Slavery Within Aeruillin - Basic Principles.

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[Artemis]

Firstly, I know that this does not belong here, but for something like this I have absolutely no clue which forum to put it in. So, if Arti reads this and knows where it should go, please move it by all means.

Slavery was actually a concept proposed by Gean Firefeet, and I know some people were opposed. However, I liked the idea, but wanted to make it perhaps more...this is the wrong word but I can't find the right one... "justifiable." I really can't for the life of me think what the word is I want, so please accept my apologies for the one I have used - I know slavery is never justified... but I hope people know what I mean.

Everything in life isn't sweetness and light, especially in a harsh continent like Aeruillin.

Here's my proposal...

Slavery Within Aeruillin, And The Gladiatorial Arenas.

Aeruillin is perhaps the only continent that actively supports a system of slavery. Outsiders see it as barbaric and inhumane, but the people of Aeruillin see it as a normal and essential part of life. It has been around, as most people believe, ever since the beginning of Sorren, certainly early Aeruillian texts mention the practice.

So, how do the Aeruillians defend a practice that is seen by many as unjust? Well, they believe it to be the most practical way to punish criminals within society. By law, slaves should only be those who have committed a crime that is worthy of punishment by slavery. Minor offenders will not be subject to this punishment, unless their offences have been persistent. At the other end of the scale, those who have committed horrific crimes such as murder will not be subject to slavery. It is those between these two extremes that generally end up with being forced into slavery. Crimes that merit this include damage to property by fire, persistent theft, the malicious hurt of another sentinent specie and smuggling. Particular cities also have individual laws that govern and decree what may mean an indenture into slavery – for example, in the deeply religious Shan’Thai, denial of the Gods of the Void can mean slavery for an indefinite period, whilst in the more tolerant and liberal Shan’Furrionis, this is not even considered to be a crime. Incidentally, Shan’Furrionis is the only major city within Aeruillin that has banned slavery, although other cities, such as Thylascuran have recently been reviewing their position on slavery, and in some places, such as the safe haven of Qelkanacor the act of sentencing criminals to slavery has been abolished, although slaves are still used.

The time spent in slavery can be dependent upon the crime – however sentences are generally long and harsh, and should the offender be caught offending once more after being sentenced to slavery, the period of time becomes indefinite, or if the crime is serious, he/she may be sent to the gladiatorial arenas. Some are freed however, having learnt from their experiences and become better citizens. Those who are freed know that reoffending will mean another, longer period of slavery or perhaps even the gladiatorial arenas.

However, the system is not flawless. Whilst those who enter the slave markets must be certified and have papers to show their sentencing, unscrupulous slave traders also have an illegal trade in innocent citizens, especially adolescent street children. Those without a home are not missed, and are rounded up by men and women who will forge papers (it is not uncommon for young adults to be sentenced to slavery, especially those from the street, as many of these are prolific pickpockets) and sell them as slaves. Also targets by slave traders are the Aeolrhan, and whilst they live in the area of Shan’Furrionis where slavery in banned, their inquisitive and obsessive nature have made them easily obtainable for those who would wish to exploit their nature. Many unscrupulous merchants will buy an Aeolrhan for a high price – although not suited to physical work, they can make brilliant workers in perhaps kitchens or gardens, or as simple errand runners, if they become committed to the task in hand. Also, their masters can make a healthy amount on the well-renowned artistic pieces the Aeolrhan are known for.

In the past hundred years or so, it has become harder for illegal slave traders to go about their business – it was Shan’Zarathan who was the first to introduce a law of immediate slavery to those traders caught ensnaring innocents and condemning them to a life of hardship. This has led to a decrease in illegal trading, but it still happens, just more covertly, it has almost become an art form – it is so hard to know now the difference between a forged paper and a genuine article, especially if the trader travels from city to city.

Slave markets are commonplace, and highly competitive. There are sales of newly sentenced slaves traditionally on the first and third Monday of each month, although reselling of slaves can be done from the designated areas at any time. There is no set price, although fit, healthy men tend to be sold for inflated prices to those in high society, whilst the scrawny beggars become slaves to poorer families.

