CLAUSE of the Ubar or Administrator

Scribe Note: This portion is to be filled out to specifically Define the Rights, Privileges and City Powers of the Ubar or Administrator's Free Companion in times of War and Peace. This is a highly vital portion of the Joining Contract for a Ruler of a City.

I, (Free Man's Signature, Rank and Home Stone here) Do hereby attest that my Free Companion named in this contract, (Free Woman's Name here), shall have the following privileges, rights and powers that are due her status as my Free Companion in times of Peace:

(List any and all additional privileges, rights and City Powers not named above here)

Additionally, I, (Free Man's Signature, Rank and Home Stone) do hereby attest that During times of War, my Free Companion (FW's name here) Shall/Shall not (The Man must choose one) be granted the title of "Ubara." If granted the title of "Ubara", she must abide by my authority at all times. She may not act upon military matters without my expressed permission; she will not serve as Regent or lead my Armies without both my written permission and the granting of my Signet Ring into her personal keeping unless I personally command otherwise. Unless otherwise stated, if I fall in battle, I name (Man's Name to be listed here) to serve as temporary Ubar until such time of Peace that an Administrator is Elected by the High Council. (Scribes Note: This paragraph can be altered according to the Free Man's wishes.)

Should my Free Companion, (Lady's Name here) act, or attempt to act against the above Decrees it will be charged as an act of Treason against her ruler and her Home Stone and therefore be subject to trial and sentencing for Treason by the Caste of Warriors. Should my Free Companion at any time attempt or plot to coup, to overthrow my rulership or attempt become a military Ubara, she will be executed for Treason.

Should this companionship contract be Dissolved, Lady (FW's SN here) can no longer claim the authorities, privileges and powers granted to her by me as my Free Companion. Additionally, any children born of this companionship will not be taken out of my City without my expressed permission.

(Free Man's Signature Here) (Free Woman's Signature Here)

I, (Scribe's Signature here) , as Witness to the wishes of the Ubar/Administrator of ________, attest that the Lady entering this Free Companionship, (Lady's Name here) has been made fully aware of the stipulations and decrees written above.

Administrators and Councils

In times of relative peace and stability, the administration of the Gorean city-state is the responsibility of a council of administrators elected by the high castes of the city. What we understand of this type of government is that the administrator or leader of the council does not retain sole power and that decisions in matters of the state are subject to vote by council.

"...In many cities only members of the high castes may belong to the city's high council. Most Gorean cites are governed by an executive, the Administrator, in conjunction with the high council." Slave Girl of Gor

It remains a matter of perspective what constitutes a state of peace on Gor and more often than not the reader will find that council government is more prevalent in trade centers, peasant villages and cities where a relative neutrality is important to maintain open markets and ensure the city's survival.

There are few examples of councilled cities which are not governed by merchant councils but the actual type of council which Matthew Cabot describes in Tarnsman of Gor, Ko-Ro-Ba being first in our memory. The City of Port Kar's council of captains government would also fall into this category though membership to the council is adapted to the Port Kar reality. Indeed in a city where shipping feeds the majority of the population, it is fairly easy to see why the rulers would be those with the largest fleets.

As is the case for Port Kar, council governments seem to shape themselves after the individual character of the city, placing the power in the hands of those more likely to influence growth and stability.

Administrator

In times of relative peace and stability, the administration of the Gorean city-state is the responsibility of a council of administrators. What we understand of this type of government is that the administrator or leader of the council does not retain sole power and that decisions in matters of the state are subject to vote by council.

"...In many cities only members of the high castes may belong to the city's high council. Most Gorean cites are governed by an executive, the Administrator, in conjunction with the high council." Slave Girl of Gor

The Initiates are sometimes thought of as the highest of the five high castes, and the Warriors commonly produce the administrators and ubars for a city. Witness of Gor

The Administrator is usually one of the Caste of Warriors but any of the High Castes can hold this position. One specific example is Kazrak who was of the Caste of Builders. In fact, in some cities on the perimeter of the Barrens, is not unusual that the Administrator is of the Merchants.
The lower castes do not elect the Administrator. The Administrator is appointed by the High Council of the city

"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 of Gor

Kazrak, who had been Administrator of the City for several years, had finally been deposed, largely due to the agitations of certain factions among the Initiates and Merchants, who had had their various grievances against the Administrator. Kazrak had offended the Caste of Initiates primarily by levying taxes on their vast holdings throughout the city and upon occasion upholding the rulings of the administrative courts over the courts of the Initiates. The Initiates, in their interpretations of sacrifices and in their preachments, primarily to the low castes, had led many of the city to fear that Kazrak might not long enjoy the favor of the Priest-Kings. After the murder of Om, who had been on tolerable terms with the Administrator, the new High Initiate, Complicius Serenus, in studying the omens of the white bosk slain at the Harvest Feast had, to his apparent horror, discovered that they had stood against Kazrak. Other Initiates wished to examine these omens, being read in the state of the bosk's liver, but Complicius Serenus, as though in terror, had cast the liver into the fire, presumably that such dark portents might be immediately destroyed. He had then collapsed weeping on the pillar of sacrifice, for it was well known that he had been a beloved friend of the Administrator. It was from this time that Kazrak might clearly have been said, particularly among the lower castes, to have lost the confidence of the city. He was further in danger by virtue of his controlling measures restricting certain monopolies important to certain factions among the Merchants, in particular those having to do with the manufacture of bricks, and the distribution of salt and tharlarion oil. He had further imposed restrictions on the games and contests of Ar, such that the loss of life had become infrequent, even among competing slaves. It was argued that the citizens of Ar could scarcely remain strong and fearless unless accustomed to the sight of blood, of danger and death. And since Kazrak was originally, perhaps surprisingly, of Port Kar, a city not on particularly good terms with Ar, or any other Gorean city, there was the hint of sedition in such matters. Moreover, Kazrak had been one of the leaders of the forces that had preserved Ar in the time of its troubles with Pa-Kur, master of the Assassins; as the tale was now told in the Streets, the men of Ar themselves, alone, had overthrown the invader; Kazrak seemed a living reminder that Glorious Ar had once needed the aid of other cities, and men other than her own.

