The Apprentice's Guidebook
► OOC/IC Craft Leadership Tree
► OOC/IC Craft Ranks, and what they mean
► Promotion from Apprentice to Jr. Journeyman
► Promotion from Sr. Journeyman to Master
Introduction
The
following guidebook is intended to help new players
learn about the Harper Craft of Harper’s Tale MOO. In its current version, the
Apprentice’s Guidebook was written by Harper Journeymen Liesana
and Torlan.
Acceptance
Into the Craft
OOC/IC
Distinction
First,
and perhaps most importantly, is understanding the distinction between being Out
Of Character and In Character. Out Of Character refers to events and activities
that are not in the Pern world, and involve the
players on the MOO. In contrast, In Character refers to events and activities
occurring in the Pern world, involving characters,
and fitting into the reality that Anne created. “Years,” a “computer,”
and “George W. Bush” are all OOC terms that would not be appropriate for IC
RP. “Turns,” “drum towers,” and “green dragons” are all IC terms
that would be appropriate for IC RP. Another important issue is canon. Canon is
what is and is not likely to be found on Pern.
Canon issues are not always black and white: exactly what instruments Pern
has is debatable. Nevertheless, most cases can be easily determined as either
canon or not canon. Example: electric guitars are not canon. Pipes would be. If
you feel intimidated, don’t worry. MOOing
can’t be learned all at once. It takes time,
practice, and patience!
OOC/IC
Craft Leadership Tree
Like
all bureaucratic functions, the Harper Craft has a leadership tree. The current
Harper Craft of Harper’s Tale has a three-tiered leadership tree.
Harper Staff: The Harper Staff includes most players of Sr. Journeyman rank or higher and is responsible for interviewing and accepting characters, for mentoring and looking after apprentices, and performing basic staff and leadership functions.
General
Harper Populace: This includes
all other members of the Harper Craft. Members of the Harper Craft have no OOC
obligations; they exist primarily for IC roleplay.
This includes all apprentices and senior apprentices, and some journeymen and
masters who have chosen not to pursue OOC leadership.
OOC/IC
Ranks, and What They Mean
Apprentice
IC:
This is the basic level of the Harper Craft.
An apprentice’s days consist of classes, classes and more classes, with
breaks for chores and meals. Nevertheless,
many apprentices somehow seem to find the time to get into mischief every now
and again, resulting in more chores, should they get
caught (and they usually do!).
RP
Ideas: Chores.
Gripe about them, engage in them, avoid them...
Lessons, studying, or not studying.
And then there's socializing. Harpers
are a friendly lot, get out there and hold up our reputation.
And let's not forget about mischief.
Although any major infractions should be cleared by
the Staff first, we like RP, and are pretty willing to accommodate it, if
you are willing to face IC repercussions.
OOC:
Again, this is the basic level.
Spend your time here learning how things work on the MOO and in the
Craft. Promotion to Senior
Apprentice will occur when you have declared a major, taken a mentor, and have
demonstrated a good knowledge of RP skills and IC/OOC conduct.
Search:
Apprentices are allowed and encouraged to try for
search. If an apprentice is up for search and fails to impress, they may
return to the craft and continue where they left off. Please ask for
permission from a staff member before submitting
your search application. Please also see our Search
Policy.
Senior Apprentice
IC:
Not so much a rank as a transitory period between ranks, the Senior Apprentice
is basically a half-step between Apprentice and Journeyman ranks.
A senior apprentice still has all the restrictions of an apprentice, but
has some added responsibilities. They
can now teach classes and, under supervision and with prior permission, conduct
craft interviews. Lessons now
consist of more in-depth classes in the area of the senior apprentice's “major.”
The senior apprentice will also be working closely with their mentor, who
will advise them on their project. Senior
apprentices may also assist journeymen in teaching class, marking, or other
tasks.
RP
Ideas: Still
the same as an apprentice, but now add in the fun of project work.
Your mentor will also be glad to RP with you on everything from project
help to advice on life.
OOC:
This rank may
be skipped, but it is here that you can really rack up some brownie
points with the Harper Staff. Catch our eye with participation in craft affairs
and in the MOO at large. Teach classes, interview applicants, and help out new
players. Organize TP's.
