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STUDY GUIDES
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Quotes - Caste of Scribes
Quotes - Caste of ScribesSupporting References
"Ho!" cried Torm, that most improbable member of the Caste of Scribes, throwing his blue robes over his head as though he could not bear to see the light of day.
Tarnsman of Gor Book 1 Page 36
I sensed that a certain distrust existed between the Caste of Scribes and the Caste of Initiates.
Tarnsman of Gor Book 1 Page 40
I was specially drilled in the Code of the Warrior Caste.
"It's just as well," said Torm. "You would never make a Scribe."
. . .
I was also instructed in the Double Knowledge - that is, I was instructed in what the people, on the whole, believed, and then I was instructed in what the intellectuals were expected to know. Sometimes there was a surprising discrepancy between the two. For example, the population as a whole, the castes below the High Castes, were encouraged to believe that their world was a broad, flat disk. Perhaps this was to discourage them from exploration or to develop in them a habit of relying on commonsense prejudices something of a social control device.
On the other hand, the High Castes, specifically the Warriors, Builders, Scribes, Initiates, and Physicians, were told the truth in such matters, perhaps because it was thought they would eventually determine it for themselves, from observations such as the shadow of their planet on one or another of Gor's three small moons during eclipses, the phenomenon of sighting the tops of distant objects first, and the fact that certain stars could not be seen from certain geographical positions; if the planet had been flat, precisely the same set of stars would have been observable from every position on its surface.
I wondered, however, if the Second Knowledge, that of the intellectuals, might not be as carefully tailored to preclude inquiry on their level as the First Knowledge apparently was to preclude inquiry on the level of the Lower Castes. I would guess that there is a Third Knowledge, that reserved to the Priest-Kings.
Tarnsman of Gor Book 1 Page 41
The Scribes, of course, are the scholars and clerks of Gor, and there are divisions and rankings within the group, from simple copiers to the savants of the city.
Tarnsman of Gor Book 1 Page 44
I did learn, casually from a Scribe, not Torm, that slaves were not permitted to impart instruction to a free man, since it would place him in their debt, and nothing was owed to a slave.
Tarnsman of Gor Book 1 Page 46
The Chamber of the Council is the room in which the elected representatives of the High Castes of Ko-ro-ba hold their meetings. Each city has such a chamber. It was in the widest of cylinders, and the ceiling was at least six times the height of the normal living level. The ceiling was lit as if by stars, and the walls were of five colors, applied laterally, beginning from the bottom - white, blue, yellow, green, and red, caste colors. Benches of stone, on which the members of the Council sat, rose in five monumental tiers about the walls, one tier for each of the High Castes. These tiers shared the color of that portion of the wall behind them, the caste colors.
The tier nearest the floor, which denoted some preferential status, the white tier, was occupied by Initiates, Interpreters of the Will of the Priest-Kings. In order, the ascending tiers, blue, yellow, green, and red, were occupied by representatives of the Scribes, Builders, Physicians, and Warriors.
Torm, I observed, was not seated in the tier of Scribes, I smiled to myself. "I am," Torm had said, "too practical to involve myself in the frivolities of government," I supposed the city might be under siege and Torm would fall to notice.
I was pleased to note that my own caste, that of the Warriors, was accorded the least status; if I had had my will, the warriors would not have been a High Caste. On the other hand, I objected to the Initiates being in the place of honor, as it seemed to me that they, even more than the Warriors, were nonproductive members of society. For the Warriors, at least, one could say that they afforded protection to the city, but for the Initiates one could say very little, perhaps only that they provided some comfort for ills and plagues largely of their own manufacture.
Tarnsman of Gor Book 1 Pages 61 - 62
The Home Stone of a city is the center of various rituals. The next would be the Planting Feast of Sa-Tarna, the Life-Daughter, celebrated early in the growing season to insure a good harvest. This is a complex feast, celebrated by most Gorean cities, and the observances are numerous and intricate. The details of the rituals are arranged and mostly executed by the Initiates of a given city. Certain portions of the ceremonies, however, are often allotted to members of the High Castes.
Tarnsman of Gor Book 1 Page 68
"The women of the Walled Gardens know whatever happens on Gor," she replied, and I sensed the intrigue, the spying and treachery that must ferment within the gardens. "I forced my slave girls to lie with soldiers, with merchants and builders, physicians and scribes," she said, "and I found out a great deal." I was dismayed at this - the cool, calculating exploitation of her girls by the daughter of the Ubar, merely to gain information.
Tarnsman of Gor Book 1 Page 108
To my delight, even Torm, of the Caste of Scribes, appeared at the tables. I was honored that the little scribe had separated himself from his beloved scrolls long enough to share my happiness, only that of a warrior. He was wearing a new robe and sandals, perhaps for the first time in years.
Tarnsman of Gor Book 1 Page 217
Four times a year, correlated with the solstices and equinoxes, there are fairs held in the plains below the mountains, presided over by committees of Initiates, fairs in which men of many cities mingle without bloodshed, times of truce, times of contests and games, of bargaining and marketing.
Torm, my friend of the Caste of Scribes, had been to such fairs to trade scrolls with scholars from other cities, men he would never have seen were it not for the fairs, men of hostile cities who yet loved ideas more than they hated their enemies, men like Torm who so loved learning that they would risk the perilous journey to the Sardar Mountains for the chance to dispute a text or haggle over a coveted scroll. Similarly men of such castes as the Physicians and Builders make use of the fairs to disseminate and exchange information pertaining to their respective crafts.
Outlaw of Gor Book 2 Page 47
And it seemed strange to me that this rebellion, this willingness to pursue the right as they saw it, independently of the will of the Priest-Kings, had come not first from the proud Warriors of Gor, nor the Scribes, nor the Builders nor Physicians, nor any of the high castes of the many cities of Gor, but had come from the most degraded and despised of men, wretched slaves from the mines of Tharna.
Outlaw of Gor Book 2 Page 170
I shall deliver this manuscript to some member of the Caste of Scribes whom I shall find at the Fair of En'Kara at the base of the Sardar.
Outlaw of Gor Book 2 Page 245
I would stop briefly at the fair, for I must purchase food for the journey into the Sardar and I must entrust a leather-bound package to some member of the Caste of Scribes, a package which contained an account of what had occurred at the City of Tharna in the past months, a short history of events which I thought should be recorded.
Priest-Kings of Gor Book 3 Page 8
Further, members of castes such as the Physicians and Builders use the fairs for the dissemination of information and techniques among Caste Brothers, as is prescribed in their codes in spite of the fact that their respective cities may be hostile. And as might be expected members of the Caste of Scribes gather here to enter into dispute and examine and trade manuscripts.
My small friend, Torm of Ko-ro-ba, of the Caste of Scribes, had been to the fairs four times in his life. He informed me that in this time he had refuted seven hundred and eight scribes from fifty-seven cities, but I will not vouch for the accuracy of the report, as I sometimes suspect that Torm, like most members of his caste, and mine, tends to be a bit too sanguine in recounting his numerous victories. Moreover I have never been too clear as to the grounds on which the disputes of scribes are to be adjudicated, and it is not too infrequently that both disputants leave the field each fully convinced that he has had the best of the contest. In differences among members of my own caste, that of the Warriors, it is easier to tell who has carried the day, for the defeated one often lies wounded or slain at the victor's feet. In the contests of scribes, on the other hand, the blood that is spilled is invisible and the valiant foemen retire in good order, reviling their enemies and recouping their forces for the next day's campaign. I do not hold this against the contests of scribes; rather I commend it to the members of my own caste.
Priest-Kings of Gor Book 3 Pages 8 - 10
It took not much time to purchase a small bundle of supplies to take into the Sardar, nor was it difficult to find a scribe to whom I might entrust the history of the events at Tharna. I did not ask his name nor he mine. I knew his caste, and he knew mine, and it was enough. He could not read the manuscript as it was written in English, a language as foreign to him as Gorean would be to most of you, but yet he would treasure the manuscript and guard it as though it were a most precious possession, for he was a scribe and it is the way of scribes to love the written word and keep it from harm, and if he could not read the manuscript, what did it matter perhaps someone could someday, and then the words which had kept their secret for so long would at last enkindle the mystery of communication and what had been written would be heard and understood.
Priest-Kings of Gor Book 3 Page 15
My Chamber Slave's accent had been pure High Caste Gorean though I could not place the city. Probably her caste had been that of the Builders or Physicians, for had her people been Scribes I would have expected a greater subtlety of inflections, the use of less common grammatical cases; and had her people been of the Warriors I would have expected a blunter speech, rather belligerently simple, expressed in great reliance on the indicative mood and, habitually, a rather arrogant refusal to venture beyond the most straightforward of sentence structures.
Priest-Kings of Gor Book 3 Page 52
Gorean, I might note, is somewhat similar, and though I speak Gorean fluently, I find it very difficult to write, largely because of the even-numbered lines which, from my point of view, must be written backwards. Torm, my friend of the Caste of Scribes, never forgave me this and to this day, if he lives, he undoubtedly considers me partly illiterate. As he said, I would never make a Scribe. "It is simple," he said. "You just write it forward but in the other direction."
Priest-Kings of Gor Book 3 Pages 100 - 101
"Yes," he said, "I suppose that I am brave." He looked at the Older Tarl. "You must not tell other members of the Caste of Scribes," he cautioned.
I smiled to myself. How clearly Torm wished to keep caste lines and virtues demarcated.
"I will tell everyone," said the Older Tarl kindly, "that you are the bravest of the Caste of Scribes."
"Well," said Torm, "thus qualified, perhaps the information will do no harm."
Priest-Kings of Gor Book 3 Page 303
Once safely down Torm came over to me and reached up and touched my shoulder.
"I believed you," he said.
"I know," I said, and gave his sandy-haired head a rough shake. He was, after all, a Scribe, and had the proprieties of his caste to observe.
Priest-Kings of Gor Book 3 Page 304
It might be mentioned, for those unaware of the fact, that the Caste of Merchants is not considered one of the traditional five High Castes of Gor the Initiates, Scribes, Physicians, Builders and Warriors. Most commonly, and doubtless unfortunately, it is only members of the five high castes who occupy positions on the High Councils of the cities.
Nomads of Gor Book 4 Page 84
another wore the blue of the Caste of Scribes,
Assassin of Gor Book 5 Page 3
At his right hand there was a Scribe, an angular, sullen man with deep eyes, with and stylus. It was Caprus of Ar, Chief Accountant to the House of Cernus. He lived in the house and seldom went abroad in the streets. It was with this man that Vella had been placed, her registration, papers and purchase having been arranged. In the House of Cernus, after the sheet, bracelets, leash and collar had been removed, agents of House of Cernus had checked her fingerprints against those on the papers.
Assassin of Gor Book 5 Page 40
"These men are the champions among male slaves at hook knife," said Cernus. He scarcely glanced up from the game board at which he sat across from Caprus, of the Caste of Scribes, Chief Accountant of the House.
Assassin of Gor Book 5 Page 86
"He is one of us," she said. "He holds me to no close schedule, and lets me leave the house when I wish. Yet I suppose I should report in upon occasion."
"Are there other assistants to him?" I asked.
"He manages several Scribes," she said, "but they do not work closely with him. There are some other girls, as well, but Caprus is permissive, and we come and go pretty much as we please."
Assassin of Gor Book 5 Page 107
One girl was dictating from a piece of record paper held in her hand and the other girl was copying it rapidly on a second piece of record paper. The speed with which this was done informed me that some form of shorthand must be being used. Elsewhere in the room there were some free men, Scribes I gathered though they were stripped to the waist, who were inking, using a silk-screen process, large sheets of layered, glued rag paper. One of them held the sheet up inspecting it, and I saw that it was a bill, which might be pasted against a public building, or on the public boards near the markets. It advertised a sale. Other such sheets, hanging on wires, proclaimed games and tarn races.
Assassin of Gor Book 5 Page 113
I looked to the area of the Administrator and saw the Hinrabian disgustedly turning away, dictating something to a scribe, who sat cross-legged near the throne, a sheaf of record papers in his hand.
Assassin of Gor Book 5 Page 141
Many castes, incidentally, have branches and divisions. Lawyers and Scholars, for example, and Record Keepers, Teachers, Clerks, Historians and Accountants are all Scribes.
Assassin of Gor Book 5 Page 208
Shortly thereafter Maximus Hegesius Quintilius was found dead, poisoned by the bite of a girl in his Pleasure Gardens, who, before she could be brought before the Scribes of the Law, was strangled by enraged Taurentians, to whom she had been turned over; it was well known that the Taurentians had greatly revered Maximus Hegesius Quintilius, and that they had felt his loss perhaps as deeply as the common Warriors of Ar.
. . .
The Scribes of the Central Cylinder examined the records and, to their horror, discrepancies were revealed, in particular payments to members of the Hinrabian family for services it was not clear had ever been performed;
Assassin of Gor Book 5 Pages 233 - 234
And Caprus seemed in a good humor; that perhaps was significant, betokening an end in sight for my mission. In thinking about this I realized what a brave man Caprus was, and how little I had respected his courage and his work. He had risked much, probably much more than I. I felt ashamed. He was only a Scribe, and yet what he had done had taken great courage, probably more courage than that possessed by many Warriors.
Assassin of Gor Book 5 Page 237
There is little love lost between Physicians and Initiates, even as is the case between Scribes and Initiates.
Assassin of Gor Book 5 Page 266
"Your calendar is well kept," I said. "Worthy of a Scribe."
"I am a Scribe," said the man. He reached under himself to hold forth for my inspection a shred of damp, rotted blue cloth, the remains of what had once been his robes.
Assassin of Gor Book 5 Page 277
Scribes at nearby tables endorsed and updated papers of registration, that the ownership of the girls be legally transferred from the state to individual citizens.
Assassin of Gor Book 5 Page 396
From time to time a warrior would add further booty to this catch, dragging or throwing his capture rudely among the others. These rencers were guarded by two warriors with drawn swords. A scribe stood by with a tally sheet, marking the number of captures by each warrior.
Raiders of Gor Book 6 Page 54
The Ubars were represented on the council, to which they belonged as being themselves Captains, by five empty thrones, sitting before the semicircles of curule chairs on which reposed the captains. Beside each empty throne there was a stool from which a Scribe, speaking in the name of his Ubar, participated in the proceedings of the council. The Ubars themselves remained aloof, seldom showing themselves for fear of assassination.
A scribe, on table before the five thrones, was droning the record of the last meeting of the council.
Raiders of Gor Book 6 Page 126
I had discovered, to my pleasure, that the girl Luma, whom I had saved from Surbus, was of the Scribes. Her city had been Tor.
Being of the Scribes she could, of course, read and write.
"Can you keep accounts?" I had asked her.
"Yes, Master," she had responded.
I had made her the chief scribe and accountant of my house.
Each night, in my hall, before my master's chair, she would kneel with her tablets and give me an accounting of the day's business, with reports on the progress of various investments and ventures, often making suggestions and recommendations for further actions.
This plain, thin girl, I found, had an excellent mind for the complicated business transactions of a large house. She was a most valuable slave. She much increased my fortunes.
I permitted her, of course, but a single garment, but I allowed it to be opaque, and of the blue of the Scribes. It was sleeveless and fell to just above her knees. Her collar, however, that she might not grow pretentious, was of simple steel. It read, as I wished, I BELONG TO BOSK.
Some of the free men in the house, particularly of the scribes, resented that the girl should have a position of such authority. Accordingly, when receiving their reports and transmitting her instructions to them, I had informed her that she would do so humbly, as a slave girl, and kneeling at their feet. This mollified the men a good deal, though some remained disgruntled. All, I think, feared that her quick stylus and keen mind would discover the slightest discrepancies in their columns and tally sheets, and, indeed, they seemed to do so. I think they feared her, because of the excellence of her work and because, behind her, stood the power of the house, its Captain, Bosk from the Marshes.
Raiders of Gor Book 6 Pages 130 - 131
A small fire was burning to one side, where a lamp with candle had been knocked to the floor, in the rush toward the door.
Chairs lay knocked over, furniture was broken. The floor was covered with papers.
The scribe at the central table, that before the empty thrones, stood numb behind the table.
Other scribes came and stood with him, looking from one to the other. To one side, cowering, stood several of the Page boys.
. . .
"Gather up and guard the book of the Council," I told the Scribe who had been at the great table.
"Yes, Captain," said he, leaping to seize it up.
Raiders of Gor Book 6 Pages 143 - 144
"I am going to the arsenal," I said. I turned to one of the captains. "Have scribes investigate and prepare reports on the extent of the damage, wherever it exists. Also have captains ascertain the military situation in the city. And have patrols doubled, and extend their perimeters by fifty pasangs."
Raiders of Gor Book 6 Page 148
"I now ask the table scribe," said Samos, "to call the roll of Captains."
Raiders of Gor Book 6 Page 158
Several committees were formed, usually headed by scribes but reporting to the council, to undertake various studies pertaining to the city, particularly of a military and commercial nature.
Raiders of Gor Book 6 Page 159
I took my chair. "I petition," said I to the scribe, as though it might be an ordinary meeting, "to address the council."
The scribe was puzzled.
The captains looked up.
Speak," said the Scribe.
Raiders of Gor Book 6 Pages 255 - 256
"Were you truly of the scribes?" asked the man.
"Yes," said Inge, startled.
"The refinement of your accent," he said, "suggested the scribes."
"Thank you, Master," said Inge, lowering her head.
Captive of Gor Book 7 Page 195
an intent, preoccupied scribe, lean and clad in the scribe's blue, with a scroll, perhaps come north for high fees to tutor the sons of rich men;
Hunters of Gor Book 8 Page 41
It was Luma, the chief scribe of my house, in her blue robe and sandals. Her hair was blond and straight, tied behind her head with a ribbon of blue wool, from the bounding Hurt, died in the blood of the Vosk sorp. She was a scrawny girl, not attractive, but with deep eyes, blue; and she was a superb scribe, in her accounting swift, incisive, accurate, brilliant;
. . .
Few scribes, I expected, were so skilled in the supervision and management of complex affairs as this light, unattractive, brilliant girl.
Marauders of Gor Book 9 Pages 1 - 2
Ivar, like many of those in the north, was a passable reader, but took care to conceal this fact. He belonged to the class of men who could hire their reading done for them, much as he could buy thralls to do his farming. It was not regarded as dignified for a warrior to be too expert with letters, such being a task beneath warriors. To have a scribe's skills would tend to embarrass a man of arms, and tend to lower his prestige among his peers.
Marauders of Gor Book 9 Page 231
The Companion Contract, thus, had been duly negotiated, with the attention of scribes of the law from both Fortress of Saphronicus and the Confederation of Saleria. The Companion Journey, then, when the auspices had been favorable, as they promptly were, these determined by the inspection of the condition and nature of the liver of a sacrificial verr, examined by members of the caste of Initiates, had begun.
Slave Girl of Gor Book 11 Page 111
"In Gorean," said Bosk, "the most frequently occurring letter is Eta. We might then begin by supposing that the combination of blue and red signifies an Eta."
"I see," said Samos.
"The next most frequently occurring letters in Gorean," said Bosk, "are Tau, Al-Ka, Omnion and Nu. Following these in frequency of occurrence are Ar, Ina, Sbu and Homan, and so on."
"How is this known?" asked Samos.
"It is based upon letter counts," said Bosk, "over thousands of words in varieties of manuscripts."
"These matters have been determined by scribes?" asked Samos.
"Yes," said Bosk.
"Why should they be interested in such things?"
"Such studies were conducted originally, at least publicly, as opposed to the presumed secret studies of cryptographers, in connection with the Sardar Fairs," said Bosk, "at meetings of Scribes concerned to standardize and simplify the cursive alphabet. Also, it was thought to have consequences for improved pedagogy, in teaching children to first recognize the most commonly occurring letters."
"I was taught the alphabet beginning with Al-Ka," smiled Samos.
"As was I," said Bosk. "Perhaps we should first have been taught Eta."
"That is not the tradition!" said Samos.
"True," admitted Bosk. "And these innovative scribes have had little success with their proposed reforms. Yet, from their labors, various interesting facts have emerged. For example, we have learned not only the order of frequency of occurrence of letters but, as would be expected, rough percentages of occurrence as well. Eta, for example, occurs two hundred times more frequently in the language than Altron. Over forty percent of the language consists of the first five letters I mentioned, Eta, Tau, Al-Ka, Omnion and Nu."
Slave Girl of Gor Book 11 Pages 383 - 384
In traversing the street I saw the fellow from the polar basin, he stripped to the waist, with fur trousers and boots. He was dealing with a large fellow, corpulent and gross, who managed one of the booths. There was a thin scribe present as well behind the counter.
Beasts of Gor Book 12 Page 50
"You are not of the scribes," I said. "Look at your hands."
We could hear the flame of the lamp, tiny, soft, in the silence of the tent.
His hands were larger than those of the scribe, and scarred and roughened. The fingers were short. There was no stain of ink about the tips of the index and second finger.
Beasts of Gor Book 12 Page 104
There are several barbarian languages spoken on Gor, usually in more remote areas. Also, some of the dialects of Gorean itself are almost unintelligible. On the other hand, Gorean, in its varieties, serves as the lingua franca of civilized Gor. There are few Goreans who cannot speak it, though with some it is almost a second language. Gorean tends to be rendered more uniform through the minglings and transactions of the great fairs. Too, at certain of these fairs, the caste of scribes, accepted as the arbiters of such matters, stipulate that certain pronunciations and grammatical formations, and such, are to be preferred over others.
Beasts of Gor Book 12 Page 154
Many Gorean letters have a variety of pronunciations, depending on their linguistic context. Certain scribes have recommended adding to the Gorean alphabet new letters, to independently represent some of these sounds which, now, require alternative pronunciations, context-dependent, of given letters. Their recommendations, it seems, are unlikely to be incorporated into formal Gorean.
Explorers of Gor Book 13 Pages 9 - 10
Two men from the desk of the nearest wharf praetor, he handling wharves six through ten, a scribe and a physician, boarded the ship. The scribe carried a folder with him. He would check the papers of Ulafi, the registration of the ship, the arrangements for wharfage and the nature of the cargo.
. . .
The scribe noted the physician's report in his papers and the physician, with a marking stick, initialed the entry.
Explorers of Gor Book 13 Pages 117 - 120
Geographers and cartographers, of course, are members of the Scribes.
Explorers of Gor Book 13 Page 213
"Surely Shaba will have others of his caste with him, geographers of the scribes," I said.
Explorers of Gor Book 13 Page 237
The men with him, I suspected, or most of them, were members of his own caste, geographers of the scribes, perhaps, but men inured to hardships, perhaps men who had been with him in his explorations of Ushindi and Ngao, men he trusted and upon whom he could count in desperate situations, caste brothers.
Explorers of Gor Book 13 Page 251
"I am a scribe, and a man of science and letters," said Shaba.
Explorers of Gor Book 13 Page 431
"He is Ngumi," said Shaba. "He is courageous, indeed. We did not know if he would get through."
"I did not know a scribe could be so courageous," I said.
"There are brave men in all castes," said Shaba.
Explorers of Gor Book 13 Page 433
"I am grateful," had said Ramani of Anango, who had once been the teacher of Shaba. I had delivered to him, and to two others of his caste, the maps and notebooks of Shaba. Ramani and his fellows had wept. I had then left them, returning to my lodgings. Copies would be made of the maps and notebooks. They would then be distributed by caste brothers throughout the cities of civilized Gor. The first copies that were made by anyone had already, however, been made, by the scribes of Bila Huruma in Ushindi.
Explorers of Gor Book 13 Page 454
Tenalion then turned to a bound, dark-haired woman who had been standing on the platform, her head down, her hair over her eyes. He thrust her from the platform. "Ten copper tarsks," he said to a scribe at a small table nearby, with papers and a box of coins. The scribe counted out ten copper tarsks to a fellow at the table.
Fighting Slave of Gor Book 14 Page 380
Such breedings commonly take place with the slaves hooded, and under the supervision of the master, or masters. In this way the occurrence of the breeding act can be confirmed and authenticated. Sometimes a member of the caste of scribes is also present, to provide certification on behalf of the city.
Blood Brothers of Gor Book 18 Page 319
"Scribes from the treasure rooms will be along shortly," he said, "to gather in and account for the cloths and coins.
Kajira of Gor Book 19 Page 95
This hairdo here, on Crystal, with the bun in the back, is favored by many free women of the scribes.
Kajira of Gor Book 19 Page 292
"Disgusting! Disgusting!" cried the free woman, one veiled and wearing the robes of the scribes, standing in the audience. "Pull down your skirt, you slave, you brazen hussy!"
"Pray, do withdraw, noble sir, for you surprise me unawares, and of necessity I must improvise some veiling, lest my features be disclosed," cried the girl upon the stage, Boots Tarsk-Bit's current Brigella. I had seen her a few days earlier in Port Kar.
"Pull down your skirt, slut!" cried the free woman in the audience.
