Shaman
"wer Throdenilti Gix ias Coliar" when translated to Common, means "the Sharpest Mind in/among Coliar/Us."*
This title is given to the spiritual leader of the Houses' people. As with other titles given to individuals of authority among the Coliaran lizardfolk, the title is used after the name of the holder, and is spoken in full when the addresser means to communicate a respect for the individual.
* The lizardfolk of the Houses on the Marsh often identify themselves (especially in formal language, such as in titles) simply as Coliar, after the island on which they make their home. Despite the fact that there are other factions of beings living on the island, the lizardfolk's speech identifies them as the absolute owners of the land. Perhaps this sense of territorialism built into their naming conventions stems from their Draconic ancestry. Dragons typically are known to be quite possessive of places and things, after all.
Qualifications
A potential shaman must have potential for magic. They are usually kept watch over after the The Rite of Passing if any child seems particularly willing to sacrifice their totem for the blessings of the Green Witch.
Requirements
A potential shaman must have entered the House of Loss at least once. They must be able to commune with the Green Witch. They must also be able to channel the primal magic of nature using the techniques of Coliari Magic. Due to their magic's reliance on material components, the potential shaman must have an almost encyclopedic knowledge of the magical properties of various substances that are used in their casting.
Appointment
The shaman chooses their own successor, and trains them in their ways. The shaman is generally required to choose an apprentice by the age of 35, so that they have time to train their apprentice. They may entertain multiple potential successors, though one of them must always be named as the current protege, in the case of the shaman's unexpected death. The apprentices assist the residing shaman by acting as herbalists and advisors to the people of the Houses on the Marsh. The Houses on the Marsh may at any given time have quite a few individuals living in the tribe and working in normal jobs that are partially knowledgeable in the channeling of Coliari magic, because they were at some point partially trained as a potential shaman.
Duties
The shaman shares the duties for managing the morale of the Houses on the Marsh with the war chief. Where the war chief generally inspires confidence in the military ability of the Houses, the shaman and their apprentices act as spiritual guides for their people. In general, petty conflicts are brought to the shaman, and they have the final word in most of these conflicts. Of course, this is a careful balancing act of keeping the peace and not angering the people. If the shaman appeared to be overly biased, their rules would lose weight. Therefore, they sometimes abstain from ruling on certain issue until a more peaceful resolution can be found.
Type
Magical, Professional
Equates to
Archmage, Head Priest
Source of Authority
Reports directly to
Related Locations
Related Organizations
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