Looks a lot like what I'm doing with Sunseeker College in my own county. I wish you the best of luck.
For those who seek power, for those who desire riches, for the children who wish to ascend above the mere mortals who inhabit this world, there is a way. Knowledge, my dear fellow, knowledge is the divine authority that guides our very existence. It is the force that drives us to success, the might that leads us to conquest, the power that sanctions our ascent to sanctity.
There are many of us, who hail from each and every corner of the lands with the intent to discover and understand the wisdoms of our world. Astronomers and astrologers, archaeologists and artificers, alchemists and scholars; people of study. And so, I implore you, abandon aspirations of wealth and worldly might, but take part in our eternal quest to discover the secrets of our universe. Join us, and be forever enlightened.
~ From the Journals of Amanuensis, Greater Chamberlain of the Grand Atheneum
The Chamberlains are a group of people who are responsible for the upkeep of the Grand Atheneum located in the County of Sylitera.
The group is comprised of several different types of characters ranging from scribes and teachers to adventurers and champions. All important to the Library's continued relevance in the Kingdom and although they take different paths, their goal of enlightenment remains the same throughout.
There are several levels of membership in the ranks, from basic Chamberlains to the higher positions of Chapter Master and Archchamberlain. Moving through the ranks is no simple matter, and those who do will prove dedicated and loyal to their causes and respected by their peers.
The first level of membership is that of Apprentice. The lowest level, these are people who seek to become members, but have yet to undergo the processes of admission. This process entails an interview and subsequent probation period where the applicant is vetted through rigorous discussion with the Archchamberlains and Grandmaster.
The second level of membership is the basic Chamberlain these are full members and have [limited] access to the archives of the atheneum and are able to participate in the meetings that go on in the Hall of Scholars.
The third level is that of Chapter Master. These members are essentially the same as the previous except for their added realm of control. Members at this level differentiate because of their involvement in hosting a chapter. Chapters are small branches of the Atheneum meant for temporary archiving and providing jobs to explorers. Because of this, Chapter Masters are vetted a little more harshly then Chamberlains, as they must be trusted individuals in order to host these posts.
The fourth level of membership is that of Keeper. A role native to the Grand Atheneum itself, these are the people charged with overseeing the inner workings of the Chambers. A role to be undertaken primarily by scholars, it is one of infinite responsibility and irrefutable trust. These members will be responsible for the organisation and safety of the various articles within the Atheneum, overseeing a large portion of the members and the library itself.
Moving on from the basic members, we come to the leaders and the more remarkable roles; these being the Archchamberlains. The Archchamberlains are individuals held in the highest regard. Trusted beyond measure, these people are appointed solely by the Grandmaster and chosen by the the others in their ranks.
In addition to the more scholarly positions, there are a number of other roles available. One of these is that of a Guardian. The Guardians are the combatants of the Grand Atheneum. These are loyal members of the Chamberlains highly skilled in combat; escorts and wardens who keep watch over the wares of the Library, keeping them safe and protecting the Atheneum at any cost.
The final role is that of Collector, the Collectors are either separate hired factions (i.e. adventurers, cartographers, explorers) or in-house members, who venture out to provide us with the records, discoveries, and artifacts that fill the Atheneum. These people, be it guilds or individuals, are selected by the Keepers according to what specifically is needed within their chambers and are paid by the Atheneum according the difficulty of the quest.
The Council of the Grand Sages represents the executive power in the organisation. A small group comprised only of the most highly respected individuals, the Sages direct the course of the Chamberlains and their word is taken as law throughout. Even the Grandmaster, who often holds a seat on the council, rarely opposes them, as their power and influence is great and can guide the judgement of the entire organisation. While the council is hugely impactful on the organisation, they are hardly ever present within it, their members spread out across the world. They meet quadrennially in a special sanctum hidden from the world for about a month before enacting any decisions and parting ways once again.
The Grand Atheneum is a monumental library located within the City of Da'at. The intended seat of academics in the duchy, its shelves contain a vast number of scrolls regarding skills, lore, and historic discoveries. A labyrinth of sorts, the Library contains a vast number of rooms and passages, many of which are known only to the most trusted members of the Chamberlains.
The Chambers are the various holds within the Atheneum, each one serving a significant purpose to the library as a whole. These chambers are sorted meticulously by their holdings; be it stories, art, maps, collections, artifacts, memoires, or the like, each work is taken and cataloged accordingly.
Looks a lot like what I'm doing with Sunseeker College in my own county. I wish you the best of luck.
Nice person :D would recommend anyone joining their group if they are looking for somewhere to join
Thank you all! I hope the best for this organisation as well, and things (so far) are really looking up for us.
I have a feeling we are going to need a lot of books for this.
Socrates classified those who did not take part in philosophy into two categories:
Gods and sages, because they are wise;
Senseless people, because they think they are wise.
The Sage represents the characterisation of pure wisdom; they are the persons who have achieved an understanding that supersedes the realms of basic knowledges and display seamless emotional control, never submitting to their feelings. From the Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy, this article reads ...emotions like fear or envy (or impassioned sexual attachments, or passionate love of anything whatsoever) either were, or arose from, false judgements and that the sage—a person who had attained moral and intellectual perfection—would not undergo them.
Sages are selfless. They must be, as their doctrine demands it. Acts of selfishness are unwise, as they lead not to the betterment of the world, but feeds the greed of oneself. In fact, acts of selflessness often form the foundation of a sages life.
Lao-tzu's Taoteching says this:
SUNG CH’ANG-HSING says, “Heaven and Earth help creatures fulfill their needs by not having any needs of their own. Can safes do otherwise? By following the Way of Heaven and Earth, sages are revered by all and harmed by none. Hence, they, too, live long.”
...
WANG PI says, “Those who live for themselves fight others. Those who don’t live for themselves are the refuge of others.”
...
LU TUNG-PIN says, “The only thing sages seek is Virtue.”
Through their virtuous lifestyle, sages act selflessly, and are in turn venerated for it–although this is not their goal. Sages are regarded in some cases as 'embodying the Way of Heaven', they are the physical embodiment of the metaphysical world, displaying heavenly virtue as a result of their wisdom.
Sages represent the pinnacle of human understanding, yet can no longer be regarded as human, their ascent to wisdom puts them in a different realm from humans; they no longer retain the immorality and selfish desires that personify humankind.
To be a sage is to abandon oneself and partake in a challenge which most cannot endure.
...sage and sages are as rare as the phoenix. Everyone else is equally ignorant.
As always, we're looking for members to join our ranks. Anyone interested, feel free to contact myself here or join our discord server.
I am very excited for this organization.
Nice forum post Luci!
Xuerou Wyvernwood Mayoress of Imbrium Ridge Kingdom of Ashland Duchy of Fioralba
I've enjoyed watching your ideas develop and become fleshed out, luci. I wish The Chamberlains the best and look forward to seeing how it develops in the future.
Mayor of Ithilnún |