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Slave Trade

P

parmasson

SOC-14 1K
!!!Disclaimer!!!!
The following post does not endorse, condone, or attempt to justify slavery in any way. Its purpose is to hash out in game terms what an illegal slave economy might be like in the far future.

IMTU the Imperium, in the name of local autonomy slavery is legal. What is illegal is trading in slaves.
How much would a slave cost?

In 1800-1809 an African slave cost about USD$381 That puts the current day value at $4,131 per head. (2005)
Or Cr1,627 (1980 dollars) That sounds terribly cheap. I am going to add a few Cr for life support and such to bring up the total to an average of Cr4000 in game terms. That would make a cargo of 200 worth Cr800,000.

I don’t think the PCs are going to go that way but I need to tempt them into evil.

Any thoughts?
 
!!!Disclaimer!!!!
The following post does not endorse, condone, or attempt to justify slavery in any way. Its purpose is to hash out in game terms what an illegal slave economy might be like in the far future.

IMTU the Imperium, in the name of local autonomy slavery is legal. What is illegal is trading in slaves.
How much would a slave cost?

In 1800-1809 an African slave cost about USD$381 That puts the current day value at $4,131 per head. (2005)
Or Cr1,627 (1980 dollars) That sounds terribly cheap. I am going to add a few Cr for life support and such to bring up the total to an average of Cr4000 in game terms. That would make a cargo of 200 worth Cr800,000.

I don’t think the PCs are going to go that way but I need to tempt them into evil.

Any thoughts?
 
The wage for a semi-skilled laborer in the early 1800s was about $0.50/day. In 1976 as low-man in a metal shop I made about $25/day.

So adjusting by labor cost instead of commodity prices puts the price about 19000 Cr. That is about two years wages. Figure a skilled slave is worth porportionately more.

At that price abusing a slave comes under the catagory of "conspicuous consumption".
 
The wage for a semi-skilled laborer in the early 1800s was about $0.50/day. In 1976 as low-man in a metal shop I made about $25/day.

So adjusting by labor cost instead of commodity prices puts the price about 19000 Cr. That is about two years wages. Figure a skilled slave is worth porportionately more.

At that price abusing a slave comes under the catagory of "conspicuous consumption".
 
How about popping over the Imperial border to a low TL world and then rounding up your slaves for free?

Or placing help wanted ads in local media outlets and then shanghai the ones that fit the profile.
 
How about popping over the Imperial border to a low TL world and then rounding up your slaves for free?

Or placing help wanted ads in local media outlets and then shanghai the ones that fit the profile.
 
Originally posted by Sigg Oddra:
How about popping over the Imperial border to a low TL world and then rounding up your slaves for free?

Or placing help wanted ads in local media outlets and then shanghai the ones that fit the profile.
Click to expand...
Well, sure, we all do that. The question is how much do you charge for them? Thus the necessity of knowing the going rate. Do pregnant women cost extra?

Also, note that basing the price off of the going wage of a working person doesn't take in to account the fact that when paying a man a working wage, you're not paying for their upkeep etc.

So, if a man is making $.50/day, they have to pay housing, food and clothing from that. Now obviously someone purchasing a slave takes on those burdens, so the slave doesn't "deserve" $.50/day, as he doesn't have those expenses.

Simply put the value of the slave is a combination of the acquisition costs (i.e. funding a ship and crew to get them in the first place), combined with the perceived value of the product -- i.e. the slave productivity over its useful working life.

If slave trading is a commodity trade, then it will basically be reduced to simply profit on acquisition modulo any actual benefits to the client as competition drives prices down.

For example, Honda Civics, Toyota Corollas, and Kia Sephia occupy the same market niche and pretty much compete on manufacturer costs and quality. But the added value to the buyer of the car may be far higher than the market value of the vehicle itself.

Say the car is used for a $50,000/year pizza delivery business, but if the car didn't exist, it would be a $0/year pizza delivery business. So, what's the real value of the car to the client?

When you have the only car dealership, you can price cars to the perceived value to the client, rather than the actual cost of goods. But as competition creeps in, they drive the price down more towards cost of goods.

Now, I don't know if slaves are better wild caught or farm raised. I would think that the initial capital it would take to raise a good number of slaves for market would be quite expensive (not to mention the basic management issues) compared to simply finding a suitably populated area and hunting them yourselves.

Then there can be families selling their children in to slavery as a source of product as well.

Anyway, all sorts of things to consider.

This has actually been a rather distasteful thought project.
 
Originally posted by Sigg Oddra:
How about popping over the Imperial border to a low TL world and then rounding up your slaves for free?

Or placing help wanted ads in local media outlets and then shanghai the ones that fit the profile.
Click to expand...
Well, sure, we all do that. The question is how much do you charge for them? Thus the necessity of knowing the going rate. Do pregnant women cost extra?

