TestOfCitizenship.jpg
The people of Dawn suggested the Test of Citizenship as a way to ensure
new citizens were worthy of the benefits and responsibilities they recieve.

Overview

The Test of Citizenship is an Imperial test administered by members of the Academy. A child who passes the test becomes a full citizen of the Empire and confers on them all the benefits and responsibilities of such. It consists of a short spoken examination with the Chancellor of the Academy (or the Vice-Chancellor in their absence) to ensure that the young citizen has enough knowledge of their nation, the Empire and its laws and customs to make an effective citizen.

OOC

The test is designed to ensure that young role-players have sufficient confidence and understanding of the rules to begin role-playing more independently. Preparing and passing the test is intended to be an enjoyable challenge for young players attending events.

As with the Test of Arms, it is also an opportunity for us to make sure the parent or guardian is happy with their child becoming more involved in the game.

Requirements

The Test is fairly informal and should not be a source of stress or nervousness. An Academy staff member asks a variety of questions and based on the responses, judges whether the candidate is ready to become a citizen. There is no lower age limit, although most graduates are around 11 or older. The Test can be sat as many times as the candidate wishes but only one attempt per event.

  • A parent or guardian must confirm that they think their child is ready to take the test, and that they are happy for them to become a citizen if they are judged ready.
  • Parents and guardians are asked to register their young player as wanting to take a test of citizenship Friday evening from 1800-1900.
  • A young player must have attended one citizenship lesson before they try their test. They can have taken this lesson at a previous event to the event they take their test.

Assessment

The young player must be able to complete the main part of the test In Character, with a short Out of Character section at the end where young players can ask any questions about rules or character creation. The test will involve the following questions. This is not exhaustive and they may be phrased differently but this covers the key areas to be covered in the test:

  • Who are you & where are you from?
  • Who are your family/ group and what do they do in Anvil?
  • What are the nations of the Empire?
  • What are the five most important things one should know about your Nation?
  • Give an example of hearth magic in your Nation.
  • What are the Virtues and which is most important to you and why?
  • What is your Ambition at Empire and in Anvil?
  • What resource do you plan to take when you become a citizen and what do you want to do with it?
  • What abilities do you think you want to learn and what do you want to do with them?
  • What are the key Structures of the Empire and what are they for? (e.g Senate is for politics)

Timing

The Test is normally conducted in two periods. One on Friday from 1900-2030 and one on Saturday just after lunch. The Friday period will be reserved for young players who are over 14 or who have attended citizenship lessons at previous events. All other young players will be asked to take their test on Saturday as this will allow them to have a citizenship lesson beforehand.

Benefits & responsibilities

Once a candidate has passed the Test, they will receive the following benefits and responsibilities:

In Character Benefits

  • They are recognised as a full citizen of the Empire and as such have the same rights as any other citizen of any age
  • They can vote in elections, stand for office, and represent their nation

In Character Responsibilities

Out Of Character Benefits

  • They gain starting skill points as a new character and may spend them as they see fit.
  • They may select a resource

Further Reading