Treesinger
Treesingers are a dying breed. They are the last remnants of an older strain of druidry that had come to accept the inevitability of nature having to coexist with people, their cities, and the pollution that follows them. Instead of focusing on the reclamation of nature and establishing a hard boundary between man and beast, their attentions lie on preserving nature to the best of their abilities despite the reach of man, as well as minimizing the damage that civilization can do. Their frame of reference is rare. It is the result of thousands of years of maturation — thousands of years of experience dealing with civilization. It is a tacit recognition that the flame of progress will continue to burn brightly and that naught can be done to quench it. At some point in the history of this old strain of druidry, they had to make a choice: rail against the flame of progress and leave it unattended, risking the chance that it would blaze into a wildfire that consumes everything; or, ensure that it does not grow too quick beyond its boundaries so that the world around it could adjust. They chose the latter. Unfortunately, it seems that druids of a newer, more violent breed, have begun to crop up, railing against the "overreach" of civilization instead of putting their energy to good use. 'Tis such a shame.Di'Andaligêrë, "the Treesingers" in Tretalleri are some of the most well-respected individuals in tretalleri society, even outside of the Dominion. They are the last remaining stewards and teachers of Di'Fieldë Khaza, "the Old Lore," which pertains to magic used by the Druidic Circle of old, but take an interesting stance with regard to civilization and its impact on nature compared to most contemporary druids.
Career
Qualifications
In the Dominion, before a person can become a fully-fledged treesinger, they must first succeed in their training as treesingers under masters appointed by the elders of the druidic circle with the approval of the Twin Courts. Following this, the elder druids conduct a test of theoretical knowledge, philosophical understanding, and practical ability under governmental oversight, and should a candidate prove worthy to attain the approval of the council of elders, they are invested as fully-fledged treesingers and must make a blood oath to perform their duties to the best of their abilities.
Outside of the Dominion, the process takes place in much the same way as the institution of treesong has always acted in concert with civilization rather than aside and apart from it. Governmental oversight is not required of the treesingers, but rather it is something that the institution has always asked for to ensure that they are functioning within the bounds of greater society.
Career Progression
Any potential treesinger must first complete the basics of education under the system of the government that they are presided over. In the case of the Dominion, this involves graduating from the public school program and learning the basics of mathematics, science, history, and philosophy. Only when this requirement is met can a person even apply to be a candidate for the treesingers.
One accepted, a prospective treesinger is known as a lark until they have studied and taken to heart the collective wisdom, knowledge, and history of the treesingers of ages long past. After this, they are known as novices and must spend their time learning from a master that is appointed to them by the elders of the druidic circle. The point is not to learn by rote memorization from their master, but rather to listen and absorb their master's philosophy and worldview and come to their own conclusions about the world as a result of this.
If their master deems them ready to take the final step, they take on the mantle of apprentice and they are taught the basics of Druidry — how to manipulate life energy, how to properly conduct oneself around animals with respect, and, most importantly, how to Sing. When they conclude this last, and most structured part of their training, a prospective treesinger must face the council of elders and prevail in a test that will closely examine every aspect of their education over the years of their training.
Should the candidate succeed, they proceed to their investiture as a treesinger and become a fully-fledged member of the order. If they fail, then they are given the option to continue with their education until they succeed, or abandon the last few years of work and walk away.
Payment & Reimbursement
Treesingers, at least in the Dominion, are considered workers for the government and thus receive a salary for any duties that they might need to perform. They are not paid handsomely, but they are paid well enough to lead comfortable lives wherever they choose to settle down. Beyond any duties prescribed by the government, treesingers are free to take on any requests from the people around them, whether it is to sing furniture into existence, help an ailing tree, or save a harvest and are entitled to ask for compensation for these services.
Culturally, it is also considered improper and disrespectful to approach a treesinger without anything to offer. Compensation does not necessarily have to be in a monetary form, and indeed, farmers are often willing to share a portion of their produce with treesingers, and some herders have been known to give up excess younglings to the care of treesingers if asked. Often, itinerant treesingers will ask for three things: food, board, and provisions for the next leg of their journey, and culturally this is considered sufficient compensation as long as the work is neither menial nor excessive.
Other Benefits
Under the purview of the Dominion, treesingers occupy a privileged place in society. As one of the last links to the druidic roots of the tretâllë, they are treated with an almost reverent respect and, given time, they can become pillars of their communities. However, at the same time, due to the magic that is inherent to their occupation, they are viewed with a muted sense of wariness as the Dominion is by nature mistrusting of magic users due to its past.
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