Lecture Script: Week 3 - Law and Custom
Instructor: Governor's Scribe and Magistrate Kati Evans Location: Gorean College of Lara / Ar’s Station Educational Hall Topic: The Mind of the City (Law, Civility, and Ritual) Duration: Approx. 60 Minutes
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I. Introduction: The Thin Veneer of Civilization (00-10 Mins)
(Action: Stand behind the heavy wooden lectern. Do not speak. Survey the room with a predatory, analytical gaze. Let the silence stretch until it becomes uncomfortable. Then—raise the gavel and strike it once. HARD. The sound should crack like a whip, echoing off the stone walls.)
Magistrate Evans: Order.
We have discussed the ground beneath your feet—the Home Stone, the spirit of the city. We have discussed the body of the city—the Caste System, the skeleton that holds us upright.
Today, we discuss the mind. We discuss the Law.
Look at the person next to you. Strip away their silk robes. Strip away their titles. Strip away the fear of the impaling stake. What remains? A beast. An animal driven by hunger, lust, and rage.
Without Law, we are merely animals wearing silk. Without Custom, we are merely barbarians with better vocabulary.
(Action: Step out from behind the podium, crossing your arms.)
Magistrate Evans: I am Magistrate Evans. For fifteen years, I have served the Blue Caste. I have sat on the high bench. I have worn the robes of judgment. I have looked into the eyes of men who claimed innocence, and I have found the truth hidden in their sweat and their stuttering.
I have seen what happens when custom is forgotten. I have seen the chaos that erupts when the "Tal" is ignored, or when a guest insults a host. When custom fails, the insult is given. When the insult is given, the sword is drawn. And when the sword is drawn, the city bleeds.
The purpose of this week is not to bore you with dusty statutes. It is to teach you how to live among your peers without causing offense—and more importantly, how to avoid standing before my bench in chains.
Open your scrolls. We begin with the most basic element of social interaction, the lubrication of society: The Greeting.
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II. Civility: The "Tal" & The Hierarchy of Address (10-25 Mins)
Magistrate Evans: Let us speak of the greeting.
For those of you from Earth, you are accustomed to the handshake. I find this custom... repulsive. Consider it logically. You grab another man’s hand—a hand that has been who knows where—and you shake it vigorously. It is invasive. It is unhygienic. It is vulgar. It implies an equality that may not exist.
On Gor, we do not touch unless we intend to love or to kill. We say: "Tal."
(Action: Stand rigidly straight. Raise your right hand to shoulder height, palm facing inward toward your own body, fingers pressed together, thumb resting against the palm.)
Magistrate Evans: Observe the gesture. Dissect it with me.
Why the right hand? Because the right hand is the weapon hand. It is the hand that holds the gladius, the quiva, or the scribe's knife. By raising it, empty, to the level of my shoulder, I am demonstrating that I am not holding a dagger.
Why does the palm face inward? This is the crucial difference. If I turn my palm outward, toward you, I am pushing you away—a defensive gesture. If I turn my palm upward, I am begging—a gesture of submission.
By facing the palm to my own chest, I am saying: "I keep my own counsel. I am contained. But I offer you peace."
"Tal" translates roughly to "I see you." Or "Be well." It is the universal greeting of the Free. It is used for meeting and for parting.
(Action: Lower hand slowly.)
Magistrate Evans: Now, a warning. The "Tal" is for the Free.
If you are a slave in this room, or if you own a slave, listen closely. A slave does not "Tal" a Free Person unless permitted. A slave kneels. A slave offers submission. For a slave to stand and offer the Tal to a High Caste Warrior is an insult. It implies they are on the same standing. It is a quick way to be backhanded.
Forms of Address: The Architecture of Speech
Magistrate Evans: Language is a minefield. You must know your place in the hierarchy to navigate it without losing a limb.
Gorean society is not a flat plain; it is a pyramid.
1. Addressing the Warrior: If you are a Peasant, an Artisan, or of the lower castes, and you speak to a Warrior—especially one in scarlet—you address him as "Master" or "My Lord." Even if you are rich. Even if you are a Merchant with a fleet of ships. The steel commands respect. He risks his life for the city; you do not.
