Rembrandt

Rembrandts are scholars for hire all across the Augury, though they're most often found in Fjordstrond. Those who wish to become a rembrandt must surpass the expectations set upon other scholars, often accruing great debt and investing years of their lives in education. A rembrandt's educational journey begins in Jökulstífla, at the Rhetory Sanctum. Every three years, the sanctum holds "appraisals," which allow outsiders to come before a council of 5 directors and present a personal investigation. These typically include historical studies, lab investigations, field studies, political analyses, or any other manner of scholarly subject. Of the individuals vetted and allowed to present before the council, any indefinite number may be provided with the opportunity to study with the rembrandts.
While no background education is required to join the Rhetory Sanctum's program, it certainly helps understand the various subjects you may be presenting on. Once an individual is accepted into the program, they are tasked with mastering five subjects over three years before electing to specialize in a subject of their choice. In the three years before specialization, the students are to complete three debates, essays, surgery practicals, alchemy practicals, and one "pioneer investigation."
those who perform insufficiently are removed from the Rhetory Sanctum. Those who stay must decide on a specialization and defend their choice before the 5 directors, debating its scope and value. The range of currently selected specializations includes anything from microbial studies to demolition physics, or ornithology in the case of Rembrandt Stalker. While the specialized students are not yet rembrandts, their membership in the sanctum comes with the boon of recognition across other scholarly organizations. 
To complete one's specialization, an investigation and collection of data typically lasting 5-10 years must be performed. A sufficient book (with citations) must be written to provide a sufficient basis of understanding for those who will eventually appraise the final presentation of the student. Travel abroad is typically required in order to procure the resources and individuals who can assist in such a project, with popular sites being the libraries of Caripreet, the Eldursteries, the Euvurcrest Bard's College, and the temples of the Bailum Consilium. In recent years (ca. 1947 NG), travel abroad has become evermore common, with many basing their specializations around archeological investigations of the unknown, with the ancient city of Tazban being an example. 

First Three Years: General Studies

Language Arts

Language arts is typically the first and most crucial sphere of academia for any respectable rembrandt to master. Not only is a broad vocabulary and understanding of written language fundamental for learning the other crucial topics, but stellar communication will be necessary upon employment (typically by noblemen or commanders of the Augury military.

Alchemy

Alchemy, notably separated from medicine, is a skill meant to develop proficiency in making precise measurements, following instructions, and the capability to create poisons or tonics. While many look at alchemists as underhanded or mischievous, the occupation tends to focus on valuable day-to-day chemicals; this would include insect repellents, dietary tonics, or sleeping remedies.

Medicine

Medicine is considered the most difficult of the arts to learn for several reasons. Subjects for practice are difficult to find, mistakes may breed tragedy, and the amount of content smothers the other subjects. Not to mention, standard practitioners of medicine are in high demand and pay a wealthy salary. Due to the fruits that medicine itself bears, many potential rembrandts abandon the path and pursue medicine upon learning the discipline. The standard subject matter in medicine is the creation of healing tonics, surgery, the spread of disease, and the ability to identify conditions. Magic is used on occasion, though most rembrandts are trained to resolve matters without the use of magic in order to prepare for potential emergency situations.

History and Politics

History and politics are a matter of utmost importance for any rembrandt, though there have been scandals in the past regarding the dismissal of history's importance in particular. Colleges, such as the Bard's College in Euvurcrest, have bred generations of rembrandts incapable of utilizing and applying history. At present, however, schools have begun cracking down.

Magical Arts

Magical arts are taught distinct from prior subjects, as rembrandts themselves tend to view them as a crutch, leading older generations to avoid engraining the subject into other spheres. The subject itself tends to include runic magic, research into Waning Rocks, and the history of magic via the Yunbad, J'barri, and humanity's own Wishing Well.

Employment

Rembrandts are popular and in high demand, usually by elites across the Augury. Given their work typically requires scrutinous investigation, their commissions can back up for years at a time (especially given the necessary travel time). Some specializations can grant more monetary mileage but rembrandts are typically hired for their general knowledge and skill. Over the course of their commission, rembrandts may rake in tens of thousands of gold pieces.

List of Rembrandts

1. Otto Heinrich of Inmuth, Newmot
2. J. B. Stalker of Jökulstífla, Fjordstrond 
3. Armonis of Euvurcrest, Eldurgrund

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Elias Rembrandt

Elias Rembrandt, member of the Bailum Consilium and Saltkrigere General during the reign of the Saltkrigere Empire, was a man of many talents. He led the fight against the Eldurgrund Empire during the aptly named Rembrandtic Wars, but he would generally be remembered by history as a man of culture and understanding, though he rarely showed this side in war itself. Although he did not learn every discipline that a modern "rembrandt" would be expected to understand, it was still difficult to get a man more knowledgeable than him in the room. After the fall of the Saltkrigere Empire at the hands of the Augury, his name became synonymous with a "master of all trades" and became the eventual title of the most esteemed position one can have in humanity's far-reaching academia.

Type

Academic, Professional

Rembrandt Directors

There are five rembrandt directors, each of whom was well-established in their work before coming to run the Rhetory Sanctum. Formally referred to as "director," they hold several duties regarding the upholding of the profession's standards. Among their duties are the following tasks:

• Vetting submissions from those who wish for an appraisal, both removing insufficient work and studying the subject matter.
• Appraising investigations and regulating associated student admissions.
• Perform ongoing investigations, correspondence, and instruction relating to their core 5 subjects.
• Regularly test and update their private library, ensuring all knowledge matches the most up-to-date information.
• Protect their private library from plagiarization, theft, and legal conflicts.
• Evaluate student work.

Homes of the Rembrandts