The Voice of Gor

Voice of Gor v.5 issue 312 (pdf, short online version, complete only inworld)

## ABOUT THE VOICE OF GOR

# The VOICE OF GOR is an almost weekly Gorean newspaper since 2010.

Forerunners were the “Vonda Voice” (since 03-26-2009, issues 1-56, editor Verona Lorgsval), the “Voice of Gor” (since 07-14-2010, issues 1-133, editor Verona Lorgsval), the Ianda Times (since 2011, issues 1-71, editor Rarius Yuroki [Yuroki Uriza]). The VOICE OF GOR will be published periodically from October 2018.

# (OOC) FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTION

Is the VOICE OF GOR OOC or IC?

This newspaper is available IN CHARACTER at message boards in several cities. But it has OOC parts and IC parts which can be identified although many people mix both. We try to keep the two separate. But if you start a storyline based on an IC article of the VOICE OF GOR it would be useful for a moderator to have a log where you have read the message ICly.

The VOICE OF GOR can be true or false, propaganda or journalism like on earth. There is no freedom of the press on Gor. Why let the truth get in the way of a good story?!

“Goreans were not always fooled by posts on boards.
Those who control the public boards, it is said, control the city.
But I was not sure of this.
Goreans are not stupid.
It is difficult to fool them more than once. They tend to remember.”
(Magicians of Gor)

Why is “publicare et propagare” the motto of the VOICE OF GOR?

You all know that Goreans use message boards to spread news, announcements and gossip. Such are found at various points in Ar, such as the vicinity of squares and plazas, near markets, and on major streets and avenues.

Books are rare on Gor and expensive. Paper is the essential trade good of the Rencers and they sell their wares on both the eastern and western edges of the Delta of the Vosk river. The VOICE OF GOR is a collection of rence paper scrolls but the editor paid some message boards too to spread the newspaper. Gorean Public Boards sometimes made people angry. Those who control the public boards, it is said, control the city.

We took our motto from the Acta Diurna [latin: Daily Acts sometimes translated as Daily Public Records] on earth. The Acta Diurna were daily official notices in ancient Rome, a sort of daily gazette. They were carved on stone or metal and presented in message boards in public places like the Forum of Rome.

Acta Diurna introduced the expression “publicare et propagare”, which means “make public and propagate”. This expression was set in the end of the texts and proclaimed a release to both Roman citizens and non-citizens.

# THE VOICE OF GOR is available:

for members of the group Cartographers and Explorers of Gor secondlife:///app/group/7e73816d-8532-5954-3cdc-7567d36f43c6/about
for members of the group Voice of Gor Subscription Group secondlife:///app/group/86d6d293-72ac-83ca-b05b-34429f85848a/about
for members of the group Alliance of Valkyrie Panthers secondlife:///app/group/e5b743e6-3cc4-c119-6fb1-bffd676a3647/about

Available in character:
Ianda on the Isle of Landa (docks) http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Isle%20of%20Landa/3/22/21

Available OOC:
Gorean campus (Library) http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Gorean%20Campus/75/17/25

The VOICE OF GOR http://www.gorean-forums.com

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The Isle of Ianda belongs to the so-called Exchange Islands in the southern Thassa which controlled the trade between Cos and Tyros on the one hand and the mainland dominated by Ar on the other hand. In the conflict between Ar and Cos Ianda preserved a strict neutrality and thereby the island became a trading centre of goods between the both big empires. On the market of Ianda goods of Cos changed to Ar and goods of Ar changed to Cos as well. To enable this exchange of commodities, on the Isle of Ianda large shipyards were stablished in which roundships and galleys were built. Also other states ordered ships in Ianda: In the year 10.126 C. A. Bila Huruma, the ruler of six united ubarates, let build some hundred vessels on Ianda which should be used on the Nyoki River and the Lake Ushindi. The so resulted wealth woke up the desirability of the pirates of Port Kas as a case from the year 10.119 C. A. shows: At that time in Port Kar a captured man maintained in a torture that Ianda plans an attack on the captains of Port Kar. Although it had come about in the torture, the captains took this statement to the occasion to raid ships of Ianda. By the constant raids of the pirates, but still more by the events of the year 10.131 C. A. the economic situation of Ianda got worse. Since Ar was taken by Cos, Ianda was not required as an intertrader any more.

A caravan of merchants of the Southern Trade Alliance has made the way to the Oasis of Klima again. The path was lost for a long time.

In the distance, below, perhaps five pasangs away, in the hot, concave, white salt bleakness, like a vast, white, shallow bowl, pasangs wide, there were compounds, low, white buildings of mud brick, plastered. There were many of them. They were hard to see in the distance, in the light, but I could make them out.
«Klima, »said Hamid.

