Groveborne

Heralds
The following comes from the the Heralds of Valdemar Wikia.

Heralds are exclusive to Valdemar, possess the highest quality of moral fiber and exist only by virtue of being Chosen by a Companion. Each Companion is destined to Choose someone, and most do so well in advance of reaching ten years age, though occasionally the wait can be quite long. (Yfandes was ten years of age when she Chose Vanyel Ashkevron, shortly after the death of his lifebonded, Tylendel.)

When a "youngling" or young person is chosen, the Crown may, if its family is poor, provide a stipend to cover the labor that person might have provided for the family. It is perceived as an honor to have a family member "Chosen".

Heralds are Chosen because they have the ability to contribute to Valdemar, or on occasion, because they have exact skills which are desperately needed by the kingdom at the time. There is often a certain wariness that is brought on when a large number of new Heralds are Chosen, as this means one of two things: that Valdemar will be expanding in coming years, or that there will be a significant conflict or trouble in the coming years. Both of which would require more Heralds. Historically, the latter situation is more common, especially when the newly Chosen possess certain Gifts that are more suited to battle rather than diplomacy.

Heralds are often chosen when their special Gift emerges; although usually chosen as young adults, a person of any age might be chosen. It is a violation of Valdemar law to prevent a Companion from accessing its Chosen.

Those who are chosen have at least one Gift which is psychic in nature (the Mage-Gift is special, and restricted in the stories to the Ashkevron line (including the royal family) after the 500 year loss of magic following the death of Vanyel Ashkevron); training completed at the Colleqium and through mentorship by fully trained Heralds, as well as provided by their Companion, enhance and develop the Gifts to their maximum which varies from Herald to Herald. Additional gifts may arise during or after the development of the first Gift.

All Heralds start as Trainees, and learn law, languages, weaponry, strategy, geography, science, survival skills, orienteering, horsemanship, surveying, maths, literature and sometimes specialist topics such as disguise, spycraft, or how to use their gifts in a specific manner. Trainee Heralds wear gray; fully trained Heralds wear a white uniform sometimes referred to as "Oh Shoot Me Now" whites due to their conspicuous and visible nature.

Past Herald-Trainees are noted as including assassins, spies, foreign agents or military personnel including officers, and a host of other unexpected things, and in Take a Thief, Skif becomes the first Herald-Trainee to have been an actual thief, though Donni was an apprentice thief.

The average age of a Herald-Trainee is usually twelve or thirteen, though Trainees have been known to be as varied in ages as in background. After anywhere from three to five years worth of education, the Trainee is then granted Whites and sent out on an internship of rounds with a more experienced Herald which lasts from a year to two years. Exceptions are usually made for some Trainees, including the Heir-Presumptive, who usually undergoes a long term internship serving in Haven's Courts and other duties within Haven, and those who have certain special abilities which cannot be risked, including Herald-Mages.

Certain roles within Valdemar, such as being Monarch or the Monarch's special advisor ("The Monarch's Own") require that the holder be a Herald, thus a presumed heir to the throne must be "Chosen" to be an heir.

Heralds all form strong mind-to-mind bonds (called "Mindspeech") with their Companions, even those who are not able to speak mind to mind with anyone else. The Companions use this to maintain a web of communications keeping all Heralds and companions linked.

Heralds are called "The Arrows of the Queen," and serve the Kingdom of Valdemar and its Monarch as messengers, spies, information-gatherers, peace-keepers and civil marshals. They also serve as leaders in times of crisis. They serve on "circuit," where they cover a section of Valdemar to resolve civil disputes, support the Guards in maintaining order, uphold Valdemaran law, and act as the representatives of the Crown.

Fair, incorruptible, self-sacrificing, and above question due to the mystical nature of their Companions, the Heralds are respected throughout Valdemar and feared by her enemies.

Heralds are held to an extraordinarily high moral standard. If a Herald or Herald-Trainee does not abide by this moral standard, they will be hounded by their Companion until they fall into line, and one who does unforgivable acts will generally be repudiated by their Companion. This will usually be followed up by the Companion's suicide in some manner or another. The result for the repudiated Herald or Herald-Trainee is generally a wound so deep that it may mar the soul, though that is not assured, but it will also quite commonly leave the victim catatonic as a result, blankly nonresponsive. Those who are responsive, are typically insane to the point that they are unable to use any Gifts that they might possess. However, repudiation does not necessarily mean that one is relieved of their Herald status, as when Tylendel was repudiated, the Death Bell tolled for him, indicating that he was accepted by the Companions as a full Herald and should be buried with Herald's honors. One can assume that Tylendel was given this distinction because his repudiation and the terrible acts that caused it were in turn caused by severe psychological trauma.

