How to Scholar

[Oyuu]

Hi folks, I've been brushing up on my lore for a future project, mostly around the Disciplines of Magic and so on. There's a lot of good discussions out there, but regarding Scholars, I found myself only finding talks on whether or not one should roleplay as one and things focused more around the use of soulstones. If I've simply missed a glaringly obvious "HOW TO SCHOLAR" post, please feel free to link me it and I'll go read it in my bad google skills shame. 

 

So, I'd like to know about: 

1) How does one become a Scholar? I'm guessing soulstones and/or mentors are a valid method, although rare. From strictly lore-abiding to bending/getting a little creative, how have you seen characters play this role? Also, when learning to be a scholar, would an Arcanist need to not only how to cast the spell but would they need the geometric symbols/have a specific grimoire to be able to say... perform adloquium? Try to keep this question focused on actual lore, rather than "I don't RP with people who use soulstones blah blah". 

 

2) Fairies. What and who are they? I understand they are particularly hard to find, but is it the case of just stumbling across one in the wild or is a soulstone necessary? 

 

3) Nym. I'm terrible at reading story quest text, the old raider in me makes me accidentally skip it when I'm not paying attention, so a quick brief on what happened with the Nymians and all that jazz would be great. Just basic detail is fine, a timeline would be great. 

 

Thanks in advance!

[Jana]

1- SCH tomes don't have the same geometries or rituals that ACN/SMN tomes do, they're instead texts on strategies. The in-game models for SCH weapons have text instead if a circle with angles to show the difference in who can equip it.

 

2- Fairies are a kind of construct in the same family as elementals, but not as powerful, according to some old lore. I've taken it to mean they're like a minor nature spirit but my interpretation may not be everyone else's.

 

3- Nym was an old empire during the same era as Amdapor and Mhachi (I wanna say 5th but I'm at work and can't check for sure). The other two were famous for fielding WHM and BLM but Nym used squads of 3 MRD led by 1 SCH in battles. Nym died out due to a plague that turned its people into the Tonberries we see in WP and the SCH quests (which some speculate was caused by the war between the three magical empires).

[asah]

Hey there!

 

Well, I have been playing Asah (my character) as a so called 'scholar' for a while now, and this is the background story I came up with to make it more 'possible' since playing as a scholar can be tricky... specially when you involve nym and fairies.

 

So, Asah actually is an Arcanist, she joined the arcanist guild when she was young since she wanted to follow her mothers path. The thing is, her mother was a healer (conjurer) so, at the arcanist guild, wich was her only option back then, she started to look for ways to focus her studies in healing, rather than war or combat.

At the time she meet her tutor, an old elezen who happend to be a scholar. He had contact with the fairies, and a background in wars (as the scholar lore describes them...), knew about Nym and etc... 

He then accepted to teach her some of what he knew, wich means that, Asah is a scholar by knowledge. She knows everything that one would have to know about the matter, spells, history... But, she isn't a real scholar, at least not the scholar the lore describes, since ICly she doesnt have the fairies (it would be almost impossible for her to 'find them', keeping in mind they are rare and almost conflic with the whole "warrior of light / special snowflake" jazz)

 

So yeah, that is what I came up with. Hopefully I helped and of course, i'm open to suggestions! ^3^

[Nebbs]

Once you get past the how to.. do the job quests it sort of takes you through it all. *there be spoilers*

[Valence]

3- Nym was an old empire during the same era as Amdapor and Mhachi (I wanna say 5th but I'm at work and can't check for sure). The other two were famous for fielding WHM and BLM but Nym used squads of 3 MRD led by 1 SCH in battles. Nym died out due to a plague that turned its people into the Tonberries we see in WP and the SCH quests (which some speculate was caused by the war between the three magical empires).

 

Yes, 5th Era, which means directly before the Calamity prior to the current Eorzean city states (6th and 7th eras). That's also why most current city states live above ruins from those 5th era civilizations (Gridania/Amdapor, Limsa/Nym, Uld'ah/Mach through Belah'dia, the heirs of Mach).

