Let it be known. This is the government and society of Goldshire:
(NOBLE CLASSES)
[Class I]
There shall be a Duke. He shall be the highest Lord in Goldshire and shall appoint everyone else to whatever position he pleases. He shall be the final word on all things. In day to day business, he shall deal with political, cultural, military, and economic situations, though he may delegate those tasks to others. The Duke is to act in a wise and cultured manner: civil, decent, with purpose. The Duke is not a tyrant though. He shall not rule arbitrarily and trample the privileges of others; this would be most unbecoming.
[Class II]
The highest minister in the land shall be the Great Rishi. Primarily responsible for cultural development, he is also responsible for advising the Duke, maintaining the traditions of the land, and shall automatically become the Steward if there is no Duke to rule over the land. The Great Rishi must be a wise and cultivated person. The Lord of the Order of Vajra shall be equal in rank to the Great Rishi. He shall command the defenses of the Duchy and train and lead its elite forces.
[Class III]
The Great Rishi and Lord of the Order of Vajra together with the Barons of the land shall make up an advisory council to the Duke. They shall help create and implement laws, regulations, and customs. There shall be two barons unless other baronies are created or acquired: those of Khorze and Ynnraile.
[Class IV]
Below the Barons shall be lesser ministers as appointed by the Duke. These shall oversee functions of government that are necessary and important, like commerce, military matters, or justice. A Great Rishi or Baron may double as one of these ministers. Members of the ordinary military are below this class BUT Knights of the Order of Vajra, being noble and elite, are of this class and are equal to these lesser ministers. If there are any Counts or lesser nobles, they may fall into this category as well.
[Class V]
Below are officers of the government: bureaucrats and soldiers. Scholars and priests also belong to this class.
(COMMON CLASSES)
[Class VI, VII, VIII, IX]
Below are the common people: merchants, peasants, artisans, and the like. See order of precedence for the order of the four common classes.
Order of Precedence in the Land:
1. Duke
2. Great Rishi and Lord of the Order of Vajra
3. Barons
4. Lesser Ministers (War, Commerce, etc.)
5. Servants of the Government (Soldiers, Bureaucrats, etc.)
6. Commoner Classes
Among commoners, there is an order of precedence:
1. Artisans and Craftsmen
2. Merchants and other Townsmen
3. Peasants
4. Those who perform menial tasks
Of this scheme, the following may be said:
Our society is hierarchal. Everyone has their place and everyone is expected to excel in their place. In accordance with our ancient traditions, loyalty is paramount. Everyone must be loyal to everyone. The Peasant to his Lord, the Lord to his Duke. Likewise, the Duke must be loyal to his Lords and Peasants and never betray their trust or exploit them. However, our society is not rigid. A man of talent or luck can rise up and change his class. The lowest peasant may become the Great Rishi. A failed Baron can be cast into prostitution. Also social precedence may not mean much in reality. Merchants, though relatively low on the scale, might be among the most powerful people in the land. Nobles may be destitute and have nothing more than unproductive land and crumbling castles. Nobody is denied switching classes if they meet certain standards. The refined shall rise up, the corrupt shall fall down.
An example of our society projected as an image:
