Melhed/Life

Life in Melhed

Social Order

Life in the republic is heavily coloured by the opposing ideals of the nation itself. Though the people maybe ordered in five social rankings, the interplay between those ranks is both savage and enlightened. Like many things in the republic, it is unwise to use first impressions, there is always a deeper layer for the observant. The basic ranks are as follows and are explained in detail below:

••••• Senate
•••• Patrician
••• Equites
•• Plebeian
• Foederati

On first glance the stratification of society keeps the masses under the thumb of the oligarchy. The laws are written in favour of the high, and office is barred to the lower ranks. However though officially brutal justice is enforced, magnanimous justice is practiced. The wealth of the senate class flows not from the patricians, but from the Equites, the Plebeians, and even the Foederati. Thus to protect their interests the senate keeps close tabs on any interference in their provinces. Justice is maintained for good social order and efficiency, and for the coldest of hearts it is motivated by personal wealth.

Law

Indeed, while interactions between the social strata are complex affairs of expectations, culture and law, matters with one's peers is relatively free. The state remains uninvolved in personal disputes as much as possible, whether rich or poor. Laws outline expected procedures for settling issues, and if things completely break down into vendettas there are various people in positions of authority (Praetor for the Senate and Patricians; while individual Senators handle matters in their regions for the Equites, and Plebeians; and the Tribune all matters of the Foederati) who can put things to final rest. Much of life is live and let live, personal consequences for one's actions is the main word of the day, and thus little is expressly forbidden. Conversely if someone manages to anger a lot of people they have nothing to fall back on but their own charm.

Work and Fun

The day to day affairs are difficult enough so trouble is usually limited, there just isn't enough time in the day to work, relax and murder your neighbour, especially with so many other things to kill. Since many of the beasts and monsters stalk the night, most people tend to remain indoors once the sun drops, save bravado's and the bored. Rising with the sun, if not a little before, the morning is left for work. Why oddly enough even the patricians are up to see the sun rise, dawn is a major event for all.

By noon people are left to a little leisure time, even the senate closes down to enjoy the warmest parts of the day. Gladiatorial games are the preferred past time of the mob, though when the arena remains empty people find their own sport. Hunting monsters is considered a worthy pursuit, and helps the militia keep order. Indeed basic life skills in the form of games are so common most don't even think to mention them. While leisure is spent outdoors most work itself is kept within warm walls, if it can be helped. The winters are brutal, even summer isn't the most pleasant, and threat of monsters hardly makes a job outside a long term prospect.

Once winter sets in everyone who can stay indoors does so, which explains one of the strangest forms of entertainment, formal debates. Melites are passionate creatures, and the long time trapped indoors results in short tempers. To help alleviate this stress, and keep bloodshed to a minimum, the people are encouraged to duel with words. Even the poorest of Melites understand the basics of such debates, though their work is of far lesser quality then the halls of the senate, it is pervasive across the social strata. Interestingly the result is a fairly well educated people, or at least a substantial number interested in scholarly pursuits.

Faith

Religion in the Republic isn’t really the same as other lands. The religious landscape remains dominated by pagan beliefs of the Old Gods. Despite the open policy of the government to other faiths, most can find no foothold in the hearts of the people. This is because for the most part, paganism is a political, cultural thing. Even the old Imperial cult was far more about political allegiance than about thinking the Emperor was an actual god. By sacrificing to the Emperor, the Melites were affirming that they were Melite. The sacrifices were a simple fact of citizenship. Belief wasn’t a factor at all. Most people, high and low, believed in the gods, but you didn’t have to believe in the gods at all to perform the rites or be a priest. Even the staunchest believers were rarely fanatics — why be a fanatic if you don’t need to be?

This is one of the main reasons why the people have never really understood other faiths. The Others were willing to die on a point of un-practical principle that utterly eluded the Followers of the Old Gods. In the old days the Others should have been able to sacrifice with a clean conscience and if they refused, it was because they did not care to be subjects of Melhed, which was treason. Wasn’t Heaven big enough for everyone’s gods? Why make such a fuss over this? All they have to do is kill the goat, say the formula and forget about it.

Modern times sees the Followers starting to understand this pursuit for orthodoxy of the other faiths a bit more. It’s impossible not to have some idea. And they don’t like what they see. They have begun to identify themselves as the followers of the Old Gods, and to a degree, that’s what the Followers’ religion is about: identity. They are not defending their beliefs. They are guarding their way of life against the people whom the Followers believe are at best tearing their nation apart with their squabbles, and at worst trying to wipe their culture off the face of the world.

Women and Children

With life as difficult as it is, there are two unusual social results. First childhood lasts about as long as it takes to wield a weapon. Too many things find small prey tasty to allow a prolonged, special, childhood. Second is the role of women. In the ancient days of the tribes and empire life was too much of a struggle, every person with an axe was needed. As the bloody times of the imperial period shifted to the republic women were pulled more and more from the front line because of one fact, there weren't very many of them. Even after all these years the ratio of men to women hovers around five to one for the lower classes, and seven to one in the upper. As a result only the most successful of men have even a chance of acquiring a wife, and everyone knows it. Perhaps because of this, but the most successful men of the republic also happen to be the ones deemed most suitable to wed. The question is if they attract the attention of women because of their position, or their position because they attract women. Either way the ladies have not remained passive in the political spectrum. Though removed from the front line of the fighting they have taken to safe guarding their interests and keep a close eye on the political landscape. Wielding their rarity as a formidable tool in their political efforts, and often naturally gifted in the subtle dance, many of the highest offices have long been dominated by women. The other thing of note is that despite the complex barriers between the social classes, marriage remains an exceedingly easy way to rise in rank, for a woman.

