Appendix II
The Mortal Order
High Bashti was founded by ten patrician families, each of which now occupies one of the city’s ten hills and has a representative (usually its lord) on the High Council. One of them, traditionally the Floten, reigns over all as king, to some extent counter-balanced by the other nine. Young patricians are allowed to change houses to fit their nature if their lords permit them.
The social ranks are Regal (the king and his family), Patrician (noble), Ennobled (middle-class raised by wealth), and Citizen or common (everyone else).