Belegarth Guilds
What are the Belegarth Guilds?
The Guilds are open to all members of Belegarth Medieval Combat Society (BCMS). They are designed to reward the positive contributions of Belegrim, facilitate their growth as members of the BMCS, and equip them to teach the next generation. Guild membership does not interfere with one’s realm, unit, or squireship; Belegrim may participate in one or multiple guilds in addition to their other commitments.
Any member of Belegarth aged 16 or older may join the Guilds to learn and share knowledge. Members may wear a belt flag for whichever guilds are appropriate or use the symbol as a charge on other garb or equipment. Any member aged 18 or over may be selected to complete the requirements of their Guild to become a Guild Master.
Each Guild has its own Council of Masters that oversee the proper development of their guild. Any guild member that has earned their status as Master is considered a member of the guild and may vote on guild matters. Members may be chosen by the Council to become Apprentices. Apprentices who have served for a defined period of time and accomplished a defined set of tasks can achieve Journeyman status. Journeymen who have served for another defined period of time and accomplished a second defined set of tasks may can achieve Master status.
Each guild will maintain its own charter that must be agreed to by members to participate in the guild. This will contain a code of conduct and consequences for breaching that code including expulsion. A guild will not be responsible for the actions of individual members that are in violation of their charter, including poor business practices or illegal behavior.
Vassalship
Vassals are Belegrim who wish to pursue becoming a Guild Apprentice on a trial basis or wish to study under a current Guild Journeyman. Those wishing to become Guild Vassals should speak with their local Guild Mentors, Journeymen or their Guild Council.
Apprenticeship
Apprentices are Belegrim working towards becoming a Master in their guild. You may join a guild without choosing to pursue apprenticeship. Those wishing to become Guild Apprentices should apply here: Artificer form, Chronicler form, or Seneschal form
Journeymanship
Journeymen are Belegrim in the final stage of working towards becoming a Master in their guild. Generally Journeymen have been Guild Apprentices for at least one year. Occasionally an apprentice applicant is at such a stage in their craft that they may go directly to Journeyman if their mentor and Guild Council approve and their Journeyman application is approved. Please speak with the Co-Chairs Sven (Artificer), Kord (Chronicler) or Par (Seneschal) about what is involved in a Journeyman application.
Guild Councils
Each guild has its own Council that consists of the guild’s Masters. (Note: Initially, skilled and respected knights or national award recipients may serve as the Council for each guild. Eventually the Councils will be composed entirely of Masters.)
The council is responsible for any matters that require voting, such as accepting apprentices or advancing apprentices to the next level of their training. General approval for most endeavors requires a simple majority to pass. Regular members do not get a vote, though they may be polled by the Council if deemed appropriate. Council members are also expected to oversee the growth of the guild and be active in supporting the needs of its members. If a member of the Council wishes to step down from their position, they may do so, but forfeit their rank of Master. A Master who has been inactive for one year - no events attended or online presence - will automatically be considered to have stepped down. Council members who lose their Master title in these ways way will be considered an “Inactive Master” in their guild’s official records. A Council member may also be voted out with a ⅔ majority at any time if their presence is thought to be detrimental to their guild through action or inaction. Council members who lose their Master title in this way will be considered a “Dismissed Master” in their guild’s official records. If any Master decides to return as an active member of their guild at a later point, they may be reinstated by a majority vote and have their title restored without completing the requirements a second time.
Mentors
These are Masters that have taken on an apprentice or journeyman, also known as a student. (Note: Initially, skilled and respected knights or national award recipients may serve as mentors for each guild. Eventually the mentors will be composed entirely of Masters.) Mentors may take on more than one apprentice, but beyond two they require the approval of their council. Mentors are responsible for overseeing the development of their students. They are expected to document their achievements, suggest areas of improvement, and act as advocates for them.
A mentor is not responsible for the actions of their students, and will not be held accountable if a student is removed for the guild for their conduct. If the Mentor encouraged that behavior, the Council will make a decision about the mentor separately.
Guild Records
Each guild keeps its own records of members, ranks, and achievements which are open to the public. A mentor is expected to document their student’s progress. In the Artificer’s Guild, that includes the difficulty, quality, and completion dates of their projects. In the Seneschal Guild, that includes the hours of service, service projects, and their completion dates.
After reaching the status of Master, a member may continue to record achievements in their guild’s records. They may document their own projects but may have an entry stricken from the record if the Council objects to it. A simple majority is required to remove something from the records.
Members not on the mastery track may not record achievements to the official records unless an exception is made by the Council. At any time, a Master may ask the Council to vote to include an entry for any member if they complete a notable achievement. When this happens, votes about quality and difficulty may also be held if necessary.
Guild Libraries
Each guild keeps a library of tutorials, articles, and advice from its members that is open to the public. Items must be approved by the Council to be added to the library. In the event that a document becomes outdated, a simple majority is required to remove it from the library or replace it with a new document. Mentors are encouraged to request documents from their students that will fill gaps that currently exist in the library.
Regional Councils
When a Guild member reaches the title of Master, they may start a Regional Guild and local Council (while working closely with the National Council). The new Master should serve at the head of the local Council but may appoint other council members as they see fit, for a total of at least 5 but not more than 7 council members. The local council members, when possible, should be Apprentices or Journeymen of the appropriate Guild. The local Council may accept new members, promote those members to Apprentice, Journeyman, or Master status, and promote Guild interests on the local level. Masters in local Guilds should communicate regularly with the National Council and strive to remain in good faith with the National Council as much as possible.
The Guilds
- The Artificer Guild is the Arts and Sciences Guild (aka Armorcraft, Foamsmithing, Sewing)
- The Chronicler Guild is focused on preservation of the history and culture of Belegarth (aka Photography, Lore, Bardic)
- The Seneschal Guild is the Service Guild (aka Recruitment, Retention, Volunteering)