"Be quiet," said a free man to the woman. "It is only a play."
"Be silent yourself!" she cried back at him.
"Would that you were a slave," he growled. "You would pay richly for your impertinence."
"I am not a slave," she said.
"Obviously," he said.
"And I shall never he a slave," she said.
"Do not be too sure of that," he said.
Players of Gor Book 20 Page 121
"Even if it were," said another fellow, "you apparently did not see the theft, and do not have clear evidence, even of a circumstantial nature, that he is the culprit." The fellow who had said this wore the blue of the scribes. He may even have been a Scribe of the law.
Mercenaries of Gor Book 21 Page 244
"Why would one think of her in the terms of a Ubara?" I asked. "Sworn from Marlenus, she is no longer his daughter."
"I am not a scribe of the law," he said. "I do not know."
Mercenaries of Gor Book 21 Page 265
Most Goreans, incidentally, do not attribute lightning and thunder to the grinding of the flour of Priest-Kings. They regard such things as charming myths, which they have now outgrown. Some of the lower castes, however, particularly that of the peasants, and particularly those in outlying villages, do entertain the possibility that such phenomena may be the signs of disunion among Priest-Kings and their conflicts, the striking of weapons, the rumbling of their chariots, the trampling of their tharlarion, and such. Even more sophisticated Goreans, however, if not of the Scribes or Builders, have been noted to speculate that lightning is the result of clouds clashing together in the sky, showering sparks, and such.
Renegades of Gor Book 23 Pages 18 - 19
The reform of chronology is proposed by a small party from among the caste of scribes almost every year at the Fair of En'Kara, near the Sardar, but their proposals, sensible as they might seem, are seldom greeted with either interest or enthusiasm, even by the scribes. Perhaps that is because the reconciliation and coordination of chronologies, like the diction and convolutions of the law, are usually regarded as scribal prerogatives.
Renegades of Gor Book 23 Page 347
The traditional high castes of Gor are the Initiates, Scribes, Builders, Physicians and Warriors.
Renegades of Gor Book 23 Page 368
"Who knows?" I said. "Perhaps a scribe would buy you to clean his chamber and keep his papers in order."
"What?" she said.
"You can read, can't you?" I said.
"Yes!" she said.
"And to serve him in other ways," I said.
"Scribes," she said, in disappointment, "are weak."
"Not all of them," I said, "as you might discover under his whip."
Vagabonds of Gor Book 24 Page 231
Indeed, several fellows I have known, of the scarlet caste, take pains to conceal their literacy, seemingly ashamed of an expertise in such matters, regarding such as befitting scribes rather than warriors.
Magicians of Gor Book 25 Page 76
"Are you a legal slave, my child?" asked one of the counselors, a scribe of the law.
"No, Master," said the woman.
"You are then a legally free female?" asked the scribe.
"Yes, Master," she said.
Magicians of Gor Book 25 Page 138
As I have mentioned, there were scribes on, or near, the dais with Talena. Lists were being kept, and referred to. One list, for example, had the names of the women upon it, in the order in which they ascended the platform. It was from this list that one of the scribes announced the names.
Magicians of Gor Book 25 Page 140
The scribes put their marking sticks away. They closed their wood-bound tablets, tying them shut.
Magicians of Gor Book 25 Page 155
"Have you read," I asked, "the Manuals of the Pens of Mira, Leonora's Compendium, the Songs of Dina, or Hargon's The Nature and Arts of the Female Slave?"
"No, Master," she said, eagerly. Such texts, and numerous others, like them, are sometimes utilized in a girl's training, particularly by professional slavers. Sometimes they are read aloud in training sessions by a scribe, a whip master in attendance.
Magicians of Gor Book 25 Page 193
Official clocks are adjusted, of course, according to the announcements of scribes, in virtue of various astronomical measurements, having to do with the movements of the sun and stars.
Magicians of Gor Book 25 Page 358
I have known extremely intelligent men on Gor, incidentally, who could not read. Illiteracy, or, more kindly, an inability to read and write, is not taken on Gor as a mark of stupidity. These things tend rather, in many cases, to be associated with the caste structure and cultural traditions. Some warriors, as I have indicated earlier, seem to feel it is somewhat undignified for them to know how to read, or, at least, how to read well, perhaps because that sort of thing is more in the line of, say, the scribes. One hires a warrior for one thing, one hires a scribe for another. One does not expect a scribe to know the sword. Why, then, should one expect the warrior to know the pen?
Magicians of Gor Book 25 Pages 393 - 394
I saw two officers beginning to examine the lines of captives. One had a grease pencil. They were followed by a scribe with a tablet, who made jottings as they proceeded down the line. Information pertaining to captives and slaves, their dispositions, and such, is sometimes marked on their bodies. The upper surface of the left breast is often used for this. The pertinent information, displayed in this manner, so conveniently and prominently, is easily read.
Witness of Gor Book 26 Page 433
One of the men with the officer, the captain, was clad not in the gear of war, but wore a blue tunic, and carried, on two straps, slung now beside him, a scribe's box. It was flat and rectangular. Pens are contained, in built-in-racks, within it. Depending on the box, it may contain ink, or powered ink, to be mixed with water, the vessel included, or flat, disklike cakes of pigment, to be dampened, and used as ink, rather as water colors. In it, too, in narrow compartments, are sheets of paper, commonly lined paper or rence paper. A small knife may also be contained in such boxes for scraping out errors, or a flat eraser stone. Other paraphernalia may also be included, depending on the scribe, string, ostraka, wire, coins, even lunch. The top of the box, the lid, the box placed on a solid surface, serves as a writing surface, or desk.
Witness of Gor Book 26 Pages 492 - 493
"Do you wish a record of this, Captain?" asked the fellow in the blue tunic, he with the scribe's box, on its straps, slung at his left side.
"No," said the captain. "Keep no record of this.
Witness of Gor Book 26 Page 495
Needless to say, caste members do not always wear the caste colors. For example, a scribe would normally wear his blue when working but not always when at leisure.
Witness of Gor Book 26 Page 519
Earlier in the day, after having been at the pool, and having been fed and watered, she, and those who had been in her ankle coffle, were conducted to an exhibition cage, one of more than perhaps fifty or sixty. While they stood outside the cage, roped together by the ankle, lot numbers were inscribed, with a grease pencil, or marker, on their left breasts. The left breast is used in such matters as most men are right-handed. Records were kept, regarding the lot numbers and names. Those girls who did not have names were given names, for clerical purposes, which might or might not be kept on them after a sale. Some of the names were lovely. All were suitable for female slaves. The matter was supervised by a scribe, with a clipboard, to which were attached several sheets of paper.
Prize of Gor Book 27 Page 400
She had been 'Auta' before, but the scribe had not cared for that name, and had given her the name 'Renata'. So now she was Renata.
Prize of Gor Book 27 Page 408
She dared to lift her head a little, but she saw neither Mirus nor Selius Arconious within the enclosure. She did see, this frightening her, and she quickly put down her head, the scribe who had interviewed her in the exhibition cage, and three guardsmen, with him, not one but three, all approaching.
Her apprehensions were much increased when she became aware that they had stopped in her vicinity.
Ellen, trembling, pressed her forehead down into the sand.
"117, Kajira Ellen," said the scribe.
"Yes, Master," said Ellen.
"Dismiss your girls, save this one," said the scribe.
"Return to the area of preparation," said the exterior whip master.
Immediately, with a rustle of bells, and the clinkings of necklaces and bangles, the other slaves hurried to their feet and went into the area of preparation.
"Master?" asked Ellen.
"Strip yourself, completely," said the scribe.
"Yes, Master," said Ellen.
"Help her," said the scribe.
One of the guardsmen undid the halter, behind her back, and pulled it away. One of the other two guardsmen whistled softly. "Nice," he said. Ellen, flushing, lifted aside the necklaces and the bracelet and, embarrassed, though a slave, unhooked the swirling skirt of dancing silk. "The veil, there, Masters," she said. "That was mine to wear, too." In this way she had purchased a moment's modesty. Then the veil was put beside her, and on it were laid the halter, the necklaces and bracelet. She looked up and, meeting the stern eyes of the scribe, lifted away the skirt, folded it, and, head down, placed it, too, beside her.
"Bells," said the scribe.
Ellen sat then in the sand, and drew up her left leg, to attempt to remove the bells. She was at this time naked, save for the bells. Her fingers fumbled. The knots seemed too close, too tight. She struggled, and began to weep.
"On your belly," said the scribe.
One of the guardsmen, then, crouching beside her, bending her leg, lifting it by the ankle, pressing it closely against her body, so closely she whimpered, undid the bells. With a jangle they were flung to the bit of garb and the few adornments beside her. She remained, of course, on her belly, but put her leg down. Her head was turned to the right, her left cheek in the sand.
"Well, little Ellen," said the scribe. "You danced well."
"Thank you, Master," whispered Ellen, frightened.
"But I thought it strange," said the scribe, "when I heard your number called in the camp, summoning you to a dancing circle, and, indeed, one so high as the ba-ta circle. I seemed to recall the number, and, accordingly, as is my wont in such instances, checked my records, which I have with me."
Ellen was silent, lying in the sand, the feet of the men about her.
"According to my records," said the scribe, looming over her, tall in his blue robes, she could see but the hem of his robe and his sandals, "you responded negatively when queried as to your ability to dance. Perhaps my records are in error?"
I think we may grant, even within this narrative, despite the possible risk of a seeming impropriety, hopefully not one punishable, that Ellen had at least average, or reasonable, intelligence. Certainly her life on Earth, her education, her attainments, her position, and such, suggest as much. More coercively, perhaps, we might note that intelligence ranks high among the selection criteria of Gorean slavers, of which, as noted earlier, we may assume that Mirus was one. I think that it is seldom that stupid women are brought to Gor. The Gorean master, you see, looks for high intelligence in a female slave. It is one of his pleasures to take a highly intelligent woman, even a brilliant woman, provided, of course, that she is attractive, would be of interest in chains, is likely to squirm well in the furs and such, and teach her her womanhood, a lesson which is too often neglected in the education of a free female, either on Gor or Earth. He delights then to take such an interesting, lovely, remarkable creature in hand and, step by step, with great patience, reduce her to an unquestioning, passionate, obedient chattel. The more intelligent she is, of course, the better slave she is likely to make; I assume that that is obvious; she is likely to be more aware of the subtlest and almost unspoken desires of her master; she is less likely to make errors which might displease him; and she is likely to be not only hot, devoted and dutiful, as the saying is, but inventive and zealous, conscientious and creative, intelligently desperate to please, in her unrelieved, categorical servitude. Also, I suppose that there is just more pleasure in owning an intelligent woman than in owning one who is less intelligent. She is a greater prize to have at one's feet. Too, the average Gorean master wants a woman he can talk to, seriously talk to, one with whom, in a sense, he can share his life. It is not unusual for a master to speak of numerous matters with his female slave, politics, culture, music, history, philosophy, and such, almost as though she might be his equal, though she is likely to be kneeling before him, naked, and back-braceleted. In this way she is not likely to forget that she is a female. Afterwards he can put her in pleasure chains, and, as it pleases him, turn her once again into a begging, submitted, conquered, spasmodic, writhing slave. A dull woman, you see, is not of great interest, whether in a collar or not. An interesting woman, on the other hand, is not the less interesting in a collar; indeed, she is more interesting in a collar.
"No, Master," said Ellen. "Your records are correct. I denied that I knew dance." She supposed that the question had been a trap, but, even had it not been, even if the scribe's question had been innocently, honestly, motivated, she thought it wisest to answer truthfully. As a slave she feared the penalties for prevarication, the least of which might be a severe whipping.
"Then," said the scribe, "it appears that you are a lying slave."
"No, Master," she wept. "I answered as honestly as I could. I am a slave girl. I would not dare to lie to a free man!"
"You said you could not dance, and yet with my own eyes, and to my pleasure, I may add, I saw you dance."
"I cannot dance!" cried Ellen.
There was laughter, from the scribe, and from one of the guardsmen, and from the two whip masters who had now come forth from the area of preparation.
"It is true," said Ellen. "I did not so much dance, as act to music. And I have seen dancers, in the circles. I tried to imitate them! I tried to do well! Then I felt myself taken by the music, and I could not help myself. Then, as though held in its chains, I found myself dancing. I had been captured by the music. I had no recourse but to obey it, Masters! I did not know I could dance, if dance I did."
"You danced," said the scribe.
Ellen groaned.
"You had lessons?" said the scribe.
"No, Master," said Ellen.
"But you have seen slaves dance?"
"Yes, Master," wept Ellen.
"And you learned from them?"
"Perhaps something, Master."
"And surely, as a slave," said the scribe, "you upon occasion, naked, in secret, had swayed before a mirror?"
"Yes, Master," whispered Ellen. She recalled that she had done this, not only on Gor, but even on Earth, as a frustrated female intellectual, more than once, in anguish, and curiosity, and embarrassment, in the privacy of her apartment, the shades drawn, far above the distant pavement, far above the dismal, crowded, gray streets below. She had wanted to see herself as she might be, and wanted to be, as a beautiful, natural creature, and to see herself, as well, as that creature might appear, beggingly presenting itself, beggingly displaying itself, in all the lure of the dance, to a member of the opposite sex, to a man. Once, to her astonishment, she had found herself whispering to the mirror. "I am here. Where are you, my master? I am ready for a collar. I want a collar. Come, collar me, my master!" She wondered how many slaves danced thusly in such small, lonely apartments, their slave needs starved, longing for a master.
"Then you have not only made observations, from which you perhaps learned something, but you have practiced," said the scribe.
"Yes, Master," wept Ellen.
"I think I shall have you remanded for the liar's brand," said the scribe.
"Do not have it put on me, please, Master!" begged Ellen, terrified.
"I would think that a good whipping would be sufficient," said a voice, "say, ten lashes."
Ellen started, keeping her head down.
"Who are you?" asked the scribe.
"I am called 'Selius'," said the voice.
Ellen dared to look up, from her belly, half buried in the sand, into which it seemed she would crawl, as though to hide. Her fingers dug into the sand, at the sides of her head. It was Selius Arconious!
"Perhaps you are right," said the scribe. "I myself was inclined to be lenient, though I suppose the liar's brand would be appropriate for her."
Ellen dug her fingers into the sand, in terror.
"I did, as doubtless did we all, enjoyed her performance, and that should count for something, I suppose," said the scribe, "and I, besides, upon reflection, am inclined to grant that she may not have fully understood her latent talents in the matter."
"It is instinctive in a woman," said the guardsman. "They are all slaves, with or without their collars. They are all born to dance the dances of slaves. Such things are in their belly from birth."
"True," said Selius Arconious. "But she was stupid not to understand this."
"Yes," agreed the guardsman.
Ellen bit her lip in anger, remaining quiet on her belly amongst the feet of the men.
"Surely she should at least have qualified her answer, or have been more candid, or more speculative, with our fellow here," said Arconious, indicating the scribe.
"Agreed," said the guardsman.
"I am inclined to forget the matter," said the scribe. "All in all, I do not think the little slut was trying to mislead us."
Ellen gasped softly with relief.
"But she did mislead you," said Selius Arconious.
"Inadvertently, unintentionally," suggested the scribe.
"Then she is stupid," said Selius Arconious.
"Granted," said the scribe.
Ellen dug her fingers into the sand.
"Apparently," said Selius Arconious, "those of Cos are indulgent with their slaves."
"We do not have that reputation," said the scribe, unpleasantly.
"Too, intentionally or not," said Selius Arconious, "she has made a fool out of you, and of Cos."
"No, Masters!" whispered Ellen, frightened.
"Were you given permission to speak?" inquired Selius Arconious.
"No, Master," said Ellen. "Forgive me, Master!"
"You see how stupid she is," said Selius Arconious.
"Yes," said the scribe.
"I did not know that Cos accepted stupidity in her slaves," said Selius Arconious.
"We do not," said the scribe. "Whip!"
The whip of the exterior whip master was handed to the scribe, who gave it to one of the attending guardsmen.
Of the other two guardsmen one took Ellen's wrists and drew them forward, holding them, and the other took her ankles, and, holding them tightly, drew them back, this extending her legs. In this way she was stretched at full length, on her belly, and held, vulnerably, in the sand. "What do you think should be her punishment?" asked the scribe.
"I would think fifteen lashes," said Selius.
Ellen sobbed in misery.
"Ten for the stupidity of imperiling the integrity of your records," said Selius Arconious, "and another five for the stupidity of daring to speak without permission."
Ellen saw the shadow of the guardsman, the arm lift, the hand holding the whip. She shut her eyes tightly, in misery.
But the blow did not fall.
She opened her eyes. Selius Arconious had interposed himself, and his hand rested on the arm of the guardsman, staying its blow. The guardsman, puzzled, lowered his arm.
"I will buy the strokes," said Selius Arconious. "I would suppose that a tarsk-bit a stroke would be sufficient, as the slave is stupid, rather than willful or wayward."
"That is acceptable," said the scribe. "Fifteen tarsk-bits."
"Done," said Selius Arconious.
Ellen heard the tiny sounds of small coins. She saw the whip returned to the exterior whip master.
The scribe distributed some of the coins to the attending guardsmen. "Good," said one of them. Such coins would buy more than one round of paga.
"So," thought Ellen. "How cleverly Selius Arconious demeans me! He knows I hate him, that I cannot stand him, that I loathe him! Now he whom I intensely despise chooses to interfere! From where has he come? Why is he here? By what right does he interpose himself betwixt a slave and an agent of her master, the state of Cos? How he humiliates me! So now I should be grateful to him? With what contempt he buys away my whipping! How better could he show his contempt for me? How better could he impress my vulnerability, my nothingness, my slavery, upon me? And so he wishes to put me in his debt, me, whom he so scorns! Am I now supposed to be grateful to him, for this act of calculated humiliation. I loathe him! I loathe him!" "You may belly," said the scribe, "and express your gratitude to your benefactor."
Ellen, who well understood her condition, needed not be reprimanded or kicked, nor required a suggestion, or command, to be repeated, but squirmed immediately, prostrate, on her belly, to Selius Arconious, and, putting down her head, her hair falling about his sandals, kissed his feet.
"Thank you, Master," she said, bitterly, angrily.
"Your gratitude may be premature, my dear," said Selius Arconious.
Ellen lifted her head a little, puzzled. Selius Arconious stepped back, away from her.
"Kneel up, slut," said the scribe. "Lift your wrists, crossed."
Ellen, kneeling up, lifting her wrists, crossed, flushed. She was obeying, and kneeling, a naked slave, in the presence of Selius Arconious, whom she hated.
She felt her wrists lashed together, at one end of a leather tether.
She was pulled to her feet.
She looked at Selius Arconious.
"I have always thought that you were a slave," he said, "and now I see that you are."
She looked down, angrily. Then she looked up, for her wrists were lifted, by the scribe, he hecking the confining knots which bound them.
"There is no more dancing or serving for you this night, 117, Ellen," said the scribe. "You are being taken to the slave cages. There you will wait. You will be sold tomorrow night." "She is a slut, meaningless and stupid," said Selius Arconious. "I recommend that she be confined straitly."
"I will see that she is put into one of the tiniest of the slave cages," said the scribe. "By tomorrow night she will beg to run to the block."
The slave's tether was then handed to a guardsman.
Ellen, turning about, cast an angry glance at Selius Arconious, who regarded her impassively. She turned away, angrily.
Then she was led away.
Prize of Gor Book 27 Pages 450 - 456
Ellen followed in line, in pain, almost hobbling, scarcely able to walk. The scribe of the exhibition cages and silken enclosure, it seems, had certainly been wrong about one thing. When she was taken from the cage she would not run to the block. She could scarcely walk to it.
Prize of Gor Book 27 Page 461
Common Gorean, you see, does not use an "Arabic notation," but represents various numbers by letters, combinations of letters, and such. Most figuring is done on an abacus. It is said, interestingly, that some of the higher castes, for example, the Scribes and Builders, have a secret notation which facilitates their calculations.
Prize of Gor Book 27 Pages 471 - 472
She heard herself described in some detail, by the auctioneer's assistant, who read from papers, presumably extracted from scribes' records. Various measurements were iterated matter-of-factly, for example, those of her bosom, waist and hips, and those of her neck, wrists and ankles, the latter primarily of interest with respect to the dimensions of appropriate identificatory or custodial hardware, the collar, wrist rings and ankle rings.
Prize of Gor Book 27 Page 483
The love of a free woman, should they be capable of love, is very different from the love of a slave. The free woman must have her respect, her self-esteem, her dignity. She must consider how her friends will view her, and the match, and what they will think of her, and say of her. She must consider her assets, her properties, and their protection. All details of contracts must be arranged, usually with the attention of scribes of the law.
Prize of Gor Book 27 Page 704
To many Gorean males this seemed almost incomprehensible, but, we note, many languages are spoken on Gor, though obviously, because of the standardizations agreed upon by the caste of Scribes, meeting at the great fairs, Gorean is the most common.
Kur of Gor Page 28 Page 36
Colors in the Gorean high cultures, as in most cultures, have their connotations or symbolisms. Too, in the Gorean high culture, certain colors tend to be associated with certain castes, for example green with the Physicians, red, or scarlet, with the Warriors, yellow with the Builders, blue with the Scribes, white with the Initiates, and so on.
Swordsmen of Gor Book 29 Page 146
"West," said Andronicus, once of Tabor, once of the Scribes. Andronicus was no stranger to the Second Knowledge. He could read.
Mariners of Gor Book 30 Page 130
Even a brilliant woman, witty and articulate, learned, of the high Scribes, collared, her blue robes exchanged for a rag, must apply herself to new studies, the use of her lips and tongue, of her small fingers and glossy hair.
Mariners of Gor Book 30 Page 292
"He is a Scribe," said the stranger. "You can tell from his robes."
"You know something of Earth!" she cried.
"I am familiar with the second knowledge," I said.
Mariners of Gor Book 30 Page 465
"He is privy to the second knowledge," said the stranger. "See his robes. He is a Scribe."
Mariners of Gor Book 30 Page 469
The tunic I had prescribed for her today was the tiny one, of blue rep-cloth. It would not hurt for idlers and passers-by to guess, from the color of her scrap of clothing, that she was a Scribe's girl.
Mariners of Gor Book 30 Page 479
And how fetching she was, barefoot, in the brief, ragged tunic of blue rep-cloth.
She had clutched the coins in her hand.
Had she been natively Gorean she would probably have carried them in her mouth.
When the fellows in the market saw the color of the tunic they would guess, I supposed, and correctly, that she was the property of a Scribe.
Mariners of Gor Book 30 Page 488
With Demetrion were his aides, also of the Merchants, and two Scribes, one of which was Phillip, my superior in the registry.
Mariners of Gor Book 30 Page 491
Demetrion's aides were as reluctant as he to stoop to retrieve the small, but weighty sack. The two Scribes, as well, looked away. Little love is lost between the Scribes and Merchants. The Scribes is a high caste and the Merchants is the richest caste. Each therefore regards itself as superior to the other, and each, then, would be reluctant to seem to lower itself before the other. I would have been quite willing to retrieve the sack and deliver it to Demetrion, but Phillip, my superior, was in his party, and there is, of course, the dignity, and the prestige, of the caste to maintain.
Mariners of Gor Book 30 Page 493
Many Goreans, particularly of the lower castes, and some of the Warriors, a high caste, cannot read. Literacy is accepted in the lower castes, but not encouraged. There are Peasants who have never seen a written word. Some Warriors take pride in their inability to read, regarding that skill as unworthy of them, as being more appropriate to record keepers, tradesmen, clerks, and such, and some who can read take pains to conceal the fact. Swords, not words, rule cities, it is said. And some Goreans feel that reading is appropriate only for the less successful, those too poor to have their reading done for them, their letters written for them, and such. Slaves, unless formerly of high caste, are often illiterate. And barbarian slaves are seldom taught to read. This produces the anomaly that many barbarian slaves, who are generally of high intelligence, will be literate in one or more of the barbarian languages, but illiterate in Gorean. Indeed, they are often kept so, deliberately, that they may be all the more helpless, as slaves, and know themselves all the better as mere slaves. Needless to say, all members of my caste, even from childhood, are taught to read.
Mariners of Gor Book 30 Page 516
In a few moments I had made my way to a vendor's cart and purchased some wrappings of food. I spent a bit more than I had intended, an extra tarsk-bit or two, but, in this manner, I thought, I might demonstrate the munificence of the Caste of Scribes, apparently a munificence well beyond that of warriors, mariners, the common oarsman, the newly rich, and such, a munificence, to be sure, commonly exercised within judicious limits.
Mariners of Gor Book 30 Page 548
"Should I not be bound and leashed?" asked the slave.
"Your master retained the sirik," I said.
"You have no binding fiber, no leash?" she asked.
"I am a Scribe," I said.
"Do not Scribes have slaves?" she asked.
"This one does not," I said.
