Assassin of Gor, Page 42
Tarnsman of Gor, page 59
Tarnsman of Gor, page 170
Not for many years had the black tunic of the Assassins been seen within the walls of Ar, not since the siege of that city in 10,110 from its founding, in the days of Marlenus, who had been Ubar; of Pa-Kur, who had been Master of the Assassins; and of the Ko-ro-ban Warrior, in the songs called Tarl of Bristol.
Assassin
"Drusus," I said.
The man stood in the doorway, in the somber garb of his caste.
"I see you wear the scarlet of the warrior," he said. It was true. I had awakened in the tunic of my caste. The furs had been taken from me.
"And you, my friend," said I, "are clothed now in the proper habiliments of your caste." He wore now, brazenly, the black of the Assassin. Over his left shoulder, looped on a ringed strap, he wore a blade, the short sword.
Beasts
The assassins take in lads who are perhaps characterized by little but unusual swiftness, and cunning, and strength and skill, and perhaps a selfishness and greed, and, in time, transform this raw material into efficient, proud, merciless men, practitioners of a dark trade,
Beasts
�But you are of the Assassins,� I said.
�We are tenacious fellows,� he smiled.
Beasts
Scormus of Ar reminded me of men of the caste of Assassins, as they sometimes are, before they begin their hunt. The edge must be sharp, the resolve must be merciless, the instinct to kill must in no way be blunted.
.....
Scormus would play like an Assassin. He would be merciless, and he would take no chances.
Beasts - Scormus is a Player, the quote portrays the "character" of an Assassin
Low caste
The city had fallen and Pa-Kur, though of low caste, had aspired to inherit the imperial mantle of Marlenus, had dared to lift his eyes to the throne of Empire and place about his neck the golden medallion of a Ubar, a thing forbidden to such as he in the myths of the Counter-Earth.
Assassin
Rarely laugh
The men in the tavern, with the exception of Kuurus, laughed.
Assassin
I laughed.
Flaminius looked at me, curiously. "It is seldom," he said, "that those of the black caste laugh."
Assassin
Emotionless
He too looked into the eyes of Kuurus, who sat in the darkness, the wall behind him, cross-legged, looking at him, no emotion on his face.
Assassin
When hired, the black dagger sign is affixed to forehead
Yet none would stand in the way of Kuurus for he wore on his forehead, small and fine, the sign of the black dagger.
When he of the Caste of Assassins has been paid his gold and has received his charge he affixes on his forehead that sign, that he may enter whatever city he pleases, that none may interfere with his work.
Assassin
Do not carry pouches
Without speaking the man took twenty pieces of gold, tarn disks of Ar, of double weight, and gave them to Kuurus, who placed them in the pockets of his belt. The Assassins, unlike most castes, do not carry pouches.
Assassin
Assassins had homestones?
Pa-Kur is "Ar's Master Assassin", meaning he is of the city of Ar.
Later (seen below) because of political upheaval, Assassins are outlawed in Ar, but the rest of the cities on the planet do not uproot them from their homes
'The spies of Ar are effective,' I said.
'More effective than the Assassins of Ar,' she said. 'Pa- Kur, Ar's Master Assassin, was dispatched to kill you, but failed.'
Tarnsman
Assassins were outlawed in Ar for years
Not for many years had the black tunic of the Assassins been seen within the walls of Ar, not since the siege of that city in 10,110 from its founding, in the days of Marlenus, who had been Ubar; of Pa-Kur, who had been Master of the Assassins; and of the Ko-ro-ban Warrior, in the songs called Tarl of Bristol.
For years the black of the Assassins had been outlawed in the city. Pa-Kur, who had been Master of the Assassins, had led a league of tributary cities to attack Imperial Ar in the time when its Home Stone had been stolen and its Ubar forced to flee. The city had fallen and Pa-Kur, though of low caste, had aspired to inherit the imperial mantle of Marlenus, had dared to lift his eyes to the throne of Empire and place about his neck the golden medallion of a Ubar, a thing forbidden to such as he in the myths of the Counter-Earth. Pa-Kur's horde had been defeated by an alliance of free cities, led by Ko-ro-ba and Thentis, under the command of Matthew Cabot of Ko-ro-ba, the father of Tarl of Bristol, and Kazrak of Port Kar, sword brother of the same Warrior. Tarl of Bristol himself on the windy height of Ar's Cylinder of Justice had defeated Pa-Kur, Master Assassins. From that time the black of the Assassins had not been seen in the streets of Glorious Ar.
