Here are my character sheets. I've also updated the OP with some details on the Academy. [hider=Henry of House Charlton] Name: Henry of House Charlton Age: 17 Gender: Male Country of Origin: Elianst House: Charlton (Lord Admiralty) Magical Affinity: Air Appearance/Description: Henry is tall. This is tall not be the standards of the peasantry or the average; he is tall for a nobleman fed off the best and richest food available. Still growing too, he towers above many men including his father who is a large man himself. Broad from an entire life of training with arms, from sling to javelin to bow to sword to lance, Henry also has a bear like strength which would intimidate many. Despite this, however, he is not a terrifying young man for he has a soft face and calm, kind blue eyes. His sandy coloured wavy hair has the look of being constantly tousled although not in an untidy manner; merely a characterful one. Eschewing the traps of wealth he prefers to wear military uniform of plain blue leggings tucked into knee high leather boots suitable for riding as well as pedestrian travel. A white cloth shirt is hidden under a blue or plain coloured cotehardie with a simple black leather belt tied about the waist. Over it all he wears a dark cloak against the cold. At most times he can be found with a broadsword at his side but on Academy grounds he walks unarmed. Description of their familiar: Granthar is a massive creature standing half Henry's height again. Related to the Snow Tigers found in Arnst, Granthar is both intelligent and good humoured albeit with a short temper at times. Able to speak in the human language, Granthar prefers to stay silent and watch and listen, communicating with his master telepathically to let his opinions be known. Only in times of need or necessity does he speak directly or to those he knows his master respects. Biography/History: Henry grew up as the second son in a household otherwise filled by sisters and as such expectation was weighed heavily upon his shoulders when his elder brother was killed in battle when Henry was seven. As son to the Lord Admiral much was expected of him and Henry was trained daily from a young age in the use of arms, etiquette and finance. He was born with a powerful physique which only became accentuated as he aged and although he does not possess the most academic mind, nor the concentration of a clerk for scrolls and finance, he is quick witted with accurate instincts making him a natural born commander on the field. Age 12 he fought in his first battle aboard his father's ship, helping to fend off boarders as his father 'ensured' the winds changed in their favour. Newly blooded he returned home to find his family's castle under siege and quickly joined a nearby relief force to relieve his family inside. Distinguishing himself in combat he was given command of a small unit, largely symbolic, but which he led to surprising success against the raiders from Helgland. Three years later, just turning 16, Henry was present at the siege of the border city of Etienne against invaders from Anstarm. On the wall top he fought one of the more famous warlords of the South to a standstill until magic was involved but relief forces prevented his death and his valour was commended. As the wars drew to a close he was assigned to the young Queen's guard as Captain and was charged with her safety. Upon her ascension he was charged with her personal safety at all times until he was sent to the Academy to ensure the Queen's great gamble brought about a lasting peace.[/hider] [Hider= Elaeria of House Mithran] Name: Elaeria of House Mithran Age: 18 Gender: Female Country of Origin: Fristha House: Mithran (Royal Line) Magical Affinity: Air Appearance/Description: Elaeria dresses like a man going to war, eschewing the 'frivolous' dresses most court ladies wore and instead opting for leggings fit for riding and wearing a cloth shirt underneath a dark purple overcoat fringed with gold filigree. She walks with the utmost confidence and with a lithe step, almost in a feline manner. Her dark blue hair is a sign of her lineage and is perpetually tied into a ponytail, brushed to perfection and swinging from side to side as she walks all the way down at her thin waistline. From her pale, porcelain face stare two fierce orange eyes which seem to see everything all at once, always analysing those around her carefully with nary a hint of exhaustion ever to be seen there. She has a lithe, athletic frame with little to no fat to be found on her at all giving credence to her reputation as a fearsome duelist; possibly the best in the land. She is not tall, standing at the average height of a woman at 5' 7" but this does not diminish her powerful presence in the slightest; if anything it merely makes it all the more remarkable. Description of their familiar: Gardos is a black scaled dragon of immense size, his underbelly being a dark brown colour. On his hind legs he stands taller than a six storey building but prefers to walk on all fours which still brings his wingtips to the four storeys. His long frame is made longer by his tail which swishes from side to side as he walks slowly and deliberately. When he chuckles black smoke emerges from his nostrils and mouth. Dark humoured and amused at the goings-on of humans he will often try to bait Granthar into combat for the their two races have forever been rivals but at a single word from his mistress he can be cowed. Biography/History: Elaeria was born into House Mithran, the House charged with resuming the royal line if the existing one failed. Now she is heir to the throne with a young boy, whose lineage is suspect, the only thing in her path; however she shows little to no interest in taking that throne. At the age of 7 she accompanied her father, Chamberlain to the King, to a treaty signing with the Kingdom of Anstarm but their party was ambushed along the way by feral tribesmen, aligned with no one who saw only a chance for plunder. Her entire family was killed, her older brother dying in an effort to protect her. Nevertheless the tribesmen were driven back but the battered party was too small to risk travelling back along a main road to Fristha. Instead the young girl vowed vengeance, dipping her hands in her father's blood and smearing it on her face for all her followers, and the imprisoned tribesmen, to see. "Run, for there shall be no mercy." She had said and set the tribesmen free. For a decade afterwards she commanded what remained of her father's household troops in a guerrila war against Anstarm, slaughtering entire tribes with the occasional Fristhan joining her small party in the aftermath of a battle, forgotten by their army as it marched on and they were left behind. The people of Anstarm came to fear the 'Warrior Princess' who came down from the frozen hills or out of the misty woods with no warning to wreak havoc on patrols, tribes and even armies on the march before vanishing leaving destruction in her wake. When a truce became possible Elaeria retreated with her men back to Fristha and used the shock of her return to gain influence, throwing the weight of the court and country behind Elianst's proposals for peace. Since then ties between the two countries have deepened although some speak of a secret alliance promising support from Elianst for Elaeria's claim to the throne.[/hider] [hider=Henrietta]Name: Henrietta Age: 17 Gender: Female Country of Origin: Elianst House: None. Magical Affinity: Water Appearance/Description: Brown haired and short, Henrietta is timid and opts for plain clothes. She is not a noble and as such should not be at the Academy however she is under the mask of the Queen's protection and is assumed to be an adopted child of the former king. Her hair is curled and falls in neat ringlets to her shoulders, usually cut to be practical she has begun to afford herself the luxury of some basic fashion. Wearing no jewelry, for she owns none, Henrietta disguises her lack of wealth, or noble status, under the guise of being pious hence her choosing of plain clothes and styles to reflect this disguise. Description of their familiar: Cal, a small silver fox cub. He is intelligent but can only speak to her in simple terms, his intellect more relying on quick instincts and keen senses than any higher form of intellect. Biography/History: Unknown.[/hider] Just insert your characters into the training field. FYI there was a duel (as opposed to a sparring match) earlier and both fighters have been removed from the field for injury treatment. Further details will be made clearer as we progress (so just pretend you saw it and not much else).