Be a contributing member of the craft! Promotion to Journeyman
requires two equally important endeavors. First, an apprentice must complete six
primary skills classes that introduce the apprentice to the major aspects of the
Harper craft. Second, the apprentice must declare a “major” focus of
interest, and present a small project that displays their interest and aptitude
in that area of the craft. (for
more information, see the section on Promotion from Apprentice to Jr.
Journeyman) In addition, apprentices must show both
in-character and out-of-character emotional maturity. This is at the discretion
of the staff We do not want to hold people back, but as a Journeyman, both the
player and the character represent the craft and must be able to conduct
themselves in the manner deemed appropriate of a Harper Journeyman.
An alternate option, for those lacking either the maturity or the ability
to complete the required classes, is to take the rank of Harper Tutor.
No further advancement is possible from this rank, and it is really only
considered as a last resort.
Search:
Senior Apprentices are allowed and encouraged to try
for search. If an apprentice is up for search and fails to impress, they
may return to the craft and continue where they left off. Please ask for
permission from a staff member before submitting
your search application. Please also see our Search
Policy.
Jr. Journeyman
IC:
Congratulations, you're a Journeyman!
You can now drink, handfast,
travel the wide roads of Pern, and purchase
expensive things like runnerbeasts. You also get a
whole whack of new responsibilities, to go with the increased maturity that your
rank demands. As a Junior Journeyman, you will most likely
be posted to the main Hall, where your duties will include instructing
Basic-level classes in your given Major, and assisting more senior ranks in
their work. The occasional higher-level class or lecture may be attended, but
for the most part, training is On The Job. A Jr.
Journeyman is permitted to take mentees.
RP
Ideas:
The sky is the limit! You can
travel, pursue romantic entanglements, or even consider Cross-Crafting. You can
teach classes, interrogate prospective Harpers, moan about the horror that is
marking, create instruments, organize balls…
Whatever pleases you.
Although if you've reached this level, you
probably don't need to be told how to RP.
OOC:
The next step along the road of rank is that of Senior Journeyman.
This is a promotion granted entirely at the discretion of the Harper
Staff when you have shown yourself to be a mature and responsible player
with a character equally mature and responsible.
You will be active, and a contributing part of MOO and Craft life.
Hiding in your room and never coming out to play is not how you
get this rank. IC involvement is
just as important as OOC. So how will the Staff hear about all the good things you've
been up to? We'll
hear from the Masters and the current Senior Journeymen about whom they think is
ready for the rank. This isn't
a popularity contest; this is where dedication and a willingness to take part
will get you far.
Search:
Junior Journeymen are allowed to apply for search,
but this practice is frowned upon, as promotion to Journeyman implies a strong
commitment to the craft. If a character impresses they must sever their ties
with their original craft, and they consequently lose their rank. It is also
unfair to the Staff and other wannabe Journeymen for you to apply for search, as
they have all put considerable time into making your character what it is. If a
junior journeyman is up for search and fails to impress, they may return to the
craft and continue where they left off. In the case of a Junior Journeyman,
please ask for permission from the
Harper Staff before submitting
your search application. Please also see our Search
Policy.
Sr. Journeyman
IC:
Moving on up now, aren't we?
A Sr. Journeyman is much like a Junior, but
with even more responsibilities. You
can be posted out to a Hold or Craft now, and are
considered capable of bearing the full responsibility of educating, entertaining
and mediating the disputes of those whom you are posted to.
You could also stay at the main Hall and instruct in the higher level
courses of a given Major. You'll
have Jr. Journeymen and Sr. Apprentices to assist you in these endeavors.
If you plan to seek the rank of Master, you'll
also spend some serious time preparing for the dreaded Mastery Examination.
**NB: Sr. Journeymen and above cannot apply for Search.**
RP
Ideas:
Do we really need to tell you? If
you're posted out, think of all the new dynamics that
come into play with the people of a new Hold, Craft or Weyr
to RP with. If you stay at the Main
Hall, think of all the fresh blood coming in, just waiting to be moulded
(or tortured) by your lessons and lectures.
OOC:
This is a rank where leadership qualities really come into play.
If you don't want to Be Involved, you aren't
going to be here. More than ever,
if you or others see something wrong with the Craft, IC or OOC, you are going to
be one of the people expected to help fix it.
Once again, IC involvement is just as important as work done OOC.
