Jerran's Exam: Part One

--- AGENDA ---

Subject: Jerran's exam

I. Archives/Law (30 %)

A. Archives (50 %)

1. Given an event to record, how would you go about doing it? (The
event I have in mind was a Conclave several Turns ago, in which a Lord
Holder was killed, and which I wrote a satiric ballad about.) (50 %)

2. Suppose you were to be researching an obscure topic; for instance,
the creating of a wood and leather harness to hold a dolphin out of water
for purposes of healing. Where would you start, where else might you need
to go, who might you wish to consult? (50 %)

B. Law (50 %)

1. Why was the Harper brawl in the Mug detrimental to the Craft?

II. Performance (30 %)

A. Issues of Performance. (50 %)

1. What are some things to look for in reading an audience? How does
one construct a good musical 'set', ie, chose pieces and order of
appropriate mood and pace for a given performance?

B. Individual performance. (50 %)

1. Improvise on a specified ballad.

III. Other Skills (40 %)

A. Art (50 %)

1. RP drawing a sketch of a gitar, and write a quick desc of said
sketch. (34 %)
2. Explain (briefly; we'll probably all be tired by this point) what
the next steps would be to coloring this, and making it into a work of art.
(66 %)

B. Setting up new Harpers. Knowing the resources and help files out
there, knowing the basic things like @desc, @setage, @sethome, etc. (20 %)

C. RolePlaying skills. (30 %)


--- EXAM PART ONE ---

Jeranium (#1357)
This portly, aging man has a perpetually sour expression on his puffed,
wrinkled face. His nose can only be described as bulbous, his ears a
matching shade of magenta, while his lips are pursed distastefully.
Squinting eyes of an indeterminite shade peer forth beneath low, bushy brows
of coarse grey hair which is completely at odds with the wispy, thinning
cover atop his head.
A tailored tunic of green does little to help this journeyman's figure, his
stomach overhanging his belt by a few inches yet. His trousers bag at the
knees from too much sitting, but at least they fit.
A worn Journeyman's patch is neatly sewn to his shoulder, fastening a loop
from which dangles his Harper knot.
He is awake and looks alert.
You notice Jeranium looking at you.
Jeranium is 53 Turns, 7 months, and 17 days old.

Harper Office (#2732)
The office is cheerful, the light reflecting off of whitewashed walls and
ceiling. A pattern mimicking musical notation in colors runs along the tops
of the walls, shelf upon shelf rising from the floor to meet it. Desks,
cabinets and filing drawers are arranged about the room, workplaces for
those whose job it is to keep the harpers and hall in order.
The air is fresh, tangy with sea and hides and well-seasoned woods.
A decorative object has been placed in the center of the room, right in the
way. Perhaps you should ask its owner to move it.
The window looks out over Main Beach.
Through the open window, you notice that It is a winter afternoon.
Watching from a high shelf are Mordred and Skyld.
You see Staff Tackboard, Paybox, Lesson Schedule, Opree, and Useful Facts for
Harpers here.
Caramak, Kestria, and Jerran are here.
Obvious exits:
Ballroom
You notice Caramak looking at you.
Jeranium gives a heavy sigh and a sour harrumph as he looks for a chair,
muttering something about tuning.
Jeranium barely nods to Caramak and Kestria, and practically ignores Jerran.
But he sure enough finds his chair, which would probably rather _not_ have
been found as it creaks its protest at the man's ungainly weight.

