A growing tribe, a cozy cave, the Beast of Tidra and a new picture

Things are happening on Tidra! And the tribe is growing. We got another tribes-member, who hasn't an animal-name yet (are we becoming a Gorean Zoo?). He was washed ashore Tidra without any memory. So the tribe will take care of him.

The other night the tribe went out to get one of the bosk-cows from the warrior's fort. They decided, that the warriors don't need so much milk. Snake wanted to take the biggest cow, assuming the bigger the cow, the more milk, but Giani and Kaiila objected... because that was a bull.

But the cow smells! Giani was forced to bath by Franzi the other day (afterwards rolled around in dirt to get rid of that smell of flowers) and got a piece of soap, so they decided it's his task to bath the bosk the other day.

 After Franzi heard, who devastated the kitchen, attacked Scorpion and tried to steal food, he painted this poster after Scorpions description and pinned it to the docks:

The creature seems to still run around the island! So beware!

OOC: He's a new member and will be known as "Beast of Tidra" as permanent threat to all visitors. We're planning to make a beast-hunt with a price soon! I've made his place quite cozy with spiderwebs, vines and skulls and bones... :)

Last but not least: Giani made a wonderful new picture for Tidra. Love it! Such a good work now in the group and in the land-profile:

News

Some things happen on Tidra. So, here are some news in short:

After Snake was captured, could free himself, got help by a Woman from the Green Caste and finally returned happily back to Tidra, he was so thankful, that he painted the story on a fur as present for the Green. It's a mix of native-kindergarden-haring-picasso, I think. Scorpion and Franziskus sailed to Tabor and from there took a passage on a ship up to the far north to the city of Ostia to deliver the screen to the woman. She was very happy about it and after our return we told Snake, who was immensly proud of his naive work.

It seems the tribe is finally growing. After Giani joined the tribe another brother arrived. And twin-brothers are on their way also. And since yesterday there's another savage, called Aak Keh'ra, which means "Dragonfly" (actually only the words "Dragon" & "Fly", as we didn't know the word for "Dragonfly" in Gorean).

Apart from these happenings Franzi was busy with continuing building on the fort. Yesterday the baths got finished and I think they look good:

I like the lightning effects of it at midnight! - We have also a toilet in it. Toilets were never mentioned in the books!!! So the book-fundamentalists might complain, that toilets are not Gorean. *hehehe*

It seems, we now have also another resident on Tidra, hiding in the caves. We are not so sure, if we are so happy about it. He first attacked Scorpion in the fort and claimed the island as his, being now the ruler of Tidra. (Okay, he climbed down the high mountains, which is forbidden by the rules. He somehow entered the fort without lockpicking a door. He also uses a feral AO which I think enhances his speed - not sure about that. - But for now we accepted it.) Later he attacked Snake, but after a long battle, Snake captured him. He just didn't know what to do with him, cause the creature continued claiming to be the new ruler of Tidra (of course in the savage vocabulary the word "Ruler" is missing, so Snake thought it's the name of the beast: Rula), even after he threatened him to throw him to the man-eating fish or feed him to the sleen.

The problem is this:

Yes, he looks like Smeagol from Middle-Earth and that's also his name. (Sorry for the strange picture, but the bindings in combination with his AO somehow kept him underground all the time, so had to take the picture from beneath him.) So, the question is: Would a creature like that exist on Gor?

On the other side take Hup from Ar for instance:

Hup was indeed an ugly thing, for he was small, and yet thick, almost bulbous, and under the dirty tunic, perhaps that of the potters, there bulged the hump of some grotesque growth. One of his legs was shorter than the other; his head was too large for his body, and swollen to the left; one eye was larger than the other. His tiny feet thrashed about, kicking at the man who held him.
(Assassins of Gor)

After two hours with no progress where Snake tried to find out what strange creature that is, but the stubborn beast continued claiming to be the new Master of Tidra and trying to command the savage around, even in bindings and after being kicked several times and threatened to be thrown to the sleen. Snake got tired of the ugly thing, the warriors of the fort refused to take it, so he just released it into the jungle, sure that it would soon be eaten by the sleen without a bow to his defence.

We are not sure, what to do with him. Somehow the role itself is interesting and could be an enrichment to Tidra as a permanent threat to visitors. On the other side we are not so sure, if he wouldn't even scare the few visitors away instead of attracting some. - But the claiming of being the new ruler of Tidra after two hours became a bit boring. It's just not realistic, that the threat of being killed didn't impress him at all. In a "real" world, it surely would impress him, but in a pixel-world, where he knows, that he will arise from the dead the next day and continue his "RP", that's just annoying. So, we don't know, if we should invite him to the group or ban him. We are few people yet and it's already hard to defend Tidra and it's residents against raiders from outside - like when Snake was surprised by the attack and nobody was there to help. So, a premanent dangerous threat from inside, even after he would be killed and arise again and killed and arise and killed... that could be just a bit too much!

Well, that's it for today. Still no word of the travellers, so Franzi starts to assume, that his FC and his two boys were killed or enslaved somewhere in a far, far away city. And the ground on Tidra keeps on shaking...

