BtB Warrior Codes

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May 2012

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[Anarch Allegiere]

Below are the 26 occassions in which (something new about) the Warrior Codes are mentioned in the books:

The Warrior Codes

(These are the only times the Codes are mentioned or referred to in the books - unlike the fake 100 aphorisms)

1.) "You know the codes, if you want her you must challenge for her and meet me with the weapon of my choice"

2.)One who has shed your blood, or who's blood you you have shed, becomes your swordbrother, unless you formally repudiate the blood on your weapons.

3.) "I am of the caste of warriors, and it is in our code that the only death for for a man is in battle."

4.)"Be strong and do as you will, the swords of others will set your limits."

5.)"Within the circle of each mans sword arm, therin is each man a Ubar."

6.) "Steel is the coinage of the warrior, with it, he purchases what pleases him"

7.)I would not have thought Sarus of Tyros would have used poisened steel," I said. Such a device, like the poisened arrow, was not only against the codes of the warriors, but, generally, was regarded as unworthy of men. Poison was regarded as a womans weapon.

8.)"The 97th Aphorism in the Codes I was taught," I said, "is in the form of a riddle: "What is invisible but more beautiful than diamonds?" "And the answer?" inquired Labienus. "That which is silent but deafens thunder."
The men regarded one another.
"And what is that?" asked Labienus.
"The same." said I, "as that which depresses no scale but is weightier than gold."
"And what is that?" asked Labienus.
"Honor" I said.
"He is of the Warriors," said a man.

9.) Let none who are not of the scarlet caste know of these things. The Codes are as the dust of diamonds in a hidden vault, which, exposed to the winds, will be scattered and trodden beneath the sandals of men and the hooves of beasts... worthless forevermore.

10.)"I can force you to take me," she said.
"How?" I asked.
"Like this," she responded, kneeling before me, lowering her head and lifting her arms, the wrists crossed. She laughed. "Now you must take me with you or slay me."
I cursed her, for she took unfair advantage of the Warrior Codes of Gor."

11.)"Warriors, it is said in the codes, have a common Home Stone. Its name is battle."

12.) "The warrior does not kill himself or aid others in the doing of it. It is not in the codes."

13.)"Even warriors long sometimes for the sight of their own flags, atop friendly walls, for the courtyards of their keeps, for the hearths of their halls. Thus admit the Codes."

14.)"Have you raised your arm against me?"I asked.(to raise your sword against a warrior is to issue a challenge)
I released his arm, and he staggered back. Then he slung his shield on his arm, and unsheathed the blade slung at his left hip.
"What is going on!" demanded the woman."Be silent foolish woman," said the captain. She cried out with rage. But what did she know of the codes?

15.)"You have lifted a weapon against me," he said. "My codes permit me to kill you."

16.) "Could it be that I had, as the Codes of my Caste recommended, not even considered her, but merely regarded her as a rightless animal, no more than a subject beast, an abject instrument to my interests and pleasures, a slave?"

17.)The Code of the Warrior is, in general, characterized by a rudimentary chivalry, emphasizing loyalty to Pride Chiefs and the Home Stone. It was harsh, but with a certain gallantry, a sense of honor that I could respect. A man could do worse then live by such a code.

18.)"`I am a warrior,' said the young man proudly. Kamchak signaled the archers and they came forward, their arrows trained on the young man. He then threw, one after another, a dozen bags of gold to the floor. `Save your gold, Tuchuk sleen,' said the young man. `I am a warrior and I know my codes.'"

19.) "And then, angrily, loftily, she walked to the deck before me and then, movement by movement, to my fury, knelt before me, back on her heels, head down, arms extended, wrists crossed, as though for binding. `You are a fool!' I told her. She lifted her head, and smiled. `You may simply leave me here if you wish,' she said. `It is not in the codes,' I said. `I thought,' said she, `that you no longer kept the codes.' ...`I do not want you!' I said. `Then slay me,' she said.'"

