Strength

(Sebcaen Ulysses in Purgatorio)

I have been both servant and Master. Master is a far harder role. To be a Master takes great strength, patience, wisdom, decisiveness, ritual, bravery, and belief. The unspoken incidents occur when a Master turns to his kajira or kajirus and whispers in their ear he has no idea what he is doing. The internal battle to lead, motivate, reason, manage, and secure honor slowly wear down even the best Masters… to be on stage every moment is exhausting.

To be a good Master, you must have internal strength, a solid understanding of who you are and what you need. This is easier said then done, for all Masters and Mistresses have those moments where they send their little ones on chores and close the doors and rest their throbbing head in their hands and breath deep….questioning their ability to lead. They shake their heads and look around wondering how anyone would be foolish enough to follow them. They may never admit it, but every Master and Mistress has had this moment at least once and probably more.

But they shake it off and realize that the literal happiness and well being of another person rests solely on their shoulders. Bad Masters and Mistresses tune out at this moment and treat their little ones badly. Good Masters and Mistresses lose sleep over the well being of their chain.

Master and Mistress may seem a glamorous job, all the attention on them, what they say goes…but it is a challenging role for a true Master and Mistress. They do not walk the road lightly.

Envy

(Simply Faith by Sebcaen Ulysses)

There is that day when a Master or Mistress announces that he or she will be adding another to the chain. For the Firsts, this day is a test of their loyalty. On the one hand, they are excited for a brother or sister and show encouragement to their Master or Mistress, all the while their hearts beat fast and their palms sweat with jealousy.  A servant kajirus or kajira may wonder what need they did not fill in their Master or Mistress.

Replacement is an unspoken fear among kajirae and kajiri, especially the longer they serve a Master or Mistress. Things become routine, they finish each other’s sentences, they have an intimacy that goes beyond the sexual and into the heart. Like a Free Companionship. So the notion of an addition to a chain is an internal traumatizing event for many little ones.

The very thought drives many kajirae and kajiri to go crazy, seething and throwing tantrums, expecting some due place of authority in the house, picking fights with the new brother or sister, competing, conniving, even becoming demanding. Those instances never turn out happily for either party.

A wise kajira or kajirus has already resigned themselves from the moment they accept a collar that they will never meet every need of a Master and Mistress. They can fool themselves in believing it, that their Master or Mistress will one day free them from the collar and Free Companion them, but they are just fooling themselves. Of course the best do find a strength and intimacy with their Master and Mistress that is their own, and yes, there are rare occassions where it ends with a Free Companionship. However, a content kajirus and kajira also knows that their Master or Mistress will also have those deep relationships with others as well, even if they are Free Companioned.

Wise kajirae and kajiri accept their jealousy and look on the positive, befriending the brother and sister and preparing them for serving their Master or Mistress to the best of their ability. This is what is expected, it is the role of the Firsts. Masters and Mistresses depend on the Firsts to build their chain. A good First who gets over their envy and looks at the chain like a business tends to find they are happier and have more status with their Master or Mistress.

Envy and jealousy lead to dark roads ahead…..positive attitude and driving yourself to serve under any circumstance, and do it well….well, that is a great kajira and kajirus.

Patience

(Photos of Kaylla Decosta by Sebcaen Ulysses)

Kajirae and kajiri are rarely given lessons in patience. Patience is an inactive activity in the life of a little ones. It is a secret passed on from boy to girl to calm them when their Master or Mistress travels, or kneeling during an uninteresting conversation amongst Free.

The best of the kajira and kajirus learn to use patience to strengthen themselves. It is those periods of waiting that a kajira and kajirus can learn and observe, sit quietly and take notes in their scrolls. It is that valuable time when their Masters and Mistresses are away to fine tune their serves, to put that little added drama to their dances. It is a time of reflection, of reaching out to their brothers and sisters and forming bonds.

Little ones are never prepared for those periods of waiting….looking out over the oceans or sands or forests of Gor and wondering when their Masters and Mistresses will return. Many go mad, acting precariously and defiling their Homestones. The best take the opportunity to reflect, think, and understand how better to serve.

There is a great sense of loss in a little one waiting for their Master or Mistress’s return. They sit and pour over scrolls, venture into cities,  keep their guard against danger (if they are good). Many in Gor have had those days, weeks, months, even years, waiting for the return, honing their skills in anticipation of the day when they look in their beloved’s eyes again.

Patience is an art that only the strongest are able to conquer…only the brave dare.

