Editing Clan Caste System

{{Update Needed|[[Visions of Rebirth]]}}

The '''Clan Caste System''' is the basis around which [[Clans|Clan]] society is organized. Instituted by [[Nicholas Kerensky]] when the Clans were founded in the early [[twenty-ninth century]], the caste system has remained the foundation of Clan society ever since.

==Overview of the Caste System==
{{quote|''Five, Nicholas proclaimed, was the foundation''<br>
''Upon which our true society was to be built.''<br>
''Laborers to till the land, to do the tasks:''<br>
''They shall have our undying gratitude,''<br>
''For they are the muscle behind us all.''<br>
''Merchants to buy and sell with fairness:''<br>
''They shall have our commerce and respect,''<br>
''For they are the bones upon which we are built.''<br>
''Technicians to build and fix the machines:''<br>
''They shall have our admiration,''<br>
''For they are the fingers with which we grasp life.''<br>
''Scientists to create and discover:''<br>
''They shall have our awe and our attention,''<br>
''For they are the mind of our society.''<br>
''And above all, the Warriors who protect:''<br>
''They shall have our cooperation and worship,''<br>
''For they are the blood and soul of us all.''|[[Clan Remembrance|The Remembrance]] ([[Clan Wolf]]), Passage 67, Verse 26, Lines 21-37<ref>''Wolf Clan Sourcebook'', p. 13</ref>}}

The Clan caste system was devised by Nicholas Kerensky as an answer to the chronic greed and ethnic violence that he believed had irredeemably tainted the [[Star League in Exile]]. After he and his followers left behind the [[Exodus Civil War|violence and chaos]] that had engulfed the [[Pentagon Worlds]], Kerensky instituted several reforms that resulted in the erosion of nuclear families and free choice of career. By the time the Clans [[Operation KLONDIKE|returned]] to liberate the Pentagon in [[2821]], these old values had been replaced with a eugenics- and testing-based caste system. All of those who became members of a Clan were assigned or tested into one of five castes.<ref name=WC14>''Wolf Clan Sourcebook'', p. 14</ref><ref name=HOK26-27>''Historical: Operation Klondike'', pp. 26–27</ref>

The [[Grace of Preeminence Clause]] was a ruling by Nicholas Kerensky, supposedly in concert with [[Lisa Buhallin]], that gave the Warrior Caste the legal power to act without any restraint, without any other consultation, and inflict up to capital punishment for any offense. It was, in short, the authorization for the Warriors to be the leaders of Clan society. Most Clans recognized declaration had its place after just surviving the [[Exodus Civil War]] and the need to stamp out the last vestiges of rebellion, and so were more liberal with the supremacy of the Caste. The Jade Falcons were notoriously more conservative in their interpretation.<ref name=JFSB20>''Jade Falcon Sourcebook'', p. 20</ref>

==List of Castes==
Officially, Clan society is comprised of five castes - Warriors, Scientists, Technicians, Merchants and Laborers. In practice, a sixth caste - the Dark or Bandit Caste - exists for those who cannot or will not fit into Clan society.<ref>''The Clans: Warriors of Kerensky'', pp. 35–36: "The Caste System"</ref>

Castes are further broken down into subcastes. For example, within the warrior caste are the infantry subcaste, MechWarrior subcaste and fighter pilot subcaste, among others. This is an important distinction for the warrior caste, since each subcaste requires different attributes and hence different gene pools.<ref name=CBT189>''Classic BattleTech RPG'', p. 189</ref><ref name=TCWK34>''The Clans: Warriors of Kerensky'', p. 34</ref>

As "marriages" between members of a different caste are rare, most children born into the Clans will enter the same caste as their parents, i.e. the child of two technicians will become a technician.  However the scientist caste, charged in part with Clan education, constantly assess each child's skills and aptitudes to determine whether an assigned caste is appropriate.  Frequently this extensive testing merely reinforces their assignment and is used in directing the child to an appropriate subcaste, though children who perform better or worse than expected can be assigned to a new caste.<ref name=CBT189/><ref name=TCWK34/>

===Warrior Caste===
The warrior caste serve as the protectors and rulers of their Clan, and the efforts of all other castes are ultimately intended to support them.  Within the warrior caste the main division is between [[Trueborn|trueborn]] and [[Freeborn|freeborn]] warriors, with the latter almost universally regarded as inferior to the former (though whether this is due to their genetics or the generally poor training they receive is a matter of debate).  Subcastes are defined by a warrior's battlefield role, with [[MechWarrior (pilot)|MechWarriors]], [[aerospace fighter]] pilots, [[Elemental|Elementals]] and paramilitary police the only specialties universal to all Clans.  Other specialized roles exist within some Clans, such as [[WarShip]] command staff, [[Combat Vehicle|armored vehicle]] crews, conventional [[infantry]], and military intelligence operatives.<ref name=TCWK34/>  In [[3102]], [[Clan Nova Cat]] created a new subcaste, known as the [[Mystic Caste]], purportedly gifted with psychic abilities.

