Medicine

Most people know their house medicine against everyday sicknesses and small injuries. For anything beyond, apothecaries provide sophisticated healing aids, and larger cities at the least have proper hospitals with surgeons and therapists. Dwarves with their delicate hands make great surgeons, and speakers come to all medical professions and exact their obsessive ways to become experts in their fields.
The red forest provides poisons which, in proper dosage, are medicinally useful, and there is barely a sickness for which a cure cannot be found in there; but it's difficult to travel, and many cures still await their discovery.

"I was astonished when they brought me a redforester - a sick redforester? I couldn't find what was wrong with her until a desperate attempt, following a seemingly outlandish theory, revealed the cure to be tsemakar venom and the matching antidote. Apparently, redforesters need to be poisoned daily to be well."
— Jraneh, apothecary

Elves are proverbially "more different than others", and display a range of differing reactions to normal medicine. But in the end, every species has its preferences; garren show better healing when the medicine is applied hot, raganaj when it's based on animals, both as well as dwarves show in their colouring when they're not well.
Most sicknesses affect all species, if not always with the same symptoms; bluefinger disease, for example, does the same to everyone, while only shankeh can get straipiness, and only humans suffer from the cold (which is a source of amusement to other species - stand them in cold water, they get sick. Hilarious.).

"My shankeh patients would have needed rest to heal properly, but their need to run always drove them out of bed and their condition worsened. So I finally, if arguably, turned to the practice of either putting a nail into the knee, or breaking the leg altogether."
— Vranejar, Gamahanian doctor

Artists' notes
There's always this chance when building a world that you either make it a hellhole where everything's dangerous and rotten, or way too nice because every problem has been solved, so I design diseases and poisons carefully (and civil wars, insanity, and tyrannies). The red forest may well treat everything there is from cancer to the common cold, but finding anything is bloody difficult. Literally.
It's fun to come up how elves react differently to things, and define the miniscule differences between species' physiology, seen from a medic's perspective. There are of course lists of these, but I won't bore you with them.

Mindsmiths

A mindsmith is someone whose job it is to forge a mind into something less raw. The smiths themselves often laugh at that description, but the name stuck with folks. They are a proper profession - unlike voices, who have a calling - and are taught in small schools. Their methods range from philosophical debate, to torture-like practices best described as brainwashing, to meticulous mental exercises, and each only takes on one pupil at a time. Former voices may take this profession, and all plasmats are seen as mindsmiths.

"It's true that Lady Etto was one of the rebel leaders - she had started the capital's fires. When the mindsmiths returned her some years after her capture, they advised us to not waste her skills. She's been invaluable in the city's protection, and the murder attempts on her become fewer every year."
— Djigferra Solmor, citizen

Mindsmiths are often called upon to educate someone for a difficult position. They are found in royal households, teach diplomats or lunatics, but are also employed to "fix" criminals who seem utterly unwilling to behave. No pupil of theirs ever complained about the treatment, and all agree that it was a strenuous but worthwhile experience. Nobody taught by a mindsmith has not risen to greatness.
Known pupils are the Crowned Aslahenead of Brighthold, or Digaëner from the Summerstar Isles. Among the most famous mindsmiths are the plasmat Kortife of Echamien, and Avaqui Der, who teaches in Gdera.

"I can't complain about the captain's ways, but she sure doesn't seem human - she's nigh-infallible, barely rests, always has an answer, and iron-clad principles. As long as we're on the same side, I feel invincible beside her."
— Quahna, dust sailor

Artists' notes
The danger of brainwashing cannot be overestimated. And it is so easily done. In fantasy however, I can downplay dangers, and reap the benefits of one-on-one teaching with no other goal than perfection of a person. Mindsmiths are the legendary teachers one finds so delightfully often in Asian tales. I don't even want to know what they do with fake mindsmiths, but it can't be good.

The Eastwesterners

"A few years ago, some wise guy thought if he murdered an Eastwesterner, there would be an open spot for him. It speaks for their skill that the fool survived his stunt. I think they made him a listener as punishment, but that won't improve his chances either."
— Adjila, Gamahanian

The Eastwesterners are the famed defenders of the great city Gamahan. They defend the city first and foremost, while they also have less known objectives. Their honour is legendary, as is their strength; their main weapons are the five-man-bow and the hammeraxe, even the raganaj among them wear full armour and can still fly, in short, the Eastwesterners are a sight to behold.
The Eastwesterners are a small order, with little more than two hundred members at any time. The city council may call upon them, but rarely does, and so the Eastwesterners frequently lend their strong arm to the voices and their unfathomable goals.

