Corpse Carters

A Morbid Occupation

A Corpse Carter is an occupation in Nora responsible for clearing areas of high densities of corpses, most often found in areas stricken by plague or famine and near battlegrounds during periods of war. When they can, they will work in teams of two with special wooden tools similar to pitchforks, made specifically for the purpose of lifting dead bodies off of the ground while remaining a safe distance and not damaging the cadaver. The bodies will be loaded onto a large cart very similar to those used for farming purposes and carried off towards the nearest settlement. If the nearby army or populace has invested anything into their Corpse Carters, which is rare, they will have mules or other work animals to help them pull the cart. Most often this is done by themselves. The purpose of clearing off masses of dead bodies is mostly for health and safety issues - dead bodies attract scavengers and disease, not to mention the occasional outbreak of undead. Most battles in war are fought near villages and cities for the purpose of occupying and conquering those territories, so the risk of diseases spreading to the populace is high. Flocks of scavenger animals pulled away from their native areas can create an imbalance in the local ecosystem and damage the environment. The role of a Corpse Carter is an essential job, yet most of the time it is a thankless one.

"Ye, I've been hauling Corpses for three years now, and never once received any gratitude. Never a 'Oh thank you fine sir, I can sleep peacefully now that I know their fate.' Always it be an 'Oi, my husband had a sword like you wouldn't believe,' or 'Oi, my son had a gold locket wit me face in it, give it back to me ye little robber!'. Lots of ungrateful swine in me own village. Yet if I wasn't doing it, it'd be some other poor sod in me place. So to the cart I go." - A Freelands Corpse Carter, remaining Anonymous by choice.

It is a filthy occupation that comes with a number of health risks, so the number of people lining up to become one is almost inexistent. Most Corpse Carters have been drafted by local governments in an unfortunate lottery against their desires. Naturally, the noble and wealthy are often excluded from such a system. Many look down on Corpse Carters for the belief of them being unclean despite all the measures taken to ensure sanitary procedures, while others are simply uncomfortable by those who spend the majority of their time around the dead. When possible, the Corpse Carters are responsible for bringing the bodies of the dead back to town, to help identify them via their loved ones. This leads to a lot of blame being put on the bearer of bad news as those suffering with grief will lash out at the first person to tell them their beloved is dead. Meanwhile, those who have died away from home have a tendency of losing personal belongings, whether having lost it in the chaos of battle or having been picked clean by enemies or scavengers before the Corpse Carters have even made it to the scene. It comes often that they are blamed for the loss of such objects such as valuable lockets, weapons, or other various magickal apparatus or family heirlooms. Many a Corpse Carter has been accused of thievery and robbing corpses because of this. Whether or not this is true depends on the individual. Greed besets us all - while some Corpse Carters have robbed their quarry out of simple desire to make some money, others play the villain that the citizens have propped them up to be, and give in to their position.

Perception

Social Status

Middle tier in governmental work, bottom rung of the social ladder.

Demographics

When employed, often two per settlement, only in cases of larger cities or armies will their be higher numbers enrolled.

Alternative Names

Dead Haulers ; Vultures

Type

Public Services

Demand

Staple, for those that can afford it