Khinasi ranks

Khinasi » Domain and Regency » Social class » Khinasi (ranks)

Part of a series on Social class

Rural Ranks
Serf · Yeoman · Gentry · Nobility
Urban Ranks
Criminal · Laborer · Craftsman Guildmaster · Guilder
Regional Variation
Anuire · Rjurik · Brecht · Khinasi · Vos

The Khinasi tend to ignore distinctions near the bottom of the social scale. Peasants, fishermen, laborers, and shopkeepers are all commoners. The merchant who is noted in his town, the guildmaster, stands a bit above the commoners. Next in status are those families with the right to carry a family name, the ajazada. Whether they own herds of fine horses, and might be thought of yeoman standing, or whether they practice a craft or profession, possession of a family name is a great honor that can only be bestowed by the ruler of a city. The ranks of the ajazada extend through the gentry and guildmasters, as described by Anuireans or Brecht. At the highest level of Khinasi society is the tamounzada, who share the ruling family's name. These relations of the ruling family fill the highest offices, own many lands, herds, and tents in the bazaar.
Two other criteria serve to boost or diminish one's social status: magic and sayim. The Khinasi fascination with magic means that one can always improve one's position by mastering arcane talents. Second, just like the Anuireans and Rjurik, adherence to an honor code wins respect as well. Called sayim the Khinasi code of 'face' values both doing the right thing, and being seen to have done it, with the relative importance of each varying from realm to realm, one can easily lose status or painstakingly cultivate it by right conduct and obedience to the code.