Decree: On slavery

[andelarion]

It has come to my attention that people in this glorious province of the world has, since the days of Ardashir the Tyrant, lived in slavery, thraldom and indentured servitude. This is evil and wrong.

When Elwynn was part of the Hurmu barony, the Brida was introduced to Elwynn. The Brida stipulated that all children of Ash and of Elm are equal.

Certain families, often of Ardashirian origin, disregarded the Brida and law of life. They must be punished.

It is hereby declared and enacted that:

No person nor animal may be held in thraldom, slavery or indentured servitude. No living animal nor person may be owned, sold or bought. There may be no trade with humans or animals.

All persons who have been in thraldom are entitled to compensation from their former masters amounting to freedom and 10 Shirerithian erbs for each hour of work, and 100 Shirerithian erbs for each day in thraldom.

Those who have disregarded the Brida and the law of life will be punished to pay, for each animal or person ever owned, 10 000 Shirerithian erbs to the ducal government. The money will be used to put uneducated former slaves in education and projects to enhance their wellfare.

Let it be so.

[/SIGN]

RICHARD VALI ANDELARION,
Duke of Elwynn, Count of Eliria and Utasia

[Scott of Hyperborea]

Shirerithian credit?
ERB!

[andelarion]

O yes! Sorry! *edits*

[Aurangzeb Khan]

This is completely unacceptable! By the blood of the martyrs this land was purchased for Ardashirians and the Babkhan way of life forever more. Those who fought in the way of Zurvan and led the resistance against the Elfinshi and the heretic William, known as Bill, died for this land and died victorious for with their blood the martyrs redeemed the soil. Lo the Ardashirians were oppressed and despised, persecuted for their faith and for the colour of their skin, persecuted on account of their cousins the Babkhans who passed beyond the gates into parts unknown to us. So at length we fought, against the Elfinishi, against the Hyperboreans and their paladins, against the rebels of Brookshire and against the Antican mercenaries who were in the employ of William the Accursed. By Zurvan's inmeasurable grace it was ordained that the oppressed were set free to inherit the earth and the oppressors languished under the tyranny that was the fruit of their wickedness. You will see that our Bandakas, who might more rightly be compared to serfs than slaves, have at length come to accept their war guilt from generations past and work still to expunge the shame of the infamy which derived collaboration with the Elfinshi. The bandakas are reconciled to their fate indeed they do derive a good deal of inner peace from knowing their place in life. Were you to set them free they would be indignant at the sudden loss of the sense of purpose which their lives had hitherto had. Furthermore were you to give them this compensation their very souls would be indanger of the corruption from which generations of toil even now had only precariously liberated them. Were they to be suddenly affluent they might easily fall prey to the darkness that claimed their ancestors in ages past.

Of course it goes without saying that the imposition of such exhorbitant fines on hard working and honest Ardashirian families merely on account of them continuing long cherished customs and traditions of ancient and venerable heritage is extremely distressing and likely to be fiercely oppossed.

[Gman Russell]

Yardistan didn't even get a passing mention?!? What the **** mate? We have a blood fued going on and I don't get any credit? damnit!

[andelarion]

Hmm.... Your passionate speech, dear Khan, has made me see things in a different light. Is it possible for us to reach a compromise? Say, you're allowed to keep cows, oxen and camels in servitude?

[Aurangzeb Khan]

Hmm.... Your passionate speech, dear Khan, has made me see things in a different light. Is it possible for us to reach a compromise? Say, you're allowed to keep cows, oxen and camels in servitude?

My dear Andelarion I am so pleased that Zurvan in his wisdom and boundless mercy has granted you the gift of prudence and the spirit of compromise.

Here then is my proposal for a compromise:

1. That beasts of burden of all descriptions shall remain in our ownership to dispose of as we see fit in accordance with our law, including the consumption of their flesh and the making of flame offerings with their remains.

2. Those of our beloved retainers who request the ceremony of manumittere in recognition of their sinful nature and a final admission of their debased nature shall be granted their 'freedom' but they shall not be debased with unearned funds from the public purse.

3. Those stout Bandakas of continued and unswerving loyalty who choose without coercion to remain with us in faithful submission to their God given masters and in recognition of the natural order of all things, they shall recieve our love and be permitted to live as they have always done working in contentment on our behalf.

4. No Ardashirian family shall be fined for continuing the ancient customs of the good religion in keeping Bandakas.

[Aurangzeb Khan]

Yardistan didn't even get a passing mention?!? What the **** mate? We have a blood fued going on and I don't get any credit? damnit!

