Alhaitham

Alhaitham is 6'2 and thoroughly muscled despite his profession as a scholar. He has pale skin, gray hair that turns lighter at the ends and with a few locks that have pale turquoise undersides, and light turquoise eyes with orange-ringed yellow pupils. He wears two large gold and green earpieces. Alhaitham wears a dark half-off coat-like garment with a green front and lapels. The coat's color fades from dark green to black and has numerous golden details and numerous trinkets, as well as a black mini cape with a golden underside. The "sleeve" of this garment that he wears is his left sleeve, leaving his right arm exposed. He sports a tight black top with a split high collar and detached sleeves, also decorated with golden details and a green ornament on his chest. His arm sleeves partially cover his hands, leaving certain fingers exposed. These are held together with numerous gold-patterned green fabrics around his waist from which a number of trinkets dangle including two light blue leaf-shaped charms, and three teardrop-like trinkets. He wears tight dark green pants and black and gold knee-high boots with a colorful top. His Dendro Vision is attached to his coat on his left shoulder.

The title of a "scribe" may sound impressive to most Akademiya students, but this fancy name is just a product of the Akademiya's culture to use unnecessarily high-flown titles.

In truth, the scribe does not have to be present at all major meetings, nor does he participate in core decision-making. The scribe is simply responsible for classifying and archiving important documents. However, in Sumeru, where books and manuscript documents were once managed as a resource, the scribe is one of the most "in-the-know" people in the entire Akademiya. One can say that this position is rather similar to that of the Grand Conservator — after all, the person who manages texts will have privileged access to profound wisdom.

As the current scribe of the Sumeru Akademiya, Alhaitham acts in perfect compliance with his role: He does not attend any non-essential meetings, and when he is required to be present, he only records key points, jotting down other minute details based on his mood. If the meeting does not affect his personal interests or fails to pique his curiosity, he will not be bothered to give any comments. He does make comments, however, when someone has come up with something offensively foolish — and one should expect these comments to be more blunt than necessary.

Such is Alhaitham's life philosophy: Whenever the need for his judgment arises, one must be ready to accept any means and privileges he might require to make that judgment. Fortunately for everyone, Alhaitham notes that he is too lazy to possess too many ambitions.

All scholars seek knowledge and the truth. Some do so for fame, while others, for ambition. And some others enjoy conquering knowledge and the truth, transcending them, and savoring the sense of superiority in the process. Alhaitham isn't any one of them. He is only driven by what intrigues him. He believes that many scholars have already become lost in their pursuits, taking the truth as a tool or even a shortcut to self-realization.

However, whether one seeks it or not, the truth is always there, hanging high above the sky like an illuminating star. It is not the end of a trip or the destination of a match. It is and shall remain constant, regardless of human existence. Also, human pursuits will not simply end after certain knowledge has been acquired — though people never doubt that they can claim the fruit with joy and are prepared to sacrifice everything for it, their desire for knowledge will keep them going.

Those who fail to see through the truth set themselves on an endless path, while those with clear minds will say: The truth did not come into being to serve anyone, and whoever is unable to harness their desire for knowledge will be destroyed by it. Such is the rule of the Nation of Wisdom. Of course, if you want to blend in, you are welcome to fake such a posture.

To the people of Sumeru, those who played a part in the operation to save Lesser Lord Kusanali are deemed to be heroes. However, a great many who make such compliments don't really know the full story. They simply repeat a fragment of a tale that they find inspiring. As one of the protagonists in their stories, Alhaitham has no opinion whatsoever about being a "hero," nor does he believe that these stories are worth talking about.

Meanwhile, Alhaitham has declined the Akademiya's offer to become the Grand Sage multiple times. But given the chaos in Sumeru, Alhaitham eventually agreed to serve as Acting Grand Sage temporarily.

It already defied common logic for someone to refuse the titles of Sage and Grand Sage, and yet Alhaitham went further still, resigning and returning to his humble role as Scribe at the agreed-upon time instead of clinging to power.

If he did manage to gain anything from it at all, it was the financial benefits: His salary stayed the same after his resignation, not to mention the several high-quality research projects that he was able to complete on his own. There is no doubt, then, that he will lead a well-off life. In addition, his interpersonal relationships have also improved, as he has more or less befriended the other participants in the archon-saving operation — they have gotten close to the point where Alhaitham might greet these people with a nod or two when he sees them.

