Post by Administrator on Feb 1, 2011 19:15:59 GMT -5
Crafts: General
The Crafthalls of Pern are the homes of the men and women talented in one area of expertise: The Crafters. Each Crafthall is located at a different Hold around Pern, in as equal a spread as was possible, their locations often directly related to which Hold first excelled in the Craft. Despite being largely dependant on the Holds at which they are located for protection and supplies, the Crafthalls are recognized as being largely autonomous units, on par with a Weyr or a major Hold, and are expected to show no favoritism to any given Hold or Weyr.
Within each crafthall, the same hierarchy is in place, to make it simpler for those outside each Hall to understand. Youngsters start as Junior Apprentices within a Crafthall, and graduates first to Senior Apprentice, and then Journeyman I, also known as a Junior Journeyman. They move on to Journeyman II (Senior Journeyman), and afterwards a Master. Very few reach the level of Master, and some leave even before they reach Journeyman. Within each Crafthall, the leader (at an equal level with the Lord Holders and the Weyrleaders) is known as a Mastercrafter (i.e. the Masterharper at the Harper Hall; Masterhealer at the Healer Hall, etc.).
Rank is denoted by a complicated series of knots worn on the shoulder, as is typical throughout Pern, and also by seating arrangement at meal-times. Unlike a Weyr or Hold where people typically eat whenever their schedules allow, Crafthalls’ schedules are carefully organized for lessons and therefore, everyone eats at the same time. Apprentices sit together, as do Journeymen, while Masters dine with the Craftmaster. Because of this arrangement, to rise in rank is known as ‘walking the tables’, as a promotion is almost always indicated before meals.
Apprentices are taken into a Crafthall as early as eight or nine Turns of age, especially for the crafts which require a life of learning (such as Healing or the Harpercraft). They remain apprentices for a period that spans roughly five Turns, dependant largely upon how much effort one puts into one’s craft and how much information is conveyed in apprenticeship (i.e. a Fisher apprentice would graduate much sooner than a Healer apprentice). Journeymen are still receiving instruction on their craft, but they may remain journeymen indefinitely, as many are assigned to Holds and Weyrs to practice their craft there. The typical age for walking the tables to become Master is around thirty Turns – though, as always, exceptions have been noted.
The locations of the Crafthalls are as follows:
- Vintner Crafthall: Benden Hold
- Farmer Crafthall: Nerat Hold
- Glasscraft Hall: Ista Hold
- Tanner Crafthall: Igen Hold
- Beastcraft Hall: Keroon Hold
- Woodcraft Hall: Lemos Hold
- Harper and Healer Crafthalls: Fort Hold
- Fisher Crafthall: Tillek Hold
- Weaver Crafthall: Southern Boll Hold
- Miner Crafthall: Crom Hold
- Smithcraft Hall: Telgar Hold
- Lake Dolphin Crafthall: Blossom Hold
Vintner Crafthall
Definitely not the lax, contentedly drunk atmosphere that most would attribute to vintners, the Vintner Crafthall is a place of strict hierarchy. The layout of the Crafthall is carefully plotted, but still easy to be lost in, but nobody – the apprentices, Journeymen, Masters – have any patience for something as foolish as becoming lost. The art of wine-making is taken very seriously in the Crafthall, and apprentices are expected to be quick, adept learners. Basic mistakes earn verbal lashings, though for the most part, it’s limited to that. Likewise, experimenting with wines is strongly disapproved of in apprentices, though encouraged in journeymen and over.
In Vintnercraft, there’s no opportunity for specialization – the Mastervintner’s attitude towards the idea is something along the lines of “You can either do it, or you can’t”. Of course, if a Vintner shows a particular skill in a specific wine, they’re encouraged to take part in the making as much as possible, but, at the same time, they’re also expected to be able to produce any other wine passably. The requirements for advancing to Journeyman and to Master are harsh – many apprentices leave the Crafthall still an apprentice, unable to keep pace with the demands, which range from physical labor to rote memorization.
