ARTICLE VII: AWARDS AND HONORS
Section 1. GENERAL INFORMATION
1. Awards include any order, masterhood, title, or knighthood.
2. Awards granted to a person are considered to be held by all of their personas.
3. No award is earned automatically and all awards are given at the discretion of those with the authority to give them.
4. The person granting and receiving an award cannot be the same person.
5. With regards to knighthood and the awards and positions that lead to eligibility for knighthood, the section on Awards Standards in the Amtgard Rules of Play shall take precedence over the Corpora.
Section 2. AWARDS
1. The Monarch and Regent may both grant the following Ladder Awards as given in the Rules of Play:
a. Orders of the Dragon
b. Orders of the Garber
c. Orders of the Lion
d. Orders of the Owl
e. Orders of the Rose
2. In addition to the Ladder Awards listed in the Rules of Play, the Monarch and Regent may both grant Orders of the Façade.
a. Orders of the Façade are awarded for outstanding role-play.
3. Only the Monarch may award Orders of the Smith as given in the Awards Standards in the Rules of Play.
4. In addition, only the Monarch may grant Orders of the Flame, Griffon, Hydra, Jovious, Mask, and Zodiac.
a. Orders of the Flame are for outstanding service by a group and may only be given once per reign.
b. Orders of the Griffon are for courage, chivalry, and honor on the field or in tournaments.
c. Orders of the Hydra are for qualifying in a number of Cultural sub-categories, during a single Crown Qualifications, as follows:
i. First or Second Order of the Hydra – a minimum of three sub-categories
ii. Third, Fourth or Fifth Order of the Hydra – a minimum of five sub-categories
iii. Sixth or Higher Order of the Hydra – a minimum of seven sub-categories
d. Orders of the Jovious are for having an outstanding positive attitude and may be given only once per reign.
e. Orders of the Mask are for outstanding portrayal of persona and may only be given once per reign.
f. Orders of the Zodiac are for outstanding contributions in a single month and may only be given once per month.
5. The Monarch may grant Orders of the Warrior. See the Rules of Play for requirements for each rank.
a. Orders of the Warrior may be displayed on a favor using the following color and animal scheme:
i. First Order on a green favor represented by a snake.
ii. Second Order on a blue favor represented by a boar.
iii. Third Order on a red favor represented by a mongoose.
iv. Fourth Order on a brown favor represented by a bear.
v. Five Order on a rust favor represented by a hawk.
vi. Sixth Order on a gray favor represented by a wolf.
vii. Seventh Order on an orange favor represented by a tiger.
viii. Eight Order on a black favor represented by a panther.
ix. Ninth Order on a purple favor represented by a dragon.
x. Tenth Order on a gold-trimmed red favor represented by a gold phoenix, also known as a master Order of the Warrior, or Warlord.
Section 3. MASTERHOOD
1. Masterhood is bestowed at the discretion of the Monarch for excellence in the arts & sciences, fighting, or service aspects of Amtgard.
2. Masterhood for arts & sciences, service, or fighting may only be awarded by the Monarch of the Kingdom.
3. A Class Masterhood may be given to an outstanding member of a fighting class.
a. The Monarch should consult the guildmaster of a class before granting a class masterhood.
b. The criteria for awarding someone a class masterhood should be:
i. Exemplifying the class. The potential class master in question should immediately come to mind as embodying the class.
ii. Thorough knowledge of the class rules and concept
iii. Good role-play
iv. Possession of quality garb and equipment for the class
c. A masterhood for being a Reeve may be granted to a member who:
i. Has at least twelve weeks experience as a reeve
ii. Displays excellence as a reeve.
Section 4. KNIGHTHOOD
1. Candidates for knighthood must have achieved the criteria listed for that knighthood and have the approval of the Westmarch Circle of Knights.
a. Basic criteria for each Order of Knighthood are listed in the Amtgard Rules of Play.
2. The Monarch of the Kingdom may knight candidates for knighthood into any of the four (4) orders of knighthood for the greatest contributions to Amtgard.
3. Achievement of the listed criteria does not automatically confer knighthood.
4. Leadership and the knightly virtues are prerequisites to earning knighthood.
5. The four orders of knighthood are Crown, Flame, Serpent and Sword.
a. A Knight of the Crown may wear a white belt trimmed with gold.
b. A Knight of the Flame may wear a white belt trimmed with red.
c. A Knight of the Serpent may wear a white belt trimmed with green.
d. A Knight of the Sword may wear a white belt trimmed with silver.
