Dockworkers are often just people that live in the area, but there are a number of transients that find their way in and out of cities and ports like the tides. For the longest time we thought Farlington was another transient. It took us a while before we realized that he had come from the conclave just outside of the city. The man was born here just like the rest of us.
Not surprising then that ol' One Eye brought him under his wing and brought him up as an apprentice. That dwarf has always had a soft spot for the little folk. I'd think he'll turn out to be a fine young worker once he's passed his second flood. Then again, I've been wrong before.— The life of a Longshoreman.
The rank of apprentice means many things to many different people. On one hand, everyone starts as an apprentice and everyone remembers the frenetic pacing as they moved into the pace of dealing with dock life. But the experience of the apprenticeship, and the skills gathered from it vary wildly based on the instructor. Someone trained by a Longshoreman barely past their third flood will have a markedly different experience compared to a
Lead Longshoreman that is looking for a
Master Longshoreman to apprentice them.
This diversity in experience means that the guild has many different viewpoints and ways of seeing things. Those with newer instructors often see the organization as less reliable and more outdated in respect to the dues required. Comparatively, those with more experienced instructors often see the benefits of the due system and recognize the logbook system to be a massively beneficial system.
To Become an Apprentice Longshoreman
There are no requirements to become an Apprentice Longshoreman, however, there are many things that will help a prospective
Longshoreman.
Experience with ships or docks is the easiest way to draw the eye of a good instructor. If you have spent a season on a fishing boat or worked as a dock worker for a time that will help an Instructor see the merit in your abilities. However, if you live near a major port like
Moldatun or
Aegis then all you likely will need to do is walk into the local
longhouse, the number of Longshoreman in the bigger cities are enough that it's rare they have the ability to be picky.
In a city like that; all an Apprentice needs to do to get picked up is walk into a and say that they are willing. Any number of the locals are likely to pick them up as an Apprentice and begin the attempt of training them into a full Longshoreman.
To Be an Apprentice Longshoreman
There is no joke or jest here. The Apprentice Longshoreman has the most dangerous job in the guild, your chances of survival go up dramatically after your second flood season.
The Apprentice is expected to stick close to their instructor any time they are on the docks or dealing with ship-based work. This is to protect both parties as it's easy for an apprentice to get roped into work that they don't understand by needy and impatient sailors. Attempting to do repairs they don't understand is one of the major causes of death for new Apprentices. The Apprentice is also expected to fill out a logbook and verify their entries against their Instructor's.
Other members of the guild will often check on the progress of an Apprentice and might help teach specific topics that the primary instructor might not be an expert in, but the needs, responsibilities and survival of their apprentice remains their own.
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