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.
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 adventurous Navarr of Soaring Leaf steading in Eastring and the fisherfolk of Black Sails steading in East Ashes have been particularly keen to offer their assistance to this project.
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.
Historical Research
The dredgemaster has the power to authorize a single historical research request each season. Each request costs 5 Thrones. The civil service is able to process up to two research requests in total per season - research requests authorized by the Senate, the dredgemaster or the Minister of Historical Research all count against this limit. The results of the research are compiled by the civil service then presented to the advisor.
To use this power, the dredgemaster provides an announcement to the Civil Service, who present the decision to the Imperial Senate. No voting is possible by the Senate at this point, as the power has been delegated to the dredgemaster. The Imperial Synod may, however, choose to exercise their veto over the dredgemaster's decision.
Prior to the murderous events of 379YE, the civil service was able to perform more research commissions each season; the loss of so many experienced researchers significantly curtailed their ability to perform scholastic study.
Selection
The title is a national appointment. Only a Navarr citizen may hold this Imperial title.
Removal
When initially created, the Dredgemaster had tenure and served until they died, stepped down or were revoked. With the amendment to their powers during spring 379YE, the Civil Service has queried this tenure.
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 Corey Brackensong, appointed to the position by unanimous decision of the Navarri senators.
At the Spring Equinox 379YE, the Imperial Senate voted to amend the powers of the Dredgemaster. In addition to expanding the operation at Feverwater, this amendment allows the Dredgemaster to commission historical research. As a consequence, the civil service requested clarification from the Senate - as this was no longer a standard sinecure, it would not automatically be a lifetime apointment.