Last night, the Administrator of Telnus, Agrit, finally acted like a man and took a stand for what he felt was right, and for that, I respect him. However, after reading his missive, I have decided to take the opportunity to break it down piece by piece, and put my 2 coppers worth in, and shed a little light on a few things. The words in blue are mine, and black is the original scroll.
http://www.buzzen.com/user/218177/id/2090/blog.html - Here is the original link to the blog post made by Agrit, so as to show that there was no alteration to his words other than to ad my own, highlighted words.
With that being said, I am hoping that, while condemning the acts of aggression by Telnus, it’s Administrator and his representative, it may also shed, even if just a little bit, of light on a couple issues I take with the whole thing.
Enjoy
There are rumors abounding that the actions taken against Cosian interests; a Cosian fishing vessel going about its rightful, legal business in the proximity of the island of Picaroon in the Cosian Archipelago did not occur, and that those that took part in the action are being unjustly sought for fair compensation. Those that think thus are mistaken.
Actually, these are not rumors. The role play was continued, as invalid and unrealistic as it was (Not a slight against those involved, it was merely FUN), the role play was carried on by the man known as Grym, who, in fact, said it was he that was on the skiff that was sunk by the catapult of fish guts and melon innards. Thus, there is no mistake.
The facts are quite different as the following interview and confession attests.
1) There was an attack on a lone Cosian fishing vessel sailing on Thassa. This was launched from the safety of the beaches on the Isle of Picaroon.
a) Being that Cos has no legal claim, implied or otherwise, and if I remember right, a warning was given to said fishing vessel (Skiff), it was not adhered to, and being that Picaroon is a sovereign island with it’s own tribal government, if they want to fire a real catapult at a real ship that they feel poses a real threat, that is well within their right to do so.
2) This attack conducted an undefended target that had no means to respond to, or avoid the action; contrary to Warrior caste codes and associated aphorisms as handed down.
a) To be honest, hearing either you or Manon speak of the code of my beloved Scarlet caste makes my stomach turn in disgust. As stated above, however, it is well within their right to do so. On a side note, they should be able to face consequences of their actions. For example, had it been a Lydian vessel that was fired upon, after some fact finding, with a bit of an aggressive tone in my voice, I would have most definitely invaded the island and taken to task those responsible. So, basically I am saying that if it had been, in fact, a cosian vessel, then you would have been well within your right to take action.
3) The attack, using a catapult, a weapon of war, is not the toy as claimed. Nor was the catapult used in “innocent fun”. One of the perpetrators had more than a hint of malicious intent as the interview scroll makes clear.
a) So here is where it gets a bit interesting. But not really, at the same time. I can clearly see in the scroll provided that Chaldea did make a snarky comment. I can see where she mumbled something about you being a witch and a half. I got a sensible chuckle out of this, at minimum. However, in your query into the matter, you did not discuss this with Chaldea, or Robak, only Penelope. You did not go to Picaroon, nor did you reach out to the other two persons involved, therefore, how did you actually know that she made a comment? How did you know that Penelope fired the catapult? How did you know anything, really?
b) Part 2 of this is more a rant in general than anything, and is not directed at Manon, Agrit or Cos. If you are going to role play with someone via piggy backing off of role play that started not in your own home, or where neither you or anyone of your home were present, then you should probably take into consideration the realistic aspect of opening an investigation into what happened to your vessel, first by sending an investigative envoy out to the scene of the “crime”, interviewing all who may have seen, starting a canvass of the island and perhaps reaching out to those who were present, when you found that out.
For example: Shainaa, a Baker of Lydius, is role playing out a back story of her character from back in the day in Helmustport. She has been doing this since the very first time she came to Lydius. She has mentioned many events, spoken word and other parts of the story in open room, where I and anyone present can see it. However, just because I can see it, the typist behind Bart, doesn’t mean that Bart automatically knows her story and what is going on, what happened or where it’s going to go from here. As a matter of fact, just two nights ago, Bart and Shainaa actually had a conversation about what was on her mind, and she opened up to him about it, and he has decided to take appropriate measures to protect his citizen. Even though I, the typist know more about the story line, Bart, the character, does not, therefore, he cannot act on it. Tl;dr How did Manon so easily know, while not being present, nor having anyone present who would piss on her if she was on fire, much less tell her everything, that Penelope pulled the trigger, Robak was present, and Chaldea uttered words that describe how she really feels about her?
