Throughout the now-past Second Age, slavery was essentially eradicated from the Calradian continent. However, during the Third age and now into the Fourth, slavery and other forms of indentured servitude have begun to become somewhat commonplace, though in different forms across different nations. Within the current
The Calradian Empire lands though slavery itself is technically legal, though generally frowned upon and has numerous strings attached.
Within the current
The Calradian Empire lands slavery itself is technically legal, though generally frowned upon and has numerous strings attached. In addition, the form in which it takes differs between the different sub-factions currently vying for legitimacy:
Within the Western Empire, slavery is legal, and is especially common in
Lageta, as massive numbers of workers are required to work the fields of it's burgeoning and ultimately world-feeding agricultural sector. As a result, labor there is a premium commodity. Thus, within the Western Empire, the enslavement of Battanians and Vaegirs is considered acceptable as long as they were captured as prisoners of war, as this is viewed as a kind of crime against their state by foreign barbarians who are sufficiently different from them to be broadly considered "others". However, it is illegal to enslave other Imperial citizens, and it is widely frowned upon to enslave other "civilized barbarians" such as the Swadians and Aserai, who are viewed as having a civilized enough culture to be treated with more moral consideration.
It is illegal for children to be born into slavery in the Western Empire though, and as such any children of slaves become Imperial citizens. These children are often adopted into the family by the slave-owner, and allowed to live with their parents until they grow to an adult age (relative to human lifespan).
In addition, indentured servitude exists as a sperate system to slavery, in which the poor can enter into contracts with wealthy land-owners to be provided with sustenance and living accommodations equivalent to the local standards in exchange for work, but for no actual pay. These are still considered free Imperial citizens though, who can leave at any time.
Slavery is, though technically legal in their cities, slavery has been made essentially illegal through a significant amount of local laws that so heavily restrict it's use that it has become virtually non-existent. Some of these rules include (but are not limited to):
- Slaves must be provided with accommodations and sustenance considered standard for regular Imperial citizens in the locality in which they are employed
- Slaves cannot be Imperial citizens, or known citizens of any named nation on the continent of Calradia
- Slaves must be provided with the ability to purchase their own freedom after a period of no more than 5 years
- Slaves have the right to refuse to work more than 14 hours of the day
Essentially, the number of people who can legally be slaves is very small, and the actual economic incentive to have slaves is reduced significantly. As such, slavery is very rare in
The Eastern Calradian empire. In addition, the more freedom-oriented ideals of many in this region of the Empire means that most people, including those in power, find the concept of slavery to be distasteful.
Slavery has actually been made properly illegal throughout the Southern Empire. However, Indentured servitude (as described above) is used extensively by all aspects of their economy. This happens because of the geographic realities of the Southern deserts. Arable land is rare, and most anywhere acceptable to live is owned by someone, meaning individuals who are cast out of their families or support systems very quickly find themselves needing to work for someone to live, who will usually require an indentured servitude contract. After this, it is easy for land-owners to keep these people in a circle of poverty from which they cannot leave. It is estimated that approximately 23% of the population of the Southern Empire are indentured servants.
Many of the South's soldiers are actually indentured servants, as many punishments for crimes in the South are commuted to military service. Southerners believe that military service is an honorable profession, and that such service will instill discipline, honor, and character into criminals.
Slavery is illegal in Battania. Battanians believe strongly in individual freedoms, as they were meant to have in nature. Individual Battanians also detest those who keeps slaves as oppressors. Raiding
Battanian Warbands have not-infrequently entered Imperial lands for the express purpose of freeing slaves captured in previous conflicts. Battanians generally believe it would be preferable morally to simply kill your enemies than to enslave them. Battanian leadership does, however, engage with other nations that are either feudal or slave-holding, despite their disdain for the practice, as a matter of practicality.
Slavery does not exist in Swadia because the country is also a relatively repressive Feudal state, in which people are considered indentured Serfs who are literally owned by the lord of their land already. As such, any additional captured individuals will often be given to a lord as new serfs, rather than "enslaved". Serfs are generally treated a certain degree of dignity in Swadia, as the nobility's ideals of honour require them to allow a certain degree of freedom to their serfs. In the end though, they are still not allowed to leave their parcel of land or accommodations, and are required to produce a certain amount of goods for giving to their liege-lord every season.
Slavery in Aserai lands is legal, but not overly common. The most common method of slavery in the Aserai Confederacy is the purchasing of illegal slaves who are kidnapped from other nations. These kidnappees are usually particularly skilled individuals who have skills desired by Aserai businesspeople or nobility, and are purchased for their skills. These are frequently called "gilded-cage slaves" as their owners generally give them very nice living standards in exchange for their services, despite the fact that they aren't allowed to leave (there is definitely some stockholm syndrome involved here).
Similar to the Southern Empire, the Aserai have a high number of indentured servants, with almost 40% of their population being indentured servants. However, these numbers do not include the significant number of people who flee the cities and join nomadic tribes to avoid such servitude. There is a long history in the Aserai lands of this, and even large groups of indentured servants have left their employers as a group to found a nomad tribe. Life in the desert is harsh, but some would prefer the freedom over the secure but servile life in the cities.
Slavery is entirely legal in the Vaegir territories, and the number of slaves captured while raiding is seen as a symbol of status within the nobility and warfighting class of their society. The more slaves owned, means that their raids were more successful, and the more productive their estates will be while the raiders are off raiding. Many slaves taken to the Vaegir lands also have difficulty fleeing, as the frozen landscape is treacherous to traverse, and the only other way out would be by ship. As such, it isn't totally uncommon to have slave towns, who work the land or cut lumber for their lord while the lord is away raiding or visiting other cities and townships. These slave towns are left to be relatively independent, as their owners know there is nowhere for them to go, and only crack down on them when their production falls below what the lord believes to be suitable. Normally Vaegir lords will leave behind a small contingent of soldiers (8-10) to keep an eye on the slaves while they are away.
Slave/Peasant Revolts
Slave and peasant revolts have become increasingly common in recent years, as increasing amounts of resources are put into warfare, and mistreated peasants and overworked slaves will eventually rather die fighting than endure any more hardship. Such revolts are often crushed by local militias and military forces, but they do allow many to escape into the wilderness to start a new life unmolested, as they are considered to have died in the revolt.
Such insurrections have become so large-scale though that countries have started to have to hold back military forces to protect against them, and some paranoia is beginning to spread among the nobilities that they may be at risk themselves.
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