There is a code of conduct regarding the treatment of slaves. They should be treated humanely – is expected that they be fed, clothed and housed – anything else, perhaps occasionally some money, is entirely up to the master or mistress of the slave. They are legally allowed six hours of sleep a day, unless they have not completed tasks set due to idleness or laziness. All work and jobs can be completed by slaves, there is no limit, however, there is a bar on using them for sexual gratification – should a slave be abused in this way, then the master or mistress may find themselves indentured, or even worse, sent to the gladiatorial arenas! Days or time off are at the disgression of their master or mistress, although most realise that a good slave is one that is well rested at least once a fortnight. However, it is demanded that the slave be taken to the gladiatorial arenas on the first Sunday of every other month to witness the tournaments that take place, and to further ingrain the fact that reoffending would almost likely mean that these places of death would ultimately be their fate.

For more serious crimes, such as rape, murder, infant abuse, the punishment is far more severe. In many places throughout Aeruillin, there are large gladiatorial training schools, where people who have committed these horrendous crimes are taken to be trained in the art of a gladiator.

On the first Sunday of every other month, these people are matched up against each other according to gender, weight and so on, and fights to the very death take place, bloody battles, scenes which are designed to deter the people of Aeruillin (who are allowed and encouraged to watch) from even thinking of committing a crime.

It is said that there is no way out once sentenced to be taken to these arenas. However, if a person manages to survive ten fights, this number chosen due to the ten Gods of the Void, then it is said that these celestial beings are smiling upon the individual, and thus he or she is set free. It is rare that this happens though, as one could imagine.

To Have Flown With The Phoenix, Is To Have Lived Your Dreams...

Edited by: Artemis at: 5/7/03 9:58:33 am

[Ta`lia of the Seven Jewels]

No time to comment in detail, Artemis, not until Monday.
Looks fine so far(quick reading only), but my general impression is, that you are very gently to the slaves! I think what you describe is more a bondslave( serf, thrall???).
A possibility would be, that each town has its own laws. If you design the towns like Art proposed somewhere, with god-kings residing each, each King might have a different approach to slavery.So maybe it would be better to describe slavery not in general, but as part of the society of one special town. that leaves much more freedom to develope something different at another place of Aeruillin.

Slavery as I understood it, is a status (? ) where you are not seen as a human being, where you have no rights at all. So even sexual abuse would be allowed or bring your slave to death would have no efffect on the master. Maybe there are different categories of slaves? Or it depends on the race???

[Smith in Exile]

Well, I am but an amateur in Aeruillin issues but I have just one comment to make. Could you not restrict slavery just to Aeruillin? I mean at least in Nybelmar there are very large undesigned portions and maybe someone could think of a slave-using society and place it there. Just to give an example. The City States of Zhun are open for developement and Koldar stated that in his view they should look something in the manner of ancient Phenicia (and I think that ancient Greece could be also a nice model). So slavery would fit quite well there...

[Artemis]

Talia - Hehehe. Well, they are slaves in the sense that they have no freedom - they are bound to the will of their master or mistress. They must do what they are told when they are told - dissent means greater punishment and so on. But, I suppose this system is not as harsh as the view of slavery we have - perhaps it is like serfdom... I don't know. Maybe slavery is the wrong word - but it's not exactly a life of free will. They are not allowed to kill their slaves... however, the slaves know that any further law breaking means the gladatorial arenas. Which could be seen as the Aeruillian death sentence I suppose! What do others think?

With regards to the separate laws governing separate cities -

"Particular cities also have individual laws that govern and decree what may mean an indenture into slavery – for example, in the deeply religious Shan’Thai, denial of the Gods of the Void can mean slavery for an indefinite period, whilst in the more tolerant and liberal Shan’Furrionis, this is not even considered to be a crime. Incidentally, Shan’Furrionis is the only major city within Aeruillin that has banned slavery, although other cities, such as Thylascuran have recently been reviewing their position on slavery, and in some places, such as the safe haven of Qelkanacor the act of sentencing criminals to slavery has been abolished, although slaves are still used."

The way slavery is viewed is different in different areas. These are just the basic principles. I suppose when I or someone else get around to doing city entries for each place in Aeruillin, their views on slavery should be included.

Smith - If you wish to have slavery in another continent then I guess that would be OK, although I'm not the one to say! . How far is Nybelmar from Aeruillin?

*CHECKS MAP*

It's not too far away... so perhaps this place you speak of has has some major dealing with Aeruillin - maybe they trade heavily with Shan-Zarathan - and so have picked up a few habits seeing how efficient (!) the slavery system is in Aeruillin. Just an idea - it could have originated entirely differently. But if Koldar wants slavery, then go ahead!

     

To Have Flown With The Phoenix, Is To Have Lived Your Dreams...

