
While they are by far the most numerous, human beings are not the only
inhabitants of Victoriana. Eldren, Dwarves, Gnomes, Halflings, Beastmen
and Ogres all walk the same streets. Some are far more plentiful in
certain classes. It is easier to find the elegant Eldren at a ball than
a shabby Ratman or an Ogre. However, in the cosmopolitan streets of
Imperial London, race is not as important as class. Different people
from all manner of races and cultures mingle among the salons and rookeries,
making class the only distinction of worth.
In
Victoriana, social class is everything. Each class has their
own outlook on the world and their own way of doing things. There is
little or no social mobility, and almost everyone 'knows their place'.
While most people would love to enjoy the privileges of the upper classes,
everyone sees virtue in their own position that the others lack.
The Upper classes
are considered to have a style that cannot be taught or copied. They
are (obviously) born to rule, and so their education and breeding make
them just that little bit better than everyone else. The Middle class
are the entrepreneurs. They alone understand how to run business and
make money. To them, trade and industry is all, and a mark of their
power. The Lower classes may have little or nothing, but recognise that
the empire is built on the backs of their labour. They are the working
class, whose toil is the real driving force behind industry, regardless
of what the toffs say.
No one argues with
the virtues of each class, but to try to fit a role you were not born
to is horribly repugnant to all classes. The upper classes do not indulge
in unseemly trade or get their hands dirty. The middle classes run their
factories, not work them, but understand they are still common folk
compared to their betters. The lower class are not looking to exploit
their own, and those who put on airs are quickly brought back to earth.