The idea bucket...

[Code]

ok, umm, I was wondering about something and figured I'd ask, but in the I have a question thread it was suggested that that one be kept for questions about chapters that were already finished...so I made this thread figuring that hopefully it'd be a useful spot for questions and ideas involving future storyline... :ano

...so anywho, I have a question (well 2 questions...technically 3 actually)

-While it is understood that a student gets 4 years in Blackwood to make of themselves what they will, what are the conditions for determining if a student graduates to the next grade, or stays in their current grade? Also in this, I imagine there is some form of exam...what would that be comprised of?

-Lastly, how are the juniors elected as heads of their respective dorms?

[Wilham]

To answer your first question I don't think there is an exam to move to the next grade but there is some form of test to move up to the next rank. And the rank is what determines their status in the elemental world. It seems that they move up to the next grade level regardless of what they do during the year, thus 4 years to climb as high as you can on the power ladder.

[Juggers]

Also in this, I imagine there is some form of exam...what would that be comprised of?

-Lastly, how are the juniors elected as heads of their respective dorms?

This is up to debate at this point, I think. Considering there's different ways you can go through the ranking system, with the ultimate goal of each path being the Kabuto (where the legends are), I'd assume the tests would vary depending on the student's specialty.

For instance, someone trained by Marduk would probably have a more physical based exam to go into the Arm rank (or w/e one is correct). The Main Plot thread includes the set up for the ranks, so the exams would reflect that I'm sure.

As for the qualifications of a head junior, that would depend on the junior's path through the rankings I guess. Maybe all four of the current dorm heads came up the same way. I'll need to take another look at the rankings and make a theory on this.

[Psycho]

think of the dorms more like a plutocracy then a electoral democracy

the leaders are members of the dorms that demonstrated characteristics that set them apart from the other members of the dorm, not only within the areas of element control but also skills in leadership and a strong personality

sol is a pacifist, but he also has a lot of charisma, you notice how his teammates pay attention to when he's talking and so on. and grigori is a person with presence, when he enters a room, even if you don't see him, you'll notice he's there... daniel and leon haven't appeared much in the series, but i can imagine they have as much personality as both grigori and sol, probably even more

i'd imagine a students doesn't have to graduate (or at least leave) from blackwood ever, it may seem weird but the world seems like a hostile place for elementals and blackwood like a safe heaven, i think it's safe to assume that certain characters would rather stay in blackwood for the majority of their life then risk leaving