117 réponses à ce sujet

[Haussier]

JamesX wrote...

Furistos wrote...

From http://www.unrv.com/...an-slavery.php:

Slaves, however, could be extraordinarily expensive, and the Roman
household slave certainly had a different fate. The price for a male
slave in Rome at the time of Augustus has been quoted at 500 denarii. A
female could go for as much as 6,000 denarii. One recorded price in
Pompeii at 79 AD indicates that a slave sold for 2,500 sestertii or 625
denarii.

Monthly income at that time: http://www.ancientco.../pages/economy/

So yeah, slaves are really that expensive.

Those are trained, broken, docile slaves of certain reputation.  Some are even skilled workers.  Doctors and Lawyers in Romen times often are slaves.  

Go watch Rome the series.

Those are not Fresh Off the Boat Slaves.

And in Roman times the patricians are so rich it is ridiculous.  Their living conditions is completely different than non-citizens or plebs.  An Roman Noble literally give social security payments to entire city of plebs because it is cheaper than getting rid of his slave force.

In Dragon Age the class divide is not nearly as great.  At least from what we glimpse from Dragon Age Origins.

It is akin to saying because some people in our world pay 100 million for a piece of painting, that the black market for Eastern European Women is 1 million each.. and they make that money back for you in a few years (which they might).  A good exotic dancer in the States can make 10,000 in a week easy.

Red Templar wrote...

- There is no such thing as national personality. Fereldan's values aren't necessarily Hawke's values.

National Personality definitely exist.  The "Self-Important Rude" american attitude definitely exist.  But the 2nd part I agree with, just because there is a national personality, it doesn't necessarily means everyone from that country thinks and acts the same way - just most do.

To be fair foreigners who travel to america also come across as self important and rude.

I would say the chantry the central religion of thedas is probably what influences peoples 'National Personality' in this setting.

[Red Templar]

JamesX wrote...
Or that a French Men in 1200 is the same as a English Men?

Seriously?  National States happen because people are alike.  WHy is Scotland still consider its own identity when its been subsumed in to the United Kingdoms?

I think you have the relationship backwards.  Forging of Nations does not form a National Identity.  Shared national personality/identity makes the Modern Nations you are referring to possible.  Or else why is Berlin Germany and not French?

Come now. Let's not get into a hectic sociological derailment because over trivial differences. The point was that people from the same nation don't all magically share the same opinions without exceptions. We can all agree on this, yes.

[Nashiktal]

I think it's fair to say in game representation of gear and quests shouldn't be compared to the "fluff" of the world as a whole. Technically all those legendary weapons would either be hoarded by the shopkeeper or sold to the "bigwigs" of the world.

[koshindan]

You need food to even live out your normal lifespan, but would you pay huge sums for a loaf of bread? With a renewable resource like slaves, if someone tried to sell them for 100 sovereigns, I'd sell them for 50 and take all of his business.

At 5 silvers a day room and board, you'd need to have a turn around of less than 100 days to make a profit. And that's not counting the people needed to capture the slaves, taxes, or transportation.

[Nashiktal]

I will probably be condemned for saying this but please realize im not saying this to be offensive.



Slaves are the equivalent of extremely important livestock. (Hang on let me finish) You give them a part of your resources (Water, food, etc) for an even bigger investment on your return. (Labor, protection, etc)



Slaves will pretty much pay for themselves depending on how they are handled.

[The_mango55]

koshindan wrote...

At 5 silvers a day room and board, you'd need to have a turn around of less than 100 days to make a profit. And that's not counting the people needed to capture the slaves, taxes, or transportation.

Why would it cost 5 silvers a day?

A mug of ale is 2 copper.

[Zalocx]

JamesX wrote...

Zalocx wrote...
National personality exists today because NATION STATES exist today. Nationalism and its effects are creations of the 18th century onwards. In a feudal society like Ferelden people like the hawke family who had no vested intrest in the upper echelons of government (i.e. were not top tier nobles) owed aligence to their local lord or land owner. They were awake of a king, but to most peasents the monarch was simply a figurehead who they weould never see, understand, or try to emulate. The "state" with its unified social norms and uniform civic laws simply did not exist in such socities.

So American Indians acted the same as Europeans during middle ages?

Or that a French Men in 1200 is the same as a English Men?

Seriously?  National States happen because people are alike.  WHy is Scotland still consider its own identity when its been subsumed in to the United Kingdoms?

I think you have the relationship backwards.  Forging of Nations does not form a National Identity.  Shared national personality/identity makes the Modern Nations you are referring to possible.  Or else why is Berlin Germany and not French?

You seem to be drawing the opposite conclusion from my statement. I did not mean that Native Americans acted like Englishmen during the middle ages, I mean that "Englishmen" from one village acted very little like "Englishmen" living only a few miles away. To the point where their dialects were nigh unintelligable to each other. Uniformity was invented, During the middle ages common people identified with their ethnicity, their village, and maybe their province, almost never something as grandiose as a "country". When France became a republic and tried to centralize in the modern sense of the word they found hundreds of villages where people had little to no cultural or social connection to Paris and spoke languages that were dialectical to the point of being barely French. The governemt had to MAKE all these people "French" by linking them to the cities and making them learn to speak Parisian French.