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. Kazrak, with loyal followers, and the beautiful Sana of Thentis, his consort, had left the city months before. Their whereabouts were unknown, but it was thought they had hoped to found a colony on one of the islands of Thassa, farther north than even Cos and Tyros. The new Administrator of Ar was a man named Minus Tentius Hinrabius, an unimportant man except for being of the Hinrabian family, prominent among the Builders, having the major holdings in the vast, walled Hinrabian kilns, where much of Ar's brick is produced.Assassin of Gor

It remains a matter of perspective what constitutes a state of peace on Gor and more often than not the reader will find that council government is more prevalent in trade centers, peasant villages and cities where a relative neutrality is important to maintain open markets and ensure the city's survival.

I had spent a night on the road and had arrived in Kailiauk, hungry and muddy, yesterday, shortly after the tenth Ahn, the Gorean noon. Indeed, I had heard the striking of the time bar, mounted on the roof of the Administrator's store, as I had approached the town's outskirts. In Kailiauk, as is not unusual in the towns of the perimeter, the Administrator is of the Merchants.Savages of Gor

Brundisium has no Administrator and no Ubar. It is ruled by a Merchant Council, with its day to day affairs managed by an executive committee, chief of which is the harbor master. Mariners of Gor

There are two systems of courts on Gor, those of the City, under the jurisdiction of an Administrator or Ubar, and those of the Initiates, under the jurisdiction of the High Initiate of the given city.

There are two systems of courts on Gor those of the City, under the jurisdiction of an Administrator or Ubar, and those of the Initiates, under the jurisdiction of the High Initiate of the given city; the division corresponds roughly to that between civil and what, for lack of a better word, might be called ecclesiastical courts. The areas of jurisdiction of these two types of courts are not well defined; the Initiates claim ultimate jurisdiction in all matters, in virtue of their supposed relation to the Priest-Kings, but this claim is challenged by civil jurists. Tarnsman of Gor

The Administrator is the supreme civil official. He has the authority to settle civil and economic matters, such as reform of the courts and laws and controls and regulations pertaining to commerce. This includes the licensing and taxing of places such as public auction houses. He may ban or implement events such as contests.

In your veins must flow the blood of your father, once Ubar, War Chieftain, now Administrator of Ko-ro-ba, this City of Cylinders."
I was surprised, for this was the first time I had known that my father had been War Chieftain of the city, or that he was even now its supreme civil official, for that matter, that the city was named Ko-ro-ba, a now archaic expression for a village market. Tarnsman of Gor

Such contests, in which life is lost, used to be popular at Ar, for example, being sponsored in that city by the Caste of Initiates, who regard themselves as being intermediaries between Priest-Kings and men, though I suspect that, at least on the whole, they know as little about the Priest-Kings as do other men. These contests, it might be mentioned, were banned in Ar when Kazrak of Port Kar became administrator of that city. Priest-Kings of Gor

The Administrator has the authority to declare a person to be a Warrior of the city.

"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 of Gor

The Administrator can develop an alliance with or against other cities and sign treaties.

My father, in his office as Administrator of Ko-ro-ba, had attempted to develop an alliance against Ar, but the free cities of Gor had, in their pride and suspicion, their almost fanatical commitment to protecting their own independent destinies, refused the alliance. Indeed, they had, in the fashion of Gor, driven my father's envoys from their Council Chambers with the whips normally used on slaves, an insult which, at another time, would have been answered by the War Call of Ko-ro-ba. But, as my father knew, strife among the free cities would be the very madness which Marlenus of Ar would welcome most; better even that Ko-ro-ba should suffer the indignity of being thought a city of cowards. Tarnsman of Gor

The Administrator may make use of a diplomatic agent, invested with full power and authority to transact business on his behalf or when absent, appoint a regent in his place.

"To the Vosk League!" we said, fervently.
Two of the men at the table had been signatories to the treaty of the Vosk League, solemnly signed under festive canopies on the wharves of Victoria yesterday at the tenth Ahn, Glyco, who had signed on behalf of Port Cos, and Tasdron, Administrator of Victoria, who had signed on behalf of Victoria. In all, nineteen towns had become members of the league, Guardsman of Gor

"Gnieus Lelius," said he, "high councilor, first minister to Ar, is regent in the absence of Marlenus. Mercenaries of Gor

In the intrigues of the time, and to divert suspicion, Gnieus Lelius, high councilor, and first minister of Ar, he who was acting as regent in the absence of Marlenus, Ubar of the city, had even had me brought to the Central Cylinder under guard, as though I might have been arrested, and was to be examined on some charge. Renegades of Gor

The Administrator will typically put aside the color of his Caste and instead, wear the robe of state, which is a plain brown garment including a brown cloak.

Kazrak, who had been Administrator of the City for several years, had been popular but his straightforward attention, after he had put aside the Red of the Warrior and donned the Brown of the Administrator, to numerous and complex civil and economic matters, such as reform of the courts and laws and controls and regulations pertaining to commerce, had not been such as to inspire the general enthusiasm of the common citizens of Ar, in particular those who remembered with nostalgia the glories and splendors of the reign of Marlenus, that larl of a man, that magnificent Warrior, vain and self-centered, powerful, conceited, yet a dreamer of dreams, of a world undivided and safe for men, a world united, be it at the point of the swords of Ar. Assassin of Gor

The Administrator may want to make use of a personal guard or guards. These would be an elite corps of swordsmen and bowmen, carefully selected, specially trained and independent of the general military organizations of the city.