Assassin
Training and Apprentices
Thorough and cruel
Candidates chosen with care
Few complete the course of instruction
He seemed slow. But I knew he did not come to his somber garb by any tardiness of action or hesitancy in deed. The training of the assassin is thorough and cruel. He who wears the black of that caste has not won it easily. Candidates for the caste are chosen with great care, and only one in ten, it is said, completes the course of instruction to the satisfaction of the caste masters. It is assumed that failed candidates are slain, if not in the training, for secrets they may have learned. Withdrawal from the caste is not permitted. Training proceeds in pairs, each pair against others.
Friendship is encouraged. Then, in the final training, each member of the pair must hunt the other. When one has killed one�s friend one is then likely to better understand the meaning of the black. When one has killed one�s friend one is then unlikely to find mercy in his heart for another. One is then alone, with gold and steel.
I looked at Drusus.
The assassins take in lads who are perhaps characterized by little but unusual swiftness, and cunning, and strength and skill, and perhaps a selfishness and greed, and, in time, transform this raw material into efficient, proud, merciless men, practitioners of a dark trade, men loyal to secret codes the content of which is something at which most men dare not guess.
Drusus was looking at me.
I kept in mind he had survived the training of the assassin.
Beasts
"Is it true," I asked, "that you, in attaining the black of your caste, once slew your friend?"
I pressed the attack, but in a courteous fashion. He defended himself well.
"What was his name?" I asked.
Beasts
Tools of the Trade
Spear
Shield
Helmet
Short Sword
Kuurus had placed his spear against the wall behind him, and he had taken from his left shoulder his shield, his helmet and the sheathed short sword, which blade he had placed at his right hand on the low table.
Assassin
Caste Codes
Very carefully guarded - secretive
It is assumed that failed candidates are slain, if not in the training, for secrets they may have learned. Withdrawal from the caste is not permitted.
Beasts
..., men loyal to secret codes the content of which is something at which most men dare not guess.
Beasts
Must make his own kills
In Thentis, for example, sleen are used to smell out contraband, in the form of the unauthorized egress of the beans for black wine from the Thentian territories. They are sometimes, too, used by assassins, though the caste of assassins itself, by their caste codes, precludes their usage; the member of the caste of assassins must make his own kill; it is in their codes.
Slave Girl
Do not use poison
"The bolts," said the man, indicating the missiles at rest in the guides of the weapons, "are tipped with kanda. The slightest scratch from them will finish you."
"I see you are not of the assassins," I said. It is a matter of pride for members of that caste to avoid the use of poisoned steel. Too, their codes forbid it.
Beasts
�Assassins are not permitted poison,� he said proudly.
�I know,� I said.
Beasts
The older Tarl, taking the knife by the hand guard, withdrew it. It was a throwing knife, of a sort used in Ar, much smaller than the southern quiva, and tapered on only one side. It was a knife designed for killing. Mixed with the blood and fluids of the body there was a small smear of white at the end of steel, the softened residue of a glaze of kanda paste, now melted by body heat, which had coated the tip of the blade. One the hilt of the dagger, curling about it, was the legend. "I have sought him. I have found him." It was a killing knife.
"The Caste of Assassins?" I had asked.
"Unlikely," had said the Older Tarl, "for Assassins are commonly too proud for poison."
Assassin
The face of Drusus showed no emotion.
"There is perhaps poison on your blade?" I said.
"My caste does not make use of poison," he said.
Beasts
No Homestone
"What is your Home Stone?" I asked.
"Do you think I am fool enough to talk with you?" he snarled.
"Assassins, as I recall," I said, "have no Home Stones. I suppose that is a drawback to caste membership, but if you did have Home Stones, it might be difficult to take fees on one whose Home Stone you shared."
Beasts
What the job entailed
Killing people for gold ~grins~
When hired, affixes sign of small fine black dagger on forehead
Dagger sign permits entry to city and alerts others that the assassin hunts
KUURUS, of THE CASTE OF ASSASSINS, entered the great gate of Ar.
Guardsmen did not detain him, for he wore on his forehead the mark of the black dagger.
...
Yet none would stand in the way of Kuurus for he wore on his forehead, small and fine, the sign of the black dagger.
Assassin
When he of the Caste of Assassins has been paid his gold and has received his charge he affixes on his forehead that sign, that he may enter whatever city he pleases, that none may interfere with his work.
Assassin
Does not abandon contract once taking money, even when offered more coin to stop
"Was the begging good today?" asked Kuurus.
Hup looked at him in fear. "Yes, Master," he said, "yes!"
"Then you have money," said Kuurus, and stood up behind the table, slinging the sheath of the short sword about his shoulder.
Hup wildly thrust a small, stubby, knobby hand into his pouch and hurled a coin, a copper tarn disk, to Kuurus, who caught it and placed it in one of the pockets of his belt.