Jerran (#6236)
As you look Jerran over he turns his penetrating gaze toward you. Your mind
is consumed by his deep teal eyes. He runs his hands, stong from many years
of farm work through his shoulder length sun bleached hair. As you look
across the back of Jerran's deeply tanned hands, you notice a long, strait
and fairly thing scar running across his for finger to just above his wrist.
The straitness seems to sugest that it might have been done by a snaping
guitar string or something of that sort. His golden-brown features are sharp
and precise, but do not make him look mean or unhappy. He smiles warmly,
loving the sun here. He has a blue and red hair wrap that offsets the right
side of his face and adds to his funloving look. He stands fairly tall,
about six and a quarter feet, although he's not lanky at all.
You see a rather thin seaweed braid woven in with a small bar of colar. As
you look closer, you see small red beads interwoven at regular intervals as
well as an occasional shell. The adjustable knot that controls the length of
the anklet has a small rock with the form of a heart worked into it.
Small wooden fellis leaf shaped buttons run down the a background of
cream-white sisal. Over this elegant yet casual shirt Jerran wears an
unbuttoned shirt of harper blue. The short sleeves of the shirt run down
Jerran's arms, revealing tanned elbows forearms.Jerran wears a small hemp
bracelet on his right wrist which compliments the creme of his inner shirt.
Coming out from under Jerran's shirts are a baggy pair of light tan shorts
which reach down to just bellow his well tanned knees. A pair of medium
brown sandals adorn his feet, fastened by a small pair of brass buckles.
Jerran wears his Harper Apprentice knot on his shoulder with pride.
He is awake, but has been staring off into space for 17 minutes.
Carrying:
Jerran's Guitar
Jerran is 21 Turns, 6 months, and 16 days old.
Kestria inclines her head briefly to Jeranium, the barest of smiles twitching
on her lips, but her expression remains serious.
Caramak bites his tongue quietly as the slightly late Journeyman pots himself
in a chair, and addresses all assembled: "Are we ready to begin?"
Jeranium makes some sort of assenting noise as if wondering what we're all
waiting for.
Jerran nods, looking from boardmember to boardmember, then back to Caramak.
He stands, waiting for an invitation to sit.
In the distance, the drums announce the arrival of Apprentice Denell.
Kestria inclines her head to the Master.
Caramak checks in with all in the room, then nods his head. "Alright..." He
turns his gaze on Jerran. "Please, for the archives, state your name, rank
within the Hall, specialty, voice level, and home Hold." He pauses, then
adds, "And then, have a seat."
Jeranium studies Jerran, squinting at the boy such that his eyes are nearly
hidden behind his cheeks.
In the distance, the drums announce the arrival of Journeyman Jayla.
Jerran nods and beggins, still looking from person to person. "I'm Jerran. My
currend rank is Apprentice and my specialty is Art. My voice level is Bass
and my Home Hold is Benden." HE moves around the chair in front of him and
takes a seat.
Jayla slips in and takes a seat at the back of the room.
Jeranium peers, a bushy eyebrow accusing Jayla of being late.
Jayla snorts and thinks he should get on to the hungover rider she had to
drag out of his weyr.
Jeranium doesn't think much of harpers who hang out with drunk riders at the
Weyr.
Caramak nods to Jayla as she enters, then redirects his attention to Jerran.
"So. For your first question...Into the field of Archives. Given an event
to record, how would you go about doing it? Assume you were not there...For
instance, you might, or might not, recall how a few Turns ago, a Lord Holder
was killed in a Conclave. If it was your task to make a Record of the
event, how would you set about doing so?"
Beats walking.....
Jayla nods to Caramak and becomes serious.
Jeranium nods in some approval. Perhaps he recalls that Conclave.
Kestria sits ramrod straight in her chair, amber eyes focused intently on
Jerran as he prepares his answer. As Hold Scribe it falls to her to record
the examination and she has already begun making notes on a fresh hide.
Jeranium shifts his uncomfortable bulk, causing his chair to squeak
precariously.
Jerran's face looks filled with thought for a few moments before he begins.
"First I would find out who the persons that might have attended that event
might be. Holders, Crafters, Riders, and anyone else. I would send a message
by Firelizard to each, inquiering if they had been in attendance, and if so,
if they would send me whatever information they have, or if I would be able
to arrange a meeting." he pauses for a moment, "Next, I would compare all of
the recollections and pick out the information common to all or a majority