“For twenty days had we marched. Some thought it a hundred. Many had lost count. More than two hundred and fifty men had been originally in the salt chain. I did not know how many now trekked with the march. The chain was now much heavier than it had been, for it, even with several sections removed, was carried by far fewer men. To be a salt slave, it is said, one must be strong. Only the strong, it is said, reach Klima.”

Genesian Port

Gossiping in front of the House of Yuroki Bank in Ianda on the island of Landa. Right: Oysin, head of the green caste, and Rarius Yuroki (left), chief merchant.

Playing: DarkFire, Ambassador of the Kaissa Guild of Gor, versus Kjerulf, caste of players. Darkfire won.

1) Introduction: what is the Kaissa?

Kaissa is the Gorean word for “game”. It is a general term that can refer to any type of game but when it is used without qualification, it means only one game, Gorean chess. This is a game very similar to Earth chess though there are numerous differences as well. Kaissa is a very popular game and almost all civilized Goreans, of whatever caste, play. There are many Kaissa clubs and competitions. Lists of important competitions and tournaments are commonly kept in each city’s Cylinder of Documents. Most city libraries have many scrolls of Kaissa strategy and techniques.

Kaissa uses a red and yellow hundred-squared board, with ten ranks and ten files. This is opposed to the normal Earth chessboard of sixty-four squares with eight ranks and files. In Kaissa, there are twenty-two pieces to each side as opposed to sixteen in Earth chess. One side is yellow and the other is red.

Kaissa is played differently throughout Gor. Some cities use different pieces or similar pieces with different abilities. Eventually most cities accepted standard tournament rules, helping to unify and standardize play. These rules were agreed upon by the High Council of the Caste of Players and officially promulgated by the Merchant Caste in 10124 C.A. at the En’Kara fair. Standardized Kaissa may also be known as Merchant Kaissa, Player Kaissa or Kaissa of the En’Kara. Unfortunately, though much information is given about the game, the novels do not provide a complete set of rules for playing Kaissa.

In Torvaldsland, they play their own version of Kaissa. They have a great passion for the game, even greater than those in the south. They sometimes settle disputes over the Kaissa board rather than with weapons. Some pieces differ in their game. The Jarl, their most powerful piece and the Jarl’s Woman, more powerful than the Ubara, are used instead of an Ubar and Ubara. Instead of Tarnsmen there are two Axes. They have no Initiates but have Rune-Priests. They do not have Scribes but have a piece, the Singer, which moves similarly. Their Spearmen move identically as in the southern game. Instead of a Home Stone, there is a Lodge.

Slaves are not commonly permitted to play Kaissa. It is even illegal in some cities for slaves to play or even touch the pieces without permission. They could lose their hands or even be killed for such a violation. Free women also seem not to play Kaissa though there is no explicit prohibition in the books stating that they may not play. Assassin of Gor does make a brief reference that women do not play the game.

2) Southern version: the pieces

Ubar:
The Ubar is the most powerful piece on the board, and is situated on the back row. It can move, on the board, as far as the Player likes in any direction, so long as its way is not impeded by another piece.

Its loss does not constitute the end of the game, this only happens when the Homestone is taken.

Ubara:
The Ubara, situated on the back row on a square of her own colour, moves almost the same way as the Ubar, except for the fact that it is restricted to three squares in any direction, as long as it is not impeded by another piece in its way.

Tarnsman:
The Tarnsman, of which there are two, is another back row piece, and is the Ubar’s most probable right hand man. Its moves are three squares up and two over in any direction. These moves allow the Tarnsman to go over or around another piece, and to capture any piece belonging to an opponent.

The Tarnsman can also move one square in any direction, these moves do not allow it to capture any other piece.

Scribe:
The Scribe, two to each side, sit on the back row. It moves diagonally on its own colour in both directions, but is limited to five squares, as long as no one impedes its progress.

Builder:
The Builder, two per player, is another back row piece. It moves forward, backward and laterally in both directions, with no limit to the number of squares, so long as no one impedes its progress.

Initiate:
The Initiate is one of two pieces per player on the back row. It too, like the Scribe, moves diagonally, but has no limits to how many squares he can move, so long as its way is not impeded by another piece.

Spearman:
The Spearman is one of six each side, and is the main front row piece. It moves forward only and captures only on the diagonal. On the first move, the Spearman has the option of moving either one, two or three squares forward. After the Spearman’s first move it advances only one square at a time. A Spearman can be redeemed for another piece, either the Rider of the High Tharlarion or the Tarnsman: this happens when it has reached the opponent Player’s first rank and can move no further forward.