Sometimes, Lesser Lord Kusanali will also invite Alhaitham to the Sanctuary of Surasthana to discuss various matters. He has met many people there: the General Mahamatra Cyno, the mercenary Dehya, and Nilou, star of the Zubayr Theater. Nilou even once asked him: "How did you manage to come up with such a bold plan? When I think back on it, we were all quite lucky to not get hurt..."

Nilou hesitated before she continued, and Alhaitham understood her confusion, for anyone would have wondered how he could have stayed unscathed despite the influence of the Divine Knowledge Capsule. But in Alhaitham's eyes, he was never in danger, for he had never used any capsules.

As for how he had managed to do that, it was all thanks to his role as the scribe. As a scholar lucky enough to have read the Akasha's system manual, he had studied the headset and Canned Knowledge, such that he knew how to alter the status signal of the Akasha. He had even once thought of reversing the holographic shield of the Akasha Terminal and projecting it to the back of his head to offer protection from attacks on that front.

It has been proven that a plan lays the foundation for everything, and that prior research lays the foundation for a plan. Alhaitham, who had no interest in boasting about how he remained unscathed, answered Nilou's question with another: "As far as I know, Cyno and Dehya are also curious about this, yet you are the only one who has raised this question. Were they just too shy to ask me themselves?"

Alhaitham seldom discusses personalities or dispositions with others. He believes that the prevalent theories about them are wrong. Suppose someone insists that one's character has nothing to do with their abilities and opinions, the person with such a view will find themselves unable to judge any aspect of another person. A smart person will often hold different attitudes towards a foolish person and another smart person, and the foolish often think differently when facing success and failure. People's views on Alhaitham are proof of this point — given his superb talents and egocentric personality, no one wants to get too close to him, but still, they see him as an outstanding scholar.

This is exactly the public image Alhaitham desires. Many scholars are rigid and inflexible, but Alhaitham is not one of them. As a matter of fact, his occasional sarcasm in part reflects his philosophy. Society (or the collective) relies on rules to regulate individuals, and language is one of these regulative tools. Turning language against its original design serves to challenge unreasonable rules, and one can thus stay out of trouble.

The word "talented" is abused within the Akademiya, and so are "born differently," "touched by the archon," and such... In Sumeru, one's talents are a trial. Outstanding talent is not necessarily seen as a perfect gift, but it also divides people. For instance, to compliment someone with unimaginable achievements, ordinary folk often call them a "genius," or "superhuman," or a "prodigy"... But upon reflection, one will soon notice another layer of meaning that even the speakers themselves have not realized: That the talented and the ordinary are categorically different.

If someone is capable of things that others aren't, they must have been endowed with some special abilities and gifts. Excessive compliments for and wild imagination regarding outstanding people only serve to alienate them. "They are successful because they are different" — such is the typical excuse favored by underachievers. These ignorant notions mean nothing to Alhaitham. Though he does know his way around people, he will not waste his time on such trivial matters.

Rules define borders and set limits. Yet these rules should not be judged solely on the number of people they limit. Therefore, Alhaitham has come up with his own set of rules with which he perceives everything and challenges the world. It is the crystallization of his philosophy. To maintain these rules of his own fashioning, Alhaitham acts on his own will and deals with anything that appears harmful in his eyes.

Only with objective judgment can one see the truth. By acknowledging the differences between individuals and recognizing differing levels of capabilities and mental capacities, one will discover the answer right away: Judgment from others is inconsequential, but to leave the right of judgment in others' hands is equal to denying oneself. To be "different" should not simply be a label given to you by others. Rather, the talented should have long understood that their uniqueness is also a gift.

To put it another way, when a talented person truly understands that they are different and that they are indisputably ingenious, only then can they truly understand the value of their abilities. And as for cowards who remain blinded by perspectives advocated by the great majority, they have not yet found their true selves.

To live a peaceful and comfortable life, one must meet a few requirements first: Congruous personality and logic, adequate fighting prowess, a slow-paced job, and a cushy house in the vicinity of one's office.

Alhaitham has checked all the boxes above. He would never deny that no place suits him better than the Nation of Wisdom, where social capital is linked to one's academic abilities.

His current house, which is located near the Akademiya, is one of the academic resources that he gained through promising research projects. This house's story dates back to Alhaitham's student years. If his classmates still remember him, they will recall that he was not one to mingle with the crowd. As a result, he has only participated in one joint research project. Despite its eventual success, the project resulted in a huge quarrel and a parting of ways. Little do people know about Alhaitham's part in this story, though they might be acquainted with the other protagonist: The Kshahrewar architect Kaveh.

