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[squeakyReaper]

Minor details like that usually escape me.  I'm still confused as to why there are two castes of dwarves...  I'm not very observant I guess.

[Rose]

Minor details like that usually escape me.  I'm still confused as to why there are two castes of dwarves...  I'm not very observant I guess.

because dwarves need to reproduce.

if you want two genders, you need two castes.

[NW_Kohaku]

"Caste" is just a rather unusual choice of words, since it really only refers to "caste" in the sense that ants have castes of worker ants ("normal" ants that are technically female, but do not reproduce), soldier ants (larger workers with more powerful jaws), and male and female breeder ants (male and female versions of the caste with wings, and females capable of turning into queens).

Caste, then, doesn't refer to social status, but the physiological differences inside of a species, meaning male and female versions of a single species.  Hypothetically, however, you can go really wacky, and have various "breeds" of the same kind of species.  I made a mod where dwarves and minotaurs and giant spiders and a few other creatures were interbred, and you can see something a little less extreme in Deon's Genesis Mod.

[squeakyReaper]

Bah, I used the wrong word.  When I think castes I think social structure, possibly as an artifact from elementary social science studies.  What I meant by my comment is why are there the dwarves that work and see light, and those who are pushed into flooding burrows?  Dregs and... whatnot.

[Hyndis]

I divide up my forts into different social classes. There are the commoners who do all of the menial work and fill the ranks of the military. Then I have guild members who specialize in different professions, like stoneworking, metalworking, jewelers, craftsdwarves, and woodsmen.

The guild dwarves are few in number but perform no other jobs aside from their specialized field. They also are exempt even from hauling so they never end up in danger. They always remain in the safety of the fortress.

The commoners can only be promoted into a guild if they get lucky with a mood and produce something that elevates a skill to legendary, which entitles them to enter that particular guild.

[NW_Kohaku]

Well, generally, the dwarves that actually see the light are typically considered the unlucky ones.  Unless you have an open enterance to your fort through the caverns (why would you do that?!), then the belly of your fortress is pretty much the safest place in the fort.

Other than that, the only social classes are "unskilled" (expendible) dwarves, the highly skilled dwarves (especially legendaries, especially in difficult and valuable skills like armorsmithing) who are given preferential treatment by the player, and the nobles, who the player puts up with because they have to.

Of course, I've made threads on social class before...

[Maklak]

Minor details like that usually escape me.  I'm still confused as to why there are two castes of dwarves...  I'm not very observant I guess.

Names and details escape me too, but the story went something like this:
    A band of bandits (Dancing Dregs) was running away from something, and they got separated. A group came to the site of Matul Remrit (bravemule), and built a safe place for themselves. They also decided to build a tall tower, so the other group can see it, and join them in safety. The first one or two groups of migrants were treated as lost Dregs, and they now live together.
    Apart from Dregs, some Dwarven civilizations spotted the new outpost too, and started sending caravans, diplomats and migrants (called Clods by Dregs). The Dregs were so confused by this that they didn't even kill the diplomat (caravan had guards, so was safer). As for Clods... Imagine a group of refugees seeking refuge in a badit camp, or a mafia mansion, or something like that. After some arguing the Dregs took them as slaves, and called them "Crawling Clods".  They were even generously given beds, some dirty water to drink, and enough work to keep them occupied. They are useless and annoying, but what could possibly go wrong with a little extra workforce?