Lore:Slavery

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Slavery was once widespread throughout Tamriel, whether it was the practice of using defeated enemies as slaves or selling your own children to combat hunger, and the Dunmer have raided Black Marsh for slaves for ages. In fact, enslavement of Humans, Orcs, Argonians and Khajiit by Elven was traditionally permitted. The Ayleids, often depicted as brutal slavemasters of whole races, lost their hold on heartland Tamriel after the rebellion in 1E 242, led by Slave Queen Alessia. ^[1] Even the former slave race Imperials pursued slavery, as Tiber Septim's army sold captive Bretons into slavery after the Battle of Sancre Tor. ^[2]

Perhaps influenced by these historic events, slavery is now illegal throughout the Empire, but protected by law in Morrowind. This exception was granted by Tiber Septim in the Armistice of 2E 896 as a concession to the Dunmer, who saw the use of slaves as their ancient right. Recent developments have seen the rise of Abolitionists such as the Twin Lamps, often with support from members of the leading families on Vvardenfell. Nonetheless, slavery is still in very widepread use in the province and the topic provokes strong reactions. ^{[3] [4] [5]}

"We are disappointed that the Imperial Cult does not speak out against the inhumane practices of slavery in Morrowind. But perhaps you are right. It is by demonstrating our superior commitment to civilization and humanity that we best disprove the Dunmer's barbaric insistence that we are no more than animals." -- Im-Kilaya, Head of the Argonian Mission in Ebonheart.

House Dres thrives on mass-abduction of Argonian and Khajiit into slavery, often with the support of local rival warlords, selling their own kind. Dres families work Argonian slaves on large Saltrice plantations on the southeast coast of Morrowind, while others profit from the slave trade itself. They hold thousands in their infamous slave-pens of Tear, to be shipped by smugglers to cave holding pens on the Bitter Coast. The plantations of House Hlaalu nobles make widespread use of slaves as farm labor. House Redoran employs them in a lesser degree, though some of their warriors use slaves like gladiators in ancient Rome, pitting them against beasts for entertainment. House Telvanni uses slaves as servants for housework and as labor in mines. Towns like Molag Mar, Suran and Tel Aruhn have regular Slave Markets. In a shrewd political maneuver, King Helseth, representing his own house of Hlaalu, formed an alliance with House Dres. Subsequently, he renounced the slave trade, setting the remaining Houses of Indoril and Redoran against him in a bloody civil war. Helseth emerged from the war battered, but without the loss of his essential powers, leaving the slave trade generally destroyed, and slavery without a foothold in all of Tamriel, although the practice persists in remote areas away from Mournhold.

[edit] References

1. ↑ According to Shezarr and the Divines "... the Ayleids conquer the humans and enslave them. This slavery lasts for generations. The isolated humans eventually begin to venerate the pantheon of their masters, or at least assimilate so much of High Elven religious practices into their native traditions that the two become indistinguishable. In 1E 242, under the leadership of Alessia, her demigod lover, Morihaus-Breath-of-Kyne, and the infamous Pelinal Whitestrake, the Cyrodilic humans revolt. When Skyrim lends its armies to the Slave-Queen of the South, the revolution succeeds. The Ayleid Hegemonies are quickly overthrown."
2. ↑ Battle of Sancre Tor "The confused and demoralized Nord captives, already suspicious of the scheming High Rock sorcerer aristocracy and their overreaching dreams of Heartlands conquests, deserted the alliance and swore loyalty to Tiber Septim. The Skyrim generals joined their rank and file in Tiber Septim's army; the High Rock battlemage command was summarily executed and the captive Bretons imprisoned or sold into slavery."
3. ↑ According to Brown Book of 3E 426, House Telvanni "The council renews its objection to proposals placed before Duke Dren and the Grand Council concerning slavery and slave trading in Vvardenfell District. The right to own and trade slaves is guaranteed by the terms of the Treaty of the Armistice, and Telvanni Council will not entertain any discussion of abridgements of those rights."
4. ↑ According to The Eastern Provinces "... consider the shame of the Empire's mute acceptance to the unspeakable practice of slavery in Morrowind. Instead of using our Imperial legions to free the wretched Khajiit and Argonian slaves from their Dark Elf masters, we pay our troopers to PROTECT the indefensible institution of slavery. Within the ebony mines of Morrowind, bloated monopolists under Imperial charters exploit slave labor to harvest the outrageous profits assured by rampant graft and corruption."
5. ↑ The difficult position of the Imperial Cult as documented in For My Gods and Emperor: "The Imperial cult especially disapproves of the practice of slavery, and looks forward to the day when slavery is illegal in all Imperial provinces."

[edit] See Also:

• Morrowind article, Slavery.