[Smith in Exile]

Oh I don't know if Koldar wants slavery, I just know that the Cities of Zhun are undesigned yet (and the only mention about them was the resemblance with ancient Phenicia). So I just think that slavery could be a possibility there. About the trade relations between the continents I don't know, that's really Koldar's department  

Uh... and yes, as you put it, they are more like serfs than slaves. Because slaves never had a "human" status. They were instruments, or "pets". Their master always had the right to dispose of them and their lifes in whatever way.

[Thuja]

I haven't read all but a discusion a long time ago has slavery only in the city states on this continent.  I was tacitly agreed that here would be the only place allowed as the other nations would not accept this.

Just for inoformation.

"In a place like this, the magic is all around you, the trick is to see it."

[Koldar Mondrakken]

I think it was agreed that it would be no part of Santharian culture aka it would be illegal there.

Also one must not mix up the slave trade of the 18th and 19th century with the one of the ancient times. In ancient times it was a component of life that a tribe that was defeated in war could be enslaved by the victor. In that matter it could happen to anyone who was not protected by a strong community, it was the right of the strong. The morale people believed in was entirely different from what we believe today. (Ancient Germans could even enslave themselves when they could not pay their debts)

The slavery of the 18th and 19th century however was an entirely economic agenda. It was done because one side thought it was superior to others and could treat people like cattle. It was also not part of society like in ancient times it was commited for economic gains against moralic ideals that were already in place by that time.

I only want to point that out because e.g. the Santerrans know slavery as part of society, still they abhor slave trade. Slaves consist mainly of prisoners of war and criminals. But that's okay, Santerrans are not meant to be Mr NIce Guy.

Don't know though I think the Korweynites would not like slavery and the society in Zhun is undeveloped yet, but that is all something for the Nybelmarian forum.

A problem here is that certain industries were extremely dangerous during ancient times and the Middle Ages (like mining e.g.), you seldomly put free people at work there because it was too dangerous and often unhealthy. I don't know but if you use slaves, serfs, criminals or prisoners of war sadly does not affect the inhuman way they're treat in such industries...  

[Artimidor Federkiel]

Sounds all quite interesting

Question, though: As far as I see, Artemis, you define slaverly completely from the crime side here. I wonder if this will be enough so that slavery can play an essential part in society in Aeruillin. Cause compared to the rest of the people crime committing people won't be that many (or?), and if so, this would also mean that there exists only a pretty small percentage of slaves in society, especially as more severe crimes already lead to gladiator fights.

Are there no other additional ways that people may become enslaved? E.g. like people captured at war, ot rulers punishing whole families for not cooperating etc. I guess the idea with the state-towns and the god-like kings can indeed produce some more cruel scenarios in addition. Just remember one such god-like king turning mad and in such a specific tyranny rules of slavery could be expanded arbitrarily, so that we also have much more slaves than in other regions of Aeruillin. Such situations also could lead the revolutions, toppling of the tyrant etc. - all quite interesting possibilities.

So for these reasons I would vote on an expansion of this concept, though what you have already sounds as a good basis  - Maybe - with taking in some suggestions here - you can make a proper entry from this?

The Santharian Dream Webmaster - Let Fantasy Dreams come true!
World Development Admin - The Forum where Worlds are born...

[Artemis]

.

OK then. Changes -

-Including prisoners of war sound like a fantastic idea. So it shall be done!

-Emphasising that rules are different in different regions, due to the God-king concept (I'll find a way that this practice is justified - I think I know a way it can be done ) and that these God-kings can impose slavery upon families who disobey, or someone they dont like etc...

-I'd like to emphasise the illegal side of slave trading a tad more, so that, as Arti said, there are enough people to make enough slaves!

     

To Have Flown With The Phoenix, Is To Have Lived Your Dreams...

[Artimidor Federkiel]

Okeydokey, Artemis, so please try to put everything plus additions together in entry form when you have time, then we can move the whole concept on the site  

The Santharian Dream Webmaster - Let Fantasy Dreams come true!
World Development Admin - The Forum where Worlds are born...

[Bard Judith]

Although this suggestion comes late, it may have some slight helpful concepts and influences for developing this entry...

If we think more of the principles of slave ownership as they existed in Ancient Rome rather than in the Deep South, we might all a) be more comfortable with the idea b) have a more workable and humane system c) have a very clear precedent for designing Aeruillin social levels...

