No more slaves

[Nyr]

Templars are not allowed to go enslaving PCs willy-nilly because they feel like it.  This issue has come up in the past, and been dealt with accordingly because of this rule.

Substitute templar for anyone with street cred.

Anyone with street cred is generally not allowed to go enslaving PCs willy-nilly because they feel like it, either.

And yet both groups can kill on sight "willy-nilly."  (with the obvious understanding about sponsored roles and responsibility for causing PC death, but still...)  I don't see the difference.

Oh wait, there is a difference.

Typhon Winrothol points to Amos and says to his Half-giant guard, "Shoot this mutha fucka!"
A fight ensues, and Amos flees or dies.
Typhon Winrothol points to Amos and says "You are a slave now." 
BEEP!  Welcome to Armageddon.

While tangential, I'll point out that this isn't true.  Winrothol nobles (or really any Tuluki nobles) don't enslave people; the templarate has the exclusive right to this in Tuluk.

As for the previously mentioned Lyksae argument:  problems with managing slave roles for Lyksae were part of the reason the clan was closed initially.  Inactivity/death on the part of any slave role would result in a clan that functioned differently from the documentation that revolved around those same slave roles.  It worked great in concept.  In practice, it sucked.  However, using this clan's cool slave roles as an expression of disapproval for this revealed policy is confusing (since even if you could play a slave role, you couldn't play one in Lyksae).

I know people have feelings about this one way or another.  However, I just wanted to point out that I agree a lot with this post, as it addresses almost any role:

I guess to put it another way, I'm pretty sure the people who have played memorable slaves are, in and of themselves, memorable players. (As most of us are, it's not that much of a stretch.) The role itself is just the drama that propels those particular stories forward.  And it doesn't sound like this is as extreme as the post could be interpreted if you have your paranoia hat on - no more than certain clans being closed at varying periods.

[Zoltan]

The biggest thing I didn't like was the announcement that someone app'ing a mul now has to be an escaped slave ... and they have to store if they are ever caught. It feels like to me like it turns playing a mul into a rat race of "see how long you can hide in the desert/Red Storm until someone catches you". I think people with 7 karma, or people spec-app'ing a 7 karma role should be more than aware about the potentional to end up renslaved, and should be allowed to decide themselves if they want to store or play the role out as a slave.

As has been said before, PC slavery is a huge burden on all players and staff involved as well. It -can- be pretty intriguing and fun to play, but being able to dump that workload out of the blue on players and staff -- who have not specifically asked for it -- is kind of rough. The whole "you're enslaved, no time to hatch an emergency escape plot, the end" part kind of bugs me, but overall I agree with the change.

[Twilight]

I certainly enjoyed my one experience being re-captured, then re-escaping, with a mul.  Just wish I had done it with more flair.

In general, I agree that this change is good for Arm 1.  The only thing that wiggles around in the back of my brain is that one of the things I truly look forward to in Arm 2 is that (as I've interpreted what has been passed down from Imm side so far) pretty much any role will be open, and we will have a lot more leeway in what we do.  Meanwhile, I see more and more things restricted on Arm 1.  I understand why this is, I just hope it doesn't create a mindset that continues on both the player and staff side into the new game.

[The7DeadlyVenomz]

I am sad that slavery is no longer a playable part of the game.

[Delstro]

Life sworn but you want out? Buy your life back and you have a deal. Unless of course, you are a crafter type, and then we cannot let valuable information free that easily.

[Gloomshroud]

Well...being a slave of sorts myself in my current character...I definitely had to have approval for this role.

So...yea...slaves are NOT outlawed, they just require a bit of scrutiny on the imms' part. I was an ESCAPED slave, more or less.

So far, it's been the best, most intense, most exciting RP I've EVER had in my decade plus of MUDding. Granted, there IS a difference between a hardcore, work-in-the-mines-dusk-till-dawn slave and what I am doing, but the fact remains I still have to deal with the social stigma everyone has as soon as they see a slave collar.

I think working with it on a case-by-case basis is the way to go, assuming the effort isn't a titanic one, and there is enough interest.

Bottom Line: Slaves exist in Zalanthas, and in abundance. Whether we can play them or not...well...who could say? I know I am...and loving it.

[Conspiracy Theory]

Gloom, please don't reveal IC details about your characters on these boards.

[perfecto]

Lame... Less roll options is never an improovement, I've played some really fun slaves over the years.

I voted BAD decision... I also clench my teeth and say nothing further, knowing nothing that I say will change the outcome.

[Is Friday]

I am sad that slavery is no longer a playable part of the game.

I've played an enslaved PC in Lyksae (after creation, through IC means,) a PC enslaved by the Templarate to work for AoD, and a PC enslaved to work for Tor. Every enslaved role I played was absolutely awesome and I felt like I made a difference in the RP community--enriching the environment for everybuddy. I'm sad this is no longer a viable option available to me.

Also: a spec app of mine just got denied because of this policy. :[

p.s. Maybe I'm really into bondage. I play a lot of slaves.

[Jingo]

Why not make this an option for high karma players?

[hyzhenhok]

Why not make this an option for high karma players?

This would actually make sense. It properly follows the "karma players are trusted to okay difficult, isolated, extremely RP-restricted roles" rather than the stream of coded perk suggestions we've had recently.