Caretaker

A caretaker is that individual that has bonded to Elandwin or one of her seedlings and thus has the duel purpose of leading the peoples in his/her care both spiritually, as the guardian of Elandwin or one of her seedlings, and physically, as would be typical of a regional governor. The duties are in some places region specific but each caretaker has a set of central powers and responsibilities their positions are based upon.

## Spiritual Duties

The caring for Elandwin or her progeny includes the need for the mastery of several magical rights. If planted a seedling will not grow without being first "activated" through a series of spells and an initial donation of will and energy from the planter who is to become the first caretaker of that seed. Upon the initial donation of that energy the soul of the initial caretaker is bound to the seed, this in effect ties them together and if either becomes to distant from the other physical side effects are felt by both in proportion to the distance they are apart. Because of this once a caretaker is bound to a seedling or Elandwin herself they can not leave the city in which that individual is based for any prolonged period of time. This has produced a system in which much trust is placed in the caretakers apprentices who carry out most if not all duties outside the elven cities. Upon the passing of one caretaker his/her selected apprentice takes the magical rights and binds his/herself to the seedling, it is suspected that if a seedling were to go over two months without a new bond being formed it would perish and that if any caretaker were to spend more than two months away from their seedling they would perish.

The unique bond that caretakers have with a seedling directly links to their ability and responsibility to direct the energies of the provincial peoples during the Sunday chants. While any mage versed in deep elven earth magic has the ability to effect natural growth patterns it is only the special bond that a caretaker has with nature through the seedling and Elandwin that allows them to direct so much energy and have such an effect on such a large city/province wide scale. Each caretaker can shape and produce from nature more than any typical mage and shape natural forms and items beyond the ability of any typical mage. Their ability is what allows for the shaping of the traditional deep elven tree homes and buildings and other large natural city forms such as bridges and roads. While the current cities are the product of hundreds of years of focused growth without the connection of a caretaker it may take a typical mage a lifetime to shape a single tree home.

## Apprentices

Apprentices are chosen by local caretakers from among the mage population and each caretaker may have several apprentices at one time one of which is chosen to be the caretakers successor who is to bond with the seedling upon the current caretakers passing. Due to the mobility limitations of the caretakers of the various provinces the apprentices are given much in the way of responsibility and vital duties. The caretaker is directly responsible for all law enforcement and related responsibilities within the city but in distant parts of the provinces it is expected of apprentices to be deputized and to keep the peace/make minor judicial decisions(decisions that can be appealed up the chain to the caretaker and then up to the central caretaker) and fulfill basic administrative functions through out the province. The apprentices are also expected to fulfill military services with the local head apprentice leading provincial forces in the service of the central caretaker.

## Mundane Duties

These are the duties that may differ between the major cities of Eland, the caretaker of Fammel teaches at the mage college and is expected to see to assist with its administration in addition to his normal duties a task not expected of other caretakers as the only mage college in Eland resides in the city of Fammel. But aside from these differing regional duties each caretaker has a set of required mundane tasks that they all preform, these include but are not limited to:

- training apprentices for the tasks of state administration

- carrying out of capital punishment in the rare instances it is needed

- city planning and the direction of city growth to meet the needs of the population

- seeing to policing and general law enforcement

- holding of the post Sunday chant seedling hall where citizens can voice their concerns and make heard their needs directly to the caretakers

- consecration of any individual not born under the jurisdiction of a seedling of Elandwin and thus granting citizenship

- the overseeing of the granting of citizenry tattoos to those that come of consecration age (10 years old)

Duties that need to be preformed outside the cities are seen to by the apprentices of the caretaker due to their mobility issues relating to their position.

## Appointment and Apprenticeship

Once accepted the selection to apprenticeship under a caretaker is expected to be a lifetime appointment unless that apprentice themselves becomes a caretaker or unless released of their duties as apprentice. Apprentices generally live in the caretakers residence in the city or for short stints outside in the rural provincial lands.

Apprentices are chosen from among the mage population and often times caretakers will take trips to the mage college at fammel, prospects will be brought to the cities, or a wandering mage will find service with the caretaker. In order to become an apprentice it is desired but not required for the individual to be magically attuned, but as the becoming of central caretaker requires magical talent no non-mage can become the head apprentice and designated successor of the caretaker. If a caretaker dies without an apprentice having been selected as successor the central caretaker generally chooses a new caretaker from among the remaining apprentices.