According to my readings and research, slavery in Rome was far more 'tolerable'  than the American institution - as someone said above, more like a thrall or bondservant's work than like a field hand.  Nor was it based on race exclusively - rather, as also mentioned above, slaves were generally taken from conquered nations or races, but could also be sold to pay off debts or even volunteered (selling themselves into servitude) to make certain of a future!  Certainly there were bad masters and slaves could be killed, whipped, and tortured (inevitable if they were to give 'accurate' testimony) but on the whole it was considered ignoble.

"The other slaves they treat fairly humanely, all things considered, but absolutely impersonally - their presence is to be taken for granted like articles of furniture, and their personal problems ignored...house-slaves have their sorrows but they need not ordinarily fear two mortal evils - hunger, or overwork...every servant has some limited appointed task.  When that is finished nothing else is expected of him, and to require other duties would not merely make the master unpopular...it would stamp him before his equals as an extremely mean and sordid man..."  (this was written about the state of slavery in Hadrian's day)

Slaves were allowed to marry by an informal ceremony called Contubernium, which "only a very harsh master will dissolve", and a faithful and hardworking slave can often expect manumission upon his master's death or some other significant event.  Some slaves act as 'craftsmen and tradesmen...custom, though not law, entitles them to a part of their earnings..."   And once free, even a slave's brand or pierced ears will not count against them if they are successful; freedmen can rise high in business and commerce in Hadrian's Rome.

(Quotes taken from "A Day in Old Rome" by W.S.Davis, 195  

[Artemis]

Note to myself to SORT THIS OUT!!!

     

To Have Flown With The Phoenix, Is To Have Lived Your Dreams...

[Artemis]

Another Note To Myself!

Sort This Out!!!

     

*****

You're supposed to put something really clever and witty in the signature. Well, I am neither clever, nor witty, so this is a waste of space for me really.

*****

[Artemis]

It mostly exists...

     

*****

You're supposed to put something really clever and witty in the signature. Well, I am neither clever, nor witty, so this is a waste of space for me really.

*****

[Anaea the Marked]

In order to have slavery exist on Aeruillin, we must first make sure we have a society that will support it, economically and practically. How well are these city-states developed? The reason I ask is because I believe it will be easier to create the slavery stuff after the regions are completed- since slavery is a supported by/ is a product of the society in which it resides.

Points of note:

- We need a society in which the wealth and resources are distributed unequally and one in which there is relatively little social mobility. So a small, but wealthy upper class inside a rigid caste-system. There have been recorded insistences of parents selling a child to pay off a debt in Roman times. (not a nice thought, but it demonstrates both the unequal distribution of goods/money and the limited social movement.)

- A slave population made up purely of criminals is not conducive to the 'proper' working environment. I can see this method of punishment working in the regards of grueling, labor intensive projects (think pyramids of Egypt- thought they were mainly built through local serf labor, but that's neither here nor there); but as for city slaves or the types of slaves the wealthy upper class would have need of... I just can't see a rich merchant hiring a common criminal.

- In antiquity, the majority of the slave population originated as prisoners of war. So, the society needs to be, or have been at some point, a strong military presence- since over half of the slave population originated as prisoners of war in antiquity. The women and children of the 'losing' side would be forced into indentured service as an alternative to death.

- Psychologically, slavery is about domination (very true in the military and limited social structure reasons). In order to feed this very human emotion, who are dominating who? And why? A logical answer would be that a more advanced civilization would enslave another they viewed as being lesser then themselves. So who are the players here?

- Don't forget, slaves just thrown into being slaves would be unskilled labor- not to mention, unprofitable. It would actually be cheaper to hire free/low cost labor to do jobs. So this just leads back to needing the unequal/rigid society. Only the very wealthy would be able to afford to 'throw away' money on slaves.

- Along the money train of thought, slaves in ancient Rome were actually treated fairly well in most cases since the owner would view the slave as being an investment. If they treated the investment poorly, that might impair the work of the slave and might involve a financial loss. Of course that is just for the personal use of slaves. In the larger mining or factory facilities, slaves were treated with less humanity, since life expectancy was very short.

- In Rome, slaves had the opportunity to become freedmen (by way of coin or manumission by their owner), so undoubtedly the possibility of freedom had a positive effect on their efficiency.

- One last note: democracy is dangerous in a slaving society. The three great slave revolts in ancient Rome all took place during the Republic as opposed to Imperial Rome (which had none of note.)

"If you gave me a choice between a Northern man, a Northern woman, or a Northern rat - I'd have to pick the rat..."
Anaea- on the north in general

Edited by: Anaea the Marked at: 6/23/05 23:40

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