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- Official Black Caste Rules For The Village of Rorus -
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The Caste of Assassins, also known as the Black Caste, is a mysterious one and the books do not explain a great deal about their Codes, conduct or activities. No one outside of the Caste is supposed to know their secret Codes though a few elements of their Codes are revealed in the books. It seems likely that Norman purposefully limited the amount of information he disseminated about the Assassins to maintain an air of mystery about them. Realistically, any such organization would carefully conceal its secrets.
IMPORTANT INFORMATION!
These rules listed below are for the betterment of role play and all parties involved, though they are out of character rules, they must be strictly followed so that the continuity of role play can be undertaken and completed in a reasonable by the book manner.
If you kill, or attempt to kill, someone inside Rorus and do not make a clean escape expect that our Warriors will do their best to capture and or kill you before you get away PERIOD. That is their job. Hired killers are not protected under the same laws as our citizens, but should our Warriors not kill you and you are granted a hearing or trial know full well that the penalty for murdering one of our citizens is death by impalement with your body hung from the walls, unless you are granted reprieve and just have your throat slit or a dagger to the heart.
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FAILURE TO ABIDE BY OUR SIM LAWS FOR ASSASSINS MAY RESULT IN YOU BEING DECLARED AN IMPOSER AND OUTLAW AND YOU WILL BE TREATED ACCORDINGLY.
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The laws for Assassins in Rorus are divided into four Chapters:
I.) Being an Assassin
II.) Behavior of Assassins
III.) Behavior of Citizens with Assassins
IV.) Behavior of the Slaves with Assassins
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Chapter I.) Being an Assassin:
Sections.
1. Before hunting on the SIM that holds the City of Rorus, the assassin must meet with the Caste Master 'Pιαgυє Mσσn ()' he oversees all issues related to the Black Caste in The Village of Rorus. At that meeting a training certificate must be shown, and be signed by Caste Masters who are recognized and have undergone the training themselves. If you cannot produce this certificate, your right to hunt will be denied until it can be shown. This is not an option. Further more anyone hunting for linden is automatically invalid..since that in no way signifies true desire for rp...but invites a plethora of OOC issues
2. Your Second Life Gorean Avatar must be a minimum of 3 months old to be considered eligible for the Caste of Assassins. At this age you can seek out the appropriate training in character to begin the process that is needed to obtain the certificate of validation.
3. When an assassin arrives on the SIM, he must read thoroughly the general SIM rules and city laws if available, adhering to them all before role playing. Know your caste and these rules before you walk off the Boat!!!
4. If anyone is discovered to be masquerading as an Assassin, and is unable to produce the appropriate training certificate, they may well be treated as an Outlaw and will be dealt with accordingly, up to and including public impalement.
5. No female Assassins will be recognized, there were not any in the books.
6. In the event that it is required for more than one Assassin to hunt in our city for the same target, this act must be sanctioned by the Black Caste Court System and signed by a minimum of three recognized Caste Masters to be validated. This document must be presented to the Caste Master of the Village of Rorus prior to the hunt beginning.
7. Based upon the book Mariner's of Gor, and the following quote, key words "in many cases one was not even sure who or who were not members of the Caste of Assassins". That being said, a disguise is allowed up to and including the point of the kill phase. An assassin MUST wear the black livery of his caste and bare the mark of the black dagger on his forehead when he is ready to begin this Kill phase. (Emote the mark don't assume we can see it. Wearing black is not by itself identification enough. Also changing your meter label to something like ~ Dagger worn on Forehead ~ will help stop issues) The Assassin must emote wearing the black dagger on his forehead at least once while in the presence of his mark and before he attempts the Assassination. The standard three lines of RP/emoting is required for any kill to be considered valid.
"If there is a concern here," said a man, "it is to be taken up as a matter between you and the Black Court." I saw that this did not much please Demetrion. The business of the Black Court was not one in which men lightly dabbled. In many cases one was not even sure who was, and who was not, a member of the black caste. I recalled, from the tale of the stranger, that some evidence had suggested that Tyrtaios, who may have had much to do with the attempted desertion, and who had disappeared from the castle of Lord Temmu, might be of the Assassins.
