Archer Academy

A ranger with flaming red hair responded. "Ah your the theif that Tania is hoping to rehabilitate through the military. Your lucky it was her an not me." The ranger rubbed his chin and beard and eyeballed Birdie up and down, "You have a good build, but you lack an Aaedanian's strength. Don't worry, we can give that to you. This here is your last chance to back out. I have to warn you. You will hate the training. Rangers are the best Aaedan has to offer and I will personally make sure you are strong enough become a ranger." He continued to rub his beard and eyeball Birdie comming up with a training regiment. "oh yes... this will be rough"

Shaxx laughed, "You poor thing... You know half of our rangers are nobles? That excuse won't work here. "Well I guess to start your training, we need to see how strong you are in general. Just some basic tests, not a duel like Tania played you through." He sighed, "Come along, the cadets are all on standby with the battle going on in the north. Come with me to the training area, we will find out where we need to strengthen you the most."


(ooc) We can time skip through a healthy chunk of your training, just showing a few important key points like tests. Or challenges. I'm all for this to be fun to RP, random training over long periods of time however are not fun.

Several months had past and Birdie was coming along well in her training. At the start she could barely pull an Aaedanian bow at all. Now she was able to pull and hold for an hour. Practice in archery has lead her to prove as good a shot as any native Aaedanian cadet. She could sprint 2 miles without a break and her sword skill had particularly improved from the fencing techniques that she used at the gate, though Shaxx would commonly bitch about her suddenly switching from Aaedanian swordplay to fencing, usually throwing him off sparring matches.

Now however It was time to find wether or not Birdie would actually be among the cadets chosen to move on to Ranger training. Several cadets had a growing resentment for Birdie however. Her being a foreigner and better than many of the nationals had created a gap between her and several of the others. But many of them had taken Birdie in like any other soldier. They were all in this together.

The many recruits were lined up. not just from this Archery Academy but from several others that dotted the city. They numbered roughly 500. Of these only the best would move on and become rangers.

Tania and Shaxx were both present for this but the important figure was King Jorech himself. The king himself announced the names to become rangers. one name... not Birdie's, another, not hers.. The list went on and on. Jorech rolled up the scroll, Birdie's name had not been called. But out of all the recruits, his glowing eyes had settled on her. He motioned for her to come up to him. A slight smirk on his face.

Jorech spoke quietly so the other cadets could not hear, "You are the very first foreigner to ever join our military. I felt the need to commemorate the event. I offer you two things. One of which you shouldn't have been able to join the military without." He shot a quick dirty look at Tania, who looked away innocently, quickly returned his focus to Birdie, "That would be a citizenship, sponsored by my family. This would mean that in Aaedan, you would be essentially adopted by my family, the Manns. And second..." He held his hand out to Shaxx who presented a bow and quiver. Jorech took the equipment and held it out to Birdie, a gesture received by confusion by the rest of the cadets.

The bow was very similar to regular Aaedanian longbow but it was definitely its own weapon. A base of dark Aaedanian hardwood. The ends capped with horned shaped pieces of the dull grey steel used in the kingdom. The caps had matching engravings, the head of a lion and two wolves running towards the center of the bow. The grip of the bow was wrapped in wolf fur. The quiver was as simple as any other quiver save for the wolf tail and hawk feather hanging from a leather strip.

Jorech spoke loud, "You cadet, have showed the greatest improvements and by then of this training had showed skill greater than any cadet out of this round of cadets. You are going on to the Ranger training. You will use this bow through your training and beyond. A gift from Aaedan to a foreigner who showed strength is not just your heritage or ancestry, but in your determination." Jorech waited for Birdie to take the bow.

Jorech saluted back slaming his right fist to the left side of his chest, keeping his head held high. The cadets were abuzz and most of them were eyeballing Birdie. Out of Jealousy, admiration, envy, anger, and joy the eyes of her peers were on her. Now would be the time for Birdie to back away from the King. When Birdie backed away Jorech would speak addressing the cadets, "Enjoy a break. Ranger training would start after a small break. For those who want to celebrate, or those who want to drown their sorrows, or for those that just want to get drunk and blow off some steam. Those of you who did not make the ranger qualifications, you are free to leave." The cadets who failed to become rangers, and those that didn't even try, saluted the king and proceeded to leave the building.