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 acquisition 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. The arsenal guard, presumably, would become a branch of the newly formed council guard, if such became a reality. Raiders of Gor

The Warriors who flanked the Administrator and High Initiate, incidentally, were Taurentians, members of the palace guard, an elite corps of swordsmen and bowmen, carefully selected, specially trained, independent of the general military organizations of the city. Their leader, or Captain, was Saphronicus, a mercenary from Tyros. I could see him a few feet behind the throne, wrapped in a scarlet cloak, a tall, spare man, long-armed and narrow-faced, whose head moved restlessly, surveying the crowd. Assassin of Gor

One other duty of the Administrator is to, at dawn on the first day of En'Kara, in the name of the city, greet the sun, welcoming it to the city on the first day of the New Year.

Then, at dawn, on the first day of En'Kara, in the name of the city, the Administrator of Ar, or a Ubar if it be Ubar, greets the sun, welcoming it to Ar on the first day of the New Year. Assassin of Gor

At dawn on the day of the vernal equinox a ceremonial greeting of the sun takes place, conducted usually by the Ubar or administrator of the city. Players of Gor

Typically, each city keeps track of time by virtue of its own Administrator Lists; for example, a year is referred to as the Second Year when so-and-so was Administrator of the city.

Chronology, incidentally, is the despair of scholars on Gor, for each city keeps track of time by virtue of its own Administrator Lists; for example, a year is referred to as the Second Year when so-and-so was Administrator of the city. Outlaw of Gor

It was the fourth day of the sixth passage hand, shortly before the Autumnal Equinox, which in the common Gorean calendar begins the month of Se'Kara. In the calendar of Ko-ro-ba, which, like most Gorean cities, marks years by its Administrator Lists, it would be the eleventh year of the administration of my father, Matthew Cabot. In the calendar of Ar, for those it might interest, it was the first year of the restoration of Marlenus, Ubar of Ubars, but, more usefully for the purposes of consolidating the normal chaos of Gorean chronology, it was the year 10,119 Contasta Ar, that is, from the founding of Ar. Raiders of Gor

There are few examples of councilled cities which are not governed by merchant councils but the actual type of council which Matthew Cabot describes in Tarnsman of Gor, Ko-Ro-Ba being first in our memory.

In the center of the amphitheater was a throne of office, and on this throne, in his robe of state - a plain brown garment, the humblest cloth in the hall - sat my father, Administrator of Ko-ro-ba, once Ubar, War Chieftain of the city. Tarnsman of Gor

The City of Port Kar's council of captains government would also fall into this category though membership to the council is adapted to the Port Kar reality. Indeed in a city where shipping feeds the majority of the population, it is fairly easy to see why the rulers would be those with the largest fleets.

Politically, Port Kar is a chaos, ruled by several conflicting Ubars, each with his own following, each attempting to terrorize, to govern and tax to the extent of his power. Nominally beneath these Ubars, but in fact much independent of them, is an oligarchy of merchant princes, Captains, as they call themselves, who, in council, maintain and manage the great arsenal, building and renting ships and fittings, themselves controlling the grain fleet, the oil fleet, the slave fleet, and others. Raiders of Gor

There are commonly about one hundred and twenty captains who form the council, sometimes a few more, sometimes a few less. Admittance to the council is based on being master of at least five ships. Raiders of Gor

These five ships, pertinent to council membership, may be either the round ships, with deep holds of merchandise, or the long ships, ram-ships, ships of war. Raiders of Gor

The five ships, it might be added, must be of at least medium class. Raiders of Gor

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 acquisition 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. The arsenal guard, presumably, would become a branch of the newly formed council guard, if such became a reality. Raiders of Gor

As is the case for Port Kar, council governments seem to shape themselves after the individual character of the city, placing the power in the hands of those more likely to influence growth and stability.

At any rate, for the first time in several years, there was now a single, effective sovereign in Port Kar, the Council. Accordingly, its word, and, in effect, its word alone, was law. Raiders of Gor

The house of Bosk and the house of Samos, it seemed, stood on good terms, the one with the other. Both Samos and Bosk, it seems, were members of the Council of Captains, the sovereign power in Port Kar. Captive of Gor

Administration of the Laws of Gor

Goreans don’t really have a concept of nation or country as those on Earth do. Whereas men on Earth think of Cities as belonging to country, the crucial political entity on Gor is the City or Village itself. To the Gorean way of thinking all things converge on the City, or the center of the Hub. On Earth it is more outward look towards the imaginary boundaries of their countries.

"There is no Gorean expression for `country' in the precise sense of a nation. Men of Earth think of cities as being within countries. Men of Gor tend to think of cities and the lands controlled by them. The crucial political entity for Goreans tends to be the city or village, the place where people and power are. There can be, of course, leagues among cities and tangential territories. Men of Earth tend to think of territory in a manner that might be considered circumferential, whereas Goreans tend to think of it as a more radial sort of thing. Consider a circle with a point at its center. The man of Earth might conceive of the territory as bounded by the circumference; the man of Gor would be more likely to think of the territory as a function of the sweep of the radius which emanates from the central point. Geometrically, of course, these two conceptions are equivalent. Psychologically, however, they are not. The man of Earth looks to the periphery; the man of Gor looks to the center. The man of Earth thinks of territory as static, regardless of the waxing and wanings of the power that maintains it; the Gorean tends to think of territory as more dynamic, a realistic consequence of the geopolitical realities of power centers. Perhaps it would be better to say that the Gorean tends to think more in teens of sphere of influence than he does in terms of imaginary lines on maps which may not reflect current historical realities." Fighting Slave of Gor

Generally speaking, Gorean civil law is made by whatever ruling body holds power at one given time and applied mainly in primitive fashion, by various magistrates. Laws are generally particular to the City/area in which the Gorean resides. Laws in Port Kar, for instance can be very different from laws in Ko-ro-ba. A concept on Gor known as the “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.' " Tarnman of Gor

There does not seem very much room for doubt in this system as essentially, those trials the reader finds in the books are mostly a matter of sentencing since the accused has most often been caught in the act. There will, however, be mention of the law which was broken as well as what is known for that city/area to be the common penalty for this type of offense.

