Education

General schooling
With the rising wealth and complexity of society, education became more and more important in the small ring. These days literacy and a standard understanding of laws, religion or even history are seen as mandatory for most citizens. In most countries, the church or temples organize the basic schooling of the people. Children between 6 and 12 years old have a form of education for 2 or 5 days a week. The range of subjects differs between cultures and regions. The Valeran empire has a focus on the empire’s history with its victories and leaders, while in the Sertian city-state of Cedil, the teaching in sailing and navigating are mandatory. The richer families are able to hire personal educators. These private tutors can be from the same temple or church, but those schooled at independent universities are more popular with the wealthy.

In other cultures, like with the Anduin, education is done at home. Knowledge and experience is given down from generation to generation. Families tend to have their own area of expertise.

Religious schooling
For those who want to pursue the path of further education, the traditional place was usually a monastery of their patron deity. Scribes and monks where the guardians of knowledge and information. Monasteries had vast collection of books, not only religious, but with subjects ranging from political sciences to herbalism. Those who wanted access to the knowledge often had to be part of the church, or even had to serve in the monastery for a period. Those with a greater thirst for knowledge often had to became monks themselves, to study the delicate books of their order.

In the last hundred years, many religion organizations saw their political power drop, and with that also the power of the monasteries. But true competition came with the invention of the printing press and the rise of the modern academies. These days, monasteries are still a great place to study various subjects, especially concerning theology, history and philosophy. Their rules about access have loosened up and lots of their books are accessible for a small donation or good deed.

The illithium The most sacred monastery is that of Nepthys on the earthberg of Belodién. Here, the loremasters of the deity of knowledge write all great deeds in the illithium, also known as the eternal book. This huge magical book, with pages of 9 by 4 meters, holds every significant event of the last eras, and is one of the most important sources of information in the small ring.

Academies
With the invention of the printing press, books where not only for monks or their wealthy benefactors. The religions lost their monopoly of knowledge, and a lot of new institutes popped up across the small ring where people could dedicate their time in various studies. Scholars pay the academies a fixed amount each half year (called a semester) for the amount of courses they follow. Whit enough courses followed, the scholar receives a prestigious document of proof. Next to giving courses, academies often have their own agenda, using the funds of their scholars to achieve certain goals. Most of the time these goals are to spread a certain ideology, but others use their funding for more elaborate means. For example sending out archeological missions to find lost locations and artifacts, or even secretive duties like recruiting potential spellcasters to join a cult.

Valeran university The pinnacle of Valeran education, the Valeran university is funded by the royal family and has the brightest tutors from every corner of the empire. It is well known that the university is a propaganda machine to spread Valeran imperialism among the younger generation. But their courses in history, literature and political science are among the best in the small ring.

Midland academia A center of philosophy, anthropology and modern theology, the Midland academia is one of the most prestigious universities in the small ring. It’s famous for stimulating modern thinking and studying religion from a neutral position. It’s the source of the modern ideologies like humanism and the arcane renaissance. The university is funded and led by the enigmatic Lorekeeper; a man which has much speculation around him. Connections with halarim, minori , djinni, celestials, vampires and liches are among the most common rumours.

Spineheart Institute In the kobold city of The Pinnacle in Isengrin, the spineheart institute is a notorious place for study. The origins of this place came from the research of the connections between kobolds and arcane magic, but it develop itself as the center for arcane secrets and the most ancient of histories. Sorcerers, adept and clerics are common among its scholars and researchers. The institute is known to hire adventurers to retrieve lost artifacts in forgotten locations. Although the Spineheart institute is small in size; it rivals the Medina in knowledge of the mysterious and the arcane.

Danir Karan University of Engineering Within the machine of Katon Nir stands a school with a specific purpose. Danir Karan wants to research the technology of former civilizations and create new inventions with its discoveries, This University houses the greatest minds of science, chemistry and engineering and it has one of the biggest collections of Titan technology.

Wizard schools Education is an important part of life of a wizard, and most organizations that deal with organized wizardry are centered around an educational system. Places like the Medina or the Valeran Royal Academy offer great knowledge for those who are willing to give them their money and loyalty. Studying at these schools are the most common first steps at being an apprentice wizard.

Bardic colleges Places where various art forms like theatre, storytelling, dance and music are taught are called Bardic colleges. The colleges are often connected to a theatre, opera or annual festival where they play a central part.