Mariners of Gor Book 30 Pages 510 - 511
8. Slaves CAN travel with their Black Caste Masters if the Assassin chooses to use his slave for spying or distraction purposes. He should of course expect the slave to be impaled if discovered. They must enter the sim separately during the ‘kill phase’ as the Mark of the Dagger allows a lone Assassin entry to hunt unless it’s a sanctioned event.
9. During the initial meeting with the resident Caste Master, the Assassin must show the log of the client meeting so that all is validated to be in order. This information will stay confidential in accordance to caste secrecy.
10. To demonstrate the competence of the Assassins training, three different role play logs must be kept with time and date stamps to be presented to the resident Caste Master, and SIM Moderators if asked for. The logs must show tracking, observation, and investigation of the target to be considered valid. Failure to produce the logs will invalidate the hunt.
11. The contract against a Citizen in this SIM is deemed to be complete when the target is killed OR the Assassin is killed (whichever happens first). When the contract is over, the reason for the kill and the client that hired the Assassin cannot be used against that same Citizen again. The identity of the client is never required for Moderation purposes.
12. The Black Caste are not required to follow the 30 minute Role-play rule before they strike. This includes killing any who try to intervene.
13. The standard three lines of RP/emoting is required for any contract kill to be considered valid, however these should be well written emotes with actual thought. Simple 'one liners' and 'hot key' kills will not be accepted here.
14. Any assassin who successfully kills a Citizen of the Village of Rorus
on a legal contract. can not kill that same person again until after a 30 period has lapsed nor ever kill them again for the same reason or for the same person doing the hiring.
15. Following an assassination attempt, the assassin must successfully reach the TP arrival/exit area and emote their escape or leaving before successfully teleporting out; doing so will be considered as having found safe passage away. Even if the Assassin is caught before escaping, if all else is valid, the target IS STILL DEAD.
16. If the weapons you wear come with sheaths or quivers, then they must be worn at all times. Any hidden items should be emoted as being on your person upon arrival.
17. It is asked that you organize your role play for the mark. The RP required to be able to assassinate someone in Rorus will take at least 3 days, preferably longer:
a.) RP of hiring (no OOC reasons for hiring an Assassin will be accepted)
b.) Arrival RP in Village of Rorus
c.) Spend Time Role Playing in the Sim. Show that you're interacting.
d.) Show that you have validly identified your mark.
e.) Study your Mark and interact within chat range of them.
f.) Kill your mark (Include Combat Logs, must be wearing full black, no disguises) You will be required to write at least one descriptive, three line emote describing the act of killing prior to making the attack.
g.) You are to have Time Stamps labeling your time RPing here and to have the days you spent here labeled accordingly to show what date you did what RP. 3 days Minimum.
*** NOTE: Assassins can and do kill Free Women, Physicians and slaves. An assassin who claims otherwise is either lying or not a true Killer. ***
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Chapter II.) Behavior of Assassins:
Sections.
1. Behavior of Assassins while in the City of Rorus, During all role-playing within the Village of Rorus, a member of the Black Caste will conform to the following behaviors:
a.) He will have the physical skills equivalent to a Warrior (must be able to handle at least one weapon, be able to run/jump to flee, etc. Does *not* mean he's expected to win combats in an arena).
b.) During the actual Kill an Assassin is expected to follow the principles of his Caste. We will not tolerate actions of disrespect to the fallen target. No mutilating the body or shouting your victory or parading the corpse as a trophy. Get in, do your work, be gone. As a Killer should do. Role-playing a cover identity that is loud and boisterous during the Seeking phase is NOT considered counter to this behavior.
c.) Assassins are not affable fellows. Their final test often leaves them solitary and distant. Though they may act friendly to gain trust or information. But we will not recognize an Assassin bringing in friends to help in his hunt. Or using friendships in the city beyond information gathering.
d.) He will show no mercy, but also he will not indulge is excessive emotion. A Killer does not allow blood lust to lead his dagger. Torturing, mutilating, humiliating etc etc. This is not the job of the Killer. Again, role-playing a cover identity who shows these emotions during their Seeking phase is NOT considered counter to this behavior.
