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Slaves and branding

Post/Author/DateTime Post
#1
zombiegleemax
Feb 19, 2007 3:10:54 Hi,
I would like to share some thought I have about slavery in Athas. As I grasp the world, the slaves are a major part of the economics and world.
In Dark Sun campaigns, there are many possibilites for the players to play a slave roll, they may start as slaves and escape or get into slavery for some time and purpose. But in a society where slave are cheap and important, there should be some very strict punishing system for escaped slaves.
So when slaves are escaping or try to escape, the system needs to punish them severly so that others may not try to do the same, even if the expense is much higher than the slave himself.

I ponder with the idea that there should be some kind of a mark bestowed on slaves, so that even if they escape, they aren't safe anywhere where this mark is identified, such as the cities or major villages. Otherwise a slave that escape and manages to survive till the next settlement will be off the hook.
This also makes the getting into slavery a more serious matter, as the mark is permament until removed, and will make an escaped slave's life a living hell.

I think of some sort of a psionically branding device, which mark the slave with some info about his owner. The knowledge on how to do it should be limited, especially on how to lift the mark. Maybe only the templars can grant permission for these devices? this may be a nice way to keep track of slaves,
as the sorcerer kings would like to know how many slaves are available for the levies? (my cmapaign diverged from the official timeline after the destruction of the crimson legion in Urik).

I guess that such a device, a kind of a rod, is in the posession of slave traders, merchant houses and maybe even some of the noble houses. When a citizen buys a slave, the branding of his name may take place. Slave tribes such as the Free may have taken posession of such a device, and this can add an edge for adventures where players are going to slavery.

I'll be happy to hear your thoughts, I'm going to start a campaign where the player start as slaves on silt skimmers going from Balic.
#2
Grummore
Feb 19, 2007 14:07:01 I remember, year(s) ago. There was a thread about such magical or not mark that slaves might bear.

I can't tell you much than that. I know that it's still impossible to do some search on the board. They are too lazy to create us a research tool that work.
#3
zombiegleemax
Feb 20, 2007 0:24:06 The branding of the slave depends on the city they came from, whether or not that is. Draj probably considers all their slaves subhuman, and brands them, whereas Urik, if base off of Babylonian culture, a slave can own possessions and eventually buy his way out of slavery. With an attitude like that, they probably won't brand the slave.

The prospects are bleak for an escaped slave. They cannot return to the city in which they fled. Most probably die in the desert. A few find the isolated villages, maybe they will let him stay, maybe they'll catch him and return him for the reward. Or a slave becomes a bandit, and probably doesn't live too long after that...or they join a slave tribe and live out their life peacefully farming away at some lost oasis. If the slave went to another city-state, and kept his mouth shut, he'd probably pass as a free man. The only ones interested in another city-state to know if he is a slave or not would be templars and slavers, those interested in profiting from re-enslaving that person.
#4
ruhl-than_sage
Feb 20, 2007 21:35:19
The branding of the slave depends on the city they came from, whether or not that is. Draj probably considers all their slaves subhuman, and brands them, whereas Urik, if base off of Babylonian culture, a slave can own possessions and eventually buy his way out of slavery. With an attitude like that, they probably won't brand the slave.

I think they would still brand, but have the brand removed by a Templar when his freedom was bought.
#5
terminus_vortexa
Feb 25, 2007 17:50:20 The Templar spell Slave Scent would identify any slave, so while tattoos and brands are common for slaves,IIRC, they would not be 100% necessary.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
#1 zombiegleemax Feb 19, 2007 3:10:54	Hi, I would like to share some thought I have about slavery in Athas. As I grasp the world, the slaves are a major part of the economics and world. In Dark Sun campaigns, there are many possibilites for the players to play a slave roll, they may start as slaves and escape or get into slavery for some time and purpose. But in a society where slave are cheap and important, there should be some very strict punishing system for escaped slaves. So when slaves are escaping or try to escape, the system needs to punish them severly so that others may not try to do the same, even if the expense is much higher than the slave himself. I ponder with the idea that there should be some kind of a mark bestowed on slaves, so that even if they escape, they aren't safe anywhere where this mark is identified, such as the cities or major villages. Otherwise a slave that escape and manages to survive till the next settlement will be off the hook. This also makes the getting into slavery a more serious matter, as the mark is permament until removed, and will make an escaped slave's life a living hell. I think of some sort of a psionically branding device, which mark the slave with some info about his owner. The knowledge on how to do it should be limited, especially on how to lift the mark. Maybe only the templars can grant permission for these devices? this may be a nice way to keep track of slaves, as the sorcerer kings would like to know how many slaves are available for the levies? (my cmapaign diverged from the official timeline after the destruction of the crimson legion in Urik). I guess that such a device, a kind of a rod, is in the posession of slave traders, merchant houses and maybe even some of the noble houses. When a citizen buys a slave, the branding of his name may take place. Slave tribes such as the Free may have taken posession of such a device, and this can add an edge for adventures where players are going to slavery. I'll be happy to hear your thoughts, I'm going to start a campaign where the player start as slaves on silt skimmers going from Balic.
#2 Grummore Feb 19, 2007 14:07:01	I remember, year(s) ago. There was a thread about such magical or not mark that slaves might bear. I can't tell you much than that. I know that it's still impossible to do some search on the board. They are too lazy to create us a research tool that work.
#3 zombiegleemax Feb 20, 2007 0:24:06	The branding of the slave depends on the city they came from, whether or not that is. Draj probably considers all their slaves subhuman, and brands them, whereas Urik, if base off of Babylonian culture, a slave can own possessions and eventually buy his way out of slavery. With an attitude like that, they probably won't brand the slave. The prospects are bleak for an escaped slave. They cannot return to the city in which they fled. Most probably die in the desert. A few find the isolated villages, maybe they will let him stay, maybe they'll catch him and return him for the reward. Or a slave becomes a bandit, and probably doesn't live too long after that...or they join a slave tribe and live out their life peacefully farming away at some lost oasis. If the slave went to another city-state, and kept his mouth shut, he'd probably pass as a free man. The only ones interested in another city-state to know if he is a slave or not would be templars and slavers, those interested in profiting from re-enslaving that person.
#4 ruhl-than_sage Feb 20, 2007 21:35:19	The branding of the slave depends on the city they came from, whether or not that is. Draj probably considers all their slaves subhuman, and brands them, whereas Urik, if base off of Babylonian culture, a slave can own possessions and eventually buy his way out of slavery. With an attitude like that, they probably won't brand the slave. I think they would still brand, but have the brand removed by a Templar when his freedom was bought.
#5 terminus_vortexa Feb 25, 2007 17:50:20	The Templar spell Slave Scent would identify any slave, so while tattoos and brands are common for slaves,IIRC, they would not be 100% necessary.