This academic incident is not very widely-known — and in truth, the tale of two geniuses falling out due to differing perspectives is an all-too-familiar one in the Akademiya. But even though their collaboration did fall through, neither of them will deny the other party's exceptional brilliance. As for their research, the Akademiya would later transfer the relevant assets to the researchers involved as per regulation.

Although the two did not continue that research, its great success in the early stage still serves as compelling proof of Alhaitham's academic ability. Later, the Akademiya even used this project, which they had forgotten to cancel, as a reference for allocating housing resources, and as such, Alhaitham was given a very decent house befitting his participation in this ingenious project. But the other contributor, Kaveh, had never approached Alhaitham regarding that allocation. It wasn't until later that Kaveh had someone inform Alhaitham and the Akademiya that he was not in want of a house and thus had no use of this property.

When next they met, Kaveh had gone bankrupt. According to Alhaitham, this former friend of his possesses a personality and values that are not congruous with his abilities. The two differ on too many things and cannot reach a consensus even today.

Allowing Kaveh to stay in this house provides Alhaitham with an interesting research topic: Legally and socially speaking, since Kaveh has previously forfeited the right to his half of this house, he should pay the landlord during his stay. However, paying rent would, to some extent, deny his contribution to the research, which contradicts the academic spirit.

An intriguing matter to consider, but Alhaitham has no interest in the answer. Thus, he has taken his broke former colleague in, collects rent as the rightful landlord, and gives his colleague some household chores. He is well aware of the dissatisfaction Kaveh might have, but it matters not to him. As far as Alhaitham is concerned, Kaveh is a familiar face, similarly lacks familial attachments, and is the polar opposite of himself as a scholar — that is to say, an excellent mirror. Human vision is limited, but it can be perfected through the presence of another genius. Taking this opportunity, Alhaitham will be able to observe other aspects of this world and thus understand more things that may have otherwise been unfathomable.

The Nation of Wisdom places academics and knowledge above everything else. As such, a scholar acknowledged by others within the Akademiya usually possesses a higher social status. Alhaitham was born to just such a family of well-received scholars. His parents died very early in an accident, and he was raised by his grandmother, a Kshahrewar scholar.

Alhaitham doesn't have many recollections of his parents. He learned from his grandmother that they were both employed by the Akademiya, with his father being a mentor in Haravatat and his mother, a renowned scholar in Vahumana.

Alhaitham has inherited his parents' intelligence, and he was always the sharp kid amongst his peers, so much so that he started reading abstruse academic journals at around the age of seven. Having noticed his exceptional talents, Alhaitham's grandmother suggested that he attend school early. However, it only took half a day in the Akademiya for little Alhaitham to report this back to his grandmother: Everyone he met there was boring and he preferred reading alone to listening to their meaningless courses. Alhaitham's grandmother saw his parents' talents and personalities in him, and agreed to let him stay home to be self-taught.

To Alhaitham, "to be self-taught" means to read, break down, reorganize, and question. Due to his family background, he was lucky to be exposed to books made of paper. Interestingly enough, he takes more pleasure in reading his grandmother's hard-copy collections than obtaining knowledge from the Akasha directly.

As opposed to the Akasha, books are inflexible and rigid, and there is no guarantee that their contents are error-free either. To use such a medium of knowledge is to dance with potential misinformation. The majority of people in Sumeru hate this, but Alhaitham derives great enjoyment from it. It was from reading that he acquired the ability to learn, analyze, and even rectify, and ultimately, he has learned to question. If the rustic and primitive method known as reading is ever any trouble, it is trouble that Alhaitham appreciates.

Alhaitham's grandmother told him: "You and your father both like reading. Now, I can't say if the two of you have been given too much share of wisdom or not, but always remember that being different is a gift."

Knowledge is to be recognized, pursued, and trusted, but one should never forget to question it. Perhaps only those who come to such an understanding will not be easily moved by Canned Knowledge and other convenient knowledge media. And only someone who had already met these prerequisites would have casually read the Akasha manual sealed deep within the House of Daena.

As Alhaitham's grandmother had said, books contain useless information, and sometimes in large amounts, but his sharp mind will sift through them — and if a book he has read lingers in his memory, it will come in handy one day.

