[MR] How to Make a Peer?

[atlantia at corwyn.net]

At 12:43 PM 3/20/2012, Douglas Grant wrote:
>I know there is the 'apprenticeship' concept (red-belts, 
>etc...)  But is it a performance issue ('I put my time in...') or an 
>ability ('I got mad skills...') or a temperament ('I can do 
>that...') or some mystical summation of all three?

More than "I put my time in" it can be considered moreso "quality" 
than "quantity" (although that's a factor too), but it's definitely a 
mystical combination of all that.

FYI no peerages (at least Atlantian ones)  _require_ that one be a 
protege', squire, or apprentice. It just often works out that way, as 
those on the track for a peerage tend to be doing the same things as 
those with peerages, or they want to formalize the teacher/student 
relationship. sometimes the peer asks; sometimes the "student" asks. 
It's all as formal (or not) as those individuals want it to be. A day 
long ceremony vs. "hey, you wanna be my squire. Ok? Good." and done with it.

>Corwyn (apologies, I can't recall the correct title right now...) 
>described the 'polling' as a process of the current members 
>submitting their thoughts/comments on the suitability of the 
>candidate.  What makes a person suitable?  I know that a term like 
>'continued excellence beyond the norm' is a good description but not 
>really explanatory...

"Corwyn" is just fine - no worries. Heck, I can't remember the 
correct title either :-)

I would say that for every peer you ask this question you'll get a 
different answer, because each person has their own criterion, and 
each Peer knows different things about each potential peer which 
affects that opinion. What's important to one might not be important 
to another at all. I know there's a desire for it to be specific, or 
have a specific process to follow, but it simply isn't.  At it's 
simplest, it's someone who fits in, in one way, shape, or form, with 
the rest of the Peers. given the eclectic nature of the peers we 
have, that's hard to pin down!  Really, it's those I consider my peers already.

Corwyn