Any discoveries the Academy makes will be posted here.
The Academy in Viden is the premier center of education in Idalos. Priding itself on its pedigree, it boasts the oldest - and finest - academic record.
The Viden Academy is renowned all over Idalos as the shining beacon of education, academic and enlightenment. Students who come to Viden receive top notch education, only outdone (in certain fields) by the sister University in Andaris, Rynmere. However students are not the only people who can benefit from discoveries made at the Academy. Any worthy discovery or theory - once it has been peer-reviewed and supported by the evidence base - is distributed throughout the cities of Idalos to be used to the benefit of mortals as a whole.
Below are some such discoveries. Though please read any moderator not which might limit who knows this information in an IC context.
Prophet's Note: if you have any ideas for discoveries made by the Viden Academy which you would like to add to this ever-growing list, please PM a Local Prophet or add your idea to the Viden Development Thread.
Date of Discovery: 6th Day of Zi'da, 605th Arc Credit of Discovery: Institute of Sciences (Professor Gravius Belial)
The Institute of Sciences have long since discovered that there is something in the centre of the planet that pulls everything downwards. The theory came into existence when a scholar realised that some things could leave the ground for a short period of time (such as a human jumping up and down), other things were too heavy to even attempt to lift without mechanical support, and there was a final group of items which would float upwards, perhaps forever. Gaius Belial was determined to find out why.
The most supported hypothesis, one which is collaborated with the Rynmere University, is the theory that there is a "force" which is acting in some way upon all objects to different degrees. This force was given the name "Gravity" in honour of the discoverer. Over time, the theory developed and began to be tested. Current hypotheses state that the force is coming from a certain mixture of elements, or perhaps a certain magic that was created during the Shattering. No Immortal is yet to share their memories of a time before the Great Shattering, however scholars have not been shot down by Yvithia yet. They, therefore, believe they are accurate in stating that the physical world was somewhat more fluid before the Great Shattering. The Existence of mortals might have something to do with this.
Further experiments and travels from the city to all corners of the earth have led scholars to state that the pull is stronger the farther north one goes, as well as the farther west, at least if compared to Viden. This final piece of information has yet to be shared as public knowledge, though a select few at the University of Rynmere are investigating the same phenomenon. Yvithia herself believes that whatever is pulling everything towards the ground is accessed through the Heart of the World, but she hasn't yet tested her theory, because relations with Faldrun and the Aukari have always been strained, at best...
Date of Discovery: 12th Day of Saun, 656th Arc Credit of Discovery: Institute of Sciences (Professor Gravius Belial)
Following the raging success that was the "discovery" of the force of gravity, Professor Belial continued his research into forces, looking primarily at understanding gravity some more. It was during one of his experiments that he stumbled upon something else. Gravity pulled things down but he also noticed that, with heavy objects, it took less effort to slide them if there was some form of viscous liquid to act as a lubricant between the ground and a heavy object (or even, he decided, any object).
Therefore, he discovered a circumstance where there is something that enables movement on the ground, as well as something that stops movement once the force that caused it ceases to exist. That was the initial thought, at least, and news was spread quickly in order to allow civilisations to adapt their methods of transportation for the ease of everyone involved.
Arcs later, academics are still working on this, as there is a lot of ground to explore [ground - gettit? friction? ground? ok I'll shut up now -Aeon makes a funny]. Now theories of this "friction" has a branch focused solely on making travel to and from Viden easier. This branch has come to a number of conclusions from viewing people that move over snow, stone and ice, and how different all of their movements are in those different terrains. All of this research will eventually be passed on to the Institute of Technology in order to create mechanisms to make travel and haulage easier for the peoples of Idalos.
Date of Discovery: 14th Day of Saun, 624th Arc Credit of Discovery: Institute of Sciences (Associate Professor Helia Veke)
A couple of arcs after the discovery of the force of gravity upon the world, Professor Gravius Belial's only student continued his work and opened more fields for discovery within the world of physics. Even now, much of the world is left undiscovered, unchartered and untravelled. However it was not necessary for this young scholar to travel far from home in order to decide that the world wasn't flat.
It began with a summer's eve, watching the sun set from Lake Verity. Helia Veke noticed a slight curvature of the land on the horizon in the far distance. At first, she thought nothing of it, a mere curiosity of the land. But in other directions, if the terrain allowed her to look far enough, she noticed the same phenomenon. The way the light fell upon the land at sunset made it all the more obvious. Sending out messages to colleagues across Idalos, she was able to collate as much information as possible about this theorised curvature of the world. The same was reported from all over.
The most useful report sent back to Helia was one from a colleague on the Orm'del Sea. His view was unhindered in all directions from blemishes of the terrain. He was able to definitively say that curvature was occurring all around. From there, news was spread across Idalos that the world was not Flat. No one could be sure where, or even if there were ends of the world. But one thing was sure: gravity was more important that originally thought, because "up" was not, in any way, the same direction in Avaern as it was in Ne'haer.
