Dunvegan is a beautiful port city located south of Kassau on Thassa, the sea in Gor. It is a Gorean roleplay community in Second Life based on the books of John Norman, and is renowned for it's infirmary and as a place of learning and the arts. It also has a fine artisan village and a lively farm.
Saturday, February 14, 2015
Announcing the Birth of William Grey Gryphon
On this day of February 14, 2015 a baby boy was born to Lady Elspeth MacLeod and Sir Snow Gryphon. The baby was given the name of William Grey Gryphon to honour Sir Snow's grandfather William and Lady Elspeth's deceased brother Grey.
Thursday, February 12, 2015
The Gorean Battle Medic 2
Class: The Gorean Battle Medic 2
Lecturer: Snow Gryphon
Prerequisites: The Gorean Battle Medic 1
By touching this Dunvegan box here, you can obtain an organized folder with with my class notes and supporting documents. Class notes, text and textures are the sole property of the creator. They are not to be shared, sold or used to teach others without the specific permission of the instructor. This includes local chat.
At Physician’s Academy we make no effort to train you for any real life medical situations. We offer general information on medical topics, by the book and others, designed to better prepare you to role play as a Second Life Gorean physician. I make no claim to authoritative interpretation of the books by John Norman; nor am I trained in medicine in real life. These lectures are offered as a resource to role play only.
Please type an @ if you wish to ask a question or make a comment.
This is the second of a series of lectures called "Gorean Battle Medic (GBM)". It will deal with Equipment and the Battle Experience.
Let us begin.
3. Equipment
3.1 GBM Clothing & Equipment
Kajirae should wear a simple modest tunic, preferably green and with their hair under control. Warriors don’t need to be distracted while they are fighting. Similarly, kajirus should wear a loin cloth. Simple clothing also has the advantage of not getting in the way when doing a serve. The last thing one needs is billowing silks or dresses obscuring the view. Free women physicians must remain fully clothed and faithfully follow sim rules. They should endeavour to dress modestly. And be sure to wear your green arm band to be readily identified by friend and foe alike. The same exhortation applies to free men physicians except of course they have greater freedom in dress codes.
In addition, GBM’s can be equipped with a tool-belt worn on the arm or waist that may include such items as tweezers, scalpel, knife, light tube, magnifier, bandages, rep cloths, disinfectant and medicines. For a one minute serve with a warrior, one may not have the time to apply a prim bandage or have the warrior drink your favourite healing brew, but when RPing with others not so time constrained, these devices can add to realism and fun.
3.2 The Mobile Field Infirmary
Whether defending at home or attacking another sim, you may wish to use a Mobile Field Infirmary. At home, you infirmary may be a long way from the battle site or inconvenient to access, so setting one up can make good sense. Place it strategically with the advice of your Commander. It should be close enough for easy access, but out of the way of the normal flow of the battle.
Similarly, when setting up away from home be sure it will be behind your warriors and not easily over-run. This takes some experience to judge, so avail yourself of the advice of others. An added complication when attacking is that you likely will not be able to rez out on your enemy’s sim. So be sure to discuss this with your Commander. You may have to be added to the enemy group, at least temporarily, to do this.
Well, what constitutes a typical Mobile Field Infirmary? It may include the following: a tent, one or more beds, a medic belt or backpack and some supply packs. It should be easily seen and well-marked. As soon as you arrive on site, the GBM will help the physician(s) get setup, and be sure to remember where your Mobile Field Infirmary is located at all times! A well-trained physician and their GBM make a great team for roleplaying.
Question: If your Mobile Field Infirmary is over-run by the enemy, should the GBM try to defend the patients? If so, how?
Comments or questions so far?
5. The Battle
5.1 Rules
Sims often have extensive rules governing all aspects of combat and raids. We will explore those few that directly impact the GBM on an ongoing basis. However it is hoped that you will read and follow all the rules of your sim and that of your guest city, when applicable. I will be using examples taken from a few cities such as Port Cos, Port Olni and Lydius Port. The rules can vary considerably from city to city, so once again you must read them!!
5.1.1 Roleplay Rules
Most sims will allow reasonable personal RP limits such as:
“ - Players may choose to opt out of explicit roleplay they do not feel comfortable participating in, such as rape or excessive violence and gore. “
“ - Limits such as "No binding, no nudity, no branding, no killing, no hair cutting, and no collaring...etc" are unacceptable. “
“ - "Fading to Black" for the duration of the incident will help keep the story going. This means the 8 hours of brutal rape RP you were hoping to subject someone to can be replaced by simply saying their character was raped and moving on with the story rather than TPing out. “
Note that limits that you cannot normally opt out of are what most consider BTB “normal” aspects of Gorean life. If you are unable to deal with these issues, you may want to reconsider your role. Many sims have safe zones to which you can go in battle. But be sure to write RP limits in your profile to give others a heads up, and if you have a Free Companion or a significant other, it is best to consult with them on these limits as well.
Also, it is not considered good RP to change your mind or role when you find yourself in trouble. For example, one minute you are a GBM and the next a non-involved Free Woman. At all times try to be a faithful RPer, sticking to your role. Some sims have rules such as this one:
“ - Any changes, invalidations, or termination of RP should be done with the consent of whomever is participating. If no agreeable solution can be met, an RP moderator or Admin should settle the dispute. Have logs of the incident prepared.”
Many sims also will apply bans if you leave the battle for personal reasons. Here are some examples:
“ - TPing out of RP because your group owner or significant other demands it will result in a ban for you. “
“~ Any one TPing to leave combat and return with a reset meter will be ejected.”
So you can see from these examples, that once a battle starts you must do your best to stay in your role, whatever the consequences, but within reasonable personal limits. And you also must never TP away to another part of the sim to evade capture.
Question: Give me some examples of how you would actually do a “Fade to Black” if you are captured and are about to be slave raped by several men.
Any other comments or questions?
5.1.2 Combat Rules
Most combat rules are relevant to combatants, but there are a few to keep in mind for the GBM. The first and almost universal rule is that you must never re-set your meter while in battle. This often will result in banning.
Also there are rules about the use of doors. You may think you will be perfectly safe behind that door, but wait, here is an example of some rules:
“ ~All doors are scripted to be lock picked, to be opened with stolen key or jammed. “
“~Door prims are not allowed in Port Cos and will invalidate any attempt to pass through a door.”
“~Lockpicking or Breaking down doors: 3 emotes needed to pass”
“ ~Jamming the door: 2 emotes needed”
So you can see that RPing is what it’s all about and you may not be safe anywhere in the battle area.
Many sims have rules limiting the use of weapons. For example, can bows be used in the city, or not, can arrows be lobbed, are dual wielded weapons allowed and how about grappling hooks? The GBM must be aware of these rules as they will affect his/her strategy and play.
Question: So you evade capture but the warrior chases you to a locked room that you have entered. He suddenly appears in the locked-room and starts hacking at you. How did he likely get in and what should you do?
Any comments or questions?
5.1.3 Capture Rules
Now we will discuss one of the most controversial aspects of life in Gor: being captured. If not done properly this can split families, and bring great disharmony in communities.
It is not likely that as a GBM you will be capturing anyone, except for their protection. But it is highly probable that you will be captured in battle.
Here are some RP rules that typically apply:
“~Binding - Three emotes, minimum of 10 words for full bind, one post for slave bind. Once you are bound you cannot move, roll, or squirm in any way while bound.”
“~Unbinding - Three emotes, minimum of 10 words for full bind, one post for slaves”
“~No unbinding others while bound “
“~Self-unbinding - Ten minutes after battle has ended.”
Please note that all must be accompanied by RP. Think it through, keep it real!
So what if you are captured. What now? Some sims have rules governing the minimum and maximum time you may be held captive, some don’t. Some allow captors to take their captives out of the sim, some don’t. But one thing is clear: Once you are a captive you begin to lose your rights as a free, if you started out as one. You may be tied up, disrobed and collared. These are reasonable things that could happen to you while you are down and unconscious, right?
Question: Well there you are on the ground, tied up and no one seems to be paying attention to you. Can you try to escape? If so how?
Any comments or questions?
5.2 Capture & Submission RP
Now let’s think this through carefully keeping the rules in mind. You suddenly find yourself cornered by a warrior. Let’s assume you have not been downed and he says “Lady I have you cornered and I intend to capture you”. What should you do? Well if I were you I would try to escape, if there was any reasonable probability of success. What is the downside of running? Worst thing that can happen is you end up in a bubble. Best thing is you escape and can taunt the luckless warrior. So make a run for it! He will try to down you with his melee weapon or fire some arrows at you, if it is legal to do so. Either way, do some zigzagging to disturb his aim, know where you are going and you may be lucky and escape.
But let’s assume you haven’t been successful and end up in a bubble. What now? Well you must RP being unconscious for a start, so no shouts or emotes or attempts to escape. He likely will start his binding emotes by coming to you and saying something like “Runs to the side of the downed Lady and quickly ties her arms and legs with binding fiber.”
Ok you are caught. Then when your minute is up, he can give you aid to wake you up by saying “Slaps the Lady on the face to awaken her and says “Lady I have captured you, please be still and I will get you some medical attention””, then you respond by clicking on the “Bind” button (click on HUD, Setup, Bind) and saying “Sir, please do not harm me, I am a respected Lady!” You see you do have to cooperate in RP! Then he will finish with the third emote as follows: “Checks the binding fibers to see that they are secure and says “Lady XYZ you have been captured by me Sir Powerful””. At this point you may have to just sit there waiting for someone to free you or haul you away. Or you may opt to try to escape.
Capture and submission are two very different things. The first can be “forced” on you as the result of being faithful to your RP. For example, what can you do when you are unconscious besides allow yourself to be tied, disrobed and collared? Think about it. After the battle, you captor may seek your submission. This however will be YOUR choice. There will always be alternatives scenarios. Here are a few to consider:
When asked to submit,
1. You do so willingly
2. You refuse but are branded and raped anyway
3. You refuse and are killed
4. You refuse and are rescued, released, traded or sold
5. You refuse but agree to work as a GBM for them
There are many possible outcomes and combinations. But often this is not easy RP and you may find yourself in an emotionally untenable situation and wish to Fade to Black.
We will not discuss killing and suicide except in passing, suffice to say there are extensive rules in most sims governing them and one hopes it never happens to you. There usually will be a more suitable solution using RP. But serious grudges can develop between communities and men, often over honour and women, and sometimes extreme measures are sought.
So how do you get home? Well if you have willingly submitted, you are already home! Otherwise, there are RP ways to get you home such as by rescue, etc., before the time limit is enforced. Most sims use a 3 day limit, then you can TP home. If you are a Free Companion one would hope back to your loving Companion. These kinds of experience can add stresses to relationships, so it is best to have your strategies and assurances in place before you go to battle.
For example, there is an issue in most Free Companion contracts that stipulates that once a Free Woman is enslaved, she is no longer a Free Companion. So if you want to stay together, you and your Companion need to agree about what will really happen if he/she is captured. And it may not be simple, because you may hear some very malicious remarks and rumours along the way. Men love to taunt each other after battle and sometimes admins allow things to get out of hand. Enough said on that. Be careful!
Question: You are a captured physician and have been told there are many wounded enemy warriors that need your help. What should you do?
Comments or questions?
5.3 The Battle & Staying Out of Trouble
Battles are often carefully planned affairs preceded by lengthy negotiations, or they may be more impromptu. Be sure you are well briefed by your Commander. So if you are on the attacking side, show up on time at the raid dock ready to be of assistance. Once the raid ratio rules have been verified you will be let in and the fun begins! Most attacks start with the use of several volleys of arrows traded back and forth. Find a good place to hide that is easily accessible to the action. A nearby tree or rock would be a good place. Carefully watch your men and if any fall, leap into action and perform your Aid Service RP. Then quickly head for cover. Rinse and repeat.
The next stage usually involves the use of grappling hooks to scale the walls. Wait a bit before you follow the warriors, you don’t want to end up in the middle of things. When the time is right, click on the rope and up you go, then orient yourself and find cover again. Usually, the fighting will be with melee weapons at this point. Just be sure you don’t get too close to any of the enemy.
Battles often last for a total ½-2 hours, so stay focused and out of trouble. It’s not easy! Besides doing your serves, the important thing to watch is your own meter. If it dips into the yellow zone, take a time-out to hide and recover. The idea being that you want to be useful throughout the duration of the battle and aid as many of your warriors as you can. You may also come across some of your warriors that have been captured. If they are unguarded, you may be able to untie them. Do so by clicking on their ropes and having a suitable RP.
Ultimately, one side will wear the other down and a winner will emerge. Hopefully, it will be your side! At that point there will be many captives lying around and with some luck and skill you won’t be among them. The post-battle RP’s then commence.
Once you get home, give your typing fingers a rest and chill with your comrades. It also may be a good time to review in your mind what went well and what didn’t. Ask your warriors for recommendations and advice. Make some notes and try to do better next time. All in all, RPing a GBM should be a very fun and rewarding experience.
One final question from me: What is the best beverage to drink after a battle?
Any final comments or questions?
This concludes the series of lectures on the Gorean Battle Medic. Thank you for attending.
Lecturer: Snow Gryphon
Prerequisites: The Gorean Battle Medic 1
By touching this Dunvegan box here, you can obtain an organized folder with with my class notes and supporting documents. Class notes, text and textures are the sole property of the creator. They are not to be shared, sold or used to teach others without the specific permission of the instructor. This includes local chat.
At Physician’s Academy we make no effort to train you for any real life medical situations. We offer general information on medical topics, by the book and others, designed to better prepare you to role play as a Second Life Gorean physician. I make no claim to authoritative interpretation of the books by John Norman; nor am I trained in medicine in real life. These lectures are offered as a resource to role play only.
Please type an @ if you wish to ask a question or make a comment.
This is the second of a series of lectures called "Gorean Battle Medic (GBM)". It will deal with Equipment and the Battle Experience.
Let us begin.
3. Equipment
3.1 GBM Clothing & Equipment
Kajirae should wear a simple modest tunic, preferably green and with their hair under control. Warriors don’t need to be distracted while they are fighting. Similarly, kajirus should wear a loin cloth. Simple clothing also has the advantage of not getting in the way when doing a serve. The last thing one needs is billowing silks or dresses obscuring the view. Free women physicians must remain fully clothed and faithfully follow sim rules. They should endeavour to dress modestly. And be sure to wear your green arm band to be readily identified by friend and foe alike. The same exhortation applies to free men physicians except of course they have greater freedom in dress codes.
In addition, GBM’s can be equipped with a tool-belt worn on the arm or waist that may include such items as tweezers, scalpel, knife, light tube, magnifier, bandages, rep cloths, disinfectant and medicines. For a one minute serve with a warrior, one may not have the time to apply a prim bandage or have the warrior drink your favourite healing brew, but when RPing with others not so time constrained, these devices can add to realism and fun.
3.2 The Mobile Field Infirmary
Whether defending at home or attacking another sim, you may wish to use a Mobile Field Infirmary. At home, you infirmary may be a long way from the battle site or inconvenient to access, so setting one up can make good sense. Place it strategically with the advice of your Commander. It should be close enough for easy access, but out of the way of the normal flow of the battle.
Similarly, when setting up away from home be sure it will be behind your warriors and not easily over-run. This takes some experience to judge, so avail yourself of the advice of others. An added complication when attacking is that you likely will not be able to rez out on your enemy’s sim. So be sure to discuss this with your Commander. You may have to be added to the enemy group, at least temporarily, to do this.
Well, what constitutes a typical Mobile Field Infirmary? It may include the following: a tent, one or more beds, a medic belt or backpack and some supply packs. It should be easily seen and well-marked. As soon as you arrive on site, the GBM will help the physician(s) get setup, and be sure to remember where your Mobile Field Infirmary is located at all times! A well-trained physician and their GBM make a great team for roleplaying.
Question: If your Mobile Field Infirmary is over-run by the enemy, should the GBM try to defend the patients? If so, how?
Comments or questions so far?
5. The Battle
5.1 Rules
Sims often have extensive rules governing all aspects of combat and raids. We will explore those few that directly impact the GBM on an ongoing basis. However it is hoped that you will read and follow all the rules of your sim and that of your guest city, when applicable. I will be using examples taken from a few cities such as Port Cos, Port Olni and Lydius Port. The rules can vary considerably from city to city, so once again you must read them!!
5.1.1 Roleplay Rules
Most sims will allow reasonable personal RP limits such as:
“ - Players may choose to opt out of explicit roleplay they do not feel comfortable participating in, such as rape or excessive violence and gore. “
“ - Limits such as "No binding, no nudity, no branding, no killing, no hair cutting, and no collaring...etc" are unacceptable. “
“ - "Fading to Black" for the duration of the incident will help keep the story going. This means the 8 hours of brutal rape RP you were hoping to subject someone to can be replaced by simply saying their character was raped and moving on with the story rather than TPing out. “
Note that limits that you cannot normally opt out of are what most consider BTB “normal” aspects of Gorean life. If you are unable to deal with these issues, you may want to reconsider your role. Many sims have safe zones to which you can go in battle. But be sure to write RP limits in your profile to give others a heads up, and if you have a Free Companion or a significant other, it is best to consult with them on these limits as well.
Also, it is not considered good RP to change your mind or role when you find yourself in trouble. For example, one minute you are a GBM and the next a non-involved Free Woman. At all times try to be a faithful RPer, sticking to your role. Some sims have rules such as this one:
“ - Any changes, invalidations, or termination of RP should be done with the consent of whomever is participating. If no agreeable solution can be met, an RP moderator or Admin should settle the dispute. Have logs of the incident prepared.”
Many sims also will apply bans if you leave the battle for personal reasons. Here are some examples:
“ - TPing out of RP because your group owner or significant other demands it will result in a ban for you. “
“~ Any one TPing to leave combat and return with a reset meter will be ejected.”
So you can see from these examples, that once a battle starts you must do your best to stay in your role, whatever the consequences, but within reasonable personal limits. And you also must never TP away to another part of the sim to evade capture.
Question: Give me some examples of how you would actually do a “Fade to Black” if you are captured and are about to be slave raped by several men.
Any other comments or questions?
5.1.2 Combat Rules
Most combat rules are relevant to combatants, but there are a few to keep in mind for the GBM. The first and almost universal rule is that you must never re-set your meter while in battle. This often will result in banning.
Also there are rules about the use of doors. You may think you will be perfectly safe behind that door, but wait, here is an example of some rules:
“ ~All doors are scripted to be lock picked, to be opened with stolen key or jammed. “
“~Door prims are not allowed in Port Cos and will invalidate any attempt to pass through a door.”
“~Lockpicking or Breaking down doors: 3 emotes needed to pass”
“ ~Jamming the door: 2 emotes needed”
So you can see that RPing is what it’s all about and you may not be safe anywhere in the battle area.
Many sims have rules limiting the use of weapons. For example, can bows be used in the city, or not, can arrows be lobbed, are dual wielded weapons allowed and how about grappling hooks? The GBM must be aware of these rules as they will affect his/her strategy and play.
Question: So you evade capture but the warrior chases you to a locked room that you have entered. He suddenly appears in the locked-room and starts hacking at you. How did he likely get in and what should you do?
Any comments or questions?
5.1.3 Capture Rules
Now we will discuss one of the most controversial aspects of life in Gor: being captured. If not done properly this can split families, and bring great disharmony in communities.
It is not likely that as a GBM you will be capturing anyone, except for their protection. But it is highly probable that you will be captured in battle.
Here are some RP rules that typically apply:
“~Binding - Three emotes, minimum of 10 words for full bind, one post for slave bind. Once you are bound you cannot move, roll, or squirm in any way while bound.”
“~Unbinding - Three emotes, minimum of 10 words for full bind, one post for slaves”
“~No unbinding others while bound “
“~Self-unbinding - Ten minutes after battle has ended.”
Please note that all must be accompanied by RP. Think it through, keep it real!
So what if you are captured. What now? Some sims have rules governing the minimum and maximum time you may be held captive, some don’t. Some allow captors to take their captives out of the sim, some don’t. But one thing is clear: Once you are a captive you begin to lose your rights as a free, if you started out as one. You may be tied up, disrobed and collared. These are reasonable things that could happen to you while you are down and unconscious, right?
Question: Well there you are on the ground, tied up and no one seems to be paying attention to you. Can you try to escape? If so how?
Any comments or questions?
5.2 Capture & Submission RP
Now let’s think this through carefully keeping the rules in mind. You suddenly find yourself cornered by a warrior. Let’s assume you have not been downed and he says “Lady I have you cornered and I intend to capture you”. What should you do? Well if I were you I would try to escape, if there was any reasonable probability of success. What is the downside of running? Worst thing that can happen is you end up in a bubble. Best thing is you escape and can taunt the luckless warrior. So make a run for it! He will try to down you with his melee weapon or fire some arrows at you, if it is legal to do so. Either way, do some zigzagging to disturb his aim, know where you are going and you may be lucky and escape.
But let’s assume you haven’t been successful and end up in a bubble. What now? Well you must RP being unconscious for a start, so no shouts or emotes or attempts to escape. He likely will start his binding emotes by coming to you and saying something like “Runs to the side of the downed Lady and quickly ties her arms and legs with binding fiber.”
