Post by Bane on May 8, 2008 23:08:48 GMT -6
First, I would like to invite anyone to add information to this post by replying.
Beastcraft
The beastcraft has long been essential to Pern life. They care for the domesticated herdbeasts and runnerbeasts that make life easier on the inhabitants.
Herdbeasts serve many purposes on Pern. From food to transport to labor, they make things go smoother and easier for holders and many other people. In the fields, they pull the plows and other equipment that make working the fields much easier than doing so by hand. They provide much of the meat for Nurien Weyr, Nurien Hold, and Kahn Hold. Though the holders can get wherry fairly easily, and fish with the help of the dragonriders, the herdbeast is the main source of meat. Because they are strong, herdbeasts also make trade easier throughout Pern.
The larger breeds of the runerbeast have also been known to pull the plow. However, in the Nurien protectorate the runners are used more for transportation than anything. They are trained for endurance, bred for surefootedness, and necessary for quick transport when one can't get a ride on dragonback.
Most of the beastherders pass their knowledge from generation to generation. However, a holder's child may become apprenticed if they show an aptitude for the job. It's a lot of work. The runnerbeast breeders, for whatever breed of runner, have a rule that if one can't take care of the animal, than one cannot own or ride one.
Becaus the herders pass their knowledge from adult to child, and generally keep the secrets of breeding the "best" beast on Pern within the family, an apprentice to the craft may be very young. As young as 5 turns, when they are old enough to carry water or feed to the stables. The youngest ones are generally raised for the craft in their family. An older apprentice, who would start out between 8 and 10 turns, is an outsider. A herder is not very likely to share trade secrets with an outside apprentice.
A journeyman gains the position only if they have been deemed ready for the added responisbility and work, a have proven that they can handle it. Journeyman herders are generally between the ages of 15 and 18 starting out as juniors. They have the added responsibility of learning how to break the runnerbeasts - or refining their processes - and to train the herdbeasts to work for the small holder. At this time, they generally choose one or the other - herdbeast or runnerbeast. It's generally a pretty good split between the two.
As the journeyman becomes more knowledgeable in his craft, he gains more and more responsibility. At this time, when he is a senior journeyman, he is generally between the ages of 25 and 30. Most have already started their own family, and have begun passing the craft on to their children. Whatever their specialty - runner or herdbeast - they have also begun to breed to the best of their abilities.
Most crafters never gain the position of master. This is a position given only to those who have proven themselves in the breeding or training programs, or who have made some other similar impact on the craft.
Healercraft
This is one of the few crafts I have ever really played in. I treat it more like the Terran medical field than anything else, and this is where I base my ages on for the rank positions.
As an apprentice healer, the person gets to do all the really undesirable jobs while attending lessons. The tasks set them are
The apprentices, after a while, may feel like drudges a bit. Their jobs are not given to drudges, who may be dimwitted and unable to grasp the importance of the task. Because of this, the apprentices are made to do them. At this point, some find out they are not made for this craft and move on to find another. An apprentice will rarely be taken into the healer craft at a younger age than 8. Before this, they really aren't able to complete the tasks and grasp the beginning lessons.
Junior apprentice lessons consist of very basic human anatomy. The names for various parts of the body, and how the function is about the extent of the lessons. At such a young age, the apprentices cannot grasp much more than this. For this reason, the majority of the apprentices are over the age of 12.
As the apprentice matures and becomes more and more adept at completing chores and lessons, the lessons become harder. By the time the apprentice is considered a senior apprentice - about 18 turns old - they have begun learning the more complex anatomy of humans and, if they so choose, dragons. They have also begun learning surgical skills such as suturing and basic bone setting. At this point, they may decide to specialize in dragonhealing. They are then transferred to the Weyr infirmary if they are not already there.
To become a journeyman healer, the apprentice must pass several exams that test their knowledge and stretch their imagination. They test the knowledge of the human anatomy, and if they're studying to become a dragonhealer, the anatomy of a dragon is tested upon. By this time, the senior apprentice may be close to 20 or older. ((At this point, they are like a third-year pre-med student, applying to med school and taking the MCATs.))
After becoming a journeyman, the responsibility turns more toward lessons and practical application than the apprentices job of making sure all the bandages are straight. They begin to get hands-on experience at this time. The lessons become more complex than ever, and they are also expected to build on them if they can. ((At this point, they are a fourth year pre-med student. They got their med school acceptance [Hold for general healing, Weyr for dragonhealing] and are now studying for the finals.))
Through their junior journeymanship, they vye for the top spot in their group. If they can prove that they are the best, they may be let go into their senior journeymanship first, or earlier.
When they become senior journeymen, they will be allowed to 'practice' their knowledge on living patients in the infirmary. However, at this early point in their seniorship, they are still supervised most of the time. ((Think second year med school student. They've got their white coats, but aren't quite ready for a residency yet. They still get followed by a doctor that scrutinizes and criticizes.))
Finally... the days come when they are allowed to go out and about on their own as healers. They have now learned everything they can be taught, and must make a go of it on their own. More than likely, they are 25 or older by this point.
To become master, they msut prove themselves to be knowledgeable in their fields. There has not been a master healer in the Nurien protectorate that is younger than 38, and this is not likely to change.