Companions

Companions are highly intelligent magical creatures who look like (but are not) horses. They are easily recognized by their pure white coats, bright blue eyes, and the sound of their silver hooves, most commonly referred to as the sound of bells. Each Herald has such a Companion. Each Companion is white because of their connection to Node magic. They draw upon Nodes to enhance their abilities, giving them extended endurance, greater speed and the ability to Heal themselves quickly. For example, in cases of extreme urgency, Companions use the nodes to make short "jumps" in space --- an ability Yfandes describes as a "sort of Fetching" except with themselves and their rider--- which when coupled with their speed allows them to cover great distances in a small fraction of time. Some Companions can also enhance the abilities of their Chosen, feeding them energy from nodes and ley-lines. Many Companions are reincarnated Heralds.

Companions also seem to have a deep connection to the Star-Eyed Goddess, much like the Firecats have a connection to Vkandis.

Companion's Choice

Companions "Choose" Heralds in the trainee or apprentice stage; the exact nature of the "Companion's Choice" is not stated explicitly in the novels. Heralds have described the moment in various ways: "being weighed and measured," "falling into [the Companion's] blue eyes," and "finding something I didn't know I was missing." The defining factor of one's Choosing seems to rely on the individual's moral fiber and where applicable, their ability to provide something that is needed by Valdemar, at the time. The Choice bonds Companions to their Heralds into a mutual relationship, and the bond can affect both parties' spiritual and physical well-being. The Companion becomes a loving friend who guides, supports, and sometimes augments a Herald's abilities. The joining is known to strengthen the Herald's Gifts, especially Mindspeech.

The Choice is, for the most part, permanent; it can be broken while in its early stages, although doing so will physically and emotionally scar both parties. After the initial phase, however, the bond becomes so important that the loss of either Herald or Companion is followed by depression and almost always death. Despite this a Companion can break the bond with their Chosen if at any time, they believe the Herald or Herald Trainee to have become unworthy. This is called repudiation. The most famous case of this was Tylendel, a Herald-Mage trainee and Herald-Mage Vanyel's first lifebonded. (Magic's Pawn)

Many Heralds can mindspeak with their Companions, but not all. The only time that a Herald might hear their Companion is the moment of choosing. Heralds Sherrill and Talia only heard their Companion's voice when they were Chosen. Herald Sherrill couldn't communicate with her Companion at all after that.

Grove-born Companions

The Companions first appeared from a grove near the palace in Haven, seemingly in response to King Valdemar's prayer, though there are indications that the king, also a mage, may have cast one or more spells as well. Though the first Companions were all Grove-Born, later generations were born in the manner of normal horses. In "present-day" Valdemar (Reign of Queen Selenay), only three Companions are revealed to be Grove-Born: Gwena (Companion of Herald Elspeth), Rolan (Companion of Talamir and later Talia), and Rolan's predecessor Taver (Companion of Talamir).

Though the true nature of the Companions has not been fully revealed, it is inferred they are both the returned spirits of departed Heralds and Companions, as well as divine agents or avatars of the gods. In the novel Oathbreakers, the Shin'a'in goddess specifically refers to a Companion as the "child of my other Selves". That being said, Companions take great pains to reveal that they are both fallible and mortal. When a Companion or Herald dies, he or she is sent to a "resting place" where they can recover from their recent life. After a time they are given the choice of returning as a Companion, with all memory of their past life intact, or to lose all of their old memories and become a human baby destined to become a Herald. Not all Heralds are returned from previous lifetimes, many are "new souls" who are then Chosen by the Companions to join the ranks of the Heralds.

These spirits are not allowed to return as Companions within the lifetime of the people they knew to avoid emotional entanglements such as Choosing their own child, or revealing themselves to their former lover. When they return as Companions they often use some variation of their former human name (for instance, a Herald-Mage called Savil might use the name Sayvil as a Companion).

