Halflings are described as an enslaved race in Taldor. Do you see this as predoiminate enough that a halfling seen abroad would be be questioned by the authorities? Are there "free" halflings as well, perhaps earning their freedome or born to free parents?
A halfling character would have some difficulty traveling there otherwise wouldnt he? Would he be asked to produce some sort of proof he wasnt an escaped slave?
Would there be halfling communities? Enslaved to the authorities of a city perhaps as workers rather than house slaves to a particular owner?
Where are halflings described as being enslaved in Taldor? I thought that was Cheliax.
If the question does apply to Cheliax, then the answer is yes, a free halfling could be asked to present papers of some sort to confirm that they are about their master's business. Lawful Evil nations love their paperwork :D
RPG Superstar 2009 Top 32, 2010 Top 8
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Slavery in Taldor in the past is implied in Haflings of Golarion.
The halfling race’s history with powerful empires has been a dark one, embodying the oppressive relationship of master and slave. Records of halfling life in ancient Taldor are nonexistent, but a look at modern Cheliax suggests what life must have been like in those long-ago times. After the decline of Osirion, Taldor began its rise. Unfortunately for halflings, a rising empire demands labor to lift it up, and isn’t always particular where it comes from. The imposing stone buildings in Taldor’s major cities rose atop the bodies of halflings struggling in quarries, their small frames unsuited for such labor.
And stated to be as common as any other slave in the present.
Taldor: A halfling’s lot is uncertain in Taldor. Some houses, struggling to retain the semblance of hedonistic nobility, buy slaves at every opportunity and treat them callously or even terribly. Lesser houses, particularly those from merchant families, prefer to employ only a few well-trained and reasonably treated servants. Often a halfling family in service to a merchant house has served that same family for generations, either as free folk or slaves.
Younger halflings who yearn for adventure and spurn the laws of the city gravitate toward the many groups of vagabonds, pirates, and bandits formed by other members of the underclass of Taldor). From time to time a gang comprised completely of halflings emerges, but for the most part halflings join human groups. There they prove useful thanks to their small size and natural agility, which make them excellent scouts, lookouts, and sneak thieves.
So it looks to be a mix of both. A free halfling will likey get raised eyebrows in Taldor, but not an assumption of being a slave.
Thanks Matthew, thats the text that put me to this thought.
Sadly it seems that halflings owe their plight in Cheliax to Taldan history. It seems the devil worshippers just kicked it up a notch while perhaps Taldor has softened over the centuries.
Perhaps learning from real world prejudices its safe to assume that a halfling at his own business, not causing any trouble and not threatening, inconveniencing or otherwise bothering a proper Taldan would probably be left alone but the moment he becomes a problem... slam comes the "possible slave" card and they are detained, or worse.
That would be a good ploy for a villain to use to delay/distract PC enemies. The villain (or a flunky) makes an accusation about a halfling PC being a runaway slave. The PC is detained until everything can be worked out and verified, necessitating that the other members of the party come to the local constabulary to testify on the halfling's behalf. This allows the villain to escape/further their nefarious plan/etc.
I have an idea to allow the Paladin in the group the chance to defend some hapless halflings being acosted, only to discover later that they were slaves, lawfully being aprehended by bounty hunters. Nice little moral pickle - by law they should be returned but their master is cruel and abusive and they will be begging to be allowed to continue running.
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There are probably halfling slaves in *most* countries in the setting, at least most of the "civilized" ones with cities and agriculture and the like. Traditional wisdom in the setting seems to hold that halflings make good slaves, and slavery is practiced almost everywhere in the Inner Sea.
Slavery is explicitly banned in Andoran and the River Kingdoms, and the sale of slaves is illegal in the Mwangi city of Senghor. I'm fairly certain that the Elves and Dwarves condemn slavery as well, though the Drow and Duergar obviously have no problem with it. That's pretty much it for countries that condemn slavery.
There probably aren't any slaves in Nirmathas either, but the Nirmathi don't seem to have much use for the kind of sweeping government proclamations that and Andorens are fond of. Other strongly good-aligned nations probably frown on the practice, and as I recall thralls in the Lands of the Linnorm Kings have more rights and protections than slaves in some other nations. And, of course, in Geb mindless undead fill most of the roles normally filled by slaves, but all of the living in that country seem to be treated as second-class citizens at best, and livestock at worst.
So, as far as I know, slavery is practiced in Taldor, Qadira, every Garundi nation, most of the Mwangi Expanse, Sargava, the Shackles, most of Varisia, Molthune, Druma, Ustalav, Razmiran, Brevoy, Numeria... the list goes on. And where there are slaves, there are probably some halfling slaves.
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The Elves don't really care, save for one law. Any Elf that reaches the borders of Kyonin, is considered free of his slavery. And slave trading isn't allowed in the one open port.
I would guess that the elves don't trade slaves among themselves, either, so that means that there's no slave trade in Kyonin, save perhaps some kind of underground thing. I would guess that the reason they don't free slaves brought to the open port by traders is that they don't want a big influx of non-elven refugees. Still, considering the individualistic, freedom-loving, and good-hearted nature of elves, I suspect that some slave-owning visitors have gotten up in the morning to find some of their "property" missing.
With regard to dwarves, I'm fairly certain that Torag considers slavery an abomination, considering that it's a big component of Droskar's portfolio.