Sapphire

A Sapphire woman

The people of the Sapphire caste are descended from those who once lived in the City in the Clouds, protected before The Fall from the world around them by the illusion of being unreachable. This history has been passed down through their own records, which were magically preserved, though the arcane arts have been largely lost to them since. Even after three thousand years, their culture of meditation and education has largely remained intact. They now live in the southeastern and southwestern districts of the city. They put a high value on brains over brawn. The East Sapphire citizens are known for their scholarly intentions, and often begin schooling as soon as they can talk. The West Sapphire citizens are known for their artistic endeavors, such as painting and sculpting.

## Basics

### **Physical Description**

The people of Sapphire typically have blue eyes, ranging from teal to royal blue. Their skin is often tawny in color. Their hair is almost always very straight and is typically kept long by both genders. It is usually brown or blonde, often with highlights of a lighter color. They are typically of a thin build and their heights are usually between 5’8” and 6’6” with men typically being taller than women.

### **Trait**

The people of the Sapphire caste are known for their “book smarts” more than their “street smarts,” but they have learned to look at problems in a different way because of this. When another creature’s action would cause you to make a Will Saving Throw, you may substitute the Wisdom stat with your Intelligence.

## Common Careers

Sapphire caste citizens typically favor jobs where they can use their minds. Careers that their people consider to be worthwhile all require some sort of formal education, no matter how important an intuitive job may be to the other five castes or even to the survival of the city of Haven.

There are two prevailing mindsets in the Sapphire caste and the citizens have separated themselves accordingly. They are called East Sapphire and West Sapphire. The citizens of East Sapphire focus their schooling on history, literature, and mathematics. The citizens of West Sapphire focus their schooling on the arts such as painting, sculpting, and architecture. The two sects find careers for their children in their respective areas of expertise.

Even those who are not as intelligent or who are not as comfortable in academic environments in Sapphire are still known to be better educated than almost anyone from any other caste. King Cecillio famously fought with the headmaster of The Eastern Sapphire Finishing Academy of History over his policies and so purposefully hired Harmon Helvig, a known dropout of the academy, as his head adviser. The two would go on to be known for creating some of the most successful policies of the modern era.

## Names

### **Surnames**

Like all of the castes of Haven, there are twelve surnames in Sapphire, each of them stemming from one of the original founding families of the city. These surnames are: Anders, Bakken, Edman, Fredrikson, Gustason, Helvig, Leif, Matsen, Olson, Sandberg, Taft, and West.

### **Male Names**

**Examples**: Alvin, Bert, Claus, Dolph, Elias, Franz, Hannes, Jakob, Kaspar, Lukas, Morton, Nicklaus, Otto, Tobias, Wilhelm

### **Female Names**

**Examples**: Adelaide, Carolina, Edel, Ermengarde, Gretchen, Hedwig, Kristen, Lotte, Mitzy, Nixie, Romy, Stefanie, Trudy, Wanda, Zelda

## History

### **Pre-Fall**

The people of the Sapphire caste hailed from Itos, the City in the Clouds. This once spectacular city was surrounded by strong illusion magic to give the appearance of being unreachable by those on the ground. Without the particular magic spell needed to part the clouds, a potential invader could spend weeks lost before giving up. As such, almost all members of their society studied magic to at least a small degree.

**The Fall**

Coming soon

## Religion

### **The Way of Life**

There are not many in the Sapphire caste who find the Way of Life to be overly agreeable. While they tend to not outwardly disparage it, most in this culture do not find its ideals of good and evil to fit with their personal philosophies. A great many scholars and scientists of this caste believe that there is no strict definition of good or evil actions, only the cumulative weight of the results of your impact on the world.

### **The Way of Elements**

There are those in Sapphire that find nature and the elements fascinating. For these people, who tend to devote the entirety of their lives to these sorts of studies, the Way of Elements is not only an ideal, but a way of life. Of course there are also those whose studies draw them as far from nature as possible in this caste, who shun this Way entirely.

### **The Way of the Physical**

Though civilization and the accumulation of wealth are commonly held in high regard in the Sapphire caste, there is almost no following for the Way of the Physical in this culture. The acceptance of pain as a natural part of life is not something that most Sapphire citizens find agreeable. They also tend to avoid allowing their children to struggle, which goes against fourth tenet of this Way.

### **The Way of Philosophy**

Almost everyone in the Sapphire caste follows the Way of Philosophy to some extent. They set goals individually, and as families. They hold themselves to the highest standards, and they always strive for more. Every year, during the Crown Festival, the entirety of the Sapphire Districts shut down to celebrate the god, Bonu.

### **The Way of Information**

The Way of Information is also universally popular in the Sapphire caste, particularly in the Eastern Sapphire District. The caste itself is practically built on the tenet that knowledge is the ultimate power. They value logic above all else, and shun those who act unthinkingly. A statue of Notia resides in the center of Academy Square in the Eastern Sapphire District.

