Wolverines, the coachmen of the night

Wolverines are the means by which many goods, services and people travel across the land, especially if the journey is particularly long or covers nighttime travel. Each order is typically first placed in the House of Ahma, where many active Wolverines choose to both wait for new orders as well as house themselves. A Keeper behind a counter inside the building, typically right by the entrance, listens to the needs and wishes of each individual customer, and then either points them towards a suitable Wolverine in the approximately right price range, or arranges a meeting with them. Another method for retaining the services of a Wolverine is to head straight to the lounge area, represent oneself cordially and hope for a Wolverine to take them up on the offer. Whilst a lot bolder approach, some rather avoid the middle-man and test their luck blindly, removing the fee that comes from dealing with a Keeper in the process. Each Wolverine pays a nominal fee for the upkeep at Ahma, but the building runs primarily on the funds allocated by the regional Overseer, collected from taxes and the regional treasury, as its services are deemed vital to the functioning of each settlement.
Wolverines are themselves in charge of keeping on top of their combat prowess, as well as responsible for learning the lay of the land. In addition it is most useful for the Wolverines to be intimately familiar with all local dangers, especially the kind the moves about at night. As such, Wolverines often spend their pastime either gorging themselves in local monster lore or maps, so much so that the idiom "Hungry like Wolverines" has gained widespread usage in applicable situations, although it's debatable whether it originates from their hunger for knowledge or their seemingly matching hunger for hearty meals.
Although Wolverines tend to be mostly men, there is no law prohibiting women from practicing the profession. The same qualification demands exist for both genders however. In addition the accomodations at each of the Houses of Ahma may or may not factor in the possible presence of women among their residents. These factors do deter most women from gunning for the profession, but it also means the ones who do should be taken seriously.

Career

Qualifications

They must receive the approval of a regional Overseer, who works under the mandate of House of Minerva. All would-be Wolverines must pass a series of tests designed to evaluate their marksmanship, swordsmanship and knowledge on handling the most common threats encountered on the road. Although Wolverines are highly regarded and valued, no formal training is required, as the life and work of a Wolverine is lined with danger and the profession is considered more a calling than a priviledge. It is also viewed as a form of public service, although the profession is not charity work but Wolverines are free to price their services as they see fit. Additionally, it is expected that the Wolverines have a basic proficiency in handling animals, as horses are an important and valuable part of their ability to practice their profession, and although the House of Ahma has staffed stables, the animals need to be controlled and taken care of on the road as well.

Career Progression

The prices of each individual Wolverine varies greatly and there is no hierarchical structure within their ranks. Each Wolverine is free to choose their price on case-by-case basis. Those new to the business tend to offer cheaper rides in an effort to increase their reputation as a reliable driver-bodyguard, whilst those with already established good reputation can afford to crank up their prices, and those who have particularly valuable cargo and the ability to pay usually turn towards these individuals. Of course, bad established reputation doesn't necessarily prevent you from practicing the profession either, but it may understandably complicate matters, leading to lower prices and more convincing needed to get customers.

Payment & Reimbursement

As mentioned above, the pricing for the services of each Wolverine is decided individually by themselves, although of course the free market principle leads to competition and somewhat keeps the prices in check. In addition, the regional Overseers and the Arbiters working under them can, under the mandate of the House, act as a form of "Court of Appeals". They have the power to, for example, set upper limits for services in their jurisdiction, which includes the Wolverines, depending on a reasonable assessment of incomes in the region as well as the service in question. They can also grant exemptions to these rules on individual basis. Whilst they can't order the Wolverines to take on any particular order, freelancers as they are, they can prohibit the practice of the profession in their region if the practitioner doesn't adhere to their decrees. Most Wolverines are smart enough to keep their prices reasonable enough to avoid ever ending under the radar of the Arbiters however. The pricing for each individual order takes into consideration not only the reputation of the driver, timing and length of the journey and the value of the cargo, but also the expenses for possible repairs and maintenance of the carriage as well as the horses, all of which are the Wolverine's private property.

Other Benefits

Wolverines tend to cover a wide range of economical statuses, but even the best earning coachmen tend to find themselves in the higher-middle class category. After all, why would anyone well on the rich end of the spectrum choose to endanger their lives in such a profession? Their societal status on the other hand is pretty even among the practitioners. Whether new to the trade or a veteran, Wolverines are highly valued and respected, as they are vital for moving between settlements at odd hours, as well as guaranteeing the safety of precious cargo from one city to the next. Relied upon by nobles and tradesmen both, as well as the occasional wanderer and adventuring group, the establishing of the Wolverines opened up the roads for safer travel once again and they've also played a pivotal part in the construction of many settlements on the continent.
As a result of their general position in the eyes of the people, they can often be seen enjoying special services and discounts, and they tend to be the object of admiration amongst the ladies as well.