Ok you are caught. Then when your minute is up, he can give you aid to wake you up by saying “Slaps the Lady on the face to awaken her and says “Lady I have captured you, please be still and I will get you some medical attention””, then you respond by clicking on the “Bind” button (click on HUD, Setup, Bind) and saying “Sir, please do not harm me, I am a respected Lady!” You see you do have to cooperate in RP! Then he will finish with the third emote as follows: “Checks the binding fibers to see that they are secure and says “Lady XYZ you have been captured by me Sir Powerful””. At this point you may have to just sit there waiting for someone to free you or haul you away. Or you may opt to try to escape.
Capture and submission are two very different things. The first can be “forced” on you as the result of being faithful to your RP. For example, what can you do when you are unconscious besides allow yourself to be tied, disrobed and collared? Think about it. After the battle, you captor may seek your submission. This however will be YOUR choice. There will always be alternatives scenarios. Here are a few to consider:
When asked to submit,
1. You do so willingly
2. You refuse but are branded and raped anyway
3. You refuse and are killed
4. You refuse and are rescued, released, traded or sold
5. You refuse but agree to work as a GBM for them
There are many possible outcomes and combinations. But often this is not easy RP and you may find yourself in an emotionally untenable situation and wish to Fade to Black.
We will not discuss killing and suicide except in passing, suffice to say there are extensive rules in most sims governing them and one hopes it never happens to you. There usually will be a more suitable solution using RP. But serious grudges can develop between communities and men, often over honour and women, and sometimes extreme measures are sought.
So how do you get home? Well if you have willingly submitted, you are already home! Otherwise, there are RP ways to get you home such as by rescue, etc., before the time limit is enforced. Most sims use a 3 day limit, then you can TP home. If you are a Free Companion one would hope back to your loving Companion. These kinds of experience can add stresses to relationships, so it is best to have your strategies and assurances in place before you go to battle.
For example, there is an issue in most Free Companion contracts that stipulates that once a Free Woman is enslaved, she is no longer a Free Companion. So if you want to stay together, you and your Companion need to agree about what will really happen if he/she is captured. And it may not be simple, because you may hear some very malicious remarks and rumours along the way. Men love to taunt each other after battle and sometimes admins allow things to get out of hand. Enough said on that. Be careful!
Question: You are a captured physician and have been told there are many wounded enemy warriors that need your help. What should you do?
Comments or questions?
5.3 The Battle & Staying Out of Trouble
Battles are often carefully planned affairs preceded by lengthy negotiations, or they may be more impromptu. Be sure you are well briefed by your Commander. So if you are on the attacking side, show up on time at the raid dock ready to be of assistance. Once the raid ratio rules have been verified you will be let in and the fun begins! Most attacks start with the use of several volleys of arrows traded back and forth. Find a good place to hide that is easily accessible to the action. A nearby tree or rock would be a good place. Carefully watch your men and if any fall, leap into action and perform your Aid Service RP. Then quickly head for cover. Rinse and repeat.
The next stage usually involves the use of grappling hooks to scale the walls. Wait a bit before you follow the warriors, you don’t want to end up in the middle of things. When the time is right, click on the rope and up you go, then orient yourself and find cover again. Usually, the fighting will be with melee weapons at this point. Just be sure you don’t get too close to any of the enemy.
Battles often last for a total ½-2 hours, so stay focused and out of trouble. It’s not easy! Besides doing your serves, the important thing to watch is your own meter. If it dips into the yellow zone, take a time-out to hide and recover. The idea being that you want to be useful throughout the duration of the battle and aid as many of your warriors as you can. You may also come across some of your warriors that have been captured. If they are unguarded, you may be able to untie them. Do so by clicking on their ropes and having a suitable RP.
Ultimately, one side will wear the other down and a winner will emerge. Hopefully, it will be your side! At that point there will be many captives lying around and with some luck and skill you won’t be among them. The post-battle RP’s then commence.
Once you get home, give your typing fingers a rest and chill with your comrades. It also may be a good time to review in your mind what went well and what didn’t. Ask your warriors for recommendations and advice. Make some notes and try to do better next time. All in all, RPing a GBM should be a very fun and rewarding experience.
One final question from me: What is the best beverage to drink after a battle?
Any final comments or questions?
This concludes the series of lectures on the Gorean Battle Medic. Thank you for attending.
The Gorean Battle Medic 1
Class: Gorean Battle Medic 1
Lecturer: Snow Gryphon
Prerequisites: none
By touching this Dunvegan box here, you can obtain an organized folder with with my class notes and supporting documents. Class notes, text and textures are the sole property of the creator. They are not to be shared, sold or used to teach others without the specific permission of the instructor. This includes local chat.
At Physician’s Academy we make no effort to train you for any real life medical situations. We offer general information on medical topics, by the book and others, designed to better prepare you to role play as a Second Life Gorean physician. I make no claim to authoritative interpretation of the books by John Norman; nor am I trained in medicine in real life. These lectures are offered as a resource to role play only.
Please type an @ if you wish to ask a question or make a comment.
This is the first of two lectures called "Gorean Battle Medic".
1. Overview and Basics
1.1. Why
The Gorean Battle Medic (GBM) is a highly useful character for several reasons. They provide a tactical advantage in battle by giving a health assist that allows the wounded warrior to regain health more quickly. And the GBM provides another level of Role Play (RP) that adds to the complexity and fun in battles. Most sims use the Gorean Meter (GM). As the warrior takes hits, he is damaged and his health deteriorates and at some point he is no longer able to function and becomes unconscious or may die. The GM has a built-in clock that allows the warrior gradually to regain health (unless he is dead) even if he is not assisted. But help by the GBM speeds this up and allows the warrior to get back to the fighting more quickly. The job if the GBM is to make sure that happens, quickly and efficiently.
1.2. What
The GBM provides basic first aid on the battlefield. This includes determining the nature of the wound, stabilizing the patient, stopping bleeding, dealing with concussions and shock and assisting the warrior to get to the nearest infirmary. This first aid serve should take less than one minute and should be well-practiced. Remember a warrior heals himself by doing nothing and the last thing he needs is a half hour RP in the field.
1.3. Who
The GBM requires training in first aid and dealing with battle situations. Typically a GBM is a kajira (female slave)/kajirus (male slave) or a physician. Since the probability of injury, death and capture is quite high in a battlefield environment, it is considered better practice to have lesser trained more expendable characters fulfilling with role. In order of preference you may want to use a kajira, kajirus, male physician, female physician, Caste Leader. A typical female has the strength of a 12 year old Gorean boy, so they have limited abilities to be able carry a wounded warrior from the field.
Physicians should be protected and are better used in the infirmary. And exposing Free Women (FW) to battle is very risky, for themselves and any relationships they might have. If given a choice, train a few slaves. The slaves should be intelligent, quick RPers, brave, and ready to accept some dire consequences. A word of caution though: A GBM that is a slave normally is not permitted to perform anything beyond basic first aid, and even when trained is not a member of the Green (Physician’s) Caste. There are some slaves that were trained healers and physicians. Upon enslavement, they lost their rights and freedoms, but of course not their abilities. However, the use of “skilled” slaves is controversial, so it is best to stick with a simple format of offering first aid.
1.4. When
Obviously a GBM should be available for battles (or raids), but also should be included in battle training with the warriors. If the GBM is a kajira/kajirus, they also will be invaluable in assisting with RP in the infirmary. Battles usually don’t just happen. They are often carefully planned. It is always good practice as a physician to be involved in the planning process and to pass along any relevant information to your GBM. For Example: the next battle with XYZ city is at 1pm SLT on Friday. Be there ½ hour ahead of time for a briefing and the battle should last 2 hours including aftermath.
1.5. Where
Battles are either offensive or defensive. The offensive battles take place in your opponent’s sim. Sims can be cities, towns, villages, camps, or wild areas. Your Commander (warrior leader) should have scouted the area and be able to advise the GBM about the battlefield. He likely will also have a battle plan including positioning, objectives, and fallback, and as a GBM you need to know where and when you should be at all times. Most active raiding sims have a ‘Raid Gate” that you will assemble in front of before a raid, but some don’t. You absolutely must read the raid rules of the sim you are raiding. Ignorance is no excuse. We will deal with this in more details later.
The defenders almost always are given the advantage in a raid. Make yourself very familiar with your sim. Know how to navigate quickly and efficiently. Find the hiding places and safe areas. Know the areas where the raid will come from. Most important, know where your infirmary is and how to get there. This may seem obvious, but in the heat of battle, it is easy to become disoriented. All this will give you an advantage over the enemy and make you a more useful and valued RPer.
Question: You are a physician and want to train a slave to be a GBM. What medical skills and techniques should the slave learn?
Answer: “This includes determining the nature of the wound, stabilizing the patient, stopping bleeding, dealing with concussions and shock and assisting the warrior to get to the nearest infirmary.”
1.6. Gorean ranged and melee weapons
Many of us have not experienced being in battle alongside our warriors. It is a fast and furious affair. It can be exhilarating, scary and fun all at once. There are in general two kinds of weapons: range and melee.
Range weapons include bows, spears and slingshots. Melee weapons are such things as swords, axes and pikes. The most commonly used are a combination of a bow and a sword. The swords can be one-handed or two-handed. The one-handed sword like a gladius or short sword usually comes with a shield of some kind. So it has both offensive and defensive properties. Two-handed weapons like the great sword or battle axe are mostly offensive but had catch blows on them as well.
The weapons are designed to give no individual a distinctive advantage in battle. They all have advantages and disadvantages. For example one may deal more damage, but is slower to use than another.
The bow is the most commonly used and versatile range weapon. It is able to fire unlimited arrows (only on Gor…laughs) and can be setup to lob arrows over walls or buildings or fire straight at things. Bows usually come with a HUD that allows the user to adjust and target easily. In the hands of a skilled warrior a bow is highly accurate and lethal. When you see a warrior draw his bow, you had better escape quickly! The bow also has a grappling hook for scaling walls and other obstacles.
In a battlefield during a ranged attack, arrows will be flying all around you and you may be hit several times by accident. Also, some less than honourable people do target greens to take us out of the equation.
When you see a warrior close by draw his melee weapon, don't stop and think. Run away as fast as you can! You are unarmed silly, what chance do you think you have? It is very easy to go down when attacked by a warrior. They are very fast and deadly. If you have a chance, go and see your warriors training even if you have no intention of taking part in the battles. It will give you a clearer understanding of the role of a GBM. Next, we will explore training in more detail.
Question: You find yourself in the middle of a raid and the arrows are falling all around you. What is your best course of action?
Answer: Try to get behind your battle lines and behind shelter but still available to assist downed warriors.
2. Training
2.1 Caste Codes and Sim Rules
Knowing the rules of the game is the starting point in any training. Of relevance here are caste codes and sim rules. I’m going to pull out those that are essential to know, but of course you must be familiar with them all.
The Physician’s Oath of this Academy says that “I will aid any who call upon me for healing.” Well in a battle there may be many calling on a GBM for help. Obviously you should help your warriors. But should you help a downed enemy, if he is close by? In some sims, aiding the enemy is considered treasonous. You need to read your sim rules and have this discussion with your Commander and admin. Usually a middle path is acceptable, in that you can assist a downed enemy when you are not needed anywhere else and it won’t affect the outcome of the battle.
There are usually a great many sim rules governing raids. They include, entering and exiting the sim, TPing, binding, use of weapons by different classes, etc. They differ somewhat from sim to sim. You must carefully read and understand the rules and apply them faithfully. Combat brings out the best and worst in all of us, and not following rules can lead to unnecessary conflicts.
If you are training a slave, it is essential that they be made aware of the Physician’s Oath and relevant sim rules.
Question: If you have a choice between helping an enemy warrior near death of one of your own that is lightly injured, who should you treat first?
Answer: I would treat the enemy warrior first as long as it didn’t endanger my warriors, but this is a very tough choice.
2.2 Know Your Warriors
Imagine you are in the middle of a battle and 10 warriors are swirling around you fighting, one goes down and shouts “Medic I need help!” You look in your local chat window and see his name, and for a several seconds, you can’t remember if he is on your side or not. It’s very embarrassing, right? And when you get to him, and ask him what the problem is and he responds in a strange way and you don’t know what to do? The result: lost time and an annoying experience for you both. So the solution is that you must practice with all your warriors. Memorize their names, understand their RP styles and roles, and let them get used to you too. They will learn how to respond, they will get used to you being there for them, a help and not a hindrance, a part of a well-oiled team. The key is practice, practice, practice. It can be a lot of fun too and you’ll enjoy your RP a great deal more when you are with your “buds”.
2.3 The Battlefield Serve
2.3.1 Accessing and Interviewing Your Patient
The first thing to remember is that you are doing “first aid” as quickly and efficiently as possible, in less than one minute, if possible. So with that in mind, when you encounter a wounded warrior, the first step is to ask him about his injuries. This should only take a few seconds with practice. For example say “Warrior, where are you injured?”, and he responds “I have an arrow in my shoulder”. A battle serve is not the time for para RP, keep it simple and direct, forget about the long emotes. Your next goal is to stabilize his injuries and prevent further damage. Determine what his worst injuries are, if he has more than one, and treat them first. Look for major artery cuts or punctures, or major bone breaks or difficulty breathing. This requires some practice and judgment, but in most cases it means stop the bleeding first.
2.3.2 Cuts and Projectile Wounds
If the patient is a non-combatant you may wish to offer a painkiller such as a tassa tincture. Warriors almost never will accept a painkiller, so you can save yourself the typing. If the wound is a cut or puncture, clean the wound with sterile water and remove any debris with tweezers. Do this quickly. Do not try removing any projectiles such as arrows in the field unless you are a trained physician and even then, it usually is better to do that in the infirmary.
If the bleeding is profuse, press a sterile rep cloth on the wound to promote clotting. In most cases, your goal is to get the warrior to the infirmary ASAP. If you are a physician you may consider cauterizing the wound with a hot iron and putting in a few stitches in the field to repair major damaged arteries, but think about how likely this is in the middle of a battle. Slaves must not do this at all without permission. If the wound is less severe, you may be able to patch him up sufficiently to keep on fighting by simply stopping the bleeding and bandaging.
OK so here is the heart of the problem: A warrior is down and he emotes that he has an arrow in his leg. I have just told you that a GBM should not attempt arrow extraction in the field, and that the proper course of action is to stop the bleeding and get the warrior to the infirmary and to a physician; BUT…you have only one minute to do that and the warrior can himself in 4-5 minutes. What are the chances of a warrior agreeing to be brought to an infirmary for an extended RP while his mates are being slaughtered? So usually the best you can do is to get him out of his bubble and back into the fray ASAP.
Question: You come upon a warrior with arrows in both legs and he can’t walk. What are your options for getting him to the infirmary?
Answer: A few people could carry him or better yet use a stretcher or wagon.
2.3.3 Concussion and Shock
Shock can occur with almost any injury, so here are the symptoms: pale, clammy skin, rapid heart rate, low blood pressure, decreased alertness, and confusion. Be sure to watch for any of these key words in your patients emote. Treat by having the patient lie down with feet elevated, unless it is a head wound. Loosen any tight or restrictive clothing and keep the person calm. Warm the patient if needed and give liquids.
Concussions may accompany other wounds, so watch for these symptoms: headache or a feeling of pressure in the head, temporary loss of consciousness, confusion or feeling as if in a fog, amnesia surrounding the traumatic event, dizziness or "seeing stars", ringing in the ears, nausea, vomiting. The treatments are as follows: Apply ice or a cold wet cloth, use a painkiller such as tassa tincture, rest, and monitor symptoms over time.
Cuts and projectile wounds, shock and concussion are the medical issues most often encountered in the battle field that can be addressed easily and efficiently. You may also encounter, poisoning, bites, burns, broken bones, choking among others. Treatment of all these are beyond the scope of this series of lectures, but suffice to say that the GBM should pass these along to the infirmary staff.
Question: A warrior is down and he said that he fell of the wall and may have banged his head. His only symptoms are a rapid heart rate and cool clammy skin. What should you do?
Answer: It is not uncommon to get mixed messages and symptoms or even next to no symptoms from warriors. A little bit of godmodding here may be OK.
2.3.4 Summary of the Battlefield Serve, Step-by-Step
Now that you have mastered the RP, here are the steps to do a healing serve in the battlefield. First, when someone goes down they will usually say something like; “shouts: I need healing, help me!!”. Once you have determined that the person is on your side and where he/she is, run to them quickly. When a person is downed you can’t aid them for one minute. So as soon as you arrive, click on the bubble to see how many seconds are left.
Also look around and assess the situation. Is there an enemy warrior standing right there? If so, will he leave you alone to do your serve, or does he attack you? If you are attacked, get out of there fast, you have no chance against a warrior. Also make note of who he is and when and where, and give that info to your Commander. Post battle, there are often heated debates about cheating, etc.
Now let’s assume you have arrived and no one is trying to kill you. And in this example, it is assumed you do not have GM crafted bandages that give a huge health boost but are difficult to make or find. Here are the next steps for a battlefield serve.
1. When the patient is down and in a bubble, emote about getting ready to heal the person, name them explicitly. For example: “Runs to PowerfulOne to heal him”
2. Assess the injury. For example: “How can I help you warrior?”
3. Use appropriate RP to heal the wound. For example with a cut: “Warrior, be still and I will heal you." Cleans wound carefully with sterile water and removes debris with tweezers. Applies healing salve, and presses sterile rep cloth on wound and wraps with bandage. "You will be fine now brave warrior!”
4. Click on the bubble again and select “Aid”
5. The bubble should disappear and the patient will once again be on their feet. You will note that their health number may be very low, so they are not really fit to re-enter battle accept to assist someone else. At this point you can close the serve by saying something like: “You are healed enough to continue PowerfulOne, Be well!”
6. Or if the patient is seriously wounded, transport to the nearest physician.
2.3.5 Questions
I pose the following questions because I value your input. Often there is no right answer, so let's see what we can do with them.
1. How do you deal with an uncooperative warrior?
2. IMing on the battlefield, should we do it, and when?
3. Why bother doing the RP, why not just click the aid button and go to the next patient?
4. Should you try to defend yourself when you are working in the battlefield?
2.4 Extending the RP at the Infirmary
Not all your patients will be warriors. Some will be others in the community such as free men, women and slaves. They may be injured either accidentally or on purpose. So the GBM can encourage these patients to visit the infirmary for a more extended and hopefully more interesting RP. These RP’s can also serve to enrich existing story lines and create new ones. For example, a pregnant free woman has been caught in the crossfire and has received a few arrow wounds. Will she survive, and how about the baby? And why was she there in the first place? One can imagine many possibilities.
While the warriors certainly will not appreciate extended RP’s while the battle goes on, they may quite enjoy a post-battle visit to the infirmary to fix up any serious problems. These RP’s can be quite fun as the warriors often are in a good mood after a battle. They can be scheduled same day or more typically for the following days. For best results invite them before the battle. Warriors love to talk about their battle exploits. Be sure to ask them about it while you are healing.
The next lecture will deal with equipment for a GBM and a mobile field infirmary, and RPing the battle and its consequences. Hope to see you then.
Lecturer: Snow Gryphon
Prerequisites: none
By touching this Dunvegan box here, you can obtain an organized folder with with my class notes and supporting documents. Class notes, text and textures are the sole property of the creator. They are not to be shared, sold or used to teach others without the specific permission of the instructor. This includes local chat.
At Physician’s Academy we make no effort to train you for any real life medical situations. We offer general information on medical topics, by the book and others, designed to better prepare you to role play as a Second Life Gorean physician. I make no claim to authoritative interpretation of the books by John Norman; nor am I trained in medicine in real life. These lectures are offered as a resource to role play only.
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This is the first of two lectures called "Gorean Battle Medic".
1. Overview and Basics
1.1. Why
The Gorean Battle Medic (GBM) is a highly useful character for several reasons. They provide a tactical advantage in battle by giving a health assist that allows the wounded warrior to regain health more quickly. And the GBM provides another level of Role Play (RP) that adds to the complexity and fun in battles. Most sims use the Gorean Meter (GM). As the warrior takes hits, he is damaged and his health deteriorates and at some point he is no longer able to function and becomes unconscious or may die. The GM has a built-in clock that allows the warrior gradually to regain health (unless he is dead) even if he is not assisted. But help by the GBM speeds this up and allows the warrior to get back to the fighting more quickly. The job if the GBM is to make sure that happens, quickly and efficiently.
1.2. What
The GBM provides basic first aid on the battlefield. This includes determining the nature of the wound, stabilizing the patient, stopping bleeding, dealing with concussions and shock and assisting the warrior to get to the nearest infirmary. This first aid serve should take less than one minute and should be well-practiced. Remember a warrior heals himself by doing nothing and the last thing he needs is a half hour RP in the field.
