Mepa Servant Caste

The Mepa are the hereditary slave servants to The Lanbe Ruling Caste , with it being a symbol of Lanbe status to have families of hereditary Mepa attached to their household. They are considered slaves, but due to the wealth and sort of jobs that they often do they are still quite privileged in Telvan society and Caste System .

They hold a unique position in Telvan society as they can oversee others' work, take part in administration, amass wealth, etc but are also very limited by their status as slaves.

There is also a range in status among the Mepa ranging from the very politically active and wealthy Mepa who serve the upper Lanbe nobility and imperial family to the less influential Mepa who work as domestic servants to noble households.

Role in Society

The role of the Mepa caste is to work as domestic servants for the nobility, caring for the bodies of the nobles they work for as well as the possessions and even the estates and accounts. It really depends how trusted the Mepa is with such tasks.

If a Mepa is really good at their job they may be granted a title and even freed and made a low level Lanbe or a very rich Sumpa.

Historically, the Mepa are believed to have originated from the Sumpa caste -which at the time was more of a serf class- as domestic servants who worked for the same families for generations, over time developing into their own caste and status. 

How are They Viewed?

The Mepa are viewed as loyal servants of the Telvan empire, of good temperament and ancestry.

However they are also expected to stay in their lane, never overreaching or overstepping. There have been conflicts amongst the nobility when Mepa servants have been in high positions of power or when they are raised to the Lanbe caste.

Legal Status

The Mepa hold high status in Telvan society but their legal status is more similar to the Sumpa caste, and more extreme in some areas. For example they require permission to travel and move, to marry, etc.

The nobles that own them also have the right to sell them to other nobles or even have their status stripped down to the pakumbe caste. The emperor also has the right to order these punishments be carried out, either as a punishment to the Mepa or the Noble who owns them.

They do however have more rights than the Pakumbe caste able to submit complaints if they are being abused and mistreated, however many of these cases -apart from the most extreme- are dismissed and the accuser punished unless other nobles back them up.

Planet of Origin
Telva
Culture of Origin
Telvan - Ethnicity

Fashion

The Mepa wear a mix of elite Telvan clothing and their own styles.

Due to lack of contact with the Sumpa they do not wear Sumpa style clothing, but they rather imitate the extravagant styles of the Lanbe elites they serve. They are restricted to the less extravagant clothing of the nobility, often with mandated changes or styles to identify their status as Mepa. 

The most obvious of these identifiable styles is the mandated Mepa hairstyle. The Mepa are mandated to keep their hair in a simple unadorned braid with a distinctive pendant that denotes the family or person who owns them.

Childrearing & Education

The Mepa have no right to an education, much like pakumbe children; however they are often raised as playmates of noble children and thus often receive an education alongside them. This is another way that the Mepa are more privileged than other castes.