Grey Class

Grey Class is the second of four levels of classes that novices must pass through before taking holy orders at the convent of Sweet Mercy. Girls are typically ages 13-14. The class mistress is Sister Flint, and later Sister Heart. Classes build and broaden the foundation skills established in Red Class, for instance in Blade Class novices learn knife-fghting as well as unarmed-combat. Only when each of the five class mistresses stamp their seal on a novice's scroll can they advance to Mystic Class.

As well as adhoc annual events such as the Caltess Forging and Academy Trials, there is a special trial at this level called the Ranging. During the Ranging, novices are sent on a long journey across open country in an allotted time, living off the land without resources and dealing with dangers not least the nervous peasantry. It is not unusual for novices to be injured. The Abbess won’t throw novices out for failing on the Ranging – though her predecessor had – but it was certain that nobody who failed would ever take the Grey or the Red.