Category:Crafts

The Crafts system of Pern based loosely on the medieval system of guilds. Crafthalls are establishments that maintain Pernese knowledge and skills. In the absence of efficient means of mass communication, crafthalls serve as colleges where the senior members of the craft conduct research as well as provide instruction in the craft.

Craft ranking system

There are three degrees of rank: apprentice, journeyman (or journeywoman), and master.

• Apprentice — beginners in learning the craft. The apprentices may be as young as 8 or 9 but there are examples of bringing in apprentices from many older age groups as well. Apprentices are taught in a structured manner by the senior Journeymen or Journeywomen and Masters.
• Journeyman (Journeywoman) — the large majority of all crafters are Journeymen or Journeywomen who have reached that certain level of expertise where they may be posted at Holds or Weyrs to provide training or serve as practitioners of the craft within the establishment.
• Master — has the ability and responsibility to pass on his or her expertise within the craft to the Apprentices, Journeymen and Journeywomen.

There are two types of Master in a crafthall: a Master Craftsman, who is higher ranking than apprentices and journeymen/journeywomen, and a Craftmaster, who is in charge of all things relating to that particular craft. For example, a Harper Master Craftsman would be referred to as a «Master Harper», but the Harper Craftmaster would be referred to as «Masterharper».