Editing Shalarin (section)

==The Castes==
Shalarin society's caste system recognizes four primary castes, which in turn often break into subcastes, with the primary castes being known as the '''Hand''', '''Heart''', '''Head''' and '''Currents''' castes.

===Hand Caste===
Also known as the '''Protector''' caste, this is the only caste with no subcastes to it. They represent the shalarin's warriors, and are made up of [[fighter]]s and [[ranger]]s. Hand caste shalarin can be visually distinguished by the bone spines that support their fins.

The Hand has its own distinct code of honor, which goes as follows:
* Always honor the trident and it shall honor your skill.
* Never lie to one you protect, or your protection is false and futile.
* Give a foe the defeat his methods prove he deserved, and dishonorable attacks gain the defeat of death.
* Respond to a foe's attack, but never begin the battle, for the protector's job is to provide defense, not aggression.

The Hand caste makes up 16% of the shalarin population.

===Heart Caste===
This is the largest of the four castes, making up 70% of the shalarin population. It's broken into three subcastes.

'''Providers''' make up 50% of the overall population, and are the basic worker caste of shalarin society - although, ironically, they are described as having the most freedom to choose their own lives and livelihoods.

'''Rulers''' are only 2% of the population, and are distinguished by the presence of large white spots or stripes on their fins - a shalarin with an entirely white fin is revered indeed. These are the governers of the shalarin people, and despite their political power, they are effectively captives of trheir caste, unable to leave or stray from their duties.

'''Servants''' are made of the 18% of shalarins whose fins never erect themselves upon reaching adulthood. They serve as the direct attendants of the Rulers, as well as liasons between the Rulers and the other castes of shalarin society.

===Head Caste===
Also known as the '''Scholars''' caste, the Head caste makes up only 4% of shalarins as a whole, and is divided into three castes. All have red fins, but the precise placement of red on their fin indicates which subcaste they belong to.

'''Minstrels''' (1%, red outer edges) are the poets, singers and [[bard]]s of shalarin society.

'''Sages''' (2%, red on the leading edge) represent the studied, learned caste and mostly serve as tutors and teachers.

'''Arcane''' (1%, red on base of the fin) are, obviously, the [[wizard]]s and spellcasting-focused [[bard]]s of shalarin society.

===Currents Caste===
Also known as the '''Seekers''', this final 10% of shalarin marks those cut adrift from the norm and looking for meaning. In a sense, it is the caste of the outcaste, made up of shalarins who are forced to seek knowledge and understanding from non-shalarin peoples and places beyond the shalarin's domains.

Originally, this was a single group of shalarin, marked by their solid-black fins, that made up only 4% of the shalarin people, but since the migration to Seros, a former Head caste has also been thrust into the Currents "overcaste".

The original Seekers, now known as '''Wanderers''', are those 4% of shalarin with solid black fins, and are made up of [[rogue]]s.

The newly shifted '''Faiths''' caste are Seekers focused on truth and purpose; they are the [[cleric]]s, [[druid]]s and [[paladin]]s of shalarin kind, now cut adrift since their old gods went silent. Even though many have taken up the dominant faiths of Seros ([[Deep Sashelas]], [[Eadro]], [[Eldath]], [[Ishtishia]], [[Milil]], [[Mystra]], [[Oghma]], [[Persana]], [[Trishina]], [[Umberlee]]), the Faithful still seek answers. Originally, they sported fins with blazing red whorls, due to being Head caste members, but now they sport solid black gins with a blazing red indented dot at the facial base of the fin.