A little debate...

Hello and Welcome back,

It seems my last article sparked a little debate. So I would like to address those things that were brought up. First there was a comment left about if there should or should not be an Ubar in Treve. Most references I have found lists Treve as having an Administrator. Though it could be assumed, if anyone could make war on Treve, Treve would choose an Ubar, like any other city. Though that is just a guess. Our AOLGor perception of the books is skewed, so many things are not played correctly (Port Kar's Admirals being one example).

Secondly, someone brought up, that I was saying that anyone can just meander up and challenge an Administrator or Ubar, for any such reason. I would like to say, no. That's not what I was saying. Allow me to clarify. Any warrior can challenge any other warrior, on a basis of honor, respect, position, etc. Challenges are not entered or made lightly (theoretically). The key to this is the challenge must have basis. You cannot challenge someone for wearing the wrong shoes. You can challenge someone for being dishonorable. It is judged on a case by case basis. Now to be an Administrator is to be a peace-time leader. ANY MALE can be an Administrator. From Physician on down. Administrators are removed by a legal action for legal wrong-doing or ineffectiveness. Ubars MUST be warriors. They have absolute power in war-time. But, a Warrior can be challenged by another warrior. In addition, Ubars must step down when the time of war is over. Any Ubar who does not, is often overthrown by his warriors.

Thirdly, I got an email from Alain Lassiter that I would like to respond too.

The Codes of the Warrior.

A while back there was an issue with a Warrior being brought before the Caste of Warriors for trial. His charges included violations of the codes. It was said that he violated one or more codes of the Warriors and should be removed from his Caste and his position with the Caste. Several numbered "Aphorisms" were listed as the various codes that he had broken.

It would make sense, if you are going to charge someone have a list of the supposed crimes they committed right? However the fault was that there is only one Aphorism listed out by number in the books. The 97th Aphorism, which appears in Book 24 Vagabonds of Gor.
In all 25 books there are only 2 times the word "Aphorism" is used. Both are in Vagabonds, both are in the same chapter and same page.

(The below is the property of John Norman all rights reserved to him, reproduced for editorial comment only.)
“Are you of the Warriors?” asked Labienus.
“Yes,” I said.
“Hear,” said Labienus to his men. “He is of the Warriors.”
“He says he is,” said a fellow, glumly.
“What is the 97th Aphorism in the Codes?” inquired Labienus.
“My scrolls may not be those of Ar,” I said. To be sure, the scrolls should be, at least among the high cities, in virtue of conventions held at the Sardar Fairs, particularly the Fair of En’Kara, much in agreement.
“Will you speak?” asked Labienus.
“Remove the female,” I said.
“He is a Warrior,” said one of the men.
One of the men lifted the bound Ina in his arms, one hand behind the back of her knees, and the other behind her back, and carried her from where we were gathered. In a few moments he returned.
“The female is now out of earshot?” inquired Labienus, staring ahead.
“Yes,” said the fellow, “and she will stay where I left her, on her back, as I tied her hair about the base of a stout shrub.”
“The 97th Aphorism in the Codes I was taught,” I said, “is in the form of a riddle: “What is invisible but more beautiful than diamonds?”
“And the answer?” inquired Labienus.
“That which is silent but deafens thunder.”
The men regarded one another.
“And what is that?” asked Labienus.
“The same,” said I, “as that which depresses no scale but is weightier than gold.”
“And what is that?” asked Labienus.
“Honor,” I said.
“He is of the Warriors,” said a man. Plenius turned away, stricken.
“But I have, in my time,” I said, “betrayed such codes.” Plenius turned back, to regard me, a strange expression on his face.
“I think it is easy enough to do,” I said.
“Yes,” smiled Labienus. “I think that we all, here and there, in our time, have managed that.”
“You are very kind,” I said.


The above, is the ONLY place in the books where an Aphorism of the codes is listed. The ONLY place. Once more.. The Only Place.

So anyone who claims to have a website, or know 100 Aphorisms of the codes, has made them up. They are perhaps Gorean flavored, or intended to be Gorean, but they are not Gorean, nor are many of them of the codes known from the books of Gor. Perhaps some day John Norman will produce a "Compendium" of Gor, an official, guidebook to the setting and characters. Inclusive of the Codes of the Warriors, the Aphorisms, the codes of various castes, the little details that will fill in the cracks we have now on AOLGOR; however until that time, all we have to go on for what IS Gorean and what is NOT, is the 25 published Books of Gor by John Norman.

These books, I do not believe were ever meant for the scrutiny of a roleplaying world. John Norman built himself a world, much like other writers have done before him and after him, but he left holes in it. We have an incomplete Gorean Language, an incomplete understanding of medical technology, ect. I have found the exact same listing of the aphorisms on no less than four other webpages. Someone more diligent and wiser than I must have come up with the 100 aphorisms, and so far as I can tell, a great number of them have quotes to back them up.

"What is it to be a warrior? It is to keep the codes. Nothing else matters." (Beasts of Gor, p.340)

"One does not speak to a slave of the codes" (Beasts of Gor, p.340)

Now I can argue the merits of the 100 Aphorisms with you, until we are both blue in the face. You will say, "because they are not in the books they do not exist, therefore they are not Gorean." And I will return with, "much of what we do not do is listed in the books. How many have rped their character's pilgrimage to the Sadar? How many have rped their stabilization? How many women are branded and then freed? These people who have not or have ever been guilty of not staying true to the books 100% in all things, are therefore not Gorean, and able to be ignored. And if you support their rp choices, you are not Gorean, therefore you should be ignored."

