A good slave race?

[Jay_Willynogs]

Hello all,

I have a simple question I would appreciate some help finding a satisfying answer to. To sum it up in few words, I'm making a sort of adventure academy for a high-fantasy themed game that trains members of all classes. I'd like to use a monstrous race that serves the school as a slave race by doing all manual labor to support the affluent university. (Think of the elves from Harry Potter)

I've looked at some races I'm thinking about using, but I'd like the insight of you forum-goers.

[Slipperychicken]

I'd want to narrow our choices down first. What races and species aren't potential candidates for being the slave race?

[MaxWilson]

Hello all,

I have a simple question I would appreciate some help finding a satisfying answer to. To sum it up in few words, I'm making a sort of adventure academy for a high-fantasy themed game that trains members of all classes. I'd like to use a monstrous race that serves the school as a slave race by doing all manual labor to support the affluent university. (Think of the elves from Harry Potter)

I've looked at some races I'm thinking about using, but I'd like the insight of you forum-goers.

Shoggoths.

[pwykersotz]

I think Myconids are a solid option.

First, they're lawful neutral. Non-evil and non-chaotic are both great to have in a slave race.
Second, they're low CR, which is a great insurance policy.
Third, they have a critical weakness to the sun. This encourages a synergistic relationship with the dominant race, making them willing to stay "in their place" in order to further their own goals.
Fourth, unlike constructs or undead, they have actual sentience and the imagination and capability to deal with the unexpected. Dangerous if not for the previous two conditions, but they make much more convenient slaves if they can adapt and improvise.

I feel a bit sick now, having thought of this. :smallyuk:

[Gastronomie]

Beholders Honestly, the Slytherin-ish house of that academy should make good use of Skeletons for simple labor (if such house actually exists). They don't need food or sleep, never complain about overworking, and need just a necromancer that keeps them in check. Since it's a magical academy there should be some people capable of that, if it's not banned as an art.

You could have slaves, but alternatively, maybe something like Shield Guardian, except smaller and easier to make in their dozens - if the players start saying stuff like "MY PALADIN FEELS SORRY FOR THE SLAVES".

Because honestly, I don't think most paladins would say yes to slavery, and this academy is supposed to train all classes.

But wait, is a Barbarian trained in a Barbarian academy even classified a Barbarian? I dunno...but that's just me.

[Regitnui]

I think Myconids are a solid option.

Never would've thought of them. It could actually be a symbiotic relationship; the Myconids serve the Academy, and the Academy secures their underground territory and provides sustenance, Not even the Paladin can complain about a mutually beneficial relationship.

Moving on though, my first thought were Modrons. They are quite literally designed for that sort of thing, though it'd be difficult to get any greater modron to agree to assisting the Chaotic; bards and rogues, for example.

Just a quick list from the MM contents;
Golems
Animated Armour
Elementals (in their places; Water elementals clean, earth elementals repair the building, etc.)
Gnolls
Goblins
Kobolds
Mindless Undead (Skeleton or Mummy most likely)
Shield Guardians

Excluding the 'Misc animals' section.

[Wymmerdann]

The go-to question would have to be: Why Not Necromancy?

Heck you could even offer scholarships to poor students if they sign over the rights to their corpse. Does your Paladin support systematic economic poverty? How Bourgeois.

[PoeticDwarf]

I think Myconids are a solid option.

First, they're lawful neutral. Non-evil and non-chaotic are both great to have in a slave race.
Second, they're low CR, which is a great insurance policy.
Third, they have a critical weakness to the sun. This encourages a synergistic relationship with the dominant race, making them willing to stay "in their place" in order to further their own goals.
Fourth, unlike constructs or undead, they have actual sentience and the imagination and capability to deal with the unexpected. Dangerous if not for the previous two conditions, but they make much more convenient slaves if they can adapt and improvise.