An advantage of this system is that wars tend to be very local. Only a few cities and their associated villages tend to be involved rather than the concept of World Wars that plagued Earth in the 20th century. Gorean warfare also tends to be conducted by trained men of their Castes (Warriors) rather than the arming of millions of “citizens” with slaughter of hundreds or thousands of people is not a concept Goreans are familiar with.

"One result of this attitude is that most wars, most armed altercations, tend to be very local. They tend to involve, usually, only a few cities and their associated villages and territories, rather than gigantic political entities such as nations. One result of this is that the number of people affected by warfare on Gor usually tends, statistically, to be quite limited. Also, it might be noted that most Gorean warfare is carried out largely by relatively small groups of professional soldiers, seldom more than a few thousand in the field at a given time, trained men, who have their own caste. Total warfare, with its arming of millions of men, and its broadcast slaughter of hundreds of populations, is Gorean neither in concept nor in practice. Goreans, often castigated for their cruelty, would find such monstrosities unthinkable." Fighting Slave of Gor

Of course, within the Gorean reality, the slave is not a citizen and hence not entitled to trial or defense per se. A great number of laws do pertain to what slaves may or may not do and failure to abide by the rules can be cause for punishment at the discretion of the free persons involved; these things do not require legal proceedings. It is also of note that a slave who participates in criminal activity by obeying the command of their master or another free person is almost invariably found to have done no wrong. Indeed, since the slave is to obey without question, she would be considered to have done the right thing no matter what the command is.

If the events found along Tarl Cabot's journey are a reflection of what is most common, one would have to conclude that criminals end up in collars and chains, be it the collar of a work chain or a pleasure garden. Men will more often be executed by whatever means is popular in the area or sent to work chains temporarily for more minor crimes, whereas women are more likely to be enslaved, especially if they are beautiful.

So how were Cities run, who ran them and therefore who would carry out the laws of those cities? John Norman seems to take many of his titles from Ancient Cultures, particularly Roman and Greek, of Earth. City rules, mostly magistrates of one type or another included: (Also see Rulers)

Aediles

An Aedile is usually part of a board of Magistrates that most often in charge of public buildings, streets, games and markets

"Two days ago, aediles had come to the camp to inspect the chains. They found none which contained illicit prisoners. No mention was made of the fact that a third of the chains was absent. The next day the auspices had been taken, and, seemingly, all had gone well. The chains in camp were already back at work. Preceding the time of taking the auspices, of course, and until they have been taken, things are very quiet." Dancer of Gor

Archon of Records

A Magistrate and an authoritative figure, the Archon of Records would be the keeper of records for the City

One of the two magistrates, he who was senior, Tolnar, 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 Metellan district, in which we were located. Both magistrates wore their robes, and fillets, of office." Magicians of Gor

City Council:

Most Gorean Cities have a City Council elected by members of the High Castes made up from members of the High Castes only. While City Council’s may be only comprised of High Castes, the Caste of Merchants supported by its often vast wealth have their influence as well.

The High Castes in a given city elect an administrator and council for stated terms …Tarnsman of Gor

"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." Assassin of Gor

"In many cities only members of the high castes may belong to the city's high council. Most Gorean cites are governed by an executive, the Administrator, in conjunction with the high council." Slave Girl of Gor

"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 Priest-Kings. In order, representatives of the Scribes, Builders, Physicians, and Warriors occupied the ascending tiers, blue, yellow, green, and red." Tarnman of Gor

Village Council

Villages are usually associated with a nearby City. Most often villages are populated by peasants and have their own Councils. Cities protect their villages as products and foods are produced their on which the Cities depend.

"There were the northern islands, of course, and they were numerous, but small, extending in an archipelago like a scimitar northeastward from Cos, which lay some four hundred pasangs west of Port Kar. But these islands were not united, and, indeed, the government of them was usually no more than a village council. They usually possessed no vessels more noteworthy than clinker-built skiffs and coasters." Raiders of Gor

City Administrator

From the elected City Council, an executive, the Administrator rules the City in conjunction with the High Council. While Council is made up of the High Castes, it is interesting to note that while the Warrior Caste may be considered to be the lowest of the High Castes, most often the Administrators and Ubars for a City are selected for this task.

"In the center of the amphitheater was a throne of office, and on this throne, in his robe of state - a plain brown garment, the humblest cloth in the hall - sat my father, Administrator of Ko-ro-ba, once Ubar, War Chieftain of the city. At his feet lay a helmet, shield, spear, and sword." "Tarnsman of Gor

"In many cities only members of the high castes may belong to the city's high council. Most Gorean cites are governed by an executive, the Administrator, in conjunction with the high council." Slave Girl of Gor

"The high castes are normally accounted five in number--the Warriors, the Builders, the Physicians, the Scribes, and the Initiates. The Initiates are sometimes thought of as the highest of the five high castes, and the Warriors as the least of the five high castes. In actual fact, the Warriors commonly produce the administrators and ubars for a city. It is not easy in a world such as this to deprive those who are skilled with weapons their share of authority. If it is not given to them, they will take it." Witness of Gor

Judges

Judges, as on Earth would be the ones to prescribe punishment. These are magistrates as well. On Gor, most often when a person is in a “trial” they have been caught “in the act” so the job of the judge is made easier than perhaps those of Earth.

"I saw first the girl, stumbling. She was already stripped. Her hands were tied behind her back. Something, pushing her from behind, had been fastened on her neck. Behind her came a flat-topped wagon, of some four feet in height. It was moved by eight tunicked, collared slave girls, two to each wheel, pushing at the wheels. It was guided by a man walking behind it, by means of a lever extending back, under the wagon, from the front axle. Flanking the wagon, on both sides, were the musicians, with their drums and flutes. Behind the wagon, in the white robes trimmed with gold and purple of merchant magistrates, came five men. I recognized them as judges." Hunters of Gor

Magistrates

Magistrates are the rulers in a typical City on Gor occupy most of the administrative positions. They are the Aediles, Archons, Judges, even Executioners.