Mariners of Gor Book 30 Page 550
"You have treated me well," said Callias. "You were kind in the tavern. You offered me money. You befriended me. You gave me lodging. I am grateful."
"It is nothing," I said.
He pressed into my hand a tiny beadlike object.
"No," I said.
"Yes," he said.
"Low Scribes do not have such things," I said.
"Be the first," he said.
"I cannot accept this," I said. My view of rich men, and, in particular, of Cosians, was in the process of being suddenly and radically transformed. They were, after all, were they not, generous and noble sorts?
"Would you dishonor me, by refusing?" he asked.
"No," I said.
Mariners of Gor Book 30 Page 553
I removed the Scribe's satchel, my purse, the Scribe's robes, and lay upon the comforter and, on one elbow, regarded the slave.
Mariners of Gor Book 30 Page 567 - 568
"Do you know much of Scribes?" I asked.
"Only that they make me serve well in the alcove," she said.
"But that is not unusual, is it?" I asked. "With fellows of any caste?"
"No, Master," she said.
Mariners of Gor Book 30 Page 568
I had spent several years in the household of my teacher, who would accept no pay, because, for our caste, knowledge is priceless. One day he had said to me, "You may leave now," and I knew then that I was of the Scribes.
Mariners of Gor Book 30 Page 569
"I am a poor man," I said, "a low Scribe, one who labors in the registry. I could not afford you."
Mariners of Gor Book 30 Page 574
The standardization of Gorean is accomplished largely in virtue of the meetings of Scribes four times a year on the neutral ground of the great seasonal fairs held in the vicinity of the Sardar itself. This tends to standardize lexicons and prevent phonetic drift.
Conspirators of Gor Book 31 Page 142
I saw a lovely-legged, long-haired girl in a brief blue tunic. I did not know if that were because her master favored the blue, or if he might be a scribe.
Conspirators of Gor Book 31 Page 314
"I do not even know the caste of my Master," I said.
"It is what I wish it to be," he said, "a Metal Worker a Forester, a Poet, or Singer, a Cloth Worker, a Peasant, a Scribe, such things."
"I do not understand," I said.
"It is sometimes convenient to be of one caste, sometimes of another."
"It is a disguise," I said.
"Of course," he said. "In some ventures, in some pursuits, it is well to blend in, to attract less attention."
Conspirators of Gor Book 31 Page 660
The last, who wore blue carried a marking board, and pencil.
Smugglers of Gor Book 32 Page 58
From the yard of a dark building, behind the wharves, through a double wooden gate, wide enough to exit a wagon, a scribe, in his blue work tunic, carrying a tablet, had emerged.
Smugglers of Gor Book 32 Page 82
Two days later, I was halted in my work, and knelt, on the dock, in the presence of a stately fellow with blue robes, who carried a clipboard. He was of the caste of Scribes.
Smugglers of Gor Book 32 Page 169
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
Caste of Scribes
Caste of Scribes--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Is part of the High Castes.
Their color is Blue.
They are involved with the History, Accounting, Record Keeping and such of Gor.
" 'Al-Ka!' said Torm, pointing one long, authoritative finger at the sign. 'Al-Ka,' he said.
'Al-Ka,' I repeated.
We looked at one another, and both of us laughed. A tear of amusement formed along the side of his sharp nose, and his pale blue eyes twinkled.
I had begun to learn the Gorean alphabet."
Book 1, Tarnsman of Gor, page 38
"Oddly enough, there was little religious instruction, other than to encourage awe of the Priest-Kings, and what there was, Torm refused to administer, insisting it was the province of the Initiates. Religious matters on this world tend to be rather carefully guarded by the Caste of Initiates, who allow members of other castes little participation in their sacrifices and ceremonies. I was given some prayers to the Priest-Kings to memorize, but they were in Old Gorean, a language cultivated by the Initiates but not spoken generally on the planet, and I never bothered to learn them. To my delight, I learned that Torm, whose memory was phenomenal, had forgotten them years ago. I sensed that a certain distrust existed between the Caste of Scribes and the Caste of Initiates."
Book 1, Tarnsman of Gor, page 40
"I was also instructed in the Double Knowledge - that is, I was instructed in what the people, on the whole, believed, and then I was instructed in what the intellectuals were expected to know. Sometimes there was a surprising discrepancy between the two. For example, the population as a whole, the castes below the High Castes, were encouraged to believe that their world was a broad flat disc. Perhaps this was to discourage them from exploration or to develop in them a habit of relying on common-sense prejudices - something of a social control device.
On the other hand, the High Castes, specifically the Warriors, Builders, Scribes, Initiates and Physicians, were told the truth in such matters, perhaps because it was thought they would eventually determine it for themselves, from observations such as the shadow of their planet on one or another of Gor's three small moons during eclipses, the phenomenon of sighting the tops of distant objects first, and the fact that certain stars could not be seen from certain geographical positions; if the planet had been flat, precisely the same set of stars would have been observable from every position on its surface."
Book 1, Tarnsman of Gor, page 41
"The scribes, of course, are the scholars and clerks of Gor, and there divisions and rankings within the group, from simple copiers to the savants of the city."
Book 1, Tarnsman of Gor, page 43
"The Chamber of the Council is the room in which the elected representatives of the High Castes of Ko-ro-ba hold their meetings. Each city has such a chamber. It was in the widest of cylinders, and the ceiling was at least six times the height of the normal living level. The ceiling was lit as if by stars, and the walls were of five colours, applied laterally, beginning from the bottom - white, blue, yellow, green, and red, caste colours. Benches of stone, on which the members of the Council sat, rose in five monumental tiers about the walls, one tier for each of the High Castes. These tiers shared the colour of that portion of the wall behind them, the caste colours.
The tier nearest the floor, which denoted some preferential status, the white tier, was occupied by Initiates, Interpreters of the Will of Priest-Kings. In order, the ascending tiers, blue, yellow, green, and red, were occupied by representatives of the Scribes, Builders, Physicians, and Warriors."
Book 1, Tarnsman of Gor, pages 61 - 62
"When I returned to Ko-ro-ba with Talena, a great feast was held and we celebrated our Free Companionship. A holiday was declared, and the city was ablaze with light and song. Shimmering strings of bells pealed in the wind, and festive lanterns of a thousand colors swung from the innumerable flower-strewn bridges. there was shouting, and laughter, and the glorious colors of the castes of Gor, mingled equally in the cylinders. Gone for the night was even the distinction of master and slave, and many a wretch in bondage would see the dawn as a free man. To my delight, even Torm of the Caste of Scribes, appeared at the tables, I was honored that the little scribe had separated himself from his beloved scrolls long enough to share my happiness, only that of a warrior. He was wearing a new robe and sandals, perhaps for the first time in years. He clasped my hands, and, to my wonder, the little scribe was crying. And then in his joy, he turned to Talena and in gracious salute lifted the symbolic cup of Ka-la-na wine to her beauty. Talena and I swore to honor that day as long as either of us lived. I have tried to keep that promise, and I know that she has done so as well. That night, that glorious night, was a night of flowers, torches, and Ka-la-na wine, and late, after sweet hours of love, we fell asleep in each other's arms."
Book 1, Tarnsman of Gor, page 216
"Four times a year, correlated with the solstices and equinoxes, there are fairs held in the plains below the mountains, presided over by committees of Initiates, fairs in which men of many cities mingle without bloodshed, times of truce, times of contests and games, of bargaining and marketing.
Torm, my friend of the Caste of Scribes, had been to such fairs to trade scrolls with scholars from other cities, men he would never have seen were it not for the fairs, me of hostile cities who yet loved ideas more than they hated their enemies, men like Torm who so loved learning that they would risk the perilous journey to the Sardar Mountains for the chance to dispute a text or haggle over a coveted scroll. Similarly men of such castes as the Physicians and Builders make use of the fairs to disseminate and exchange information pertaining to their respective crafts. The fairs do much to unite intellectually the otherwise so isolated cities of Gor. And I speculate that the fairs likewise do their bit toward stabilizing the dialects of Gor, which might otherwise in a few generations have diverged to the point of being mutually unintelligible - for the Goreans do have this in common, their mother tongue in all its hundred permutations, which they simply refer to as the Language, and all who fail to speak it, regardless of their pedigree or background, of their standards or level of civilization, are regarded as almost beyond the pale of humanity."
Book 2, Outlaw of Gor, pages 47 - 48
" 'Is this the will of the Priest-Kings?' asked a voice.
'If it is the will of the Priest-Kings,' I said, 'let it be done.' And then I raised my hands again and standing on the windlass over the shaft, blown by the wind, with the moons of Gor above me, I cried. 'And if it be not the will of the Priest-Kings - still let it be done!' 'Let it be done,' said the heavy voice of Kron.
'Let it be done,' said the men, first one and then another, until there was a sober chorus of assent, quiet but powerful, and I knew that never before in this harsh world had men spoken thus. And it seemed strange to me that this rebellion, this willingness to pursue the right as they saw it, independently of the will of the Priest-Kings, had come not first from the proud Warriors of Gor, nor the Scribes, nor the Builders nor the Physicians, nor any of the high castes of the many cities of Gor, but had come from the most degraded and despised of men, wretched slaves from the mines of Tharna."
Book 2, Outlaw of Gor, page 170
"Further, members of castes such as the Physicians and Builders use the fairs for the dissemination of information and techniques among Caste Brothers, as is prescribed in their codes in spite of the fact that their respective cities may be hostile. And as might be expected members of the Caste of Scribes gather here to enter into dispute and examine and trade manuscripts."
Book 3, Priest-Kings of Gor, page 9
"My small friend, Torm of Ko-ro-ba, of the Caste of Scribes, had been to the fairs four times in his life. He informed me that in this time he had refuted seven hundred and eight scribes from fifty-seven cities, but I will not vouch for the accuracy of this report, as I sometimes suspect that Torm, like most members of his caste, and mine, tends to be a bit too sanguine in recounting his numerous victories. Moreover I have never been too clear as to the grounds on which the disputes of scribes are to be adjudicated, and it is not too infrequently that both disputants leave the field each fully convinced that he has the best of the contest. In differences among member of my own caste, that of the Warriors, it is easier to tell who has carried the day, for the defeated one often lies wounded or slain at the victor's feet. In the contests of scribes, on the other hand, the blood that is spilled is invisible and the valiant foemen retire in good order, reviling their enemies and recouping their forces for the next day's campaign. I do not hold this against the contests of scribes; rather I commend it to the members of my own caste."
Book 3, Priest-Kings of Gor, page 9 - 10
"It took not much time to purchase a small bundle of supplies to take into the Sardar, nor was it difficult to find a scribe to whom I might entrust the history of the events in Tharna. I did not ask his name nor he mine. I knew his caste, and he knew mine, and it was enough. He could not read the manuscript as it was written in English, a language as foreign to him as Gorean would be to most of you, but yet he would treasure the manuscript and guard it as though it were a most precious possession, for he was a scribe and it is the way of scribes to love the written word and keep it from harm, and if he could not read the manuscript, what did it matter - perhaps someone could someday, and then the words which had kept their secret for so long would at last enkindle the mystery of communication and what had been written would be heard and understood."
Book 3, Priest-Kings of Gor, page 15
"My Chamber Slave's accent had been pure High Caste Gorean though I could not place the city. Probably her caste had been that of the Builders or Physicians, for had her people been Scribes I would have expected a greater subtlety of inflections, the use of less common grammatical cases; and had her people been of the Warriors I would have expected a blunter speech, rather belligerently simple, expressed in great reliance on the indicative mood and, habitually, a rather arrogant refusal to venture beyond the most straightforward of sentence structures. On the other hand these generalisations are imperfect, for Gorean speech is no less complex than that of any of the great natural language communities of the Earth nor are its speakers any the less diverse. It is, incidentally, a beautiful language; it can be as subtle as Greek; as direct as Latin; as expressive as Russian; as rich as English; as forceful as German. To the Goreans it is always, simply, The Language, as though there were no others, and those who do not speak it are regarded immediately as barbarians. This sweet, fierce, liquid speech is the common bond that tends to hold together the Gorean world. It is the common property of the Administrator of Ar, a herdsman beside the Vosk, a peasant from Tor, a scribe from Thentis, a metalworker from Tharna, a physician from Cos, a pirate from Port Kar, a warrior from Ko-ro-ba."
Book 3, Priest-Kings of Gor, page 52
"The Wagon Peoples, of all those on Gor that I know, are the only ones that have a clan of torturers, trained as carefully as scribes or physicians, in the arts of detaining life."
Book 4, Nomads of Gor, page 9
"From these raids the Wagon Peoples obtain a miscellany of goods which they are willing to barter to the Turians, jewels, precious metals, spices, colored table salts, harnesses and saddles for the ponderous tharlarion, furs of small river animals, tools for the field, scholarly scrolls, inks and papers, root vegetables, dried fish, powdered medicines, ointments, perfume and women..."
Book 4, Nomads of Gor, page 57
"It might be mentioned, for those unaware of the fact, that the Caste of Merchants is not considered one of the traditional five High Castes of Gor the Initiates, Scribes, Physicians, Builders and Warriors. Most commonly, and doubtless unfortunately, it is only members of the five high castes who occupy positions on the High Councils of the cities.
Book 4, Nomads of Gor, page 84
"I permitted her, of course, but a single garment, but I allowed it to be opaque, and of the blue of the Scribes. It was sleeveless and felll to just above her knees. Her collar, however, that she might not grow pretentious was a simple steel. It read, as I wished, I BELONG TO BOSK."
Book 6, Raiders of Gor, page 131
"Chronometers exist on Gor, but they are rare and valuable. Marcus and I did not have any, of intent, at the time, among our belongings. They would not haev seemed to fit in well with our guise as auxiliary guardsmen. In many cities, of course, including Ar, time tends to be kept publicly. Official clocks are adjusted, of course, according to the announcements of scribes, in virtue of various astronomical measurements, having to do with the movements of the sun and stars. The calendar, and adjustments in it, are also results of their researches, promulgated by civil authorities. The average Gorean has variety of simple devices at his disposal for making the passage of time. Typical among them are marked, or calibrated, candles, sun dials, sand glasses, clepsydras, and oil clocks."
Book 25, Magicians of Gor, page 358
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What is a Scribe?
What is a scribe?The scribe is, or can be, a very busy person. They are keepers of all records, documents and laws of their city. In addition, they are the Librarian for all books held in the library for use by it's city's citizens.
The scribe also serves as an Official Witness for ceremonies, events and legal proceedings that occur within their city. Their services as witness provide the city with the ability to place an "official stamp" on all legal proceedings, events and ceremonies. After all, an event held in secret holds little or no authority or credibility, and the very act of requiring the presence of a city representative to witness strengthens the power and influence of those events.
The scribe, being keeper of the laws and witness to official events, can also be considered a de-facto lawyer. As he may be, and most likely is called upon to draft the laws of his city. The scribe has direct contact with the intent and purpose of its laws, is a legal representative of his city and is, therefore, the most likely candidate to serve as lawyer.
Since the scribe is directly associated with the records, laws, events and ceremonies of his city, and keeps and maintains its stored wealth of information, they must also serve as unofficial ambassador to welcome visitors to his city and aid or facilitate the visitor's questions or needs regarding the city and its customs and traditions.
Being privy to the intimate workings of their city's records, events and ceremonies, and having intimate knowledge or direct access to information about the world of Gor, the scribe serves as counselor and advisor to the citiy's leaders. It is incumbent upon him, because of these things, to be of highest character and utterly discreet.
In summary, the scribe is:
1) Keeper of Records, Events, Laws and Documents
2) An Official Witness to all legal and official proceedings.
3) Librarian
4) City Lawyer
5) Unofficial ambassador to visitors
6) Counselor and Legal Advisor to City Officials
What are the requisite qualifications for this position?
Candidates for scribe must have:
1) Working knowledge and basic understanding of Gor, as it exists in SL and in the Norman novels.
2) Working knowledge and some expertise with the written word.
3) Sufficient intelligence to read and understand all documents pertinent to the job.
4) Willingness to work and be active (and spend time) within his city.
5) Have a friendly and fairly pleasant demeanor.
6) Be of high moral character and discretion.
Taken in part from the works of Bear Yugen, Scribe of Turia
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What are you as Scribe
What is it that you do as a Scribe?
Scribes are the keepers of all records. They maintain the documents that are the foundation of any city or village. They maintain the books that are the history of our culture, and scribe for the future to know how we held this land and lived our lives. We ensure that there is a record of our time here and how we influenced the world that we live in.
The library sets the foundation for all we do. A place to study, research and learn. Beyond the knowledge of what is found in the library is the work that must be done; births are recorded, companionships held witness to, and all manner of Home Stone laws upheld. The law lies at the center of our civilization, for without the law, we are mindlessly held in the grip of those that have no respect for universal truths, which are self evident in a gorean way of life.
>'Before the sword,' he said, 'there is no right, no wrong, only fact - a world of what is and what is not, rather than a world of what should be and what should not be. There is no justice until the sword creates it, establishes it, guarantees it, and gives it substance and significance.' He lifted the weapon, wielding the heavy metal blade as though it were a straw. 'First the sword - ' he said, 'then government - then law - then justice.'"
"Tarnsman of Gor" page 156
What we do as scribes is hold key to the vast wealth of information that flows through this village. We maintain, the records, write the laws, witness events and ceremonies. We are the ambassador's of our village to visitors. A scribe knows the law, understands it's intent and purpose and is the legal representative for our village. Within our ranks are the Magistrates that either prosecute according to the laws of Gor and Rorus or the Advocates that defend within those very same laws.
So each and everyone of you must become able to step in and be this villages legal representative should the need arise.
To summarize, a scribe is:
1) Keeper of Records, Events, Laws and Documents
2) An Official Witness to all legal and official proceedings.
3) Librarian
4) City Lawyer
5) Unofficial ambassador to visitors
6) Counselor and Legal Advisor to City Officials
As scribes you must have:
1) Working knowledge and basic understanding of Gor, (as it exists in SL and in the Norman novels.)
2) Working knowledge and some expertise with the written word. It is vital that you can compose well written documents, use spell check and basic grammar.
3) Sufficient intelligence to read and understand all documents pertinent to the job.
4) Willingness to work and be active (and spend time) within his city.
5) Have a friendly and fairly pleasant demeanor.
6) Be of high moral character and discretion.
This is the guide that I use as your Head of Caste. It is important that you remember that you represent Rorus in all you do. You will not publicly degrade or demean this village or its officials. You may not agree with something that has been sent in a notice to the village, but you will keep that out of the public eye. As scribe you must support whole heartedly this village and those that work hard to make it a good home for everyone.
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The Chief Scribe
The Chief ScribeThe Chief Scribe, in addition to having and exhibiting the qualities of a scribe (as defined in "What is a Scribe"), is responsible for:
1) Evaluating and determining the suitability of candidates for the position of scribe.
2) Coordinating activities and availability of the city's other scribes so as to maximize the presence of that post to best serve his city.
3) Discipline of scribes under them, to correct any problems or failures that may occur with their performance.
4) Establishing and maintaining training for scribes.
5) Establish and maintain a presence within the community of scribes, throughout the world of Gor, to facilitate the sharing of information and camaraderie with that group.
By my hand, this day 2006-12-04
-Bear Yugen
Scribe of Turia
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Specialties within the Blue Caste
Advocates:
Many men also, incidentally, enjoy sitting in on the courts, listening to the disputes and suits. Some serve on juries. Others merely enjoy the interplay and logic, often applauding an excellent point when scored by one of the advocates.
Dancer
An advocate is one that pleads the cause of another; specifically : one that pleads the cause of another before a tribunal or judicial court.
Accountant:
"What of the treasures here," I asked, "and Susan, and the other slaves chained here?"
"Scribes from the treasure rooms will be along shortly," he said, "to gather in and account for the cloths and coins. The palace slave master will be along later, too, to release the girls and put them back about their more customary duties." I then began to precede Drusus Rencius to my quarters.
Kajira
Accountants keep the ledgers for many things, households, merchants, ubars, slavers,etc. They are the ones accountable for tallying the inmports and exports of a business, the money spent and the money received , slaves bought and sold, counting the gold in banks and treasuries. They make sure that the employees are paid.
Geographer and Cartographer:
I thought of Bila Huruma, and the loneliness of the Ubar. I thought of Shaba, and his voyages of exploration, the circumnavigation of Lake Ushindi, the discovery and circumnavigation of Lake Ngao, and the discovery and exploration of the Ua, even to the discovery of its source in the placid waters of that vast lake he had called Lake Bila Huruma. But by the wish of Bila Huruma I had changed its name to Lake Shaba. He was surely one of the greatest, if not the greatest, of the explorers of Gor. I did not think his name would be forgotten.
“I am grateful,” had said Ramani of Anango, who had once been the teacher of Shaba. I had delivered to him, and to two others of his caste, the maps and notebooks of Shaba. Ramani and his fellows had wept. I had then left them, returning to my lodgings. Copies would be made of the maps and notebooks. Caste brothers throughout the cities of civilized Gor would then distribute them. The first copies that were made by anyone had already, however, been made, by the scribes of Bila Huruma in Ushindi.
Explorers
A geographer is one who specializes in geography , which is a science that deals with the description, distribution, and interaction of the diverse physical, biological, and cultural features of the earth's surface, they work in hand with cartographers who make the maps. They see to it , they are distrubted to all of the cities. These maps assist in providing locations to armies, food sources, water sources, trade routes, hunting grounds, etc.
Historian:
Accordingly, because of this commonality of the Home Stone, love of their city, the sharing of citizenship, and such, there is generally a harmonious set of economic compromises obtaining the labor force, in general. Happily, most of these compromises are unquestioned matters of cultural tradition. They are taken for granted, usually, by all the citizens, and their remote origins, sometimes doubtless the outcome of internecine strife, of class war, of street fighting and riots, of bloody, house-to-house determinations in the past, and such, are seldom investigated, save perhaps by historians, scribes of the past, some seeking, it seems, to know the truth, for its own sake, others seemingly seeking lessons in the rich labyrinths of history, in previous human experience, what is to be emulated, and what is to be avoided.
Dancer
Simply put, a historian, is the record keeper of history,more often then not, he/she is also a teacher, a keeper of the old ways. Military historians keep records of past wars, they could be authors of great essays, that analyze certain aspects, the pros and cons, the military leadership..how the west was won, so to speak, a complete study of the war of the worlds...
magistrate and preator:
The praetor placed the coin on his desk, the surface of which was some seven feet high, below the low , solid wooden bar. the height of the praetors desk, he on the high stool behind it, permits him to see a goodly way up and down the wharves. Also, of course, one standing before the desk must look up to see the praetor, which, psychologically, tends to induce a feeling of fear for the power of the law. The wooden bar before the desk`s front edge makes it impossible to see what evidence or papers the praetor has at his disposal as he considers your case. Thus, you do not know for certain how much he knows. Similarly, you cannot tell what he writes on your papers.
{Explorers of Gor - 54}
A praetor is one of several types of magistrate, others include, aediles, archons, prefects, and quaestors. Record keepers, copy certifier,much like a notary..executioners..Praetors sit over a courtroom, as a judge. They try cases, and sentence the guilty.
Record Keeper:
“Hail, Gnieus Lelius!” I heard.
Taurentians were about the regent, and, too, some scribes. Notes, it seemed, and names, were being taken. Doubtless a record of the claims, grievances, petitions, and such, was being kept.
Mercenaries
Record Keepers like accountants can be found most anywhere in Gor, from slave houses to ubars fortress, even among the Torvaldsland they are called skalds, and among the wagon people, they are the year keepers. They keep written record and tallies, of property bought and sold, real estate, when crops have been brought to harvest, to wars fought ..they keep record of all these things.
Teacher:
'You must learn,' Torm had said matter-of-factly, 'the history and legends of Gor, its geography and economics, its social structures and customs, such as the caste system and clan groups, the right of placing the Home Stone, the Places of Sanctuary, when quarter is and is not permitted in war, and so on.'
And I learned these things, or as much as I could in the time I was given. Occasionally Torm would cry out in horror as I made a mistake, incomprehension and disbelief written on his features, and he would then sadly take up a large scroll, containing the work of an author of whom he disapproved, and strike me smartly on the head with it. One way or another, he was determined that I should profit by his instruction.
Tarnsman
Simply put a teacher..teaches, those who seek or lack knowledge. The knowledge gained can be from texts , or by word of mouth, and even by actions. It is the teacher, the mentor if you will, that imparts his knowledge to the next in the best way that person can learn.
Most subcastes of the Blue caste , tend to overlap within the function of society. An accountant and a ledger keeper, perform the same basic duties. Historians and record keepers as well, however the historian can become the teacher. What I find most fascinating , is that anyone, with a thirst for knowledge, in any subject, becomes a scribe of sorts when they learn and then impart that knowledge.