I feel a bit sick now, having thought of this. :smallyuk:
This. Fantastic idea

[JackPhoenix]

The problem with myconids is their alien mindset, general laziness, possibility to start zombie (well, spore servant) apocalypse and the fungal smell everywhere. And having easy source of hallucinogens around students is not a good idea.

Skeletons are good (better then zombies) if you have a necromancer to control them.

Best race would be warforged, though...constructs, so no concerns with food, sleep or getting old, human sized so you don't need special tools, intelligent (unlike most constructs) so they can handle more complex tasks and made for serving humans (originally as soldies, but an unarmored (or even decorated) version would make good servants)...also, much cheaper then golems or shield guardians. They also remove the need for morally questionable acts like raising undead or enslaving sentient beings (sort of...it's still slavery, but they are just fulfilling their purpose...and you can always pay them, likely lot less then living servants who needs to buy food, clothes or whatever)

[Mara]

Flumps .

[kraftcheese]

The problem with myconids is their alien mindset, general laziness, possibility to start zombie (well, spore servant) apocalypse and the fungal smell everywhere. And having easy source of hallucinogens around students is not a good idea.

Skeletons are good (better then zombies) if you have a necromancer to control them.

Best race would be warforged, though...constructs, so no concerns with food, sleep or getting old, human sized so you don't need special tools, intelligent (unlike most constructs) so they can handle more complex tasks and made for serving humans (originally as soldies, but an unarmored (or even decorated) version would make good servants)...also, much cheaper then golems or shield guardians. They also remove the need for morally questionable acts like raising undead or enslaving sentient beings (sort of...it's still slavery, but they are just fulfilling their purpose...and you can always pay them, likely lot less then living servants who needs to buy food, clothes or whatever)

I feel like they would work as *servants*, but it'd be pretty horrible to have them as slaves considering they're sentient; is the OP looking to have a fomenting slave rebellion?

[Gastronomie]

I feel like they would work as *servants*, but it'd be pretty horrible to have them as slaves considering they're sentient; is the OP looking to have a fomenting slave rebellion?

What about slaves as in Ancient Roman slaves? They're more like "physical workers who don't get paid money, but instead live together with aristocrat-ish people and enjoy good food and nice shelter". They don't get abused, they don't have to go to war (that's the aristocrats' job), and their lifestyle was pretty nice.

If the "slaves" here are like this, I suppose they'd be perfectly fine with it.

...Really, *takes a look at the dark ages* why did the Roman Empire have to collapse?

[Daishain]

Kobolds already serve that role in many respects. Their lives and religion are based around serving others. Heck, the poor buggers don't get an afterlife. The reward for a lifetime of hard work is for their soul to get stuffed back into an egg to start all over again. They even have the small and weird looking bit down if you really want the comparison to HP house elves.

Now, the masters of kobold tribes tend to be dragons, but it is common enough for them to willingly serve a sorcerous bloodline with a strong connection to such, or for a tribe to be coerced into serving a stronger group by magic or force.


What about slaves as in Ancient Roman slaves? They're more like "physical workers who don't get paid money, but instead live together with aristocrat-ish people and enjoy good food and nice shelter". They don't get abused, they don't have to go to war (that's the aristocrats' job), and their lifestyle was pretty nice.

If the "slaves" here are like this, I suppose they'd be perfectly fine with it.

...Really, *takes a look at the dark ages* why did the Roman Empire have to collapse?The lifestyle you describe was relatively common, but not ubiquitous, most roman slaves had plenty of reason to regret their station. In any case, the empire was stagnant and corrupt. Its demise was inevitable, though wise leaders could and should have been able to prevent things from going so badly for so long.

[Gastronomie]

The lifestyle you describe was relatively common, but not ubiquitous, most roman slaves had plenty of reason to regret their station. In any case, the empire was stagnant and corrupt. Its demise was inevitable, though wise leaders could and should have been able to prevent things from going so badly for so long.