Magic

The last component of life in the republic is at one and the same time, the best and worst kept secret. Magic is frightfully common, by Inquisition and barbarian standards, yet most forms of enchantment are so ubiquitous it hardly ever gets noticed. The dead do not rest quietly in their graves, but the days they storm out of crypts to hunt the living is merely known as Monday. The next most obvious display of power is the unusual tenacity of the patrician and senators, no matter how badly they're injured they always seem to recover. This oddity is not a property of blood, though many would claim it such, but seem to be triggered purely by social standing. More subtle examples can be found by the attentive, there is only one currency, and language across the whole of the world. Indeed all fire, for light, cooking, work or play is violet in colour and known as Incindia. The Old Gods church keeps a close eye on the flame, listing it as a gift from the Gods, but either way it's quite useful, given enough time it will burn almost anything, flammable or not.

It is into this mystical environment that the Melites live and being as curious as they are it is no wonder that they add to it. Research into the occult, alchemy, and magic, can be very easily traced to Consul Aldo Unti. Like many men of power and wealth he sought some kind of hobby to spend his leisure, and for reasons unknown he chose the occult. Thus it is very fashionable for young men and women seeking to make a name for themselves in society to dabble and experiment with arcane forces so they can keep up with all the latest trends and discussions. Of course not all these people are even remotely successful in their efforts

Social Ranks

Senate

The highest ranking members of the realm, the governing elite, the privileged. Wealth, power and the leisure to spend it are all yours. The republic moves by your will, the armies are your arm, the people your workers. Along with those perks comes responsibility to rule your lessers, thus much of your time is spent on the senate floor in debate and study.
Common Activities: Studying the flow of politics across the continent, skirmishes with barbarians and inhumans, research, matters of faith, debates in halls of the senate and forum, parties with foreign and local elite, supreme ruling of the lands of the Republic.
Standard Name: Regional Lords

Patrician

The next highest ranking members of the realm, you are still privileged, have much wealth, power beyond the wildest dreams of most and even more leisure to spend it are all. It's true you're life isn't as grand as the senate, but that also means you have less responsibilities.
Common Activities: Seeking political advancement to the senate or Tribune, Aeldie, Augur, Centurion, and Legetus, not to mention serving select senators for power, skirmishes with barbarians and inhumans, leading armies, matters of faith as priests, debates in court and lesser meetings, parties with foreign and local elite.
Standard Name: Nobles

Equites

The wealthiest strata of the republic that remains apart from the aristocratic classes, the eques hold an odd place. They are barred from entry into the political games of the patricians and senate, technically, but end up serving as nearly all the administrators, military officers and other required offices to keep things running smoothly. Indeed between their great deal of wealth from trade, fine crafts, and merchant activities, jobs seen as unfitting for patricians, and their pervasiveness in office, one might even say the equites were the real power in the land.
Common Activities: Research and study of unusual things, administering, shuffling papers, leading soldiers, organizing trade, making fine goods, tricking Patricians.
Standard Name: NPCs who follow nobles around

Plebeian

The common working man/woman, of the republic. Comes in a wide range of styles and levels of poverty. You have little rights when confronted by your betters, but all in all life could be much worse. Justice between plebeians is fair and even handed out by senators, work is hard, but rewards are yours, minus taxes. The only responsibility you have is to fight when ordered, bow when approached and generally make sure not to upset anyone with more money and goons then you.
Common Activities: Crafts, farming, trade, fighting pointless wars for ungrateful... are they looking?, being in the military/militia, religion as followers, paying taxes, relaxing, being attacked by bandits and inhumans, being beaten around by all other classes above
Standard Name: Region Population

Foederati

The wild men and women of the wolf tribes are shunned by the other strata for their strange and alien behaviours. Since most keep well away from the rest of society the most common form of this class is the wandering adventurer. Tired of just staying home, adventurers explore brave new frontiers, best the darkness and return with shining treasures, which are usually stolen quickly. Comes in a narrower range of styles and levels of poverty, all of them mobile and battle scarred. You have little rights, less then most in some areas since you wander around so much (PS: Get to know the Tribune). However you have the freedom of the open road (minus tolls, questioning militia, and beatings by bored nobles) allowing you to explore all the wonders of the land (theft by bandits, questions by priests, beatings by bored inhumans) The only responsibility you have is to try not to anger anyone enough that they haul you in front of the Tribune or Senators, or get killed by the inhumans.
Common Activities: Adventuring, being beaten, finding strange treasures, being beaten, saving fellow plebeians from certain doom (while being beaten) stumbling into mysterious sages with magical lore, having magical lore stolen by patricians (with beatings), repairing magical items on demand by patricians, being pawns in the political games of patricians, paying tolls, getting in jail, saving damsels and lads from certain death, not getting paid nearly enough (except in beatings)
Standard Name: Adventurer, or cannon fodder soldiers.