It is no secret that blood bonds hold no value in Dweghom society. Newborns are taken from their biological parents after their forced weaning at three weeks, or sometimes even before that, if their Memories seem to be forming already earlier. For all intents and purposes, the Clan is the children’s single parent, the Hold is their home, and their crèche and training overseers the closest thing they will ever get to a guardian. This ensures the development of a dichotomy of virtues, which are intrinsically linked. On one hand, every Dweghom develops a strong sense of identity and self-reliance, for in life they will be neither defined nor influenced by anyone’s deeds but their own. On the other, that identity will be defined through the Clan and Hold, thus it is paramount that each and every Dweghom must display a strong loyalty to the Memories of the Hold – and the Dweghom as a whole. These seemingly contradicting values will prove necessary concepts for any Dweghom to understand and embrace, if they are to excel in the Aghm system that will dictate all aspects of their adult lives.

The first crèche all Dweghom are offered to is called the Golh, which, interestingly, is almost the same as Gol, the Dweghom word for an animal’s den. There, Dweghom infants and toddlers are cared for exclusively by the Smaei, a rank of aged Mnemancers, whose primary focus is the proper physical and mental development of the fledglings. Smaei, meaning carvers, are rotated on a regular basis in the feeding of the infants, ensuring that a sense of safety and protection derives from all members of the Hold.

While no one would be blamed to imagine a joyless, dank upbringing, that is not the case, with plenty of care, stimuli and toys offered to the little ones, even if many of those are designed to cultivate their future perfect memories, which are already beginning to develop at this age. It is already here that the Dweghom first begin to memorize through toys the basic principles of the Hold’s and Clan’s memories, as well as the Memories of the Dweghom, from the hated rule of the Enemies, to the Breaking and even the Memory Wars, ensuring that all Dweghom Remember those early, defining events of their people and are sculpted, forged by their purpose. Most often it is also here that future Mnemancers are recognized and will be taken to the Mnemancy Hall, as their peers continue their Hold education in the Hekuro and Dekuro Dhenau – the First and Second Learning, or else the Primary and Secondary Camp. Advancement to the Hekuro Dhenau does not depend on age but rather on Dens, a type of proto-Aghm which measures not worth but one’s capacity to learn, from as basic things as motor skills and responses to stimuli, to later the manipulation and use of toys or the performance in memory games. Usually reaching this stage at the very latest by the age of two, a toddler that is deemed ready is sent to Hekuro Dhenau.

The Primary Camp is where the first contact of Dweghom younglings with a more militarized structure will take place, with students expected to care for and maintain their clothes, beds and the crèche common areas. It is also when the first, basic understanding of the Aghm system is developed. Technically, children of such young ages cannot acquire or accumulate Aghm: the standards of success and worthy deeds are simply too different for such an exercise to have any meaning beyond diminishing a child’s sense of self-worth or its relation to the Clan. Instead, their learning is evaluated on the same principles of Dens as before, which now instead focuses on their physical performance during games, their contribution to the chores, as well as their capacity to evaluate and apply anything learned and Remembered. During this age, Dweghom children receive little formal education and ‘classes’ are few and far between. Instead, younglings are assigned chores that are to be completed within the day, while allowed long hours to play, invent their own games and either compete for or share the limited toys and the best foods provided. It is their behavior, performance of the assigned chores and overall instincts that are mostly evaluated by the Mnemancers at this age. The earliest true and fully formed Memories of each Dweghom are filled with their peers, portrayed as competitors and allies alike. It is sometimes already at this stage that Gifted youths are identified and offered to the Ardent and Tempered to continue their education, but the manifestation of the Gift can happen at any time, even after the Hold education is over.

Hekuro, the Secondary Camp, is most commonly joined around the age of three or four, and it is divided into three stages or classes. The first stage is Egro, and at this stage, the education on the Memories of the Dweghom in general and the Clan and Hold specifically, will both become more systematic by the Mnemancers. At the same time, Hold Warrior veterans will begin to complement the education received, with exercises meant to develop future weapon skills. Since, by this age, a youngling will already have developed fully its mnemonic capacity, afternoon hours focus more on the physical aspect with mandatory games, from races to hide and seek, with kids giving these their all, as advancement to the next stage of education in Hekuro still depends on Dens. 

