The Palestra Ferratus was founded many centuries ago by Jacob Cunningham, a
Master of the Art of the Blade who had too many apprentices to house and teach
himself. Being the practical Master, he built a large barracks, and asked some
of his former apprentices to return and help him teach the new ones.
Some of his apprentices had branched off into disiplines different than their
former master's. One, for instance, had eschewed the use of blade entirely and
fought only with his fists. Another had taken to fighting with two swords, one
in each hand. A few had banded together, created a troup of actors, and fought
their way into the hearts of thousands.
From this humble beginning, the Palestra Ferratus grew into the large campus it
is today. Housing well over three hundred students at a time of various
physical disiplines, the main campus spans two kilometers at its widest point.
Much of the surrounding fields are considered "training grounds," where
students may (and "damn well better," in the words of ol' Cunningham) go out to
spar, play, or just meditate on the use of mind over force.
Many farmers in the area send their children off to the Palestra Ferratus, or
to an apprenticeship under a graduate thereof. In some families, it has become a
tradition to send the children off to Ferratus for a year or three. Many of
these farmers cannot pay the price of admission and materials in Argentum, so
payments may be made in crops, service, or anything else the farmer may have to
offer. Some farmers stick around well after their children leave, becoming
fixtures on the campus, bastions of knowledge, good cooking and wisdom to the
children.
Every year in the beginning of summer, the Cunningham Competition is held.
Students, graduates, and everyone who has ever been a part of Palestra Ferratus
are invited to compete in a tournament to see who has the greatest control over
themselves and others. A great event for the farmers of the region, the
Competition is often heralded by a week or more of feasting, partying, dancing,
and general carousing. Students are let out of their classes for the preceeding
week to train on their own, if they wish, or to simply enjoy the festivities.