If you are sitting idle in your room for 7/8ths of the time you're
online, you're not contributing, and you aren't going to be here.
Promotion to Master:
Contribute something major and worthwhile to the Craft or MOO.
Organize a major TPor something similar, or
continually be one of the strong forces for positive change OOC.
In either case be consistently involved in RP, large or small.
Search:
Senior Journeymen are not allowed to apply
for search. By the rank of Sr. Journeyman, both the player and the character
have expressed an ongoing commitment to the craft. In addition, it is highly
unlikely that a Sr. Journeyman could be within the bounds of the searchable age.
Please also see our Search
Policy.
Master
IC:
This is the big one. 'Master'
is really the operative word here. As
a Harper Master, you will have done just that: mastered your particular major
completely, and be well versed in the elements of the others.
Masters are generally a fairly sober lot, although that really depends on
your character, of course. Some of
the sobriety is no doubt imparted by having survived
your Master's Exam, a grueling battery of tests on
every subject known to Harpers. Many
senior journeymen have to take this exam several times before attaining Mastery.
RP
Ideas:
Please tell us that
you don't need to hear this!
But, in the interests of continuing the pattern, here we go:
Masters can really get involved in some high-level TP's.
Political upheaval, matters of the Blood, nifty stuff like that.
Exalted circles now, kids!
You can also give high-level lectures and such to the Journeymen,
discipline those severely misbehaving (although that's
not so fun if over-done), discover new and enlightened ways of running the
Craft's administrative areas... etc.
OOC:
One thing that cannot be
stressed enough at this level: Be Active!!!
A craft is influenced by its upper ranks.
If all of our masters are either idle or sitting in their rooms, what
kind of image does that give the newer members?
We know that RL can be a pain, but please, please, please get out
there and RP. Teach, entertain,
skulk about and scare apprentices. Whatever
fits your character, and works, do it! And
be involved in the Craft's OOC activities too.
Be approachable with questions or concerns, and make sure that concerns are
dealt with promptly.
Search:
As should be fairly obvious, Masters are not
permitted to apply for search. This is a no-brainer. Please also see
our Search
Policy.
Promotion
from Apprentice to Jr. Journeyman
Time, place and method of promotion are determined by Harper Staff. Below are the usual options and procedures regarding promotion, but nothing except a Staff vote guarantees a promotion of any sort.
In
terms of the logistics for Apprentices, there are generally two accepted tracks
towards earning a promotion to Journeyman. In both, the candidate should
demonstrate maturity, involvement in and dedication to the Craft, competent RP,
a passable knowledge of MOO commands and procedures, and good judgement.
Track One: The @progress Board
This
is the method most recommended for those seeking promotion. It makes it easy to
demonstrate both IC and OOC involvement in the Craft, and provides a framework
for RP. Note that simply gathering all the 'X's does not guarantee promotion!
So, let's talk about @progress. It's a handy little verb on the Harper FO that
will display the contents of the Harper Progress Board in the Harper Office,
regardless of what room you're in on the MOO. To use it, type '@progress' or
'@progress focus <name>', to be specific. Pretty neat, huh? Now, let's
talk about what all those numbers and X's mean:
Type @progress mname. You
should see something that looks like this:
---------------
1. OOC-Rules-RP Class
2. Music Credit
3. Arts Credit
4. Law Credit
5. Language Credit
6. Specialty Set
7. Mentor Chosen
8. Promotion: Sr. Apprentice
9. IC/OOC Seminar: Teaching
10. IC/OOC Seminar: Handfastings & Interviews
11. 1st Specialty Class
12. 2nd Specialty Class
13. Teach Basic Class
14. Conduct Interview
15. Journeyman's Project/Exam
---------------
These are various 'milestones' that need to be passed in order to make it along
the path to Journeyman. The don't necessarily have to be performed in order,
i.e., you can take specialty classes while still an apprentice, or take a mentor
and a specialty before taking your OOC/Rules/RP class, but in order to be
promoted to Sr. Apprentice all of the first 6 steps must have been accomplished.
Also, one cannot interview or teach a class until one is a Sr. Apprentice.