The second and third classes, Ahgro and Sehgro, are more connected, spending many hours of the day together and even sharing exercises, games and assignments. While the division is inevitably based on age, technically the ascendence from Ahgro to Sehgro is purely Dens-based. Still, one fundamental difference separates the two classes decisively, with Sehgro students already able to acquire their first, rudimentary Aghm. During joint assignments, they carry more weight in the decision making but also grater responsibilities. At these stages, the crèche effectively becomes a moving military school, spending nearly half its time roaming the Hold’s halls. During those excursions, the focus of the classes is on the move itself, simulating military marches. Guards and patrols are assigned, usually in pairs of one Ahgro and one Sehgro student, camps are expected to be made and most hours are spent in different levels of weapon and military training. At the same time, some hours of the day will be used by the Mnemancers, who will go through all the Sealed Halls and read the Memories of individuals therein to the classes, ensuring that each youth’s understanding and definition of the Hold includes not just the Living Halls, but the history and Memories of the Hold’s Sealed Halls as well.

At this stage, the Mnemancer tutors offer more and more time to the officers assigned to the crèche’s education, while their teachings focus on the understanding of the Aghm system – and not just in theory. For the first time, food is technically not provided for free; one must earn Dens to acquire it. In practice, this means little, as just by attending one earns enough to eat and slowly progress through the classes. But those who outperform can use the ‘extra’ Dens in bigger portions, spiced food, better clothing and may even be allowed to choose their chores and guard duties or have more comfortable lodgings for the night. Sehgro students can do even more, using the Dens to become team leaders of their peers and Ahgro students alike, having the responsibility of leading them through the marches, in competitive games and mock battles, but also enjoying the fruits of their labor by gaining a portion of the team’s Dens themselves. While in theory those extra points could be used to advance further faster, few have the mindset to “invest” their extra Dens in such a manner, choosing comforts or prestige and recognition by their peers.

Considering that attendants of these classes are in their physical adolescence, it is no surprise that fights are frequent between students. Violent outbursts are forbidden and the officers reserve severe punishments for transgressors (however, at the same time, Mnemancer tutors can award Dens for a good performance in a fight…). Any grievances are expected to be brought to the officers, who will decide the manner in which the argument will be solved, under supervision. Interestingly enough, the student needs not explain the nature of the argument, only to demand a settlement, with the officer deciding the manner based on the students involved, not the actual issue between them. Such challenges are designed to award increased Dens to both parties, should they win, for they often focus on the involved individuals’ weaknesses, rather than their strengths.

Interestingly, Dweghom are not considered full adults until the age of forty. That means that, technically, one could spend decades in Hekuro classes. Physically, however, Dweghom fully mature by the age of fifteen and by the age of twenty at the latest, near all Dweghom have completed their formal education and have amassed enough Dens to be allowed Hold equipment and graduate. Regardless of Aghm, they won’t be allowed to spend it in marriage and property until their adulthood. They also won’t be assigned any rank above those of low petty officers and typically they will not be taken to proper combat, save for agreed upon non-lethal duels and Challenges between their Officers – but that is no law, merely a population conservation tactic, and thus is not always the case. Often, a Raegh will allow non-adults to “buy” through Aghm their right to real combat, fueling better performances from the Hold’s youth.

Graduation is no ceremonious occasion. It is merely a transition, when enough Dens is accumulated for a student to acquire proper equipment from the Clan. In many ways, the only thing that really changes is the barracks in which students are to sleep – life will otherwise continue more or less the same way. In a more fundamental way however, graduation is the great equalizer. For those students who just managed to scrounge enough Dens, this is a new beginning, one looked for as a chance to escape mediocrity in the real world. For star students, there is a humbling shock involved in graduation: no matter how much your Dens had provided for you so far, no matter how praised a student you were and how many you had gathered to your following, your Aghm is next to nothing compared to your new peers. Either way, you know your place and you know what must be done to go further.

You are Dweghom.