1.3. Who
The GBM requires training in first aid and dealing with battle situations. Typically a GBM is a kajira (female slave)/kajirus (male slave) or a physician. Since the probability of injury, death and capture is quite high in a battlefield environment, it is considered better practice to have lesser trained more expendable characters fulfilling with role. In order of preference you may want to use a kajira, kajirus, male physician, female physician, Caste Leader. A typical female has the strength of a 12 year old Gorean boy, so they have limited abilities to be able carry a wounded warrior from the field.
Physicians should be protected and are better used in the infirmary. And exposing Free Women (FW) to battle is very risky, for themselves and any relationships they might have. If given a choice, train a few slaves. The slaves should be intelligent, quick RPers, brave, and ready to accept some dire consequences. A word of caution though: A GBM that is a slave normally is not permitted to perform anything beyond basic first aid, and even when trained is not a member of the Green (Physician’s) Caste. There are some slaves that were trained healers and physicians. Upon enslavement, they lost their rights and freedoms, but of course not their abilities. However, the use of “skilled” slaves is controversial, so it is best to stick with a simple format of offering first aid.
1.4. When
Obviously a GBM should be available for battles (or raids), but also should be included in battle training with the warriors. If the GBM is a kajira/kajirus, they also will be invaluable in assisting with RP in the infirmary. Battles usually don’t just happen. They are often carefully planned. It is always good practice as a physician to be involved in the planning process and to pass along any relevant information to your GBM. For Example: the next battle with XYZ city is at 1pm SLT on Friday. Be there ½ hour ahead of time for a briefing and the battle should last 2 hours including aftermath.
1.5. Where
Battles are either offensive or defensive. The offensive battles take place in your opponent’s sim. Sims can be cities, towns, villages, camps, or wild areas. Your Commander (warrior leader) should have scouted the area and be able to advise the GBM about the battlefield. He likely will also have a battle plan including positioning, objectives, and fallback, and as a GBM you need to know where and when you should be at all times. Most active raiding sims have a ‘Raid Gate” that you will assemble in front of before a raid, but some don’t. You absolutely must read the raid rules of the sim you are raiding. Ignorance is no excuse. We will deal with this in more details later.
The defenders almost always are given the advantage in a raid. Make yourself very familiar with your sim. Know how to navigate quickly and efficiently. Find the hiding places and safe areas. Know the areas where the raid will come from. Most important, know where your infirmary is and how to get there. This may seem obvious, but in the heat of battle, it is easy to become disoriented. All this will give you an advantage over the enemy and make you a more useful and valued RPer.
Question: You are a physician and want to train a slave to be a GBM. What medical skills and techniques should the slave learn?
Answer: “This includes determining the nature of the wound, stabilizing the patient, stopping bleeding, dealing with concussions and shock and assisting the warrior to get to the nearest infirmary.”
1.6. Gorean ranged and melee weapons
Many of us have not experienced being in battle alongside our warriors. It is a fast and furious affair. It can be exhilarating, scary and fun all at once. There are in general two kinds of weapons: range and melee.
Range weapons include bows, spears and slingshots. Melee weapons are such things as swords, axes and pikes. The most commonly used are a combination of a bow and a sword. The swords can be one-handed or two-handed. The one-handed sword like a gladius or short sword usually comes with a shield of some kind. So it has both offensive and defensive properties. Two-handed weapons like the great sword or battle axe are mostly offensive but had catch blows on them as well.
The weapons are designed to give no individual a distinctive advantage in battle. They all have advantages and disadvantages. For example one may deal more damage, but is slower to use than another.
The bow is the most commonly used and versatile range weapon. It is able to fire unlimited arrows (only on Gor…laughs) and can be setup to lob arrows over walls or buildings or fire straight at things. Bows usually come with a HUD that allows the user to adjust and target easily. In the hands of a skilled warrior a bow is highly accurate and lethal. When you see a warrior draw his bow, you had better escape quickly! The bow also has a grappling hook for scaling walls and other obstacles.
In a battlefield during a ranged attack, arrows will be flying all around you and you may be hit several times by accident. Also, some less than honourable people do target greens to take us out of the equation.
When you see a warrior close by draw his melee weapon, don't stop and think. Run away as fast as you can! You are unarmed silly, what chance do you think you have? It is very easy to go down when attacked by a warrior. They are very fast and deadly. If you have a chance, go and see your warriors training even if you have no intention of taking part in the battles. It will give you a clearer understanding of the role of a GBM. Next, we will explore training in more detail.
Question: You find yourself in the middle of a raid and the arrows are falling all around you. What is your best course of action?
Answer: Try to get behind your battle lines and behind shelter but still available to assist downed warriors.
2. Training
2.1 Caste Codes and Sim Rules
Knowing the rules of the game is the starting point in any training. Of relevance here are caste codes and sim rules. I’m going to pull out those that are essential to know, but of course you must be familiar with them all.
The Physician’s Oath of this Academy says that “I will aid any who call upon me for healing.” Well in a battle there may be many calling on a GBM for help. Obviously you should help your warriors. But should you help a downed enemy, if he is close by? In some sims, aiding the enemy is considered treasonous. You need to read your sim rules and have this discussion with your Commander and admin. Usually a middle path is acceptable, in that you can assist a downed enemy when you are not needed anywhere else and it won’t affect the outcome of the battle.
There are usually a great many sim rules governing raids. They include, entering and exiting the sim, TPing, binding, use of weapons by different classes, etc. They differ somewhat from sim to sim. You must carefully read and understand the rules and apply them faithfully. Combat brings out the best and worst in all of us, and not following rules can lead to unnecessary conflicts.
If you are training a slave, it is essential that they be made aware of the Physician’s Oath and relevant sim rules.
Question: If you have a choice between helping an enemy warrior near death of one of your own that is lightly injured, who should you treat first?
Answer: I would treat the enemy warrior first as long as it didn’t endanger my warriors, but this is a very tough choice.
2.2 Know Your Warriors
Imagine you are in the middle of a battle and 10 warriors are swirling around you fighting, one goes down and shouts “Medic I need help!” You look in your local chat window and see his name, and for a several seconds, you can’t remember if he is on your side or not. It’s very embarrassing, right? And when you get to him, and ask him what the problem is and he responds in a strange way and you don’t know what to do? The result: lost time and an annoying experience for you both. So the solution is that you must practice with all your warriors. Memorize their names, understand their RP styles and roles, and let them get used to you too. They will learn how to respond, they will get used to you being there for them, a help and not a hindrance, a part of a well-oiled team. The key is practice, practice, practice. It can be a lot of fun too and you’ll enjoy your RP a great deal more when you are with your “buds”.
2.3 The Battlefield Serve
2.3.1 Accessing and Interviewing Your Patient
The first thing to remember is that you are doing “first aid” as quickly and efficiently as possible, in less than one minute, if possible. So with that in mind, when you encounter a wounded warrior, the first step is to ask him about his injuries. This should only take a few seconds with practice. For example say “Warrior, where are you injured?”, and he responds “I have an arrow in my shoulder”. A battle serve is not the time for para RP, keep it simple and direct, forget about the long emotes. Your next goal is to stabilize his injuries and prevent further damage. Determine what his worst injuries are, if he has more than one, and treat them first. Look for major artery cuts or punctures, or major bone breaks or difficulty breathing. This requires some practice and judgment, but in most cases it means stop the bleeding first.
2.3.2 Cuts and Projectile Wounds
If the patient is a non-combatant you may wish to offer a painkiller such as a tassa tincture. Warriors almost never will accept a painkiller, so you can save yourself the typing. If the wound is a cut or puncture, clean the wound with sterile water and remove any debris with tweezers. Do this quickly. Do not try removing any projectiles such as arrows in the field unless you are a trained physician and even then, it usually is better to do that in the infirmary.
If the bleeding is profuse, press a sterile rep cloth on the wound to promote clotting. In most cases, your goal is to get the warrior to the infirmary ASAP. If you are a physician you may consider cauterizing the wound with a hot iron and putting in a few stitches in the field to repair major damaged arteries, but think about how likely this is in the middle of a battle. Slaves must not do this at all without permission. If the wound is less severe, you may be able to patch him up sufficiently to keep on fighting by simply stopping the bleeding and bandaging.
OK so here is the heart of the problem: A warrior is down and he emotes that he has an arrow in his leg. I have just told you that a GBM should not attempt arrow extraction in the field, and that the proper course of action is to stop the bleeding and get the warrior to the infirmary and to a physician; BUT…you have only one minute to do that and the warrior can himself in 4-5 minutes. What are the chances of a warrior agreeing to be brought to an infirmary for an extended RP while his mates are being slaughtered? So usually the best you can do is to get him out of his bubble and back into the fray ASAP.
Question: You come upon a warrior with arrows in both legs and he can’t walk. What are your options for getting him to the infirmary?
Answer: A few people could carry him or better yet use a stretcher or wagon.
2.3.3 Concussion and Shock
Shock can occur with almost any injury, so here are the symptoms: pale, clammy skin, rapid heart rate, low blood pressure, decreased alertness, and confusion. Be sure to watch for any of these key words in your patients emote. Treat by having the patient lie down with feet elevated, unless it is a head wound. Loosen any tight or restrictive clothing and keep the person calm. Warm the patient if needed and give liquids.
Concussions may accompany other wounds, so watch for these symptoms: headache or a feeling of pressure in the head, temporary loss of consciousness, confusion or feeling as if in a fog, amnesia surrounding the traumatic event, dizziness or "seeing stars", ringing in the ears, nausea, vomiting. The treatments are as follows: Apply ice or a cold wet cloth, use a painkiller such as tassa tincture, rest, and monitor symptoms over time.
Cuts and projectile wounds, shock and concussion are the medical issues most often encountered in the battle field that can be addressed easily and efficiently. You may also encounter, poisoning, bites, burns, broken bones, choking among others. Treatment of all these are beyond the scope of this series of lectures, but suffice to say that the GBM should pass these along to the infirmary staff.
Question: A warrior is down and he said that he fell of the wall and may have banged his head. His only symptoms are a rapid heart rate and cool clammy skin. What should you do?
Answer: It is not uncommon to get mixed messages and symptoms or even next to no symptoms from warriors. A little bit of godmodding here may be OK.
2.3.4 Summary of the Battlefield Serve, Step-by-Step
Now that you have mastered the RP, here are the steps to do a healing serve in the battlefield. First, when someone goes down they will usually say something like; “shouts: I need healing, help me!!”. Once you have determined that the person is on your side and where he/she is, run to them quickly. When a person is downed you can’t aid them for one minute. So as soon as you arrive, click on the bubble to see how many seconds are left.
Also look around and assess the situation. Is there an enemy warrior standing right there? If so, will he leave you alone to do your serve, or does he attack you? If you are attacked, get out of there fast, you have no chance against a warrior. Also make note of who he is and when and where, and give that info to your Commander. Post battle, there are often heated debates about cheating, etc.
Now let’s assume you have arrived and no one is trying to kill you. And in this example, it is assumed you do not have GM crafted bandages that give a huge health boost but are difficult to make or find. Here are the next steps for a battlefield serve.
1. When the patient is down and in a bubble, emote about getting ready to heal the person, name them explicitly. For example: “Runs to PowerfulOne to heal him”
2. Assess the injury. For example: “How can I help you warrior?”
3. Use appropriate RP to heal the wound. For example with a cut: “Warrior, be still and I will heal you." Cleans wound carefully with sterile water and removes debris with tweezers. Applies healing salve, and presses sterile rep cloth on wound and wraps with bandage. "You will be fine now brave warrior!”
4. Click on the bubble again and select “Aid”
5. The bubble should disappear and the patient will once again be on their feet. You will note that their health number may be very low, so they are not really fit to re-enter battle accept to assist someone else. At this point you can close the serve by saying something like: “You are healed enough to continue PowerfulOne, Be well!”
6. Or if the patient is seriously wounded, transport to the nearest physician.
2.3.5 Questions
I pose the following questions because I value your input. Often there is no right answer, so let's see what we can do with them.
1. How do you deal with an uncooperative warrior?
2. IMing on the battlefield, should we do it, and when?
3. Why bother doing the RP, why not just click the aid button and go to the next patient?
4. Should you try to defend yourself when you are working in the battlefield?
2.4 Extending the RP at the Infirmary
Not all your patients will be warriors. Some will be others in the community such as free men, women and slaves. They may be injured either accidentally or on purpose. So the GBM can encourage these patients to visit the infirmary for a more extended and hopefully more interesting RP. These RP’s can also serve to enrich existing story lines and create new ones. For example, a pregnant free woman has been caught in the crossfire and has received a few arrow wounds. Will she survive, and how about the baby? And why was she there in the first place? One can imagine many possibilities.
While the warriors certainly will not appreciate extended RP’s while the battle goes on, they may quite enjoy a post-battle visit to the infirmary to fix up any serious problems. These RP’s can be quite fun as the warriors often are in a good mood after a battle. They can be scheduled same day or more typically for the following days. For best results invite them before the battle. Warriors love to talk about their battle exploits. Be sure to ask them about it while you are healing.
The next lecture will deal with equipment for a GBM and a mobile field infirmary, and RPing the battle and its consequences. Hope to see you then.
Wounds and Battle Wounds
Lecturer: Snow Gryphon, Dunvegan Physician
January, 2015
Basic Course, no prerequisites
Wounds and Battle Wounds: The Basics
By touching this Dunvegan box here, you can obtain an organized folder with my class notes and supporting documents. Class notes, text and textures are the sole property of the creator. They are not to be shared, sold or used to teach others without the specific permission of the instructor. This includes local chat.
At the Physician's Academy we make no effort to train you for any real life medical situations. We offer general information on medical topics, by the book and others, designed to better prepare you to role play as a Second Life Gorean physician. I make no claim to authoritative interpretation of the books by John Norman; nor am I trained in medicine in real life. These lectures are offered as a resource to role play only. Please type an @ if you wish to ask a question or make a comment.
Let us begin.
1. Introduction
a. In today’s lecture we will discuss the basics of treating wounds and battle wounds. We will use a non-technical, role play (RP) oriented approach. The PCOG Manual included in the Dunvegan box provides a more thorough discussion of many kinds of wounds and treatments.
b. Use of Technology
i. There is always controversy about what is or isn’t By the Book (BtB). Some say that if it is not in the books, then it is not permitted. The problem with that idea is that the books were never intended to be medical manuals and the author is often vague about the details of treatments. The other extreme is the notion that if something is not specifically identified as not existing on Gor then it is OK to use it. An example could be that nowhere in the books does it say that MRI machines do not exist on Gor, so we are free to use them in our RP.
ii. I prefer to take the middle path and as a rule of thumb I assume that treatments will be similar to those widely available on earth in the 1960’s and 70’s. For example, no high tech, electronics, communications, advanced materials, or modern pharmaceuticals. Simple is better, and generalizations are more effective and easier to use in RP. For example, it is smarter to say “antibiotic salve”, than to make up something that is wrong or not (BtB). If you are going to provide detail, you had better know what you are doing. Many times I have been told that Gorean medicine is similar to medieval medicine. Well that is certainly not the case. The books describe Gorean medicine as being advanced, but please do not take that to mean it is like modern medicine. Advanced manufacturing infrastructure simply does not exist in the Gor books.
iii. So to RP a Gorean physician well, you must set the scene in your mind and for a few hours take yourself out of the modern world into the fascinating world of Gor. Now let us first consider the wounds you will commonly encounter in your community.
2. Common Wounds [photo 1]
a. A wound is an injury in which the skin is either cut or broken producing an open wound, or where blunt force trauma causes internal damage resulting in a closed wound.
b. Wounds can be clean, contaminated and/or infected.
c. There are several types of open wound including:
i. Incisions with sharp objects such as swords or knives, resulting in a clean cut. Heals relatively fast and less likely to be contaminated or to leave a scar.
ii. Lacerations that tear the skin, often caused by blunt trauma, for example from a fall. They are often jagged or irregular in shape and usually contaminated with debris or bacteria.
iii. Abrasions where the uppermost layers of the skin are scrapped off, for example from being dragged across a rough surface
iv. Puncture wounds, for example from an arrow or spear. These wounds tend to have a small site of entry but possibly extensive internal damage.
v. Avulsions where the skin or body part is detached or torn off. For example, when an ear is torn off due to a tharlarion bite.
d. Closed wounds include:
i. Hematomas that are damaged blood vessels under the skin that can result in bruising or blood tumours. A blacksmith who hits his thumb with a hammer will often get a hematoma under his thumbnail.
ii. Crush injuries that produce internal damage to tissues and organs. This can include injuries as a result of being trampled by a herd of bosk.
e. Question: What is the difference between an incision and a laceration, and how might that difference affect your treatment?
3. Incisions by Sharp Objects such as Swords and Daggers
a. While there are many variations of wounds, basic treatments are similar and may be adapted to suit the circumstance. Therefore we will focus on the most common wound in Gor: Incisions. You may come across injured patients in the street, in their homes, or as walk-ins to your infirmary. So it is wise to be prepared, and have a belt or bag with you at all times with essential supplies such as disinfectant solution, tweezers, scalpel, antibiotic or honey, suture needle and sutures, and bandages. You will need dissolvable (Verr gut) and non-dissolvable (silk) sutures.
b. When you first meet a patient, you must resist the urge to jump in and start healing. Avoid godmodding! Even if the patient says something In Character (IC) in open chat that leads you to believe they have an injury, it is always best to IM them to determine the nature of the injury and preferred outcomes. Remember the devil is in the details, and sometimes you may not want to RP what they want, or there may be a third party that needs to be consulted. Think it through carefully. Once you have that sorted, you can start your RP. Also, be sure to use a turn-based RP style and always listen to your patient! The great fun in RP is that one never knows what will happen next, so don’t be too controlling.
c. Once you have determined your patient has an Incision wound, the first step is to stabilize using first aid. This will include the following steps after washing your hands:
i. Stop bleeding: use manual pressure to stop bleeding and encourage clotting, or use a tourniquet, or use elevation. You can use a combination of these too. A tourniquet should only be used when you cannot stop the bleeding using pressure. You can make a simple tourniquet out of whatever is at hand. For example, you can use a piece of rep cloth and a stick. The tourniquet should be placed closer to the heart than the wound to slow down arterial blood flow. Once the major bleeding has stopped, you can pack the wound with sterile rep cloth and hold in place with a bandage. In RPing this, you should try to use a speedy tempo to simulate how quickly you would have to work in real life. Don’t let your patient bleed to death!
[Photo 2 ]
ii. Treat shock if applicable (see Shock and Concussion notecard). Shock means the blood is no longer being delivered adequately throughout the body. Shock can occur with almost any injury, so here are the symptoms: pale, clammy skin, rapid heart rate, low blood pressure, decreased alertness, and confusion. Be sure to watch for any of these key words in your patient’s emotes. Treat by having the patient lie down with feet elevated, unless it is a head wound. Loosen any tight or restrictive clothing and keep the person calm. Warm the patient if needed and give liquids. A saline IV may also be needed in extreme cases.
iii. Once your patient is stable, transport to the infirmary, if not already there.
d. In the infirmary you can begin to further assess the nature and extent of the Incision wound. Where is it located? How deep? Have major blood vessels been cut? Is the wound infected or contaminated?
i. First wash your hands and gather any supplies and equipment needed. You can easily RP having a pre-made “Wounds Tray”. For example, “Goes to the sink and carefully washes hands in clean water with soap and dries with a sterile rep cloth. Then takes the Wounds Tray with essential supplies from the cupboard and returns to the patient.” It can be as simple as that and also you can use this time to further consult with the patient in IM’s before you start, or discuss the case briefly with any others present.
ii. The second step is to carefully unpack the wound then clean it by irrigating with a disinfectant wash solution. Sop up the wash with a rep cloth. You may also RP that you are removing bits of debris with your tweezers and you may find some severed blood vessels that need to be sutured. This section of the RP also is an opportunity to check-in with the patient to see how they are doing. They may be moaning and groaning, so you can offer them some encouragement as well as pain relief later on.
iii. If you need to do some suturing, use gut thread (verr or bosk) as it dissolves with time. Put in a few stitches if needed to close severed blood vessels, then one final rinse and dry and it is time to close and seal the wound.
iv. Excepting minor, superficial wounds, most will be closed using sutures. The easiest way to RP this is with single stitches using a curved suturing needle with silk thread. You can use a straight sewing needle too, if that is all that is available. Either way, be sure the needle has been sterilized before use. This can quickly be done with an open flame, if the needle has not been pre-sterilized.
v. It is fun to count-off the stitches as you do them. For example, “I take the curved needle and holding the wound together, place one stitch and tie it off, then a second stitch and so on until all 21 stitches are in place.” Patients love to tell everyone how many stitches they got.