Farmer Crafthall
Located at Nerat Hold, the Crafthall mimics the Hold in that the people tend to be much more laid-back, less likely to deliver undeserved lectures, beatings, or anything of the kind. The Famercraft is not usually one that youngsters find appealing, and for this reason, there are no specializations available: Not enough people to fill the spots. Possibly because of this, the Farmer Craft is one of the easiest to learn – made deliberately so by the Masters teaching to encourage more people to come (and stay) to the Crafthall.
Still, girls are not nearly as enthusiastically received as those of the masculine gender. While they’re certainly not mistreated, they are looked down upon – simply because their physical strength, as a whole, does not seem to match up with those of the male Farmers located at the Crafthall, and it’s rumored that a few of the more biased Masters tend to give females more petty or difficult tasks.
Glasscraft Hall
The Glasscraft Hall is still not widely accepted as an independent Crafthall from the Smithcraft Hall, being considered by most only an offshoot. Perhaps as a result of this, the Glasscraft Hall takes itself very seriously – and the apprentices are expected to conform. No fooling around is tolerated at all, and the penalties are harsh, ranging from restricting food to week-long social isolation to actually being kicked out of the Crafthall. While females are accepted in the Glasscraft Hall, they must be exceptional – the Masters are even harder on them than they are on the males.
Apprentices in the Glasscraft Hall are encouraged to specialize, even though there are only two main choices and it’s not really difficult to combine the two. Some will opt for creating the more decorative and artistic, such as vases or sculptures, which tend to sell high when done properly; others prefer to create simple things for living spaces – windows, for example, also quite high in demand.
Tanner Crafthall
Located at Igen Hold, the Tanner Crafthall was built at a particularly beautiful site, and outwardly the Crafthall seems to maintain a very smooth, steady, workable pace. To most that visit, the Masters are undemanding, if not lazy due to the heat, and the apprentices don’t appear to be beaten or suffering in any way; if anything, they’re even happy at the Tanner Crafthall. Due to this more than anything, the Tanner Crafthall receives a steady influx of apprentices – and once you’re in, there’s no turning back. The act that is put on for visitors is nothing more than that: An act. It’s a truly demanding Craft, and as many as a third of apprentices never even reach the Senior Apprentice level.
Part of the difficulty, of course, lies in that the Tanner Crafthall offers only a few very obsolete specialties, and it’s almost guaranteed that specializing will have no good effects on one’s career whatsoever. Therefore, apprentices are left to learn everything about the craft – and are often punished, if not physically, when they fail to comprehend the many topics that are covered.
Beastcraft Hall
Next to Keroon Hold, the Beastcraft Hall does a very good job imitating the rapid pace that Keroon is famous for. At the Hall, it’s swim or sink – simple as that. You either catch onto the craft, or you fall behind, fail to walk the tables, and ultimately, most apprentices unable to keep up with the grueling curriculum simply leave. The Masters are harsh when it comes to both physical labor, tending to give lessons on runner-back for the apprentices starting at four in the morning before moving rapidly onto herdbeasts, bovine, ovine, and avians, covering care, training, handling, and more.
To go further in depth on any specific animal (or one that is not covered in the basic apprentice’s curriculum), apprentices have to specialize – but most prefer not to, as they’ll then be expected to keep up with the specialized work as well as the general, which borders on impossible. The Masters aren’t the most supportive in the world, either. Kind to their runners, harsh to their apprentices, their ‘encouragement’ comes in the form of biting insults and threats – and occasionally on a particularly ornery apprentice, a short horsewhip. There are quite a lot handy, after all.
Woodcraft Hall
Located conveniently next to the Hold famed for its impressive array of softwoods, the Woodcraft Hall began originally as a specialty under the Smithcraft Hall, but eventually, following the ease of getting wood more than anything else, became its own independent Craft. Because of its vulnerability to Thread, wood is a precious resource on Pern, and the Woodcraft rarely indulges its apprentices by teaching them how to make trinkets. The specialties attributed to the Woodcraft include carpentry (the making of furniture) and coopering (the making of barrels and vats, as well as wagon wheels). The Woodcraft also includes the making paper and of soap, since the lye in soap is produced by running water through hardwood ash.