Haggling

In Gor you'll have to bargain with merchants. Never agree to the first price they tell you - they would become suspicious. Ah good haggling will leave both parties with the feeling, that they made a good deal after all. My son has to learn the art of it, so we went to one of the gray caste (armorer) to buy some weapons for him.
This is an example, how funny a "simple" RP like just buying a sword and a bow could be. It doesn't have to be fighting and trading all the time.

Some explanations for the Gorean currency:
100 copper tarsk = 1 silver tarsk
10 silver tarsk = 1 gold tarn

A sword will cost between 7 silver tarsk up to 1 gold tarn or more. Compared to that: A good pleasure-slave, beautiful and highly skilled, will cost between 4 and 6 silver tasks. Only exotics or the children of Ubars or very rich merchants will cost more, up to 20 or more gold tarns.

So, here's the haggling for a sword and a bow. - As no real blacksmith was around (which would be a cool role to play. Much funnier then always "warrior", "Ubar" or "outlaw"), I had to emote him with a kinky emoter tool:

[5:50] Franziskus Ninetails looks at the swords, balancing the one or other in his hand, giving an obviously desinterested impression
[5:51] Dar Blackheart look at his father inspect the sword
[5:51] Blacksmith approaches the two warriors
[5:51] Dar Blackheart: what about that one father ?
[5:51] Dar Blackheart point at the one face on him
[5:52] Franziskus Ninetails with a scornful look at the blade "Hmmm, I don't know...."
[5:52] Blacksmith: "Oh, that is a very good choice, young warrior!"
[5:53] Dar Blackheart look at sword know he don't have experience with sword look at his father
[5:54] Franziskus Ninetails steps behind the blacksmith nodding over his shoulder to his son and winks. But says loud "Oh, I don't know... it looks like it has some stains and scratches in it already. Are you sure, you didn't steal it from a fallen warrior, blacksmith?!?"
[5:55] Dar Blackheart turn at the merchant .....
[5:56] Blacksmith frowns "Oh, no! No, Sir!!! I built it with my own hands! - Maybe the young warrior wants to test it?". He takes the sword and reaches the hilt to Dar
[5:57] Franziskus Ninetails nods subtly to his son to take the sword and test it
[5:59] Dar Blackheart look at his father
[5:59] Dar Blackheart take the sword in his hand
[6:00] Franziskus Ninetails: you like that one, Junior?
[6:00] Dar Blackheart feel the sword, look at the sharpness or less
[6:00] Dar Blackheart swing the sword in the air ....... nods to his father
[6:01] Blacksmith: "It's a really good sword. Good choice, young warrior! It's light and fast and sharp!"
[6:02] Blacksmith "It's only two gold tarns. Special offer for you, young warrior!"
[6:02] Franziskus Ninetails gasps
[6:02] Dar Blackheart only gasps
[6:03] Dar Blackheart: 5 silver for it
[6:04] Dar Blackheart: 5 silver Tarsk for it is a good price
[6:06] Blacksmith fakes a almost faint "5 Silver tarsk for such a precious sword, Sir?!? You are kidding me, right? I have to feed 15 children!!! But as you are such a nice young man.... Let's say 17 Silver tarsk and it is yours!" He adds mumbling "Oh, my Free companion will kill me for it!"
[6:09] Franziskus Ninetails leans against a pillar, his arms crossed and hardly hiding a grin, watching his son haggling with the Blacksmith
[6:09] Dar Blackheart look at the merchant, mmm you say 7 Silver tarks fine ok for 7 Silvers Tarks
[6:11] Blacksmith: "No! No, Sir! I said 15 Silver Tarsk! Are you trying to ruin me? I already will have to sell one for my 19 children, when I give it away for 15!"
[6:12] Franziskus Ninetails chuckles and mumbles "well... one less mouth to feed"
[6:12] Dar Blackheart: oh that nice from you Sir i give you 7 silver tarsk and you give me for 5, give me your hand i never see a good man like you
[6:12] Dar Blackheart: but sir i only want the sword not your childrens
[6:13] Blacksmith looks desperate to the older warrior "Is this young man deaf? I said 15 Silver tarsk and not a copper-bit less! My 23 children have to eat!!!"
[6:14] Franziskus Ninetails shrugs "Sell 10 of them and you'll have enough to feed the other 13!"
[6:14] Dar Blackheart: so you agree for 5 Silver Tarks sir ?
[6:15] Dar Blackheart: because you have children i give you one more for them, me keep his smiles
[6:15] Dar Blackheart: 6 my last price sir and that is for your childrens
[6:16] Blacksmith puts the sword back on it's place again "I'm sorry, young warrior. Maybe you find a cheaper blacksmith around..."
[6:17] Blacksmith turns to the daggers "But I can offer you a dagger for 12 silver tarsks"
[6:17] Dar Blackheart look at his silver tarsk, i give you 10 Silver tarsk for it but i want a bow with
[6:18] Blacksmith considers "13 Silver tarsk for the sword, and I'll give you one of my 27 children! My daughters are useless wenches anyways and one of them could warm the young warriors furs"
[6:19] Dar Blackheart: huh sir i don't want your children but only a bow and a sword for a fair price
[6:22] Dar Blackheart: i say 10 silver tarsks for that sword and a bow of good quality
[6:23] Dar Blackheart: or i will look for a merchant with less childrens
[6:23] Blacksmith grumbles "12 Silver tarsk are more then a fair price, Sir!" He holds the sword high, the sharp blade shimmering in the dimmed light. "Look at it's beauty! I already will have to drown my 13 daughters..." - mumbles "... those useless wenches!..." - continues louder "...And sell my 18 sons, when I give it to you for 11!"
[6:25] Dar Blackheart: i say i have 10 silvers tarsks not more
