I kinda liked the old “freedom” adventure, where the pc’s had to start out as slaves.

I was thinking about doing that, but with a noble lord who was actually an okay guy (for a slave owner). He’d be training them in their separate classes to make an elite team of specialists, who would do his dirty work. It would be an easy way to get them going on some kind of errand.

He’d make them feel like they were part of the family and even give them pride in the family name. Id take a weird attitude when explaining their situation to the characters. I’d keep telling them how lucky they were to be slaves with a straight face. I think they’d play along.

They would technically be slaves, but almost feel free. I would tell the players that they have so much pride in their house, that their characters are pretty content at the moment, but their attitude could of course be instantly changed, as they are taken over by the players. The players might decide they want to escape right off the bat, and I’d say it would be fairly easy having earned their master’s trust over the years.

Later, if they haven’t decided to try to escape, I could make them realize they’re expendable, and slavery is not so okay. They would probably come to those conclusions themselves pretty early on. But I could concentrate on trying to make it seem as if it weren’t that way through the lord’s actions. It may even end up where the lord stays pretty cool to them, and frees them upon his death (after only a couple adventure sessions). I don’t want them to be slaves for to long, even if they do like it.

Does anyone have any criticisms or ideas I could hear about this idea?

This is a good start to an idea. The original owner would make an interesting long term nemesis, particularly since he knows them so well. It could also lead to some interesting tough decisions things. Noble has a “problem” with a mistress that has decided to resort to blackmail, or removing political opponents (that happen to support adopting a free state like Tyr). It’s an interesting take that could go a number of ways.

1 suggestion – instead of the noble freeing them when he dies, maybe he would free them because they save his life.

Awesome ideas. The PC’s saving his life sounds way more interesting than him just dying. He could be the most evil bastard ever, but still feel obligated to free them if they were to save him.

I could just go with the flow this way. If the PC’s escape, then he can be a bad ass nemesis. Even if that’s the case, the PC’s could still somehow save his life in the future, or spare him.

Fezzik: I’m a little confused by what role the PC’s would play in removing political opponents and problems for him. I did originally envision them as carrying out missions for him. Is that what you meant? Or did you mean it more relating to the PC’s becoming free or becoming his enemy?

I was thinking of him as removing his political opponents, either with blackmail, murder, or anything else that he needs done and needs plausible deniability. All depends on what you want him for in the long term.

Do not forget that slavery is common in Athas…even in the Free City State of Tyr (more underground now)….yor players can be in Urk and Templars raided the Elven market to get fresh meat for the games…and gues what…your players are in the market…