Sunrise Manor

Sunrise Manor

Founding Date: 464
Type: Magic school
Current Leader: Janayla fen Jalora
Title: Director
Location: Xanatu

Public Agenda

Sunrise Manor is a school of magic that was founded in direct response to the Sisterhood of Sword and Sorcery . Its founder believed that a school of magic should be able to survive the loss of its head, that not all of its knowledge should be embodied in one individual. They felt vindicated in this when the Sisterhood fell during the First Darkrider Incursion.

History

At the time of their founding, schools of magic weren't problematic. When magic was still a common thing, there were several schools around Keverynn that taught its use. The most dominant one was the Sisterhood of Sword and Sorcery. There was also the Four Winds school, the Anitella College of the Arcane, Arcaril Academy of Sorcery, Sunrise Manor, and Stormy Grove University of Enchanters. There were other schools localized to small towns.

Prior to the First Darkrider Incursion, Sunset Manor was able to operate more or less with impunity, though they had to exercise some caution after Grandmaster Bilayna Kethnavi forced the dragons and wyvern to exist on separate sides of the continent in 661. That action didn't earn the Sisterhood any favour with them and the two organizations have been at odds ever since.

Once the Darkriders rose to power on the western side of the River Arcetes in 720, things became much more difficult for the school to operate. The Darkriders, it seemed, had little tolerance for mages they couldn't directly control and took to outright killing any they found that wouldn't join their cause. These actions forced the Manor to begin operating in secret, spreading out across Keverynn.

They are still officially headquartered in Xanatu but only the Director and her personal staff remain at the manor itself. The majority of the teaching staff roam, either in search of students or in the process of teaching the ones they already have.

The Sunrise Icons

These flowers are found growing wild all over Keverynn. They are harder to find in the colder reaches of the Nomadic territories and Tula’tevenn Province.

Significance

Since the actions of the Darkriders forced the Sunrise Manor to change its methods, they had to come up with a way to identify each other. Wandering Sisterhood quartets were easily identified by their colour coded uniforms and distinct weapons. The Manor had never bowed to such ridiculous means and its founder had vowed that they never would.

At the time this decision was made, the Director was known to be abnormally fond of daisies. They grew wild everywhere on Keverynn and yet she loved them. So it was decided that they would place a daisy on the right hand side of their shirts and that would be how they identified themselves. Some members went so far as to simply embroider a small daisy on their jacket. Some women had specially made daisy earrings. This would prove especially valuable in the winter when fresh daisies became harder to find.

Members of the school who have settled and designated a permanent residence for themselves find some way of incorporating the humble daisy into this place. Some plant a small cluster of daisies. Others will have a daisy motif painted somewhere on the building.

Daisies have performed other functions for the school. Blossoms left with petals missing are indicators of distress. They've signed letters with a stylized daisy to further identify themselves. Grave markers are carved with the same stylized flower.

Different types of daisies have been used to convey messages:
Common daisy - grows best between Newgreen and Dragonhatch; simple identification
Blood daisy - danger Long petaled daisy - more common in the southern areas
Blue daisy - Sadness
Dragon daisy - looks like a common daisy but is three times the size; all is well, safe haven
Honey daisy - purple petals and a black center; used to identify a teacher with no students
Healer's daisy - this solid yellow daisy blooms best from Longdays through Chilldays; indicates illness
Nomad's daisy - the only variety found in the cooler climate, primarily used for identification in northern areas
Cliffclimber daisy - found on rocky outcroppings near the Sea of Deceit. As such, it's used to indicate deception and falsehood
Bush daisy - this daisy grows wild in Gira’loyis Province in the early spring. It was once used to indicate an ambush was expected and that meaning has never changed.
Spider daisy - Unlike most daisy varieties it grows on a kind of vine. It's used to indicate concern.
Drooping daisy - used to indicate that a teacher isn't looking for any students. This could be either because they already have as many as they're willing to take or because they're taking a break from teaching for an unspecified amount of time.
Red button daisy - Be wary; you're being watched