## Society

### **General**

People of the Sapphire caste organize themselves into households that typically consist of similar minded individuals. Instead of couples, it is common for three or four adults to group together as a sort of “family” of people who value the same ideas and hold related jobs. These groups are usually formed in young adulthood, or even when they are still in school. They typically produce only one or two children, as their studies and hobbies keep them very occupied. These children do not call the adults in their homes by titles such as “mom” or “dad” but by their first names. Orphans are practically non-existent since there are so many adults per household, but in extreme cases, they become wards of their schools.

### **Male Roles**

Males and females hold identical roles in both spheres of Sapphire society. All roles that can be held by males can also be held by females.

### **Female Roles**

Males and females hold identical roles in both spheres of Sapphire society. All roles that can be held by males can also be held by females.

### **Children**

Children in the Sapphire caste are generally treated as less knowledgeable adults. They begin schooling as soon as they can talk and spend ten hours of their day in classes.

Eastern Sapphire children attend “primary school” until age 6 with both genders. During this time, they are expected to learn basic reading, writing, and arithmetic skills. From 6 to 8, they are sent with both genders to “world development” where they use their previous skills to learn about science, history, and their place in the world. From 9 to 13, students are sorted by aptitude and separated by gender into schools called “foundational academies”. These are highly specialized and placement is typically influenced by the wishes of the parent group of the child more than by the child’s own merit. A student might, at this level, find themselves in a school of only ten to twenty children of their own gender, all studying one topic, such as The Eastern Sapphire Foundational Academy for Girls of Science. From ages 14 to 18, students are placed in schools called “finishing academies” with both genders. These schools are meant to broaden their understanding of their future career fields. Adults from relevant careers are frequently called in as guest teachers, which is seen as their civic duty. At this age, students live in dormitories and often begin to form groups that they may choose to stay with for their entire lives. From ages 19-20, members of the Eastern Sapphire caste will then move into apprenticeships in their career fields, where mentors take on the responsibility of finalizing their degrees.

Western Sapphire children attend “nursery school” until age five with both genders. They spend this time fostering ideas of creativity and often come away with the basic skills needed to play at least one instrument. From 5 to 9, they attend “basic studies” with both genders, where they learn reading, writing, arithmetic, basic science, and history. They will also try their hand at as many different creative fields as possible in this time to get an idea of where their talents lie. From 10-13, students are separated by gender and general talent category into “fostering academies”. For instance, a boy with an aptitude for sculpting would attend The Western Sapphire Fostering Academy for Boys of Art. At these academies, they learn all of the basic skills needed for all parts of their skill. From 14-16, students move on to “experimentation laboratories” with both genders, where they are encouraged to use many forms and styles. Students here teach one another their personal styles and skills, with a master teacher present to correct any major issues. At this age, students live in dormitories and often begin to form groups that they may choose to stay with for their entire lives. From 16-20, students move on to apprenticeships with masters of their arts.

At 14, before moving on to a finishing academy or experimentation laboratory, children who find that they are not fitting into their district may occasionally choose to change career fields and join the other side of the Sapphire caste. Though legal, it is highly frowned upon and often leads to a child being disowned by their parent group.

### **Animals**

Calm animals, such as birds or cats are sometimes kept as part of a household. It is not unusual for someone in this caste to purchase a more exotic animal as a show of wealth.

## Attitudes

### **Family**

Most of those from Sapphire do not consider their blood family members to be a major part of their lives. Parents will usually direct a great deal of their child’s lives, including having major input in careers and friends, but will generally not be overly involved after the child has left the home unless they work in the same career field.

### **Work**

Work is overwhelmingly the centerpiece of the Sapphire lifestyle. Both districts practically fixate on their careers, caring about very little else, to the point that it is almost unheard of for someone in this caste to form relationships with those that they do not encounter at work.

### **City**

While Sapphire caste members have been largely involved in lawmaking and other aspects of keeping the city running, there are few in this caste who feel passionate about it. Those in Eastern Sapphire who study history or civics may find some joy in it, or others in the power that it brings, but it is typically not their passion. They enjoy the benefits of belonging to a city that was created with their people in mind, but it is not the city itself that they find themselves loyal to.

### **Nature**

Almost the entirety of the Sapphire caste would just as soon burn down a forest as they would look at one. The idea of leaving their clean, safe city walls to gawk at the natural worth sickens most of this group. Only those who find their passion in the biological sciences would ever consider it, and even those folks usually have specimens brought to *them* by Garnet gatherers.

## Relations

### **Garnet**

**How they view Garnet**: Sapphire caste members tend to view those in the Garnet caste as foolish and rude. The two castes have the worst intercaste relations of any in the city. The straightforward honesty of the Garnet caste discounts everything that those in Sapphire teach their children about holding on to information until the opportune time. If it can be avoided, a person in Sapphire will go their entire life without speaking to someone in Garnet.

**How Garnet views them**: Garnet caste members tend to view those in the Sapphire caste as liars and as stuck up. The two castes have the worst intercaste relations of any in the city. The knowledge brokering and secrecy of those in the Sapphire caste discounts everything that those in Garnet teach their children about speaking your mind openly and freely. If it can be avoided, a person in Garnet will go their entire life without speaking to someone in Sapphire.

