A few significant corrections. The men are *born* to their caste (those percentages are right) not assigned (except for wizards, but they are a special case). The castes form great extended families that can be (improperly - but I admit I am lost for a better word) analogized to guilds; what is significant is that a caste group often extends beyond a political boundary. So the Talar family assigned the Dangim March (a region or county - see MSE page 21-22. After the collapse of the MSE, the Seshnelan nobles who were given authority over the soldiers took over the civilian bureaucracy, resulting in combined titles) looks to its counterparts in Tanisor and Rindland for marriage and culture, and not to the Drolar workers or allied Horali communities. The ruling Talars are all related, and all claim descent from the family of Bailifes the Hammer or his companions.
One thing to always keep in mind, the Malkioni world view is urban not rural. Even if the bulk of the Drolar population work on farms, the talars are as likely to envision Drolars as artisans as peasants (and certainly more likely to see artisans or the wealthy elders of a farming guild).
> The women are generally married
> to the men and thus be expected to perform similar duties. The male
> offspring of each marriage is assigned to his fathers caste whereas the
> women have no caste restrictions on who they can marry (barring the
> wizard's injunctions against incest). Thus the farmer's daughter, if
> pretty enough, could catch the eye of the baron's son and her children
> will be lordly caste. Likewise the baron, in an effort to cement ties,
> could marry his daughters to a wealthy merchant (farmer caste) or a
> strong warrior to encourage him to swear fealty and fight for him.
Amongst the ancient Brithini, the parent's status did not determine caste. Instead birth order determined it. First male child was a Dromal, second male child a Horal, third male child a Talar, and fourth male child a Zzabur. Fifth male child was a Dromal as well if I recall. All women belonged to the same caste (Menina irc).
However, that rule was explicitly trumpted by the Abiding Book (which says something like the child inherits its virtue from the parents) and that was codified in the Sharp Abiding Book of the Rokari. Amongst the Rokari, legitimate daughters belong to their father's caste.
Now a lecherous talar may well decide that the farmer's daughter is desirable and take her as a mistress (or a one-night conquest). But any child belongs to the mother's caste (although there are certainly ways by which it can be acknowledged and adopted by the father).
As an aside, the wealthy merchant is probably a talar, not a dromal. Merchants don't make, they negotiate. Although I suspect that some of the leaders of various dromal "guilds" are very wealthy indeed and may indeed seem like wealthy merchants.
> Wizards? Wizards don't get laid. So a baron is really a leader of a
> clan rather than a head of a nuclear family lording it over unworthy
> helots. The baron isn't the brother of everybody in his barony but he
> is at least a cousin to many or most of the important men in his fief
> and they likewise are kin with the men beneath them.
That is not my understanding of a Rokari district. There are probably about 15-20,000 adult male Talars in all of Rokari Seshnela. They marry amongst each other, socialize with each other, and have all sorts of taboos to keep themselves above and outside the workers and soldiers. Seshnela is densely populated, with lots and lots of small cities (and a few medium and large cities as well). You want to keep your mandate and even advance your family? You look to your fellow talars, in particular the House of Bailifes, and not to the lower castes. Of course it is ALWAYS a good idea to keep the wizards on your side as well.
> Now let's say that the King levies fighting troops from the Baron and
> they're gone for a while and the bandits are running around creating
> havoc.
OK, here's a big difference between Rokari Seshnela and medieval Europe - the Horal caste. Imagine the Kshatriya caste with its rulership aspects stripped out. Or the samurai clans prior to the Kamakura Shogunate. Under Rokari law, Dromals are prohibited from carrying weapons. Horals are forbidden from learning the arts of writing.
These military associations (Horal guilds) are settled around the district and assigned Dromal guilds for their support. They in turn pledge their loyalty to the district's talars. Between the Horals and the Dromals, I suspect you have far more caste interaction that you are supposed to.
> That's bad enough but a neighboring lord has unlawfully seized
> property and won't hand it back. The Baron can't hire mercenaries
> because they are currently serving the King who not only pays better but
> offers pillage as well. So what can the good Baron do? He can't create
> more warriors.
Wow, the King took all the district's military guilds but not the local talar? I'd say the King is probably getting ready to replace him!
> 1) Turn to the Bastards.
> 2) Get a wizard to impugn the parentage of strong farmers.
> 3) Get a dispensation.
> 4) Turn to the women.
Revolt and hire whoever you want. If the king has taken the district's military guilds and the neighboring Talar family has seized control of villages or fortifications under your mandate, AND the King has paid no attention to your protests, you have to assume either the King supports your rival or is too weak to do anything about it. Better to revolt and let battle decide the matter than wait for the King to replace you and your family.
Jeff
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