"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 ofCos, contained concealed blades. I was pleased to hope that these fellows were such as to put the laws of Ar before the ordinances of Cos." Magicians of Gor

"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. The Initiates themselves do not execute their victims, as the shedding of blood is forbidden by those beliefs they regard as sacred." Tarnsman of Gor

"One of the two magistrates, he who was senior, Tolnar, 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 Metellan district, in which we were located. Both magistrates wore their robes, and fillets, of office." Magicians of Gor

Merchants Administration

Although most ports and islands on Gor and ruled in a similar fashion to Cities, the Exchange islands are administered by the Caste of Merchants. Port Kar, is different again and is run by a board of four magistrates, known as the Port Consortium and they report directly to the Council of Captains.

"Also known as exchange islands, they are administered as Free Ports by the Merchants. Included are Teletus, Tabor, and Scagnar. Others were Farnacium, Hulneth and Asperiche. In the south are Anango and Landa, and in the far north, Hunger and Skjern, west of Torvaldsland. These islands, and free ports on the coast such as Lydius and Helmutsport, Schendi and Bazi make possible the commerce between Cos and Tyros and cities of the mainland." Raiders of Gor

"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." Hunters of Gor

Polemarkos

A Military Govenor put into place when one City has conquered another and in effect rules on behalf of the Ruler of the Conquering City. Temos had a Polemarkos in Prize of Gor when it was ruled by Cos. Myron ruled on behalf of Lurius of Jad, Ubar of Cos.

There is some pretense that the city is free, but in fact it is not. The true ruler is, I suppose, the military governor, Myron, polemarkos of Temos, commander of the occupational forces, or perhaps actually distant Lurius of Jad, Ubar of Cos. Prize of Gor

Praetors

The Praetor is a magistrate who is in charge of Prefects. He is indentified with nine strips on His sleeve, Prefects have five and lesser officials have three. Praetors, traditionally will be second on the City Council Hierarchy to the Administrator.

"In a moment or two, I stopped a few yards from a registration desk. There one of Ina's pursuers, I recognized him from earlier, was making inquiries of one of the five camp prefects, fellows under the camp praetor. The perfects are identified by five slash marks, alternately blue and yellow, the slavers' colors, on their left sleeve, the praetor himself by nine such stripes, and lesser officials by three. Turning about, apparently alerted by the prefect's notice, the fellow with one hand suddenly turned the prefect's desk to its side so that it stood wall-like between us, and hurried behind it." Vagabonds of Gor

Prefects

Prefects, as most City officials, are Magistrates. The would be in charge of very specific areas of the City, for example Public Games and would report to Praetors. Prefects tend to have five slashes or stripes on Their robes where Praetors will have nine. Lessor officials often have only three.

"I looked about, through the curtain, at the guests of the Lady Florence, other than the Lady Melpomene. The fellow from Venna, clad In white and gold, was Philebus, a bounty creditor. He was known to the merchants of several cities. Such men buy bills at discount and then set themselves to collect, as they can, their face value. They are tenacious in their trade. 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. The two ladies, both of Vonda, were Leta and Perimene, both friends of the Ladies Florence and Melpomene. As free citizens of Vonda they could witness legal transactions." Fighting Slave of Gor

Quaestor

Quaestors are high ranking magistrates on Gor. Most often they are in charge of financial matters, banking for instance or other areas of Administration. The would rank higher than the Praetors.

"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 of Gor

Tatrix

A Tatrix is a female ruler and as such is a rarity on Gor. Tharna being the City most famous for having a Tatrix.

“What is a Tatrix?” I asked. “A female ruler,” she said." Kajira of Gor

"In a Gorean city it was not difficult for a woman to travel in-cognito. By the robes of concealment this is made easy. I wore the robes of a woman of high, caste, today the yellow of the Builders. Drusus Rencius wore a nondescript tunic and a swirling maroon cape. The only weaponry he carried, that I could detect, was his sword. He might have been any mercenary or armed servant, in attendance on a lady. I was pleased to travel incognito in the city, in this fashion. Other- wise, had I gone abroad in the robes of the Tatrix, we would have been encumbered by guards and crowds; we would have had to travel in a palanquin; we would have been forced to tolerate the annunciatory drums and trumpets, and put up with all the noisy, ostentatious, dreary panoply of office. To be sure I sometimes found such accouterments stimulating and gratifying but I certainly did not want them every time I wished to put my foot outside the palace gate." Kajira of Gor

"The balance of mutual regard is always delicate and, statistically, it is improbable that it can long be maintained throughout an entire population. Accordingly, gradually exploiting, perhaps unconsciously, the opportunities afforded by the training of children and the affections of their men, the women of Tharna improved their position considerably over the generations, also adding to their social power the economic largesse of various funds and inheritances. Eventually, largely via the conditioning of the young and the control of education, those superiorities which the female naturally possesses came to be enlarged on at the expense of those possessed by the male. And just as in our own world it is possible to condition entire populations to believe what is, from the standpoint of another population, incomprehensible and absurd, so in Tharna both the men and the women came eventually to believe the myths or the distortions advantageous to female dominance. Thus it was, gradually and unnoticed, that the gynocracy of Tharna came to be established, and honored with the full weight of tradition and custom, those invisible bonds heavier than chains because they are not understood to exist." Outlaw of Gor

"In a city such as Tharna the men, taught to regard themselves as beasts, as inferior beings, seldom develop the full respect for themselves essential to true manhood. But even more strangely, the women of Tharna do not seem content under the gynocracy. Although they despise men and congratulate themselves on their more lofty status it seems to me that they, too, fail to respect themselves. Hating their men, they hate themselves." Outlaw of Gor

Ubar

In times of crisis, the City Council elects as War Chief, known as an Ubar. He rules without check and by His decree alone until, in His judgment, the crisis has passed.

