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Jakuta Khan
Senior Scribe
496 Posts |
 Posted - 21 Jul 2010 : 16:23:39
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Hi everybody,
just curious about what prices the average humanoid slaves could bring in with selling. Human, Orc, Elf, Dwarf, Goblinoid, Gnoll etc.
Anyone have a list or some reference to this topic?
Actually slaving seems to be a very profitable business within the more evil realms, and I would like to bring some light into this dark business.
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Kajehase
Great Reader
Sweden
2104 Posts |
Posted - 21 Jul 2010 : 16:55:03
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| I don't know if there's ever been mentioned a price in any FR-book, but Paizo's Adventurer's Armory has some. |
There is a rumour going around that I have found god. I think is unlikely because I have enough difficulty finding my keys, and there is empirical evidence that they exist.
Terry Pratchett |
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Thauramarth
Senior Scribe
United Kingdom
729 Posts |
Posted - 21 Jul 2010 : 23:45:08
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| Not a Forgotten Realms book per se, but there's a list of slave prices, by skillset (not by race) on p. 91 of the 2E Arabian Adventures book. |
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Alystra Illianniis
Great Reader
USA
3750 Posts |
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Jakuta Khan
Senior Scribe
496 Posts |
Posted - 22 Jul 2010 : 11:42:36
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I also think the issue is quite interesting. 
You always hear how profitable the slavery is, and obviously it made some people / organizations / countries very rich, but there is never any more detailed information about it - as far as I know.
I am really curious if the vast knowledge in this forum can bring some light. |
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Jakuta Khan
Senior Scribe
496 Posts |
Posted - 24 Jul 2010 : 12:26:18
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Lords of Madness stats the following:
Basic formula: (CR X cr) X 100 gp. ( if cr lower than 1, round up )
So, minimum price of a slave is 100 gp.
If the slave has exceptional abilities, price may be multiplied (typically by between 1 and 4).
So, according to thil formula, a kobold slave wouldbe 11 gp; so, an expert lvl 3 human smith would cost 800gp ( multiplied by 2 for skills )to buy, and a com1 wouldbe at 25 gp.
Eventually these pricings are too low, but this could be used as a guideline.
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Zireael
Master of Realmslore
Poland
1190 Posts |
Posted - 24 Jul 2010 : 12:40:58
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quote:
Originally posted by Jakuta Khan
Lords of Madness stats the following:
Basic formula: (CR X cr) X 100 gp. ( if cr lower than 1, round up )
So, minimum price of a slave is 100 gp.
If the slave has exceptional abilities, price may be multiplied (typically by between 1 and 4).
So, according to thil formula, a kobold slave wouldbe 11 gp; so, an expert lvl 3 human smith would cost 800gp ( multiplied by 2 for skills )to buy, and a com1 wouldbe at 25 gp.
Eventually these pricings are too low, but this could be used as a guideline.
Thank you so much. I don't agree that the prices are too low - keep in mind they were designed with cultures where slavery is commonplace (like Mulhorand or Thay). |
SiNafay Vrinn, the daughter of Lloth, from Ched Nasad!
http://zireael07.wordpress.com/ |
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Jakuta Khan
Senior Scribe
496 Posts |
Posted - 24 Jul 2010 : 19:30:34
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I think it is a workable basement here, since it would make understandable how for an economy like thay can achieve the amounts of slaves they have.
If the average slave would cost too much, it wouldbe easier to have workers do the job, and the basic reason for slavery - profit, wouldbe gone.
I think it is much more important, that you have the ressources to feed and to prevent the slaves from running away / rioting. |
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Kentinal
Great Reader
4689 Posts |
Posted - 24 Jul 2010 : 23:37:58
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The problem on pricing slaves has many issues.
1)Type of slavery, is it for life or is it for 6 years.
2) What rights are granted to slaves, if any (Greek slaves of the Romans were allowed to own and keep money, if lucky enough could buy freedom (or even Roman citizenship). There are other types of slavery that a slave did not own the clothes it wore and had not rights at all.
3) The expected value to be received based of production and cost of ensuring production.
a) Age matters
b) Skills matter
c) Cost of enforcement matters.
4) The period of time matters, prices change based on demands and costs associated with owning one.
