The School of Combat lies within the dense woods, approximately five kilometers east of the castle of Bak'nors Rock . It can be reached by a path emerging from the main road to the town of Alton , leading to the main grounds of the training complex. These grounds contain the main training facilities of the school and include several barracks, a smithy, a small temple Tempus , the main building, a mess hall, a watchtower at every entrance and a large warehouse. One hundred meters north of the main building a section is totally walled of from the rest of the complex, the entrance to it's inside is the temple of Tempus. This part is called the skeleton field and it is forbidden for anyone to enter unless accompanied by either a cleric of Tempus or an officer from the school. The entire complex is shielded from the outside by a very dense wood surrounding it. No horses or large groups of people can travel through it without being delayed significantly, or before being spotted by nearby mage slayer patrols.
On the main ground lay four barracks, each used to house the trainee's and their drill sergeants. Each of the barracks contain enough beds and chests to house 30 people, have adequate latrines located in a side building, a large washing room and a separate room for the sergeant. One significantly smaller barrack lies approximately one kilometer away from the main complex in the middle of the dense wood to the east. This is the barracks used by people whom are being trained as mage slayers.
The smithy is large enough to contain adequate working space for an armorer, bowyer and a weapon smith, together with their students. Here, broken armor and weapons are repaired, and new ones constructed. The apprentices receive their first tutoring in the creation of weapons and armors, before they are sent to Bak'nors Rock to receive their final education.
The temple dedicated to the war god Tempus is a small one, maintained by a middle aged fifth level cleric named Tungan, assisted by four first level priests. Although a great portion of the more experienced clerics of the war god have perished during the Lich war, Tungan was one of the ‘lucky' ones, becoming ‘only' crippled. The temple mostly is used to heal the wounded, cure the sick and have letters written to the family members of trainee's. These letters are written by the priests for the small fee of 2 copper pieces, and are brought to family members once a week and are even being read to them should the person be unable to read.
The main building is the largest building on the terrain and contains several educational sections and officers quarters. When entering the building, you enter the clerk room, where several clerks work at their desks. They do all the administrative work needed to maintain the school. From here there are exits to an exercise room, classroom and officers quarters.
The exercise room contains a large selection of exercises, ranging from cardio vascular to power training, and from melee combat to missile combat.
The classroom is used to instruct in tactics and strategy and can be seated by 60 trainees. The room is created like an amphitheatre with on the ‘stage' area a small arena were fighting styles and tactics can be displayed. There is a huge blackboard and chalk available for the teacher to use and papyrus scrolls and ink for the trainees.
The officers' quarters offers room to all of the instructors and distinguished quest of the training facility. It also serves as working space for all of them and includes the officers' mess.
The mess hall not only serves to feed the trainees, but is also used as recreation room, with various games available. Three meals a day are served, made by the designated trainees. The kooks are chosen from every group to serve for a limited number of days, during the course of the training. Every trainee must, during the course of the training, have worked in the kitchen at least one week of the entire year.
The warehouse contains all weapons and armors which are not currently used in training. Each item within has the sign of Bak'nors Rock inscribed upon it and must be checked in and out every time it is required in training. There are 40 of each weapon normally used during training, and several types of armor.
There are three watchtowers located within the complex: one to the south at the main entrance, one in the east and one at the skeleton field. Each is manned by a single archer who climbs up using a rope ladder lowered by the archer previously on duty. They sound the horn whenever someone is approaching, different tones have different meanings.
The skeleton field is a walled off section of the complex, containing a burial site and a large group of undirected skeletons (skeletons with no orders and harmless unless attacked). These skeletons are a remainder of the Lich war and following Death knight conflict and are collected in this area both to keep them away from harming others who might stumble upon them, help to educate the trainees and lastly so the remains can receive a proper burial once they are destroyed. They are most often destroyed in a training session, blessed and buried. The burial is performed by Tungan, the digging of the graves by trainees when they need disciplinary punishment.
The training:
Every trainee receives the same, basic training for the first three months of the year long education. During this time they are trained in the most basic military things like discipline, marching in pace, the handling of a wide variation of weapons, how to disarm or kill an opponent and reading and writing. During the entire training two sergeants will be assigned to a group with which he will stay for the entire duration of the training. These sergeants will even sleep in the same barracks as the trainees (in a separate room) for the first part of the training, after which they occasionally have the option to visit family. Whatever the case, there always is at least one sergeant near the trainees at almost all times.
After this they are given the choice of specifying their training, the sergeants will give their advise to the trainees, but the decision is up to the trainee. There are several options open them:
This is the most basic training course in the school. The only requirement of the trainees for this is that they have a strength score of at least 9 and adequate social skills. They are taught how to bind wounds, how to handle aggressive persons and what to look out for during investigations. After this training they are 0 level fighters.
A slightly more intense course within the school, for this course the trainees need the same requirements as the policemen: a minimum strength of 9 and adequate social skills. They are trained in the spear, long sword and a limited form of etiquette and heraldry. At the end of the training they are 0 level fighters.
