Slavery

Slavery was a practice among certain cultures that forced a sentient creature to serve another, often against their will. Slavery differed from other forms of service such as indentured servitude or apprenticeship in that slavery was of an indefinite duration and the slave rarely had any choice in the arrangement.
==Description==
Slaves were often relegated the lowest stratum of their societies, below even peasants and serfs. They would normally be kept from possessing any sort of weapon, and their movements would be highly limited. In the cruellest of systems, slaves were bereft of the privileges and protections of even the least of peasants and serfs, and kept as chattel purely by threat of violence. Despite the delusions of those who imagined their slaves to be docile, without personal agency, or even adoring of their masters, this was very much not the case. If this control ever slipped, the abused peoples would take the opportunity to break free, often slaying their masters in the process.
Despite being kept from having weapons, most slaves had access to knives, daggers, threshing flails, digging picks, hand axes, pitchforks, and hammers, and this translated to familiarity with flails, war picks, military forks, and war hammers. This made them surprisingly capable of defending themselves if given the opportunity.
Forced labor by slaves and prisoners was less effective than free labor, as the unwilling workforce simply didn't care to cooperate beyond the bare minimum. These operations demanded numerous armed guards for fear of a revolt, and any amount of efficient work required constant oversight by taskmasters. Forced mining proved to be particularly difficult to manage, thanks to the slaves being "armed" with picks and other deadly tools, and required a guard for every four workers as well as many foremen to oversee the operations.
Magical enslavement—such as by mind-controlling enchantment magic—allowed unparalleled control over victims, but still had limitations. A slave was unable to perform creative work under this influence, as free thought was required for creativity. Likewise, this overt mental influence interfered with the concentration and discipline required to craft magic items, preventing them from being created.
==Slavery in the Realms==
The practice of slavery was widely considered immoral and abhorrent in Faerûn, with many lands reserving their harshest punishments for slavers. In most decent places, slave raids were considered the stuff of nightmares and the slavers themselves social outcasts at best. Though such gangs and cabals could be found across the Realms, most were forced to operate in utter secrecy lest they be destroyed.
The two largest exploiters in Faerûn were Thay and Calimshan—with slavers especially targeting the Shaar, Chult, Anauroch, the Land of the Lions, and other regions that lacked the ability to resist. No place on Faerûn was truly safe from slave raids, however, and people from all across Toril were ultimately dragged to slavery.
===The Slave Trade===
Overland caravans in unfriendly lands had to be conducted in secret, adding increased difficulties to the process. Such caravans had to avoid main roads, and couldn't use the typical waystops, inns, and stables that normal merchants would. As a result, slave caravans would be forced to move across uninhabited wildernesses, using outsized escorts of guards and spellcasters to protect themselves from monsters, bandits, and other threats. Somewhat counterproductively, this heavy escort also served to indicate that a seemingly-innocuous caravan was worth more than it seemed, and helped slaver-hunters identify their targets.
When normal trade routes were used despite the dangers, it was called a "silent run." This involved hiding the caravan in some way, such as only traveling at night, using extensive illusions to disguise the cargo (first developed by the Red Wizards), or literally silencing its passage.
Ship-based slave trading was much easier and more efficient than caravans, as they had a far greater capacity for cargo, and the slaves were well-hidden in the hold. Shipborne slaves were usually given less food and water and were subjected to worse treatment, and any dead or dying slaves would be dumped overboard. Although port inspections on arrival and departure could lead to discovery, slavers were able to work out deals with corrupt elements that allowed them access despite their highly illegal activities.
==Religions==
Ilmater was the patron of those who suffered abuse, and so became very popular among serfs and slaves. His church worked to undo these unjust institutions, holding slavery as an abomination to be fought by subtle and overt means. 
Bane and his church was a great promoter of tyranny and oppression in all its forms, and so wherever the power of Bane spread to, slavery followed. Other faiths that emphasised dominion over others also tended to promote or participate in slavery, such as the followers of Loviatar.
