THE SCHOLA History In 1435 a man came to the villages of the Free Cities in the far south. Strong, smart, and charismatic he worked at odd jobs and everywhere he went he made tiny suggestions about things might work better. When asked how he knew so much he said that he'd traveled a great deal. Before too long he'd gathered some companions who he taught to read and write using a volume called _The Book of Travels_. The _Book of Travels_ turned out be a religious work about the life of a god named Feroze. The stranger said that he wasn't a member of that religion, but he respected it and could teach more, including its magical arts, though he couldn't use those abilities himself. As the summer faded into winter the stranger became almost strictly a teacher in the town of Lowfells, and people began speaking of "The Schola" as both his school and the religion taught in the _Book of Travels_. The stranger could teach almost anything, but there were a number of things (like spinning) that he had no talent for doing, and the village was grateful that he could, for he led the village against a bandit assault that winter, which was beat off with no deaths among the villagers. In the spring of 1436 the stranger traveled on once more, but he left behind the copy of the _Book of Travels_ that he'd used to teach reading, writing, and the magical arts of The Schola. Not long after he left his most advanced students read the final chapter of the book, which told how the god Feroze adopted a fully human form to live among the villagers of Lowfells for a year. Status As of 1438 the Schola has spread to encompass about 800 members in 30 villages in the southernmost regions of the Free Cities. Three villages contain physical schools. Currently the "government" of the Schola consists of 12 Anradan (administrative priests), 3 Espiri (magical priests) and 5 Espiri in training, and 8 Rohain (church warriors). Anradan have no magical gifts. One espiri can use healing spells, one can use movement spells, and the final one can use both. The Rohain are predominantly ex-mercenaries who have magical spirit abilities, and some have an ability to sense danger and foes. To date none of the abilities are very powerful. ---------------------------------------------------------------- To unsubscribe, send mail to celandra-off@phoenyx.net.
