There
is a saying on Gor that the laws of a city extend no further than its walls.
Outlaw
of Gor
My last
two stories have been about Gor in
Second Life (SL). I will now do
something I haven’t done in a while and complete a trilogy by writing once
again about Gor with this story.
Why? Goreans
will not need to ask this question. Non-Goreans
of the adventurous sort will not need this either. (Except out of curiosity for what silliness I
may write.) Other non-Goreans may wonder
why I even bothered to write the first two stories.
That’s the point!
Gor brings out all sorts of
emotions in SL. Since I’ve begun
blogging about SL, I haven’t had the kind of visceral reaction that Gor has
produced. (Significant Other was
convinced that I’d be laughed off the Grid when I started wandering around
nude. But I digress.)
Gor is a fictional universe
based on the novels of John
Norman. They are fairly
controversial given their treatment of women.
Some have challenged the quality of their writing. But, SL being the place that it is, whole
communities have been built around this theme.
Gorean communities are purportedly among some of the largest and best
organized inworld. I’ve been meaning to
visit them and see for myself what’s going on.
I’m finally able to visit and see for myself what’s going on.
My Gorean experiences have
been limited so far to Genesian
Port and two brief forays
into other cities. A freewoman of Gor, Lady Wiebeline
Hoorenbeek (Lady
Bel), and a friend of mine took on a tour
of this seaport. Another freewoman,
Lady Sophia Farella, a
resident of Genesian Port and the editor-in-chief of the Genesian Gazette, the
town newspaper, sat me down on my next visit and gave me her life
story in Gor.
From my new friends, I’ve
learned a lot about Gor and have also realized how little I know. (Like not picking locks on gates if I don’t
want to get arrested. Gorean jails are
not known for their comfortable accommodations.)
Walking around in Gor, I
notice several things. First, many
Goreans are always about, at least relative to other sims. Next, Goreans take their roleplaying
seriously. (Some people I’ve met
describe them as humorless and hardcore which for me are synonyms for “seriously”.) As I wander through the streets, I develop an
appreciation for the variety of characters supporting the story. A busker plays a banjo down on the
docks. A street waif offers to open a
locked gate for me for the price of a copper.
(That’s a Gorean coin for those readers from New York and London, not a
police officer.) Kajirae (female slaves) and kajirus (males
slaves) in various states of dress wander about or kneel on the pavement to
their masters. Apparently, as long as
they don’t board ships to leave the city, most are given permission to roam
freely.
Goreans are very security
conscious. A fear of raids seems
pervasive. Property crimes are
common. One Gorean complains to me of
having a shipment of goods ripped off from her in Genesia. Lady Sophia frets about being captured and
enslaved by a former companion. Once,
while walking to her offices, a free woman I encountered on the street thought
I looked like someone who meant her harm (Significant Other laughs at the
notion.) and I was looking at a very mean mob and was only saved by the
intervention of one of Lady Sophia’s friends.
The intensity of the
roleplay in SL Gor is impressive. Not
just the dialogue, which is the most elaborate I’ve encountered inworld, but in
the feelings expressed in the dialogue.
I go back to Lady Sophia’s description in my last story of Real Life
(RL) feelings when her free companion died inworld.
One does not go for a casual
stroll in Gorean SL like one would elsewhere on the Grid. One must be prepared to encounter roleplaying
Goreans and going OOC is
generally not a good response!
I’ve begun to wonder if Gor
represents what SL could evolve to if it’s to be successful. A world of castes, ritual, and culture which all
participants agree to abide by even if it may conflict with our RL views and
practices. There is an economy although
some practices such as slave auctions for Linden dollars are prohibited. (I’m still trying to verify this.)
The responses to my Gorean stories have varied
from pro-Goreans who have enjoyed the stories and their balance, as I’ve been
told, to others who have avoided me because they view my stories as the sign of
being a Gorean myself.
I am not a Gorean but a
barbarian as I’m reminded every time I visit.
As I travel around SL, I don’t participate in the various lifestyles I
meet because I move around too much and can’t make the commitment to
participate adequately with the group.
(Please no emails on this, ladies.) I do not do this out of judgment no
matter what my personal views may be. As
for people who’d rather not associate with me because of my writings, well,
that’s their choice. I’ll write about
whomever and whatever I want inworld.
(The chief advantage of having one’s own blog!)
Below
please find links to several pictures that I took during my visits in Gor. As
always, don’t rely on my crude efforts with photography. But, please when you go, respect the rules
around costume and behavior. The last
thing Gor needs is busloads of tourists gawking. (Remember must people go about in Gorean sims
carrying sharp instruments, even the slaves.)
Gor
inworld is a very interesting place from a people perspective, a build view,
and culturally. Each visit leaves me
with more questions and a desire to visit now places. I will go back for answers and whatever else
I can encounter.
There are more cities and
towns to visit. Ships to be sailed and
businesses to be frequented. I hope to
blog more frequently about all of these in the world of Gor in SL. Watch this space for more to come!
As
always, I’m grateful to all inworld for their kindness and time in stopping to
talk with a stranger who was passing through their lives.
I welcome feedback from
readers, please either comment on my blog or
e-mail me at webspelunker@gmail.com
.
If you would like to read about my other adventures in Second Life please click here.
If you would like to read about my other adventures in Second Life please click here.