[Momo]

Sounsyy can give you more source details, but in general, here are some Scholar bits:

 

1) How one becomes a SCH?  Growing out of the knowledge of Arcanima, using elements of special ink, written strategy, and the aether of the natural world as well as their own aether stores, Scholars can summon great restorative magics to aid in the tide of battle.  We are still discovering information about this lost art, but currently, Alka Zolka is the foremost expert of Nymian civilization and battle strategy, and has access to the most information on the subject.  This NPC isn't of great importance, and I think it would be safe to say that he could be used to help either garner further personal study into Nym to become a Scholar, or even to provide the means to become a Scholar directly, without much fuss over using an NPC character to help you from the SCH Story Quests.

 

Best thing to do it keep your interaction with him to a minimum, maybe you are a student of his or something more innocuous, and he helped you?  As long as you don't affect his plot, and only he affects yours, there should be no issue.  As far as actually becoming a Scholar?  A soulstone would be your best bet.  In the SCH quests, with other Nymian artifacts, a soulstone is found which has a fairy bound to it.  Later you receive this crystal and become a Scholar, and seeing as that happened without too much fanfare in the story itself, it could be replicated just the same for you.  Perhaps you plan an expedition into the Nymian ruins?  Or you coerced a trader who journeyed there to sell you some rare artifacts?  Get creative!

 

2) Fairies!  Okay, we actually don't know a great deal about Fairies, as mentioned above, they are in the realm of Elementals, but are lesser, and have been stated to be created from the energies and elements of the natural world, by the Scholar themselves.  It is unclear whether all Fairies are bound to the soulstones of their Scholar, but in this case, the fairy was, and I think it would be safe to have that be the case for every Scholar.  There is a possibility, like Egis of SMNs, that these fairies hold a part of their creator in them as well, as they can be absorbed into the SCH, but how this is RPed would be up to you.

 

3)The Civilizations of the Fifth Astral Era, coming out of the Age of Frost, were peoples who delved deep into the arcane magics, bringing them to heights that the world had not yet known in many respects.  Nym was one of these civilizations, and a participant in the War of Magi.  As stated above, eventually Nym was brought to heel by a plague which transformed much of the inhabitants into Tonberries, while some escaped by sea leaving those trapped to rot.  Before that, it stood against great armies empowered by White Magic and Black Magic, and so, much could be said of its military prowess and magical tacticians.  

 

The ruins of Nym, can both be visited and entered near Camp Bronze Lake in Upper La Noscea, the floating parts can be seen not far from here as well.  Entering the Wanderer's Palace will take you into the ruins themselves. Tonberries (btw), are not all evil, some may have their wits restored to them with their memories, but playing the Scholar quests will give you more information on that.  It should also be noted that the darkness of the Sixth Umbral Era, was brought into being by the War of Magi, which eventually caused the Elementals, who feared for the damage to Hydaelyn and Eorzea from the Magi Nations, and decided that a Great Flood would be needed to wipe out these magics.  This flood was a Calamity which would cover all but the tallest peaks in a sea and bury WHM, BLM, and SCH knowledge for ages hence.  We are currently learning the fate of some of these peoples now with new lore coming at each patch.

 

I hope this helps you in some way, I would love to see more lore abiding Scholars out there, keeping the study and use of this great magic alive in-character!  Good luck!

[Sounsyy]

I guess it's about time I did a Scholar lore post.

 

 

 

1) How does one become a Scholar? I'm guessing soulstones and/or mentors are a valid method, although rare. Also, when learning to be a scholar, would an Arcanist need to not only how to cast the spell but would they need the geometric symbols/have a specific grimoire to be able to say... perform adloquium?

 

There are several ways to go about this! A Scholar, if you're playing the lore version of the job, requires a faerie bound to a Nymian soulstone. These could theoretically be found across Vylbrand, though most commonly in or around the Nymian ruins in outer La Noscea or the Wanderer's Palace. I go into a bit more detail in this old post which I'll quote below:

 

As for Scholar, I don't think a venture into the Wanderer's Palace or even to the Floating City would be necessary, even though that might be the most sure-fire route? According to Sightseeing Lore, the Calamity cracked the Isle of Vylbrand, draining much of Bronze Lake into the chasm that was formed. This drainage is what revealed the Nymian ruins in the first place. So, feasibly, a washed up soulstone or Nymian artifact could be found anywhere along this fissure, or in any of Vylbrand's rivers. If your character is from Limsa and has a reason to be out on a fishing boat, pirate boat, or Maelstrom vessel they might have found one in the nets out at sea just off the coast. Lots of things you can play with! Especially as an Arcanist, whose job is to inspect imported cargo.

