Scholomance
Encyclopedia
The Scholomance was fabled to be a legendary school of black magic run by the Devil
, supposedly located near an unnamed lake in the mountains south of the city of Hermannstadt (now called Sibiu
in Romanian) in the Transylvania
region of Romania
.
, a Scottish author married to a Hungarian cavalryman stationed in Romania, gave a detailed description in her article "Transylvanian Superstitions" on page 136 of The Nineteenth Century:
Katherine Ramsland describes the nine remaining scholars, known as Solomonari
, as "tall, redheaded men clad in white wool...[possessing] several instruments of magic and a book of instruction." She also goes on to explain that they are "trained for nine years...overcoming obstacles and surviving ordeals. Their final examination involved copying all that they knew about humanity into the Solomonar's book."
Another version of the tale known in Transylvania tells that the Scholomance was founded by famous Lord Samuel von Brukenthal
, to teach "white magic" and esoteric matters to seven chosen pupils, one for every burg or schloss of Saxon Transylvania. This version did not involve any black magic or the Devil.
, likely drawing from Gerard's work, referred to it twice in Dracula
, once in chapter 18:
And in chapter 23:
Stoker's reference to "Lake Hermanstadt" appears to be a misinterpretation of Gerard's passage, as there is no body of water by that name. The part of the Carpathians near Hermannstadt holds Paltinisch lake and Bâlea Lake, which host popular resorts for people of the surrounding area.
In the book Lord of Middle Air by Michael Scott Rohan
, the wizard Michael Scot
reveals that he dared to train at the Scholomance on two occasions, as there was so much knowledge it could not all be learnt in one night.
's Myth II: Soulblighter
are described as having been trained at a school of magic named the Scholomance, and in Blizzard Entertainment
's World of Warcraft
, the Scholomance is a ruined castle held by the Scourge whose cellars and crypts are now used to train necromancers and create undead
monsters. Like its legendary namesake, the Scholomance in World of Warcraft is in the middle of a lake.
Devil
The Devil is believed in many religions and cultures to be a powerful, supernatural entity that is the personification of evil and the enemy of God and humankind. The nature of the role varies greatly...
, supposedly located near an unnamed lake in the mountains south of the city of Hermannstadt (now called Sibiu
Sibiu
Sibiu is a city in Transylvania, Romania with a population of 154,548. Located some 282 km north-west of Bucharest, the city straddles the Cibin River, a tributary of the river Olt...
in Romanian) in the Transylvania
Transylvania
Transylvania is a historical region in the central part of Romania. Bounded on the east and south by the Carpathian mountain range, historical Transylvania extended in the west to the Apuseni Mountains; however, the term sometimes encompasses not only Transylvania proper, but also the historical...
region of Romania
Romania
Romania is a country located at the crossroads of Central and Southeastern Europe, on the Lower Danube, within and outside the Carpathian arch, bordering on the Black Sea...
.
In folklore
Emily GerardEmily Gerard
Emily Gerard was a nineteenth century author best known for the influence her collections of Transylvanian folklore had on Bram Stoker's Dracula...
, a Scottish author married to a Hungarian cavalryman stationed in Romania, gave a detailed description in her article "Transylvanian Superstitions" on page 136 of The Nineteenth Century:
- As I am on the subject of thunderstorms, I may as well here mention the Scholomance, or school supposed to exist somewhere in the heart of the mountains, and where all the secrets of nature, the language of animals, and all imaginable magic spells and charms are taught by the devil in person. Only ten scholars are admitted at a time, and when the course of learning has expired and nine of them are released to return to their homes, the tenth scholar is detained by the devil as payment, and mounted upon an IsmejuZmeuThe Zmeu is a fantastic creature of Romanian folklore and Romanian mythology. Sometimes compared to other fantastic creatures, such as the balaur or the vârcolac, the zmeu is nevertheless distinct, because it usually has clear anthropomorphic traits: it is humanoid and has legs, arms, the ability...
(dragon) he becomes henceforward the devil's aide-de-campAide-de-campAn aide-de-camp is a personal assistant, secretary, or adjutant to a person of high rank, usually a senior military officer or a head of state...
, and assists him in 'making the weather,' that is, in preparing thunderbolts. A small lake, immeasurably deep, lying high up among the mountains south of Hermanstadt [sic], is supposed to be the cauldron where is brewed the thunder, and in fair weather the dragon sleeps beneath the waters.