After his grandmother's passing, Alhaitham managed her funeral on his own, inheriting her properties and her small library. Before she passed away, Alhaitham's grandmother gave him this earnest blessing: "You are such a smart child. Many such people have large egos and a propensity to act on their own. You are outstanding and possess a broader horizon than ordinary people. This is not a bad thing, but you must take care to have a clearer mind than others. You must understand that vain pursuits are but dust, and that you must discern your path with the greatest of wisdom."

Later, Alhaitham applied for the Akademiya and was immediately admitted, scoring high marks in the Haravatat entrance exam. He was informed that his grandmother had also applied for him to be able to attend classes in other Darshans. Following his late grandmother's advice, Alhaitham has always kept a low profile and a clear mind, and always makes decisions for himself.

Years later, when Alhaitham moved into his new house, he brought all those books over. While sorting through them, he flipped through a few that he had read long ago. The journals that had well-wishes written on their title pages were from his mother's collection, and the ones with reference materials inserted between pages and notes on the margins had once belonged to his father. On top of them, there was a thick book with an exquisite, emerald-colored cover. On the title page, his grandmother had written thus: May my child Alhaitham lead a peaceful life.

Alhaitham always wears a sturdy and durable green belt pouch.

People often mistake it for a wide belt, an impression perhaps reinforced by its color being in perfect harmony with Alhaitham's outfit.

There are only a few things in this pouch: Keys, some recent read of Alhaitham's, and a portable music player that goes with his headphones.

Alhaitham personally made the music player when he first became the scribe, and it is connected to the headphones via cables of the same color. He sometimes uses the gadget to play music, and other times, to block noise.

"The value of language is not limited to words. A unified language helps to govern thoughts. Language is the bottom line, rules, weapons, and violence. By making our language unique, we can open up a special path to the relative completion of minds.

Governing thoughts may appear meaningless to some, but to others, it has a very significant meaning. Individuals' pursuit of uniqueness gives rise to various languages and media. People are controlled by language under many circumstances."

As Alhaitham flipped through these pages, reaching the end of the book and its back cover, he realized that an intricate ornament had been underneath the tome this whole time.

Of course, he knew what it was — a Vision, the proof of one's power. However, this item did not mean much to him.

A believer might have perceived this divine item to be a thing most lofty, but to him, it was no more than a useful tool.

Alhaitham was out on a research trip when he was given the Vision.

He didn't plan to dwell too much on it. It belonged to him, after all, so what difference would it make if he checked on it tomorrow, as opposed to today?

And just like the knowledge he has acquired, what he has obtained shall always remain in his possession.

Overview The Akademiya accepts students from all over Teyvat and often sends traveling scholars, known as Driyosh, to other nations to gather material for research. It is unknown how long the Akademiya has existed, but it was already a prestigious institute by the time of the cataclysm 500 years ago.[1] According to Dainsleif, the Akademiya is a millennia-old institution, meaning it was founded over 1000 years ago.[2] The Akademiya also takes a role as a governing body of Sumeru handling much of the day-to-day affairs of Sumeru.

Virtues and Sins The Akademiya has three virtues and six sins. The virtues are described in Sumeru's Talent Level-Up Books, while the sins were deemed by the sages to be the sources of all crimes and banned to protect researchers from a careless pursuit of knowledge. They are the base of the Akademiya's rules, and the sages have been adding new rules and amendments ever since.[3] Researching topics that are related to these sins will expose oneself to punishments, such as expulsion from the Akademiya or imprisonment.[4]

The virtues are as follows:

Admonition: Admonition is the branches of the nation of wisdom. It comes from a pure heart and is to be paired with wise thinking affording humble words clarity and good deeds conferring real meaning upon what is said. Ingenuity: Ingenuity is the leaf-veins of the nation of wisdom. It springs forth from benevolent consideration, sets words of integrity on the right path and should be completed by harmonious conduct. Praxis: Praxes are the roots of the nation of wisdom. They stem from an unwavering will, validate words of honesty and bring forth the fruit of wisdom. The sins are as follows:[3]

