CYBER-KNIGHT TRAINING

The training of a cyber-knight is fastidious and strenuous. It builds both the mind and body, becoming a way of life, not just a simple philosophy. In that respect, it is similar to the ancient martial arts of Pre-Rifts Earth. Although not a hard and fast requirement, most cyber-knights possess some degree of psychic abilities. Mental disciplines include learning to sue whatever psionic powers they may have, meditation, literacy, the pursuit of truth and knowledge, mastery over one's emotions and living by the Code. The hero is taught to understand and control themselves, before they can try to understand others. To recognize and acknowledge one's emotions, to feel them without losing control and being overcome by them. To maintain one's composure and continue to think cooly and logically even in the heat of combat. Take, for example, this cyber-knight proverb:

"It is  easy to lose one's self to fear and hate, and therefore destroy that which you fear or loathe.
But striking out at darkness does not eliminate it.
Destruction out of anger, without reason or purpose, is simply destruction.
One must learn to control fear and anger and love, for they can blind you to the truth.
One must rechannel emotion, and learn to see in the dark.
Become a builder, not a destroyer.
Yet remember, one must tear down that which has become infested with rot in order to build anew."


Other areas of training include an understanding and appreciation for all life forms, an openess and tolerance to allideas and philosophies, an appreciation of art and beauty, and an openess to magic and the unknown. Cyber-knights are also taught to use their imaginations and to recognize magic as  atool.As a toolmagic is neither inheretly good or evil, just another resource that csn be tapped and used for good or evil by people. This open-mindedness makes themone of the few non-magic O.C.C.s which can intuitively understand and use magic items and Techno-Wizard devices.

Physical training involves all manner of combat exercises, nody hardening, body building, hand-eye coordination,martial arts, preactice with mumerous weapons, paired weapons, gymnastics, and horsemanship. The putpose os to fuse mind and body into one. To create a 'thinking and controlled' fighting machine with lightning reflexes and dead-eye responses.