[6:25] Dar Blackheart turn to his father, father is here the place you take your weapons ?
[6:26] Blacksmith growls but hastily "Well then! 1 Gold tarn and the sword is yours. And I'm adding a fitting dagger to it. Deal, Sir?" - Stretches his hand out
[6:27] Dar Blackheart whispers to his father i think the merchent spend more time in bed and not in the blacksmith
[6:28] Franziskus Ninetails can't hide his big grin at the bargain and the growing amount of the Blacksmith's children
[6:28] Dar Blackheart: ok deal one gold not more
[6:29] Blacksmith shakes hands with the young warrior to seal the deal
[6:30] Dar Blackheart give the silvers tarsks he have
[6:30] Blacksmith tears his hairs "More customers like you, young warrior, and I will have to share my furs with men to avoid more children!"
[6:30] Dar Blackheart: count the silvers tarsk that made one gold one
[6:32] Dar Blackheart give at the merchant... whispers...... have less childrens........
[6:34] Blacksmith takes the coins and counts them, sighing "I will, Sir, I will! But you know how it is with a pleasing wife in your furs...." - Looks up to the young warrior "Well, maybe you don't know YET, but you will, Sir!"
[6:34] Franziskus Ninetails grins "Believe me - he won't!"
[6:35] Dar Blackheart look at the merchant ... you better hurry to give me my sword and bow and the dagger before my blood turn in fire... he glance at the merchant
[6:36] Blacksmith frowns "We agreed sword and fitting dagger. No bow!" - Looks quizzeling and desperate at the older warrior
[6:36] Franziskus Ninetails nods in agreement
[6:37] Dar Blackheart: GRROWWLLLZZ
[6:38] Blacksmith "But if the young warrior needs a bow... I have a beautiful one. Only one silver tarsk!"
[6:38] Dar Blackheart: i say to agree with the deal a sword bow and you give the dagger
[6:38] Franziskus Ninetails covers his face with his hand to hide his bursting out into laughter
[6:40] Dar Blackheart turn at his father can i ask you for 50 coppers tarsk
[6:41] Dar Blackheart: 50 coppers tarsk is the normal price my father say for a good bow not 1 silver tarsk do not take my blood out of control merchant
[6:41] Blacksmith gasps "50 copper tarsks?!? 90 copper at least! And I'll add my insatiable wife to it!"
[6:42] Dar Blackheart turn at the merchant
[6:43] Franziskus Ninetails looks into his coin-pouch and does as if counting "Hmmm, 60, not more. Or I will have to sell one of my seven slaves!"
[6:43] Dar Blackheart: 50 copers tarsk is my last price for the bow
[6:44] Dar Blackheart begin to show his anger the blood inside him burn
[6:45] Franziskus Ninetails sighs and turns away "Hmmm, my old bow will do for you for a while, my son!" and turns to the exit
[6:46] Blacksmith "Wait, wait, Sirs!!! How about 80 coppers? But I'm having no gain at that price already!"
[6:46] Dar Blackheart follow his father
[6:48] Dar Blackheart turn at the merchand when he shout to him and his father
[6:48] Franziskus Ninetails hestitates and turns, taking a look at the bow again, knowing his son would love it. He takes the bow, holds it in his hands, inspecting it closely. He mumbles "Hmmmmm..... "
[6:48] Franziskus Ninetails: It's balanced well, but the wood looks cheap!
[6:50] Blacksmith "Oh no, Sir! It's finest wood from the Northern Forrests! 75 copper tarsk. Special price for you!"
[6:50] Dar Blackheart look at his father with concern
[6:51] Dar Blackheart move his hand at his new sword guard
[6:51] Franziskus Ninetails growls "75?! Therefore you would have to add your 21 sons to it as pleasure-slaves for us!"
[6:52] Dar Blackheart begin to understand the merchant play with him because he is a young earth man..........
[6:53] Dar Blackheart look the merchant........ with eyes show his anger and disapointment.. then he look at his father
[6:54] Blacksmith gasps "My sons, Sir? Never!!" - He looks with narrowing eyes at the older and the younger warrior, then his face suddenly brightens to a big grin "Oh, I understand! The warriors prefer the company of male?" He nods "When I think of my 35 children, then I have to say it's not a bad choice, Sirs. - Well, 70 coppers plus a nice belt-buckle for the young warrior!"
[6:55] Dar Blackheart listen at the merchant words
[6:55] Franziskus Ninetails stretches his hand out "65 coppers and you add a belt-buckle for me too, matching the one you'll give to my son!"
[6:56] Dar Blackheart: you childrens number grow as you dealing with price... what kind of father are you to place your children in deal for your market!
[6:57] Blacksmith smiles, showing his almost toothless open mouth. He takes the hand "65 coppers then and two belt-buckles. Very well, Sir!"
[6:57] Franziskus Ninetails winks to his son to sign him to remain calm
[6:57] Dar Blackheart look at his father, nods at his father sign
[6:59] Franziskus Ninetails looks into this coin-pouch, counting out 65 copper tarsk, which still is a high price, but appropreate for a fine bow like that, and hands the coins to the Blacksmith
[7:00] Dar Blackheart with a cold glance see his father spend money
[7:01] Blacksmith takes the coins and counts them. "You and your son are hard parties to deal with, Sir. If you need any more weapons, please visit me again"
[7:02] Dar Blackheart: i will with my sword under you neck for a fair price he say at the merchant
[7:03] Franziskus Ninetails to his boy "Take the weapons and the buckles, Junior". With a smile he turns to the Blacksmith "Be well, blacksmith. And greetings to your FC and your many children. Maybe you should consider to sell her?"