6. White or near-white belts and baldrics, spurs, and unadorned chains are reserved for knights.
a. White belts, near-white belts, and belts that are more than half white are reserved for knights.
b. Non-knights may wear chains with emotional, spiritual, or familial significance.
c. The Monarch, Champion, and Guildmaster of Knights shall enforce rules concerning garb reserved for knighthood.
d. Knights may wear a phoenix as part of their garb.
i. Anyone may display a phoenix as part of their garb if it is part of their Kingdom heraldry.
7. Knights may choose to take squires.
a. Red belts, near-red belts, and belts that are more than half red are reserved for squires.
8. Knights and squires may take pages and men-at-arms.
a. Yellow belts, near-yellow belts, and belts that are more than half yellow are reserved for pages.
b. Black belts trimmed in silver are reserved for men-at-arms.
9. A knighthood may be removed by a 2/3 vote of the Circle of Knights, a 2/3 vote of the Kingdom Althing, and the approval of the Kingdom Monarch.
Section 5. TITLES OF NOBILITY
1. The Monarch may bestow any title of nobility for serving with distinction in the offices of the Kingdom or for exemplary service to the Kingdom.
2. Although all titles are granted at the discretion of the Kingdom Monarch, the following criteria are suggested for members who serve with distinction. Service is at Kingdom level, unless otherwise noted.
a. Grand Duke (Grand Duchess) may be granted for serving two complete terms as Monarch and is addressed as “Your Grace.”
b. Archduke (Archduchess) may be granted for serving one (1) complete term as Monarch and Regent and is addressed as “Your Grace.”
c. Duke (Duchess) may be granted for serving one complete term as Monarch and is addressed as “Your Grace.”
d. Count (Countess) may be granted for serving one (1) complete term as Monarch of a Principality and is addressed as “Your Excellency”. This title may only be granted by the monarch of a kingdom.
e. Marquis (Marquise) may be granted for serving twice as, or two of the three positions of, Guildmaster of Reeves, Champion, or Prime Minister and is addressed as “Your Excellency.”
f. Viscount (Viscountess) may be granted for earning the titles of Defender and Weaponmaster and is addressed as “Your Excellency.”
g. Baron (Baroness) may be granted for serving one (1) complete term as Monarch of a Duchy, or one (1) complete term as Regent of a Principality and is addressed as “Your Excellency”.
h. Defender (Defender) may be granted for serving one (1) complete term as Champion of a Principality and is addressed as “Defender”. This title may only be granted by the monarch of a kingdom.
i. Baronet (Baronetess) may be granted for serving as a pro-tem officer of the Monarchy and is address as “Your Lordship” or “Your Ladyship”.
j. Lord (Lady) may be granted for serving one (1) complete term as Guildmaster of Reeves, one (1) complete term as Monarch of a Barony, or one (1) complete term as Regent of a Duchy, or at the discretion of the Monarch for excellent and continued service to Amtgard, and is addressed as “Your Lordship” or “Your Ladyship”.
3. Nobles may choose to take a Page or Man-at-Arms in a similar manner as Knights or Squires.
4. A title of nobility may be removed by a 2/3 vote of all Kingdom nobles, a 2/3 vote of a Kingdom Althing, and the approval of the Kingdom Monarch.
Section 6. ORDER OF PRESTIGE
1. The Order of Prestige exists for purposes of role-play to determine the rank of each person.
2. Rank in the Order of Prestige grants no special powers or duties to the holder of a title or position.
3. The Order of Prestige is as follows:
a. Monarch
b. Regent
c. Prime Minister
d. Champion
e. Guildmaster of Reeves
f. Grand Duke
g. Archduke
h. Duke
i. Heir Apparent
j. Count
k. Marquis
l. Viscount
m. Baron
n. Knight
o. Defender
p. Walker of the Middle
q. Baronet
r. Lord
s. Warlord and Masters of a service order or class
t. Captain of the Guard
u. Scribe, Herald, and Jester
v. Current Weaponmaster, current Dragonmaster
w. Current Warmaster, current Cultural Champion
x. All other guildmasters
y. All other court positions
z. Royal guardsmen
aa. Squire
ab. Page or Man-at-Arms
ac. Peasantry