"As students we used to imagine legendary warrior team-ups, and we all agreed: The most impressive would be a bunch of Eastwesterners and a handful of Brightholdians. We excitedly shuddered at the thought; I do hope that a need for something like that never arises."
— Renolen Megurin, captain

The legendary feat of the Eastwesterners was the protection of Gamahan during the Splinter War. When the shapeshifter armies invaded, the Eastwesterners were the spearpoint of the counterattack, and their devastating blows, fierce tactics, and unwavering line freed Gamahan within only days; a service the Gamahanians have not forgotten.


Artists' notes
Factions, orders, and guilds are among my favourite subjects in computer rpgs; which to choose, how to balance the sometimes contradictory principles, what ranks to obtain in which order to gain what special feats and skills...
Ever since I learned of the existence of oversized bows - to be drawn lying down and using both hands and feet, with arrows the size of spears - I wanted to have a fantasy element where that is the actual main weapon, and here we are.

The Burners

The principle of the South is new beginnings without compromise or remorse, trying the new and unknown, and the Burners do what they can to follow that. They can be harmless enough, when they form spontaneous choirs in the streets or disturb sessions of parliament that were entirely foreseeable. But also quite bad, when they upset delicate balances, or burn down entire cities to redistribute wealth.

"Burn it! Start new! What do you expect this old thing to do for you? Has it served you more than once? Can it even ever again? Burn it! Free yourself!"
— Burner Tshaklai, to a citizen

Artists' notes
"Köhler" is a charcoal-burner, but it seemed so long that I went with just burners instead. They came up when I thought about what kinds of spiritual currents there would be in Genius Loci, and of course there are those who hold up one principle of the Four above all else. Potentially problematic, when that principle is "starting over, unburdened by the past".

Listeners

Listeners are the voices' armed forces and carry out their orders. Many were voices themselves and trust them implicitly, but anyone can become a listener when approved by the voices; some join the ranks as pilgrimage or for repenting crimes and sins.
Some rulers grant listeners ambassadorial status and help in their tasks, others point out that listeners, other than voices who are utterly truthful, are just regular people and might have their own agenda. The treatment of listeners has been in debate for ages.

"The council doesn't care if the voices send an army of listeners! We will not agree to any search of the catacombs unless we hear it from a voice that they need to!"
— Short Jugiel, councilman

All listeners are skillful warriors, focusing on traditional weaponry associated with the Four, as well as experts in manners and travel. Accompanying the infirm voices is a common task, but they do much more; they seek out collectors, negotiate with elementarians, acquire artifacts... They often hire more hands for extensive tasks.

"No, I have no idea why I am taking a sealed spear across half of Lozir and into the Singing Ryaq. That's what trust is for, and I trust the voices with my spirit."
— Shagruun, listener

Artists' notes
Stuff for legends is what listeners are. Some of the greatest heroes currently alive are in service to the voices, like Vranu Whiteblade. Many of the fantasy settings I enjoy, particularly computer rpgs like the Elder Scrolls, have several orders to join, and the listeners are one of those - handing out tasks of increasing difficulty to the heroes, with appropriately increasing prestige for surviving each one.

Collector's tools

Spirit collectors can work entirely without tools if needed, but prefer using them. They're usually made by pendulors, and totems and tubes need to be of certain quality - broken totems release their spirits.

The wooden totems are for trapping dead spirits. They are blue at first, turning brown when inhabited, and are painted with spirit-bonding patterns. The figure is sitting with folded arms, and must be of the appropriate species; a rope can be pulled through for hanging them up. In the cleansing rituals to unite the dead with the Great Spirit, the totem is destroyed.

"It was custom for collectors on their way to the cleansing to wear blue as a warning. Crowds parted around them, but more than once, the rebels shot them to release all spirits in the masses, causing great turmoils."
— Benerare Pikale, historian

Spirits are reflected like light and cannot escape rings, going in circles forever. Echo tubes are therefore made from mirroring materials. They can be glass tubes that are screwed shut or crystals closed with clasps, while metal tubes are not commonly used - since there is no light inside, there's also no reflection, and supposedly this makes them less useful.

