To formally declare oneself an Initiate Hopeful, one must understand the magnitude of the commitment and have a sponsor.
A sponsor is a Knight or Lord Knight* who has known the Hopeful for at least one year and who has had no inquiries into dishonorable acts in at least two years.
In the event that no Knight is available, sponsorship may be undertaken by one or more Priests or Priestesses who have had a long standing relationship with the hopeful. A sponsoring Priest or Priestess is not responsible for training. This places a greater burden on the Hopeful, but can be a show of dedication.
*An Initiate can sponsor, but this is not recommended, as it places a great burden on the Initiate, who should be training for Knighthood.
By sponsoring a Hopeful, you are vouching for both their honor and their commitment to seeing this through. It is not something to be taken lightly. A sponsoring Knight is responsible for certain aspects of training including but not limited to: combat skills (or referral for training), study of the Code of Honor and the Laws of the Light, study of the history and hierarchy of the Knighthood.
When a Hopeful is declared, the date is noted. When one year has passed, it is expected that the Hopeful be prepared to show that their training is complete or nearly so (Hopeful status is revoked after 18 months. See “Redeclaring Hopefuls”) and be prepared to swear to follow the Code of Honor and obey the Laws of the Light on Midsummer or Yule, whichever is sooner.
An Initiate is expected to find training for Knighthood on his/her own. One year after swearing in, he/she should be able to show completion of Knight-level training and re-swear to the Code of Honor and the Laws of the Light.
While I greatly prefer either a Knight or an HP, I will accept others as sponsors. A Sponsor must contact me and explain their relationship with the Hopeful and give an outside opinion of their character and desire to see this commitment through.
