Flood Keeper

Flood Keepers are people, usually naturally gifted, who used water Magic to track local storms and the levels of local bodies of water. It is a common profession among Mermish people living in mixed communities.  

History

It's unclear when and where the position of flood keeper began, but they are seen in cities throughout Nideon, from Beeg in Nefrale to Glory Falls in Snickerry, and on the Bathblast and Fr'phe Islands.   The duties of flood keepers varies from location to location. At the most basic, the job entails tracking storms and determining levels of local bodies of water. The profession most likely began to in farming communities, with flood keepers advising on planting seasons. Countries like Snickerry and Alaj, which depend on rivers as a primary mode of transportation use flood keepers to adjust the schedules of barges and ferries, and near dam sites, such as Beeg, it is as simple as knowing how much water to let through a dam.   It is important to note that while flood keepers use water magic to accurately track storms and flooding, they rarely use magic to prevent such incidents. Instead, the knowledge of flooding is used to better prepare people for coming storms. In coastal areas, flood keepers warn when evacuation is necessary and help design houses that can withstand the storms that may arise in the area. In some river cities on the Minor Continent, the people build levees along the river which can be raised and lowered to different levels. Here, flood keepers will direct how high a levee needs to be to improve farmland while avoiding over flooding and damage to homes. In the rare cases that flood keepers have tried to hold back floods, they have usually burned themselves out and died in the process.  

Flood Keepers and the Government

Flood keepers play different roles within local governments. In most cities, it is an advisory position, held by whoever is willing and capable. These cities can sometimes have 2 or 3 flood keepers (usually a primary flood keeper with assistants/trainees) and sometimes be entirely without one. In other cities, the position is part of the government, and someone always holds it, even if the person does not have a strong connection with weather magic. In very large cities, where numerous people have a gift for water magic, it is even a democratic position for which locals vote.