wow, there is a ton to respond to in this thread.
i'd like to say first that i was really excited to see this topic come around for discussion. i have only played submissive characters up until recently .. at the same time that Winn's world view began to change, and when she took Rylie to be her own, my first thoughts were things i'm surprised to see in a failing light here .. Rylie, as an individual, was taken on with the very idea that he should be put into a gladiator setting. that he should be truly submissive to one,
that he should wield weapons in a controlled setting, and be trained with strength and honor .. not weakness.
i understood at the time that the climate wasn't right for that concept, but because the player and i were still feeling pleased with it, have continued 'training' him with the hope that maybe an idea like Kydo's would come around the pike. i don't want lions in with Winn's slave, i would want want her well-trained and valuable property to be able to wear plate and carry a broadsword into an arena with a token of his mistress tucked into his tunic.
slaves wandering about in public with broadswords with the intent to use them .. i agree with Tawny, i think maybe that'd be over the top.i'd like to say that the idea of a 'slave rebellion' is interesting if only because it would COMPLETELY defeat the purpose of this channel in general. i just don't see that ever happening. c'mon now, whomever started that would be immediately shut down by those slaves who -chose- to be obedient and loyal .. like Rylie.
rebellion is an unrealistic reason -not- to have fighting slaves.i can see fighting slaves being housed at the arena during some kind of 'arena season.' that is, part time. preferably not. maybe a compromise, a fighting slave could leave his/her armor, his weapons at the arena. perhaps to be used only there, and only for supervised matches, perhaps only in the presence of his mistress or an Arena individual(s) approved for such observation.
What if we have an OOC contract that states simplistically that if the Slave gets out of hand 'outside' an arena battle, the Master/Mistress are held accountable. The slaves collar is removed and cannot be collared again except to an establishment. The Master / Mistress is fined a sum that goes with their income for a month or more. And then the slave character must face the consequences of his/her actions against an aggressive free person of the Arenas choosing.
.. said L. in combination with gladitorial or fighting slaves, this seems reasonable. IClie, as always, masters and mistresses are absolutely accountable for their slave's behavior. i would expect no quarter for Winn if Rylie should walk out of the arena and start to hack and slash at the general populace.
i would love to have a slave tournament. i think it would be fun, i think it would be a great experiment to see whether or not we can do something like this on a more permanent basis. slaves may be objects, may be akin to furniture, may take up equip slots .. but even an object can attain glory? there once was a famous sword, pulled from a stone ..