Tiger Designs
© 2001-2002
All rights reserved
These are by no means a complete solution to the problems we face in online Gor, and the lack of knowledge and information given on Assassins. These codes are merely suggestions and hopefully a begining of a better structure within the Caste. Comments and suggestions are greatly appreciated, an effort needs to be made to bring the Caste of the Black to what it should be in Gor, but to do this there must be some work put into it, We cannot follow by the books exactly, as I doubt any would accept a death from a sleen set lose by an Assassin in Your home, nor an arrow through a window as they fly by on a Tarn, these codes will need to reflect the adaption to online Gor.
1. Blacks Honored Gold and Steel, nothing else.
2. Blacks did not take contracts on other members of their Caste.
3. Blacks would kill slaves as any other Gorean has right to do but they would not take coin on the killing.
4. Blacks carried a Dagger edged on one side that simply said "I sought him, I have found Him" when entering a room Your Mark is in, You must enter clearly Marked, a good Post is "Entering Marked with the Black Dagger for A/all to plainly see" You should add "Marked" to Your Av's and/or to Your Text for those running with pics off
5. Blacks did not enter Wagon Camps for Marks (The only exception being if You have worked something out ahead of time and trust the Ubar not to lure you in and slay you, there is no real escape from a Wagon Camp as You would be ridden down by outriders in the plains) if you have a Wagon Person marked wait until they enter a city or village then attck. Once in a Village or City the Wagon People must abide by that Cities/Villages rules on combat involving Blacks, mainly no interference.(This is a VT concession no Ubar in the books would agree to this yet in rooms online it happens.)
6. Blacks entering a City or Village Marked were not interfered with by the Men of that City or Village lest the contract be for them. (Considering this is online, a VT concession must be applied where the Black entering Freely is a privelege and must be worked out prior with the Ubar/Room Leader in advance) Blacks were shunned by slaves, hated and feared by Frees. Men would cross the walk rather than stride aside a Black. Women would hurl fruit at the Assassin. Blacks were the hated and despised Caste on Gor.
7. Blacks did not fight or spar unless for Gold with the strict exception of defense.
8. Blacks if they wished to fight or spar would have the combatant they faced put Gold on the match, therefore in essence fighting for Gold as Gold is most important.
9. Blacks would hunt Any, be it Baker, Warrior, Free Woman, or a Child of high standing (IE an Ubar's Daughter or Son or that of a rich Merchant, but make note, if You enter a room be prepared to defend after the mark is dead, there is nothing that says revenge cannot happen after the mark is ended upon the Assassin) in which case it would be the second killing or that of revenge. The reason for not killing a slave for Gold is simple, slaves are property and as such could be killed and replaced by any Free on Gor. Many will think the killing of a Free Woman to be despicable yet it was done in the books.
10. Blacks wearing the Gold sash on their helmets (messengers) were likewise left alone in the cities(again this is a privelege, and make sure You state the messenger somewhere like the initial markings of a Mark).
11. As seen in Assassin of Gor when Tarl plays an Assassin, Blacks did enter cities Marked for reasons other than killing. The Mark meant that a contract had been put out and a Black was either there to slay the Mark or to gain information, either way, if Marked, a Black encountered much less interferance than if just clad as a stranger.
12. Blacks, if gold was accepted, were expected to fulfill their agreement and hunt and kill whomever they were contracted to. Blacks were not judge and jury, the reason for the killing was irrelevant, they were merely an executioner.
13. Blacks did not give out the
name of the person paying the Mark, as in the books it was a face to face meeting and dualing was something they did not have to worry about online. Make sure to check out the identity of the Person paying the Mark to be assured of it being a known person, although once again reasons are irrelevant.
14. If a Black is membered to an Order, all contracts SHOULD be subjected to review by the Elder or Master Assassin of that Order. If He is recognized and independant, the contract's validity is up to him. The Council would not pass judgement on the acceptance of an independant and registered Assassin.
15. Blacks MUST conform to the rules set forth by the Administrators of each room, meaning, before entering that city, camp, or oasis, whichever the case may be, read the rules regarding kills and Assassins.
16. Assassins were hired for things other than to kill. Assassins were hired by Houses or Homes as a Sword, or per say, a bodyguard. In Assassin of Gor, Kuurus (Tarl Cabot) is hired by the House of Cernus as a Sword.
17. Room Leaders, ie Ubars, have the option to refuse the challenge from a Black if in His own home, due to the importance He holds in keeping that room together...(note that this concession is to help keep the growth of a room and Gor on the up and up), although, 18. All Assassins are subject to the laws of his Order/Sect, Mentor/Trainer, while training and should subject respect to others of his caste. There are few Elders of the Caste and those that are chosen are picked and voted by the Council of Elders. Their rulings are final.
19. Any Assassin that attempts to turn his back on the Caste and leave the Caste shall be hunted down by others of the Caste and killed. There are no exceptions to this rule.
20. Breaking any of these Codes will result in having your dagger taken away, the Caste turning their backs on you and a possible hunt upon you, this is subject to the decision of the Council of Elders of the Caste of Black.
IF that room leader does refuse the challenge from an Assassin if He is marked, then it becomes a question of His honor. IF that room leader refuses the challenge, He is subject to the mark if found outside His home and the Assassin can finish the contract.
*A special note of thanks to the Room Leaders of all the various sites and their inputs on helping to make these Codes Unifying.
Also note that there are some codes here never mentioned or proof of existence never seen, remember being online we try to make concessions for the whole roleplay experience. Hopefully, from Witness we can gather more information on the caste to better the codes.