A conversation with Penelope on the night of December 30, 2015
[01:00p] Connected!
[01:00p] › You have joined the conversation.
[01:00p] Topic is: Gorean City of Refuge and Learning. The citizens of Vendara wish all of Gor and Buzzen a safe, prosperous and wonderful New Year. http://cityofvendaragor/weebly.com/vendara-city-laws.html
[01:00p] Tal to Citizens and Visitors with peaceful business. Welcome to Vendara! Please roleplay an entry to RP, or at least say hello when flying by. Enjoy your time in the city.
[01:00p] Mañón : brb, er
[01:00p] › You have been marked as being away.
[01:01p] Penelope~Vendara~Merchant : Okies)
[01:02p] Penelope~Vendara~Merchant then continued the count of the medium-sized crates from Asperiche. Just a sample of what was available from that island state.
[01:04p] Mañón : Where are you in Ven'dara Pen?
[01:04p] › You are no longer marked as being away.
[01:05p] Penelope~Vendara~Merchant : I'm in the Warehouse district, near the shipyards.
[01:05p] Mañón disembarks from The Paragon, buckets carried by kajiurs, as well as several bound together massive bundles of wood. I begin my trek to find Pen. Stopping to inquire I find she is in the warehouse district. Flicking a finger at the long parade of thralls I commense to find her.
[01:05p] Penelope~Vendara~Merchant : Brought some things from Asperiche for selling))
[01:06p] Mañón stops, seeing her and beckon the thralls set the filled buckets at her feet, the stench rising in the air. I beckon they set down the massive bundles of wood, a broken mast and torn sail.
[01:06p] Mañón looks at her and waits, standing silent.
[01:07p] Penelope~Vendara~Merchant : Errrr.....
[01:07p] Mañón : I spoke with Aneesha. She felt speaking to you directly was the best way. After weeks of pondering, I've decided that was the best way.
[01:07p] Mañón : So here I am.
[01:08p] Mañón reaches inside my cloak and withdraws several scrolls and holds them out.
[01:08p] Penelope~Vendara~Merchant : All right... what is all this?
[01:08p] Mañón : Those are the bills from the treatment of the man knocked unconscious, his medical bills and loss of
income while he was healing, statements.
[01:09p] Penelope~Vendara~Merchant : What man?
[01:09p] Mañón : You don't recognize the stench of what is in the buckets? I understand you'd have a hard time
recognizing the skiff, given we had to fish, as it were, out of the sea.
[01:09p] Penelope~Vendara~Merchant taking the scrolls, still not following...
[01:09p] Penelope~Vendara~Merchant : Oh! (it clicks)
[01:10p] Penelope~Vendara~Merchant : This...this is the boat...
[01:10p] Mañón : As for the man hit by that sack of rotted melons and decaying fish guts, I'm sure you'll be pleased to
know at the very least he survived.
[01:10p] Mañón : Of course, he'll likely never be the same but.....it is what it is. Right?
[01:11p] Penelope~Vendara~Merchant : Ooo...(sucked in a deep breath, looking at the results of My kalanatini fueled folly)
[01:12p] Penelope~Vendara~Merchant : Manon, may I offer apologies, I did not think there would be that much damage
nor did I imagine that anyone would be injured! It was a juvenile moment.
[01:13p] Mañón : I'm failing to understand. Was it not you, who, according to the role play log we all read, suggested sending him back to Cos?
[01:14p] Mañón : We, Cosians, having so many ships and all and it was ok to have that stench covering a Cosian vessel?
[01:14p] Penelope~Vendara~Merchant : I didn't know it was from that island until Chaldea said so, after looking through
the glass.
[01:14p] Mañón : Was this before or after you pulled the trigger, Pen?
[01:14p] Penelope~Vendara~Merchant : I just wanted to try the catapult.
[01:15p] Mañón : Was this before or after you pulled the trigger?
[01:15p] Penelope~Vendara~Merchant : I would have to read the scrolls. They were "enhanced" as it were for the blog
that was produced. May I have a moment?
[01:16p] Mañón : Of course.
[01:16p] Mañón : I'd further like to know why, in the intervening 16 days that have passed you couldn't figure out how to
come to Cos and tell us what you had done and offer amends.
[01:17p] Mañón : I guess you were too busy?
[01:18p] Penelope~Vendara~Merchant : Actually, that's true. It happened on the 13th and I was kind of all over the place both in Gor and offline.))
[01:19p] Mañón : What about today? Too busy?
