Handbook: Slaves and Slavers

By Hadi, of Zakhara AR 162

Preface

I come from one of the greatest places on all of the Toril and, as the Fates would have it, I found myself in one of the worst. There are many things about the Underdark that will give the spirit cause to hate it however I wish to speak about only one; Slavery.

I am a thorough bred slave; born into chains. This is not a custom in my Lands but people can get away with much on unguarded, shifting sands. Nevertheless, I have worked in the best cities for my trade and my experience, up until here, has been largely positive. Which is why this topic is so close to my heart.

I know that Underdarkers, especially on Arelith, do not care for such things because they do not see value in anything, particularly the value of life. However, I am duty bound to ease the suffering of others and guide them; this cannot be done within ignorance.

I hope to use this text to lay out the problems that currently plague slavery in the Underdark and across Arelith and a means by which to improve them.

Chapter One: The Need for Structure

Whether it is Andunor or Sibayad, there is no established Slaver's Guild. In most slave baring economies, these Guilds are the prime way by which Slavers can be introduced into the local trade. The Guild offers networking, enforcement, body-guarding, runaway catchers and, most importantly, guidelines for expected etiquette in the given region.

Without these guidelines, the standard for accepted slave and slaver behaviour is left up to the individual. In the case of Andunor, the lack of guidelines promotes anarchy since many of the slave owners have incredibly poor judgment.

Many people lay blame solely on the slave for its behaviour however it may very well be sanctioned by the owner, either directly or through neglect.

To cope with this deficiency in law and order, the Districts could create guidelines for their citizen slavers that are enforced across the city since poor behaviour in the Hub reflects on the owner and the District regardless if it is out of their jurisdiction.

In addition to this, there are two fundamental laws that need to be included; Anti-Sabotage and Chain-breaking. The first will be difficult in Andunor since the population lacks the basic understanding that slaves are a commodity not a right. In this city, individuals behave as if every slave is there for them which is most certainly not the case unless the owner has deemed it so.

Anti-Sabotage is broken down simply; those that are not the owner or sanctioned by the owner cannot maliciously use kindness or punishment to damage the slaver's property either mentally, emotionally or physically. This is not to say that wanton behaviour cannot be reigned in however it must be done with value in mind. To act outside the consideration of value or to purposely sway the loyalties of the slave property should be punishable through compensation to the owner. Hopefully the name of the saboteur is also logged within the districts to monitor for future patterns of behaviour.

On the matter of chain-breaking, many people do not understand that the fault sits with both the slave and the slaver. All of the chain-breaking I have seen during my time in the city results from either a poorly maintained slave or a slaver severely misjudging the appropriate use of the slave. All slaves are not made equal.

As it stands, there is no punishment for slave or slaver should chain-breaking occur which leaves a plague of bad owners taking on bad slaves or ruining decent ones. The owners are not required to catch and punish runaways nor are the owners punished for putting the security of the city at risk.

There must be consequences for there to be Order. The strictness and severity should be up to the Districts.

Slavers are not the only ones that benefit from structure. Slave Guilds provide slaves with much needed socialization, onboarding, and a clear hierarchy of gain. Districts could promote different grades of slave depending on their reliability and performance that open up certain opportunities or advantages to the slaves that are not possible otherwise.

These Guilds would supply slaves with a feeling of place and a connection with the city; both are incredibly important for the slave's maintenance and good health. Of course, this would require that Andunorians actually care about profit, property and safety.

Chapter Two: Slave Breaking

Many people have the inaccurate notion that breaking a slave is a journey of pain and suffering that culminates in a husk of a person. This creates a mule; someone that has no flexibility, no extended purpose, and no loyalty. While this method is used in barbaric places like Thay or the Underdark, it is wasteful.

Pain and fear are deconstruction tools. They are used to dismantle unwanted behaviour. They are NOT a means of sustainable control. Ultimately, what is removed needs to be replaced. You cannot keep dismantling parts of a person without building something new in its place and later be surprised when that person falls apart or causes damage.

Slaves are like stone. The quality of the stone informs its possible uses. A talented stone worker can use a lesser piece of stone unconventionally but, by and large, you must use the stone appropriately or risk ruining it. For example, a mage slave can be used for hard labour however the effectiveness would be hampered and its longevity would be impaired.

This is not to say that slave uses cannot be expanded on, in fact, they should be. However slavers require good judgment to better understand what the options for new skills are.

This brings us to the first and most important component of breaking; Purpose. Too often do I see owners punishing needlessly due to their own lack of clarity. Owners must have a purpose for the slave before any deconstruction or adjustment takes place. Many owners in the city keep Glamour Slaves which is a kind way to say a tremendous waste of coin and time. They do not consider any purpose for the slave beyond showing off. Most Glamour Slaves are left to their own devices that broadens their disconnect with the city, increases dangerous behaviour and promotes runaways.

Slaves require a clear purpose. Too many owners, in Andunor, place no expectations upon their slaves beyond obedience. Obedience without purpose is meaningless. Owners should seriously consider what they want from their slave before breaking, even before purchase.

