Slavery

Update needed This article should be updated to reflect canon changes noted in The Mwangi Expanse, Absalom, City of Lost Omens, Agents of Edgewatch. The specific problem is: the article incorporates only some canon bans on slavery. Please help improve it if you can; the talk page might contain suggestions.

For a list of individuals and organisations involved in slavery, see Category:Slavers.

Slavery, the system of owning and selling other sentient races, was the foundation of many of the Inner Sea region's agrarian societies despite frequent opposition and condemnation, but in recent years has become abolished and prohibited in many of the places it once thrived.

In the Inner Sea Region

While slavery was until recently tolerated throughout much of the Inner Sea region, it was not universally employed. For example, slavery has long been illegal in Magnimar.

Slaves were almost always taken from the lower classes, and the stealing of members of the nobility and selling them into bondage was universally seen as abhorrent and criminal. Slavers were frequently opposed by several groups, particularly in the Inner Sea region by the Bellflower Network.

The liberation of Sargava from colonial rule and its independence as Vidrian beginning in 4716 AR gave rise to the Firebrands, a loose-knit collaboration of disparate groups old and new who opposed slavery and oppression. The trial of Devrin Arlos by the Free Captains and Tessa Fairwind over the destruction of slaver ships greatly expanded the Firebrands' early ranks. The Technic League, which supported slavery among Kellid tribes in Numeria, also dissolved in 4716 AR.

During the Fiendflesh Siege of Absalom in 4717 AR, all slaves willing to fight for the city were granted freedom by Acting Siege Lord Wynsal Starborn. Slavery was then outlawed by popular decree of the Grand Council in the same year. The end of slavery in Absalom damaged the market for slaves across the region, leading to other nations subsequently banning the practice.

The 4717 AR election of former slave and Twilight Talon Andira Marusek to the office of Supreme Elect in the abolitionist nation of Andoran redoubled the nation's efforts to enforce slavery bans in the region, causing particular strain with Cheliax, where slavery remained legal, and Katapesh, whose yellow-sailed slave ships were a common target of Andoren privateers. Katapeshi slavers were also the frequent target of Absalom's Gray Corsairs, and by the kholo abolitionist Shimon-Je.

In 4719 AR, Tar-Baphon—who had once enslaved the orcs of Belkzen before his imprisonment—attempted and failed to re-enslave the orcs and was defeated in the Battle of Nine Broken Skulls. Refugees of the Whispering Tyrant's invasion who entered Cheliax were enslaved, an act strongly opposed by the Bellflower Network.

The council of the trade city of Kibwe in the Mwangi Expanse banned the slave trade a few years before 4720 AR.

In 4720 AR the abolitionist Deena al-Parishat married Qadiran Satrap Xerbystes II to become shahiyan, spurring speculation that she would inspire him to abolish slavery in the Kelish satrapy.

Following years of rumors that they would do so, the Pactmasters of Katapesh outlawed slavery nationwide in 4722 AR without revealing their rationale. Queen Abrogail Thrune II followed, liberating the slaves of Cheliax and its vassal states in the Emancipation Edict.

Slaver nations

The abolition of slavery in Absalom in 4717 AR decimated the regional market for slaves. Several of the below listed nations might no longer trade slaves.

• Fort Inevitable: Fort Inevitable stands as a stark and somewhat inexplicable blemish in the otherwise fiercely abolitionist River Kingdoms. Here, slavery is the fate of desperate debtors, common criminals, and so-called vagrants.
• Geb: The ravenous undead of Geb keep large numbers of mortals enslaved as feeding stock. In addition, upon death, a free mortal's remains are raised as mindless undead.
• Irrisen: Ruled by Jadwiga, Irrisen keeps its native Ulfen population entrapped in various degrees of slavery. Commoners live the lives of enserfed peasants, while the house servants in Irrisen's cities are openly treated as chattel.
• Jalmeray
• Lands of the Linnorm Kings: The Ulfen traditionally keep thralls, a form of time-limited slavery.
• The Realm of the Mammoth Lords employs a unique form of enslavement for giants.
• Molthune: Slavery here is encouraged but tightly regulated by the government. Slaves with enough understanding of the law have the ability to eventually emancipate themselves and become full citizens.
• Osirion: Once indulged in the slave trade as fervently as Katapesh and Qadira, but after a recent slave revolt, now uses slavery only as a way of punishing certain criminals. The children of slaves no longer inherit their parents' status.
• Qadira: Has an economy heavily dependent on the practice of slavery.
• Rahadoum: The owning of chattel is commonplace in this godless nation on Garund's northern shore.
• Shackles: Pirate slavers often raid the Sodden Lands and the interior of the Mwangi Expanse for slave stock.
• Varisia: The city of Kaer Maga has conflicting attitudes to slavery. Slaves can be bought in Downmarket, and are particularly common in the Ankar-Te district, but in the The Bottoms district enslaving another is a capital offence.
• Taldor: The arena in the capital city of Oppara has daily slave fights.

Former slaver polities

• Absalom: Slavery was a complicated subject in the City at the Center of the World. It was looked down upon in the upper-class neighborhoods despite the law allowing slavery, the Flesh Taxes, being reinstated in 4635 AR. The buying and selling of chattels was always allowed on Misery Row, a street in the Coins neighborhood, and most of the city's slave trade took place there. Slaves were rarely taken in Absalom itself, but were brought in from outside the Isle of Kortos; they were generally criminals or those with excessive debt. During the Fiendflesh Siege of 4717 AR, all slaves willing to fight for the city were granted freedom by Acting Siege Lord Wynsal; slavery was then outlawed by popular decree of the Grand Council in the same year.
• Cheliax and its vassal states: As befitted a nation devoted to the god of tyranny, slavery was heavily promoted by the Chelaxian government, and slaves were drawn particularly from the halfling and cambion races. In 4722 AR, Queen Abrogail Thrune II established the Emancipation Edict, freeing all enslaved people in Cheliax and its vassal states.
• Katapesh: The yellow-sailed ships from the Katapeshi city of Okeno were the most well-known and feared agents of the slave trade on the Inner Sea. In 4722 AR, the Pactmasters of Katapesh outlawed slavery within the city's markets and through the nation.
• Kibwe: Slave-taking had long been illegal, and slave trading was prohibited at some point recent to 4720 AR.

