Soil Class
The Soil Class is a social class amongst traditional Brech'mar societies that is made up of farmers who live outside of the city. Traditional Brech'mar communities that adhere to the class system are primarily found in North Thiskel, with some in Kalesten and South Thiskel. These classes are primarily hereditary, with some mobility through marriage or proven skills.
The Soil is one of two laborer classes, the other being the Basalt Class. These two classes are especially populous and make up the foundation of Brechian society. These are not slave or serf classes, but they are a lower or common class with typically limited access to resources or wealth. They also tend to be the weakest elementalists, further enforced by generations of marriage amongst themselves. Individuals who prove to have significant magic potential have opportunities to advance out of the lower class by marrying up, apprenticeship to an artisan in a higher class, or adoption--which is practiced by the higher classes, even for adult adoptees.
The Soil class, as terranean settlers, are often at arm's length from the greater subterranean city that they support and exist as a satellite settlement from the city. For the most part, these Soil settlements are self-sufficient, governing themselves and providing for their own needs, as well as the city below. However, their work is necessary for the city and thus they are entitled to respect from the cities they feed.
As most cities are constructed within mountains, Soil villages are found in fertile valleys near city entrances. Cities have at least one village to support them, but older and higher population cities often have multiple satellite villages surrounding them in arable valleys.
Jobs
While primarily farmers, the Soil class also fills other roles to support their own immediate community and their society at large. The Soil Class is also the first line of defense and warning of threats from outside the city. They have their own scouting militia who serve as hunters, gatherers, and watchmen. These ranks are often filled with more adventurous minded individuals who get the opportunity to roam the mountains instead of toiling away in the fields. These scouts keep an eye on travelers and watch for threats, such as kuzo or feral Iengi. If there is a large threat to the city, these scouts will be the first to know and notify the city's defenses.
Other domestic crafts beyond farming are valued from the Soil class, such as textiles and brewing that require materials from above ground.
Since Soil villages are mostly self-sufficient, they have their own leadership. Though beholden to their city's leadership, villages are often led by elders--primarily elder women--who offer guidance, settle disputes, and are responsible for the local almanac.
Farming, of course, is the primary purpose of the Soil village. They grow a wide variety of crops, though these crops vary by region. Most maintain crops native to the area, with the addition of some crops brought by their ancestors that tolerate the environment. They practice permaculture, growing complimentary crops together to provide maximum yield while enriching the soil. Grains, legumes, fruits, vegetables, fibers, tubers, herbs, and all sorts of foods fill their fields.
While a village generally grows the same local fare, they each maintain their own family plots to easily distribute labor. It is also a matter of pride and care for individuals to nurture their plants and even compete with each other for the best yields. For each major harvest, there is often a festival where their yields are compared while they celebrate their bounty, before being sent off to the city.
Animal husbandry is also a part of Brechian farm life. They mainly keep goats, sheep, pigs, rabbits, and fowl to provide food, along with ponies or donkeys for labor. They generally do not keep cattle or full-sized horses due to their large size, but some more far-flung cities may keep more exotic animals; such as alpacas in South Kalesten. Sheep are kept primarily for wool, secondarily for meat; goats for milk and meat; pigs for foraging and meat; rabbits for meat and fur; and fowl for eggs and meat. Bee-keeping for honey and pollination is common as well. Household pets include dogs, cats, and ferrets or weasels, in addition to other useful local species. Brechian dog breeds tend to be of a medium to small size, generally bred for hunting, defense, or pest-control purposes. Cats and ferrets are primarily kept for pest-control purposes.
Elementalism in the Soil Class
In the Soil Class, elementalism is geared toward agricultural purposes, with some other supportive skills. As members of the Soil tend to live a more isolated rural life outside of the subterranean city, they are mostly self-sufficient, so they have a wide array of elementalism skills to support themselves.
Elementalism makes clearing fields, digging, plowing, and other essential tasks remarkably easier than for other races. More advanced skills in the soil include altering the composition by separating rocks from dirt, from removing gravel and pebbles to clearing away boulders. They can adjust the levels of sand, gravel, clay, loam, and other composites for soil drainage, nutritional requirements for plants, and changing the acidity of the soil. They can break down rocks into smaller ones or all the way down to sand and incorporate it into the soil as needed.
Brech'mar do not have control over the organic components of soil--such as composting plant or animal matter--but once it breaks down to more essential elemental components (such as carbon, potassium, magnesium, calcium, etc.) it enters into their realm of control. When working in compost to enrich the soil, the Brech'mar manipulate the non-organic components of soil to spread or bury it.
Construction of homes, walls, and other structures on the surface are also typically the responsibility of those of the Soil, rather than turning to the Granite Class. Soil homes are partially buried with rooms shaped from the surrounding rock and earth, covered by a domed roof. At least one part of the home generally has windows that face the sun in the front, alongside the entrance. Additional buildings for livestock or storage are sometimes on the surface, or depressed into the ground and sealed. Surface structures are often created by either pulling sold stone sheets up from the bedrock, or cobbled together with loose rocks and boulders drawn from the fields.
Culture
Soil culture is distinct from the culture within the city, often rather insular. Their villages are close-knit and supportive of each family. Gender roles are highly valued but neither male or female roles are placed above the other. Women are considered the leaders of the household and responsible for the family's welfare. Domestic and organization tasks fall to the women of the household. Men are in charge of the fields and animals, though both genders participate in planting, harvest, and some animal upkeep.
