Slaves of Rot
"We should have just let the Kerks kill us back then, been better for all parties involved." -Depressed Otterfolk Slave
"I mean, tis true we used to be slaves of the Fearum as well, but now look at us. You want freedom, Oturan? Keep your chin up, smile, and maybe one day the Fall Father will think more of you and let you out of those clasps of iron about yer necks, eh?" -Higvar Merchant to Oturan Slave

The old hierarchy of the Ratik was brutal and cruel as much as it was corrupt and despised. Yet, of all the old Ratik traditions that were abandoned, the one which the Fearum would keep was their system of slavery which persisted long after the Fall Father's victory. The Higvar, hedgehog folk who used to dwell as slaves of the Fearum, were an entire race gifted to the weaselfolk by their Ratik overlords. The Higvar over time went further east, becoming merchants and gaining their freedom after their long service, alongside founding rich and powerful cities which traded with the outside world. Bringing in goods from all over Kevica, and trading the unique produce and resources of the Reich to a larger market, the Higvar had removed the iron clasps from their necks, only for them to appear more often on the conquered Oturan.

During the war for their freedom, the Fearum also invaded the Oturan kingdoms during a time the Kerks were invading as well. The northern parts of the Couslandic kingdoms fell under the control of the Fearum through extremely dubious means, coming at first as possible allies only for one of the great heroes of the Fearum to betray the Oturan and bitterly enslave them. These kingdoms became apart of the Autumn Reich, but these marshes lived outside the lands of eternal fall and thus were slightly harder to defend. Many Oturan still languish as slaves in their own lands, often being now slaves to the Higvar who use them as a cheap labor source for their cities. Oturan, known for being deeply pacifist, are often considered too meek for revolt. However, the Autumn Reich also fears the day that the Kerks will turn their attention to them again, and use their treatment of the Oturan as an excuse to invade. This is why a policy of returning, or disappearing, any Illuminated from their lands and ceasing any and all raids into Cousland itself.

Slaves do not make up a majority of the labor pool, but there are enough of them to take notice. Slaves are often desirable for nobles, who in their many games of intrigue prefer meek creatures they view as inferior serving them rather than untrustworthy and superior fellow Fearum. Yet, of the slaves known to exist in the empire, there is some strange prestige with one unique knightly order known as the Knights of the Noose. Prisoners who are destined to hang are sometimes found by a wandering Prince, who under any circumstance may demand a struggling creature to make a pact with them, commuting their sentence to become a slave soldier. Knights of the Noose are well armed and trained, often used as bodyguards. Their traditions are simple, always wearing the chopped noose which they had been originally hanged with, and towards the end of their lives are ritualistically hanged again to complete their sentence. These knights are greatly valued for their fealty and skill, and often are seen in the retinues of powerful nobles, and even the Fall Father himself.