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Craftmaster was the title given to the head of a craft. A Craftmaster was equivalent in authority and rank to a Weyrleader or Lord Holder.
Description[]
A Craftmaster served as the overall head of a craft, deciding craft policy as well as serving as the craft's representative in global affairs. New Craftmasters were elected from among the Masters of a craft, following the death or retirement of their predecessor. An outgoing Craftmaster could select their successor, but the successor would require approval from the remaining Masters of a craft. A Craftmaster was considered an expert in their craft and often was the only one with knowledge of certain craft secrets, though some crafts eschewed the idea of craft secrets in favor of open knowledge.
Craftmasters served as the leading authority of their craft, assigning masters and journeymen to certain locations as needed. They also were the final authority on training people in the craft, helping to assign apprentices to certain masters at times. Craftmasters sometimes had a craftsecond to assist them in their duties, who was usually an experienced master in their own right. Like other masters, Craftmasters had their own assigned journeymen and apprentices who worked and learned under them.
Craftmasters had the authority to punish members of a craft for crimes. In extreme cases, the Craftmaster had the ability to strip a person of all rights and affiliations with the craft. Outsiders who committed crimes against a craft could also face punishment from a craftmaster in absence of any stated affiliation from which to receive judgment.
The collective Craftmasters regularly met as a group to discuss craft needs. As the crafts were considered independent of the Weyrs and Holds, Craftmasters could propose and approve new crafts when necessary, though Holds and Weyrs would usually express some form of support for the measures. In the event that a Weyr or Hold disregarded the rights of a craft, the Craftmaster had the right to withdraw masters from a location, leaving only local journeymen and apprentices.
A craftmaster who broke Pernese rules could be removed by a vote of the other Craftmasters, though this was typically reserved as an extreme punishment for the most serious crimes. The assembled Craftmasters could then choose a replacement from the craft's masters. In addition, Craftmasters served on the Great Council of Pern, helping to decide global affairs alongside Weyrleaders and Lord Holders. During the Ninth Pass, Craftmasters gained the ability to vote on the confirmation of a Lord Holder. In the event of a formal trial, the proceedings required that a Craftmaster, Lord Holder, and Weyrleader oversee the proceedings.