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: Greetings.. : As I have already addressed the laws concerning slaves the following laws and legal principles are common in many Gorean cities. This list again is not all inclusive and I invite any additions that can be substaniated as well as any listed that can be disproved or in error. Remember that : not all of these laws will be in force in every city. Cities may have other laws that are not listed here. Ignorance of the law is no defense on Gor. In addition after the listing you will find comments from Captain Xern Senior Captian of Gorean Shores and Captain Rollo First Sword of Gorean Shores. I wish to thank both for their contribution of both time and energy. : 1-"…the laws of a city extend no further than its walls." (Outlaw of Gor, p.50) For general purposes it is assumed that once outside a cities walls their laws no longer apply to you nor protect you. It should be kept in mind that many cities claim sovereignty over the lands that surround their city and it is a cautious prudent man that keeps that in mind. One more note that in all cases in the cities bannar keep the laws of the governing city are in effect. : 2-While the theft of a Home Stone is considered the greatest of glories that a warrior can achieve it is also the most henious crime that exists on Gor and is punishable by extreme torture followed by being boiled in oil. One can draw from this paradox that it, as in all things Gorean,is dependent on the governing entities ability to enforce their will and law. : 3-Should a person not stand when speaking of their Homestone they might even be slain so vitally important Goreans as it is. : 4-It is illegal to take any maps of a city out of that city or for someone outside of the city to make their own map of the city. This practice involves the security of each applicable city. : 5-Should one not perform the citizenship ceremony within one year of their intellectual majority it is punishable by expulsion from the city. This applies only to those born either in the city proper or to those born to the citizens of self said city. There exist no stated age for intellectual majority rather it is drawn from circumstantial evidence that age could be about 16 years old. Some additional requirement might entail questioning by a committee of citizens to determine your worthiness for the city, and or vouchment for you by other non-blood relations. : The oath of allegiance involves the touching or kissing of the Home Stone, the swearing of oaths, and maybe the sharing of bread, fire and salt. A laurel wreath and mantle of citizenship may even be conferred upon the new citizen. : 6. As citizenship is a privledge and not a right retaining it is contingent on attending certain public ceremonies and assembliesRetaining your citizenship is contingent upon you attending certain public ceremonies and assemblies and thusly it must be earned. You are expected to owe your allegiance to the city and work at supporting that city. : 7.Before a citizen reaches the age of 25 years old they must make a journey, at least once, to the Sardar Mountains. The Initiates keep track of who goes and who doesn't. Initiates say that misfortunes hit a city if the obligation isn't filled. : 8.Anyone who refuses to practice their livelihood or strives to alter their caste without the consent of the Ubar, Administrator or High Council is an outlaw and subject to impalement. All outlaws are forbidden entrance into the city and subject to impalement. Panther girls and talunas are considered outlaws. Of course there is a small problem and that is identification and enforcement. : 9-Caste may be legally changed. In a Free Companionship, the woman can take the Caste of the man. Otherwise to change caste, the High Council of the city must approve the change, : based on your qualifications for the new caste and the willingness of the new caste to accept you. : 10-It is a capital offense for a locksmith to make an unauthorized copy of a key. : 11- A Free Companionship lasts for a single year. If it is not renewed at the end of that time, it dissolves. Slavery and death of one of the parties will serve to dissolve the Companionship early than that. A woman does not change her name in a Free Companionship. The books do not say if the contract can be willingly dissolved prior to the year end if the parties so agree. It seems likely that Goreans would simply wait out the year. : 12-Anyone who enters a city without permission is punishable by impalement. Again a problem of enforcement and manpower. : 13-Assassins, bearing the mark of the black dagger on their forehead, are permitted entrance into a city without interference. : 14-Heralds are immune from interference by any within a city. Heralds bear a gold slash on the left temple of their helmet or headgear. Ambassadors possess this same immunity. : 15-Players, Poets, Musicians and Singers may freely enter a city. This is not to say they are not subject to the laws that govern the locality. : 16-Thievery is illegal and harshly punished. The first offense is punished by an ear notching. For a second offense, the punishment depends on the sex of the offender. Males are punished by the loss of their left hand and both feet. Females are punished by enslavement. : 17-There is a method of dispute resolution called the "rite of knives." Unfortunately, there is little information on its application. It is essentially a fight to the death and is used in place of a trial. The fight may be just with daggers. As it is called a "rite", it may not have any true legal effect but may instead be an ancient custom. This might even be a part of the Warrior Code. I wish I knew more about this and would appreciate some clarification if any is available. : 18- To claim land outside of a city for your own, you must place a yellow stake of claimancy into the ground during the morning. You must then wait and protect that land until sunset. At that time then, the land becomes yours and you may lay your Home Stone there. It is similar to claimstaking on earth except the timespan is shorter and there is no land office..