 

Sightseeing #30 - Camp Bronze Lake

The formation of great underwater fissures during the Calamity saw the nearly half of the water comprising Bronze Lake vanish in the span of a single night. The result was the uncovering of ancient Nymian ruins submerged for thousands of years - most notably, the Wanderer's Palace, a temple dedicated to the god Oschon.

 

Sightseeing #21 - Woad Whisper Canyon

Little more than a shallow valley but five years past, Woad Whisper Canyon was carved into a gaping gorge in a matter of moons after the Calamity drained Bronze Lake and dramatically altered the course of the Nym River. On hot days, laborers from both Summerford Farms and the Skylift will oft take respite in the cool mists of the falls... if not met by bandits.

 

Another option for learning the art of Scholar is to go straight from the source:

I am continuing to train under Sergeant Tolga. Though he has recognized I am worthy of the Royal Marines' date=' he sees that I have not yet awakened to my full potential. However, I can no longer focus solely on my own progress. There are many members of the Marauders' Guild who wish to learn Nymian techniques. They must be taught to defend the defenseless, and you and I must lead by example.[/quote']

 

As for the spellcasting question, a specific grimoire would not likely be required. However, you can play it like you've discovered a book of ancient Nymian stratagems and tactics, which is exactly what Alka Zolka, the scholar npc, does. There are a few books in lore which cover specific battle strategems, spells, etc, such as the fabled Omnilex.

 

Jana brought it up earlier, but the books which arcanists, scholars, and summoners use are all different. Arcanist grimoires focus more on geometries, while scholar's tomes are more heavily saturated with battle stratagems.

 

Many grimoires can be wielded by arcanists, scholars, or summoners. However, each grimoire is tailored to a single profession, which can be determined by examining its contents.

 

Arcanist grimoires contain geometric symbols that shape and direct the power of arcanima; summoner grimoires contain incantations used to call forth and command primal egi; scholar grimoires contain a wealth of tactics and stratagems which can be applied during battle.

 

Each grimoire will display one of these three patterns when opened. However, we’ve heard your requests for more variety, and will relay them to the art team. Thanks for the feedback!

 

More lore on Arcanists specifically can be found here.

 

 

________________________

2) Fairies. What and who are they? I understand they are particularly hard to find, but is it the case of just stumbling across one in the wild or is a soulstone necessary?

 

Faeries fall under the taxonomy of elementals, and are considered a form of "lesser elemental" along with Sprites, Homunculi, Egi, and Carbuncles. An elemental is any being who is composed completely of aether. What sets Faeries (and by extension Carbuncles) apart from other elementals is that they were created by Nymian Scholars (and Carbuncles created by Arcanists).

 

Both Fae and Carbuncle were created with apparent albeit limited sentience, meaning that the magicks used to create and bind them were imperfect and a Faerie and Carbuncle can both choose to ignore commands given to them. They are also both able to exist on their own once created, as their lifeforce is tied to a scholar's soulstone and an aetherial gemstone, respectively.

 

This is also what separates Faeries from Carbuncles. A Faerie is bound to a soulstone, and its memories and aether are retained there, similar to how soulstones retain the aether and memories of previous owners of other jobs. A Carbuncle, on the other hand, is created by manually infusing aether into a specific gemstone via a specific incantation and geometry to produce the desired aetheric, combative, and temperamental qualities desired in one's Familiar. Meaning that every Carbuncle is unique to its summoner, despite its properties being generic to its creation gemstone. Whereas a Faerie is unique to itself and does not change qualities or personality as its soulstone is passed from one wielder to the next throughout history.