==Regions==
===Lands of Intrigue===
;Amn
Slavery was legal in the Amnian capital of Athkatla, and limited slavery was practiced elsewhere in the realm. Most crimes were punished by fines and restitution, and if the guilty party was unable to pay they were forced into indentured servitude, often in service to their victim.
During the old kingdom, captured war prisoner orcs from the Black Horde were kept in forced labor for a period of 30 years before release, whereupon they integrated with the local population as free people.
Payit people were enslaved and forced to work on plantations in New Amn, with frequent raids allowing them to escape to freedom.
;Calimshan
Slavery was popular in Calimshan for almost all of its long history, and the land was one of the largest participants in Faerûn's slave trade. Within that land, slaves had no legal rights and were frequently mistreated. They fulfilled many roles in society, including manual laborers, house servants, soldiers, and harems.
;Lake of Steam
Having long suffered at the hands of Calishite overlords or even been founded by escaped slaves, the practice was widely opposed in the cities around the Lake of Steam. Their attitudes ranged from open hostility to mere unfriendliness.
The city of Mintar was taken over by Banites, who began "conscripting" the youth of the city and sold them elsewhere for profit.
;Nelanther Isles
The Nelanther Isles were an exporter of slaves.
;Tethyr
Tethyr had a long history of harboring escaped slaves, particularly those from Calimshan. However, during the Tethyrian Interregnum each petty realm and city took up its own laws, with Myratma using slavery as a legal punishment.
===The Heartlands===
;Procampur
Slavery was illegal in Procampur and any slaves brought into the city were freed. Despite this, the enclave there provided large numbers of slaves.
;Proskur
The city of Proskur was extremely "open-minded" about slavery, and kept a discrete trade in slaves with the Thayan enclave.
;Ravens Bluff
Slavery was illegal in Ravens Bluff but there was an active slave trade with the drow in the Underdark beneath the city. The penalty for selling slaves in Ravens Bluff was one to five years in prison and a fine of 1,000–5,000 gp.
;Sembia
While officially illegal in Sembia, the power of wealthy families was such that many could practice slavery within their estates without any real interference. Unfortunate debtors would also be forced into indentured servitude, with many choosing to flee and become exiles or bandits rather than endure near-slavery.
===Inner Sea===
The pirates of the Inner Sea used trireme and bireme galleys from Chondath and Chessenta, crewed with enslaved rowers that they captured in the course of their raids. Disposable ramships were also usually crewed with slaves.
===The Moonsea===
The petty city-states and warlords of the Moonsea resulted in a region known for its cruelty and bloodshed, with several cities trading in captured slaves. The Flotsam was a pirate ship that especially targeted slaver vessels—then took the slaves for themselves.
;Hillsfar
The city of Hillsfar maintained a policy of exclusion, destruction, and slavery for non-humans. Elves, dwarves, gnomes, and halflings captured by the Red Plumes would be branded on the arm and sent to the Hillsfar Arena, forced to perform in gladiatorial bouts until they were killed, with no release except for escape either on their own terms or with outside help. Some slaves were also "abducted" from the cells beneath the Arena and taken to Castle Maalthiir to perform privately for Maalthiir himself.
;Hulburg
Slavery was outlawed in the city of Hulburg on the Moonsea.
;Marel
The marel sea elves performed raids on ships near the Bell in the Depths, taking slaves for unknown purposes.
;Melvaunt
The city of Melvaunt and the Livestock Pen was perhaps the largest unofficial slave market in the Moonsea, with the majority going to the Old Empires or Pirate Isles. Although the citizenry disliked the trade they simply ignored it lest they face a harsh response from its powerful backers, and the Council of Lords protected them so long as slavers did not target the people of Melvaunt and sufficient "tithes" and "donations" found their way into the treasury. The main resistance came from Harpers such as Ulblyn Blackalbuck, who roused public opinion against the practice and secretly led raids to free slaves.
;Zhentil Keep
Roving gangs of kidnappers roamed Zhentil Keep at night, looking for vulnerable people to force onto galley oar banks, work crews, or just sell on to lands such as Thay. Much of the population of Teshendale was enslaved by Zhent forces and other raiders.
