Re: Slavery from Kmnellist_at_aol.com on 1999-03-13 (Glorantha Digest Vol 06)

From: Kmnellist_at_aol.com
Date: Sat, 13 Mar 1999 08:10:55 EST

Subject: Slavery in the Empire
Peter:
<<Given that I said slavery is _primarily_ a lunar institution, the logical inference is that Lunars own most of the slaves in the Empire and not Dara Happans. I do qualify my statements for a reason, y'know.>>

I thought that Lunars were Dara Happans and vice versa. Or at least the posh Lunars were Dara Happans and the meritocrats were Pelorians of some lower sort.

There are references to slaves in the Entekosiad, in the Coming of Lendarsh, it refers to Fifths which is translated as "servant", or in Dara Happan as
"Half Person". Lower still are Sixths which means Slaves.

Another reference is in the Biography of Valare Addi. Valare was a Third- -Less (rank "third"=craftsman; gender "minus"=female; birth sequence
"less"=younger) and therefore of very low value. She was "scheduled to be sold
in times of need". Note not sold into slavery, simply sold, implying she was already "possessed" by someone, probably her family. She then ran away to the First Manumision, which was described as the first in Dara Happa as the Red Queen had already freed all the slaves in Rinliddi. So Dara Happans had slaves before the Goddess; she freed them all, and they have subsequently re-instated the practice.

I agree with MOB on the MGF implications of back dating freedom to ancestors. I wouldn't make it a common option or even known about by any but Ancestor Worshipping shamans perhaps, Legalistic Carmanian Magi or Lunar Sorcerors, and even then with only obscure uses (ie scenario hook specific). Note that Daka Fal shamans are robliged to find and release ancestors bound into magical items. A bit of stretching on this point would oblige them to "release" spirits bound into slavery.

Keith N

End of The Glorantha Digest V6 #484