Adventures in Arcadayn
Slavery in Arcadayn

By Tim Emrick

Slavery is a fact of life in many medieval cultures, and Arcadayn's nations are no exception. The four types of slaves (summarized from pp. F17-18) are:

• Slaves by Law: Lawbreakers convicted of murder, treason or ruinous destruction of another's property become slaves of the Crown (if not sentenced to death). These slaves are typically subjected to life-shortening hard labor.
• Slaves by Capture: These people were captured in distant lands and sold as slaves.
• Slaves by Choice: Desperate people may sell themselves into slavery as a way to raise money to pay a debt or fine (often on a loved one's behalf), or when they can no longer support their children.
• Slaves by Birth: The child of a female slave is the property of that slave's owner.

Slavery is for life, though all but the first type may be freed by friendly owners.

Slave markets primarily sell slaves by capture or by birth, with a few slaves by choice. All slaves by law are owned by the Crown, and can never be bought, sold, or privately owned. A slave's market value is typically equal to what he could earn in five years as a freeman, using his best skill. This value will be modified by physical disabilities, attractiveness, and other factors.

Slave characters have the Social Stigma: Valuable Property (-10 points) and are Social Status -4 (-20 points). See p. B193 to determine the loyalty of an NPC slave.

In general, the attitudes/laws/customs regarding slavery are as follows, by kingdom or region:

In the Krithian Empire, slavery is legal, and slaves are considered "valuable property." Slaves in Krith may be slaves by law, choice or birth. Slavery by capture is punishable by death or enslavement, but is rampant in parts of the frontier (especially Westmarch, near the Pirate Coast). Slaves are protected by property laws which, in theory, require slave-owners to treat their slaves as well as they would free peasants or servants. Many Krithians believe that abusing a slave is morally reprehensible, but the only legal crime here is wasting property.

Slave-owners are issued legal documents which record the conditions of the enslavement, the slave's ownership history, and related data. Freed slaves must be registered as such and must retain a copy of their release papers. Runaway slaves are subject to harsh penalties, usually slavery by law or (if already one) death.

In an attempt to impose some control on the slave trade outside its own borders, Krith puts strict limits on the import and export of slaves. Krithian citizens may trade slaves by birth or choice across Krith's borders, but a hefty tax is levied in order (at least nominally) to pay for verification that the slave was not captured or abused by the seller. Non-citizens may purchase slaves on the condition that the slaves either be re-sold or freed before the owner leaves the country. The slaves of foreign visitors are allowed into the country, and retain the status held in their homeland, but may not be sold here without permission from the ducal court. (This approval may be rare or common depending on the agenda of the individual noble and his steward.)

The Celestian Church of Krith's official stance on the topic of slavery is that the system benefits society as long as the owners never forget their "property's" humanity. (They are less sympathetic to slaves of law who have not repented their deeds.) Some unorthodox priests may wish to eliminate slavery (following Visala's example; see below), but changing the status quo proves nigh impossible, and the Church quietly discourages clerics who agitate for dramatic change.

Soon after gaining its independence from the Krithian Empire, the Kingdom of Visala outlawed most forms of slavery. Except for slavery by law, no citizen of Visala may be made into a slave. Absolutely no slave may be bought or sold within the kingdom. However, slaves owned by foreign visitors retain their status while in Visala. (Occasionally, a Visalan will emigrate to Krith to become a slave by choice, or a merchant will visit Krith to buy slaves which are then freed in order to become legal immigrant workers in Visala, but both of these events are uncommon.)

As a former colony of Visala, Riversmidst has similar laws against slavery. However, in the baronies adjacent to the Hold of Lis, these laws are often bent or broken. Bogmoor slavers often raid north for slaves, which are may be sold either in Lis or in ports across the Great Sea. Slaves by law in Riversmidst are usually marked permanently using the Inscribe spell (p. G56).

Slavery is widespread--and completely unregulated--in the Hold of Lis. All slaves here are slaves by capture or by birth. The Bogmoor slavers trade their wares throughout the Great Sea, naturally preferring ports where slavery is not restricted. Many of the "Corsairia" pirates are Bogmoor slavers or have contacts with them. Both groups are justifiably feared by those who travel the Great Sea.

Slavery is practiced in the Northlands, but there is not a genuine "slave trade." Instead, Northland thralls are usually prisoners of war or condemned criminals.

Haldinibar has very fews laws regarding slavery. Overall, this land has a custom of using thralls which closely resembles that of the Northlands, but it also has a slaver profession. These slavers capture, buy and sell slaves from Haldinibar, the Northlands, the Bogmoors and "Corsairia." Some of these slavers are honorable professionals, while some are just as vicious as the Corsairs.

Some of the local kings and chieftains may impose their own rules about slavery within their domains. Their neighbors might agree with, or at least tolerate, such customs, or might use conflicting laws as an excuse for war.

The Desert Men

Slavery is common among many of the Desert Men tribes. Of the eight tribes, only Antelope regularly trades slaves with Krith (and only at Ulidel). Slaves here are usually slaves by capture or birth; the death penalty is used instead of slavery by law.

The Cat and Lark Tribes do not keep slaves, Jackal keeps very few, while Camel and Horse regularly raid their neighbors for new slaves.

Slaves by birth are usually Social Status -2, except for some houris (Status -1). Slaves by capture are Status -3 if Desert Men, -4 if outsiders.

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