| abstract | - The Arcane University is located on the City Isle, within one of the two small towers situated to the east of the main White-Gold Tower. The walls of the University form a circular area, outside the main city walls, of roughly the same area as the innermost circle of the Imperial City, Green Emperor Way. The layout is similar to the Imperial Prison, located in the northeastern tower, consisting of a single circular wall, surrounding an open grassy area with the main tower situated slightly off-center in the middle of the area. The university layout includes a second, much larger building immediately behind the tower, which houses the Imperial Orrery. The Arch-Mage's Tower is a smaller version of the massive White Gold Tower, approximately the same size and shape as the Imperial Guard towers found around the outside edge of the Imperial City proper. Its key distinguishing feature is the cone-shaped addition to the top of the tower, which houses the Arch-Mage's personal quarters. The tower also contains the Mages' Guild council chambers, and at the lowest level, a small lobby. The lobby is the only section of the tower open to the public. The majority of the University grounds are located behind a thick wall, and are off-limits to visitors. The main tower sits precisely in the center of this wall, atop a raised walkway. Large iron gates extend out from the tower along the walls, and will only open for Mages' Guild members of at least Apprentice rank. Non-members are permitted into the tower lobby, where a few guild members are usually found, but cannot exit into the university grounds or Orrery. As with the rest of the Ayleid city, the walls around the outside of the University house a number of buildings, most of which are two stories with no basement. There is a small Imperial watchtower near the back of the university, shorter than those in the city proper, which is home to the Imperial Battlemages patrolling the university grounds. The only gate through the walls leads to the northwest, to a short footbridge leading to a gate into the Arboretum.
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