My Frustration With Gay Gor

I have been a part of gay Gor since the first city of Skjern was christened. I have seen the rise of Tabor, White Water, Farnacium, Red Rock, and many other cities, outlaw outposts and panther havens dedicated to the sole goal of establishing Gay Gor as a legitimate presence in Gor in Second Life. We have had countless success. There have been times when our cities were the envy of role play, creativity, and truly the spirit of John Norman. Gay Gor has established itself as a player due to the hard work of many, many people here, most of all my first Master, Reodominus Commander, Kyle Onmura, Tap Quentin, Levy Munro, and countless others. Those of us early Second Lifers remember the bigotry we experienced in straight Gor which brought us to establish Skjern, Red Rock, Tabor, White Water, and Farnacium.

However, we have lost our way countless times. Those of us true to Gor understand the nuances of the novels, even if we do not think they are the best. I myself have rolled my eyes at them. But at the end of the day, we role play Gor because we see fundamental truths in John Norman’s writings we can relate to.

Unfortunately, Gay Gor has the reputation of taking on players who are here not to enhance the themes of John Norman, but to get laid or take War of Worldcraft to Second Life. The true tragedy of Gay Gor is that we have let people interested in fucking take positions of power and mold the experience for those of us who actually want to role play the essence of the novels. We have let in gamers into our cities. We have lowered our standards in terms of the actors and characters of Gor which make our cities interesting for the cheap thrill of a bow or sword that can kill a person. It is not skill, it is money to buy the best. But that says nothing of a person’s ability to role play.

If Gay Gor were Hollywood, we have decided to fund the next Myley Cyrus act or the next American Pie, versus believing in the next Death of a Salesman or Doubt. We have decided we are cheap and tolerate cheap entertainment, versus a true spirit of character, storyline and arc.

I am with my friend Misha….Gay Gor is inferior to the experience in straight Gor right now. They out play, out class, and out arc what should be easy for gays accustomed to good drama. If you ever hope to be respected, I suggest you remember why you are here. If you are here to screw, go to the BDSM sims. If you are truly here to play Gor, then get a character, get a storyline, find restraint and patience and perform. If you truly perform, you will have fun and bring something glorious to the experience of Gor.

Being A Kajirus and Kajira

Being a kajirus or kajira is a test of patience, humility, and strength. The life of the kajirus or kajira, a true devoted slave to his or her Master, is never an easy road. First, if you are truly devoted to your Master, you begin to understand them on a whole new level than anyone else in Gor. You also begin to peel away the layers of their weaknesses. Even the strongest Master or Mistress in the safety of their homes will pull their little one up in their arms and confess the darkest sins, their deepest secrets… the points of their lives that only the person standing by their side at all times will ever know.

Being a kajirus or a kajira is like being a stage manager for a famous actor or artist. They are the people who make sure their subject appears beautiful and strong and confident to the masses, for their fortunes rise and fall with the reputation of their Masters and Mistresses.  After all, who wants to serve a weak Master or Mistress in the eyes of Gor. It holds no status for the kajirus or kajira and they often will look elsewhere, serve others, try to move onto the next gig.

However, there are certain kajiri or kajirae that are special beyond belief. They know they are good and could serve anyone. But they choose a Master or Mistress they believe in, even if that Master or Mistress does not believe in themselves. They are the true slaves of Gor. Those who never give up and are loyal to good Masters or Mistresses who have lost their way. It is easy for a  gold digger to jump ship, because their true servitude is to themselves, not their Master or Mistress.

A truly good slave picks a Master or Mistress in their heart and says, “I believe in that person.” And they stick through the bad, the good, the struggle, the sorrow, the celebration of being with an interesting, maybe unconventional Master or Mistress just trying to find their way through the harsh world of Gor. They are the unnamed heroes of Gor, the people who enjoy the fact their Master or Mistress is on display and do whatever they can to enhance their brand in Gor.

My boy Kynzi is one of those unsung heroes of Gor. He is a boy who does not need to be the center of attention, though he is because he is charming and sweet. He is a boy who is loyal, no matter how much his Master pushes away. He is a boy with empathy, patience, and understanding in his heart. No matter how much his Master hurts him through his struggle, he stands by him. Why? Because he believes in his Master. He sees both his weaknesses and his strengths. Though he is tried many times, he understands the struggles his Master endures and celebrates when his Master achieves. There is no doubt in anyone’s mind that his Master would never achieve without his boy. It is his boy who provides him the motivation, the confidence, the shear will to be his best. And his boy feeds him the things he needs to accomplish this.

To be a good kajirus and kajira, it is like a marriage without the formality of the ceremony. It is instead the meeting of two minds who love each other in their hearts and develop a singular goal. They fight and hurt together. Everything they experience is through the eyes of each other. And it is from these perspectives, greatness grows, for they feed each other the confidence, the love, the belief that their chain can and will be successful…together, no matter what Gorean life sets upon them.

