Labor Slave

Labor Slaves are the unwilling backbone of New Valore - they are the unfortunates who keep the city looking new, pristine and beautiful all year around. All but invisible to the citizens, they are responsible for maintaining the city and its utilities.

## Overview

Labor Slaves are slaves owned by the city of New Valore, and have no private owners. While this protects from the arbitrary abuse a bad private owner might be guilty of, it also makes them a voiceless, identity less mass - Labor Slaves are interchangeable, replaceable and often live short, miserable lives. Currently, New Valore’s Labor Slave population has been stretched awfully thin, leading to more accidents from exhaustion.

Labor Slaves work under the watchful eye of Chevaliers, with one Chevalier watching as many as fifty slaves. The Chevaliers will usually discourage Labor Slaves from speaking unnecessarily, and are to make sure the slaves perform their given tasks as instructed. The Chevaliers are in charge of meting out punishments as necessary: ranging from a harsh word, to a strike or a withheld meal. Excessive violence is rare, and usually reserved for genuinely dangerous situations. Most Chevaliers are not intentionally cruel or mean, but simply view slaves as second class citizens, and are doing their job. Trusted laborers may be allowed to work alone on designated tasks, and are not under constant guard.

To most citizens, Labor Slaves are generally invisible, just a part of daily life. Majority of interactions revolve around the slave’s tasks, such as a citizen instructing what work they need done. Occasionally, Labor Slaves will come across empathetic citizens, and may engage in friendly interaction while the Chevalier is looking the other way. These interactions are a rare opportunity for slaves to make contacts, but also acquire goods they aren’t normally permitted. Vatros Sanctum, into which Labor Slaves are allowed unbridled, is a particular favorite for clandestine meetings.

Adult Labor Slaves are never sold to private owners - once a slave ends up in the ownership of the city, they belong to the city permanently. The only time laborers were sold back to citizens was during the Great Slave Reclaims of 1701, when repossessed private slaves were permitted to be purchased back - and some rare Labor Slaves were given as recompensation for lost or damaged slaves (but only to the particularly powerful and upset nobles).

### **Labor Slave Limitations**

Labor Slaves are always bridled with special bridles that cut off all of their magic (blessings, telekinesis, shifting abilities), and particularly difficult slaves may also be collared with a collar that holds the same abilities. These bridles are only removed when absolutely necessary to perform certain tasks, and then promptly put back on. Many long-time Labor Slaves have weak and undeveloped teke, similar to a child; months or even years of rehabilitation are often needed upon release. They also lack practice with their blessing(s) and may even be completely unaware of the extent of their powers, leading to hazardous situations.

Additionally, Labor Slave unicorns have their horns (and prominent gemstone growths) cut and sanded to stubs, pegasi have their wings clipped or otherwise damaged (bat pegasi), and hippocampi are unable to take their water forms due to their bridles.

Labor Slaves have limited access even to basic resources beyond food and water, and are rarely able to have any significant hobbies. They are permitted to keep non-threatening familiars.

Due to all this, long-time Labor Slaves tend to lack life skills beyond what their work required of them, and are often ill-suited for survival on their own outside the city borders.

## Labor Slave Subtypes

Although Labor Slaves appear as a faceless mass to most citizens of New Valore, there are many different fates among them. Same basic principles apply to all Labor Slaves - they’re kept bridled, they’re owned by the city and they are expected to work sunrise to sunset - some of them have easier or harder lives than others.

### **Child Laborers**

Children have never been particularly favored as Labor Slaves due to being weak and generally not very useful. Before the Vindicator raid of summer 1701, children born to Labor Slaves were sometimes given to private slave traders in exchange for adult slaves, but with the current shortage, the city is keeping all slave children born within Aodh’s borders. This means an unprecedented amount of children are currently working within the labor force. Aging potions are very rarely used, as they’re expensive to en-masse produce, and generally worth more than a laborer.

Very young children (0-3 years of age) are generally permitted to not work, but instead trail with their mothers (or other friendly laborers), providing small assistance where they can. As the children grow more capable, stronger and better at understanding instructions, they begin to be utilized for tasks where their small size is a benefit: sweeping chimneys, cleaning cramped spaces and other such tasks. Labor Slave children are forced to grow up quickly, and often begin taking on the same tasks as adults at around 10-12 years of age. Mortality rates among laborer children are alarmingly high.

Labor Slave children are not taught to read, write or any other academic skills, nor life skills like cooking or gathering. They only know what they can gather from other slaves or friendly citizens. This means children growing up as laborers are generally very ignorant of the world around them, and some may even consider freedom far more horrific of an option than the servitude they have to endure.

### **Valiant District Slaves**

Trustworthy slaves, or ones particularly liked by a Chevalier overseer may be “rewarded” by being assigned to the Valiant District. Private slaves are not permitted into the Valiant District’s Chevalier barracks and training grounds, making laborers the only slaves within the district. There they will clean and maintain armor and weapons, clean the barracks, serve food, and act as “pack mules” for Chevalier patrols. They are permitted to live within the barracks - which are certainly nicer than the Dark District. They are generally treated better than other laborers, with larger rations and generally more agreeable living conditions.

Valiant District Slaves are viewed as traitors by some Labor Slaves, and may be subject to violence if straying away from their Chevaliers. As a result, Valiant District laborers tend to band together, and do not seek out interactions with others.

### **Bait Slaves**

Labor Slaves who have become too weak or otherwise unable to perform their duties may be designated as “bait slaves”. Bait slaves are used in Pit Fighter training, and act as living punching bags for practice, skill sharpening, and dulling the fighters to violence. These horses usually live only a few short months before dying, as they are not provided healthcare. It’s extremely rare for a bait slave to be able to return into the ranks of “normal” Labor Slaves, as their treatment makes them grow gradually weaker over time.

