Port Victoria: Jewel of the Vosk

My vision for this home is to provide a relatively safe place for people who enjoy the roleplay of Gor and believe that the rules are inviting and inclusive to those already within the Gorean community, as well as those who are wanting to experience something new. I encourage Merchants and Artisans to visit, claim a place to establish a business or just interact with the Merchants and Artisans of Victoria. Explore and have fun, which is the reason we all come here to roleplay.

Rules are subject to change as the home grows. As such, please take note that there are a few changes that will need to be noted for your roleplay, for such notable things like safety and where you are and aren't allowed to go alone or if you need guides, and so forth. With that in mind, the rules outlined on this page applies to members and guests, free persons and slaves.

Ignorance of our rules is not an excuse.

All site rules apply. Anyone in Port Victoria found to not be in compliance with PoD site rules will be asked to leave and their actions submitted to site admin for their review.

There is no OOC in this room. This means that you are responsible for every word you speak, whether while in-character or out-of-character or in PM, and will be held accountable in-character.

The Room Leader for Port Victoria is Ayelen Cassavetes. However, all judgments with the exception of combat (see below) within Port Victoria will be made by the City Council.

We are a modified safe zone for both citizens of Port Victoria and visitors.

We are a Mirror Zone. If we can't do it in your home, it cannot be done in ours.

Please be aware that there are two different sets of rules and zones: SAFE ZONES and (UNSAFE) MODIFIED KILL/CAPTURE ZONES. Please refer to these sections below.

Respect is expected by all who enter. Harassment will not be tolerated. Come in and treat others as you would want to be respected in your own home. Expect to be escorted out the door if you cannot comply.

A proper Gorean name is required to enter. Anyone entering without a proper name will be removed; consider this your only warning.

The banning of those who break our rules or otherwise cause a serious negative impact to the home will be strictly enforced. If you've been banned and feel it unjustified, it's suggested you speak to the Room Leader and request a review.

Although we strive for everyone who enters to roleplay, we understand there are instances that can't be done. Therefore Observing will be allowed only as follows:
      * Observers are required to wear their Gorean name; and
      * Request permission to observe out of courtesy to the members of our home; and
      * Observing means no OOC. Once you speak, you must engage in roleplay or leave.

Members of Port Victoria can deny requests to observe. That doesn't mean a person is forever denied to observe; only for that particular instance a member may ask for no observers.

Free men and women are expected to be active in the city. There will be provisions allowing for the purchase of a home and/or business (i.e., having your own pull-down in the menu) whether or not you are a member of your home, based upon your roleplay activity.

Drama in character is expected, however any out-of-character drama will not be tolerated. Courtesy and respect are always demanded.

Use common sense. If it doesn't sound right, assume it's not. It's better to ask questions.

Pulldowns. The use of pulldowns is required for roleplay and realistic sightings of others would follow the course of these pulldowns. A map of the city is in the and will be made available once it’s completed to assist you in your roleplay. Don't expect others to react to your posts unless they are realistically positioned to do so. Any roleplay between two people not on the same pulldown will be invalid unless the players make a posted correction of some sort (i.e., corrects pulldown from "X" to "Y"). Additionally some pulldowns are restricted in their usage and can be subject to jail and/or fines imposed.
    ** It is encouraged that you read and familiarize yourself with our pulldowns so that you will understand the use of them. **

If someone is seen committing a crime or breaking a law, any member (free or slave) may storytell the guards seizing the offender and remanding him or her to the city jail. This applies no matter what zone (safe or un-safe) that the person may be in. Full accountability and responsibility remains in force throughout the city.

If a person charging another with a crime is deemed inappropriate or unfounded, the accuser can find him or herself facing judicial consequences.

Sexual scenes in public are commonplace on Gor. As such, they can and will happen in this room.

Children is a concern as there are legal issues that can arise from roleplaying with children on an adult-only chat site that permits sexual activity in public. For example, Mary is sitting on a bench in the city square with her 5 year old daughter, when Tom and his slave sit on the same bench, and the slave begins to perform fellatio on Tom. In the real world, this would certainly be prosecuted. Those laws would apply in even an online fantasy situation. It falls under child pornography, could cause for the site to get shut down, as well as individuals drawn into legal consequences (credit to Verdict, who worked in this area). Therefore, roleplaying with children, the rules are as follows:
      * Referring to children such as: "passing a group of children playing with a stick and ball" is permissible
      * You may not roleplay as a minor child
      * You may NPC children bearing in mind of the situation and place you are doing so, such as you may not NPC your child in an area where a naked slave girl is dancing, for example. Violating this rule will get you banned.
      * Too often, a woman has born an NPC child, then gets bored with it and tries to pawn her misery off on members of a home. If you bear NPC children, do not expect the members of Port Victoria to babysit you or the child when it fails. That part of your roleplay is your responsibility.
      * If a woman is seen with a child by her side and a naked slave girl at her other side, expect to wear a pretty collar and the "child" sold off to a Slaver House outside of Port Victoria. You will then be removed from the home and be placed on the Unwelcomed/Banned list.
    ** There is NO exception to any of these rules. **

Animals on Gor. While there are animals on Gor, you will not NPC as an animal. You may refer to them as owning, for example, a Tharlarion. Pets will not be tolerated unless it's realistic (i.e., a parrot, for example). Pets are for the rich and elite and even so, considered rare. Most animals are dangerous, including monkeys and the small wild cats. Slaves do not own anything and therefore would never have a "pet" anything.

Prospective members wishing to hold an "office" such as Caste Elder or Council member must petition and get approval from the Room Leader.

The timeline for Port Victoria is that period in which Marlenus has returned to Ar and retaken the seat as Ubar of Ar. Therefore, Port Victoria recognizes no one else as Ubar of Ar.