20.)`You are a monster, Captain,' he laughed. `I am of the warriors,' I said. `I know your sort,' he said. `It is the fight you relish. What a wicked sort you are, and yet how useful!' I shrugged. `You see a fight you want, you take it,' he said, `You see a woman you like, you take her.' `Perhaps if she pleased me,' I said. `You would do as you wished,' he said. `Of course,' I said. `Warrior!' said he. `Yes, Warrior,' I said."

21.)"`Flee!' she said. `I am of the Warriors,' I said. `But you may die,' she said. `That is acknowledged in the codes,' I said. `What are the codes?' she asked. `They are nothing and, and everything,' I said. `They are a bit of noise, and the steel of the heart. They are meaningless, and all significant. They are the difference. Without the codes men would be Kurii.' `Kurii?' she asked. `Beasts, such as ice beasts, and worse,' I said. `Beasts such as the face you saw in the sky.' `You need not keep the codes,' she said. `I once betrayed my codes,' I said. `It is not my intention to do so again.' I looked at her. `One does not know, truly what it is to stand, until one has fallen. Once one has fallen, then one knows, you see, what it is to stand.' `None would know know if you betrayed the codes,' she said. `I would know,' I said, `and I am of the Warriors.' `What is it to be a warrior?' she asked. `It is to keep the codes,' I said. `You may think that to be a warrior is to be large, or strong, and to be skilled with weapons, to have a blade at your hip, to know the grasp of the spear, to wear the scarlet, to know the fitting of the iron helm upon one's countenance, but these are things are not truly needful; they are not, truely what makes one man a warrior and another not. Many men are strong, and large, and skilled with weapons. Any man might, if he dared, don the scarlet and gird himself with weapons. Any man might place upon his brow the helm of iron. But it is not the scarlet, not the steel, not the helm which makes a warrior.' She looked at me. `It is the codes,' I said. `Abandon your codes,' she said. `One does not speak to slaves of the codes,' I said.

22.)"I had been so much a fool as to be sad. That is not the mood in which to enter battle, even the battle which one knows one cannot win, even the ultimate battle in which knows one is doomed to defeat. Do not be sad. Better to take the field with laughter, with a joke, with a light heart, with a buoyant heart, or to go forward with sterness, or in fury, or with hatred, or defiance, or calculation, but never with self pity, never with sadness. Never such things, never them! The warrior does not kill himself or aid others in the doing of it. It is not in the codes."

23.)"`No,' he said. `I do not keep you because of the gold. I am of the scarlet caste. I am of the warriors. I could cast the gold away, as a gesture.'"

24.)"It was lonely here. Yet such times are good in the life of a Warrior, times to be alone, to think. He who cannot think is not a man, so saith the codes. Yet neither, too, they continue, is he who can only think."

25.)"...in most cities, on the other hand, a free woman may, with legal tolerance, submit herself as a slave to a specific man. If he refuses her, she is then still free. If he accepts her, she is then, categorically, a slave, and he may do with her what he pleases, even selling her or giving her away, or slaying her, if he wishes. Here we may note a distinction between laws and codes. In the codes of the warriors, if a warrior accepts a woman as a slave, it is prescribed that, at least for a time, an amount of time up to his discretion, she be spared. If she should be the least displeasing, of course, or should prove recalcitrant in even a tiny way, she may be immediately disposed of. It should be noted that this does place a legal obligation on the warrior. It has to do, rather, with the proprieties of the codes."


26.) "Honor," I said, "has many voices, and many songs."

He looked down at me, startled, "That is a saying of warriors," he said. "It is from the codes. It is a long time since I have heard it. I had almost forgotten it. Where did you, a slave, hear it?"

"In Treve," I said.

"A den of thieves!" he said.

I did not respond. Who knows within what houses may be heard the voices of honor? Who knows within what walls may be heard her songs??

