Healercraft Changes

Greetings –

You may have heard rumblings about some changes that are happening in the Healercraft over the last month. After a month of extremely hard work (and give major kudos to your staff members, because they have done /amazing/ things in the short space of a month), staff has created and outlined a plan that includes some massively fundamental changes to the way the Healercraft works. Our entire focus has shifted in an effort to make the Healercraft a fun place to /play/, to encourage RP, to provide structure but not inhibit play, to provide the resources you’ll need, and to create an IC area that functions as ICly as possible. We will hold a Q&A in the near future to let everyone ask the questions or bring up the concerns they may have – while we’ve set forth new policies, such things are always flexible and open to change as the needs and desires of the craft change. This is why we’ve moved toward change right now, and it’s why we’ll probably change again in the future. Before the Q&A, however, we ask that you familiarize yourself with the new system. This will make it easier on everyone’s part. The Q&A is not intended to explain the concept of the changes; instead, it is intended to fill in the blank and give us a chance to clarify any areas that the files may not have answered, or answered fully.

What are these changes? There are many. I’ll summarize here, and point you to fuller helpfiles where they’d be useful.

1) Classes
– There are no longer any REQUIRED classes. We hope that instead, people will choose to RP classes because they are interesting, and that by erasing the need to get large amounts of information out in a small amount of time, classes can be more open to RP opportunities and interesting sidetracks.
– The class structure has changed. You will be taking different classes at different times, and with a very specific group of people, ICly. This means that at all times, you’ll know which apprentices would have been in which class with you, even if they weren’t able to be there on-camera. Think of it, for example, as Threadfall – not every character is able to go out to RP it every time it happens, but ICly, they are there every time because it is part of their job. Apprentice classes are like this.
– Some classes have been merged with others to create new classes (Ethics and Etiquette, for example, is made up of Hall Basics and Ethics, as well as some new stuff). Other classes are entirely new, and you may not know the information at all. All class information is easily found on the Healer webpage – this means that, even though you may never RP some of the classes, you will always have the information your character should know at your fingertips. It also means that you will know what your character should be studying at a particular time, which we hope will give you fodder for RP.
– Please see ‘help courses’ for more information. I highly suggest visiting the Healer Webpage as well to check out the various class outlines.

2) Ranks
- We have rearranged the apprentice ranks, how they work, and added a new one. Apprenticeship now contains the following ranks: Junior Apprentice, Apprentice, and Senior Apprentice. They each last a specific number of turns, and each rank has a specific ‘job description’ that we hope will help you to be creative in your RP. More information will be coming on how we will divide the current apprentices.
- In rearranging the apprentice ranks, we have also given some thought to what each rank means – what they would be doing. Please see the updated ‘help ranks’ file for information on what it means to be an apprentice, or a Journeyman, or a Master. These descriptions are also meant to help you understand the role your character would function in, and to provide you with ideas to play of off with your fellow Healers.

3) Promotion
- This is perhaps the biggest change. As I’ve mentioned, there are no more required classes – this means you will not have to RP taking classes in order to be promoted
- There are no more required projects for promotion to Journeyman. You will not have to do a project to be promoted to Journeyman.
- In their place, we have a combination of things. The first is time. Each apprentice rank lasts a certain amount of time - Junior Apprentice (1 turn), Apprentice (2 turns), Senior Apprentice (2 turns). Each turn is 3 RL months. Therefore, every 3 RL months, we will have a promotion cycle. Anyone who fits the criteria below will be promoted to the next rank (First turn Apprentices will become second turn Apprentices, while second turn Apprentices will become first turn Senior Apprentices, etc)
- First, you must have completed and passed a short quiz that covers some of the things you would ICly be expected to know from class. This is not meant to test your knowledge – it is meant to be sure that you know how to find the information on the Healer Webpage. All answers to the questions are readily available on the pages.
- Second, you must have two staff members willing to vouch for you. This means that, simply, staff must feel that you are actively playing and that they do not have any major concerns about you. If staff has any major OOC concerns, they will be discussed and taken into consideration.
- Third, you must have received a certain number of ‘points’ from your fellow Healers. Points are given for good RP, scenes with fellow Healers, hard work on a TP or OOC project, as well as others. Please see ‘help points’ for more detailed information.
- If all of these things (seems easy, doesn’t it!?) line up, then you will be promoted that cycle, straight up through Journeyman. Promotion after Journeyman will remain on the same guidelines that have previously existed.
- Please see 'help promotion' for more information on promotion guidelines, both IC and OOC.

4) Insta Rankers
- We have begun to accept applications for Insta Rankers. This does NOT mean that everyone will be able to skip through apprenticehood. What it DOES mean is there is now an opportunity for someone to play a character concept that may only work as an older character. It also gives the Hall a dynamic that it has not had before by encouraging older characters and by offering a chance for us to have characters who have a different background – perhaps they trained at the Fort Hall, or perhaps they are returning after a thirty turn post at Igen Weyr. We hope that Instas will help create a richer, more dynamic community.
- Instas have very strict guidelines. Every promotion cycle, we will accept applications for Insta Rankers, and if we find someone we like, we will allow one Insta Journeyman and two Insta Senior Apprentices. No other ranks will be allowed Instas. Some cycles we may decide not to create any Instas at all.
- Insta Journeymen must be at least 25 turns of age and Insta Senior Apprentices must be at least 17 turns of age.
- Instas must submit an application that is much like a Search application – you can see it on the Healer Webpage.
- Instas must have a good reason for wanting to gain Insta rank, and they must offer a character that is significantly unique and interesting.
- Instas must maintain an average activity of 4 hours a week for the first promotion cycle.

Those, in a nutshell, are the big changes. Please, visit the Healer Webpage to see this letter in an easier format, with links, and to look at the new helpfiles, outlines, and other resources that staff has worked to provide. The Healer page is at www.dunnottar.org/healercraft - bookmark it, because you’ll need it! Please be sure that you have looked these things over before the Q&A, as we will not have time to explain things that are already written out – we hope, instead, to find any holes in our explanation and fill them for you.

If you have any concerns that you would like to make known anonymously, @send to *hinfo – this is an anonymous mailer that only staff can read.

As always, ‘help healer’ indexes all the Healer helpfiles, channels, and mailers for easy use. Before the Q&A, please be sure you have read: 'help promotion', 'help ranks,' 'help courses', 'help class descriptions,' and 'help points'. We hope you enjoy the changes and make the most of them! Also keep an ear out for information on a TP that will kick this thing off ICly!

- Healer Staff