Interfering with human evolution, Tampering with life and death, Delving beyond the universe, Investigating the origin of words, Revering gods without acts of devotion, and Attempting the forbidden and fearing none. Academics While it boasts a university-like setting, the Akademiya admits students of all ages, and children can be enrolled in the Akademiya once they reach schooling age if they pass the entrance exams. Arina and Armin are two known current child students, with past child enrollees including Alhaitham, who enrolled at the age of seven before being homeschooled for a time, Sachin, who enrolled at the age of nine, and Kaveh, who enrolled in the Akademiya when he reached schooling age, although his age at the time of enrollment was not specified beyond him being "young".[5][6] Uzayr, Shurayh, and Tanisha are also children who plan to take the Akademiya entrance exams after learning the fundamentals of architecture.[7] Collei is expected to enroll into the Akademiya once she finishes up her studies.[8]

Although it is implied that there is a certain age at which prospective students should attempt the entrance exams and enroll in the Akademiya, doing so is not compulsory, as only those who pass the challenging entrance exams are admitted, making it unlikely that many students are actually able to study there.[7] Those who are unable to attend school in the Akademiya rely on the Akasha System, independent studies, or training centers to acquire knowledge.[9]

Students in the Akademiya commonly refer to each other as seniors and juniors; however, earning the title of senior is determined by academic progress rather than age. Tighnari, for example, is younger than Abattouy, but is referred to as his senior because Tighnari completed his studies and graduated from the Akademiya before Abattouy.[10]

Nowadays, obtaining a degree from the Akademiya is a notoriously long and stressful process; Gregor a student from Mondstadt, fears that his parents will be old by the time he graduates and returns to Mondstadt.[11] Hosseini states that it is not uncommon for people to graduate after the age of 30, and that he himself, being less than said age, has his hair turned near-gray from his research.[12]

Thesis defenses are by far the most difficult part of graduating; several of the Driyosh met in other nations express their anxiety over finding material for their theses and have changed their subjects due to extenuating circumstances or rejection from the review panel. Alrani downright fears the Akademiya, and mentions that Soraya — who is apparently among the top of her class — has "piles of rejected manuscripts."[13] It is implied there is a limit to how long a student can stay at the Akademiya without being able to graduate.[14] Hosseini mentions that if he were to become a Dastur, he could stay at the Akademiya longer instead of having to travel around Teyvat to conduct research.[15]

Lisa, who attended the Akademiya in her youth, managed to graduate in two years under "advanced study" and is considered to be their best student in 200 years. However, she is not fond of her alma mater after realizing the cost of "uninhibited erudition," having witnessed raving-mad scholars in Sumeru's forests and sages sitting in underutilized councils. She ultimately returned to Mondstadt and became a humble librarian,[16] a decision that greatly baffles those who know how talented she is.[17][18]

Research On top of academics, Sumeru Akademiya conducts research into various subjects. It is typical for traveling scholars to gather material and conduct preliminary research for their supervisors' projects and areas of interest,[12] while researchers are allowed to stay at the Akademiya to conduct their research.[15][19]

After determining that no Electro Visions have been given out in the past year, scholars at the Akademiya theorized this phenomenon was related to the Electro Archon's will and in particular, the proclamation of the Vision Hunt Decree.[13] This theory turns out to be incorrect when Raiden Ei reveals to the Traveler that she was unaware this phenomenon was occurring, and that Archons are not directly involved in the granting or denial of Visions. Due to "certain constraints," she could not say what actually caused the halt in Electro Visions.[20]

While research at the Akademiya tends to lean towards study of ancient history, the arcane, elemental energy, and the fundamental bases of the world, it also bears research of the more scientific and practical variety. For example, Tsuyuko's education at Sumeru Akademiya has led her to believe that Watatsumi Island's Holy Soil phenomenon is not because Enkanomiya is trying to absorb the spirit of the island, which is the legendary explanation, but because seawater that touches the soil leaches its nutrients and washes them away; rather than suppress Enkanomiya, the Watatsumi Goryou Matsuri replenishes the soil's nutrients.[21] It is later revealed that Holy Soil is the result of the expansion of the Light Realm, whose elemental currents are strong in Enkanomiya, while the Watatsumi Goryou Matsuri reverses the phenomenon by awakening the Sangacorallia, creatures that can break down the Light Realm's powerful elemental energy into something more usable by the Human Realm which Teyvat is part of.[22]

Every year, the Akademiya chooses a recipient for the Pir Kavikavus Prize, an award given out to a young scholar under 40 years old, whose research submission is considered "groundbreaking" and "creative," and the submitter has "great potential." Past recipients of this prize have all gone on to win great renown in the Akademiya.[23]

Research into mechanical lifeforms is banned in the Akademiya, with students caught doing so running the risk of being expelled. It was initially tolerated and popular among those of Spantamad but when overzealous researchers began to perform unregulated vivisections and other cruel experiments on animals, it was immediately banned.[24]

Academic Progression A few different honorifics and titles have been mentioned in relation to a person's progress in their research and studies at Sumeru Akademiya.