 

Q: To follow up on a question from the stream earlier- the taxonomy that fairies fall into. Is there an origin to how they become fairies of Scholars. Were they fairies and then bound to scholars? or did the scholars create them?

 

MCKF: Yes, the second one. Fairies again, while they fall under the taxonomy of elementals, they are actually beings that were created. They did not exist before. The Scholar would take the energies and elements from around them and would basically create these beings that were made of the elements.

 

Q: Those are bound to the soul crystal then and passed from one person to the next where carbuncle is more one per person. Very cool.

Using the selfsame symbols to unlock the latent power contained within gemstones' date=' arcanists are also able to summon forth the familiar known as Carbuncle to carry out their bidding.[/quote']

According to the tablet' date=' the crystal from which the faerie sprang forth is called the Soul of the Scholar, and it contains the wisdom of those long-dead Nymian mages. With it, you can call upon the faerie as you did before and bind her to your will.[/quote']

 

Additionally, depending upon how the scholar chooses to bid his aetheric familiar, results in which aspect the Faerie presents itself. I speak of the Eos and Selene forms, which are just two aspects of the same Faerie, named Lily.

 

“The sunlight of Eos doth soothe and shield.”

“The moonlight of Selene doth silence and strengthen.”

 

 

________________________

3) Nym. I'm terrible at reading story quest text, the old raider in me makes me accidentally skip it when I'm not paying attention, so a quick brief on what happened with the Nymians and all that jazz would be great. Just basic detail is fine, a timeline would be great.

 

Nym was one of three city-states known to exist in the 5th Astral Era, which ended roughly 1600 years ago. It was located on the isle of Vylbrand at the foot of O'Ghamaro, though Nymian ruins can be found today throughout Vylbrand. Like Limsa Lominsa, it was a seafaring nation which subsisted primarily on its trade with the inhabitants of the south sea isles, the homeland of the Lalafellin tribes, which would centuries later return to the newly founded Limsa Lominsa, carrying with them the techniques of modern-day Arcanum.

 

In those days, Nym protected itself with an impressive military of marauders and scholars known as the Royal Marines. Nymian scholars also employed advanced golem magicks comparable to their contemporaries, Amdapor and Mhach. For the majority of the 5th Astral Era, there was peace between the three magical nations and together they advanced their magical practices and schools to reach a zenith of magical glory. However, the megalomania of Mhach would bring about the War of the Magi.

 

The three nations brought powerful magicks to bear against one another for years. The Black Mages of Mhach, ever seeking more cataclysmic powers, sought to control otherworldly demons and sick them upon their rivals. In order to defend itself, the White Mages of Amdapor began to corrupt their magic, inviting their own destruction as the elementals which protected their home rejected them. Amdapor was all but destroyed by Mhach, but by this time, the aether of the world had all but dried up, the toll of the three nation's magicks were too great.

 

Seeing the inevitable end of the war in sight, twelve figures known today as the Archons called for an end to the war. But Mhach would not be swayed. In a last desperate act to save the world, the elementals of the world summoned a great flood which drowned the warring nations and wiped away magic from the world. Amdapor was hidden away by the elementals and its existence became a memory. Nym was able to survive the flood, but succumbed soon after to a terrible plague. The Mhach built an ark designed to carry their people to safety from the flood, however, the voidsent slaves used to power the vessel turned against their Mhachi masters and everyone aboard was killed.

 

What few survivors of the 6th Umbral Calamity there were, went on to outlaw all magic and science. For nearly 400 years after, magical practitioners were hunted down and killed and even many scientists and naturalists met the same fate. Books were burned, and all traces of Black and White Magic were thought lost. Fugitive magi the realm over were forced to flee into the deserts of Thanalan to survive, and there formed the nation of Belah'dia, which would later birth the nations of Sil'dih and Ul'dah.