I have known a few true kajiri and kajirae. They are the ones the other slaves talk about. They are the ones that slaves are in awe of, because they have achieved an intimacy that is difficult with a Master or Mistress. They are the ones that when they pass in cities, even the Free give a nod of respect, for they rarely see the glory of true servitude except when they see these kajiri and kajirae.

Slaves Stand In The Presence of Free

Talena stood up. “Tonight,” she said, “Let us drink wine.” It was a Gorean expression, a fatalistic maxim in which the events of the morrow were cast into the laps of the Priest Kings.

“Let us drink wine,” I agreed.

That night I took Talena into the City of Tents, and by the light of torches set on lances, we walked arm and arm through the crowded streets, among colorful tents and market stalls.

- John Norman, “Tarnsman of Gor”

For those of you who have not read the book, Talena, the Ubar of Ar’s daughter, was captured by Tarl and was a kajira at this point, though she was imperious to her role. So I find it strange that though she is the Ubar’s daughter, she wears a collar and walks arm in arm with her Master among the Free. It must mean that slaves do not always have to be on their knees if Gorean Free tolerated Talena standing. If I were still a kajirus, I would find that quite revolutionary.

How To Fly A Tarn

The tarnsman is the bravest of the red caste. Not only do they have to fight enemies as their brothern, they also have to face the reality that at any moment their tarn may forget the goad and decide his Master will make a good meal. The tarn is trained by the caste of the Tarn Keepers. They train their birds with a tarn goad, a device that sends electrical shocks of the Priest Kings through the body. The young tarn quickly learns to fear the goad and a ring is worn around the adult’s feet to remind them of the hobbling wire and the goad. However, these devices are only temporary to the tarn. As Tarl affectionately called his bird, he is the Ubar of the Skies. And as such, he is feared and revered in Gor. For he will quickly grab a human in his sharp talons, taking them to his nest where he will slowly peck at their flesh as he feeds, his razor sharp beak easily chewing through the bone of a common man of Gor.

So a tarnsman trusts his life to the will of the Priest Kings every time he mounts the beast, hoping his tarn has fed as he climbs the five-rung mounting ladder to the saddle on the back of the great bird. The tarn is guided by a throat strap to which are attached five reins fixed in a metal ring on the forward position of the saddle. The tarnsmen uses each strap to motion the great bird in various directions. For example, to land or lower the bird, the four strap is pulled, exerting pressure at the throat of the bird. The tarn moves to the least resistant point. Thus when exerting pressure on the great bird, he minimizes by going in the direction indicated. To rise, the tarnsman pulls the one strap, located at the back of the tarn’s neck. The other straps indicate directions, north, south, east and west.

The tarn also responds to verbal cues as well. When a tarnsman cries, Tabuk, a common Gorean antelope, the tarn understands that he can find prey as the tarnsman stays mounted on the back of the bird. It is the signal that the tarn may hunt.

The Ancient Scrolls Part 1

Matrix Voom looks over the scroll again, blinking his eyes. The words seem blurred to him as he rubs his eyelids.

Matrix Voom mouths the words as he reads the ancient scroll…”Those members of the Black Caste of Assassins, the most hated caste of Gor, who had served Pa-Kur, were taken in chains down the Vosk to become galley slaves on the cargo ships that ply Gor’s oceans.”

Matrix Voom rubs his chin, thinking oddly enough the body of Pa-Kur was never recovered.

Matrix Voom lifts his sapphire eyes from the scroll, his head reeling, muttering to himself, “surely not….”

Matrix Voom lifts the goblet of ka-la-na to his lips and feels the throbbing in his head.

The Manumission of Kynzi

Certificate of Release, and Elevation to Free Status:

This Document Presented by and Attested to by the Island of Three Winds serves as Notice, and Official Recognition, of the Release of the Slave known as Kynzi Iwashi from his State of Bondage, and further Recognizes, and Attests to the Elevation of the afore-named slave to the State, Rank, and Title of Free Man of Gor with all Rights Privileges, Duties, and Responsibilities inherent in the Bearing of the Title.

I , Kyle Onmura, Administrator of the Island of Three Winds, on this 23rd day of July, in the year of the Priest Kings Two Thousand and Nine, do hereby swear Release of the slave known asKynzi Iwashi, and relinquish all claims to, and influence over the afore-mentioned slave. And further, do formally recognize and support his Elevation to the Status of Free Man of Gor.

