I'd be surprised if one could be promoted more than one caste by this route, without shocking polite society and necessitating large backhanders to the Archbish. One caste _per marriage_, that is. ;-) (Cue Liz Taylor jokes.)
> Item: Women can NOT marry men from a lower caste. It's
> immoral and wrong, and it's better to get thee to a nunnery.
Yeah. This could probably done in some cases, but would doubtless require the woman to be "demoted" in caste beforehand, which hard-necked Rokari wouldn't sit still for. Among the Hrestoli, there's probably no official prohibition on the daughter of a Lord marrying a mere Grand Knight, but I bet it's uncommon enough to raise eyebrows, if not titters from the rear pews.
> Item: High-ranking women sometimes have trouble finding men
> high-ranking enough to marry them.
I can see this would be a particular problem for Rokari Wizard caste women. In fact, not only are they maritally surplus, but they are probably, by Rokari values, rather socially useless as well. Maybe they just have a large nunnery population.
> Now, 'tis my belief that even WITHIN the four basic castes,
> there are recognized "subranks". That is, a lowly clerk or military
> sorcerer, though wizard-caste, is NOT considered to be anywhere near
> as mighty as an ordained Bishop or court wizard, and the daughter of
> a Bishop would NEVER marry a clerk.
I suspect this is putting it somewhat strongly; I reckon this would be Permitted, but a cause of great Personal Mortification and Family Disgrace if she were forced into such a pass. After all, there's not the same theological basis for subranks, they just happen along due to sociologically pragmatic reasons.
> She could probably marry a noble, but her
> family would be upset if she wed any but a reasonably high-ranking
> noble.
I'd think any old noble would be (socially) good enough, almost by definition. Though some Impoverished Gentlefolk might be sufficiently ecomonically distressed for mater and pater to tut loudly at the notion, perhaps.
> I don't think the Kingdom of Seshnela is anywhere near
> fighting a civil war over something like this (but who knows?)
They have too many (even) better reasons...
> 3) A Bishop breaks all the rules to raise his protege in rank
> fast enough to be qualified to marry his daughter. When his protege
> gets to the appropriate rank, he balks. Now the Bishop seeks
> vengeance.
This a quite an amusing idea, though it'd only apply in Hrestoli areas with a somewhat slipshod attitude towards preferment, and a rather nepotistic attitude towards the importance of the high-born. (Which could be large swathes of Loskalm and Junora, if we cynics are to be believed.) Or maybe in some of the further-flung parts of Rokardom, where strict adherence to castes is something merely voted for in Ecumenical conferences. ;-)
Alex.
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