Medieval Lore

Medieval Lore is used with players to show they have an above-average level of awareness for the history and detail of the middle ages. It's also provided in some Realms of the Omniverse so that Storytellers have access to the finer points running a story in that particular time period.
People who possess Medieval Lore will be able to converse on the subject of the middle ages and, in the fantastic case they somehow find themselves in that long stretch of history, will be better equipped to survive in it.
== Adepts in the Middle Ages: ==
Also known as the medieval era or dark ages, the 'middle ages' represent the time span between the fall of the Roman Empire and the modern nation state of western civilization. It is popularly imagined as a dark time when humanity lived in hovels in the shadow of the ruins of the past, and most historians would agree there is much truth to that. 
But the medieval era was also the build up to modern societies, the slow and creeping development from warring groups, to established kingdoms, finally forming into international economies which form what today we recognize as nation states. To this day, many of our basic ideas about society, freedom and religion are the result of the dark ages.
=== Discipline Arcani: ===
The Discipline was a lot murkier during the dark ages. Belief in the supernatural was rock solid among most people, especially the peasants. Adepts could often get away with using their abilities, or even proclaiming themselves publicly and the people would accept it. Or better yet, the populace could proclaim them a saint and venerate them! 
For most of the time period the Discipline was enforced only slightly, usually if someone did something truly blatant, right out in the open for everyone to see. This would be the case especially if the Adept's efforts backfired and caused a disaster. 
=== The Ruling Orders: ===
The middle ages was a time of unparalleled power for the Ruling Orders, a time when rulers called upon the doctrine of Divine Right as justification for their actions. Proclaiming themselves to be uniquely God's representative on earth, the various kings and queens of dark age Europe held near absolute sway.
The state Church was also a near absolute power in its own right. With the only other source of authority to hold Europe together through the various plagues and invasions, the Church reformed itself as an organized pillar of society. Also, the Church was the only other political authority that could challenge the nobility and stop them from their incessant squabbles. 
The Ruling Orders were thoroughly infused into both the nobility and the Church. Also, because the social strata of the middle ages had little in the way of a middle class, everyone was separated into two distinct groups: the low born and the high born. 
The Ruling Orders preferred to induct from the high born, but God chooses who He will. But it is true that the dark age Ruling Orders preferred to associate with the rich nobility and high born over the commoners who served in the fields and farms, or worked for the nobles in their manors. 
== Quick Facts on the Dark Ages: ==
-The population of Europe was significantly lower than it is today. Medieval Europe was a land of vast, dark forests and rugged mountains. Humanity existed primarily in small hamlets and tiny, muddy villages scattered about.
-You were born into a caste system, and with a few possible exceptions you lived and died within the same social class and profession that your parents had. 
-Life in the dark ages was rustic, difficult and required constant attention. People lived off the land, if a peasant didn't grow something or make it themselves, then chances are they wouldn't have it. 
-This is a time before the industrial revolution. Everything was made by hand. People often had only a few pairs of clothes to their person, and only a small, simple set of tools. Books were rare and having a shelf or two of them was a sign of personal accomplishment. 
-Ignorance and superstition was rampant, especially among the lower classes. Abrupt changes in nature could be seen by an entire community as a sign of God's ill will, and stories of witches and devils were often taken seriously. 
-People didn't travel far, even among many of the nobility. Peasant towns were often composed of people who lived and died without going more than a few leagues from their home. 
-Education was a rarity, even among the high born. Normally the Church, specifically cathedrals and monasteries, were the only sources of real education. Town Guilds, who concerned themselves with craft and trades, used a disciple-mentor system that also involved some education. Some people in the dark ages were quite intelligent and educated, but others lived up to the stereotype. 
-Most of the population was illiterate. Most people only knew of the Bible what they were told by official priests. Heretical groups throughout the dark ages were often persecuted not for espousing dangerous doctrine but simply for trying to bring the scriptures into the public domain.
-Kings and other major rulers spent most of their time scrambling to consolidate and hold onto their power. Regional rulers like dukes, barons, magistrates and other such officials were the real authority figures for most peasants. 
-Society wasn't well structured. Towns could disappear, up and move after a natural disaster, or simply devolve and reappear somewhere else. Sometimes a town would move but keep its real name, so anyone relying on old, and therefore outdated, maps would arrive at the right location but find only vacant ruins. 
-Lands were allotted more than given, chances are a farmer or baron held multiple tracts of land. Maps of boundary lines dating back to the dark ages looked more like jigsaw puzzles than modern maps. Peasants would purchase multiple tracks and tend to them ferociously, slowly building them up over time until they could provide real revenue. 
-The concept of law in the dark ages was more tribal than national like it is today. In many places, especially England, kings would try someone according to the laws of their people, and not according to a set system of rules. So sometimes, something one person did was a crime while someone else could do it and not be punished. 
-Communication today is near instant, thanks to email, cell phones and other communication technologies. In the dark ages, 'communication technology' tended to walk around on four hooves. Couriers on horseback were most common, although the use of other system could occasionally be found. 
-Language wasn't stable like it is today. Often, villages living in separate valleys often spoke different versions of the same language. Even within recognized languages like English, French or German, there was a dizzying array of spellings, pronunciations or vocabularies. 
-Medicine was half-haphazard. Up to a third of children in the dark ages never made it to adulthood. Major sickness and injury was treated locally, or not at all. Monasteries would provide 'hospices' where people could be tended to, and Magisters (medieval scholars or scientists) often practiced basic herbology, but professional hospitals were none existent for much of the middle ages. 
-Separation of church and state did not exist in the middle ages. Tribalism, as a general rule, recognizes no difference between what a people believe and the boundaries of that people. Another words, if you didn't believe the same as a Frenchman or an Italian, than you weren't one of them and couldn't be trusted. Therefore, religious revolutions were always, according to the medieval mind, political revolutions as well. 
-Wars are common and frequent in medieval times. Local land lords or villages will conduct wars for a host of reasons. To cut out a competitor, to avenge a slight or injustice, or simply to steal things. 
-Town Guilds are trade associations for those employed in particular fields of work. While they operate as small groups centered in local towns, they also exist as an international network of professionals. A member of the masons or butcher's Guild could be inducted and trained by a mentor. Upon completing his training, he would be recognized as a master by all other Guild members, irrespective of their country or origin. 
-Magisters were medieval scholars and primitive scientists. While the dark ages had begun as an age of technological regression, the people of the middle ages were more advanced than we give them credit. They constructed towering cathedrals and were fully aware that the earth wasn't flat. They practiced chemistry and primitive medicine. 
-Taverns were a staple of social life. Some things don't change. 
== References: ==
-http://www.renaissancemagazine.com/
-http://www.amazon.com/dp/B003YCI1UC/ref=asc_df_B003YCI1UC4000758/?tag=askcom05el-20&creative=394997&creativeASIN=B003YCI1UC&linkCode=df4
-http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1736341/?ref_=tt_rec_tt
-http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0398514/
-http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/4936457-the-time-traveller-s-guide-to-medieval-england
-http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0091605/
-http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0089457/
-http://www.amazon.com/Dark-Ages-Vampire/dp/1588462765/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1448211770&sr=8-2&keywords=vampire+the+dark+ages