[Photo 3]
vi. Once the stitching is completed coat the area with antibiotic ointment or honey. You also may use “healing salve” from the Priest Kings that will heal the wound quickly and leave no scaring. Some patients prefer to show off their war wounds, so you would not use healing salve in that case. Bandage to cover and protect the wound and advise the patient to keep the wound elevated for a few days to encourage circulation. There are lots of bandages available to put on your patients. I have included some in the Dunvegan box you can use.
vii. At this point you can offer your patient pain relief, often in the form of a tea they can take home. You needn’t be any more specific than that
viii. Goreans heal very quickly, with or without healing salve, so it is best to book a follow-up appointment for a day or two later before your patient leaves, in order to remove the stitches and ensure the wound is healing properly. The last task is to fill out your city treatment form then you are done!
ix. All right, let us sum up. The take-home message is that treating a basic incision wound is quite easy. Just follow these five steps:
1. First aid (stop bleeding, treat shock)
2. Clean wound
3. Suture
4. Apply antibiotic and bandage
5. Treat pain
x. Treating wounds in your infirmary can be great fun and you can take your time to have an interesting RP and develop story lines. People love to talk about themselves, so be sure to ask how they received the wound and see where it takes you. And finally, make sure their visit to the infirmary was an enjoyable experience for your patient, and they will come back for more!
e. Question: Patients often arrive with more than one problem. If so, how do you decide which problem to deal with first?
f. Next we will address the treatment of wounds in the battlefield.
4. Treatment of Wounds in the Battlefield – The Simple Battle Serve
a. Introduction
i. In day to day RP in the infirmary, the Gorean Meter (GM) does not much come into play. Once you move the RP to the battlefield, it is a completely different story. Understanding how the GM works is essential. So let us see how wounds are treated in this environment. We will assume you are a physician or apprentice working in a battle among the warriors. Your meter should be set to Combat Mode and you already should be briefed by your Commander. The first thing you will notice once the battle begins is the chaos and confusion everywhere. It will be your job to stay alive and provide a useful service for your comrades. So stay calm and good luck!
b. Accessing and Interviewing Your Patient
i. The first thing to remember is that you are doing first aid as quickly and efficiently as possible, in less than one minute, if possible. So with that in mind, when you encounter a wounded warrior, the first step is to ask him about his injuries. This should only take a few seconds with practice. For example say “Warrior, where are you injured?”, and he responds “I have an arrow in my shoulder”. Do this in open chat IC. You have no time to negotiate in IM as you would in your infirmary. Nor is a battle serve the time for para RP, keep it simple and direct, forget about the long emotes. Your immediate goal is to stabilize his injuries and prevent further damage. Determine what his worst injuries are, if he has more than one, and treat them first. Look for major artery cuts or punctures, or major bone breaks or difficulty breathing. This requires some practice and judgment, but in most cases it means stop the bleeding first.
c. Cuts and Projectile Wounds
i. If the wound is an incision, laceration or puncture, clean the wound with disinfectant and remove any debris with tweezers. Do this quickly. Do not try removing any projectiles such as arrows in the field.
ii. If the bleeding is profuse, apply pressure on the wound to promote clotting. In most cases for a serious wound, your goal is to get the warrior to the infirmary ASAP. You may consider cauterizing the wound with a hot iron and putting in a few stitches in the field to repair major damaged arteries, but think about how likely this is in the middle of a battle. If the wound is less severe, you may be able to patch him up sufficiently to keep on fighting by simply stopping the bleeding and applying a bandage.
iii. If the patient is a non-combatant you may wish to offer a painkiller such as a tassa tincture. Warriors almost never will accept a painkiller, so you can save yourself the typing.
iv. All right, so here is the heart of the problem: A warrior is down and emotes that he has an arrow in his leg. I have just told you that you should not attempt arrow extraction in the field and that the proper course of action is to stop the bleeding and get the warrior to the infirmary; BUT…you have only one minute to do that, and the warrior can heal himself in 4-5 minutes (this is how the GM works). What are the chances of a warrior agreeing to be brought to an infirmary for an extended RP while his mates are being slaughtered? So usually the best you can do is to get him out of his bubble and back into the fray ASAP. It is a conflict between combat and RP that has yet to be resolved in SL. So just do your best, there may not be a perfect solution.
v. Question: You come upon a warrior with arrows in both legs and he can’t walk. What are your options for getting him to the infirmary? Answer: A few people could carry him or better yet use a stretcher or wagon.
d. Concussion and Shock
i. We have dealt with shock previously, so use the appropriate treatments if there are symptoms.
ii. A concussion is an injury to the brain and it may accompany other wounds, so watch for these symptoms: headache or a feeling of pressure in the head, temporary loss of consciousness, confusion or feeling as if in a fog, amnesia surrounding the traumatic event, dizziness or "seeing stars", ringing in the ears, nausea, vomiting. The treatments are as follows: Apply ice or a cold wet cloth, use a painkiller such as tassa tincture, rest, and monitor symptoms over time.
iii. Incisions, lacerations and projectile wounds, shock and concussion are the medical issues most often encountered in the battle field that can be addressed easily and efficiently. You may also encounter, poisoning, bites, burns, broken bones, and choking among others. Treatment of all these are beyond the scope of this lecture, but suffice to say that you should pass these along to the infirmary staff when the patient is delivered.
iv. Question: A warrior is down and he said that he fell off the wall and may have banged his head. His only symptoms are a rapid heart rate and cool clammy skin. What should you do? Answer: It is not uncommon to get mixed messages and symptoms or even next to no symptoms from warriors. A little bit of godmodding here may be OK.
e. Summary of the Battle Serve, Step-by-Step
i. Now that we have surveyed the techniques, here are the steps to do a Battle Serve RP. First, when someone goes down and in their bubble, they will usually say something like; “shouts: I need healing, help me!!”. Once you have determined that the person is on your side and where he/she is, run to them quickly. When a person is downed you can’t aid them for one minute. So as soon as you arrive, click on the bubble to see how many seconds are left on the clock.
ii. Also look around and assess the situation. Is there an enemy warrior standing right there? If so, will he leave you alone to do your serve, or does he attack you? If you are attacked, get out of there fast, you have no chance against a warrior.
iii. Now let’s assume you have arrived and no one is trying to kill you. Here are the next steps that you need to do quickly:
1. When the patient is down and in a bubble, emote about getting ready to heal the person, name them explicitly. For example: “Runs to PowerfulOne to heal him”
2. Assess the injury. For example: “How can I help you warrior?” He will respond with something like “I have been downed by a battle axe cut on my leg.”
3. Use appropriate RP to heal the wound. For example, for an incision wound: “Warrior, be still and I will heal you.” Cleans wound carefully with disinfectant and removes debris with tweezers. Applies antibiotic ointment, and presses sterile rep cloth on wound and wraps with bandage. “You will be fine now brave warrior!” This RP assumes no stitches are required. If the wound is sufficiently serious to require stitches, or if there are complications, the patient should go to the infirmary.
4. Click on the bubble again and select “Aid”
5. The bubble should disappear and the patient will once again be on their feet. You will note that their health number may be very low, so they are not really fit to re-enter battle accept to assist someone else. At this point you can close the serve by saying something like: “You are healed enough to continue PowerfulOne, Be well!”
iv. If you intend to serve in battle, you must practice this RP with your warrior comrades before the battle. Practice makes perfect, and they will come to rely on your abilities and assistance.
v. Questions
1. I pose the following questions because I value your input. Often there is no right answer, so let's see what we can do with them.
a. How do you deal with an uncooperative warrior?
b. IMing on the battlefield, should we do it, and when?
c. Why bother doing the RP, why not just click the aid button and go to the next patient?
d. Should you try to defend yourself when you are working in the battlefield?
f. Extending the RP at the Infirmary
i. Not all your patients will be warriors. Some will be others in the community such as free men, women and slaves. They may be injured either accidentally or on purpose. So you can encourage these patients to visit the infirmary for a more extended and hopefully more interesting RP. These RP’s can also serve to enrich existing story lines and create new ones. For example, a pregnant free woman has been caught in the crossfire and has received a few arrow wounds. Will she survive, and how about the baby? And why was she there in the first place? One can imagine many possibilities.
ii. While the warriors certainly will not appreciate extended RP’s while the battle goes on, they may quite enjoy a post-battle visit to the infirmary to fix up any serious problems. These RP’s can be quite fun as the warriors often are in a good mood after a battle. They can be scheduled same day or more typically for the following days. For best results invite them before the battle. Warriors love to talk about their battle exploits. Be sure to ask them about it while you are healing.
5. That is all for today. Any final questions or comments?
January, 2015
Basic Course, no prerequisites
Wounds and Battle Wounds: The Basics
By touching this Dunvegan box here, you can obtain an organized folder with my class notes and supporting documents. Class notes, text and textures are the sole property of the creator. They are not to be shared, sold or used to teach others without the specific permission of the instructor. This includes local chat.
At the Physician's Academy we make no effort to train you for any real life medical situations. We offer general information on medical topics, by the book and others, designed to better prepare you to role play as a Second Life Gorean physician. I make no claim to authoritative interpretation of the books by John Norman; nor am I trained in medicine in real life. These lectures are offered as a resource to role play only. Please type an @ if you wish to ask a question or make a comment.
Let us begin.
1. Introduction
a. In today’s lecture we will discuss the basics of treating wounds and battle wounds. We will use a non-technical, role play (RP) oriented approach. The PCOG Manual included in the Dunvegan box provides a more thorough discussion of many kinds of wounds and treatments.
b. Use of Technology
i. There is always controversy about what is or isn’t By the Book (BtB). Some say that if it is not in the books, then it is not permitted. The problem with that idea is that the books were never intended to be medical manuals and the author is often vague about the details of treatments. The other extreme is the notion that if something is not specifically identified as not existing on Gor then it is OK to use it. An example could be that nowhere in the books does it say that MRI machines do not exist on Gor, so we are free to use them in our RP.
ii. I prefer to take the middle path and as a rule of thumb I assume that treatments will be similar to those widely available on earth in the 1960’s and 70’s. For example, no high tech, electronics, communications, advanced materials, or modern pharmaceuticals. Simple is better, and generalizations are more effective and easier to use in RP. For example, it is smarter to say “antibiotic salve”, than to make up something that is wrong or not (BtB). If you are going to provide detail, you had better know what you are doing. Many times I have been told that Gorean medicine is similar to medieval medicine. Well that is certainly not the case. The books describe Gorean medicine as being advanced, but please do not take that to mean it is like modern medicine. Advanced manufacturing infrastructure simply does not exist in the Gor books.
iii. So to RP a Gorean physician well, you must set the scene in your mind and for a few hours take yourself out of the modern world into the fascinating world of Gor. Now let us first consider the wounds you will commonly encounter in your community.
2. Common Wounds [photo 1]
a. A wound is an injury in which the skin is either cut or broken producing an open wound, or where blunt force trauma causes internal damage resulting in a closed wound.
b. Wounds can be clean, contaminated and/or infected.
c. There are several types of open wound including:
i. Incisions with sharp objects such as swords or knives, resulting in a clean cut. Heals relatively fast and less likely to be contaminated or to leave a scar.
ii. Lacerations that tear the skin, often caused by blunt trauma, for example from a fall. They are often jagged or irregular in shape and usually contaminated with debris or bacteria.
iii. Abrasions where the uppermost layers of the skin are scrapped off, for example from being dragged across a rough surface
iv. Puncture wounds, for example from an arrow or spear. These wounds tend to have a small site of entry but possibly extensive internal damage.
v. Avulsions where the skin or body part is detached or torn off. For example, when an ear is torn off due to a tharlarion bite.
d. Closed wounds include:
i. Hematomas that are damaged blood vessels under the skin that can result in bruising or blood tumours. A blacksmith who hits his thumb with a hammer will often get a hematoma under his thumbnail.
ii. Crush injuries that produce internal damage to tissues and organs. This can include injuries as a result of being trampled by a herd of bosk.
e. Question: What is the difference between an incision and a laceration, and how might that difference affect your treatment?
3. Incisions by Sharp Objects such as Swords and Daggers
a. While there are many variations of wounds, basic treatments are similar and may be adapted to suit the circumstance. Therefore we will focus on the most common wound in Gor: Incisions. You may come across injured patients in the street, in their homes, or as walk-ins to your infirmary. So it is wise to be prepared, and have a belt or bag with you at all times with essential supplies such as disinfectant solution, tweezers, scalpel, antibiotic or honey, suture needle and sutures, and bandages. You will need dissolvable (Verr gut) and non-dissolvable (silk) sutures.
b. When you first meet a patient, you must resist the urge to jump in and start healing. Avoid godmodding! Even if the patient says something In Character (IC) in open chat that leads you to believe they have an injury, it is always best to IM them to determine the nature of the injury and preferred outcomes. Remember the devil is in the details, and sometimes you may not want to RP what they want, or there may be a third party that needs to be consulted. Think it through carefully. Once you have that sorted, you can start your RP. Also, be sure to use a turn-based RP style and always listen to your patient! The great fun in RP is that one never knows what will happen next, so don’t be too controlling.
c. Once you have determined your patient has an Incision wound, the first step is to stabilize using first aid. This will include the following steps after washing your hands:
i. Stop bleeding: use manual pressure to stop bleeding and encourage clotting, or use a tourniquet, or use elevation. You can use a combination of these too. A tourniquet should only be used when you cannot stop the bleeding using pressure. You can make a simple tourniquet out of whatever is at hand. For example, you can use a piece of rep cloth and a stick. The tourniquet should be placed closer to the heart than the wound to slow down arterial blood flow. Once the major bleeding has stopped, you can pack the wound with sterile rep cloth and hold in place with a bandage. In RPing this, you should try to use a speedy tempo to simulate how quickly you would have to work in real life. Don’t let your patient bleed to death!
[Photo 2 ]
ii. Treat shock if applicable (see Shock and Concussion notecard). Shock means the blood is no longer being delivered adequately throughout the body. Shock can occur with almost any injury, so here are the symptoms: pale, clammy skin, rapid heart rate, low blood pressure, decreased alertness, and confusion. Be sure to watch for any of these key words in your patient’s emotes. Treat by having the patient lie down with feet elevated, unless it is a head wound. Loosen any tight or restrictive clothing and keep the person calm. Warm the patient if needed and give liquids. A saline IV may also be needed in extreme cases.
iii. Once your patient is stable, transport to the infirmary, if not already there.
d. In the infirmary you can begin to further assess the nature and extent of the Incision wound. Where is it located? How deep? Have major blood vessels been cut? Is the wound infected or contaminated?
i. First wash your hands and gather any supplies and equipment needed. You can easily RP having a pre-made “Wounds Tray”. For example, “Goes to the sink and carefully washes hands in clean water with soap and dries with a sterile rep cloth. Then takes the Wounds Tray with essential supplies from the cupboard and returns to the patient.” It can be as simple as that and also you can use this time to further consult with the patient in IM’s before you start, or discuss the case briefly with any others present.
ii. The second step is to carefully unpack the wound then clean it by irrigating with a disinfectant wash solution. Sop up the wash with a rep cloth. You may also RP that you are removing bits of debris with your tweezers and you may find some severed blood vessels that need to be sutured. This section of the RP also is an opportunity to check-in with the patient to see how they are doing. They may be moaning and groaning, so you can offer them some encouragement as well as pain relief later on.
iii. If you need to do some suturing, use gut thread (verr or bosk) as it dissolves with time. Put in a few stitches if needed to close severed blood vessels, then one final rinse and dry and it is time to close and seal the wound.
iv. Excepting minor, superficial wounds, most will be closed using sutures. The easiest way to RP this is with single stitches using a curved suturing needle with silk thread. You can use a straight sewing needle too, if that is all that is available. Either way, be sure the needle has been sterilized before use. This can quickly be done with an open flame, if the needle has not been pre-sterilized.
v. It is fun to count-off the stitches as you do them. For example, “I take the curved needle and holding the wound together, place one stitch and tie it off, then a second stitch and so on until all 21 stitches are in place.” Patients love to tell everyone how many stitches they got.
[Photo 3]
vi. Once the stitching is completed coat the area with antibiotic ointment or honey. You also may use “healing salve” from the Priest Kings that will heal the wound quickly and leave no scaring. Some patients prefer to show off their war wounds, so you would not use healing salve in that case. Bandage to cover and protect the wound and advise the patient to keep the wound elevated for a few days to encourage circulation. There are lots of bandages available to put on your patients. I have included some in the Dunvegan box you can use.
vii. At this point you can offer your patient pain relief, often in the form of a tea they can take home. You needn’t be any more specific than that
viii. Goreans heal very quickly, with or without healing salve, so it is best to book a follow-up appointment for a day or two later before your patient leaves, in order to remove the stitches and ensure the wound is healing properly. The last task is to fill out your city treatment form then you are done!
ix. All right, let us sum up. The take-home message is that treating a basic incision wound is quite easy. Just follow these five steps:
1. First aid (stop bleeding, treat shock)
2. Clean wound
3. Suture
4. Apply antibiotic and bandage
5. Treat pain
x. Treating wounds in your infirmary can be great fun and you can take your time to have an interesting RP and develop story lines. People love to talk about themselves, so be sure to ask how they received the wound and see where it takes you. And finally, make sure their visit to the infirmary was an enjoyable experience for your patient, and they will come back for more!
e. Question: Patients often arrive with more than one problem. If so, how do you decide which problem to deal with first?
f. Next we will address the treatment of wounds in the battlefield.
4. Treatment of Wounds in the Battlefield – The Simple Battle Serve
a. Introduction
i. In day to day RP in the infirmary, the Gorean Meter (GM) does not much come into play. Once you move the RP to the battlefield, it is a completely different story. Understanding how the GM works is essential. So let us see how wounds are treated in this environment. We will assume you are a physician or apprentice working in a battle among the warriors. Your meter should be set to Combat Mode and you already should be briefed by your Commander. The first thing you will notice once the battle begins is the chaos and confusion everywhere. It will be your job to stay alive and provide a useful service for your comrades. So stay calm and good luck!
b. Accessing and Interviewing Your Patient
i. The first thing to remember is that you are doing first aid as quickly and efficiently as possible, in less than one minute, if possible. So with that in mind, when you encounter a wounded warrior, the first step is to ask him about his injuries. This should only take a few seconds with practice. For example say “Warrior, where are you injured?”, and he responds “I have an arrow in my shoulder”. Do this in open chat IC. You have no time to negotiate in IM as you would in your infirmary. Nor is a battle serve the time for para RP, keep it simple and direct, forget about the long emotes. Your immediate goal is to stabilize his injuries and prevent further damage. Determine what his worst injuries are, if he has more than one, and treat them first. Look for major artery cuts or punctures, or major bone breaks or difficulty breathing. This requires some practice and judgment, but in most cases it means stop the bleeding first.
c. Cuts and Projectile Wounds
i. If the wound is an incision, laceration or puncture, clean the wound with disinfectant and remove any debris with tweezers. Do this quickly. Do not try removing any projectiles such as arrows in the field.
ii. If the bleeding is profuse, apply pressure on the wound to promote clotting. In most cases for a serious wound, your goal is to get the warrior to the infirmary ASAP. You may consider cauterizing the wound with a hot iron and putting in a few stitches in the field to repair major damaged arteries, but think about how likely this is in the middle of a battle. If the wound is less severe, you may be able to patch him up sufficiently to keep on fighting by simply stopping the bleeding and applying a bandage.
iii. If the patient is a non-combatant you may wish to offer a painkiller such as a tassa tincture. Warriors almost never will accept a painkiller, so you can save yourself the typing.
iv. All right, so here is the heart of the problem: A warrior is down and emotes that he has an arrow in his leg. I have just told you that you should not attempt arrow extraction in the field and that the proper course of action is to stop the bleeding and get the warrior to the infirmary; BUT…you have only one minute to do that, and the warrior can heal himself in 4-5 minutes (this is how the GM works). What are the chances of a warrior agreeing to be brought to an infirmary for an extended RP while his mates are being slaughtered? So usually the best you can do is to get him out of his bubble and back into the fray ASAP. It is a conflict between combat and RP that has yet to be resolved in SL. So just do your best, there may not be a perfect solution.
v. Question: You come upon a warrior with arrows in both legs and he can’t walk. What are your options for getting him to the infirmary? Answer: A few people could carry him or better yet use a stretcher or wagon.
d. Concussion and Shock
i. We have dealt with shock previously, so use the appropriate treatments if there are symptoms.
ii. A concussion is an injury to the brain and it may accompany other wounds, so watch for these symptoms: headache or a feeling of pressure in the head, temporary loss of consciousness, confusion or feeling as if in a fog, amnesia surrounding the traumatic event, dizziness or "seeing stars", ringing in the ears, nausea, vomiting. The treatments are as follows: Apply ice or a cold wet cloth, use a painkiller such as tassa tincture, rest, and monitor symptoms over time.
iii. Incisions, lacerations and projectile wounds, shock and concussion are the medical issues most often encountered in the battle field that can be addressed easily and efficiently. You may also encounter, poisoning, bites, burns, broken bones, and choking among others. Treatment of all these are beyond the scope of this lecture, but suffice to say that you should pass these along to the infirmary staff when the patient is delivered.
iv. Question: A warrior is down and he said that he fell off the wall and may have banged his head. His only symptoms are a rapid heart rate and cool clammy skin. What should you do? Answer: It is not uncommon to get mixed messages and symptoms or even next to no symptoms from warriors. A little bit of godmodding here may be OK.
e. Summary of the Battle Serve, Step-by-Step
i. Now that we have surveyed the techniques, here are the steps to do a Battle Serve RP. First, when someone goes down and in their bubble, they will usually say something like; “shouts: I need healing, help me!!”. Once you have determined that the person is on your side and where he/she is, run to them quickly. When a person is downed you can’t aid them for one minute. So as soon as you arrive, click on the bubble to see how many seconds are left on the clock.
ii. Also look around and assess the situation. Is there an enemy warrior standing right there? If so, will he leave you alone to do your serve, or does he attack you? If you are attacked, get out of there fast, you have no chance against a warrior.
iii. Now let’s assume you have arrived and no one is trying to kill you. Here are the next steps that you need to do quickly:
1. When the patient is down and in a bubble, emote about getting ready to heal the person, name them explicitly. For example: “Runs to PowerfulOne to heal him”
2. Assess the injury. For example: “How can I help you warrior?” He will respond with something like “I have been downed by a battle axe cut on my leg.”
