I have always put my players through a real Drenn Test when the time has come. Many have failed, but some have eventually made it.The test consists of 6 parts that can give positive or negative points to the character. If a certain limit is reached (say 100), the test is a success. This result is however not posted at the Drenn Wall until a month later, to further anguish the tauther.
I plan to make this test better one day, but will here post the general layout of the test procedure. (No, the questions and exact rules are not included, as I know one of my players is up for the test soon!!)
I am grateful for any additional ideas from all you sholaris out there to make this test more intense and exciting.
Part 1 The Interviewer
A couple of dice rolls determin the interviewers disposition towards the tauther. Are they of the same race, culture, social caste? Is it a bad day for the interviewer or is he simply a mean old man? Does he favour the character? etc. The character is normally allowed to roll against his SOCIAL stat or any other kind of appropriate interaction skill to influence this (kiss ass).
Boccord and muadra will often find it tougher here due to prejudice.
Part 2 Tale of the copras
The tauther has to tell the interviewer about the copras engraved upon his challisk or on the Drenn Wall. Who put them there and their status? Why they put them there (the deed in question)? If they did good or right? Why, in their own words, these deeds would add to the quality of a Drenn? points are given for how well they told a certain copra's tale and points deduced if they clearly can't remember important details.
Part 3 Resources of the Drenn
The tauther has to explain which his most valuable assets as a Drenn would be to Burdoth as a Drenn (basicly rolling for all the skills he finds appropriate and adding other factors such as social rank, rank in other cultures, important contacts etc. Note: High skills that succeed or other skills that roll critical successes give most points. Failed skill rolls give negative points. Don't call em, if you can't use em! Special skills are more valuable to Burdoth, such as language skills, diplomacy, oratory, iscin skills etc etc. Its up to the sholari to decide these.
If a tauther relates to his martial skills, let him prove it against a sadistic Red Cape through wooden sword fencing, wrestling etc.
Questions relating to arithmeticthe and the solving of puzzles are also common to test the wit of the tauther.
Part 4 Trial of the Drenn
The tauther will be given certain questions regarding his duties as a Drenn. (Collecting cletch, owning land, upholding the law, reporting to the kim, arresting diyorda, upholding the law, taking military command in war-times etc). These questions should relate back to the information found in the Tauther Guide and to the two periods of Learnt Drenn that the tauther must have undergone under the supervision of a Drenn tutor.
Part 5 Questions of loyalty
The tauther will be asked questions of a more political and patriotic nature to determine his loyalty and alertness. Some questions will be taken from the Tauther Guide, others from what politics the tauther has picked up through his adventures. They should be tricky questions with sometimes no correct alternative, two correct alternatives or moral dilemas (would you destroy an entire village if ordered by the dharsage?). Put the players to the loyalty test! Grill them! Ensnare them!
If the tauther survives the ordeal he will become a Drenn and undergo the official ceremony where his rank is declared and his challisk will be gilded. From then on it is OK to award him with loaned Earth-Tec (Dharsage Silver), grant him land, make him collect cletch etc. Make him FEEL like a Drenn but show him, that in many ways his world and his duties have changed.