Royal Academy of Grandfolk

The Royal Academy of Grandfolk is the only university in the Kingdom of Etrand. It was founded during the late 2nd century, most likely during the reign of King Tondbert I of Etrand.

History
The Royal Academy of Grandfolk was founded some time in the late 2nd century, presumably during the reign of King Tondbert the Pious, although some credit King Aiden I the Merchant with founding the royal academy. The building was built out of a mixture of wood and cobblestone, but mostly wood.

During the Demonic invasions of Artograch, students of the academy volunteered to fight against the demons, transforming the college campus into a makeshift fortress, housing civilians in the classrooms, and then taking up crossbows to help to defend the city against the invading demons.

In 388, the academy was destroyed in a city fire and had to be rebuilt. The new academy was built mainly out of limestone, but large parts of it would be destroyed in a disaster in 566, which led to the rebuilding from clay bricks. This is the form of the college that still stands to this day, albeit the building has been gradually expanded ever since.

The college has received it's campus first in 412, but after the disaster of 566, the college lacked a campus until 620, when a campus was re-added to the college.

Education system
Currently, the Royal Academy of Grandfolk offers education in law, stewardship (administration and economics), medicine, engineering, philosophy, theology, arcane magic, philology and arts. With the exception of theology classes - which are conducted in the Classical High Elven language, the language of the Church of Titanius - all education is conducted in Etrandish and all students and teachers are expected to be at least fluent at the language.

It takes usually three years to become Bachelor of a certain subject, and three additional years to become a Master of such subject - the exception is Arcane Magic, where students usually become Bachelors of the Arcane after five years and Masters of the Arcane after additional four or five years. Most subjects can be studied simultaneously, but studying too many subjects at once results in one progressing much slower towards attaining the necessary knowledge to pass the standardized tests that require passing before one can be named Bachelor or Standard of a certain subject.

Many of the subjects are divided into sub-subjects that - depending on the subject - the student may optionally study, or has to study. For example, engineering is split into architecture, alchemy, and mechanism, and the student must study at least two of these three to become Bachelor/Master of Engineering. To be able to teach one of the sub-subject, one must attain the title of "Expert", which requires the performance of similar feats that one would require to be permitted to found a new guild.

Classes usually start at 6 AM and can last until as late as 5 PM, depending on how many pre-scheduled lessons a student has that day. Classes stop for two hours at 11 AM / 0 PM, giving students and teachers alike time to have their lunch. Occupation of dormitories is optional, but whether students occupy a room in the dormitory or live in any other part of Grandfolk, they are expected to have a source of income: students who sleep in the dormitory must finance its maintenance, and all students must pay enrolment fees and "academy tax" (in order to finance their own education collectively + maintain the university). In addition to these "mandatory donations", students who donate more money at their own also earn the gratitude of their teachers - corruption.

Population
Currently, there are 2311 students studying at the academy, and 263 teachers.

Famous graduates

 * King Bourn I of Etrand
 * Ladislaus Londbert / King Bryant I of Etrand
 * King Cairbré I of Etrand
 * Grand Count Andrei III of Werron
 * Hantilen Broyté Londers