The Emerald Palace
Moredo Rogare's Court at the Emerald Palace
The Emerald Garden and the Paggeria
Despite the distinction in name, the two schools constitute a single entity: an academy for the elite of Lys. Any son or daughter of the Lysene nobility are eligible to attend classes at the Paggeria - only requirement: wearing the garments bearing the Rogare Phoenix, and thus being called a page. The Garden, on the other hand, represents a step beyond, a circle of intellectuals who gravitates around the young Rogares and the more talented pupils in the school.
Gifted children, scouted by the Bakkalon, complete the ranks of the Pages: there's no precise separation between the youth groups, neither by age nor background. Only the best may rise through the classes to reach the gates of the Garden...
The purpose is to make equivalent, in the students' minds, the honor of having access to the inner circle of Moredo's children and the recognition of one's talent: in Lys, one competes in order to merit the consideration of the Rogare, as the most objective (and therefore unquestionable) form of personal worth. It takes little, then, to equate disappointing the Rogares (or betraying their trust) to a personal failure, even outside of political loyalties.
"The Page's Book" by Bal-Thazar, Sottomaestro in chief of the evaluations, provides us with a precious source about the curriculum of the Paggeria: "Even at the basics, the Pages of the Phoenix are demanded to achieve a valid preparation in the handling of all sorts of weapons, a mastery in fighting and dueling, being more than mediocrely erudite in letters, playing the lute or the viella, dancing, having cognizance of the art of sailing, reading stars and charts and, above all, knowing how to converse. [...] No former pupil of the Paggeria should ever be accused of being a boring meet!"
The Classes are not defined by the age of the participants, but follow a hierarchy based on the complexity and expertise of the subject at hand: no Page has mastered all of them, and a choice is soon required, although no limits are given (you can remain a Page all your life, if you feel so!).
The school is obviously free of any charge and all financed by the Rogare Bank, refusing any donation from the outside, save for art pieces or poetical compositions.
The Emerald Garden serves as a landing place and triumph for the brightest; yet, no classes are held, nor evaluations are given. The Garden is completely unstructured: Moredo started to "collect" unusual, brilliant thinkers that could freely live and study, write, paint, debate, roam around without any obligation save for having to answer any question or challenge any student, or other guest, could propose them.
Of course, the worst critiques come from the intellectuals that fell out of the Rogare's grace: all complaining about the "vigil eye of the Bakkalon". To them, the Steel Angels, who guard the Emerald Halls, do not find amusing any sort of challenge to the rulers of Lys, nor mockery, nor criticism; and seem also to prevent the authors to bring their works outside the Palace.
Nonsense! One of the many known mottos of Moredo Rogare is "Revel in Criticism!", as the only way to see your mistakes!
It is true, though, that the Garden has a strict access policy, but it's only to inspire perfection, not censorship...
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