Updates

I wanted to write about the events in a novel-style taking the chat-logs as foundation, but if I wait til I got time for that, it will take years! *sighs* So I just mention some events in the history of Tidra...

A few weeks ago a warrior from the mainland settled down with the tribe. Now he's called Toruk. He seems to be a wild creature, capturing everyone who crosses his way.

OOC we don't like that, because it's exactly what we find annoying at others: Shoting without reason and RP, yelling for help in group-chat, ignoring any progressional storyline, any alliances, any friendships.... Short: Playing GorCraft instead of doing RP. We think, he's a good and nice guy and he only wants to increase traffic on Tidra. But what's traffic worth, if it's only raiding and shooting and capturing?

I say it again: We prefer quality to quantity. We don't need 20 people standing around, holding small-talk.. OOC most of the times. Of course it would be nice to have some more savages on the island, some more brothers in the tribe, but raiding armies? Who needs that?

Well, we will talk to that member and try to convince him, that traffic and shoot and capture isn't everything. That there can be much funnier and nicer kind of RP, much more entertaining and challenging the ACTING-skills of a RPer, not his FIGHTING-skills.

So, what else happened in the last weeks? - Tyragon who's called "Snake" which means Ost, settled down with the tribe also, happy that he found a new camp after his long travels. He and Paradise went to Scimitar a while ago on the search for salt. An outlaw-girl was about to set fire on the taverne there and as Snake was about to stop the insolent wench, she attacked him and Paradise with a fire-bomb...

Well, OOC-comment: It was just the worst kinda RP ever. A fire-bomb which lets you no chance to escape, dropped on the floor and doing multi-damage is just invalid. To emote it in an ultra-long emote AFTER you dropped it, is even worse! And that girl was just annoying. Massive emotes with lots of typos, hard to read. And so busy with her own emotes, that she totally ignored the acts of others. Well, she was just a pain in the ass.

... and just as the confused savages jumped away from the fire, trying to understand, what just happened, there were slaves running out from the academy and attacking Snake and Paradise with slingshots....

And another OOC-comment: Okay, slaves attacking Free without the need of defending themselves or their Masters... the punishment is clear: Death! Snake and Paradise haven't even drawn their weapons, nor were they attacking anyone. It's bad enough, when Free run around and attack others with no reason, but slaves doing so? That's a no-go! - And especially slaves from the Mur-academy, which they have in the rules, that the Academy is neutral and SZ and the students and mentors are not to be attacked. So, they are protected by the rules, but themselves they run around and attack others with no reason? Hmmmmm....... *scratches his head*

Well, this incident was one of the reasons, why Kenshi and Franzi took three of their boys out of the academy. Another reason is, that there are taught many onlinisms. And the more books of John Norman I read, the more I recognize, what's so wrong in SL-Gor.

However, it was a bit strange. But the savages - not so familiar with Gorean codex and customs - did not complain much after the kajiri had recognized their mistakes and apologized a 1000 times. - But the case isn't closed for Franzi and Kenshi. After they heard about it from the savages, they travelled to Scimitar to find out more about the incident. Also there's still something to happen with that insolent slave-girl, as she was captued but set free later instead of being impaled for trying to kill Free and setting fire in the taverne. (But we have to admit, that - as she is so annoying - we're not in the mood to RP with her anyways)

Although all these events were confusing for our savages, they didn't loose sight of their aspiration: Finding salt! So they asked around and another helpful kajirus - the one they were about to rescue some days before - suggested, that they could look in the bakery.

Weeeeeeeelllll....... Do you think, savages know what a bakery is? Of course they did not and asked the boy about the "City of Bay Cary". - I think, the poor boy was a bit confused and had no idea, what they were talking of. But it was funny. Here's an extract of the chat:

[16:46] Paradise whispers to his tribe-brother, "maybe him know where good salt hide brother"

[16:46] Snake shakes his head at the boy's suggestion, regretting the head-shaking the next second and grimaces in the pain as if a tarn knock his beak on the back of his head again and again... and again

[16:47] Snake whispers back "Hmm, good thinking, brother. You ask boy"

[16:47] Kajrus glances back at the other Masters and the panther wondering

[16:48] Paradise looks at the kneeling boy, "boy, you know where they hide good salt here? you show us?"

[16:48] Kajrus: Salt, Master. Well, there is salt from Klima on the stand behind you.

[16:48] Paradise shakes his head, "that not taste good"

[16:49] Paradise: in castle, they keep good salt there?

[16:49] Kajrus: And i suppose there may be some in the tavern or servery, Master

[16:49] Paradise nods, or Taverne yes

[16:49] Kajrus: oh I do not know Master.