"And when they had reached the clifftops, they started throwing down items we took for bottles, that shattered on the ground, but we soon realized in horror that they were echo tubes releasing their spirits among us."
— Ratirra Merruh, listener

The collectors' rings also use the ring principle. Young collectors start with them on arms and legs, moving them outwards gradually. A collector's body is a vessel, every inch makes room for more and greater spirits, and the rings are like stoppers. Seasoned collectors wear their rings on toes and fingers.


Artists' notes
Needless to say, there are also legendary collectors' rings or echo tubes that supposedly work better than the average. I always liked all the precautions you are supposed to take when interacting with the supernatural - turning mirrors to the wall, guarding thresholds with brick dust or salt, and so on. With equipment, there's also the storytelling element of precautions gone wrong, to add danger and difficulty to the task. 

Pendulors

Pendulum makers create many items used in supernatural affairs; pendulums for mappers and travellers to find their way, or totems and echo tubes for spirit collectors in which they trap the deads' spirits. The items themselves aren't enchanted in any way, or at least don't need to be, but the tiny details can make a speaker's or collector's life much easier, like the proper colour and quality.

"Buy from Trenan in Southern Third Street, his totems are reasonably strong. Those from the fourth floor pendulors are too difficult to burn in cleansings."
— Gajikar, to a fellow collector

Pendulums can be used to find all sorts of things related to what they're made of, and can be surprisingly precise. The craftsmanship doesn't really matter, a clam on a string will do, but will find too many things. This is the real art of pendulum-making; to create a pendulum that will find only what is sought.

Artists' notes
When I invented totems, it was clear that not just every idiot could make good ones, and I doubted all collectors had the time to make them themselves, and so "Pendelmacher" were invented. I always liked the idea of holding pendulums over maps to find a specific site or item. And because many gems and metals have certain esoteric properties, there would be someone who makes special pendulums for finding water or Area thresholds or whatever. 

Art on deviantArt: Mapper and beja bard

The illustration shown previously for the article on mappers was posted on deviantArt, as well as a new piece of a beja bard that I like very much, especially as I painted animals in that image (there are, oh, so many animals, and I rarely get around to paint any).
Mapper on deviantArt, and mappers on the blog
Beja bard on deviantArt, and beja on the blog

Whisperers

Whisperers have been described as the juvenile form of speakers. Indeed, whisperers that become powerful enough eventually turn into speakers, losing their abilities in exchange for the capacity of channeling the Fifth Power into spells. Whisperers are born, but one cannot learn to be a whisperer, while becoming a speaker is possible to anyone. Whisperers' abilities are always limited in number and strength. Some whisperers go to great lengths to keep their skills just low enough to not become speakers, to avoid the inevitable fanaticism both traditions are stricken with.

"I change the Fifth Power. My family forbade me to learn a profession, to marry, to have friends with strange ideas. I will live for nine centuries, and I'll never be anything but the power source for the speakers of my clan."
— Namtiin Giwanjur, whisperer

Whisperers' abilities are any of: resistance or complete immunity to mental control; empathy; telekinesis; shapeshifting their appearance; incredible physical resistance; manipulating the Fifth Power's strength; teleportation; silvercords; reading objects' past; supernatural combat skills; nearly irresistible skills of persuasion; artifact creation.

All whispering skills are limited to the user, they cannot use them outside of themselves. Therefore, while their teleportation is by far the most reliable, they cannot transport people with them, and cannot lift anything with their mental touch, but only protect or enhance themselves. Whisperers are subject to the mystical number five - mastership of five skills makes them speakers. They are treated wildly different throughout the cultures; some employ their unique talents like regular jobs, others see a duty for them, still others fear them, or value their talents but disregard the whisperers' individuality.

"Damned spells! I could jump from here to a room in Agorisai without fail when I whispered, now I can barely see the city upon my arrival!"
— Jukolar, wizard

Artists' notes
I wonder how it must be to have the choice to either never further your abilities or become a fanatic. Glad I don't have to make it. Whisperers' most important ability is to make artifacts - one could say that most have been made by them, although there are no more whisperers than speakers, who also can make them.

Mappers

Among the travelling professsions, mapmakers or mappers are equally regarded and well-paid as discarded as scoundrels and liars. Indeed, in the many changing lands recent maps can be invaluable, and the mappers know it. Whether the traveller has to put up with overgrown paths in Gdera, new volcanoes in Sawa, or treacherous desert ways in Lozir, without knowing the lay of the land no-one gets anywhere. Maps can be pricey, depending on their age and quality. Mapmakers are scientists, surveyors, and merchants in equal parts, which makes the average mapmaker proud, self-confident, and devious.

