I'm writing (still at the planning stage) a story where someone from our world dies and reincarnates into a version of our Earth (current tech level) with magic. He will go to a school that will be a cross between Hogwarts and a typical anime supernatural academy. I have some details, but I want this school to be really fleshed out because it is where most of the story will take place. I already have characters and the magic system figured out, but I'm sketchy on details for the school. So, what things should I include in the school, both magic and technological? Who should the teachers be? etc. Have fun with this, I intend for my story to both be risque and funny and badass, in equal measures; and the school should represent that.
How about you add Gandalf(or a character that looks like him) as a teacher? or a teacher Yoda(a character that resembles him)?
How about a club for people who are into conspiracies or supernatural stuff? Like sure, they have magic in this world, but to them that would just be the equivalent of science to us. There should still be spooky unexplained stuff like ghosts or aliens which would be ridiculous in their world too. Also no toilets needed since they can just do it in their pants and magic it away
Have you decided on how your magic system works? Spells/magic circles/magic arrays like object oriented or structured programming, or just based on visualization? Contracts with spirits or elementals where the user is just borrowing or directing power? Something else?
Please do not forget dungeons, because the whole academy visiting dungeons for training has already been there since forever. In JP, CN and of course KR. How about magical sex ed? Like, what not to do such as using the body strengthening magic on your dick to make it more long lasting. Fire, lightning and/or ice play can be nice, but fuck that shit up and it is straight to the ICU or mortuary. Maybe some compulsory lessons on social etiquette and taxes, or even magic programming because of the shifting economy.
How much influence will this school be to the story you are writing? A first/second arc thing that serve as a place to give the reader the general background of your world through teacher? Some place where the MC develope their PoV of the world? Just a place to pick up skills and random stumble upon artifacts? How much influence does the school and its inhabitants have on the on the surrounding? Just a "normal" school(short intro to world, then leave and expand story outside of school)? Somewhere that will develop future leaders/villian that will affect later arc? Can the outside influence the school ( funding, politic, class division, bias between alumni, prejudice between magic vs technology, etc. )
Write the detailed curriculum for the school first, then everything should be able to be mapped up just fine
Halls and rooms that reorganize themselves? That's a classic. You can even make it more extreme. Kids try going to class one evening only to find a friggin' chasm blocking the way, or they have to swim through an underwater passageway. Maybe they have to cross a city because a classroom has relocated to the other side of it. Or in the middle of the neighboring goblin village, and they have to fight their way there. Idk, whatever you want. Talking statues? Gossiping, preferably. Gotta embarrass people. How about... One of the teachers accidentally summoned a ridiculously powerful demon, who then killed them on the spot, and for unfathomable reasons (aka boredom) proceeded to impersonate the teacher and carry on like nothing happened. Except the disguise is super flawed and everyone can see that it's a demon, but no one has the guts to say anything. So the whole school just lets it go, and the demon just casually teaches a class.
Probably a biochemistry lab for potions, beast reasing/creating and probably experiments on magic/tech body modifications(Who know what people would enjoy to do in a world like that). A illusiom class mixing holograms and ilussion magic. A basic course would be the relationship of mana and eletricity. One should have came first and so why and how it happened. Of Course having both at the same time. But more often is the mana and was created tech to use mana in it. So the school and world have techs but they tend to be more magic inclined. My opnion of course, you are the one writing it.
Have you read Unique Legend? It will bring you so many inspirations, especially if it's for a top school, after all you can't be a top school if the students don't put their life at risk but they also can't be a top school if all their students actually die while learning/training/orjustbywalkingtotheirclassbutbeingcrushedbytheirclassthatwasjumpingaround ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
A class on practical applications in magic, and a class on theoretical magic. Like, magic that should be able to exist, but no one can actually figure out how to get it to work or replicate the effects. And the other class if for teaching actual usage of magic instead of more esoteric things. Being able to lift dirt is probably going to be more useful than learning how to summon 10 imps in a landslide.
Not sure about what I name that school, but I would teach magic on how to make political correctness disappear.
Imagine the demon was some sort of clumsy/insecure wrath/pride musclehead with a doting perfect older sibling(pride/lust?). After the it got summon thru, brutality murder the teacher, it then proceed to attempt to impersonate the teacher (as some sort of demon rite of passage/coming of age thing? Basically teach them to sow discord on material realm), all while being watch by its sibling(portal being held open by sibling ridiculous power), who is gently giving it instructions on how to impersonate and brainwash the class. Wrath fail, stand out even more, brainwashing actually does some pos effects, but class too shock to say anything and the sibling just gush about how talented(& cute?) wrath is while telepathically threatening the whole class to pretend or else. Thus the start of class led by the clueless buff af demon wearing bunny girl outfit ( or insert other scarring image here).