e.) Assassins are not required to hide their calling or their Caste. But it also will not be flaunted. A Killer was dangerous. And those that saw their black tunics and the helmet of their Caste knew to stay cautiously away. But it was not a Killer's place to threaten every person who annoyed him. And his Caste did not grant killings beyond that of necessity and coin. All laws of Gor and of the City of Rorus will be obeyed, up to the moment of assassination, and as much as possible during the resultant flight.
f.) Disinformation is acceptable. the Village of Rorus regarding an assassin's (inflated) prowess and skills may be spread. It is permitted to point blame and suspicion on others. Half of stealth is, after all, getting your target to look the other way.
g.) Assassins are supposed to carry out their mission in a stealthy, nondescript manner. Behavior contrary to that: widespread slaughter or destruction of property, for instance, is not consistent with that pattern, and anyone indulging in that behavior will be treated as a griefer, not an assassin.
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Chapter III.) Behavior of Citizens with Assassins:
Sections.
1. Behavior of the City of Rorus Citizens and guests towards Assassins:
a.) Warriors may not interfere with a black wearing the mark but this does not mean they have to stand back and do nothing while you kill someone in front of them. It is the place of the Scarlets present to determine if they are going to interrupt the contract or simply honor it.
b.) Warriors are permitted to follow assassins, track their movements, or to form defensive rings around their commanders and city leaders when an Assassin is present in the city if they choose to do so.
c.) Innkeepers and shopkeepers will tolerate their presence and do business with them but only reluctantly.
d.) Typically regular citizens (especially Free Women) do not approach, challenge, question, flirt with, sit with or otherwise interact with Assassins as a rule. But that is the world, and not everyone can be dictated in such a manner. However, Any person seen sitting with an Assassin or conversing with them can be labeled as a potential informant. This, again, is on the Scarlets to decide the best course of action.
e.) Citizens and Guests of the Village of Rorus seen wearing the black of a Killer (Helm, Cloak and/ or Tunic) or impersonating a Killer and not of the Caste will be dealt with by the Assassins as they see fit.
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Chapter IV.) Behavior of the Slaves with Assassins:
Sections.
1. Behavior of the Village of Rorus Slaves towards Assassins, Serving one of the black caste is a heart pounding, sweaty-palmed experience for a slave, mainly because one never knows how they will react. They observe every detail and movement, are suspicious, they will not tolerate any show of disrespect from anyone, let alone a simple slave. There are certain actions a slave might execute for their Master or Mistress that would cause the assassin to slit their throat. So with that said, here are some of the things you should keep in mind when serving an assassin:
a.) Slaves should always ask permission to approach to offer service to a undisguised black caste. They get very suspicious of sudden movements towards them and usually react through reflex.
b.) Slaves should ask the black caste if he has his own private drinking vessel with Him (most carry their own). If the requested drink is contained in a bota or bottle, ask Him if he wants you to bring a “sealed” bota/ bottle to Him so He can watch you break the seal.
c.) If you take the vessel with you, always handle the vessel by the bottom, hold it upside down if you carry it, holding it away from your body. Never let it out of His site.
d.) If the drinking vessel is his own, do not wipe the drinking vessel as it may be an insult. However if it is not his own it would be wise to ask him if he would prefer the vessel to be wiped out first.
e.) Never let the vessel touch any part of your body other then your hands. This would include to not kiss the vessel.
f.) You should never ask if the assassin wants the drink or food tested, it is an insult to them. and may cause suspicion that you intend to poison them.
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FAILURE TO ABIDE BY OUR SIM LAWS FOR ASSASSINS MAY RESULT IN YOU BEING DECLARED AN IMPOSER AND OUTLAW AND YOU WILL BE TREATED ACCORDINGLY. PERSISTENT LAW BREAKERS RISK BANNING FROM SIMS.
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Black Caste Rules of the Village of Rorus
Signed by Pιαgυє Mσσn ()
Master Assassin of the City of Rorus
