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<blockquote data-quote="Ambrus" data-source="post: 3685400" data-attributes="member: 17691">I don't personally endorse slavery, but I'm trying to hammer out a feasible system for indentured servitude &amp; slavery in a fantastic urban city-state environment for a D&amp;D campaign setting. Such concepts, although unpalatable to us nowadays, used to be fairly common in various societies and I'd like to try representing that mindset in the campaign; either as background color or as something for the PCs to crusade against if they so choose. I'd just like to hear, from people more knowledgeable about the topic than I am, what kind of laws are likely in place in a fantasy trade-city with many races and alignments represented within its citizenry.Assuming that race alone isn't sufficient to determine who can be a slave and who can't, and that one can't simply enslave one's neighbors on a whim, what should legally be in and out of bounds? Indentured servitude makes some sense for those unable to pay their debts or legal fines, but should that be the only means of entering slavery? Could/should an individual be able to sell themselves into slavery, perhaps as a desperate means to avoid destitution? Can parents without the means or the desire to care for a child have the option of selling them into slavery? Are a slave's children automatically considered the property of their parent's owner? Should slaves be a commodity to be bought and sold in foreign markets?Also, what rights if any should an indentured servant or slave possess? Should they have an inherent right to life? How could an indentured servant or slave legally acquire their freedom? I'm curious to hear your thoughts on the matter.</blockquote>

[QUOTE="Ambrus, post: 3685400, member: 17691"] I don't personally endorse slavery, but I'm trying to hammer out a feasible system for indentured servitude & slavery in a fantastic urban city-state environment for a D&D campaign setting. Such concepts, although unpalatable to us nowadays, used to be fairly common in various societies and I'd like to try representing that mindset in the campaign; either as background color or as something for the PCs to crusade against if they so choose. I'd just like to hear, from people more knowledgeable about the topic than I am, what kind of laws are likely in place in a fantasy trade-city with many races and alignments represented within its citizenry. Assuming that race alone isn't sufficient to determine who can be a slave and who can't, and that one can't simply enslave one's neighbors on a whim, what should legally be in and out of bounds? Indentured servitude makes some sense for those unable to pay their debts or legal fines, but should that be the only means of entering slavery? Could/should an individual be able to sell themselves into slavery, perhaps as a desperate means to avoid destitution? Can parents without the means or the desire to care for a child have the option of selling them into slavery? Are a slave's children automatically considered the property of their parent's owner? Should slaves be a commodity to be bought and sold in foreign markets? Also, what rights if any should an indentured servant or slave possess? Should they have an inherent right to life? How could an indentured servant or slave legally acquire their freedom? I'm curious to hear your thoughts on the matter. [/QUOTE]

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