Katherine Ramsland describes the nine remaining scholars, known as Solomonari
Solomonari
-Origins and name:Solomonarii are very important characters of the Romanian mythology, a caste, order or congregation of wizards with special knowledge and abilities. Their origin is often linked [1] [2] with that of the ancient Dacian priests...
, as "tall, redheaded men clad in white wool...[possessing] several instruments of magic and a book of instruction." She also goes on to explain that they are "trained for nine years...overcoming obstacles and surviving ordeals. Their final examination involved copying all that they knew about humanity into the Solomonar's book."
Another version of the tale known in Transylvania tells that the Scholomance was founded by famous Lord Samuel von Brukenthal
Samuel von Brukenthal
Samuel von Brukenthal was the Habsburg governor of the Grand Principality of Transylvania between July 6, 1774 and January 9, 1787...
, to teach "white magic" and esoteric matters to seven chosen pupils, one for every burg or schloss of Saxon Transylvania. This version did not involve any black magic or the Devil.
In literature
Bram StokerBram Stoker
Abraham "Bram" Stoker was an Irish novelist and short story writer, best known today for his 1897 Gothic novel Dracula...
, likely drawing from Gerard's work, referred to it twice in Dracula
Dracula
Dracula is an 1897 novel by Irish author Bram Stoker.Famous for introducing the character of the vampire Count Dracula, the novel tells the story of Dracula's attempt to relocate from Transylvania to England, and the battle between Dracula and a small group of men and women led by Professor...
, once in chapter 18:
- The Draculas were, says Arminius, a great and noble race, though now and again were scions who were held by their coevals to have had dealings with the Evil One. They learned his secrets in the Scholomance, amongst the mountains over Lake Hermanstadt, where the devil claims the tenth scholar as his due.
And in chapter 23:
- He dared even to attend the Scholomance, and there was no branch of knowledge of his time that he did not essay.
Stoker's reference to "Lake Hermanstadt" appears to be a misinterpretation of Gerard's passage, as there is no body of water by that name. The part of the Carpathians near Hermannstadt holds Paltinisch lake and Bâlea Lake, which host popular resorts for people of the surrounding area.
In the book Lord of Middle Air by Michael Scott Rohan
Michael Scott Rohan
Michael Scott Rohan is a Scottish fantasy and science fiction author.He had a number of short stories published before his first books, the science fiction novel Run to the Stars and the non-fiction First Byte. He then collaborated with Allan J...
, the wizard Michael Scot
Michael Scot
Michael Scot was a medieval mathematician and scholar.- Early life and education :He was born in Scotland, and studied first at the cathedral school of Durham and then at Oxford and Paris, devoting himself to philosophy, mathematics, and astrology...
reveals that he dared to train at the Scholomance on two occasions, as there was so much knowledge it could not all be learnt in one night.
In computer games
The name has been reused in the computer game industry to refer to other schools of dark magic. The warlocks in BungieBungie
Bungie, Inc is an American video game developer currently located in Bellevue, Washington, USA. The company was established in May 1991 by University of Chicago undergraduate student Alex Seropian, who later brought in programmer Jason Jones after publishing Jones' game Minotaur: The Labyrinths of...
's Myth II: Soulblighter
Myth II: Soulblighter
Myth II: Soulblighter is a 1998 real-time tactics computer game for the PC and Macintosh developed by Bungie. It is a sequel to Myth: The Fallen Lords and the second game in the Myth series.-Gameplay:...
are described as having been trained at a school of magic named the Scholomance, and in Blizzard Entertainment
Blizzard Entertainment
Blizzard Entertainment, Inc. is an American video game developer and publisher founded on February 8, 1991 under the name Silicon & Synapse by three graduates of UCLA, Michael Morhaime, Allen Adham and Frank Pearce and currently owned by French company Activision Blizzard...
's World of Warcraft
World of Warcraft
World of Warcraft is a massively multiplayer online role-playing game by Blizzard Entertainment. It is the fourth released game set in the fantasy Warcraft universe, which was first introduced by Warcraft: Orcs & Humans in 1994...
, the Scholomance is a ruined castle held by the Scourge whose cellars and crypts are now used to train necromancers and create undead
Undead
Undead is a collective name for fictional, mythological, or legendary beings that are deceased and yet behave as if alive. Undead may be incorporeal, such as ghosts, or corporeal, such as vampires and zombies...
monsters. Like its legendary namesake, the Scholomance in World of Warcraft is in the middle of a lake.