Therefore, there can never be a set answer to this question that applies to all times and regions. |
"Small beings can have small wisdom," the dragon said. "And small wise beings are better than small fools. Listen: Wisdom is caring for afterwards."
"Caring for afterwards ...? Ker repeated this without understanding.
"After action, afterwards," the dragon said. "Choose the afterwards first, then the action. Fools choose action first."
"Judgement" copyright 2003 by Elizabeth Moon |
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Jakuta Khan
Senior Scribe
496 Posts |
Posted - 09 Aug 2010 : 10:30:30
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Hi again everybody,
a few days off due to the birth of my second son Kianu.. All happy and healthy, and quite relaxed.
Thanks so far for the feedback on my question, was alot of help.
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Wenin
Senior Scribe
585 Posts |
Posted - 09 Aug 2010 : 18:17:13
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I've used this material for my campaign.
http://www.kismetrose.com/dnd/MySlaveCosts.html
It just occurred to me while posting this that my PCs abuse their slaves a bit to much, to the point that they discard them. Perhaps I should greatly increase their prices.
Though looking at the sheet again, I'm thinking I didn't calculate the prices correctly. =) |
Session Reports posted at RPG Geek.
Stem the Tide Takes place in Mistledale.
Dark Curtains - Takes place in the Savage North, starting in Nesmé. I wrapped my campaign into the Hoard of the Dragon Queen, but it takes place in 1372 DR. |
Edited by - Wenin on 09 Aug 2010 18:19:38 |
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Jakuta Khan
Senior Scribe
496 Posts |
Posted - 31 Mar 2011 : 13:25:33
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I have today found a table in the "Kingdoms of Kalamar" Players Guide
a good table for slave values.
taking every possible variable into the pricing.
age, race, profession, class....... |
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Icelander
Master of Realmslore
1864 Posts |
Posted - 17 Nov 2011 : 21:30:09
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Going by usual rules for ROI, a slave ought to be worth approximately what a person with his skills would earn as salary over five years, minus what it costs to keep him for that time. Mind you, in 'salary', you count all income, whether in kind or money, so a farmer who might never see a coin still has a fairly decent income in foodstuffs and suchlike.
An unskilled labourer, unless there was some unusual demand for his kind, would therefore cost somewhere around 70-100 gp. Sought-after skills would quickly raise the price. |
Za uspiekh nashevo beznadiozhnovo diela!
Forgotten Realms fans, please sign a petition to re-release the FR Interactive Atlas
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Dalor Darden
Great Reader
USA
4211 Posts |
Posted - 22 Oct 2013 : 04:17:22
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Both Melvaunt and Zhentil Keep traffic in slaves...so I'm seriously in need of how their economy benefits from this. I have often wondered just how much they sell them for...and also where they get most of them!
The Moonsea isn't exactly teeming with an overabundance of suitable slave stock. I could understand that prisoners might be sold as slaves...but most societies will ransom soldiers (even evil societies would want their valuable members to be available for ransom).
What do you guys think about the slave trade of the Moonsea? |
The Old Grey Box and AD&D for me! |
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Lord Bane
Senior Scribe
Germany
479 Posts |
Posted - 22 Oct 2013 : 12:09:40
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| I could see humanoids ending up as slaves from the Thar or barbarians from the Ride along with criminals, elves of Cormanthor, dalesfolk, bedine from the anauroch, maybe some vaasan unlucky ones or people from other city states even including enemy combatants (i don´t see them willingly return enemy soldiers so they can fight against them again)for geographical matters. Aside that, i would assume that they can traffic slaves from any other region in rarer cases from Chult and the Shaar to the old empires and Zhakara (if extremely lucky for a slave trader maybe even Maztica) and from the Sword Coast to the Shou. It all depends on how well connected the slave trade is and how strong the supplies can keep their wares together from outside influences on their way to the Moonsea for business. |
The driving force in the multiverse is evil, for it forces good to act. |
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sleyvas
Skilled Spell Strategist
USA
11830 Posts |
Posted - 22 Oct 2013 : 14:28:19
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| In addition to the humanoids from the Thar, I'd throw in that there are multiple small islands throughout the inner sea. The pirates of the inner sea may periodically raid small settlements (or trade with such settlements) for humanoids to use as slaves. Of course, a lot of these would be sold in Thay. I'd also imagine that the hobgoblins near Impiltur may be periodically raided for slaves by folk of Calaunt. |
Alavairthae, may your skill prevail
Phillip aka Sleyvas |
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Jakuta Khan
Senior Scribe
496 Posts |
Posted - 22 Oct 2013 : 18:45:32
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For example in thar there are caravans to glister and the mining camps regularly raided by orcs and ogres. This alone produces a flow of slaves.