[01:20p] Penelope~Vendara~Merchant : Today, I'm here, and at Your disposal, Manon. Was going through what scrolls I have to make My own blogs, work on comms and catch up in general.
[01:20p] Mañón : Have you found the answer to the question, Pen? Was this before or after you pulled the trigger?
[01:22p] Penelope~Vendara~Merchant : I'm looking the scroll now...at the part where Khalid came in, so...not yet
[01:23p] Penelope~Vendara~Merchant : Found the start...
[01:24p] Penelope~Vendara~Merchant :
[04:52p] CHaldea looking out at Thassa I see a small craft sailing past... a bit too close for Me comfort..bein territorial
[04:52p] CHaldea stands and takes out Me lookin glass and 'ooohhhs
[04:52p] CHaldea looks to Pen
[04:52p] CHaldea : its that Damn Woman!
[01:25p] Penelope~Vendara~Merchant :
[04:53p] CHaldea looks again through the glass mumbling 'yeah just keep on sailin past ya..witch an a half'
[04:55p] CHaldea steps to Pen, gently nudges Her arm, see if She passed out
[04:56p] CHaldea shrugged, then thought OOOO I know just wut to do
[04:56p] CHaldea runs outside and sets up the catapult
[04:57p] CHaldea : that Woman is gunna 'feel' My presence on Her so called 'owned island
[04:57p] Penelope~Vendara~Merchant back! Got distracted with dinner making. Ended up preparing a snack to wait it out,
[01:25p] Penelope~Vendara~Merchant :
[04:57p] CHaldea : heh
[04:58p] CHaldea : well, lexii playing with Esla and Trick,
[04:58p] CHaldea : and Im setting up the catapult
[01:25p] Penelope~Vendara~Merchant :
[04:58p] lexii~R~RH seeing an opening in the rocks she walks in surprised that it isn't dark seeing the lit lamps she travels down the hallway like looking hall, seeing an opening she sees a pool, peeking back at Elsa saying
[04:58p] lexii~R~RH : you wanna swim or watch
[01:26p] Penelope~Vendara~Merchant :
[04:59p] CHaldea : for.... the woman sailing around Me cottage wayyy to close fer comfort
[04:59p] CHaldea : interested in helpin Me aim at the moving target?
[05:00p] CHaldea : (when not busy)
[01:26p] Penelope~Vendara~Merchant :
[05:01p] Penelope~Vendara~Merchant : Chal... I ain't declaring war on Manon or anybody except presumptive foot slobbering thralls...and that isn't really a war
[01:26p] Penelope~Vendara~Merchant :
[05:01p] CHaldea : understood
[05:02p] Penelope~Vendara~Merchant : I'll woman the bar
[05:02p] CHaldea : em, I wont use the name of the person in the skiff, and wont use anything that would hurt her
[05:03p] CHaldea : should this scroll become readable
[01:27p] Penelope~Vendara~Merchant :
[05:03p] CHaldea : just fun
[05:03p] CHaldea grins
[05:03p] Penelope~Vendara~Merchant : Okay...I can accept that. Thank Ya!
[05:03p] CHaldea : ok!
[01:27p] Penelope~Vendara~Merchant :
[05:04p] CHaldea trying to set up the catapult, it's not somthin I do often
[05:05p] CHaldea watching the skiff sail back and forth right in front of My view...
[05:05p] CHaldea : they must have an interest, but not enough to visit
[05:06p] CHaldea : now, wut shall I use for to splat at them!
[01:28p] Mañón : Thank you, that's quite enough. I'm going to present you with facts.
[01:28p] Mañón : The Island of Cos owns the Archipelago, fact of law. Read the books.
[01:28p] Mañón : None of us have spied on Chaldea, to us she is a non entity.
[01:29p] Mañón : So she lied, plain and simple.
[01:29p] Mañón : And you knew when you pulled that trigger it was a Cosian vessel.
[01:30p] Penelope~Vendara~Merchant : Yes, I was aware. It was a stupid decision on My part.
[01:30p] Mañón : And to make matters even more egregious, you sailed a full sized ship into territorial waters that are
harbouring pregant whale and their newborns.
[01:30p] Penelope~Vendara~Merchant : I don't even have a decent excuse.
[01:31p] Mañón : Putting those protected whale and their young at grave risk.
[01:31p] Mañón : You knew that, it was in the scroll published for the world to see.
