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Night Raven College was an elite magic school second only to Royal Sword Academy, in all but one factor. Night Raven College had the highest amount of sentinels and guides of any primary magic school.
While RSA had a few scattered here or there, most sentinels and guides had their own school specifically for their needs. Night Raven College was the only magic school to have a program for sentinels and guides alongside their obvious curriculum. Perhaps this was owing to the fact the headmage was a sentinel himself or perhaps it was just the fact Night Raven College has always had a high percentage of the illuminated ones.
Illuminated ones, or sentinels and guides, were individuals with greater magic potential but were more likely to face problems with their blot levels. Sentinels were particularly more prone to overblotting because of their immense power and increased senses leading to overwhelm easier. A guide's purpose was to be a lighthouse on a foggy eve for the sentinels, most effective when a sentinel finds “their lighthouse” or the most compatible guide with their personality/magic.
Of course there are exceptions regarding blot production, a guide could build up just as, if not more blot than a sentinel could through guiding incompatible people. Or of course by interacting with extreme emotions whether their own or others through guiding or proximity.
The most well known sentinels of NRC were mostly the housewardens. Riddle Rosehearts, Leona Kingscholar, Kalim Al-Asim, Vil Schoenheit, Idia Shroud and Malleus Draconia. Of course this did include the headmage as well.
The guides however were much more guarded, for their own safety as older sentinels could sometimes be pushy. Between us, just us. The guide's names are:
Ace Trappola, Eskel Trappola, Ruggie Bucchi, Jamil Viper, Azul Ashengrotto, Sebek Zigvolt and professor Crewel who was the main illuminated programs teacher.
Each sentinel had a guide, some did not choose only one guide in situations where they had a low compatibility with guides. Sometimes the most compatible guide is one you do not want, although rarely do sentinels discard their lighthouse, or in layman's terms their soulmate.
After Malleus Draconia’s overblot the school was forced into finding and assigning the most compatible guides to each sentinel. Whether they overblotted or not. It was the dark mirror who determined it. Do you want to know who they were?
Of course you do, but you also deserve to know how they found out, if they knew before the dark mirror.
Riddle Rosehearts, our first to overblot. He found out as one does, by being punched in the face by his lighthouse, Ace Trappola. Ace had been sick of Riddle’s rules and tyranny and led a revolt, causing Riddle’s overblot. How Riddle overcame his overblot was unknown, sentinels do not recover from overblots. But speculation is Ace participating had unconsciously guided Riddle, a lighthouse was after all named that for their ability to bring a sentinel back from the brink. And thusly their relationship grew and deepened and solidified their bond long before the mirror ever deemed them 99% compatible with one another.
Leona Kingscholar, our second to overblot. He had known who his lighthouse was the year before these incidents occurred. His name was Ruggie Bucchi, a current second year. Leona as second prince of the sunset savannah has had many guides his entire life. But none as effective as one hyena beastman. How’d they know you may ask? Well its simple, during spelldrive club training Leona had been dangerously close to overload, or a feral state triggered by overuse of sentinel senses and magic. Pushing beyond your limits and overtaxing your body. Ruggie had grabbed him, and for the first time in his life, guided a sentinel to calm and regulation. Thus they knew long before the dark mirror. Their compatibility was 99%.
Azul Ashengrotto, our third to overblot. He is a guide, a guide without a sentinel at the time. And just as a guide is a sentinel's lighthouse, a sentinel is a guide's comfort place. Now you may think “but he’s a guide, isn’t he meant to stop overblots? How’d he overblot?” we do not have permission to tell you that information. But be aware everyone with magic who accumulates blot by any means, can overblot. Sentinels are simply just more statistically likely. Azul did not know who his destined was, as he had never had the chance to guide him. Who is it you may ask? Why tell you now when we can build suspense? Here’s a hint because we are nothing if not benevolent. They’re in the same club at school.
Jamil Viper, our fourth to overblot. Yet another guide, he had not known who his destined was. But his destined had long known and chose not to tell him. Again, they have chosen to not share their reason for overblotting and the incident. The sentinel Jamil grew up with had never needed guiding since he was lucky and rarely created blot from his magic. We are also told he’s a very positively minded person and we are all well aware of that if you go to school here. Jamil found out about who his sentinel was by the Dark mirror’s confirmation Kalim Al-Asim. We will not disclose their relationship but know it is going well and they have proven an efficient honestly terrifying team. Their compatibility was 97%
Vil Schoenheit, our fifth overblot. A sentinel as mentioned earlier in our post. He had known who his lighthouse was as well. Eskel Trappola. Familiar last name? Yes, his cousin was mentioned earlier in the blog as Riddle Rosehearts guide Ace Trappola. Why did Vil overblot? Simple. From a young age he had been cast in villainous roles and has been bullied and mistreated for something out of his control. An incident occurred which caused his overblot beyond what his guide could handle. Ever heard of blot poisoning? Obviously if you’re not a guide or sentinel you wouldn't understand. We are benevolent here at Night Raven College so we shall divulge and share this tidbit of information for your understanding.
