Slave Trader

I've been riding for three days now returning from the desert with a new load of merchandise to unload when I get to the city. The carts creaked and groaned under the weight of all the flesh that was piled inside. This had been one of my best hauls yet, I managed to capture nearly fifty new slaves to sell at market. I hope this will be the big score for me. I'm not the young man I used to be anymore, maybe I can finally retire with this load. We'll be out of the desert in the next day or so, with luck, we won't run into any trouble. The last time through I lost nearly half my guard trying to run off the persistent bandits that roam the outer edges of this place. As the sun falls and we start to break for camp, I am distracted by the thunder of hoofs in the distance....great, not again! To Arms men! This is our flesh and we'll protect to market!

-Achas
an archived slaver's journal

Career

Qualifications

The job of a Slave Trader requires very little scholastic education needs. A Slave Trader needs to be knowledgable in the value of people, both their physical and mental needs and state, and business acumen. Slave traders need a basic understanding of arithmetic to perform business. It is also helpful for them to have a beguiling and charismatic personality.

Career Progression

Most elves working in the slave trade business started off at the bottom as a caretaker with one of the Slave trade companies. Their job was to care, feed, clean, and guard, the merchandise and make sure they held their value for the market. If they performed this job well, they could move up to a position of Tracker at which time they are now part of the hunting groups that collect new slaves and track escapees. This job is performed well and a high level of trust is earned by the company owner he may become a Cohort. At this level, you are able to assist with business transactions, setup deals (however they still must be approved by the owner). Due to the cutthroat status of slave trading, many ended up dissatisfied with there position and would usually viciously take over the business if the owner treated his employees disdainfully and/or failed to be able to be paid them their proper share.

Payment & Reimbursement

Payment for salve was done at what were many slave markets set up across the empire. Slaves fetch a varied price based upon health, sex, physical, and mental condition. Once a batch of slaves are sold, the owner divides up the earning to each employee at a certain percentage based on their level in the business. The percentages varied based on the owners' discretion and could be changed at any time.
If a purchased slave was ever returned the buyer would have to first prove their case of why they wanted to be reimbursed for their purchase and prove that whatever fault they claim was not of their own doing. This was usually done through arcane means that the slaver could hire to determine the status of the merchandise.

Other Benefits

Working for a slave trader offered very few luxury benefits. You were given three square meals a day, security with a group, tent to share, and your monetary cut of each slave sale. Other than that, life was pretty rough as there was a lot of travel, and outside of meals provided you'd have to supply all your own provisions.

Perception

Purpose

Slave trading used to fulfill a large majority of needs for the Elven people. Slaves were used as a manual labor workforce, domestic workforce, conscripted military, entertainment, as well as test subjects for a large variety of experiments.

Social Status

Among the elven people, Slave Traders were an essential part of day-to-day life. Without the constant supply of slaves, many elven industries and workforces would be hindered. Slavers were respected more in their necessity than in there being of character. Because most slavers tended to be made up of those on the fringes of the law and society they were tolerated enough by others to not cause a scene and ruin any potential business in the future.

Demographics

When the profession was legal, it was quite popular among those of lower standing within elven society. Many would turn to slave trading as it was one of the more lucrative business choices available to those on the fringes of society or outlaws themself. You would rarely find any elf of high standing or class publicly involved with slave traders. However, many influential elves, financially supported slaver companies of their own under the table as it would be a valuable resource in which to make substantial amounts of gold.

History

Nearly eight thousand years ago, the elves had advanced extremely fast in their arcane knowledge and abilities. However, the materials required to do much of their work and research were hard to get to and as their population didn't grow as fast as lesser lived races, they didn't have the same power to supply every function that was required. As many of the kingdoms of the The Elven Conclave would often clash for land, resources, and power, this would require most of the populations to be assembled when required for military functions. When the younger races appeared and began to spread and take over part of their land, the elves tolerated it for some time until they began to their those races population explode like nothing they have experienced among their own species. At this point, they confront the younger races and finding they had little ability to defend themselves from the elves' extensive arcane abilities they realized that had little to worry about. A few noble elves read this situation as a boon for the Conclave and began to capture and put to work some groups slave made up of the younger race. This freed up many of their own people to perform what was considered more prestigious careers and crafts. They could now have a ready-made workforce that grew exponentially compared to them. This eventually led to the creation of Slave Trader companies as a way to streamline the procurement of expendable labor resources.

Operations

Tools

Slave Traders mostly had a standard layout of equipment and supplies. You're average size company supplies usually included:

• Supply wagons
• Cage wagons
• 2-4 horse per wagon
• Supply of chains and shackles
• Branding supplies
• Smithing and woodworking supplies for repairs
• Armor and weapons for the entire company

Workplace

The workplace of a Slave Trader was almost always on the road. The company leader would usually have a very large personal wagon as well as an extremely large and sturdy tent to work out of as his traveling base of operations. Being on the move and constantly being able to acquire new supply was a necessity to running a successful business.

Provided Services

Slave traders provided the service of capture, transport, retrieval, and commerce of slaves. Some slave traders would diversify on the side by picking up goods for trade routes they traveled as a secondary source of income.

Dangers & Hazards

There are a few inherited dangers of the slave trade business, just to name a few:

• Rival competitor violence
• Theft of merchandise
• Escape and lose of merchandise
• Betrayal by crew
• Slave revolts

The prisoner by C. A. Gutierrez

Alternative Names

Skinflips, Shacklemen

Type

Illicit

Demand

In the past - extremely high. Currently - not at all

Legality

During the time of The Elven Conclave slave trading was not only completely legal but had become a necessity for the continued prosperity and growth of the Conclave. After the Chained Rebellion slavery was made illegal and previous slave traders were hunted down and executive by members of the Rebellion and its army. To this day, slavery is still considered illegal in nearly all of Rinas. However, in Kiyoka prisoners of war become indentured to those that capture them. They are not sold or traded, they are treated well and do have the ability to earn their freedom.

Used By

• The Elven Conclave

Related Vehicles

• A Caravan/Wagon