Thing is, any society in TES that had slavery had it mentioned. Skyrim, not mentioned.

(I just noticed your signature. Of course it's natural that we'd disagree.)

But it's reasonable to expect a lot to have changed in Skyrim since the previous games, so I disagree that slavery in particular not being mentioned has a lot of bearing. Civil war, or whatever turmoil the announcement trailer implies, would result in a lot of instability, opportunism and strife, which might well entail slavery, either as a result of falling back on older ways or adopting new, less pleasant ones. I guess that viewpoint depends on how unified and consistent the Nords are, or aren't.

As well as slavery, I also voted for the "Warbands" option, just because the aforementioned chaos and strife appeals to me more than a stable and consistent game environment. And it'd make interacting with the various attitudes of cities/factions a lot more interesting.

And that someone doesn't HAVE to be a slave...

No, in most cultures it would be the women, but that's not gonna go over well for the female players of TES, now will it?

Don't even bring slavery back in Skyrim. It wouldn't be a good move.

A slavery element has such a strong emotive value, I imagine that it could be used to great effect in the writing. I support slavery.... in fictional writing.

I hope you never play any sort of game with any sort of hardship for anyone involved....I think the Wii is for you.

I can't find much info on them but I know that the reavers that are all over solstheim are raiders in the same sense that the vikings were. I can't find any info on this to back it up but I think that I read that they were their as slavers.

I feel like the Nords would be more of a stewardship society. There is mostly equality but nobles and such are higher-up. Towns will have a leading council, etc. This might change from place to place as well. As far as slavery goes, I think it would be more like servants without pay. Except in the east, were it would be more like MW style slavery.

i just hope that they put something in the game that gives people pause. not everyone can be a warrior in any society but lets be honest, the ones doing the cleaning and mending and daily house chores would in fact be the women in a medieval society. hell, it took a world war to get them out into the factories in our own country and that wasnt that long ago.

slavery doesnt make sense to me for skyrim but i would like to see some element of the society that is disturbing to a normal persons senses. i say normal cause alot of people including me took advantage of the slavery issue in morrowind. one of my favorite mods let you build a farm and have slaves working the fields. perhaps they could have some outcast group like druids or witches or something that is benign maybe even beneficial to the player but for whatever reason the local populations hunted down without remorse. i want to see a dark side in this game and not another disney ride like oblivion. public executions, wholesale slaughter of villages..bring it on. i want some realistic stuff brought in.

http://media.photobucket.com/image/skyrim%20prisoner/b_harrison/misc/artofskyrim_009_prisoner.jpg

>mfw

I didn't realize being a prisoner meant being a slave.

Slavery has been abolished and I don't see Nords having a caste system. Khajiits on the other hand, I could see having a social hierarchy, Indian style.

I don't expect to see slavery present in Skyrim, not due to any moral reasons of course. I have no problem with including slavery in video games, as I actually enjoyed attacking plantations and freeing the slaves in Morrowind. Anyways, considering Morrowind was the only area of the Empire with slavery, I think it is doubtful we will see lawful slavery in Skyrim. As evidenced, since the civil war is between secessionists and pro-Empire Nords, the Empire still exists. I also don't think the Empire would have changed it's position on slavery either even amidst turmoil. For the secessionist Nords, I have a hard time believing based on what I have seen in the series lore Nords would see slavery as their ancient right like the Dunmer seen it.

Also, just because the Vikings had slaves, doesn't mean Nords will. Nords =/= Vikings. I mean, the Imperials are based off the Romans, but slavery is outlawed across the Empire and there isn't a single slave in Oblivion/Cyrodiil. Technically, Cyrodiil's amount of slaves should make Mororwind's amount look like a joke if they completely followed everything about the Romans. Obviously they didn't. Also, Nords have also several other influences besides their main influence of the real Nordic peoples. Nords have Anglo-Saxon (though technically Anglo-Saxon gets pretty close to Nordic culture), and I seem to detect a bit of Slavic and Baltic elements in them too.

Also, slavery wasn't present in Oblivion not because Bethesda got "soft". Slavery had been established as illegal in all of the Empire but Morrowind. Slavery is not an aspect of Cyrodiilic/Imperial culture. It would be silly just to add slaves for the sake of adding slaves as slavery wouldn't make sense to be in Cyrodiil. As evidenced, Bethesda had slavery in their game after Oblivion, Fallout 3.

Anyways, as for the caste of Skyrim, I expect it to be divided into subgroups. Since apparently there are different Nordic clans in Skyrim, I imagine these clans are very similar to Skaal Nords in that honor, merit, and strength is held to high regard. For western and southern Skyrim, there probably is a more Imperialized caste structure, with Imperials and pro-Imperial Nords ruling over society. As for the traditional holds, the caste is probably heavily based on merit and proving oneself. According to the Pocket Guide to the Empire, one of the ways to get Skyrimese citizenship was to defeat Ice Wraiths. The traditional Nord way is probably is that if you can fight well and prove yourself worthy, they couldn't care less what your background was. Nords overall probably have a more equal society than Cyrodiil.