My seal:
Kyle Onmura
Island of Three WInds
􀀁

Witnessed by:
Levy Munro
Ubar of White Water􀀀

—
[23:18]  Kyle Onmura hugs his boy, kisses his neck “So you are certain about this, mine? YOu feel like you can face life on your feet?”
[23:19]  kynzi Iwashi: Yes, my Master, I will come back to You if I can not
[23:20]  Kyle Onmura nods “Alright, mine. Then get off me.”
[23:20]  Kyle Onmura smiles
[23:20]  kynzi Iwashi: my Master
[23:21]  Kyle Onmura: Tal, Ubar.
[23:21]  kynzi Iwashi: before we do this, just know I love You and master T for everything You have done for me and have given to me
[23:21]  Levy Munro: Tal
[23:21]  Kyle Onmura: This is the boy, Levy.
[23:21]  kynzi Iwashi: Greetings, Ubar
[23:21]  Kyle Onmura looks at his boy, not sure whether to be sad or happy.
[23:22]  Kyle Onmura: You served us well, mine.
[23:22]  kynzi Iwashi bows his head with clouded eyes
[23:23]  kynzi Iwashi: Thank You, for the opportunity to do so
[23:23]  Kyle Onmura: Levy, I’d like you to witness the manumission of this boy. It is my wish that he should be released from his bondage and walk among the Free.
[23:23]  Levy Munro nods..I will of course
[23:24]  Kyle Onmura takes a small key from his belt pouch, thinking it is getting empty in there these days, then leans forward and inserts the key into the lock of kynzi’s collar.
[23:24]  Kyle Onmura turns the key, the lock grinds open without a bit of hesitation.
[23:24]  Kyle Onmura opens the collar and takes if off the boy’s neck, tosses it onto the table.
[23:25]  kynzi Iwashi closes his eyes for a minute. A little unsure of the future and where it might lead.
[23:25]  Kyle Onmura smiles down at his former boy “Stand, Kynzi. And welcome among the Free.”
[23:25]  kynzi Iwashi: Thank you, I will not forget all you have done for me.
[23:25]  kynzi Iwashi hugs you
[23:26]  Kyle Onmura hugs Kynzi, holds him tight and kisses him, trying hard not to cry.
[23:26]  Levy Munro looks on a little sad
[23:26]  Kyle Onmura: May your new life be a happy one, Kyn.
[23:26]  kynzi Iwashi: Thank you, I will always call this my home.
[23:26]  Kyle Onmura: But now get out of those silks and get dressed decently before someone collars you for wearing silks.
[23:27]  Kyle Onmura smiles “I would hope so. This is your home, as a Free or as a boy.”
[23:27]  kynzi Iwashi: I will have to dig deep for clothing.
[23:27]  kynzi Iwashi accepted your inventory offer.
[23:28]  Kyle Onmura tosses him a pair of old pants and a shirt.
[23:28]  kynzi Iwashi: Thank you. Takes the pants and pulls them on.
[23:28]  kynzi Iwashi: Thank you Ubar, for being here
[23:29]  Kyle Onmura sits down and starts drafting the manumission papers…
[23:30]  Levy Munro: with pleasure
[23:31]  kynzi Iwashi: I look so small to be free
[23:31]  kynzi Iwashi: I will have to visit a stretcher
[23:32]  Kyle Onmura signs the paper with a flourish and seals it, then hands it to the Ubar.
[23:32]  Kyle Onmura: Well, Kynzi, we will make you grow up soon.
[23:32]  Kyle Onmura smiles
[23:32]  kynzi Iwashi: smiles
[23:33]  kynzi Iwashi: Thank you, It might take a while to get used to the change
[23:33]  Kyle Onmura: And you’ll need to go shopping, I guess.
[23:33]  Kyle Onmura: I doubt that’ll be a major hardship for you, though.
[23:33]  Kyle Onmura grins

Loving a Master or Mistress

The biggest mistake a kajira or kajirus can make is thinking they will convince their Master or Mistress they will fall in love with them. It is a no win situation if you go into a collar thinking you will somehow beguile your Master or Mistress into wanting you above all else. The whims of Free are not up to little ones. They stand alone in their own decisions. To truly serve a Master and Mistress is to accept their decisions, whether you think they are right or wrong. A good slave will give their opinion when asked, but will accept if the Free do not listen. Until you have stood on your feet and see the responsibility of Free, then do not think you understand the pressure of the job. I have always said it is much easier being a slave than a Free. When you are a slave, you only have one goal…..to please your Master or Mistress. Free have to contend with the lives and happines of their chain. They also have to uphold the demands of their caste. And of course the politics of the cities they belong to. They shield their little ones from these things. So even if you disagree with a decision your Master or Mistress make, and you are warranted as a good slave to say your peace, understand, there is much more involved with being Free. Your job is to support your Master or Mistress’s decisions above all else. You support them when they stumble and encourage them when they do they right thing. Remeber that their journey as Free is not unlike yours as a slave…..we all learn through experience.