Grand Master Policies

ORDER TITLES

According to individual choice, members may be titled as Knight, Dame, Sir, Lady or Valkyrie, and
will also choose to use either their secular name or an Order name to accompany that title. The Order’s
forum on the Pool of Neheh will maintain a current list of members along with their chosen titles and
Order names.

ONGOING STANDARDS OF MEMBERSHIP

There are currently no additional ongoing standards of membership beyond those given in section
2.3 of the Order Constitution.

MASTERY

An active Knight is designated as a Master of the Trapezoid, in accordance with any other
parameters and criteria that may be set forth by Grand Master policy, by the Grand Master
when they have:

CHARTERING OF LODGES

The Grand Master or Chancellor will issue charters for the formation of Lodges provided that the
following standards are met:
1. The prospective Lodgemaster provides a full description and mission statement of the Lodge to
the Grand Master and Chancellor to be included in the Codex
2. The Lodgemaster provides updates to the Grand Master and Chancellor on Lodge activities on a
quarterly basis (on or about March 20, June 21, September 20, December 21)
3. The Lodgemaster assumes responsibility for the membership of the Lodge according to its own
traditions
4. While Lodges are strongly encouraged to meet as often as their Lodgemasters deem necessary
and beneficial, there is not a particular number of required annual meetings.
5. With the exception of the one purely non-geographical Lodge, Lodges should conduct as many
of their meeting as possible in an in-person setting.

NON-GEOGRAPHICALLY LOCAL LODGE

The Munsalväsche Lodge—when active—shall be the only non-geographically local Lodge of the
Order. As the Grail Castle within the Order, the Munsalväsche Lodge shall represent those Knights of
the Order who do not have the opportunity to participate in a geographically-local Lodge.

SPONSORSHIP
1. While II°+ members of the Temple are welcome to approach any Knight of the Ninth Angle
(III°+) concerning their interest in the Order, the encouraged paradigm for prospective members
 is for them to be invited based on observed suitability for the Order. That is, we should be able
to recognize our own in most cases before a prospective member has come to us, and should be
on the lookout for those who resonate with our ideas.
2. When beginning a dialog concerning potential sponsorship, the Marshall and the Grand Master
will be informed by the potentially sponsoring Knight or Dame of the Ninth Angle. The sponsor
should send the candidate the PDF file of the Squire’s Handbook and the information for
purchasing a hard copy (see https://xeper.org/otrapezoid/members). Sponsors may elect to
purchase a copy of the Squire’s Handbook for the candidate.
3. Periodic brief reports on the status of the dialog should be sent to the Marshall. A suggested
frequency is every 2-3 months; the Marshall will reach out to those known to be engaged in
sponsorship dialogs if, in the judgment of the Marshall, it has been too long since status has
been reported. Any questions, concerns, or requests for guidance regarding a candidate’s
process can be sent to the Marshall or the Grand Master at any time.
4. Sponsors are strongly encouraged to have the candidate write an article for Runes late in the
entry process, covering some area of interest the candidate has which resonates with the Order.
This article should be sent to the editor of Runes after the candidate has been formally inducted.
5. When it has been decided by a sponsor to bring a new Knight or Dame into the Order, the
Marshall and the Grandmaster will be informed. This communication will include a summary of
the criteria that have been used to judge a candidate’s readiness.
6. Per the Order’s charter and constitution, the candidate must recite the Oath of the Order in a
ceremony presided over by a Master of the Order, or a Lodgemaster. Alternate arrangements
can be approved by the Grand Master on a case by case basis.
7. A paper copy of the Oath will be signed by the candidate and sealed with fire during the
induction ceremony, and returned to the Grand Master following the ceremony. The Marshall
will send a sew-on patch bearing the Order insignia to the presiding officer prior to the
induction, to be presented to the candidate after the Oath has been sworn in the proper setting.
8. The Marshall will add the newly invested Knight or Dame to the trpzd-l forum.

ARTIFACTS OF THE ORDER

Physical items presented to the Order—or to one of its Houses or Lodges—will remain as property
of the Order when the person caretaking such items departs from the Order and/or the Temple.
Examples of such items include spears, Lodge hammers, shining trapezohedrons, artwork, and statuary.
These items are to be known as artifacts of the Order or Order artifacts. Artifacts also include any
items that are presented to newly inducted Knights on behalf of the Order, such as Order patches.
Order-related personal gifts from one Knight to another are not considered artifacts under this policy,
and such personal gifts should be clearly designated as such upon giving.
The Grand Master must be informed when any artifacts covered by this policy are presented to or kept
on behalf of the Order (or one of its Houses or Lodges).
If the Knight who is designated to keep and maintain an artifact of the Order departs from the Order
and/or the Temple, any and all Order artifacts in their possession must be turned over to the Grand
Master as soon as possible. Failure to do so will be considered as departing the Order on dishonorable
terms.

CONFLICT MANAGEMENT

Knights are strongly encouraged to resolve conflicts among themselves in the most internal manner
possible. Barring this, a third Knight may be called in to arbitrate the dispute, preferably one who is in
as neutral a position as possible and one who is well-known to the conflicting Knights. Conflicts are to
be officially presented before the Grand Master as a last resort.

ETHICAL AND HONORABLE ACTIONS

As members of a chivalric order, Knights of the Trapezoid are expected to conduct themselves in an
ethical and honorable manner. While specific standards of such conduct are not explicitly listed,
Knights are minimally expected to treat each other with dignity and respect, to honor promises and
confidences, to be truthful to one another in every sense, and to obey the laws of the lands in which
they reside. Issues of possible transgression will be discretely reviewed on a case-by-case basis. In
general, there are two classes of dishonorable actions:
1) Deliberate actions, which may be grounds for expulsion at the discretion of the Grand Master.
2) Mistakes, which can be corrected by the Knight taking responsibility for their actions, and
insuring that the damage is exceeded by the repair.

CONFIDENTIALITY

Only active Knights may take part in Order-only meetings or Workings, unless explicitly invited by
the Knight in charge of the activity and communicated in advance to all participants of such an activity.
Order candidates may be included in Lodge activities at the discretion of the Lodgemaster.
Only active Knights may be included on Order-only communications, although it is understood that
any Temple-related communication or documents are subject to examination under Temple of Set by-
law 4.10 (“Comprehensive Access”).