Ah my dear friend and bitter enemy, we have not forgotten our ancient enemies who currently reside in Yardistan. But I must confess it is on account of the fact that we did not so much fight you as massacre you on a semi-regular basis that you were ommitted from the roll of honour summarising our enemies. The plain fact is that so many of you who lived beyond the sea on those islands were gassed back in the day when the flying islands of Jasonia fell briefly under our power that hardly any Yardistanis found their way into our Bandaka populations, hence the oversight, and for that we apologise. Should the opportunity present itself we will rectify the error.

[andelarion]

Hmm.... Your passionate speech, dear Khan, has made me see things in a different light. Is it possible for us to reach a compromise? Say, you're allowed to keep cows, oxen and camels in servitude?

My dear Andelarion I am so pleased that Zurvan in his wisdom and boundless mercy has granted you the gift of prudence and the spirit of compromise.

Here then is my proposal for a compromise:

1. That beasts of burden of all descriptions shall remain in our ownership to dispose of as we see fit in accordance with our law, including the consumption of their flesh and the making of flame offerings with their remains.

2. Those of our beloved retainers who request the ceremony of manumittere in recognition of their sinful nature and a final admission of their debased nature shall be granted their 'freedom' but they shall not be debased with unearned funds from the public purse.

3. Those stout Bandakas of continued and unswerving loyalty who choose without coercion to remain with us in faithful submission to their God given masters and in recognition of the natural order of all things, they shall recieve our love and be permitted to live as they have always done working in contentment on our behalf.

4. No Ardashirian family shall be fined for continuing the ancient customs of the good religion in keeping Bandakas.

My dear Khan,

Were you to set up a barony for the Ardashirian population, you will be free to govern that territory with your own laws and customs. Our mutual friend from the Treesian lands has returned to Elwynn. I have granted him the county of Holwinn, adjacent to Lesser Zjandaria. If both your counties join together, I will have no objection for you to follow your traditions (within reasonable limits of course).

[Gman Russell]

You're still following the New Fuedalism style even though you don't have to? Huh. Kooky.

[Harald of Froyalan]

It has come to my attention that people in this glorious pre world has, since the days of Ardashir the Tyrant, lived in slavery, thraldom and indentured servitude. This is evil and wrong.

When Elwynn was part of the Hurmu barony, the Brida was introduced to Elwynn. The Brida stipulated that all children of Ash and of Elm are equal.

Certain families, often of Ardashirian origin, disregarded the Brida and law of life. They must be punished.

It is hereby declared and enacted that:

No person nor animal may be held in thraldom, slavery or indentured servitude. No living animal nor person may be owned, sold or bought. There may be no trade with humans or animals.

All persons who have been in thraldom are entitled to compensation from their former masters amounting to freedom and 10 Shirerithian erbs for each hour of work, and 100 Shirerithian erbs for each day in thraldom.

Those who have disregarded the Brida and the law of life will be punished to pay, for each animal or person ever owned, 10 000 Shirerithian erbs to the ducal government. The money will be used to put uneducated former slaves in education and projects to enhance their wellfare.

Let it be so.

[/SIGN]

RICHARD VALI ANDELARION,
Duke of Elwynn, Count of Eliria and Utasia

This Decree is hereby re-instated and shall in consequence thereof be posted the Law Archive.

[Kaiser Mors V]

So.. no Oxen.. no Chickens.. no Horses?

[Harald of Froyalan]

You have a point.

[benkern]

No living animal nor person may be owned, sold or bought.

This is in almost direct confrontation with Shirerithian Law regarding chickens!

And I quote:

2. Other
a. Eat more Chicken.

If no live chickens can be owned, there's a problem - it's harder to eat chicken. The Lawbook encourages, demands that we eat more chicken. Any law that makes it harder to get the chicken, cook the chicken, eat the chicken is unlawful!

[Aurangzeb Khan]

I might also note that Vijayanagara is dominated by a temple dedicated to B'Caw whose distinguishing ritual seems, if I recall, to revolve around the consumption of chicken portions fried in hallucinogenic spices.

We don't want to anger the gods now do we?

[Braden Indianensis]

Silly Shirithian statists--why shouldn't people be allowed to own cats, dogs, and even cows and horses? You're going to destroy the livelihoods of dairy farmers.

[Shyriath]

We don't want to anger the gods now do we?

Amen, and praise be to B'caw! *Having nothing else available at the moment, obtains some chicken nuggets and puts Tabasco sauce on them before eating them in a gesture of piety*