3. Use appropriate RP to heal the wound. For example, for an incision wound: “Warrior, be still and I will heal you.” Cleans wound carefully with disinfectant and removes debris with tweezers. Applies antibiotic ointment, and presses sterile rep cloth on wound and wraps with bandage. “You will be fine now brave warrior!” This RP assumes no stitches are required. If the wound is sufficiently serious to require stitches, or if there are complications, the patient should go to the infirmary.
4. Click on the bubble again and select “Aid”
5. The bubble should disappear and the patient will once again be on their feet. You will note that their health number may be very low, so they are not really fit to re-enter battle accept to assist someone else. At this point you can close the serve by saying something like: “You are healed enough to continue PowerfulOne, Be well!”
iv. If you intend to serve in battle, you must practice this RP with your warrior comrades before the battle. Practice makes perfect, and they will come to rely on your abilities and assistance.
v. Questions
1. I pose the following questions because I value your input. Often there is no right answer, so let's see what we can do with them.
a. How do you deal with an uncooperative warrior?
b. IMing on the battlefield, should we do it, and when?
c. Why bother doing the RP, why not just click the aid button and go to the next patient?
d. Should you try to defend yourself when you are working in the battlefield?
f. Extending the RP at the Infirmary
i. Not all your patients will be warriors. Some will be others in the community such as free men, women and slaves. They may be injured either accidentally or on purpose. So you can encourage these patients to visit the infirmary for a more extended and hopefully more interesting RP. These RP’s can also serve to enrich existing story lines and create new ones. For example, a pregnant free woman has been caught in the crossfire and has received a few arrow wounds. Will she survive, and how about the baby? And why was she there in the first place? One can imagine many possibilities.
ii. While the warriors certainly will not appreciate extended RP’s while the battle goes on, they may quite enjoy a post-battle visit to the infirmary to fix up any serious problems. These RP’s can be quite fun as the warriors often are in a good mood after a battle. They can be scheduled same day or more typically for the following days. For best results invite them before the battle. Warriors love to talk about their battle exploits. Be sure to ask them about it while you are healing.
5. That is all for today. Any final questions or comments?
The Gorean Caste of Physicians
The Gorean Caste of Physicians
Lecturer: Snow Gryphon
January, 2015
Prerequisites: None
You can obtain an organized folder with my class notes and supporting documents by touching the Dunvegan box here beside me. Class notes, text and textures are the sole property of the creator. They are not to be shared, sold or used to teach others without the specific permission of the instructor. This includes local chat.
I gratefully acknowledge the assistance of my FC Lady El Macleod, in the development and presentation of this lecture and in all that I do and enjoy in SL.
Let us begin.
At Physician’s Academy we make no effort to train you for any real life medical situations. We offer general information on medical topics, by the book and others, designed to better prepare you to role play as a Second Life Gorean physician. I make no claim to authoritative interpretation of the books by John Norman; nor am I trained in medicine in real life. These lectures are offered as a resource to role play only.
Please type an @ if you wish to ask a question or make a comment.
Today’s lecture will deal with some of the basic and not so basic aspects of the Gorean Caste of Physicians. This lecture is intended to be interactive, so I invite your full participation.
First: What is a caste?
Answer: Caste is a form of social stratification characterized by endogamy, hereditary transmission of a lifestyle which often includes an occupation, ritual status in a hierarchy and customary social interaction and exclusion based on cultural notions of purity and pollution. Endogamy is the practice of marrying within a specific ethnic group, class, or social group, rejecting others on such a basis as being unsuitable for marriage or for other close personal relationships.
Yikes!! However wrote that had too much education! So let us simplify.
Question: Can anyone say this better and in a way most of us can understand?
Answer: A social structure where people form exclusive groups with a common occupation and customs and they tend to marry each other.
Question: How does this differ from a Guild?
Answer: A guild is an association of artisans or merchants who control the practice of their craft in a particular town. They were organized in a manner something between a professional association, trade union, a cartel, and a secret society.
We know John Norman is a philosophy professor and quite aware of these differences when he chose to use the word caste instead of guild.
Question: Why do you think he used castes rather than guilds in his novels? And what does that tell us about life on Gor as he saw it?
Now that we understand what a caste is in a theoretical sense, we will turn now to some examples and applications. We know that a caste is far more than an occupation. So when you don your green robes in the morning, what should it mean?
Have a look at the following quote from Fighting Slave of Gor Book 14 Pages 209 - 211. I have edited it considerably.
“In almost every city, for example, one knows that there will be caste brothers on whom one may depend. Charity, too, for example, is almost always associated with caste rights on Gor……..It is said on Gor that only slaves, outlaws and Priest-Kings, rumored to be the rulers of Gor, reputed to live in the remote Sardar Mountains, are without caste. This saying, however, it might be pointed out, as Goreans recognize, is not strictly true.
For example, some individuals have lost caste, or been deprived of caste; some individuals have been born outside of caste; certain occupations are not traditionally associated with caste, such as gardening, domestic service and herding; and, indeed, there are entire cultures and peoples on Gor to whom caste is unknown. Similarly, caste lines tend sometimes to be vague, and the relation between castes and subcastes. ……..
Caste rights, of course, such as the right to caste support in time of need and caste sanctuary, when in flight, which are theirs by birth, remain theirs……. Caste membership, for Goreans, is generally a simple matter of birth; it is not connected necessarily with the performance of certain skills, nor the attainment of a given level of proficiency in such skills.”
Question: What are the important points in the passage? Are some surprising? Give some examples.
And there is more:
“…..There are, on Gor, it might be mentioned, ways of raising and altering caste, but the Gorean seldom avails himself of these…….. To most Goreans it would be unthinkable to alter caste. He is generally too proud of his caste and it is too much a part of him for him to think in such terms…..”
Question: Do people in SL Gor tend to stay in their caste or think of Gor as a buffet to be sampled? If so, is that truly Gorean?
And here is the rest of the quote from Fighting Slave:
“..… It is, too, recognized that all, or most, of the castes perform necessary, commendable or useful functions…… Each does, however, tend to think of his own caste as something special, and, somehow, I suspect, as being perhaps a little bit preferable to the others. Most Goreans are quite content with their castes; this is probably a function of caste pride. I have little doubt but what the caste structure contributes considerably to the stability of Gorean society. Among other things it reduces competitive chaos, social and economic, and prevents the draining of intelligence and ambition into a small number of envied, prestigious occupations.
Question: Is this a better way for society to exist, compared to that which is found on earth? Why or why not? What are the advantages and disadvantages of this form of society?
Also, this comes from an author of “high caste” in RL. Had he been a garbage picker would the novels be different? A rhetorical question perhaps, but one tends to be heavily influenced by one’s class and social position.
So summing up, Gor is a completely different economic and social model than is found in most places on earth, and you can try to incorporate these ideas in your RP on a daily basis. Consider it carefully. On earth, most of us try to be egalitarian (all people are equal); but would a Gorean think like that? Likely not.
Another example might be how we show hospitality to strangers. On Gor, we are enjoined to show hospitality to our Caste brothers and sisters. Would you invite a traveling physician to stay with you in your home, and make them feel like a part of your family? I hope so! Try it sometime.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
So we know a lot about the ancillary roles of a caste, now let us look at the main function, that of producing a useful product or service.
Question: The first question that arises is how does one learn a craft within a caste?
“Though one is commonly born into a caste one is often not permitted to practice the caste craft until a suitable apprenticeship has been served. This guarantees the quality of the caste product. It is possible, though it is seldom the case, that members of a caste are not permitted to practice specific caste skills, though they may be permitted to practice subsidiary skills.”
Fighting Slave of Gor Book 14 Pages 209 – 211
Question: Based on this passage, how were Goreans trained and who are usually selected to be trained?
Question: What else did you learn from that passage?
And in Second Life Gor, I see a lot of women in the Green Caste and few men. Is that normal? Here is a quote:
“The women of a given caste, it should be noted, often do not engage in caste work. For example, a woman in the Metalworkers does not, commonly, work at the forge, nor is a woman of the Builders likely to be found supervising the construction of fortifications……
A notable exception to the generalization that women of a given caste normally do not engage in caste work is the caste of Physicians, whose women are commonly trained, as are the boys, in the practice of medicine. Even the physicians, however, normally do not admit their women to full practice until they have borne two children. The purpose of this is to retain a high level of intelligence in the caste. Professional women, it is well understood, tend not to reproduce themselves, a situation which, over time, would be likely to produce a diminution in the quality of the caste.
Concern for the future of the caste is thus evinced in this limitation by the physicians on the rights of their women to participate without delay in the caste craft. The welfare of the caste, typically, takes priority in the Gorean mind over the ambitions of specific individuals. The welfare of a larger number of individuals, as the Goreans reason, correctly or incorrectly, is more important than the welfare of a smaller number of individuals.”
Fighting Slave of Gor
Question: So we know that the Physician’s Caste is an exception to the rule. But why? Would not women be able to make well-designed buildings and furnishings? What do you think?
And consider well the last sentence presented that agrees with the philosophy of “the Greater Good”, as proposed by the philosopher John Stuart Mill et al., doesn’t it? Here is that last sentence again to read: “The welfare of a larger number of individuals, as the Goreans reason, correctly or incorrectly, is more important than the welfare of a smaller number of individuals.”
Think about what that means. Individuals should not have complete freedom and liberty on Gor. Their interests often must be sacrificed for the whole or society. And Fighting Slave was published in 1980, as America was turning away from the left of center Democratic Party and Jimmy Carter to the individualistic and free market philosophies for Ronald Regan and the Replublican Party. The author seems to be coming down on the side of the minority opinion in America at the time, as he often does. One of the reasons I enjoy the Gor books are the philosophical ideas intertwined with the plots.
Here is an example of the “Greater Good” to consider (and this actually happened to me). A man comes into your infirmary and seeks help. He has been wounded. As you are bandaging him he says he intends to leave the infirmary and kill everyone he can kill, men, women and children. What should you do? Would you heal him and send him on his way, or try to prevent him from doing what he said he would do? Balancing the rights of individuals versus the community can be very tricky and provide some wonderful role play.
Question: What would you do if confronted with the same situation as I faced?
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
All right, now please remember this context as we discuss our caste, the Caste of Physicians, Also known as the Green Caste.
Question: BTW does anyone know why the colour green is associated with physicians?
"Colors in the Gorean high cultures, as in most cultures, have their connotations or symbolisms. Too, in the Gorean high culture, certain colors tend to be associated with certain castes, for example green with the Physicians, red, or scarlet, with the Warriors, yellow with the Builders, blue with the Scribes, white with the Initiates, and so on."
Swordsmen of Gor Book 29 Page 146
Answer: Some nine hundred years ago a green Greek Cross emblem was used by the Hospitallers of St. Lazarus. Centuries later Islam adopted green as a symbol of nature and life; a common understanding, irrespective of religion.
However, since it is a special colour for Muslims, green crosses are now rarely seen in a Christian context, even in places like Ireland, where green is very much a national colour and Catholicism is the predominant denomination.
So red crosses were originally green..smiles.
Back to our topic;
In Gor a person’s caste is extremely important, coming only after one’s Home Stone, but the tension between loyalty to one’s Home Stone and Caste can oft times lead to some interesting RP’s. Have a look at these quotes.
"Commonality of Home Stone extends beyond concepts with which you are familiar, such as shared citizenship, for example. It is more like brotherhood, but not so much in the attenuated, cheap, abstract sense in which those of Earth commonly speak glibly, so loosely, of brotherhood. It is more analogous to brotherhood in the sense of jealously guarded membership in a proud, ancient family, one that has endured through centuries, a family bound together by fidelity, honor, history and tradition."
Prize of Gor Book 27 Pages 117 - 118
“Caste is important to the Gorean in ways that are difficult to make clear to one whose social structures do not include the relationships of caste.”
Fighting Slave of Gor Book 14 Pages 209 – 211
So you can see from these two quotes that Gorean societies are portrayed as being made up of tightly-knit sub-societies based on Home Stone and Caste.
Question: If there was a conflict between your Home Stone and Caste, which would you choose? How about if loyalty to your Home Stone meant betraying your Caste Codes? What would you do?
Consider this quote:
“I knew well the name of Iskander of Turia. I smiled. He remembered well the city that had exiled him, keeping still its name as part of his own. It had been many years since he had seen its lofty walls. He had, in the course of his practice in Turia, once given treatment outside of its walls to a young Tuchuk warrior, whose name was Kamchak. For this aid given to an enemy, he had been exiled. He had come, like many, to Port Kar. He had risen in the city, and had been for years the private physician to Sullius Maximus, who had been one of the five Ubars, presiding in Port Kar prior to the assumption of power by the Council of Captains.”
Marauders of Gor pages 17-19
So in this case, Iskander chose adherence to his caste codes over loyalty to his Home Stone, and paid the price of exile. Would all Gorean physicians have done that? Maybe not. We must not make the mistake of generalizing based on an example. Not all Gorean physicians behaved the same.
Question: What exactly is the role of the Physician’s Caste on Gor?
Here is a quote;
"No," I said. "They, too, are not rich enough. I gather their pleasure is in their healings, and not in their fees. They are too devoted to their work to their research, serums, and medicines, and distributing the benefits of their administrations and learnings indiscriminately, denying such to no one."
Conspirators of Gor Book 31 Page 25 – 26
Answer: There are many examples of specific treatments, but in general the Caste is responsible for medical healing and maintaining health on Gor
Question: But what else does this quote tell you about our Caste and what about these caste codes mentioned? What are they?
Answer: I have not been able to find a quote with the caste codes spelled out, but there are several versions online and most are derived from the Hippocratic Oath http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hippocratic_Oath found on earth. The discussion of our caste codes is worth a class on its own.
We know that the Physician’s Caste is one of the high castes. But why?
"I was also instructed in the Double Knowledge - that is, I was instructed in what the people, on the whole, believed, and then I was instructed in what the intellectuals were expected to know. Sometimes there was a surprising discrepancy between the two. …….On the other hand, the High Castes, specifically the Warriors, Builders, Scribes, Initiates and Physicians, were told the truth in such matters, perhaps because it was thought they would eventually determine it for themselves,…….
Tarnsman of Gor, pages 39 – 40
So the high castes were given “Double Knowledge”. And why? Because the priest kings thought we would eventually figure it out for ourselves anyway. With that cynical statement that foreshadows many plots in the books, we bring this lecture to a close.
In next week’s class we be on Role Playing the Gorean Physician. Thank you for attending.
Lecturer: Snow Gryphon
January, 2015
Prerequisites: None
You can obtain an organized folder with my class notes and supporting documents by touching the Dunvegan box here beside me. Class notes, text and textures are the sole property of the creator. They are not to be shared, sold or used to teach others without the specific permission of the instructor. This includes local chat.
I gratefully acknowledge the assistance of my FC Lady El Macleod, in the development and presentation of this lecture and in all that I do and enjoy in SL.
Let us begin.
At Physician’s Academy we make no effort to train you for any real life medical situations. We offer general information on medical topics, by the book and others, designed to better prepare you to role play as a Second Life Gorean physician. I make no claim to authoritative interpretation of the books by John Norman; nor am I trained in medicine in real life. These lectures are offered as a resource to role play only.
Please type an @ if you wish to ask a question or make a comment.
Today’s lecture will deal with some of the basic and not so basic aspects of the Gorean Caste of Physicians. This lecture is intended to be interactive, so I invite your full participation.
First: What is a caste?
Answer: Caste is a form of social stratification characterized by endogamy, hereditary transmission of a lifestyle which often includes an occupation, ritual status in a hierarchy and customary social interaction and exclusion based on cultural notions of purity and pollution. Endogamy is the practice of marrying within a specific ethnic group, class, or social group, rejecting others on such a basis as being unsuitable for marriage or for other close personal relationships.
Yikes!! However wrote that had too much education! So let us simplify.
Question: Can anyone say this better and in a way most of us can understand?
Answer: A social structure where people form exclusive groups with a common occupation and customs and they tend to marry each other.
Question: How does this differ from a Guild?
Answer: A guild is an association of artisans or merchants who control the practice of their craft in a particular town. They were organized in a manner something between a professional association, trade union, a cartel, and a secret society.
We know John Norman is a philosophy professor and quite aware of these differences when he chose to use the word caste instead of guild.
Question: Why do you think he used castes rather than guilds in his novels? And what does that tell us about life on Gor as he saw it?
Now that we understand what a caste is in a theoretical sense, we will turn now to some examples and applications. We know that a caste is far more than an occupation. So when you don your green robes in the morning, what should it mean?
Have a look at the following quote from Fighting Slave of Gor Book 14 Pages 209 - 211. I have edited it considerably.
“In almost every city, for example, one knows that there will be caste brothers on whom one may depend. Charity, too, for example, is almost always associated with caste rights on Gor……..It is said on Gor that only slaves, outlaws and Priest-Kings, rumored to be the rulers of Gor, reputed to live in the remote Sardar Mountains, are without caste. This saying, however, it might be pointed out, as Goreans recognize, is not strictly true.
For example, some individuals have lost caste, or been deprived of caste; some individuals have been born outside of caste; certain occupations are not traditionally associated with caste, such as gardening, domestic service and herding; and, indeed, there are entire cultures and peoples on Gor to whom caste is unknown. Similarly, caste lines tend sometimes to be vague, and the relation between castes and subcastes. ……..
Caste rights, of course, such as the right to caste support in time of need and caste sanctuary, when in flight, which are theirs by birth, remain theirs……. Caste membership, for Goreans, is generally a simple matter of birth; it is not connected necessarily with the performance of certain skills, nor the attainment of a given level of proficiency in such skills.”
Question: What are the important points in the passage? Are some surprising? Give some examples.
And there is more:
“…..There are, on Gor, it might be mentioned, ways of raising and altering caste, but the Gorean seldom avails himself of these…….. To most Goreans it would be unthinkable to alter caste. He is generally too proud of his caste and it is too much a part of him for him to think in such terms…..”
Question: Do people in SL Gor tend to stay in their caste or think of Gor as a buffet to be sampled? If so, is that truly Gorean?
And here is the rest of the quote from Fighting Slave:
“..… It is, too, recognized that all, or most, of the castes perform necessary, commendable or useful functions…… Each does, however, tend to think of his own caste as something special, and, somehow, I suspect, as being perhaps a little bit preferable to the others. Most Goreans are quite content with their castes; this is probably a function of caste pride. I have little doubt but what the caste structure contributes considerably to the stability of Gorean society. Among other things it reduces competitive chaos, social and economic, and prevents the draining of intelligence and ambition into a small number of envied, prestigious occupations.
Question: Is this a better way for society to exist, compared to that which is found on earth? Why or why not? What are the advantages and disadvantages of this form of society?
Also, this comes from an author of “high caste” in RL. Had he been a garbage picker would the novels be different? A rhetorical question perhaps, but one tends to be heavily influenced by one’s class and social position.
So summing up, Gor is a completely different economic and social model than is found in most places on earth, and you can try to incorporate these ideas in your RP on a daily basis. Consider it carefully. On earth, most of us try to be egalitarian (all people are equal); but would a Gorean think like that? Likely not.
Another example might be how we show hospitality to strangers. On Gor, we are enjoined to show hospitality to our Caste brothers and sisters. Would you invite a traveling physician to stay with you in your home, and make them feel like a part of your family? I hope so! Try it sometime.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
So we know a lot about the ancillary roles of a caste, now let us look at the main function, that of producing a useful product or service.
Question: The first question that arises is how does one learn a craft within a caste?
“Though one is commonly born into a caste one is often not permitted to practice the caste craft until a suitable apprenticeship has been served. This guarantees the quality of the caste product. It is possible, though it is seldom the case, that members of a caste are not permitted to practice specific caste skills, though they may be permitted to practice subsidiary skills.”
Fighting Slave of Gor Book 14 Pages 209 – 211
Question: Based on this passage, how were Goreans trained and who are usually selected to be trained?
Question: What else did you learn from that passage?