Within the Crafthall, apprentices are treated with a sharply edged politeness by their Masters – and as long as they do as they are bid and learn to the best of their ability, the attitudes towards them will remain as such. However, the minute they step out of line…well, the rumors that go around are nasty. Never anything that leaves bruises, but…the Masters have their influences. There are stories of humiliated apprentices outcast due to a crime they did not commit; vicious whispers spread about a single unwitting apprentice with no apparent beginning or reason that drove them from the Crafthall; whole families at the Lemos High Hold who are turned against. Oh, yes, the Crafters have quite a bit of influence at Lemos…
Harper Crafthall
The Harper Crafthall still turns out the same talented singers and storytellers that it always has, but no longer is it, necessarily, a perfect place to be. When Camlin was in power females entering Crafthall were treated downright horrible, the Hall was very segregated and sexist. In fact it was almost expected for any female that could even be vaguely considered ‘pretty’ to spend a night (or more) in the Masterharper’s furs in order to gain his favor, as well as the furs of any of their teachers, should they wish for a positive commendation in that class. Even so, females were treated like dirt – completely ignored if they were lucky, beaten if they were not. Since Masterharper Roncin took over the Hall in 3020 that has been remedied to some extent. While females are by no means welcome with open arms they are nonetheless treated a bit better and no longer are open beatings and the like tolerated. He also does not invite students into his furs, nor does he accept the other teachers doing the same. Still habits made under Camlin are hard to break and though Roncin does his best he can’t be involved in all situations at the same time. If brought to his attention however he does what he can to remedy it.
For the boys, Harper Hall is still fine. Things have become a bit less strict in nature but again old habits die hard. You are still treated best in the hall if you are male and heterosexual without question. Roncin still expects all students to know when to hold their tongues, and he still expects any reasonable order from a ranker to be obeyed, without question. He makes allowances for certain mistakes but they are few and far between. There is no doubt that the Harper Hall is still sexist and homophobic, but you can’t expect that all to change in only the course of the few turns that Roncin has been in power. Homosexuals (suspected or proven) at the Hall are still generally treated badly but no more is such a thing an everyday occurrence and it is less tolerated then it was turns ago. Homosexuals still suffer the butt end of ugly jokes, taunting, and occasional beatings sadly. Masterharper Roncin, unlike Camlin, however will step in to stop these attacks if he sees them happen. Those involved will receive punishments but he doesn’t go out of his way to ban the practice of hazing or bullying from the Hall. It makes for people with stronger backbones in his opinion. However Roncin does not ignore needless suffering like Camlin seemed to.
Any student with a problem, that cannot be solved through his teachers, is encouraged to try get an audience with the Masterharper. Though Roncin is strict and expects his teachers to be as well he is not ruthless like Camlin. Nor is he heartless towards his students. In fact he even encourages them as often as he can to take pride in themselves and their Hall. Though the atmosphere in the Hall is not perfect the changes Roncin brings are no doubt for the better and in the long-term things look like they can only improve. Rome wasn’t built in a day after all.
As for specialties, apprentices are encouraged to choose what interests them most. Singing and instrument specialties (strings, winds, etc.) are the most common, but the Harper Crafthall also trains archivists, teachers, artists, performers, and drummers.
Healer Crafthall
Though it’s connected to the Harper Crafthall, the Healer Crafthall is an entirely different place – apprentices are accepted without question, be they female, male, heterosexual, homosexual, or somewhere in between. As long as they’re willing to learn, the Healer Crafthall will find a use for them. The Masters at the Healer Crafthall are generally kind – or, at least, strict within reason. There are no beatings, verbal or physical, especially since the latter would only result in more patients for them to take care of.
Apprenticeship usually lasts five Turns, and most people don’t specialize until they reach Journeyman. From there they can choose to specialize in acupuncture, dentistry, geriatrics, herbalist, massage, mindhealing, pediatrics, trauma, or dolphin-assisted healing for dolphineers who cross-train at the Healer Hall. Dragonhealing is not taught at the Healer Crafthall, which focuses entirely on the healing of people. To specialize in dragonhealing, one must go directly to the Weyrs. After all, the Crafthall doesn’t exactly have a lot of dragons handy to practice on.