School name, M.I.T (Magical Institute for Technomancy) Spell hacking Technoscrying Programming Enchants Your magical Firewall and You (or how not to get burned online)
Name: Miral (me-ral) Academy or Draiochta ( magical in irish) Academy Ideas: -maybe the students have an item; key, bracelet, necklace, pen. The item is used as a pass into classes, room, dorms, etc. -A starter class where it helps determine the students skills and ways to improve. -tournaments -students have classes depending on their powers, levels, and abilities -class about plants, like some that suck mana outta ya, or eat you or releases poisonous gas, etc
A reincarnated soul in a modern magical world? Okay, so parallel Earth. You're going for urban fantasy, yeah? I recommend reading The Irregular at Magic High School, since it's an awesome light novel to read if you desire inspiration for modern magic. It's science behind it, the magic affinity in people, and the usage of magic in the modern era. There's also the difference between the modern magic factions and ancient magic factions. Bloodlines alongside social stigmas and norms differentiating between magicians and non-magicians. An approach to theory and practicality for magic theory. Machinery advancement using magic application. The weakness in modern magicians and ancient magicians. What is magic in general. The potency and range of magic, meaning their spells. The relationship between magicians and the government. Magical households and countries contesting for supremacy or resources. If you want finer details, you also research on the history of known countries in our world. So there should be a magical system on the theory of gravity and revolution of magical fluctuations. I'm thinking of those rotating stairs in HP. They could be changed or improved with modern standards. As for the paintings in HP, you could apply a theory of spiritual magic or something of the like. Then again, it could also be projections via magical projection or some black box technology for images. Like low level time spells for memory paintings, or literally sealing spirits with spells inside paintings across the walls. The building should be a mixture of solid materials alongside special materials to your imagination. Go for either a classic magic school, or high tech school with a reminisce of old magic traditions and properties left for new generations to feel awe or respect for the older generation. This also depends on the history of your magical society. How old is magic been used by humans and how old or recent is the magical academy in the story's timeline. Since he will reincarnate in this magical society, there should be an explanation, start with a brief detail about how magic came to be on Earth, and what magic is, including the usage of magic and the purpose of the magical academy. As for furniture and designs, I can't help you. I suck at that. As for character progression and characterization, imagine the social and historical backgrounds of the protagonist and his peers, his seniors, his superiors. Think of what could likely happen between the talented and untalented. Think of the financial status of the students, the political agendas for the bigwigs sending their kids into this magical academy. The stand of the academy with or against the internal working of the caste system, if there is one. The stratification between groups, student years, classes, and workers in the academy. It's also up to you how to start the conflict if you're planning for it. As for familiars and servants, this could also be used with the knowledge of old traditions still surviving in the modern magical world. Oh, my bad. You can just think of what I said before as some suggestions. As for the school, I've already said what I think I can consider. Oh yeah, there's also the location of the academy, the environment, and the security measures in and out the academy. There's also the cliche JP student council, news group, ethics committee, student order or something like those you see in anime. Oops, I've already given you my suggestions above. The teachers should be those of influential backgrounds, or they're powerful magicians themselves, or they're unique magicians, or they're hidden characters for future plot progression if you're planning for successive volumes. Also remember the teachers, these instructors must have their personalities align with their spells. Since they're living in a magical society, the importance of magic, their spells should be a fundamental aspect that would affect their career in the academy. You can even give them or a few of them they're own special histories for the protagonist to interact with in seriousness or comedy. Romance and tragedy is also possible. Anything is, if you're good at expressing the characters actions and thoughts in the story. For the main plot, you're having a school life genre as the main course of events, so there should be a three or four year course? Is he starting from kindergarten? Are you going to skip his growth as a kid and enter the elementary timeline? Middle school if you're applying JP education. High school right away with a introduction about the protagonist? Also think about what sort of monthly and yearly events the academy upholds during his course as a first-something. You can even try the special encounter on the first day of school cliche~ Oops again, my answer for this is above~
How about having a department that's like a technical school, so that people who don't want to continue an academic career, can do an apprenticeship to learn a craft. Maybe have something like ROTC so people can join the military.