The Laws of Tetrapoli
What is invisible, but more precious than diamonds ?
Power?
Truth?
Courage?
These are all great things indeed, but what we value the most in Tetrapoli is Honor.
On behalf of the Council of Tetrapoli we welcome you to our island. We have worked hard to provide those interested in a diverse Gorean communtiy, and a place they can come and live out their selected role. Those of you new to Gor are welcome as well, but please be advised there is a storied and structured culture here, so you may want to pay special attention to the rules summed up below.
Panther Girls, Taluna and Outlaws Do not have free passage through the City without special permission from the Ubar of the City. IF Allowance is permitted the laws must be upheld during the duration of your stay. If at any time you act Inapproptriately a corrective action will be taken. In the Case of Panther Girl or Taluna, or Female Outlaw, The Woman will be Collared. In the Case of a Male Outlaw, The Penalty will match the Crime.
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Government Structure of the Isle of Tetrapoli :
THE UBAR:
The Ubar of Tetrapoli is the abolute authority in Tetrapoli, his word is law. However the Ubar of Tetrapoli must himself obey the law of Tetrapoli homestone, as the homestone is greater then any man. The Ubar is the war leader of Tetrapoli and rules by his sword.
"Before the sword, there is no right, no wrong, only fact"
- Tarnsman of Gor
HIGH COUNCIL:
The High Council consists of three people, each chosen from any High Caste by the Ubar, as the position is selected by the Ubar himself only the Ubar can grant or revoke this title. The High Council members have the rights of a regent, they speak with the voice of the Ubar and only the Ubar himself can counter that voice.
THE COUNCIL:
The Council of the City of Tetrapoli, this body contains the day to day authority of running the city, the membership is as follows :
The High Initiate
The High Builder
The Chief Scribe
The Chief Physician
The First Sword
The Chief Praetor (or substitute)
Low Caste Council Members with voting rights is as follows :
The High Merchant
The Ambassador
The Master Slaver
Proposals for Council may be raised by any Citizen of Tetrapoli but must be Sponsored by at least one Council member, the Council have the legal right to appoint the city positions.
THE EXECUTIVE LAW:
The law of the executive are a specific branch of the Praetor's law that concerns with the working of the Council and how this Council operate, even the Ubar is subject to Executive law, and this law cannot be changed retroactively. As such any such law must be agreed by all three Praetor and have the seal of the Ubar.
- The Chief Scribe may not instruct the Chief Praetor on Council matters, this is to ensure that the law makers are not subject to the demands of their caste and that the blue caste do not gain unfair representation on Council.
- The High Merchant, Ambassador and Master Slaver may vote on Council Matters, though they are low Caste they have earned their places on the Council.
- The Ubar and High Council may veto any proposal passed by the Council though this is rare.
- City Laws are enacted by a simple majority of the Praetors, a recommendation by Council and by the will of the Ubar, in an emergency the Ubar may issue a decree which can superceed (from Date of Decree) any law except the Executive law. This does not CHANGE the law, this merely suspends it in the face of the decree.
- The Caste of Initiates, represented by the High Initiate may intervene in ANY legal matter and may veto any Council proposal under the auspices of the Priest Kings.
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The Ubar & Councils of the Isle of Tetrapoli will retain all legal power within the walls of the city, with the exception of Merchant Law and Initiate Law, which is to be solely the jurisdiction of the Caste of Merchants and the Caste of Initiates, respectively, and their own governing bodies. Each individual Caste will maintain its own Codes of Conduct and matters of membership, entirely exclusive to the legalities of the city, or High Council. Castes may not use the resources of the city to enforce their own Codes of Conduct.
Any citizen of the city may petition to be heard before the High Council for the purpose of proposing legislation or to air grievances. The passage of proposals into law will be approved or denied by a majority vote of the Praetors of the Hall of Justice and require 2 votes out of 3 to be passed into law. The negotiation of trade or military alliances will be solely the responsibility of the Ubar, or anyone appointed with that authority.
Declarations of war may be made only by the Ubar. All declarations of war shall be propigated to the appropriate castes by the Council.
The judiciary, in both civil and criminal matters, will be upheld by the Caste of Scribes. Praetors appointed by the Chief Praetor will preside over these proceedings. Judicial proceedings may be brought before the Ubar or the Council as a whole on the recommendation of the presiding Praetor. The Chief Praetor of the city shall have the authority to appoint and/or dismiss Magistrates. The Ubar shall retain appellate authority over decisions made by Praetor.
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Laws and Rights of the Free
The laws of a city extend no further than its walls. (Outlaw of Gor) Once you step outside the boundaries of the Isle of Tetrapoli, the city laws do not apply and the city cannot protect you.
- All free men of the city are entitled to bear arms within the walls of the city.
- All citizens and their property are to be protected from unlawful search and seizure.
- All citizens are guaranteed the right to retain legal counsel in judicial matters.
- The lawful exercise and use of any citizen's property by said citizen shall not be inhibited.
- All citizens will be free from undo harassment by the city or city officials.
- Ownership of property is a right reserved for the free, be they citizens or otherwise within the jurisdiction of the city. A slave is considered the property of its owner and therefore has no legal rights. A slave may own no property.
- All persons shall be considered free and therefore possess the rights of the free if they are not legally owned. In the event of kidnapping or capture, the person will be considered free if they have not been branded, collared, or performed an act of submission. Upon branding, collaring, or willful submission, the individual's legal status will then be that of a slave and they will lose all legal rights. Free men may not legally sell themselves into bondage.
