Greetings!
I also enjoy being inspired by historical accuracy. In my World of Thandor, for example, there are different styles of slavery. Various styles of slavery have a host of different standards, customs, and expectations, concerning both the slave, and the slave owner. Just like in our own real world history, there are many different facets and approaches to the institution of slavery, the relationships between slaves and their master, the relationships of slaves to society as a whole, the duration of slavery, whether limited, or lifelong, the customs involving whether slaves can marry, create families, and the status of slave's children. In real history, there are examples of generous and kind masters, that freed their slaves upon their death, in their wills. There are customs that allow slaves to own their own private property and wealth. Some slaves became wealthy in their own rights, and amassed great fortunes. Upon their being granted freedom, they went on to establish businesses and become even more wealthy and prosperous. There are also examples of masters "paying slaves"--providing them with monthly allowances as well as seasonal bonuses and donations for faithful and good service. Perhaps surprisingly, there are also examples of slaves that were granted their freedom, and yet they refused such, insisting on staying with their master or their mistress for their entire lives. Slaves have supervised lands, business, and holdings for their masters, and gained high trust. Other slaves raised their master's children, from the cradle to adulthood, as well as tutoring and educating them thoroughly. Also not surprisingly, many masters and mistresses alike, engaged in romantic and sexual relationships with especially favoured slaves. This oftentimes created particularly loyal and deep bonds of love and friendship. There are also instances where a slave and his family were granted freedom, and while embracing their status as free citizens--also chose to remain in the employment of their master, and made arrangements to continue living on their master's land, owning a house, and so on, proceeding to serve their master and their household much like they had always done in previous years. In other cultures, upon the death of a beloved master or mistress, some slaves chose to die in funeral ceremonies alongside their master, even though custom or law made no such requirement upon the slave to do so.
There are also customs of Contract Slavery, where a person voluntarily agrees to serve as a slave for a particular, specified time frame, typically 5, 7, 10, or 20 years, and some also being permitted to voluntarily serve for their whole lifetimes. There are cultures and customs where a slave woman serves as a concubine to her master, while the children she produces with her master enjoy a variety of rights and inheritance, as well as status--even though their mother was a slave. Countless numbers of women were eager to enter into such relationships, willingly serving as a slave for their entire lives, so that their children would enjoy forever a higher status than what their mother was born with.
And so it goes. Of course, slavery is often terrible, brutal, and wicked, but history shows that the institutions of slavery are not as simple as many modern people interpret, and in fact, there are very different approaches to slavery from many different cultures, and times. In some cases, "slave" was merely a title of status that kept the highest political rights beyond the salve, as well as many aspects of personal freedom, and yet, also provided security, resources, and a decidedly better life than many free peasants possessed, or members of the urban poor. I use many such elements to provide colour, details, and nuances to different cultures within the World of Thandor. Some cultures do not have slavery, at all. Meanwhile, other cultures do embrace slavery, though the institution of slavery is not monolithic and simple, but rather can be quite detailed, complex, and nuanced. Some cultures condemn slaves for life, while others attach a terrible stigma to the slave, even should they become free, and no longer a legally classed slave. While still others view the former slave as entirely free, worthy, and dignified, holding the same rights and privileges as any free person not born a slave. Within the campaign world, some slave cultures are horrible and brutal, while others are complex and relatively enlightened. Such different approaches to slavery and "Slave Cultures" create different tapestries for creating stories and adventures throughout the campaign world.
Semper Fidelis,
SHARK