Chattel In The Settled Systems 2.0.0

CHATTEL IN THE SETTLED SYSTEMS 2.0.0 (March 2026)

 

Add a trait turning the character into chattel with forced nudity, but also buffs when the character is exposed. Spacesuits are allowed since they are required for large parts of the game play. CitSS can optionally turn some "logical" NPCs into chattel (Andreja, Vladimir, Matteo, and any other you) based on them being "you", or having run-ins with "the law". There is an optional alternate death script that can be enabled.  The only way to remove the chattel status (other than with the console) is to pass through Unity.

 

The optional alternate death component will treat any death as a capture, and "sell" the character. Once the character is chattel, the title holder extracts "profits" at a rate determined by a game play option. A "Chattel Implant Hack" can be purchased from any Trade Authority that transfers the title to a fake holding company, "Chattel 'R Us, Inc" and redirects profits into the home ship cargo area (extortion seems to be a standard business practice in the Starfield
Universe).  The hack is removed if the character is recaptured and will need to be re-purchased,.  It does not remove the chattel status, or stop the forced withdrawals, but the character doesn't lose access to the credits.

 

This can be played as a standalone mod by selecting the Chattel trait during character creation, or as an outcome by an alternate death/player slavery mod (i.e. it could be an outcome for an "auction" mod). It also provides a simple actor value interface for other mods to enforce player actions (reducing the "Chattel_Compliance" actor value causes the character to lose buffs and stats to be penalized). See the player and modder HowTo below.

 

USAGE

 

Enable Chattel.esm. This only depends on the base game. [Need to check that it doesn't unintentionally depend on any SFSE plugins]. I suggest using "Hide Spacesuit in Breathable Areas" (https://www.nexusmods.com/starfield/mods/2095). There is a naked space suit included ("Chattel Spacesuit"). I suggest using "Starfield Masks" (https://www.nexusmods.com/starfield/mods/7434) for the spacesuit helmet, but several helmets work quite well.

 

Enable any of ChattelOtherYou.esm, ChattelAndreja.esm, ChattelMatteo.esm, and ChattelVladimir.esm that you want.

Enable ChattelCaptured.esm if you want to have the PC sold on death or jail (with a large bounty). If the PC is already chattel (i.e. has the Chattel Implant Trait), they are returned to the registered owner after a processing fee has been applied. This adds periodic credit removals, and a couple other effects.

 

You can enable ChattelCrowds if you are using BetterCitizens, but see "WIP" below.

 

WIP

 

CitSS has an optional "ChattelCrowds.esm" that is/was intended to work with BetterCitizens, but never worked out. It's still in the pack, but has odd artifacts. A better solution could be implemented with "Souls of Cities", but the latest versions CTD before the game starts (As of 3/26, the source isn't provided and logging is turned off, so I think "SoC" is a dead mod.  Quite the loss).

 

The separate "ChattelNPC" masters should be part of "Chattel.esm" or a future "ChattelCrowds.esm", and controlled Game Play Options. Maybe in the future, but I don't see how to do it.

If (when) an extensible alternate death mod appears, ChattelCapture.esm could (should) be integrated.

 

If (when) an extensible "Slavery++" mod appears, ChattelCaptured could (should) be reworked to be an outcome.  TheAuctionHouse looks promising, but when I checked, it has a lot of broken dependencies.

 

BACKSTORY

 

The panic to leave a dying Earth led to many people being transported under harsh terms of indenture, which eventually lead, under certain circumstances, to humans becoming mere possessions. Starting in the early to mid twenty-third, those convicted of significant crimes, in particular property crimes, who had broken terms of indenture, or had failed to pay a debt secured by their body, find themselves receiving a chattel implant and being sold on the open market. It is well known that pirates will sell their kidnap victims as chattel if a ransom is not paid, and for this reason, the usual penalty for piracy is to receive a chattel implant. While the status is never inherited, by the early twenty-fourth century, a significant part of the human population exists as chattel.

 

Chattel hold a legal status similar to other forms of livestock, and the treatment of chattel is covered by the same laws that prevent the inhumane treatment of animals. Chattel have fewer rights than a companion animal, but more rights to humane treatment than a non-sentient robot. The laws directly addressing chattel aim to remove their basic humanity by forcing them to be treated as less than fully human. This is achieved through a standardized implant interface. For instance, all implants prevent chattel from wearing clothing, and will severely punish chattel that disobey citizens and other people. Another aspect is that the owner may make purchases using the chattel as a mobile credstik.

 

Chattel are unable own anything, including their body and thoughts, with all ownership rights held by the title holder, or the local authorities if the title is ambiguous. As with livestock, chattel have no say in how they are handled, how they are housed, or any other aspect of their existence. A chattel cannot be the victim of a crime, but, in some situations, the owner may sue for civil damages. Healthy chattel are commonly used for community pleasure, and there is a strong market for chattel with specific traits.

