One's Fra-nayan is a ceremonial trial to determine if an individual is sufficiently skilled in
Arcanomechanics to be considered worthy of the title of
Karframan. For most, it is equivalent to an artisan presenting a masterwork to the masters of their guild, but it can also be earned by developing a new device or improving on an existing design.
Examiners
A Fra-nayan can only be held with a quorum of examiners. This requires a minimum of 3 Karframana who are specialized in the same branch of mechanics that the person on trial claims to have mastered, along with one Karframan specialized in each field used in the device being presented. For example, someone who claims to have made an improvement to the enchantments for a
Runic Engine will need to have 3 specialists in the enchantment, as well as a master smith to examine the physical form of the device. However, a Fra-nayan will often have more specialists involved - one who attains the title with only a minimal quorum might well be considered to have only technically earned it.
Typically, one approaches each examiner forming the initial quorum privately to demonstrate their developments privately, which helps them address any concerns that might be brought up during the Fra-nayan itself, as well as helping point out any oversights that might prevent them from passing. Additional examiners are usually invited by those masters, and often have little to no knowledge of the device being demonstrated prior to the Fra-nayan. This demonstrates a candidates ability to think on their feet, which is generally considered an important skill for the title.
The Presentation
Whether the candidate is presenting a demonstrative masterpiece or if they are developing a new or improved design, they are expected to have a physical device to assist with demonstrating the results of their labour. Such demonstrations usually take place in public squares - many of these devices are too large to reasonably present inside. Additionally, a candidate is expected to have written both a summary description of their device, which is copied and posted for curious passersby, and a more detailed explanation to be provided to their board of examiners. The core set of examiners will have read this report in advance. Once everyone has assembled, the candidate starts by explaining the function of their device, techniques used, and so forth.
At any time, an examiner can interrupt, challenging them to explain an aspect of the device in greater detail. It is, however, considered bad form on the part of examiners to pose challenges at awkward times in hopes of throwing off the candidate, but a few Karframana are of the opinion that someone who can't handle that sort of malicious questioning clearly doesn't understand their device well enough to be worthy of the title.
Once a candidate has gotten through their explanation of the device and responded to the examiners' challenges - a process of several hours at least - the examiners in turn make some closing remarks, and state their opinion as to the worthiness of the candidate to receive the title. Officially, in order to earn the title, the candidate must have both 75% of the examiners in favour of granting it and the approval of enough examiners to fill their quorum; in practice, the vote is usually unanimous, one way or the other. Generally, most of the challenges posed are questions that have been asked and answered in private in preparation for the formal event, meaning that the trial itself is largely more a test of nerve than a serious questioning of their skill in arcanomechanics - in short, one doesn't get to the point of having one's Fra-nayan until they have already convinced their examiners of their talents.
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