Dwarven Scholar

Overview

Many dwarves can become scholars, but few can become a Scholar with a capital S. A Dwarven Scholar is formally inducted member of the prestigious Scholar's Guild, one of the nine Guilds that form the basis of government that advise Dwarven kingdoms' rulers. Wherever Dwarves dwell in numbers, those nine Guilds will exist in some capacity.

A Dwarven Scholar serves as historian, philosopher, chronicler, magical theorist, and artefact custodion. Their work shapes not just the past, but the future of Dwarven civilisation. To be named a Scholar is a lifelong appointment, and entry is not won easily.

Becoming a Scholar

Aspiring Dwarven Scholars begin as mere students. During the educational process of young Dwarves, Guild Masters from the Scholar's Guild will select promising candidate to graduate into the Guild's private tutoring program. The selection process is rigorous. It includes intellectual acumen, ability to reason and question the known truths, and to be able to withstand the burden of knowing and containing controversial knowledge. Following their internal training, the candidates are then assessed by a council of Guild Masters, upon which graduation can be granted and the candidate earns the title of Scholar and the right to wear the sigil.

Guild Structure

The Scholar's Guild is one of the nine civic guilds in Dwarven society. The Gildvist (Guild Leader) is called to advise the monarch on matters, with the other guild's leaders. For the Scholar's Guild there are three main subsets of individuals.

• Arkaevist ('Overseer of Knowledge') - these are the people charged with maintaining and looking after the collected knowledge in their care, but also parsing it and cross-referencing it. Philosophers and theorists make up the bulk of the Arkaevists. Also, the origin on the common term 'Archivist'.
• Arkamist ('Learner of Knowledge') - these are the people who do the research, be it through field research or experimentation. These are the explorers and the scientists.
• Almist ('Learner of All') - these are the chosen students of the Scholar's Guild.

The Arkaive

In the capital city of the Aldenian Dwarves lands, Khul Boldir, resides The Arkaive. It is a vast, multi-level library. It is widely regarded as one of the greatest repositories of knowledge in the known world - and that's only the part the Dwarves make public. The Scholar's Guild reportedly also curate and maintain the Obsarkaive, the Black Archive, a secret vault of artefacts and forbidden knowledge. Officially, the Guild denies its existence.