So I decided to study this a bit and I’m interested to know who all had been paying the 1000 slave levy. I thought it was each of the seven current sorcerer-kings. So 7,000 slaves for the levy.
Most of the sources I find refer to them as slaves being taken to meet the requirements. There are some insights in Ivory Triangle.
For Gulg:
Dragon’s Levy
The single cultural ritual that cuts across the societies of all
the city-states is the Dragons Levy. Although it is explained
and implemented in different ways throughout the Tablelands,
it is practiced in every sorcerer-kings empire. In Gulg, the people believe the Dragon is the one force that can endanger their
home while the oba rules. Every year 1,000 people are led into
the salt flats by the obas templars to serve as sacrifices for the
Dragon. Sacrifices are usually comprised of prisoners of war,
criminals and captive slaves, though a few zealous citizens
always join the group in a display of religious or patriotic frenzy.
There are conflicting cosmologies that explain the role of
the Dragon and his levy in Gulg society. The most common
belief is that the Dragon serves to cleanse the city of those who
would diminish Gulgs supremacy by accepting its undesirables. Military campaigns are often undertaken to raise the
numbers necessary to appease the Dragon.
For Nibenay:
The Dragon’s Levy
Every year, 1,000 captives and slaves are taken into the salt flats
by the kings templars to be offered in service to the Dragon of
Tyr. The legends of the region suggest that a time will come when
the city will not be able to provide servants to the Dragon. At
that time, the springs will boil dry. the fields will turn to dust, the
forest will wither and the walls of the city will crumble.
So if this is what is currently going on I assume each other city-state has their take on it as well.
What was interesting to also find was this gem from the Valley of Dust and Fire page 51.
“Unto the Dragon was rendered the tribute of
600 erdlus, 170 kanks, 30 mekillots, and 400 slaves.
One hundred pounds of iron, 60 pounds of copper,
and 20 pounds of gold were given unto the Dragon
at that time as well. It is recorded that the beast was
well pleased with the levy of Yaramuke and spared
the city, in the sixth recorded Year of Kings Contemplation.
The Scroll of Eibok,
recovered from the ruins of Yaramuke
I am not totally up to speed on the history of Y. But a few questions arise.
Was Y providing a levy at the same time as the other SMs?
Why was Y providing a levy other than slaves?
Did something about Borys keeping Rajaat’s prison sealed change?
Who else who have been paying the levy in the past?
When did the 7000 slaves for the levy get established?
I guess it’s possible the scroll was in error and that the slaves went for the levy and the other stuff was sold or exchanged by Sielba to get gain. So she could hide what was going on with these goods.
The other things I saw but am like looking for the actual source (possibly in Black Flames) is that Hamanu paid this levy to the Dragon from Y’s treasury to appease Borys because Hamanu killed Sielba.