Caretaker
Career
Career Progression
Caretakers often start as apprentices to a head caretaker, who oversees and manages all other caretakers within the group and answers directly to the pack's leader. Apprentices often have reduced duties that are much lower risk of failure, such as feeding animals, waking other members of the pack, and cooking. Apprenticeship typically lasts for six months to one year, after which they are given more duties of more importance, such as childrearing, basic first aid training, and supply managment.
Once no longer an apprentice, caretakers can begin to specialize in their tasks, such as centering their role around the group's children and their education, animal husbandry, medical, or cooking. Most caretakers once specialized typically stay within this role for the entire duration of their time within the pack.
A head caretaker is almost always one with the most experience, often serving the pack for at least a decade or more. Head caretakers are those responsible for all other caretakers within the pack and also train apprentices themselves, passing on their knowledge and how to best fulfill their duties. Head caretakers are more often than not those who have specialized into medical care.
It is not uncommon for caretakers to often be selected to become pack leaders themselves in the event of a current leader's death. Often times when a pack's leader unexpectedly dies or is for whatever reason ousted from the group or other times of crisis, a caretaker is chosen to lead the group for their reputation of often bringing stability, few instances of corruption, and best interest of the group's well being at the forefront of their ideals.
Payment & Reimbursement
Among the pack, a caretaker's overall pay is only second to that of pack leaders. Warriors often make more when paid after a battle, but this is typically not consistent throughout the year.
Like most within the pack, what members are paid in can vary depending on location- Packs that are far out from most civilization and rarely interact with such are generally not paid in money but in goods, while those who are are usually compensated with the region's local form of currency, though they can personally appeal to their group's leader for other forms of payment such as settling their debts, goods, services, and perks.
Other Benefits
As they are highly respected within the pack, caretakers often are given the first choice just after leaders of resources the group obtains, such as food, clothing, and rest areas. Caretakers also are given a huge amount of respect from their companions and those most quickly to be protected in times of war and strife. Their word carries far, and are much more likely to be listened to in their opinions, values, and plans than other roles.
Perception
Purpose
The role of a caretaker is broad and often fulfilled by multiple individuals with room to specialize in a particular task, but overall they oversee the typical functions to keep the pack running as a group. A pack's healers are almost exclusively caretakers, specializing in the health and emergency services given to their members. They also are often responsible for much of the education given to younger members of the group, teaching not only in the traditional sense in the form of schooling, but the pack's cultural heritage, lifestyle skills, and safety in the wilderness.
Caretakers are also responsible for most duties centered in day to day life such as cleaning, cooking, and repairs, and managing supplies. Often, caretakers are those who will also leave the pack in order to gather supplies from outposts, cities, and towns outside of the pack's influence and handle trading affairs, generally accompanies by a Navigator and at least one Warrior.
Animal husbandry roles are also most often filled by caretakers, when not done by Hunters or Navigators, feeding, relocating, and often breeding the group's animals used both for warfare and transportation.
Social Status
Caretakers are generally not as highly ranked within the pack as Warriors, and certainly below that of Pack Leaders, but command a great amount of respect from the pack as a whole due to their extremely important duties to the group's way of life as a whole despite their rather mundane duties.
Demographics
Most often, caretakers are typically those with some experience with the role, such as parents, cooks, and medical professionals of some form.
Alternative Names
Sitters, Healers
Demand
Essential to function
Other Associated professions
Related Locations
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