When a Caelfoc falls in the line of duty their name is inscribed on one of the bricks on the walls of the guildhouse. Where the name is inscribed depends on the rank of the fallen. A name on the ceiling represents a fallen Great Wyrm. The names on the ridge surrounding the ceiling signifies the fallen Ancients. Those names directly below are the adults that have fallen in battle.
However, even the oldest guildhouses have only sparse names written across the heights of their construction. A few spots of names on the ceiling; rarely more than a few hands or so of space for the Ancients and Adults. Yet, every guildhouse has the same space below that. In a room that is thirty hands tall twenty-five will be filled with the names of those fallen youth.
These names are so thick that picking out a space for a new one becomes impossible and names are overwritten while common names are often carved into the wall to represent all that died with that name. Every brick at eyesight and below stands as a memorial representing those multitudes that have fallen to support the safety of Renai and her people.
Without whom, society as we know it wouldn't exist.
— Caelfoc; March against the Climate.
Caelfoc funerals are primarily for those youth that found death before sanity. The transition from
Wyrmling Caelfoc to
Adult Caelfoc is by far the most difficult. Many compare the fatality rate to the advancement of an
Apprentice Longshoreman, but Caelfoc fall in far greater numbers even with many fewer numbers.
Young Caelfoc are grouped together with other Wyrmlings that have climbed the ranks in their city. They are given their first ability to truly begin deciding for themselves, with their
Great Wyrm ensuring they have plenty of work assigned to their team. Whether that work is heading out to the rural community centers that surround the city, or clearing the ice on paths to springs and waterways.
While this might not sound difficult or dangerous; as many Youth die from rapid environmental hazards as they do to people or monsters seeing them as unprepared and easy targets. While many Caelfoc have started keeping youth closer to cities or attempting to keep
Adult Caelfoc close to help decrease mortality rates, the necessary work and the low membership numbers help to make this almost entirely unfeasible.
To Become a Young Caelfoc
Becoming a Young Caelfoc is a big step for any member of the Caelfoc Union, it comes with greater responsibilities and compensation.
When a Wyrmling has made it to the point that their superiors think they can manage dealing with environmental hazards and problems they are offered the promotion to become a Youth. This is treated as the major decision that it is. Wyrmlings are given as much time to accept as they need. Generally while they are deciding, they are given extra training and more resources to ensure that they understand what they are signing up for.
To Be an Young Caelfoc
Young Caelfoc are the source of the blood that oils the gears of northern society, their hard work and sacrifice make it so that others can enjoy the benefits of modern life.
Young Caelfoc operate in teams of five to six with many specializing to find things they are good at. They receive orders from their superiors and deal with the humdrum of maintaining the safety of those passages close to the city. They clear out the ice on gates, they clear back roads and help to manage the population of wolves and other regular predators that threaten those on the edges of society.
Nice article! One thing I'm still wondering here is what do the young caefolc actually think about their promotion and job. I sit something they look forwards to? Are they reckless/arrogant? Or is it more something to be dreaded but inevitable in the end?