hierarchy in sgili society

Emperor - Sovereign of the Empire. Patriarch of the Imperial family (Sgili bloodline.) Imperial General of the Sgili Armies. 

​

Feudal Lord  - Ruler over one of the four territories. Vassal to the Sovereign. Patriarch of a Lordship family. Has a seat on the Imperial Council. Unless designated otherwise, acts as Pasha of their territory's regional army. 

​

Grand Minister - Elected leader of the Nameless Guild in a checks-and-balance system with Guild Council, namely as a voter in deadlock decision. Has a seat on the Imperial Council. 

​

The Grand Minister distributes missions and responsibilities to Acolytes on behalf of the Guild Council or Institution Ministers. During election season, Institution Mentors whom have devoted, at least, ten (10) years of their lives as either/or a Guild Council Member or Minister may volunteer for Grand Minister selection. All current and former Ministers convene to publicly-interview and test Gift abilities of all qualifying volunteers. The Grand Minister is then elected by popular vote, will hold their position for an eight-year term, and may be reelected an unlimited number of terms. 

​

Paragali - Most powerful appointed position in the Empire. Third to Emperor and Imperial Council in authority and responsibility. 

​

Paragali carry the seal of the Emperor and are given much power in the fact. He may be highborn or lowborn-- there is no limitation to social class as the title is bestowed by the Emperor to a selected individual of his liking. Outside of group settings, no one ranked below Paragali may be granted personal audience with the Emperor without verbal consent/escort of the Paragali. This rule extends to Pasha, viziers, guards, and highborn relatives like Sursa, Amant, or familiars like Dragi. 

 

While Paragali is usually accompanying the Emperor in his daily routine, he also works closely with Sursa and harem Kadins on selecting dragilor for highborn events. And in friendly, brotherly fashion, Paragali can (on occassion) even select a dragilor of talent or favor to spend a single night with the Emperor (with or without consent of Sursa, Amant, or Dragi.) 

​

Pasha - Military rank akin to general, serves over one of the five regional armies in the Empire under the authority of the Emperor or Feudal Lords. Trains military ranks beneath his status (Mushir, Efor, and Sirdar.) May act as overseer of public safety affairs within the realm. 

​

Minister - Elected leader of an entire Institution whose duty is to maintain peace and order over their Institution. 

​

Other roles of a Minister include: supervising Mentor (travelling abroad or house at the Institution) conduct; offering judgement over Apprentice disputes; and relaying any information of importance to the Nameless Guild. During election season, Institution Mentors whom have devoted, at minimum, ten (10) continuous years in their Guild career may volunteer for Minister selection. All volunteers must attend a large gathering of all Institution Mentors to be publicly-interviewed and tested on their Gift abilities. Institution Mentors are then elected by popular vote. Ministers hold their position for four-year terms and may be reelected an unlimited number of terms. 

​

Guild Council Member - Elected representative from one of the Institutions whose duty is to convene and pass judgement over administrative or judicial issues concerning Gifted affairs in the Realm. 

​

There are twenty (20) seated members in the Guild Council. During election season, Institution Mentors nominate seven (7) individuals; but the Minister of that Institution only selects four (4) of these nominees to represent their voice on the Guild Council. A Guild Council Member serves two-year terms and may be reelected an unlimited number of terms. 

​

Sursa - Mother of a Patriarch. Undisputed head of a household. 

​

Sursa is charged with maintaining peace and order in a highborn harem. She organizes social events with the Paragali's recommendation to entertain guests or celebrate religious holiday. Akin to Paragali, Sursa can also (on occasion) selected dragilor of talent or favor to spend a single night with the Emperor (with her decision only surpassed by the will of Paragali or the Emperor.)

 

Unofficially, Sursa is a valued vizier for the imperial Patriarch on realm politics and social gossips. If a Patriarch's mother is deceased, he may choose one of his Amant to act as Sursa. 

​

Vizier - Adviser to a Patriarch. 

​

Viziers tend to have their roles or responsibilities designated to a specific field or area of interest (trade, law, intelligence, etc.) A Vizier titled Mejman is, in essence, an eunuch manservant employed to a highborn male. A Mejman vizier or attendant is responsible for maintaining a highborn's clothing, assisting in daily appointments/meetings, and other housekeeping tasks, as needed. 

 

Acolyte: Appointed and exalted position in the Nameless Guild whose charge is to protect, attain and relocate, or acquire information surrounding scythe stones and Guild missions, as needed.

 

Acolytes are members of a selective order of seven (7) Mentors or extraordinary Apprentices. They are act by order of the Grand Minister, on behalf of the Guild Council and Institutions. Acolytes are combative, trained for elusive stratagem, and handle the 'labor work' regarding the Nameless Guild's oversight of the scythe stones and Gifted affairs. Acolytes are nominated at the suggestion of Ministers and chosen by the Grand Minister. They serve an unlimited number of years until they resign or are deemed unable to continue by Grand Minister. 

​

Mushir - Military rank akin to captain, serve beneath a Pasha. 

​

Mushir will commonly head security details in peace-times. For highborn adolescents, Mushir are respected as male tutors for military strategy, ways of weaponry, and leadership guidance. It is not uncommon for a Mushir to be in a teaching role (like Kadin) to highborn young men. 

