”I wish you no good luck and only wish you to find it within yourselves to push further than ever before. I leave you with the Trainers for explanation on what to expect.”
His introduction finished, the Commander walks off and four other Knights step forward from a cluster of ten individuals. They stand in a relaxed parade position, hands clasped behind their backs. None look friendly. Finally, a man with short, curly red hair speaks up. ”I am Trainer Fisk. Myself and Trainers Lucious, Luca and Cesilia will be teaching you scrubs how to fight. You may think you know how to fight now, but when we are finished with you you will know how to pick up nearly any weapon on the battlefield and use it. We are Knights of Ozem, not simple crusaders relying only on steel, plate and horse.” The man pauses, his glare settling over the first row, a scowl on his lips.
”As the Commander said, most of you will not pass. We're here to separate the chaff from the wheat. First, you will be separated into four cohorts of twenty each. Your initial training is a five-month process full of battle classes here in the Bonewatch, the Knights central training facility and barracks. You will take classes on magic and history at the Crusader War College and religion at the Cathedral of Sancta Iomedaea. We expect Knights to not only be skilled at arms, but wise and intelligent. Information can save your life when trying to uncover an undead infestation.”
Fisk takes a step back and nods to his left, toward a thin man with a drooping mustache of black peppered with grey. From Fisk's introduction, this would be Trainer Luca. Unlike Fisk's cold, booming boice, Luca's words are like gravel in your ears.
”After you are separated into cohorts, you will be randomly assigned a number. Those of you with special permissions will be allowed to select your number. This is your ranking in your cohort. Each month, the lowest two ranked members will be removed from training permanently and forbidden to try again. Each week, the cohort may battle one another to increase ranking. You may issue as many challenges as you wish each week. However, each fight must occur a mere thirty seconds after the previous fight. Additionally, you may only challenge another scrub who is one, two, or three places higher than yourself. If you lose a fight, you drop one rank and the winner takes your former rank.”
Luca steps back and allows the one female trainer, Cesilia, to step forward. She has a stern, lined face and a scar across the left-hand side of her lips.
”Those of you who have not taken the Shield-Oath may do so with Tribune Matheo.” She inclines her head behind you all. Those who dare to turn and look see a short, balding man with a clipboard, parchment, quill and a belt of spell components around his waist standing near the door. ”You are not required to take the first Shield-Oath until you complete training. Those who refuse to take the Shield-Oath may not carry weapons outside of the Bonewatch training arena. Now..” Cesilia steps back and the fourth trainer steps forward. He starts calling out names and pointing, indicating four groups to form. Each trainer eventually splits and moves to one group. Each of you find yourselves pointed toward Cohort One with Trainer Fisk approaching. He barely gives you enough time to arrange yourselves into loose lines before walking through the ranks, handing out random number assignments.
One is not a knight but rather Berdred Leredel with a pair of thick leather gloves from her forge. Berdred's Armory is one of the premiere armor shops in Vigil and makes many of the Knights of Ozem's weapons.
Four seem to be Knights that you do not know while the fifth is the Precentor Martial of Infantry, Isaias Obando.