Academy of Sciences

“Let no child of Thandor grow up in darkness. Let the hammer, the quill, and the mind be raised as proudly as the sword. Here, in these halls, the future shall be forged by brilliance.”

— Empress Sandrin, at the founding of the Academy, 356 ADA

Introduction

The Academy of Sciences was born from a revolutionary vision.

In 356 ADA, Empress Sandrin the Wise declared that the greatness of Thandor should not be forged in blood, but in thought. In a bold move that unsettled the aristocracy and astonished the merchant guilds, she established the first institution of higher learning in the empire open to the common folk.

Constructed at the old heart of the capital and funded directly by the Crown, the Academy was envisioned as a bastion where blacksmiths' apprentices, scribes’ children, and even field hands with keen minds could rise not through lineage, but through learning. Its curriculum focused on engineering, mathematics, metallurgy, and the written word; tools that the Empress considered vital to achieve real progress.

Golden Age (356-556 ADA)

Unlike the other institutions that catered to the elite, the Academy of Sciences was designed to provide the masses with access to education and the practical skills necessary to contribute to the growth and prosperity of the empire.

In its golden age, this vision blossomed beyond its original scope, as the academy became a beacon of opportunity, attracting talent from all walks of life. The curriculum was comprehensive, offering everything from blacksmithing and scribing to more sophisticated fields like engineering, architecture, and alchemy. For the first time, common citizens, often born into laborious lives, were given the chance to learn high-level skills that had previously been reserved for the nobility.

The academy's reputation grew quickly, becoming a vibrant center of innovation. Through the rigorous courses and workshops, the academy produced artisans, engineers, architects, and scholars who played pivotal roles in shaping the empire’s infrastructure and expanding its boundaries. The true power of Sandrin’s vision was realized during this period, as common people not only contributed to the empire’s growth but also began to shape its future.

However, as the academy’s success attracted wealth and prestige, its courses began to shift. What started as accessible education for all evolved into elite programs that required more resources, pushing the common people to the fringes. The academy’s curriculum grew to offer specialized, high-cost education, eventually becoming a place where only the wealthiest could afford to study.

Progression of Curriculum

Core Professions

The core professions formed the backbone of the Academy’s curriculum. These subjects focused on giving students the practical tools to contribute to Thandor's and the empire's growth.

1. Blacksmithing & Metallurgy

   _{Foundational Techniques: Smelting, forging, and tempering metals.}

   _{Advanced Metallurgy: Techniques for alloying and forging superior materials, including steel and exotic metals.}

   _{Artisan’s Guilds: Collaboration with the military to supply weapons, armor, and equipment.}

2. Scribing & Record Keeping

   _{Languages & Scripts: Mastery of record-keeping and burreaucratic documentation. Introduction to locan dialects and diplomatic languages.}

   _{Trade Documentation: Scribing for merchants, managing contracts, and drafting official letters for the court.}

   _{Laws of the Empire: Detailed instruction on how to properly record and understand the legal systems of the empire.}

3. Engineering & Siegecraft

   _{The Art of the Forge: Working with architectural plans and forging tools for construction projects.}

   _{Mechanisms of War: Understanding the mechanics behind siege engines like catapults and ballistae.}

   _{Civic Engineering: Teaching students how to design infrastructure projects for cities and towns, including aqueducts and fortifications.}

4. Architecture

   _{Basic Construction: Fundamentals of building with stone and wood, designing functional homes and civic buildings.}

   _{Designing for Empire: Focusing on grand imperial architecture, such as palaces, bridges, and roads.}

   _{Structural Engineering: Advanced methods for designing large-scale structures.}

5. Alchemy & Herbalism

   _{Foundational Compounds: Basic alchemical methods for distillation, fermentation, and infusion. Safe handling of reagents and the creation of tonics and salves.}

   _{Medicinal Botany: Study of native and imported plants used for healing, toxin resistance, and preservation. Identify, cultivate, and process herbs.}

   _{Practical Applications: Training in the use of alchemical mixtures in urban infrastructure (e.g., fireproofing, water purification) and siegecraft (e.g., oilslicks, corrosive agents).}

Specialized Professions

As the academy grew in prestige, it began to offer more specialized courses, which became increasingly costly and eventually less accessible to common students.