Jorech spoke to the remaining cadets. Only 52 had made to the training. Half of them would drop out of it. "Cadets, you are the best of your peers. You all, should you pass the Ranger Training will be some of the best, if not the best soldiers in the field. Go, get drunk, party. You won't be able to after the training begins." The last words sounded almost sorrowful, but the king knew what they were about to go through. "You are dismissed." Jorech Saluted to them.

He looked at Birdie again, motioning her to come speak to him once more. The king needed to explain some things to her.

The nods, and speaks in a cheery tone, "You should know that being sponsored by the royal house means you get to live in the palace, should you want to that is." The kings face took a slightly darker turn, "But I do have to warn you... if you shame the royal house by breaking any laws, as your sponsor, we of the Manns will have to deal with you ourselves. Tania will not be able to help you." The king's smile returned as did his cheer demeanor, "But that is in the past, you are more than you were when you entered the White City. And according to what the Tania tells me, you are more than would ever have been in your homeland." The king motioned to the courtyard's gate out of the complex and started walking. "I figure you will return there one day. Any idea as to when?"

"Worry?" The king chuckled "I have no doubt that you won't let me down." The king picked up his pace, and walked away from Birdie, he raised his hand in farewell, "Make sure you tear through the Ranger Course fast enough to beat Tania's record. But for now, go get drunk." and with that the king was gone.

The king had plans for the Foreigner. As to what, Birdie would find out in time.

"Welcome to the worst experience of your lives. Run." The first couple of weeks was nothing but running and exercising. Sprinting... Sprinting... Sprinting... Sprinting... Push ups... Sit ups.... Squats... Sprinting... Sprinting... Sprinting... The first 3 weeks was that and that alone. At the end they could sprint the circumference of the White City ten times without a break. Several of the cadets dropped out at his point leaving only 40 of the original 52.

Then it moved into a new area. Weapons and armor training. The new introduction however was to runed arrows, fire grenades, throwing knives, duel wielding, and firing mulitple arrows at once. Ranger armor was different from the armor the cadets were used to. The armor was designed for both stealth and quick movement. The plates covered the upper chest and back, shoulders, thighs, shins, forearms and upper arms. The plates are covered in brown leather to hide their shine. The neck of the shirt armor came up over the mouth and a metal plate with holes it covered their nose mouth chin cheeks and jaws. The cloth in the armor was tight by design loose only at the joint to provide better movement. Several leather straps were built into the armor to hold the various weapons Rangers use. The cloak was not cloth but a heavy, though suple, leather that was dyed a mottled green and grey. The cloak would hang down just behind the knees and could come down and around the body to provide warmth or camouflage. The cloak of course had hood that would rest lightly on the wearers head. A leather strap could be tied from beneath the chin however to preven the hood from coming off in fast wind or battle. Considering the hood provided the only armor for the top and back of a ranger's head; the strap is, more often than not, in use.

The Ranger Cadets would spend the next several weeks practicing with these new weapons. Equipping and unequiping their armor. Cleaning their equipment even if it was clean. As the training progressed they were still forced to run every morning and night a minimum of 10 laps around the circumference of the city. The result was mental exhaustion. The point being to train the cadets to function with their gear even if pushed beyond their limits.

Only 20 Cadets were left.


Their training would continue into the classroom adding 3 hours a day of classes covering plants, animals, maps and additional medical studies. The training cycle of "run, practice, study, practice, run, clean equipment" became the norm for the cadets. Their number of 20 would remain strong throughout the rest of their training.

By the end of this round of training a year had passed. Though their training was technically incomplete they had got through the worst. The rest of their training would be done in the field. Another graduation ceremony would take place. They had made it through the worst.

The ceremoney was very similar to the previous ceremony Birdie participated in save for their being only 20 people. The cadets stood in a single line. Jorech, Shaxx and Tania stood infront of them.