Fisher Crafthall
The one place of order within a rapidly crumbling Hold, the Fisher Crafthall, manipulated by the Masterfisher (who believes the Crafthall very capable of supporting itself) carefully, is almost guaranteed to eventually overtake the Hold completely if things continue on the way they’re going. While it’s true that many of the Master and Journeymen Fishers are at sea, the entire system of careful rank and hierarchy that will not be disputed at the Hall is strong enough that a single man could control it with ease. The apprentices are obedient, quiet, quick at learning and quick at following instructions – if they’re not, they’re molded into it, since most apprentices are taken on early enough in life to still be easily twisted.
When the time comes, apprentices can choose to specialize in either saltwater fishing or freshwater, or neither, and simply learn the basic aspects of both. Given the Hall’s location on the Tillek Peninsula, most opt for the saltwater simply because there’s more of it.
Weaver Crafthall
Possibly the only Crafthall that accepts (and even expects) women, the Weaver Crafthall is definitely unique. The girls that enter the Craft are taught as carefully as the boys, though rarely will a girl ever walk the tables, no matter how good she is; most still wear the knots of an apprentice when they’re doing journeyman-level work. The boys, if anything, are the ones that are a tad on the awkward side – it’s expected that a girl, if she wants to be of any use to her family, must learn to weave; why would a male? The Crafthall, in general, is always busy, but in a very casual way: For example, while the higher ranked Crafters are to be respected, the apprentices certainly don’t have to snap to attention before them constantly.
There are no real ‘specialties’ in weaving – at least, none that the Crafthall offers to specialize in. However, in general, once the apprentice finds something that they’re particularly good at, be it a stitch or a final product, they’re encouraged to make that more than anything else.
Miner Crafthall
Proudly declared to be the only Crafthall entirely lacking in women (primarily because any woman who wishes to enter the Craft is killed), the Miner Crafthall, located in the harsh Crom region, is an extremely rough Crafthall. The men and boys that live there are antagonistic at best, typically, and fights break out often. Only within the same ranks, of course, though – any apprentice who dares backtalk a man higher in rank than he is almost certainly killed or otherwise humiliated, depending on the generosity of the higher-up.
While most Miners prefer (it’s more masculine, after all) to go down into the mines themselves, there are opportunities to specialize in receiving jewels and the like after they’re mined. Those who prefer to specialize in such will learn how to cut and polish stones and check the grade of firestone and coal.
Smithcraft Hall
A very proud Hall, the Smithcraft Hall mirrors the Hold that it’s located at. Apprentices are taught not only the proper Smithing techniques, but also how to uphold their honor and that of the Hall. They’re expected to be courteous to their betters, know how to properly treat those they rank, and the appropriate steps to take in order to defend themselves. Their Masters are hard to please at best – but smart apprentices will find a Master that ‘favors’ them to track their career once they rise to Journeyman, for the Masters are always very proud of apprentices and Journeymen they can claim as ‘theirs’.
Due to the high demand, most apprentices are encouraged (if not ordered) to specialize in weaponry. Some, however, choose to focus on doubling in some Beastcraft, and primarily taking care of shoeing runners, which, in the appropriate Holds, can be quite high in demand.
Lake Dolphin Crafthall
The only true Crafthall in the Southern continent, the Lake Dolphin Crafthall has the reputation of being just as cheerful as the rest of Blossom Hold. The Masters are friendly, open, encouraging not only learning but joy of learning – it’s no good if your apprentices don’t want to learn, after all! Perhaps part of the general brightness associated with the Hall comes directly from the dolphins they train and work with, as well. However, because the dolphins at the Lake Crafthall are, indeed, freshwater, the Journeymen, if and when they’re partnered with dolphins of their own, rarely leave the Crafthall.
For the most part, the only dolphineers that leave and still associate themselves with the craft are those who decide to specialize in dolphin-assisted Healing, which requires a short time to be spent at the Healer Crafthall in the North. However, it is dolphin-assisted for a reason, which means that after the short period of time, the apprentices and journeymen almost invariably return. Past dolphin-assisted Healing, however, there are no specialties in the craft.
