Rules and Etiquette

Know The Rules of Wizardry There are three Rules of Wizardry that every Wizard should know by heart, they are gone over in detail during your first year studies in the class "Wizardry 100:Becoming an Apprentice" Question Authority - If You Don’t Know, Ask! Many wizards are more than happy to share bits of their wisdom with new people if they are approached with respect. That means don’t phrase your question as a challenge ("If you’re such a great wizard, why can’t you fly?" or "Why did you write such a stupid book?") and don’t go on asking questions for half an hour if you know that the other person has other people to see or things to get done. An adjunct to this is that if you don’t want to know, you shouldn’t ask. If you’ve already decided how you want to do something, asking for advice and then ignoring it will just annoy everyone involved. If you’re going to attend a ritual, it’s reasonable to go up to someone in charge and ask what’s going to be happening and what you need to know to participate effectively.   Be Helpful  Apprentices at the Grey School of Wizardry are expected to behave in a manner which is becoming of their title as Apprentice and as a good representation of Wizardry in the world. In so doing, the expectation that our pupils should seek to be helpful to not only their peers, but their greater communities as well, stands strong.   Offense—You Don’t Have to Take It Remember that there are a variety of ways of doing most things, and that if you ask three wizards for their opinions, you will get at least four different answers. Try not to freak out if someone else’s way of doing things isn’t like yours or if they have ideas that don’t fit your view of the world. Try not to assume that people who think differently than you do are automatically trying to offend or oppress you. And if you can’t bear to see things done any way but yours, stay home. Remember, once you get home, you never have to do things their way again; and if they were the ones standing in your circle, you’d probably want them to go along with doing things your way. On the other hand, by giving something different a try, you might learn something new and interesting that you will want to try again later. After all, learning new and interesting things is the point of the whole thing, right?  Addressing Faculty, Staff, and Fellow Wizards.  When we address a member of Faculty here at Grey school we add the title of Professor, Instructor or Dean (depending on the Faculty member) before their name proper, <Faculty title> <Faculty Name>. This can be tricky while learning who is who, but I’m sure you’ll get the hang of it in no time. Just in case you need a reminder, you can Click Here and see a list of the School's current Faculty as well as their titles. The Titles listed there will always be the most current and accurate. On the flip side of the coin, you have a title too! When  faculty address someone enrolled in our school it is  "Apprentice" or "Magister" <Your name right here>.Words have power and a title is a powerful thing, use yours wisely! The Wizard's Formal Title After several meaningful and academic conversations Between the Headmaster and the DoC on "in" vs "of" for the formal pronouncement of a Wizard's title in reference to their stage of Wizardry,  the following conclusion has been reached:   "In" will be used for the first three stages, as a Wizard is participating in that system of learning at the time. Like a boat on a river, the Wizard floats along the current of Wizardry through the stages."Of" is reserved for the Adepthood and marks the Wizard as a part of Wizardry. During the Adepthood the Wizard is retired, at least as retired as a Wizard can be, and rather than floating on top of the river, they flow as a part of it. That's not to say that Adepts  literally dissolve and merge with the morphogenic field of Wizardry. rather the title denotes the Wizard as one who has truly furthered the concepts of Wizardry and provided a lifetime of wise service. While subtle, the distinction between "in" and "of"  the first Degree for those who have earned such station among their peers is quite powerful and  indeed a meaningful achievement.Where would one use the long form of their title? I'd say at the end of truly important documents or for being introduced for an interview/formal party that you really want to show off for. To be fair, an Apprentice could even sign their work at Grey School using their formal titles, though that may get a bit excessive so I advise that they are best kept for special or important occasion.Below are examples of Wizards at the four different stages of a Wizard and their Formal Titles. Apprentice Edd - Apprentice Edd Lastname, Wizard in the Third Degree Journeymen Sally - Journeymen Sally Sirname, Wizard in the Second Degree Master Milly - Master Milly Familyname, Wizard in the First Degree Adept Andrews - Adept Andrews Aftername, Wizard of the First Degree  Use of Legacy Titles  It has been said that “once an Apprentice leader, always an Apprentice leader.” In many ways, this is true. Those who willingly take up a leadership role in service of their community should reasonably be expected to grow and develop as individuals and as Wizards through their experience. The skills and abilities you hone as an apprentice leader are things you will carry with you into your next adventure. Just because your tenure as Prefect, Captain, Vice-Captain, or other position has ended, does not mean that you will be exactly the same person as before.  However, it is important to understand clearly that the authority and power given to Apprentice leaders is cyclical in nature. It is granted for a time, and then it is passed on to the next person. There are important wizardly lessons to learn here, for the savvy Apprentice.  This brings us to the subject of legacy titles. Past Prefects and Captains are entitled to style themselves as “Prefect Emeritus” or “Captain Emeritus” in recognition of their past service. However, these titles are honorific in nature and should not be used in routine conversation or communication.  An Example of a (former) prefect's Formal Title:  Apprentice Edd Lastname, Prefect (Emeritus) to the <Name of Lodge Served>, Wizard in the Third Degree An Example of a (former) Captain Formal Title: Apprentice Sally Sirname, Captain (Emeritus) for the Grey School, Wizard in the Third Degree A former Apprentice leader -while still an Apprentice- in their day to day, use of the forums and in assignments should be referred to as “Apprentice <Name,>” as Apprentice is their title. Only the currently-serving Apprentice leadership should identify themselves as “Prefect <Name>” or “Captain <Name>.” ​