It was not until the Emperor admitted the first arena to Lirith Kai that the problem of classifying foreigners resident in the country became acute. Before, there were the Adantri, which besides being the race-name of the dominant people was also considered the nation-name of the native-born citizens, the Adaniri or "naturalized" foreign-born citizens (whose children will be Adantri or citizens-born), the kemisari--recognized minority groups who have chosen to retain their cultural identity and participate in a strictly limited manner in the life of the Empire, and the niriksa, the "miscellaneous" foreigners. Now, the niriksa have been divided into ninara, "foreigners passing through"; nirikisa, "resident foreigners"; and ni-shro, "un-assimilated peoples" (meaning minority groups that refuse to accept Adantri ways and which the Empire refuses to recognize as kemisari). Most foreign-born arena personnel are considered to be nirikisa, although they are eligible to become naturalized, of course.

Note that the ninara and the ni-shro are not allowed to own land or hold posts of official responsibility. The nirikisa and kemisari have some limited rights and privileges. Only the Adantri and Adaniri have full citizen status.