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Various Duties within the Blue Caste
LEGALISTSScribes of Law - See also Magistrates & Praetors
Preparing important Companionship Contracts
The Lady Sabina, I learned from Eta, was pledged by her father, Kleomenes, a pretentious, but powerful, upstart merchant of Fortress of Saphronicus, to Thandar of Ti, of the Warriors, youngest of the five sons of Ebullius Gaius Cassius, of the Warriors, Administrator of Ti, this done in a Companion Contract, arranged by both Ebullius Gaius Cassius and Kleomenes, to which had now been set the seals of both Ti and Fortress of Saphronicus. The pledged companions, the Lady Sabina of Fortress of Saphronicus and Thandar of Ti, of the Four Cities of Saleria, of the Salerian Confederation, had, as yet, according to Eta, never laid eyes on one another, the matter of their match having been arranged between their respective fathers, as is not uncommon in Gorean custom. The match had been initiated at the behest of Kleomenes, who was interested in negotiating a commercial and political alliance with the Salerian Confederation. These alliances, of interest to the expanding Salerian Confederation, were not unwelcome. Such alliances, naturally, might presage the entrance of Fortress of Saphronicus into the Confederation, which was becoming a growing power in the north. It seemed not unlikely that the match would ultimately prove profitable and politically expedient for both Fortress of Saphronicus and the Salerian Confederation. In the match, there was much to gain by both parties. The Companion Contract, thus, had been duly negotiated, with the attention of scribes of the law from both Fortress of Saphronicus and the Confederation of Saleria.
Slave Girl
Certifying legal transfer of property.
"Here are the most choice of the female slaves of the House of Cernus," said Marlenus, expansively gesturing to the two or three hundred girls.
There was a cheer from the many partisans of Marlenus in the room.
"Pick your slave," said he.
With great cheers the men hurried to the girls, to pick one that pleased them.
There were shouts of pleasure, and screams, and protests, and cries and laughter, as the men clapped their hands on wenches who struck their fancy. When the men had taken their pick the girls were released from the common chain and the key, that which served to unlock collar, bracelets and anklet, was given to he who had chosen his prize. Scribes at nearby tables endorsed and updated papers of registration, that the ownership of the girls be legally transferred from the state to individual citizens.
Assassin
Certifying official documents as legal
I did not know the business of the two men from Ar. They were Tenalion, and his man, Ronald. 'The fourth man was Brandon. He was from Vonda. He was a prefect in that city. His certifications on certain documents would be important.
Fighting Slave
“Do you have a witnessed, certified document attesting to the alleged contents of your purse?” I asked. “Too, was the purse closed with an imprinted seal, its number corresponding to the registration number of the certification document?”
“Yes,” he said.
“Oh,” I said.
“Here,” he said. “I think you will find everything in order.”
I had forgotten the fellow was from Tabor.
“This document seems a bit old,” I said. “Doubtless it is no longer current, no longer an effective legal instrument. As you can see, it is dated two weeks ago. Where are you going?”
“To fetch guardsmen,” he said.
“It will do,” I said. ~Mercenaries
ACCOUNTANT
Employed by wealthy and powerful men.
It was Caprus of Ar, Chief Accountant to the House of Cernus (a Slaver). He lived in the house and seldom went abroad in the streets. ~Assassin
It was Luma, the chief scribe of my house, in her blue robe and sandals. Her hair was blond and straight, tied behind her head with a ribbon of blue wool, from the bounding Hurt, died in the blood of the Vosk sorp. She was a scrawny girl, not attractive, but with deep eyes, blue; and she was a superb scribe, in her accounting swift, incisive, accurate, brilliant; ~Marauders
Managing the wealth of the employer
She had much increased my fortunes. Freed, she took payment, but not as much as her services, I knew, warranted. Few scribes, I expected, were so skilled in the supervision and management of complex affairs as this light, unattractive, brilliant girl. Other captains, other merchants, seeing the waxing of my fortunes, and understanding the commercial complexities involved, had offered this scribe considerable emoluments to join their service. She, however, had refused to do so. I expect she was pleased at the authority, and trust and freedom, which I had accorded her. Too, perhaps, she had grown fond of the house of Bosk.
"I do not wish to see the accounts," I told her.
"The Venna and Tela have arrived from Scagnar," she said, "with full cargoes of the fur of sea sleen. My information indicates that highest prices currently for such products are being paid in Asperiche."
"Very well," I said, "give the men time for their pleasure, eight days, and have the cargoes transferred to one of my round ships, whichever can be most swiftly fitted, and embark them for Asperiche, the Venna and Tela as convoy."
"Yes, Captain," said Luma.
"Go now," I said. "I do not wish to see the accounts."
~Marauders
Chief Scribes in larger houses may have assistants
"When do you have to report to Caprus?" I asked.
"He is one of us," she said. "He holds me to no close schedule, and lets me leave the house when I wish. Yet I suppose I should report in upon occasion."
"Are there other assistants to him?" I asked.
"He manages several Scribes," she said, "but they do not work closely with him.
Assassin
Keeping an accounting of treasures and fortunes
"What of the treasures here," I asked, "and Susan, and the other slaves chained here?"
"Scribes from the treasure rooms will be along shortly," he said, "to gather in and account for the cloths and coins. The palace slave master will be along later, too, to release the girls and put them back about their more customary duties." I then began to precede Drusus Rencius to my quarters. ~Kajira
RECORD KEEPERS
Keeping records of complaints & petitions made to a Leader
“Hail, Gnieus Lelius!” I heard.
Taurentians were about the regent, and, too, some scribes. Notes, it seemed, and names, were being taken. Doubtless a record of the claims, grievances, petitions, and such, was being kept. ~Mercenaries
Recording decisions made by leaders
As I have mentioned, there were scribes on, or near, the dais with Talena. Lists were being kept, and referred to. One list, for example, had the names of the women upon it, in the order in which they ascended the platform. It was from this list that one of the scribes announced the names. Another list, presumably a duplicate list, was kept as a record of the results of Talena’s decisions.
~Magicians
Recording the votes at a meeting of Captains in Port Kar
"I now ask the table scribe," said Samos, "to call the roll of Captains."
"Bejar," called the scribe.
"Bejar accepts the proposals of Samos," said a captain, a dark-skinned man with long, straight hair, who sat in the second row, some two chairs below me and to the right.
"Bosk," called the scribe.
"Bosk," I said, "abstains."
Samos, and many of the others, looked at me, quickly.
"Abstention," recorded the scribe."
~Raiders
Keeping Official City Records & Documents
It was Caprus of Ar, Chief Accountant to the House of Cernus. He lived in the house and seldom went abroad in the streets. It was with this man that Vella had been placed, her registration, papers and purchase having been arranged. In the House of Cernus, after the sheet, bracelets, leash and collar had been removed, agents of House of Cernus had checked her fingerprints against those on the papers. She had then been examined thoroughly the by Physicians of the House of Cernus. Then, found acceptable, she had knelt while agents of the House signed the receipt of her delivery and endorsed her papers, retaining one set, giving one set to the seller's agent, for forwarding to the Cylinder of Documents. ~Assassin
The demands of Cernus for repayment of moneys owed to him by the Hinrabians became increasingly persistent and unavoidable. Claiming need, he was implacable. The citizens of Ar, generally, found it distasteful that the private fortunes of the Hinrabians should be in such poor state.
Then, as I would have expected, within the month, there were rumors of speculation, and an accounting and investigation, theoretically to clear the name of the Hinrabian, was demanded by one of the High Council, a Physician whom I had seen upon occasion in the house. The Scribes of the Central Cylinder examined the records and, to their horror, discrepancies were revealed, in particular payments to members of the Hinrabian family for services it was not clear had ever been performed; most outstandingly there had been a considerable disbursement for the construction of four bastions and tarncots for the flying cavalry of Ar, her tarnsmen; the military men of Ar had waited patiently for these cylinders and were now outraged to discover that the moneys had actually been disbursed, and had apparently disappeared; the parties, presumably of the Builders, to which the disbursements had been made were found to be fictitious. Further, at this time, the Odds Merchants of the Stadium of Tarns made it known that the Administrator was heavily in debt, and they, not to be left out, demanded their dues. ~Assassin
TEACHERS
Scribes as Teachers
Tutoring the sons of rich men
; an intent, preoccupied scribe lean and clad in the scribe's blue, with a scroll, perhaps come north for high fees to tutor the sons of rich men; ~Hunters
Teaching Tarl to read gorean
With annoyance, Torm poked through one of the enormous piles of scrolls and at last, on his hands and knees, fished out one skimpy scroll, set it in the reading device - a metal frame with rollers at the top and bottom - and, pushing a button, spun the scroll to its opening mark, a single sign.
'Al-Ka!' said Torm, pointing one long, authoritative finger at the sign. 'Al-Ka,' he said. ~Tarnsman
In the next few weeks I found myself immersed in intensive activity, interspersed with carefully calculated rest and feeding periods. At first only Torm and my father were my teachers,... ~Tarnsman
Teaching others to read
She had been taught to read by another girl, also free, of the Scribes, a thin, brilliant girl, whose name was Luma, who handled much of the intricate business of the great house. ~Captive
Teaching a Warrior history, geography, caste system and protocol
'You must learn,' Torm had said matter-of-factly, 'the history and legends of Gor, its geography and economics, its social structures and customs, such as the caste system and clan groups, the right of placing the Home Stone, the Places of Sanctuary, when quarter is and is not permitted in war, and so on.'
And I learned these things, or as much as I could in the time I was given. Occasionally Torm would cry out in horror as I made a mistake, incomprehension and disbelief written on his features, and he would then sadly take up a large scroll, containing the work of an author of whom he disapproved , and strike me smartly on the head with it. One way or another, he was determined that I should profit by his instruction. ~Tarnsman
HISTORIANS
As rumor has it, Clearchus was a famous brigand of some two centuries ago who decided to legitimize and regularize his brigandage. He proclaimed his area of operations a ubarate, proclaimed himself its ubar, and then proceeded to impose taxes and levy tolls. Interestingly enough, in time, several cities accorded this ubarate diplomatic recognition, generally in return for concessions on the taxes and tolls. Finally a large force of mercenaries, in the hire of the merchant caste, in a campaign that lasted several months, put an end to the spurious reign of Clearchus, driving him from the forest and scattering his men. It is generally conceded, however, that had Clearchus had more men he might have turned out to be the founder of a state.
It is not altogether clear what happened to Clearchus but some historians identify him with Clearchus of Turia, an immigrant, with followers, to Turia, now chiefly remembered as a patron of the arts and philanthropist. The woods of Clearchus, incidentally, to this day, remain a haunt of brigands. ~Players
Military Historians
“So is Dietrich of Tarnburg, of the high city of Tarnburg, some two hundred pasangs to the north and west of Hochburg, both substantially mountain fortresses, both in the more southern and civilized ranges of the Voltai, was well-known to the warriors of Gor. His name was almost a legend. It was he who had won the day on the fields of both Piedmont and Cardonicus, who had led the Forty Days’ March, relieving the siege of Talmont, who had effected the crossing of the Issus in 10,122 C.A., in the night evacuation of Keibel Hill, when I had been in Torvaldsland, and who had been the victor in the battles of Rovere, Kargash, Edgington, Teveh Pass, Gordon Heights, and the Plains of Sanchez. His campaigns were studied in all the war schools of the high cities. I knew him from scrolls I had studied years ago in Ko-ro-ba, and from volumes in my library in Port Kar, such as the commentaries of Minicius and the anonymous analyses of “The Diaries,” sometimes attributed to the military historian, Carl Commenius, of Argentum, rumored to have once been a mercenary himself. ~Mercenaries
Accordingly, because of this commonality of the Home Stone, love of their city, the sharing of citizenship, and such, there is generally a harmonious set of economic compromises obtaining the labor force, in general. Happily, most of these compromises are unquestioned matters of cultural tradition. They are taken for granted, usually, by all the citizens, and their remote origins, sometimes doubtless the outcome of internecine strife, of class war, of street fighting and riots, of bloody, house-to-house determinations in the past, and such, are seldom investigated, save perhaps by historians, scribes of the past, some seeking, it seems, to know the truth, for its own sake, others seemingly seeking lessons in the rich labyrinths of history, in previous human experience, what is to be emulated, and what is to be avoided. ~Dancer
GEOGRAPHERS AND CARTOGRAPHERS
Scribes as Geographers and Cartographers
Exploring and mapping unknown territory
“Surely Shaba will have others of his caste with him, geographers of the scribes,” I said. ~Explorers
The men with him, I suspected, or most of them, were members of his own caste, geographers of the scribes, perhaps, but men inured to hardships, perhaps men who had been with him in his explorations of Ushindi and Ngao, men he trusted and upon whom he could count in desperate situations, caste brothers. ~Explorers
“Look there,” said Shaba, indicating a table to one side, on which there lay a cylindrical leather case, with a leather cap, and four notebooks, heavy and bound with leather.
“I see,” I said.
“There is a map case there,” he said, “and my notebooks. I have, in my journey, charted the Ua, and in the notebooks I have recorded my observations. Those things, though you, of the warriors, may not understand this, are priceless.”
“Your records would doubtless be of value, to geographers,” I said.
“They are,” said Shaba, “of inestimable value to all civilized men.”
“Perhaps,” I said.
“The maps, those records,” said Shaba, “open up a new world. Think not only in terms of crass profit, my friend, of the bounties there to hunters and trappers, to traders and settlers, to planters and physicians, but to all men who wish to understand, who wish to know, who wish to unveil hidden secrets and penetrate hitherto unsolved mysteries. In these maps and records, for those who can understand them, lie the first glimpses of new and vast countries. In these maps, and in these notes and drawings, there are treasures and wonders.” ~Explorers
I thought of Bila Huruma, and the loneliness of the Ubar. I thought of Shaba, and his voyages of exploration, the circumnavigation of Lake Ushindi, the discovery and circumnavigation of Lake Ngao, and the discovery and exploration of the Ua, even to the discovery of its source in the placid waters of that vast lake he had called Lake Bila Huruma. But by the wish of Bila Huruma I had changed its name to Lake Shaba. He was surely one of the greatest, if not the greatest, of the explorers of Gor. I did not think his name would be forgotten.
“I am grateful,” had said Ramani of Anango, who had once been the teacher of Shaba. I had delivered to him, and to two others of his caste, the maps and notebooks of Shaba. Ramani and his fellows had wept. I had then left them, returning to my lodgings. Copies would be made of the maps and notebooks. They would then be distributed by caste brothers throughout the cities of civilized Gor. The first copies that were made by anyone had already, however, been made, by the scribes of Bila Huruma in Ushindi. ~Explorers
MAGESTRATES AND PRAETORS
Magistrates & Praetors - The Caste of Scribes - Law
Named Magistrates:
Tolmar - Magicians (Deputy Commissioner in Records Office)
Venlisius - Magicians (Records Officer)
In the back room I tracked these matters by means of one of the observation portals. One of the two magistrates, he who was senior, Tolmar, of the second Octavii, an important gens but one independent of the well-known Octavii, sometimes spoken of simply as the Octavii, or sometimes as the first Octavii, deputy commissioner in the records office, much of which had been destroyed in a recent fire, was at the other portal. His colleague, Venlisius, a bright young man who was now, by adoption, a scion of the Toratti, was with him. Venlisius was in the same office. He was records officer, or archon of records, for the Metallan district, in which we were located. Both magistrates wore their robes, and fillets, of office. They also carried their wands of office, which, I suspect, from the look of them, and despite the weapons laws of Cos, contained concealed blades.
~Magicians
Law is a function of Scribes
Many castes, incidentally, have branches and divisions. Lawyers and Scholars, for example, and Record Keepers, Teachers, Clerks, Historians and Accountants are all Scribes.
~Assassin
The Companion Contract, thus, had been duly negotiated, with the attention of scribes of the law from both Fortress of Saphronicus and the Confederation of Saleria.
~Slave Girl
The fellow who had said this wore the blue of the scribes. He may even have been a scribe of the law.
~Mercenaries
“Are you a legal slave, my child?” asked one of the counselors, a scribe of the law.
~Magicians
Magistrates
High magistrates, powerful in a city, it seems were likely wealthy
Similarly, if it seems understandable that, say, a high magistrate, a general, a Ubar, or such, might enjoy sitting in his pleasure gardens and inspecting his women, having them before him naked, or clothed according to his preferences, it is just as understandable that a less rich or well-fixed person might, similarly, on a more modest level, enjoy the sight of his girl, or girls, indeed, the fewer he has, perhaps the more he will relish the one, or ones, he had.
~Dancer
Investigating crimes
In Ibn Saran's hand was his scimitar, unsheathed. I moved in the chains. They carried no light, but the moonlight, streaming through the barred window into the cell, permitted us to regard one another.
"It seems," I said, "I am not to reach the brine pits of Klima."
I observed the scimitar. I did not think they would slay me in the cell. This would seem, to the magistrates of Nine Wells, inexplicable, an accident demanding the most rigorous and exacting inquiry.
~Tribesmen
Checking slaves for brands on rounds through city
If a magistrate should chance upon them in some alley he will commonly say, "Thigh," to them, and they will turn the girl, so that he may see if she is branded or not. If she is branded, he will commonly continue on his rounds.
~Guardsman
May check actresses to encure they are slaves!
” On Gor, as I have perhaps mentioned, most of the actresses are slaves. In serious drama or more sophisticated comedy, when women are permitted roles within it, the female roles usually being played by men, and the females are slaves, their collars are sometimes removed. Before this is done, however, usually a steel bracelet or anklet, locked, which they cannot remove, is placed on them. In this way, they continue, helplessly, to wear some token of bondage. This facilitates, in any possible dispute or uncertainty as to their status or condition, a clear determination in the matter, by anyone, of course, but in particular by guardsmen or magistrates, or otherwise duly authorized authorities. ~Players
Taking complaints from citizens
“With your permission, Lady Telitsia?” inquired Boots, addressing himself politely to the haughty, rigid, proud, vain, heavily veiled, blue-clad free female standing in the front row below the stage.
“You may continue,” she said.
“But you may find what ensues offensive,” Boots warned her.
“Doubtless I will,” she said. “And have no fear, I shall include it in my complaint to the proper magistrates.”
Players
"The drink she gave me," said Arn, smiling, "was well drugged. I awakened at dawn, with a great headache. My purse was gone."
"Times are hard," said Rim.
"I complained to a magistrate," said Arn, laughing, "but, unfortunately, there was on present who well recalled me, one with whom I had had prior dealings."
Hunters
Managing the traffic of certain Port cities
The representative of the Merchants, to whom I reported my business, and to whom I paid wharfage, asked no questions. He did not even demand the proof of registration of the Tesephone of Tabor. The Merchants, who control Lydius, under merchant law, for it is a free port, like Helmutsport, and Schendi and Bazi, are more interested in having their port heavily trafficked than strictly policed. Indeed, at the wharves I had even seen two green ships. Green is the color common to pirates. I supposed, did they pay their wharfage and declare some sort of business, the captains of those ships were as little interrogated as i. The governance of Lydius, under the merchants, incidentally, is identical to that of the exchange islands, or free islands, in Thassa. Three with which I was familiar, from various voyages, were Tabor, Teletus and, to the north, offshore from Torvaldsland, Scagnar. Of these, to be honest, and to give the merchants their due, I will admit that Tabor and Teletus are rather strictly controlled. It is said, however, by some of the merchants there, that this manner of caution and restriction, has to some extent diminished their position in the spheres of trade. Be that as it may, Lydius, though not what you would call an open port, was indulgent, and permissive. Most ports and islands on Thassa, of course, are not managed by the Merchants, but, commonly, by magistrates appointed by the city councils. In Port Kar, my city, the utilization of the facilities of the port is regulated by a board of four magistrates, the Port Consortium, which reports directly to the Council of Captains, which, since the downfall of the warring Ubars, is sovereign in the city. I suppose the magistrate, who, with his papers, met us at the dock, did not believe my story. He was smiling, when he wrote down my putative business. He had looked at my men. They did not appear to be merchant rowers. They looked much like what they were, men of Port Kar. ~Hunters
Sentencing and enslaving Free Women who bare their legs
Contrariwise, almost no free woman would bare her legs. They would not dare to do so. They would be horrified even to think of it. The scandal of such an act could ruin a reputation. It is said on Gor, any woman who bares her legs is a slave. Indeed, in some cities a free woman who might be found with bare legs is taken in hand by magistrates, tried and sentenced to bondage. After the judge’s decision has been enacted, its effect carried out upon her, reducing her to the status of goods, sometimes publicly, that she may be suitably disgraced, sometimes privately, by a contract slaver, that the sensitivities of free women in the city not be offended, she is hooded and transported, stripped and chained, freshly branded and collared, a property female, slave cargo, to a distant market where, once sold, she will begin her life anew, fearfully, as a purchased girl, tremulously as the helpless and lowly slave she now is. ~Mercenaries
Would investigate the use of lure girls for innocent men to be used in a work chain
That particular chain, I had heard, was employed in the north, currently digging siege trenches for the Cosians who had invested Torcadino. The fellow whom they had bound, of course, and the others in whose capture I had been implicated, were not, as far as I knew, criminals. My master, Tyrrhenius, spoke of his work as "recruitment." He was "recruiting" for the chains of work masters. To be sure, he must do this work surreptitiously. It would be quite unfortunate for him, I gathered, if he were to be discovered to have been involved in such work. Judges, magistrates, and such, would not be likely to look indulgently on these activities. ~Dancer
Sentencing
“Do you have anything to say before I pass such sentence upon you?”
“No,” she said.
“I sentence you to slavery,” he said, uttering the sentence.
She trembled, sentenced.
“It only remains now,” said Aemilianus, “for the sentence to be carried out. If you wish I, in the office of magistrate, shall carry it out. On the other hand, if you wish, you may yourself carry out the sentence.”
“I?” she said.
“Yes,” he said.
“You would have me proclaim myself slave?” she asked.
“Or I shall do it,” he said. “In the end, it does not matter.”
~Renegades
Investigating and arresting for fraud
Some Gorean dice are sold in sealed boxes, bearing the city’s imprint. These, supposedly, have been each cast six hundred times, with results approximating the ideal mathematical probabilities. Also, it might be mentioned that dice are sometimes tampered with, or specially prepared, to favor certain numbers. These, I suppose, using the Earth term, might be spoken of as “loaded.” My friend, the actor, magician, impresario and whatnot, Boots Tarsk-Bit, once narrowly escaped an impalement in Besnit on the charge of using false dice. He was, however, it seems, framed. At any rate the charges were dismissed when a pair of identical false dice turned up in the pouch of the arresting magistrate, the original pair having, interestingly, at about the same time, vanished. (In this case it appears the magistrate was crooked himself
~Magicians
Investigating and sentencing thieves
Some free girls, without family, keep themselves, as best they can, in certain port cities. That her ear had been notched indicated that, by a magistrate, she had been found thief. Ear notching is the first penalty for a convicted thief in most Gorean cities, whether male or female. The second offense, by a male, is punished with removal of the left hand, the third offense by the removal of the right. The penalty for a woman, for her second offense, if she is convicted, is to be reduced to slavery.
~Hunters
Executioners
Lying on the ground, bound hand and foot, still clad in the white robe, was Talena. The point of the sharpened impaling post lay near her. As the tarn had landed, her executioners, two burly, hooded magistrates, had scrambled to their feet and fled to safety.
~Tarnsman
Certain magistrates, likely well versed in Merchant Law, were Merchant Magistrates, of the Merchant Caste
Behind the wagon, in the white robes, trimmed with gold and purple, of merchant magistrates, came five men. I recognized them as judges.
~Hunters
Praetor
The desk of a wharf praetor
The praetor placed the coin on his desk, the surface of which was some seven feet high, below the low, solid wooden bar The height of the praetor’s desk, he on the high stool behind it, permits him to see a goodly way up and down the wharves. Also, of course, one standing before the desk must look up to see the praetor, which, psychologically, tends to induce a feeling of fear for the power of the law. The wooden bar before the desk’s front edge makes it impossible to see what evidence or papers the praetor has at his disposal as he considers your case. Thus, you do not know for certain how much he knows. Similarly, you cannot tell what he writes on your papers.
~Explorers
Wharf Praetor - settling disuputes on the docks
I walked in the morning, an Ahn before noon, on the wharves of Telnus. I could see the great gates of the harbor some two pasangs across the water. The harbor was filled with many craft. I avoided the tar on the planks of the wharf. Beneath the planking of the wharves, here and there, I could see water, and small boats tied at pilings. Men came and went, going to and from ships, and disembarking and embarking cargo. I passed the throne of the wharf praetor, he in his robes, with the two scribes, for the settling of disputes which might occur on the quays. Four guardsmen, too, were there. ~Slave Girl
Issued or at least enforced warrants
“Return the girl to the praetor’s station on this pier,” said the guardsman.
“What of those who robbed me!” cried the fellow with the torn clothing and the blood behind his ear.
“You are not the first,” said the praetor, looking down at him from the high desk. “They stand under a general warrant.” ~Explorers
Questioning, investigating, and sentencing
“I am innocent,” said the bound man.
