Crop Chanter

# Table of Contents

Crop 'Chanters

# Crop 'Chanters

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## General:

 An Akkorian
 Crop Enchanter, or ‘Chanter’ as they prefer to be called, is an
elemental mage who serves as a farm advisor and community elder for the
rural Akkorians. They advise on crop rotation and field quality, can
dowse for new wells, assist with managing livestock, and perform
blessings and traditional harvest/planting rituals to ensure abundant
crops. They can also predict the weather and can serve as an official
for weddings, funerals, and christenings although they are not clerics
of Soreth and Thoros. No Akkorian farmer would dare begin the harvest or planting season without first consulting his local Chanter.

## Devices and Uniforms:

 None – they wear practical farm clothing and hand-me-downs.

## Goal:

 Help rural Akkorian communities be prosperous

## Territory:

 Throughout rural Akkoria, sometimes in Akkorian communities elsewhere

## Genesis:

 Crop Enchanting
has its’ roots in hedge magic being employed for the good of the
community dating back to the years prior to the Akkorian calendar during
 the Great Famine. Those with elemental powers would travel to the
impoverished farmlands to help with the harvest and getting the best
yield possible. Since they were travelling so much and unable to work
their own land or craft, they were given whatever food or goods they
needed by those they helped. When they found others with the skill, they
 passed on what they had learned to prevent a second Famine.

## Past:

 With strong ties to Myere
 to the south, Crop 'Chanters have introduced improved strains of wheat
and other grains to their Steaddings, helping Akkoria strengthen itself
agriculturally

## Present:

 Every rural
Akkorian community has its’ own local ‘Chanter who meets their needs.
Many of the Chanters act as elders in their ‘Steaddings’ and some have
even been granted Citizenship for their services to the Akkors.

## Alliances:

 The Akkorian Brigade (they look out for their own)

## Leadership:

 Each Steadding
is overseen by master Chanter, who has ultimate say in their region.
When a decision must be reached regarding a Steadding, the eldest of the
 Masters in the surrounding Steaddings has the most authority. Otherwise
 they defer to the political leader of their Steadding’s region for most
 matters.

## Divisions:

 Divided into
Steaddings based on geographic region and need, each Chanter specializes
 in the needs of their own community. Each steadding typically has one
Chanter and apprentice, although apprentices travel to learn from
different Chanters and get a feel for different terrains. A Chanter is
often referred to with the title of Goode, as in Goodewife, Goodemiss,
or Goodesir, plain old ‘Goodie’ or just ‘Chanter’. Apprentices are said
to be ‘Learning the ‘chant’ although chant is just a short-form of
Enchanter.

## Code & Conduct:

 Chanters do not
believe in ownership of private property. Everything they have is ‘on
loan’ ‘borrowed’ or ‘gifted’ and must be freely shared if requested or
needed. They tend to drop large hints about things they want/need so
they rarely lack for anything. Their services are paid in food and goods
 as farmers rarely have coin. What they do have, they share and
redistribute frequently. They encourage others to do so as well.

An unwed chanter
typically lives in a cottage provided by a citizen in their steadding.
They do not pay rent. The cottages are ‘hereditary’ and are passed down
from master to apprentice. When a region has more than one ‘Chanter,
they base themselves on seniority and the younger is often sent to
create a new steadding or to take over for a retiring Chanter and
inherit their cottage. When they marry, the chanter lives with their
spouse and the cottage goes to an apprentice. All the furnishings belong
 to the cottage itself, with rare exception, and stay on for the next
inhabitant.

The role of the
Crop Enchanter is to ensure that the harvest is abundant, the livestock
is healthy, and the community thrives. They do everything in their power
 to see that this is so. With a very Akkorian mindset, the chanter
believes they are serving the community as a whole and are performing a
great duty. They pride themselves in the success of their steadding as
it reflects on their own skills. Likewise, the steaddings take great
pride in their Chanters’ knowledge and abilities and sometimes boast of
them.

## Recruitment:

 Chanters often
begin training at the usual apprentice age, typically around 8-10. Both
men and women equally can serve. They’re taken under apprenticeship by
the steaddings’ local Chanter. If there is more than one apprentice they
 may be sent to another nearby stedding to receive their education to
maintain a one on one relationship. Often a trainee chanter will travel
between steaddings to get a feel for different types of land and crops,
ranging from the orchards to the plainsland farms to the livestock
fields to the lumber towns. They learn elemental magik and how to listen
 to the land around them. Their training includes reading, writing,
arithmetic, how to ride a horse or ox, and how to birth(livestock and
humans).

## Typical Member:

 Rural born Akkorians with Elemental Magik abilities, and a selfless desire to serve and help their fellow folk.

## Generally Known:

 Chanters aren’t
bumpkins. They’re educated to ‘city’ levels, wield some powerful magiks,
 know how to read the weather patterns, and are almost essential to the
Akkorian farmer. They can never refuse a request to give away a
possession although those who take advantage of this quickly learn
they’re not welcome in the community. The word of a chanter carries much
 weight in rural Akkoria even outside of their own steadding.

## In-Character Quote:

 “The beans are
coming along nicely. The soil’s really enjoying them; I can feel it. Now
 let me see that heifer over there. Her leg’s going lame and it’s going
to put her off her milk if I don’t tend to it. And don’t forget to send
one of Wonda’s chicken-pies over to Gammer Aerin once they’ve cooled
down. She can’t gum solid food any longer.”

## Necessary In Game Mechanics:

 Elemental Mages
only. Any request for a Chanter’s possessions must be fulfilled,
reasonable or not. (This does not apply to other people’s items they may
 be watching over or holding on to.)