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# Part of Simon Phipp's RuneQuest/Glorantha Site

Glorantha is Copyright Issaries Inc, RuneQuest is Copyright Hasbro Inc
Glorantha is a Fantasy world setting and RuneQuest is a Fantasy Game.
All articles on this web site are game rules or background to the Fantasy setting and are not intended to be taken in any other way.

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Simon E. Phipp

Copyright (c) 2000 Simon E.Phipp
Last Updated On 1 May 2000

# Balazar Social Status

During my Holy Country Campaign, Solarus was the King of Balazar. He wanted a new social structure for Balazar that was different to what went before but was fair. Together, Andrew and I came up with a few ideas but they never panned out as he decided to keep the current social classes so as to not upset the nobles.

These are the different social classes we came up with for the Citadel Dwellers of Balazar. The Hunters are mainly Freemen who own slaves and bondsmen but very few citizens.

## Slave

This is a person owned permanently by another. Slaves may not own property or worship a cult at any other level than Lay Member. The children of a female slave are also slaves and are owned by their mother's owner, the children of male slaves have the status of their mother. Slaves may not be killed or maimed by their owner and their owner must clothe, feed, heal and treat the slaves well. Slaves may not marry, if they were married before they became slaves, the marriage is dissolved. When a slave is freed, the status changes to Freedman.

## Bondsman

This is a person under contract to another, this is similar to slavery but for a fixed and limited period of time. A bondsman may own property, but half the property is owned by the bondsman's contract owner. A bondsman may worship at any level in a cult. Bondsmen may marry with the owner's permission and children of a bondsman has the higher status of the bondsman and spouse. When a bondsman is freed he becomes a Freeman.

## Soldier

This is a bondsman to the military. The bond is for a fixed service of 7, 14 or 21 years. Normally, Soldiers may not marry, but exceptional circumstances may allow marriage. Children of a soldier have the status of the soldier's spouse. When a soldier is freed, he becomes a Citizen.

## Bastard

This is the child of an unwed non-slave mother. Bastards are bondsmen for life of the maternal grandparents. If given permission to marry, a Bastard receives the status of the spouse.

## Wife

This is a female Freeman, Freedman or Bondsman who marries. She becomes a Bondsman to her husband. Children of the Wife have the status of the husband or her original status, whichever is higher. If a Wife divorces, she reverts to her original status.

## Freedman

This is a former slave who has been freed. A Freedman may marry a Bondsman, Freedman or Freeman. May own property and worship at any level. Children have the highest status of the parents.

## Freeman

This is a person born free or a freed bondsman. Freemen may own property, marry freely and worship freely. Children of a Freeman have the highest status of the parents.

## Citizen

A Citizen is the child of a citizen, a soldier who has completed his term of service or a person granted Citizen status by a King. Citizens must own property and at least one slave. Citizens have a legal right to be tried by the King and may only be enslaved by the King. Citizens may marry Freemen, Citizens or Nobles. They must worship a state cult, either Balazar, Yelmalio or another Solar Cult and may worship other cults.

## Co-Wife

A Co-Wife is either equal in status to her husband or may be of higher status than her husband. She has property rights of her own and may own property without her husband owning half. Both the husband and Co-Wife are of the highest status of each, so a man may gain status by marrying a woman of higher status and making her a Co-Wife. Co-Wives may worship any cult open for women.

## Noble

A noble is either the child of a noble man or a person who has been raised to the position of Noble. A Noble must worship a noble deity, either Balazar, Yelm or Orlanth Rex. Occasionally, other noble deities are admitted, such as Waha, but this is rare. Nobles must be of noble blood and must be descended from a King, Chieftain or Lord through the male line. A Noble may only marry a Noble, Citizen or Freeman. Children of female nobles have the status of their father.

## Ranks

The Social Classes have the following ranking, with the highest ranking stated first:

- Noble
- Citizen
- Freeman
- Freedman
- Bondsman/Wife/Soldier/Bastard
- Slave

  [End]