The Scriptorium
Location: Sigil / Clerks’ Ward / Scribe’s Way
Amongst the numerous buildings, faction headquarters and other administrative complexes in the Clerks’ Ward, there exists a small school dedicated to the pursuit of language, both written and spoken. The school is located on Scribe’s Way near the Guildhall Ward and is known as The Scriptorium. The school was founded on the principle of teaching the illiterate how to read and write and to give them a chance to better themselves. The school is a collection of twelve buildings in the Clerks’ Ward that span a city block. They were all purchased over the past fifty years and range from small towers to an old three storey tavern to a single floor residence. These buildings have all been refurbished to accommodate the schools’ needs. All the buildings’ roofs are coloured in a dark red paint and signs on the front door marking which languages are taught in that particular building. These signs are written in the language of the races name taught there.
A staff of thirty five different professors from numerous races teaches the student body, including human, githzerai, tiefling, elf, dwarf, genasi, aasimar. Most of these “professors” are retired adventurers that seek extra money in their latter years and pass on their experience to the next group of thrill seekers. One professor known only as Garm (planar tiefling rogue [he/him] / CN) was a tanar’ri spy in the Blood War for a balor that found himself in the dead book. So Garm left the trade (before he also found himself dead-booked) and moved here to Sigil for the quiet life. All the schools’ teachers are fluent in at least four languages other than their primary language and the Planar Trade Tongue, and all can function as sages on numerous subject matters. The professors are given living quarters, free meals and a salary for their work. Students are not permitted to live on campus; there are plenty of cheap rooms to be had in the Clerks’ Ward, though. Most of the teachers have just as colourful histories as Garm and are great resources of information about the multiverse.
Thanks to the lillend Milori, the school has access to a huge number of recorded language from across the multiverse in an extensive library that spans the sub-levels of all the buildings. The basements of the entire block have been expanded and linked to accommodate this library that can be accessed from all the school’s buildings. Students are first taught how to read and write Planar Trade since this is the most common used tongue in the multiverse. This costs the students only a small amount of money (20 jinx for the whole course) and time donated to the upkeep of the school. This can range from painting the buildings, sweeping floors, cooking meals to transcribing old books onto new parchment. Each student is required to perform 20 hours per week of these tasks as well as their normal work.
Those seeking greater knowledge other than Planar Trade should expect to pay more money and donate more time. The cost is 500 jinx per course in a language as well as 30 hours of service per week. This service requires at least six months on the student’s part as this is the minimum time required to complete a basic course on language. [These courses will give the student the equivalent of one proficiency in this language. Further study allots another proficiency to this language.]
Source: Jachyras
