Dredgemaster of Feverwater

Overview

The Dredgemaster of Feverwater is an Imperial title created by the Imperial Senate in Summer 377YE. The position of dredgemaster is a sinecure, requiring minimal responsibility but offering a regular income.

Feverwater lake

The Feverwater is a vast freshwater lake in south-eastern Therunin. The lake itself is only partially within the Empire - the eastern half in in territory claimed nominally by the Druj barbarians. The western half is used sporadically by fishermen, several of whom have volunteered their skills and boats to the dredging.

The dredging uses flat-bottomed river boats and great nets which are dragged through the silt and mud that serves as the bottom of the lake, bringing up the detritus of centuries. This is quite a dangerous undertaking. The civil service referenced the swamp creatures and barbarians that live on the shores of the Feverwater when the proposal was first launched. The small camp that serves as the base for the dredging operation is a magnet for disgruntled marshwalkers and Druj raiding parties, and there have already been several deaths. The more mundane dangers of dealing with problems such as trapped nets or hidden obstacles have claimed lives as well - an especially dangerous task involves diving down to unhitch the nets when they become tangled in wreckage it needs to be unhitched manually or the entire thing abandoned to make the dark waters at the bottom of Lake Feverwater even more dangerous.

The majority of everything recovered here is rubbish, but occasionally recyclable materials are brought up along with the stinking mud and remains of past victims of the Feverwater. The shores of the lake have also been the site of regular encounters with barbarian orcs, including at least one major battle, and so it is common to bring up rusted weapons or armour along with the remnants of old boats - the thick mud at the bottom of the lake has been surprisingly effective at preserving materials that might otherwise have succumbed to the pressures of time.

The dredging operation has primarily focused on the western end of the Feverwater, but as of Autumn 378YE the first speculative forays into the wild, open waters east of Therunin are being planned.

Powers

Wreckage of the past

The sinecure provides four ingots of crafting materials to the Dredgemaster each season, to be used as they see fit.

Selection

The title is a national appointment. Only a Navarr citizen may hold this Imperial title.

Removal

The Dredgemaster has tenure and serves until they die, step down or are revoked.

The Dredgemaster can be revoked by the Navarr assembly, the General assembly or the Assembly of Nine.

History

The idea of dredging Feverwater was first raised in 377YE, but the foundation for the project took some time to complete and the Dredgemaster was not appointed until early 378YE. The first Dredgemaster of Feverwater was Cori Brackensong, appointed to the position by unanimous decision of the Navarri senators.