Blot poisoning or “guiding sickness” is a rare case amongst guides in which someone guiding or spirit bonded as a lighthouse who is prone to empathy rather than sympathy takes on their sentinels blot accumulation and it acts as a virus. In the case of overblotting most guides bonded as a lighthouse will join their sentinels in death or should the overblotter survive (rarely if ever although our seven overblots beg to differ.) their guide will survive alongside them carrying forth the same consequences their sentinel receives in the aftermath. A fun fact! Ruggie Bucchi is the other case of blot poisoning to survive and did so before Eskel, but not to the violent degree the half fae experienced, being properly bound together with his sentinel.
The dark mirror declared their bond to be 100% compatible.
Idia Shroud, our sixth and second last to overblot, found out about his lighthouse with the dark mirror, remember Azul? This is his sentinel. Although housewarden Idia would like a reroll on Azul’s behalf with someone else’s luck points that are maxed out because there is no way an SSR+ like Azul would want an otaku like him. In his own words. (HEY! DON’T EXPOSE ME!) sorry housewarden, but Azul deserves to know. (We’re speaking about this later Idia.) Anyway, the housewarden's reasons for overblotting frankly aren’t your business and we aren’t disclosing this on his behalf. Their compatibility was 98%
Malleus Draconia, our seventh and (hopefully 🤞🏻) last overblot. He did not know who his lighthouse was, he had been guided by his parental figure who was a guide for his parents (both of which were sentinels). Once again we are withholding the reasoning for his overblot and skipping straight to his lighthouse. Sebek Zigvolt. He is a half fae, much like Eskel, who we spoke of earlier but forgot to mention he was the half fae. They have known each other since childhood, and are not properly bonded and won't be until Sebek is of age out of respect.
“Hey! What's spirit bonding?” you may ask? That is when a sentinel and their lighthouse bind their souls together through a certain act… and can now only ever guide or be guided by their spirit bound. Whose spirit bonded at Night Raven you ask? I suppose we can tell you each couple's status.
Riddle and Ace: not yet, plan to when they’re 18.
Leona and Ruggie: again not yet, very close likely to be soon.
Azul and Idia: not yet, but will when Azul turns 18. (if Housewarden could type right now he’d be beyond flustered, his hairs pink. Azul-san! Come get your man! He’s dying!)
Kalim and Jamil: would rather not disclose this information so we shall respect their wishes.
Vil and Eskel: already spirit bonded
Malleus and Sebek: again not until Sebek comes of age.
Now we ask everyone's opinions on their partners!
Riddle about Ace: he’s a troublemaker down to the core, but I suppose he can be quite trustworthy and smart when he chooses to. I am grateful he never holds back his opinion with me, it has helped me grow and change for the better.
“Any words for Ace when he reads this?”
Riddle: I suppose, thank you for being my light house, my dear cherry tart.
Oh I just know Ace has gone all pink reading that.
Ace about Riddle: I didn’t like you at first, you were a tiny teapot tyrant and I admit, I didn’t want to guide you ever. But I understand now, and I couldn’t be happier.
“Any words for Riddle when he reads this?”
Ace: thank you for tolerating and loving me my rose, I’d guide you forever after.
Leona about Ruggie: I can’t believe you’re still with me after what happened, but I’m glad you are… I guess.
Leona san then promptly fell asleep before we could ask him anything else, sorry Ruggie san, you know how he is.
Ruggie about Leona: shihihihi
Ruggie senpai was even more tight lipped than Leona, so that's all we’re getting to put in.
Azul about Idia: Idia-san is a smart and capable man and sentinel when he puts his mind to it. (read when he gets out and does something) and I am grateful to guide him.
“Any words for housewarden when he reads this Azul-san?”
Azul: I am grateful that it was you who turned out to be my sentinel Idia, whether you believe it or not. I’d rather no other.
Idia about Azul: Azul-shi is a SSR+ character, he's maxed all his stats, how he was paired with an otaku like me I’ll never know.
“Any words for Azul-san when he reads this housewarden?”
Idia: I’m grateful you’re my player two Azul.
Jamil and Kalim-san both told us to simply put nothing for them although Kalim-san said he’s so very grateful Jamil is his guide and that he’d do anything for him.
Vil about Eskel: Eskel is a hard working and gentle guide, I feel terrible my overblot affected him as well. If I could take it all back, I’d only take back hurting him.
“Any words for Eskel when he reads this?”
Vil: thank you for staying by my side even after you saw the ugliest parts of me poison flower.
Eskel about Vil: Vil is hard on himself and doesn’t deserve all the bullying and verbal abuse he has experienced simply because of his roles in movies and shows.
“Any words for Vil when he reads this?”
Eskel: your beauty goes beneath the skin as well, one day i hope to guide you into seeing it my belladonna.
Malleus about Sebek: Sebek is passionate and steadfast in his loyalty, I am grateful he chooses to stay by my side and serve me both as my retainer, and as my guide.
“Any words for him Malleus-san?”
Malleus: I know you can protect yourself, but you’re my treasure even amongst my hoard.
We’d ask Sebek but we all know he’d go on a long devoted rant about Malleus. Although we did ask him for something he’d like to say to Malleus.
Sebek: It is my honour to serve you Waka-sama, I am even more honoured to be your guide.
We hope this infoblog helped clarify and inform you on the school and the illuminated people.
Signed: Ramshackle and Ignihyde dorm members.