Rank Nomenclature

"So.. what do you call the Shemarrian equivalent of a lieutenant, Sarge? "
"Come on man. Don't crack jokes about the Shemarrians before we hit the LZ and have to sweat and bleed along side them!"
"No.. I'm serious! What do you call them so I know what to call the lady in charge! I don't wanna piss them off and have them aim their guns at me instead of the Sploogies on the case of a miss translation!"
Exchange recorded for Foreign Affairs Division of PS during a joint GNE/Shemarrian strike on Splugorth outpost located at undisclosed location along the eastern coast.
== Shemarrian Ranks ==
At the beginning when the Shemarrian gynoids were first created by A.R.C.H.I.E.-3 & Hagen Leonovitch, the original programming had a very very basic rank structure, even among the 8 original “tribes”. Wargoddess as defacto supreme-commander, War Chieftain as squad commander and Tribal “elder” along with the Spinsters as technical advisors, leaving the rest of the rank and file (in order) to; Warrior, Berserker & Male as occasional scout & E.W. support. With the advent of the Ecotroz awakening of 8 of the tribes, and the inclusion of the Sentient A.I. Ghost Riders and transferred intelligence Wayfinders, the delineation (and nomenclature) of rank structure among the tribes has become much more complex and varied. Listed below are some of the more common ranks & titles among the 10 tribes. Others may or may not exist among Terran & Star Nation Shemarrians.
=== Common Rankings ===
(Titles in parentheses are in the Shemarrian Elven / Dragonese dialect)
==== Wargoddess (Shasydaer) ====
Embodiment of the Shemarrian spirit of battle, usually in command of entire fleet elements or army divisions.
==== High Matriarch (Col Taros) ====
Tribal leader of an entire clan & keeper of the tribal lore. Typically of the War Chieftain caste.
==== Matriarch (Taros) ====
Leader of a Shemarrian band, group, platoon, etc. This applies to any of the female castes, except the Pariah / Acolyte.
==== Blade Sister (Shadi Moraes) ====
Title given to the Berserker caste.
==== Battle Strider (Shari Modaes) ====
Title given to mounted Shemarrian warriors, regardless of war-mount type.
==== Little Sister (Jhori Moraes) ====
Affectionate title given to the Spinster / Tinker caste.
==== Long Sight / Far Speaker (Jhyl Mol / Thas Maejaes) ====
Scout & communications specialists. Also applies to Sensor & Communications officers on board naval vessels.
==== Teachers of the way (Saelaes os si shae) ====
Acolytes in charge of initial training of NeShemarr ‘recruits’ and rare progen born castes
=== Rankings of The Wolf's Path ===
This tribe adopted a system similar to terrestrial wolf packs, with the head of any unit being designated an Alpha, though that is modified with descriptors to describe the level of Alpha; Alpha Primus being division leader, Alpha Secundus being a team leader, etc... Beta being second rank after the Alpha.
==== Alpha Primus (Eilae Voster) ====
Division leader; equal to a ranking of General.
==== Alpha Secundus (Eilae Maeleler) ====
Battalion leader; equal to Major or Captain.
==== Alpha Tertius (Eilae Saesor) ====
Platoon leader; equal to Leftenant.
==== Beta Primus to Tertius (Shaerae “…”) ====
Second to an Alpha, with ranks going from Master-Sergeant to Corporal equivalents.
==== Path Stalker (Var Malaes) ====
Title given to Wolf’s-Path scouts regardless of gender or caste. Always of Beta Primus rank.
=== Rankings of the Wayfinders ===
Wayfinders have a rank structure based on a combination of scholar gradiants and mage-ranks. Due to their mixed origin species, the Wayfinder tribe do not use Elven nomenclature.
==== Adept Primus ====
Tribal enclave leader, equal to a magic guilds High-magus or a Queen of a country / colony.
==== Luminari ====
Equivalent of college deans, heads of research, high mages, etc. Luminari-Martials would be the equivalent of Admirals, generals, high rank officers. 
==== Celestii ====
Senior professors, department heads, mid-level mages. Celestii-Martials would be ship captains, colonels, and the like.
==== Solarii ====
Assistant professors through professors, accomplished mages. Solarii-Martials would be lieutenants, ensigns, junior officers.
==== Komte ====
Student Assistants, interns, junior mages. Komte-Martials would be cadet officers and sergeants.
==== Astre ====
The equivalent of college students, novice wizards, candystripers. Astre-Martials would be privates, corporals, and other basic-level military grunts. 
Ranks would be further specified by terms like First, Second, Third (no more than that)...So a Solarii Third might be a Staff Sergeant, a First Celestii a cruiser captain or a full colonel, etc.
=== Rankings of the Ghost Riders ===
The Ghost Rider tribe though not E-Shemarr in origin, have adopted most of the common rank structures among their military (with associated Elven naming conventions), with two additions.
==== Lightning Thief (Jhondrol Sos) ====
Dedicated electronic warfare specialists & cyberjackers. Team leaders & exceptional veterans usually have ‘Taros’ prefixed to their title. 
==== Ghost Waker (Kyr Shajaes) ====
A Ghost Rider Shemarrian who “wakes up” robots via sentient viral programs. A hold-over from their awakening via the ‘Ghost-locker’ in NY Madhaven, and freeing of non Shemarrian ARCHIE bots (along with a few other drone / A.I.’s from the CS, NGR and even Ki-Talan Atlantis).
=== Rankings of the Silvermoon ===
Typical rank structure common to most / all Shemarrian tribes are used by the Silvermoon except for;
==== Shield Bearer (Mor Shaesaes) ====
Equal to a 2nd. Leftenant in chain of command. These Shemarrians are given the task of point defense, counter-artillery and E-W in both infantry and naval divisions.
