Slaves

In a game world where slavery is legal, the PCs may buy slaves as either workers or an investment – or they might be enslaved themselves! Anywhere slavery is legal, slaves make up a large part of the job market, and there is a 50% chance that any hireling found is actually a slave.

The price of a slave is generally equal to the amount the slave could earn in five years, if free and working at the typical pay rate for the best job he qualifies for. The GM may adjust this price for any number of reasons: extra skills, good or bad attitude toward slavery, physical appearance, health, etc. Slave traders rarely give a real bargain!

Loyalty of Slaves

Determine a slave's loyalty per Loyalty of Hirelings. However, slaves are less predictable than hirelings. After determining the slave's initial loyalty, roll 2d on the following table to determine a loyalty modifier:

2-7 – No modifier.

8 – He was enslaved for some crime, and resents it: -1 to loyalty.

9 – As above, but -2 to loyalty.

10 – His previous master was very cruel. If he is treated with kindness during the first week, apply +2 to loyalty; otherwise, no change.

11 – He has a fanatic hatred of slavery. If treated well, he may like his masters as people, but will still escape as soon as possible. If treated badly (or even "average" for a slave), his loyalty drops to 6.

12 – He has the Slave Mentality disadvantage, and considers himself truly the property of his owner. His loyalty is automatically 20. You need never check loyalty; he will not demur, even if given orders that condemn him to death.

Make loyalty checks for slaves as for any other hirelings. Modify loyalty by +1 or +2 if they are in a situation where they have nowhere to run!

Legal Complications

When slave-holding PCs enter an area where slavery is illegal, they must either dispose of their slaves or pass them off as free servants. Possible anti-slavery attitudes include: legal to own slaves, but not to buy or sell them locally; legal for non-citizens to own slaves while passing through, but illegal for permanent residents to own them; or illegal to own slaves at all.

A creative GM may impose other laws and customs regarding slavery. For instance, it might be legal to enslave members of some social groups or races, but not others. There might be ways for a slave to earn his freedom – some societies might even permit slaves to own property and buy their freedom.