Ritekeeper
The threat of zombies or other unspeakable undead is not too common nowadays. Thanks to a combination of proper burial techniques and the prevalent divine magic these threats are mitigated. The most useful of these divine casters are a special breed of profession known as Ritekeepers. They are equal parts priests, clerics, embalmers, doctors, paladins, and necromancers. They ensure the dead are dead and stay dead when they are buried.
Career
Qualifications
Ritekeepers must have a considerable knowledge of the body and divine spells. An apt mind and quick-wit are essential in dealing with threats as they come up and to prevent a whole town from turning.
Career Progression
Newcomers start as rank Shadow. These follow the Ritekeepers around, performing minor tasks as an apprentice does for their master.
After this they advance to Protector. The protector is seen as the middle between the two ranks, and begins their study in the actual rites and rituals necessary.
Ritekeepers are the highest title. They are master over at least one Shadow and one Protector. These are skilled in weapon arts, and rituals for the dead.
Payment & Reimbursement
Usually, towns scrounge up enough coin to pay off a Ritekeeper to come and protect the dead. They can either do this per person, or en masse after some tragic affair. The average cost per person is 100 silver, or 15 gold. They prefer silver as it is used in their rituals and rites to purify the dead.
The Ritekeepers offer a sort of insurance of another 100 silver in total, not per person, that if an outbreak occurs they will come and take care of it. The town is responsible for keeping in touch with the Ritekeepers through whatever means possible, usually a town wizard will use sending on them.
Other Benefits
Apart from keeping the dead dead, Ritekeepers are also capable warriors against the undead. If the insurance contingency activates, the Ritekeepers amass an appropriate amount and come back to the town to rid them of the undeath. They also perform prayers to the Raven Queen or Pelor for a small fee of 1 silver.
Perception
Purpose
The Ritekeepers keep the dead dead. They use divine magic to prevent them from becoming undead and rising. They provide support if an outbreak occurs and provide prayer for those who need it.
Social Status
Due to their proximity to the dead and undead, the Ritekeepers are looked down upon. They achieve immunity to the stench of death after a few weeks and their smell is in constant need of prestidigitation. Despite their seemingly priceless value, many look down upon them. Their love of the Raven Queen also can upset people who see her as a not good or kind deity, and, indeed, she is not.
Demographics
In Evoria, not many people are part of the Ritekeepers. A small fraction of divine magic wielders take also to priestly duties, and of those even a smaller fraction are Ritekeepers. In total across all of Evoria there are approximately a thousand that roam the roads and maintain their desired relationships.
History
After a necrophobic priest read accounts of Jour, he formed the Ritekeepers. He gathered his fellows in their secluded monastery in East Heath to arm them with spell scrolls, foci, and baptized them in the name of Pelor and the Raven Queen. This man, Louey Morlo, became the first Ritekeeper, the Ritebearer. All leaders or elders have been called Ritebearers, though there is no real distinction other than experience. They rose to prominence in the East Heath, but spread all over Evoria to prevent undead uprisings. Eventually, people sought them out less and less until they gradually faded back to their headquarters in the East Heath as they are now.
Operations
Tools
Spell focus, material components pouch, salt, silver, longsword, sickle, walking staff, helmet, chainmail, plate leggings, rite books, spell scrolls, tinderbox.
Dangers & Hazards
The obvious hazards are undead. If a Ritekeeper does not properly bury the dead they can come back and possibly cause more carnage.
Alternative Names
Undeath Keepers, Gravewarders, Bodykeepers
Type
Religious
Demand
Their services are a luxury not many towns can afford. The difficulty of the job and the lack of interest in becoming a Ritekeeper make this career not viable for most but the brave few.
Legality
Louey, ever the legalist, took his new order to the local lord and pled his case for his organization. Of course, the lord obliged and sanctioned them to perform their rites and rituals as they saw fit, so long as they were open to inspection from the lord's men at random. Louey agreed and the Ritekeepers could go without interference.
Famous in the Field
Related Locations
Comments