Driyosh, commonly called traveling scholars, are students who have been granted leave from Sumeru Akademiya to wander and learn as part of their research process.[14] Passing one thesis through the review process is enough to graduate from the Akademiya, after which they may be considered formal researchers.[15] There is another subset of students who are confined within the Akademiya and do not leave until they graduate or otherwise cut their education short.[11][25] So far, no honorific has been ascribed to students of this type. Dastur are formal researchers who have passed two theses through the review process.[15][26] Herbad are researchers of high prestige who have immense knowledge and hold leadership positions.[15] The Six Great Sages, also commonly referred to as just sages, are the scholars with the highest positions of power in the Akademiya.[27] They are chosen based on a set of criteria to serve as leaders of the Six Great Schools,[28] one sage per Darshan. They are granted administrative power over the Akademiya and also sit on advisory councils.[16] Some of their duties include assigning jobs and duties to researchers;[27] for example, the role of the Grand Conservator.[29] The Grand Sage is the absolute leader of the Akademiya. This role and title are cumulative with the one of Grand Sage, but little is currently known about what specific additional functions and powers this title implies. The Grand Sage's office is located above the House of Daena. Governance The Sumeru Akademiya manages much of the day-to-day affairs of Sumeru and is responsible for managing the Akasha System, a system which manages knowledge as a resource that anyone wearing an Akasha Terminal can access. The knowledge in the Akasha is compiled from the wisdom of the populace,[30] and the information a person receives is heavily regulated by the Akasha.[31] Yae Miko ponders whether this system was thought up by Lesser Lord Kusanali or by the sages;[32] however, it was revealed that the Akasha was the work of Greater Lord Rukkhadevata.[33]

The Akasha is the manifestation of the God of Wisdom's power, but Lesser Lord Kusanali has little to no role in managing it. But as the First Akasha Terminal, she has always had her consciousness linked to the Akasha, giving her the ability to occupy the consciousness of anyone wearing an Akasha Terminal. However, she has only occupied the bionic puppet Katheryne's consciousness, out of respect for her people's free will.[33]

It is revealed that the Akademiya sages are corrupt; following Greater Lord Rukkhadevata's death, the sages were disappointed with the newly born Lesser Lord Kusanali's lack of intelligence and thus sought to replace their god in an attempt to control knowledge and restore Irminsul. After Il Dottore returned to Sumeru to offer his assistance in making a new god, four of the six sages began harvesting divine knowledge from crazed scholars at a secret facility, using the Akasha to create a dream samsara to harvest energy and spreading misinformation about the King Deshret's revival. The Amurta sage Naphis and the Vahumana sage opposed the plan, only to be locked up by the other sages in response. The sages modified Scaramouche even further to create their new god.

The Akademiya under their rule was authoritarian, banning the transmission of information by non-Akademiya sources[34][35] and requiring plays to be approved by the Akademiya and to focus on Akademiya-approved themes,[36] before ultimately prohibiting public art performances altogether.[37]

The Akademiya also has a significant influence on how the rest of Sumeru thinks, as their radical views that deemed artistic expression to have no benefits quickly caused the rest of Sumeru to adopt the same viewpoint, resulting in citizens valuing scholarly accomplishments and practicality above all else, and leading to the marginalization of those involved in the arts. The Akademiya's demeaning of the arts spread to all forms of artistic expression, whether in painting, vendor performances at Port Ormos, dancing, or even architecture, due to the value placed on practicality over aesthetics.[38][39] Even after Chapter III and the exile of the Sages, the Akademiya's influence still persists in some form in Sumeru, as discussing the arts is still considered the quickest way to kill a conversation.[40]

After Scaramouche was defeated by the Traveler and Kusanali, Azar and the other three sages that collaborated with him were removed from their posts, with Naphis and the Vahumana sage being released from their imprisonment. Four new sages are to be selected in a process personally overseen by Lesser Lord Kusanali. Alhaitham was offered the position of Grand Sage, but he refused. Nevertheless, Alhaitham became the Acting Grand Sage to manage the Akademiya's important affairs before the new sages take office.[28] He would ultimately resign and return to being its Scribe, leaving the Akademiya without a clear leader for the time being.[41]