((Written by Avu, Updated by Rei 5-12-2012))
The Crafthalls of Pern are the homes of the men and women talented in one area of expertise: The Crafters. Each Crafthall is located at a different Hold around Pern, in as equal a spread as was possible, their locations often directly related to which Hold first excelled in the Craft. Despite being largely dependant on the Holds at which they are located for protection and supplies, the Crafthalls are recognized as being largely autonomous units, on par with a Weyr or a major Hold, and are expected to show no favoritism to any given Hold or Weyr.
Within each crafthall, the same hierarchy is in place, to make it simpler for those outside each Hall to understand. Youngsters start as Junior Apprentices within a Crafthall, and graduates first to Senior Apprentice, and then Journeyman I, also known as a Junior Journeyman. They move on to Journeyman II (Senior Journeyman), and afterwards a Master. Very few reach the level of Master, and some leave even before they reach Journeyman. Within each Crafthall, the leader (at an equal level with the Lord Holders and the Weyrleaders) is known as a Mastercrafter (i.e. the Masterharper at the Harper Hall; Masterhealer at the Healer Hall, etc.).
Rank is denoted by a complicated series of knots worn on the shoulder, as is typical throughout Pern, and also by seating arrangement at meal-times. Unlike a Weyr or Hold where people typically eat whenever their schedules allow, Crafthalls’ schedules are carefully organized for lessons and therefore, everyone eats at the same time. Apprentices sit together, as do Journeymen, while Masters dine with the Craftmaster. Because of this arrangement, to rise in rank is known as ‘walking the tables’, as a promotion is almost always indicated before meals.
Apprentices are taken into a Crafthall as early as eight or nine Turns of age, especially for the crafts which require a life of learning (such as Healing or the Harpercraft). They remain apprentices for a period that spans roughly five Turns, dependant largely upon how much effort one puts into one’s craft and how much information is conveyed in apprenticeship (i.e. a Fisher apprentice would graduate much sooner than a Healer apprentice). Journeymen are still receiving instruction on their craft, but they may remain journeymen indefinitely, as many are assigned to Holds and Weyrs to practice their craft there. The typical age for walking the tables to become Master is around thirty Turns – though, as always, exceptions have been noted.
The locations of the Crafthalls are as follows:
- Vintner Crafthall: Benden Hold
- Farmer Crafthall: Nerat Hold
- Glasscraft Hall: Ista Hold
- Tanner Crafthall: Igen Hold
- Beastcraft Hall: Keroon Hold
- Woodcraft Hall: Lemos Hold
- Harper and Healer Crafthalls: Fort Hold
- Fisher Crafthall: Tillek Hold
- Weaver Crafthall: Southern Boll Hold
- Miner Crafthall: Crom Hold
- Smithcraft Hall: Telgar Hold
- Lake Dolphin Crafthall: Blossom Hold
Vintner Crafthall
Definitely not the lax, contentedly drunk atmosphere that most would attribute to vintners, the Vintner Crafthall is a place of strict hierarchy. The layout of the Crafthall is carefully plotted, but still easy to be lost in, but nobody – the apprentices, Journeymen, Masters – have any patience for something as foolish as becoming lost. The art of wine-making is taken very seriously in the Crafthall, and apprentices are expected to be quick, adept learners. Basic mistakes earn verbal lashings, though for the most part, it’s limited to that. Likewise, experimenting with wines is strongly disapproved of in apprentices, though encouraged in journeymen and over.
In Vintnercraft, there’s no opportunity for specialization – the Mastervintner’s attitude towards the idea is something along the lines of “You can either do it, or you can’t”. Of course, if a Vintner shows a particular skill in a specific wine, they’re encouraged to take part in the making as much as possible, but, at the same time, they’re also expected to be able to produce any other wine passably. The requirements for advancing to Journeyman and to Master are harsh – many apprentices leave the Crafthall still an apprentice, unable to keep pace with the demands, which range from physical labor to rote memorization.
