[Ponte Alto] Options for Award Structure Changes

[agnes daunce]

Thanks Corun.  You usually have a way of making things clear.

Agnes Daunce
--- corun at cox.net wrote:
> Greetings,
>
> I do understand it, but only because it was discussed in more
> detail at the Barony meeting. I will try to decipher this for
> you. I will also add my personal commentary on each
> suggestion, but remember, those are only my opinions, not
> necessarily yours. It's your mind, you get to make it up on
> your own. ;-)
>
> >Option 1: Leave the award structure as it currently exists
> >and make no changes. The current structure includes one
> >award, the Venerable Bead, and one order, the Order of the
> >Garland. This amounts to two tiers of awards.
>
> This should be plain, however let me expound. Currently there
> are only two cookies that the Baron and Baroness can give out
> to the populace. The first is the Bead (or the Venerable Bead
> for those who enjoy the pun). This is nothing more than a pat
> on the back by way of saying "Ya done good, thanks." You can
> get the bead a lot. Some people have whole necklaces of these.
> (Personal Note: The Bead was never intended to be an method of
> achieving the Garland. In other words you didn't automatically
> get a Garland when you got X number of beads. They are
> separate things entirely.)
>
> The second cookie is actually an Order comprised of
> Companions. This is the Order of the Garland (Ponte Alto
> choosing to go with a gardening theme rather than the usual
> fishie one most often found in Atlantia). You get this once
> and only once. This is a group of individuals who have not
> merely done good, but have done a LOT for the Barony. This is
> not only a service award, but can encompass many things,
> though I must say that it is mainly made up of service types.
>
> So then, Option I is to keep the status quo and do nothing
> more than these two cookies.
>
> > Option 2: (First) Retain the Bead (Tier I)
>
> This Tier I thing means the Bead stays and retains its current
> level of pat on the back.
>
> >Add an intermediate award (or order). This would be a
> >generic award, that is, not given specifically for any
> >particular pursuit such as A&S, service or fighting). It
> >would be given  for the same type of work and dedication
> >that the Garland is now, but on a less intensive level -
> >a "Garland Jr." if you will. (Tier II)
>
> The Tier II thing means develop a whole new award or Order
> that is generic in that it can be given for anything. Just as
> it says, it's a Garland Jr. (Personal Note: I think this is a
> silly idea. Speaking with past experience as a Landed Baron in
> the Barony of Storvik, and having helped develop additional
> awards for that Barony, I will state that too many awards and
> Orders dilutes the whole process. More on this later.)
>
> >Retain the Garland. (Tier III)
>
> Just what it says.
>
> In short, what you end up with in Option 2 is a Bead which is
> already generic, a second generic award or mini-Order, and an
> already generic Prime Order.
>
> >Option 3: (First) Replace the Bead with a Baronial "Award
> >of Excellence" or something along the same lines. This
> >award could be given to both members who live in the barony
> >and those who do not physically reside in the barony's
> >borders, but who play with and serve the barony on a
> >regular basis. (This is currently the case with the Bead
> >and the Garland.) This would be given at the Baron and
> >Baroness's discretion, though they would also still be able
> >to give out personal tokens.  (Tier I)
>
> Actually, this is slightly wrong. I once received the Bead
> when I was living outside the Barony. As far as I know borders
> have never hindered the giving of the Bead. And neither the
> Bead nor the Garland have ever hindered the B&B from giving
> out personal tokens of gratitude. However, what this is saying
> is to replace (essentially rename) the Bead and make a bit
> loftier in feel by calling it an Award of Excellence and maybe
> making a whole new token rather than just a pretty bead.
>
> >Add three intermediate awards or orders, given for
> >excellence in A&S, service and martial combat. This
> >follows the kingdom example of the Pearl, Golden Dolphin
> >and Sea Stag(or Kraken). (Tier II)
>
> Here we get onto the beginnings of a good idea, however in my
> opinion it's carried a bit far. More on that in a bit, but
> first the explanation as I understand it: The initial
> suggestion here is to create four new awards or Orders for
> Excellence (all by itself), excellence in A&S, excellence in
> martial combat, and excellence (or sheer quantity) of service.
> Ok, so we just created an Award of Excellence above, why have
> another one here? As for the others, certainly there is room
> for an award or Order (my personal preference) for A&S and
> Fighting. Why not service too? Read on.
>
> >Retain the Garland. (Tier III)
>
> As I stated above it appears that there are more service acts
> done that achieve the Garland than any other act, either
> martial or A&S. Here is a ready made Order for service. I feel
> that it can and should be retained in some form. This Barony
> has always prided itself on the service its people do, not
> only for the Barony but for the Kingdom as a whole. In my
> opinion it's the perfect this to do with the Garland.
>
> >Option 4: (First) Replace the Bead with a Baronial Award of
> >Excellence or something similar (Tier I)
>
> See Option 3, Tier I above.
>
> >Add three intermediate awards or orders, awarded for A&S,
> >service, martial combat (Tier II)
>
> See Option 3, Tier II above.
>
> >Retire/close the Garland. Replace with three upper level
> >awards or orders, also awarded for A&S, service or martial
> >combat. These would be awarded for work above and beyond
> >the intermediate awards/orders. (Tier III)
>
> At this point I'm hoping you all have an idea of where this is
> going. The Garland is closed and replaced with three new
> awards or Orders that supercede the three mention in Tier II.
> Personal Opinion again (Remember, this is my opinion, feel
> free to disagree): Here's where it gets silly. A Barony does
> not really need three levels of awards. Frankly I think the
> best idea so far, if the Barony TRULY feels it needs a larger
> award structure, is to go with a generic ya done good award
> given many times and four Orders (Service, A&S, Martial and
> sheer Excellence). In fact, the Orders (let's call them that
> since it really is more meaningful to belong to an Order than
> to simply have an award one can get many times over) are given
> once and reflect the Kingdom Orders of Merit (Dolphin, Pearl,
> Sea Stag, White Scarf). In fact, I'd propose that the Award of
> Excellence be given sparingly. First, it would be generic,
> encompassing service, fighting and A&S. Second, someone would
> really have to excell to get it at all. It would then become
> the top Order of the Barony. Sort of like the Kingdom's Non
> Pareil (given only once per reign and sometimes not even
> then).
>
> I hope that has clarified things for you, and I sincerely hope
> that my opinions will only do what they are intended to do,
> foment discussion. Go forth now and discuss, and remember the
> simile about a mind being like a parachute.
>
> In service,
> Corun
>
>
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