"Do not interfere," snarled the man who held the hook knife.
"There are four of us," said another, putting his hand on his sword.
"I have taken money," said Kuurus.
The men in the tavern, and the girls, began to move away from the tables.
"We are Warriors," said another.
Then a coin of gold struck the table before the Assassin, ringing on the wood.
All eyes turned to face a paunchy man, in a robe of blue and yellow silk. "I am Portus," he said. "Do not interfere, Assassin."
Kuurus picked up the coin and fingered it, and then he looked at Portus. "I have already taken money," he said.
Portus gasped.
Assassin
May or may not reveal who he hunts, as it suits his purpose
"What has this to do with me?" he asked.
"For whom do you wear on your forehead the mark of the black dagger?" queried Portus discreetly.
Kuurus said nothing.
"Perhaps I could tell you where to find him," proposed Portus.
"I will find him," said Kuurus.
"Of course," said Portus. "Of course." The heavy man, sitting cross-legged, opposite the Assassin, began to sweat, fiddled with the damp blue and yellow silk covering his knee, and then with a nervous hand lifted a shaking bowl of paga to his lips, spilling some down the side of his face. "I meant no harm," he said.
"You are alive," said Kuurus.
Assassin
"May I ask," inquired Cernus, "for whom you wear on your forehead the mark of the black dagger?"
I would speak of these things, to some extent, with Cernus for it was important, though perilous, that he should understand what purported to be my mission. It was now time that certain things should be revealed, that they might leak into the streets of Ar.
"I come to avenge," I said, "Tarl Cabot, he of Ko-ro-ba."
There were cries of astonishment from the men-at-arms. I smiled to myself. I had little doubt but that in an Ahn the story would be in all the Paga taverns of Ar, on all the bridges and in all the cylinders.
"In this city," said Cernus, "Tarl Cabot, he of Ko-ro-ba, is known as Tarl of Bristol."
"Yes," I said.
"I have heard sing of him," said Cernus. I observed the slaver closely. He seemed troubled, shocked.
Two of his men rushed from the room. I heard them shouting in the corridors of the house.
Assassin
Assassins in Action
I rolled to one side in the sudden darkness, and then scrambled to my feet. But he had not elected to attack. I heard him at the back of the booth. I heard the dagger cutting at the canvas. He had elected flight, it seemed. I did not know this for certain, but it was a risk I must take. Darkness would be my cover.
...
But he had not elected flight.
The cutting at the canvas, of course, had been a feint. He had shown an admirable coolness.
...
I thought him now of the assassins for the trick with the canvas was but a variant of the loosened door trick, left ajar as in flight, a lure to the unwary to plunge in his pursuit into the waiting blade.
Beasts
The four Warriors rose to their feet. Five blades leaped from the sheath with but one sound. Hup, whining, crawled away from the sand on his hands and knees.
The first Warrior lunged toward the Assassin but in the darkness of the side of the room, in the dim light of the tharlarion lamps, it was difficult to tell what happened. No one heard the striking of sword steel, but all saw the turning body of the man with the missing teeth falling sprawled over the low table. Then the dark shape of the Assassin seemed to move like a swift shadow in the room, and each of the three Warriors leaped toward him, but seemed to fail to find him, and another man, without even the flash of sword steel, dropped to his knees and fell forward in the pit of sand; the other two men struck as well, but their blades did not even meet that of the Assassin, who did not seem to deign to cross steel with them; the third man, soundlessly, turned away from the blade of the Assassin, seeming surprised, took two steps and fell; the fourth man lunged but failed to meet the shadow that seemed to move to one side, and now, before the fourth man had fallen, the shadow had resheathed its blade. Now the Assassin picked up the coin of gold and looked at the startled and sweating Portus. Then the Assassin threw the coin to the feet of Hup the Fool. "A gift to Hup the Fool," said the Assassin, "from Portus, who is kind." Hup seized up the coin of gold and scrambled from the room, like an urt running through the open gate of a trap.
Assassin
"May I ask, Killer," asked Portus, "if you come to make the first killing or the second?"
"The second," said Kuurus.
"Ah!" said Portus.
"I hunt," said Kuurus.
"Of course," said Portus.
"I come to avenge," said Kuurus.
Portus smiled. "That is what I meant," he said, "that it is good those in the black tunic are once again amongst us, that justice can be done, order restored, right upheld."
Assassin
Kuurus looked at him, the eyes not smiling. "There is only gold and steel," said he.
Assassin
Others reacting to Assassins wearing the dagger
Men become nervous if they have wronged someone
There are few men who have done great wrong or who have powerful, rich enemies who do not tremble upon learning that one has been brought to their city who wears the dagger.