I've reworked this into actual "Codes", because I'm not fond of people randomly pulling Codes out of thin air and trying to remold Warriors into the "Knights of the Round Table" that would be expected to go around protect the weak and needy. But I'm sure there will be debate into how above 26 lines have been interpretted. If you have issues with any specific line of Code please voice your opinion:

1.) A Warrior may challenge another for the ownership of a slave-girl. It's referred to as "Canjeline". The man that is challenged may choose the weapon of his choice.

2.) Shedding another warrior's blood in battle, and thus severely wounding him makes him your Sword brother unless you wipe the blood from your sword. Sword brothers treat each other as if they're family. Charity among Sword brothers is expected.

3.) Warriors will always see to it that their Caste Brothers, or they themselves, will die by no other means than a death in battle.

4.) Be bold and daring and see how the steel of others will correct you or stop you if you go too far.

5.) Every man is an Ubar within the steel of his sword.

6.) A Warrior can (try to) use his steel to take whatever pleases him.

7.) Warriors do not use poisoned weapons or poison itself for their personal gains.

8.) "What is invisible but more beautiful than diamonds?"
"That what is silent but deafens thunder?"
"That which depresses no scale but is weightier than gold?"
"Honor."

9.) Matters of Honor and the Red Caste are to be kept to be dealt with within the Red Caste.

10.) When a woman submits to you, you're to collar or kill her.

11.) Warriors on the battlefield are supposed to treat each other as if from the same Home Stone: the Home Stone named "battle."

12.) Warriors don't kill themselves or aid others in doing so.

13.) The Codes admit that Warriors often desire to hang the banners and colors of their Caste among friendly walls and within their own halls.

14.) Lifting your weapon against a Warrior is to challenge him to a duel.

15.) Lifting your weapon against a Warrior permits the Warrior, by his Caste Codes, to kill that person.

16.) The Warrior Codes suggest (but don't demand) to regard slaves as worthless beasts without rights, as objects of pleasure.

17.) The Warrior Codes expect loyalty to the Home Stone and Pride Chiefs / Ubar.

18.) No amount of gold can make a Warrior disobey his codes.

19.) Caste codes have priority over the City laws for the member of each Caste.

20.) Warriors do as they wish; it's suggested in the Codes.

21.) Warriors do not flee battle. They accept to die in battle. Warriors do not fear losing a fight.

22.) Do not be sad. Better to take the field with laughter, with a joke, with a light heart, with a buoyant heart, or to go forward with sternness, or in fury, or with hatred, or defiance, or calculation, but never with self-pity, never with sadness. Never such things,

23.) It is suggested not to regard gold as having much worth, when you're a Warrior.

24.) He who cannot think is not a man, neither is he who can only think.

25.) If a warrior accepts a woman as a slave, it is prescribed that, at least for a time, an amount of time up to his discretion, she be spared. If she should be the least displeasing, of course, or should prove recalcitrant in even a tiny way, she may be immediately disposed of. Unlike other castes who might dispose of a slave at their whim at any time.

26.) Honor is diverse. What might be considered honorable in one city might not be honorable in another. For a Warrior it only matters that above codes are followed.

For Trevan Warriors:
A.) Loyalty to the Home Stone comes above all. Slay or enslave those who trespass and compromise it's safety.
(This is what makes it apparent that under certain circumstances Trevans won't recognize the Caste colors of strangers.)

The hardest to understand and translate into a guideline for me was line 25.

Maybe once there is reasonable concensus on above lines I'll ask the NC to be put in the archives of the Warriors Hall in Treve.

[Ashoka Mosely]

Good and interesting post Anarch and I'm gonna follow up with another
question.

The 100 codes and 5 amorphisms that have been accepted in all BTB Southern
sims Gor wide and in Gor forums / msn / IRC..... where are these from?

Would like to get some input on this and am glad we have a forum
like this for continues learning.

Best,

Ace.

