College of Varria

The **College of Varria**, also known by its full title of *The Royal Grand College and Hospital of Varria*,is the centre for learning within the Kingdom. It was established by King Darrion II in order to provide the kingdom, and not the lords, with an ability to create learned men who would be indebted to serving the state. The current Master of the College is *Master* Ilian.

## History

In 282, Darrion founded a Royal College in his capital. It was a small building, initially, and was headed by the king's cousin, Alexos ela Komi who had trained in Holeym and Benoviam learning the natural sciences. Darrion had him bring over many scholars and they began to train young noblemen in the arts and sciences.

However, soon Darrion realised he could expand the entity and create a class of men who would be indebted to use their knowledge for his own use. He made an agreement with the Grand Magister at the time for the Faith to pay an endowment and have new priests train within the College in exchange for a seat on the King's Council. Before long the College accepted men who would give up claims on land and titles in order to serve the realm. Mostly this was done by noblemen giving them their younger sons whom they could not afford to raise or squire. The College paid for these men to join their ranks and this began to put a great debt on the shoulders of the king.

In 301, Darrion made an agreement with his cousin that the College would pay its own way in exchange for greater autonomy and a seat for the Master at the King's Council. Darrion agreed and before long he realised the college had turned away from his original idea of a centralised class of learned men to an insular order who were hired by any lord who could pay for any number of roles. These men were unable to retain official power or marry into families and so they were effectively political eunuchs.

Darrion died in 304 and his daughter and successor, Edane I, had even less say. To this day, the College is effectively independent, only loaning their services and manpower to the King.

## Orders

The College accepts people and trains them, putting them into one of four orders.

### Priests

The Priests of the Faith are all trained in the College. Most who pass into this order are preordained to.

#### Ranks

Priest, Magister, High Magister, Grand Magister

### Scribes

The Scribes are the most numerous of the three "great" orders. The Scribes are learned men who perform any number of bureaucratic and academic tasks and fulfil roles from recorder of deeds, to archivist, to physician, to metallurgist. The Scribes are simply learned men employed for their knowledge.

### Sentinels

The Sentinels are trained knights of the College. They number 150 and are the newest of the orders, founded in 370. They are often split between the King and College.

#### Ranks

Sentinel, Second Sentinel, First Sentinel

### Keepers

The Keepers are the "lesser" order of the College. Many pass through who are not smart enough, nor strong enough, nor pious enough to warrant being offered acceptance into the other orders but are still bound to the college. These become the keepers. In exchange for maintaining the college (cooking, cleaning, building, etc) they are fed, housed and taught. Whilst a commoner could rise into any order most stay as keepers.

### Acolytes

Technically not an order, the Acolytes are the young members of the college who have yet to be sorted into an order.