Gorean Castes And Codes pt 1 Assasins- Merchants

Gorean Castes And Honor Codes

Caste Codes

The ethical teachings of Gor, which are independent of the claims and propositions of the Initiates, amount to little more than the Caste Codes--collections of sayings whose origins are lost in antiquity. I was specially drilled in the Code of the Warrior Caste.

"It's just as well," said Torm. "You would never make a Scribe."

The Code of the Warrior was, in general, characterized by a rudimentary chivalry, emphasizing loyalty to the 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 than live by such a code.
---Tarnsman of Gor. 3:40-41

Further, members of castes such as the Physicians and Builders use the fairs for the dissemination of information and techniques among Caste Brothers, as is prescribed in their codes in spite of the fact that their respective cities may be hostile. And as might be expected members of the Caste of Scribes gather here to enter into dispute and examine and trade manuscripts.
---Priest Kings of Gor, 1:9

"What is it, Bran Loort, that separates men from sleen and larls?" asked Thurnus.
"I do not know," said Bran Loort.
"It is the codes," said Thurnus.
"The codes are meaningless noises, taught to boys," said Bran Loort.
"The codes are the wall," said Thurnus.
"I do not understand," said Bran Loort.
"It is the codes which separate men from sleen and larls," said Thurnus. "They are the difference. They are the wall."
---Slave Girl of Gor, 9:226-227

Assassins

...Aside from these common uses, sleen are put to other uses, too. In Thentis, for example, sleen are used to smell out contraband, in the form of the unauthorized egress of the beans for black wine from the Thentian territories. They are sometimes, too, used by assassins, though the caste of assassins itself, by their caste codes, precludes their usage; the member of the caste of assassins must make his own kill; it is in their codes....
---Slave Girl of Gor, 8:186-187

"I see you are not of the assassins," I said. It is a matter of pride for members of that caste to avoid the use of poisoned steel. Too, their codes forbid it.
---Beasts of Gor, 7:141

He seemed slow. But I knew he did not come to his somber garb by any tardiness of action or hesitancy in deed. The training of the assassin is thorough and cruel. He who wears the black of that caste has not won it easily. Candidates for the caste are chosen with great care, and only one in ten, it is said, completes the course of instruction to the satisfaction of the caste masters. It is assumed that failed candidates are slain, if not in the training, for secrets they may have learned. Withdrawal from the caste is not permitted. Training proceeds in pairs, each pair against others. Friendship is encouraged. Then, in the final training, each member of the pair must hunt the other. When one has killed one's friend one is then likely to better understand the meaning of the black. When one has killed one's friend one is then unlikely to find mercy in his heart for another. One is then alone, with gold and steel.
I looked at Drusus.
The assassins take in lads who are perhaps characterized by little but unusual swiftness, and cunning, and strength and skill, and perhaps a selfishness and greed, and, in time, transform this raw material into efficient, proud, merciless men, practitioners of a dark trade, men loyal to secret codes the content of which is something at which most men dare not guess.
---Beasts of Gor, 30:358

Initiates

Their codes forbade them to kill but I knew that they hired men of other castes for this purpose.
---Priest Kings of Gor, 33:297

...Initiates, incidentally, are not permitted by their caste codes to bear arms; nor are they permitted to injure or kill; accordingly, they hire men for these purposes.
---Assassin of Gor, 18:267
Merchants

"I am a merchant," said Mintar, "and it is in my code to see that I am paid."
---Tarnsman of Gor, 10:121

"Free Kal-da for all!" cried Kron, and when the proprietor, who knew the codes of his caste, tried to object, Kron flung a golden tarn disk at him. Delightedly the man ducked and scrambled to pick it up from the floor.
---Outlaw of Gor, 24:224

"Ulafi should have been recruited," said the dark-haired girl. "He will do anything for gold."
"Except betray his merchant codes," said he who was called Kunguni.
I was pleased to hear this, for I was rather fond of the tall, regal Ulafi. Apparently they did not regard him as a likely fellow to be used in the purchase of stolen notes on speculation, to be resold later to their rightful owner. Many merchants, I was sure, would not have been so squeamish. Such dealings, of course, would encourage the theft of notes. It was for this reason that they were forbidden by the codes. Such notes, their loss reported, are to be canceled, and replaced with alternative notes.
---Explorers of Gor, 11:148

The Assassin Caste is one of the few Castes where you must actively join it to become a member. It is not a Caste that you are born into. This is similar to the Castes of the Initiates and Players. The Assassin Caste is very selective in their acceptance of candidates for their training. They seek certain qualities that have proven over time to lead to effective Assassins. It is thought that they seek individuals who are quick, cunning, strong and skilled. Such individuals may also possess a bit of selfishness and greed. The books state that the Assassins seek men to join their Caste. There are no Assassin references that indicate women are permitted to join the Caste. Though there is no explicit prohibition stated in the novels, the evidence and logic tends to indicate women would not belong to this Caste.

"The training of the assassin is thorough and cruel. He who wears the black of the caste has not won it easily." (Beasts of Gor, p.358) The details of the training of an Assassin are shrouded in mystery though a few matters are known or suspected. Only about 10% of all trainees actually become actual Assassin members. It is believed that the trainee failures either die during the training process or are slain because they know too many secrets of the Caste. Based on these numbers, the Assassins are likely not a very large caste. The survivors though are likely to be a very close-knit community, a killing elite.

Each trainee is assigned another trainee as a training partner. These pairs remain together for the length of the training period and a close friendship between these partners is encouraged. Each pair will be pitted against other pairs so it is very important that each pair works well together. It is natural that such pairs will grow close. But, the final test for each pair is to hunt and kill your partner. The Caste wants you to slay your best friend for a few reasons. First, it wants to make you emotionally cold, to place the Caste above all other relationships. Second, it is to make its members understand fully what it means to be an Assassin and what is necessary to excel. Third, it is to eliminate any traces of mercy within you. You are not supposed to feel bad for your victims. This final cruel test changes a man. "One is then alone, with gold and steel." (Beasts of Gor, p.358)

Assassins must have loyalty only to their Caste. They do not have Home Stones as that would constitute a potentially conflicting loyalty. An Assassin might hesitate or be unwilling to kill someone from their own Home Stone. It is unlikely that they would join in Free Companionship. This might also create a conflict of loyalty. Assassins generally are cold individuals as well and unlikely to form bonds of love. The murder of their best friend during training would obviously have its impact.

Assassins learn many martial skills and their combat training is similar in many respects to the training of the Warrior Caste. The similarities would be in the areas of personal combat. It is unlikely that the Assassins learn much about waging wars. But they would learn many weapon skills and unarmed combat, including the use of the gladius, spear, knife and crossbow. In one on one combat, an Assassin and a warrior are probably on equal ground. Pa-Kur, Ar's Master Assassin, was considered one of the finest swordsmen on Gor. No one is surprised at the swordfighting ability of Kuurus or Drusus. Assassins and Warriors generally do not get along well with each other. Each Caste considers itself superior to the other and they also consider themselves natural enemies.