“How do you refer to yourself?” asked the praetor.
“Turgus,” he said.
The praetor entered that name in the papers. He then signed the papers.
He looked down at Turgus. “How did you come to be tied?” he asked.
“Several men set upon me,” he said. “I was struck from behind. I was subdued.”
“It does not appear that you were struck from behind,” smiled the praetor.
The face of Turgus was not a pretty sight, as I had dashed it into the stones, and had then struck the side of his head against the nearby wall.
“Is the binding fiber on their wrists from their original bonds, as you found them?” asked the praetor of one of the guardsmen.
“It is,” he said.
“Examine the knots,” said the praetor.
“They are capture knots,” said the guardsman, smiling.
“You made a poor choice of one to detain, my friends,” said the praetor.
They looked at one another, miserably. Their paths had crossed that of a warrior.
They now stood bound before the praetor.
“Turgus, of Port Kar,” said the praetor, “in virtue of what we have here today established, and in virtue of the general warrant outstanding upon you, you are sentenced to banishment. If you are found within the limits of the city after sunset this day you will be impaled.”
The face of Turgus was impassive.
“Free him,” he said.
Turgus was cut free, and turned about, moving through the crowd. He thrust men aside.
Explorers
Again, passing sentence of punishment
“The Lady Sasi, of Port Kar,” said the praetor, “in virtue of what we have here today established, and in virtue of the general warrant outstanding upon her, must come under sentence.”
“Please, my officer,” she begged.
“I am now going to sentence you,” he said.
“Please,” she cried, “Sentence me only to a penal brothel!”
“The penal brothel is too good for you,” said the praetor.
“Show me mercy,” she begged.
“You will be shown no mercy,” he said.
She looked up at him, with horror.
“You are sentenced to slavery,” he said. ~Explorers
Had cells for holding prisoners
“I hate you,” she sobbed. She threw a wild look at the fellow slumped over the nearby table. He was still unconscious. She was clearly frightened. The dosage she had imbibed, assuming there might have been one in the drink, would doubtless have been one fit for a male. Accordingly, her own period of unconsciousness, given this possibility, might possibly last several Ahn, more than enough time to be carried to a cell in a praetor’s holding area. ~Mercenaries
Sentencing male criminals to work chains
The "free " chain, on the other hand, consists usually, I had been told, of condemned criminals. Rather than bother with housing these fellows, many of whom are supposedly dangerous, putting them up at public expense, and so on, many cities, for a nominal fee, turn them (pg. 305) over to a work master who accepts charge of them, theoretically for the duration of time remaining in their sentences. For example, if a fellow has been sentenced, say, to two years of hard labor by a praetor, he might be turned over, for a small fee, to the master of a work gang who will see to it, theatrically, that he performs these two years of hard labor.
~Dancer
Some of them were not even men I had trapped, but only men who knew what I had done. Some may have been as innocent as those I had lured, others might have been murderers and brigands, suitably enchained for the expiation of sentences, their custody having been legally transferred to Ionicus, my master, at the payment of a prisoner’s fee, by the writ of a praetor or, in more desperate cases, by the order of a quaestor.
~Dancer
Collecting payment for each prisoner sentenced and turned over to a work chain
"They are from Brundisium," he said.
"Of course," said Aulus.
"A silver tarsk apiece," said the fellow.
"That seems high," said Aulus.
"It is an average praetor’s price," he said. To be sure, some serving shorter sentences, would presumably go for less, and some, more dangerous fellows, perhaps, serving longer sentences, might go for more. "Too," he said, "I expect you pay to much, or more, for the fellows you get from illicit suppliers." ~Dancer
OTHER TASKS
Other tasks performed by Scribes
Working as "printers" to prepare signs (in this case in the employ of Cernus, a Slaver)
Elsewhere in the room there were some free men, Scribes I gathered though they were stripped to the waist, who were inking, using a silk-screen process, large sheets of layered, glued rag paper. One of them held the sheet up inspecting it, and I saw that it was a bill, which might be pasted against a public building, or on the public boards near the markets. It advertised a sale. Other such sheets, hanging on wires, proclaimed games and tarn races. The common thread in these various matters was that the House of Cernus was involved, either in presenting the sale or in sponsoring the races or games. ~Assassin
Heading Committees
"Several committees were formed, usually headed by scribes but reporting to the council, to undertake various studies pertaining to the city, particularly of a military and commercial nature. One of these studies was to be a census of ships and captains, the results of which were to be private to the council. Other studies, the results of which would be kept similarly private to the council, dealt with the city defenses, and her stores of wood, grain, salt, stone and tharlarion oil. Also considered, though nothing was determined that night, were matters of taxation, the unification and revision of the codes of the five Ubars, the establishment of council courts, replacing those of the Ubars, and the acquistion of a sizable number of men-at-arms, who would be directly responsible to the council itself, in effect, a small council police or army. Such a body of men, it might be noted, though restricted in numbers and limited in jurisdiction, already existed in the arsenal." ~Raiders
Checking ship registration, proper arrangements for the wharf and cargo in Port cities
Two men from the desk of the nearest wharf praetor, he handling wharves six through ten, a scribe and a physician, boarded the ship. The scribe carried a folder with him. He would check the papers of Ulafi, the registration of the ship, the arrangements for wharfage and the nature of the cargo. ~Explorers
Studying astronomical measurements for adjustment of official clocks.
Chronometers exist on Gor, but they are rare and valuable. Marcus and I did not have any, of intent, at the time, among our belongs. They would not have seemed to fit in well with our guise as auxiliary guardsmen. In many cities, of course, including Ar, time tends to be kept publicly. Official clocks are adjusted, of course, according to the announcements of scribes, in virtue of various astronomical measurements, having to do with the movements of the sun and stars. The calendar, and adjustments in it, are also the results of their researches, promulgated by civil authorities. The average Gorean has a variety of simple devices at his disposal for marking the passage of time. typical among them are marked, or calibrated, candles, sun dials, sand glasses, clepsydras and oil clocks. ~Magicians
Certifying blood lines of mated slaves
Such breedings commonly take place with the slaves hooded, and under the supervision of the master, or masters. In this way the occurrence of the breeding act can be confirmed and authenticated. Sometimes a member of the caste of scribes is also present, to provide certification on behalf of the city. Usually, however, in cities which encourage this sort of registration it is sufficient to bring the papers for stamping to the proper office within forty Ahn. Such rigor, however, is usually involved only in the breeding of expensive, pedigreed slaves. Most slave breeding is at the discretion of the privae master or masters involved. Slaves from the same household incidentally, are seldom mated. This practice is intended to reduce the likelihood of intimate emotional relationships among slaves. Furthermore, make and female slaves are usually kept separate, female slaves commonly performing light labors in housholds and male slaves working in the fields or on the grounds. ~Blood Brothers
Interrogating captives for confessions
"I gestured for the two slaves at the rack windlass to again rotate the heavy wooden wheels, moving the heavy wooden pawl another notch in the beam ratchet. Again there was a creak of wood and the sound of the pawl, locking, dropping into its new notch. The thing fastened on the rack threw back its head on the cords, screaming only with his eyes. Another notch and the bones of its arms and legs would be torn from their sockets.
"What have you learned?" I asked the scribe, who stood with his tablet and stylus beside the rack.
"It is the same as the others," he said. "They were hired by the men of Henrius Sevarius, some to slay captains, smoe to fire the wharves and arsenal." The scribe looked up at me. "Tonight," he said, "Sevarius was to be Ubar of Port Kar, and each was to have a stone of gold."
...
"Then Samos addressed himself to the Scribe near the rack. He gestured toward the other racks. "Take down these men," he said, "and keep them chained. We may wish to question them further tomorrow." ~Raiders
Keeping tally on raids of the captives taken by each Warrior
"Near the oar pole to which I had been bound, some yards from what had been the circle of the dance, a number of rencers, stripped, men and women, lay bound hand and foot. They would later be carried, or forced to walk, to the barges. From time to time a warrior would add further booty to this catch, dragging or throwing his capture rudely among the others. These rencers were guarded by two warriors with drawn swords. A scribe stood by with a tally sheet, marking the number of captures by each warrior."
~Raiders
Interests and research of Scribes
Suggesting changes to the gorean alphabet
Many Gorean letters have a variety of pronunciations, depending on their linguistic context. Certain scribes have recommended adding to the Gorean alphabet new letters, to independently represent some of these sounds which, now, require alternative pronunciations, context-dependent, of given letters. Their recommendations, it seems, are unlikely to be incorporated into formal Gorean. ~Explorers
Proposing reform to a single chronology
The fellow, incidentally, had given the year of the aforementioned battle as 10,127 C.A. It was natural that he, of Ar’s Station, would give the date in the chronology of Ar. Different cities, perhaps in their vanity, or perhaps simply in accord with their own traditions, often have their own chronologies, based on Administrator Lists, and such. A result of this is that there is little uniformity in Gorean chronology. The same year, in the chronology of Port Kar, if it is of interest, would have been Year 8 of the Sovereignty of the Council of Captains. The reform of chronology is proposed by a small party from among the castes of scribes almost ever year at the Fair of En’Kara, near the Sardar, but their proposals, sensible as they might seem, are seldom greeted with either interest or enthusiasm, even by the scribes. Perhaps that is because the reconciliation and coordination of chronologies, like the diction and convolutions of the law, are regarded as scribal prerogatives. ~Renegades
Proclaiming proper pronunciation and grammar for standard gorean language
Also, some of the dialects of Gorean itself are aimost unintelligible. On the other hand, Gorean, in its varieties, serves as the lingua franca of civilized Gor. There are few Goreans who cannot speak it, though with some it is almost a second language. Gorean tends to be rendered more uniform through the minglings and transactions of the great fairs. Too, at certain of these fairs, the caste of scribes, accepted as the arbiters of such matters, stipulate that certain pronounciations and grammatical, formations, and such are to be preferred over others. The Fairs, in their diverse ways, tend to standardize the language, which might otherwise disintegrate into regional variations which, over centuries, might become mutually unintelligible linguistic modalities, in effect and practice, unfortunately, separate languages. The Fairs, and, I think, the will of Priest-Kings, prevents this. ~Beasts
Studying the language
"In Gorean, " said Bosk, "the most frequently occurring letter is Eta. We might then begin by supposing that the combination of blue and red signifies an Eta."
"I see," said Samos
"The next most frequently occurring letters in Gorean," said Bosk, "are Tau, Al-Ka, Omnioin and Nu. Following these in frequency of occurrence are Ar, Ina, Shu and Homan, and so on."
""How is this known?" asked Samos.
"it is based upon letter counts," said Bosk, "over thousands of words in varieties of manuscripts."
"These matters have been determined by scribes?" asked Samos.
"Yes," said Bosk.
"Why should they be interested in such things?"
"Such studies were conducted originally, at least publicly, as opposed to the presumed secret studies of cryptographers, in connection with the Sardar Fairs," said Bosk, "at meetings of Scribes concerned to standardize and simplify the cursive alphabet. Also, it was thought to have consequences for improved pedagogy, in teaching children to first recognize the most commonly occurring letter."
"I was taught the alphabet beginning with Al-Ka," smiled Samos.
"As was I," said Bosk, "perhaps we should first have been taught Eta."
"That is not tradition!" said Samos.
"True," admitted Bosk, "And these immovative scribes have had little success with their proposed reforms. Yet, from their labors, various interesting facts have emerged. For example, we have learned not only the offer of frequency of occurrence of letters but, as would be expected, rough percentages of occurrence as well. Eta, for expected, occurs two hundred times more frequently in the language than Altron. Over forty percent of the language consists of the first five letters I mentioned, Eta, Tau, Al-Ka, Onion and Nu." ~Slave Girl
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Administrators & High Councils of Cities
Administrators & High Councils of CitiesThe city-state
"The city-state,' said my father, speaking to me late one afternoon, 'is the basic political division on Gor - hostile cities controlling what territory they can in their environs, surrounded by a no-man's land of open ground on every side."
"How is leadership decided in these cities?' I asked. 'Rulers,' he said, 'are chosen from any High Caste." ~Tarnsman~
Elected Officials
High Castes elect representatives from their caste to the High Council of the city. These council members are elected for stated terms - see following quote: (SEE ALSO Castes of Gor for the high castes)
'We are going to the Chamber of the Council,' he said.
I followed him." ~Tarnsman~
The Chamber of the Council is the room in which the elected representatives of the High Castes of Ko-ro-ba hold their meetings. Each city has such a chamber.
Tarnsman
The High Castes elect an Administrator also for stated terms
In times of crisis, a Ubar is named.
'The High Castes in a given city,' said my father, 'elect an administrator and council for stated terms. In times of crisis, a war chief, or Ubar, is named, who rules without check and by decree until, in his judgment, the crisis is passed.' ~Tarnsman~
Most Gorean cities are governed by an Administrator in conjunction with the high council
In many cities only members of the high castes may belong to the city?s high council. Most Gorean cities are governed by an executive, the Administrator, in conjunction with the high council.
Slave Girl
It is only the men of high caste who elect members to the Council
Whereas it is only the men of high caste who elect members to the Council of the City, the gold of merchants and the will of the general populace is seldom disregarded in their choices. Accordingly, Kazrak of Port Kar, for years Administrator of Ar, was by vote deposed and banished from the city, being publicly denied salt, bread and fire, as had been Marlenus, long years before him, once Ubar of Ar.
Assassins
Activities of the High Council
The Chamber of the Council is the room in which the elected representatives of the High Castes of Ko-ro-ba hold their meetings. Each city has such a chamber. It was in the widest of cylinders, and the ceiling was at least six times the height of the normal living level. The ceiling was lit as if by stars, and the walls were of five colors, applied laterally, beginning from the bottom - white, blue, yellow, green, and red, caste colours. Benches of stone, on which the members of the Council sat, rose in five monumental tiers about the walls, one tier for each of the High Castes. These tiers shared the color of that portion of the wall behind them, the caste colors.
The tier nearest the floor, which denoted some preferential status, the white tier, was occupied by Initiates, Interpreters of the Will of Priest-Kings. In order, the ascending tiers, blue, yellow, green, and red, were occupied by representatives of the Scribes, Builders, Physicians, and Warriors.
Tarnsman
Approving admittance to caste
'Then,' said my father, placing his hands solemnly on my shoulders, 'in virtue of my authority as Administrator of this city and in the presence of the Council of High Castes, I declare you to be a Warrior of Ko-ro-ba.'
Tarnsman
Approving petitions to raise caste
Further, because of his services to the state, including the sponsorship of games and races, Cernus was, upon the petition of Saphronicus, Captain of the Taurentians, invested in the scarlet of the Warrior, thus honoring him with High Caste. He did not, of course, give up the House of Cernus nor any other of his widely ranging interests in Ar and beyond it. I do not suppose the Hinrabian Administrator much cared to approve this raising of caste in the case of Cernus, but he lacked the courage to go against the wishes of the Taurentians, and of the city generally. The High Council, with scarcely a murmur, agreed to the investiture.
Assassin
Handling petitions from the High Councils of various castes
The Cylinder of Initiates demanded that the High Council of the Caste of Physicians put an end to our work, not only that it be discontinued but that our results to that date be destroyed. The Physicians, I am pleased to say, stood with us. There is little love lost between Physicians and Initiates, even as is the case between Scribes and Initiates. The Cylinder of the High Initiate then petitioned the High Council of the City to stop our work, but they, on the recommendation of Marlenus, who was then Ubar, permitted our work to continue." Flaminius laughed.
Assassin
Imposing import duties on goods
It was a Ta wine, from the Ta grapes of the terraces of Cos. Such a small thing, in its way, bespoke the intimacy of the trade relations between Vonda and Cos. In the last year heavy import duties had been levied by the high council of Vonda against the wines of certain other cities, in particular against the Ka-la-nas of Ar.
I handed back the flask to Kenneth.
Fighting Slave
Sponsoring games and races, albeit with the money of wealthy backers
Further, games and races which he had sponsored in the name of the Hinrabians now ceased, and those they had jointly sponsored ceased to bear the name of the Administrator. The name of Cernus, as patron and benefactor, was now what appeared on the placards and the boards of announcements. Then, interestingly, minor omens, recorded by the High Initiate, and others, began to turn against the Hinrabian dynasty. Two members of the High Council, who had spoken out against the influence of Merchants in the politics of Ar, presumably a veiled reference to Cernus, were found slain, one cut down by killing knife and another throttled and found dangling from a bridge near his home.
Assassin
Support and influence of the High Council can sometimes be bought
"There is a house greater than mine, or any on the Street of Brands," said he.
"You fear this house?" asked Kuurus.
"Those of this house stand near the Administrator, and the High Initiate," said Portus.
"What do you mean?" asked Kuurus.
"The gold of this house is heavy in the councils of the city."
"The Administrator and the High Initiate," asked Kuurus, "owe their thrones to the gold of this house?"
Portus laughed bitterly. "Without the gold of this house, how could the Administrator and the High Initiate have sponsored the races and the games that won them the favor of the lower castes?"
"But the lower castes do not elect the Administrator or the High Initiate," said Kuurus. "The Administrator is appointed by the High Council of the City and the High initiate by the High Council of the Initiates of the City."
"These councils," said Portus scornfully, "know well the way the lower castes yelp in the tiers." He snorted. "And there are many in the High Councils of the city who, if forced to decide between the steel of the hook knife and the feel of gold in their pouch, will choose gold to steel." Portus winked at Kuurus. "There is only gold and steel," he said.
Assassins
High Council of Leagues
Similarly, the cities and towns that united as the Vosk League elected a High Council
"I have an announcement to make," said Tasdron, "for which I have waited until now." We regarded him. The slaves knelt. A free man was speaking. "The forces of the Vosk League are soon to be organized," said Tasdron. "It is my honor and pleasure to inform you that one among us has agreed to act as the commander of these forces. He is, of course, Callimachus, of Port Cos!"
"Congratulations!" I cried to Callimachus, shaking his hand. There was Gorean applause.
"The appointment was made earlier this afternoon, in a secret session of the High Council of the Vosk League," said Tasdron, "that body sovereign in the league, composed of representatives drawn from all the member towns." Tasdron smiled at me. "This time and place," he said, "seemed appropriate for making the first public announcement of the appointment."
Guardsman
The cities united as the Salerian League elected an Administrator
The oaths of the league, and the primitive articles pertaining to its first governance, were sworn, and signed, in the meadow of Salerius, which lies on the northern bank of the Olni between Port Olni and Vonda. It is from that fact that the confederation is known as the Salerian Confederation. The principal city, because the largest and most populous, of the confederation is Ti. The governance of the confederation is centralized in Ti. The high administrator of the confederation is a man called Ebullius Gaius Cassius, of the Warriors. Ebullius Gaius Cassius was also, as might be expected, the administrator of the city, or state, of Ti itself. The Salerian Confederation, incidentally, is also sometimes known as the Four Cities of Saleria. The expression `Saleria', doubtless owing its origin to the meadow of Salerius, is used broadly, incidentally, to refer to the fertile basin territories both north and south of the Olni, the lands over which the confederation professes to maintain a hegemony. The meadow of Salerius, thus, lies on the northern bank of the Olni, between Port Olni and Vonda; the area called Saleria, on the other hand, is, in effect, the lands controlled by the confederation. Ti, Port Olni and Vonda lie on the northern bank of the Olni; Lara lies between the Olni and the Vosk, at their confluence. It is regarded as being of great strategic importance. It could, if it wished, prevent Olni shipping from reaching the markets of the Vosk towns, and, similarly, if it wished, prevent shipping from these same towns from reaching the Olni markets. Overland shipping in this area, as is generally the case on Gor, is time consuming and costly; also, it is often dangerous. It is interesting to note that the control of piracy on the Olni was largely a function of the incorporation of Lara in the confederation. This made it difficult for the pirate fleets, following their raids, to descend the Olni and escape into the Vosk. It may also be of interest to note that what began as a defensive league instituted primarily to protect shipping on a river gradually, but expectedly, began to evolve into a considerable political force in eastern known Gor. Jealousies and strifes, rivalries, even armed conflicts, tend often to separate Gorean cities. Seldom do they band together. In this milieu, then, of suspicion, pride, autonomy and honor, the four cities of Saleria represented a startling and momentous anomaly in the politics of Gor. The league to protect shipping on the Olni, inadvertently but naturally founded in the common interest of four cities, had formed the basis for what later became the formidable Salerian Confederation. Many cities of Gor, it was rumored, looked now with uneasiness on the four giants of the Olni. The Salerian Confederation, it was rumored, had now come to the attention even of the city of Ar.
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Magistrate Position Description
TITLE OF POSITION
Magistrate
HISTORY:
According to Luther, there are a variety of magistrate positions. The duties of the office are generally of a legal nature, and for that reason Magistrates usually belong the Scribe caste. Merchants have a separate magistrate system, not discussed here.
The Books mention several types of magistrates, including aediles, archons, praetors, prefects, and quaestors. Details are sparse, although it appears that an archon is a keeper of records. An Archon in Venna tried to identify the owners of slaves that had run away. The slaves would be displayed in the office of the Archon and if the owner could not be located, the slave would be auctioned. In one book a Prefect was seen certifying documents with a seal, as would a notary on Earth. He also had the power to impose enslavement on a insolvent debtor. Executioners are usually magistrates.
Magistrates often wear special robes with fillets - ribbons - indicating their office. They may also carry batons or wands of office, which may incorporate concealed blades.
BASIC FUNCTIONS AND RESPONSIBILITIES:
The basic function and responsibility of a Magistrate is to make judgments about official matters within his jurisdiction when requested to do so. The judgments usually concern issues of law, but may also include issues of fact.
In increasing order of authority, the jurisdiction of a Magistrate may include:
Presiding at executions and other official ceremonies
Sealing and verifying records
Keeping minutes of Council meetings
Issuing permits and licenses
Making official announcements
Advising Chiefs of Caste and the Council on legal matters
Imposing slavery on insolvent debtors.
Arbitrating RP disputes
Arbitrating disputes between Chiefs of Caste
RELATED DUTIES
Whatever the Administrators assign.
SUPERVISION RECEIVED
The Magistrate is supervised by the Chief Scribe except in cases involving the Chief Scribe, in which case the Magistrate reports directly to the Council.
SUPERVISION EXERCISED
The Magistrate might supervise a Scribe Slave, but usually has no staff.
QUALIFICATIONS
A judicial temperament is essential. A magistrate should not be prone to partisanship, intemperate statements, reflexive loyalty, or other passions typical of Gor. Patience, empathy, and an understanding of human weakness are also important.
A magistrate should demonstrate the basic quality of a first-class mind: the ability to entertain two conflicting ideas at the same time.
A magistrate should understand basic legal concepts such as:
Burden of Proof (innocent until proven guilty)
Standards of Proof (beyond a reasonable doubt, preponderance of the evidence)
Conflict of Interest - Bias - Pre-judgment
Issues of Law v. Issues of Fact
Hearsay
Consistency of decisions
A magistrate should demonstrate diligence and efficiency in the storing and retrieval of documents.
A magistrate should be capable of writing short, clear, and authoritative opinions and decisions.
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Blue Caste - The Magistrates of Rorus
Blue Caste – The MagistrateWhen anyone joins the Blue Caste in Rorus they are asked what direction they wish to take their role. There first options are simple, Scribe or Magistrate. From there they have two choices. I will get to that in a moment.
Once a member of the Blue Caste chooses to become a Magistrate, they are entering a sub-caste, but that does not remove them from the workings of scribes. All scribes that enter the caste will be trained first as a Scribe, then as a Magistrate.
All members of the Blue Caste should be capable of doing the most simple of contracts that we as scribes are called upon to do daily, and they should be doing then if there is nothing pressing within the halls of the courts. This only means that they should be busy. I do not want anyone in this caste to be bakery sitters.
Magistrates are to be working, keeping an eye on citizens; aware and ready to assist should there be an issue that requires one of their caste. If the village is quiet, then they should look to the library. In the days to come there will be a bookcase placed in the courthouse and in the library where works of each caste member will be placed. Writings that they have done passed to the High Magistrate or to the HOC for approval. Once their work has been approved they will be considered a “published” scribe or magistrate, and every person in the caste should strive for this honor.
The system that has been put in place within the Magistrates is simple.
High Magistrate – Runs the sub-caste. All Magistrates are to receive their assignments and training from them. The High Magistrate does not handle individual cases himself. He hands the case over to the High Prosecutor or High Advocate. Then his hands come off the case, for he will be the Judge sitting in court. The High Magistrate signs all warrants and set court dates for all cases.
There are 4 possible Judges to sit on any case should there be a reason that the High Magistrate cannot do so. The HOC, The Regent, and lastly, The Ubar are the High Judges of Rorus. The primary reason, (other than real life issues) the High Magistrate would have to pass the seat of Judgment over to the next in line would be should he be a witness or related to the accused. In most extreme case, if he felt he could not be objective for any reason and unable to render a judgment in that case.
