Version 1.2
kaesovalleran@aol.com
More than likely, you’ve read a little about Gor, or heard a little, and you want to play a Free Male character. Maybe. But you’d like a little more info. Well, here ya go. This FAQ is broken into two parts; a discussion of free men in general, and a discussion of how free men Master, and interact with kajirae.
Part I – the Gorean Free Man
Free man, or Master? What’s the difference?
When a kajira is addressing you, it’s the same thing. All free men are addressed as “Master” ( free women being addressed as “Mistress” ). From an objective point of view, a free man is a male that has a caste, is not currently enslaved himself, and who may or may not own kajirae. A Master seen in this light is as a Free Man, but one who owns Kajirae.
Lost yet? Don’t worry. In all but the most precise of conversations, the two are the same. For now, we’ll leave the discussion of slave ownership out of it, and just concern ourselves with Free Men themselves.
Okay… free man; what are the basic character traits?
Confidence. Boldness. A knowledge of self. A directness in speech; a free man says what he means, plainly, and has little patience for anyone doing otherwise. If he has a need, he satisfies it. He is respectful of free women, shows due respect to other free men, and serves his caste as best he can. He takes care of his own. His is much more hardy than the typical male on Earth; He is probably at least familiar with weapons, if not skilled in their use. Family, Home, and House are all very important to a free man, and an insult to any of the above is taken very seriously. A free man is bound solidly and completely by his word.
What’s necessary to know about my character?
When creating your character, get a sense of the man. Because you as a man are a visual being, close your eyes and see him in your mind’s eye. Know his description. Men of Gor have been selected by a harsh environment for more than ten thousand years, so they are typically exhibit traits that allow for survival; strength, dexterity, and physical attractiveness. From the beginning, you should chose your character’s caste ( more on this, below ). This is the bare minimum you should have to begin playing in Gor. Other players will expect this information in your profile, or at least from you in conversation. Other typical information you would know about your character would be his home city, his residence, the items he usually carries on his person, and his basic mannerisms. Your character might be very similar to his mun ( that’s you, the real person playing ), he might be an experiment, far different than the mun, or he might be a blend. Most people find it easier to play a character close to themselves in temperament and manner.
What’s caste?
Caste is job and social status rolled into one. It is largely determined by birth ( you’re the same caste as your father was ) but this is not an absolute rule. During the course of a lifetime a man may switch castes, but this is rare. A man’s caste is obvious at a glance, as each caste wears a particular color ( or color combination ) garment.
Common castes include warriors, builders, merchants, peasants, and craftsman ( of some particular variety ). There are many, many castes… and all castes fit into a sort of pecking order. You should pick a caste as part of your character creation, and assume it was your character’s father’s caste.
Which caste is right for me?
For your first character, it’s best to play a caste you can identify with in some way, one that closely matches the mun.
Can I just have -no- caste?
For a first character, I would not recommend this. If you have no caste at all, it has either been stripped from you ( you are a slave ), you have forsaken it ( you are an outlaw ), or you never had one to begin with ( you are a feral or a barbarian ). None of these choices is attractive for the beginning character; even experienced players have difficulty playing them well. So this early one, it’s best to choose a caste.
Can I be enslaved?
Most certainly, you can... but as a male, this is not difficult to avoid under most circumstances. Do not act as a slave ( dress like one, speak like one, or follow directions like one ). Do not ask to be a slave ( duh ). Try not to be taken prisoner after some sort of combat ( death is the only honorable option for the loser for combat meant to lead to death; to beg for life is to beg to be a slave ). Male slaves are the captured, the subjugated, the weak, the submissive, and the displaced in a society that cherishes strength, honor, masculinity, and confidence. Don’t put yourself in a position to be enslaved, and odds are you won’t be.
Can I be killed?
Definitely. There is much more chance of this happening than you being enslaved. Watch your tongue, and avoid fights unless there is no other way, or your honor requires it ( this actually falls under there being no other way ). When your character is killed in combat, you have to delete the SN and make up a new one. New picture, new house, new background, new everything. Character death sucks, for the most part, and can be disheartening for the newbie.
It happens to us all. Make up a new character, and get back in there.
How do I fight?
That is beyond the scope of this FAQ; Do a websearch for “AOL Online Gor combat” and peruse the pages that come up. Basically, it’s a coin toss, probably weighted on the side of the guy you’re fighting, since this is your first character. Best to avoid fights at this stage.
What does a free man do during RP?
He interacts. He goes places, boasts of himself, makes an ass out of himself in taverns, uses kajira, disciplines slaves in need of it. He makes friends and enemies, gets a group together and founds a house, protects his property and that of his comrades, defends himself and what is valuable to him, and redresses all wrongs perpetrated against him.
