Apprentice Healer Guide

Apprentice Healer Schedule (General)

Apprentices have classes on every day except restdays and Threadfall days. On Threadfall days, those apprentices old enough will take their turns on flamethrower crews as assigned by the Apprentice Master to suit the Lord Holder's needs. The remainder of the day is free time once released by the Apprentice Master. Restdays can be spent as wished by an apprentice, so long as meal times are kept in mind. The kitchens are not required to provide meals to apprentices outside of normal meal times unless duty or an emergency required them to miss a meal.

All apprentices must be awake and present at breakfast by morning candlemark 6 on days they have classes. Any latecomers will draw extra chore duties as assigned by the Apprentice Master or their dorm journeyman. A candlemark is allowed for the mealtime, then all apprentices must report to the Journeyman in charge of their morning chore group for that sevenday for the morning's assignment. One candlemark (7-8) is allotted for chores, but apprentices who finish early may use the extra time as free time or to study.

Junior apprentices spend the morning candlemarks (8-12) in classes for general healing techniques and studies. After a candlemark for noonmeal, they meet again for classes from candlemarks 13-17. Afternoon classes will specialize from sevenday to sevenday, covering the groundwork for the various specialties within healercraft.

Senior apprentices spend the morning candlemarks (8-12) in specialized classes designed to help them clarify their skills and decide upon a specialty once they walk the tables to journeyman. After a candlemark for noonmeal, they report for two candlemarks of Infirmary duty (candlemarks 13-15). While on Infirmary duty, a senior apprentice is expected to follow the directives of the journeyman on duty. Duties may include assisting with patients, changing bed linens, restocking supplies, cutting and rolling bandages, sterilizing equipment, assisting with herbal preparation, and any other duty deemed suitable by the journeyman in charge. From candlemarks 15-17, senior apprentices are allotted study time, which is to be used to advance their craft. The more inexperienced senior apprentices will be assigned projects to complete during this time, but any senior may choose his own projects once the Apprentice Master deems him ready to do so.

All apprentices are allowed a candlemark of free time (candlemarks 17-18) between afternoon duties/classes and the evening meal. This time can be spent however the apprentice chooses. The evening meal is served from candlemarks 18-19, and afterwards all apprentices must report for evening chores. One candlemark (19-20) is allotted for chores, but apprentices who finish early may use the extra time as free time or to study. From candlemark 20-21, apprentices are allowed study or free time, depending on their current performance in classes. All apprentices must be in bed at candlemark 21, and any apprentice not in his dormitory after that time will face punishment by the Apprentice Master.

Basic Healing Skills for Apprentice Healers

A Junior Apprentice is not normally supposed to treat a patient unless he/she is under the supervision of a higher-ranking Healer. Only in an emergency should one practice medicine unsupervised (an emergency means that there are no available Masters, Journeymen and the person needs help). This would never happen in the Hall Infirmary, but is possible if the apprentices were out on a picnic away from the Hall or something similar. If the injury is anything less than life threatening, then you should not try to heal them, but wait for a senior healer to become available.

First, do not try to handle things that your persona should not be able to do. Minor cuts and headaches are fine. Surgery is not.

Second, always ask the patient persona's writer what happened and what they want to be wrong with their character. If someone doesn't want a broken leg, it's not nice to diagnose one.

Third, treat it accordingly. Don't glob numbweed on injuries indiscriminately. Look into alternates to this policy in the Healer Hall site.

To be on the safe side, an Apprentice (Jr. or Sr.) who treats someone can send a copy of the copost to the Hallmaster for review. This is just so that there are no accidental postings sent to the list that are out of canon.

Apprentices are only on Infirmary duty when there are journeymen healers also on duty there. See assignments for your apprentice's duty time. All Apprentices live at Healer Hall, where they spend most of their days attending classes, studying, learning their craft, and doing menial chores. If an apprentice needs to leave the Hall for any length of time (such as returning home for a family emergency), he/she needs to notify the Hallmaster, Hallsecond, or Apprentice Master. Apprentice life at the Healer Hall is basically like that in a very strict boarding school. Male and female apprentices can visit one another's dorms, but only during the day. Any apprentice caught in the wrong dorm during 'Lights Out' will be punished. Apprentices share a communal bathing room with the rest of the Hall.