High Prosecutor and High Advocate – These two people head up each aspect what are needed to take a case to court and see it justly to a conclusion. They will assign each case to someone under them. They will oversee the progress of the case, ensuring that everything is accomplished before the trial date.
There is only one of each, and the High Advocate and High Prosecutor does not mean that they are of same status as the High Magistrate. But, beneath either are several Low Advocates and Low Prosecutors. These are the ones that gather the necessary evidence to go into court. Once they have done so, they are to take the case to their head, and go over everything.
The High Magistrate never sees the details of the case prior to the court hearing where everything is presented.
Having a Low of each enables us to have a structure where there are several of each advocate and prosecutors to work and enjoy the role-play. Cases should be assigned in a rotating base, so that all have something to do. When a trial is ready for court, the High and Low of Advocate and Prosecutor both present the case. It is between the two of them as to how they proceed during trial.
I hope this helps everyone in understanding the function set up in the sub-caste of Magistrates.
LRH
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The Laws
THE LAWS1. "There is a saying on Gor that the laws of a city extend no further than its walls." (Outlaw of Gor, p.50) This is one of the most basic principles of Gorean law yet it is more a generality than an absolute. For the most part, once you step outside the walls of a city, their city laws will no longer apply and the city will not protect you. But, there are exceptions to this rule. First, many cities claim do sovereignty over the lands surrounding their city. They may try to enforce their will upon the surrounding terrain. Tarn, tharlarion or infantry patrols often monitor the tenuous borders of a city's claimed territory and either question, detain or kill non-citizens trying to enter their lands. That is only as effective as the strength of the city's military forces. Second, there are certain locations located outside a city over which a city exercises full legal control, such as a banner keep. A banner keep is a Merchant Keep owned by a specific city, and governed by that city's laws. Third, Merchant Law exists, that set of common laws that binds many of the cities of Gor. Merchant Law extends past city walls, protecting commerce.
2. To make a claim as to unowned land outside of a city, you must place a yellow stake of claimancy into the ground during the morning. You must then wait by that stake and protect that land until sunset. At that time then, the land becomes yours and you may lay your Home Stone there.
3. The theft of a Home Stone may be one of the most heinous crimes that exists on Gor. This should not be surprising considering the Gorean beliefs concerning the importance of the Home Stone. Theft of such is commonly punished by extreme torture followed by death in boiling oil. Despite this, the theft of a enemy's Home Stone is also considered the greatest of glories, showing that the thief is favored by the Priest-Kings.
4. A person might be slain for not standing when speaking of his own Home Stone. It is unknown whether this is by law, Caste Code or simply custom. There is no description of the circumstances when this may be applicable either.
5. Only members of the High Castes may be elected to the High Council of a city. Each of the five High Castes votes for their own representatives on the High Council.
6. Only members of the High Castes may vote to elect a city's Administrator or to appoint a Ubar. Low Castes do not possess any voting rights.
7. There is a question as to whether free women may be members of the High Council and whether free women of the High Castes are permitted to vote. This is likely an issue decided on a city by city basis. There is some confusion because of a statement that seems to imply women are not permitted to vote. "Whereas it is only the men of high caste who elect members to the Council of the City,…" (Assassin of Gor, p.16) It is unclear whether "men" in this context refers solely to the male gender or whether it is used in a more generic sense to indicate all within the High Castes. But, as women are permitted to occupy the highest political position in a city, that of ruler, then it makes little sense why they couldn't occupy a lesser political position, such as being on a High Council or why they could not vote.
8. It is illegal to take a map of a city out of that city. It is also illegal for a non-citizen to make their own map of a city. As many city streets do not possess set names, it can be difficult for visitors to find their way around in a city. This can be an added defense mechanism, preventing invading armies from easily moving through a city toward intended targets.
9. In the high cities of Gor, the length of each Ahn during a day are all of the same duration. In other cities, they divide a day into ten Ahn during the daytime and ten at nighttime. Thus, the length of each Ahn will vary by season though the day is the same length. Thus in summer, daytime Ahn are longer than nighttime Ahn.
10. Citizenship is a privilege, not a right, and thus you must actively apply for it as well as continue to earn it throughout your life. "Citizenship, or its retention, on other than a nominal basis, in some cities, is contingent on such things as attending public ceremonies, such as an official semi-annual taking of auspices, and participating in numerous public assemblies, some of which are called on short notice." (Dancer of Gor, p.302-303)
11. "Citizenship in most Gorean communities is not something accrued in virtue of the accident of birth but earned in virtue of intent and application." (Slave Girl of Gor, p.394) Upon reaching your intellectual majority, you must perform the citizenship ceremony. The specifics of the ceremony will vary from city to city. In some cities, there may be a requirement that other citizens, non-blood relations, must vouch for you. In other places, you might be questioned by a committee of citizens to determine your worthiness for citizenship. The oath of allegiance may involve the touching or kissing of the Home Stone, the swearing of oaths, and maybe even the sharing of bread, fire and salt. A laurel wreath and mantle of citizenship may then be conferred upon the new citizen.
12. The nonperformance of the citizenship ceremony, within one year of reaching your intellectual majority, is punishable by expulsion from the city. This applies only to those individuals born within the city or born to citizens of the city. "The rationale seems to be that the community has a right to expect allegiance from its members." (Vagabonds of Gor, p.303)
13. Though reference is made to the age of intellectual majority, no specific age is ever provided. From circumstantial evidence in the books, the highest probability seems to be that it is fifteen years old.
14. You can renounce your existing citizenship and acquire citizenship in another city. Obviously, you must be accepted by this other city as a citizen, meeting all prerequisites that are in place.
15. One of the benefits of citizenship is that it provides some protection against foreign creditors. It is unknown whether this area is covered by Merchant Law or not.
16. The oath of disownment is a part of the Warrior Caste Codes as well as the rites of a city. In this irreversible ceremony, a family member is disowned. That family member loses all connection to their family, as well as losing their Caste. It appears that this oath is taken according to the Warrior Caste Codes by swearing upon the hilt of your sword. It is unknown how it is done according to city rites. The Ubar of a city took the oath on the medallion of his city. A common citizen would obviously need to use something else for such an oath.
17. Every citizen must journey, at least once, to the Sardar Mountains before they are twenty-five years old. The Initiate Caste monitors who goes and who does not. The Initiates also teach that misfortunes will strike a city if their youth try to avoid this sacred obligation. Sometimes the Initiate Caste will ask a person to make the journey at a specific time. In some cities and islands, such as Teletus, your family will receive a gold tarn disk if you make the journey when the Initiates request it.
18. "A man who refused to practice his livelihood or strove to alter status without the consent of the Council of High Castes was, by definition, an outlaw and subject to impalement." (Tarnsman of Gor, p.46) Outlaws lose all connection to their Home Stone and Caste, a terrible fate for a Gorean. They must live in the wilderness, struggling to survive. Few Goreans envy the fate of an outlaw.
19. Each city determines which Castes and subcastes will be legally recognized. They will also determine which Caste will be recognized as High Castes. For example, there may be cities where the Merchants Caste, normally a Low Caste, is legally recognized as a High Caste.
20. There is a crime of "attempting to deceive with respect to caste." This encompasses such actions as engaging in business under false pretenses and claiming explicitly to be of a caste other than your own. Such deceptions most often occur when people pretend to be Physicians. This crime does not apply to all actions that are part of a Caste's primary focus. For example, anyone, and not just a member of the Slaver's Caste, can legally sell a slave. But, that same person cannot claim to be a member of the Slaver's Caste if he is not.
21. It is legally permissible to change one's Caste though most Goreans would not willingly change their Caste, being proud of their Caste no matter how low it might be. In a Free Companionship, the woman can take the Caste of the man though the man cannot do the same. Otherwise to change caste, the High Council of the city must approve the change, based on your qualifications for the new caste and the willingness of the new caste to accept you.
22. Women in the Physician's Caste cannot engage in the full practice of medicine until they have first bore two children. In many cities, at age fifteen, women of the Physician's Caste will place two bracelets on their left wrist. One is then removed for each child that she bears. When both bracelets are removed, she can then engage in the full practice of medicine.
23. It is a capital offense for a locksmith, usually a member of the Metal Workers, to make an unauthorized copy of a key.
24. A Free Companionship, the Gorean form of marriage, lasts for a single year. If it is not renewed by the twentieth Ahn of the anniversary date, it will automatically dissolve.
25. A Free Companionship will dissolve earlier than one year if one of the parties is either enslaved or dies. The books do not state if the contract can be legally dissolved prior to the year end if the parties so agree. It seems likely most Goreans would simply wait out the year.
26. A woman does not change her name in a Free Companionship.
27. The "gens" name is the clan name (derived from an ancient Roman term). The gens can only pass through the male line. Females can keep their gens in a Free Companionship, if it is part of their contract, but they can never pass on the gens.
28. A person may have only one Free Companion at a time. In the equatorial jungles, men may possess multiple companions. For example, Bila Huruma possessed over two hundred companions.
29. Port Kar does not recognize the institution of Free Companionship. Free women in that city are simply known as the women of their men.
30. Many cities have at least one Sun Gate, a primary gate that is only open from dawn to dusk. Once dusk arrives, the gate is closed and it is very unlikely that it will be opened during the night. Most cities will have a special night gate that allows citizens to enter and leave the city at night.
31. Anyone who enters a city without permission is punishable by impalement. "Pikes on the walls of Gorean cities are often surmounted with the remains of unwelcome guests." (Outlaw of Gor, p.49)
32. All outlaws are forbidden entrance into the city and subject to impalement. Panther girls and talunas are considered outlaws.
33. Assassins, when bearing the mark of the black dagger on their forehead, are permitted entrance into a city without interference.
34. Members of the Castes of Players, Poets, Musicians and Singers may freely enter any city.
35. Heralds, bearing a gold slash on the left temple of their helmet or headgear, are immune from interference by any within a city. This is a form of diplomatic immunity.
36. Ambassadors possess the same diplomatic immunity as heralds.
37. Patents, which cover inventions, and copyrights, which cover written materials, are available in a city but their power extends only as far as the city wall. Merchant Law has been unsuccessful in introducing such on a more global scale. Thus, many craftsmen and manufacturers keep their formulas and plans in cipher to protect them from theft and unauthorized copying.
38. Forgery of an official city seal on mercantile products is illegal. This is to help protect the integrity of official city products.
39. Each city commonly holds a Merchant's Foot and Stone and these are available for the city's Merchants to verify their own personal measuring devices. Any Merchant found to be using a deceptive Foot or Stone will be punished.
40. For legal and commercial purposes, certain letters have been standardized. These would include those representing weights and measures, as well as the "kef."
41. Instruments of debt can be transferred, usually for some discounted amount, and the transferee can then attempt to collect on the face value of the instruments. Bounty creditors often avail themselves of this opportunity.
42. Shaving, clipping, cutting or slicing off metal from any coin is considered to be theft and fraud. This debases the value of the coin.
43. Crests, signs and family emblems can be registered and their use will be legally restricted.
44. Robes of concealment and veils may or may not be required by law for free women. In some cities, such as Ar and Ar's Station, it is only custom while in others it is actual law. In some cities, an unveiled free woman is susceptible to being taken into custody by guardsmen, then to be veiled, by force if necessary. Repeated offenses can even lead to enslavement. Even where it is only custom, it is strongly recommended that all free women wear robes and veils in public.
45. In cities where robes and veils for free women are not legally mandatory, there are other pertinent laws restricting how much bare skin a free woman may show. If too much skin is shown, then the woman is subject to possible enslavement. "If you would be stripped as a slave, then be a slave, it is said." (Dancer of Gor, p.157)
46. Face stripping a free woman, forcefully removing her veils against her will, is a serious crime.
47. In some cities, it is a crime to bring pleasure silk in contact with the flesh of a free woman. It is considered to be too exciting and sensuous.
48. Free women are rarely, if ever, permitted to play Kaissa. It also does not appear that women may belong to the Caste of Players.
49. Weapons are not prohibited from being carried into an Initiate's temple.
50. Non-Initiates may not enter the sanctuary area of an Initiate's temple unless they have received the chrism of temporary permission. This is considered to be an inferior annointing and of temporary efficacy.
51. Insulae, tenements, may be constructed no higher in a city than a certain height. That height restriction will vary from city to city.
52. By law, the central waste vat in all insulae must remain covered at all times.
53. Any person apprehended wearing or possessing a tunic that is lined with a different color, which could be turned inside out to alter one's identity, is subject to possible impalement.
54. Dar-Kosis is a dreaded and highly contagious disease without a cure. Dar?kosis is considered to be a holy and it is considered heresy to shed their blood though they can be stoned. It is also considered heresy to try to seek a cure for this disease. It is unknown if this has been enacted as a law in any Gorean city.
55. "Those who contract the disease are regarded by law as dead." (Assassin of Gor, p.266) Thus, a person who contracts Dar-Kosis will lose all of their possessions, which shall then pass either by will or by the intestate laws.
56. Thievery is illegal and harshly punished. In most cities, a first offense is punished by an ear notching. Penalties for subsequent offenses will vary by city and gender. In most cities, a free women found guilty of a second offense is enslaved. If a free man is found guilty of a second offense, he often will lose one of his hands. For a third offense, a man might lose his other hand, or in some jurisdictions, his other hand and both feet.
57. There is a Caste of Thieves in Port Kar, the only one of its type on Gor. Thievery is still illegal in Port Kar, though the penalties are different. It is legal to slay a male thief, or enslave a female thief, if the thief is caught within one Ahn of the theft. Once an Ahn has passed though, then the thief must be handed over to the Arsenal police for a hearing or trial. If then found guilty, a male thief will be sentenced to hard labor in the Arsenal or on the wharves for a period ranging from one week to one year. A female thief would be sentenced to serve in a penal brothel for a period ranging from one week to one year.
58. There is a method of dispute resolution called the "rite of knives." Unfortunately, there is little information on its application. It is essentially a fight to the death and is used in place of a trial. The fight may be just with daggers. As it is called a rite, it may not have any true legal effect but may instead be an ancient custom. This might even be a part of the Warrior Code. We do know though that a freed Panther Girl asked to participate in this rite against another woman. Tarl Cabot granted her request. Thus, this rite apparently may include female participation.
59. Adoption is legally practiced on Gor.
60. Forest fires are considered to be terrible disasters and the penalty for anyone who starts such a fire is to be burnt alive.
61. It is illegal to smuggle the beans used to make black wine out of the territory of Thentis. These beans are only grown within the territory of Thentis.
62. It is the right of all people, free and slave, to receive the Stabilization Serums, the Gorean life extension treatment. This may be one of the only rights that a slave possesses. It is unknown whether a slave owner could deny the Serums to his own slave, though there would seem to be little reason for such a denial.
Slavery Issues
63. By law, the Slaver's Caste is a subcaste of the Merchant's Caste. The Slaver Caste though often prefers to consider themselves a separate Caste. It is unknown whether this determination is part of Merchant Law or not.
64. Any person, male or female, is subject to potential enslavement. Though women are more likely to be enslaved, men can still be enslaved through capture or legal process. Women are about ten times more likely to be enslaved than men.
65. There are two basic legal statuses on Gor: free and slave. Unless you are legally owned, then you are considered technically free, even if you are a prisoner, captive or outlaw. As a free person, you possess legal rights that slaves do not possess.
66. According to Merchant Law, a person is considered to be a prisoner and not a slave, as long as they have not been branded, collared or performed a gesture of submission.
67. Legally, slaves are considered property, on the same level as domestic animals. Their owner may do anything they wish to them without repercussion. An owner can even mutilate or kill his own slave with impunity. Their power over their own slave is absolute.
68. Slaves may not own anything. Even though they may use goods, they do not own them. Such items remain the property of the slave's owner. No matter what gifts a slave may receive, they cannot own such gifts. Those gifts too would belong to the slave's owner.
69. A slave does not even own their own name. Their owner can change their name at will, and as often as they desire. "Indeed, from the Gorean's point of view, one of the most fearful things about slavery is that one loses one's name. That name which he has had from birth, by which he has called himself and knows himself, that name which is so much a part of his own conception of himself, of his own true and most intimate identity, is suddenly gone." (Outlaw of Gor, p.197)
70. No Player, Musician, Poet or Singer Caste member may be enslaved within a city's limits. This does not mean they are immune from prosecution from violating city law. They can still be arrested, imprisoned, tortured and executed. They are simply immune from enslavement. "There is a saying to the effect that he who makes music must, like the tarn and the Vosk gull, be free." (Kajira of Gor, p.298)
71. The institution of the capture of women is honored by most cities, provided the women captured belong to an enemy. The subject of "capture rights" pertains to all forms of property, including slaves. Active possession is regarded as crucial by the law. Thus, theft and capture will confer certain rights over the property.
72. A slave must fully serve anyone who possesses her, even a thief or captor. If the slave attempts to run away from her thief or captor, she will be deemed to be a runaway. Free women are permitted to escape from a captor as long as they have not yet been enslaved. The point of this law is to maintain slaves in a state of bondage while also encouraging men to be bold. "The average man of this world would no more think of stealing a slave within his own city, or a host city, one which has extended the courtesy of its walls, than he would of any other act of illicit and dishonorable brigandage." (Witness of Gor, p.497)
73. If a lost, stolen or runaway slave is taken by another person, the original owner has only one week to regain his property before legal title passes to the new owner. The slave remains the property of the original owner only for that one week if he does not regain possession. This likely refers to a Gorean week, which is only five days long.
74. A person who is found to possess a stolen slave might not be convicted or any crime if they are truly ignorant of fact that the slave was stolen.
75. If a captured free woman submits to her captor, she will become his slave. "It had been within the context of his capture rights that she had, as a free woman, of her own free will, pronounced upon herself a formula of enslavement. Automatically then, in virtue of the context, she became his. The law is clear on this. The matter is more subtle when the woman is not within a context of capture rights." (Players of Gor, p.21)
76. A free woman who submits to a particular man, when there is no capture involved, may or may not become a slave. This will be dependent upon city law. "The matter is more subtle when the woman is not within a context of capture rights. Here the matter differs from city to city. In some cities, a woman may not, with legal recognition, submit herself to a specific man as a slave, for in those cities that is interpreted as placing at least a temporary qualification on the condition of slavery which condition, once entered into, all cities agree, is absolute. In such cities, then, the woman makes herself a slave, unconditionally. It is then up to the man in question whether or not he will accept her as his slave. In this matter he will do as he pleases. In any event, she is by then a slave, and only that." (Players of Gor, p.21)
77. "In other cities, and in most cities, on the other hand, a free woman, may, with legal tolerance, submit herself as a slave to a specific man. If he refuses her, she is then still free. If he accepts her, she is then, categorically, a slave, and he may do with her as he pleases, even selling her or giving her away, or slaying her, if he wishes." (Players of Gor, p.21)
78. In some cities, a free woman who kneels before a man or addresses him as Master effects legal imbondment on herself. Such actions are considered to be gestures of submission.
79. A free woman can sell herself into slavery. But, once the sale is complete, the woman cannot then revoke it.
80. "Any free woman who couches with another's slave, or readies herself to couch with another's slave, becomes herself a slave, and the slave of the slave's master." (Magicians of Gor, p.7) This is known as the "couching law" and exists in Ar, though it may have been adopted by other cities as well. There are clearly though some cities, like Vonda, that do not have such a law because reference is made to free women freely lending their male slaves to a female guest. The couching law does not prevent a woman from having sex with a slave she owns. It is important to note that a violation can occur even though actual sex never occurs. Simply preparing to have sex is sufficient. "By such an act, the couching with, or readying herself to couch with, a slave, as though she might be a girl of the slave's master, thrown to the slave, she shows herself as no more than a slave, and in this act, in law, becomes a slave." (Magicians of Gor, p.303); . Special seduction slaves are used by some slave owners to trap free women. Milo, from Magicians of Gor, is a prime example of a seduction slave. His owner, Appanius, used Milo to entrap numerous free women. Tarl Cabot would also use Milo to entrap Talena and enslave her.
81. If a father cannot pay his debts, his daughter will become a slave of the state. She will then be put up for sale at a public auction. The proceeds of her sale will be used to equitably satisfy her father's creditors.
82. A free woman who cannot pay her own debts will be enslaved. Under the redemption laws, a person can pay the woman's debts and thus claim ownership of her. That owner could free the woman if he so desired, or keep her as a slave. If no one redeems a female debtor within a certain time period, not specified in the books, she will then be sold to Slavers.
83. There is no law that states a man may enslave a free woman of his Home Stone because she has insulted or disrespected him.
84. Free women may be legally enslaved if they engage in "conduct indicating suitability for the collar." "The principle he had alluded to pertains to conduct in a free woman which is taken as sufficient to warrant her reduction to slavery. The most common application of this principle occurs in areas such as fraud and theft. Other applications may occur, for example, in cases of indigency and vagrancy. Prostitution, rare on Gor because of female slaves, is another case. The women are taken, enslaved, cleaned up and controlled. Indulgence in sensuous dance is another case. Sensuous dance is almost always performed by slaves on Gor. A free woman who performs such dancing publicly is almost begging for the collar. In some cities the sentence of bondage is mandatory for such a woman." (Renegades of Gor, p.372). Other actions can qualify as well. "In many cities, such actions, attempting to spy on masters and slaves, disguising oneself as a slave, garbing oneself as a slave, even in the supposed secrey of one's own compartments, lingering about slave shelves and markets, even exhibiting an interest in, or fascination with, bondage, can result in a reduction to bondage. The theory is apparently that such actions and interests are those of a slave, and that the female who exhibits them should, accordingly, be imbonded." (Magicians of Gor, p.50) Even wearing slave beads could be a reason for enslavement. This principle only deals with actions and not thoughts. "Conduct indicating suitability for the collar, of course, can be interpreted in various ways, and more broadly and narrowly. It is almost always understood, of course, fortunately for women, and as I suppose the phrase itself makes clear, in the special legal sense of the phrase, as having to do with overt behavior rather than psychological predispositions and such." (Renegades of Gor, p.372)
85. It is illegal for a person on their own to collar a free woman for "conduct indicating suitability for the collar." Free women who may have violated this legal principle must be brought before a magistrate or judge for a legal determination as to whether there has been a violation sufficient to warrant a reduction to slavery.
86. Earth girls do not have a Home Stone so there are no legalities that prevent their capture and enslavement.
87. A free woman may do a form of limited self-contracting where she legally becomes a slave for a specific time period, commonly ranging from one night to one year. She cannot end this contract earlier than the specified time period. Once the contract takes effect, she becomes a slave with no legal powers at all. This curious contractual arrangement is not described in great detail. It raises numerous legal dilemmas that can only be speculated about. The books do not state that the contract covers any contigencies or limits the slavery in any way. The woman becomes an actual slave. That would seem to mean she could be freely killed. What would happen is she was sold? Does the contract prevent that? Would the time period still apply if she was sold? What would happen if she was stolen? This passage seems to raise far more questions than it answers.
88. "And yet it was not a strange thing, particularly not on Gor, where bravery is highly esteemed and to save a female's life is in effect to win title to it, for it is the option of a Gorean male to enslave any woman whose life he has saved, a right which is seldom denied even by the citizens of the girl's city or her family. Indeed, there have been cases in which a girl's brothers have had her clad as a slave, bound in slave bracelets, and handed over to her rescuer, in order that the honor of the family and her city not be besmirched." (Priest-Kings of Gor, p.161) It is unknown whether this is codified in city law or whether it simply exists as custom.
89. "The collar, by Gorean law, cancelled the past." When a person is enslaved, they begin a new life as a slave and may not be held accountable for any crimes that occurred while they were free.
90. The property of a person who is enslaved will be transferred to the nearest male relative or the nearest relative if no male exists, or to the city, or a guardian. Even if the slave is later freed, their property cannot ever be recovered.
91. A child, born of a slave, becomes a slave and belongs to the mother's owner. The key to this law is the status of the mother at the time of birth, not conception.
92. By the law of Tharna, a person conceived by a free person on another free person is a free person, even if later carried and borne by a slave. Thus, slaves would often be temporarily freed for the purpose of conception and then reenslaved afterwards.
93. By recommendation of Merchant Law, there are three standard marking places for brands, on the left thigh, right thigh, and lower left abdomen. Slaves though may be branded on any part of their body.
94. It is illegal to sell a slave, without the owner's permission, that is not your own. The penalty varies according to the gender of the seller. If the seller is a man, the penalty is exile, and if the seller is a woman, the penalty is enslavement.
95. It is illegal to offer an unbranded slave in a public sale.
96. It is illegal to sell a slave as auburn haired if she is truly not so.
97. It is a felony to forge or falsify pedigree papers on any slave. Such papers might include information on brand type, a number of different measurements, types of training received; a place for sales endorsements for when a girl changes hands and a remark section for miscellaneous information.
