar, the Coven are named after the five magical elements.
Coven of Fire
This Coven focusses on traits such as ambition, passion and bravery. Often associated with energy, strength and determination, students of thsi Coven are driven to succeed and excell in their studies and quest for power.
The Fire Coven's color is red, it is headed by Jolene Holmwoode.
Coven of Water
The Coven of Water focusses on traits like adaptability, intuition and empathy. Water is often associated with fluidity, emotion, and intuition, so students of this Coven are skilled at understanding others and adapting to new situations. They may also excel in subjects like divination and potions, which require keen intuition and understanding of emotions.
The Water Coven's color is blue.
Coven of Wind
This Coven is known for its members' curiosity, creativity and pursuit of knowledge. They often have an affinity for divination, and excel at charms and transfiguration.
The Wind Coven's color is yellow and it is currently headed by Oumar Ag Elhadj.
Coven of Earth
Characterized by steadfastness, loyalty and strong sense of duty, members of the Earth Coven are focussed on the practical aspects of magic and are skilled in defensive spells and potion-making.
The Earth Coven's color is green, it is headed by Siegfried Eberwulf.
Coven of Spirit
This coven is comprised of students who are unique in their abilities or interests. They might have a natural talent for a particular type of magic or be drawn to esotheric subjects. Spirit students are also known for their independence and unconventional thinking.
The Spirit Coven's color is white, it is headed by Niamh O'Ferrell.
Locations
Entrance Hall
Greannmhar's entrance hall is a large area with several doors to either side, leading into different areas of the school. A set of large double doors leads into the Merlin Hall. Two flights of stairs lead up to a balcony with additional doors and access to the towers. Several statues are placed around the hall, at the center is a statue of three large hares performing acrobatics. The hares change their position every now and then.
Merlin Hall
Merlin Hall is a banquet hall which can be reached through Greannmhar's entrance hall. It is a large room with wooden tables and benches, enough to seat around 1000 students. This is where celebrations are held, and where students eat breakfast, lunch and supper. Tunnels are running through the thick wood of the tables, leading to hatches which rattus faber to reach seated students and take their order. Food is prepared in the kitchen and then magically placed onto the tables.
Library
Greannmhar's library is a large area comprising several corridors lined with shelves full of books. Several displays are dotted around the corridors, showcasing special items or books. At the center of the library is a lectern on a raised pedestral, where Nethraal can usually be found, ready to help students and teachers find what they need. Students may take any book they need from the library. The library automatically remembers who took which book, and it also knows when a book was damaged.
A portrait of Bridget O'Connell hangs in the library.
Dormitories
Dormitories are where the students live when they are not in classes or roaming the area. Each dormitory is separated into three floors. The upper floor is the study area, the middle floor is the common area and the lower floor has the bedrooms and bathrooms.
Each Coven has their own dormitory which have a similar layout but different decorations. The dormitories are designed to be comfortable and are located in different areas within Britain. The Spirit Coven's dormitory is located within the Wicklow Mountains.
The entrance to the Spirit dormitory is through a door on the balcony, leading into the spiral staircase of the right-hand tower. Students need to climb 326 steps to reach the dormitory.
Classroom - Astronomy
The Astronomy classroom is located on top of the left tower, right beneath an observatory. It is a large room with several models of planets, the solar system and the night sky. The classroom is located in a tall building somewhere London, but the observatory is on top of a mountain.
Classroom - History of Magic
The History classroom's walls are covered in living portraits of historically relevant individuals. The room is located at the shores of a lake.
Classroom - Language Studies
The Language Studies classroom is probably the most normal looking classroom in Greannmhar, with several rows of benches in front of a black board. The classroom is located within a mountain range.
Classroom - Philtromancy
The Philtromancy, or potion making classroom, has several stations with brewing equipment, as well as shelves, cupboards and cabinets filled with ingredients. It seems to be located within the ruins of a castle.
Classroom - Spellcasting
The Spellcasting classroom has several double desks and stools, the walls are lined with cabinets and closets holding various objects used for training spells. The room is lit by several spherical magic lamps hanging from the ceiling. The classroom is located within dense forest.
Black Room
The Black Room is a room with no windows, its walls are lined in blackrock. It was designed to train spells and other types of magic that should not be used without supervision and training. Various objects can be summoned from within the walls and floor of the room. There is always a master assigned to the room who will supervise any training.
Greenhouse
The Greenhouse is a huge renaissance-style glass building housing countless magical plants from all over the world. It is capable of creating small areas with different conditions to allow plants with different requirements to thrive. The outside is surrounded by flower beds, herbal gardens and trees. An outdoor classroom with tables and benches was constructed under a large tarp. It is here where students are instructed in herbology.
The greenhouse is located somewhere in a forest clearing.
Broom Practice Court
Accessible through a door next to the Greenhouse, the Broom Practice Court is the courtyard of an old castle with several floating rings that can be summoned and rearranged at will. Here students will learn how to ride brooms and practice their flying.
Adraball Field
A medium sized Adraball play field is located behind the school.
Oracle Room
The Oracle Room appears to be a broom closet on the lower floor of the entrance hall. The room's layout changes depending on the student entering it. Multiple students are able to enter the room and will find themselves alone in whatever environment the room seems fit to create for them. This is usually an environment that makes them feel at ease.
Within the room dwells an oracle whose nature is known to only a few individuals. The Oracle also takes the shape of something pleasant and will decide which Coven would be most suited for a student.
Kathrin Summerdale experienced the room as a beautiful, dreamy garden with the Oracle itself taking the shape of a snowy owl sitting on a garden chair. Lycia Wintergale, on the other hand, met the Oracle in the form of a frog in an old forest.
Grandmaster's Office
The Grandmaster's office is at the end of the wing where all the masters have their living quarters.
The Round Table
The Round Table is a room that remains from the original Anlárdraíochta. It is located underground, but enchanted stained glass gives the appearance of daylight entering the room. Named after its round shape and the sword patterns on the ground, the original name of the room was lost. During Anlárdraíochta's time, it served as a gathering and ball room, similar to Merlin Hall. During the early days of Greannmhar, it was used for magic duels, and later converted into a multi-purpose room by students for various functions. In 2023, the existance of the room was mostly forgotten.
Basement
The basement contains all the necessary facilities to support the school, from kitchen to laundry room to storage. The basement is also the realm of the Artisan Rats that serve as the school's domestic workers. Their village is located at the back of the kitchen.