[justify]All important threads are located here. Please read the rules and check the other threads as well, because they all have certain signifigance to the site. If you get lazy and don't read them all, you might not get the nicest reception if you make an obvious mistake.[/justify]

[justify]If we do some sort of major change, we generally send a PM to notify everyone about it, but just in case, there's this board as well. Everything that's announced with significant importance to the site will be placed under this board.[/justify]

[justify]This has been given it's own board because activity checks are drastically overlooked. Please don't neglect posting in them when they're up and running, as I'd hate to accidentally delete one of our active members. And if you're going to be away for a while, warn us.[/justify]

[justify]Have something that you'd like to say about the site? We're always looking to improve, so we appreciate outside (and inside, members!) critique. Just make sure to be nice, or you'll be overlooked. But hey, everyone likes positive feedback as well! Feel free to tell us if you love the site. Guests welcome![/justify]

[justify]The thread archive is a place where all the inactive and complete threads will go so that they can be moved out of the way to make room for new and active threads. They will be kept under separate boards, however, so that you can distinguish between the two.[/justify]

[justify]Before you create a character, you should ensure that you have read all of the threads under this board as well as the 'important threads' board. It's ridiculous the amount of people complain about something that they would have found if only they'd done a little exploring!

Things such as the face claim will be kept under this board. Keep in mind that you must WAIT UNTIL ACCEPTANCE to post under this board! Any claims made before your character has been approved will be deleted, likely pissing off the admin that had to delete them.

[justify]Surround yourself with a circle of friends, and you'll never be bored again. This board includes phones, instant messaging, and diaries/blogs. Keep in mind when writing that diaries are personal to the character, but blogs are public and can be commented on.[/justify]

[justify]Some people prefer the short, to-the-point plot ads, while others adore the fancy plot pages. Plot pages are generally for quickly establishing relationships, while you can actually discuss ideas in a plot ad. If you want both, by all means, go for it![/justify]

[justify]You can request a few things under this board. Character requests are for those that want a friend, sibling, or other significant role in their character's life filled. Thread requests are for those eager to RP. And plotting requests are for those of you that have a great idea in mind, but no one else to play it out with yet.[/justify]

[justify]If you need a place to keep track of your active and past threads, this is a great place to put a tracker thread. You don't have to make a template, but if you insist on having a fancy one, Caution's a good place to look. Keep in mind to change the thread URL's when a thread goes inactive and moves.[/justify]

[justify]This board is for stand-alone posts (or even full threads, if you wish!) that happened in the past. As this RPG is set on a specific timeline, threads can only be in the present when made in the board. This solves that problem. Note: If you want a future thread, go right ahead. Just mark it clearly as such.[/justify]

[justify]These are the dormitories of the fire students. Located in the dungeons, the air is sweltering with heat, and the stone walls are hot to the touch. Don't be caught hanging around here at night, they don't like to be disturbed.[/justify]

These are the dormitories of the thunder students. They are located in one of the two tallest turrets, up in the clouds. The clouds surrounding the windows are usually storm clouds because of the energy charged in the occupants of the dorms.

These dormitories are also located underground, but just underneath the lake. The ceiling is clear, and the water creates alluring patterns on the wall. The air is damp and moist here. In case anyone is worried--yes, they do frequent checks to ensure the ceiling won't shatter and send the wrath of the lake upon the water students.

The Earth dormitories are actually accessed from cellar on the first floor, leading via tunnel onto the grounds and into an underground hollow. Plants grow from the earthen walls and a fragrant scent hangs in the air. There is also an alternate entrance on the grounds themselves, which is the one usually used when the weather is nicer.

While the thunder dorms are located in one of the largest turrets, the wind dorms are located in the other. Clouds completely obscure this area, drawn closer by the aura the wind students give off.

These courses are for the highschool students, grades nine through twelve. Only post in these if you're in the required grade - or else you've been given outside permission by a staff member. Official classes will be marked as such, all others are merely filler threads.

College is, by no means, a mandatory path. In fact, most students choose to leave immediately after grade twelve, sick after four years of forcing themselves to the limit. However, if you're one of those select few willing to push that little bit further, you could be on the way to elemental mastery.

[justify]Every winter near the end of December, the junior and senior prom is held at the Academy. As the name suggests, only eleventh and twelfth graders are allowed by default though their date can be from any grade (from ninth to a college senior if they so wish). The mess hall is decorated lavishly and the tables are cleared out. Careful, though, as special celebrations do not necessarily mean that all the elements will get along![/justify]

Since the Academy is a school where the students must live-in, like a boarding school, there has to be some place for them to get food. Most kids tend to sit in groups with their element, but seating is not prearranged; there are several tables scattered across the large hall.

Since the Academy was built in a castle, there's no shortage of rooms and hallways. A small portion of the Academy classrooms are now abandoned, and students sometimes use them to practice their powers - or get up to no good. Fights sometimes break out in the hallways, as crossing paths with a rival is sometimes unavoidable.

