Packmaster

Becoming a Packmaster is a high honor, as much as it is an admittance of age. It is a sort of retirement adjacent position for those directly of the Order of Cloth or, more commonly, the Order of Steel within the Huntmaster's Faithful. The Wolfsguard are favored for this position and favor it because of one of the perks in particular which will be noted later. That does not mean that a Mooncaller, those of the Cloth, cannot take up this mantle, it is just less common.

To even be considered for the position however, a petitioning member must be in good standing with the Huntmaster and his Faithful, having no transgressions upon them. Furthermore they must have served at least thirty-five years in the Wolfsguard or the Mooncallers. Beyond this, they need to have been ingrained within the community they wish to take up this role within for at least a decade, living and working in and around the community in the aforementioned positions. This ten years need not be consecutive, but that is preferable. They must also have provided documentation, signed and notarized, indicating the trust and backing societally and politically of at least two major community leaders such as; heads of other guilds, influential merchants, or a local military officer where appropriate, as well as the current sitting Lord or Lady Mayor.

Then they must furthermore present the appropriate aptitudes. It goes without saying their history of conduct in service must align with the Hunter's Code, which they must have extreme and excellent knowledge of. They must demonstrate a very strong comprehension of the scriptures and tenets of the Hunter's Faith as well as having a notable understanding of the history of and the importance of the concept that is the Pack's Take.

Furthermore they must have a strong base of knowledge of local game to the area in question. Things like best tracking and trapping methods, as well as perhaps luring tactics. Best cleaning and carcass stripping methods for the various game, as well as knowledge of which parts, if any, are not edible or are dangerous to consume. Furthermore they need to know how best to prepare and preserve the meats of the various game types of the region. Beyond this they must have a passable base of knowledge of archery, both bows and crossbows, as well as firearms and must demonstrate notable skill with all three types of weapons. Add to this they need to at least have a basic level of knowledge in regards to snare and trap craft.

Finally, they must come up with and present an effective and laid out set of distribution plans for the Tithe of the Pack's Take, laying out how you will process the pelts into clothing, blankets, and that sort of thing, how the meats and bones will be used, prepared and your methods and community plan to insure the sacred trust of the Take will not be abused, but utilized to help the most needy as Talia and Boran would both intend. Once all these conditions have been met, the Elders of the Hunt, the sort of upper council of Boran's Faith to whom all this will be passed and presented, will, if they deem you capable and trustworthy, sign off on the appropriate budgets and stipends, as well as signing off on the necessary documents and permissions to allow a building to be commissioned or purchased. Then within the next few months, whilst you transition and make the appropriate pilgrimages if you have any, or perhaps simply prepare to move your family, or maybe live amongst the people in the community as your last few months, watching over them, you will be summoned to a Temple of the Hunt, where you will be anointed and marked as a Packmaster, with all that entails.

Becoming a Packmaster is basically like a really cozy half retirement for a Wolfsguard. You will have stability, you no longer have to hunt monsters, apostates and other such things, your oathsworn obligation to such things is gone, though your powers remain so that if you find the community you are in under threat from such things, you can still provide aid and the Bloodhound will be with you.

This quasi-retirement does come with a comfortable living however. First off the Lodge you will be responsible for, that is the actual guild hall, will have included in its design, or constructed onto the initial structure if the Lodge is going to be converted from another structure, a residence for you (and your family should you have one). No mansion this, but a cozy and comfortable, if simple in layout, homestead. Furthermore though your newly founded Guild receives one budget, you actually will recieve your own stipend to support yourself and your family again should you have one. It will be modest, but enough to be comfortable, though not wealthy.

The biggest bit of compensation and why this attracts veterans of the Wolfsguard, particularly those whom perhaps have seen a bit to much, or have had some truly harrowing and bloody battles in their lives, is that when you get anointed as a Packmaster, before the altar of Boran, and under the guidance of his steel and his wolven eyes, you will be released from part of your Wolven Oaths, the Oaths you took beyond the basic Hunter's Code when you became a Templar of your diety. Specifically your oath of obligations to hunt the dark powers of the Void wherever they may breach reality, to hunt and track apostates, to never turn down requests from fellow human(iods) whom seek aid in vanquishing great beast or monster, those obligations will be released from you, and no longer will you be forced to put your life so recklessly on the line to keep your Bloodhound given powers or prowess. They are yours now to keep. You are still bound by the Hunter's Code of course, and Boran will still hold you to that code of conduct, but those further oaths above and beyond you are released from. Hence 'quasi' retirement.