98. A certification of a slave girl's heat may be given in certain cities. Her degree of heat will be listed on the sale documents. It is done in few cities though because of the potential for fraud on the part of the buyer. A buyer might use a girl for a month and then seek a refund based on the guarantee of her level of heat.
99. A slave, on threat of torture and impalement, must endure whatever abuse a free person cares to inflict on her. This is stated to apply within Ar and on Gor in general.
100. Any free person may discipline an insolent or errant slave, even one who is in the least bit displeasing. If the slave is killed or injured, the free person need only pay compensation to the master and only if the master requests such compensation. This does not give you the right to injure or kill someone else's slave. It simply states the penalty for such a violation. "One did not have the right, for example, to kill or maim the slave of another, any more than any other domestic animal which might belong to someone else. In this sense the slave is accorded some protection from free persons who do not own her in virtue of certain general considerations of property law." (Magicians of Gor, p.330)
101. If a slave strikes a free person, the penalty is commonly death by impalement, preceded by lengthy torture.
102. It is a capital offense for a slave to wield any weapon. The definition of what constitutes a weapon is unclear. It does appear that slaves may use razors and knifes for certain domestic duties. Though that may be permissible, if the slave attempted to use those items as weapons, then they would be guilty of this offense.
103. It is a capital offense for a slave to claim caste.
104. It is a capital offense for a female slave to wear the garment of a free woman.
105. It is illegal for a slave to wear veils.
106. A male slave may be slain for touching either a free woman or a female slave without permission.
107. If a slave fails to kneel in the presence of a free person, it can be a capital offense, especially if the slave intentionally fails to do so. In that case, the slave may be tortured to death.
108. Slaves may not touch or handle money. This is not applicable in all cities. For example, in Ar, at least one prominent slave, Milo, was given spending money.
109. In any legal proceedings, the testimony of slaves may be taken by torture. This is solely in the discretion of the courts.
110. For a slave to runaway from her owner is a serious offense. For the first offense, the penalty is commonly a severe beating. But she is only allowed that single mistake. The penalty for a second offense is usually hamstringing. That will makes her useless, but it is considered a good object lesson for other slaves.
111. Slaves are not permitted outside a city's gates unless accompanied by a free person.
112. Slaves are not permitted on the city streets after nightfall.
113. Slaves are not allowed in temples. It is felt that they would defile it.
114. It is illegal for slaves to play Kaissa. It is considered an insult to free men, not only for a slave to play but even to touch the pieces. A slave might have their hands cut off or be killed for touching Kaissa pieces without permission.
115. The crime of false yielding is a capital offense. It is considered to be easy to detect, through infallible physiological signs.
116. Female slaves must wear a visible token of their slavery within the city limits. Male slaves are usually exempt from this law because it is thought that it would not be beneficial for male slaves to understand their true numbers. There are worries of slave revolt.
117. Slaves are not allowed to build anything. That right is reserved for free people only. Port Kar though is an exception as it was the only city built by slaves.
118. It is illegal for slaves to touch or handle legal documents.
119. Slaves may not teach free people. By teaching someone, they are placed in your debt and nothing can be owed to a slave.
120. A slave may not laugh at a free woman and may be whipped for such an action.
121. The unauthorized rape of slave girls, without the permission of her master, is officially frowned on, and even illegal in some cities, but it is often ignored. Such actions are not uncommon in peasant villages. Sometimes such actions are even encouraged. Such encouragement may be done to pacify the natural aggressions of male youths, aggressions that might otherwise result in destructive behavior. It may also be a means to encourage manhood as well as to protect free women from their attentions. Slave owners who are truly worried about such unauthorized slave rape should keep their slaves inside or put them in iron belts.
122. Slaves are not permitted to sit in chairs and might be whipped or slain for doing so.
123. Freed slaves require explicit papers of manumission or they may be enslaved again without repercussion. Slaves who have been branded or had theirs ears pierced and later freed should definitely keep their papers handy at all times.
Miscellaneous Items
124. In Tharna, prior to its revolution, any non-citizen who remained in the city for more than ten Ahn would be enslaved. No warning of this law was given to those who entered the city and ignorance of the law was not a defense.
125. In Tharna, after its revolution, any free women entering the city, who are non-citizens, must temporarily don slave collars, slave tunics and leashes while she remains within the city.
126. In the city of Port Kar, if you defeat a man in fair combat, and then permit him the death of blood and the sea, then all of his properties became yours. Essentially, you permit the victim to see Thassa before he dies. This is how Tarl acquired his initial fortune when he arrived in Port Kar.
127. Port Kar owns several preserves in the northern forests so that they can claim its timber. They punish anyone who engages in illegal cutting or pasturage.
128. In the port city of Schendi, they sometimes use a "scimitar of discipline" to sever a slave's feet that have been locked in an ankle rack. It is unknown whether the scimitar is used only on slaves or not.
129. Within the city of Tor, they are very strict against thievery. For a first offense, a male thief will have his right hand severed while a female thief will be enslaved.
130. In the Tahari region, the destruction of a water source is a terrible offense, probably the most heinous crime in that area.
131. In Torvaldsland, if you kill someone, you may be assessed a wergild, a price that must be paid in compensation for the death. The amount of a wergild is generally set by the victim's family.
132. In Torvaldsland, there is an ordeal to determine whether someone is telling the truth. A man must hold two red hot, metal bars and carry them a distance of twenty feet. The book does not explain though what will determine whether he is honest or not. Is it merely being able to accomplish this task? Or are the hands examined to see if the person is burnt or not, with a burn indicating dishonesty? That was how honesty was determined in some places in the Earth's history.
133. In the equatorial regions, under the hegemony of Bila Huruma, areas of Lake Ushindi are used for punishing some criminals. In those areas where many tharlarion are known to exist, there have been placed high poles in the water. These poles do not have any platforms. Criminals are placed on these poles, to cling to them for a period of time. Obviously, if they cannot hold on, they will fall to the tharlarion.
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Punishments
PUNISHMENTSPunishments on Gor
On thieves:
His right ear had been notched,....... Such notching, I knew, is usually done to the ears of thieves; a second offense is normally punished by the loss of the right hand; a third offense is normally punished by the removal of the left hand and both feet. There are few thieves, incidentally, on Gor. I have heard, though there is a Caste of Thieves in Port Kar, a strong caste which naturally protects its members from such indignities as ear notching.
Nomads of GOR, pg 85
A traitor:
It is to bad... I would have preferred to stake him out in the path of the bosk.
Nomads of GOR, pg 321
Harold and I had been fastened in a Turian slave bar, a metal bar with a collar at each end and, behind the collar, manacles which fasten the prisoner's hands behind his neck.
Nomads of GOR, pg. 193
bastinado:
a punishment not otherwise described, however the earth translation is a beating, especially with a stick or cudgel. The beating may be specifically to the soles of the feet.
Book 25: Magicians of Gor, page 445
A master takes no interest in the squabbles of slaves, it being beneath him. He of course would not approved had one of the girls been maimed, blinded or disfigured.
Nomads of Gor, pg 138
pulling her toward a sleen cage mounted low on a cart near the wagon, into which, still braceleted, he thrust her, then closing the door, locking it.
Nomads of GOR, pg 169
You cannot punish me!" she cried.
"You are not my masters!"
"Any free person can punish an errant slave girl," I said.
"Surely you do not think that her behavior fails to be subject to supervision and correction as soon as she is out of her Master's sight?"
Magician of Gor, pg 225
For Running away:
Cut off her feet, and her nose and ears, and blind her in one eye---then release her to live as she can among the wagons.
Nomads of Gor, pg 167
The punishment of a runaway slave is often grievous, sometimes culminating in death.
Nomads of Gor, pg 169
Other Disciplines/Punishments
One poor girl slept naked.....About her neck was a thick metal collar to which a heavy iron chain had been fastened; the chain itself was attached to a large iron ring placed in the floor. I supposed she was being disciplined.
Nomads of Gor, pg 219
"`What do you think should be her punishment ?' asked Callimachus of me. `If she is guilty,' I said, `whatever you wish, as she is a slave.' This was in full accord with Gorean law. Indeed, anything, for whatever reason, or without a reason, may be done to a slave."
Guardsman of Gor, pg 115
"Discipline?" breathed the girl.
"Yes," said Mira, "the slave girl is subject to discipline and punishment. She is owned, like a sleen or tarsk is owned. She is owned,literally owned. You must understand that in its full sense. Accordingly, anything may be done with her that the master wishes. She may even be slain, if the master wishes."
"Then the slave girl is totally helpless," said the girl. "she is totally at the mercy of the master."
"Yes," said Mira.
Blood Brothers of GOR, pg 296
in this punishment the girl, clothe or unclothed, is bound tightly to an oar, hands behind her, her head down, toward the blade. When the oar lifts from the water she gasps for breath, only in another moment to be submerged again. A recalcitrant girl may be kept on the oar for hours. There is also, however some danger in this, for sea sleen and the white sharks of the north occasionally attempt to tear such a girl from the oar. When food is low, it is not unknown for the men of Torvaldsland to use a bond-maid, if one is available on the ship, for bait in such a manner. The least pleasing girl is always used. This practice, of course encourages bond-maids the vie vigorously to please their masters. An Ahn on the oar is usually more than sufficient to make the coldest and proudest of females an obedient, eager-to-please bond-maid.
Marauders of Gor, pg 66
In this discipline the female is forbidden human speech. She is also forbidden human posture, in the sense that she is not allowed to rise to her feet. Her locomotion, unless commanded to roll, or put under similar commands, suitable for a pet, will be on all fours. Her food will be thrown to her, or put in pans on the ground. In either case, she must feed without the use of her hands. She may also, of course, be fed by hand, but, again, will not be permitted to touch the food with her hands. She may be taught tricks. Sometimes these are taught as functions of arbitrary sounds, so that she must learn them as any animal might, without the benefit of an earlier understanding of the word used. If she is slow to learn, of course, she is punished, as would be any other animal. When used, too, it will commonly be in the modality of the she-quadrupled. This discipline is often used as a punishment, but it may figure in the training of a new girl. It helps her to understand what she now is, an animal totally subject to her master.
pp 215-216 Mercenaries of Gor
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Castes
The society of Gor is divided into groups referred to as Castes. Each caste is made up of its own profession or occupation. Castes are ranked according to their particular place in Gorean society and its interaction. Many Castes contain sub-castes that are paticular to an unique activity and need of their profession. An example of such sub-caste would be the Slaver caste which would be a caste of the Merchants. Slavers are in the business of buying and selling though their particular caste specializes in one item or product.All Goreans (excluding Priest Kings, slaves and outlaws) belong to a particular Caste. Castes are hereditary although it is possible for a person to change his or her Caste if they possess an ability or aptitude that allows them to raise or lower their Caste.
Each Caste has a set of "codes" which helps them maintain a series of beliefs and rules for its members. Members hold to these "codes" as they practice their profession. Each Caste's codes are different and deals mainly with matters of specific interest to that Caste.
Most major Castes of Gor have their own colors called the "Caste Color". Colors are often worn by the member to display outwardly to others what castes they are associated with. Banners, flags, and sometimes colors of buildings will reflect the Caste color of the individual. Others can see at a glance by the clothing what caste another is affiliated with.
"Caste is important to Goreans in a way that is difficult for members of a non-caste society to understand. Though there are doubtless difficulties involved with a caste structure the caste situation lends an individual identity and pride, allies him with thousands of caste-brothers, and provides him with various opportunities and services. Recreation on Gor is often associated with caste, tournaments and entertainments. Simularly, most public charity on Gor is administered through caste structure ...."
---Slave girl of Gor 9:213
"I seen few women, and knew that they, when free were promoted and demoted within the caste systems according to the same standards and criteria as the men, although this varied, I was told, considerably from city to city ..."
---Tarnsman of Gor, 3:44
"Whereas caste membership is commonly connected with the practice of an occupation, such as agriculture, or commerce, or war, there can be of course, caste members who are not engaged in caste work and individuals who do certain forms of work who are not memebers of that caste commonly associated with such work. Castes, commonly, though not invariably, is a matter of birth. One may, too, be received in a caste by investment. Normally mating takes place among caste members, but if the mating is of mixed caste, the woman may elect to retain caste, which is commonly done, or be received into the caste of the male companion. Caste membership of the children born of such a union is a function of the caste of the father."
---Slavegirl of Gor, 9:212,213
"In rare cases, one might have been permitted by the Council of High Castes to raise caste. None of course, would accept a lower caste, and there were lower castes, the Caste of Pheasants, for example, the most basic caste of all Gor."
---Outlaws of Gor 3:27
"I knew the Gorean caste lines, though largely following birth, were not inflexible, and that a man who did not care for his caste might be allowed to change caste, if approved by the high council of his city, an approval usually contingent on his qualifications for the work of another caste and willingness of the members of the new caste to accept him as a Caste Brother."
---Priest Kings of Gor, 9:71
"Even a man of a caste as low as that of the Tarns-Keepers were intolerably proud of their calling, who else could raise and train those monstrous birds of prey? I suppose Zosk the Woodsman was proud in the knowlegde that he with his great broad-headed ax could fell a tree in one blow, and that perhaps not even a Ubar could do as much. Even the Caste of Pheasants regaurded itself as the "Ox on which the HomeStone Rests" and could seldom be encouraged to leave their narrow strip of land, whcih they and their fathers before them had owned and made fruitful."
---Outlaw of Gor, 8:66
"Assassins as I recall," I said, "have no Homestones. I suppose that is a drawback to Caste membership, but if you did have a homestone, it might be difficult to take fees on those who Homestone you shared."
---Beasts of Gor, 30:359
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High Castes
~Gorean High Castes~THE HIGH CASTES INCLUDE:
CASTE OF INITIATES: ~White~ Members of this Caste are supposed to be representatives of the Priest Kings in Gorean society. Their responsibilties include guiding the spiritual life of Goreans by use of rituals and prayers to the Priest Kings. There are rumors that some may even be able to call down the wrath of the Priest Kings upon those who have offended the Priest Kings. They wear white robes, shave their hands as well as their faces. They do not eat meat and do not indulge in alcohol. They lead a celebate life, are well learned and read. They are often feared and many times distrusted by members of the lower Castes.
CASTES OF SCRIBES: ~Blue~ Members of this Caste are the scholars of Gor. They are the writers and historians of Gorean society. They are responsible for accounting, record-keeping, and writing. They are usually serious and studious, have an eye for detail and a passion for knowledge. There are several sub-castes in this Caste, which includes Mapmakers, Explorers, Magistrates, and Litigators.
CASTE OF BUILDERS: ~Yellow~ Included in this Caste are achitects, draftsmen, stonemasons, engineers, and other professions which are concerned with the physical creations and engineering works of Gor. Inventors and technicians who develop these type of physical creations are also included in this Caste.
CASTE OF PHYSICIANS: ~Green~ Those who are concerned with the healing arts belong to this Caste. Members includes, surgeons, apothecaries, medical researchers and health practicioners. They are recognized in all of Gor as non-combatants during times of war.
CASTE OF WARRIORS: ~Scarlet~ Members of the military such as infantry, tharlarion calvary, and tarnsmen fill this Caste. Their set of codes are known to be one of the strictest. This Caste comprises the military branch of Gor government.
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Low Castes
~Gorean Low Castes~THE LOW CASTES INCLUDE:
CASTE OF MECHANTS: ~White and Gold~ Containing literally hundreds of sub-castes this group is a very large Caste. Members of this Caste deal with selling and trading of merchandise for a profit. For as many products there are to be sold there are about that many sub-castes.
CASTE OF SLAVERS: ~Blue and Yellow~ This Caste deals with the buying and selling of human merchandise. It is a sub-caste of the Caste of Merchants.
CASTE OF MONEYLENDERS: This Caste is composed of the bankers of Gor. The members of this Caste are those who trade and speculate with money for profit. The only product they handle is money.
CASTES OF LIGHTERS: ~Gray~ This caste concerns itself with lighting the tharlarion oil lamps used to provide illumination to the city streets.
CASTE OF BAKERS: ~Orange and Brown~ This Caste consits of hundreds of sub-castes. Generally they are members who prepare vegetarian food and sa-tarna in its many forms.
CASTE OF BUTCHERS: ~Gold and White~ This caste and its many sub-castes concern themselves with the acquisition and preparation of sa-tassna, all forms of edible Gorean meat. In conjuntion with the Caste of Bakers, this Caste and its many sub-castes are responsible for maintaining the majority of the Gorean industries involved with food services.
CASTE OF WINEMAKERS: This professional production of most fruit based Gorean alcohol is under the auspices of this Caste.
CASTE OF BREWERS: This Caste takes care of the production of the grain based alcohols.
CASTE OF SAILORS: There are several dozen sub-castes in this group. Each sub-caste has its own specialty. An example would be the BARGEMEN who steer river barges on the freshwater waterways of Gor.
CASTE OF FISHERMEN: This Caste is a sub-caste of the Caste of Sailors. They harvest the different varieties of Gorean fishes and sea life for human consumption. Some sub-castes include CASTE OF RIVER FISHERMEN, THASSA FISHERMAN, and NET MAKERS.
CASTE OF ARTISANS: ~Aqua and red~ This Caste is extremely broad. It includes many hundreds of sub-castes. Any production of hand-made goods for any use is considered to be a work of art.
CASTE OF POTMAKERS: ~Brown and Green~ This Caste is a sub-caste of the Caste of Artisans. They produce vessels use to contain substances of all kinds.
CASTE OF SADDLE MAKERS: ~Tan~ This Caste produces the saddlery, harness and tack used to manage all the various riding and draft beasts of Gor.
CASTE OF METAL WORKERS: ~Gray~ A sub-caste of Artisans, they are concerned with the production of most metal items made on Gor. Some of the sub-castes of the one would inculde: SWORD MAKERS, ARMORERS, and those that work with blacksmithing or farrier work repairing wagon wheels and shoeing Gorean draft and riding animals.
CASTE OF CLOTH WORKERS: Another large and expansive Caste, this group contains many sub-castes. They are concerned with the professional production of woven cloth for use by the people of Gor.
CASTE OF TORTURERS: ~ Black and Red~ Found only among the Wagon Peoples of the far south they are considered to be a sub-caste of the Caste of Artisans. An assumption may be that those of the Wagon Peoples consider the application of Torture as an art form.
CASTE OF MUNINCIPAL SERVANTS: ~Gray~ Another Caste with many sub-castes. All concerning with providing various public services to the inhabitants of a particular city or village.
CASTES OF TARNS KEEPERS: ~Gray and Green~ A sub-caste of the Animal Handlers. This Caste concerns itself with the care, feeding and training of the Gorean tarn, the winged-saddle bird of Gor. Also Sleen, Vart and Goat Keepers are in this Caste.
CASTE OF ASSASSINS: ~Black~ This Caste is made up of those who kill for pay, once seen much on Gor, now seen very little. They are required by their Caste Codes to renounce all ties of freindship and family. In addition they claim no Homestone. They are feared by other Castes.
CASTE OF PEASANTS: ~Brown~ This is the lowerest and most common Caste on Gor. They do the planting and harvesting of the lands surrounding most cities which have been divided into plats and set set aside for agriculture use. They refer to themselves as "The Ox on Which the Homestone Rests".
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Castes of Gor Information
CasteThere were only three statuses conceivable to the Gorean mind outside of the caste system; slave, outlaw, and Priest-King.
{Tarnsman of Gor ~ 45}
Caste, commonly, though not invariably, is a matter of birth. One may, too, be received into a caste by investment. Normally mating takes place among caste members, but if the mating is of mixed caste, the woman may elect to retain caste, which is commonly done, or be received into the caste of the male companion. Caste membership of the children born of such a union is a function of the caste of the father.
{Slave Girl of Gor ~ 213}
Women
The women of a given caste, it should be noted, often do not engage in caste work. For example, a woman in the Metalworkers does not, commonly, work at the forge, nor is a woman of the Builders likely to be found supervising the construction of fortifications. Caste membership, for Goreans, is generally a simple matter of birth; it is not connected necessarily with the performance of certain skills, nor the attainment of a given level of proficiency in such skills. To be sure, certain skills tend to be associated traditionally with certain castes, a fact which is clearly indicated in caste titles, such as the Leatherworkers, the Metalworkers, the Singers, and the Peasants. A notable exception to the generalization that women of a given caste normally do not engage in caste work is the caste of Physicians, whose women are commonly trained, as are the boys, in the practice of medicine. Even the physicians, however, normally do not admit their women to full practice until they have borne two children. The purpose of this is to retain a high level of intelligence in the caste. Professional women, it is well understood, tend not to reproduce themselves, a situation which, over time, would be likely to produce a diminution in the quality of the caste. Concern for the future of the caste is thus evinced in this limitation by the physicians on the rights of their women to participate without delay in the caste craft. The welfare of the caste, typically, takes priority in the Gorean mind over the ambitions of specific individuals. The welfare of a larger number of individuals, as the Goreans reason, correctly or incorrectly, is more important than the welfare of a smaller number of individuals.
{Fighting Slave of Gor ~ 209}
Codes
The ethical teachings of Gor, which are independent of the claims and propositions of the Initiates, amount to little more than the Caste Codes - collections of sayings whose origins are lost in antiquity.
{Tarnsman of Gor ~ 40}
High Castes
The Chamber of the Council is the room in which the elected representatives of the high castes of Ko-ro-ba hold their meetings. Each city has such a chamber. It was in the widest of cylinders, and the ceiling was at least six times the height of the normal living level. The ceiling was lit as if by stars, and the walls were of five colors, applied laterally, beginning from the bottom white, blue, yellow, green, and red, caste colors. Benches of stone, on which the members of the council sat, rose in five monumental tiers about the walls, one tier for each of the high castes. These tiers shared the color of that portion of the wall behind them, the caste colors. The tier nearest the floor, which denoted some preferential status, the white tier, was occupied by Initiates, interpreters of the will of the Priest-Kings. In order, the ascending tiers, blue, yellow, green, and red, were occupied by representatives of the Scribes, Builders, Physicians, and Warriors.
{Tarnsman of Gor ~ 62}
Initiates
The Initiates had their way of life, their ancient traditions, their given livelihood, the prestige of their caste, which they claimed to be the highest on the planet, their teachings, their holy books, their services, their role to play in the culture. Suppose that even now if they knew the truth-what would change? Would I really expect them-at least on the whole-to burn their robes, to surrender their claims to secret knowledge and powers, to pick up hoes of Peasants, the needles of the Cloth Workers, to bend their energies to the humble task of honest work?
{Priest-Kings of Gor ~ 298}
An adult Initiate, in his flowing white robe, carried the staff surmounted with the golden circle, a figure with neither beginning nor end, the symbol of Priest-Kings. He was followed by some ten or so Initiates, in double file. It was these who were chanting. A free woman drew back her robes, hastily, frightened, lest they touch an Initiate. It is forbidden for Initiates to touch women, and, of course, for women to touch them. Initiates also avoid meat and beans. A good deal of time, I gather, is devoted to sacrifices, services, chants, prayers, and the perusal of mystic lore. By means of the study of mathematics they attempt to purify themselves.
{Magicians of Gor ~ 17}
Scribes
The scribes, of course, are the scholars and clerks of Gor, and there divisions and rankings within the group, from simple copiers to the savants of the city.
{Tarnsman of Gor ~ 44}
It took not much time to purchase a small bundle of supplies to take into the Sardar, nor was it difficult to find a scribe to whom I might entrust the history of the events in Tharna. I did not ask his name nor he mine. I knew his caste, and he knew mine, and it was enough. He could not read the manuscripts it was written in english, a language as foreign to him as Gorean would be to most of you , but yet he would treasure the manuscript and guard it as though it were a most prized possession, for he was a scribe ad it is the way of scribes to love the written word and keep it harm, and if he could not read the manuscript, what did it matter, perhaps someone could someday, and then the words which had kept their secret for so long would at last enkindle the mystery of communication and what had been written would be heard and understood.
{Priest-Kings of Gor ~ 15}
Many castes, incidentally, have branches and divisions. Lawyers and Scholars, for example, and Record Keepers, Teachers, Clerks, Historians and Accountants are all Scribes.
{Assassan of Gor ~ 208}
Builders
In Ar, for example, early in the day, a member of the Builders will go to the roof on which the Home Stone is kept and place the primitive symbol of his trade, a metal angle square, before the Stone, praying to the Priest-Kings for the prosperity of his caste in the coming year;
{Tarnsman of Gor ~ 68}
Physicians For information on medicines and poisons, click here.
The physicians of Gor, it seemed, had addressed themselves to the conquest of what had hitherto been a universal disease, called on Gor the drying and withering disease, called on Earth, aging. Generations of intensive research and experimentation had taken place. At last a few physicians, drawing upon the accumulated data of hundreds of investigators, had achieved the breakthrough, devising the first primitive stabilization serums, later to be developed and exquisitely refined.
{Slave Girl of Gor ~ 283}
Warriors
The Code of the Warrior was, in general, characterized by a rudimentary chivalry, emphasizing loyalty to the Pride Chiefs and the Home Stone. It was harsh, but with a certain gallantry, a sense of humor that I could respect. A man could do worse than live by such a code.