2. Addressing the High Castes (Blue, White, Green, Yellow): We are addressed by our titles. "Magistrate." "Physician." "Builder." Or, broadly, as "Sir" or "Lady."
3. High Addressing Low: If I, a Magistrate, address a baker, I will not call him "Sir." That elevates him falsely. I will call him "Baker." Or "Citizen." Or perhaps, if I am feeling generous, by his name.
This is not cruelty. It is clarity. When everyone knows their standing, society functions smoothly. Confusion breeds conflict.
Warrior Etiquette: The Rules of Survival
(Action: Walk to the front row, looming slightly over a male student.)
Magistrate Evans: A special note on the Scarlet Caste. The Warriors are the wolves of our city. They are necessary, but they are dangerous.
There are three rules of survival when dealing with a Warrior:
Rule One: Never approach a Warrior from behind. His training is reflexive. If you startle him, his sword may be in your gut before his conscious mind realizes you are not an assassin. Announce your presence.
Rule Two: Never, ever touch a Warrior's weapon. His sword is not a tool; it is part of his soul. It is part of his caste code. To touch a Warrior's blade without permission is a challenge to the death. I have seen men die for brushing against a sheath in a crowded market.
Rule Three: Do not interrupt a Warrior when he is speaking of war. You do not know the horrors of the shield wall. If he is speaking of tactics, or of the fallen, and you interrupt him with talk of the price of grain, you insult his sacrifice.
To be rude on Gor is not just a faux pas, as it is on Earth. It is often a suicide attempt.
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III. The Judiciary: The Magistrate’s Domain (25-45 Mins)
(Action: Return to the lectern. Adjust your robes. Your demeanor shifts from social instructor to cold, hard legal authority.)
Magistrate Evans: Now, let us leave the pleasantries of the street and enter my domain. The Courtroom. The Dungeon. The Law.
As a Magistrate, I deal with the failures of society. When the "Tal" fails, you come to me.
There are two distinct layers of law you must understand: The Common Law and The Decrees.
1. The Common Law
Magistrate Evans: These are the laws that exist in almost every city on Gor, from Ar to Port Kar. They are ancient. They are practically biological. They do not change when you cross a border.
Slavery is Legal: This is the bedrock of our economic system. A human animal may be owned by another. It is not a crime to own a slave; it is a crime to steal one.
The Status of the Free: Men are free. Women are free unless collared. A free woman is a citizen. She has rights. She can own property. She can sue in court. Do not mistake a free woman for a slave, or you will answer to the law.
Contracts must be Honored: The Merchant Caste ensures this. If you sign a paper in wax, you are bound by it. A Gorean word is iron. If you break a contract, you lose your commercial standing, and often, your assets.
Thievery: This is punished with brutal swiftness. Why? Because theft is the stealing of a man's life. He worked hours to earn that gold. If you take it, you take those hours of his life.
The Punishment: For a first offense, often a branding. The Thief's Brand on the forehead. For a second offense, the loss of a hand. You will see beggars in the cities with one hand; know them for what they are.
Murder: The killing of a free citizen in cold blood. The punishment is the Impaling Stake. It is a slow, agonizing death, designed to terrorize the wicked.
Magistrate Evans: Common Law protects the fabric of civilization. It is the agreement that we will not eat each other.
2. City Decrees
Magistrate Evans: Then, there are the Decrees. These are specific to the city you are in. They change with the wind and the whim of the Administrator or the Council of Captains.
In Tharna, for example, the wearing of masks was once mandatory for all citizens. To show your face was a crime.
In Ar, the colors of clothing are strictly regulated during certain festivals.
In some cities, weapons must be peace-bonded—tied into the sheath with a cord—at sundown. This prevents drunken brawls.
It is your responsibility to know the decrees of the city you visit. Ignorance of the law is not a defense. If you walk into a city where veils are mandatory for free women, and you walk bare-faced, you will be arrested. You cannot say, "But I did not know!" The Magistrate will reply, "You should have asked," as he sentences you.
The Role of the Magistrate
(Action: Lean forward, your voice dropping to a conspiratorial whisper.)
Magistrate Evans: Do not mistake me for a King. I do not make the law. I interpret it.