BUT THAT'S NOT WHAT MY HISTORY TEACHER TOLD ME

Well I see (thanks), but even if the actual Roman slaves were actually myeh, I think it's perfectly fine to have the so-called "slaves" in this setting be like the "ideal slaves" which I babbled about in the last post. Because it's fantasy.

[Petrocorus]

BUT THAT'S NOT WHAT MY HISTORY TEACHER TOLD ME

Well I see (thanks), but even if the actual Roman slaves were actually myeh, I think it's perfectly fine to have the so-called "slaves" in this setting be like the "ideal slaves" which I babbled about in the last post. Because it's fantasy.

This may have been the condition of "house" slave of patrician families. At least the trusted ones managing things. Some of them indeed had a nice lifestyle and a better situation than many free men. That may not have been the condition of the lower house slaves just there to clean stuff, and probably not the condition of farm slave or labourers whose job was nothing but hard work. And you may also take account of the gladiators who did not chose a life of fighting to death for entertaining other.

[JackPhoenix]

This may have been the condition of "house" slave of patrician families. At least the trusted ones managing things. Some of them indeed had a nice lifestyle and a better situation than many free men. That may not have been the condition of the lower house slaves just there to clean stuff, and probably not the condition of farm slave or labourers whose job was nothing but hard work. And you may also take account of the gladiators who did not chose a life of fighting to death for entertaining other.

Gladiator fights to the death weren't as common as would many movies lead you to believe. It was about show...and to make a good show, you needed a trained, skilled gladiator. Training one needed time, and they weren't cheap...it would be stupid just killing them after all that effort. Think today's hockey stars, except unpaid. And many gladiators weren't even slaves.

[Temperjoke]

I wonder if we're getting too caught up in the term "slave". The house elves in Hogwarts weren't slaves, per se. Their nature made them into willing servants, but there is no indication that they were mistreated there. Yes, house elves were often treated horribly in private households, but probably less so in public facilities. So what if an arrangement was made with a lawful race to caretake in exchange for room, board, and protection? Then you could theoretically use any magical race that would be willing to make such a deal. On the other hand, if this was an evil school, then it would make sense for them to have undead.

Another idea could be to have a permanent enchantment over the school grounds that sustains an army of Unseen Servants, each individually given a specific task to perform. That way you have one supervisor for an area, such as the groundskeeper, the head chef, etc., and you wouldn't need an army of necromancers running around maintaining an army of skeletons that could go out of control and murder all your students.

Unless you're an evil school, and enjoy presenting your students with life and death situations on a regular basis.

[pwykersotz]

Unless you're an evil school, and enjoy presenting your students with life and death situations on a regular basis.

Sooo...Hogwarts then? :smallwink:

[Petrocorus]

Gladiator fights to the death weren't as common as would many movies lead you to believe. It was about show...and to make a good show, you needed a trained, skilled gladiator. Training one needed time, and they weren't cheap...it would be stupid just killing them after all that effort. Think today's hockey stars, except unpaid. And many gladiators weren't even slaves.

All of this is true. But indeed some, not many, fights were death fights. And some, not all, of the gladiators dying in the arena were slaves.

[Temperjoke]

Sooo...Hogwarts then? :smallwink:

Hogwarts probably would have been the safest school in the world, if it weren't for Harry Potter enrolling there. But that's a discussion for a different forum.

[MaxWilson]

Hogwarts probably would have been the safest school in the world, if it weren't for Harry Potter enrolling there. But that's a discussion for a different forum.

Quidditch sounds safe to you? :-P

[Whyrocknodie]

I would use some sort of rodent-person. Mouse or rat-like, scurrying around twitching their noses and trying to stay out of the way.

Considered vermin by the authorities, the academy has special permission to use them as slave labour - escape would lead to a life of constantly hiding from the common folk on pain of death (and possibly a silver piece reward for a ratling tail).

They should be intelligent but with a limited ability to vocalise words in the common tongue, and feign ignorance and stupidity as often as possible to avoid trouble from their overlords.