The Companion to the Monarch's Own Herald is always a Grove-Born Stallion, and is considered the leader of the Companions. This Companion, currently Rolan, has the ability to bond with a second Herald if the Monarch's Own dies; as Rolan has Chosen both Talamir and Talia (Arrows of the Queen). The Monarch's Own is also subject to this; if his or her Companion dies, it is possible for the Herald to bond to a newly-arrived Grove-Born Companion (Exile's Honor). Also, presumptive Monarch's Own who are also Heralds are only temporarily bonded to their first Companion; though the exact nature of this bonding is not explored (Magic's Promise). The Monarch's Own Companion is not a reborn Herald, They may be a true Avatar. There seem to be several who take turns. Rolan was Monarch's Own Companion during the Collegium Chronicles and Brightly Burning, two hundred years later Taver has replaced him, and Rolan returns when Taver is killed in battle.

The only Grove-Born mare since the time of King Valdemar is Gwena, who seems to have been "newly created" for the purpose of being the Companion to the first Herald-Mage in four hundred years. Being Grove-Born means she does not suffer some of the same limitations as other Companions. For example, not only can she feed Elspeth mage-energy, she can do so over any distance. There is no such thing as too far away from her Chosen.

Our Canon

• Potential Heralds can be chosen anywhere from age 12 to 30
• Companions choose on or before their tenth year
• All Heralds possess at least rudimentary Mindspeech with their companions at Choosing, though they may never talk to them again.
• All Heralds undergo a minimum of 3 years of training in the Collegium. The process takes 4 years on average
• No trainee will earn their whites before their 18th birthday
• Herald Mages are once more becoming as common as mages in other countries, though Mage Gift is still rare
• Magic can be freely discussed in Valdemar
• There is a heartstone beneath Haven, keyed to Elspeth and all Adept-class Herald Mages
• Thanks to the efforts of everyone prior to the Counter Storm, magic in Valdemar is returning unusually fast. To take advantage, mages from all over western Velgarth are traveling there for research, or merely to feel the familiar tingle of the magic they lost in their own countries.

Herald Background NPCs

• Queen Selenay has passed on
• Prince-Consort Daren has passed on
• Herald Talia has passed on, with Monarch's Own Companion Rolan following her to the Havens.
• Herald Dirk passed on alongside his Lifebonded, Herald Talia.
• Princess Elspeth died along with Darkwind in Tayledras lands. Kerowyn went to find out what happened and was never heard from again
• All other major characters are presumed to have retired or returned to their own lands

Herald Active NPCs

• King Kris, bonded to Narinne, has ascended to the Throne in year 1422 AF - He is a staff NPC
• King's Own Lyra, bonded to Taver, is the new King's Own in the year 1422 AF. She is a staff NPC

Herald Ranks

• Dean of the Collegium : Held by Herald Brand and Companion Illona
• Lord Marshal's Herald : Held by Herald Jory and Companion Jola
• Monarch's Own Herald : Held by Herald Lyra and Groveborn Taver
• Seneschal's Herald : Held by Herald Daine and Companion Verrall
• Herald Chronicler
• Weaponsmaster : Held by Asana shena For’a’hier and Compamion Hadric
• Special Messenger/Courier
• Herald Mage

Herald Specialties

Courier

Couriers run important messages from Haven out to the major cities and towns as needed.
Most couriers are stationed in Haven, while some maintain permanent residence in major cities and towns near the borders, such as Lisle, Highjorune, Zoe, Hevenbeck and Bolton. Particularly highly regarded members of the courier specialty can become Special Messengers, all of whom remain stationed in Haven and report directly to the King and King's Own for their orders.

Court Herald

A catch-all specialty for heralds that have unusual gifts or skills. Known ranks include Ambassadors, Negotiators, Spies, Herald-Mages and other ranks that require that the herald in question generally stays close to Haven. Most Court Heralds also serve on rotation in the city of Haven in the magistrate courts to administer Truth Spell.

Instructors

Heralds who have retired have the option to teach, if they have the skills and demeanor to impart on future generations of Heralds. Not all 'retired' heralds are particularly old, though some are. Some Court Heralds also serve double duty as instructors, foregoing a rotation in the magistrate courts.

Field Herald

Assigned to one year long routes throughout a particular region of Valdemar, this is the most numerous specialty. When a citizen thinks of a Herald, they typically envision a Field Herald. They explain and administer the law to rural communities, acting as the local judiciary as needed. They also can form up small militias while awaiting back up from the Guard, and execute local boggle hunts and defend against raids.