"The High Castes in a given city 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. "Normally the office is surrendered after the passing of the crisis. It is part of the Warrior’s Code." ...................Those who do not desire to surrender their power, are usually deserted by their men. The offending war chief is simply abandoned." Tarnsman of Gor

"To truly see a Ubar," I said, "to look into his heart can be a fearful thing." "Only one can sit upon the throne," said Msaliti. "That is a saying of the north," I said. "I know," said Msaliti. "But it is a saying that is also known east of Schendi." "Even east of Schendi," I smiled, "the throne is a lonely country." "He who sits upon the throne, it is said," said Msaliti, "is the most alone of men." I nodded. Perhaps it was just as well not to have looked too deeply into the eyes of Bila Huruma. It is not always desirable to look deeply into the eyes of a Ubar." Explorers of Gor

"I then, truly, for the first time looked into the eyes of Bila Huruma. He sat upon the high platform, above the others, solitary and isolated, the necklace of panther teeth about his neck, the lamps below him. I sensed, then, for a moment, what it must be to be a Ubar. It was then, in that instant, that I first truly saw him, as he was, and as he must be. I looked then on loneliness and decision, and power. The Ubar must contain within himself dark strengths. He must be capable of doing, as many men are not, what is necessary. Only one can sit upon the throne, as it is said. And, as it is said, he who sits upon the throne is the most alone of men. It is he who must be a stranger to all men, and to whom all men must be strangers. The throne indeed is a lonely country. Many men desire to live there but few, I think, could bear its burdens. Let us continue to think of our Ubars as men much like ourselves, only perhaps a bit wiser, or stronger, or more fortunate. That way we may continue to be comfortable with them, and, to some extent, feel ourselves their superior. But let us not look into their eyes too closely, for we might see there that which sets them apart from us. It is not always desirable to look deeply into the eyes of a Ubar." Explorers of Gor

Administrative Decisions

by the Administrator of Abydos

Roleplaying - Stay In-Character

 I will be an In-Character, Roleplaying Administrator. If I'm not around you can leave me a just outside my office. Therefore, all In-Character decisions will be handled In-Character. This is not just for problems because I don’t want this to be negative.

• If your Character has a suggestion, I want to hear it.
• If your Character has a question, I will do my best to answer it
• If your Character has a problem, I will do my best to help

You may not always like my answer - but I will never lie to you. My answer to you may be . . . No.  I may not be able to give you the answer you because you don’t need to know.

If your Character has a problem, there are three levels of authority in the city: 

Start with the Head of Caste if the problem is between two people of the same caste since the Head of the Caste rules over that Caste. Example the Head of Physicians would be over those in the Physicians caste, and so on. (My additional note.)

1. The Magistrate - It is the Magistrate’s responsibility to investigate and prosecute wrong doing.
2. The High Council - The High Council will hear appeals of the Magistrate’s decisions.
3. The Administrator - The Administrator is the tie-breaker in Council split decisions, the final say and last word.

The Administrator is NOT a Ubar. I will not override a majority decision of the High Council.

I said I don’t want this to be negative, but I must mention a couple things.

• If you have a problem, I advise you to approach me In-Character.
• If you insist on taking a Character problem OOC - be prepared for the consequences as the knife can cut both ways.

Out Of Character (OOC)

The Administrator has the final say on the validity of all RP events. This means, even while trying your best to stay In-Character, you feel the RP was invalid You have the right to call for a Mod to look into the situation.

Silly Example to prove a point:
Fred_of_<city> captures you.
You go along with the RP for a while.
He then *wraps you with Wonder Woman’s Lasso* and is expecting that you cannot help but tell him the truth about <your city's> defenses.

If you don’t agree with the decision of the Mod, I will make the final decision. The Administrator has the final say on all disiplinary actions taken.

Gorean Governance inc. Chart

This really applies mostly to the so called High Cities, or the civilized parts of Gor.

Priest Kings are the large golden insects like giant ants or praying mantis extra-terrestrial in orgin that rule Gor, having moved the planet from some other location and live in the Sadar Mountains. If you go to the Sadar Mountains without the Priest Kings permission your body parts rain down over the plains below for you get thrown off the mountains to your death. Carasses are found at the foot of the mountains in the desert. Animals refuse to go there and if you force a tarn to go he get disorientated and falls form the sky. The Priest Kings control Gor and make the laws. The main thing is they limit technology specifically weapons to a subset of rather primitive ones. They regard humans as primitive and violent. Weapons are things like swords, crossbows, and that sort of thing. The Priest Kings are rather neglectful, sort of benevolent dictators and are at war with the Kurii.

The Kurii are responsible for introducing advanced weapons. Sometimes Kurii provide transport and bring in weapons, sometimes their own and sometimes those of earth. If the Priest Kings notice they will destroy the person and weapon with the blue flame of death. Kurii look like abominable snowmen and eat slave girls or keep them as pets. There is always spies and tension between the Priest Kings and the Kur. Humans spy for both sides.

The Initiates are the Priesthood of Gor. Some of the Initiates are directly hooked to the Priest Kings via implants in their heads and spy for the Priest Kings, though you do not have to be an Initiate to have an impant. Thought the Priest Kings are amused and puzzled by the Initiates and people worshipping them as gods. Everyone in Gor is to go to the fairs at the foot of the Sadar Mountains once in their lives. These fairs are to be conducted by the Initiates but really are run by the merchants. At these fairs standardizing of weights and measures are set and the laws for that year are made called the Merchant Law. Merchant Law is the same from city to city but the laws in each city vary from city to city. So really the merchants have the real power of Gor, but they keep this to themselves. Merchants are of the low caste.