 

The chattel implant cannot be removed without causing severe brain damage and it significantly alters the individual, so receiving an implant is considered equivalent to death, and a death certificate is issued. Depending on the circumstances, previous possessions are inherited by next-of-kin, or sold at auction. In the case of kidnapping, this leads tragic circumstances where, even if recovered, the antecedent victim is considered, leaving a chattel who will be sold as repossessed contraband. It is especially cruel when the chattel is recovered near the home world of the antecedent, since they will be sold in full view of their family and previous associates, no matter their original standing in society.

 

While many chattel will continued to be called by the name of their dead antecedent, or other convenient moniker, chattel have no legal name and are identified by a serial number contained in the implant.

 

RATIONALE

 

Starfield is a lot harsher, pessimistic, and apocalyptic than Fallout. The game clearly implies that people got left behind to die, and all life on earth was devastated. In that context, the Settled Systems, and in particular the main factions, seem a little clean and friendly for a civilization that is only two centuries away from the extinction of a planet where billions of people must have died because they could not be evacuated from Earth, and everything known to humanity was destroyed. The sense of loss, and the cheapening of life would be enormous. The chaos would be overwhelming.  The wounds on society would be deep, and we see some of that in the prevalence of pirates and spacers. During the collapse of the Earths biosphere, people would have done anything to save their families and themselves, and that would have left deep indelible marks on civilization.

 

Starfield takes place in expansive multiverse. In at least some, the harsh conditions that followed the collapse of Earth meant the original terms of indenture would morph into humans being property. First as a punishment which didn't waste valuable resources, and, later, as a way to collect debts that had been secured through a person's body.

This mod implements a simple mechanism to simulate control over characters who have become property. Namely, a chattel implant perk that will harshly punish rebellious chattel that are not directly controlled by their owner.

 

HOWTO FOR A PLAYER:

 

From a player point of view, this implements a new trait. If the trait is active, the PC is denied clothing, and must wear a special neuroamp (the chattel inhibitor). Without meeting those conditions, the PC stats are significantly reduced (e.g. max health is reduced by 90%). If the implant is properly inhibited, the PC will receive increased resistances, as well as enhanced persuasion and stealth. On the other hand, a player is not forced to comply with the chattel implant requirements. Spacesuits are allowed because the game is unplayable without them, but a "naked" spacesuit is provided.

 

Make sure that the relevent mods are enabled. If you want some of the NPCs to be chattel enable the appropriate masters (e.g. ChattelMatteo.esm), and enable ChattelCaptured.esm for an "immersive" way to be turned into chattel. (See above)

 

The most organic ways to use this are through the new character creation (it's listed as a Trait), or using the ChattelCaptured.esm to enable an alternate death capture.

 

If you are directly using this, you will need to add the inhibitor to your inventory. You probably what the Chattel01 version and can get the formid using

 

   help Chattel 4 ARMO
   player.additem <formid-here>

 

There are four different styles of inhibitor. The Clothes_Chattel01 is the nominal inhibitor, while Clothes_Chattel02 adds a poncho. The other two (Clothes_Chattel03 and Clothes_Chattel04) are SFW versions (if you're not sure who might be watching you play, you might want them).

 

You can add the Trait_Chattel_Implant trait by doing

 

   help Chattel 4 PERK
   player.addperk <formid-here>

 

The perk can be removed just like any other.

 

   player.removeperk <formid-here>

 

HOWTO FOR A MODDER:

 

This mod provides a possible outcome for a alternate death, or slavery mod. On it's own, it simply turns the PC into chattel with enforced nudity and penalties for not complying with nudity requirements. It defines a new actor value "Chattel_Compliance" to record how compliant the player behavior has been. This starts with a default value of 100 (fully compliant) and can be modified using modav. If Chattel_Compliance drops too much, the character will lose bonuses and the player stats will be reduced. While the range of compliance values is not limited, the Chattel mod assumes that it will have a value between zero (non-compliant, and harshly punished), and 100 (fully compliant and buffed). Even with a Chattel_Compliance of below zero, the Chattel mod will not kill the player character, but it will make the game more difficult.

 

To turn a player into chattel, you will need to add the Trait_Chattel_Implant perk, and then add at least one of the the inhibitor clothing items (e.g. Clothes_Chattel). If you are cruel, you can add the perk and then force the player to find/equip the inhibitor on their own. Use "help Chattel" to find the form ids, or check a tool like xEdit.

 

The esp files are included in the plugins directory to be edited with the Creation Kit. You need to copy them into the right place so they will be seen by the Creation Kit.

 

LICENSE: Please use and reuse Chattel as you will, but, as a courtesy, consider pointing to the original mod and changing the name to limit confusion. Modding is a hobby, so I may (or may not) disappear, but don't let that stop you from improving things. (I'd love to come back and find a CitSS++). All the usual caveats about game assets apply.  And, please keep any changes "free" as in "freedom", so if you redistribute, please provide "source" for any changes you make.

 

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS: This mod was originally created using (the amazing) xEdit, and later with the (equally amazing) Creation Kit. None of this would be possible without the fantastic team at Bethesda which supports modding when they don't have to (and for free).

 

MEA CULPA: I didn't mean to remove 1.0.0, but misunderstood the interface and accidentally did.  I don't think this removed any features, so hopefully it's OK.