[16:49] Snake grimaces again and shakes his head like his tribe-brother... grimaces even more in the new pain

[16:50] Paradise: Taverne, or ser-very, you show us

[16:50] Snake: need good salt for meat.... lasting longer... drying meat of sleen. salt there not good for

[16:50] Kajrus: If it were in the fort only a warrior would be able to take you there

[16:50] Kajrus: yes Master

[16:50] Kajrus: Well, the tavern is right here. I will show you

[16:51] Kajrus: and here is the servery behind the tavern

[16:51] Kajrus: So, i think salt might be here

[16:51] Kajrus: of course, there may be salt in the bakery, or maybe in the tavern at the school.

[16:52] Paradise: bay cary

[16:52] Kajrus: There is a servery there as well

[16:53] Kajrus looks around for salt

[16:53] Snake: where bay cary is? big city?

[16:53] Kajrus: Scimitar is a small city, Master

[16:53] Kajrus: We are a small farming place

[16:53] Snake: Scimitar no. Boy said in Bay Cary

[16:54] Paradise: we go to bay cary

[16:54] Kajrus: oh. Well. Tabor is a big city

[16:54] Snake: where is homestone of Bay Cary?

[16:54] Snake: how many ahn with boat?

[16:54] Kajrus: on very few, Master

[16:55] Kajrus: you might even swim there!

[16:55] Snake nods to his tribe-brother, agreeing "We go Bay Cary!"

[16:55] Kajrus: I think they have a lot of salt there!

[16:55] Paradise nods, "maybe lots of good salt yes"

[16:55] Kajrus: yes Master

[16:55] Kajrus: And Klima is near Tabor. They are famous for salt

{just for the records: Klima is at the end of the desert, very far away}

[16:55] Snake: good salt in Bay Cary! Many warriors there? Mighty Ubar?

[16:56] Kajrus: yes Master. Many warriors

[16:56] Paradise: Kleee mah

[16:56] Kajrus: Their Ubar is very powerful and fierce, Masters

[16:56] Paradise: maybe lots of pains in heads at Bay Cary too brother

[16:57] Snake sighs as the boy seems to not understand "Not Klee M'ah! Bay Cary, brother" - frowns at the boy's words "Oh... powerful and fierce Ubar of Bay Cary... That not good"

[16:57] Snake: mmmmhmmm, brother

[16:57] Kajrus: yes Master

[16:58] Kajrus tries to think where there is salt

[16:58] Kajrus sighs and gives up

[16:58] Snake secretely takes another piece of the good bread and stuffs it in his mouth

[16:59] Paradise: maybe we find warrior to bring us inside castle, brother

[16:59] Snake munching "mmm, yeph, bropher"

[16:59] Kajrus sees the Master take the bread and thinks there is good breads and ramberry tarts at the bakery

[16:59] Kajrus: Masters, there is bread and pasteries at the bakery

[17:00] Snake: Pa'pherieph?

[17:00] Snake: Phat phat?

[17:00] Snake finally swallows the bread

[17:00] Paradise looks at his brother, "bay cery! want go there"

[17:01] Snake shrugs to his brother "But Tyragon not know where city of Bay Cery is!!! And boy not say!"

[17:01] Kajrus: I can give you a map, Master

[17:02] Snake nods enthusiastic "Aye! Map good!"

[17:02] Kajrus smiles and reaches into his pouch and takes out maps for both Masters

[17:02] Kajrus gave you Isle of Tabor

[17:02] Kajrus passes the maps to the Masters

[17:02] Paradise takes the map, and sniffs it

[17:03] Kajrus hopes there are no crumbs from his ramberry tart on the maps

[17:03] Snake takes the other map and holds it upside down, looking very important at it, nodding and mumbling "Mmmmhmmmm...." as if he would be able to read it, which is not the case

[17:04] Paradise mimics his brother, looking at the swirly lines, frowning

[17:04] Kajrus thinks he can explain how to get to the big city and says.:

[17:05] Snake points at a spot on the map and shows his brother "There! Bay Cery!"

[17:05] Kajrus: Masters, if you follow the rivers to the south, and west, you will find the big city

[17:05] Paradise nods, "yes, we go there!"

[17:06] Snake: yes, brother! Is long travel? First need rest"

[17:06] Paradise wrinkles his nose, thinking its probably many ahn to Bay Cary

[17:07] Kajrus: Masters,may this boy pass to attend to his Master?

[17:08] Snake: boy, you tell chief of this homestone to do with girl what want. Try to burn taverne. Attack Free... Tyragon not know law for it"

[17:08] Kajrus: yes Master. I will do as you say

[17:08] Snake smiles "You good boy"

[17:09] Kajrus blushes and says "thank you, Master"

[17:09] Paradise chews on the corner of his map, "Safe paths"

[17:09] Kajrus watches the Master chew the map hoping the ink is not toxic

[17:09] Kajrus: safe paths Masters

[17:09] Snake: We go travel to big city of Bay Cery after nap

[17:10] Kajrus: yes Masters

[17:10] Paradise yawns, nodding

[17:10] Snake: safe paths, boy

[17:10] Paradise: mainlands make Paradise tired

[17:10] Snake: and pain in head

So, the next days our savages were sailing around and searching for the big City of Bay Cary. Needless to say, that they had no success in finding it. Finally they returned frustrated back to Tidra.

