Post by Vhagar on Jun 17, 2014 19:36:54 GMT -5
The Royal Academy
After decades of war with Oldtown, during which time the Citadel was closed off to the rest of Westeros, the land was in dire need of the services provided by the maesters. Few castles had maesters sworn to their service, and those who existed were mostly old men. With King Maegor's permission, Grand Maester Benedict had sent out a general amnesty for maesters and apprentices after the fall of Oldtown, promising to restore the Citadel. But there was much resentment between the crown and those who took up the work of restoring the Citadel, and much of their wisdom had been lost during the battle and the Archmaesters' deliberate burning of the most crucial texts. But when Queen Rhaena took the throne, she decided to set up an institute of learning in Kings Landing. It was her hope that this institute would provide the realm with scholars to replace the Citadel, which she considered. But Rhaena had another goal in mind. She had seen first hand now the realm was suffering after decades of war. She wished not only to provide the realm with scholars, but also to see that the poor people had a chance to provide for themselves. So as she drafted her plans, she decreed that her institute of learning would open its gates to scholars from all walks of life.
In 81AL, Rhaena commissioned builders to begin work on Visenya's Hill. She personally laid the foundation stone of the Royal Academy of King's Landing and the structure gradually began to rise. During the building, Rhaena sent out a call for teachers of many different subjects. The building was completed in 86AL and Queen Rhaena announced that the Academy would take students both highborn and low, male and female, wealthy and poor, young and old, with a minimum age of 10 years old.
All students are expected to contribute to their keep by means of either coin or work, though the very poorest are given scholarships paid for by generous benefactors hoping to win the Queen's favour, and sometimes by the Valyrian temple of Kings Landing.
The Royal Academy offers its students the chance to learn many skills such as cooking, leather work, carpentry and smithing, these being most suited to the poor and orphaned in need of a trade to support themselves. It also offers tuition in clerical skills such as reading, writing, arithmetic and ravenry. Some classrooms are designated for the use of herbalists and physicians and the Queen has also employed the services of skilled warriors and tacticians. In this way, scholars of the Academy may learn many skills, both in practice and by reading about them in the well-stocked library. Students may also study the various religions of the world, though there can be no doubt that study of the Queen's Valyrian religion is most favoured.
In addition to the more mundane skills it teaches, the Royal Academy is home to the School of Magic, a separate building dedicated to the study and practice of sorcery, in which Queen Rhaena, herself a sorceress, takes a great deal of interest. This building has a separate library all its own, much smaller. The most valuable books in the Academy are kept here under guard, old tomes dating from before the Doom of Valyria, a number of of them rescued from the ruins by the Queen herself. Copies of these ancient texts have been made for the use of students and teachers. A small plaque on the wall of the library indicates that it is dedicated to the memory of Rhaena's grandmother, Princess Laena, who had dreamed of the library's existence for many years. Access to the School of Magic is highly restricted; students of sorcery may attend classes in other areas of the Academy, but ordinary students are not permitted to enter the School of Magic for any reason.
The Royal Academy has several programmes of study. The basic course of study lasts five years, in which students learn the basics of reading, writing and arithmetic and go on to undertake a course of study in a particular trade. There is also an eight year programme in which students may learn a greater variety of skills in more depth, and henceforth have the right to call themselves Scholar. This course was intended to replace the Maesters of the Citadel. Additionally, students at the School of Magic attend for ten years due to the complex nature of their subject. Each year of study finishes with an exam or practical assessment which students must pass in order to proceed with their studies. The hardest assessments take place at the end of the courses. Graduates from the Trade School receive medals as confirmation of their studies, while Scholars and Sorcerers are granted certificates.
Although Rhaena hoped the Royal Academy would replace the Citadel, both institutes flourish and there is fierce rivalry between the two.
After decades of war with Oldtown, during which time the Citadel was closed off to the rest of Westeros, the land was in dire need of the services provided by the maesters. Few castles had maesters sworn to their service, and those who existed were mostly old men. With King Maegor's permission, Grand Maester Benedict had sent out a general amnesty for maesters and apprentices after the fall of Oldtown, promising to restore the Citadel. But there was much resentment between the crown and those who took up the work of restoring the Citadel, and much of their wisdom had been lost during the battle and the Archmaesters' deliberate burning of the most crucial texts. But when Queen Rhaena took the throne, she decided to set up an institute of learning in Kings Landing. It was her hope that this institute would provide the realm with scholars to replace the Citadel, which she considered. But Rhaena had another goal in mind. She had seen first hand now the realm was suffering after decades of war. She wished not only to provide the realm with scholars, but also to see that the poor people had a chance to provide for themselves. So as she drafted her plans, she decreed that her institute of learning would open its gates to scholars from all walks of life.
In 81AL, Rhaena commissioned builders to begin work on Visenya's Hill. She personally laid the foundation stone of the Royal Academy of King's Landing and the structure gradually began to rise. During the building, Rhaena sent out a call for teachers of many different subjects. The building was completed in 86AL and Queen Rhaena announced that the Academy would take students both highborn and low, male and female, wealthy and poor, young and old, with a minimum age of 10 years old.
All students are expected to contribute to their keep by means of either coin or work, though the very poorest are given scholarships paid for by generous benefactors hoping to win the Queen's favour, and sometimes by the Valyrian temple of Kings Landing.
The Royal Academy offers its students the chance to learn many skills such as cooking, leather work, carpentry and smithing, these being most suited to the poor and orphaned in need of a trade to support themselves. It also offers tuition in clerical skills such as reading, writing, arithmetic and ravenry. Some classrooms are designated for the use of herbalists and physicians and the Queen has also employed the services of skilled warriors and tacticians. In this way, scholars of the Academy may learn many skills, both in practice and by reading about them in the well-stocked library. Students may also study the various religions of the world, though there can be no doubt that study of the Queen's Valyrian religion is most favoured.
In addition to the more mundane skills it teaches, the Royal Academy is home to the School of Magic, a separate building dedicated to the study and practice of sorcery, in which Queen Rhaena, herself a sorceress, takes a great deal of interest. This building has a separate library all its own, much smaller. The most valuable books in the Academy are kept here under guard, old tomes dating from before the Doom of Valyria, a number of of them rescued from the ruins by the Queen herself. Copies of these ancient texts have been made for the use of students and teachers. A small plaque on the wall of the library indicates that it is dedicated to the memory of Rhaena's grandmother, Princess Laena, who had dreamed of the library's existence for many years. Access to the School of Magic is highly restricted; students of sorcery may attend classes in other areas of the Academy, but ordinary students are not permitted to enter the School of Magic for any reason.
The Royal Academy has several programmes of study. The basic course of study lasts five years, in which students learn the basics of reading, writing and arithmetic and go on to undertake a course of study in a particular trade. There is also an eight year programme in which students may learn a greater variety of skills in more depth, and henceforth have the right to call themselves Scholar. This course was intended to replace the Maesters of the Citadel. Additionally, students at the School of Magic attend for ten years due to the complex nature of their subject. Each year of study finishes with an exam or practical assessment which students must pass in order to proceed with their studies. The hardest assessments take place at the end of the courses. Graduates from the Trade School receive medals as confirmation of their studies, while Scholars and Sorcerers are granted certificates.
Although Rhaena hoped the Royal Academy would replace the Citadel, both institutes flourish and there is fierce rivalry between the two.
all alone and also really bored 
Hopefully going to kickstart the festival too