{Tarnsman of Gor ~ 41}
Low Castes
Assassins
?I am not an assassin,? I repeated.
?Of course not,? said the man. ?The Caste of Assassins no longer exists.?
I doubted that.
{Outlaw of Gor ~ 72}
Bakers
I stayed for four days in the rooms above the shop of Dina of Turia, there I dyed my hair black and exchanged the robes of the merchant for the yellow and brown tunic of the Bakers; to which caste her father and two brothers had belonged.
{Nomads of Gor ~ 237}
Cosmeticians
?I am not a professional slave trainer,? said Marcus, ?or costumer or cosmetician, but I will show you two of the most common ties. Others you might inquire of, when the opportunity permits, of your sister slaves.?
{Magicians of Gor ~ 29}
Charcoal Makers
His stature and burden proclaimed him a member of the Caste of Carriers of Wood, or Woodsmen, that Gorean caste which, with the caste of Charcoal Makers, provides most of the common fuel for the Gorean cities.
{Outlaw of Gor ~ 27}
Cloth Workers
The Carders and Dyers, incidentally, are subcastes separate from the Weavers. All are subcastes of the Rug Makers, which itself, interestingly, perhaps surprisingly, is accounted generally as a subcaste of the Cloth Workers. Rug Makers themselves, however usually regard themselves in their various subcastes, as being independent of the Cloth Workers. A rug maker would not care to be confused with a maker of kaftans, turbans, or djellabas.
{Tribesmen of Gor ~ 49}
?I was the daughter of a Cloth Worker,? said Melanie.
{Assassin of Gor ~ 317}
Dyers
...its libraries, its records and files; its cubicles for Smiths, Bakers, Cosmeticians, Bleachers, Dyers, Weavers, and Leather Workers...
{Assassin of Gor ~ 111}
Goat Keepers
I was pleased to see that the men of other castes....and even castes as low as the Peasants, Saddle-Makers, the Weavers, the Goat-Keepers, the Poets, and the Merchants....
{Priest-Kings of Gor ~ 294}
Lighter of Lanterns
Outside on the bridges I hear the cry of the Lighter of Lanterns. ?Light your lamps,? he calls.
?Light the lamps of love.?
{Outlaw of Gor ~ 252}
Leather Workers
It was there that she had been purchased by Barus, of the Leather Workers.
{Captive of Gor ~ 234}
...its libraries, its records and files; its cubicles for Smiths, Bakers, Cosmeticians, Bleachers, Dyers, Weavers, and Leather Workers...
{Assassin of Gor ~ 111}
Magicians
The magicians of Anango are famed on Gor. If you wish to have someone turned into a turtle or something, those are the fellows to see.
{Magicians of Gor ~ 259}
Merchants
Down the stairway slowly, in trailing white silk, bordered with gold, the colors of the Merchants... ...Aphris of Turia, then, was of the caste of merchants.
{Nomads of Gor ~ 91}
I wore a white robe, woven of the wool of the Hurt, imported from distant Ar, trimmed with golden cloth, from Tor, the colors of the Merchant.
{Hunters of Gor ~ 7}
Metal Workers
My opponent was not Andreas, but a squat, powerful man with short-clipped yellow hair, Kron of Tharna, of the Caste of Metal Workers.
{Outlaw of Gor ~ 113}
Musicians
Among Gorean musicians, incidentally, czehar players have the most prestige; there was only one in this group, I noted, and he was their leader; next follow the flutists and then the players of the kalika; the players of the drums come next; and the farthest fellow down the list is the man who keeps the bag of miscellaneous instruments, playing them and parceling them out to others as needed. Lastly it might be mentioned, thinking it is of some interest, musicians on Gor are never enslaved; they may, of course, be exiled, tortured, slain and such; it is said, perhaps truly, that he who makes music must, like the tarn and the Vosk gull, be free.
{Nomads of Gor ~ 154}
A similar decree, in most cities, stands against the enslavement of one who is in the Caste of Musicians.
{Beasts of Gor ~ 44}
Peasants
Economically, the base of the Gorean life was the free peasant, which was perhaps the lowest but undoubtedly the most fundamental caste...
{Tarnsman of Gor ~ 43}
Perfumers
I knelt in the cool recesses of the shop of Turbus Veminius, a perfumer in Venna. Venna has many small and fine shops, catering to the affluent trade of the well-to-do, who patronize the baths and public villas of the area. {text ommited} I could smell perfumes and their mixings in the long shop behind the counter. There, at various benches, attending to their work, measuring and stirring, were apprentice perfumers.
{Fighting Slave of Gor ~ 209}
My assistant, a large fellow, but obviously stupid, smoothshaven as are the perfurmers, in white and yellow silk, and golden sandals, bent over, hurried forward. He carried a tray of vials.
{Maurauders of Gor ~ 111}
Players
In most cities it is regarded, incidentally, as a criminal offense to enslave one of the Caste of Players.
{Beasts of Gor ~ 44}
...he wore the garb of the Player, but his garb was rich and the squares of the finest red and yellow silk...
{Assassin of Gor ~ 322}
Poets - In spite of some reservations the Poet, or Singer, was loved on Gor. It had not occurred to him that he owed misery and torment to his profession, and, on the whole, the Caste of Poets was thought to be a most happy band of men. "A handful of bread for a song," was a common Gorean invitation extended to members of the caste, and it might occur on the lips of a peasant or a Ubar, and the poet took great pride that he would sing the same song in both the hut of the peasant and the halls of the Ubar, though it won for him only a crust of bread in one place and a cap of gold in the other, gold often squandered on a beautiful woman who might leave him nothing but his songs.
{Outlaw of Gor ~ 104}
Pot-Makers - It could have been worse, I thought. After all, though the Caste of Singers, or Poets, was not a high caste, it had more prestige than, for example, the Caste of Pot-Makers or Saddle-Makers, with which it was sometimes compared.
{Outlaw of Gor ~ 103}
Potters - Hup's rag might once have been of the Caste of Potters.
{Assassin of Gor ~ 10}
Saddle-Makers - It could have been worse, I thought. After all, though the Caste of Singers, or Poets, was not a high caste, it had more prestige than, for example, the Caste of Pot-Makers or Saddle-Makers, with which it was sometimes compared.
{Outlaw of Gor ~ 103}
Rencers
The Rencers are often thought to be a higher caste than the Peasants.
{Raiders of Gor ~ 94}
Singers
?And worse than that,? she laughed, clapping her hands, ?he was of the Caste of Singers.?
It could have been worse, I thought. After all, though the Caste of Singers, or Poets, was not a high caste, it had more prestige than, for example, the Caste of Pot-Makers or Saddle-Makers, with which it was sometimes compared. On Gor, the singer, or poet, is regarded as a craftsman who makes strong sayings, much like a pot-maker makes a good pot or a saddle-maker makes a worthy saddle. He has his role to play in the social structure, celebrating battles and histories, singing of heroes and cities, but also he is expected to sing of living, and of love and joy, not merely of arms and glory; and, too, it is his function to remind the Goreans from time to time of loneliness and death, lest they should forget that they are men.
The singer was thought to have an unusual skill, but so, too, were the tarn-keeper and the woodsman. Poets on Gor, as in my native world, were regarded with some skepticism and thought to be a little foolish, but it had not occurred to anyone that they might suffer from divine madness or be the periodic recipients of the inspiration of the gods.
{Outlaw of Gor ~ 103}
Slavers
I saw that the cover of the thalarion wagon, which had been rolled back, was of blue and yellow silk. It was the camp of a slaver.
{Outlaw of Gor ~ 185}
The Slavers, incidentally, are of the Merchant caste, though, in virtue of their merchandise and practices, their robes are different.
{Assassin of Gor ~ 208}
Samos wore the blue and yellow robes of the Slaver.
{Hunters of Gor ~ 7}
From among the domed tents, wearing a swirling robe of broadly striped blue and yellow silk, with a headband of the same material, there approached a short, fat man, Targo the Slaver...
{Outlaw of Gor ~ 191}
Most female slavers, incidentally, are not involved in field captures. It is, on the whole, too dangerous for them. Too, there is always the danger that they might be added to the catch by their men. Most female slavers, accordingly, are established in cities, where they own or manage houses. There they buy and sell slaves, board or rent them, train them, and so on. Statistically, there are very few female slavers. Most Gorean women tend to be attractive, and most Gorean men tend to be strong, for example. Accordingly, in a business such as slaving it is not unusual that the female slaver sooner or later, in one way or the another finds the collar on her own throat. That, then, she then helplessly under the whip like any other female, is that.
{Players of Gor ~ 86}
The distinction, of course, is between belonging to the caste of slavers and being a slaver. Whereas members of the caste of slavers are slavers, not all slavers are members of the caste of slavers. For example, I am not of the slavers, but in Port Kar I am know as Bosk, and he known as many things, among them pirate and slaver. Too, both Marcus and myself were of the warriors, the scarlet caster, and as such were not above taking slaves. Such is not only permitted in the codes, but encouraged by them.?The slave is a joy and a convenience to the warrior.? Neither of us, of course, was a member of the caste of slavers. It, incidentally, is sometimes regarded as a subcaste of the merchants, and sometimes as an independent caste. It does have its own colors, blue and yellow, whereas those of the merchants are yellow and white, or gold and white.
{Magicians of Gor ~ 315}
Sleen Trainers
He now no longer wore the brown and black common to professional sleen trainers...
{Beasts of Gor ~ 78}
Smiths
...its libraries, its records and files; its cubicles for Smiths, Bakers, Cosmeticians, Bleachers, Dyers, Weavers, and Leather Workers...
{Assassin of Gor ~ 111}
Tarn Keepers
Tarns, who are vicious things, are seldom more than half tamed and, like their diminutive counterparts the hawks, are carnivorous. It is not unknown for a tarn to attack and devour his own rider. They fear nothing but the tarn-goad. They are trained by men of the Caste of Tarn Keepers to respond to it while still young, when they can be fastened by wires to the training perches.
{Tarnsman of Gor ~ 52}
The Tarn Keeper, who was called by those in the tavern Mip, bought the food, bosk steak and yellow bread, peas and Torian olives, and two golden-brown, starchy Suls, broken open and filled with melted bosk cheese. I bought the Paga, and several times we refilled our cups. Mip was a chipper fellow, and a bit dapper considering his caste and his close-cropped hair, for his brown leather was shot with green streaks, and he wore a Tarn Keeper?s cap with a greenish tassel; most Tarn Keepers, incidentally, crop their hair short, as do most Metal Workers; work in the tarncots and in training tarns is often hard, sweaty work.
{Assassin of Gor ~ 168}
In Mip?s hand I saw a small dagger, a throwing knife, of a sort manufactured in Ar; it was smaller than the southern quiva; it was tapered on only one side.
?It is an interesting knife,? I said.
?All Tarn Keepers carry a knife,? said Mip, playing with the blade.
{Assassin of Gor ~ 174}
There, at the edge of the straw, standing, was a large, uncouth fellow, in the garments of the Tarn Keepers.
{Rouge of Gor ~ 35}
Thieves
There is even, in Port Kar, a recognized Caste of Thieves, the only such I know of on Gor...They are recognized by the Thiefs Scar, which they wear as a caste mark, a tiny, three-pronged brand burned into the face, in back of and below the eye, over the right cheekbone.
{Raiders of Gor ~ 104}
The caste of thieves was important to Port Kar, and eve honored. It represented a skill which in the city was held in high repute. Indeed, so jealous of their prerogatives were the caste of thieves that they often hunted thieves who did not belong to the caste, and slew them, throwing their bodies to the urts in the canals. Indeed, there was less thievery in Port Kar than there might have been were there no caste of thieves in the city. They protected, jealously, their own territories from amateur competition. Ear notching and mutilation, common punishment on Gor for thieves, were not found in Port Kar. The caste was too powerful. On the other hand, it was regarded as permissible to slay a male thief or take a female thief slave if the culprit could be apprehended and a caste member, was to be remanded to the police of the arsenal. If found guilty in the court of the arsenal, the male thief would be sentenced, for a week to a year, to hard labor in the arsenal or on the wharves; the female thief would be sentenced to service, for a week to a year, in a straw-strewn cell in one of Port Kar's penal brothels. They are chained by the left ankle to a ring in the stone. Their food is that of a galley slave, peas, black bread and onions. If they serve well, however, their customers often bring them a bit of meat or fruit. Few thieves of Port Kar have not served time, depending on their sex, either in the arsenal or on the wharves, or in the brothels.
{Hunters of Gor ~ 304}
Vintners
?Game!? I heard, an answering cry, and a fat fellow, of the Caste of Vintners, puffing and bright eyed, wearing a white tunic with a representation in green cloth of leaves about the collar and down the sleeves of the garment, stepped forth from a doorway.
{Assassin of Gor ~ 29}
Weavers
And the men in that crowd were of all castes, and even castes as low as the Peasants, the Saddle-Makers, the Weavers, the Goat-Keepers, the Poets, and Merchants....
{Priest-Kings of Gor ~ 295}
Wood Carriers or Woodsmen
His stature and burden proclaimed him a member of the Caste of Carriers of Wood, or Woodsmen, that Gorean caste which, with the caste of Charcoal Makers, provides most of the common fuel for the Gorean cities.
{Outlaw of Gor ~ 27}
It was hard to understand the words, for those of the lonely Caste of Woodsmen do not often speak.
{Outlaw of Gor ~ 29}
Organizations
The organizations, such as the sail-makers, almost guild-like, not castes, have due, and these dues tend to be applied to a number of purposes, such as support of those injured or their families, loans, payments when men are out of work, and pensions. The organizations have also, upon occasion, functioned as collective bargaining agencies.
{Raiders of Gor ~ 134}
The next matter for consideration was the negotiation of a dispute between the sail-makers and the rope-makers in the arsenal with respect to priority in the annual Procession to the Sea, which takes place on the first of En?Kara, the Gorean New Year. There had been a riot this year. It was resolved that henceforth both groups would walk abreast. I smiled to myself. I expected there would be a riot next year as well.
The rumor of the seaman, that Cos and Tyros were preparing fleets against Port Kar, again entered my mind, but again I dismissed it.
The next item on the agenda dealt with the demand of the pulley-makers to receive the same wage per Ahn as the oar-makers.
{Raiders of Gor ~ 134}
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First and Second Knowledge
FIRST & SECOND KNOWLEDGE"The caste system was socially efficient, given its openness with respect to merit, but I regarded it as somehow ethically objectionable. It was still too rigid, in my opinion, particularly with respect to the selection of rulers from the High Castes and with respect to the Double Knowledge."
Tarnsman of Gor, page 45
I was also instructed in the Double Knowledge - that is, I was instructed in what the people, on the whole, believed, and then I was instructed in what the intellectuals were expected to know. Sometimes there was a surprising discrepancy between the two. For example, the population as a whole, the castes below the High Castes, were encouraged to believe that their world was a broad flat disc. Perhaps this was to discourage them from exploration or to develop in them a habit of relying on commonsense prejudices -- something of a social control device.
On the other hand, the High Castes, specifically the Warriors, Builders, Scribes, Initiates and Physicians, were told the truth in such matters, perhaps because it was thought they would eventually determine it for themselves, from observations such as the shadow of their planet on one or another of Gor's three small moons during eclipses, the phenomenon of sighting the tops of distant objects first, and the fact that certain stars could not be seen from certain geographical positions; if the planet had been flat, precisely the same set of stars would have been observable from every position on its surface.
I wondered, however, if the Second Knowledge, that of the intellectuals, might not be as carefully tailored to preclude inquiry on their level as the First Knowledge apparently was to preclude inquiry on the level of the Lower Castes. I would guess that there is a Third Knowledge, that reserved to the Priest-Kings.
Tarnsman of Gor, page 41
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First, Second, and Third Knowledge
First Second & Third Knowledge(Taken from the Scrolls of Luther, Gorean Epistemology #74)
First Knowledge
The general and somewhat limited education made available to the lower castes of Gor, such as the Peasants; It is practical, if occasionally deliberately over simplified and erroneous.
Second Knowledge
The superior education made available to the higher castes of Gor. It is more accurate and esoteric and includes knowledge of the existence of earth
Third Knowledge
On Gor, it is the power to comprehend the existence and practices; mainly the way of both planets. This includes the knowledge and methods of the Priest-Kings and the relationships between the inhabitants of the worlds.
Or to U/us who are here VT and RT, it is the power within each to balance the knowledge and to know the difference
In plain English We are who we are
Double Knowledge
The Double Knowledge consists of the First and Second Knowledge, held respectively by the Low and High Castes.
Goreans believe that the Priest-Kings exist because they have witnessed their power, specifically the deadly Blue Flame. The Blue Flame, which incinerates its target, is a highly visible sign of the power of the Priest-Kings. It appears out of the sky, its source unseen, and destroys those seen to oppose the will of the Priest-Kings. But, not only do the Priest-Kings use the Blue Flame against individual violators, but sometimes they even use it on a grander scale. The Priest-Kings occasionally destroy even an entire city with the Blue Flame. The Priest-Kings most often choose such a city at random, just to prove their power to the Goreans. They know that the Initiates will be sure to find reasons to blame the destroyed city for standing in opposition to the Priest-Kings, of seriously breaking their tenets. Who can dispute that the mysterious wielders of the Blue Flame are not vastly powerful beings? The Blue Flame makes it very easy to accept the existence of the Priest-Kings, especially as the Blue Flame is clearly not a natural phenomenon.
Though sensory information is important, it still is far less important than the acceptance of what Goreans are taught is the truth. This is most evident in the institution of the Double Knowledge, where the Low Castes are taught to accept a fabricated reality, to accept a pack of lies as the truth. They learn these false truths as young children in the public nurseries. It is also very evident in the teachings of the Initiates who also promote lies, especially about the Priest-Kings and the power of the Initiates. There is little questioning of these purported “truths” by the Low Castes. These truths are so pervasive within the society of Gor that even some of the High Castes, who should know better, believe some of the lies of the First Knowledge or those told by the Initiates. The best example is that the belief in the efficacy of divination is common throughout all Castes, High and Low.
Part of the reason for this blind acceptance of these false truths is that Goreans often rely on tradition. Much of Gor is slow to accept change, preferring to rely on the wisdom and lore of their ancestors. Goreans are not taught to question tradition, but are taught to accept its validity. Thus, as the Double Knowledge and the Initiate Caste have a long history, an extended tradition, there is little reason to question them. They have the weight of hundreds or even thousands of years behind them. And those who possess the proper truths about these matters, the High Castes and the highest-ranking Initiates, have little incentive to advocate enlightening the Low Castes. Their knowledge gives them power and they are not about to diminish that power by spreading that knowledge to the Low Castes.
It is possible that the Low Castes could rely on certain sensory information to learn the truth about some of the lies of the First Knowledge. They might be able to figure out by observation that Gor is round or that it does move in an orbit. But, the strength of tradition is so powerful that such sensory evidence would likely be ignored or excuses made to nullify any ideas that ran contrary to established tradition. And a Low Caste individual would generally gain nothing by trying to contradict the First Knowledge. It could lead to a conflict that would cause more problems than were resolved. A Low Caste person could also learn the truth in the libraries of Gor. Gorean libraries contain the truths of the Second Knowledge and are open to people of all Castes. But, as most Low Caste people are illiterate, the likelihood of them obtaining the truth in these libraries is not high.
Why have these false truths been propagated? What is the purpose of the First Knowledge? Why do the High Castes and the highest-ranking Initiates continue to support this fabricated metaphysics? Why is there little incentive to advocate change? Why should these ancient traditions be upheld? Why has this false epistemology been created?
Essentially, everything devolves down to the issue of power and control. The First Knowledge was created as a means of social control, to control the Low Castes. The lies help to perpetuate the power structure where the High Castes remain on top, above the masses of the Low Castes. The Initiates promote their own falsehoods to maintain their own position of power, being the highest Caste on Gor. In addition, other people, such as Ubars may use the Initiates as an additional form of social control over the Low Castes. There is little other reason for the existence of the Double Knowledge. Those in power have obviously no incentive to surrender or share their power with the Low Castes. Thus, a fabricated metaphysics was created, relying upon an epistemology of acceptance by teaching and tradition, to perpetuate the power structure of the Gorean cities.
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Gorean Language
Gorean LanguageGorean Dialects
Gorean speech is no less complex than that of any of the great natural language communities of the Earth nor are its speakers any the less diverse. It is, incidentally, a beautiful language; it can be as subtle as Greek; as direct as Latin; as expressive as Russian; as rich as English; as forceful as German. To the Goreans it is always, simply, The Language, as though there were no others, and those who do not speak it are regarded immediately as barbarians. This sweet, fierce, liquid speech is the common bond that tends to hold together the Gorean world. It is the common property of the Administrator of Ar, a herdsman beside the Vosk, a peasant from Tor, a scribe from Thentis a metalworker from Tharna, a physician from Cos, a pirate from Port Kar, a warrior from Ko-ro-ba.
{Priest-Kings of Gor ~ 52}
There are several barbarian languages spoken on Gor, usually in more remote areas. Also, some of the dialects of Gorean itself are almost unintelligible. On the other hand, Gorean, in its varieties, serves as the lingua franca of civilized Gor. There are few Goreans who cannot speak it, though with some it is almost a second language. Gorean tends to be rendered more uniform through the minglings and transactions of the great fairs. Too, at certain of these fairs, the caste of scribes, accepted as the arbiters of such matters, stipulate that certain pronounciations and grammatical, formations, and such are to be preferred over others. The Fairs, in their diverse ways, tend to standardize the language, which might otherwise disintegrate into regional variations which, over centuries, might become mutually unintelligible linguistic modalities, in effect and practice, unfortunately, separate languages. The Fairs, and, I think, the will of Priest-Kings, prevents this.
{Beasts of Gor ~ 154}
There are, of course, many languages spoken on Gor, but that language I have called Gorean, in its various dialects, is the lingua franca of the planet. It is spoken most everywhere, except in remote areas. One of these remote areas, of course, is the equatorial interior.
{Explorers of Gor ~ 100}
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Gorean Salutations
Salutations“Tal,” I said to the man, lifting my arm in the common Gorean greeting.
{Outlaw of Gor ~ 70}
In the halls we passed many individuals, who would normally, in Gorean fashion, lift the right hand, palm inward, saying “Tal,” which greeting, in turn, we returned.
{Assassin of Gor ~ 392}
“Tal, Kajirae!” cried one of the men, waving.
{Captive of Gor ~ 87}
Greetings, Ute,” said I, smiling. “Tal, El-in-or,” smiled Ute.
{Captive of Gor ~ 245}
“Greetings Captain,” said Thurnock.
{Hunters of Gor ~ 62}
“The Forkbeard greets you!” shouted Ivar. I blinked. The hall was light. I had not understood it to be so large. At the tables, lifting ale and knives to the Forkbeard were more than a thousand men.
{Mauraders of Gor ~ 194}
“Tal Master,” they said to me.
“Tal Slave Girls,” I said to them.
{Tribesmen of Gor ~ 345}
“Greetings,” said the captain to him.
“Greetings,” said Hurtha. Hurtha was a friendly Alar.
{Mercenaries of Gor ~ 444}
“Greetings Citizen,” said the first of my master’s men.
“Greetings,” said the fellow, before whom I knelt.
{Dancer of Gor ~ 309}
“Hail, Teibar!” called another.
From the latter manner of greeting, I gathered this Teibar might be excellent with the staff, or sword. Such greetings are usually reserved for recognized experts, or champions, at one thing or another. For example, a skilled Kaissa player is sometimes greeted in such a manner. I studied Teibar. I would have suspected his expertise to be with the sword.
{Magicians of Gor ~ 52}
“Then I wish you prosperity,” I laughed, “and will be on my way.”
{Outlaw of Gor ~ 29}
The Gorean phrase of farewell came silently to my lips. “I wish you well.”
{Outlaw of Gor ~ 170}
Gestures
Applause
There was Gorean applause in the room, the striking of the right palm on the left shoulder.
{Rogue of Gor ~ 13}
Applause of Warriors
There was some polite striking of the left shoulder with the right hand in the room, which is a common Gorean applause, though not of the warriors, who clash weapons.
{Raiders of Gor ~ 177}
Blowing a kiss
I blew her a kiss in the Gorean fashion, kissing and gesturing, my fingers at the right side of my mouth, almost vertical, then, with the kiss, brushing gently toward her.
{Marauders of Gor ~ 134}
Salute of a Warrior
Murmillius lifted his blade to me. It was the salute of a Warrior. A Warrior, I thought to myself, he is of the Warriors. I returned the salute.
{Assassin of Gor ~ 349}
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The following will be most helpful to you throughout your entire career as a Scribe - keep it handy!
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Condensed info on Gor-Luther Scrolls
Scroll #1 - #90-----------------------------------------------------------------------
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