Regarded as the pinnacle of Clan society, only [[Bloodname|Bloodnamed]] members of the warrior caste may be elected [[Khan]] and lead their Clan, and in most Clans only the Bloodnamed may participate on the [[Clan Council]]. Relations between the elitist warriors and their civilian castes differ between individual Clans; in some Clans warriors are viewed as "first among equals" and have good relations with their civilians, while in others the warriors rule draconically and mistreat the 'lower' castes, particularly merchants.<ref>''The Clans: Warriors of Kerensky'', pp. 70–97: "The Clans"</ref>

Despite their preeminent position the warrior caste is not the largest of the five castes: as of [[3062]] there were around 115,000 Clan warriors, or just .01% of the Clans' total population.  Members of the warrior caste also had the shortest lifespan, with an average life expectancy of 45.2 years.<ref name=TCWK34/>

===Scientist Caste===
The scientist caste's primary responsibilities are to drive technological development and manage their respective Clan's genetic programs, with additional oversight of the education and health care systems.  Subcastes include doctors and teachers, although the most prestigious are those associated with the eugenics program.  Many "test-downs" from the warrior caste ''[[sibko]]s'', particularly MechWarriors and aerospace pilots, are transferred to the scientist caste.<ref name=CBT189/><ref name=TCWK36>''The Clans: Warriors of Kerensky'', p. 36</ref>

Due to the importance of their role in any Clan's eugenics program, scientists have a great deal of unofficial power in most Clans, and are generally regarded as second only to warriors. A measure of this power is indicated by the fact that scientists are the only caste allowed - under specific circumstances - to overrule warriors.<ref name=TCWK36/> Another privilege tolerated by the warrior caste is the awarding of [[Bloodname#Labnames|Labnames]] to scientists credited with some notable achievement or skill, though these monikers are disdained by other castes and they are rarely referred to by such names.<ref>''The Clans: Warriors of Kerensky'', p. 41: "Scientist Labnames"</ref>

Despite the scientists' wielding of considerable power within the Clans, the warriors have always enforced their own rule over Clan society, and on occasion have been forced to remind the scientists of their place.<ref name=CBT189/><ref name=TCWK36/>  The one attempt by the scientist caste to displace the warriors - [[The Society|The Society's]] revolt during the [[Wars of Reaving]] - was brutally crushed.

As of 3062, there were 73,820,000 Clan scientists, or 6.41% of the Clans' population, and they were the longest lived with an average lifespan of 79.6 years.<ref name=TCWK34/> The head of a Clan's scientist caste is known the Scientist-General.<ref name=FRch3>''Falcon Rising'', ch. 3</ref><ref name=TCWKp70>''The Clans: Warriors of Kerensky'', p. 70: "Blood Spirit Demographics" (typical of other Clan entries)</ref>

===Technician Caste===
The technicians serve all of the other castes, maintaining machinery, weapons, computers and vehicles. Most technicians work with warriors, and make up the majority of crew members aboard [[DropShip|DropShips]], [[JumpShip|JumpShips]] and WarShips. Other subcastes include computer programmers, armorers and electricians.  Many "test-downs" from the warrior caste end up as technicians.<ref>''The Clans: Warriors of Kerensky'', p. 35</ref>

As of 3062, the technician caste had an overall population of 90,635,000, or 7.87% of the Clans' total population, and an average life expectancy of 62.7 years.<ref name=TCWK34/> The head of a Clan's technician caste is the Master Technician.<ref name=TCWKp70/>

===Merchant Caste===
The merchant caste's role in a Clan is the acquisition or manufacturing of all materials and goods necessary for their Clan's survival; within the merchant caste is a wide variety of occupations, including artisans, machinists, and free-traders.