Wait what; it's a medieval society maybe they could have a modern day class system.

wage slaves, proletariats, lower middle class, professional class/upper middle class/management class and the capitalist class (uber rich).

Seriously bro it's set in a medieval setting were people barely have an education and were barbarism rules. It's were great societies are not measured on how free they are, how "nice" a place they are to live, but by iron and blood. Yeah communism is cool but human beings are not cool thus shall never reach a, or create a classless society.

As for killing slaves and gaining fame; well your killing someones property so good amount of infamy, plus you committed murder, maybe a fame bump in some faction or another.

And remember

THIS is the NORDS of Skyrim.

I don't think nords are vikings (the viking magazine in the art of skyrim video kind of scared me a little tho) there are racial divisions in TES and don't forget that vampires/werewolves (if they are in the game) would most likely have slave cattle.

I think it would be a great intro to be walking in a slave chain into skyrim to be raided by the blades or some nord clan.

imo it beats starting out in a prison cell.

Agree with OP. It is a game and the underground movement/slavers were a big part of morrowinds culture.

And for the record slavery is alive and well in this century. It is a bit more hidden but very present. Do some research and start some activism to combat it. Noble goal. The caste system is going strong everywhere today. Look at China. Hell even America. You have Buisnessmen, Polititians, and Everyone Else

And it is appropriate to kill people?

I won't vote since I know so little about the nord lore, but i'd like a really dark setting, compared to morrowind the oblivion world felt kinda innocent.

Er, if you're basing this off of the Hindu caste system, none of the castes are really (or were originally at least) considered better than any of the others... Like the Brahmin aren't supposed to be considered any better than the Huiti, it's just that the Brahmin are the closest to the end of the reincarnation cycle.

Yes to discrimination. Yes to slavery. No to both in real life.

It just feels most natural for the Nords to value bravery in battle/hunt. You would gain prestige and honour in life this way. A coward or traitor wouldn't have a good afterlife. King and councill naturally rules warriors and hunters, but they have earned their titles with their deeds.. Magic path is likely quite uncommon, but I'd like to think that those sages whom are familiar to old ways are respected, maybe not as much as the hunters or warriors though. Lastly If one is not capable to walk the hunter's or warrior's path or shows no gifts to magic at the early age, he would find his place in life elsewhere. There are trades and professions that are respected. (craftsmen, smiths, traders, hostel owners, storytellers etct)

1. King and councill
2. Warriors / hunters
3. Mages/sages/healers/priests etc
4. Smiths, traders, craftsmen,artists, musicians, farmers etc Basicly anyone who works hard and does good to the community.
5. Crminals / outcasts

I seem to remember a couple of slaves in cyrodill...they where no big deal 1 quest had you freeing enslaved orcs,if I remember that ones related to a daedric god.

The Next would be the golden saints and whatever the other one was and if you don't like that how about the butler with sheogorath in the expansion.

I really am for servants,butler,maid and also just to keep this out there,this is a game which I believe is based around 16-17th century.

I could be wrong with that,so slaves might not be everywhere in the world,but doesn't mean there completely abolished and I still believe people have servants,butlers to this day..(sure they all work for a wage)but even to modern day they're still not completely gone.

So with all that said,bring on a serving wench and so help me she better be holding a thing of mead,otherwise its the chamber with her,and someone clean that damn argonian off the spikes.

Hahahaha.
What?

Umm... I see no indication of poor education in the Elder Scrolls series. Due to the proliferation of Magic (And even though it's fallen apart, the Mages' Guild still has a legacy), and sheer number and distribution of books in the game, it indicates a high level of education on the continent. Skyrim was the strongest and one of the most stable of the Empire's provinces.

I don't see Slavery(as we know the term) as a factor in Skyrim. There may be indentured servitude, and lower-class citizens who don't get to compete in the lucridous business of kicking ass and taking names, but they'd still be "Free", and paid for their services in some way or another. The Empire is not dead yet! (Whether "It's getting better" or not is up to debate.)

I remember finding some Russian/Eastern European influence in some of Skyrim's lore in the past as well. So, in addition to Vikings, we also might get Cossacks!

No need for castes. Clans mixed with a meritocratic feudal system, controled by the modern Class system in guild-supported towns would be awesome.

I don't want the politics of the area to be so twisted and offensive that I'd let the Dragons kill everyone from darkness-induced apathy. I'd rather have a troubled-but-acceptable society, so the politics don't get in the way of my ass-kicking and world-saving.

I would love to see a caste system!!!!


I wants to be an eviiiiiiiiiiiiiil slaver!!!!! I capture them and sell them for muchas gold!!!!


bwahahahahahahahahahahaha!!!


lmao


seriously, that's be cool to have a defined caste system in place!