It is revealed in Kaveh's Hangout Event Act I - The Pendulum of Weal and Woe that training centers have opened up across Sumeru to prep citizens who are unable to enroll into the Akademiya for certain career paths, such as in architecture. However, some of these training centers, such as Alkami's, are scams that prey on citizens' desperation. The Akademiya is revealed to be unaware of these fraudulent training centers, and Kaveh speculates that they are unlikely to take action against them even if they were to find out because they have all of the necessary permits and certifications to stay in business.[7]

Structure The Six Darshans Sumeru Akademiya is currently divided into Six Darshans, each of which has a specialty and a designated color for their uniform.[42] The first Darshans were established at the same time as the Akademiya itself by Greater Lord Rukkhadevata under the name of Six Great Schools, each representing a type of wisdom. Each school is led by a Great Sage, and the central leader among them holds the position of Grand Sage. Although additional Darshans separate from these Schools have been created throughout history, only the Six Great Schools have stood the test of time. Nowadays, the Six Darshans and the Six Great Schools are nearly synonymous.[28]

Crest Name Specialty Color Sage Sumeru Akademiya Amurta Amurta Biology Green Naphis Sumeru Akademiya Rtawahist Rtawahist Illuminationism Blue Azar (exiled) Sumeru Akademiya Spantamad Spantamad Elementalism Red Cyrus (retired) Sumeru Akademiya Haravatat Haravatat Semiotics Black Khajeh (exiled) Sumeru Akademiya Vahumana Vahumana Aetiology Yellow Iskandar (historical) Sumeru Akademiya Kshahrewar Kshahrewar Technology White Mahamata The Mahamata[Note 1] are the civil administrative officials of Sumeru Akademiya. They are Akademiya alumni dispatched throughout Sumeru to oversee the transmission and integrity of information among the public,[43][44] relay and ensure compliance with decrees implemented by the Akademiya,[45] and regulate various Akademiya-run public services, such as trade[46] and healthcare.[47] They are also sent to investigate incidents which may threaten public safety.[48]

Public opinion of the Mahamata is mixed; some consider the newer Mahamata to be inefficient in their work and believe they could be replaced by the Akasha System, though with the system's shutdown this is unlikely to change.[49] It is also suggested that the Akademiya may forcibly assign students to become Mahamata regardless of the student's own intent. This has been criticized as subverting the Akademiya's goals of education, though others argue that the Mahamata are important because they distribute the Akademiya's knowledge to the public.[43]

The Scribe, a position currently held by Alhaitham, belongs to the Mahamata.[44] The title of Inspector, which currently belongs to an unidentified woman, may also be part of the Mahamata.[50]

Alhaitham (The Scribe) Adel (Mahamata for Bayda Harbor) Barmak (Mahamata for Kalimi Exchange) Mahshid (Mahamata for Port Ormos) Nevida (Mahamata for Bimarstan) Panah Afratu Matra Main article: Matra The Matra[Note 1] are administrative officials in the Akademiya that hand out disciplinary actions to researchers who have committed serious academic offenses.[51] They also inspect for illegal sources of information, such as Canned Knowledge[52] and smuggled books.[53]

Navbed The Navbed is an administrative organization managing Sumeru's trade affairs and taxes.

Shahbandar — The Navbed (Sumeru City) Halva — Trainee Tax Officier (Sumeru City) Reza — Port Master (Port Ormos) Masrur — Deputy Port Master (Port Ormos) Dilawar — Trade Supervisor, Wikala Funduq (Port Ormos) Gauhar — Trade Supervisor, Wikala Funduq (Port Ormos) Shajar — Port Master (Bayda Harbor) Rena — The Navbed (Romaritime Harbor) Vizier The Vizier is an official who oversees administrative matters in the Grand Bazaar and Treasures Street on behalf of the Akademiya, and deals with inquiries from residents.

Nizam — Vizier Fariha — Secretary Temple of Silence Main article: Temple of Silence Little is known about this body, but they are known to hold some level of authority in the Akademiya, possibly including the authority to detain researchers. In Cyno's Story Quest, Lupus Aureus Chapter: Act II - Oathkeeper however, it is revealed that the Akademiya's Temple of Silence was in fact a front, as the real Temple of Silence departed from the rainforest back to the desert 400 years prior to the events of the game due to the sages' corruption, setting up a large compound in Thamud Oasis.