The August Academy
A large scale Benevolent academy and hospital that remains independent of any political affiliations that exists on the edge of the Void to offer hands on training and some of the best care available. This is the brain-child of Samuel Minkeur , founder of The Benevolent Order of Paradigms . Within this edifice are a collection of some of the greatest physicians and scientists in the world, and there are vast libraries and stores of data from many years of research and experimentations that are on hand within their vaults and warehouses. From the hallowed halls of this location, many innovative and life saving methods, devices, and substances have been and continue to be developed.
Purpose / Function
This location was built, kitted, and staffed with the sole purpose of providing care to the sick and wounded without any form of government oversight or possible pressures of state that might alter the direction of the establishment's directives. To this end, the construction was entirely funded by donations that carried no signature and nor weight of the sources that offered them aside from the promise that no one would be turned away that sought help at their gates, and that no bias or prejudice would be taught within its halls.
The Academy serves several purposes which are divided up between the wings of the enormous structure. The primary and central directive is one of education, to offer the finest and most state of the art training for would be Benevolents from all walks of life and more importantly, all manner of approach to the art. To this end, Minkeur who opted to blend science and his own brand of faith base medicine, designed the curriculum with this in mind, so as to serve the needs of all the people of Cairne as best he could. The location being in such close proximity to the Void offers a unique experience for the students and faculty of the academy, as regular incursions of fell creatures from the darkness are not uncommon, and dealing with these threats but as a potential health risk, and after their damage is done in some unfortunate cases, presents a rather severe but effective means of placing students in the thick of the struggle that so many inhabitants of this world live in.
The secondary purpose is of course, to provide a specialized hospital facility that caters to some of the most dangerous and deadly maladies and injuries. The academy has gained a significant reputation as a place where hope still remains when all other options are closed, and they take their charge of turning no one away seriously.
The tertiary purpose of the establishment is one of unbiased and unfettered research. As long as the direction of medical and scientific curiosity honors the precepts of the Benevolent Order and does not seek to harm or endanger the inhabitants or those beyond the gates, students and faculty alike are free and encouraged to indulge every aspect of their research. This has lead to several breakthroughs and innovations in the art, as well as many new procedures and discoveries.
Fourth and last, the academy contains several libraries of note and many vaults of information and collected data from both the old world and the new. Very very know the full extent of the information and works that are stored here save for the Headmaster and the Chief Librarian, but the system used to keep and maintain these works in an orderly manner is a substantial body of work in and of itself, as the size of the August collection rivals any other location save possibly the The University of the Lighted Way .
Architecture
Due to the location of the academy, the lower sectors of the structure are actually built upon the existing remains of another, very large structure from before the Blight, raising the primary constructions high enough as to make any incursions into their interior nearly impossible. The towering gothic architecture stands like an imposing palace above the gloom and fog that darkens the area and keeps the location in a near, perpetual twilight state. The interior is well lit at all times as a means by which to further secure the inhabitants from the dangers outside, and while there is an exterior wall around the demesne, it is seldom manned save for the phosphor stones used to generate light around the outer premises.
The interior is a sight to behold. Vaulted ceilings and elaborate tile floors, magnificent statuary depicting aspects of the sciences and arts practiced there. Huge laboratories and clinics, and a large scale Hammerdrive Engine in the lower sectors, below the heart of the construction that allows the use of electric lighting and other wonders of technology within.
Defenses
Every nation that is able rotates a small regiment of guardsmen to assist in the defense of the location, and this is sufficient in most cases. One of the directives that Samuel Minkeur put into place however, was the implementation of a physical regime for staff and student alike, his belief being that the Benevolents that graduated and went on to world abroad would need to be prepared for anything need by them to preserve the sanctity of life, even if that meant taking up arms to protect their charges. Between the regiments stationed there and the Benevolents themselves, no force natural or otherwise has managed to breach their walls.
History
Seeking to distance the entire organization of the Benevolents from what many had come to view as a direct tie to the Bechtlarite Empire, Samuel Minkur, one of the most respected and talented members of the order, backed by his own splinter group of the organization, restructures a former university lost at the edge of the Blight as an independent academy for Benevolent education, training, research, and as a care facility as well. The move was backed and funded entirely by donations from all nations, including the Becht who agreed the neutrality of their order in matters of politics was a paramount ideal to them being efficient and unbiased in their work.
The name of Samuel Minkeur carried a great deal of weight at this point, his founding and leadership of The Benevolent Order of Paradigms had brought substantial credibility to the overall Order itself. While the The Benevolent Order claimed no direct leadership as an organization, it had come to look to him in many matters for guidance and direction, the various branches each having its own unique needs and problems. The focus of activity that had grown in and around the The Sovereign Empire of the Bechtlarites troubled him a great deal, as he and the remaining Benevolent Order had gone to great lengths to remain a neutral force within the world at large, their philosophy keeping with the ideal that only by remaining unattached politically could they serve the greater good. It was already considered bad form to endanger a Benevolent in their field, even one working for an opposing force in a conflict, but Samuel wanted more.
The decision to found a private institution in which to train and care for people was lauded as the perfect solution, and funding for the project began to filter in almost immediately, the Bechtlarite Empire granting a substantial stipend of materials and even workers for the project with the implicit understanding they in no way wished to hinder the vision of the Benevolent Paradigm .
The August Academy groundbreaking was one that was done with a minimal amount of fanfare, and the location of the dilapidated structure that had been repurposed to suit their needs only encouraged the workers to work fast. The construction was aided by every available hand, many of the Benevolents themselves joining in the effort, while small guard contingents from the Becht, Culvarkt , Ventryte , Volrishtad , Hiversteadians , and Fouvienians maintained a constant vigil over them. Surprisingly, despite its proximity to the edge of the Blight, there were no fatalities during the construction from the dangers of the Void, or mishaps on the site.
As the August Academy was completed, streams of Benevolents and hopefuls were already lining up and making their way there to train. Housing and instructional facilities were offered and the academy filled up quickly. Samuel enforced a strict regiment of study, practical application, and personal discipline. All were welcome as long as they could maintain that ideal. Another aspect of the training that Samuel was rigid on, was the need for a physical regime as well, insisting that facing the dangers of their world was more than a matter of mind and skill, that a true Benevolent would need to be able to endure and fend off the dangers of the Blight, not only for their benefit, but for the safety and well being of their charges as well.
Founding Date
43rd of Senectus 135 PR
Type
University / Educational complex
Owner
Additional Rulers/Owners
Owning Organization
Characters in Location
Comments