Slave Trade

"We have Humans! We have Utan of all kinds, Bunny, Cat, Fox, Dog! All at reasonable prices! And! During the final portion of tonight's auction! A very special, rare good: A Dwarf! If you ever wanted your own dwarf? Now's your chance!" - A slave trade auctioneer.

The Slave Trade is a very dark aspect of everyday life.

Description
The Slave trade is the buying and selling of people (whatever species) without their consent. The methods the Slavers use vary from lies, bribing officials, violence and just plain trickery. Some child slavers go to orphanages and pay off the teachers to give them children that are beyond the usual age of adoption. Most slavers, however, rely on the old fashioned methods of invading towns and carrying off the women and children. Men are not usually as popular as Women (except as laborers), so they are killed, or shipped to labor camps.

Utan, as they are not very aggressive, are generally a favorite of traders. Often, a Slaver can go into a Rabbit Collective camp and grab a child, threatening to kill it, and he will have many who would gladly give their lives for the child. Others breed them, and then sell the children as 'pets' to wealthy families. Recently, it has become much harder, as the Wolf Clans, Badger Lords and even the normally aloof Valkyrie have begun to offensively attack slavers that trade in Utan.

Extent
The Slave Trade covers the entire world. There are traders who only deal in Utan, for example. Others play specifically to the fetish of rich Arcadian Lords. Still more focus on the servant aspect, providing good, cheap labor. All nations forbid it, but only enforce it when the violators are flagrant in their offense.

Common Members
There are some groups that can be assumed to be slavers with only little room for doubt.


 * Punks (In Arcadia, they act generally as hired help/enforcers)


 * Sky Pirates (Sephira Sephirot had great influence in the trade, and kept a Rabbit Utan as a personal servant)


 * Trade Caravans along the Jaedinar/Cameo routes usually have a contingent of slaves for lordly customers.

Species

 * Utan: By far the most common, Cat, Rabbit and Foxes are the most popular as they are considered very attractive by humans.


 * Humans: Second most common. Nearly all of the Slave trade in the Jaedinar/Cameo routes is Human.


 * Elf:A rarity, but Lords and Ladies who wish for an Elven slave know the right places.


 * Merr: Common as ornaments in fountains and wall fish tanks. They are sold in pairs because of their social needs. (they are rumored to die early if there isn't a Merr of the opposite gender around)


 * Goblins and Dwarven Peoples: Generally sold as skilled laborers for those who need them cheaply.


 * Lidereith: Slavers try (and sometimes succeed) at catching Lidereith, but they never stay captured for long, and often wait until they are bought to kill their buyers.


 * Valkyrie: Valkyrie are sometimes captured and pinioned. They are then sold to a rich lord/lady. The Valkyrie's wings are ripped out. The lordling then imprints himself on the 'reset' Valkyrie, gaining an extremely loyal, battle capable servant.


 * Half Blood: An exotic half-blood is considered a welcome addition to any slave auction. Elf/Humans are popular.