A mouthful? Go to the Gor rooms, watch what the other characters do. When you get the idea “Hey, I could do that”, go and do it. It’s that simple.
How much crap do I have to take?
As a free man, you should take very little crap from anyone. This doesn’t mean you are belligerent, but neither will you stand for any disrespect tossed in your direction. Discretion may be the better part of valor, but to let a slight go by without challenging it, you take a real risk being enslaved. Defend your honor, respect others.
A free man will take zero crap from a slave, outlaw, feral, or other non-free non-casted individual. A free man is expected, has a responsibility to answer any attitude, any misbehavior with swift discipline. There is no limit on this in Gorean society; If a slave insults you, you may slay that slave, and Gorean law will hold you as righteous. You may however need to make reparations the the slave’s owner, for destroying property. This can usually be worked out, especially if the slave had a bad attitude.
What should I include in my profile?
Well, what would you want to know about someone else?
Look at the profiles of other free men. What do you see? Homestone, caste, age, weapons, relatives, House, the basics. More detail is better than less. Typically, men looking at your profile want to know the facts, while women ( slave and free ) want to know about the man. Decide who you’re writing for ( ideally both ) and proceed accordingly. If you are a Warrior, but you don’t mention your status ( free or slave ) in your profile, and your caste is not obvious, it is childish to be offended if you are taken for a slave, or no one regards you with the respect due a Warrior. Use common sense.
What about a web page?
Again, more detail is better. A page or three will usually suffice. This is not necessary, though. A picture is usually mandatory if you have a web page; make sure it’s a good one. Remember, men of Gor wear no armor save a helmet, and it is safe to say that should you assume any likeness of Brad Pitt or any character from the Lord of the Rings movie, you will have many, many identical twins on Gor. Try to be a bit original.
( No offense intended to all the proud men of Gor who just happen to bear a striking resemblance to Mr. Pitt or Aragorn. )
How does a free man interact with women?
Heh.
A free man of Gor respects free women, who act as free women. He does not strip the veil, speak to them as if they were slaves, or suggest they participate in slave like conduct. This is not honorable, nor is it done. If you want to do or say something sexually charged… find –any- slave, and go crazy. They’re there for your use. Free women… are not here for your sexual use. They are here for the same reasons you are; to promote their house, to further their caste, to find a companion, and so on. They are not here to be your sextoy; that’s what slaves are for.
A corollary of this is that any free woman that acts as a slave either –wants- to be enslaved, or is exhibiting poor RP. There is no middle ground here, really.
Part II - kajirae and collaring
There are all these slave girls around… what do I do?
Pretty much whatever you want. You are a free man of Gor, and most any slave is at your total disposal for any errand or duty, sexual or otherwise. Service is their life, and you are their purpose. Should a slave have special restrictions, it will usually be the first thing out of her lovely mouth. You may of course ignore these and use her as you see fit; you are a Man of Gor. But beware the consequences of your actions.
What is collaring?
The term collaring simply means the symbolic act of claiming a slave as your own. It signifies a girl being taken by her Owner. An actual collar ( one of differing styles, but a plain band of iron or steel serves nicely ) is placed around a girl’s neck, and locked. The collar may be plain, but usually with some sort of writing on the collar stating who her Owner is. A collaring is the act of enslaving another, period... It makes one a slave, in the eyes of the law and of all society. Collars may be begged, accepted, or forced.
What is Mastering?
Mastering is possessing a girl ( a slave ) so completely that she lives and breaths for her Master’s every whim, to always hope to be called to serve and found pleasing because her Master has set himself deep within her heart and soul. Its being able to command with a look; its taking the time to be with a girl and show her how deep into that submission she can go with your touch, instilling her the heartfelt desire to please only you.
This is the ideal. Many just slap a metal collar on a girl’s neck and expect it all to happen. It doesn’t work that way.
Many take on slaves really not understanding the responsibility of such an act. A mun makes a slave character so she may be Mastered, and needs him to do just that. Mastering is a long-term investment of time and energy. Any fool can collar a girl wishing to be Mastered… only a real man of Gor can Master her slave’s heart.
The average female mun on Gor who plays slaves has been collared numerous times but very very few actually are Mastered. One needs to know himself well, to have Mastered his own control and strength before he can truly Master another for the fulfillment of both. Most muns who play slaves are desperately thirsty for this feeling; it is a rare thing, but terribly fulfilling when it happens.
Are you capable of such a thing?
When should I take a kajira?
