Journeyman's Release

The time at which an apprentice is deemed worthy of obtaining his status as a journeyman in his trade is a period of great celebration. In order to achieve this status, however, the apprentice must present his journeyman’s work to his master. This is the finest example of the apprentice’s skills that he learned under his mentor’s tutelage, and it is also the only object that is considered the student’s property—the master owns anything that he made previously.

If the master deems the piece worthy (and feels that any of the apprentice’s “debts” are paid in full), he announces the elevation to his fellow tradesmen and immediate neighbours. It is tradition that the friends and family (if any are around) of the journeyman throw a small party for him. The newly named journeyman shows off his journeyman’s piece, basking in praise and getting advice from older individuals on what is to come next. It is tradition to avoid any criticism of the journeyman’s piece—a fine art has developed by which those who find the piece lacking in some way carefully choose words that do not offend the new journeyman (nor the master who saw fit to release him).

At the end of the celebration, the master offers the new journeyman three coins. The first is to be spent on the journey ahead, the second on equipment to prepare the journeyman’s workshop, and the third to hold onto, in order to remind the journeyman of the lessons learned and the price of such knowledge. It is considered highly unlucky to spend this last coin, and those who do so are believed to produce cursed works.

Source

 * Warhammer Fantasy RPG 2nd ED -- Tome of Salvation pg. 154