Just as they came back, the savage Toruk had captured a slave from Tabor... even worse - one of the boys of the Ubar's brother. Though the relationship between the chain of Tidra and the warriors of Tabor isn't the best, they were always welcomed there. So it was a delicate situation to be solved. Franzi took care for the kajirus and negotiated with Tabor, so the tribe got even some salt from the Ubar of Tabor (which is a big price for just a slave).

It was a nice RP with that boy, he stood over night and it continued for several hours the next day. So, was very much fun. That's how it should be. You can read more about it on Paradise' blog.

While Franzi was still busy trying to handle the tricky situation, the savage Toruk brought the next captive. That was even more delicate, as that slaveboy was the slave of an outlaw-group we just had more or less befriended and especially this boy is a special friend to Tidra, was always welcomed there. And now he was dragged in like a tabuk dragged in by the houselarl...

So Franzi tried to care for the boy's safety and first put him in a cell in the dungeon, as it is the safest place on Tidra. While still trying to handle the relationships with Tabor, awaiting Paradise' return and considering how to handle with the outlaw-slaveboy, already the raiding-group from EtiHat - that outlaw-group - arrived.

... which made me very upset. It was against all rules of Tidra. There was no way for the captive to call for help. There was no clue that they would find him on Tidra. Especially as Tidra is very unknown. And then arriving with a raiding-party of four, one of them even wearing a tag as an Arad-Master... though Arad is on the same SIM as EtiHat, Arad and Tidra are befriended and one who's known as a Master of Arad therefore is welcomed as friend on Tidra, not supposed to start shoting without any warning and RP. - However, they arrived and started to shoot, the Free and the three slaveboys. At least Bear (Sorek) - an experienced RPer - tried some reasonable RP, but he had to leave for RL. Franzi didn't even defend, tried to RP with them first, but it's hard to RP, when you got shot with arrows from all sides. On the other hand I can not blame them too much for their behaviour as Toruk did exactly the same at their SIM.

However, we kept the "RP" after the shoting short, as I lost any mood to RP with them at all. Franzi traded the slave against captured Paradise. It took a bit longer because the slave didn't want to leave. Well, if you don't want to leave, then don't fucking yell for help in your group-chat! *sighs* This is exactly the kind of "traffic" we really can do well without it!

After these exiting days peace and silence returned to Tidra. - Until kajuralia! Franzi went with his boys Eagle and Wolf and with the savage Paradise to that slaves-festival in Tabor. Celebrating, dancing naked, drinking lots of Paga, being body-painted by the kajiri.... - It was a funny event. Franzi returned with Paradise that night to Tidra. Drunk, naked and colorful. - And met a panther with some of her slaves. For their luck it was a known friend from Silver Tree, otherwise in their condition Franzi and Paradise wouldn't have been able to defend to an attack.

For some reason the panther wanted to see the dungeon, and Franzi - too drunk - didn't wonder much about it. So he showed them. After a short exchange of gifts - arrows and paga - the panthers left, and Paradise and Franzi fallen asleep right there on the furs in the cells of the dungeon, too tired and drunk to find their way back to their own furs.

That's where a new story started... But that I will tell another day!

Video of Tidra (part 1)

News

I wanted to write in chronicle-form, but suffering again from lack of time, so just some OOC comments...

The tribe slowly comes out of their hideaways. They (well, of course me, but IC it's the tribe itself) built a camp between the docks and the lake, left the upper cave. So we slowly return to the upper cave, where we got more light and a better view of the whole island. It will be hard to build some doors in there to be safe in our sleeps...

A new savage is on the island: Paradise. He even has his own blog which is fun to read. Last week he milked the bosk-cow without telling me. I thought the cow is ill, so we brought it to the mainland to see a healer. It was fun to play though not much happened. - Which reminds me to mention a good article to read here.

We often have people coming to Tidra, telling us, how beautiful it is and that they want to join the tribe. But then they are never seen again. They sneak in from time to time, look around with the radar and tp out again. And then keep on complaining about the "low traffic". Well, if everyone just sneaks in for a few minutes, then of course they will never meet someone. It's not our task to care for their "entertainment". And we definitely prefer quality to quantity.
The best RPs I had yet were with about 1-3 people. As soon as it becomes more people it becomes a mess. Saw that yesterday again, when our boy Fox came exited from the academy of Mur to Tidra, telling me, that a brother of him from the academy has been captured. I tried to organize help, the savage Paradise joined me and we sailed to the mainland.... only to find a lot of Free again holding small-talk and discussing senselessly about this and that. As we finally after about a wasted hour were ready to rescue the boy, he just arrived at the docks, being freed already by others. Well, at least we had some fun then in the taverne, but only thanks to the present kajiri, not to the Free. Once again I feel confirmed, that on average the kajiri are the better RPers. They are better emoters and much more attentive then most Free.
So, I do not need that. I prefer the cornershop to walmart.

Better not write too much about it, as it only makes me angry, when people expect to be entertained, but are not willing to do their own share for it (There's a very lot to explore on Tidra. You would be busy for days, if you would only try! Of course, when you only tp in, look around with the radar and then leave, you will never find the hidden treasures...)

