One of the great unacknowledged truths of the Glorious and Eternal Empire of Kartar is that the decadence and stability of centuries have created a stagnant and dying state. In the great early days of the Empire, it would be unheard of for a slave to hold anything approaching an important position. Nowadays, it isnt unknown for a slave to hold a position just underneath that of major domo, effectively the second-ranked official of those not of the house but of the household.