the granting of estates
| fighter | cleric | artisan | farmer | merchant |
| first estate | second estate | third estate | fourth estate | fifth estate |
The newly founded Necrodemian Empire granted land and political power to four
official social castes, that came to be called estates. The fifth estate has
never been granted an official voice in Necrodemian politics.the first estate
The fighter caste was founded on the ideal of the honorable warrior, with citizens
being banned from carrying all but the three “honor weapons“ in public places.
Weapons bans persisted until the rule of Necrodemus III, when holdfast kav elfar won
the right to bear their holdfast longswords within Necrodemian law.
While anyone with sufficient funding could
carry the first sword, the i, displaying a weapon was a claim to martial prowess,
an open invitation to challenge in a formal legal duel. The victor won the weapon
of the loser. Carrying the second honor weapon, the mai, was a claim to earned
advanced martial training, which brought its own challenges and civil duels. Only
a suicide would challenge someone carrying the third sword, the oudethe second estate
The clergy was founded on eight officially condoned churches. Worship outside
the Necrodemian Pantheon of religions was punishable in civil court, by death. While
Necrodemain law did not demand religious donation, many cities had their own local
ordinances, especially the towns holding a Telesterion, the high altar to one of
the eight religions.the third estate
The artisan guilds accounted for sufficient wealth
that the politicians could not ignore their presence. With Necrodemian imposed constraints
on inter-planar access, Wizards banded together to form schools to amass political
power, and those with other more mundane skills formed guilds with similar intent:
to obtain a voice in the government.the fourth estate
Farming and agriculture was by far the most common profession of the Necrodemian
territories. This populace was recognized with a voice in government. To buy citizenship in the
Necrodemian City Councils cost one thousand gold ounces per annum, the entire wages
of a normal workhand for almost three years. Farmers formed cooperatives in which
all would contribute to a council seat for one or more member each year.necessary evil
Merchant clans were never officially recognized by the Necrodemian government,
but their vast wealth gained undeniable unofficial recognition. Eventually the merchant
clans came to be known as Noble Houses.all rights reserved