- The enslavement of a citizen of the Isle of Tetrapoli by another citizen of the Isle of Tetrapoli is subject to legal review. If the enslavement is found to be justified, the matter will be resolved through the recognition of a legal enslavement. In the event that the enslavement is found to be unjustified the offending citizen will then be legally charged with kidnapping and false enslavement. The accused free person shall retain their legal status until such time as their status can be decided through a judicial review. In the event that a condition of enslavement is declared, the submitting individual shall become the legal slave of the of the accepting party.
- Ransom demands should be made to the nearest male relative, guardian, or Free Companion of the individual being ransomed. Traditional ransom is five silver tarn disks (500L).
- False enslavement may be decided only by a judicial review.
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Crimes
Herein are outlined the most severe of criminal offenses. These offenses are to be similarly punished with all offenders, regardless of citizenship.
Crimes against the Home Stone, which might include, but are not limited to, theft of the Home Stone, vandalism of the Home Stone, treason, sedition, forgery of the city symbol on unapproved products, are subject to (but not limited to) banishment, torture and death by impaling.
The murder of a free is a capital offense. Each case will be judged on a case by case basis. The only justifiable cause for murder would be in the event of self defense in which case the offending party will be pardoned and all charged cleared if evidence supports such findings. The punishment for this may include, but it is not limited to, banishment, torture, and death by impaling.
The killing of a slave by its owner is not a crime. The murder of a slave by other than its owner is punishable by monetary compensation to be paid to the owner or satisfaction by single combat.
The rape of any free woman of the city is punishable by banishment, torture, and death by impaling. Free Companions are not subject to this law as it is impossible to rape one's Free Companion.
A first offense for theft is punishable by ear notching. The second offense is punishable by the removal of the offender's right hand. The third offense is punishable by the removal of the left hand. A fourth offense is punishable by hamstringing. All thefts may be punishable by enslavement or banishment from the city.
Without benefit of process, Forcefully disrobing or face-stripping free woman may be punishable by banishment, torture, death by impaling, or enslavement.
Vandalism of public property may be punishable by fines, torture, death by impaling, or enslavement.
All Heralds, Messengers, Singers, Poets, Musicians, Players, and Ambassadors, are immune from enslavement for criminal offenses. Heralds, Messengers and Ambassadors are subject to fines and banishment. Singers, Poets, Musicians, and Players are subject to torture, banishment, and death by impaling.
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Free Women
Free women are expected to act in the appropriate traditons of Goreans. Violations of traditions would include:
(a) Acting in a lascicious or suggestive manner around strangers
(b) Acting overly-aggressive toward Free Men
(c) Dressing inappropriately
(d) Acting such as befitting a slave
Any free woman who couches with another mans slave, or prepares herself to couch with another mans slave, may then be enslaved to the owner of the slave she intended to couch.
Free woman may be collared should she display conduct showing suitability for the collar. In the event that a free woman is thought to display conduct indicating suitability for the collar, said conduct must be witnessed by at least two individuals; the collaring male and any free person who will corroborate the claims of the collaring male. Any male relative, or guardian, of the collared female may bring this matter before a Magistrate or the Praetor for review within one hand of the collaring. In the event that it should be agreeable to both the collaring male and the challenging male, the challenge may take the form of combat in the arena. In the event of a combat challenge by either man, should either man involved decline the proposal for combat, the matter will then be deliberated by a Magistrate, or before Council.
Free woman may carry daggers for self-defense only.
Any person who violates the dignity or freedom of a free woman may be executed by the city. Violations of a free woman include; face stripping, disrobing, forcing the free woman into areas of slave heat or areas where she may be captured and enslaved.
As in many realms similar to our own, the wearing of veils is not proscribed by law, but is rather a tradition and dependant on wearer's descrection.
Unwanted physical contact with a free woman may be punished with public flogging.
In the event that a free woman should submit herself to a man in the absence of a condition of capture, the woman will be legally considered a slave should the man accept her submission. In the event that the man does not accept the submission of the free woman, she will retain her legal status as being free.
A free woman may do a form of limited self-contracting where she legally becomes a slave for a specific time period, commonly ranging from one night to one year. She cannot end this contract earlier than the specified time period. Once the contract takes effect, she becomes a slave with no legal powers at all.
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Misc. Laws
TAVERN LAWS/RULES:
The Warrior's Tavern is primarily for men only, with their owned slaves. Free women and kajirae are only allowed in the Tavern with an escort, and must accompany them at all times. There is an area that is next to the Tavern that Free women may go without an escort, but kajirae will still need an escort. The deck outside the two taverns are available for all, and is intended as a neutral ground for social exchanges.
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ARENA EVENTS-
Duels: A personal fight between two people may be arranged at anytime, but again, try and let a council member know if one is available. The stakes and victory conditions must be decided before combat begins. Mortal Duels must be approved by a Magistrate.
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FREE COMPANIONS
A Free Companionship lasts for a single year. If it is not renewed at the end of that time, it dissolves. Slavery and death are possibilities of outcomes if the relationships dissolves earlier than that. A woman does not change her name in a Free Companionship unless she wishes. The contract can be willingly dissolved prior to the year end if both parties so agree. Any man and any woman may join in a free companionship contract. A formal ceremony is not required, only the the signing of official city documents. A woman may opt to take the caste of her companion. The children of any companionship remain with the father at the disolution of the contract unless the father wishes to surrender the offsping, despite what is agreed upon in the contract.
Any free person may only have one free companion at any one time. The man and woman may own seperatly or jointly any slaves as long as the contract specifies clearly the disposition of these slaves at the expiration of the contract they will default to the man.
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