The Rules

(or. . . Some Good Advice)

This section is loaded up with stuff that Saher has been known to think is a good idea, but aren't necessarily the law of the land.

	On Puppetry:  You will do puppets. We are a puppeteer household.  If you are paralyzed by stage-fright and utterly incapable of speaking in front of an audience, it's okay.  Shadow puppets don't talk.  And there are costumes to make, scripts to write, and puppets to build.  There's room in a puppet troupe for performers, writers, woodworkers, costumers, metal-workers, and a host of other participants, but if you hang with this house, you will do puppets.
	On fealty:  Those of use who have a formal relationship with Master Saher, such as apprentices and "official" members of the household should consider carefully whether or not we should swear fealty to the Crown.  In the SCA, it is the privilege of all subjects to swear fealty to the Crown if they so desire.  This stems from both a modern sense of fair play, and an egalitarian desire for inclusiveness.  It's very moral, and very laudable, but it's not very medieval.  In the middle ages, few people swore fealty directly to the King.  Most folks were in fealty to the crown though the chain of vassal and lord.  The barons swore fealty to the crown, the lords swore fealty to the baron, and so on down to the lowest peasant and serf.  Master Saher does not forbid you to swear fealty to the crown, but he does prefer to be master in his own house, so to speak.  He would rather his household members, particularly his apprentices, allow him to swear and hold fief to the crown on behalf of the house.  Because he swears on behalf of the house and himself, you are still in fealty to the Crown.
	On Green Belts:  This one only applies to apprentices.  Master Saher prefers that we wear our Belts more-or-less at all times.  If you are entering a piece of garb in Arts and Sciences, and the belt is not appropriate, you're not expected to wear it.  In this and similar situations, it's okay not to wear your belt.  But most of the time, particularly in public, Master Saher wants us to wear them.  They are a public symbol of our commitment to one another, to both teach and learn from each other.  They remind the folk about us that we are a House, and to deal with one is to deal with all.  And they are a reminder to ourselves that we are a part of a House, and any mud you get splattered on you, is likely to hit the rest of us.
	On Service and Labor: This one also applies mostly to apprentices, although anyone who wants to be well thought of by the people around ought to take heed.  "When you see something that needs doing, do it."  When setting up camp, loading, unloading, washing dishes, or all of the assorted menial tasks that go into running a camp, puppet troupe, or household, be sure to pull your own weight, plus a little more.  Master Saher never asks anyone to do more that he does himself, but it is unwise to be resting on your laurels, so to speak, when he is on his feet working.
	On Personal Service:  Master Saher is low-maintenance when it comes to most areas of personal service.  He doesn't expect you to wait on him, tote his stuff, clean up after him, make his bed, or otherwise play personal valet.  Just don't wash everyone's dishes but his.

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