When there is a general, at least, basic understanding of Gor. When you can wander into the rooms and interact with others without constantly being corrected, when you feel confident you can Master a girl and give her more than any average man of Gor with the quick collar could, when it becomes more than just the petty thrill of the idea of slapping iron around a pretty girl’s throat and –calling- her yours…
Maybe you’re ready.
The true kajira she needs her Master, she lives to please him and she loses part of herself, possibly becoming despondent and unable to even be able to please him if he is not looking after her on a regular basis. This is how it often happens on Gor, unfortunately: A free man that has neither the time nor the inclination to Master simply collars a girl that catches his eye. Most men are like this. Most –women- however ( or muns that play women ) are the opposite, they really want/need that dedication. So the typical man colars and leaves, and the typical kajira is despondent, and not happy with her situation at all.
Don’t be typical. And when you see this happen, understand that you are seeing something selfish, childish, and un-manly.
Shouldn’t every free man collar?
Absolutely not.
It’s easy to draw a false conclusion about what a true Man of Gor is. A Man of Gor feels a strong natural dominance, and the power of the land. He has the ability to do what he wills and control a certain situation as he wishes; this instinct is very pronounced but again- if you haven’t the time to make that slave feel her slavery deeply, a true Man of Gor does not collar. Collaring as done in the books may seem trivial ( and was, at times ), but here we are RPing, and a certain amount of consideration shold be shown. As a considerate mun and a thinking man who realizes why women make slave names, understand that others who make characters for a person, to be Mastered. You can't Master on occasion.
So, I think I’ve got my act together, and I want to collar. How do I do it?
Several options present themselves:
- Find an uncollared kajira, and after you decide the fit is right ( no pun intended ) take her as your own. Put your collar on her, and call her yours.
- Find a collared, though abandoned, kajira. This is not hard; plenty of inconsiderate men will leave such women about. Again, see if the fit is right, and if it is, take her.
- Find a slaver, tell him or her what you’re looking for. Any slaver worth the title will be able to find you what you want… make sure your new property is all you want, then pay for it, colar it, and take it home with you. Paper, or plastic?
Those are the options that involve very little risk. These are riskier:
- You may capture the kajira of another Master and take her as your own.
- You may find a Free Woman who is acting as a slave might, and collar her
- You may find a slave you think you would enjoy, and slay her Master, then take her as your own.
The choices immediately above are dangerous, and while arguably Gorean, I would not recommend any of them to the newbie. If you pursue any of these options, your character may likely be killed. Perhaps the Master you attempt to steal the kajira from is a ( much ) better fighter than you are; perhaps he just has many more friends who would help him, or avenge him. In the case of collaring a Free Woman, very particular attention to detail must be paid; FW characters typically have suitors, brothers, Companions, slaves, or whatnot that have no vested interest in letting you enslave the woman.
There are plenty of non-confrontational ways to acquire a kajira; these are probably best for the newbie.
What are the signs of a good kajira?
Different, for different Masters. All kajira should be trainable, and have a submissive heart. Most Masters will want kajira to be unquestioningly, unflinchingly loyal in their pursuit of pleasuring Him; although a few exceptions to this rule exist. Some Masters indeed enjoy the challenge of collaring and training a rebellious kajira, fighting with her to lead her to a discovery of her slave heart, her passion for serving.
Most Masters, however, prefer their kajira totally submissive, low maintenance and eager to please. The only really binding trait of a good kajira is that she act in a way that is pleasing to her own Master. Unless she is to be kept out of public, it is also desirable that she know how to conduct herself in Gorean society, among the free. You as a Master may prefer your kajirae bratty and rebellious, but I promise she will soon encounter free men and women in public who do not appreciate such traits in a kajira. Indeed, the law fully supports any punishment for any reason of any slave. Think on this, before you go to the effort tof collaring a “bratty” kajira.
What are some possible sticky areas ( again, no pun intended ) with kajira you may collar?
- Your kajira may not be trained... that is, doesn’t know positions, terms, etiquette, and so fourth. This is not bad in and of itself, but it shouldn’t surprise the new Master.
- She may not know how to control her mouth, her outbursts, her jealousy, etc.
- She may be escaped from some other Master
- She may require more attention than you can provide
- Perhaps you are not truly Mastering her; she desires the touch of other Masters over you, for example.
In conclusion… this is a very brief FAQ. It’s meant for newbies who are thinking about playing a Free Man here on AOL Gor. There are certainly -way- more complete ( and typo-free ) sources of info on Gor out there. Be that as it may, I’d love for this document to be as good as it can be. If you have input, let me know. There are more FAQs on the way.
kaesovalleran@aol.com
