This is going to be longer than expected most likely, because this is not a simple answer.
As I wrote in my article on how I select a squire, I will state right off that I expect someone to constantly be learning and to be aware of their image interactions. “A leader is above and before all a positive influence.” People who come to this game and are not familiar with the LARP world or the game will often gravitate to people called ‘Sir, Dame, Lord, Duke, King, etc’. I want my Squire to understand that it is a lesser title of nobility and that they are already expected to hold a higher standard of conduct than their peers. I will not call them Knight until they are exemplary players of the game and are proficient in every major aspect of this society. That is a long road with a lot of various lessons and a lot of self driven initiative.
The basic routine things that I expect are for them to be in terms of ‘the basics’ are the first series of tasks and mentorships that we go through. I say routine, because these are ‘tasks’ and while there is a reason, they seem tedious. The reason for these is: to demonstrate ability and proficiency, or to find deficiencies and use them as a time to teach or have the squire take the initiative to learn and to have the background and knowledge to train and support other players in maintaining a high standard of safety and game immersion in the game.
Not necessarily in this order, my squires do the following as basic ‘entry level’ tasks. They will make a weapon and conduct weapons inspections on order. I will walk up to them and have them inspect weapons. (including some that I know are fine and some that I know are not safe) I want them to explain what they are looking for when they inspect them, and have the personal courage to tell me when my own weapon is deficient. Anyone has the ability to make a correction for the safety of the game, I want to know that my squire will have the leadership and moral courage to stand by their convictions to do what’s right by the players around them. They will make at least one piece of armor, learn how to maintain equipment, and inspect armor for safety, point value, and costume contributions. They will make at least one piece of garb, be able to advise someone on improvisational ways to get inexpensive basic costuming for a new player to not feel out of place at an event.
Some more advanced things that I expect as their career progresses include but are not limited to: They are to learn to fight proficiently with every weapon style. If practice can not be attended, we will work together at events. A prominent player in this game must know combat at all levels in order to teach others, NPC any role in an event holder’s need, and understand the flow of combat in the realms. They will also shadow a marshal and be able to marshal in a tournament, quest, or war. I don’t expect my squire to become a champion of queen of hearts or an order of the list competitor, but they will know how to fight safely and proficiently in our game. Likewise, my squire will also learn the spell system. They will know and be proficient in the ins and outs of the art and practice of casting. They will know how to use the spells of the game legally, safely, and effectively. They will shadow a magic marshal as much as often as they need to be able to magic marshal an event effectively. This also means knowing how to identify rituals or items that may disrupt the flow of an event and how to compensate for those either through marshaling them or making fair adjustments to an event plan. Again, you may need to marshal, NPC a caster, or train a new player at any point in time. My squire will NPC various different roles to demonstrate roleplay ability including possibly leaving their comfort zone. The role play dynamic of the realms contributes to player fun and the suspension of reality. I will know that they can do this in ways that may be unusual for them.
My squire will learn the basic intricacies of court. I expect that they will try dancing at an event where it happens even if it was just once to try it. I expect that they know the proper way to call people of royalty IC. (when ‘Your Grace / Highness / Majesty / Worship / Excellency is appropriate) They will participate in a bardic, possibly judge one, and show that they can contribute to the art of the game as well. I also expect them to be in garb and IC when at an event and contributing to the immersion environment of the game.
As the squire hood progresses, I expect my squire to show initiative and leadership OOC and IC. That means taking on a project which I may assign or they may assign themselves at some point. This might not even be a ‘spoken squirely task’ and might just be my observing them taking on a project or contribution, but I want to see a major OOC leadership moment that shows that they know how to take the initiative in a situation, earn the respect of others, and make a difference for the games betterment. With Jacob, he took on some major event holding and marshaling projects in conjunction with the development of Ivory and was contributing to several projects. With James, he filled a major vacuum in Blackwood’s rebirth and was closely tied with their development of the country under Ben. Both of them were major contributors to plot arcs, and major contributors to OOC leadership decision making processes in their peer groups as squires. Both of them also stood their ground when someone above them in their country or peer group was wrong, and were not scared to take the moral high ground even in the face of adversity to do what was right for the game. IC, I expect a knight to show leadership on the field. I am Knighting the Character in the IC order, and the Player in the game, in my opinion, therefore the character needs to conduct themselves as a Knight, a leader and a member of nobility. Someone who can rally people, makes decisions under pressure, and leads characters in the affairs of politics and possibly war.
It is my goal that by the time I Knight someone, that there is no question that their proficiency and conduct in the game demonstrate a high degree of ability, excellence in game play, and leave little or no question in anyone’s mind that they are the epitome of what it means to be a player in the game on and off the event site.