The Claret Classes

Sanctuaries and Sactriums

Each capital in the western realms of Kelroth are home to a Sanctuary. Smaller villages and cities contain a Sactrium, which is under the protection and authority of the appropriate Sanctuary. For example, Delsinor, the capitol of Adorian, is home to the the Sanctuary. Smaller cities, like Aatheria, contain a Sactrium.  

 

Claret Ranks

The Sanctuaries are run by Arch Clarets as the head and final authority on all matters. The Arch Claret often councils the king and is rarely seen by any outside the royal court, often attending it himself. 

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Below the Arch Claret are the Anakrites. The size of the Sanctuary dictates the number of Anakrites that work under the Arch Claret. Anakrites are also the head authority within Sactriums. They often use Emissaries to report back to the Sanctuary. 

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Emissaries are the go-between from the Sactriums to the Sanctuaries. They carry news, reports, pleas for aid, and all other communication. The highest rank of Emissary are Emissaries who speak from the Sanctuary to the Sactriums as they speak for the Arch Claret.

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The lower ranks have little sway and are not much more than specific jobs. Such as stable master, scribe, keeper of the wards, and so forth. The lowest rank, of course, are the wards—young Clarets who live in the Sanctuary or Sactirum to train to become a higher ranking Claret one day, or to work the land, or to sing the praises of the Winds.  

 

Knights

The Knights of Adorian and other lands of the western realms of Kelroth are the elites who bind to Clarets in order to wield the magic gifted to mortal kind by the Winds themselves. The Knights are not the city guard, nor the province’s military, though they often work closely with both. They are the guardians of the magic. 

The Knights’ highest rank is Archon Knight. Each Archon Knight is in charge of what they call a Column. There are four Columns and therefore only four Archon Knights. Four Columns make up a Legion. Each Column contains twenty-five Knights, making a Legion one hundred. But not all Columns wield magic. Only First and Second Column are bound to Clarets and can use the elemental magic of the Winds. Third and Forth Column are Knights who hope to one day move up the ranks and become a Second or First Column Knight. Maybe even an Archon Knight one day. The Archon Knight of First Column is head of the Legion and all other Archon Knights answer to him. 

Archon Knights are promoted based on merit, time served, and quality of grit. An Archon Knight may be put forth to the Atheling of the city and must be signed into service by the noble. If anyone in the court objects, then the court will hold council to hear both sides and decide on the promotion. Archon Knights are then presented to the king where they receive their blessing from the crown and the Sanctuary alike.

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Nobles and Royalty

The king oversees an entire land. The western realms of Kelroth are Adorian, Moralan, and Vyrkaris. Each have their king∗. The western realms are patriarchal and pass to the first-born son of each king. However, the queen still holds some sway and is second in command to the king, often helping him rule in choices, decisions, and even in battle. Below the queen are the prince and princess. Often times, the prince will act as a general in the royal army. 

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Each city in the western realms is overseen by a noble called an Atheling. They often own large tracks of land and live inside a castle. They have many who live on and work their land. They are usually related to royalty somehow and pass down their rank from father to first-born, male or female. Below the Atheling come a rank called a Thane or Maid.

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Thanes and Maids live all over the western realms and are closer to the gentry and peasant class. Thanes and Maids can acquire this title in many ways. Often they are Knights who have served valiantly and are of a certain age. They can also become this rank by coming into money and wielding influence. They often own land and live in smaller castles or keeps with their own set of guards and farmers to work their land. Very rarely does a Thane become an Atheling, but it is not unheard of as the king may appoint an Atheling should he feel the desire to do so. If one is not a Thane or a Maid, they may be a Lord or Lady.

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Lords and Ladies come by their titles strictly through influence and wealth. They typically live within the city limits and do not own much land. However, they are noble citizens, distantly related to royalty, and are often looked up to by those nearest them. They hold some sway and often speak for their part of the city in the royal court. A low ranking Knight in Third or Fourth Column who is of a certain age and never made it to First or Second Column may be a Lord or Lady. Often Lords and Ladies are promoted through social diplomacy to Thanes and Maids. A spouse of a Knight is automatically considered a Lord or a Lady.

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A note on the Elsarius and Modeus Knights and Clarets

The Knights and Clarets operate outside the typical noble ranks and peasant classes. They are seen as holy and blessed and ones who must be adhered to as they speak for the Winds. However, they hold little sway in court outside of the words of the Arch Claret. While an Archon Knight may come to court (though rarely), his words will be heeded but only just as he is not part of the ruling class. However, the words of the Emissaries, Anakrites, and above all the Arch Claret, are taken very seriously. A Claret bound to a Knight, even an Archon Claret, would not be heeded almost at all, except in the rare cases of prophetic dreams. Clarets and Knights, however, are still very respected among the peasant class. 

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The Epoch of the Empyrean Core

The calendar in the western realms of Kelroth started when the Winds gifted mortal kind the Empyrean Core, roughly 1200 years ago. This tale begins in 1207 A.C. (after Core) with the years before being called B.C. (before Core). The new year is the first day of spring. The months have thirty or so days in them, give or take a few depending on the year. The months are: 

 

Spring

—Borealis (new year)

—Celestrum

—Luminaria 

 

Summer 

—Gilden

—Juniper 

—Hearthfire (first harvest)

 

Autumn 

—Kronomar 

—Eldamar (second harvest)

—Soramar 

 

Winter

—Frostfall 

—Selat 

—Auric 

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∗ Vyrkaris is a special exception. While they do have a king in Drachen, most provinces only respect and revere their own chiefs. There are many wild tribes of the dragonite people and they often only answer to themselves. Vyrkaris is a wild and dangerous land, swarming with monsters. Drachen is the only place the other western realms might consider civilized.