Farmer Crafthall
Located at Nerat Hold, the Crafthall mimics the Hold in that the people tend to be much more laid-back, less likely to deliver undeserved lectures, beatings, or anything of the kind. The Famercraft is not usually one that youngsters find appealing, and for this reason, there are no specializations available: Not enough people to fill the spots. Possibly because of this, the Farmer Craft is one of the easiest to learn – made deliberately so by the Masters teaching to encourage more people to come (and stay) to the Crafthall.
Still, girls are not nearly as enthusiastically received as those of the masculine gender. While they’re certainly not mistreated, they are looked down upon – simply because their physical strength, as a whole, does not seem to match up with those of the male Farmers located at the Crafthall, and it’s rumored that a few of the more biased Masters tend to give females more petty or difficult tasks.
Glasscraft Hall
The Glasscraft Hall is still not widely accepted as an independent Crafthall from the Smithcraft Hall, being considered by most only an offshoot. Perhaps as a result of this, the Glasscraft Hall takes itself very seriously – and the apprentices are expected to conform. No fooling around is tolerated at all, and the penalties are harsh, ranging from restricting food to week-long social isolation to actually being kicked out of the Crafthall. While females are accepted in the Glasscraft Hall, they must be exceptional – the Masters are even harder on them than they are on the males.
Apprentices in the Glasscraft Hall are encouraged to specialize, even though there are only two main choices and it’s not really difficult to combine the two. Some will opt for creating the more decorative and artistic, such as vases or sculptures, which tend to sell high when done properly; others prefer to create simple things for living spaces – windows, for example, also quite high in demand.
Tanner Crafthall
Located at Igen Hold, the Tanner Crafthall was built at a particularly beautiful site, and outwardly the Crafthall seems to maintain a very smooth, steady, workable pace. To most that visit, the Masters are undemanding, if not lazy due to the heat, and the apprentices don’t appear to be beaten or suffering in any way; if anything, they’re even happy at the Tanner Crafthall. Due to this more than anything, the Tanner Crafthall receives a steady influx of apprentices – and once you’re in, there’s no turning back. The act that is put on for visitors is nothing more than that: An act. It’s a truly demanding Craft, and as many as a third of apprentices never even reach the Senior Apprentice level.
Part of the difficulty, of course, lies in that the Tanner Crafthall offers only a few very obsolete specialties, and it’s almost guaranteed that specializing will have no good effects on one’s career whatsoever. Therefore, apprentices are left to learn everything about the craft – and are often punished, if not physically, when they fail to comprehend the many topics that are covered.
Beastcraft Hall
Next to Keroon Hold, the Beastcraft Hall does a very good job imitating the rapid pace that Keroon is famous for. At the Hall, it’s swim or sink – simple as that. You either catch onto the craft, or you fall behind, fail to walk the tables, and ultimately, most apprentices unable to keep up with the grueling curriculum simply leave. The Masters are harsh when it comes to both physical labor, tending to give lessons on runner-back for the apprentices starting at four in the morning before moving rapidly onto herdbeasts, bovine, ovine, and avians, covering care, training, handling, and more.
To go further in depth on any specific animal (or one that is not covered in the basic apprentice’s curriculum), apprentices have to specialize – but most prefer not to, as they’ll then be expected to keep up with the specialized work as well as the general, which borders on impossible. The Masters aren’t the most supportive in the world, either. Kind to their runners, harsh to their apprentices, their ‘encouragement’ comes in the form of biting insults and threats – and occasionally on a particularly ornery apprentice, a short horsewhip. There are quite a lot handy, after all.
Woodcraft Hall
Located conveniently next to the Hold famed for its impressive array of softwoods, the Woodcraft Hall began originally as a specialty under the Smithcraft Hall, but eventually, following the ease of getting wood more than anything else, became its own independent Craft. Because of its vulnerability to Thread, wood is a precious resource on Pern, and the Woodcraft rarely indulges its apprentices by teaching them how to make trinkets. The specialties attributed to the Woodcraft include carpentry (the making of furniture) and coopering (the making of barrels and vats, as well as wagon wheels). The Woodcraft also includes the making paper and of soap, since the lye in soap is produced by running water through hardwood ash.
