Tal everybody,
one has to see the difference between the books and an online world like SL.
While personally I (and many others) don't take the books as a bible, but as a story (which I must admit, is sometimes hard to read, but often damn addictive
) and a reference for the settings of Gor; others do take the books as a bible. Surely both have their arguments for their opinion and against the others, however, in the end it is just that: opinions.
If you have noticed, in SL Gor there are all kinds of weapons, be it the short sword or different variations of long swords, or even glaive swords. Different variations of bows and crossbows...
Though, in the books there is mostly the talk of Tarl's shortsword and other blades common to Gor - and the spear. The use of bows and crossbows, however, was mentioned in Tarnsmen as not so usual in the Red Caste and only Tarl preferred those missile weapons; and Par Kur - yet in SL Gor everyone uses a bow or a cross bow.
So far just as a side note for the differences, now to on topic...
With the differences mentioned between SL Gor and Book Gor it seems fine to me that females take a weapon and defend their homes or even join on raids, however one has to be realistic on this topic too:
A City woman, no matter if High Caste or Low Caste would not be allowed by the men of the city to fight alongside them in a raid against a hostile city - but might protect her home against raiders
An outlaw woman (and please don't argue now about the existence of femlaws**) would eventually be armed in one way or another, able to defend herself against raiders or all the varieties of beasts that lurk in the wilderness of Gor, surely she'd be able, after some time of training, like men need too, to wield the bow precisely.
I'd categorize female mercs as the "femlaws" as well as far as the usage of weapons goes.
**femlaws: whether or not they are mentioned in the books is rather unimportant, use your common sense on this subject, women were captured and enslaved, not seldom a slave became a Free Companion and not all childs born were men. Also, women (caste and slaves) fled from cities to live in the woods, though Norman mentions Panthers and Talunas here only one could surely imagine a woman to find a place within a band of outlaws or mercenaries.
In my opinion - and especially considering the fact that the books are written in Tarl's perspective, based on what he knows about Gor, what he encounters and learns and NOT from a god-like narrator who has ALL the knowledge of ANY happening on the planet Gor - femlaws do have their place in an online RPG _based_ on the settings of the books.
However, there are many other things in SL Gor that'd worry me way more than whether a woman should use a weapon or not.
Lets take a look at strength: Norman contradicts himself about strength, for one he says the gravity on Gor makes Tarl almost superhuman in strength, that it allows a spear to be cast whatever distance and such. On the other side Norman says women are no stronger than 13 yo boys. Yet Talena was able to seize the sword of a Guardsman and hack off the hand of the other Guardsman in Tarnsmen of Gor. Talena, a woman of High Caste who spent most her life in the Walled Gardens of Ar without ever having the need to practice any physical labor. Now I am not a weapons expert, but I did hold a real medieval sword once and practiced some swordfight with it even, it was quite heavy, even though a short sword and without practice and condition one wouldn't be able to use it for long, which Norman correctly described even when he had Talena fall to the ground right after the strike. But my point is: in SL Gor 90% of the women grab your swords (no matter if short, long or even glaive sword) and "TOSS" it away as if they'd through a snowball. I don't know if those are just lazy in their disarming/binding emotes or if they don't know any better...but surely I frown upon that a lot - on the other hand, I have seen quite awesome disarming RPs where the woman would struggle with a heavy sword and rather drag it away than "TOSS" it.
Another thing that I have noticed in SL Gor and is far more bothersome than a female with a bow are some slaves.
Have you noticed how many princess slaves are out there? Can't punish me, can't capture me, can't re-collar me, can't use me sexually can't even undress me - my owner doesn't allow it
Have had it all, they come with their Masters to a raid, get captured and you waste time discussing with them, or get frustrated and just throw them off a cliff or whatever.
Then we have them assassin-slaves who attack a Free on their own and even kill a Free before they return to their masters and are all slut-like again - don't believe it? I didn't either, until I saw it
And we have the "free-sluts" who think they can talk like a Free and do stuff to you hey know they'd be killed for by you (and should be by their owners too), from insulting the Free to harming them on purpose while stripping them - have had it, slave girls grabbing my weapons and "tossing" them away, then take their cutting tool and say "I might hurt you and I'll not be sorry for that" and cut off your clothes and indeed cut your skin even.
Girls, you have chosen to play a Gorean Slave, act like one, aye?
But yes, there are also a lot realistic slave girls in SL Gor and gladly it is the majority of girls! :-)
With the separation of SL Gor's SIMS into BTB and NON-BTB I think people only split a community that belongs together. We should all abide by the settings of Gor but refrain from seeing the books as the Holy Bible. It should be the those who are completely ungorean, be it men, women or slaves, that should be frowned upon, not the fact that a SIM allows female fighters. RP-Ban those who cheat, those who play ungorean, those who are disney, but try out those non-BTB players who are realistic - and there are A LOT of them out there.
Regards,
Cid
PS: it's just an opinion, one of many