And in Second Life Gor, I see a lot of women in the Green Caste and few men. Is that normal? Here is a quote:
“The women of a given caste, it should be noted, often do not engage in caste work. For example, a woman in the Metalworkers does not, commonly, work at the forge, nor is a woman of the Builders likely to be found supervising the construction of fortifications……
A notable exception to the generalization that women of a given caste normally do not engage in caste work is the caste of Physicians, whose women are commonly trained, as are the boys, in the practice of medicine. Even the physicians, however, normally do not admit their women to full practice until they have borne two children. The purpose of this is to retain a high level of intelligence in the caste. Professional women, it is well understood, tend not to reproduce themselves, a situation which, over time, would be likely to produce a diminution in the quality of the caste.
Concern for the future of the caste is thus evinced in this limitation by the physicians on the rights of their women to participate without delay in the caste craft. The welfare of the caste, typically, takes priority in the Gorean mind over the ambitions of specific individuals. The welfare of a larger number of individuals, as the Goreans reason, correctly or incorrectly, is more important than the welfare of a smaller number of individuals.”
Fighting Slave of Gor
Question: So we know that the Physician’s Caste is an exception to the rule. But why? Would not women be able to make well-designed buildings and furnishings? What do you think?
And consider well the last sentence presented that agrees with the philosophy of “the Greater Good”, as proposed by the philosopher John Stuart Mill et al., doesn’t it? Here is that last sentence again to read: “The welfare of a larger number of individuals, as the Goreans reason, correctly or incorrectly, is more important than the welfare of a smaller number of individuals.”
Think about what that means. Individuals should not have complete freedom and liberty on Gor. Their interests often must be sacrificed for the whole or society. And Fighting Slave was published in 1980, as America was turning away from the left of center Democratic Party and Jimmy Carter to the individualistic and free market philosophies for Ronald Regan and the Replublican Party. The author seems to be coming down on the side of the minority opinion in America at the time, as he often does. One of the reasons I enjoy the Gor books are the philosophical ideas intertwined with the plots.
Here is an example of the “Greater Good” to consider (and this actually happened to me). A man comes into your infirmary and seeks help. He has been wounded. As you are bandaging him he says he intends to leave the infirmary and kill everyone he can kill, men, women and children. What should you do? Would you heal him and send him on his way, or try to prevent him from doing what he said he would do? Balancing the rights of individuals versus the community can be very tricky and provide some wonderful role play.
Question: What would you do if confronted with the same situation as I faced?
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
All right, now please remember this context as we discuss our caste, the Caste of Physicians, Also known as the Green Caste.
Question: BTW does anyone know why the colour green is associated with physicians?
"Colors in the Gorean high cultures, as in most cultures, have their connotations or symbolisms. Too, in the Gorean high culture, certain colors tend to be associated with certain castes, for example green with the Physicians, red, or scarlet, with the Warriors, yellow with the Builders, blue with the Scribes, white with the Initiates, and so on."
Swordsmen of Gor Book 29 Page 146
Answer: Some nine hundred years ago a green Greek Cross emblem was used by the Hospitallers of St. Lazarus. Centuries later Islam adopted green as a symbol of nature and life; a common understanding, irrespective of religion.
However, since it is a special colour for Muslims, green crosses are now rarely seen in a Christian context, even in places like Ireland, where green is very much a national colour and Catholicism is the predominant denomination.
So red crosses were originally green..smiles.
Back to our topic;
In Gor a person’s caste is extremely important, coming only after one’s Home Stone, but the tension between loyalty to one’s Home Stone and Caste can oft times lead to some interesting RP’s. Have a look at these quotes.
"Commonality of Home Stone extends beyond concepts with which you are familiar, such as shared citizenship, for example. It is more like brotherhood, but not so much in the attenuated, cheap, abstract sense in which those of Earth commonly speak glibly, so loosely, of brotherhood. It is more analogous to brotherhood in the sense of jealously guarded membership in a proud, ancient family, one that has endured through centuries, a family bound together by fidelity, honor, history and tradition."
Prize of Gor Book 27 Pages 117 - 118
“Caste is important to the Gorean in ways that are difficult to make clear to one whose social structures do not include the relationships of caste.”
Fighting Slave of Gor Book 14 Pages 209 – 211
So you can see from these two quotes that Gorean societies are portrayed as being made up of tightly-knit sub-societies based on Home Stone and Caste.
Question: If there was a conflict between your Home Stone and Caste, which would you choose? How about if loyalty to your Home Stone meant betraying your Caste Codes? What would you do?
Consider this quote:
“I knew well the name of Iskander of Turia. I smiled. He remembered well the city that had exiled him, keeping still its name as part of his own. It had been many years since he had seen its lofty walls. He had, in the course of his practice in Turia, once given treatment outside of its walls to a young Tuchuk warrior, whose name was Kamchak. For this aid given to an enemy, he had been exiled. He had come, like many, to Port Kar. He had risen in the city, and had been for years the private physician to Sullius Maximus, who had been one of the five Ubars, presiding in Port Kar prior to the assumption of power by the Council of Captains.”
Marauders of Gor pages 17-19
So in this case, Iskander chose adherence to his caste codes over loyalty to his Home Stone, and paid the price of exile. Would all Gorean physicians have done that? Maybe not. We must not make the mistake of generalizing based on an example. Not all Gorean physicians behaved the same.
Question: What exactly is the role of the Physician’s Caste on Gor?
Here is a quote;
"No," I said. "They, too, are not rich enough. I gather their pleasure is in their healings, and not in their fees. They are too devoted to their work to their research, serums, and medicines, and distributing the benefits of their administrations and learnings indiscriminately, denying such to no one."
Conspirators of Gor Book 31 Page 25 – 26
Answer: There are many examples of specific treatments, but in general the Caste is responsible for medical healing and maintaining health on Gor
Question: But what else does this quote tell you about our Caste and what about these caste codes mentioned? What are they?
Answer: I have not been able to find a quote with the caste codes spelled out, but there are several versions online and most are derived from the Hippocratic Oath http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hippocratic_Oath found on earth. The discussion of our caste codes is worth a class on its own.
We know that the Physician’s Caste is one of the high castes. But why?
"I was also instructed in the Double Knowledge - that is, I was instructed in what the people, on the whole, believed, and then I was instructed in what the intellectuals were expected to know. Sometimes there was a surprising discrepancy between the two. …….On the other hand, the High Castes, specifically the Warriors, Builders, Scribes, Initiates and Physicians, were told the truth in such matters, perhaps because it was thought they would eventually determine it for themselves,…….
Tarnsman of Gor, pages 39 – 40
So the high castes were given “Double Knowledge”. And why? Because the priest kings thought we would eventually figure it out for ourselves anyway. With that cynical statement that foreshadows many plots in the books, we bring this lecture to a close.
In next week’s class we be on Role Playing the Gorean Physician. Thank you for attending.
Slave Wine and Releasing Wine
Lecturer: Snow Gryphon, Dunvegan Physician
November, 2014
Basic Course, no prerequisites
Tal Everyone:
Lady Carrie is not able to be with us today on the first lecture of the 11th term here at the Physician’s Academy at Tor. This term will see a renewed focus on basic training for Apprentices, and of course Physicians are welcome to attend as well to refresh their knowledge and share insights. Apprentices can use this lecture in your Skills Set.
Today’s lecture is on Slave Wine and Releasing Wine.
I would like to thank my beautiful Companion Lady El, for helping me prepare this lecture and for testing all those formulations of slave wine. She is worried that we may never have children as a result, but I am confident that my new and improved Releasing Wine will work this time!
At Physician’s Academy we make no effort to train you for any real life medical situations. We offer general information on medical topics, by the book and others, designed to better prepare you to role play as a Second Life Gorean physician. I make no claim to authoritative interpretation of the books by John Norman; nor am I trained in medicine in real life. These lectures are offered as a resource to role play only.
Please type an @ if you wish to ask a question or make a comment.
Slave Wine and Releasing Wine
Slave Wine
So what is slave wine and why do slaves have their own wine? Well it turns out that it actually isn’t “wine” at all.
"This is not really wine, or an alcoholic beverage. It is called slave wine I think for the amusement of the Masters. It is extremely bitter.” (Dancer of Gor pg. 174)
So, even Gorean Masters have a sense of humour.
Slave wine is used to prevent pregnancy in female slaves.
“Slave wine , that bitter drought,” she said, “that I might not be bred except as masters might please.” “Yes,” he said. “But I may be bred, as masters might please.” “Of course,” he said. “For I am a slave.” “Yes.”“An animal.” “Yes.” (Kur of Gor)
Slave wine is not used on male slaves (kajirus).
"Slave wine is bitter intentionally so. Its effect last for more than a Gorean month. I did not wish the females to conceive, A female slave is taken off slave wine only when it is her Masters intention to breed her." (Marauders of Gor pg. 23-24)
In this case, the slave wine mentioned is the kind used by slavers.
But why do Goreans not want their female slaves to become pregnant?
"He proffered me a cup and I with one hand holding the blanket about me with the other drank its contents. It was a foul brew but I downed it. I did not know at the time but it was slave wine. Men seldom breed upon their slave girls." (Slave Girl of Gor pg. 69)
Slaves on Gor are used for work and sex. Pregnant slaves are not as useful for either. Also any children born of a slave is a slave. Gorean men do not want their children to be slaves. However slaves are routinely bred like livestock on earth.
“Men seldom breed upon their slave girls. Female slaves, when bred, are commonly hooded and crossed with a male slave, similarly hooded, the breeding conducted under the supervision of their respective owners; a girl is seldom bred with a slave from her own house; personal relationships between male and female slaves are usually frowned upon; sometimes, however, as a discipline even a high female slave is sometimes thrown to a chain of work slaves for their pleasure.” ( Slave Girl of Gor, Pages 69-70)
Valuable slaves often are bred to produce valuable slave offspring. So, slave wine is used to carefully control who is bred, with whom, and when.
"Slave wine makes sense in a slave-holding culture such as Gor. The breeding of slaves, like any sort of domestic animals, and particularly valuable ones, is carefully controlled. As a slave, of course, I could be bred, or crossed, when, and however, my master might see fit. It is the same as with other animals." (Dancer of Gor, p 175)
Question: You have just purchased a hot slave girl and want to have sex with her tonight. You bought her from a slaver and he said she was given slave wine, but you have no documentation other than your ownership papers. What should you do?
Slave Wine Ingredients and Administration
The active ingredient of slave wine is sip root. Sip root is derived from a plant widely available on Gor. In areas where it is grown, girls are made to chew the root.
"We make them chew carefully and watch closely to see that they swallow, bit by bit, in small swallows, sip roots, as well," said another." We then examine their mouths, forcing them widely open, to determine that they have finished their entire allotment of the root," said another. I nodded. Sip roots are extremely bitter. Slave wine, incidentally, is made from sip roots.” (Blood Brothers of Gor Book 18 Page 124)
Sip root in its raw state is usually given every month for safety, but the effect usually lasts 3-4 months.
“She did not need the sip root, of course, for, as she had pointed out, she had had some within the moon, and, indeed, the effect of sip root, in the raw state, in most women, is three or four moons.” (Blood Brothers of Gor Book 18 Page 319)
“Relia had told me that in the vast grasslands far to the east, the Barrens, the white slaves of red masters must chew and swallow the root raw.” (Smugglers of Gor)
There are at least two variations of slave wine. The version used by slavers usually is renewed once or twice a year.
“One draught of the substance is reputed to last until the administration of an appropriate "releaser." In spite of this belief, however, or perhaps in deference to tradition, lingering from earlier times, in which, it seems, less reliable "slave wines" were available, doses of this foul stuff are usually administered to female slaves at regular intervals, usually once or twice a year. Some girls, rather cynical ones, I suspect, speculate that the masters give it to them more often than necessary just because they enjoy watching them down the terrible stuff. This is unlikely, however. There are cheaper and more easily available ingredients for such a mode of discipline than slave wine.” (Dancer of Gor Book 22 Page 174)
The version of slave wine provided by physicians is more concentrated and lasts indefinitely.
“ I could not believe how bitter it was. I had learned from Susan, whom I had once questioned on the matter, the objective and nature of slave wine. It is prepared from a derivative of sip root. The formula, too, I had learned, at the insistence of masters and slavers, had been improved by the caste of physicians within the last few years. It was now, for most practical purposes, universally effective. Too, as Drusus Rencius had mentioned, its effects, at least for most practical purposes, lasted indefinitely. “(Kajira of Gor Book 19 Pages 130 – 131)
The formulation of exactly how to make physician’s slave wine is provided here in archaic Gorean:
“jjjsgt mthha qlll ashtrvs akkkfhty”
If you cannot read that, you must first learn archaic Gorean. In addition, you must NEVER reveal this secret formula to anyone outside of our Caste.
Slave wine is typically given as part of a slave exam. Slave exams will be covered later this term. But it may be administered at other times as well.
“Sometimes slave wine is administered more than once. There could be several reasons for this, for example, one might not know if it has been administered before, and one might wish to make sure of the matter, or one might simply wish additional security in the matter, which seemed to explain the dosage at the World's End, or that before bringing the slave ashore in Brundisium. Too, one might administer it as a punishment, rather like a whipping or a night in close chains. Needless to say, if the slave comes with papers, a certification with respect to slave wine, and the date of its most recent administration, will usually be included in the papers.” (Mariners of Gor Book 30 Pages 524 – 525)
Question: A slaver has noticed you eyeing one of his slave girls. He offers to give her to you for free if you give him the formula for physician’s slave wine. What should you do?
Releasing Wine
The effect of slave wine is removed by a Releasing Wine (or Breeding Wine). It is made from the teslik plant. Releasing wine in contrast to slave wine, tastes good.
“The green caste has also produced the “releaser,” as it is called, which is reputedly delicious. It removes the effects of slave wine.” (Smugglers of Gor)
“In the concentrated state, as in slave wine, developed by the caste of physicians, the effect is almost indefinite, usually requiring a releaser for its remission, usually administered, to a slave, in what is called the breeding wine, or the "second wine".” (Blood Brothers of Gor, p 319)
"The active ingredient of breeding wine or second wine is a derivative of teslik." (Blood Brothers of Gor pg. 320)
“The green caste has also produced the “releaser,” as it is called, which is reputedly delicious. It removes the effects of slave wine.” (Smugglers of Gor)
“The Releaser, however, is not only palatable, but aromatic and delicious.” (Kur of Gor Book 28 Pages 183 – 184)
“The releaser, I am told, unlike slave wine, which is quite bitter, is quite pleasant, rather like a sweet wine, or fruit liqueur. It is usually administered when it is decided that the slave is to be bred.” (Mariners of Gor Book 30 Pages 524 – 525)
Releasing wine typically is given to a slave just prior to being bred.
“When administered the “releaser,” a girl may expect to be hooded and sent to the breeding stalls.” (Smugglers of Gor)
“When it is given to the girl she may, to her dismay and misery, and perhaps shrieking for mercy, expect to be soon sent to the breeding sheds, to be chained and hooded, and crossed with a male slave, who is similarly hooded.” (Kur of Gor Book 28 Pages 183 - 184)
Question: A slave girl does not want to take her Releasing Wine because she knows what comes next. What should you do?
Wine of the Noble Free Women
Now we know all about slave wine and why it is used. Let us turn now to its use with free women.
In a planet where people can live for several hundred years due to the availability of Stabilization Serum (to be discussed in a later lecture), birth control is of vital importance to prevent over-population. Therefore routinely, free women when they come of age are given a version of slave wine called Wine of the Noble Free Woman.
“Needless to say, free women are not subjected to the hateful and disgusting, the contemptible and demeaning, miseries of slave wine. Related potions which might be quaffed by free women, if they should choose to do so, for they are free, are reputedly mild and flavorful, as would be suited to their status. They, of course, are not animals to be bred or not bred as masters might choose. They are free. They are not owned. They are not slaves.” (Smugglers of Gor)
Wine of the Noble Free Woman works in exactly the same way as physician’s slave wine. However sweeteners and flavouring ingredients are added to make it more palatable.
“Whereas, as suggested earlier, the effects of slave wine and "the wine of the noble free woman" are identical, the common ingredient being sip root, there is a considerable difference in the two drinks. Slave wine makes no attempt to conceal the bitterness of ground, raw sip root, whereas "the wine of the noble free woman" is flavored, spiced, and sweetened in such a way that it offers no offense to the delicate and more refined sensibility of the free woman.” (Swordsmen of Gor Book 29 Page 235)
Even if a free woman does not have a Companion, she will be given Wine of the Noble Free Woman because Gor is a very dangerous unpredictable place, especially for women. Capture and rape are not uncommon, and illicit affairs are certainly a possibility.
When a free woman wishes to conceive she takes Releasing Wine, the same as any slave.
Wine of the Noble Free Woman and Releasing Wine are administered only when requested by her. They are after all free. However, the administration of Releasing Wine usually is part of a RP involving the Free Companion and their plans for having children. You will need to follow up on this later when she becomes pregnant.
Question: A man comes to you and says he wants you to give his Companion Releasing Wine, but she refuses. What should you do?
Slave Wine and Releasing Wine in Role Play (RP)
All right, the basics are covered, now how can we use what we have learned to further Role Play?
Typically your first introduction to a slave will be for her slave exam. This can often be a tedious affair if you don’t make an effort to “spice it up”. Slave wine is almost always given as part of the slave exam. So, one thing you can do is to warn the slave that the slave wine tastes really bad and that it is very bitter. Then see what she does. Many slaves will run with this idea and the result will be some hilarious RP.
Slaves have no control over whether or not they take slave wine. If they are uncooperative, it is forced down their throat.
“Then, before I could breathe again, the vessel was tipped, and fluid began to flood into my mouth, a repellant, gross, revolting fluid, and it filled my mouth like a pool. Held as I was , I could not rid myself of it. I needed air. My head hurt, from the strain on my tightly grasped hair. My wrists fought the cords that held them. In my oral cavity, bitter and reeking, brimming it, reposed that small, foul pool , like a tiny lake of bitter, odious filth. I wanted to force it from my mouth, but could not do so. I had no air with which to expel it. I feared I might suffocate. My lungs cried out for air. I must breathe, but to do so the beverage must first be swallowed. I did so.” (Smugglers of Gor)
I have experienced RP with a few uncooperative slaves and it can be a very unpredictable and fun experience. Go with the flow!
And of course, giving a slave Releasing Wine prior to breeding could be an interesting RP too. Although the scarcity of kajirus in SL Gor makes this a rare event.
There are many possibilities for fun RP involving free women. Was the woman raped or not? Did the Wine of the Noble Free Woman work? Where did she get the wine? Is she worried it didn’t? And similarly with the Releasing Wine; she can’t get pregnant and wonders about the Releasing Wine.
So there are limitless RP possibilities even within this subject matter for the creative RPer.
Let’s finish up with a little quiz taken from the PCOG manual to see who was paying attention…laughs.
1) What is the purpose of slave wine?
2) What is slave wine made from:
3) How frequently is slave wine given?
4) Are slaves the only ones who use slave wine?
Tomorrow is a lecture on Poisons by Lady El.
That is all for today.
Safe paths everyone.
November, 2014
Basic Course, no prerequisites
Tal Everyone:
Lady Carrie is not able to be with us today on the first lecture of the 11th term here at the Physician’s Academy at Tor. This term will see a renewed focus on basic training for Apprentices, and of course Physicians are welcome to attend as well to refresh their knowledge and share insights. Apprentices can use this lecture in your Skills Set.
Today’s lecture is on Slave Wine and Releasing Wine.
I would like to thank my beautiful Companion Lady El, for helping me prepare this lecture and for testing all those formulations of slave wine. She is worried that we may never have children as a result, but I am confident that my new and improved Releasing Wine will work this time!
At Physician’s Academy we make no effort to train you for any real life medical situations. We offer general information on medical topics, by the book and others, designed to better prepare you to role play as a Second Life Gorean physician. I make no claim to authoritative interpretation of the books by John Norman; nor am I trained in medicine in real life. These lectures are offered as a resource to role play only.
Please type an @ if you wish to ask a question or make a comment.
Slave Wine and Releasing Wine
Slave Wine
So what is slave wine and why do slaves have their own wine? Well it turns out that it actually isn’t “wine” at all.
"This is not really wine, or an alcoholic beverage. It is called slave wine I think for the amusement of the Masters. It is extremely bitter.” (Dancer of Gor pg. 174)
So, even Gorean Masters have a sense of humour.
Slave wine is used to prevent pregnancy in female slaves.
“Slave wine , that bitter drought,” she said, “that I might not be bred except as masters might please.” “Yes,” he said. “But I may be bred, as masters might please.” “Of course,” he said. “For I am a slave.” “Yes.”“An animal.” “Yes.” (Kur of Gor)
Slave wine is not used on male slaves (kajirus).
"Slave wine is bitter intentionally so. Its effect last for more than a Gorean month. I did not wish the females to conceive, A female slave is taken off slave wine only when it is her Masters intention to breed her." (Marauders of Gor pg. 23-24)
In this case, the slave wine mentioned is the kind used by slavers.
But why do Goreans not want their female slaves to become pregnant?
"He proffered me a cup and I with one hand holding the blanket about me with the other drank its contents. It was a foul brew but I downed it. I did not know at the time but it was slave wine. Men seldom breed upon their slave girls." (Slave Girl of Gor pg. 69)
Slaves on Gor are used for work and sex. Pregnant slaves are not as useful for either. Also any children born of a slave is a slave. Gorean men do not want their children to be slaves. However slaves are routinely bred like livestock on earth.