[01:32p] Mañón : So I'm going to ask you this question, Pen. Why would you do that to me? To my home? To what I obviously hold so dear? Not to mention to my free companion who has never ever done a single thing to you except extend you kindness and courtesy.
[01:32p] Mañón : Would you do that to Asperiche? To Lydius? To Tor? To any other home or city on Gor?
[01:32p] Mañón : I'll wager you wouldn't dare.
[01:33p] Mañón : I wait your reply.
[01:35p] Penelope~Vendara~Merchant : I obviously made a very huge transgression. I did not think about My actions or
consequences thereof. I didn't think about how it would affect Cos, You, whales, or anyone else. I just wanted to try out
the catapult.
[01:35p] Mañón : And you've been too busy with other more important matters that to come and apologize to Agrit and
myself.
[01:35p] Penelope~Vendara~Merchant : I had in My mind the image of Will, an NPC
[01:35p] Mañón : I understand.
[01:35p] Mañón : I don't understand.
[01:36p] Mañón : I leave you with the buckets of stench, the remains of that skiff and the bills.
[01:36p] Mañón : And the saddest of all I leave you with is this, Pen.
[01:37p] Mañón : The shattered remains of a friendship I once held so dear, for years.
[01:37p] Mañón turns and walks away.
So, here is another thing about this that I take huge issue with. First and foremost, Manon is not the Administrator of Telnus, Cos or anything for that matter, and she is, at best I can tell, a Free Woman of Gor. Agrit is, however, the Administrator, and perhaps he directed her to inquire as to the events that unfolded off the shore of Picaroon. Maybe, I don’t know, however, there is a bigger plot point here.
Take note, everyone, because I mean it when I say these next words: As the Administrator of Lydius, I not only request, but REQUIRE that if you, an Administrator, Ubar or HoC of any title, have a problem with one of MY citizens, I best be the first damn person you approach with ANY form of requested compensation, punishment or other retribution –IF- you are going to come to my city and take up the issue. Furthermore, if you think for one second that one of my citizens is going to venture out to your home, whether it be just outside the gates of my city, or across the planet, you may want to think again. I find it not only disrespectful that Manon decided to grace Vendara with her presence, but she also decided that she, being the Deputy Chief of Police of Gor, decided to prance her “prim and proper” little ass into someone else’s city and confront directly a citizen of said city, accuse, interrogate, berate and demand compensation from said citizen.
In summary, if you are here for role play, and you are going to role play, then actually do so. Do it right, do it with an aspect of realism that we all strive to find here. Had Manon actually taken proper steps in this, as much as I hate to say it, I would have backed her up on this one. However, by asserting some sort of implied dominance over Penelope, the islands off Cos that by the book are not under the influence of Cosian government, role play, and Gor in-general, she has brought dishonor to herself, her mate, home and, quite frankly, online Gor as a whole, and has dragged people from all corners into this fight.
We of Cos will not be moved by the gallery of gorean public opinion. The facts of the event, and their intent is clear.
On this one and final note, we, the people of Gor, will not be moved, swayed or otherwise influenced by bullies who feel like they have the right to do as they please, by way of public shaming, heavy handed tactics, words, written or spoken, nor will we subscribe to your version of Gor, because you think that somehow, your version is the only version. Peace be with you, until you decide that you have the balls to come after me, then, may god have mercy on your soul, because I will not. You have been weighed, you have been measured, and you have been found wanting. With that being said, I am not going to pull the “Persona non-grata” card, nor am I going to say I don’t recognize the actions of Cos, Telnus, Manon or Agrit, however. I am here for role play, and if you want role play, you are going to get it. Mark my words. Stop hiding behind this “If you try to collar or kill me, I am not going to accept it because you don’t exist to me”. Welcome to Gor.
Signed by the hand of: Agrit Aemilius
Administrator of Telnus
This, while a condemnation of actions perpetuated against some of the most excellent role players I have come across in years, is also just the humble ramblings of an old time Gorean who has not seen the kind of role play that has been happening in years. I do hope that something positive is taken from this, and I hope that the actions of a couple, don't influence the lack of role play of many.
The following was said by Shainaa, and I think she makes a huge, valid point here that I would like to bring to the front of this:
Just remember, in role play, many things happen. Unless the one really role playing with a person, you don't truly know what happened. You could approach the person OOC (which I do on a regular basis, btw) and say "Hey, this upset me, how can we role play it out to make it right?"
I am Barthello DuPree
