The Academy of War

Since the school is directly connected to the military its command structure is as well. Military rank weighs just as heavily within the school grounds as it would on a battlefield. There are, however, a few positions within the school which rank outweighs most military ones.   All teachers have a higher rank within the school than any steel-rank within the army. Custodians of the Halls rank higher than silver. The Headmaster takes orders only from the Grand General.   Teachers are responsible for holding classes for the students of the school. Most are former members of the Feltian army who have decided to pass on their skills to the next generation, while a select few are outsiders who have been hired because of their skills. Each teacher creates their own courses, curriculum, and tests. Students can then apply to each course to specialize in whatever area they wish.   There are three different Custodians of the Halls, each controlling a different administrative area.
First is The Custodian of Staff, Othel Brighthammer, who is responsible for hiring new teachers and taking care of their needs once they are serving at the school.   Second is the Custodian of Students, who is in charge of all matters relating to those who study at the academy. Aremar Willows takes care of the students needs and concerns. Yet he is also the one who administers punishment wherever it is needed.   Finally, Izla Viamar is The Custodian of Time and Space. Her duty is to make sure that the faculties operate as they should. She is in charge of all outside personnel, such as cleaners and craftsmen, who help with the day to day operations of the school. Her secondary task is to plan the schedule for each term to make sure that students can attend as many courses as possible.   The Headmistress of the school, Excellence in every step, is in charge of all the schools outside relations as well as having the final word in every issue that is brought before her.  

Enrollment

Earning the right to attend the academy is not an easy process, but a few different ways are open to those who wish to do so:  

Test, Trials and Tribute

The standard method of applying to the school starts with a formal, written application presented to the Custodian of Students, along with a fee of 50 gold branches. The prospect must then proceed with several tests and trials held at the academy. Some are written tests to examine the applicants writing skills, strategic cunning, and mathematic ability. The majority, however, are physical trials where the candidates' skills in movements, different weapons, and combat prowess are closely examined. These physical trials are mostly set so that the applicants face each other in combat. Most are duels, but others are group exercises meant to test the candidates' prowess for military conflicts. This is a process that takes three months and usually involves well over 300 applicants. In the end, only 20 are chosen to attend the school.  

The Teachers Path

If an applicant has the good luck of knowing one of the teachers at the school they can be put forward as a personal prospect. These candidates bypass the entirety of the application process and are instead put on a personal trial, overseen by five other teaches of the school. The teachers chosen to oversee the trial are those that the Custodian of Staff knows to have the most enmity toward the teacher presenting the applicant. This ensures that the candidate is thoroughly examined to determine if they are ready to attend the academy. Each teacher may only present one student for evaluation each year but may present the same student consecutively, should they fail their test. A teacher may also only have a single chosen student attending the academy at any time.  

Feltian Nobles

Children of the noble families of Felt can also bypass most of the application process through their connections. Such applicants are expected to have been home-schooled to such an extent that they can uphold the standards of the school. All of these candidates are gathered and are put to the test in front of the assembled teaching staff of the school, held during a single day of excruciating trials. To be allowed to enter the school they must pass a majority vote of the teaching staff, the decision of which can be vetoed by the headmistress. Most of these applicants pass their trial, but those rare few who don't bring great shame upon their family.  

Teachers and Classes

Since the academy hires its staff based on skill, the faculty is a diverse cast of characters. Each teacher holds at least two personal courses every year, one for basic skill levels and one for advanced students. The school currently offers the following subjects:  

Skills and Techniques

• Hand-to-Hand Combat

• Stealth

• Tumbling and Acrobatics

• Environmental Survivability

• Strength Training

 

Weapon Specialties

• Swordsmanship

• Archery

• Heavy Weapons

• Light Weapons

• Polearms

 

Officers Training

• Warfare Strategy

• Battlefield Strategy

• Squadron Command

• Covert Operations

• Strategies Against Mages