One of the tandamount problems with AOLGor, is that there are gaps in John Norman's world. And we as muns cannot agree on how best to fill those gaps, so we each take our stands and lead off in our own way, and ignore any other way of thinking. I, for one, believe the 100 Aphorisms to be Gorean. They embody what I think defines a warrior, they fill in the gap. I did not write them, but I respect the person who had the wisdom to sit and write them. You don't have to agree with me, and you can continue along your way. But I would challenge you to think on this. What if we did agree? What if there was a set listing of all the gaps in John Norman's writings filled? Is this a possibility? Can we as muns sit down like adults and work out these things and compromise? Or are our muns so fragmented that the thought of submitting to another's ideas to be silly?

I wish you well.

For tomorrow is another day.

Mun of Torrin

(Also, I am accepting articles to be published in the paper. I am taking any sort of editorials on Gorean roleplay, logs of improper Gorean play, crossing, or un-Gorean characters of play)

***Please, visit the TMOG Resource Site and the Gorean Times the links are on the right hand sidebar of the paper.***

***If you wish to read older Articles, please click on the "Grave News" link on the sidebar***

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Trouble in Treve

Hello and Welcome back all,

I've been away for quite some time, and have not been around to write many articles. But the goings on in Treve have once again caught my attention. It seems their Ubar was recently challenged for his position. This is not uncommon in Treve. They switch Ubars more often than most people change underwear in a month. But this one is a special case and I just want to go over it. A lesson for anyone playing a warrior.

I would first like to go off topic to address one thing. I have been receiving alot of IM logs and room logs, and while I will not get into their OOC non-sense. The characters of Firenza of Treve and Melania of Treve need a serious attitude adjustment. Their mouths (Or the the mouths of their NPC Guards) seem to have no limits, including spouting and thought RPing off such jewels as:

Firenza of Treve: She got unceremoniously yanked from her kneel and hauledback away from the action. Travis would catch hold of Melania's arm as welland lead her gently back to his sister. With that accomplished, he went tojoin Seravok at his
Firenza of Treve: side, fully ready to fight in the place of his Ubar whichwas, of course, the man's right as ruler of this city. It was stupid tochallenge a man who commanded MANY men on his home turf. His eyes narrowedfaintly on Kriger and then
Firenza of Treve: he smoked. "Fool." There. Outright. [d]
Melania of Treve: You fat f*cken swine..::remembering now Warn's adjectivesthat best describes this man::: You are not fit to tend tarsks ::and thereher impulsive tongue let loose..but not before Travis caught hold of her armand walked her to
Melania of Treve: Firenza::

...and...

Firenza of Treve: "Do the words of a mere woman affect you so...warrior?"Now that...pissed her off.
Firenza of Treve: "She is free. She can speak her own mind."

Ah-ha, wrong. A woman can speak her mind, all she wants to. Until a man informs her to shut her mouth. This is a male dominated society. If a man tells a woman to shut up, she better, or risk a collar.

Now back on subject. Myk of Treve (Ubar) was challenged by Kriger avHelvete to canjellne. Myk of Treve allowed WarnTheDeviI to fight for him in the challenge. Well as it goes, WarntheDevil won a very close DM, leading to Kriger's death. So far as i know Kriger is not challenging the DM and the scoring is correct. What I plan to address is Myk of Treve's assigning another Warrior to fight for him. Consider the following Warrior codes:


-21st Aphorism of the Codes-
To touch a Warrior without his permission is canjellne. To draw a weapon against a Warrior is canjellne. To misuse the property of a Warrior without recompense is canjellne. Canjellne is the Rite of Challenge. Woe be it to any who so challenges a Warrior!

-22nd Aphorism of the Codes-
A Warrior meets the challenges of those who do not share his caste in the manner he sees fit. Such a challenge may be so met in any fashion, provided it is not ignored.

-23rd Aphorism of the Codes-
A Warrior may respond to the rightful challenge of another Warrior in one of two ways: He may yield all, or he may answer with steel. Woe be it to any who yields all! A collar of iron awaits him one day.

These are three codes that apply to this chalenge. Kriger was a warrior, his challenge was rightful. Myk of Treve had only two responses. Yeild his seat as Ubar or answer with his steel. He choose neither path. He had another warrior fight for him. They justify it with the following arguement:

Firenza of Treve: [Um. Wrong. The Ubarate rights extend past those of amere warrior. And, for the record? ALL Ubars were of the Red Caste, since itwas a war-time or battle-time position.]

The Ubarate rights extend past those of a "mere warrior." Must they be reminded that to be a Warrior is to be one of the High Castes? Must they be reminded that without that caste the man would be NOTHING?!? How can a Warrior be above his own codes? Observe these codes:


-17th Aphorism of the Codes-
There is a time for Ubars, and there is a time when Ubars must also bow. Let no Ubar stand longer than his city has need of him.

-20th Aphorism of the Codes-
No Warrior can be of the Warriors who lives not the Codes of his caste.

If this man chooses not to follow by his codes for whatever ill-conceived reason, then he is not a Warrior, and by Firenza's own admission, NOT the Ubar.

Just something to dwell on. I congratulate however the two who did participate in the DM. They are not easy things to face and many would go running from them. You have played you characters well in that respect.

I wish you well.

For tomorrow is another day.

Mun of Torrin

(Also, I am accepting articles to be published in the paper. I am taking any sort of editorials on Gorean roleplay, logs of improper Gorean play, crossing, or un-Gorean characters of play)

***Please, visit the TMOG Resource Site and the Gorean Times the links are on the right hand sidebar of the paper.***

***If you wish to read older Articles, please click on the "Grave News" link on the sidebar***

***If you like what you've read, spread The Grave News. Link it to your profile and share it with the muns you RP with.***