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wow - my discussion thread is still going on....cool!
Based on what I've read of the up and coming next adventure path, it looks like Cheliax still hasn't quite recovered from their civil war that happened after the death of Aroden.
Which means that there's quite an opportunity here to show players a contrast. Older buildings might not have been repaired, unless they were important in some way to the government. Newer buildings built specifically for various purposes (temples to Asmodeus, law courts, opera houses) designed along the lines of a new aesthetic. The older, crumbling buildings next to the gleaming and clean cut lines of the newer facilities.
Just a random thought.
Well, if the devils truly want a foothold in the Material plane via Cheliax, then I would think they would quickly finance a rebuild. It would put them in the role of benefactors in the eyes of the population, and would help distract from random disappearances of the underclass. The disappearances could then be blamed on "enemies of the state" be they agents of foreign governments, factions who were rivals of the houses who won the civil war, other outsider groups (celestial, abyssal, whatever), etc.
While holding those in roles of power within your iron grasp is core to first securing control, maintaining control would only be achieved by bringing the commoners in on your side. Full bellies and decent housing go a long way in this regard.
To adopt this scheme to Cheliax, perhaps every slave in Cheliax is officially the property of the Church of Asmodeus, ....
Wow, that is GREAT suggestions!!
Really helps develop Cheliax I think.
Robert
There was actually a relatively complete discussion of slavery in the Draka novels by S.M Stirling. As I recall, the Draka (who were slave owning racial supremacists) set it up so that their slaves were owned entirely by the state and essentially leased to their owners. The slaves had no rights mind you, but they were classified into castes. There were slaves who were educated and performed administrative tasks (and watched extremely closely), slaves who only did heavy labor, slaves who were trained to police other slaves...there were even slave units used by the military as cannon fodder (with a very high rate of attrition).
Those Draka novels actually covered quite a bit of the psychology that went into how the Draka managed their slaves. I could imagine the Cheliax slavers using a bit of mind magic to razzle-dazzle the field slaves into compliance. A little bit can go a long way.
I wonder if the Cheliaxian government conducts slave raids or if they just buy from independent contractors? My personal view would be some combination of the two. Then they'd sort the slaves, compile records, brand them (or mark them in some way) and arranged for them to be sold (actually leased) to slave owners. Some individuals of course would never be enslaved. sorcerers and mages, for example. Or clerics, paladins, monks....they would be difficult or impossible to control. So they might simply be slain outright. Some slaves, like fighters, rangers, might be sent to 'destructive labor' - dangerous or high fatality operations like mining and the like. Rogues would be difficult to classify...given the nature of their abilities they might slip through the cracks and be the best hope of causing problems for their new 'owners'.
Just some random thoughts on slave owners in Cheliax. take it for what you will.
Perhaps that is where the gnoll slave triaders in Katapesh sell thier goods??
It's a good thought....but I'm also thinking that certain garrisons on the border between Cheliax and Andoran might supplement their income by occasionally participating in slave raids across the border.
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It's a good thought....but I'm also thinking that certain garrisons on the border between Cheliax and Andoran might supplement their income by occasionally participating in slave raids across the border.
Oh definitely, it's not as if those upstarts have a respectable system of government to protect them from such lawlessness!
And, in that vein, the Church might be perfectly willing to sell foreign slaves back to their respective governments (well, except for the Andorans, whose government they don't recognize). The Asmodean Church would refer to it as 'repatriation' and the ransom paid by the Taldan, Kelish, etc. government would be a 'repatriation fee.'
After all, it would be uncivilized to unjustly enslave people!
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It's a good thought....but I'm also thinking that certain garrisons on the border between Cheliax and Andoran might supplement their income by occasionally participating in slave raids across the border.Oh definitely, it's not as if those upstarts have a respectable system of government to protect them from such lawlessness!
And, in that vein, the Church might be perfectly willing to sell foreign slaves back to their respective governments (well, except for the Andorans, whose government they don't recognize). The Asmodean Church would refer to it as 'repatriation' and the ransom paid by the Taldan, Kelish, etc. government would be a 'repatriation fee.'
After all, it would be uncivilized to unjustly enslave people!
And by that logic, slave raids into Andoran would be "repatriation" raids, to bring wayward citizens back into the fold. The fact they are coming into the system as slaves would cover the cost of the "repatriation service".
Actually, Set raises and interesting point - just what IS the official position of Cheliax on their wayward breakaway states, like Andoran? Do they consider them to be separate states and recognize their independence? Or does Cheliax consider them to be regions in rebellion and plan on eventually bringing them back into the fold?
For my part, I'm guessing (based on descriptions of Cheliax as an 'empire in decline') that Cheliax has their breakaway children in a diplomatic limbo. They don't recognize their right to self government but by the same token they also know that Cheliax is in no position to do anything at all about it. So along comes that wonderful trope of which so many political intrigue stories are based on - the 'diplomatic fiction'. I'm guessing that Cheliax 'pretends' to treat places like Andoran as if they're still part of the empire, and takes a slightly condescending and/or patronizing attitude towards them. In public they largely ignore them, in private they watch 'em like a hawk and look for weaknesses to exploit. But that's just my opinion on the matter, so take it for what you will.
"What use is a mecha if the fuel turns to lemon milk in its pipes?"
Oh, I never said it would actually work. It's the thought that counts. The thought and the fifteen minutes of deliberation while you power up your ultimate attack.