1. Advanced Mathematics & Astronomy

   _{Cosmology: The study of the stars, including the use of astronomical knowledge for navigation and timekeeping.}

   _{Mathematical Theorems: Applied mathematics in construction, engineering, and military strategy.}

2. Advanced Commerce & Trade

   _{Imperial Markets: The study of trade routes, taxation systems, and imperial market management.}

   _{Guilds and Wealth: The development of guilds and how they interlock with the power structures of the empire.}

3. Metallurgical Arts & Armor Crafting

   _{Weapon Forging: Advanced blacksmithing skills, focusing on the creation of ceremonial and military weapons.}

   _{Jewelry and Craftsmanship: High-end crafting, including ornamental metalwork, engravings, and relic crafting.}

4. Imperial Diplomacy & Strategy (Elite Program)

   _{Political Theory: The role of the academy in shaping the next generation of leaders, strategists, and diplomats.}

   _{Military Strategy: Theoretical teachings on warfare tactics, diplomacy, and empire-building through force.}

Founding Date

356 ADA

Type

College / Academy

Parent Location

Quarter of the Owl

Owning Organization

Keraian Empire

Founder

Empress Sandrin

Secondary Location

Thandor

Current Dean

Dr Atherton

Related Articles

Empress Sandrin the Wise

Notable Alumni

• Thavien Orrell

  Graduated c. 412 ADA
  Rhetorician, Chronicler, and Founder of the Guild of Civic Discourse

• Braga Ironroot

  Graduated c. 444 ADA; Appointed Master-forge c. 461 ADA
  Master Blacksmith and Head of Metallurgical Studies

• Master Terence Willow

  Graduated c. 478 ADA
  Hydraulic Engineer and Urban Planner

• Alwen Serathel

  Graduated c. 510 ADA
  Urban Sanitation Engineer, “Mother of the Undercity”

• Constantin Arkturious

  Graduated c. 715 ADA
  Architect and Restorer of the Lion’s Stronghold

Awarded Diploma

The Decline

Academy of Sciences (Current State)

The golden age of the Academy of Sciences began to falter around its third century of life. Tuition fees, once modest to accommodate Sandrin’s vision, began to rise sharply. The specialized programs soon became inaccessible to the very people they were meant to uplift, and the children of nobles gradually replaced those of blacksmiths and farmers.

Within another century though, even the elite lost interest. As the empire’s priorities shifted toward militarization and territorial control, the emphasis on civil education began to wane. Funding was rerouted toward the growing military academy at Fort Stone and the Academy was left to weather the tides of imperial neglect. Other institutions rose, some privately funded and more tightly aligned with guild interests or noble sponsorships. The Academy’s reputation as a beacon of progress began to rot and its buildings were left to decay.

By the present day, only two departments remain operational: blacksmithing and alchemy training. These persist mostly due to tradition and minimal funding from the city council, supplemented by irregular donations. The once-bustling dormitories now house barely a dozen students, and entire wings of the academy have been locked off or repurposed as storage for bureaucratic overflow.

Yet, from time to time, temporary workshops are held within the academy’s halls. Sponsored by nobles, artisan guilds, or wealthy merchants, these short-term programs in architecture, metallurgy, or engineering are often framed as acts of charity; efforts to rekindle knowledge and serve the city. But many view them with suspicion. The empire’s policy of tax exemptions for sponsors of public education has made such philanthropy a convenient loophole. Behind the lofty rhetoric, some workshops exist more to dodge levies than to produce lasting benefit.

Even so, in rare instances, a workshop sparks something real: a student who shines, a discovery worth noting, or a professor who refuses to let the flame die completely. One of the most prominent examples is Constantin Arkturious, a boy of humble origins who took advantage of the architecture workshops and eventually oversaw the restoration of one of the city’s most iconic keeps. Under his design, the long-abandoned Lion’s Den was transformed into Heaven's Embrace, an orphanage commissioned by the highest echelons of the Church of the Suntouched.

Legacy

Though the Academy of Sciences has withered into a shadow of its former self, its legacy endures across the empire. Its influence on architecture, engineering, and the practical sciences remains visible in the city’s infrastructure; from the vast network of roads connecting the cities of Keraian, to the aqueducts, bridges, and sewers that still serve its people.

For some, the Academy is a symbol of a lost ideal: an empire built on the strength of its people’s collective intellect and craftsmanship. Among the working class, there are still those who speak wistfully of the days when the Academy offered their children a path beyond their station.

Yet for others, the memory of the Academy has soured. The aristocracy views it with quiet disdain. Noble families who once boasted of their ties with the Academy, now downplay its significance, seeing only squandered potential and political failure in its decline.

Still, its legacy is not entirely forgotten. Sandrin’s belief that knowledge was the key to an empire’s strength, continue to be appealing to some within the city. Among the remaining professors and a handful of idealistic students, there is a quiet hope that, one day, the Academy might rise again.

There are even rumors of hidden knowledge, lost books, or blueprints that were once held within the Academy’s vast archives, secrets that might still be recovered. Whether these are the product of nostalgia or the remnants of actual truth, they add to the mystique of an institution whose history is both a source of pride and an echo of the fragility of great ideas.

"An empire built on knowledge is stronger than one built on might. For while armies may fade and cities may crumble, the wisdom of the people will endure through the ages."

— Empress Sandrin