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The Sea Folk Chain of Command
Each Sea Folk ship is commanded by the Sailmistress. The Sailmistress decides when and where the ship sails, as well as who is allowed aboard. The Sailmistress is frequently married to the Cargomaster. All of the Cargomaster’s decisions regarding defense and trade are final. Each ship also has a Windfinder, who advises the Sailmistress. However, it is the greatest secret of the Atha’an Miere that most Windfinders are in fact women who can channel. Not all Windfinders are able to channel, but all women capable of channeling the One Power become Windfinders. The Sea Folk are divided into clans and septs. Each clan is headed by a Wavemistress, chosen for life from among the clan’s Sailmistresses. This Sailmistress then appoints a Swordmaster, typically the man who had served as her Cargomaster. The Swordmaster has authority over all the clan’s Cargomasters. The Wavemistress’ Windfinder then gains authority over all the Windfinders of the clan. The Atha’an Miere are governed by a Mistress of the Ships, who has as much power as any Queen on the mainland. This Mistress of the Ships in chosen from among the Sea Folk’s Wavemistresses. This Mistress of the Ships then appoints a Master of the Blades, typically the man who had served as her Swordmaster. The Master of the Blades is responsible for the defense of the Atha’an Miere people as a whole. The Windfinder who serves the Mistress of the Ships holds sway over every Windfinder among the Sea Folk clans.
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