For hmanoid ones i would say that the tribes catch them in their clashes etc. And if someone is fast enoughhe can buy some of hem before they end up in stewpots.
I thnk this pretty much the same for all tribal regions. Alao helps them preventing incest ;) |
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sleyvas
Skilled Spell Strategist
USA
11830 Posts |
Posted - 22 Oct 2013 : 18:59:16
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| You know, as I read through this.... is it any wonder that orcs, goblinoids, ogres, kobolds, tasloi, etc... don't like humans |
Alavairthae, may your skill prevail
Phillip aka Sleyvas |
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Jakuta Khan
Senior Scribe
496 Posts |
Posted - 22 Oct 2013 : 19:23:18
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| Well. I do not think so. Most of the races have been there much longer than the "civilized" races. But they just lack the unity of the humans. |
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Jakuta Khan
Senior Scribe
496 Posts |
Posted - 22 Oct 2013 : 19:24:07
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For example in thar there are caravans to glister and the mining camps regularly raided by orcs and ogres. This alone produces a flow of slaves.
For hmanoid ones i would say that the tribes catch them in their clashes etc. And if someone is fast enoughhe can buy some of hem before they end up in stewpots.
I thnk this pretty much the same for all tribal regions. Alao helps them preventing incest ;) |
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MisterX
Learned Scribe
Germany
118 Posts |
Posted - 25 Oct 2013 : 10:51:08
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| Jakuta Khan already found the table within "Kingdoms of Kalamar". Another will be found within the Mongoose Drow Publications. |
I've lost track of recent realmslore, since my campaigns are still in the 1370ies. :-)
---
When talking about rules (and related stuff) I always refer to 3.5e unless explicitly noted. |
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Jakuta Khan
Senior Scribe
496 Posts |
Posted - 25 Oct 2013 : 13:56:00
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| I thnk Dalor ment much kore to get to know whi the movers and shakers in the slave trade in the moonsea area sre and the flow of traded slaves. |
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Dalor Darden
Great Reader
USA
4211 Posts |
Posted - 25 Oct 2013 : 14:12:16
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| Primarily I am indeed looking for the flow and how that has an effect on the area both in population figures and overall economy. |
The Old Grey Box and AD&D for me! |
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Jakuta Khan
Senior Scribe
496 Posts |
Posted - 25 Oct 2013 : 14:28:05
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| @dalor: wow, good morning ;) |
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Dalor Darden
Great Reader
USA
4211 Posts |
Posted - 25 Oct 2013 : 17:29:59
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| I am up every weekday at five in the morning...tis the season of overtime! :-) |
The Old Grey Box and AD&D for me! |
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Jakuta Khan
Senior Scribe
496 Posts |
Posted - 25 Oct 2013 : 18:02:06
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Well i do the same, almost. But for me it is a mixture between job and my kids ;)
Back on topic:
I think there is a steady flow from zhentil keep into the underdark to the drow and also a flow from the drow if the deep caves to zhentil keep for subterranian races. I think it was even mentioned in some books. Drow trade goblinoid, orc, sswirfneblin, duergar etc races to the zhent slavers and the ship rhem to thay and other places.
In return the drow receive surface race slaves feom the zhentarim slavers.
I can also imagine mulmaster and eventually even sembian traders being engaged in slave teade, shipping them as far south as calimshan and orher realms where slavery is allowed. |
Edited by - Jakuta Khan on 25 Oct 2013 18:20:26 |
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Kusghuul
Acolyte
Norway
33 Posts |
Posted - 05 Nov 2013 : 15:30:11
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| I've been reworking the monetary system for another project, and in ancient times slaves would sell for about 50-2150 grams of silver (there's from 3-5 grams of precious metal per coin, but potentially zero if fiat), with scribes being the most valued slaves. Granted, this doesn't translate well to the Forgotten Realms as precious metals aren't worth much. |
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Slave values
