Slaves!

[X-D]

I would rather see PC nobles from the slaving Houses handle all slave sales, and for the process not to be automated at all for anyone. It seems like that would provide more interaction between the seller and the slave, and the seller and the buyer. That way, the spawn-in-pen system can be disabled when the area is relatively inactive (and thus no one would be interested in buying slaves), and it can be opened to allow sellers to tote around slaves and perhaps auction them off. If the system depends too heavily on automated purchases, slaves are going to be stuck in there for a while. Otherwise, I like the ideas you have, 7DV.

I will expand on the reasoning for the slave pen and the automated selling.

First, let me remind you all that GMH, even GMH family members are still commoners, So they have no actual rights to slaves and it should be harder for them to get them. Which is why they MUST deal with a noble on the matter ICly.

The slave pen part of the idea not only adds atmosphere, it also accounts for the very real possibility that Winrothol or Borsail might not have an active noble at some times or that the noble might not be active during the times the slaves player is. Hence, automated selling, no staff needed, no Borsail or Winrothol noble needed. Also, the pens should be in high traffic areas of the cities. One reason for that is to make sure the nobles and templars know when new slaves are in, but the other reason is to allow some interaction for the slaves as well while they are waiting. No reason they cannot see out and others see in, no reason they cannot talk to others or others talk to them.

It also helps with the player side mindset of playing a slave. Really, if you cannot handle that part of the deal then you should not be thinking about playing a slave from the start.

Also, if the price is unfair on the automated end, then if Lord Fale wants a slave but knows Lord Borsail is around, he is far more likely to go get Lord Borsail to purchase the slave then do so himself. And Borsail would be willing because he in turn will be able to still make a personal profit, because for him the slave only costs3k not 10k, so he can still easily charge 5k and afford that new silk codpiece he has been drooling over.

I also think this system would make the slave a more valued possession then they have been in the past, to the buying PCs. In the past, yes, staff ran a real or virtual auction or something, but that is not quite the same as doing it yourself.

[FiveDisgruntledMonkeysWit]

My random thoughts on slaves:

• I think slaves should be allowed, but only for sponsored roles.  These roles should come about via player plotline or request (i.e. a noble asks for a supporting slave role in their application).  Or staff plotline, obviously.
• Very few slaves should be combat slaves, and restricted to a fairly small number of potential owners.
• Most slaves should be mid- to senior- level slaves with influence in the House they come from.  Aide, advisor, spy, skilled craters, etc.
• No slaves should be low level, unimportant, menial labor types.
• PC Slaves should be a possible reward for getting to a more senior role in certain positions (noble, templar, GMH Family).  Again, with combat slaves being very rare.

I agree with your thoughts in general, but I have to wonder why you insist on rarity for combat slaves? Personally, I think if any slaves were allowed, it should be combat slaves. Because combat slaves actually get to go out and -do- shit sometimes. They get to spar and go on adventure RPTs and follow nobles around as they guard them. It seems like the one slave role likely to resist boredom, if only because you have the threat of death lingering around.

If slaves were given just a little more autonomy (and why aren't they? I see NPC slaves walking around with no apparent supervision all the time), then the differences between a lifesworn soldier and a combat slave would become largely academic.

Still, all this amounts to is a whole lot of bitching and whining. Staff have said no more slaves, and they've given some pretty good reasons. I wish there was a special exception for muls, but ah well. It's honestly not like I was going to play a slave anyway, haha.

[X-D]

Still, all this amounts to is a whole lot of bitching and whining. Staff have said no more slaves, and they've given some pretty good reasons. I wish there was a special exception for muls, but ah well.

But remember, a few years before they said no more slaves they said no more free muls, IE, all muls MUST start as slaves.

Just pointing out, They have changed thier minds before on the matter.

Also, there have been other cases of no more this or no more that, but later ended up coming back after the problem was fixed.

So who knows, maybe some staffers will think they are good ideas and give them a try, or maybe not, no reason to not have the ideas out there.

[FiveDisgruntledMonkeysWit]

True. I wasn't trying to squelch discussion or anything.

[Twilight]

Because combat slaves, -especially- mul combat slaves, should be rare the gameworld itself.  Because other than certain exceptions, like the Legions, you don't want your slaves walking around with weapons.  In fact, there was a law on this somewhere, at some time.  And because combat slaves different, in terms of how the law should view them, if they say, murdered someone.

And because a slave aide, etc. is essentially doing what the role would be if it were a free person, but with a different dynamic.  So, yeah...political or merchantile slave roles, rather than combat ones.

[Delstro]

Why do we have to choose one or the other?

If a Noble/Merchant PC requests a slave for combat, let a combat slave be app'ed for.
If a Noble/Merchant PC requests a slave for assistance, let the aide be app'ed for.

If noone wants either role, either role will not get filled. No harm, no foul.

Everyone gets to app that wants to, then the Noble/Merchant PC picks between the various descriptions and play times. If the Noble/Merchant doesn't want a Mul PC, they will not pick that one. If they do, they run the risk of being slaughtered by a crazed mul.
The Noble/Merchant PC doesn't get to see the backgrounds of each.

[Nyr]

I will give a brief explanation, likely not as eloquent as some others may have put together, or as detailed as some would like.  Basically we have made a decision at staff level that we will not be supporting slave roles in the game at this time.  We have decided to defer this kind of role to Arm 2 where we hope to find a more elegant solution, or way of defining the slave role.

Sorry to bust in here and lock the thread, but we're not considering anything new with slaves at this point.