Knighthood

A knighthood is a division or group within the clan, used to facilitate better overall clan management and allow for individuals to show leadership qualities and abilities.

A knighthood is led by an Elder and Disciple(s), along with any additional knighthood ranks created.

Overview
There are currently six knighthoods within the clan:
 * Solis Knighthood
 * Maris Knighthood
 * Aeris Knighthood
 * Terra Knighthood
 * Ignis Knighthood
 * Luna Knighthood

In the past, there have been four knighthoods that no longer exist within the clan:
 * Umbra Knighthood
 * Glacis Knighthood
 * Keravnos Knighthood
 * Primoris Knighthood

Purpose
The various purposes of knighthoods are to:
 * Divide leadership responsibilities
 * Create better clan-wide organization
 * Create leadership positions
 * Create a sense of knighthood and clan pride
 * Promote activity
 * Promote leadership qualities and abilities

Elemental Balance
The clan and concept of knighthoods was founded upon the principle of elemental balance.

Every knighthood within the clan should represent an ancient mythical element. The clan will always have four "main" knighthoods, representing the original four ancient elements: Maris (water), Aeris (air), Terra (earth), and Ignis (fire). These knighthoods cannot be dissolved or changed. In order to ensure elemental balance within the clan, it is the job of the Grand Elder and Council to ensure that not one knighthood becomes more powerful than the others. If one knighthood becomes too powerful or too weak/inactive, then action should be swiftly taken.

In addition, two knighthoods also exist to further organize the clan: Solis (light) and Luna (darkness). Solis Knighthood houses the leadership of the clan. Solis Knighthood exists to ensure leader neutrality. Luna Knighthood houses the new recruits of the clan. Luna Knighthood exists to properly acclimate new members into the clan and to efficiently remove inactive recruits.

Any new knighthoods that are being added to the clan should represent an ancient mythical element, but it is not required. Additionally, the new elemental knighthood must be paired with another elemental knighthood to ensure elemental balance. The two new elemental knighthoods are encouraged to be opposite elements, but it is not required. An example of the creation of new elemental knighthoods is the creation of Glacis and Keravnos Knighthoods on June 18, 2010.

New non-elemental knighthoods can also be created. These knighthoods do not need to be paired because they will not disrupt the elemental balance of the clan. An example of the creation of a new non-elemental knighthood is the creation of Primoris Knighthood on July 7, 2010.

When removing an elemental knighthood, its paired elemental knighthood must also be dissolved with it. If the knighthood is non-elemental, it may be dissolved by itself.

Creation
Anyone can suggest an idea to create a new knighthood. However, only the Grand Elder has the power to nominate a new knighthood to be created. The Grand Elder must go before Council to outline and discuss the implementation of the new knighthood. It is then Council's power to then vote on incorporating the new knighthood into the clan (a 50% vote must be reached).

Removal
In order to dissolve a knighthood, the Grand Elder or a Council member must bring the suggestion of dissolving a knighthood to Council. A 67% vote to dissolve a knighthood is required. If the dissolved knighthood is elemental, its counter-element knighthood must also be dissolved with it (to ensure elemental balance).

If a knighthood is dissolved, all members within the knighthood are placed in other knighthoods best corresponding to their personalities, interests, and behaviors. The Elder and Disciples of the dissolved knighthood are immediately demoted upon knighthood dissolution.

Placement
Upon admission to the clan, all new recruits must be placed in Luna Knighthood. When an individual earns 5 AP, they are placed from Luna Knighthood to one of the main elemental knighthoods, based on their personality, their interests, their behaviors, need for activity in a knighthood, and their desired knighthood. The Grand Elder, Grand Disciple(s), and Luna Elder are the only people who have the power to place members into knighthoods from Luna Knighthood (the Luna Disciples have the power of placement if granted by the Grand Elder during the Luna Elder's inactivity).

It is the responsibility of the Grand Elder in this case to ensure that placement into knighthoods is evenly distributed. The Grand Elder has ultimate authority of which knighthood each member is placed into. The Grand Elder must also approve or disapprove of the placement decided upon by the Luna Elder (and Luna Disciples in certain situations).

Transfer
Any member can request to be transferred from one knighthood to another. It is the Grand Elder's power to do the act of transferring. The Grand Elder can prevent a member from transferring knighthoods if: The member must ask the Grand Elder personally to transfer knighthoods. Method of reaching the Grand Elder doesn't matter (in-game, on RS thread, on clan website, etc), but the member must ask for permission from the Grand Elder. Council may override or dictate a member's transfer with a 50% vote.
 * The Grand Elder feels that the member exemplifies the qualities of the knighthood they are in and shows no qualities or compatibility for the new knighthood
 * The knighthood being transferred to is too powerful/active
 * Leaving the old knighthood would cause it to become too weak/inactive
 * Too many people are transferring to that particular knighthood

The member will have officially transferred knighthoods once the Clan Roster is updated for that member.