[Anarch Allegiere]

The 100 codes and 5 amorphisms that have been accepted in all BTB Southern
sims Gor wide and in Gor forums / msn / IRC..... where are these from?

The 100 aphorisms have been made up by someone at some point back in the IRC days I believe.
They're however not widely accepted in BtB sims, Ar openly states they don't recognize them for example.

I also never accepted them as the 'true Warrior' codes, especially not since some points in them are really un-Warrior-like and nothing like how Warriors behaved in the books in my opinion. I'd rather see that list torn to pieces and tossed aside.

The only mention of the Warrior Codes are the 26 quotes above. And thus are the only real 'facts' one could have about the Warrior Codes. Everything else could possibly be derived within a certain philosophy. But for the most part that philosophy for Warriors just seems to be: "Do whatever you want, let the steel of others set your limits and always remain loyal towards Home Stone and Ubar." As far as I can understand the Warrior Codes, and the power the Red Caste holds in a city also excuses Warriors from certain laws.

Eg. "Warriors can not be punished by law to be executed" (unless stripped from Caste Colors first (for which they'd have to break one of the codes.) - Since the only acceptable death for a Warrior in the eyes of the Red Caste would be in battle.) or giving the Warriors the right to kill someone if someone dares to lift a weapon to them.

[Ashoka Mosely]

Thanks Anarch,

Something to think about internally. Do we go with generally accepted principals?

Or strictly BTB as in , the definitative codes mentioned in the books?

I am in favor of the 100 codes and 5 amorphisms.

They are structure and principals that guide towards an ideal of what a Rarius is supposed to be.

A goal and destination, what we aim for and we reach.

A Rarius is like a ship, mighty and strong...the Codes are like the compass pointing due north, giving direction and objective towards a destination for the ship, for without direction....the ship...however mighty, is lost at sea.

Now...besides Anarch and myself.... any other Rarius able to contribute here?

What is this all about...100 codes/amorphisms vs btb quotes of Anarch of Treve ?

Speak now, or forever hold your peace

- Ace of Treve

[Adoveea Rau]

A fuller quote helps on #25
Players of Gor, page 21

The matter is more subtle when the women is not within a context of capture rights. Here the matter differs from city to city. In some cities a woman may not, with legal recognition, submit herself to a specific man as a slave, for in those cities that is placing a temporary qualification on the condition of slavery which contition, once entered into, all cities agree, is absolute. In such cities then, the woman makes herself a slave unconditionally. It is then up to the man in question whether or not he will accept her as his slave. In this manner he will do as he pleases.  In any event, she is a slave and only that.

In other cities, and in most cities, on the other hand, a free woman may, with legal tolerance, submit herself as a slave to a specific man. If he refuses her, she is then still free. If he accepts her, she is then, categorically, a slave, and he may do with her as he pleases, even selling her or giving her away, or slaying her, if he wishes. Here we might note a distinction between laws and codes. In the codes of the warriors, if a warrior accepts a woman as a slave, it is prescribed that, at least for a time, an amount of time up to his discretion, she be spared. If she should be the least bit displeasing, of course, or should prove recalcitrant in even a tiny way, she may be immediately disposed of.

It should be noted that this does not place a legal obligation on the warrior. It has to do, rather, with the proprieties of the codes. If a woman not within a clear context of rights, such as capture rights, house rights, or camp rights, should pronounce herself slave, ‘simpliciter, then she is subject to claim. These claims may be explicit, as in branding, binding and collaring, or as in the uttering of a claimancy formula, such as “I own you,” “You are mine,” or “You are my slave,” or implicit, as in, for example, permitting the slave to feed from your hand or follow you.


Codes of Caste Vs Codes of Law
City law might allow if a woman submits to a man (not a warrior), and the man (not a warrior) refuses her, she still a free woman.

Warrior code says :if a woman submits to a warrior she must be accepted or killed.

