Commoners are the laborers, businessmen, and craftsmen of their society. Children are assigned to a caste at age 12 after undergoing a complex battery of tests to determine their interests and natural aptitudes. Many foreigners mistakenly label the people of the Alliance as robots who serve their society. Preceptors plan, protectors fight, and commoners work. Nothing could be further from the truth.
Alliance society is designed to allow individuals to achieve their greatest potentials.
Hobbies and personal interests are cherished by Humanists as ways of expressing their individuality. Although few activities are prohibited, their society encourages modesty and moderation. Hardly as prudish as Northerners, Humanists simply prefer to sample the joys of life a little bit at a time. In this way, they believe that there will always be something a little better to look forward to the next day. The Mekong people are exceptionally pragmatic.