"Contrary to popular belief, we do care what happens to our maps. It's not about criminals hiding stashes - we couldn't care less - but that people believe us to be amateurs when the map's wrong. We are very, very good."
— Mexin, mapmaker

Mapmakers usually have a speciality; some map power lines, coasts, weather, political borders or cities, mountains or rivers, seaways or inland paths, or any number of things. They are also sometimes hired by criminals for "special maps", or devious potentates to fake maps for the political opponent - these projects make half of the mapmakers' bad reputation, and are a cause for conflict within the profession. A reliable mapmaker improves the public perception of a king, and is highly sought after.
The Mappers' Guild is one of the most adamant organisations there are, it - unlike some members - is uttely incorruptable and sworn to science only.

"We should have bought a more recent map."
— Elirad Truum, traveler

Artist's notes
I like character types that are regarded as scum by some and heroic adventurers by others. Mapmakers are free in their choice of work and very knowledgeable and well-travelled, people children in the villages crowd around in the tavern. And what more interesting thing to find or be presented with than a map?

Signs and Marks

"The giant went towards the village and began to drag his feet. We climbed the cliff of Morning Gorge to see, and found he was encircling the entire settlement in signs, herds and all."
— Kell Nor Haseban, villager 

 Marks protect against evil or unwanted supernatural matters. The most common examples are protective circles against dead spirits and marks against placespirits, but they can also influence mana flow and aspectation.
There are two alphabets. The First Signs were discovered in the first age, soon after the Rise of Light, and are lavish, graphical patterns. The second are the Wild Marks, whose discovery is lost in history; they are shapes of primeval strength. Both alphabets work like natural laws, not cultural endeavours, and were not invented, but discovered. Thus, while First Signs have been in use for millenia and are widely understood, every now and then new Wild Marks can still be found.

"When we were small, we once changed the fifth sign of our least favourite aunt's bedroom protection on one of her dreaded visits... she had to be kept in bonds for three weeks after she gravely injured our grandfather, until a collector came to free her from possession. So I had the signs in my own house laid in steel."
— Marligan, farmer

Unfortunately, signs cannot be made permanent. While placeholders help redrawing signs correctly, they are powerless without proper ritual. Placeholders aid against malevolent or accidental changes, and important signs are laid in steel and stone. There are other limitations to signs; they must be made on stable ground and cannot be drawn on carpets or even ships; they aid but don't offer full protection unless in the most extensive versions.
Aside from professional markmakers, speakers, collectors, and voices make heavy use of signs.

Artist's notes
This article was equally difficult to write as the one about speakers, there are so many details to signs and markmaking. Inventing the alphabets graphically took much preparation and for a long time I wasn't sure if they would be put down at all, but I realized that I wanted to describe them better and use them in paintings sooner or later. They might not be final like this, but for now I'm rather happy with their designs. 

Orlas

"If any of my orla pups turns out to be half as good a tracker as Senbror's Gray, I'll make him the father of all my following breeds. Although, their colouring could be more distinct."
— Krinor, orla breeder

Orlas are large warmblooded reptiles, about a meter and forty long including the tail. Their skin is blue with brown stripes; the netorla breed has a netlike pattern, the waterorla breed is greyish blue with a pale belly. All orlas have a small collar and a spiky crest on the head and shoulders. Orlas are fantastic companions for hunting, they're flexible enough to fit into most burrows, they can swim, run, and climb, and so it doesn't matter that they're too quickly fatigued to run down prey. They're friendly and happy to learn, and their favourite treat are the heads of dried amfas. Orlas are quite popular pets, and much friendlier and easier to keep, breed, and train than gubras.
The most known orlas - aside from their queen Asgaan - are the two companions of the wizard Senbror, creator of the famous collar, Gray and Catcher, who are the stuff of legend, and it's the ultimate goal of any breeder to get just one orla like either of those two.

Artists' notes
I imagine orlas to be the frolicking happy kind of companion animal, like the mount of Obi-Wan in Star Wars Episode III, similar to border collies. I've always liked reptiles and have seen them to be quite amiable sometimes, being happy to be scratched and taken care of, and wanted orlas to be just like that. 

Apothecaries

Alchemist and apothecary are interchangeable terms and refer to someone making chemistry goods for a living. The science demands a lot of precision and tables, which all satisfies the likings of mages, who are the majority of apothecaries; unlike other sciences, where speakers are only a fraction of all practitioners.
Apothecaries create medicaments, soaps, dyes and inks, acids, and perfumes, and their knowledge is useful for an array of other professions, like mining, botany, tannery, or medicine.

