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[kahn1234]

He'd make a good Halbardier captain with those muscles.

I think we should give him a chance. Gauge him, let him shadow us and generally try to determine whether he is an honest, brave, reliable person who we could rely on as our squire.

[Maldevious]

He gets a hard, distant look to his eyes when you ask him why he wants to be a squire. "I never want to be trod on again, and someday... well... a soldier is all well and good, and your offer of land is incredibly kind... but a Knight... no one crosses a Knight lightly. I could care less for material wealth or other possessions. I just wish to become a Knight of great renown."

He flushes red, and looks down at his feet. "But I know I am being presumptuous. It's a foolish request that I shouldn't have troubled you with, M'Lord. I'm sure there are scores of eligible young nobles lining up to serve you. I just thought that, given where you came from... you might be willing to give me a shot at my dream."

[kahn1234]

Reassure him. i think he needs it.

take him on as a squire for a test period.

Gauge him, let him shadow us and generally try to determine whether he is an honest, brave, reliable person who we could rely on as our squire.

we need to be sure of him.

[Evil Marahadja]

Appoint him as our Page. Let him serve us, have Fin train him and test his physical abilities, have someone to start teaching him to read and write and to teach him noble customs. However before that, he will have to survive on his own merits for a while. He has to find somewhere to live, and somehow make a living. We can't just take the first farmboy who knocks at our door under our wings, how tempting it may seem.

This will serve as a first good test as well. (Will he be able to both make a living for himself and have time for his training and study?)

[Iituem]

Appoint him as our Page. Let him serve us, have Fin train him and test his physical abilities, have someone to start teaching him to read and write and to teach him noble customs. However before that, he will have to survive on his own merits for a while. He has to find somewhere to live, and somehow make a living. We can't just take the first farmboy who knocks at our door under our wings, how tempting it may seem.

This will serve as a first good test as well. (Will he be able to both make a living for himself and have time for his training and study?)

+1 to this.

[Gervassen]

"Your birth and station are no slight in my eyes, but I must make sure that my squire can develop as a true knight. There is more to being a knight that earning renown in battle. Tell me the virtues of a true knight as you see them."

[Maldevious]

Luther thinks for a moment. "A true Knight defends those who cannot defend themselves. A true Knight is a beacon of hope for those around him, a pillar of strength for common people to rely on in times of trouble. A true Knight is a master of himself in all areas of his life."

You sit back, considering the young man's answer. You think briefly about taking him on as a page, but a small part of you knows that he is far too old to be one. You estimate that he must be at least 16 or 17, while most pages start their service at the age of 7 or 8. What will you do?

[Gervassen]

"Well said, and that covers the fundamentals, but there is more to a knight than that. A knight must administer the land in peace-time, and inspire his people with gentleness and husbandry of the lands as well as brute strength. If I allow you to serve as my squire, you must make effort in understanding these aspects. Master these, too, as you would a sword."

Regard him a while. "Very well. You are my squire, but do not view this as an achievement. It is the beginning of an arduous trial that you may not pass. Nor can strength and skill at arms alone carry you the full distance. Go now with my steward. He will set you to the tasks of a squire. Learning much and quickly is your first battle."   

[Iituem]

Well... knights get quests too.  Let's set him one.  Or eight.

Give him six months to shadow us.  During this time he needs to prove himself in the three virtues he just espoused; Valour, Compassion, Sacrifice.  We'll add in the rest as well; Honour, Honesty, Humility, Justice and Spirituality.  These are quests he must undertake in his own time.  If he succeeds at enough of them to our satisfaction, we'll take him on as our squire.

Valour: A knight must be able to protect others.  Simply put, Luther must complete his basic combat training to our satisfaction.  More than that, he must actively seek out an opportunity to use his strength and training to aid others in this way.

Compassion: A knight must be charitable and compassionate to those around him.  Luther must devote a portion of his time each week to helping others, either through giving of his earnings as alms or by assisting local families with their tasks.  He cannot refuse aid when requested, so long as their need is true.