[Anarch Allegiere]

Aye, that's how I understood it as well... due to the 'power' a Caste held in a city they'd be able to enforce their Caste Codes having priority over Codes of Law. Magistrate scribes probably wanna chip in on that subject as well... In Gor not everyone was equal for the law. There were obvious differences between slaves, free women and men ofcourse... but also between Castes and what would be expected of them... different codes for every caste that would thus have different "laws" as a consequence for every caste.

To me these are -the- 26 guidelines for a Warrior and give people enough room for creativity with their characters. I don't see the difference between having 100 guidelines to give a structure and direction or having 26 of them to do the same. I just know that these ones are the actual true ones and the other ones of questionable origin.

[Caliway]

I Have always felt that the codes of the Warrior caste, despite being taught to all in the caste and recognised as a tenet of the caste, were also meant to be interpreted by each warrior, Much the same way a Priest or Rabbi would study the Scriptures, and Take in something new each time. In fact I would associate the same reverence from Priest/scriptures, as I would Warrior/codes.

Because of this belief, I really commend you for your work here, Showing this Interpretation of the Codes. and making them a little clearer for the rest of us to understand.

[Victor Warilard]

1.) A Warrior may challenge another for the ownership of a slave-girl. It's referred to as "Canjeline". The man that is challenged may choose the weapon of his choice.

2.) Shedding another warrior's blood in battle, and thus severely wounding him makes him your Sword brother unless you wipe the blood from your sword. Sword brothers treat each other as if they're family. Charity among Sword brothers is expected.

3.) Warriors will always see to it that their Caste Brothers, or they themselves, will die by no other means than a death in battle.

4.) Be bold and daring and see how the steel of others will correct you or stop you if you go too far.

5.) Every man is an Ubar within the steel of his sword.

6.) A Warrior can (try to) use his steel to take whatever pleases him.

7.) Warriors do not use poisoned weapons or poison itself for their personal gains.

8.) "What is invisible but more beautiful than diamonds?"
"That what is silent but deafens thunder?"
"That which depresses no scale but is weightier than gold?"
"Honor."

9.) Matters of Honor and the Red Caste are to be kept to be dealt with within the Red Caste.

10.) When a woman submits to you, you're to collar or kill her.

11.) Warriors on the battlefield are supposed to treat each other as if from the same Home Stone: the Home Stone named "battle."

12.) Warriors don't kill themselves or aid others in doing so.

13.) The Codes admit that Warriors often desire to hang the banners and colors of their Caste among friendly walls and within their own halls.

14.) Lifting your weapon against a Warrior is to challenge him to a duel.

15.) Lifting your weapon against a Warrior permits the Warrior, by his Caste Codes, to kill that person.

16.) The Warrior Codes suggest (but don't demand) to regard slaves as worthless beasts without rights, as objects of pleasure.

17.) The Warrior Codes expect loyalty to the Home Stone and Pride Chiefs / Ubar.

18.) It is suggested not to regard gold as having much worth, when you're a Warrior.

19.) When a woman submits to you, you're to collar or kill her. (Unless she is of your own Home Stone. In that case, refusing her would keep the woman unharmed and free.)

20.) Warriors do as they wish; it's suggested in the Codes.

21.) Warriors do not flee battle. They accept to die in battle. Warriors do not fear losing a fight.

22.) Do not be sad. Better to take the field with laughter, with a joke, with a light heart, with a buoyant heart, or to go forward with sternness, or in fury, or with hatred, or defiance, or calculation, but never with self-pity, never with sadness. Never such things,

23.) It is suggested not to regard gold as having much worth, when you're a Warrior.

24.) He who cannot think is not a man, neither is he who can only think.

25.) If a warrior accepts a woman as a slave, it is prescribed that, at least for a time, an amount of time up to his discretion, she be spared. If she should be the least displeasing, of course, or should prove recalcitrant in even a tiny way, she may be immediately disposed of. Unlike other castes who might dispose of a slave at their whim at any time.

