Quote from: Rob Necronomicon on July 12, 2022, 10:24:35 PM

Quote from: Headless on July 12, 2022, 10:18:14 PM
Yucky.

It just makes common sense... Put the greenskins to work until they drop.

Green-skinned orcs is a far worse crime against humanity than slavery ever was.

Quote from: Spinachcat on July 14, 2022, 04:42:51 AM
William Gibson's Neuromancer introduced the concept of cybernetic sex slavery. AKA, to make money, you could allow your consciousness to be turned off while a hooker AI program ran your body. There was a question about how many of these now-mindless sex slaves were there voluntarily.

Slavery in cyberpunk gets very messy, especially when you get into corporate wage slaves who are unable to leave their arcology.

Slavery in post-apocalyptic settings like Gamma World have similar issues like fantasy Charm spells as Gamma World has plenty of mutants capable of warping minds into submission.

But again, what wasn't questioned at the game table 20 years ago BECAUSE ITS A DAMN GAME OF IMAGINATION, now apparently causes retards to make retard noises and cryfests.

Oooh yes. In Shadowrun, it's called 'bunraku' and it's really fucking creepy. I was in a game where one character was someone who'd escaped one of those shops, and she'd compulsively burn down any bunraku parlor she discovered. Caused us a few headaches ICly but we all agreed out of game that it was pretty much par for the course.

Quote from: Neoplatonist1 on July 13, 2022, 08:51:31 PM

QuoteSlavery is NOT worse than death for one reason, realistic or not a slave can always hope for freedom.

How do you know that? Have you ever been dead? Realistic or not a (soon to be) dead man can always hope for resurrection.

Rhetorically speaking - this is true subjectively, but the point of this discussion is to play a game. If everyone happily kills themselves in-game (or out) then it gets in the way of gaming.

Anecdotally, I've been beaten to "death" (I had to be resuscitated), and I'd much rather be a slave. But I've had my players put into situations where they were enslaved and were beaten routinely for disobedience etc. and at no point, even knowing they could "re-roll" characters if they died, did they choose to die.

Interesting and worth consideration. I'd also submit that orcs and goblins would make horrible slaves for humans. Mainly because they're too unruly to be tamed and to break them you'd have to have some particularly disciplined and sadistic motherfuckers to try and break them. The idea they'd simply "do work" without real fear of death/fear requires a person with force of will and capacity to do that *all the time* with misanthropes like Goblinoids/Orcs.

And the quality of the work would be shit.

Slavery depends a lot on breaking the slave's spirit, not necessarily their body.

Speaking clinically, you have to set up a system (or at least the appearance of one) where nothing they do will break them loose, except death. Because the very last thing you want is a slave who isn't broken to your will. That's a great way to wind up dead.

Slavery a fate worse than death, really? Depending on the culture, as a slave you could own property, get married, have a family, earn or buy your freedom, yadda yadda yadda. Slaves in Roman Sicily were often given arms to fight off bandits. Why didn't they just kill their masters? Well they did, but not as often as you'd expect.

It was 1% woe is me I'm gonna kill myself instead of be a slave vs. 99% how do I get out of this and perhaps kill a few of these fuckers in the process?

There's slavery in several historic campaigns I run. It's there and the PCs see it. They sometimes interact with it, but no one has yet to own or be a slave. They did free one once, but they were gonna kill the master anyway. So it's circumstantial in my games, not at the forefront. But now you all have given me some ideas.

In a fantasy setting, slavery doesn't have to end when the slave dies.

Quote from: HappyDaze on July 14, 2022, 05:59:36 PM
In a fantasy setting, slavery doesn't have to end when the slave dies.

Yes, mindless undead make some of the best slaves.

Quote from: HappyDaze on July 14, 2022, 05:59:36 PM
In a fantasy setting, slavery doesn't have to end when the slave dies.

imagine being dead, a ghost and you are still a slave

Quote from: MeganovaStella on July 15, 2022, 03:46:09 AM

Quote from: HappyDaze on July 14, 2022, 05:59:36 PM
In a fantasy setting, slavery doesn't have to end when the slave dies.

imagine being dead, a ghost and you are still a slave

Isn't that part of the despair and anguish attributed to the undead that retain their personalities?

Greetings!

Something that I keep in mind when building different societies, cultures, and individual communities, is the idea that the love for freedom is not universal--contrary to the earnest wishes of many. Some people--many people--are born to be slaves. These people are most content and comfortable with being on their knees, and serving a greater, stronger master. In truth, these people are morally and emotionally weak, prone to chaos, debauchery, and dissolution, therefore they crave the discipline, the structure, and authority provided by those stronger than themselves. Such people do not want freedom--freedom requires responsibility, and a measure of discipline, as well as prudence, and self-control. All such traits the many slave-minded people lack. Therefore, the slave-minded people embrace being slaves, and thereupon despise those that champion freedom, independence, and liberty. The slave-minded people often work to spread the philosophy of slavery, of being content with servitude and serving their greater masters. They hate those that are free, and readily and eagerly assist the masters that are in power to crush such rebels, and enforce conformity and obedience.

Historically speaking, we can see that there have always been slave-minded people. In truth, while the rebels are often passionate and rebel frequently, they are typically a distinct minority.

Semper Fidelis,

SHARK

Quote from: MeganovaStella on July 15, 2022, 03:46:09 AM

Quote from: HappyDaze on July 14, 2022, 05:59:36 PM
In a fantasy setting, slavery doesn't have to end when the slave dies.

imagine being dead, a ghost and you are still a slave

There are already settings that have developed that. The old WW Wraith game, the church in the Ravnica D&D setting, the DEathlords from Exalted, the Nighthaunts in Soulbound, and doubtless many more.