Hmm... That wasn't necessarily in the original plans, since a Knight/Noble pairing is meant to be a strong bond, but I suppose if we think about it their first Knight might not always be the best fit. I certainly don't mind having a first week were there are little to no pairings and the characters are getting introduced to one another however I do find that moments like that, we tend to get lost in the weeds, so to speak. We'll spend so much time on the intro and pairings that we'll never get to the good story bits. That's my only caveat to that.

I just realized the nearest town is 20 miles away and it takes 30 minutes to walk there.

<Snipped quote by Animal>

I was thinking about that too. The closest town is twenty miles so our characters will be walking a long time to the nearest town. If it is a flat road that isn't really steep or hilly there and back, it would take around 6 hours to walk. If it is steep or hilly at all, it's more like 9 or 10 hours to walk there.

What a weekend in town. It makes it a special occasion for sure. Haha!

<Snipped quote by The Savant>

Would definitely suck if your character forgot something back at town after the long weekend or halfway through the distance.

@Expendable

I'll post the Headmaster and some of the example pairings soon. The example pairings were never super fleshed out, but I can give rough ideas of their dynamic.

@Crowvette@Expendable

Hmm... That wasn't necessarily in the original plans, since a Knight/Noble pairing is meant to be a strong bond, but I suppose if we think about it their first Knight might not always be the best fit. I certainly don't mind having a first week were there are little to no pairings and the characters are getting introduced to one another however I do find that moments like that, we tend to get lost in the weeds, so to speak. We'll spend so much time on the intro and pairings that we'll never get to the good story bits. That's my only caveat to that.

Otherwise, I'm perfectly fine with whatever we'd prefer to do with the pairings. I certainly do like that top knight and top nobles get paired, but I also think that we might run into trouble with that potentially? Feel free to shake me out of my thoughts if I'm being weird or too critical but if Rank 1 Knight and Noble are incredibly good together, how does one fall rank before the other? How would Rank 1 Knight lose their position with Rank 1 Noble or vice versa?

I just realized the nearest town is 20 miles away and it takes 30 minutes to walk there.

I'm not really sold on ranking-based teams, sort of for the same reason you bring up.

<Snipped quote>

Thank you.

<Snipped quote>

This is a school, so perhaps how they perform in their examinations determines their positioning? I imagine that knights would have more practical examinations.

On the other hand, perhaps it's just social standing?

4th year Knights may have one major and two minor. 3rd year Knights two minor. 2nd year Knights may have one minor. Nobles and 1st year Knights may have one minor.

<Snipped quote by HylianRose>

With the context of such a significant power disparity between the years, most especially 4th years being a cut above everyone else, will all PCs being required to start as 1st years? Since dueling is a big part of the RP and unless anime protagonist shenanigans are pulled, I don't see a way anyone can compete with a 4th year PC unless they're a 4th year themself.

I deliberate exclude teachers from the equation because teachers are obviously meant to be a master at their craft, otherwise, they won't be a teacher in the first place lol.

<Snipped quote by Izurich>

Hmm... I see your point. Maybe we have class rankings instead? That way 1st years compete with 1st years, etc.

Until the 4th years bully the 1st years when it comes to "off the books" situations and hell breaks loose without the teachers knowing. No one talks about Fight Club. The first rule of a fight club is no one talks about a fight club.

<Snipped quote by HylianRose>

I'm afraid it'll spread the playerbase too thin with that method, I say either we restrict the PCs to first years only then progress through the IC together, or we narrow the power level gap, or we do away with the "major/minor" distinction of the Skills section and just list each entry then judge them on a case-by-case basis.

Personally, I like the first one the most because it's both more convenient to organize OOCly and IC progression feels more tangible when the PCs advance into the next year.

<Snipped quote by The Savant>

The Knight Club. 😎

<Snipped quote by Izurich>

I'll wait for others to weigh in on that, but I'm okay with everyone starting as first years! Just means everyone will have to play a 16 year old character, unless they want to play someone who has been held back a year for whatever reason.

<Snipped quote by Izurich>

I'll wait for others to weigh in on that, but I'm okay with everyone starting as first years! Just means everyone will have to play a 16 year old character, unless they want to play someone who has been held back a year for whatever reason.

<Snipped quote by Izurich>

I'll wait for others to weigh in on that, but I'm okay with everyone starting as first years! Just means everyone will have to play a 16 year old character, unless they want to play someone who has been held back a year for whatever reason.

<Snipped quote by HylianRose>

Took the words right out of my mouth, I think we can have a minus or plus one year wiggle room. Someone who entered the school earlier, right on 'schedule', or later, so then we'll have 15, 16, or 17 as PC age choices, quite the range if you ask me. Then, of course, they'll grow up over the course of the RP with each school year.

This isn't even including "outliers" such a genius prodigy who started really early or a delinquent who began quite late, both cases I've seen happened IRL.

All in all, I wouldn't worry about being too restrictive in IC age choices. Unless someone wants to play a 50-year-old first year or somethin'...

<Snipped quote by HylianRose>

I thought First Years were 15? Sorry.

In England, you graduate from high school at 16, taking exams at the end of the school year for Advanced Levels (GCE A-Levels), Ordinary Levels (GCE O-Levels), and General Certificates of Secondary Education (GSE).

16 is also when you can get a job, enlist in the military (although I think the Brits are unique in that), and legally drink.

Not sure how other European nations do schooling. Is this a private high school or a private college? Or a private academy with both a high school and college program?

<Snipped quote by HylianRose>

Took the words right out of my mouth, I think we can have a minus or plus one year wiggle room. Someone who entered the school earlier, right on 'schedule', or later, so then we'll have 15, 16, or 17 as PC age choices, quite the range if you ask me. Then, of course, they'll grow up over the course of the RP with each school year.

This isn't even including "outliers" such a genius prodigy who started really early or a delinquent who began quite late, both cases I've seen happened IRL.

All in all, I wouldn't worry about being too restrictive in IC age choices. Unless someone wants to play a 50-year-old first year or somethin'...

Lol, fair enough. We can say characters should be between the ages of 15 and 17, unless otherwise approved by the GM.