Male sure they're clean, big-eyed and squeaky characters who the audience feels sympathy for. And then treat them very badly to inspire righteous indignation in the players.

[Lvl 2 Expert]

Trolls.

If your characters do not become instantly nervous, start dropping subtle hints about an uprising that will never come, and watch them stock up on fire and acid damage.

[Gastronomie]

Quidditch sounds safe to you? :-P

Quidditch isn't only dangerous, it's also a terrible sport in how only one person on each team actually matters at all.

And the magical world in Harry Potter is full of ******s, basically.

But yes, that's a discussion for a different forum.

[M Placeholder]

How about breeding your own?

[Naanomi]

For a magic feel, maybe elementals? Different types for different jobs, Gensai 'second class citizen' middlemen? Obnoxious mephitis doing messenger and bureaucracy jobs?

[JoeJ]

The best slaves are obvious humans. After they get too weak to work any more, they have such tasty brains.

[TripleD]

Mind Flayer.

No seriously. Have a Mind Flayer custodian who fits the "kindly old all-knowing custodian" trope use their telekinetic powers to act as a one being cleaning crew, along with a group of thralls to take of some of the tasks that absolutely require an extra set of hands.

Where do the thralls come from? They're students. "Maintenance duty" is mandatory for all pupils and, rather than waste time training them to do a job which they will probably screw up so badly that he'll just have to do it for them, he just zonks them out for a few hours a week and then releases them when they are finished.

As to why on earth a Mind Flayer would be working as a janitor? I thinks it's best to never really answer the question, with maybe the occasional reference to a bizzare chain of events.

[Sigreid]

I think animated armor and helmet horrors would work lovely

[kraftcheese]

BUT THAT'S NOT WHAT MY HISTORY TEACHER TOLD ME

Well I see (thanks), but even if the actual Roman slaves were actually myeh, I think it's perfectly fine to have the so-called "slaves" in this setting be like the "ideal slaves" which I babbled about in the last post. Because it's fantasy.

Oh, by all means the OP should put the slave race in there; all I'm saying is that exploiting a group of sentient creatures' labor is (in my view) morally wrong, and I'd consider it kind of morally reprehensible, even if it is "hardwired" into every single one of them to want to be slaves (I also find that idea kind of distasteful, but each to their own).

But yeah, I guess wizards drag demons and archons and elementals from their homes against their will to fight for them, conduct manipulation through illusions and mind control and vaporise people on the daily so slavery of a race of creatures isn't too far from the modus operandi haha

[Plus1Sword]

Umber Hulks make good slaves, though you might find yourself in a neogi academy.

[JoeJ]

Try something cute. It's not immoral to enslave creatures, and even to keep them locked up in little magic spheres and only let them out to fight each other, as long as they're cute.

[Daishain]

Umber Hulks make good slaves, though you might find yourself in a neogi academy.
I would think that their tendency to screw with the minds of everyone that looks at them would be problematic. Also their limbs might make them decent mine workers, but serving dinner and other delicate tasks would be a bit of an issue

[Daishain]

Oh, by all means the OP should put the slave race in there; all I'm saying is that exploiting a group of sentient creatures' labor is (in my view) morally wrong, and I'd consider it kind of morally reprehensible, even if it is "hardwired" into every single one of them to want to be slaves (I also find that idea kind of distasteful, but each to their own).

But yeah, I guess wizards drag demons and archons and elementals from their homes against their will to fight for them, conduct manipulation through illusions and mind control and vaporise people on the daily so slavery of a race of creatures isn't too far from the modus operandi haha
Sapient is the word you're looking for. Its a common mixup, scifi media gets it wrong all the time. Technically speaking, the word sentient simply refers to the ability to feel subjective emotions and/or sensations, something that nearly every macroscopic creature can claim to at least some degree. Where people get confused is the term was once used during arguments over whether or not animals could actually feel things like pain (an absurd claim). A lack of sentience in such cases would make abuse and suffering of animals meaningless and thus perfectly acceptable.