=== Rankings of the Sapphire Cobras ===
The iconolastic Sapphire Cobras do tend to use the common rank structure among their martial branch, however there are a few additions due to their spiritual / fetishistic nature.
==== Pythoness ====
The head of the psi-shameness’, usually a dedicated sensitive specializing in clairvoyance & remote viewing. 
==== Apothecary (Eidyraelasia) ====
Medics & chemists taking from the Warrior, Spinster/Tinker, Acolyte and even NeShemar castes. The head of a particular medical and/or drug & chemical facility will usually have a ‘Taros’ prefix to their title.
Keeper of Mysteries (Caedaes os Teiraesor) 
Priestess tasked with care of a temple’s records and the tribal lore. A ‘Col Taros’ or ‘Taros’ prefix is added to the title for the High Priestess & her second of a given temple. 
=== Rankings of the Hawkmoon ===
Being the most adaptable of the 10 tribes, the Hawkmoon have integrated common Anglic / English rank structures to the common Shemarrian titles, especially for their aerospace fighter corp. It is not unheard of for a ‘Shari-Lieutenant’ to be giving air support to a ‘Taros Shari Modaes's’ cavalry line.
== Redeemed/Acolyte/Acolite Ranks ==
Though very much a part of the reformed Shemarrian Nation (and Shemarrian Star Nation), the Pariahs/Reclaimed/Acolyte class still occupy a low tier in the new society. Despite their appreciated roles in supporting the rest of the Shemarrians, from such positions as clerks, servants, technicians, food preparation stewards, and the like, Acolytes still fall outside the formal rank structure of most Tribes. The martial bent of the Shemarrians is responsible for this, as even among such Tribes as the Wayfinders (formed in part by ex-Tolkeenites to oppose the Coalition States) the emphasis has been on -warriors- first.
Despite the fact that most Acolytes have instinctive weapons and combat programming, and are fully capable of and willing to take up arms in defense of their Tribes (indeed, the new Shemarrian history has numerous accounts of the ‘bladeless’ class fighting valiantly in good cause), Acolytes are still not regarded as ‘true warriors’ and are not accorded the same rank designations reserved for the warrior classes. And though some truly exceptional members of the caste have found themselves in positions of authority virtually running an outpost, community, or Tribal group, no Acolyte can hold the esteemed Matriarch title. This is just the way it is. 
This is not entirely due to prejudice against the class, though certainly there remains some small disregard of the combat abilities of the Acolyte caste. Those Acolytes who consistently exhibit true martial spirit are typically Upgraded to Warrior class, structurally modified and said to be ‘Remade’, leaving their former caste and joining the regular Shemarrian ranking system with their slates wiped clean.
However, within their caste, Acolytes do have their own ranking system, which has been generally adopted throughout the Tribes (proving that the concept of the ‘servants’ telegraph’ is alive and well even in cultures such as the Shemarrians). Acolytes are none the less prouder than any Warrior for earning high ranking within their class. 
Only in the Skullcrusher Tribe has the ‘Pariah’ class re-emerged with all its original meanings and negative connotations. 
In general, the literal translation of Acolyte classes shows a frequent use of terms evocative of feminine descriptors: ‘Maiden’, ‘Mistress’, ‘Girl’, etc....The warrior culture of the Shemarrians tends to regard such terms as evoking connotations of ‘softness’, ‘meekness’, or ‘docility’, qualities not in keeping with their martial nature. Though often used in the pejorative sense among warriors and even Males, these terms are used without any malice when referring to the Acolytes). 
Those Acolytes not assigned specific specializations follow the general rankings described below:
=== Seneschals (Maelaerar or Maerar) ===
Maerar are high-rank Acolytes overseeing the Acolyte contingent of an entire base, outpost, household, or retinue of high-ranking E/Shemarrians. ‘Maelaerar’ is the more formal title of the two. 
=== Mistress (Toraer) ===
Toraer are mid-rank personnel, often regarded as experts in one specific field, or presiding over a particular sub-division of labor (Life Support Section, Uniform Maintenance, Convalescent Care Ward, Food Preparation, etc.). They may be granted oversight of several lower ratings or a small facility (individual farm, manufacturing sector, records depot, etc.).
=== Maiden (Mysaer Tadael or Tadael) ===
Maysaer Tadael (literally: ‘swordless maiden’) are the lowest ranking Acolytes; servants, ladies-in-waiting, secretaries, and foot (wo)men attending to the other classes.
High achievement may be rewarded with special titles appended to the recipient’s name and rank, for example:
=== Byrdaer Besesaes (‘Noblest Nurturer’) ===
This may be awarded to selfless seeing to the needs of others in time of crisis.
=== Col Vylodaes (‘High Provider’) ===
Another title, awarded for outstanding work in logistics, providing services while under fire, and other feats of management.
Example: For her bravery in salvaging most of Station Excerden’s supplies, and keeping the Tinkers supplied with the needed spare parts and the warriors with ammunition, while under fire during the Splugorth siege of the Shemarrian outpost, the Silvermoon Acolyte responsible would be formally called Toraer Col Vylodaes Lindsee White-Eyes.
These ranks also may be applied to non-warrior oriented NeShemar and Orseme as well.
Category:Advanced Cultural Notes
Category:Ghost Rider
Category:Wolf's Path
Category:Wayfinder
Category:Silvermoon
Category:Sapphire Cobra
Category:Hawkmoon
Category:Acolite
Category:Acolyte
Category:Pariah
Category:Ranks
Category:Titles
Category:Skullcrusher