“Sentinels, Priestesses and Senior Auxiliaries are enlisted senior non-commissioned officers. They are leaders. The ideal Sentinel, Priestess and Senior Auxiliary is cool in the face of crisis, motivated, and prepared to lead their Sisters and Brothers and issue orders on the field when need be.”
The Trial of the Night Warrior was originally part of the Priestess Challenge that an Acolyte had to go through before they could become a fully fledged Priestess. It has since been adapted to serve as a challenge for Outrunners and Auxiliaries who wishes to obtain a higher rank within the Nightblades. The trial is an honour and it is only given when the officers feel that the candidate is ready to undertake it. Each trial is designed to push the candidate to their limits in an effort to make sure that they are suited for the added responsibility of the rank they are aspiring to.
The trial will consist of a small campaign or a fairly involved mission, usually no longer than a week. The candidate will be in charge throughout the entirety of the mission and it will be their responsibility to look after the cadre like the Commander or the Officers would during that time. They have to be able to think on their feet and make hard decisions in the field. They will also be expected to choose a second in command that will serve as a leader of their own group should the candidate decide to split the cadre into smaller units for some reason.
The trial will test the following in the candidate:
- Leadership – The ability to work under pressure and inspire the sentinels under the candidate’s command to be at their best at all times, even when morale is low.
- Strategy – The candidate needs to come up with a plan and strategy and then execute it to the best of their, and their companions’, abilities.
- Knowledge – How well does the candidate know the Sentinels under their command? Are they able to utilize their fellow Sentinels’ unique skills to their best advantage? Is the candidate knowledgeable about the various types of threats the Sentinels might face and how to beat them? Is the candidate using the terrain or knowledge of the area to work in their favour?
- Adaptability – The candidate needs to know how to adapt to the situation when things go wrong. Can they think on their feet and turn the situation around to make it more favourable somehow?
During the mission the candidate will be judged based on the above criteria, as well as by their overall performance in all things up until that point. The trial is the final test, but all things that have gone before will be weighed into the decision as well. It is also important to remember that the mission might fail, but the trial could still be passed since it is the candidate’s performance that is being evaluated, not necessarily the outcome of the mission.