26.) Honor is diverse. What might be considered honorable in one city might not be honorable in another. For a Warrior it only matters that above codes are followed.

Great job Anarch! Just a couple things:

23 is a repeat of 18. I cleaned up the English on a couple of the others. Also, in reference to number 3 above, if a warrior from another city discovers the hidden path to Treve, all bets are off.

[Anarch Allegiere]

Aye, after reading the bigger context of where the 18th quote comes from it seems that it's meant to be more in the lines of "18.) No amount of gold can make a Warrior disobey his codes."


And the Trevan aspect is important too indeed. The Home Stone is the most important after all, as described in the loyalty demanded towards it, thus a stranger compromising the Home Stone (by traveling the pathway) would just need to be killed. (or collared)

19.) Also has to be adjusted with Dove's clarification of the larger part of the quote into:
"19.) Caste codes have priority over the City laws for the member of each Caste." - even if it's just something that applies to all castes. (Like how merchants are forced to collect payments and not allowed to do charity for example, even if the law might try to force citizens in certain occassions if they hadn't been of the merchant caste.)

I've updated the original post with the corrections ... I think the list looks pretty good now, but I'm still very open as to how others might interpret the quotes from the books regarding the Warrior Codes.

[Ashoka Mosely]

Following the codes as they are BTB ... its a good precedant. It's general aswell, and a set of shared values and ideals left openly to interpret but true to the core. Well done mate, is it in the Warrior Hall library yet?

[Ashoka Mosely]

Adding to the point on #26 and point (A) and the loyalty to the homestone and the Honor and what this means to Trevans.

One of the few times Rask mentions Honor is with reference to Treve when a girl is used to kill using poison to save Rask's life.

“I am of Treve. Do not stain my honor.”

This says alot about what his perception of Honor is, which is really keeping to his principals and codes ( no to the use of poison - etc) and how he associates Honor to his Homestone, Treve.

[Adoveea Rau]

I'll point out something in the books that happens more frequently then it does in Gor SL. My lecture to young warriors (many of you have gotten this)
Now I'm NOT TALKING ABOUT RAIDS/BATTLE HERE BUT OTHER SITUTATIONS
Warriors in the books often clash/fight as dire enemies but don't kill each other-meeting them in their lands, at gates, over a slave, etc.etc. You will read that in the books, a testing of arms to see if they are warriors, who is better, respect for each other as a caste, and other situations go on from that.
And once the other guy is beaten -he doesn't just hop up and fight again , the guy is injured. If you never got your ass kicked in a real fight in the real world, find someone to do it to you, it will help give you a roleplay perspective on that. Bring bandages, splints, and aspirin.
That's something new warriors and lame ass wanna be tough all the time guys need to learn. Yes, killing someone has it's place, there are points where it is absolutely mandatory, but most kill someone because it's a "get out of roleplay, feed my ego and make me feel like super tough guy"
Do more roleplay of the caste, acknowledging the routine, hell i'm injured, damn you won, the respect of each other's skills.

[Anarch Allegiere]

I've been discussing with some other people and one of them has given me a very interesting website:

http://redcaste.wordpress.com/

I think the most important page out of this is the following:

Μisconceptions
I. Many people always confuse what in social sciences call archetype or in Weber’s terms, ideal type, with every individual case they come across. Truthfully, we notice a dialectic relationship or struggle with society’s form of achetypes we are often pressed to follow. While individuality does exist, for accurate scientific analysis, one has to make the distinction between what is an archetype and what is the individual case. In our case, what is the crucial substance of the Red Caste and what is irrelevant. And you can only do that in one way. Research the books, gather all the relevant material and start to pick on certain patterns you see repeated. And people should always remember that archetypes are only theoretical constructions of our minds, true life is more diverse and thats why 99% of the contradictions people claim that exist in the books, dont really exist. In the majority of the cases, its simply an individual case, fluctuating just a little more further than the ordinary, from the archetype.