Within the Crafthall, apprentices are treated with a sharply edged politeness by their Masters – and as long as they do as they are bid and learn to the best of their ability, the attitudes towards them will remain as such. However, the minute they step out of line…well, the rumors that go around are nasty. Never anything that leaves bruises, but…the Masters have their influences. There are stories of humiliated apprentices outcast due to a crime they did not commit; vicious whispers spread about a single unwitting apprentice with no apparent beginning or reason that drove them from the Crafthall; whole families at the Lemos High Hold who are turned against. Oh, yes, the Crafters have quite a bit of influence at Lemos…
Harper Crafthall
The Harper Crafthall still turns out the same talented singers and storytellers that it always has, but no longer is it, necessarily, a perfect place to be. When Camlin was in power females entering Crafthall were treated downright horrible, the Hall was very segregated and sexist. In fact it was almost expected for any female that could even be vaguely considered ‘pretty’ to spend a night (or more) in the Masterharper’s furs in order to gain his favor, as well as the furs of any of their teachers, should they wish for a positive commendation in that class. Even so, females were treated like dirt – completely ignored if they were lucky, beaten if they were not. Since Masterharper Roncin took over the Hall in 3020 that has been remedied to some extent. While females are by no means welcome with open arms they are nonetheless treated a bit better and no longer are open beatings and the like tolerated. He also does not invite students into his furs, nor does he accept the other teachers doing the same. Still habits made under Camlin are hard to break and though Roncin does his best he can’t be involved in all situations at the same time. If brought to his attention however he does what he can to remedy it.
For the boys, Harper Hall is still fine. Things have become a bit less strict in nature but again old habits die hard. You are still treated best in the hall if you are male and heterosexual without question. Roncin still expects all students to know when to hold their tongues, and he still expects any reasonable order from a ranker to be obeyed, without question. He makes allowances for certain mistakes but they are few and far between. There is no doubt that the Harper Hall is still sexist and homophobic, but you can’t expect that all to change in only the course of the few turns that Roncin has been in power. Homosexuals (suspected or proven) at the Hall are still generally treated badly but no more is such a thing an everyday occurrence and it is less tolerated then it was turns ago. Homosexuals still suffer the butt end of ugly jokes, taunting, and occasional beatings sadly. Masterharper Roncin, unlike Camlin, however will step in to stop these attacks if he sees them happen. Those involved will receive punishments but he doesn’t go out of his way to ban the practice of hazing or bullying from the Hall. It makes for people with stronger backbones in his opinion. However Roncin does not ignore needless suffering like Camlin seemed to.
Any student with a problem, that cannot be solved through his teachers, is encouraged to try get an audience with the Masterharper. Though Roncin is strict and expects his teachers to be as well he is not ruthless like Camlin. Nor is he heartless towards his students. In fact he even encourages them as often as he can to take pride in themselves and their Hall. Though the atmosphere in the Hall is not perfect the changes Roncin brings are no doubt for the better and in the long-term things look like they can only improve. Rome wasn’t built in a day after all.
As for specialties, apprentices are encouraged to choose what interests them most. Singing and instrument specialties (strings, winds, etc.) are the most common, but the Harper Crafthall also trains archivists, teachers, artists, performers, and drummers.
Healer Crafthall
Though it’s connected to the Harper Crafthall, the Healer Crafthall is an entirely different place – apprentices are accepted without question, be they female, male, heterosexual, homosexual, or somewhere in between. As long as they’re willing to learn, the Healer Crafthall will find a use for them. The Masters at the Healer Crafthall are generally kind – or, at least, strict within reason. There are no beatings, verbal or physical, especially since the latter would only result in more patients for them to take care of.
Apprenticeship usually lasts five Turns, and most people don’t specialize until they reach Journeyman. From there they can choose to specialize in acupuncture, dentistry, geriatrics, herbalist, massage, mindhealing, pediatrics, trauma, or dolphin-assisted healing for dolphineers who cross-train at the Healer Hall. Dragonhealing is not taught at the Healer Crafthall, which focuses entirely on the healing of people. To specialize in dragonhealing, one must go directly to the Weyrs. After all, the Crafthall doesn’t exactly have a lot of dragons handy to practice on.