A relatively tougher course is that of the light crossbowmen. Here the requirements are a little tougher: a minimum strength and dexterity score of 10. They are trained in the use of the light crossbow, short sword and military pick. At the end of the training they are level 0 fighters.
A course with slightly higher requirements as the training for light crossbowman; the trainees need a minimum strength score of 11, a minimum constitution of 10 and a minimum dexterity of 12. They are trained in the heavy crossbow, short sword and the maintenance of both their armor and their crossbow. At the end they are level 0 fighters.
Protectors will guard the caravans originating from Bak'nors Rock, which requires them to have an adequate constitution score, with a minimum of 13 at the end of the course. This is because they are required to walk great distances without needing too much rest. Because they are on the road for such a long time they are also trained in the maintenance of their weapons and armor. Further training is given to the handling of the long sword and either the short bow or the light crossbow, whichever the trainee prefers. After the training they are 0 level fighters and are given the choice of extending their training for at least half a year and try to become a mage slayer.
An intense training option, offered to a trainee after he or she has had at least three months of training as a protector. To be offered this opportunity the trainee must have at least the following statistics: strength 10, dexterity 11, constitution 13 and a wisdom score of at least 13. This intense training adds six months to their training time, but enables them to reach first level after one year of traveling with the caravans. During this training they gain proficiency in tracking and an extra emphasize on the art of archery. At the end of the training Aremus himself may choose a volunteer and train him further for at least six months into becoming a first level ranger. At the end of this course they are given the choice to extend their training and become a mage slayer.
X-men:
So called X-men are men and women who are offered special training after the basic training. The offer comes only after a thorough background check, because the things learned are easy to use for personal gain. They receive training in the climbing of walls, moving silently, hiding in shadows, picking locks, finding and disarming traps, in short the skills of a rogue. When offered this training they are taken to the castle of Bak'nors Rock where they will receive their intense training. After the training is over they have reached first level of the thief class and are either offered the opportunity of becoming a mage slayer, or become a full ‘x-man'.
To become a mage slayer a trainee must have at least a constitution score of 12 and a dexterity score of 13. During their extremely intense training they will be pushed to their limits and in some cases, beyond. Nearly 75% of the people who enter this course drop off at some point, most of these ‘drop-outs' are given the option to receive an officer training in their previous field. Mage slayers are trained in the art of camouflage, survival and the utilization of stealth to take out a selected target. All of them have at least some skill in tracking, although the leader of a group will most likely be the most proficient in this. They receive the most intense training with bows, through which they gain specialization in their chosen weapon, should their class allow it. At the end of the training the fighters will have reached first level, rogues are midway to second level and rangers will be first through third level, depending on the intensity Aremus put into the training.
To become a member of a Strategic Hazard Intervention Team, there are no restrictions or special requirements, there is only the desire. When a trainee shows a certain drive during his training, he will be monitored regularly by officers. Should the desire remain strong throughout the entire training, this person will be given the option to go through several tests, to determine if he or she has what it takes to be a good adventurer. Should this person pass, he or she will be assigned to a S.H.I.T. Should he or she fail, they will be stationed in the more exiting areas in their chosen fields (protectors use the more dangerous routes, policemen patrol the more dangerous places in town, etcetera). Upon completion of all testing and training the trainee has reached first level in their chosen occupation and placed in a team.
The school of combat lies five kilometer east from the castle Bak'nors Rock within a dense Forrest, which is patrolled by a group of mage slayers and several light footmen. Originating from the main clearing there are several small, slightly overgrown paths leading into the woods. These are used for training exercises and see regular traffic. Most of the trainees have one day off each week, and they often use this to visit relatives or go out into town. To assist with their trip there are carriages, pulled by eight horses, that can transport up to twenty persons at a time to town. These carriages are only used by the school, but in time of war they will be used to transport troops to the front.
The trainers:
Jack Daniels (NG hm F6) is the head of the school and general under Gri'shak. He tutors in strategy, tactics and occasionally swordplay.
Tungan (CN hm C5) is the head of the temple. He tutors in anatomy, reading and writing, combat of undead and weaponless combat.
Donk (CG hm F3) is a one armed berserker and tutors the trainees how to take blows and how to apply them, also teaches the art of pummeling.
Rempak (LG hm F2) is the main tutor for the short bow, in which he is specialized.
Margo (NG hf F2) the only female instructor, tutors in both light and heavy crossbow.
Tekron (LN hm F3) was the runner up of the first tournaments swordplay competition. He tutors in both the long as the short sword, both of which he is specialized in.
Galux (CG hem R3) is a henchman of Aremus and tutors in Tracking and Camouflage.
Rodny (N hm T4) is the main rogue trainer, taking all would-be x-men under his wing.
Sergeants:
Sam, Otto, Ned, Treblas, Segidi, Riestad, mort, Sosa.
All sergeants are first level human male fighters with various alignments.
Updated: 27-10-2003 21:20 By (by Taco Heuts)