Slavery in southern Garund

• The demon-worshiping Bekyar of coastal southeastern Garund extensively trade slaves they brand according to each slave's origin and abilities.

Slavery in Tian Xia

Slavery is also practiced throughout the continent of Tian Xia. This is especially true in the monstrous nations of Chu Ye, Kaoling, Shenmen, and Wanshou, where humans and other native races are kept as chattel. It is also employed in the lands of Minata, Nagajor, and Shanguang, as well as the underground Darklands of Tian Xia. Slavery is also employed in the cosmopolitan city of Goka, although it is heavily regulated there.

Other slaver cultures

While slavery is common in many human-dominated nations, it is also employed among Golarion's non-human races.

• Dero: The inhabitants of Corgunbier (under the Candlestone Caverns of Andoran) are enthusiastic slavers.
• Drow: The dark elves of Sekamina are known slavers.
• Hobgoblin: These goblinoids take slaves by force whenever possible, treat them with the utmost cruelty, and generally work them to death.
• Hryngar: The grey dwarves are known to be the most prolific slavers of the Darklands realm of Nar-Voth, and the city of Hagegraf (under the northernmost portion of the Five Kings Mountains) is their capital.
• Katapeshi kholo: Kholo in Katapesh preferred that their slaves do the hardest jobs whenever possible.
• Kobold: As they are among the weakest of the humanoid races, kobolds are often taken as slaves by others.
• Ogre: Ogres keep slaves, even of their own kind.
• Stone giant: These giants often espouse a racist ideology based on their size, which naturally leads them to enslave smaller races.
• Syrinx: This race of scholarly owlfolk enslave other races they view as lesser beings—a designation they apply broadly.

Slavery in historical nations

• Slavery was practiced thousands of years ago in the first human empire of Azlant.
• The runelords of ancient Thassilon enslaved the giants of that land to build their cyclopean monuments. Any who proved too independent or difficult were placed in a runeslave cauldron, a magical device that transformed any giant into a mindless drone known as a runeslave.
• The inhabitants of the Lost City of Ird in the Mwangi Expanse were known to have kept massive numbers of slaves.

Slavery on distant worlds

Akiton

• The Free Peoples of the High Plateau of Arl were enslaved long ago by Azlanti visitors and refuse to suffer enslavement from any new thuroks.

Slaver organizations

The Scarlet Triad began engaging in the slave trade after losing its primary financial patron in 4690 AR.

Slaver religions

Although the follower of many gods keep slaves, few deities bother to make the institution part of their permanent bailiwick. Those who do include the dwarven deity of slavery and toil, Droskar, the goblin/barghest deity Hadregash, the orc god Lanishra, the fire giant god Zursvaater, the daemonic harbinger Jacarkas, and of course the Prince of Laws, Asmodeus.

Abolition

The slave trade has long been opposed where it has flourished.

Abolitionist nations

• Andoran: Slavery was abolished in Andoran as one of the terms of the People's Revolt.
• River Kingdoms: Settled largely by refugees fleeing serfdom and prosecution in foreign lands, the nations of the River Kingdoms prohibit slavery as part of their code known as the Six River Freedoms.

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Abolitionist organizations

• Among their other goals, the Eagle Knights of Andoran oppose slavery. Part of their mission of spreading Andoran philosophy includes combating the slave trade, including secretly raising a fleet, the Gray Corsairs, which have been attacking slave ships since 4705 AR.
• Andoren privateers are officially sanctioned in 4709 AR and a division of the Andoren Navy called the Office of Privateering Actions grants letters of marque and tracks the actions of sanctioned privateers.
• The Freemen of The Bottoms district of Kaer Maga actively oppose slavery in the city.
• The Bellflower Network and their tiller agents work in secret to subvert Chelaxian enslavement of halflings.
• Cervaprals are agathions dedicated to championing liberty, and as such fervently oppose all forms of slavery and bondage.
• The Firebrands

Abolitionist religions

• Abadar opposes slavery as a violation of free trade and the value of a creature's life and work
• Brigh opposes the enslavement of sentient constructs
• Calistria opposees slavery as a violation of personal freedom
• Cayden Cailean was an abolitionist raider of slaver ships as a mortal
• Chaldira Zuzaristan opposes slavery as a violation of freedom, and has a strong following among the Bellflower Network
• Grandmother Spider opposes slavery as a violation of self-reliance and freedom
• Iomedae shelters slaves, particularly enslaved women
• Kazutal opposes slavery as a violation of liberty
• Milani opposes slavery as a violation of liberty
• Ragdya opposes slavery as a violation of equality among beings
• Sarenrae opposes slavery as cruelty and corruption, and recently began withdrawing her patronage from those who allow or support slavery

Notable abolitionists

See also: Category:Abolitionists

• Wulessa Yuul, a Pathfinder Society venture-captain who opposed slavery in Katapesh
• Yigrig Moneymaker, a former goblin slave who opposed the slavery of goblins in Katapesh

References

For additional as-yet unincorporated sources about this subject, see the Meta page.