National Identity IS the core of the modern Nation State, but National Identity is most often fabricated or one "type" of identity (either of urbanites or elites) that was propagated to the rural areas and outlieing provinces to create a "unified national culture" in the 17/1800s

Modifié par Zalocx, 23 février 2011 - 07:29 .

[Blood-Lord Thanatos]

I practice Blood-Magic! I ask my, err, "helpers" nicely before I use their blood. It keeps costs down, and they don't worry much about it.

(eh, to clarify: They get weekly pay of 1 sovereign plus 10 gold if I need their contribution to my spells)

[koshindan]

The various conversations where you donate money or buy food for somebody suggest that a day's worth of food is in the range of a few silver.

[Tecumseh420]

Haussier wrote...
  A good exotic dancer in the States can make 10,000 in a week easy.

So, you just make crap up to support your point? Your saying strippers make over a half million a year? WOW.  Who are these dancers that pull down that cash? Post a link or something........you know, just to show your not full of it.

[Blood-Lord Thanatos]

Tecumseh420 wrote...

Haussier wrote...
  A good exotic dancer in the States can make 10,000 in a week easy.

So, you just make crap up to support your point? Your saying strippers make over a half million a year? WOW.  Who are these dancers that pull down that cash? Post a link or something........you know, just to show your not full of it.

I think this is why exotic dancers are so popular, Urthemiel blessed them with rediculously good looks. I'm sure that I would not waste my money on a stripper.

[TEWR]

Tecumseh420 wrote...

Haussier wrote...
  A good exotic dancer in the States can make 10,000 in a week easy.

So, you just make crap up to support your point? Your saying strippers make over a half million a year? WOW.  Who are these dancers that pull down that cash? Post a link or something........you know, just to show your not full of it.

Exotic dancers no. Escorts yes.

EDIT: And if anyone sadly does not know the difference between the two, here's the difference www.youtube.com/watch

Modifié par The Ethereal Writer Redux, 23 février 2011 - 08:01 .

[moilami]

Blood-Lord Thanatos wrote...

I practice Blood-Magic! I ask my, err, "helpers" nicely before I use their blood. It keeps costs down, and they don't worry much about it.
(eh, to clarify: They get weekly pay of 1 sovereign plus 10 gold if I need their contribution to my spells)

I would call them "assistants".

[Huntress]

IEatWhatIPoo wrote...

SnowHeart1 wrote...

Poo, read what I and Haussier wrote, then reread what you wrote. We never suggested YOU were doing the flogging, nonetheless, yes, your proposal is immoral. Seriously. This was kind of the money quote (paraphrasing): "I'm out some money if I free them." Really? Thanks, that about sums it up. Nice to see benevolence in action. This thread is reaching a level of moral absurdity that I'm just checking out of it entirely. Have fun kids.

THAT'S THE POINT.

If you have 100 sovereigns and buy 10 slaves at 10 sovereigns each. Then set them all free. Then what? you now have 0 sovereigns. You can't buy any more slaves to set them free. You've only helped 10 people.

But if you have 100 sovereigns and buy 10 slaves at 10 sovereigns each, then make them work off that debt. THEN set them free. You have helped free 10 people, and now have your 100 sovereigns back so you can buy 10 MORE people to FREE them too.

You are being short sighted for the sake of "absolute freedom". Money IS an issue. It allows you to help MORE people.

Sounds good, BUT then an slaver come alone, slave the 10 people and sell them on another town, city, country and the chain is up and running. In the era of dragon age, some people wants and needs slaves, some feel is very important it shows power, wealth. Yes not many like to hear about it, but thats how the worlds runs. Even Loghain knew it was a very lucrative option.

Check History book people, for wealth+ power we  would do anything.

[koshindan]

Sounds good, BUT then an slaver come alone, slave the 10 people and sell them on another town, city, country and the chain is up and running. In the era of dragon age, some people wants and needs slaves, some feel is very important it shows power, wealth. Yes not many like to hear about it, but thats how the worlds runs. Even Loghain knew it was a very lucrative option.

Check History book people, for wealth+ power we  would do anything.

Most likely those 10 people won't become slaves again, and if treated well, they will continue to work for the person who release them. Even those that decide to go free will probably live in the same area. Most slaves are taken from areas outside of their enslavement destination.

[ME_Fan]

Just to back up my point, Zevran said he was bought by the crows for a few gold. And I also think the guy in the demo said they were 1 gold per head, 100 is ridiculous.

[kjdhgfiliuhwe]

Wulfram wrote...

100 sovereigns a head?  Who would pay 100 sovereigns for an elf?  Is the gold content of the Kirkwall sovereign practically non existant?

They are really good in bed. No, seriously. Between the Fereldens all treating their elves like sex toys, and the more refined Orlesians treating their elves like sex toys, I can only infer that elves are really, really good in the sack.

If you are well off enough not to worry about food and shelter in the land of Thedas, I imagine having your own sex toys is the height of entertainment in a land without video games, the internet, soccer, night clubs, or poker.

If you view those elves like many people view their cell phones today, it all makes sense.