The low castes receive a limited form of education know as first knowledge. It includes only enough detail as is needed to function and some deliberately incorrect teaching designed to help keep them content with their lot. So they are taught Gor is a flat disk and if they travel to far, they might fall off the edge. They have superstitions about the power someone can get by knowing their "real" name and so often are addresses simply as by their profession or by nicknames. They are particularlysusceptible to the Priest Kings and at times where afraid to speak about them just incase something was said that would get you flamed. Note that the merchants interact so often with the high caste scribes so often that they do not seem to have the same restriction as the others of low castes. Some might say that the scribes and merchants control Gor together.

There are five High Castes. The Initiates spoke of already. Scribes are next and our color is blue. We are responsible for most things that involve the running of government. Scribes are the teachers, accountants, administrators, librarians. Most of the lower caste are illiterate and some of the high castes, though scribes are all able to read and write. Others in the high caste build (builder - yellow), heal (healers - green), or fight (warriors - scarlet) of the high caste. All high caste have Second Knowledge which includes an understanding of astronomy, knowledge of Earth, of history, geography, in short a basic good education. Most Gorean live in cities, towns, or villages. This is because Gor is a dangerous place and people need to band together to stay safe. Each cities is run by their own set of laws which are run by an Administrator except in times of war.

The Administrator is a single person who has basic charge of everything but who answers to the High Council who wears brown, the color of peasants so brown keeps the Administrator humble. Also all the crap hits the Administrators and stops with them.

The High Council consists of representatives of each High Caste. In many cities we have elected on representative of each High Caste as the "High" representative of each. Also some cities have a caste leader know as the "Chief" of which there is no such distinction in the writings of Gor where the "High" and "Chief" appear to be used interchangably. The fact that the decriptions of the High Council includes many people, benches full of each caste. Some cities may elect their representatives for each caste where others may appoint theirs. It is also said that cities are run by a few powerful families. Often these high caste representatives of the High Council are voted for only by male caste members, which seems to be a Gorean standard. Though this varies from city to city. There also is often tension between the High Castes members; Scribes and Physicians versus Warriors, Warriors and Scribes versus Builders, Builders and Physicians versus Scribes, and everyone against the Initiates thought tolerate them since the Priest Kings do. Some cities have a "High Merchant" who speaks for the lower castes as part of the High Council but he does not have a vote with in the Council. So if a slaver, or any other of the lower caste of the city wishes a voice, would speak to the High Merchant and the merchant would bring up the concerns to the High Council.

Then there are the Ubars of which there seems to be two types. There are the "nice" Ubars who are given absolute power in times of war, appointed by the High Council and chosen from among the warriors by the warriors. They give the power back after the crisis is over. Such a Ubar still answers to the High Council. Then there is the Ubars who declare themselves in charge and because the warriors back them they seize power and as such "bad" Ubars. These Ubars are rare in the writings of Gor and are not tolerated.

Depending on who is in power, either the Ubar of High Council makes the laws for the city and enforce them. Law is enforced by warriors but warriors are directed by and controlled by the Magistrates and Prefects. There are two types of Magistrates. They are the merchant magistrates whose job it is to enforce and to support merchant law. Then there are the city magistrates who are responsible for enforcing the city law. Magistrates are technically scribes. They are one of the subcastes of scribes. I would say Magistrates are more a combination of Lawyer and Judge, but people can appeal their ruling and so you get Praetors who are judges as well. Because magistrates are appointed in a particular city you may find someone who is a magistrate who is not a scribe. This goes for Ambassadors as well. There is one instance in the writing of Gor where an Ambassador was a warrior, which make sense because some warriors are highly literate and extremely well read. So in general Ambassadors and Magistrates are scribes but that is a matter of convenience and not an absolute rule. Others mentioned would include Archons who seem to be record keepers who judge from the records in the past. Ubara, who is like a queen with great power or who is one of the companions of an Ubar. There is no known case in the writings of Gor where an Ubara who was without an Ubar had power except for Talena who was called "Regent" or the "Tatrix" which is specific for the female leader of the city of Tharna.

"Gnieus Lelius, it seems, had been deposed, and Seremides, in a military coup he himself characterized as regrettable, had seized temporary power, a power to be wielded until the High Council, now the highest civilian authority in Ar, could elect a new leader, be it Administrator, Regent, Ubar or Ubara."

Magicians of Gor pg 83

"There are two systems of courts on Gor - those of the City, under the jurisdiction of an Administrator or Ubar, and those of the Initiates, under the jurisdiction of the High Initiate of the given city; the division corresponds roughly to that between civil and what, for lack of a better word, might be called ecclesiastical courts. The areas of jurisdiction of these two types of courts are not well defined; the Initiates claim ultimate jurisdiction in all matters, in virtue of their supposed relation to the Priest-Kings, but this claim is challenged by civil jurists. There would, of course, in these days be no challenging the justice of the Initiates. I noted with repulsion that on the roof of the Cylinder of Justice there shimmered a public impaling spear of polished silver, some fifty feet high, gleaming, looking like a needle in the distance."

