Post by Lord Newbury on Dec 13, 2017 13:01:53 GMT
The Academy of Tuman Tabar
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Found within the heart of the City of Tuman Tabar, the Academy that bears its name is one of the central points of the Shimoni people. It is a fortified complex, serving as a holy site for their faith, as well as a center of learning and the judgment of law in the region. Safe behind their walls, the Academy has developed a considerable amount of ‘soft power’ in the region, thanks to carefully executed political ploys and more besides.
Design
Split into sections, the outer, middle, and inner temple, the Academy of Tuman Tabar is a well-designed place, crafted according to the original plans laid out by the Shimoni people in centuries past. Surrounded by one great wall, the outer temple is open to all people and serves as the meeting place for the local Shimoni market as well as the general meeting place for local scholars to teach and tell the populace of their words.
The outer wall of the Academy is protected by a collection of local constables, paid for by the Academy itself as part of an ancient compact with the Royals - indeed it is a tradition for the constables to face away from the inner and middle temple when a serve is in progress. The middle temple, shown above as the walled section in the courtyard, is open only to practitioners of the faith, or students at the Academy.
The middle temple is also a place of worship and of teaching, in which the faithful gather to learn, but also to pray each evening under the guidance of one of the priests, who stands in the gateway to the inner temple. Within the middle temple can also be found large amounts of food storage. Shown above as the main building, the Inner Temple is a sacred place - into which on the Elders are permitted to access. It is here that the sacred scrolls are kept, as well as - in the undercroft - which covers dozens of floors, and also can be found the private lodgings of the elders.
The inner temple itself is said to be the second most holy place in the Shamonic people's faith, and holds within it a considerable amount of famous objects. In the land outside the Inner Temple can be seen a large alter, from which the annual sun festival is commanded from, with ten large braziers leading up the Inner Temples door, which are lit 24/7. On the right-hand side of the door can be found a large cauldron, cast in bronze, which holds heated water - the exact reason for this is unsure. Inside the temple, there are four main rooms, the first being a large corridor, the second being the main hall which consists of a large collection of incense staves.
Next comes the high alter, which has several low cut chairs arranged around in semi-circle, facing the entrace. It is here that the council of elders sits on most days. The last room is a collection of private alters, as well as stairs leading down to the several floors below - which are filled with librarys and record houses.
Members
Membership of the Academy is strictly controlled and structured, so as to distinguish between common folk and the priesthood class. Common practitioners of the faith fall within the main membership of the Academy, and must pay a tithe to enter the temple - normally in the form of goods, services or currency. Currently, the Majority of local Shamoni people reside within the membership base of the Academy.
The priestly class makes up around five percent of the membership base, and is entirely male. Those men who take to ‘Study of the Book and Way’ (theology and science), form the common priesthood - and are not afforded rooms in the Academy, or protection, instead they are merely seen as initiates. The next group come from those who have completed five years of Study or have sons, and are known as the Paen, those who live within the temple, and are expected to teach or heal others.
Finally, the Kuen (Elders) are those with Grandchildren, or ten years of Study under their belts. They live within the Inner Temple, and sit on a council - held in great reverence by the Shimoni - so much so that even looking into the eyes of a Kuen is deemed to be heresy. The Position of Priest is open to all pre-approved characters.
Rules
Many are the rules of the Academy, which are seen as strict and in some cases archaic by those outside of the faith. Governing what one can eat, wear and how one ought to act - the rules are seen as directly linked to scripture, and also form the basis of their law system.
Local Influence
Much of the influence of the Academy comes from their involvement and sway in the local community, seen as somewhat of a center for the Cultural group of the Shimoni people. A good example of this can be seen in the Academies ‘Assessors’ - a collection of Priests who assist in the running and pricing of foods in the local markets about the Shimoni Quarter. Ensuring that the products sold here adhere to religious law, they have considerable sway over the Textiles Trade, which is a dominant sect in the region, and has a large amount of Shimoni working in it.
Alongside this, Charity plays a huge part in the area, with food, healing and clothes being distributed daily from the temple, to the local poor of the region. Much of the local nobility do not care that this happens, as it assist in stopping, or slowing, the spread of illness in the City. Finally, the Priesthood hold some positions in Court, and thanks to a web of informants about the City and Palace (assisted by the fact many priests write in ancient languages or in code) has made the Academy an influential power in court politics.
Additional Locations
Due to its considerable influence locally, as well as its personal wealth brought in from tithes and tariffs, the Academy holds a few smaller buildings around the Shimoni District. There presently exist three schools for members of the Shimoni, as well as a large grain store just south of the Academy itself. The Academy also maintains some small offices in the area, mostly for the practice of their 'assaying' work, which serves to bring in a considerable amount of income for the Academy.