*g* : 19-Merchant Law is the only common legal arrangement that exists between different cities. Gorean cities are fiercely independent. The Sardar Fairs help to standardize Merchant Law. Merchant magistrates help administer and enforce this law. : 20-Patents and copyrights are available in a city but their power extends only as far as the city walls. This is an important point. : 21- Forgery of a city seal on products is illegal. : 22- Each city commonly holds a Merchant's Foot and Stone in the Chamber of the Council and are available for Merchants to verify their own personal measuring devices. Any Merchant found to be using a deceptive Foot or Stone will be punished. : 23-Crests, signs and family emblems can be registered and their use legally restricted. : 24.Women in the Physician's Caste cannot practice medicine until they have first bore two children. In many cities, at age fifteen, women place two bracelets on their left wrist. One is removed for each child that is born. : 25. Robes of concealment and veils may or may not be required by law for free women. In some cities, it is only custom while in others it is actual law. Even where it is only custom, it is strongly recommended that all free women wear robes and veils in public. Common sense dictates that this practice is the better part of valor..*g* : 26- Face stripping a free woman, forcefully removing her veils, is a serious crime. Although I found no specific punishment. : 27- Weapons are not permitted within a Temple. : 28- Shaving or slicing off metal from any coin is considered to be theft and fraud. This debases the value of the coin. : As always I encourage anyone wih additional laws or customs to let me know and for any that can show I am incorrect or mistaken to please let me know... I wish you well...Ruilan : Captain Xerns comments.. : Your list is good. I am sure that there are many more customs and laws which are peculiar to various regions of Gor, but it would take a long, long time to read the books to get them all. : : 1- ".the laws of a city extend no further than its walls." (Outlaw of Gor, p.50) For general purposes it is assumed that once outside a cities walls their laws no longer apply to you nor protect you. It should be kept in mind that many cities claim sovereignty over the lands that surround their city and it is a cautious prudent man that keeps that in mind. One more note that in all cases in the cities bannar keep the laws of the governing city are in effect. : The obvious point of this legal principle is that a city's authority only extends to the region over which it maintains control. I am reminded of the scene in Raiders of Gor in which Bosk states that "Port Kar is wherever her power is." : 2-While the theft of a Home Stone is considered the greatest of glories that a warrior can achieve it is also the most henious crime that exists on Gor and is punishable by extreme torture followed by being boiled in oil. One can draw from this paradox that it, as in all things Gorean, is dependent on the governing entities ability to enforce their will and law. : I agree. The theft of a Home Stone has severe consequences for a city, thus, the penalties for one caught attempting to steal the Stone are severe. : 3- Should a person not stand when speaking of their Homestone they might even be slain so vitally important Goreans as it is. : This demonstrates the sacredness placed on the Home Stone by its citizens. : : 8. Anyone who refuses to practice their livelihood or strives to alter their caste without the consent of the Ubar, Administrator or High Council is an outlaw and subject to impalement. All outlaws are forbidden entrance into the city and subject to impalement. Panther girls and talunas are considered outlaws. Of course there is a small problem and that is identification and enforcement.. : The castes are not written in stone, however, and an individual who shows a proclivity to a certain caste might be raised to a new caste. I would imagine that lowering an individual in caste might be viewed as less beneficial to both the individual and the city. : 9- Caste may be legally changed. In a Free Companionship, the woman can take the Caste of the man. Otherwise to change caste, the High Council of the city must approve the change, based on your qualifications for the new caste and the willingness of the new caste to accept you. : See above. : : 16- Thievery is illegal and harshly punished. The first offense is punished by an ear notching. For a second offense, the punishment depends on the sex of the offender. Males are punished by the loss of their left hand and both feet. Females are punished by enslavement. : Except recall that Port Kar maintains a caste of thieves, which regulates the "profession" of thievery within the city. : : Captain Rollo's Comments.. : " A male thrall could be killed for just touching a bonds maid without the permission of a Free : Man......" : Marauders of Gor Pg. 104-105 "Bond-maids were, after all, the property of free men. It is not permitted for a thrall to touch them"

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