Assassin
Women make sure they do not touch him
A woman carrying a market basket moved to one side, watching him, that she might not touch him, holding a child to her.
Assassin
Peasant does not even want the shadow of the Assassin to touch him
A peasant moved away that the shadow of the Assassin might not fall across his own.
Assassin
Peddler does not meet his eyes
Kuurus pointed to a fruit on a flat-topped wagon with wooden wheels, drawn by a small four-legged, horned tharlarion.
The peddler pressed the fruit into his hands and hurried on, not meeting his eyes.
Assassin
Even a slave seems frightened
Her back against the bricks of a tower near the gate, a slender, slim-ankled slave girl stood, watching him. Her eyes were frightened. Kuurus was apparently the first of the Caste of Assassins she had seen.
Assassin
Musicians stop playing
slaves stand frozen and still
Men turn white, some flee tables in a tavern
...the Assassin took the girl by the arm and thrust her within. Those in the tavern looked up from the low tables. There were three musicians against one wall.
They stopped playing. The slave girls in Pleasure Silk turned and stood stock still, the Paga flasks cradled over their right forearms. Not even the bells locked to their left ankles made a sound. Not a paga bowl was lifted nor a hand moved. The men looked at the Assassin, who regarded them, one by one. Men turned white under that gaze. Some fled from the tables, lest, unknown to themselves, it be they for whom this man wore the mark of the black dagger.
Assassin
Men move to another table when he sits near
She saw Kuurus go to the tables and sit cross-legged behind one, a table against the wall on her left, that there might be no tables behind him, but only the wall.
The men who had been at that table, or near it, silently rose and left the area.
Assassin
Approach gingerly, ingratiatingly - with hands open
The man was Portus, heavy, paunchy, in blue and yellow silk. He approached gingerly, his hands open, held from his body, ingratiatingly, smiling.
He sat down, wheezing, across from Kuurus, and placed his hands deliberately on his knees.
Assassin
Addressed as Killer, a title of respect
The man smiled, but Kuurus did not smile.
"Welcome, Killer," said the man, addressing the Assassin by what, for that caste, is a title of respect.
Assassin
Do not want to take the coin of an assassin
"You are of the Assassins?" he asked.
"Yes," I said, "it is my caste."
He pressed the piece of gold into my hand and turned away, stumbling from me, reaching out with his right hand to guide himself along the wall.
"Wait!" I cried. "You have won this! Take it!" I ran to him.
"No!" he cried, striking out wildly with a hand, trying to force me away. I stepped back. He stood there, panting, not seeing me, his body bent over, angry. "It is black gold," he said. "It is black gold." He then turned away, and began to grope his way from the place of the game.
Assassin
Warriors & Assassins
Little love is lost betwixt the castes of warriors and assassins. Each deems himself the superior of, and the natural foe, of the other. The sword of the warrior, commonly, is pledged to a Home Stone, that of the assassin to gold and the knife.
Beasts
�But you are of the Assassins,� I said.
�We are tenacious fellows,� he smiled.
�I have heard that,� I said.
�Do you think that only Warriors are men?� he asked.
�No,� I said. �I have never been of that opinion.�
�Let us proceed,� he said.
�I thought you were too weak to be an Assassin,� I said. �I was once strong enough to defy the dictates of my caste,� he said. �I was once strong enough to spare my friend, though I feared that in doing this I would myself be killed.�
�Perhaps you are the strongest of the dark-caste,� I said. He shrugged.
�Let us see who can fight better,� I said.
�Our training is superior to yours,� he said.
�I doubt that,� I said. �But we do not get much training dropping poison into people�s drinks.�
�Assassins are not permitted poison,� he said proudly.
�I know,� I said.
�The Assassin,� he said, �is like a musician, a surgeon. The Warrior is like a butcher. He is a ravaging, bloodthirsty lout.�
�There is much to what you say,� I granted him. �But Assassins are such arid fellows. Warriors are more genial, more enthusiastic.�
�An Assassin goes in and does his job, and comes out quietly,� he said.
�Warriors storm buildings and burn towers.�
�It is true that I would rather clean up after an Assassin than a Warrior,� I said.
"You are not a bad fellow for a Warrior," he said.
"I have known worse Assassins than yourself," I said.
"Let us proceed," he said.
"Agreed," I said. We, together, I carrying the girl, made our way up another flight of stairs.
"Wait," I said.
"Yes" he said.
"The most obvious approaches to the chamber of Zarendargar," I said, "will probably be heavily guarded. Thus, let us circle about and climb upward. Perhaps we can eventually cut through from the level above."
"For a warrior," he said, "you are not totally without cunning."
"We have our flashes of inspiration," I informed him.
Beasts