A Dunmer master whipping their slave - by Jake Murray; ©Bethesda Softworks
Slavery is a system under which people are treated as property to be bought and sold, and are forced to work. Though slavery is outlawed in most of Tamriel, it is widespread throughout most parts of Morrowind.
Tamriel[]
Slavery is abhorred and strictly forbidden on most of the Tamrielic mainland, likely due to the Faith of the Eight brought by Alessia the Slave Queen millennia ago. The Faith is the dominant religion on Tamriel and it forbids the practice of slavery. However, the illegal practice does still take place on mainland Tamriel sometimes.
According to some peasants, the commoners of Tamriel do not live too differently from slaves.
Orcish Strongholds[]
The orcs of many orcish strongholds keep thralls rather than slaves. They are not slaves in the literal sense, but are subject to forced labour and low status, and are not far removed from enslavement. Their children, however, are considered free.
Morrowind[]
Slavery is still maintained by the Dunmer of Morrowind. Dunmer, as they have done for centuries, do not discriminate when it comes to slaves. Man, Mer, and Beastfolk are all subject to become slaves should they be subdued. However, most creation of slaves is natural (through birth) and not done through capturing free peoples.
Summerset Archipelago[]
The Altmer of Alinor maintain a restricted form of slavery. Man, Mer, and Beastfolk are strictly prohibited from being enslaved, but the native goblins are not, and are treated as any other slave on Tamriel. Like the Dunmeri slaves, the acquisition of goblin slaves is done primarily through allowing existing slaves to mate, and not through actively capturing wild goblins.
Altmeri slavery is seen as relatively humane, even by mainland kingdoms, as goblins are not considered overly sapient creatures and thus not capable of understanding their enslaved condition. It is said by Sapiarch X that the goblins of the archipelago genuinely enjoy their position, as it allows for free food and shelter and gives them something to do.
Ayleid Empire[]
The Ayleid Empire made extensive use of slaves from a hundred different Nedic tribes and petty kingdoms throughout central Tamriel.
In the mines underneath Cyrod slaves toiled, burned, and died to find gold and silver. Slave revolts were common in the mines, but the Ayleids were strong in sorcery and able to put them down. Such revolts were much less common, if not nonexistant, among domestic slaves in the cities and towns of the vast Empire. When there was war, the Ayleids took thousands of slaves as slave-soldiers, and when there was peace they bred them.
Notable Former Slaves[]
- Empress Alessia I Paravant
- Huna