These are the castes as they existed during Ardith's day. Some are added/subtracted depending on the time period. The descriptions should be taken with a grain of salt, as they differ depending on the time period.
Note that the castes are plural. To form the singular or possessive, you add an "-i" or a "-ni" (usually, if after a vowel). So many rathked. One rathkedi. And a rathkedi object.
Note that your caste-rank is known as your hhaza; so if you are osulkedi, osulkedi is your hhaza. Your hhaza is not the same entity as the spirit which makes you your caste-rank (known as the ishas, a word with no numbered form). The goal of society is to ensure that your ishas and your hhaza match.
The Hierarchy[]
Thirukedi -- Emperor
- Aruked -- major regals
- Rathked -- minor regals
- Masirked -- primary city family
- Nanauked -- major city family
- Eritked -- minor city family
- Anathked -- primary country family (rules the others)
- Rithked -- major country family
- Sitriked -- minor country family
The Noble Wall/Wall of Birth
- Osulked -- empire-level servants
- Janaeked -- regal level's servants
- Lanedked -- regal minor level's servants
- Jakked -- noble city servants
- Sesuked -- noble country servants
- Penoked -- guardian servants
- Sarithked -- land servants
- Nakked -- regal level guard
- Gunedked -- regal minor level's guard
- Ratuked -- army officer
- Inuked -- naval officer
- Enuked -- noble city guard
- Mazuked -- noble country guard
- Zariked -- army rating
- Desitked -- naval rating
- Danitked -- merchant guard
- Basirked -- land guard
- Jesked -- city merchant, more than five locations
- Teritked -- city merchant, less than five locations
- Duritked -- country merchant, with employees
- Aridked -- country merchant, no employees
- Maritked -- traveling merchant, no employees
- Kasukked -- city employee
- Garithked -- country employee
- Darekked -- primary land-workers
- Stalikked -- major land-workers
- Kerikked -- minor land-workers
- Irimked -- house-workers (cooks/butlers/laundry)
- Fathriked -- decorations (dancers/bedwarmers)
The Forbidden/Lost/Forgotten Caste
- Umudked -- slaves
Someone whose caste/rank is unknown to the speaker is referred to as "duinikedi" (or duiniked, plural form). This is not a caste-rank, but a linguistic term, used for courtesy's sake until the caste-rank is revealed. The proper response to being referred to as duinikedi is to respond with your caste-rank.
How the Hierarchy Changes[]
The castes haven't changed in a very long time. The number of ranks in each has occasionally grown or shrunk, but the most typical changes to the hierarchy involve the responsibilities of each rank, or the work typical to them.