Honesty: A knight must be truthful and open.  During this time, Luther must speak truth at all times.  He may keep silence out of discretion when it might hurt, but may not remain silent when his silence will do harm.

Sacrifice: A knight gives of himself to others and thinks little of the cost.  Many lost as he did in the sea raider attacks, even here.  He must aid the refugees in building new homes and do what he can to assist and support those widowed and orphaned by the battle.

Justice: A knight repays like for like and sees no insult unavenged, save when tempered by mercy.  Luther will accompany us in court and both shadow and assist the magistrate when dealing with lesser cases.  Should an incident occur when one is needed to go beyond the call of duty in the pursuit of justice, he must take up that mantle and pursue it to its end, saving that mercy should stay his hand.  Luther may not engage in any unlawful or unjust behaviour, no matter how desperate the need.

Honour: A knight treats others with dignity and holds to his word and oaths.  Luther must obey any oaths he swears or promises he makes to their fulfillment.  He may treat no man as lesser than himself, even the most filthy of beggars or the most desperate or dark of criminals.  If challenged to fight, he may refuse no equal.  Luther must not engage in any subterfuge or deception during this time either, no matter how tempting, even in the pursuit of one of the other virtues.

Spirituality: A knight must be learned and listen to the wisdom of those who came before in making his decisions.  Luther must learn to read and learn also the copy of the New Testament you own.  He must spend a month with the monks at the Abbey (monastery permitting), living among them and learning what they can teach him of peace both inner and outer.

Humility: A knight must live without pretension to being anything other than one man amongst many.  For the last month of his trial, Luther must abandon all personal possessions save a robe for modesty and journey to Torchester to live as a beggar again.  He may only eat what he can find for himself or what is given to him.  He may not raise a hand to any man, no matter how they insult or anger him, save in defense of himself or another.

When all this is done, then he may become your squire.  And, you note, a better man than you.

[Maldevious]

Luther jumps out of his seat when you call him your squire. He thanks you profusely, promising that he will not let you down, and then takes his leave with Mr. Dent.

You loll about for half an hour until Dent returns, asking you what you wish of him. With the sun growing overhead, you ask for him to fetch you a light lunch, which you will have with the philosopher. Dent nods his head, and walks off. He returns shortly, with an older man who wears his grey beard braided to his sternum.

He bows slightly to you. "Good day, my dear Sir Stone. I am Gunther Agnacious. Thank you for the kind invitation to lunch. A meal prepared by another always tastes better, does it not?"

[Iituem]

Gerv:  Damn you, roleplay ninja.  ;P

"You know, I often find the opposite.  Unless my wife has supervised the meal, of course.  A pleasure to meet you, Gunther.  I understand you have been making quite the stir at market with your revelations.  Would you care to share them with us?"

[Maldevious]

Ah, missed that excellent suggestion, Iituem. You certainly have the ability to set him to these tasks, but will have to do so at a slightly later date due to my laziness in not reading the Ninja'd post.

[Talvara]

"It depends with which intentions the meal was made I suppose, A loving wife, a caring servant or an envious rival with a vial of poison, they all give a different meal. some more delicious than others. Good company also has an effect"

[Gervassen]

Gerv:  Damn you, roleplay ninja.  ;P

We wouldn't want to lecture the young squire at length anyway, not today, but those are excellent quests to mix into his normal duties. We were clear that there would be trials. Those are an excellent fleshing out of the "arduous trial" remark. 

[Maldevious]

Gunther cocks an eyebrow at you as you introduce yourself and ask him to share his revelations with you.

"I have traveled to distant lands, and translated the works of much greater minds than my own. I have been giving orations on the subjects I have studied, including the study of the stars, the relationships between measurements of various figures, the notation and composition of music, and the behavior of objects in flight."

What would you like to ask him more about?