Train Soldier-at-Arms (sage ability)

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Train Man-at-Arms is an amateur-status sage ability in the study of Instruction which enables the instructor character to train comrades or youngsters starting at the age of 13 to 20 years of age to become men-at-arms. A youngster need not have accumulated any combat experience; a comrade, of course, has already accumulated 600 X.P. The time needed to train a comrade is typically 4 to 6 months, depending on the aptitude of the person. A youngster will require a period of one year. Would be men-at-arms who are older than 20 have gained too many bad habits to properly learn and must become a man-at-arms by becoming a comrade first.

During the training period the students must live in a compound that is controlled by an instructor. Healthy meals must be prepared for them and a sheltered wooden building, with beds and bedding, must be provided to enable the students to rest.

Comrade Path

Rigorous Training: the first month of training requires 25 full days of effort, a total of ten hours a day. Two hours in the morning are spent in gaining two weapon proficiencies; four hours are spent hardening the body through physical effort; and the remaining time is spent in practice, with lessons in pummelling and grappling to improve the student's THAC0|. A single instructor is capable of managing up to eight students as they progress through these routines. The remaining time of each month is spent in rest and relaxation.

At the end of rigorous training, the character makes both an intelligence check and a wisdom check. If both checks fail, the student has suffered a malady and must roll to determine its form. There is a 40% chance the character will quit; if they do not, they may continue, having made no progress. If they again fail this rigorous training, they will quit and remain comrades.

Steady Training: During the second and third months, students may be staggered between those who are repeating rigorous training and those in steady training. In addition to continued weapons practice and physical effort, the students will learn the care of weapons, self-reliance and trust in others. With respect to the instructor, the student's morale will lower to 8 (but will remain standard with outsiders). The number of days required is reduced to 23 per month, with the instructor giving lessons only 8 hours a day. At the end of each month, the character makes both an intelligence & wisdom check, and if either succeeds, the character may count that month as completed. Only a failure for the first month gives a chance that the student will quit.

Practice Training: the fourth month is spent almost entirely with exercise and drills. The student trains on their own, gaining confidence in their skills and have the benefit of the instructor nearby if needed. The student must continue to live within the compound and spend all of 23 days there, but the time is largely the student's to spend. Success is again determined as with steady training.

Once all four months have been completed, the student is a man-at-arms. Their morale is reduced to a 7 with respect to the instructor.

Youngster Path

The primary difference is the amount of time spent. Three months, rather than one, are spent in Rigorous Training. Each month must be passed, and maladies rolled at every failure. More often than not, it is the instructor that decides if the student continues instruction, depending on the student's ability stats and the severity of the malady.

After these three months, students may be held back for one or two months in Practice Training, in an effort to let those who failed catch up (if everyone passes, no such hiatus will occur). One month of practice training, and only one at this time, may count towards the student’s training, if a successful roll is made. A success is not required, however, and students are often held back at this time to allow the class to reach the same level of training.

Steady Training then proceeds for five full months, all of which must be succeeded against. Each failure has a 1 in 6 chance of resulting in a malady. The instructor will usually dismiss any student at any time.

The students then spend the rest of their time in Practice Training, needing two months of success to count themselves men-at-arms. A success at practice training, gained during the possible hiatus after rigorous training, counts towards this requirement.

Once all ten months have been completed, the student is a man-at-arms. They will begin their career with a standard morale.