CSTA: A VISUAL GUIDE ( the crawl )

[invigorated]

visual key for el colegio de santo tomás de aquino
	the university & its students so you got your big fat magical envelope with your acceptance to the csta in the mail. you finally made it to witch college. congrats. the school is separated into various buildings dedicated to each magical plane and arranged in much the same way as the natural magical order in a circular pattern. those that double dip planes will find themselves traversing between the brightly lit and airy buildings with open-facing balconies, white-washed stone work and brickwork, and enchanted wooden doors that will open to their touch (much like a modern university's key card, your magical signature is your way in and out of the university between its functioning hours.) the csta is known for churning out some of the best exorcists in the business, their exorcismus students traveling back and forth frequently between the vatican and main campus for study. their studies of the heavenly and demonic are some of the best, most highly-touted programs. el colegio de santo tomás de aquino finds itself in a unique position of openly accepting students of strange backgrounds, aiming to assist those who find themselves fitting ill within the reaches of the rest of the world. they are known, specifically, for taking in those that straddle the line between human and monster, their student body a veritable menagerie of human and hybrid monster alike. they do their best to aid students in being their mythical best the best they can be, though their practices often include suppressing the more monstrous side of their student body with magical suppressants to make their lives much easier.
	the city & campus the csta is located in the heart of metro madrid, where the nightlife if about as a spicy as the tapas and you'll never really be lacking for something to do. the campus itself sprawls throughout the city, actually, and a shuttle is available for those who don't want to the take the scenic walk through madrid's warm, sun-baked streets with gleaming cars and beautiful architecture. in the evening, the city becomes even more luminescent, lit up between late night eateries and neon nightclubs that hiss and pop with magic well into the dawn.
	interiors (academic buildings & library) the interior of the university is all high ceilings and bright colors, but particularly a signature blue color that rivals the sky. the csta is not hurting for space with sprawling halls, beautiful, brilliant buildings scattered throughout the city, and a library that doesn't actually seem to end? does it disappear into hammer space? we don't really know. we just know that the librarian is actually part harpy and knows precisely where each and every book in the library's catalogue is. just try not to stay past the hours of 3am - 6am. weird things tend to happen. the academic centers for each of the planes, as mentioned before, leave students of this or that particular wanting for nothing. places to practice high level summons or transformations, prestidigitations and combat simulators are all there if you just want it hard enough. lecture halls are also here, of course. get your study on.
	student dormitories the student dormitories for the csta are scattered throughout madrid and are typically within shuttling distance of the universities various halls. the buildings are painted brilliant hues of blue and can often be spotted if one looks close enough throughout the general city scape. spaces are equipped to accommodate 1-4 students and are applied for at the beginning of the academic year. csta tries to situate all of its students close by as most will already have to travel throughout europe for their studies (particularly the exorcismus branch with consistent travel to vatican city and back on most weekends). dormitories are equipped with standard fare of bedrooms, bathrooms, kitchens, and small living rooms in each separate unit. the bottom-most unit is considered a "Family unit" where communal cooking may occur or other group activities. the csta prides itself on forging closer bonds between the various witches within the magical community, believing in the idea that they are stronger together and acceptance of all is key to a successful magical future.
	lecture halls & classrooms university students attend core lectures their first year of attending csta in sprawling demonstration halls that allow for enough space for magical mistakes and mishaps. main concepts here are refined and structured. larger lectures are then broken up into smaller, more focused groups and separated out into various rooms. here, intense discussion and debate take place on the minutiae of the lesson. while the lecture halls are enormous and vaulting, the class rooms are less formal and often have students sitting on couches or seated on large pillows on the floor. walls are lined with chalkboards, old books, tapestries, and paintings.
	nightlife indulge. drink. dance with a stranger. the discotecas are full of magic and splendor with witchy djs spinning tracks to tickle your ears and your sense alike.
	the apocalypse the city is in ruins. it belongs to monsters now. to warring demons and angels vying for a place laden with sacred ground. you can't save it, no matter what you do and the signs all read: proceed at your own risk in various languages, supposedly left behind by travelers who manage to leave with their lives. the city is overgrown with plant life, the streets cracked and baked over not with the warmth of the sun but with hellfire and holy light. cars overturned with alarms blaring for no one to hear. when the crawl hit, the school became a bastion initially, its most experienced students doing their best to protect the city perimeter and university itself as it became a shelter and main hub. however, as the fight wore on, they became isolated, supplies grew fewer, and magic ran thin. the students, staff, and civilians had found themselves outnumbered and outgunned, fatigued and on their last legs. those who managed to survive evacuated the city and only the bravest returned to quite possibly claim it back from the monsters, the devils, and the angels. the city is a breeding ground for danger, frought with storms coming in from the coast, thunderous and wild.