Alerean Rizhath

Class on Display

The Rizhath is the caste system that Aleryn and its culture exist within. The system is based on a citizen of Aleryn's land, and its proximity to the seat of the Adarizhan (not the center of Aleryn), as well as the profession of that family. There are four classes (Rizhatha), which are from lowest to highest: Zhena, Indar, Qieth, and Azhan. Each of these is broken up into three degrees, from Third Zhena, the lowest possible class of any individual, to First Azhan, who is Rizhan(e) of Akathia.

Days, weeks and years seem to go by without a budge. What is one to wish for? They say there are ways to become better off, at the whim of mere miracle. And it's well played off by the Azhan indeed that this is possible, but they would forget to mention that the gods that could give these miracles are long since impotent. - Laecar Inelia

Rizhath is part of fashion, and in public settings and most certainly at political events, it's expected that one will wear what is known as a Cairnbrace. A cairnbrace is a piece of clothing that is different for the genders, but obscures a portion of the body considered obscene for Alereans, as well as depicting what Rizhatha someone is part of. Lacking a cairnbrace places one firmly in the second or third Zhena at a glance, unless the individual is otherwise known.

Rizhath Structure or the Adarizhan

Azhan

• High Azhan: Also known as Rizhan(e), this individual is the primary ruler of Akathia. In addition to the Rizhan, the members of the Consortium Aegis are considered High Azhan.

• Azhan: The immediate family of the Rizhane. This can also consist of anybody the Rizhane directly commends to be so.

• Lesser Azhan: Family of the Consortium Aegis, as well as all Derazh. This also includes members - present and former - of The Decennial Council.

Those of the Azhan Rizhatha are considered to have wisdom and knowledge greater than that of any lower Rizhatha. When one speaks to those below, their word is to be considered powerful, meaningful, and worth hearing. This is not to say that the lower Rizhatha are not worth hearing, but that if the Azhan has an opinion on a given matter, that their opinion should be heeded much more carefully. Speaking poorly of an Azhan in front of other Azhan is considered extremely rude.
Politically, virtually all interactions between realms is executed via members of the Azhan.
Qieth

• High Qieth: Family of Derazh, as well as Bellstaves and Belsmiths. Alerean Duelseekers as well, though Duelseekers from outside of Aleryn are considered Qieth, the same as the Ward.

• Qieth: Jewellers, artists under direct patronage from the Azhan and High Qieth, and blacksmiths for the Alerean Ward, as well as the Ward themselves.

• Lesser Qieth: Servant class that provides for the families of the Rizhan, Consortium Aegis, and Derazh.

The first real "citizen" Rizhatha, the Qieth have favorable taxes for their income brackets, and enjoy some of the best housing options among them. Land is not so plentiful in Aleryn's walls, however, the Qieth have lands within the walls with enough space to include a garden, pavillion, and other such luxuries of space.
Indar

• High Indar: Those owning land within Aleryn's Curtain district, regardless of profession.

• Indar: General blacksmiths, blefry clergy, and anyone within the Eraeth district, a ring around the Curtain district, and along the river Ryn besides the Wharf district.

• Lesser Indar: Denizens of the Wharf district, outside of the exceptions.

Zhena

• High Zhena: Farming class outside of the Aleryn proper, must be a landowning family.

• Zhena: Faming class that does not own property, often as hired help for landowning High Zhena families, living with them or otherwise on their lands.

• Lesser Zhena: Lowest rizhatha, either homeless or jobless, or are prisoners of the Adarizhan. It is understood that committing a crime against a Lesser Zhena is considered less serious than if the same crime were committed on an individual or a higher rizhatha.

Cairnbrace

The Alerean cairnbrace is a tradition that began with Rizhane Kathira Ulmenvos II, in order to distinguish herself from the Consortium Aegis. After decades, the items became a way to distinguish an individual's place in the rizhath at a glance. The braces are different for men and women, men sporting a right shoulderguard or brassard covering their entire arm, while women wear a neck-obscuring gorget.
Both pieces are designed to show off a single point, displaying their rank. This central point - in contemporary fashion - has a different material that distinguishes Rizhatha, and embossings around it to depict the order within that Rizhatha, from Higher to Lesser. Misrepresentation of one's Rizhatha can mean anything from social repremanding and loss of respect, to an outright repremand of property if done egregiously, say, in front of any Azhan in order to gain station.
The adornment at the center of a woman's gorget, or over the shoulder joint for a man, is of a specific material, separate from the rest of the item. This can vary depending on specific placement in the Rizhatha, and while certain classes may opt for a paint or metal, some more wealthy may choose to adorn it with a gemstone.
Azhan

• High Azhan: Mythral within a seventeen pointed star.

• Azhan: Mythral or copper within an hourglass shape.

• Lesser Azhan: Mythral or copper and a depiction of the Teurthan Belfry.

Qieth

• High Qieth: Sapphire or silver within a seventeen pointed star.

• Qieth: Silver within an hourglass shape, and typically seen with other adornments based on profession.

• Lesser Qieth: Silver within a depiction of the Adarizhania, or the Rizhan's Keep.

Indar

• High Indar: Emerald or gold within a seventeen pointed star.

• Indar: Gold or yellow paint within a depiction of the Curtain district.

• Lesser Indar: Gold or yellow paint in a corded knot pattern in the Aleryn style.

Zhena

• High Zhena: Ruby, iron or red paint within a seventeen pointed star.

• Zhena: Iron or red paint, often with no depiction, or something personal.

• Lesser Zhena: Not expected to carry a cairnbrace, though may have some covering of the body regardless, unmarked.

Phrases and Terminology

Terms have come about to refer to the Rizhatha of an individual without it being quite as formal. There is considered to be a large gap between Qieth and Indar, and Zhena are refered to with general disrespect by almost anything above them. Below are some examples.
Indar and Zhena referring to Qieth or Azhan:

• Brightstones

• Lightstones

• Gemmies (can refer to anyone whose cairnbrace houses a stone).

• Bellstroker (normally reserved for actual bellstaves, but can address anyone that's involved with the Belfry. Refers to what you think it does).

Zhena referring to anything above them:

• Incity

• Landleech

• Bellringer

Referring to Zhena:

• Dullstone

• Outwall

Breaches of Rizhatha

Changing rizhatha is extremely rare. When it does happen, it's normally by the admittence of one within the Qieth or Azhan, as a gift to someone of a lower rizhatha. In more common cases, a power struggle results in a loss of status in one, with minimal to no upward motion in another. People will kill for a better Rizhatha, as the benefits can be quite motivational.

Cairnbrace Style and Culture

Fashion has changed over the years, and the cairnbrace has moved with these changes. Older cairnbraces used to cover much less area, and were even possible to be worn on the battlefield for both men and women, though more recent designs forgo battlefield favor in preference of style.
Large flares, stiff edges, and overall flexibility have suffered as more elaborate edges and flares to distinguish them. The gemstone hearts have progressively acquired more complex pedestals to glow upon, some going as far as to have compartments under the gemstones where lights can be added to make the gems sparkle.
Seeing a man without his cairnbrace in public is seen as generally acceptable, especially if he is still wearing a shirt over his shoulder. A man with his shirt off is considered lewd, and this is especially true if the worn cairnbrace has pressed a permanent indent into the flesh. On the other hand, a women with a completely exposed neck is seen as quite scandelous. Even if no proper cairnbrace can be acquired, something like a scarf or hankerchief should be worn.