DragonHealing at the Healer Hall

Most healers at the Hall do not have dragon healing skills. There are several levels of dragonhealers at the Weyrs, each under a master Dragonhealer. Healers who Impress have the option of beginning studies as a dragonhealer, and most healers after several turns at a Weyr will pick up basic dragonhealing skills. A few healers at the Hall have some basic skills in treating flit or dragon injuries, but these fall under the category of first aid. Anything more serious will require sending for the local Weyr's dragonhealer.

Jr. Apprentice Healer Schedule

• 6-7 breakfast
• 7-8 chores
• 8-12 morning classes
• 12-13 noonmeal
• 13-17 afternoon classes
• 17-18 free time
• 18-19 dinner
• 19-20 chores
• 20-21 study/free time
• 21 lights out

Pernese Herbs and Medicines for Apprentices

There are no synthetic medicines on Pern. Everything we use comes from a plant of some sort. Most of you are already familiar with the most common ones: Numbweed, Redwort, and fellis from the Fellis Tree. There are many others, all of which you must become at least somewhat familiar. Use the herbal scrolls to learn what each herb does. One note: AN APPRENTICE SHOULD NEVER ADMINISTER FELLIS, or any other herb listed as for JM rank or higher.

Promotions for Apprentice Healers

How does one get a promotion within the Hall? First, check your persona's age and length of time as a healer. Considering the average Pernese apprentices at 12, the earliest age for Sr Apprentice is 15 (or three turns of experience). To earn this promotion, the character must also gain the Hallmaster's approval. To make Jr Journeyman, one must be 18, or have 6 turns of experience and gain the Hallmaster's approval. For Sr Journeyman, one must be at least 21, or have 9 turns of experience and gain the Hallmaster's approval. For Master, club government must first approve a need for an additional Master, and the Hallmaster must approve the promotion to Master. The promotion is then put to the Hall's healers for a vote. It is strongly preferred that a member already have a senior journeyman/woman who is at least 30 and has at least 18 turns of experience before trying for Master.

Secondly, learn the basic Pernese herbs, how they are used, and what they do. You don't have to memorize them - that's what the herbal scrolls are for. But if you've earned a reputation for repeatedly slapping numbweed on every injury, you're unlikely to gain a promotion. The herbs are the basis for the healercraft, and one must post correctly with them.

Thirdly, post with your persona as a healer - get noticed. The Hallmaster is not going to approve a promotion for a healer if the first question when the persona name is brought up is "Who's that?"

Sr. Apprentice Healer Schedule

• 6-7 breakfast
• 7-8 chores
• 8-12 morning classes
• 12-13 noon meal
• 13-15 Infirmary duty
• 15-17 study time
• 17-18 free time
• 18-19 dinner
• 19-20 chores
• 20-21 study/free time
• 21 lights out

Who is in charge of my apprentice healer at the Healer Hall?

In an attempt to consolidate the usual questions into one long FAQ, this information is presented in a very out of character fashion. Included are things that won't come up in normal club play, but that a member writing for a healer should know.

At Healer Hall, there are several people in authority over apprentices. While the Hallmaster may occasionally teach a class or review an apprentice's progress, he doesn't usually interact on a daily basis with the apprentices. The Hallsecond is specifically in charge of the Infirmary and the journeymen. If an apprentice messes up while on Infirmary duty, the Hallsecond will be the one to mete out punishment. Outside of the Infirmary, the apprentices fall under the rule of the Master of Apprentices. Skipping classes, playing pranks, and other inappropriate behavior will fall under the Appy Master's region for punishment. Additionally, each apprentice dorm has a junior journeyman advisor, who can also provide guidance and/or punishment for activities outside of class and the Infirmary.