Preface
Throughout our history, the cycle has repeated itself, never failing. There is a Master and an Apprentice. The Apprentice learns from his Master, and in turn, becomes a Master in his own right, finally taking a student of his own, to whom he passes on his knowledge and experience. This cycle must never fail, else the Dark Side itself shall fail.
These words remain true today in the Dark Brotherhood, and within Clan Naga Sadow. Young Apprentices are assigned to their Master, who in turn teaches the Apprentice the ways of the Brotherhood, and the Dark Side. As these Apprentices themselves rise to Knighthood, they too are given the opportunity to share their wisdom with new Apprentices. Always continuing the cycle. This is the Master Student Program, as laid out by Clan Naga Sadow.
Introduction
Becoming a Master is one of the many things young Dark Jedi look forward to as they complete their trials and become Dark Jedi Knights. It is seen as an honor and a privilege to instruct others in the way of the Brotherhood and the Dark Side. It is a great honor to see ones Apprentice take the final steps into Knighthood.
Becoming a Master can be a very rewarding experience on many levels. Beyond the materialistic rewards, which are great and many, successful Masters are viewed as leaders within the clan, and it can be the first leadership role many young Dark Jedi Knights have. Successfully mentoring students can lead to a wealth of possibilities in the Brotherhood, but being a Master is not for everyone. Masters are placed in a trusted relationship, where they have a great deal of influence and clout with their students. Therefore, it has been mandated that those wishing to become Masters meet certain requirements, to ensure only the best of Naga Sadow are trusted to mentor our new members.
This document lays out the responsibilities of the all those in the Master Student Program, from the Rollmaster to the Masters and the Students, as well as the supporting roles of the Clan Summit. It also covers the procedures for those wishing to become Master, the roles played by the Envoys, and much more. Any questions about this document should be referred to the Clan Rollmaster, Sith Warrior Derev Niroth.
Overview of the Master Student Program
As each young apprentice joins the ranks of Naga Sadow, they are taken into the care of the Envoys, who will ensure that each member is given the attention to answer any questions they have about the Brotherhood and ensure they have the tools necessary to receive their first promotion, Novice.
At the rank of Novice, the Rollmaster will contact each new member, formally welcoming them to Clan Naga Sadow, and inviting them to the Master Student Program. The Rollmaster and Envoy, along with the student, will work to select an appropriate Master, who will then be assigned to that Novice. At this point, the Clan Summit will transfer the new member to the same house and battleteam (if applicable) as the students Master. All those reaching the rank of Novice will be assigned to a Battleteam.
The Envoys will continue to work with the new member, along with the Master, until the member reaches the rank of Protector. During this transition period, the Master will place a primary focus on the new member achieving the steps necessary to earn promotions, and ensuring those members are active within the clan. The Envoys will continue to work with the members on various outlets in the Brotherhood, such as the ACC, various competitions, and other forms of activity outside of Clan Naga Sadow.
At the point of promotion to Protector, the Master will assume the full responsibility for the students progress, and the Envoys will end their formal relationship with the new member. During this time, the Master will begin priming the student for their upcoming Trials of Knighthood. Upon successful completion of the Consul’s Task in the Trials, the formal relationship between Master and Apprentice shall end, but it is believed and indeed hoped that this relationship will continue for many, many years, and that these members have each other to fall back on throughout their careers in the Brotherhood.
Duties of the Rollmaster
The Rollmaster is tasked with the overall supervision and administration of the Master Student Program, and his specific duties include, but are not limited to:
Greet all newly promotes novices.
Assist in and approve all Master/Student pairings.
Supervise All Masters
Make regular reports to the Clan on the status of the MSP
Provide guidance to Masters and Students
Approve all new Masters
Oversee the removal of unfit Masters
Continuously document the Program
Duties of the Envoys
The Envoys serve as the beginning of the Master Student Program, providing the integral initial training and information to new members of the Clan. In their role, they teach the very basics to each member. The specific duties of the Envoys include:
Welcome and greet each new member of the Clan (CCing the Rollmaster on each initial contact)
Forward the Join Email to the Rollmaster
Ensure each member is given the necessary resources to ensure they are able to reach the rank of Novice.
At the rank of Novice, work with the Rollmaster in finding a suitable Master for each student.
Ensure that each student is encouraged to join the Master Student Program
Ensure the transition from Envoys to MSP is handled as smoothly as possible
Support Masters, as needed, throughout the students path
Duties of the Masters
The masters, after being selected, work without much supervision, and are trusted to mentor his students without the need for constant oversight. The master does have a wealth of responsibilities throughout the career of his student. The exact duties of a Master are not covered in this document, nor are they publicly available to the clan. However, these select duties are included in this document:
Report not less then every two weeks to the Rollmaster, detailing the progress their student(s) have made in that time period
Complete any and all duties mandated in the Trials
Set a good example for their students
Duties of the Students
While joining the Master Student Program is not a requirement, it is very strongly encouraged for all new members joining Naga Sadow. Because of this, a very large amount of time and dedication is placed into this program by the Masters and Rollmaster. For this reason, it is expected that each Student in the program will follow a few basic rules:
Ensure communication is maintained on a regular basis with the assigned Master
Contact the Rollmaster if unable to contact assigned Master for over three days
Report no less then bi-weekly to your Master
Make every possible effort to follow the time restraints as laid out in the Promotion Trials
Entering and Leaving
Entering the Master Student Program
Students enter the Master Student Program upon achieving the rank of Novice, and receiving an invitation from the Clan Rollmaster. Any student who does not enter the program in this fashion, for whatever reason, may petition the Rollmaster for entry into the Program. No member may enter the program after attaining the rank of Jedi Hunter.
Leaving the Master Student Program
Members may, at their leisure, opt to remove themselves from the Master Student Program by emailing the Rollmaster. However, it should be noted that a member that leaves the Master Student Program will not be able to return, barring extreme circumstances. If a member has a problem with their Master, they should immediately report the problem to the Rollmaster.
Becoming a Master
Members who have attained the rank of Dark Jedi Knight have the privilege of becoming Masters. However, this process is not to be taken lightly. Any member wishing to become a Master should first meet these requirements:
Achieve the rank of Dark Jedi Knight (or higher)
Have served continuously to present day in Clan Naga Sadow, for at least four months *
Have never been found guilty of a charge before the Chamber of Justice **
Possess an email response time of, at the very most, 72 hours
Possess, at the very least, a minimal IRC presence
Ability and willingness to report to the Rollmaster at least twice per month
The ability to perform all expectations of a Master in this document
- Members who have accepted positions outside of the clan, but not in another clan (such as a Dark Council position), are free to continue to serve as Masters within Clan Naga Sadow. Upon leaving said position, the member must return directly to Naga Sadow to maintain their status as a Master.
- Individual cases will be reviewed on a case by case basis, in an attempt to determine if the offense would have any bearing on the expectations of a Master in this program.
Members who meet these requirements should petition the Clan Rollmaster for entry into the Master Student Program. Please note that these criteria are not negotiable.
Removing a Master / Barred Masters
There have been instances in the history of our clan, where certain members have committed such acts, or developed a history of certain behaviors that are very much undesirable in this program. As such, criteria have been developed to ensure that these persons are not admitted into the Master Student Program, or allowed to continue to serve, should they be discovered after incorporation into the program. These instances are dealt with directly by the Rollmaster and Consul, and their decisions are final.