What follows is the stratification of society within the Imperial Ascension ("Lynbraec"), under the Nephyrexian Dynasty.
The Ascension is a fuedal system divided into three social groupings.
First, there are the Nephyr as a race, who form the ruling class of galactic society. Below them are the imperial citizens of the Ascension who form what is known as "The Nephyrexian Dynasty" ("Empyridus") or simply "The Dynasty" for short. Finally, there are the subjects of the Dynasty who comprise what is refered to as "The Commonwealth" ("Pax Empyridus"). A distinction between citizen and subject is necessary, as citizens are non-Nephyr ("ryudani") beholden unto the Laws of Ascension and the rule of the Nephyr as members of an imperial family; subjects of the Commonwealth are non-Nephyr instead under the rule of a local planetary authority and are not part of an imperial family.
The Nephyr themselves are classified into three groups.
At the pinnacle of Nephyr society is their patron, Nephyrex - an immortal artificial intelligence said to be the spiritual embodiment of their ancient homeworld. The will of Nephyrex is interpreted and represented by a monarch in the form of either an emperor ("Yangrth") or an empress ("Yinrth"). The premier social class is that of royalty ("shoarinth"). This class used to be occupied by three royal bloodlines tracing their origins back to their ancient homeworld of Nephyrexia, but following a civil war between the three, one rose to prominence and is now recognized as the only royal lineage within the Ascension. This lineage is comprised of seven families that serve as the progenitors ("kirrinth") of the thirteen houses ("lairth") that make up the Nephyrexian Dynasty. The monarch of the Nephyrexian Dynasty is chosen from a number of canidates from each of these seven families.
Military service is manditory of all imperial citizens, including the Nephyr, who are required to enlist as officers in one of the three branches of the Imperial Royal Guard ("Empyrion"). These three branches are the Imperial Land Forces ("Kithlynn"); the Imperial Aerospace Forces. ("Sharlynn"); and the Imperial Star Forces ("Empyrlynn"). Nephyr royalty are further restricted to service within the Star Forces only, typically assuming command of a ship or fleet. It is through a royal's track record and promotions within the Star Forces that a Nephyr royal may eventually become the heir-apparent to the imperial throne.
Ranking below royalty in stature is the nobility ("ahbraecti"), which composes the majority of the Dynasty. The nobility is further sub-divided into two ranks: the masters ("shinbraecti"), and the wards ("fehbraecti"). There are three ranks amongst the masters. In descending order, there are the princes and princesses ("braecthon"), the marquises and marchionesses ("braecthu"), and the counts and countesses ("braecthoi"). The masters are so named because they each claim a mastery ("shinbraecthi") over one of the following: princes over principalities ("tyrbraecdum"); marquises over marches ("menbraectum"); and counts over countys ("aunbraecdum"). Higher noble status can be attained by increasing the overall value of a territory, as well as its population. The wards have two ranks: that of a viscount or a viscountess ("lobraec"), and that of a baron or baroness ("habraec"). Uninhabited territories containing planets that can be terraformed are called viscountys ("lobraecdum"). A viscount or viscountess automatically becomes a count or countess when they have successfully terraformed and populated that planet. On the other hand, a barony ("habraecdum") has no such planet within its domain. Like royalty, military service is compulsory and a pre-requisite to inheriting domain and title, however, nobles are given the option of serving in any branch they choose.
The third and lowest general rank amongst the Dynasty is that of a knight or a dame ("lynsharr"). Unlike nobles, they are not territorial magnates. Similar to the nobility, military service is compulsory for them as well, and they may enlist in any branch of the military they desire.
Although non-Nephyr may hold noble title, they may never become royalty. Furthermore, there is a pre-requisite to earning and rising in noble status, which is the demonstration of a certain level of magical aptitude. Higher ranking nobles are expected to wield a greater degree of magical influence than lesser ranking nobles, though this rule is often bypassed and can be overlooked if any member of the royalty is willing to grant status to a Nephyr.
Imperial citizens can be of any race, but must become members of an imperial household before they can begin to earn status within the Ascension. Often this is accomplished through adoption or marriage. They must also demonstrate their ability to harness the forces of magic innately - that is, as a pre-requisite to membership within the Ascension, they must first possess the power to cast spells naturally without the use of arcane devices. This is not as easy as it sounds, for the gift of natural magic is generally rare amongst non-Nephyr, with only a select few races possessing such talents.
The Commonwealth is mostly left to its own devices. Subjects of the Dynasty are considered far too unimportant to come under direct rule, and so local authorities are permitted to govern their own people in whatever way they wish, so long as they recognize the sovreignity of the Dynasty and pay tribute to the Nephyr. Although a Nephyr noble technically rules his own territory, he is not required to involve himself in the political affairs of his subjects beyond maintaining the status quo and preventing an uprising. In most cases, when a new territory is established, the pre-existing government of an inhabited planet is left in place. The Nephyr feel a great boredom in ruling their subjects and are typically far more interested in their own personal ambitions.