When you stand before a Magistrate, you are standing before a mechanism of truth. Do not lie to us. We are trained in the Blue Caste academies to spot deceit. We watch your pulse in your neck. We watch the dilation of your pupils.
We have tools at our disposal. We have the Scribe's Truth—records and ledgers. We have the testimony of the torture chamber, though a good Magistrate relies on logic first, pain second.
The Law is harsh, but it is fair. It does not care if you are rich. I have sentenced wealthy Merchants to the mines for fraud. It does not care if you are poor. It cares only if you are Guilty.
(Action: Pause for notation.)
Magistrate Evans: Are there questions regarding the distinction between Decree and Common Law? No? Good. You are learning.
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IV. Rituals: Guest Right & The Sanctity of Salt (45-55 Mins)
Magistrate Evans: Finally, we move from the public square to the private home. We discuss the rituals that keep us civilized when the doors are locked and the lamps are lit.
The most sacred of these is Guest Right.
On Earth, if you invite someone to dinner, it is a casual affair. On Gor, it is a sacred contract.
The Sharing of Salt
(Action: Reach into a pouch at your belt or a small bowl on the lectern. Pinch a few grains of imaginary salt and hold them up to the light.)
Magistrate Evans: Salt.
In the chemical sense, it is necessary for life. Without it, you die. In the Tahari desert, men will kill for a cup of salt. It is worth more than gold.
Because it is the essence of life, we use it to bind us.
If you enter a man's house, and you eat his food—specifically, if you share his salt—a bond is formed. This is the Code of Hospitality.
For the Host: You must protect the guest with your life. Even if he is your enemy outside the walls. Even if he killed your brother in battle yesterday. Once he has eaten your salt, he is under your protection. To harm a guest is to become a pariah. No one will trade with you. No one will speak to you. You are "oath-breaker."
For the Guest: You must honor the host. Do not insult his house. Do not eye his free woman. Do not draw steel in anger.
(Action: Dust the salt from your fingers.)
Magistrate Evans: This truce lasts only as long as the stay.
I recall a case from the northern territories. A Jarl hosted a rival. They ate salt. They laughed. They drank. For three days, they were brothers. On the morning of the fourth day, the guest rode out. The moment his horse’s hooves crossed the boundary stone of the farm, the Jarl drew his bow and put an arrow in the man's back.
Was this murder? No. The guest right had ended. The war had resumed. It is brutal, yes. But it is honorable. It followed the rules.
Lighting the Lamps
Magistrate Evans: One final custom you should observe.
At dusk, as the sun falls behind the walls, the lamps are lit. It is customary, in a Gorean home, to acknowledge this moment.
You might say, "The light is with us." Or simply acknowledge the flame.
Why? Because Gor is a dangerous world. Outside the walls, there are Kurii—beasts from the steel worlds. There are sleen. There are outlaws. The darkness is real. The light of the lamp symbolizes the light of the Home Stone keeping the chaos at bay. It is a small daily prayer for safety.
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V. Conclusion & Assignment (55-60 Mins)
(Action: Gather your papers together. The lecture is ending, but the authority remains.)
Magistrate Evans: Civilization is a choice we make every day.
We choose to say "Tal" instead of grabbing. We choose to respect the salt instead of poisoning the cup. We choose to obey the Magistrate instead of vigilante justice.
When we stop doing these things, the city falls. It does not matter how high the walls are; if the law falls, the city is already conquered.
Your Assignment:
This week, I have two tasks for you.
Practice the "Tal." Do not just wave your hand like a child scaring away a fly. Practice the discipline of it. Right hand, shoulder height, palm inward. Do it until it feels natural.
Find the Decree Board. Every city has one, usually in the central plaza or near the House of Law. Read it. Write down one law that surprises you or that is specific to this region. I want to know what you observe.
Next week, we leave the courtroom and the parlor. We pick up the sword. We will discuss Military Science and the Warrior Caste.
(Action: Raise the gavel one last time. Strike it. BANG.)
Magistrate Evans: Class dismissed. Tal.
(Action: Stand rigidly as the students file out, watching them to ensure they use the "Tal" as they leave.)
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Magistrate Kati Evans
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