​

Mentor - Is a teacher of Gift skill(s) housed at a Institution, travelling abroad the Realm on commissioned pay, or employed by a highborn family through an Institution. 

​

For one to become a formal Mentor, an individual must first be a graduated apprentice of an Institution (for specialty magic) or trialed by a Gifted Mushir (for combative magic.) Contracts of paid employment with chosen terms must be signed and kept at an Institution, usually with negotiated guidelines by both the Mentor and Institution (and highborn family, if applicable.)

 

Unless housed with a highborn family, Mentors are required to train to completion, at least, one apprentice every year; but may begin each year with an many apprentices as they can handle. Unlike higher Guild career roles (Grand Minister, Minister, Guild Council Member, and Acolyte), Mentors are not required to forfeit family ties or ingest yearly infertility potions. Mentors may have spouses, children, lovers... but should they ever chose to pursue a higher Guild rank, these ties must be severed. 

​

Amant - Wife of a highborn male. Has given her lawful husband children, thus established her security in the highborn society. 

​

An Amant has her own apartments in a harem, large enough to house herself and her young children. Polyandry is accepted in Sgili society among highborn men (lowborn men typically cannot afford to support more than one wife.) Thus, rivaling Amant must learn to be tolerate of each other and any Dragi of their husband. ​It is known a highborn man may only take up to two (2) women as their Amant, but may have multiple Dragi. 

​

Efor  - Eunuch guardsman who is stationed in a harem or is employed to protect a highborn female. 

​

Hatun - Highborn female (unwed minor) whom is a trusted ward to a highborn Amant or Sursa outside of her own family of origin by permission or decree of her parents. 

​

It is a political companion role meant to give the Hatun opportunity to be guided socially and supported financially by an older, more experienced or influential highborn woman. 

​

Dragi - An official mistress of a highborn male.

​

A Dragi is given her own apartment and Uisal in a harem, suitable allowance and/or gifts, and freedom to travel alongside her highborn patron. It is a highly-sought after role by lowborn (and some highborn) females. Competition between established Dragi and hopeful dragilor for a highborn patron's favor can be intense to maintain the lavish lifestyle.

​

Dragi are expected to remain childless. However, this may not always occur; thus, the unspoken rule in the harem is one Dragi, one son. While all children of a Dragi and highborn male are considered illegitimate, male infanticide is common (after a firstborn son) to dispel any potential conflict of highborn inheritance.

​

Despite the formalities of being Dragi, she and any of her children are generally well cared for and adoringly beloved by their highborn patron. Of course, the greatest accomplishment a Dragi could acquire to be made her patron's Amant, which effectively established her own security and legitimizes the status of her children. 

​

​

Sirdar - Military rank akin to foot-soldier, is a common guardsmen during peace-time. 

​

Kadin - Is a tutor of etiquette, music, arts, and academic knowledge in a harem. 

​

She is also charged to aid in supervision of dragilor. Kadins work closely with Sursa and Paragali on the education and progress of dragilor with potentiality to become Dragi. Kadin share apartments in the same hall. 

​

Uisal - Akin to a handmaid, is a personal attendant employed to a highborn Amant or Dragi.

 

It would be demeaning for a highborn daughter to be Uisal; therefore, it is a role generally reserved for lowborn females (like dragilor.) There is usually an attached small room to an Amant or Dragi's apartment for any Uisal in their employ. Uisal to a Dragi tend to be made on friendships developed when both were still dragilor. 

​

Apprentice - Is a student of an Institution or Institution-employed Mentor. 

​

All Institutions require applicants with a specific temperament and achievement of basic skills, prior to admittance. There is no age requirement or limit to enter an Institution apprenticeship; but most are in Childhood and Young Adulthood. Most Apprentices study (and live at a Institution) for two or four years to obtain Graduate/Intermediate level skill, but will spend an additional two or three years(outside of an Institution) to accomplish Expert/Mastery level skill through experience and practical application.

​

Dragilor - Is a female domestic servant willingly employed to a highborn palace. 

​

Besides daily household chores, all dragilor are trained to be pleasing and intelligent; and are required to attend lessons with harem Kadins. Dragilor are usually lowborn females with poor families looking for opportunities not available to them outside the highborn palace.

 

All dragilor are dressed in robes/gowns of white/ivory, and may only wear trinkets gifted to them by highborn admirers. All dragilor in a highborn palaces use a communal bathhouse, and are housed in the same hall with several dozen pallets lined up symmetrically along the walls. Each dragilor is given a small cedar box, upon their admittance into harem employ, for any personal possessions like makeup or jewelry. (The Imperial Palace employs around 30-40 dragilor yearly.)

​

Talented dragilor often catch the eye of the Sursa or Paragali whom will select them personally for banquet dances and other social events with highborn guests. If a dragilor is willing and lucky, she may accept an afternoon or night spent with a highborn male admirer; customary to Sgili society, the dragilor may expect a gift in exchange for her time.

 

​And if a dragilor can find her way into the graces of her highborn admirer (which can be accomplished without falling into the man's bed), he may grant her position of his Dragi-- which is, for the most part, the sought-after role. 

​

Servant - Is a male domestic or labor servant willingly employed to a highborn palace; variety of roles include kitchen, stables, etc.