Also, note that basing the price off of the going wage of a working person doesn't take in to account the fact that when paying a man a working wage, you're not paying for their upkeep etc.

So, if a man is making $.50/day, they have to pay housing, food and clothing from that. Now obviously someone purchasing a slave takes on those burdens, so the slave doesn't "deserve" $.50/day, as he doesn't have those expenses.

Simply put the value of the slave is a combination of the acquisition costs (i.e. funding a ship and crew to get them in the first place), combined with the perceived value of the product -- i.e. the slave productivity over its useful working life.

If slave trading is a commodity trade, then it will basically be reduced to simply profit on acquisition modulo any actual benefits to the client as competition drives prices down.

For example, Honda Civics, Toyota Corollas, and Kia Sephia occupy the same market niche and pretty much compete on manufacturer costs and quality. But the added value to the buyer of the car may be far higher than the market value of the vehicle itself.

Say the car is used for a $50,000/year pizza delivery business, but if the car didn't exist, it would be a $0/year pizza delivery business. So, what's the real value of the car to the client?

When you have the only car dealership, you can price cars to the perceived value to the client, rather than the actual cost of goods. But as competition creeps in, they drive the price down more towards cost of goods.

Now, I don't know if slaves are better wild caught or farm raised. I would think that the initial capital it would take to raise a good number of slaves for market would be quite expensive (not to mention the basic management issues) compared to simply finding a suitably populated area and hunting them yourselves.

Then there can be families selling their children in to slavery as a source of product as well.

Anyway, all sorts of things to consider.

This has actually been a rather distasteful thought project.
 
In addition to the purchase price, there are cost associated with owning slave. Notably food, housing, and medical care.

Traditionally, a slave was worth about two-years wages for a free laborer. Any more than that and it become more economical to hire free labor. Less means the slave traders are undervaluing their stock. Or there is a temporary surplus of slaves, usually as a result of war.
 
In addition to the purchase price, there are cost associated with owning slave. Notably food, housing, and medical care.

Traditionally, a slave was worth about two-years wages for a free laborer. Any more than that and it become more economical to hire free labor. Less means the slave traders are undervaluing their stock. Or there is a temporary surplus of slaves, usually as a result of war.
 
This is the idea. A scumbag human is kidnapping soc 1 and 2 people form a highly populated world (50 billion) and selling them a couple of jumps out. He does not know it but his biggest customers are Mind Flayers. I was going to temp the PCs into evil. I don’t think they will take the bait but it is a good way to reveal the Big Bad for this story arc. I wanted to know how much ill-gotten cash the trader was likely to have on hand. You will find his ship in the Fleet room.
 
This is the idea. A scumbag human is kidnapping soc 1 and 2 people form a highly populated world (50 billion) and selling them a couple of jumps out. He does not know it but his biggest customers are Mind Flayers. I was going to temp the PCs into evil. I don’t think they will take the bait but it is a good way to reveal the Big Bad for this story arc. I wanted to know how much ill-gotten cash the trader was likely to have on hand. You will find his ship in the Fleet room.
 
Well, an entire colony of Mind Flayers have been stranded in the Traveller ‘verse. They stumbled upon a human settlement and took it over. They commandeered the first Far trader that happened upon them and they began to explore their new world. Finding “technology” a fascinating and wonderful addition to their evil power they proceed to establish a presence outside the Imperium. They have found that cloning is expensive and that humans here are willing to sell their own for a price. The slaves are transformed into mid flayers and so on. Their natural abilities have allowed them to build a presence and they plan on becoming a local power. Over the last ten years their numbers have swollen to over 10,000 and their underground base continues to expand.

What the PCs don’t know is that the psi powers they have are because of an experiment by the Imperium’s Clandestine Psi Corps experimented on them injecting them with Illithid psi “factors”. The PCs have been growing in power and if they are not treated soon they will begin to transform.

Not just evil
Super Villainy!
 
Well, an entire colony of Mind Flayers have been stranded in the Traveller ‘verse. They stumbled upon a human settlement and took it over. They commandeered the first Far trader that happened upon them and they began to explore their new world. Finding “technology” a fascinating and wonderful addition to their evil power they proceed to establish a presence outside the Imperium. They have found that cloning is expensive and that humans here are willing to sell their own for a price. The slaves are transformed into mid flayers and so on. Their natural abilities have allowed them to build a presence and they plan on becoming a local power. Over the last ten years their numbers have swollen to over 10,000 and their underground base continues to expand.

What the PCs don’t know is that the psi powers they have are because of an experiment by the Imperium’s Clandestine Psi Corps experimented on them injecting them with Illithid psi “factors”. The PCs have been growing in power and if they are not treated soon they will begin to transform.

Not just evil
Super Villainy!
 
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