First Hunter

"The tribe will revere you. They will listen to you, they will respect you, they will follow your wisdom without question. But you must always - every day of your life - prove worthy of that faith. For their lives and the future of the tribe lie on your shoulders. It is because of you they thrive, and it is because of you they fall."
-the words of Sokei, First Hunter of the Arolo tribe

The First Hunter is an honorific title and role among the Ranata people of the Sapphire Sea, and in most Ranata tribes is one of the three leaders of the tribe.
Despite the name, which stems from the Ranata's original roles as hunters and gatherers, the First Hunter directs and co-ordinates all logistical concerns of their tribe; not just hunting, but farming, fishing, foraging, and even land management and the storage and redistribution of resources. A First Hunter is to the material needs of the tribe what a Clan Father or Mother is to the spiritual needs, or a War Chief is to the martial needs.

Requirements

While in theory any farmer or hunter can become First Hunter, the vetting process the Clan Mother/Father and the War Chief carry out for selected candidates usually requires the prospect to demonstrate not only their own personal skill in their chosen field, but also how they have contributed to the performance of other hunters and farmers. A First Hunter needs to prove themselves as somebody who has the logistical and planning skills to see the tribe through tough times and lean years and also the interpersonal and perceptive skills to motivate the workforce, prevent accidents and mitigate disasters.

Appointment

A First Hunter is appointed either on the death of the previous First Hunter, their retirement, or their dismissal. To do this, the farmers and hunters of the tribe assemble together and nominate candidates from among them - a person may not nominate themselves. Each of the candidates is assessed by the War Chief and Clan Father/Mother, with the previous First Hunter providing advice if they resigned or retired.
Once this is done, an election assembly is held, which is open to all members of the tribe. In the event there is not a fifty percent majority for a candidate, there is an elimination process where the voters of the eliminated candidate can re-assign their votes to another candidate. This continues until a candidate claims more than fifty percent of the vote.
The victorious First Hunter is immediately given their first assignment - to work with the tribe's hunters and farmers and arrange for a great feast for the tribe to celebrate the new First Hunter. At this feast, the Clan Father or Clan Mother invokes the blessings of the clan's spirits on the new First Hunter, making their tenure official.

Sokei, a famous First Hunter of the Arolo tribe

Responsibilities

The First Hunter effectively co-ordinates the logistical operations of the entire tribe. A First Hunter will regularly meet with builders, scouts, foragers, hunters and farmers to discuss what their current operations are, and also co-ordinates with the War Chief and the Clan Mother/Father to determine the current needs of the tribe. The First Hunter then plans the development of the tribe's lands, the operations of the tribe's hunters and farmers, and the distribution of produce to meet those needs. In larger tribes, this can see the First Hunter travelling throughout their lands to get a first-hand understanding of the situation of all members of the tribe.

Benefits

The First Hunter can effectively control the development of their tribe and lands as they see fit. They also have the respect and obedience of their tribe, and their experience and know-how is seen almost as gospel. The egalitarian nature of most Ranata tribes does not raise them considerably above the living standards of any other members of the tribe, however due to their importance, a First Hunter is generally unlikely to go hungry even in lean harvests.

Grounds for Removal/Dismissal

Every five years a First Hunter's performance is reviewed by the tribe as a whole. This results in an assembly being called to discuss and review the First Hunter's performance, followed by a vote to retain the First Hunter. The vote result is then reviewed by the Clan Father/Mother, and the War Chief, who provide oversight to ensure the decision is in the best interest of the tribe.
First Hunters can also be removed due to incompetence causing harm to the tribe; for example if a large crop failure occurred and it was found that the First Hunter's decisions were the direct cause of this, or if a First Hunter mistreats those under his charge. If a First Hunter comes under disrepute, an assembly is called and a vote is then held by members of the tribe, and the same ratification process takes place if the vote goes against the First Hunter.
A dismissed First Hunter is usually released back to the rank and file of hunters and farmers, although a dismissal due to particularly egregious or malicious offences can see them assigned menial work or even banished from the tribe.

Type

Civic, Professional

Length of Term

Five years, can be renewed