 

 

Hope this helps! ^^

 

 

In an age long past' date=' when mankind flourished under the radiance of arcane mastery, the island of Vylbrand was home to a city-state called Nym. Though the history of that age tells of countless wars waged with earth-shattering incantations, it was the brilliant strategic maneuvering of Nym's scholars that allowed their mundane army of mariners to throw back would-be conquerers time and again. These learned men and women defended the freedom of their tiny nation with their unique command over spell-weaving faeries, utilizing the creatures' magicks to heal the wounded and bolster the strength of their allies.[/quote']

 

In that age of wonders more than fifteen hundred years ago, when rival nations brought earth-shattering magicks to bear against one another, scholars were instrumental in ensuring the survival of Nym. Though they were far fewer in number relative to the mariners, it is clear that these mages formed the backbone of the Nymian military. One might describe their role as one which provides support, but that does not adequately describe their capabilities, as far as I am concerned.

 

Powerful restorative and enhancing magicks, well, those were hardly unusual in that day and age. No, what sets scholars apart was both the strength of their magicks, and the manner in which they employed them. Aye, I speak of the faeries, those otherworldly creatures which the scholars learned to bind and control. However, as we saw firsthand on several occasions, that control is not absolute.

 

Q: To follow up on a question from the stream earlier- the taxonomy that fairies fall into. Is there an origin to how they become fairies of Scholars. Were they fairies and then bound to scholars? or did the scholars create them?

 

MCKF: Yes, the second one. Fairies again, while they fall under the taxonomy of elementals, they are actually beings that were created. They did not exist before. The Scholar would take the energies and elements from around them and would basically create these beings that were made of the elements.

 

Q: Those are bound to the soul crystal then and passed from one person to the next where carbuncle is more one per person. Very cool.

 

According to the tablet' date=' the crystal from which the faerie sprang forth is called the Soul of the Scholar, and it contains the wisdom of those long-dead Nymian mages. With it, you can call upon the faerie as you did before and bind her to your will.[/quote']

 

Fancy yerself a scholar' date=' eh? Like one o' them as helped the nation o' Nym preserve its sovereignty durin' the War o' the Magi way back when? I know a bit about 'em, as it happens. They were a right clever lot, those scholars. Thanks to their brilliant strategizin', the Nymians never failed to throw back would-be conquerers no matter how badly they were outnumbered. Like I always say, it ain't the size what matters, but how ye use it. A-Ahem! Aaanyroad, 'tis a copy o' the Omnilex ye want, a right bleedin' rare grimoire what's supposed to contain all the military tactics ever conceived by man. Unlucky for ye, though, they don't make 'em like they used to. Which is to say, not anymore. But if yer heart's set on a copy, ye might try rootin' about western La Noscea. If I remember rightly, the Nymians used to have a port over there, but it's long since become a Sahagin lair─the Sapsa Spawnin' Grounds, 'tis called.[/quote']

 

Anyroad' date=' let's talk about that text ye brought. It contains accounts o' the major clashes what took place durin' the War o' the Magi. The entry on the Battle o' the Gods' Grip jumped out at me. This was when the Nymians took the Amdapori host by surprise as it made its beach landin'─takin' the siege to the besiegers, as it were. As they're wont to do, the scholars played a key role in the victory, though that didn't interest me near as much as the passage what touched on the Omnilex. Turns out the patterns on the cover are meant to improve the flow of aether from the wielder's hands. An' I'd thought 'em merely decorations. Ye learn summat new every day, eh?[/quote']

 

It contains a wealth of military knowledge' date=' much of which details the role of scholars in Nymian units. Apparently, a single scholar could provide effective support for an entire party of marauders! They would employ their magicks to heal the wounds and enhance the abilities of their allies. Moreover, they often served in leadership roles, as they were highly trained tacticians.[/quote']

 

Legend tells us a grimoire such as this was passed down through the

mages of Nym. Indeed, Golbas Rombas, the hero who saved his people from the floods of the Sixth Umbral Calamity, was known to rely upon it as his secret weapon.

 

Much of what I have learned until now has pertained to the roles of scholars within the military. However' date=' these latest texts offer insight into a scholar's activities during times of peace. As you can imagine, they were not the sort to let their restorative magicks go to waste. One particularly stirring account describes their selfless efforts to combat the spread of a virulent plague which at one point threatened to engulf all of Nym. Naturally, they did so with the aid of their faeries.[/quote']

 

I am...I was Surito Carito, before the sickness from the sea transformed me. The traders, they were the first. As their ears and noses began to atrophy, their limbs grew shorter, and their skin... We scholars tried to halt the spread, tried to find a cure. But in time, we too fell ill.

