Shattered Lands/Azteconomics

Land

All land belongs to the noble houses, and through them, the Father of Life himself. You cannot buy or sell land, you can only conquer it. If you conquer land, it belongs to your noble house. If you do not serve a noble house, you cannot conquer land. To consider land to have a "value" would be a very foreign concept. Think of it more like "gang turf". You fight to get it, and you fight to protect it. You are expected to serve the honor of the noble house upon whose land you dwell or work. You also are expected to gift the noble house you serve a portion of any materials you produce as a result of your labor.

Labor

All labor belongs to the noble houses. You cannot buy or sell labor, it has no value. You work only for the honor of your house. If you do not belong to a house, you work only for your own personal honor. No one would ever think to pay you for services rendered.

Material Goods

Now here we have something. Material goods can be owned. The food a farmer grows, after gifting the noble in thanks for the honor of working upon his land, belongs to him. Even slaves can own material goods in this manner, if they produce goods as a result of their labors. You can buy any material goods in a marketplace. Though, by tradition, there are many goods that only nobles are allowed to display -- feathers, jewelry, sculptures, and other such luxury goods -- commoners are allowed to purchase them for the purpose of gifting to nobles or possessing in the privacy of their own homes.

Foreigners/Barbarians

Those who are non-Draji have no rights in Draj. They are like beasts to be used and abused as the one who captures them sees fit. A Foreigner with some value may be sold at a marketplace by a noble, but in doing so they are granted the status of a slave. Otherwise, they are considered nothing but worthless beasts of burden or as sacrificial victims. The only free Foreigner in Draj is one who is strong enough to protect himself, or who has the protection of one of the Draji houses. A foreigner who seeks to find work in Draj is in for a nasty surprise, as work cannot be bought or sold -- the best outcome in such situations is slavery, the worst ... a short brutal lifetime tending the mudflat fields of Draj beneath the sting of a whip.

The Elven Markets

The Elven Markets just inside entrance to Draj are a notable exception. This is where caravans from other city states would hawk their goods, as well as the nomadic elves. Foreigners are more or less left alone as long as they don't make a scene or try to go much futher into the city.

Slaves

Domestics

Domestic Draji slaves are a form of luxury good. As such, they can only be owned by nobles. Being a slave isn't that much different from being a free citizen, the main difference is that you're not allowed to leave the service to your noble house. Slaves can be assigned to serve others at the nobles behest, and many trusted servants of the nobles have slaves serving beneath them to assist them in executing their service to their houses. A slave can purchase their own freedom, and the pochtes are responsible for negotiating a fair price.

Foreign Slaves

Foreign slaves are kept in housing outside of the city, are treated more poorly than their domestic counterparts, and pretty much as low as you can go in Draj. Their only hope is escape or the rare break where they are given an opportunity to prove themselves as powerful and therefor worthy.

In times of sacrifice, Foreigners are always sacrificed before Draji citizens.

Free Citizens

While you can't own land or charge for services, you do have the advantage of being a "free agent". If you don't like how you are treated by one noble house, you can always leave and serve another. This typically results in better treatment, but sometimes, ironically, free citizens are not given much care because their loyalty can't be trusted. A free citizen who cannot live up to their obligations may be sold as a slave to pay their debtors.

Pochte

Wealthy merchant houses, known as pochte, serve the noble houses, and handle their finances. As a result, they are fabulously wealthy, but unable to publicly display this wealth. They control the economy, set prices, and keep an eye on Draji citizens and slaves to assure that each is "kicking up" the appropriate portion of their acquired material goods to their noble houses. Think of these pochtes as organized criminals, with the support of the state. They also don't have the same Xenophobia that most Draji do, since they - above all other groups - deal with foreigners on a more common basis.

House Tsalaxa

House Tsalaxa is the largest and best known of the Pochte Trade houses. They have a well-earned reputation as being ruthless, underhanded, and relentless in their pursuits.

Calmecs

The Calmecs are a house of mystic scholars, many of whom pursue The Way. They run the academy known as the House of the Mind. Calmecs live outside the normal social structure, not being noble, and yet they serve directly at the pleasure of the Father, applying their mystic arts and prophecy to benefit Draj's Master.

Nobles

The Noble Houses, also known as Jaguar Houses, are of the highest social tier beneath Tectuktitlay himself. The members of the Houses are each and everyone trained by the Calmecs, skilled in the fine arts of warfare, and indoctrinated in the Draji state religion -- the worship of the Two Moons and their living divine son, Father of Life, Tectuktitlay. The wealth of the nobles lies not in what they own, but in the obedience they command by virtue of their might. Some noble houses enforce this obedience by way of the threat of swift retribution; while others rely on loyalty freely given, in exchange for protection. The nobles serve their houses, and through their houses, they serve the Master of Draj himself.

Templars

The ranks of the Templars, or Moon Priests, are drawn from the Calmecs and Noble houses. Being chosen as a Templar is a great honor, and one is expected to place his loyalty to the Father above all else, even one's own house. The Templars carry out the will of the Tectuktitlay, enforcing his laws, but largely exist only to please their Master's whims, and as a threat to any noble houses who might think to seize power for themselves. They also serve as religious leaders, leading sacrifices, and officiating over all public gatherings.

Warrior Culture

Draji warrior culture glorifies the warrior in society. There are warriors of all Draji social ranks. Warrior slaves fight alongside their noble masters. Free Draji warriors are known as Eagle Knights, and they are allowed to wear the head of a bird upon their head-dress (but no tail or wing feathers). Noble Draji warriors are known as Jaguar Knights, and they wear elaborate head-dresses of ornate feathers and beads, the more feathers, the more glorious victories. Warriors are not paid to fight, they fight for honor and honor alone. They may, however, keep their share of the spoils of wars.