In any case, I doubt you will find many people here who would disagree with your views on forced labor. But generally speaking, we aren't creating worlds that comply with our personal moral codes.

[Kane0]

Chuul. Just replace their claws with hands or something.

Bonus points for making them small.

[JackPhoenix]

But yeah, I guess wizards drag demons and archons and elementals from their homes against their will to fight for them, conduct manipulation through illusions and mind control and vaporise people on the daily so slavery of a race of creatures isn't too far from the modus operandi haha

For some reason, I now imagine the wizard summoning a wet, very angry demon covered in soap bubbles and holding a rubber duck...

[Regitnui]

For some reason, I now imagine the wizard summoning a wet, very angry demon covered in soap bubbles and holding a rubber duck...

One of the OotS Dragon comics made a similar joke. Except it involved celestials.

[DizzyWood]

Mind Flayer.

No seriously. Have a Mind Flayer custodian who fits the "kindly old all-knowing custodian" trope use their telekinetic powers to act as a one being cleaning crew, along with a group of thralls to take of some of the tasks that absolutely require an extra set of hands.

Where do the thralls come from? They're students. "Maintenance duty" is mandatory for all pupils and, rather than waste time training them to do a job which they will probably screw up so badly that he'll just have to do it for them, he just zonks them out for a few hours a week and then releases them when they are finished.

As to why on earth a Mind Flayer would be working as a janitor? I thinks it's best to never really answer the question, with maybe the occasional reference to a bizzare chain of events.

There is so much here to love.

[Cybren]

Since people seem to want to to avoid the moral implications of slavery, why not make the school itself intelligent. It maintains itself, protects students, and helps new students acclimate to the environment. You can play up a mystery angle, maybe no one knows why it is this way, or only the [specific people] do. You also gain a cool tool to use at some point to demonstrate a threat when the schools defenses are bypassed.

[Telonius]

Sharakim. They'd even have a similar outlook to the Potterverse house elves: practically congenital inferiority complex, typically "servant" personality, seen as dumb but smarter than most give them credit for, plus all the moral wrangling over freedom and worthiness.

[Regitnui]

Sharakim. They'd even have a similar outlook to the Potterverse house elves: practically congenital inferiority complex, typically "servant" personality, seen as dumb but smarter than most give them credit for, plus all the moral wrangling over freedom and worthiness.

I like to think that "Sharakim" is what orcs call their civilization or their society while orcs are what everyone else calls them. Sorta like vikings/Norsemen. The Sharakim stay home and farm/send diplomats while the orcs come screaming down from the hills killing and raiding.

[Drackolus]

Kobolds! They are adorable, too. And, I mean, it's better to put them to use in productive society and feed them than it is to pay some mercinaries who call themselves adventurers to go down into their homes and murder their families, right?

[Petrocorus]

For some reason, I now imagine the wizard summoning a wet, very angry demon covered in soap bubbles and holding a rubber duck...

It's a running joke in a French comic with a demon character always summoned while having diner with his wife and neighbours or gardening, or this kind of menial stuff.


One of the OotS Dragon comics made a similar joke. Except it involved celestials.

OotS Dragon comics?

[Belac93]

I would say Kobolds, Warforged, or skeletons. Animated armor could work as well.

What about a squad of crawling claws with gauntlets and a permanent fly spell cast on them? If nobody knows they are actually severed hands, it could add a dark element to your campaign.

[JumboWheat01]

Half-orcs.

Strong, durable, intelligent enough. While maybe not 100% true these days, half-orcs are known for coming from... less than savory unions of there monstrous parents and normal humans to have a great degree of prejudice against there existence already, so others would be less sympathetic with them. There more monstrous appearance certainly doesn't win them any favors either.

Racism is never pretty, after all. You csn even give them a late campaign plot hook about a good ol' fashioned slave uprising and see where your players lie there, with the school or the repressed.

