Education, Training and Development

Age ranges are based on the standard Pathfinder age categories for a human, combined with some historical British education practices - and are used as a base for all ‘ordinary’ NPCs. However, race, temperament, etc., may mean that some children (normally PCs or ‘special’ NPCs) finish earlier or later.

Young Childhood (0-7)

Sometimes known as Infancy, young children rarely have any real responsibilities. In the countryside, they might play in the fields as their parents and siblings work alongside. In a town there might be a stay at home carer (such as a mother or grandmother), or a child might accompany their parent, or an elder sibling might be left in charge.

Childhood (7-14)

Life gets more serious at about 7 years of age. Older children are expected to start preparing for adult life and start taking responsibility. It isn’t unusual to see 8 or 9 year olds running errands and delivering messages without supervision. Just about everyone growing up get a basic education of some sort – and learn basic literacy and numeracy skills. When they get to 15 years old, characters become ‘adults’ as a L1 Commoner (6hp, 2 skill points.) . Some lucky ones go on to train as more prestigious classes.

This early learning can be achieved in any of the following settings

Church Schools – often run by good or lawful aligned churches (or other good causes), they generally provide half a day per week of basic education to the children of their congregations. This is often based on reading simple prayers and religious stories. This free and basic education often supplements other sources of learning. Church Schools are often free and taught by very junior priests or lay preachers. If you are using my Campaign Rules (Church Schools are assumed to happen automatically whenever a shrine or other religious building is constructed They do not add to your economy, loyalty of stability)
Copper Schools – are often run by middle aged or elderly women in . For a copper piece they provide half a day of simple education and day care, which keeps the kids off the streets for a while. Covering simple arithmetic and basic reading – it quite often finishes up with older children helping the younger ones. Children often attend part time or casually and might work with family members or be ‘street urchins’ for the rest of the time. Teachers in Copper Schools often don’t have any other source of income and very few resources, but scrape along – they are an excellent place for Good Aligned character to make donations or even take on a sponsorship. If you are using my Campaign Rules (Copper Schools are assumed to happen automatically as one of the everyday activities carried out by people in your settlement. They don’t add to your economy, loyalty of stability)
Public School – Most people who can afford it send their children to a Public School – Noble families, the independently wealthy, the Middle Classes and even better off commoners. At the lower end of the scale they might charge as little as 10 gp per child per year for a basic, all around, education while others charge much more and mimic the Private School curriculum. Public schools generally offer training for four or five days a week and 30-40 weeks of the year – leaving children time to go home and become comfortable with their parents trade or profession. It has the advantage of allowing your children to make friends and contacts with children from other families of the same sort of status. If you use my Campaign Rules (this is a standard school from the pathfinder:campaign_systems:organisations:academic page)
Private Schools – owned and paid for, by a noble or very wealthy family. All the children (of the right status) within the family (and their circle) get to attend free of charge. It also binds the children of each generation together and lets them sort out their ‘pecking order’ early. House Lebeda (a Brevic Noble family) runs two small private schools – one in Silverhall and a second in New Steven. These schools are similar to the more expensive Public Schools. If you use my Campaign Rules (this is a standard school from the pathfinder:campaign_systems:organisations:academic page)
Private Tutor – the wealthiest families may employ Private Tutors for the most important children in the family – although they many will also spend some time at School, just so they get to know their peers.

Class and Skill Training (14+)

A few lucky students get to continue their training, although most go on to start their adult life as L1 commoners. Some students go back to work in their family business. Others find a mentor who will teach skills in exchange for menial service, while others can find the money to pay for extra schooling at a college or an academy. Use the standard Starting Age rules to work out how long training takes for characters to retrain into a PC class. Treat Aristocrat and Spontaneous Adepts as Intuitive Classes, Warriors as Self-Trained Classes while Expert and other Adepts are Trained Classes.

