Slavery

From Almeopedia

Slavery is a common practice among peoples who don't have advanced technology, though attitudes to it vary between different cultures. In terrestrial terms, on Almea it usually tends to have a lot more in common with ancient mediterranean than with modern transatlantic slavery.

Eretald

Slavery has always been a bit disreputable in the Plain, going back to the Cuzeians, who never countenanced it. The early Caďinorians had slaves-- mostly war captives and poor people who sold themselves or their children into slavery, used mostly as servants in noble houses and as cheap labor for mining and manufacturing. It was assumed that slaves were not good peasants.

However, the Munkhâshi occupation gave the Cadhinorians a distaste for slavery. During the Empire slavery was allowed only as punishment for serious crimes. In medieval times the practice crept back in; the main sources were criminals and war captives (if there wasn't a war nearby, slaves could be acquired by trade). In modern times slavery is again seen as backwards and cruel, and the countries which still allow it are rogue states (Azgami, Mútkün) or primitive (e.g. Bešbalic, Dracnáe, Barakhún). In Verduria it was abolished by king Tomao in 3243.

Xurno

Ancient Axunashin society was based on racial slavery: the conquered Wede:i were collectively slaves of the conquering Ezičimi (in fact, edi, a cognate of Wede:i means "slave" in Xurnese). However, since Ezičimi considered the children of their Wede:i concubines to be full Ezičimi, the slave class disappeared over time. The practice persisted, however, until the Revaudo revolution.

Other cultures

The Jippirasti scriptures teach that believers in Jippir cannot be slaves. Keeping slaves acquired by conquest or trade is however allowed. The Carhinnoi, when they had an empire, treated the conquered Eynleyni as slaves. However, since Jippir has not favored His followers with many conquests recently, the practice has almost disappeared.

The Gurdagor have always considered themselves above primitive practices like slavery. They insist on paying a pittance to their domestic and field workers.

Author: Stilgar