The purposes are tied to the Hunting and Trapping Guild. Naturally you are a Guildmaster and thus the health of the Guild, the market and coin its members can earn plying their craft and selling the goods they catch, harvest and prepare are a major concern to you. You are their voice ultimately, and that is a big job. Furthermore however your job, ordained with the anointing as a Packmaster, is quite simply, the sacred trust of the Pack's Take. You are the authority, you are the arbitrator, the decision maker, you are the one entrusted with the sacred duties of collecting, handling, and appropriately distributing the Take to those in need in the community, as well as difficult decisions like how much meat to keep salted and preserved for dire times versus providing as hot meals day over day to those in need in the community.

The duties of a Packmaster are many, varied and vast. First and foremost you are responsible for organizing, stocking, and staffing the Lodge as required based on the parameters of the structure and the property that was acquired by the church for this guild. Beyond this of course, since part of your budget is earmarked to staff the premises, you need to plan out what that looks like, what your Lodge needs. How much in the way of caretakers, cleaners, do you need a cook or bartender, do you need a book-keeper or two for the guild? Stable hands? These are all decisions you need to make. Furthermore you are to be the face of the guild and its members. you are the liason to the community for local news, rumors, warnings, or any specific requests and needs which may present opportunity. You'll need, both yourself and perhaps via staff, your eyes and ears on the pulse and gossip of the community.

You are also the face of the guild, you are the person whom will be approached by authorities and locals if they feel reason to, or have motive or need to.

You will also need to help investigate, settle and when necessary help set up counsel to litigate or otherwise (again within the funding your guild is provided) for guild members in regards to any business they do tied to hunting and trapping, should they be shorted coin, or a pre-agreed upon rate with a major customer, like a mercantile outfit, is not honored because of claims of deficiency in the goods recieved, things of that nature.

Your most important duties however, are to collect the Pack's Take, insuring it is correct to the best of you and your staff's ability, and then to handle the Take as is proper and moral under Talia and Boran's Guidance, and as your best information from being properly embedded within the community guides you.

Finally you are also in this position as a recruiter and educator of sorts. you have decades of wisdom, knowledge and skill you can pass on. Archery, or firearms, stalking techniques, trapping strategies, and more. Furthermore you can also gently guide people with the Ir Vin Cathorn, more commonly known as the Hunter's Code to youthful up and comers whom join the guild. Perhaps you rub off on them and they find their way into Boran's pack perhaps not. But regardless it is expected that you, when you have moments to do so, teach, educate and help younger folks whom join your guild as best you can.

Once not so long ago, Packmasters had a negative reputation attached to their existence. However through hard work, a variety of events and circumstances culminated with the Ice Tyrant's Winter, has seen that issue reversed and now by and large Packmasters are viewed with great respect, seen as community leaders at least in line with any other guildmaster of a respected trade guild, and often a bit higher because of the direct religious connection to Boran the Bloodhound, one of the faiths of the Ascended, as well as the charitable aspect of the Pack's Take, and what it represents. They are a weird blend of economic, philanthropic and spiritual community leader, never mind their decades of combat experience. They are seen as an asset and a blessing now in most every community they are in.

Packmasters can be of any race and ethnicity, for the Wolfsguard and Mooncallers do not discriminate, however the three most common are likely, in order, Woad Elves, Humans (usually of Koltani heritage), and Tantur. Halfmen are unheard of, and there have only ever been two gnomes.

By population the percentage is so low it likely rounds to somewhere close to 0 based upon Raechin's population. Yes most towns, villages and hamlets have one person in this position however in a nation with a population of 2.5 ish million people, those few hundred are almost a rounding error.

The history of this position is tied directly to the organization named after the profession itself. The Packmasters