Fisher Crafthall
The one place of order within a rapidly crumbling Hold, the Fisher Crafthall, manipulated by the Masterfisher (who believes the Crafthall very capable of supporting itself) carefully, is almost guaranteed to eventually overtake the Hold completely if things continue on the way they’re going. While it’s true that many of the Master and Journeymen Fishers are at sea, the entire system of careful rank and hierarchy that will not be disputed at the Hall is strong enough that a single man could control it with ease. The apprentices are obedient, quiet, quick at learning and quick at following instructions – if they’re not, they’re molded into it, since most apprentices are taken on early enough in life to still be easily twisted.
When the time comes, apprentices can choose to specialize in either saltwater fishing or freshwater, or neither, and simply learn the basic aspects of both. Given the Hall’s location on the Tillek Peninsula, most opt for the saltwater simply because there’s more of it.
Weaver Crafthall
Possibly the only Crafthall that accepts (and even expects) women, the Weaver Crafthall is definitely unique. The girls that enter the Craft are taught as carefully as the boys, though rarely will a girl ever walk the tables, no matter how good she is; most still wear the knots of an apprentice when they’re doing journeyman-level work. The boys, if anything, are the ones that are a tad on the awkward side – it’s expected that a girl, if she wants to be of any use to her family, must learn to weave; why would a male? The Crafthall, in general, is always busy, but in a very casual way: For example, while the higher ranked Crafters are to be respected, the apprentices certainly don’t have to snap to attention before them constantly.
There are no real ‘specialties’ in weaving – at least, none that the Crafthall offers to specialize in. However, in general, once the apprentice finds something that they’re particularly good at, be it a stitch or a final product, they’re encouraged to make that more than anything else.
Miner Crafthall
Proudly declared to be the only Crafthall entirely lacking in women (primarily because any woman who wishes to enter the Craft is killed), the Miner Crafthall, located in the harsh Crom region, is an extremely rough Crafthall. The men and boys that live there are antagonistic at best, typically, and fights break out often. Only within the same ranks, of course, though – any apprentice who dares backtalk a man higher in rank than he is almost certainly killed or otherwise humiliated, depending on the generosity of the higher-up.
While most Miners prefer (it’s more masculine, after all) to go down into the mines themselves, there are opportunities to specialize in receiving jewels and the like after they’re mined. Those who prefer to specialize in such will learn how to cut and polish stones and check the grade of firestone and coal.
Smithcraft Hall
A very proud Hall, the Smithcraft Hall mirrors the Hold that it’s located at. Apprentices are taught not only the proper Smithing techniques, but also how to uphold their honor and that of the Hall. They’re expected to be courteous to their betters, know how to properly treat those they rank, and the appropriate steps to take in order to defend themselves. Their Masters are hard to please at best – but smart apprentices will find a Master that ‘favors’ them to track their career once they rise to Journeyman, for the Masters are always very proud of apprentices and Journeymen they can claim as ‘theirs’.
Due to the high demand, most apprentices are encouraged (if not ordered) to specialize in weaponry. Some, however, choose to focus on doubling in some Beastcraft, and primarily taking care of shoeing runners, which, in the appropriate Holds, can be quite high in demand.
Lake Dolphin Crafthall
The only true Crafthall in the Southern continent, the Lake Dolphin Crafthall has the reputation of being just as cheerful as the rest of Blossom Hold. The Masters are friendly, open, encouraging not only learning but joy of learning – it’s no good if your apprentices don’t want to learn, after all! Perhaps part of the general brightness associated with the Hall comes directly from the dolphins they train and work with, as well. However, because the dolphins at the Lake Crafthall are, indeed, freshwater, the Journeymen, if and when they’re partnered with dolphins of their own, rarely leave the Crafthall.
For the most part, the only dolphineers that leave and still associate themselves with the craft are those who decide to specialize in dolphin-assisted Healing, which requires a short time to be spent at the Healer Crafthall in the North. However, it is dolphin-assisted for a reason, which means that after the short period of time, the apprentices and journeymen almost invariably return. Past dolphin-assisted Healing, however, there are no specialties in the craft.
((Written by Avu, Updated by Rei 5-12-2012))