Essential Submissive Roles

by Aramock Nanuck

January 1999

The world of BDSM dictates that "all thralls are submissive (sub), but not all submissives are thralls." In the traditional form of protocols, the thrall is the highest form of submission. Being recognized as "valued" is an honour to many and is viewed as a significant accomplishment. The difference in experience with practitioners is that a submissive plays out the fantasy, while a thrall lives the reality. This differentiation is a prevailing view among long-time RT (real-time) BDSM folks, much to the dislike of VT or virtual (cyber) players.

Roles

The traditionalist point of view about sensual slavery as a real lifestyle, not a cyber-sex (chat room) diversion or escape, is the basis of this article. This article is here to answer the question, "Are you a slave?”

The Submissive:

Does pleasing and serving others give you a strange sense of inner satisfaction?
When you were young, did you always love to play the captured one or the slave girl or boy?
Did you have to be the one who served the tea at the make-believe tea parties as a little girl?
Does the thought of being owned, directed, and treated as property excite you?

The Thral ( or Lifestyle Slave)

It exhibits everything a sub does but takes it to a more intense and meaningful level.
It is not just something you do; being one is a state of mind or something you ARE!
They do more than submit; they surrender their will and spirit entirely to their dominant's empirical essence.
It is about the service and a commitment to their Dominant.
Lives are not only to give pleasure but to be enjoyed as well.
Has NO greater pleasure than fulfilling with perfection the task set before them by their dominant.
Seeks to be used sexually at the whim of their dominant.
They sit at the feet of their dominant, their collar proudly displayed on their neck.
Has NO limits other than those that their Dominant sets, other than those leading to permanent bodily injury.
Surrenders absolute control over their body, mind, soul, and life to their dominant
They find the act of someone having such power over them an immense turn-on and comfort that completes their whole being.
The asset is of significant value, which their dominant WILL NOT place at serious risk.

What is the Difference

With the proliferation of online BDSM chat rooms and cyber "wannabes," the line between sub and slave has been seriously blurred. It is not uncommon now for the term "sub" or "slave" to be used interchangeably when, in essence, they ARE different things. This is why, for this arena, we now adopt the term thrall to differentiate the role and level. The "sub" differs from the thrall in critical areas:

A submissive only serves under conditions they articulate and has a laundry list of things they will and will NOT do

Anyone who is cyber can only be a sub as they do not fully invest in the relationship.
If you are married and your Dominant is someone other than your spouse, you cannot indeed be a slave. The old saying applies here: "You can't serve two Masters (or Mistresses) at the same time."

A Thrall is a submissive who:

Hears the calling to submit,
Surrenders their control to another
Lives to give themselves to another
Knows that the needs of their Dominant come first
Serving fulfills a deep, aching, silent void within them.

Thrall-Type Casting:

There are many forms of service, but for simplicity, it is broken down into three:

The Pleasure Thrall

This is probably the most common form of service thrall. A smart dominant knows it is unwise ever to allow a pleasure thrall complete satisfaction, for they are meant to be in a state of constant sexual excitement. The latter is very important. Everyone talks about pleasure thrall; many even make a claim, but few truly understand what it really means or entails, a real pleasure thrall:

It exists to be used sexually.
It has no say about when, where, how, or who uses it. It is the dominant's sole right to decide.
May, for long periods, be denied sexual activity just as a form of punishment.
It can be "given" to another for their enjoyment.
Knows it is the dominant's responsibility to ensure safe sex or make other arrangements.
Exhibits the image of or is trained to be a highly sexual being.
Are they always ready to be of service?

A Domestic

This is an extension of the old Roman through Victorian periods, where indentured servants fulfilled domestic roles and were considered essential to the orderly running of a household.

It is an extension of the household
A tool used to maintain the dominant's home
Arises before the dominant to ensure their daily clothes are pressed, laid out, and ready for work.
Performs duties such as cooking, cleaning, laundry and other relevant household chores.
Cares for those living in the dominant's home, including other slaves.
Acts as a waitress to serve guests of the dominant when they arrive.
Wear a uniform prescribed by the dominant for their daily duties.
They await their dominant's arrival from work and assist with shedding their work clothes to don more comfortable home wear.
May act as a governess for the children in the home and provide nurturing care as required.

A Pain Slut

A unique aspect of the lifestyle found its realization during the time of the Marquis de Sade, where subjects found pleasure in inflicting and receiving pain.

It is an object of disdain for the dominant.
A living target for the practice of arcane talents in torture by the dominant
Eagerly seeks and desires punishment, finding sexual fulfillment in abuse.
Accept and relish in such marks as their dominant leaves upon their body.

Questions to ask Yourself

Many dominants require their thralls to be a combination of all of the above. Accepting this may be mandatory for any dominant to be willing to take you on for the long term.

Do you have what it takes to be a pleasure thrall?
Does the thought of being tied down, bent over and being used (Insert gratuitously fucked here) excite you?
Do you find yourself dreaming of being a sexual object, boy/girl toy a central theme in your fantasies?
Have you found, during your past sexual encounters, that you enjoyed pleasing your partner more than satisfying yourself?
Is there a deep, sensual fire burning within you to be set free?
Do you find yourself wanting it all the time?
At the core of your being, are you a (for lack of a better word) a SLUT?
Does the thought of someone else having complete control over your sexuality for THEIR pleasure call to you?
Are you often consumed with thoughts of being loaned or rented out to others for their pleasure?
Do you want to be owned?
Can you let go of everything that you think you are to find yourself?
Are you intelligent, outgoing and capable of learning?

In summary

Do not think that just because someone is submissive, they are weak. Thralls, on the contrary, are some of the most influential individuals in the world, for they bear up not on occasion but in the face of constant challenges. There is a saying within BDSM that goes, "I'm submissive, not stupid." What this ultimately means in real lifestyle enthusiasts is "if you look down upon a submissive for being so, you have missed the whole point... and you're inexperienced."

Does all this make you want to be a Master’s thrall?
Does your potential Master really understand you, your motivation and the types of service you want to offer?
Can any Master accept that you are serious about becoming a thrall?
Do you really impress upon your potential Master's desire to serve?