<div class="quoteheader"><div class="topslice_quote"><a href="https://elliquiy.com/forums/index.php?topic=294097.msg14438490#msg14438490">Quote from: Winds Of Lust on 07-10-2018, 15:17:19</a></div></div><blockquote class="bbc_standard_quote">Yeah think of this almost more as racially enforced endetures servitude and not triangle trade era slavery. And don’t underestimate the power of bureaucracy! This sort of system tends to be highly documented to help prevent people just up a and stealing a slave, and allowing them to do jobs outside of direct oversight of their masters. . Two types of people had direct access and ownership of slaves in this sort of system, the government, the churches, and the wealthy/powerful. 3 things you don’t want to fuck with, steeling a slave in this system is kind of like jacking a mail box, you food do it but why risk the major federal crime?<br/></blockquote><div class="quotefooter"><div class="botslice_quote"></div></div><br/>Very early on, it was compared favorably to Roman slavery. Roman slaves could have jobs (including high government jobs!) could marry (and could not be forced to marry or forbidden to marry by their owners), and there were laws in place to prevent an owner harming/abusing/killing a slave. The state certainly could penalize slaves (or free men) who broke the law, but there was none of this triangle trade "whip them to make them go faster and when they die buy more" mentality. While only the wealthy could own a slave, you could basically 'rent' a slave by paying them to do a job (part of that payment of course going to their master). There were exceptions, such as people who were made slaves as criminal punishment, and people who were made slaves AND gladiators (or sallt miners!) as criminal punishment, but by and large the life of a Roman slave was very much healthier, happier and 'free-r' than that of a Triangle Trade slave.<br/><br/>A born slave who was a manual laborer probably didn't have much opportunity for education (but neither would a free man in that position), but will have a limit on the number of hours he can work in a day (and his master will likely enforce it because he wants the slave happy and healthy). He'll have a reliable bed and roof over his head (but probably it won't be private...There were exceptions, slave families who worked outlying farms and lived pretty much like feudal serfs). He'll be able to come and go at certain times but not whenever he chooses, he'll be fed well (not exotically but healthily) and receive a small stipend for entertainment, especially on holidays.<br/><br/>A higher value slave who had exceptional skills would have a similar life, might or might not sleep in barracks, might or might not have a master so strict about hours (a messenger's hours are more difficult to tally, but woe to them if they're proven to be shirking), will have opportunities for education that improve their value, and most likely a larger stipend.<br/><br/>In Zkulu's case, he probably sleeps in a room with other servants (if no one has rented him overnight), is allowed to study around the city with other musicians and dancers, and possibly even will have access to the city libraries (his literacy, foreign language ability and court service makes him a possible draw to diplomats or foreigners in need of translation services). His coming and going will probably be a little less regulated...So long as he shows profit to his master for it. Some of the instruments he uses will likely belong to his master (instruments being expensive) but he may have (has!) purchased some of his own, because musical instruments can be quite personal. I imagine that even though he doesn't own any, he could lay hands on a pair of zils (dancing percussion, like tiny cymbals or castanets) in a heartbeat at his master's inn because Zkulu dancing brings in customers, and if he wants to borrow something for a dance, he's just doing his job.