A Warrior is Born
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 vas 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."
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 vas 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 Adminstrator 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, p 62 - 63
Gor
"Gor," he said, "is the name of this world. In all the languages of this planet, the word means Home Stone." He paused, noting my lack of comprehension. "Home Stone," he repeated. "Simply that."
---Tarnsman of Gor, 2:26
The Gorean senses, or believes, that a city can not be simply identified with its material elements, which undergo their transformations even as do the cells of a human body. -- For them a City is almost a living thing, or more than a living thing. It is an entity with a History, as stones and rivers do not have History, it is an entity with a tradition, hopes. When a Gorean says, for example, that He is of AR, or Ko Ro Ba, He is doing a great deal more than informing You of His place of residence.--- pg. 19 Outlaws of Gor
Scarlets Basic Knowledge
"I was somewhat annoyed to find the Home Stones, taken so seriously in the Cities of Gor that a Man Might be Slain if He did not rise when speaking of the Home Stone of His city, So airily dismissed by the lofty Sarm."
---Priest-Kings of Gor Pg 144
"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 a title to it,for it is the option of a Gorean male to enslave any woman whose life He has saved,and a right which is seldom denied even by the citizens of the girls city or her family. Indeed, there had been cases in which a girls brother 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 to be besmirched."."
---Priest-Kings of Gor Pg 161
"Then,to My astonishment, the Daughter of the Ubar Marlenus,Daughter of the Ubar of Ar,knelt before Me, a simple warrior of Ko-ro-ba, and lowered her head,lifting and extending her arms,the wrists crossed. it was the same simple ceremony that Sana had performed before Me in the chamber of my Father, back at Ko-ro-ba----the submission of captive female.
"Without raising her eyes from the ground, the daughter of the Ubar said in a clear, distinct voice: "I submit myself."
"Later I wished that I had binding fiber to lash her so innocently proffered wrists. I was speachless for a moment, but then, Remembering the harsh Gorean custom required me either to except the submission or slay the captive, I took her wrists in my hands and said, " I accept your submission."."
---Tarnsmen of Gor Pg 99
...Swords are often drawn on Gor over women, and particularly over lovely slaves. Women are prizes, perfections and treasures. It is no wonder that men fight over them with ferocity.
Wars have been fought to recover a stolen slave.
---Renegades of Gor, 21;397
"When a Gorean tells you to draw your blade, it is generally not wise to spend a great deal of time discussing the matter. He may have something in mind." ---Savages of Gor, p.88
--10th Aphorism of the Codes-
It is perilous to detain a Warrior enroute to his City.
-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.
-31st Aphorism of the Codes-
A skilled soldier is not quick to violence; an able fighter does not rage; a mighty conqueror does not give battle; the greatest Ubar is a humble man. The Warrior is all of these things...armed with a healthy mind and a humble spirit, he sees things as they are, and conquers all.
-37th Aphorism of the Codes-
Let the Free Companion of the Warrior who has dishonored himself be locked in a collar of slavery by he who has conquered, that all may see and know that the honor of the fallen is as naught. The Companion of the dishonored is the property of his destroyer, and may be used as he sees fit.
-66th Aphorism of the Codes-
To live well, to fight well, to die well, and to honor his caste and Home Stone. These are the only concerns of the True Warrior.
-100th Aphorism of the Codes-
Let this be the secret greeting of Warriors, that all who are of the scarlet caste may see and know:
Lo Rarius Civitatii Gor.
(I am of the Warriors of the cities of the Home Stone)
* THE FIVE MAXIMS OF THE GOREAN WARRIOR CODES *
-First Maxim-
When honor is due, let honor be done.
-Second Maxim-
Honor the Home Stone which is yours to honor.
-Third Maxim-
Know those who are free, and honor their freedom.
-Fourth Maxim-
Deeds, not words, shall you be measured by.
-Fifth Maxim-
No man is alone who is the friend of steel.
Honor
First and foremost among the traits of any Warrior is His Honor. It is His singularly most precious possession... once lost or damaged, it can only be regained through rigorous trial or longterm atonement, and sometimes not even then. A Warrior's Honor is a beautiful, fragile, powerful, and often fleeting thing, and so it is the responsibility of the Warrior to maintain it at all costs. The concept of a Warrior's Honor is difficult to put into words, especially for those who have never sought it or possessed it. It is a highly personal matter, and cannot be judged by any but the Warrior Himself.
Sword Brother
'Do not harm him,' said Kazrak. 'He is my sword brother, Tarl of Bristol.'Kazrak's remark was in accord with the strange warrior codes of Gor, codes which were as natural to him as the air he breathed, and codes which I, in the Chamber of the Council of Ko-ro-ba, had sworn to uphold One who
has shed your blood, or whose blood you have shed, becomes your
sword brother, unless you formally repudiate the blood on your
weapons. It is part of the kinship of Gorean warriors regardless
of what city it is to which they owe their allegiance.It is
a matter of caste, an expression of respect for those who share
their station and profession, having nothing to do with cities
or Home Stones.
---Tarnsman of Gor, p 119
Pity
He threw down the ax, which rang on the stones of the road
to Ko-ro-ba. Zosk sank down and sat cross-legged in the
road, his gigantic frame shaken with sobs, his massive head
buried in his hands, his thick, guttural voice moaning with
distress. At such a time a man may not be spoken to, for
according to the Gorean way of thinking pity humiliates
both he who pities and he who is pitied. According to the
Gorean way, one may love but one may not pity.
---Outlaw of Gor, p 31
Strangers
The Gorean is suspicious of the stranger, particularly in the
vicinity of his native walls. Indeed, in Gorean the same
word is used for both stranger and enemy.
---Outlaw of Gor, p 49
Truth,Respect,Pride
I am of the Caste of Warriors, and it is in our codes that
the only death fit for a man is that in battle, but I can
no longer believe that this is true, for the man I met once
on the road to Ko-ro-ba died well, and taught me that all
wisdom and truth does not lie in my own codes.
---Priest Kings of Gor, p 14
Do you know who fears to tell the truth?' he asked. `No,' she
said. `A slave,' said Kamchak.
---Nomads of Gor, p 168
"You may judge and scorn Goreans as you wish. Know as well however that they judge and scorn you. They fulfill themselves as you do not. Hate them for their pride and power they will pity you for your shame and weakness." ---pg 11 Beasts of GOR
A Warrior respects anything which can harm Him or His fellow Warriors, although again that respect does not necessarily reflect fear on His part. He also respects beauty and skill, as well as any talent and ability which requires time and talent to perfect... the cunning strategic mind of the Master Kaissa Player, the skill of the musician who strums the kalika, the beautiful and intricate patterns of a delicate tapestry. It takes great skill to throw a spear accurately and far... it takes no less skill for a belled pleasure slave to dance superbly for her Master's pleasure. While a Free Man might not Honor a slave, He can certainly respect her talents and well-tuned slave nature.
(more to come)