*

II. Many people tend to believe that the First Sword was in command of the Red Caste of the city. This assumption is false. First Sword was a title of skill and nothing beyond that. Of course someone could be a High General and command the army and also hold the title of the First Sword. We can assume that skilled Warriors would climb the hierarchy faster but we have also to remember that a Warrior is alot more than just a swordsman. An excellent swordsman doesnt always make an excellent commander in the battlefield or a leader who would inspire his men.



III. Many people tend to believe that Mercenary companies were consisted mainly from Warriors. This assumption is false. Warriors in general -and i’m talking about the archetype here not the minor exceptions- were above gold as it is clearly shown in the books, meaning, gold would not dictate their steel. Mercenary companies recruited all kinds of men from all kinds of Castes but indeed a successful mercenary company would need to have excellent military leadership and that would end up naturally in the hands of professional soldiers.

*

IV. Many people tend to believe that a city while at peace should have always an Administrator. That assumption is false. An Ubar with charismatic personality could win the support of his men and retain power. It is what one of the founders of Sociology, Max Weber, calls hegemony based on charismatic personality.

*

V. Many people tend to believe that a Warrior would only use a sword. That assumption is false. In battle formations Warriors would also use spears, while on tarn back they could use crossbows.

*

VI. Many people tend to believe, that individual Warriors would never break their Caste Codes, they would never betray their city, they would always honor their word, they would answer all challenges with courage and so on. This assumption is false. If you fail to understand why, get back at point I. and re-read about the relationship between archetype/individual case.

*

VII. Many people tend to believe that Warriors would fight in organized tournaments for money. That assumption is false. It is one thing to have a cultural institution in which Warriors would participate (Nomads of Gor) and its another to say that a Warrior would degrade him self to nothing more than an arena fighter for the pleasure of the crowds and for the weight of golden coins.

*

VIII. Many Warriors tend to believe that Warriors should always have blind obedience to their superior officers. This assumption as its clearly illustrated in Outlaw of Gor and in Witness of Gor, is false. Warriors obey their Caste Codes first and they should always remember that “Honor has many voices and many songs“.



IX. Many people tend to believe that Warriors were some short of Gorean marine corps or Gorean special forces. If you too believe that you should return to the Ethos/Codes page.

*

X. Many many people tend to believe that Warriors would resolve all their disputes with challenges, acting like medieval barons who would argue in a theater and then would challenge each other to a duel with pistols, walking ten steps apart from each other and then turning and shooting. This assumption is false. For the members of the Red Caste, the only institutionalized, official form of challenge, was the slave girl challenge, kajira kanjeline. The moment a Warrior feels insulted, he draws his sword, all the rest is about how the aristocrats handled their differences in Medieval Europe and they don’t exist in the Gorean books.

*

XI. Some people think that the so called “100 Aphorisms” of the Warrior Codes, with all their pillars and cornerstones and such are accurate. This assumption is false. Many of those “aphorisms” are made up and some even do not refer to Warriors explicitly.

*

XII. There is no such thing like “honor and steel” or “winds and steel”, used as a custom form of greeting. There is a saying, claiming that a Warrior’s companion is “peril and steel” and when Warriors want to depart, greeting someone, they simply say “i wish you well” or they can raise their sword in the gesture of the Warrior’s salute, if they wish to  acknowledge another Warrior’s value.

*

XIII. Some people think that reading on line sites like mine or others is enough to understand the Red Caste of Gor. This assumption is false. In order to understand the individual existence, you have to understand its surroundings too. There is only one way to accomplish that. And sometimes, oh boy, even that is not enough.

Someone else also gave his opinion on the interpretation of above "translations" of the codes:

by Revenge Sempati

#3 - When the time comes for a warrior to die he will seek his end in battle.
(my interpretation of the passage is simply warriors choose to die fighting, not waiting for death to take them in their beds.)

#11 - Honor and respect your foe as we all warriors share the common homestone of battle.