“Men seldom breed upon their slave girls. Female slaves, when bred, are commonly hooded and crossed with a male slave, similarly hooded, the breeding conducted under the supervision of their respective owners; a girl is seldom bred with a slave from her own house; personal relationships between male and female slaves are usually frowned upon; sometimes, however, as a discipline even a high female slave is sometimes thrown to a chain of work slaves for their pleasure.” ( Slave Girl of Gor, Pages 69-70)
Valuable slaves often are bred to produce valuable slave offspring. So, slave wine is used to carefully control who is bred, with whom, and when.
"Slave wine makes sense in a slave-holding culture such as Gor. The breeding of slaves, like any sort of domestic animals, and particularly valuable ones, is carefully controlled. As a slave, of course, I could be bred, or crossed, when, and however, my master might see fit. It is the same as with other animals." (Dancer of Gor, p 175)
Question: You have just purchased a hot slave girl and want to have sex with her tonight. You bought her from a slaver and he said she was given slave wine, but you have no documentation other than your ownership papers. What should you do?
Slave Wine Ingredients and Administration
The active ingredient of slave wine is sip root. Sip root is derived from a plant widely available on Gor. In areas where it is grown, girls are made to chew the root.
"We make them chew carefully and watch closely to see that they swallow, bit by bit, in small swallows, sip roots, as well," said another." We then examine their mouths, forcing them widely open, to determine that they have finished their entire allotment of the root," said another. I nodded. Sip roots are extremely bitter. Slave wine, incidentally, is made from sip roots.” (Blood Brothers of Gor Book 18 Page 124)
Sip root in its raw state is usually given every month for safety, but the effect usually lasts 3-4 months.
“She did not need the sip root, of course, for, as she had pointed out, she had had some within the moon, and, indeed, the effect of sip root, in the raw state, in most women, is three or four moons.” (Blood Brothers of Gor Book 18 Page 319)
“Relia had told me that in the vast grasslands far to the east, the Barrens, the white slaves of red masters must chew and swallow the root raw.” (Smugglers of Gor)
There are at least two variations of slave wine. The version used by slavers usually is renewed once or twice a year.
“One draught of the substance is reputed to last until the administration of an appropriate "releaser." In spite of this belief, however, or perhaps in deference to tradition, lingering from earlier times, in which, it seems, less reliable "slave wines" were available, doses of this foul stuff are usually administered to female slaves at regular intervals, usually once or twice a year. Some girls, rather cynical ones, I suspect, speculate that the masters give it to them more often than necessary just because they enjoy watching them down the terrible stuff. This is unlikely, however. There are cheaper and more easily available ingredients for such a mode of discipline than slave wine.” (Dancer of Gor Book 22 Page 174)
The version of slave wine provided by physicians is more concentrated and lasts indefinitely.
“ I could not believe how bitter it was. I had learned from Susan, whom I had once questioned on the matter, the objective and nature of slave wine. It is prepared from a derivative of sip root. The formula, too, I had learned, at the insistence of masters and slavers, had been improved by the caste of physicians within the last few years. It was now, for most practical purposes, universally effective. Too, as Drusus Rencius had mentioned, its effects, at least for most practical purposes, lasted indefinitely. “(Kajira of Gor Book 19 Pages 130 – 131)
The formulation of exactly how to make physician’s slave wine is provided here in archaic Gorean:
“jjjsgt mthha qlll ashtrvs akkkfhty”
If you cannot read that, you must first learn archaic Gorean. In addition, you must NEVER reveal this secret formula to anyone outside of our Caste.
Slave wine is typically given as part of a slave exam. Slave exams will be covered later this term. But it may be administered at other times as well.
“Sometimes slave wine is administered more than once. There could be several reasons for this, for example, one might not know if it has been administered before, and one might wish to make sure of the matter, or one might simply wish additional security in the matter, which seemed to explain the dosage at the World's End, or that before bringing the slave ashore in Brundisium. Too, one might administer it as a punishment, rather like a whipping or a night in close chains. Needless to say, if the slave comes with papers, a certification with respect to slave wine, and the date of its most recent administration, will usually be included in the papers.” (Mariners of Gor Book 30 Pages 524 – 525)
Question: A slaver has noticed you eyeing one of his slave girls. He offers to give her to you for free if you give him the formula for physician’s slave wine. What should you do?
Releasing Wine
The effect of slave wine is removed by a Releasing Wine (or Breeding Wine). It is made from the teslik plant. Releasing wine in contrast to slave wine, tastes good.
“The green caste has also produced the “releaser,” as it is called, which is reputedly delicious. It removes the effects of slave wine.” (Smugglers of Gor)
“In the concentrated state, as in slave wine, developed by the caste of physicians, the effect is almost indefinite, usually requiring a releaser for its remission, usually administered, to a slave, in what is called the breeding wine, or the "second wine".” (Blood Brothers of Gor, p 319)
"The active ingredient of breeding wine or second wine is a derivative of teslik." (Blood Brothers of Gor pg. 320)
“The green caste has also produced the “releaser,” as it is called, which is reputedly delicious. It removes the effects of slave wine.” (Smugglers of Gor)
“The Releaser, however, is not only palatable, but aromatic and delicious.” (Kur of Gor Book 28 Pages 183 – 184)
“The releaser, I am told, unlike slave wine, which is quite bitter, is quite pleasant, rather like a sweet wine, or fruit liqueur. It is usually administered when it is decided that the slave is to be bred.” (Mariners of Gor Book 30 Pages 524 – 525)
Releasing wine typically is given to a slave just prior to being bred.
“When administered the “releaser,” a girl may expect to be hooded and sent to the breeding stalls.” (Smugglers of Gor)
“When it is given to the girl she may, to her dismay and misery, and perhaps shrieking for mercy, expect to be soon sent to the breeding sheds, to be chained and hooded, and crossed with a male slave, who is similarly hooded.” (Kur of Gor Book 28 Pages 183 - 184)
Question: A slave girl does not want to take her Releasing Wine because she knows what comes next. What should you do?
Wine of the Noble Free Women
Now we know all about slave wine and why it is used. Let us turn now to its use with free women.
In a planet where people can live for several hundred years due to the availability of Stabilization Serum (to be discussed in a later lecture), birth control is of vital importance to prevent over-population. Therefore routinely, free women when they come of age are given a version of slave wine called Wine of the Noble Free Woman.
“Needless to say, free women are not subjected to the hateful and disgusting, the contemptible and demeaning, miseries of slave wine. Related potions which might be quaffed by free women, if they should choose to do so, for they are free, are reputedly mild and flavorful, as would be suited to their status. They, of course, are not animals to be bred or not bred as masters might choose. They are free. They are not owned. They are not slaves.” (Smugglers of Gor)
Wine of the Noble Free Woman works in exactly the same way as physician’s slave wine. However sweeteners and flavouring ingredients are added to make it more palatable.
“Whereas, as suggested earlier, the effects of slave wine and "the wine of the noble free woman" are identical, the common ingredient being sip root, there is a considerable difference in the two drinks. Slave wine makes no attempt to conceal the bitterness of ground, raw sip root, whereas "the wine of the noble free woman" is flavored, spiced, and sweetened in such a way that it offers no offense to the delicate and more refined sensibility of the free woman.” (Swordsmen of Gor Book 29 Page 235)
Even if a free woman does not have a Companion, she will be given Wine of the Noble Free Woman because Gor is a very dangerous unpredictable place, especially for women. Capture and rape are not uncommon, and illicit affairs are certainly a possibility.
When a free woman wishes to conceive she takes Releasing Wine, the same as any slave.
Wine of the Noble Free Woman and Releasing Wine are administered only when requested by her. They are after all free. However, the administration of Releasing Wine usually is part of a RP involving the Free Companion and their plans for having children. You will need to follow up on this later when she becomes pregnant.
Question: A man comes to you and says he wants you to give his Companion Releasing Wine, but she refuses. What should you do?
Slave Wine and Releasing Wine in Role Play (RP)
All right, the basics are covered, now how can we use what we have learned to further Role Play?
Typically your first introduction to a slave will be for her slave exam. This can often be a tedious affair if you don’t make an effort to “spice it up”. Slave wine is almost always given as part of the slave exam. So, one thing you can do is to warn the slave that the slave wine tastes really bad and that it is very bitter. Then see what she does. Many slaves will run with this idea and the result will be some hilarious RP.
Slaves have no control over whether or not they take slave wine. If they are uncooperative, it is forced down their throat.
“Then, before I could breathe again, the vessel was tipped, and fluid began to flood into my mouth, a repellant, gross, revolting fluid, and it filled my mouth like a pool. Held as I was , I could not rid myself of it. I needed air. My head hurt, from the strain on my tightly grasped hair. My wrists fought the cords that held them. In my oral cavity, bitter and reeking, brimming it, reposed that small, foul pool , like a tiny lake of bitter, odious filth. I wanted to force it from my mouth, but could not do so. I had no air with which to expel it. I feared I might suffocate. My lungs cried out for air. I must breathe, but to do so the beverage must first be swallowed. I did so.” (Smugglers of Gor)
I have experienced RP with a few uncooperative slaves and it can be a very unpredictable and fun experience. Go with the flow!
And of course, giving a slave Releasing Wine prior to breeding could be an interesting RP too. Although the scarcity of kajirus in SL Gor makes this a rare event.
There are many possibilities for fun RP involving free women. Was the woman raped or not? Did the Wine of the Noble Free Woman work? Where did she get the wine? Is she worried it didn’t? And similarly with the Releasing Wine; she can’t get pregnant and wonders about the Releasing Wine.
So there are limitless RP possibilities even within this subject matter for the creative RPer.
Let’s finish up with a little quiz taken from the PCOG manual to see who was paying attention…laughs.
1) What is the purpose of slave wine?
2) What is slave wine made from:
3) How frequently is slave wine given?
4) Are slaves the only ones who use slave wine?
Tomorrow is a lecture on Poisons by Lady El.
That is all for today.
Safe paths everyone.
Role Playing the Gorean Physician
Role Playing the Gorean Physician
Lecturer: Snow Gryphon
January, 2015
Prerequisites: None
At Physician’s Academy we make no effort to train you for any real life medical situations. We offer general information on medical topics, by the book and others, designed to better prepare you to role play as a Second Life Gorean physician. I make no claim to authoritative interpretation of the books by John Norman; nor am I trained in medicine in real life. These lectures are offered as a resource to role play only.
We encourage any and all questions, if you have a question or wish to make a comment please type "@" in chat, and wait to be called on so that I can try to keep track.
By touching this Dunvegan box here, you can obtain an organized folder with with my class notes and supporting documents. Class notes, text and textures are the sole property of the creator. They are not to be shared, sold or used to teach others without the specific permission of the instructor. This includes local chat.
Role Playing the Gorean Physician
This week we will discuss role playing the Gorean physician. But first let us re-cap what we learned last month, to bring us up to speed and provide some context. We discovered that a caste is much more than an occupation. It also includes a social structure and common customs. Gorean castes were like sub-societies within overall societies, and very distinct in their own way. We also found who were included in a caste and how they were trained, and that the Physician’s Caste was unusual in that women as well as the men were trained. And finally we touched on the role of the Physician’s Caste in Gorean society. See you didn’t miss much, did you?
Now let us turn from the group to the individual. We will try to get into the life and mind of Gorean physicians using examples from the books. For example, How did they live, where did they work, what did they look like and wear? And what did they think and believe, and how did they behave? Was there a common physician archetype or were all just individuals? Coming to a deeper understanding of all this is bound to enhance and improve our RP, don’t you think?
Let us start with the easy stuff first.
What Do They Look Like?
Well we know that about half the physicians were women, but there are few examples of women physicians in the books, with the notable exception of Vika of Treve. One wonders if the author changed his mind on this subject as he grew older. So due to the lack of female physician examples, I will refer to physicians as “he” to save typing. But it is assumed that women are included.
So what did physicians look like? Could you identify them on the street? Here are a few quotes:
"There was also a man in the green of the Caste of Physicians, standing at one side, writing notes on a slip of record paper. He was a large man, smooth-shaven."
Assassin of Gor Book 5 Page 124
"Beside the man before me, ……was a slender, gray-eyed man, clad in the green of the caste of physicians."
Slave Girl of Gor Book 11 Pages 385 – 386
"A physician entered the booth, with his kit slung over the shoulder of his green robes. He began to attend to the merchant."
Beasts of Gor Book 12 Pages 103 – 104
Q: What do these examples have in common?
A: Yes, Green robes! Looks around the room noting all the lovely multi-coloured dresses and outfits, and smiles. You know I have never seen a quote of physicians wearing armbands. If anyone has, please let me know.
Q: What else did you notice in there quotes?
A: Well one man was large and clean shaven and the other was slender. Not much to go on, is it, but one could conclude that physicians looked much the same as others in their community.
Well what of our female physician, Vika of Treve, featured prominently in Priest Kings of Gor. When we first meet her, she is a slave and is described thusly:
“Vika, in spite of her nine years of captivity, her confinement in this chamber, was still a headstrong, spoiled, arrogant girl, and one fully aware of her yet unconquered flesh, and the sinuous power which her beauty might exercise over men, its capacity to torture them and drive them wild, to bend them in the search for its smallest favours compliantly to her will. There stood before me insolently the beautiful, predatory girl who had come so long ago to the Sardar to exploit Priest-Kings.”
Priest Kings of Gor
Laughs… Now that reminds me of some of my friends in SL!
She goes on to follow in her father’s footsteps as a physician and dedicated herself to finding a cure for Dar Kosis. So she went from predatory seductress to research scientist. Now that is a life!
Q: How do you portray yourself in SL Gor, by your dress and looks? Let’s have some examples.
Now most of the physicians in the books are not described or identified. They and we tend to be in the support cast. Such is life. Now we will move on to the life and work of physicians, including where they work and what they do.
How Do They Live and Work
When we think of where physicians work here in SL Gor, the image of an infirmary seems to automatically come to mind. Well is that the case in the books? Here are a few relevant quotes to consider.
“At certain times of the year several such booths are set up within the courtyard of a slaver's house; in each, unclothed, chained by the left ankle to a ring, on furs, is a choice Red Silk Girl; prospective buyers, usually accompanied by a member of the Caste of Physicians, in the presence of the slaver's agent, examine various girls; when particular interest is indicated in one, the Physician and the slaver's agent withdraw;”
Assassin of Gor Book 5 Page 57
“Two men from the desk of the nearest wharf praetor, he handling wharves six through ten, a scribe and a physician, boarded the ship. The scribe carried a folder with him. He would check the papers of Ulafi, the registration of the ship, the arrangements for wharfage and the nature of the cargo. The physician would check the health of the crew and slaves……”
Explorers of Gor Book 13 Pages 117 – 118
Q: What common theme have you noticed in these two quotes?
A. These are examples to show that the physicians tend go where the action is. They go to the slave auctions and to the docks; they heal patients on the street and in their homes; they are found in the middle of battles. Another theme in the books is that often wealthy individuals or businessmen have in-house physicians to serve their needs. All this is much different than is found on earth in most places. However, is this part of an over-arching philosophy or just a convenience in the plot? I suspect it is more the later, but would not rule out the author fondly remembering his childhood when doctors on earth made house calls. So our perception of the need for fancy infirmaries may be more based on our notions of what is normal and good on earth than on what is found in the books.
Looks over and winks at my Companion who has the most fabulous infirmary in Gor.
So physicians were found everywhere doing their work. How did they make their living? Were they likely salary men or did they live by fee for service? There are a number of quotes in the books like the following:
“He had come, like many, to Port Kar. He had risen in the city, and had been for years the private physician to Sullius Maximus,…..
"Thurnock," said I, "give this physician a double tarn, of gold."
"No," said Iskander, "I wish no payment."
Marauders of Gor Book 9 Pages 17 – 19
OK the answer is in the quote: Physicians usually were paid in cash after treating patients. But…..I have not seen an example of a physician asking for payment before providing service or quoting a price before service. It seems to me, and I could be wrong, that the payments were more like tips based on what the patient was able to pay. Of course the more skilled or experienced physicians would more likely to be “hanging out” with the rich and famous and on average make more in “tips”. And in case you were wondering, Iskander refused payment by Bosk of Port Kar (Tarl Cabot) because they had previously been in a battle together. They were comrades.
Well a few physicians were famous, but most toiled in relative anonymity. But were they at least rich, if not famous? Here is the bad news.
“No," I said. "They, too, are not rich enough. I gather their pleasure is in their healings, and not in their fees. They are too devoted to their work to their research, serums, and medicines, and distributing the benefits of their administrations and learnings indiscriminately, denying such to no one."
"That is in their caste codes," said Mrs. Rawlinson.
"They are fools," I said. "People sometimes need their skills and knowledge even desperately. That is when they could make others pay, and well."
"Yet they seldom do so," said Mrs. Rawlinson."
Conspirators of Gor Book 31 Page 25 – 26
Yes we are indeed fools….or are we? I for one am proud to be in my caste. Also note in this quote that we "deny such to no one" implying that we treat those unable to pay for free.
When not out and about, the physician is often shown to be treating patients in his home, as in this quote;
“The building where I would wait on these days was the house of a physician. I was taken through a corridor to a special, rough room, where slaves were treated. “
Captive of Gor Book 7 Pages 92 – 94
Q: Now I wonder how many of us here have built homes that included “rough rooms, where slaves are treated”? Any examples?
The work of the physician was highly varied and many specialized in certain fields such as dentistry and surgery. Most of us are quite familiar with duties such as slave exams and healing the sick and injured, but here are a few examples of physician roles you may not have considered. Think on how much fun these would be to RP.
“A familiar bit of advice given by bold Gorean physicians to free women who consult them about their frigidity is, to their scandal, "Learn slave dance." Another bit of advice, usually given to a free woman being ushered out of his office by a physician impatient with her imaginary ailments is, "Become a slave." Frigidity, of course, is not accepted in slaves. If nothing else, it will be beaten out of their beautiful hides by whips.”
Guardsman of Gor Book 16 Page 260
Laughs, so you could be Lady XYZ, sex counselor. Imagine that!
Or how about this one:
“Some Goreans breed slaves, of course. This is commonly done by agreement amongst masters. There are, too, of course, the slave farms. Some members of the caste of physicians, incidentally, concern themselves with such matters, for example, by implanting fertilized eggs in host mothers. In this way, a prize slave may be used to produce numerous offspring.”
Kur of Gor Book 28 Page 27
Well having an artificial insemination clinic sounds interesting, does it not?
And finally:
“And the capacity for work is determined by physicians, neither by politics nor rhetorics. “
Swordsmen of Gor (Gorean Saga, 29)
This is one I actually hadn’t considered, until I read it recently. Could be a new way to RP certain scenarios. For example, a blacksmith comes in with a sore arm, and you find he has acute tendonitis and should not work for an extended period; or how about a slave who has been beaten so badly she cannot perform her duties. I could have used that one a few times to help brutalized girls.
Q: Have you examples of “unusual” physician roles you have used? Please share them.
In summary, physicians are found everywhere doing their highly varied skilled work. They tended to be paid in coin and not that well. Now we will try to get into the heart and mind of the Gorean physician and look at some examples of how they think and behave.
What Do They Think and How Do They Behave
There are several quotes that describe a physician at work. How do they tend to behave? Are they casual and funny; serious and cruel? Let us see.
This is my favourite quote:
“Flaminius then stood up and faced us. He was instantly again the Physician, cool and professional.”
Assassin of Gor Book 5 Page 136
Cool and professional. Is that how you role play your physician? I know I often don’t, but probably should. But there is another side to that cool and professional demeanor that oft times I find disturbing when I read it.
“On the other side of the belt, there hung a slave goad, rather like the tarn goad, except that it is designed to be used as an instrument for the control of human beings rather than tarns. It was, like the tarn goad, developed jointly by the Caste of Physicians and that of the Builders,…”
Assassin of Gor Book 5 Page 84
Does that not give you pause? And there are many other examples. Sometimes Gorean doctors more resemble those found in Nazi death camps than in the Mayo Clinic. But this has its roots in the idea that slaves were animals, not human, a notion that I personally find hard to accept, even knowing it was widespread on earth until recently. Is Gor really a sustainable model of a society? It certainly wasn't on earth.
Now here is a very interesting question. Should we RP treating slaves differently than free men and women? When I first came to Gor, I was taught to deal with slaves with loving-kindness, gentleness and compassion. Is that what is in the books? Let’s have a look in this quote.
“On the first day the physician, a quiet man in the green garments of his caste, examined me, thoroughly…… Though the physician was not unkind I felt that he treated me as, and regarded me as, an animal. When I was not being examined, he would dismiss me to the side of the room, where I would kneel, alone, on the boards, until summoned again. They discussed me as though I were not there……
They left me secured to the table for several minutes and then the physician returned to check the shot. There had been, apparently, no unusual reaction.
I was then freed.
