From publisher blurb:
Behold the factions of Espamena!
Alkufza College. Alkufza seeks students with confidence and persistence. As the College’s creed says, students must be “ceaseless as the sea” in both their martial and academic pursuits. Whether through paid tuition or sponsorship, all would-be students go through a rigorous series of tests. The tests include a race through the slippery, wave-beaten coastal rocks of Homestead; a series of three duels against someone of similar size, someone larger and someone smaller to test their how their style adjusts; and finally a public oration to declare their interest in attending the College. For the lattermost, the speech does not have to be flowery or well-organized. The point is not to produce the pinnacle of public speech but to prove you can be unwavering and confident in front of a crowd. There is no place for wilting flowers in Alkufza.
Aldabestra College. Aldabestra is not a college for those with strong moral codes or a desire for perfect etiquette. Though this does not mean the duelists of Aldabestra lack grace and panache—quite the contrary. Their roguish tendencies are beloved by the public and are the frequent subject of romance novels, plays, and poetry. Therefore, applicants to the College must be agile, graceful, stealthy, and, most importantly to the Duelmaster, have respect for Arnakorma’s beauty and bounty. The standards for entering this College are lax. Most first years can join classes for free as long as the teachers have bandwidth, no tuition required. The College makes its money through the donations of former students and from House Arbsar, with whom the duelists work closely to keep Arnakorma safe and prosperous.
Qasdifi College. Would-be applicants to Qasdifi must work for at least a year as a miner or a smith on Semeta. The harsh environs of this rocky isle provide ample opportunity to strengthen endurance and build tolerance to pain. Those who choose the mining path will also need to come face-to-face with Stone Spirits, experiences that readily test the mettle of one’s courage. The smith route is more popular for this reason, as it is more artistic and less labor-intensive, so the College often sponsors students who opt for the mining route. Those who endure this year-long apprenticeship without complaining too often or quitting will be admitted into Qasdifi.
Mudrohik College. In the college’s early days, reaching the remote location of Mudrohik was often initiation enough for new students. The trek involved overgrown roads, dangerous animals, and of course brigands willing to rob naive travelers. Over time and with more funding from students and patrons, the college commissioned a well-tended road and escorted caravans to transport students into the mountains. Experienced hunters head these caravans for a good profit, but it is money well spent for those who do not wish to perish by the creatures and thieves that prowl the wood. Once applicants arrive on campus, college officials will host an orientation, introducing the students to Mudrohik daily life. Then, they organize bouts between the newcomers and existing students. The applicants do not have to win their duels against the students (often first or second years) but they do have to show enough potential to be accepted. Those who do not make the cut are offered safe passage back down the mountain, while some are approached for apprenticeships with on-site weaponsmiths, traders, hunters, or trappers.
Jadhihari College. The application process for Jadhihari is akin to a pageant. A panel of judges sits to judge applicants in three rounds of tests, all of which are performative. The first round is the on-stage question during which each applicant is asked a question about the Archipelago’s history, culture, current events (ie scandals)—comedic or dramatic responses acceptable, as long as you are not boring. The second round is a display of artistic talent, for which the island of Museha is the perfect backdrop. Popular choices for this round are painting, singing, dancing, and comedic skits or improv. The third round is, naturally, a duel. The opponents are chosen randomly by pulling names from the Duelmaster’s cap and the applicants duel each other for spots in the school. Included with a student’s official acceptance into the College, Jadhihari pays for the fitting of a uniform. Although the other colleges also employ Arachaveer weavers for their uniforms, only Jadhihari customizes each uniform for each student.
Erteinte College. Erteinte has the most intensive written examination of the dueling colleges. As such, the college largely attracts mages, scholars, historians and other study-based professions. Erteinte has positioned itself as the college where any willing to commit themselves to study can become a duelist, despite a lack in physical strength or agility. While this opens up opportunities for some, there is the elitism of education that elevates the literate, the well-read, the loquacious, the learned—all things that require wealth and free time. Erteinte has offered sponsorship programs to allow the less wealthy to apply to Erteinte, but no programs to teach and train the illiterate. There has been a recent push of an on-campus organization called the Innate Talent to adjust examinations to accommodate for all types of applicants, but it has not yet gained much traction.
Who will you choose?.