Politically in the empire, citizens are divided into twelve ranks. Of course the Emperor and his children are exempted entirely from the system.
1st rank: Those with the emperor's bloodline. Reserved solely for the four imperial clans bearing royal blood.
2nd rank: Nobility, the influential members of of great clans and the heads of their branches, the most significant generals and the head of the imperial academy. Sitting foreign monarchs that acknowledge the Empire are accorded this status when visiting.
3rd rank: The nobility in general, as well as the highest ranking military officers and some of the senior instructors in the royal academy. High ranking officials, while acting in the capacity of their office, are accorded this rank in the rare cases that they don't possess it normally.
4th-6th rank: The elite and wealthy. Genius artists, elite soldiers, talented citizens and mid to high ranking officials as well as those who have done great service to the empire are accorded this status.
7th-9th rank: The average soldier or ordinarily skilled artisan. The 'backbone' of the empire.
10th, 11 rank: Peasants. Rural village leaders, apprentices and poor students.
12th rank: Children whose parents have not purchased higher status for them, classless people as well as some E ranked peasants.
In general, it's possible to buy status up to the fifth rank if you care to spend progressively vast amounts of wealth, however the first three hold incredibly more authority and status than any of the lesser ranks. For those not employed by the empire (such as soldiers or bureaucrats) taxes are assessed based on citizen ranking. Those who cannot pay can easily lose their status.
As a child of unknown heritage, rising into the fourth rank should be doable for you within several years, simply because enough money can manage this.
Achieving the third rank or higher, if you aren't adopted or married into one of the great clans, would be all but impossible without fortuitous circumstances. You can do it, but you'd be dependent on some event threatening enough to prove your merit since you're probably not going to be a general or other wielder of such political power at any time in the immediate future.
In practice, most A ranked people either: don't care, had high status before doing something that allowed their B+ to become A- (and in fact can attribute much of that change to the benefits of class) or were already veterans before achieving this rank.
Pragmatically, at any time throughout history, the number of living people that reach A rank automatically could usually be counted on both hands with room to spare. There's very little given treatment for them, especially since while you have a lot of potential, actualizing that means a good deal of risk.
That said, the clans are ALSO the most powerful factions within the government. In general most high level officials will owe their allegiance to the clans and it would be all but unheard of to see anyone like a city's governor that's not attached to one. The 4 imperial clans tend to lead factions, consisting of them and 1-2 other clans.
Aside from the Zen clan which mostly clings to status due to it's the mindnumbingly powerful and famous hero of the empire who happens to be the current head of the family, the other 7 are all networked together into 3 or 4 nebulous big factions. But Little Bee doesn't know much about that.
You could consider being invited into any of the twelve clans' main family as basically being invited to join the ruling family of a not terribly small and fairly wealthy country.
Ultimately, the clans are both the most dangerous and the most beneficial option. Choosing the wrong clan could get you the worst possible situation, while choosing the best could net you more power and authority more quickly than any other path.
Indentured servant is likewise, access to the most powerful people in this part of the world. However, with a step removal, you'll reap less benefit and face somewhat less risk even if you choose badly. It's still dangerous, but dangerous in a different way.
It's not precisely slavery as a contract. You'll sign a contract requiring your service for a set period of time which will also place limitations on your employer. They'll have certain obligations to provide for your education and instruction, negotiable limits on what kinds of task you might be assigned, and notionally legal recourse would be available if they break the terms of the contract. In practice, you'd almost certainly be going with some group or person far more important than you, and your ability to set the terms or hold the other party to those terms may be more limited than it legally should be.
The army and the wild are paths somewhat removed from the social aspect. If you want to go out of the city or avoid politics entirely, these are your best choice. Both carry various risks. The army can have you executed if you run away or ignore your duty, but they'll also provide you with income, allies and resources. Going alone means relying entirely on yourself. You'll have maximum freedom, but also face the most risk. There may be other consequences as well of course.
Those feels. Okay, this is canon.
(err... dead kittens are going to convince people to go with you?)
redaeth may choose one of the following:
[ ] A devoted companion: Regardless of class choice, find a somewhat
special lost kitten in the near future.
[ ] With Catlike Grace: Complete studying of 3 useful agility based skills.
[ ] Sneaky Sneaky: Learn presence concealment level 1.