Whether it is making a monthly coin deposit, running shops, body-guarding, or being a personal slave; there needs to be clarity. Without clarity of purpose, the slave will not develop any initiative or bond through service to their owner.

The next component of breaking is value. Some might believe that a weak slave is a good slave but this is simply not the case. Weakness breeds desperation which can result in the slave harming itself or others. We make a good slave through discipline. One cannot have discipline without understanding their value.

The value of a slave comes in two parts; their own skills and abilities and their owner. For example, a diplomatic slave has value in that field however if their owner has no need for diplomacy then that skill is valued less.

A slave with few or no skills can find value and discipline in practising new skills selected by their owner. A skilled slave can find their value and discipline in pleasing their owner. There needs to be an appreciable and consistent difference in reaction from the owner when pleased and displeased for the best results.

The final component of breaking is limits. This appears in two parts. The first is that during deconstruction or even punishments, one must consider the limits of suffering. It might seem as though all infractions, however minor, should be met with the harshest possible hand however this is often not the case.

To cause suffering without clarity or consideration for value risks damaging the loyalty of the slave or injuring the stability of their mind. Owners should always remember that this is their property; needless suffering is not profitable.

The second part is that there is mileage to every person; there is a limit to terrible things that you can demand of them. Some break sooner than others but it is present and noticeable. It rarely happens overnight.

That is not to say that one cannot be trained to enduring terrible things. Personally, I have been trained in taking pain. To most, torture is a journey of trauma that they would prefer to avoid so by forcing them to endure it you would damage them, untrained as they are, much more than you might me.

Owners need to be aware of slave limits; morally, emotionally, physically. To ignore them is to invite ruin on the slave property and by extension the owner. If these limits are objectively considered then options can be cultivated to push slave limits through the appropriate training. Slaves need to be pushed to promote robustness. Too much comfort or stagnation causes fragility.

Breaking is unfortunately named. It is an act by which an individual is sculpted into a tool. Like all tools, they need to be maintained in good working order. Slaves need to be stimulated through challenges and activity. They also require socialization, either by their owner or other slaves. Without these elements, owners risk losing functionality to fragility.

Chapter Three: Freedom and Rehabilitation

I was debating whether or not to include this chapter however given how often owners in Andunor release their own slaves I thought it would be prudent.

Oppression is present in all societies; slavery is just one aspect of it. Oppression can exist through consequences of birth anomalies, region of origin, caste, intellect, ability or perhaps you simply angered the Fates before you even entered the world. Regardless, it is rampant and natural; all aspects of it, including slavery.

However we often define ourselves through our discipline to resist the natural. Whether it is resisting lust, fury or oppression. In my Lands, it is encouraged that owners take slaves with the purpose to lead them to the Path of Enlightenment and, by extension, freedom.

This is not done with a wanton disregard for life as it is often done by Arelith's chain-breakers guild. Many believe that the journey to freedom ends when the collar is removed but this is very far from the truth. The same way you cannot thrust one into captivity, you cannot thrust them into freedom. They need to be broken in.

Too many people free slaves for their own agenda or simply, and foolishly, to 'stick it' to their owners. This is not good enough. Empathy must rule the day here. If you take a functional slave and turn them into a dysfunctional free-person, you have caused more suffering than you have assuaged.

The longer one has been in the system, the more work it will require to adjust them to freedom. Those of us who have never known freedom have a very low survival rate in rehabilitation because the adjustment is too great. I have seen many slaves that were freed go on to either harm themselves, become violent individuals or, worse yet, return to captivity.

Each case for rehabilitation requires unique consideration. Freedom is not for everyone. Good judgment and observation must be used to determine who can be freed and by what methods they will be integrated into society.

The most important element of rehabilitation is support. A lack of support causes freed slaves to seek out destructive behaviour or flee to the perceived security of the collar. This is not a failing on the part of the slave but of the one that released them. One must understand that they take on a divine responsibility of another life upon them when they seek freedom for a slave.

A sobering, patient view needs to be adopted for rehabilitation for the best results. For example, due to extensive training I struggle to have casual interactions outside of purpose or lease. Casual interactions are a hallmark of freed life. In order to solve this problem, you first must acknowledge that there is one. It will not solve itself. Slaves will not 'get over it'. It is an integrated, fundamental behaviour.

As a solution (in a younger slave), you could rehabilitate such a slave in a military setting where structure burdens almost all interactions. Some might consider this an inadequate solution however you cannot expect to bring every slave to the same standard of freedom. Its simply not possible. You must settle for the solutions that are the best for the slave, not for your ego.

Conclusion

I understand that I may be bias. I am designed for the Surface and, if I am honest, I left my heart in Calimport but even those of Andunor recognize that their present system isn't practical. It is unsafe and wasteful.

You need only look to Mulhorand, Calimshan or Zakhara for systems that work and work well. I would implore the reader to consider my recommendations seriously; if not with empathy then with profit in mind.

• The text is finished with the image of a zither. A truly knowledgeable eye might recognize as the symbol of the obscure Zakharan Goddess; Bala.*