Social Classes

Which social classes are valid per individual location within Azaleon is variant. Each nation has its own social arrangements, and some classes may not really be prevalent in certain ones. For instance, Dalmasca has a very strict classing hierarchy, but Macenia does not really have one at all. Each individual class detailed below will hold in its description a mention of where that class is generally valid.

Blood Fighter

Technically, most often, a blood fighter is also a slave, but these particular individuals are elevated a little bit higher than the common house slave, and blood fighters have a better chance of gaining favour with their owner and eventually earning their freedom. Blood fighters take part in the Blood Games, a series of gladiatorial games prevalent in eastern Azaleon. Many fighters can become extremely popular, and become esteemed and rather honoured among Dalmascans and the Jihonese.

Occasionally, blood fighters will be full citizens that still retain citizenship rights, but have chosen to take part in the games in hopes of paying off a debt or similar. For more information on fighters and their personal hierarchies, see the blood games page. Blood fighters are only recognised in Dalmasca and Jihon; no other nation or region partakes in the games.

Commons

These are the every day citizen. Commoners are typically not very wealthy, and some can be very impoverished, while others may have a steady enough income to live comfortably, but not in excess. Those of the commons class have full citizenship rights in whichever region or nation they call home, and are afforded the privileges that citizenship gives them.

Commoners are found all across Azaleon.

Justicar

Something of a combination between a law-maker, and a judiciary branch, the justicar is a high-ranking individual that assists in management of a specific region within their country. There are five Justicars per city, one of which is the Prime, the acting ruler of the city, somewhat like a mayor, whom is elected to the position by the other Justicars of the city. The Primes also serve on the Imperator Council, which advises and elects the Imperator, and only Primes can eventually become Imperator themselves.

Interestingly, despite Dalmasca being rife with conflict and backstabbing, the justicars tend to get along with one another, and are known to be perhaps a bit strict, but fair. Almost all Justicars have military background, thereby one generally cannot reach the rank of Imperator without spending time in the military and earning some sort of distinction through service, but once in a while, a Justicar comes through that bought their way there - these sorts of Justicars have never been elected Prime before, and thus, never become Imperator.

Justicars are unique to Dalmasca.

Merchant

These individuals and houses deal in the trade of goods or services, and are typically somewhat moneyed, at the very least. Wealth is typically accumulated either through mercantile businesses, or through real estate. Commoners who gain enough wealth can have a foothold into the nobility class through wealth, and from there, potentially into higher classes, but this is tricky, and tends to end in disaster in the case of the justicar class, as other justicars are liable to take former commoners as more of a threat than usual - and perhaps, as one easy to screw over.

Merchants are typical across Azaleon.

Royalty

Several locations in Azaleon still have royal ruling families. Those marked as royalty are a part of one such lineage or house, and are very important to whichever region it is their family line holds power in. However, several of these royals have been displaced due to the slave trades, and royals of one location may not hold much importance in other places.

All of our ruling lines have already been established, as of now. These lines are:
Assad (Haradi), Lucain (Saqqara), Yrdyn (Galace). There is also a ruling line established in Dalmasca, but it is being NPC'd.

Most royal lines have openings within them, if one wishes to be a part of that line. Check the wanted board to find them. These lines may however move around, and other locales may eventually gain a ruling line where they did not already have one.

Slave

Slavery is a rampant issue in eastern Azaleon, and has remained so for at least a few thousand years. Slaves are not considered people, in the most blunt sense. They are, in the eyes of the government, the property of whomever owns them, and as such, whomever owns them may treat them in any way they see fit. Cheap labour is hard to come by, and slave labour is the cheapest there is, thereby most houses of at least moderate wealth have probably one or two slaves. Many slave owners will be rather kindly toward their slaves, albeit some go rather above and beyond, but many other slave owners rule with fear.

Slaves may be general house slaves, who do house work, blood fighters, exclusively trained for the blood games, body slaves, who are assigned a specific person to whom they answer and attend to the needs of, or public slaves, who do not belong to any one house or person but instead to the general public. Body slaves are in a decently good position to become very close and even somewhat respected by those they attend to, and many body slaves find it easier than usual to win favour and eventually, be freed. Public slaves may attend temples, be assigned to care for government buildings and attend to officials during meetings, or become brothel slaves.

Much of how slavery is handled on Messiah derives directly from slave treatment at the end of the Roman Republic period, and in ancient China. As such, how much freedom and what a slave character is allowed to do and where they are allowed to go and when is entirely up to the character(s) that own them. Just walking outside their owner's gates is grounds for execution for attempted escape, and some slave owners will prosecute. Anyone that plays a slave must be aware that their character and decisions they make for that character is only partially their own, as making the wrong choices can and may very well get a slave character killed.

Long story short, don't make a slave character unless you're prepared for and okay with that. We won't warn you twice.

Slavery is outlawed everywhere except Dalmasca and Jihon, however, slaves can come from everywhere. Slaves from Durya, however, are very rare.

Ujalin

Those related to, or being themselves, an ujal, or the rhanujal of Jihon. These individuals are very high in social standing in Jihon, and only the rhanujal himself is above them. Much of the time, the ujalin operates as both a governor and a military leader, and managing the affairs of their given region is left essentially entirely to them. They may relegate certain specific things to those of their house, or even vassal houses, however, hence this particular class.

Ujalin are unique to Jihon.

Warlord

Any individual, or house, that has gained reputation and status via their military achievements, is officially warlord class. Only warlords can become justicars in Dalmasca, however this class is recognised in most of Azaleon. Typically, warlord class houses and individuals raise their standing further by becoming respected warriors, effectively defending strongholds, pushing back invaders, successfully invading other lands, defeating war parties, and similar. Likewise, the overall perception and opinion of other soldiers in regard to a specific individual or house has a decent amount of influence over their standing - ergo, the happier other soldiers are with a specific warlord, the easier it will be for them to gain backing and support, and thereby the more likely they are to be successful in leadership positions, as the soldiers will already have decided to obey them, and not actively attempt to obstruct their progress.

Warlords as a specific class are unique to Dalmasca, but are recognised as a viable class across Azaleon, and other nations and the cities use the term warlord to describe any esteemed member of the military.

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