Unsurprisingly, those Clans with the strongest economies also tend to have the strongest ''[[Touman|toumans]]''. Despite this and the essential role that the merchants play in their Clan's affairs, the warrior caste in most Clans treats the merchants with disdain and suspicion, or even outright hostility (particularly within Clans [[Clan Widowmaker|Widowmaker]]<ref>''Historical: Operation Klondike'', p. 101</ref> and [[Clan Smoke Jaguar|Smoke Jaguar]]).<ref>''Invading Clans'', pp. 50–51</ref> [[Clan Diamond Shark]] is the chief exception to this rule, with the merchants at times gaining equal or even greater respect than the warriors.<ref>''The Clans: Warriors of Kerensky'', p. 76</ref>

One way the warrior caste maintains supremacy over the merchants is through interstellar travel.  While the merchant caste controls their own nonmilitary vessels, including technician and laborer crews, they are often pressed into military service, with a warrior captain placed in command of the ship.  Likewise, any vessel traveling outside Clan space is supposed to be accompanied by a warrior observer with the power to overrule the merchant captain's decision.  Since the Clan's expansion into the [[Inner Sphere]] though, a lack of warriors trained for the task means the requirement is often ignored.<ref>''MechWarrior's Guide to the Clans'', pp. 72–73</ref>

The merchant caste was the second-largest caste in 3062, accounting for 18.58% of the total Clan population with 213,976,500 members, and merchants enjoyed an average life expectancy of 71.9 years.<ref name=TCWK34/><ref name=TCWK36/> The head of a Clan's merchant caste is known as the Merchant Factor.<ref name=TCWKp70/>

===Laborer Caste===
The largest caste in population, making up two-thirds of Clan civilization, the laborers are also considered the bottom level of Clan society. The laborer caste encompasses miners, farmers, dockworkers, builders, and other providers of poorly educated but highly skilled labor. Despite their lowly status, the laborers are as essential as any other caste, and without their efforts Clan society would collapse utterly.<ref name=CBT189/><ref name=TCWK36/> Elementals who test out of the warrior caste are often reassigned as laborers, due to their enhanced physical strength and endurance.<ref>''Classic BattleTech RPG'', p. 81</ref>

As of 3062, the laborer caste had an overall population of 772,979,000, or 67.12% of the Clans' total population, but their life expectancy was little better than warriors' at an average of 57.8 years.<ref name=TCWK34/> The head of a Clan's laborer caste is the Senior Laborer.<ref name=TCWKp70/>

===Dark Caste===
Officially nonexistent, the Dark or Bandit Caste is the dumping ground (or haven) for malcontents, rebels or criminals who cannot or will not fit into Clan society.<ref name=TCWK36/> Forced to fend for themselves, some Dark Caste communities simply eke out a nomadic living on the margins of Clan society, while self-styled "Bandits" act as their defenders and conduct stealthy raids upon Clan enclaves and bases for supplies.<ref name=TWoR28-29>''The Wars of Reaving'', pp. 28–29: "The Dark Caste"</ref>

[[Clan Burrock]] maintained a parasitic relationship with the Dark Caste until that Clan's [[Trial of Absorption|Absorption]] in [[3059]]. For other Clans, Bandit Caste warbands or Dark Caste groups are simply targets to be exterminated. Some cynics have claimed that the Dark Caste is permitted to exist as a means of giving the warrior caste easy targets to practice on.<ref>''Wolf Clan Sourcebook'', p. 15</ref>

==Escorpión Imperio Castes==
Following their [[Trial of Abjuration|Abjurement]] from the Clan Homeworlds in [[3079]], [[Clan Goliath Scorpion]] migrated to [[Nueva Castile]] and established the [[Escorpión Imperio]]. While most of the population was assigned to one of the five traditional castes, some were placed within two new castes established specifically by the Imperio's new leadership.

===Support Caste===
Members of the support caste handle administrative duties within the Imperio, including supply, emergency services, and procurement.<ref>''Interstellar Expeditions: Interstellar Players 3'', p. 46: "Support Caste"</ref>

===Garrison Caste===
More commonly known as the "grunt" caste, this new social stratum was created for the majority of Castilian and [[Umayyad Caliphate|Umayyad]] soldiers, who were considered unworthy of joining the warrior caste. Consisting primarily of conventional armor and non–[[battle armor]]ed infantry, the garrison caste performs security and police duties as well as assisting with planetary defense.<ref>''Interstellar Expeditions: Interstellar Players 3'', p. 47: "Grunt Caste"</ref>

==References==
<references/>

==Bibliography==
* ''[[The Clans: Warriors of Kerensky]]''
* ''[[Historical: Operation Klondike]]''
* ''[[Interstellar Expeditions: Interstellar Players 3]]''
* ''[[Invading Clans]]''
* ''[[The Wars of Reaving]]''
* ''[[Wolf Clan Sourcebook]]''


[[Category:Clan Culture|System, Clan Caste]]