Male Castes
Blood Male: Refers to any Blood male who does not wear Jewels. A Blood Male can perform basic Craft but cannot reach the level of the Jewels. Blood Males are not guaranteed a Jewel at their Birthright Ceremony as other castes are; they can receive any Birthright color of Jewel though. A Blood Male can also try again to receive a Jewel, once he is older, by making the Offering to the Darkness. The darkest Jewel a Blood Male without a Birthright Jewel can receive
at the Offering is Yellow. If a Blood Male does receive a Jewel, he becomes a Warlord, if not he remains a Blood Male. They very rarely rise to the "killing edge" and never experience rut. Blood male (with a low case "m" in male) is also a general term for all males of the Blood. The need to serve has been bred into Blood males since the dawn of their time. They cannot be emotionally whole with
out it. A strong love-bond can ease the hunger for service; all Blood males need one or the other. All males of the Blood (whether they wear Jewels or not) can serve Coven or Court, or enter into personal service. A strong Jeweled Blood male may rule territory in the absence of a Queen, or in service to his Queen.
Warlord: A Warlord is any Jeweled male who does not belong to the other
hierarchical levels, equal in status to a witch. Warlords are born Blood Males and become Warlords once they receive their Jewel. They rise to the Killing Edge only when greatly provoked and go into rut only a few times in their lifetime.
Prince: A Jeweled male equal in status with Healers and Priestesses, one step lower than a Black Widow, one step higher than Witches and Warlords. A Prince is born into his caste, and thus is guaranteed a Jewel, but not what strength the Jewel may be. He must go through the Birthright ceremony and make the Offering
to the Darkness to receive his Jewel. Princes are more aggressive and
territorial than Warlords are, and are thus quicker to anger and rise to the Killing Edge. They experience the rut once or twice a decade.
Warlord Prince: A Jeweled male higher in status than a Black Widow, but lower than a Queen. Warlord Princes are the highest ranked, and also most rare, male caste. A Warlord Prince is born into his caste, and thus is guaranteed a Jewel, but not what strength the Jewel may be. He must go through the Birthright ceremony and make the Offering to the Darkness to receive his Jewel. The most territorial and sexual males of the Blood, they are extremely aggressive and dangerous. Warlord Princes have the strongest need to bond in service and/or love-bond. They rise to the Killing Edge quickly, easily and without warning.
Warlord Princes go into rut once or twice a year. A strong Warlord Prince can rule a territory in the absence of a Queen.
Female Castes
Blood Female: Mostly refers to any Blood female who doesn’t wear Jewels. Blood Females can do all basic Craft but cannot reach the level of the Jewels. Blood Females are not guaranteed a Jewel at their Birthright Ceremony as other castes
are; they can receive any Birthright color of Jewel though. A Blood Female can also try again to receive a Jewel, once she is older, by making the Offering to the Darkness. The darkest Jewel a Blood female with no Birthright Jewel can receive at the Offering is Yellow. If a Blood Female does receive a Jewel, she becomes a witch. If not she remains a Blood Female. Blood Females can serve
Coven or Court, or enter into personal service. Also a general term for all females of the Blood, used as Blood female rather than Blood Female.
Witch: A Blood female who wears Jewels but isn’t a member of the other hierarchical levels. This can also refer to any Jeweled female. A witch is born a Blood Female and becomes a witch once she receives a Jewel, either at her Birthright Ceremony or Offering to the Darkness. A witch will sometimes specialize in a particular side of the Craft such as hearth or garden. Witches can serve in Covens (such as the Coven of the Hourglass, the "Guilds" within the Realms) or Courts, or enter into personal service.
Healer: A witch who tends physical wounds and illnesses, born with the
instincts to comfort and heal. They are higher in status than a witch or Warlord, equal to Priestesses and Princes. Healers have the strongest ties to the Body. They are the doctors, nurses, midwives, and even veterinarians in Blood society. Healers are highly respected amongst the Blood for they will often sacrifice their own health/safety to heal others. Healers can serve Covens or Courts, or enter into personal service, though often they will set up a practice of their own. All Healers must have at least one Jeweled male in
personal service to her, in order to ensure her safety and protection.
Priestess: A witch who cares for altars, Sanctuaries, and Dark Altars; they are the most spiritual of the female castes, leading the celebrations during holidays and ceremonies. Equal in status with Healers and Princes, Priestesses have the strongest ties to the Self or Soul. A Priestess witnesses handfasts and marriages, performs funeral rites and offerings, and provides spiritual counsel for her community. Every Priestess can serve in an Altar, Coven, or Court, or
enter into personal service. All Priestesses must have at least one Jeweled male in personal service to her, in order to ensure her safety and protection.
Black Widow: A witch who heals the mind, weaves the tangled webs of dreams and visions, and is trained in illusions and poisons. Black Widows are considered to be the most dangerous and sexual of the Blood female castes. Equal in status to none, Black Widows answer only to Queens, Warlord Princes, and other Black Widows of a darker Jewel rank. Black Widows have the strongest ties to the Mind and the Twisted Kingdom. Although a Black Widow is apparent at birth, and they
may show some signs in childhood, they do not truly have the Craft or physical traits of a Black Widow until the onset of puberty. Such traits are increased empathy, lucid or prophetic dreaming, the snake tooth under the right ring finger along with the ability to naturally produce venom, immunity to many poisons and venom, and a slight change in physic scent. Every Black Widow must train and serve at her territory's Coven of the Hourglass; she can also serve in
a Court or enter into personal service, or have a private practice. All Black Widows must have at least one Jeweled male in personal service to her, in order to ensure her safety and protection. A strong Black Widow can rule territory in the absence of a Queen.
Queen: A witch who rules the Blood. She is considered to be the land's heart and the Blood's moral center; she is the focal point of their society. They are the highest ranked females and most rare of all the castes. Queens tend to the land, being the only ones who have the Craft to heal the land after it has been damaged or tainted. They have the strongest ties to the Land/Earth and the Blood itself. Queens are born with the instinct to protect their land, territory, and
people. All Queens must have at least one Jeweled male in personal service to her in order to ensure her safety and protection. A Queen's very strength, psychic scent, and nature will draw strong males to her, from which she chooses her court. A Queen may serve in another’s Court, and this is common for light Jeweled Queens. Also, young and strong Queens may serve in another's to gain experience. To make a claim to rule a territory, a Queen must have a Court consisting of at least 12 Blood males, made the Offering to the Darkness, and be
of at least 20 years of age. To confirm the position, a majority of the other ruling Queens in that Territory must acknowledge her. If a Queen challenges another or more than one Queen vie for the same throne, a general election is held. A Queen can rule a Township, District, Province, or Territory. They may as well hold a small, independent, non-ruling court.
Jewels
The colours of the Jewels are, in ascending order:
White
Yellow
Tiger Eye
Rose
Summer-sky
Purple Dusk
Opal
Note: Opal is the dividing line between darker and lighter jewels because it can be either. It also has two kinds, Blood Opal and Light Opal.
Green
Sapphire
Red
Gray
Ebon-gray
Black
Ebony
Twilight's Dawn
Note: Only Jaenelle will ever wear the bolded jewels. I may be a crazed fan-girl, but I'm not totally insane.