What is Gor?

If you are new or unfamiliar with the concept of Gor, Gorean Shores Tavern is not recommended as the best place to learn. There are many other rooms in Gorean Shores which will welcome newcomers with open arms. If you desire to visit Gorean Shores, which is located in the city of Port Kar , read these protocols and the other rules before venturing into Gorean Shores. The Free Persons and slaves you encounter here take Gor very seriously, and do not tolerate those who come to play games. You will be expected to be Gorean while in the tavern. Failure to respect the Gorean ways and traditions will be considered a breach of these protocols.

A Warning and Some Advice

In Gorean the word for Stranger is the same as for Enemy. If you are a Stranger, you can be assertive, but do so with respect for those who are frequent patrons. Nothing will get you into trouble sooner than striding in as a Stranger and acting as if you own the tavern and all its slaves. Yes, be Gorean. Make your presence known. But do it with deference to those who call Gorean Shores home, or your stay may not be pleasant and it may not be long. When you are no longer a Stranger, you will find the Goreans here to be among the most loyal on Gor.

Names

On Gor there are Free Persons and there are slaves. There is no middle ground. The name you give yourself will immediately establish the type of treatment you receive in the Tavern. If you take a Free Person's name, but act like a slave, you will soon find yourself treated like a Gorean slave. If you are a slave but act like a Free Person, you will be punished as a Gorean slave would be for such insolence.  A common punishment in the city of Port Kar

would be death. The use of Earth names, or overtly sexual names, is not encouraged.
 
Masters/Mistresses

Their names begin with a capital letter, such as "Tarl", "Marlenus" or "Talena". They mark themselves as Free, and are expected to act as such.

Slaves

Their names begin with small case letters, such as "vella", "lara" or "telius". They mark themselves as slaves, and are expected to act as such. If a slave wears a collar (or "kolar"), it will appear after their name, and will indicate the owner of the slave. Collars with {GS} indicate that the slave is owned by Gorean Shores. Other collars are designated by letters from the owner's name, such as {DI} or {AXN}. Thus, for example, if you see a Master with the name "Rop of Ar" and a slave named "lidia{ROA}" one might be able to infer that the slave lidia is owned by Rop of Ar.

Switching/Imping

There is no switching in Gor. A person is either a slave or Free. Only you know truly which you are. Make your choice carefully. Anyone caught switching personalities back and forth from slave to Free will be banned from Gorean Shores. And do not assume that you will not be caught if you do. A Free Person can switch once to becoming a slave. But never again can they be Free. On Gor, a Free Person could be captured against their will. Here, you must decide to be a slave. Once you have made that decision, it is irrevocable.  #1 Amendment:  after much consideration of the Council, and in an effort to stay close to the way that the books treated this subject, it has been decided that the "once a slave, always a slave" decision may be not in keeping with general gorean principal.  While the Council still frowns on "switching", it has decided it will take each case on individual merit and past history of those concerned and may on rare occasion allow one that has been slave, to return to full status of Free Person.

Alcoves

While Masters are permitted to use either their own or the Gorean Shores slaves in any manner they so desire, including within the public spaces of the tavern, alcoves (private rooms that can be created by any user for their private use while they need it) are available for any Master. Simply informing the tavern that you are going to the alcoves will be sufficient notice. However, it is recommended that individuals going to the alcoves use the private rooms available, which can be accomplished by scrolling to the bottom of the room window and typing in any name for a private room. Then let the slave know what room to go to, and you will have your own private alcove. Please be sure that the room knows that a slave is going to the alcoves with you, so it is not perceived that they have simply left the room without permission. While in alcoves, slaves are not permitted to PM any other individuals. Likewise, do not PM or attempt to speak to individuals in the alcoves, as they typically will not respond. There is no public sex scening in the Piazza or the Forum but allowed and often encourged in the tavern and the bathhouse

Nothing herein is intended to restrict private, consensual activity in the alcoves of the tavern between adults. Tavern slaves may engage in same sex activities only if they consent to them, and slaves cannot be forced to engage in private same sex activities against their will.

Permission to PM/Whisper

Permission to PM another individual should be sought in the open before initiating any private conversations. First, this allows all in Gorean Shores to know that certain individuals are busy in private discussions. Secondly, some slaves are not permitted to PM, even to tell another than they cannot respond. Slaves should never PM a Free Person without seeking permission first. The only exception to these rules are the Captains of Gorean Shores and the first girl GSFG of the tavern. Typically, they will PM others to ensure compliance with the protocols and rules.

Enforcement of Protocol

The Captains of Gorean Shores are charged with the enforcement of these protocols over all individuals, slave or Free. Failure to abide by the protocols may result in either temporary or permanent banishment from Gorean Shores. The first girl GSFG of the tavern likewise is charged with the enforcement of protocols and slave rules over all slaves within Gorean Shores. Anyone in violation of the protocols or rules will receive one warning before action is taken. If warned, it would be wise to heed such admonition.

Non-Gorean/HNG

There may be times, however, when the Captains of Gorean Shores will not be in the tavern when a non-Gorean or HNG(horny net geek) interrupts the tavern or violates the protocols. There is a simple solution to such persons. Hit the ignore button. Ignore them, and they will usually go away.