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ShadeZ

Maester
So in one of my books there is a culture of fierce warriors known for the usual force warrior-y stuff. However, they are know to strike "deals" with individual and defeated foes on occasion. For example if someone is cause trespassing on their land from another kingdom the trespassers can either become a servant to the family that caught him, or be killed for intruding as the location of the city is a heavily guarded secret.

In a separate book I have a race of dragon slayers that also fight demons and humans that betrayed humanity for power. There are also humans, elves, faeries, and a handful of other races that wish to become dragon slayers. My question is should the dragon slayers also do something simalar to striking a deal? They could offer dragon slayership to thos who work with or for them for so many years.

Being that it is a huge city I do need some kind of way they would have staff.
 
I think that would depend on your answer to this question: How does one become a dragon slayer?
Is everyone in that dragon-slaying race a dragon slayer? Surely some hold other professions. How do the slayers become the ones who slay?
If it's a test of worthiness, then they might let in people from other races who can pass the worthiness test. If it's based solely on bloodlines, then probably not (unless someone saves a slayer's life and so is allowed as repayment/gratitude???)
If they never strike a deal, then they would appear to be a very hard and cold people. Deal making shows them to have a heart, if even a small one. So I would think it would depend on how cold/hard you want your dragon-slaying race to appear to the reader.
 

Mad Swede

Auror
Well, my first question would be why you think warrior cultures don't do deals? At the end of the day its a question of survival, especially in situations where the culture/race/group suffers from internal dissent. An internal conflict can threaten the survival of the whole group, particularly if there is some form of external threat, and most cultures work out ways of doing deals to avoid this. So why wouldn't you do deals with outsiders?

Its worth pointing out that a group with a reputation for not doing deals can get very isolated, and if surrounding groups do deals with each other then the isolated group's existence can be threatened if they control something which is of benefit to the other groups. Thats because the other groups may simply decide to gang up and take what they want. So overall its in most groups interests to do deals.

If then your group is prepared to do deals, my second question is what they would be prepared to trade in doing a deal? Is it knowledge, support or something else? What do they get out of it? Whats in it for them in the short, medium and long term?
 

ShadeZ

Maester
Additional Information: Dragon Slayers are a supernatural race with a cats nature. They are souls puppeteering an immortal warriors body rather than souls stuck in a fragile human body. As a result they can manipulate the physical and magical worlds to give themselves high physical power, enhanced speed, reflexes, sensory perception, they have short ranged foresight as well many can use magic and all can absorb magic energy. They are known to be cunning, predatory, sometimes sadistic (or rather lost in the thrill of victory), and almost all are condescending. They are however also quite adorable in their mannerisms and habits particularly their habit for adopting young of other races. It isnt unheard of for a dragon slayer to adopt a baby dragon simply because the baby dragon needed a home. They have very simple minds in regards to their view of humans. It is in this races nature to help humans largely out of unspoken pity for their weakness, sometimes they will help humans because they are bored, sometimes they will help because they feel like helping. Their mood toward humans is varied by the individual as the human race have betrayed the dragon slayers a number of times one time nearly resulting in the eradication of their species. Dragon Slayers are a race created by humans receiving a curse/blessing for slaying a dragon. Because dragon scales are worth twice their weight in gold dragon slayers never need funds (it is worth noting they collect a scale from every kill to keep and may collect several). This race also befriend noble beasts or monsters as their also known which are sentient animals fromt he various magical places of Faeric.

The way I see it they could make deal for these things:

1. Someone's service long term in exchange for saving their life.

2. Someone's service long term in exchange for not killing them for raiding a town, siding with an evil drgao, ect (redemption sort of work)

3. Apprenticeship or time of proving for young slayers although a young slayer is more likely to serve them as a guard, hunter, or soldier than something like a servant.

4. Someone's service freely given in gratitude for freedom. (Slayer are known to buy slaves and war captives and raided victims. Slayers are against the idea of humans owning elven or fae slaves. The humans are at war with the elves and many keep part faerie part human (elf) slaves).

5. Service for security. (Viigariheim the home of the dragon slayers is one of the safest places in their world. One might become a servant in exchange for the security the fortress provides)
 
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ShadeZ

Maester
A living minimum wage. Or a universal basic income.
Well pay isnt an issue. They are dragon slayers even just in the elements they collect from slain prey money is no object to slayers. However, you dont want to end up with a traitor in your midst.
 
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