 

Sympathy turned to fear, and fear to anger. Monsters, they called us. Abominations! They sealed the sick within the temple with magicks─tried to drown us...tried to forget us... Though our bodies had been changed, our minds remained intact.

 

From traders who returned from the south seas, yes. They had lost their mainmast in a fearsome tempest and drifted, victims of the current, until at last they ran aground on a desert isle. Half dead, they stumbled ashore, and would have perished but for the Lalafellin tribe that lived there. These natives nursed the traders back to health and helped mend their ship. They even sent our men home with an amphora etched with ornate designs─a gift of friendship. Yet our joy soon turned to horror. The traders began to grow ill, for the sickness was upon them. They transformed, and the rest, you know.

 

You mean to suggest that it was not the men who bore the disease? Then who─or what...? Something they carried, perhaps, something...like the islanders' gift! Yes, here, a binding sigil cut into the bottom─ ...Dear gods, it cannot be! This is the work of Mhach! Mhach was our enemy, rapacious and unwise. Their magi trafficked with the void, grew mighty from shadows and attacked our lands time and again! Look no further than this─their sigil which sealed a voidsent in this “gift.” The islanders must have been their pawns in a plot to bring us to our knees.

 

In death does Mahisha find its purpose, and so the scent of corse-flower is sweet to this creature. A stele unearthed at Nym records Mahisha was summoned during the War of the Magi in the Fifth Astral Era, for the conquest of the Floating City. The ploy failed and Mahisha was bound at great cost, by the efforts of some two-score phrontists at Nym. What broke the tethers is not known, though there are theories ranging from the Calamity to the humble weevil.

 

Many grimoires can be wielded by arcanists, scholars, or summoners. However, each grimoire is tailored to a single profession, which can be determined by examining its contents.

 

Arcanist grimoires contain geometric symbols that shape and direct the power of arcanima; summoner grimoires contain incantations used to call forth and command primal egi; scholar grimoires contain a wealth of tactics and stratagems which can be applied during battle.

 

Each grimoire will display one of these three patterns when opened. However, we’ve heard your requests for more variety, and will relay them to the art team. Thanks for the feedback!

 

Camp Bronze Lake

The formation of great underwater fissures during the Calamity saw the nearly half of the water comprising Bronze Lake vanish in the span of a single night. The result was the uncovering of ancient Nymian ruins submerged for thousands of years - most notably, the Wanderer's Palace, a temple dedicated to the god Oschon.

 

Woad Whisper Canyon

Little more than a shallow valley but five years past, Woad Whisper Canyon was carved into a gaping gorge in a matter of moons after the Calamity drained Bronze Lake and dramatically altered the course of the Nym River. On hot days, laborers from both Summerford Farms and the Skylift will oft take respite in the cool mists of the falls... if not met by bandits.

 

The Floating City of Nym

Suspended high above the foothills of Mt. O'Ghomoro is the Floating City of Nym - central hub of a lost civilization which prospered on Vylbrand during the Fifth Astral Era. The accepted theory was to how the city was torn from the realm involves the over-aspecting of corrupted wind crystals - a phenomenon witnessed late in the Sixth Astral Era.

 

 

[Oyuu]

Thanks so much to everyone who posted! This is exactly what I was looking for in terms of information and examples of how to Scholar, heh. It is very helpful, not only to me but those who happen to stumble across this thread will greatly benefit as well. 

 

I'd love to see a few more examples of people roleplaying a Scholar, just so I can get a grasp on other's experiences with it. If you know someone who does a good job roleplaying the job or your character is a Scholar, feel free to post and tell me about it. 

 

Also, any additional lore tidbits or facts would be handy. I'm trying to learn as much as possible about how the job works and the history behind it (although I think most of it has been covered!), so if there's something not mentioned that I should look up, please let me know. I'll go back and read through the 50-60 job quest text too, since spoilers. Thanks again!