Editing Dark Ring (section)

== Great Colleges of Eshai ==
Under Fiasal’s direction, the Eshai Caliphate has been a strong proponent of learning and knowledge. The great colleges of Eshai are many small, semi-independent, institutions of learning that specialize in a specific field. These Siyar are the backbone of learning not only in Eshai but across the Dark Ring. Many hopeful students make pilgrimage to Eshai seeking education from only the brightest minds. 

These disparate pieces continue to be worth their weight in gold. The technological and logistical innovations yielded by the great colleges keeps the Caliphate one step ahead of the other Dark Ring nations. 

=== ''The Siyar of Knowledge'' ===
While the Siyar are often small and independent, there is one great exception. The Siyar of Knowledge, located in Daratu, is a central institution that houses all other known Siyar fields. Only the best teachers and students can attend the Siyar of Knowledge. However, there is no shortage of such minds. With the Siyar’s grounds there is room for more than forty-thousand pupils and five-hundred teachers. Despite the Siyar rarely teaching more than thirty-thousand, the grounds are still bustling with the rising stars of tomorrow.

The Siyar of Knowledge also contains the finest equipment. Alchemy labs are packed with rare ingredients, the library on site contains over eighty-thousand tomes, and magic users of all kinds wait to teach pupils about their specific arts.

=== ''Magic Proliferation'' ===
Mages within the great colleges teach the expansion of magic. This comes to the dismay of certain organizations like the Ard Magos but the Caliphate’s protection is enough to ward off any unwanted threats. 

This desire to proliferate magic does not mean that the great colleges are not careful. They recognize the damage that could come from irreverent use. However, the inherent power within all magic is a siren’s song that few can ignore. The mages particularly focus on low magic as it is more powerful on the Dark Ring. In fact, after years of diligent study, the mages have found that the ill effects of low magic decrease by 96% while on the Dark Ring. 

Elven mage Basir Cem Caith released an essay titled ''The Damping of Detorioral Presences of Low Arcana in the Daratu Area'' in 712 AR. In the essay, Basir claims that low magic within the vicinity of Daratu and perhaps across the Dark Ring should be considered safe to use as the effects are consistent with any other form of magic.

However, unknown to the public, the leaders of the Siyar of Knowledge held back Basir’s follow-up essay. This essay details that high magic is unsafe on the Dark Ring. Basir noted the dangerous effects of high magic increased 249% across ten different studies in the area around Daratu. Cem Caith’s superiors believed that this revelation would draw the ire of many powerful enemies and decided to bury the knowledge. Now only Basir Cem Caith, a few loyal students, and the leaders of the Siyar of Knowledge know the truth: high magic is dangerous on the Dark Ring.

==== ''Sponsored by Nations'' ====
Many nations across all three Rings sponsor the great colleges. In exchange, the nations gain access to the college’s vast repository of knowledge and designated seats for their most prestigious students within certain Siyar. This relationship has led some within the Caliphate to question whether or not external forces are corrupting the great colleges. To the surprise of nobody, these voices have quickly been silenced.