Started to make a movie with impressions of Tidra. It's fun to film though it's the first time for me. I hope the result will be fine....

Time for an update

Long time I haven't written here. Well, long time nothing happened on our island. We were busy decorating our earth-home for the holiday-season and to spend a quiet relaxed time in SL. Apart from that after the season we will change the rules. We have to accept, that kittehs are not made for Gorean RP. It's not a part-time-job you can do quickly between shopping and danceclub. So after the holidays the rules will be changed.

However,  shortly before earth-christmas the Isle of Tidra got to new life. We had the first raiders who successfully found the server and stolen two bags of salt. Congratulations! It's a challenge and an adventure if you do it valid. I think it's been Vikings ((OOC they sent the notecard with the RP like it should be, but IC of course we don't know, who it was)).

And a villain settled down somewhere on the island. A wild and dangerous guy. Called himself Tyragon and already captured my companion Kenshi and held him a while in our own dungeon, where my boy Wolf finally found him. He stole a bag of salt and Kenshi's boots. Nothing else (yet), but we are not sure, if he still is on the island. We are all on the alert!

The meeting

On Saturday the 14th of November we had our first meeting to talk about the future of the Isle of Tidra and the question, if we furthermore allow non-human AVs on the island, as there seems to be a lack of interest in RP especially of the non-human savages.

The meeting was a bit of a mess but well, it was our first one, so next time it will get better.

Present were: Franziskus Ninetails, Sieg Refenoir, Jaap Sands, Lutz Melody, Mickael Pevensey, Kenshiro Pevensey; Chaz Toxx, Freki McGillivary, Sora Bluebird, Paddington Blackheart, Xaxat Sabretooth, (Icarus Cvercko), Marin Urdaneta, Conny Osterham, (Walker Brune)

Many problems were broached, so I try a little summary of the main points + my personal view:

1. Traffic

The main complaint & problem was and is, that there never would be someone on the island. - Well, I have to say: I know who is when for how long on the island. If everyone who complains, would stay a bit longer then 1 minute, then there would be enough life on the island. And I also have to add: Neither me, nor Kenshi, Freki or Mick are responsible for your entertainment. It's you yourself! We gave you the opportunity to play, so make the best of it!

But there were some good suggestions made. Here are a few:

a) Use the group-chat for a call for RP. You can even RP it, which would be prefered. For instance there are drums in the tribal-cave. Use them, emote it and send the call to the group-chat. Something like: "/me looks around the island, feeling a bit lonely. He walks to the cave and sits down to the drums. Their sound soon filling the cave... echoing all over the island to call for his savage brothers"

b) of course the group-chat can also be used for a call for help if you have the possibility to RP it. When you are already down and bound, you won't be able to call for help. But otherwise you can use other possibilities in emoting, like blowing a horn or using a special tribal battle call. IC the savages would be somewhere on the island, even if they are OOC somewhere in the rest of SL

c) a meeting spot. Well, actually this exists, as the upper cave is meant for the savages and their "social life" (drums, plants to care of, campfire, a totem to dance around, beds, kennels etc.)

d) special events on a fixed schedule. - Which is a very good idea to get to know each other and to have fun. Sora offered to DJ from time to time. So for instance how about a IC-thanksgiving party? Think of the origin of american thanksgiving and you get the idea!´Or a full-moons (yes, there are 3 on Gor) festival. The colonist unpacking a mysteiour crate that has washed to shore, like Xaxat suggested.... - Ideas are welcome!

e) the election of a "chief". - This was a suggestion of Almasy who couldn't take part at the meeting; what do the savages think about it? Although I personally liked more a community of equal brothers, maybe it would be good to have one to lead the others and take some administration burdon off my shoulders. You decide!

f) Bring your friends in!

g) Explore! The island might look like a maze, but it all make sense. Get used to the paths. Get to know where the traps are. All group-members have access to (almost) every door. The better you get to know the island, the better you will be able to defend yourself and the island. (Eventually I'm making a plan of the island for you soon, but please understand, that I'm very busy)

2. The "nature" of the tribe

There were complaints, that the tribe would be peaceful and they don't want "Gorean RP". - things were said like: "You give us the gorean RP Franzi, it is nice, but i don't want to do that in my RP". - Well, this is a bit strange, as the Isle of Tidra IS a Gorean RP SIM. Don't confuse Gorean RP with Gorean society. Even if the savages have no idea of the Gorean society on the mainland, it is a Gorean SIM after all.

As Freki already mentioned: "Using the term "Gorean RP" first line means to follow the general rules in how to RP not about laws and such things." - The island is on the planet Gor. There are Goreans coming from the mainland. It is a bit difficult, as many other Gorean SIMs don't accept non-human AVs in Gorean RP. But some come. Thieves come to steal from the server. Slavers come to capture "Barbarians "for the slavemarket. Others will shipwreck. There's also the dangerous shadow of the Dark Lord hovering over the island (hopefully!)... So, yes! There might be attacks and you better know how to defend yourself. Actually we HOPE there are, even if we don't want to have GorCraft, but sometimes it's necessary to fight.

~*~ Gorean RP lives and dies with interaction between Gorean SIMs. ~*~

To demand to be "all by ourselves" is not a Gorean RP and if you tell me you don't want Gorean RP, then sorry, but there are enough other non-Gorean SIM for RP with elves, dragons and whatever. But that's not what we - the builders - want, that's not what we worked for and that's not what we pay for. We wanted a Gorean SIM that allows non-human AVs.