Rider of the High Tharlarion:
The Rider of the High Tharlarion is one of two pieces per player, and it flanks the six Spearmen on the front row. The Riders can move one square in any direction, as long as they are not impeded by another piece.

Assassin:
The Assassin, two per player, flank the two Riders of the High Tharlarion on the front row. The Assassins can move two squares in any direction forward, backward, laterally or diagonally, so long as they are not impeded by another piece.

Homestone:
The Homestone is the most important piece of the game. It does not start on the board, but each Player must place it on the board by the tenth move. The placement of the Homestone constitutes a movement on its own. If the Homestone isn’t placed on or before the tenth move, the game is over and the other Player will win the match. The aim of the game is to take your opponent’s Homestone without losing your own. The game is over when one or the other Homestone is taken, or one Player resigns, or a draw is accepted. The Homestone has the ability to move one square in any unimpeded direction. It does not, however, have the right to capture other pieces. The placement of the Homestone on the board is your own and your opponent’s choice. The Homestone must be placed on the first rank of one’s playing field, but it cannot be placed on an already occupied square.

3) Northern version: the pieces

Northern version is the Torvaldsland variation of the Southern Kaissa, where some of the pieces have different names and one (the Jarl’s Woman) is more powerful than the Southern version.
Here is a list of the different pieces between Northern and Southern versions:

– Jarl instead of Ubar
– Jarl’s Woman instead of Ubara (Jarl’s Woman is restricted to five cells in any direction, while Ubara is restricted to three)
– Axe instead of Tarnsman
– Singer instead of Scribe
– Rune Priest instead of Initiate
– Physician instead of Assassin
– Lodge instead of Homestone

“The fairs incidentally are governed by Merchant Law and supported by booth rents and taxes levied on the items exchanged. The commercial facilities of these fairs, from money changing to general banking, are the finest I know of on Gor, save those in Ar’s Street of Coins, and letters of credit are accepted and loans negotiated, though often at usurious rates, with what seems reckless indifference. Yet perhaps this is not so puzzling, for the Gorean cities will, within their own walls, enforce the Merchant Law when pertinent, even against their own citizens. If they did not, of course, the fairs would be closed to the citizens of that city.”
(“Priest-Kings of Gor” page 11)

“It is little wonder then that the cities of Gor support and welcome the fairs. Sometimes they provide a common ground on which territorial and commercial disputes may be amicably resolved without loss of honor, plenipotentiaries of warring cities having apparently met by accident among the silken pavilions.
Further, members of castes such as 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.”
(“Priest-Kings of Gor” page 9)

“The fairs, too, however, have many other functions. For example, they serve as a scene of caste conventions, and as loci for the sharing of discoveries and research. It is here, for example, that physicians, and builders and artisans may meet and exchange ideas and techniques. It is here that Merchant Law is drafted and stabilized. It is here that songs are performed, and song dramas. Poets and musicians, and jugglers and magicians, vie for the attention of the crowds. Here one finds peddlers and great merchants. Some sell trinkets and others the notes of cities. It is here that the Gorean language tends to become standardized. These fairs constitute truce grounds. Men of warring cities may meet here without fear. Political negotiation and intrigue are rampant, too, generally secretly so, at the fairs. Peace and war, and arrangements and treaties, are not unoften determined in a pavillion within the precincts of the fairs.”
(“Beasts of Gor” page 44)

My men,” said the captain, “went to the Court of Assassins in Brundisium. Two had been hired, but they did not report back.”
“Nor will they,” said the stranger.
“That is known to me,” said the captain. “Their bodies were washed ashore.”
“You are in danger,” I said to the stranger. “The Assassins will come to avenge their own.”
“No,” said the captain, “at least not those of the Court of Brundisium, unless more coin is put forth. Vendetta is not their way. Their fellows took fee and failed to earn it. They are not to be avenged. They failed. They are disgraced. They are no longer of the Court.”
“Cineas,” said the stranger, “may not even know they failed.”
“He must know,” I said.
“In any event,” said the captain, “my men, amongst whom is Tatsu, perhaps known to Callias, for he was on the great ship, arranged certain matters with the Court of Assassins.”
“I know him,” said the stranger.
“What matters?” I asked the captain.
“Two of the black caste were hired to seek out Cineas, and slay him,” said the captain. “I do not think they have yet found him.”
“What was the fee?” asked the stranger.
“A silver tarsk, each,” said the captain.
(Mariners of Gor, Pages 501 – 502)

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