The MAHO Institutes
Orphans of Adruimor and Estana: Following the formation of the Asarah Empire and its decisive victory in the great war, the once-thriving kingdoms of Adruimor and Estana were left in turmoil. Among the most tragic consequences were the countless orphans left behind by the conflict. With their families lost to the war, these children faced an uncertain future in a newly unified yet deeply scarred empire.
Establishment and Purpose: To address the orphan crisis and ensure the stability and future strength of the empire, the Asarah Empire established institutes run by the Ministry of Alchemical Handling Operations (MAHO). These institutes served a dual purpose: providing care and education for war orphans and creating a pipeline of loyal, skilled individuals to join the various divisions of the empire’s most important department, MAHO. This initiative was part of the empire's broader strategy to assimilate the conquered populations and integrate them into its expanding bureaucratic and military structures.
Eligibility and Restrictions: While the institutes welcomed orphans from both Adruimor and Estana, there were strict eligibility criteria for other citizens. No Adruimor citizens were allowed to join the MAHO department or institutes, reflecting the deep-seated mistrust and punitive measures imposed on Adruimor for its prolonged resistance. Only selected individuals from Estana, deemed loyal and capable, were granted the opportunity to join. This selective process ensured that the empire could maintain control and prevent any potential insurrection from within.
Families and Poverty: Many families, particularly those in Adruimor and Estana, faced difficult decisions regarding their children’s futures. Despite the heartbreak of sending their children away, many saw the institutes as a beacon of hope. The alternative—leaving their children to live in poverty—was often too grim to consider. By sending their children to the MAHO institutes, families could ensure that they would receive an education, sustenance, and a stable future, even if it meant never seeing them again.
Training and Divisions:
Basic Education (Ages 5-10): Children sent to the institutes begin their education at the age of five. The initial program focuses on teaching basic skills such as reading, writing, history, and other elementary curriculars. This foundational education is essential for all children, regardless of their future specialization, and aims to provide them with a well-rounded base of knowledge.
Division Selection and Specialized Training (Ages 10-18): At the age of ten, children are required to choose a division in which to specialize. The divisions offered included:
R&D Division: Also referred to as The Scholars Guild; students tackle extensive research on the history and applications of MahōKi Sap. Students work on developing new products and technologies for various aspects of life, as well as studying new combinations of ingredients and methods to discover unknown properties and applications of MahōKi Sap.
Alchemy Division: All students learn the basics of alchemy including herbology and basic mixtures of all three schools of alchemy before choosing one school to specialize in.
Apothecary: healing, medicine, and defensive potions.
Toxicology: poisons, antidotes, and offensive potions.
Transmutation: studies rooted strictly in the use of MahōKi Sap for transformation or other miraculous uses.
Enchanting Division:
Blacksmithing: Basic blacksmithing armor, weapons, and trinkets and then applying enchanting with MahōKi Sap, first premade objects then objects from scratch.
Tailoring: Basic sewing skills and studies of the different types of garments and what enchantments can be applied on which types of clothing. Later introducing enchanting threads and sewing enchanted garments from scratch.
Jewelry: Basic crafting and designing various types of jewelry, applying effects with MahōKi Sap and finally creating enchanted jewelry from scratch.
Engineering Division: Comprising subdivisions like mechanical innovation, civil engineering, and defensive structures.
Apprenticeship Testing and Allocation (Age 18): Students are required to take a comprehensive test to demonstrate all they have learned during their years of training. This test assesses their knowledge, skills, and aptitude for their chosen division. Based on their performance, they are then evaluated for apprenticeship positions. The higher their skill level, the more valuable they are considered, and the more money the departments pay for them. This money goes towards running and maintaining the institutes, creating a system where the students’ success directly supports the next generation of orphans.
Conclusion: The establishment of MAHO institutes was a strategic move by the Asarah Empire to address the immediate orphan crisis while simultaneously securing its future dominance. By training orphans from Adruimor and Estana, the empire not only strengthened its workforce but also ensured that the next generation would be loyal, skilled, and integrated into its vision of a unified realm under its control. Despite the challenges and ethical considerations, the institutes became a cornerstone of the empire's post-war strategy, shaping the lives of countless children and the future of the Asarah Empire.