Family Business

Most Craftsmen and Professionals are self-employed or manage a business for an absent ‘investor/employer’ – and are able to control who they employ and what apprenticeships are offered. In most cases children ‘apprentice’ within their own family and learn family skills directly from their parents, and carry on a family tradition. Sometimes, however, children might train with a family friend, or ‘swaps’ arranged. This works really well for Experts going back to the family business or even Aristocrats getting brought up at home. This type of training arrangement could last years, and the ‘apprentice’ might stay in the business, gaining levels slowly, until they take over from their parent!

Apprenticeship

In a traditional apprenticeship, a character goes away and study with a ‘master’ who teaches skills in exchange for menial work. Sometimes these arrangements go on for years, with the apprentice eventually becoming an ‘Assistant’ - although they still learn and progress. A 'traditional' Apprenticeship lasted for seven years, although some (such as an Arcane Magic apprenticeship) might last for much longer.

Here are some examples

The Torchbearer, Squire, Imperial Knight and Recruits feat provides advanced apprenticeships that can train the apprentice beyond L1 quite quickly.

Finishing School

If they can find the money, students can continue their formal by attending a Finishing School. Many Finishing Schools have links with Day Schools and Private Schools and there can be a fairly smooth passage between the two for children from wealthier families. However, these schools are businesses and most offer part time courses so that they can attract students who need to work to finance their education, which means the time students have to study to achieve their new class varies. If you use my Campaign Rules (A Finishing School is a College level building OR a Sword School from the pathfinder:campaign_systems:organisations:academic page)

These are some examples of finishing schools. However, there are many others.

West Hurst Military College – A small residential college in New Stetven that caters to noble and wealthy families. Students generally leave as Aristocrats, or Cavaliers. Some graduates (children of nobles or high ranking officers) go straight into their parent’s Old Unit, or another one they control / Command / Own (I told you they were wealthy). Others finish up as Squire to a family friend.
Squire Quinn’s Military School – A small residential college, just outside Restov, that prepares the children of less well-off families for a life in military service. Most students finish up as Warriors or Military Auxiliaries and go on to join military units or mercenary bands. This is an ideal place for donations from Good or lawful PCs, and is also a good place to provide a future for all those Waifs that you pick up.
Diomedes' Academy of Arms - a rural Varisian school that specialises in teaching the Shield Wall feat. It turns out well drilled squads of Warriors - with a few Fighters & Rangers thrown in for good measure.
Haldane House – Part of the Northern Schools group in Restov. Students are responsible for finding their own accommodation but can either study full-time or part time. There are three dojos, specialising in different techniques and specialities, but students can move between them. The initial Dojo teaches basic weapon and armour skills, while the Rondolero and Aldori dojos teach duelling etiquette and styles. Haldane House provides training for all classes of people - from minor aristocrats right through to commoners who want to better themselves.
Hansome’s College for Young Ladies (in New Stetven)teaches a ladylike skill set that includes Diplomacy, Intimidate, Perform(Sing & Dance), Sewing, etc – for those young well-bred young women who intend to snare a wealthy husband. They are expected to be lady-like and run the house and estates with an iron grip. Most Young Ladies finish up as Experts.
The Horcroft Library – a sophisticated library, in New Stetven, open to scholars of all sorts. For a small fee you can browse and study among the books and artefacts of The Local Collection, The Religious Collection, The Arcane Collection and Lord Rudy’s Collection. Note (Although you must have skill slots to spend you could develop the following Knowledge Skills – Local, Religion, Arcana, Planes, Dungeoneering & Nobility)
If you use my Campaign Rules (Treat the he Horcroft Library as a normal library with extra galleries. pathfinder:campaign_systems:organisations:academic page)
The Academy of the Arts – in Pitax. Training for bards, artists and entertainers of all types – studying there is cheap, as it is subsidised by the government, but it might not be of the highest quality ….
The House of the Gauntlet – Iomedae’s Temple in New Stetven, trains priests – be they Divine Adepts, Clerics, Paladins or Inquisitors. The training is free, so long as you adhere to the faith and can deal with the particularly strict and frugal lifestyle expected of acolytes under training.

Higher Education

Academies, and Universities provide the same sort of training - but to a higher level and (sometimes) in more prestigious subjects.

JohnB's Games

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