About the needing to transform into a human form if leaving the island to the mainland, either if forced (catpurr... uhm... I mean capture) or for rescue-missions, raids or whatever... we might talk in the next meeting.

Read the rules and get informed about the planet Gor. {"What is Gor"} It was hard enough to figure out a reasonable storyline to allow non-human AVs on the island. To demand now, that we should NOT care at all about the other Gorean SIMs is ridiculuous. Better to think about how to integrate, not how to seperate.

According to the storyline so far, the Priest Kings (= the race that brought the humans thousands of years ago from Earth to Gor in a kind of biological experiment) have forgotten the island as it is so small and unimportant. That's how the DNA for transformation, that sleeps in the humans but is surpressed by the technology of the PKs on the mainland, could enhance on the Isle of Tidra. Another idea was, that hundreds of years ago the PKs ran biological experiments on the DNA of humans on the island which created the "exotic creatures", but then for some reasons left the island and the results of the experiment alone. That would explain the temple of the "anchestors" as the "creatures" might have worshipped their creators as gods. But that's just an idea yet and gives enough room for exploring the storyline, the "history" of Tidra.

About the tribe being "peaceful" and unarmed as some of you mentioned... That was never planned. Such a tribe might exist in Utopia, but neither on Earth nor on Gor. Look at the tribes in Africa and South-America, at the American Indians or the Australian Aboriginees! They have arrows, spears, blowpipes, boomerangs... They hunt and they fight.

Of course "our" tribe didn't know much about the threat from the mainland, but it is there. And it will be necessary to defend themselves or they at least have to learn how to hide effectively. Of course some will be more peaceful, others might be more hunters. That gives the opportunity for more RP - some caring for plants (if you haven't recognized: There are plants to care for), keeping the campfire burning (it's there), collecting berries and stuff, others hunting deer and sleen (yes, they are there) and bring meat to the tribe; shamans collecting herbs and brew potions in the cattle (it's there) etc etc etc. There's more to do then playing the poke-poke game all day long... :-)

3. The conflict settlers vs. savages and other storylines

Well, some said, it wouldn't have been clear, that the settlers keeping their slaves and living their lives "in a Gorean way". That's not exactly true, if you look at the chat-logs (you can read them in the blog). It was never a secret and we never hided the master-slave-relationship.

But okay, we can play on that after the short convergance we had, now the tribe is going to be suspicious about the Goreans keeping slaves and making prisoners. They might not understand, that the settlers see themselves as guardians and protectors of the island and the tribe, which is "the heritage of the anchestors".

There also was talking of "more place for the tribe". Hm, this was a bit strange. If it is not clear: The upper cave is meant for the tribe to live in there, even if it might be occupied by the settlers at the moment. But the settlers are moving step by step to the lower cave, to give back the tribe it's room to live.

So, we have four main storylines going on:

1. The settlers with their Gorean lifestyle

2. The tribe with their wild lifestyle

3. The relationship between settlers and tribes

4. Influence from the mainland

A short remark about the babbler: It was fun in the beginning to use the babbler and play the communication-problems. But now we experience some problems with it: 1. The babbler is very laggy. 2. The babbler isn't available to purchase anymore. 3. It complicates a fluent RP between tribe and settlers. So we abandonned it and try more to communicate in "broken English".

I hope I got all the main points of the meeting. If I forgot something, please feel free to tell me.

Freki has stored some RPs in a bookcase in his cave. Feel free to get copies of it. If wished, I could place an object with a notecard-giver like the bookcase in the upper cave. Like a "story-teller"

Feel free to send me or Mick notecards with RPs (summary and/or chatlog), if you want to have it posted here.

So, we will see (and we hope) how and if the life on the Isle of Tidra develops in the next weeks. Just one personal note: We are aware, that all of you have your RL or don't want to stay every minute of your SL-online time on the island or in Gor; neither do we. But you also have to accept and realize, that Gorean RP is nothing you just sneak in for some minutes and to sneak out again, if nothing happens in these minutes. It's a permanent and fluent progress. If you can accept this, then you will have the fun and exitement in RP that the Isle of Tidra is meant for.

re-opening soon

The rebuilding is progressing. We're not only repairing the terraforming but also had some new ideas, so the Isle of Tidra is becoming even prettier then before. We hope, that it will be re-opened this week!

A special

THANK YOU

to two very generous donators who donated 10.000 L$ each. It's not (only) about the money, it's also a prove to us, that they like the beauty of the Isle and that our work is appreciated.

One wrong click...

... and the work of weeks was gone! It took me weeks of terraforming, working on sqm after sqm to get the landscape of the Isle of Tidra as nice as it was at the end. And today... just a moment of being inattentive and I accidently flattened the whole SIM instead of just a few squaremeters. I'm devastated! There was still so much to do anyways and my mind was full of all those things still left to do, and now THIS!

However, although I'm almost at the end of energy, I'll roll up my sleeves and start all over again...

Too bad that exactly 5 minutes after the disaster happened, some of my most favorite thieves arrived on the island.

So, RP stopped for a while... some days, weeks, months, YEARS!? I don't know... And it was so much fun. Grrr.....