Tarnsman of Gor pgs 193-194

Administrators & Ubars

"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." "In his judgment?" I asked skeptically.
"Normally the office is surrendered after the passing of the crisis," said my father. "It is part of the Warrior’s Code."
"But what if he does not give up. the office?" I asked. I had learned enough of Gor by now to know that one could not always count on the Caste Codes being observed.
"Those who do not desire to surrender their power," said my father, "are usually deserted by their men. The offending war chief is simply abandoned, left alone in his palace to be impaled by the citizens of the city he has tried to usurp."
I nodded, imagining a palace, empty save for one man sitting alone on his throne, clad in his robes of state, waiting for the angry people outside the gates to break through and work their wrath.
"But," said my father, "sometimes such a war chief, or Ubar, wins the hearts of his men, and they refuse to withdraw their allegiance."
"What happens then?" I asked.
"He becomes a tyrant," said my father, "and rules until eventually, in one way or another, he is ruthlessly deposed." My father’s eyes were hard and seemed fixed in thought. It was not mere political theory he spoke to me. I gathered that he knew of such a man. "Until," he repeated slowly, "he is ruthlessly deposed,"
(1) Tarnsman of Gor pgs: 42-43 | Chapter: 3:33-41)

"You have mastered a tarn, a war tarn. In your veins must flow the blood of your father, once Ubar, War Chieftain, now Administrator of Ko-ro-ba, this City of Cylinders."
(1) Tarnsman of Gor pgs: 58 | Chapter: 4:17}

In the center of the amphitheater was a throne of office, and on this throne, in his robe of state - a plain brown garment, the humblest cloth in the hall - sat my father, Administrator of Ko-ro-ba, once Ubar, War Chieftain of the city. At his feet lay a helmet, shield, spear, and sword.
"Come forward, Tarl Cabot," said my father, and I stood before his throne of office, feeling the eyes of everyone in the chamber on me. Behind me stood the Older Tarl. I had noted that those blue Viking eyes showed almost no evidence of the previous night. I hated him, briefly.
The Older Tarl was speaking, "I, Tarl, Swordsman of Ko-ro-ba, give my word that this man is fit to become a member of the High Caste of Warriors."
My father answered him, speaking in ritual phrases. "No tower in Ko-ro-ba is stronger than the world of Tarl, this Swordsman of our city. I, Matthew Cabot of Ko-ro-ba, accept his word."
Then, beginning with the lowest tier, each member of the Council spoke in succession, giving his name and pronouncing that he, too, accepted the word of the blond swordsman. When they had finished, my father invested me with the arms which had lain before the throne. About my shoulder he slung the steel sword, fastened on my left arm the round shield, placed in my right hand the spear, and slowly lowered the helmet on my head.
"Will you keep the Code of the Warrior?" asked my father.
"Yes," I said, "I will keep the Code."
"What is your Home Stone?" asked my father.
Sensing what was wanted, I replied, "My Home Stone is the Home Stone of Ko-ro-ba."
"Is it to that city that you pledge your life, your honor, and your sword?" asked my father.
"Yes," I said.
"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."
(1) Tarnsman of Gor pgs: 62-63 | Chapter: 4:40-51)

The free cities of Gor appointed Kazrak, my sword brother, to be temporary administrator of Ar, for it was he who, with the help of my father and Sana of Thentis, had rallied the cities to raise the siege. His appointment was confirmed by Ar's Council of High Castes, and his popularity in the city is such that it seems probable that in the future the office will be his by free election. In Ar democracy is a long-forgotten way of life that will require careful remembering.
(1) Tarnsman of Gor pgs: 216 | Chapter: 20:5 )

Chronology, incidentally, is the despair of scholars on Gor, for each city keeps track of time by virtue of its own Administrator Lists; for example, a year is referred to as the Second Year when so-and-so was Administrator of the City. One might think that some stability would be provided by the Initiates who must keep a calendar of their feasts and observances, but the Initiates of one city do not always celebrate the same feast on the same day as do those of another city. If the High Initiate of Ar should ever succeed in extending his hegemony over the High Initiates of rival cities, a hegemony which he claims he possesses already incidentally, a unified calendar might be introduced. But so far there has been no military victory of Ar over other cities and, accordingly, free of the sword, the Initiates of each city regard themselves as supreme within their own walls.
(2) Outlaw of Gor pgs: 178-179)

"Chronology in Ar is figured, happily enough, not from its Administrator Lists, but from its mythical founding by the first man on Gor, a hero whom the Priest-Kings are said to have formed from the mud of the earth and the blood of tarns. Times is reckoned 'Constanta Ar', or 'from the founding of Ar.' The year, according to the calendar of Ar, if it is of interest, is 10,117. Actually I would suppose that Ar may not be a third of that age. Its Home Stone, however, which I have seen, attests to a considerable antiquity."
(2) Outlaw of Gor pgs: 179)

Most Gorean cities are governed by an executive, the Administrator, in conjunction with the high council. Some cities are governed by a Ubar, who is in effect a military sovereign, sometimes a tyrant, whose word is law. The Ubar's power is limited institutionally only by his capacity to inspire and control those whose steel keeps him upon the throne. Sword loyalty is a bond of fidelity sworn to the Ubar. Gorean warriors seldom break this bond. It is not sworn lightly. It is sworn only to those who are thought fit to be Ubar. When the Ubar is thought to be unfit, it is thought, too, he has dishonored the pledge of sword loyalty. It is not then uncommon for him to die beneath the steel of his outraged men. Only a Ubar, it is said, may sit upon the throne of a Ubar. Only when a true Ubar sits upon the throne is it said the pledge of sword loyalty is binding.
(11) Slave Girl of Gor pgs: 114)

"He did not respond," I said.
"Of course not," said Ayari. "He is Mfalme of Ukungu. He does not speak to commoners."
"Tell him he is no longer the Mfalme of Ukunu," I said. "Tell him he was deposed. If there is any longer a Mfalme of Ukungu it is Aibu, the wise and noble."
Actually Aibu would become a district administrator, as high chieftain of Ukungu, under the sovereignity of Bila Huruma.
********
"Tell him," said I, "that Bila Huruma, his own Ubar, speaks to commoners. Tell him that a true Mfalme listens to and speaks with, all men."
(13) Explorers of Gor pgs: 246-247}

The governance of the confederation is centrailized 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.
(14) Fighting Slave of Gor pgs: 171-172)

Gnieus Lelius, it seems, had been deposed, and Seremides, in a military coup he himself characterized as regrettable, had seized temporary power, a power to be wielded until the High Council, now the highest civilian authority in Ar, could elect a new leader, be it Administrator, Regent, Ubar or Ubara.
(25) Magicians of Gor pgs: 83)