Guard Liaison

This specialty includes Herald-Scouts, Mages and other heralds with Gifts particularly useful in combat situations. During peace time, they are generally stationed alongside the guard units they serve with, and return to Haven on a bi-annual rotation when their unit returns for training. During periods of war, heralds assigned to the Guard spend as much time on the battlefield as their unit, and may not have a period of rest for a year or more.

The Collegia
Information from the Valdemar Wikia

Originally, newly-Chosen trainees were assigned a mentor, a full-fledged Herald, to teach them everything they needed to know. Depending on the Gifts of the trainees, and any special teaching needs that went with them, a Herald might have more than one trainee at any given time. Formal classwork in subjects such as history, were conducted at the existing Bardic Collegium, with the Bards and their students as the primary focus.

This system did have the advantage of Heraldic-trainees getting individualized attention. Unfortunately, the disadvantages were more numerous. There was no guarantee that the "curriculum" would be taught consistently from one Herald and trainee to the next. (As evidenced by Herald Lores never having been taught Truth Spell.) The biggest disadvantages, however, came from putting inexperienced and ignorant trainees in the field, riding circuit with their mentors. At best, they frequently looked idiotic in front of Valdemar's citizenry, at worst it could be deadly for the trainees. Their fighting ability was likely to be sketchy and dumb mistakes could, and did, get them killed.

During the reign of King Kiril, trainees were being Chosen in such large numbers, that the mentoring system quickly became overwhelmed. There simply weren't enough Heralds to go around. Instead, the Heraldic Circle began the Heraldic Collegium system, most likely modeled on the existing Bardic system. Now trainees would remain at the Collegium on the Palace grounds, living in dormitories and taking standardized classes. Only at the end of this training period would they be sent out in the field with a mentor. Some Heralds resisted this idea at first, fearing that the trainees would get into mischief without closer supervision. However, the Companions Chose wisely, and their fears came to naught.

The Healers and Bardic Circles, as well as the Guard integrated into the system. By the reign of Queen Selenay, it is a smoothly working organization. The Heralds Collegium is the biggest because their building contains the classrooms. The Bardic and Healers Collegiums have neighboring dormitories, and their students share in many of the same classes, such as history, geography and courtly graces. There are also students who are unaffiliated with the three Collegia who attend classes there. Some of these are studying to be Artificers (architects and engineers), some are members of the Guard who need specialized training in an area, and others are the children of the nobility. Because of the color of their uniforms, these students are frequently referred to as the "Blues."

Uniforms

The students are easily identified by the color of their uniforms:

Gray = Herald's Collegium
Rust red = Bardic Collegium
Pale green = Healer's Collegium
Pale blue = Unaffiliated students

Collegium Instructors & Staff

Each Collegium has its own Dean who oversees the students and the classes. While it could be argued that overseeing the joint curriculum leads to a bit more work for the Dean of the Herald's Collegium, Bardic and Unaffiliated students tend toward greater mischief, and the Healer's Collegium is attached to the House of Healing, which can lead to its own complications.

The instructors are all full members of their particular branch, which the occasional unaffiliated expert. Some of the class assignments, such as mathematics, are permanent teaching posts, while others may be on a rotating or as needed basis. In 'present day' Valdemar, geography is taught by a rotating roster of Heralds who each teach a section on their home regions. Gift training is taught as needed by whichever Herald both has the relevant Gift and is a good teacher.

The Collegia also have two permanent staff members who are unaffiliated with any of the branches. In Selenay's time, these are the Cook Mero and Housekeeper Gaytha. For the purpose of this RP, these characters are presumed to be alive and doing their jobs until a player expresses interest in having their own character take over. Should that happen, Mero and/or Gaytha will retire.

Collegium Classes
Information contained below was made for Groveborne canon:

Each course in the general curriculum runs on a quarterly basis, meaning a prospective new arrival generally can join a newly started course or wait for the next rotation without losing too much time. Heraldic courses run once or twice a year, depending in the number of Chosen. Bardic and Healer Collegia tend to have more prerequisites in their curriculum, and only admit new students twice a year in the Spring and Fall. The unaffiliates, or Blues, rotate into whichever courses the deans and their patrons find suitable - though those gifted youngsters joining the Artificers must also join in the Spring or Fall of a given year.

