⮜ All Abilities
Artes Liberales* Edit
<p>The seven artes liberales, or liberal arts, are the basis of medieval higher education. Everyone learns them at the universities before passing on to study other subjects. It would be very rare for a character to have a score in any other Academic Knowledge without a score of at least one in this.</p> <p>The artes liberales are divided into two groups: the Trivium (grammar, logic, and rhetoric) and the Quadrivium (arithmetic, geometry, astronomy, and music). The emphasis at this period is on the Trivium, but both are taught. (Note that Artes Liberales as a whole is one Skill, not seven separate ones.)</p> <p>Grammar concerns theoretical questions of the structure of languages, rather than the ability to use a specific language (that is covered by Speak skills). The authorities are Priscian and Donatus. Logic is the study of the syllogism, and other forms of reasoning discussed by Aristotle. It is the most important of the arts at this period. Aristotle is the authority, in his logica vetus and logica nova. Rhetoric is the study of the theory of rhetorical forms: knowledge of the sort of tricks that an orator can use, rather than the ability to use them. The authority is Cicero, especially his De Inventione.</p> <p>Arithmetic is the ability to add and subtract, multiply and divide. The authority is Boethius, De arithmetica. Geometry is concerned with study of plane and solid figures, and the authority is Euclid, in his Elementa. It also deals with the study of light, and Euclid’s Optica is the authority here. Astronomy is concerned with predicting the positions of the stars and planets, and the authority is Ptolemy, in the Libri Almagesti. Music is purely theoretical, the study of proportions and musical theory, not the ability to sing or play an instrument. The authority is Boethius, in De Musica.</p> <p>Artes Liberales also covers the ability to read and write. For every point in the Ability, the character can read and write one writing system, providing that he knows a language which normally uses that system: the Latin alphabet, the Greek alphabet, the Arabic alphabet, and so on. Specialties: grammar, logic, rhetoric, arithmetic, geometry, astronomy, music, Ritual magic, Ceremonial magic.</p>
Church Lore Edit
Knowledge of the legends, history, structure, operation, and goals of the Church.
Civil and Canon Law* Edit
<p>Civil Law is the law of the Roman Empire. Most local legal systems are based upon it (England being the notable exception), and when a law is needed to govern international relations, Civil Law is appealed to. The authority is Justinian’s Digest. Canon Law is the law of the Church. It is important to Mythic Europe as it applies in all nations, governing the working of the church and some other areas, such as marriage. It is important to note that members of the clergy are only subject to Canon Law, not customary or Civil Law. Most high churchmen are skilled canonists, not theologians. Canon Law is made by Papal bulls (pronouncements), but the authority is Gratian, in his Decretum. This skill covers the knowledge of both types of law. Other religions, particularly Judaism and Islam, have their own versions of this Ability, which must be learned separately. Specialties: laws and customs of a specific area, papal laws. (Academic)</p>
Common Law* Edit
<p>Knowledge of the laws of England. There is no authority for this Ability, and it is only taught in England. Specialties: local laws, exchequer laws.</p>
Dominion Lore Edit
Knowledge of the manifestations of the power of the Divine. Different from Church Lore (a kind of (Organization) Lore)) because it covers miracles rather than politics, and different from Theology because it is concerned with power rather than doctrine. Specialties: angels, saints, Divine creatures. (Arcane)
Living Language Edit
Fluency in a particular living language. Rather than a die roll modifier, your score in this Knowledge measures your ability to communicate.
Local Area Lore Edit
"roll een knowledge local"
Philosophiae* Edit
There are three philosophies — natural philosophy, moral philosophy, and metaphysics. Aristotle is the authority for all of them, in different books. Most scholars study the philosophies after the Arts but before going on to Law, Theology or Medicine. Natural philosophy is the study of the sub-lunar world. It roughly corresponds to today’s science. The main texts are the Physica, De Meteorologia, and De historia animalium. Moral philosophy is the study of the proper way of human life. It covers ethics, politics, and economics — the texts are the Ethica, Politica, and Economica. Metaphysics is the philosophy of the fundamental nature of the world. The main text is Aristotle’s Metaphysica. Specialties: natural philosophy, moral philosophy, metaphysics, Ritual magic, Ceremonial magic. (Academic)
Theology* Edit
Theology is the study of God and his work in the world. The authorities are the Bible and Peter the Lombard’s Sententiae, the Bible having theoretical primacy, being infallible, and the Sentences being most studied. The speculations of theology are very abstruse, and many theologians are accused of heresy. Sometimes those accused recant, and sometimes they convince the Church that they were right after all. Theology can also be purchased (as a separate Ability) for other religions like Islam and Judaism. Specialties: biblical knowledge, heresy, history. (Academic)