"Dress," the physician told me……”
Captive of Gor Book 7 Pages 92 – 94
He is being “cool and professional”, isn’t he? And she is slave and slaves are animals, aren’t they? Would you discuss your exam with a bosk? Not likely. But if a physician treats a slave as a human, would not that threaten the social structure of Gor? The answer in the books seems to be that slaves have lost their rights under law and so have the same rights as an animal, which is to say none. Although of course they are biologically human. But we do show compassion to animals who suffer. Many things to consider in these interactions. Think it through. Know your role.
Here is another: the physician Tamirus examining the virginity of a slave:
"How are you, my dear?" asked Tamirus.
"Very good, Master," I said. "Thank you, Master."……..
"Throw your legs apart or we will do this differently," said Tupita.
I obeyed, on my back, on the dancing floor. There are various attitudes in which the virginity of a girl may be checked. The least embarrassing to her is probably this one.
Tamirus was careful with me, and gentle. He checked twice, delicately.
"Thank you, Master," I said to him, gratefully.
He stood up. "It is as certified by the house of Hendow," he said. "The slave is a virgin."
Dancer of Gor Book 22 Pages 186 – 187
So this physician seemed a bit more kind and considerate, didn’t he? Not all physicians behave the same, but within a fairly narrow range, I think. Here is the final example of a physician examining a slave. Note the sexual evaluation. I think I would be reported if I did this..laughs:
“Curious, the physician touched her again, She whimpered, squirming. "She's a hot one," said the physician.
"Yes," said Ulafi.
The girl looked at the physician with horror, tears in her eyes. But he completed her examination, looking into her eyes, and examining the interior of her thighs, her belly, and the interior of her forearms, for marks.
Then the physician stood up. "They are clear," he said. "The ship is clear. All may disembark."
"Excellent," said Ulafi.
The scribe noted the physician's report in his papers and the physician, with a marking stick, initialed the entry.”
Explorers of Gor Book 13 Pages 119 – 120
Physicians not only were shown to consider slaves as animals, but sometimes free women as well. Did you not know this? Looks around and smiles.
Here is a quote that will make you love Flaminius, one of Gor’s most famous physicians:
“Flaminius argued for a position in which women were hardly to be recognized as belonging to the human species….Flaminius commonly had the best of these exchanges, producing incredibly subtle, complex arguments, quoting supposedly objectively conducted studies by the Caste of Physicians, statistics, the results of tests, and what not.”
Assassin of Gor Book 5 Page 196
It seems our caste did studies that showed that women were not humans? And so what species are women? And how do we manage to breed? Obviously not all physicians were brilliant at everything, and we, including Flaminius, wear our prejudices each day like an ugly hat. And whether it was the attitude toward slaves, or women, or distrust of Initiates, Gorean physicians certainly had a strange mind-set, at least based on these quotes.
And poor old Flaminius had quite a rough time, losing his lab to sabotage and all. He became depressed and turned to drink. I once asked when I was an apprentice about how Goreans could drink so much and not become alcoholics. Well it seems even Goreans are not immune. Here are a few quotes:
“Flaminius looked at me, with a certain drunken awe. Then he rose in his green quarter’s tunic and went to a chest in his room, from which he drew forth a large bottle of paga. He opened it and, to my surprise, poured two cups. He took a good mouthful of the fluid from one of the cups, and bolted it down, exhaling with satisfaction.
"You seem to me, from what I have seen and heard," I said, "a skilled Physician."
He handed me the second cup, though I wore the black tunic.
"In the fourth and fifth year of the reign of Marlenus," said he, regarding me evenly, "I was first in my caste in Ar."
I took a swallow.
"Then," said I, "you discovered paga?"
Assassin of Gor Book 5 Pages 265 – 269
Well it turns out he was not depressed because of paga or women but because of the loss of his life’s work. Can any here relate to that?
The next is a rather long quote, but so poignant. I offer it without editing for your enjoyment. Consider it well.
“Flaminius seemed shaken. He looked to me, and I to him. Flaminius looked down.
"You must live," I said to him.
"No," he said.
"You have work to do," I told him. "There is a new Ubar in Ar. You must return to your work, your research."
"Life is little," he said.
"What is death?" I asked him.
He looked at me. "It is nothing," he said.
"If death is nothing," I said, "then the little that life is must be much indeed."
He looked away. "You are a Warrior," he said. "You have your wars, your battles."
"So, too, do you," said I, "Physician."
Our eyes met.
"Dar-Kosis," I said, "is not yet dead."
He looked away.
"You must return to your work," I said. "Men need you."
He laughed bitterly.
"The little that men have," I said, "is worth your love."
"Who am I to care for others?" he asked.
"You are Flaminius," I told him, "he who long ago loved men and chose to wear the green robes of the Caste of Physicians."
Assassin of Gor Book 5 Pages 386 – 387
We have left the trials and tribulations of poor old Flaminius to the end for a reason. Because, to me at least, it shows that physicians were not always cool and professional. They had feelings and emotions like all of us. They could be depressed and even suicidal. So as you role play your physician, think about what you have learned today. Physicians were guided by their codes and training, but in the end were just men and women making their way in the harsh world that is Gor. Tap into your inner Gorean physician. He is there in all of us.
Thank you for your attention.
Safe paths!
Lecturer: Snow Gryphon
January, 2015
Prerequisites: None
At Physician’s Academy we make no effort to train you for any real life medical situations. We offer general information on medical topics, by the book and others, designed to better prepare you to role play as a Second Life Gorean physician. I make no claim to authoritative interpretation of the books by John Norman; nor am I trained in medicine in real life. These lectures are offered as a resource to role play only.
We encourage any and all questions, if you have a question or wish to make a comment please type "@" in chat, and wait to be called on so that I can try to keep track.
By touching this Dunvegan box here, you can obtain an organized folder with with my class notes and supporting documents. Class notes, text and textures are the sole property of the creator. They are not to be shared, sold or used to teach others without the specific permission of the instructor. This includes local chat.
Role Playing the Gorean Physician
This week we will discuss role playing the Gorean physician. But first let us re-cap what we learned last month, to bring us up to speed and provide some context. We discovered that a caste is much more than an occupation. It also includes a social structure and common customs. Gorean castes were like sub-societies within overall societies, and very distinct in their own way. We also found who were included in a caste and how they were trained, and that the Physician’s Caste was unusual in that women as well as the men were trained. And finally we touched on the role of the Physician’s Caste in Gorean society. See you didn’t miss much, did you?
Now let us turn from the group to the individual. We will try to get into the life and mind of Gorean physicians using examples from the books. For example, How did they live, where did they work, what did they look like and wear? And what did they think and believe, and how did they behave? Was there a common physician archetype or were all just individuals? Coming to a deeper understanding of all this is bound to enhance and improve our RP, don’t you think?
Let us start with the easy stuff first.
What Do They Look Like?
Well we know that about half the physicians were women, but there are few examples of women physicians in the books, with the notable exception of Vika of Treve. One wonders if the author changed his mind on this subject as he grew older. So due to the lack of female physician examples, I will refer to physicians as “he” to save typing. But it is assumed that women are included.
So what did physicians look like? Could you identify them on the street? Here are a few quotes:
"There was also a man in the green of the Caste of Physicians, standing at one side, writing notes on a slip of record paper. He was a large man, smooth-shaven."
Assassin of Gor Book 5 Page 124
"Beside the man before me, ……was a slender, gray-eyed man, clad in the green of the caste of physicians."
Slave Girl of Gor Book 11 Pages 385 – 386
"A physician entered the booth, with his kit slung over the shoulder of his green robes. He began to attend to the merchant."
Beasts of Gor Book 12 Pages 103 – 104
Q: What do these examples have in common?
A: Yes, Green robes! Looks around the room noting all the lovely multi-coloured dresses and outfits, and smiles. You know I have never seen a quote of physicians wearing armbands. If anyone has, please let me know.
Q: What else did you notice in there quotes?
A: Well one man was large and clean shaven and the other was slender. Not much to go on, is it, but one could conclude that physicians looked much the same as others in their community.
Well what of our female physician, Vika of Treve, featured prominently in Priest Kings of Gor. When we first meet her, she is a slave and is described thusly:
“Vika, in spite of her nine years of captivity, her confinement in this chamber, was still a headstrong, spoiled, arrogant girl, and one fully aware of her yet unconquered flesh, and the sinuous power which her beauty might exercise over men, its capacity to torture them and drive them wild, to bend them in the search for its smallest favours compliantly to her will. There stood before me insolently the beautiful, predatory girl who had come so long ago to the Sardar to exploit Priest-Kings.”
Priest Kings of Gor
Laughs… Now that reminds me of some of my friends in SL!
She goes on to follow in her father’s footsteps as a physician and dedicated herself to finding a cure for Dar Kosis. So she went from predatory seductress to research scientist. Now that is a life!
Q: How do you portray yourself in SL Gor, by your dress and looks? Let’s have some examples.
Now most of the physicians in the books are not described or identified. They and we tend to be in the support cast. Such is life. Now we will move on to the life and work of physicians, including where they work and what they do.
How Do They Live and Work
When we think of where physicians work here in SL Gor, the image of an infirmary seems to automatically come to mind. Well is that the case in the books? Here are a few relevant quotes to consider.
“At certain times of the year several such booths are set up within the courtyard of a slaver's house; in each, unclothed, chained by the left ankle to a ring, on furs, is a choice Red Silk Girl; prospective buyers, usually accompanied by a member of the Caste of Physicians, in the presence of the slaver's agent, examine various girls; when particular interest is indicated in one, the Physician and the slaver's agent withdraw;”
Assassin of Gor Book 5 Page 57
“Two men from the desk of the nearest wharf praetor, he handling wharves six through ten, a scribe and a physician, boarded the ship. The scribe carried a folder with him. He would check the papers of Ulafi, the registration of the ship, the arrangements for wharfage and the nature of the cargo. The physician would check the health of the crew and slaves……”
Explorers of Gor Book 13 Pages 117 – 118
Q: What common theme have you noticed in these two quotes?
A. These are examples to show that the physicians tend go where the action is. They go to the slave auctions and to the docks; they heal patients on the street and in their homes; they are found in the middle of battles. Another theme in the books is that often wealthy individuals or businessmen have in-house physicians to serve their needs. All this is much different than is found on earth in most places. However, is this part of an over-arching philosophy or just a convenience in the plot? I suspect it is more the later, but would not rule out the author fondly remembering his childhood when doctors on earth made house calls. So our perception of the need for fancy infirmaries may be more based on our notions of what is normal and good on earth than on what is found in the books.
Looks over and winks at my Companion who has the most fabulous infirmary in Gor.
So physicians were found everywhere doing their work. How did they make their living? Were they likely salary men or did they live by fee for service? There are a number of quotes in the books like the following:
“He had come, like many, to Port Kar. He had risen in the city, and had been for years the private physician to Sullius Maximus,…..
"Thurnock," said I, "give this physician a double tarn, of gold."
"No," said Iskander, "I wish no payment."
Marauders of Gor Book 9 Pages 17 – 19
OK the answer is in the quote: Physicians usually were paid in cash after treating patients. But…..I have not seen an example of a physician asking for payment before providing service or quoting a price before service. It seems to me, and I could be wrong, that the payments were more like tips based on what the patient was able to pay. Of course the more skilled or experienced physicians would more likely to be “hanging out” with the rich and famous and on average make more in “tips”. And in case you were wondering, Iskander refused payment by Bosk of Port Kar (Tarl Cabot) because they had previously been in a battle together. They were comrades.
Well a few physicians were famous, but most toiled in relative anonymity. But were they at least rich, if not famous? Here is the bad news.
“No," I said. "They, too, are not rich enough. I gather their pleasure is in their healings, and not in their fees. They are too devoted to their work to their research, serums, and medicines, and distributing the benefits of their administrations and learnings indiscriminately, denying such to no one."
"That is in their caste codes," said Mrs. Rawlinson.
"They are fools," I said. "People sometimes need their skills and knowledge even desperately. That is when they could make others pay, and well."
"Yet they seldom do so," said Mrs. Rawlinson."
Conspirators of Gor Book 31 Page 25 – 26
Yes we are indeed fools….or are we? I for one am proud to be in my caste. Also note in this quote that we "deny such to no one" implying that we treat those unable to pay for free.
When not out and about, the physician is often shown to be treating patients in his home, as in this quote;
“The building where I would wait on these days was the house of a physician. I was taken through a corridor to a special, rough room, where slaves were treated. “
Captive of Gor Book 7 Pages 92 – 94
Q: Now I wonder how many of us here have built homes that included “rough rooms, where slaves are treated”? Any examples?
The work of the physician was highly varied and many specialized in certain fields such as dentistry and surgery. Most of us are quite familiar with duties such as slave exams and healing the sick and injured, but here are a few examples of physician roles you may not have considered. Think on how much fun these would be to RP.
“A familiar bit of advice given by bold Gorean physicians to free women who consult them about their frigidity is, to their scandal, "Learn slave dance." Another bit of advice, usually given to a free woman being ushered out of his office by a physician impatient with her imaginary ailments is, "Become a slave." Frigidity, of course, is not accepted in slaves. If nothing else, it will be beaten out of their beautiful hides by whips.”
Guardsman of Gor Book 16 Page 260
Laughs, so you could be Lady XYZ, sex counselor. Imagine that!
Or how about this one:
“Some Goreans breed slaves, of course. This is commonly done by agreement amongst masters. There are, too, of course, the slave farms. Some members of the caste of physicians, incidentally, concern themselves with such matters, for example, by implanting fertilized eggs in host mothers. In this way, a prize slave may be used to produce numerous offspring.”
Kur of Gor Book 28 Page 27
Well having an artificial insemination clinic sounds interesting, does it not?
And finally:
“And the capacity for work is determined by physicians, neither by politics nor rhetorics. “
Swordsmen of Gor (Gorean Saga, 29)
This is one I actually hadn’t considered, until I read it recently. Could be a new way to RP certain scenarios. For example, a blacksmith comes in with a sore arm, and you find he has acute tendonitis and should not work for an extended period; or how about a slave who has been beaten so badly she cannot perform her duties. I could have used that one a few times to help brutalized girls.
Q: Have you examples of “unusual” physician roles you have used? Please share them.
In summary, physicians are found everywhere doing their highly varied skilled work. They tended to be paid in coin and not that well. Now we will try to get into the heart and mind of the Gorean physician and look at some examples of how they think and behave.
What Do They Think and How Do They Behave
There are several quotes that describe a physician at work. How do they tend to behave? Are they casual and funny; serious and cruel? Let us see.
This is my favourite quote:
“Flaminius then stood up and faced us. He was instantly again the Physician, cool and professional.”
Assassin of Gor Book 5 Page 136
Cool and professional. Is that how you role play your physician? I know I often don’t, but probably should. But there is another side to that cool and professional demeanor that oft times I find disturbing when I read it.
“On the other side of the belt, there hung a slave goad, rather like the tarn goad, except that it is designed to be used as an instrument for the control of human beings rather than tarns. It was, like the tarn goad, developed jointly by the Caste of Physicians and that of the Builders,…”
Assassin of Gor Book 5 Page 84
Does that not give you pause? And there are many other examples. Sometimes Gorean doctors more resemble those found in Nazi death camps than in the Mayo Clinic. But this has its roots in the idea that slaves were animals, not human, a notion that I personally find hard to accept, even knowing it was widespread on earth until recently. Is Gor really a sustainable model of a society? It certainly wasn't on earth.
Now here is a very interesting question. Should we RP treating slaves differently than free men and women? When I first came to Gor, I was taught to deal with slaves with loving-kindness, gentleness and compassion. Is that what is in the books? Let’s have a look in this quote.
“On the first day the physician, a quiet man in the green garments of his caste, examined me, thoroughly…… Though the physician was not unkind I felt that he treated me as, and regarded me as, an animal. When I was not being examined, he would dismiss me to the side of the room, where I would kneel, alone, on the boards, until summoned again. They discussed me as though I were not there……
They left me secured to the table for several minutes and then the physician returned to check the shot. There had been, apparently, no unusual reaction.
I was then freed.
"Dress," the physician told me……”
Captive of Gor Book 7 Pages 92 – 94
He is being “cool and professional”, isn’t he? And she is slave and slaves are animals, aren’t they? Would you discuss your exam with a bosk? Not likely. But if a physician treats a slave as a human, would not that threaten the social structure of Gor? The answer in the books seems to be that slaves have lost their rights under law and so have the same rights as an animal, which is to say none. Although of course they are biologically human. But we do show compassion to animals who suffer. Many things to consider in these interactions. Think it through. Know your role.
Here is another: the physician Tamirus examining the virginity of a slave:
"How are you, my dear?" asked Tamirus.
"Very good, Master," I said. "Thank you, Master."……..
"Throw your legs apart or we will do this differently," said Tupita.
I obeyed, on my back, on the dancing floor. There are various attitudes in which the virginity of a girl may be checked. The least embarrassing to her is probably this one.
Tamirus was careful with me, and gentle. He checked twice, delicately.
"Thank you, Master," I said to him, gratefully.
He stood up. "It is as certified by the house of Hendow," he said. "The slave is a virgin."
Dancer of Gor Book 22 Pages 186 – 187
So this physician seemed a bit more kind and considerate, didn’t he? Not all physicians behave the same, but within a fairly narrow range, I think. Here is the final example of a physician examining a slave. Note the sexual evaluation. I think I would be reported if I did this..laughs:
“Curious, the physician touched her again, She whimpered, squirming. "She's a hot one," said the physician.
"Yes," said Ulafi.
The girl looked at the physician with horror, tears in her eyes. But he completed her examination, looking into her eyes, and examining the interior of her thighs, her belly, and the interior of her forearms, for marks.
Then the physician stood up. "They are clear," he said. "The ship is clear. All may disembark."
"Excellent," said Ulafi.
The scribe noted the physician's report in his papers and the physician, with a marking stick, initialed the entry.”
Explorers of Gor Book 13 Pages 119 – 120
Physicians not only were shown to consider slaves as animals, but sometimes free women as well. Did you not know this? Looks around and smiles.
Here is a quote that will make you love Flaminius, one of Gor’s most famous physicians:
“Flaminius argued for a position in which women were hardly to be recognized as belonging to the human species….Flaminius commonly had the best of these exchanges, producing incredibly subtle, complex arguments, quoting supposedly objectively conducted studies by the Caste of Physicians, statistics, the results of tests, and what not.”
Assassin of Gor Book 5 Page 196
It seems our caste did studies that showed that women were not humans? And so what species are women? And how do we manage to breed? Obviously not all physicians were brilliant at everything, and we, including Flaminius, wear our prejudices each day like an ugly hat. And whether it was the attitude toward slaves, or women, or distrust of Initiates, Gorean physicians certainly had a strange mind-set, at least based on these quotes.
And poor old Flaminius had quite a rough time, losing his lab to sabotage and all. He became depressed and turned to drink. I once asked when I was an apprentice about how Goreans could drink so much and not become alcoholics. Well it seems even Goreans are not immune. Here are a few quotes:
“Flaminius looked at me, with a certain drunken awe. Then he rose in his green quarter’s tunic and went to a chest in his room, from which he drew forth a large bottle of paga. He opened it and, to my surprise, poured two cups. He took a good mouthful of the fluid from one of the cups, and bolted it down, exhaling with satisfaction.
"You seem to me, from what I have seen and heard," I said, "a skilled Physician."
He handed me the second cup, though I wore the black tunic.
"In the fourth and fifth year of the reign of Marlenus," said he, regarding me evenly, "I was first in my caste in Ar."
I took a swallow.
"Then," said I, "you discovered paga?"
Assassin of Gor Book 5 Pages 265 – 269
Well it turns out he was not depressed because of paga or women but because of the loss of his life’s work. Can any here relate to that?
The next is a rather long quote, but so poignant. I offer it without editing for your enjoyment. Consider it well.
“Flaminius seemed shaken. He looked to me, and I to him. Flaminius looked down.
"You must live," I said to him.
"No," he said.
"You have work to do," I told him. "There is a new Ubar in Ar. You must return to your work, your research."
"Life is little," he said.
"What is death?" I asked him.
He looked at me. "It is nothing," he said.
"If death is nothing," I said, "then the little that life is must be much indeed."
He looked away. "You are a Warrior," he said. "You have your wars, your battles."
"So, too, do you," said I, "Physician."
Our eyes met.
"Dar-Kosis," I said, "is not yet dead."
He looked away.
"You must return to your work," I said. "Men need you."
He laughed bitterly.
"The little that men have," I said, "is worth your love."
"Who am I to care for others?" he asked.
"You are Flaminius," I told him, "he who long ago loved men and chose to wear the green robes of the Caste of Physicians."
Assassin of Gor Book 5 Pages 386 – 387
We have left the trials and tribulations of poor old Flaminius to the end for a reason. Because, to me at least, it shows that physicians were not always cool and professional. They had feelings and emotions like all of us. They could be depressed and even suicidal. So as you role play your physician, think about what you have learned today. Physicians were guided by their codes and training, but in the end were just men and women making their way in the harsh world that is Gor. Tap into your inner Gorean physician. He is there in all of us.
Thank you for your attention.
Safe paths!
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