General Course

Logic
History of Valdemar
World History
Etiquette
Geography
First Level Judgement (Basic Law)
Practical Maths
Practical Science & Artifice
Reading Comprehension
Calligraphy
Basic Weapons
Basic Survival Skills
Languages
Basic Accounting
Basic Archery

Heraldic Course

Basic Equitation
Advanced Equitation
Negotiation
Orienteering
Strategy and Tactics (small group combat emphasis)
Second Level Judgement
Inheritance & Family Feuds
Field Investigations
Political Geography of Valdemar & Allies
Alliance Countries & Creatures
Introduction to Magic
Magic, or Fakery?
Sentient Animals & How to Communicate
Truth Spell
Advanced Weapons
Advanced Archery
Basic Gift Training
Advanced Gift Training

Bardic Course

History of Music
Bardic Immunity & Reputation
Bardic Gift & Responsibility
Fundamentals of Music Theory
Basic Composition
Advanced Composition
Introduction to Instruments & Musicianship
Brass
Harp
Woodwinds
Percussion
Strings
Piano
Performance & Showmanship
Dance

Healer Course

History of Healing
Introductory Anatomy
Introductory Immunity
Introductory Herbology
Introductory Healing Gift
Introductory Mindhealing
Animal Healing
Plagues & Prevention
Trauma & Field Surgery
Battlefield Healing & Triage
Basic Nutrition
Advanced Anatomy
Advanced Healing Gift
Advanced Herbology & Chemistry
Advanced Mindhealing & Trauma Care
Patient Care
Emerging Gifts & Backlash
Magical Trauma

Artificer Course

Second Level Maths
Third Level Maths
Introductory Mechanics & Artifice
Basic Mechanics
Advanced Mechanics
Building Design
Bridge Design
Introduction to Agricultural Artifice
Advanced Soils & Water Flow
Advanced Building Design
Advanced Bridge Design
Magic & Mechanics
Basic Welding
Basic Masonry
Advanced Experimental Steam Mechanics

Typical Daily Schedule
Depending on the collegia in which a trainee is enrolled in, chores and free periods may be switched around. What remains are the hours tolling on the great belltower to announce the time change. Generally speaking, a trainee can expect 8 blocks 45 minutes of instruction each day, five days a week. Days off for trainees depends on the collegia they enroll in, and may just be a day free of classes, but encompass extra chore shifts, special duty assignments or actual holidays.

5:00am - Morning Chores Block
6:00am - Breakfast Hour
7:00am - Morning Inspection
7:45am - Class 1 (45 min)
9:00am - Class 2 (45 min)
10:00am - Class 3 (45 min)
11:00am - Class 4 (45 min) / Afternoon Chores Block A
11:45pm - Lunch Hour
1:00pm - Class 5 (45 min) / Afternoon Chores Block B
2:00pm - Class 6 (45 min)
3:00pm - Class 7 (45 min)
4:00pm - Class 8 (45 min)
5:00pm - Class 9 (45 min)
6:00pm - Evening Chores Block
7:00pm - Dinner Hour
8:00pm - Free Hour / Field Practice
9:00pm - Study Hour
10:00pm - Bed Time

Example Schedule
Example First Year Heraldic Trainee, Odd Days (even days he has morning chores, but no evening chores)

5:30am - Wakes, no morning chores - I like to take my time eating so I prepare my room for inspection now.
6:00am - Breakfast Hour
7:00am - Morning Inspection; I am spic and span so I have plenty of time to get to first class!
7:45am - Class 1 (45 min) - History of Valdemar
9:00am - Class 2 (45 min) - Logic
10:00am - Class 3 (45 min) - Practical Maths
11:00am - Afternoon Chores Block A; my first chores block! I am in the laundry room
11:45pm - Lunch Hour
1:00pm - Class 5 (45 min) - Geography
2:00pm - Class 6 (45 min) - Equitation
3:00pm - Class 7 (45 min) - Basic Weaponswork
4:00pm - Class 8 (45 min) - Reading Comprehension
5:00pm - Class 9 (45 min) - Calligraphy
6:00pm - Evening Chores Block; my second chores block! I'm a kitchen helper prior to dinner!
7:00pm - Dinner Hour
8:00pm - Evening Chores / Free Hour / Field Practice; spend this time bonding with my new Companion
9:00pm - Study Hour; working on my Geography and Calligraphy assignments
10:00pm - Bed Time