Wealth and status

In the Helerin Archipelago, wealth and status are deeply woven into the social fabric, shaping not only individual lives but also the dynamics between communities and realms. These markers of social identity dictate opportunities, influence, and even survival. While wealth plays a dominant role, other indicators such as professions education, behaviour, and connections also contribute to one's place in the hierarchy.
See also: Social interaction and etiquette

Relations between the various classes often reflect mutual dependence but are tinged with tension and prejudice, creating a complex web of interaction across the strata of society.

Status indicators

Status in Helerin manifests through visible and subtle indicators, beginning with material wealth and extending into the realms of behaviour and experience.

Wealth

Wealth in its raw form - whether through coin, land, or trade - remains the clearest sign of standing. Ownership of land, in particular, is not only a source of income but also a statement of permanence and prestige. Merchants display their prosperity through the finery of their wares, while nobles and oligarchs amass rare treasures to reflect their superior position.
See also: Money and Prices

Housing

housing serves as a highly conspicuous marker of wealth. In cities, towering stone manors and villas dominate the landscapes of the elite, while traders and artisans reside in modest but sturdy wooden homes. The poor, in contrast, crowd into dilapidated dwellings, often crammed together with limited privacy or sanitation. Rural areas show a similar divide: the estates of wealthy landowners stand in stark contrast to the modest cottages of tenant farmers or labourers.
See also: Accommodation and property

Clothing

Clothing provides another visual language of status. The elite favour silks and rare dyes, garments embroidered with intricate patterns that are both beautiful and impractically fragile, intended for display rather than labour. Those in the middle classes can afford well-made, practical clothing, often with small but tasteful embellishments, while the working poor wear coarse, functional garments, frequently repaired and lacking ornamentation.
See also: Clothing

Education

Education is a privilege that further separates the classes. Nobles, scholars, and wealthy merchants invest in learning to cultivate literacy, numeracy, and cultural refinement. By contrast, the lower classes pass down practical skills and oral traditions, their lives focused on survival rather than intellectual pursuits. Behaviour, too, reflects status: the polished manners of the elite contrast with the straightforward and sometimes rough speech of the poor, reinforcing divisions in social interaction.
See also: Education and learning

Experience

Even experience can contribute to one’s standing. Those who have travelled widely, fought in wars, or built reputations in trade or scholarship are often admired, regardless of their wealth, for the stories and wisdom they bring to their communities. Helerin's wealthy may access leisurely pastimes not available to the masses.

Social classes

Elites and oligarchs

Society in Helerin is structured around distinct social groups, though the boundaries between them can blur in times of upheaval or opportunity. At the top are the elites, a coalition of nobles, senior merchants, powerful landowners, and senior military commanders.
These individuals wield immense political and economic influence, their decisions shaping not just their own lives but the lives of those below them. They are seen as the guardians of tradition and stability, yet their power often breeds resentment among the lower classes, who perceive them as aloof or exploitative.

Middle classes

The middle classes are the lynchpin of urban and economic life, comprising artisans, mid-tier military leaders, merchants, scholars, and functionaries. They enjoy a degree of comfort and security, their skills and knowledge granting them access to opportunities for modest social mobility.
Despite their relative privilege, they often feel caught between the demands of the elite and the needs of the working poor, navigating a precarious balance of ambition and obligation.

The working poor

Below them, the working poor form the largest group, encompassing labourers, farmers, fisherfolk, servants, and soldiers. Their work sustains the archipelago’s economy and infrastructure, but they are afforded little recognition or reward for their contributions.
Their relations with the middle classes are often characterised by mutual reliance but also by suspicion, as the working poor perceive the upwardly mobile middle classes as aspirational and detached from their struggles.

The underclass

On the margins of society lies the underclass - criminals, vagrants, and prostitutes - who live in the shadows of legality and morality. Viewed with disdain or pity, they are frequently scapegoated for societal problems and denied access to the most basic resources and protections.

Outsiders and other groups

Outsiders such as mages, priests, and tribal groups occupy unique positions in this social framework.
Mages, with their otherworldly powers, are both revered and feared, often kept at arm’s length despite their utility to society.
Priests, as intermediaries between mortals and the gods, command respect but are rarely part of the ruling classes, their influence tied to their religious roles and temples.
Tribal groups, such as the tribes of Mar Mabon, or those of the Fan-Shene, that exist largely outside the hierarchies of settled society, are often misunderstood or romanticised by the urban classes, creating a gulf of mistrust and admiration.

Relations Between Classes

Class relations in Helerin are shaped by a blend of mutual dependence and antagonism. The elites often see themselves as the stewards of civilisation, justifying their wealth and power as necessary for order and progress. They rely on the labour and loyalty of the lower classes but rarely engage with them directly, delegating such interactions to middle-class functionaries. The middle classes, in turn, serve as intermediaries, managing businesses, households, and military operations while striving to emulate the elite's refinement.
The working poor and underclass, however, harbour a deep sense of discontent toward those above them. While they rely on the middle and upper classes for employment and patronage, they often view them as exploiters who reap the benefits of their toil without sharing the rewards. These tensions occasionally erupt into open conflict, particularly during times of economic hardship or political instability.
At the same time, there is a degree of interdependence that tempers outright hostility. The elites depend on the working poor to sustain agriculture and infrastructure, while the middle classes require a stable labour force to maintain their enterprises. Even the underclass serves a role, their activities - licit or illicit - filling gaps in the economy and society that formal institutions neglect.

Social mobility

Social mobility in Helerin is difficult but not impossible. Upward movement typically requires a combination of talent, wealth, and advantageous connections. A soldier might rise to prominence through acts of bravery, earning land or a title as a reward. Similarly, a merchant who amasses great wealth could purchase an estate or marry into the nobility, thereby crossing class boundaries.
Education and patronage also play critical roles in social mobility. Artisans and scholars who attract the attention of powerful patrons can gain access to resources and opportunities far beyond their station. However, these paths are fraught with challenges, as cultural biases and entrenched hierarchies often act as barriers to advancement.
Downward mobility is far more common, particularly in times of war, famine, or financial ruin. Scandals, debts, and political missteps can strip even the most privileged individuals of their status, casting them into the precarious world of the working poor or, worse, the underclass.