and create the record with that informaion. Further, to check my work, I
would send the record to those who were at the event to gat any furth feed
back before I handed it in."
Jeranium harrumphs quietly, his brows tangling.
Caramak listens attentively to Jerran's reply nodding along slowly, glancing
at the other Jmen to see if there's anything they want to add or to clarify.
Jeranium shakes his head disapprovingly. "Well enough," he responds. "Next
question. On with the exam," he directs.
Kestria lowers her head to record Jerran's answer, her stylus flying over the
hide in a shortform handwriting which she will copy out in long form later.
Caramak suppresses a wry smile for the older Journeyman's bruskly commanding
nature. "Well, then...Next question it is, also in Archives...Suppose you
were researching a strange topic...Say, the construction of a wood and
leather support to hold dolphins out of the water for purposes of Healing.
Where would you start, where else might you need to go, whom might you wish
to consult?"
The scratching of Kestria's stylus is heard faintly as she records the
question and then looks up expectantly at Jerran, easing her fingers on the
stylus while she can.
Jeranium mutters to himself, "Hmph. Everyone knows you don't take a shipfish
out of the water." and scowls at Jerran.
In the distance, the drums announce the arrival of Apprentice Denell.
Jayla raises and eyebrow and chuckles softly at Jeranium. "Especially if
you're set in your ways...." she mutters to herself.
Luckily, Jeranium doesn't seem to have heard Jayla's comment, which he'd
likely take as an insult if given the choice. But he sits, lumpish as
always, and frowns at Jerran while waiting for an answer.
Maybe Jayla should have said planted instead of set....
Jerran hrms... Thinking about this. "I think the first thing to dw would be
to send a message to the dolphin craft hall, getting as much information as
I could. The second place I would send message to would be the healer craft
hall." he pauses before seeming to think of something. "And the third place
would be the smithcraft hall, as they would most likley have experience in
the design and constructions of the support. And, after getting the
information, compile the report."
Jayla nods because that's what she would do. Yep..yep..it is.
Jeranium seems displeased, for some reason; perhaps it's just normal.
Kestria scribbles furiously on her hide, nodding slightly as she does so.
Caramak considers Jerran's answer for a long moment. "Mmmmmm. Alright..."
He pauses for a moment to glance at the others to make sure there aren't any
other interjections, then continues. "On we go to Law, then..."
Jerran nods quietly.
Jayla rubs her hands together, "Ah, law.....let's see how much he knows in
this subject."
Jeranium puffs up a little as he sighs gustily.
Caramak taps his fingers very lightly, silently on the desk in front of him.
"You recall, I'm sure, the brawl in the Mug involving several Harpers and
that resident by the name of Jayce..." He pauses and leans forward over his
desk. "Now. You were involved in that. So. Tell us, in your own words,
why the Harper involvement in that brawl was bad for the Craft. /Not/
whether you think it was justified, or whether you think it was right, but
why it hurt the Craft." He taps the desk a few times to emphasize his
speaking.
Milo glides in from the ballroom.
Jeranium nods in definite approval - probably the sharpest movement he's made
in years.
Jayla leans forward on the edge of her seat and arches an eyebrow. She
/definitely/ wants to hear the apprentice's answer to that one.
In the distance, the drums announce the departure of Journeyman Jueann.
Jeranium's chair creaks again, warning him that if he doesn't stop shifting,
he'll be in trouble.
Kestria ceases her scribbling suddenly as she raises her eyes to Jerran,
piercing him where he sits.
Jeranium gets impatient as he waits. "Well, answer, boy," he says harshly.
>hj You know, I think it's dangerous for me to play a character that's naturally rude and inconsiderate. ;)
Jerran seems about to say something, but stops himself and pauses a moment
before speaking. "The greatest reason I can see is the reputation and
people's view of the hall. The way the fight might've tarnished the
aforementioned. I personoly wouldn't think much of a craft in which it
seemed the apprentices were wild and uncontollable, as people might've
thought we were if they weren't there..." he cuts off that line of speach.
"I think that is the way it would hurt the craft."
Jayla chokes and sputters, "Seemed? Seemed to be wild and uncontrollable?"
She starts to rise...and then remembers where she is and sits back down.
"Tell me, Jerran. What would you have done if you were the Journeyman there