===Netheril & Anauroch===
;Ancient Netheril
Some forms of slavery was permitted in ancient Netheril. The most notable instance was the mass-enslavement of gnomes for the purpose of crafting delicate, novel inventions. During this time, elves assisted in gnomish resistance, and many gnomes escaped into nearby lands. This continued until the gnomes committed to a mass refusal to work, and magical enslavement proved useless in producing the desired trinkets. With their value as property reduced to nothing, the gnomes were simply released from bondage, whereupon they departed Netheril.
;Bedine
The Bedine people hated and feared slavery, and regarded it a fate worse than death. They took pleasure in slaying slavers, and sometimes adopted freed slaves into their tribes. They primarily came into conflict with the Zhentarim, who regularly performed raids to destroy or enslave uncooperative tribes.
;D'tarig
The D'tarig people were not morally opposed to slavery and kept some, but almost always considered them to be too much trouble and not worth the risk. They were also targeted by the Zhentarim for enslavement alongside the Bedine.
;Lamia
The lamia of Hlaungadath kept a large population of human slaves that they used as their main food source. This "herd" was largely self-sustaining, but the lamia nobles were always looking for fresh captures of humans, orcs, and dwarves, and attempted to repair a nearby crashed spelljammer galleon for the purpose of performing more ambitious raids.
;Phaerimm
The phaerimm beneath Anauroch used powerful mind-control spells to dominate the elder orb Rilathdool, and through it ruled an entire nation of beholders. This greater holding included huge numbers of enslaved humans, asabis, orcs, hobgoblins and goblinkin, giants, mind flayers, and xorns used as soldiers and manual labor.
;Thultanthar
The Shadovar of Thultanthar kept slaves of different humanoid species including orcs, goblins, and gnolls, variously captured on raids, bought from traders, or as legal punishment. Some were simply Shadovar citizens who had no discernible skills or talents and could not be fitted anywhere else in their caste system. There was no regulation on their treatment, with each master having complete authority over their property. Depending on their whims, a slave could be treated as a favorite pet or as a convenient target of brutality. They were only permitted to wear simple, unadorned clothing. Despite the poor treatment, most slaves were completely demoralized and believed that rebellion against their masters was pointless, and the Shadovar saw no problem with solving a slave rebellion by simply killing everyone involved.
===The North===
;Orcs
The orcs of the North regularly performed slave raids on vulnerable targets.
;Lizardfolk
Lizardfolk of the Lizard Marsh performed raids on the surrounding Delimbiyr Vale and sold captured people on to oceanic slave traders.
;Luskan
While slavery was banned in Luskan, the slave trade was practiced openly and supported by the Arcane Brotherhood.
;Uthgardt
The Uthgardt practiced some slavery, and took prisoners when raiding settlements. Captured adults were usually enslaved, while strong youths were usually adopted.
===Old Empires===
The extensive slavery performed by the Old Empires resulted in many different ethnic groups from all across Faerûn dwelling in those lands beyond the Mulan—who were themselves the descendents of slaves taken by the Imaskari.
;Chessenta
Slavery was widespread in Chessenta, though not as common as in other realms. Slaves were kept illiterate except for in Cimbar, and it was legal and accepted for a slave to be freed by their master, especially in cases of exceptional achievement or service. Chessenta was also a main supplier of slaves to Thay.
;High Imaskar
Slavery was illegal in the realm of High Imaskar.
;Mulhorand
The majority of Mulhorandis were slaves, all owned by the temples who either rented them out or used them themselves on their vast farm complexes. The fair treatment of slaves was guaranteed by law, and the temples ensured that any abuse of the god's property was addressed properly. Because of this, Mulhorandi slaves considered themselves fortunate compared to those in other lands, or even superior in nature.
;Thay
Slavery was legal and commonplace in Thay, and they suffered terrible treatment at the hands of their masters. During the mid-14 century DR more than half of the total population of Thay was enslaved, and they were responsible for performing almost all agricultural work, mining, and other forms of manual labor.