The various 'credits' can be obtained in a few ways: One can attend a class in
the given area, participate in RP revolving around that area, submit a small IC
project or paper in that area, etc. The classes of credit are self-explanatory,
for the most part: 'Music' covers all areas of music, from composition and
instrument crafting onto performance both instrumental or vocal. 'Law' covers
the legal aspects of Harpering, from diplomacy and mediation to courtroom
techniques and tactics. 'Art' isn't limited to painting or sculpture. It also
includes dance, drama, and other areas you'd see in the Fine Arts department of
a university or college. 'Language' is the catch-all of the four, containing
subjects focusing on either the written or spoken word. Poetry, philosophy,
history, archiving, storytelling, creative writing and communications such as
drumcode will be found here.
The IC/OOC Seminars are just that: An informal discussion of techniques and
tactics, hints and tips, for performing the various IC duties that we all get
saddled with, upon making Journeyman rank. Additionally, since Senior
Apprentices are encouraged to help out with interviews and teaching classes,
(And in fact, are required to do one of each as a goal towards promotion,) it
makes logical sense to know what to do before setting out to do it!
Now, the Journeyman's Project!! An ideal project should do some or all of the
following: generate RP for the MOO and the Craft in particular; demonstrate the
candidate's competence in the field(s) touched upon, ideally the candidate's
area of specialization; lay the groundwork for further work after Journeymanship;
show the candidate's initiative and organizational skills. It is generally
considered to be roughly worth the same amount of effort as a ten page paper.
Remember that presentation counts in both your proposal, (sent to *hcou after
discussion with your mentor) and your actual execution of your project;
communication skills are something the Staff examines carefully in considering
promotions.
Once a project has been accepted, the Senior Apprentice attempts to put the idea
into practice. The candidate should by now have a mentor, who can prove
invaluable as a source of advice, editorial comment, brainstorming, support,
etc. Once the project has been completed, the Staff will vote on whether or not
to accept it as adequate proof of competency to take a Journeyman exam. The
Staff and the candidate will then schedule a time, and examine the candidate.
Another vote takes place, based on that exam and its log, and if half of the
Staff accepts, the candidate is then promoted.
Track Two: Continual Commitment
This
is a touchier process, and is really only recommended if you are, for some
reason (odd online times, etc) unable to follow the standard route. For this,
the candidate should do his or her best to find a mentor because this is the
best way to ensure /someone/ on Staff will stay apprised of his/her activities.
An Apprentice who wants to try this route should make it known to the Staff.
From that point, the Apprentice should continually engage in small-scale
projects and Craft-related RP. Their mentor has a responsibility to stay
conscious of what, precisely they are doing and keep the Staff similarly
updated. Then, it is simply a question of when the Staff thinks the candidate is
ready for promotion, either to Senior Apprentice or straight to Journeyman.
Either is likely to happen at a Craft dinner/meeting with no warning given to
the candidate, so be sure you enjoy surprises if you wish to attempt this
option. This option is also likely to take significantly longer, so be warned.
Whichever track you choose, remember this single most important factor in
earning a promotion: the Staff must trust the candidate and believe that they
will do well in the position.
If a candidate is constantly getting into OOC trouble with the Staff, it will be
exceedingly difficult for them to develop any sort of trust for the candidate.
For instance: an Apprentice who violates a number of the IC rules, gets caught,
and didn't give a friendly OOC 'head's up' to the Harper staff beforehand.
Apprentices who appear OOCly 'power mad', only playing the game in order to gain
promotion, will also not be looked highly upon. This is, after all, a game. An
IC promotion doesn't make you a better person, doesn't make you prettier or
smarter, or more likely to someday become president of the U.N. Although an IC
promotion and a dollar /will/ get you a cup of coffee...
Promotion
from Sr. Journeyman to Master
Characters
are rarely promoted from Sr. Journeyman to Master.
This promotion is quite an achievement, and it consequently very rarely happens.
Outstanding : 12.0pt" class="Subheading">Promotion from Sr.
Journeyman to Master
Characters
are rarely promoted from Sr. Journeyman to Master.
This promotion is quite an achievement, and it consequently very rarely happens.
Outstanding ter Review which examines your knowledge of the Craft will also be
given in addition to reviewing the applicant's dedication to the Craft and it's
advancement. There is no activity
requirement for this promotion. Note
that there is no actual requirement for a project for this advancement; what's
looked for is a pattern of consistent support for and advancement of the MOO as
a whole and the Craft in particular.