that night? Would you have tried to stop the fight?"
Jeranium clears his throat. "Don't you forget, lad. Harpers are _always_
_impartial_." He gesticulates with a thick, marshmallow-like finger as he
glares beneath prominent eyebrows.
Jerran turns to stare at Jayla. "I would have tried to stop it, yes. But we
did try...." He cuts himself off and turns forward again, looking down.
Caramak considers Jerran's answer slowly and nods just slightly at Jeranium's
response, but holds silent to hear what answer the Apprentice makes.
Milo looks on with interest. He's not sure what's going on but his pet seems
interested
Caramak taps his fingers on the desk again. "Well, you've said why it would
hurt /a/ Craft in general, but not why the Harpercraft in particular...And
/that's/ the real issue, that Jeranium pointed out so adroitly..."
Jayla blinks, "Hmmm.....what would you have done.....as a Journeyman with the
responsbility of the safety of 3 apprentices and the reputation of the Hall
on the line.....what would you have done that night?"
Jeranium nods to Caramak approvingly and harrumphs down in his chair, causing
it to squeak _again_. (maybe he should get it fixed.)
Kestria turns back to writing, but her ears are trained on the questions and
answers which flow fast and furious. In her agitation she sneaks a peek at
Jeranium, almost daring a glare... that squeak is soooo annoying.
Jerran looks first to Caramak and nods. "IT is true. We are all supposed to
be unpartial, which we were not that night." he then turns to Jayla. "I
would have tried to stop the fightm and taken the pprentices back to the
hall..." He stops, still looking a bit flustered.
Caramak drums his fingers on the desk just once more. "The two things that
are really the crux of the issue here for the HarperHall, at least as I see
it, are first, the possible tarnish on the image of Harper neutrality, and
second, a slight weakening in that old and very useful ideal that it's not
safe to attack Harpers /because/ of our impartiality..."
Jayla remembers something else she was supposed to be doing and slips out the
door after an encouraging wink to Jerran.
Jayla walks out into the ballroom.
Jerran nods understandingly toward Caramak.
Caramak hmms quietly and taps his fingers once again. "Alright, then...Shall
we move to performance?" He glances down the line of other Harpers.
Jeranium sighs; apparently, he's too accustomed to his Jr. Apprentice
Orchestra practices to be terribly thrilled at the idea of performance.
Caramak smiles wryly at Jeranium's sour expression, but quickly covers it
with his hand, chin resting on the desk, so that he looks speculative rather
than amused.
Jeranium reaches his thick fingers up to scratch at the grey stubble on his
chin. "You think you're pretty good at performing by now, don't you?" he
asks Jerran, only mildly accusing.
Milo hisses at the fuddie-duddie harper. He likes a good perfromance
Jerran shrugs slightly. "Well, I suppose so..." he looks slightly nervously
between the board members.
Jeranium gestures with that same hand, waving it carelessly as he speaks. "So
before you start with whatever you're planning to attack us with, how do you
read your audience? What do you play, and WHY?" He points a stubby finger
directly at Jerran to emphasize that last word, then sits back, froglike,
and waits.
Caramak exhales through his nose in mild amusement, but a slight nod of his
head indicates approval of the question and his eyes seek Jerran to await
his response.
Kestria takes a moment to shake out her hand after writing furiously in order
to record all the answers and the most recent question from Jeranium. Her
eyes once more focus on Jerran as she awaits the apprentice's response.
Jerran looks about the room, from person to person before saying
anything."Comming into this room I would be thinking of expecting to play a
slower, softer melody... something that would be played at a formal ball. My
reason being that this is a very formal occasion, unlike the more popular,
quicker melody popular when I play with small groups and the dance squares.
Jeranium harrumphs. "Do I look like I want to hear something slow, soft and
boring?"
Kestria visibly winces and lowers her eyes to her hide as the expected
harrumph comes from Jeranium.
Jerran shrugs. "I wasn't thinking of something boring... that is what I would
chose for the occasion..."
Jeranium snorts. "And if your audience isn't interested in that?" he asks,
his tone almost derisive.
Jerran's expression turns to a smile, trying tow work tot he better side of
the discussion. "If I found my audience didn't enjoy what I was playing, I
would change as soon as I was able."
Jeranium nods shortly. "I should hope _so_." He crosses his arms, leaning
them against the bulk of his rotund chest/stomach.

--- END OF PART ONE ---