Thayan enclaves brought slavery to many settlements all over Faerûn. However, in lands where it was prohibited the Red Wizards typically abided by the local laws, even if they didn't technically apply within their enclave. The inability to easily move slaves in and out of those enclaves, combined with local disgust or hostility, meant that there was simply no economic benefit to it. However, if a visitor caused problems within the enclave then they would likely be treated to the standard legal punishment of Thay—enslavement.
;Unther
Slaves in Unther were universally mistreated, marked with brands, and the penalty for killing an enslaved person was simply a fine. This mistreatment engendered no love or appreciation for the realm and led to extensive slave revolts, including after the defeat of Gilgeam at the claws of Tiamat and during the invasion by Mulhorand. Though they were not granted freedom under the control of Mulhorand, the treatment by the Mulhorandi temples was far preferable compared to their previous masters.
===The South===
;Dambrath
The Arkaiun people of Dambrath were enslaved by the drow and crinti who conquered and controlled the land.
;Nimbral
The aerial knights of Nimbral made a point to attack any slaver ships that came near their island.
===Trackless Sea===
;Moonshae Isles
Northmen raiders took prisoners from the ffolk of the Moonshae Isles, then traded them on the Sword Coast, used them as human sacrifices to Auril, Umberlee, or Tempus, or simply used as servants and labor.
;Frozenfar
The kraken Slarkrethel kept an entire colony of humans trapped in the air-filled underwater ruins of Ascarle. The kraken also enslaved the folk of Trisk and used them to create the Kraken Society.
The people of Tuern performed aggressive raids on all non-Northmen, and regularly took slaves. Some of these prisoners were given to the red dragons of Flame Fault as food alongside fish and cattle.
===The Underdark===
Slavery was a fact of life among 'civilized' Underdark cultures such as the drow and they were known to keep slaves of many races. Aberrations like the mind flayers and aboleths kept charmed or dominated thralls instead of slaves.
;Beholders
Beholders kept slaves in their lairs by using their charming eyestalks. They considered themselves to be the most perfect beings in existence and saw it as simply asserting themselves over their lessers. While this made their lairs quite well-defended, the dependence on mind-control limited their ability to assert their power outside of their immediate reach.
;Drow
The drow of the Underdark kept huge slave populations, whether they followed the teachings of Lolth or Vhaeraun. They did not use slave soldiers, for fear of rebellion once battle started.
;Duergar
The duergar originated from the enslavement of dwarves by illithids.
;Mind Flayers
Illithids practiced slavery as a matter of course, keeping huge populations of captured or bred chattel under physical and mental domination. They most commonly kept grimlocks and chuuls, and used them as the default source of soldiers, labor, and food.
==Notable slaves==
* Azad the Free
* Cyric
* Jack Ravenwild
* Halani Meliamne
* Seila Norwood
* Tresk Mulander
* Vajra Valmeyjar
* Valas Belaem del Pharm
==Notable slavers==
===Organizations===
* The Arcane Brotherhood invested in slave-trading and supported it in Luskan.
* The Eyeless Mask was a gang of slavers that operated in Saerloon.
* The Darkwater Brand coster of Archendale was suspected of performing kidnappings and slavery.
* The Iron Throne sought to enter the slave trade in the Heartlands, but found strong competition from the Zhentarim.
* The Men of the Basilisk society hired bandits to perform slave raids on the Inner Sea.
* The Rundeen once held a monopoly on the slave trade in the lands of Calimshan. While this diminished over time, they continued to be the region's foremost slave dealer.
* The Zhentarim traded in slaves widely across Faerûn, well beyond their base in the Moonsea.
===Individuals===
* Fetterfist
* Inther Blackfeather, a prominent slaver from Luskan.
* Iron Ring
* Khareesa H'kar
* Scyllua Darkhope
* Temmi Dharimm
* Verblen, the Slave Lord of Zhentil Keep.
* Walloch
===Races & Sentient Creatures===
* Out of all the races that engaged in the slave trade on Toril, mindflayers were the most ambitious. They operated not only on the planet's surface and in the Underdark, but far above in the crystal spheres.
==Appendix==
===External Links===
* 
===References===
Category:Industries