[RickAllison]

Half-orcs.

Strong, durable, intelligent enough. While maybe not 100% true these days, half-orcs are known for coming from... less than savory unions of there monstrous parents and normal humans to have a great degree of prejudice against there existence already, so others would be less sympathetic with them. There more monstrous appearance certainly doesn't win them any favors either.

Racism is never pretty, after all. You csn even give them a late campaign plot hook about a good ol' fashioned slave uprising and see where your players lie there, with the school or the repressed.

If I was in that campaign, I would probably end up going Half-Orc Paladin or Bard. Lead the revolution!!!

[JumboWheat01]

If I was in that campaign, I would probably end up going Half-Orc Paladin or Bard. Lead the revolution!!!

The half-orc skald, infiltrating the school with deception and illusions to hide what he is. Acting the model student, no one expects him to do anything against the school. But with every half-orc slave he meets, he drops a little of his bardic inspiration here, a little there. And when the time is right, he reveals his true intentions and strikes!

...That sounds awesome.

[RickAllison]

The half-orc skald, infiltrating the school with deception and illusions to hide what he is. Acting the model student, no one expects him to do anything against the school. But with every half-orc slave he meets, he drops a little of his bardic inspiration here, a little there. And when the time is right, he reveals his true intentions and strikes!

...That sounds awesome.

Indeed it does. Even better if it gets the entire party divided and picking sides! Which side are the neutrals going to pick :smallbiggrin:?

[Sigreid]

Indeed it does. Even better if it gets the entire party divided and picking sides! Which side are the neutrals going to pick :smallbiggrin:?

CN sides with the orcs, LN sides with the wizards, TN makes popcorn and watches.

[RickAllison]

CN sides with the orcs, LN sides with the wizards, TN makes popcorn and watches.

I'm more interested in NG and NE! Potentially lots of looting, murder, and the rest for the evils to pick up the revolutionaries, but its arguably more evil to keep a sapient species under the thumb of slavery. Do the Neutral Goods side with the security of the status quo while condemning the half-orcs to hell, or do they side with the violent revolutionaries? I am really liking this idea!

[Sigreid]

I'm more interested in NG and NE! Potentially lots of looting, murder, and the rest for the evils to pick up the revolutionaries, but its arguably more evil to keep a sapient species under the thumb of slavery. Do the Neutral Goods side with the security of the status quo while condemning the half-orcs to hell, or do they side with the violent revolutionaries? I am really liking this idea!

NG probably the half orcs. NE, accept mercenary contracts from both sides, see to the extermination of both, loot the school, steal the TN's popcorn.

[JumboWheat01]

TN makes popcorn and watches.

Unless this TN happens to be an old-school TN, who would side with the half-orcs at first (they are the "weaker" party,) then when they have the upper hand, switch sides and side with the school.

...I'm so glad that little alignment quirk doesn't come into play these days.

[RickAllison]

Unless this TN happens to be an old-school TN, who would side with the half-orcs at first (they are the "weaker" party,) then when they have the upper hand, switch sides and side with the school.

...I'm so glad that little alignment quirk doesn't come into play these days.

Yeah, that never really made sense to me. To me, TN meant that they were the ultimate mediators. They didn't have any prejudices toward good, evil, law, or chaos, and so they were able to impartially weigh and measure any given situation to decide what is the net best course of action. Of course, "best" is highly subjective and usually tied directly back to personal motivations (or that of a patron/deity/nature itself).

[Regitnui]

OotS Dragon comics?

Back in the Ancient Days™ when the internet was military and video games were text and beeps, there was a physical magazine published for Dungeons & Dragons. It was called Dragon. It had gaming features, Lore articles and even new races ans classes. Most importantly, it had comics. For a brief time back when 3.5 was king, the Order of the Stick got published there too. The comics were collected in Snips, Scales and Dragon Tales.