#17 - Show honor and loyalty to your homestone, the pride chiefs and the codes.
(This can create situations were you have to turn on one to protect the others. For example Ubar that oversteps his authority and tries to retain power, ones loyalty to the homestone and codes overrides the loyalty to the Ubar)

#18 & 23 - Gold does not dictate the actions or will of a warrior, the steel of a warrior cannot be bought. A warrior fights and acts how he sees fit for his homestone and codes, not for gold.

I like #26, good suggestion that the codes and actions of a man can be interpreted in many ways. Personally, I prefer keeping the codes more open ended and open to slight variations of interpretation, and that they are all inter-related and should not be taken piecemeal in their application.

And yet another person, the keeper of the given website seemed to be more keen on keeping the Codes less "direct" and explanatory than a set of rules, but more as a 'mystical' scripture that would have to be studied and interpretted differently by every Warrior himself.

Thus if someone in the books said: "That's in the codes!", it would have to be more interpretted as his way of trying to make his interpretation count.


It has been pointed out that above list of quotations was all but extensive... So sorry for that, I thought that a bit of research and fishing up the quotes from a handful of different webpages would've been enough. But others have been researching the codes longer than me and have given me many new ones. I will try to rework them into an NC whenever I've a moment of time.

[Ashoka Mosely]

Good stuff Anarch, many, including myself, take the 100 codes / amorphisms without contesting it , a function of getting into SL Gor before getting into the books. Looking forward to the notecard!

[Carter Ebbage]

Rask of Treve, as a raider true to the codes of Treve, that hidden coin of tarnsmen, that remote, secret, mountainous city of the vast, scarlet Voltai range, had not, in these circumstances, much pushed pursuit. In the shadows of the forest the crossbow quarrel can swiftly touch, and slay.

The People of Treve, though living in appearance by Gorean City structures, live of the plunders of its Raiding Tarnsmen, and of the hunting of its huntsmen, raising and growing little food of their own

Treve is a bandit city, high among the crags of the lari-prowled Voltai. Most men do not even know its location. Once the tamsmen of Treve had withstood the tarn cavalries of even Ar. In Treve they do not grow their own food but, in the fall, raid the harvests of others.

They live by rapine and plunder. The men of Treve are said to be among the proudest and most ruthless on Gor. They are most fond of danger and free women, whom they bind and steal from civilized cities to carry to their mountain fair as slave girls. It is said the city can be reached only on tarnback.
---Raiders of Gor, p 271

Dont confuse Treve, its men, its lifestyle, its codes with the generic red caste codes or behaviour of the southern cities.

The Red Caste of Treve are not warriors or guards that patrol the city streets.. you are a raider, a bandit, an individual who takes from those weaker than himself.

Treve's other needs seemed to be satisfied much in the same way as her agricultural ones, for her raiders were known from the borders of the Fair of En'Kara, in the very shadow of the Sardar, to the delta of the Vosk and the islands beyond, such as Tyros and Cos. The results of these raids might be returned to Treve or sold, perhaps even at the Fair of En'Kara, or another of the four great Sardar Fairs, or if not, they could always be disposed of easily without question in distant, crowded, malignant Port Kar.

They show no mercy and expect no mercy.... Treve warriors do not seek to be treated as equals to other red caste or would actually respect those from other cities without cause.

They were cut to pieces, said Bosk. The heads were mounted on stakes beside the canal. The sign of Treve was cut into each of the stakes.

I fell to my knees, sobbing and laughing.

Those of Treve, mused Bosk, as though he might have known them as enemies, are worthy foes.
---Captive of Gor, p 362

"I wish payment now," said the captain of Treve.
I whipped my blade from its sheath, angrily, and held it to his throat. "My pledge is steel," I said.
Terence smiled. "We of Treve, he said, "understand such a pledge."
I lowered the blade.

So, I personally doubt the codes held true to Treve warriors and they certainly did not extend these codes to those outside of their community.