### **Topaz**

**How they view Topaz**: Sapphire caste members tend to view those in the Topaz caste as intelligent, but lacking in priorities. They usually enjoy competing in competitions of logic and natural ingenuity against those in this caste, though they believe that much of their talents are wasted by spending so much time focusing on their physical selves.

**How Topaz views them**: Topaz caste members tend to view those in the Sapphire casts as intellectual equals, but physical inferiors. Men, especially, will spend free time playing Greshbuckle, a game of logic favored by both castes, against members of the Sapphire caste in taverns or other public spaces.

### **Amber**

**How they view Amber**: Sapphire caste members tend to view those in the Amber caste as useful and easily negotiated with. Those in Sapphire who find their passions in the sciences, in particular, can often find that anything *can* be found and purchased in the Amber District, if one knows where to look. Both groups understand the meaning of keeping a secret, so problems seldom ever arise in these dealings.

**How Amber views them**: Amber caste members tend to view those in the Sapphire caste as amicable and usually welcome them into their district with open arms. Members of Sapphire often provide the biggest challenges as far as asking for specific items, but they are also willing to pay prices according to how difficult it is to get an item. Since those in Sapphire tend to keep their purchases and research to themselves, there is almost never an issue between these two castes. A “*blue customer*” is a common Amber idiom for someone who knows how to “forget” where they got an item.

### **Jade**

**How they view Jade**: Sapphire caste members tend to view those in the Jade caste less favorably than those in other castes view them. They are the least likely to fully buy into spiritualism, usually citing that they have more important things to do than to appease the gods. Because life in Jade tends to revolve centrally around the gods and the Five Ways, there is little that these two castes have in common. Jade caste members are seen as listless, aimless individuals who would rather talk about the gods than do actual research about the world around them.

**How Jade views them**: Jade caste members tend to view those in the Sapphire caste as egotistical but well-meaning. They are not prone to saying negative things about anyone, and so assume the best of their Sapphire neighbors, despite the haughty attitudes that they are sometimes treated with.

### **Amethyst**

**How they view Amethyst**: Sapphire caste members tend to view those in the Amethyst caste as hyperactive individuals who are easily guided and tricked. They frequently feel that they must ask their Amethyst companions to slow down and think before acting.

Though there are several aspects of the other caste that can be annoying to those in Sapphire, they are usually quite fond of Amethyst caste members, as they believe them to be the only other “civilized” caste. They also find a lot of value in having someone around who they believe they can easily lead to follow their plans.

**How Amethyst views them**: Amethyst caste members tend to view those in the Sapphire caste as too shrewd and too slow to act. The people of Amethyst would prefer that laws be enacted quickly and edited later, while those in Sapphire tend to slow progress by insisting that they complete several types of impact reports before anything is done. The people of Sapphire also tend to hold many secrets, even when working closely with someone, which can really rub those in Amethyst the wrong way.

## Norms

### **Laws**

In addition to the laws that apply to the entire city, citizens residing in the Sapphire District must also abide by the following laws:

* No noise louder than a cat’s meow may be made in any public space after nightfall. If the noise of a private space can be heard from a public space, it must also remain softer than a cat’s meow.
* If any person wishes to perform psychological or physical experiments on any person younger than sixteen years of age, express written permission must be granted by the parents
* .Painting or otherwise creating art in public spaces must not interfere with the usual goings on of said public space.
* City buildings that have been declared as sanctioned historical sites may not house more than the maximum number of staff as decided by The Eastern Sapphire District Committee for Historical Preservation at the time that historical status was granted. Changes to this maximum must be approved by The Eastern Sapphire District Committee for Document Appeals and Renewal.

### **Manners**

Though they view themselves as better than the people from any other caste, manners are not seen as overly important in either Sapphire District. Most members are not terribly sensitive about having their feelings hurt by others in their own caste, assuming that their neighbors have just as many important things distracting them as they do. It is more likely that they will view this as thoughtless rather than intentionally disrespectful. Many times, they will not even notice if someone else has acted in a rude manner. They are more likely to take offense to someone from another caste slighting them, but it is usually filed away in their own minds and not addressed outright.

### **Customs**

Though there are many customs that are universal for the entirety of the city of Haven, there are some that are exclusive to each of the different districts. When two members of different districts meet, it is usual that they will use the custom of the district that they are standing in. Some of those that are unique to the Sapphire District are:

* The customary greeting is a bow of the head, typically of about one degree per year older that the other person is perceived to be, with a minimum of a fifteen degree bow.
* Meal customs are as follows - six small meals, each held three hours apart from sunrise until sunset. There is usually no eating after nightfall.
* When waiting for something, it is customary to form an orderly one-by-one queue, even if waiting with a friend, and to keep the chatting to a minimum.

### **Holidays**

Although there are many holidays, festivals, and other events that are celebrated throughout the entire city of Haven, there are some that are unique to only the Sapphire District:

* The Mandated Day of Relaxation
* Itos Remembrance Day
* The Day of Silence