Apprentice Life

Apprentices are engaged in a rigorous course of study, attending classes on every day save restdays. An apprentice is expected to take his or her studies seriously -- those that do not invariably either leave voluntarily or are placed in jobs around the hall or hold which suit their temperaments and abilities.

This does not mean to say that an apprentice is locked up all day in stuffy classrooms. Assignments often require an apprentice to interact with the outside world, either through performance or other projects which may involve the hold or other crafts. There are also rehearsals and recitals, debates, teaching workshops, and the occasional gather and restday. Also, while excessive drinking is discouraged, apprentices and senior harpers alike often find jollity in the Hold's tavern.

Apprentices don't, generally, have the freedom to travel around as they please. There are classes to worry about, and all leaves of absence must be approved prior to any trip. This includes trips around Ista -- to the weyr, or Gar, for instance. However, apprentices are often sent as messengers or on business with journeymen or masters, so there is plenty of opportunity to get out. If a long absence occurs without the approval of a senior harper, it is cause for a review of the apprentice's performance and, depending upon the gravity of the situation, punishment may require that the apprentice be expelled from the craft.

Because of the focus needed to complete a successful apprenticeship, apprentices are forbidden to engage in romantic relationships. This does not stop some, who sneak out and tryst in Hold gardens or who pass notes in the passages of the Hall. It must never been done in the open, however, for while the occasional date may be overlooked by the senior harpers, anything more than that is cause for confinement to quarters and, worse yet, a good long lecture on dedication to the craft and the importance of study.

Harper Life and Craft Policy