Becoming a bait slave is a fate feared by all Labor Slaves. When laborers were more plentiful, even healthy but difficult slaves were sometimes condemned to become bait slaves, leading many a slave mother (laborer or otherwise) to warn their children that if they were bad, they’d end up as bait slaves, never to see beyond the walls of the Crucible again; likely to die in the darkness of its cellars, away from the sun.

Bait slaves live in cells within the underground part of the Crucible, in a section inaccessible to civilians.

## Life in the Dark District

Dark District is one of the smaller districts within New Valore, and the only one to be completely cut off from the mainland except for a small landbridge. The entire area is walled with a fifteen foot wall which is patrolled by Chevaliers around the clock. The Dark District is only accessible through the (less than) Gilded Bridge that has been laid on top of the natural landbridge, and is always guarded by a heavy Chevalier presence. Formerly it could also be accessed through tunnels leading into the city’s sewers, but these tunnels became inaccessible after Autumn 1701.

Labor Slaves, if not assigned as bait slaves or to work in the Valiant District, all live in the Dark District. Dark District only houses Labor Slaves - no citizens or other slaves live here, and only Chevaliers and people affiliated with Vatros Sanctum are allowed to visit it under normal circumstances. Slaves are free to move around the District as they please, but are always watched for suspicious activity by the Chevaliers patrolling the walls. The buildings are simple, single rooms that slaves pack into for the night. Although cramped and completely lacking in privacy, they’re generally clean and maintained (by the laborers themselves) to keep out drafts and leaks. Slaves sleep on wooden floors in the summer, and are provided hay for the cold months.

The part of the district that was blown up in Autumn 1701 still remains in shambles - only the damage to the walls was repaired.

After the slave escape in 1700, and the following escape in spring 1701, Chevaliers no longer walk among the Labor Slaves, except in large contingency of 10-20 Chevaliers. This means misbehavior is often punished the following morning, or other slaves are ordered to mete it out under the watchful eye of the Chevaliers on the walls. The increasing distrust by the Chevaliers towards the Labor Slaves means that the slaves face increasing difficulty in summoning Chevaliers to their aid when needed, and calls for help are left unchecked until next morning during assembly.

Labor Slaves are provided with simple food and water. Any other items must be stolen or given to them by citizens, and then smuggled in. High value items include things such as blankets, pain killers, medicine, fruit, eggs and dairy, as well as low-value personal accessories too insignificant for the Chevaliers to confiscate, such as hair bands or decorative feathers. These items can be traded for favor or other high value items, gambled for, or used as wagers in street races.

Due to their isolation from most other inhabitants of New Valore, Labor Slaves create their own songs, stories and traditions. They have their own folk stories and legends. They are incredibly communal, and loyal to their own. Due to the lack of interest from citizens, very few outsiders understand or know anything about the culture of the slaves. With so many of the laborers gone and replaced by fresh faces, some of the customs have also died out - but new ones are sure to form, as long as Aodh has laborers.

### **Day of a Labor Slave**

Labor Slaves are woken up with loud horns before break of dawn. They have about 30 minutes to prepare for the day’s work - many use the opportunity to stretch, or eat the remnants of their evening meal. A little before dawn, the gates are opened, and slaves are split into groups for their daily duties, each group led out by their Chevalier overseer.

Labor Slaves work from dawn until dusk, and are not given any significant breaks in the work. They generally spend all day doing similar tasks, but may move from location to location as work progresses.

At dusk, the day ends, and slaves are led back towards the Dark District. They are allowed to visit Vatros Sanctum on their way back ‘home’, but otherwise wandering about is not permitted. Chevaliers will stand guard at the gates, making a headcount and handing out the day’s rations to the slaves as they go through the gates. Typical meal is bread, corn, potatoes and/or plain vegetables; various water based porridges and dry, raw vegetable slices are common. Water is provided within the District itself from drinking stations.

Gates are locked between slave groups entering, and locked for the night about an hour after dusk - Labor Slaves caught outside the Dark District (who don’t specifically work elsewhere) after lockdown are severely punished, usually with a beating and halved rations.

The ‘free time’ is between dusk and nightfall.

### **Street Racing**

Street racing is one of the long-held traditions of the Dark District. Able-bodies horses who still have energy to compete will race through an improvised course within the District. These courses incorporate tight corners, narrow alleyways and even occasional jumps over rubble to create an exciting race for spectators and competitors alike. Most of the races are for fun, and done simply for mutual entertainment, although laborers do bet on winners. Occasionally a prize is offered to the winner, often communally provided. Each race draws a large crowd of spectating laborers, and inspires cheer and comradery. Cheating or violence towards other racers is punished by the community.

Chevaliers don’t intervene with the races, as it is believed that allowing the laborers to maintain this activity helps keep morale high, and as such lowers the likelihood of uprisings.

## Rank Levels

* **At 25 AP** | You must learn how to survive under subjugation. You may gain your **Tier 1 Talent** early (for your first talent only).
* **At 50 AP** | The Vatros Sanctum is one of the few places where you receive genuine compassion and care. When you show up for worship with red, swollen eyes from working in dusty rubble, the Flamen grants you a pair of **Goggles**, and a **Prayer Idol**.
* **At 75 AP** | Many labor slaves expire from exhaustion, but you’re determined not to die in this place. Receive +15 SP to Vitality or Strength.
* **At 100 AP** | You’ve noticed an animal hanging around during the day that seems to be an escaped (or released) familiar, judging by the keen intelligence in its eye. Perhaps you can win its trust? If your familiar slot is free, receive an **Aodhian** **Level 1 Familiar**