Beastcraft
The beastcraft has long been essential to Pern life. They care for the domesticated herdbeasts and runnerbeasts that make life easier on the inhabitants.
Herdbeasts serve many purposes on Pern. From food to transport to labor, they make things go smoother and easier for holders and many other people. In the fields, they pull the plows and other equipment that make working the fields much easier than doing so by hand. They provide much of the meat for Nurien Weyr, Nurien Hold, and Kahn Hold. Though the holders can get wherry fairly easily, and fish with the help of the dragonriders, the herdbeast is the main source of meat. Because they are strong, herdbeasts also make trade easier throughout Pern.
The larger breeds of the runerbeast have also been known to pull the plow. However, in the Nurien protectorate the runners are used more for transportation than anything. They are trained for endurance, bred for surefootedness, and necessary for quick transport when one can't get a ride on dragonback.
Most of the beastherders pass their knowledge from generation to generation. However, a holder's child may become apprenticed if they show an aptitude for the job. It's a lot of work. The runnerbeast breeders, for whatever breed of runner, have a rule that if one can't take care of the animal, than one cannot own or ride one.
Becaus the herders pass their knowledge from adult to child, and generally keep the secrets of breeding the "best" beast on Pern within the family, an apprentice to the craft may be very young. As young as 5 turns, when they are old enough to carry water or feed to the stables. The youngest ones are generally raised for the craft in their family. An older apprentice, who would start out between 8 and 10 turns, is an outsider. A herder is not very likely to share trade secrets with an outside apprentice.
A journeyman gains the position only if they have been deemed ready for the added responisbility and work, a have proven that they can handle it. Journeyman herders are generally between the ages of 15 and 18 starting out as juniors. They have the added responsibility of learning how to break the runnerbeasts - or refining their processes - and to train the herdbeasts to work for the small holder. At this time, they generally choose one or the other - herdbeast or runnerbeast. It's generally a pretty good split between the two.
As the journeyman becomes more knowledgeable in his craft, he gains more and more responsibility. At this time, when he is a senior journeyman, he is generally between the ages of 25 and 30. Most have already started their own family, and have begun passing the craft on to their children. Whatever their specialty - runner or herdbeast - they have also begun to breed to the best of their abilities.
Most crafters never gain the position of master. This is a position given only to those who have proven themselves in the breeding or training programs, or who have made some other similar impact on the craft.
Healercraft
This is one of the few crafts I have ever really played in. I treat it more like the Terran medical field than anything else, and this is where I base my ages on for the rank positions.
As an apprentice healer, the person gets to do all the really undesirable jobs while attending lessons. The tasks set them are
- wrapping and folding bandages for the youngest of the apprentices,
- making the bandages and poultice packs, stewing the numbweed and fellis for the ones that are old enough,
- making sure the infirmary is cleaned and well maintained.
The apprentices, after a while, may feel like drudges a bit. Their jobs are not given to drudges, who may be dimwitted and unable to grasp the importance of the task. Because of this, the apprentices are made to do them. At this point, some find out they are not made for this craft and move on to find another. An apprentice will rarely be taken into the healer craft at a younger age than 8. Before this, they really aren't able to complete the tasks and grasp the beginning lessons.
Junior apprentice lessons consist of very basic human anatomy. The names for various parts of the body, and how the function is about the extent of the lessons. At such a young age, the apprentices cannot grasp much more than this. For this reason, the majority of the apprentices are over the age of 12.
As the apprentice matures and becomes more and more adept at completing chores and lessons, the lessons become harder. By the time the apprentice is considered a senior apprentice - about 18 turns old - they have begun learning the more complex anatomy of humans and, if they so choose, dragons. They have also begun learning surgical skills such as suturing and basic bone setting. At this point, they may decide to specialize in dragonhealing. They are then transferred to the Weyr infirmary if they are not already there.
To become a journeyman healer, the apprentice must pass several exams that test their knowledge and stretch their imagination. They test the knowledge of the human anatomy, and if they're studying to become a dragonhealer, the anatomy of a dragon is tested upon. By this time, the senior apprentice may be close to 20 or older. ((At this point, they are like a third-year pre-med student, applying to med school and taking the MCATs.))
After becoming a journeyman, the responsibility turns more toward lessons and practical application than the apprentices job of making sure all the bandages are straight. They begin to get hands-on experience at this time. The lessons become more complex than ever, and they are also expected to build on them if they can. ((At this point, they are a fourth year pre-med student. They got their med school acceptance [Hold for general healing, Weyr for dragonhealing] and are now studying for the finals.))
Through their junior journeymanship, they vye for the top spot in their group. If they can prove that they are the best, they may be let go into their senior journeymanship first, or earlier.
When they become senior journeymen, they will be allowed to 'practice' their knowledge on living patients in the infirmary. However, at this early point in their seniorship, they are still supervised most of the time. ((Think second year med school student. They've got their white coats, but aren't quite ready for a residency yet. They still get followed by a doctor that scrutinizes and criticizes.))
Finally... the days come when they are allowed to go out and about on their own as healers. They have now learned everything they can be taught, and must make a go of it on their own. More than likely, they are 25 or older by this point.
To become master, they msut prove themselves to be knowledgeable in their fields. There has not been a master healer in the Nurien protectorate that is younger than 38, and this is not likely to change.