"I am looking for a new medicine against greyskin disease. It proves to be very tricky; so far I have found several antidotes, a complex fertilizer, and ingredients that make black earth grow a quarter faster, but nothing I aimed for."
— Sdarin Farree, apothecary

Many apothecaries are surrounded by a nimbus of danger and crime. Indeed, some of the substances they use are either dangerous themselves or can only be procured under doubtful circumstances. In any case, all apothecaries love the imports of Gdera's colourful forests and Lozirian minerals, and can make good money with their rare and dangerous profession.

"At first we thought the homebody apothecary would be dead by afternoon. But she was quick with analyzing and antidotes and had saved three of us by evening. We are grateful she accepted to join the tribe, and have suffered much fewer losses since then; although she still complains we hadn't any decent biscuits."
— Rawwa Fue Kun, red forest nomad

Artists' notes
Alchemy is one of my favourite fantasy subjects. I must have spent dozens of hours in every part of The Elder Scrolls making potions. I think it's neat to cook up strange elixirs from weird ingredients, and it's fun to come up with alchemical uses for things. I don't think I will make alchemy a big point in Genius Loci, but it's nice to have a job like this for added interest.

Voices and the Great Spirit

Voices are on either side of death - very young, very old, or terminally ill, with one exception: elves can be voices for life. Voices are blessed as they truly understand the world. Knowing that no-one else does, they gladly give advice but rarely bother explaining themselves. They don't trade or sell their services. Instead they live off the communities' generosity, but many cities feature halls of the voices, which are kept in order by the ruler. Voices are always right; following their advice will always solve the problem, but it's often hard - still, refusing them is said to be a recipe for rotten luck.
Voices are marked by a sign on their throat.

"Akani in the desert is said to be a voice. You're not the first pilgrims to seek her, but most people I point her way come back crying and refuse to speak. Her advice does seem to work, though."
— Peqati, innkeeper, to his guests

The Great Spirit is the cosmic will that shapes the world. It is a force of nature rather than a person, does not perform miracles and has no priests. It never acts directly, only sets the rules. The Great Spirit is the world. Understanding it means understanding the world. The question is, how does one start when the thread's end is the ball of yarn?

"No, you don't notice how you loose your ear for the Great Spirit. When I turned eight, I began to misunderstand my fellows, took easier tasks on my own accord, and left the hall with ten without sadness. I barely remember now, but I know the voices are right, and that comforts me."
— Cirinall from the White Stones, scribe

Artist's notes
Many fantasy settings have detailed religions, which I generally like, but it seemed I had only two choices: one religion for all (boring), or teeny-tiny cults everywhere (too much work). So I turned to animism, with spirits providing supernatural plot-hooks, and kept the thing/being that created the world out of the equation. Hopefully, this way I will avoid "How could (insert name of deity) let that happen". In a way, the speakers in their desire to understand the world are indeed theosophic truth-seekers (which I suddenly realise is definitely a nod to the wizards of LotR).

Nightreaders

"Many people make a little fun of us, as if we're funny old grandparents with spleens. We find that easy to overlook - we hand them a telescope, point them to a new star, and quietly smile about their wonder."
— Wilegund, nightreader

Astronomy, or the science of the stars, is a known but little practiced subject among scientists on Kitas, since most of their tables and charts are interesting but useless to the average person. Still, sailors regard them as lucky charms and like getting the newest updates for their navigation. New stars are born all the time in the two nebulae, and the two moons as well as the Eye and its moons - the planet following behind Kitas in its run around the sun - present many scientific questions.

"If only my daughter had not decided to become a nightreader. Useless enough to have two mapmakers in the family, and I never understand what the three talk about when they visit."
— Pien, farmer

When they aren't roaming the lands to find any and all stars, their guild is busy talking rulers into financing and building bigger telescopes. The latest and biggest success of that is the enormous telescope of the Bargassa engineering school. Nightreaders and mapmakers share an interest in the navigational value of new discoveries, and are often found in debate along travelling routes' inns.

Artist's notes
Since I threw out prophecy and religion, the usual fantasy meme of reading the future in the stars doesn't work for Kitas (and with that, star signs, horoscopes, and the likes). In my opinion, navigation fully justifies interest in the stars, and so nightreaders are cause for expensive prestige projects, and otherwise, as the quote shows, regarded as maybe not useful, but nice to have.