Kickstarter campaign looks to transform Virginia University into wizard school

RICHMOND, Va., Nov. 30 (UPI) -- Wizards seeking an education in Virginia are in luck, as a group has taken to Kickstarter in hopes of transforming a local university into a "magical school."

The project entitled New World Magischola: A College of Wizardry Larp intends to raise money to convert the University of Richmond's campus into a magical school for a Live Action Role-Playing event.

The project raised over $250,000 in its first week, surpassing it's original pledged goal of $35,000.

The experience draws inspiration from the Harry Potter books, providing five animal-themed "houses" for students to choose from, and is modeled after a similar program that the event's organizers attended in Poland.

The experience looks to offer a full school experience over the four day period providing participants lodging in the school's dorms, eight buffet style meals and classes in five scholarly paths including: Artivicery, healing, curse breaking, cryptozoology and The Path of the Marshal.

"We've created a magical universe in North America called the Magimundi, where magic exists as a hidden part of the mundane world," a post on the project's Kickstarter page states. "Students come from one of the five Magimundi Provinces (or places further away!) to attend our Magischola, or magical college, to receive their higher education and earn the official title of Wizard."

The event will permit a maximum of 160 participants with basic ticket packages beginning at $375 with special packages available for up to $7,500.

The Kickstarter also provides unique benefits for backers, such as custom wands, emblems and other wizard supplies as well as a magical care package.

The project's current level of funding promises additional events in the future for those unable to secure one of the 160 available spots.