[justify]The washrooms are not communal, so of course there are separate ones for both the guys and girls. There is one bathroom for each gender on every floor of the Academy excluding the dungeons. Seeing as the building is a boarding school, the washrooms are kept very clean by the maintenance staff.[/justify]

In a school such as the Academy of the Elements, injury is almost always unavoidable. And some of the injuries cannot be explained, so the Academy has their own medical wing to treat their wounded. For some issues, however, students are shipped to the hospital in Maple Hollow.

If you need a good book on a certain subject, you can be almost positive that the library of the Academy of the Elements has something just right. It's massive, with hundreds upon thousands of books on just about any subject you could imagine. It is located in one of the towers and goes up several floors, with massive windows surrounding it that face the outside.

Remember your creepy basement back home? Multiply that horrific room by about a hundred times, and you've gotten close to what the dungeons look like to most of the student body. Darker student groups such as fire and thunder can often be found lurking down here, and if you aren't careful when walking alone, you might find yourself in a spot of trouble. Old cells litter the place, as it was obviously in use years ago, and some skeletons still lie in piles of bones in their prison.

Been acting up again? You must have been, in order to end up in here. Or else you may have been wrongfully accused--possibly framed? Many students quickly become regulars here when they think they can get away with rule breaking.

Step outside of the wide double doors that are the entrance to the academy, and you find yourself on a nice, well-kept lawn. A few trees provide shade for students that like to do homework outside or stand chatting with friends. The lake lies to the northwest, and the wilderness to the east.

Lying slightly to the northwest of the sweeping green lawn, the large lake of the Academy sits at the foot of the large cliffs used for raves and parties. Sand covers part of the shore, creating a pleasant beach for students that want to do a little sunbathing. Careful you don't get burnt!

Located at the very edge of the Academy ground perimeter, a cliff rises out from behind the lake. In the early days of the school, earth students carved a rough trail up the side so that students could climb and enjoy the veiw. The present day population often holds parties here at night, when they can sneak away from the school.

[justify]As the Academy is in a castle, it only made sense for them to utilise the old bell tower for something purposeful. It clangs loudly and obnoxiously at different intervals during the day to symbolise the start and end of classes. It‘s possible to climb the tower and look out the windows onto the grounds, but only the maintenance staff can get into the bell chamber.[/justify]

[justify]The central courtyard of the castle is paved with a light cobblestone. It appears not to bear any effects of the weather, this due to the maintenance done by the Earth faculty members. There are a few statues as well as a fountain, and some benches for the students to sit.[/justify]

[justify]Undoubtedly a favourite haunt of the Earth elementals, the gardens are picturesque and filled with a variety of rare and exotic flower hybrids. As Fire elementals used to sabotage the gardens out of anger, vandalism or tampering with the foliage is now a punishable offence.[/justify]

Formerly just called 'the forest' by the inhabitants of the Academy, a recent discovery of dangerous animals dubbed it a new nickname, which stuck. Students below the age of sixteen are forbidden to enter, and even the older students are cautioned to keep back.

These are the most expensive (and they mean expensive) houses in Maple Hollow. Most of them feature beautiful landscaping, multiple floors, and a pool. There's privacy, too, because your neighbors, while still in sight, aren't quite flanking you. There's a small crime rate, but most can afford security measures, so it's not much of a concern for them.

Though more modest than the flashy homes of the upper-class neighbourhood, the residences in the middle-class area of Maple Hollow are functional and much nicer than the shabby downtown ones. Many are family homes or nicer apartments than the ones in the centre city.

The most lower class, and of course cheapest, residences. While it is a small town, there's still a reputation for crime in it's downtown alleyways, so the residential areas close-by are also often at risk. But still, if it means a roof over your head... it's worth a little risk, right?

This is the small city near the Academy, the only settlement really close enough for people to be able to go on the weekends. It's your typical place, with nightclubs and restaurants, variety stores and cafes. There is an upper-class area featuring a small collection of mansions, a large residential middle-class area, and a seedy downtown center.

This is the board where STAFF ONLY can chat about problems that we're having with the site and it's members. Now, I don't know why I need to specify staff only, because only staff members can see this board.

This is a place where the members, after a long day of posting or whatnot, can kick back and relax with one another. Chat, debate, play forum games, or even request things for your characters. Just remember to keep it appropriate, and don't start debates about things that will cause flaming.

[justify]Come here if you'd like to show off your own forum to the rest of us--this is the only place on AotE where advertising is allowed. Please ensure that you post under the correct board and have somewhere we can link back as a guest. This board is GUEST FRIENDLY.[/justify]

We hold Activity Checks here at the Academy. And we'd hate for you to be accidentally deleted if something comes up, so make sure and let us know here. Not only that, but we tend to worry about our fellow members when they disappear without word! Also, don't forget to post when you return, so we can move it to the outdated board.