> I think terms like "Church", "knight", "peasant", "serf", and "lord" are even
more loaded with misleading imagery.
/// Yes, I've heard that somewhere before. But I do think any imagery is better
than grasping at a vaccuum. Long Live the Church and its Holy Ecclesiarch (see I
didn't say "Pope") ;-)
> I tend to use "worker" but I suspect I successfully purged any Marxist
> implications from the term for me.
/// Good. Marxists aren't the only ones who know what work is about. How about
using the therm "Laborer" then ? Or even "Providers" ? It's what Malkion made
them : they Provide for the community. Dronar himself was the son of Malkion and
the local Land Goddess (good old Malkion did have many many wives).
Dronari do include peasants (90% of the caste) but also craftsmen, merchants,
sailors, etc. Its members can in some societies bear arms (to hunt, as a levy to
defend their city). They can and some actually do become very rich, especially
merchants. Makion did not forbid Man to enrich himself and his community. Some
can even Learn (to read, write, count).
Of course, there are blurred lines. Most rokari pesants are serfs who don't
qualify as dronari. In Loskalm, you're a Dronar only if you go to the trouble of
passing the exam (Plant Lore 50% ? check) Otherwise you're a... I don't know
what you are. An Innocent ?
I don't see dronari at the bottom of society ; certainly Malkion himself did not mean any caste was "superior" to the other. They all are parts of society who depend on each other and need to work together. It so happens the talari are tasked with coordinating the physical work (that and dealing with strangers). That doesn't make them Master of the World. In fact, castes can handle most of their affairs (justice, etc.) themselves without letting the other castes look into them.
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