Cosian Bounties.. With Cosians causing the war and disruption they did with not just Ar, but other cities as well, Port Victoria included, Cosians would be wise not to reveal they are Cosians. The Bounties for Cosians remains in force and their death is the only judgment. Known Cosians will be immediately seized by city guards and placed in the Dungeon (city jail) for determination of their fate.

Messengers are welcomed as long they enter in his or her full complete Gorean name along with the yellow-slash denoting they are a messenger and no disruption made to the roleplay within the room.

Slaves can come in as "Slave Messenger" as long as they enter in his or her full complete Gorean name/tags and must wear a Gorean message collar.

Failure for either free or slave to conform with these rules will see to their immediate removal from the room.

If a slave enters in the guise of a messenger slave and is doing so falsely in order to come in and gab with someone the slave will be captured and caged in the city kennels. If said slave is not claimed within one (1) Hand (5 days), the slave will be killed.
  ** NOTE: ** Port Victoria will NOT go out of the way to contact the slave's owner.

Deliver the message, wait for a response (if applicable), then leave.

Please do not come in to whine because you seen so-and-so on the crossroads. If someone is on the crossroads, they are fair game.

Messenger systems such as Discord will not be recognized here as communication devices for any in-character issues.

SAFE ZONES are PULLDOWN delineated.

These Safe Zones are absolutely zero capture and kill zones. The reasoning being that a large city especially would ensure the safety of their affluent and employ heavy guard patrols and sentries in their residential locations. Other safe zones would be areas in which city guards would naturally be stationed to ensure the safety of citizens and visitors and keep the flow of trade (and prosperity thereof) without concern for violence.

Entry into the room may be directed to a safe zone pulldown in the first post as long as it's logical. First time visitors will need to post their arrival and thus would be subject to the unsafe zones. From that point, reaching a safe zone is easy enough.

Full accountability and responsibility remains in force. Just because you are in a designated Safe Zone, does not mean you are not fully accountable for your actions. Slaves can still be punished. Free women and free men can still be charged with crimes.

UNSAFE ZONES are PULLDOWN delineated.

Free women would be wise to have an entourage of guards with them in these areas, but isn't a requirement.

We are not accepting raids at this time. This will change when the room grows to accommodate.

Port Victoria follows the default AR-Open Combat fight system.. Judgments will be made by an independent agreed-upon third party.

Combat can occur only if these requirements are met:
      * Two or more male legitimate combatants must be within the Port Victoria.
      A "combatant" is defined as a male member of the home qualified capable of fighting. For example, a Scribe or Physician may have at times picked up and even swung a sword a time or two, neither Scribe nor Physician is a fighter or warrior. Fighting slaves are considered combatants as will those men who call themselves Peasants of the villages surrounding Port Victoria.

Members of the Black Caste are not welcomed in Port Victoria and will be seized by the guards and taken to the Sun Gate to send them on their merry way elsewhere. Second infraction will cause for the imprisonment of the would-be assassin.

Bounty Hunters. While not contracted as Assassins are, bounty hunters MUST provide proof of an existing bounty and can be incorporated into the roleplay. If the target is a member of Port Victoria, jurisdiction falls on the Home Stone of the accused and therefore ALL arbitration and fees paid, if any are due, will take place in Port Victoria only. No exceptions. If the Bounty Hunter has targeted a guest of Port Victoria, once proof of the bounty provided, may hunt only in the unsafe zones.

The Clan of Torturers is only recognized by the Wagon Peoples and therefore not recognized by the city of Port Victoria.

We enjoy our friends of many lifestyles and welcome them. Therefore, cross gender play will be allowed by members and guests. Keep in mind the cardinal rule for respect and courtesy.

Port Victoria is MPG friendly. Adherence to PoD rules and regulations for being an MPG player must be followed.

Secondary characters may not kill a primary character.

Secondary characters of both room members and visitors in Port Victoria can be killed within the modified kill zones, and are not subject to official judgement. The City Council reserves the right to make the call.

Shelving a free person character while in the middle of a conflict within the city, the character will automatically become an NPC for such time that the storyline is completed. At that time, the City Council will determine the ultimate outcome (i.e., character is sentenced to jail, character leaves Port Victoria, etc.).

Guests involved in city-wide plotlines and conflicts who then decide to depart Port Victoria before the storyline is completed will be subject to the City Council's determination as to how and if their participation made any impact in the storyline, if any, and the ultimate outcome.

We are a home in the southern region of Gor. Therefore, if you come to visit, it's not your culture to be respected, but that of Port Victoria. Slaves in Port Victoria will only and always refer to free men as "Master" and nothing else, so if you’re a big bad Torvaldslander, respect the culture; the use of “Jarl” is inappropriate here.

Visiting free women are expected to act appropriately or lose their freedom. Veils and robes of concealment are not required in Port Victoria, however, ankles will not be bared, trousers will not be worn, boots will not be worn, and any improper jewelry (i.e., rings, ankle bracelets) found to be visible will be swiftly traded for a steel collar.

Absolutely no Panthers or Talunas will be permitted in this home. It’s ridiculous and unrealistic that either of these types of women would be found in Port Victoria.

She-Urts will be NOT permitted in this home. This isn’t the metropolis of Port Kar.

There is no OOC in this room. Period. A one-time mass OOC greeting will be allowed only. This also means that you are responsible for every word you speak, whether you said it while in-character or out-of-character and will be held accountable in-character.

Slaves do not roam Gor alone. End-of-discussion.

Any collared slaves entering without their owner will be deemed a runaway and be caged in the city kennels. If said slave is not claimed within one (1) Hand (5 days), the slave will be killed.
   ** NOTE: ** Port Victoria will NOT go out of the way to contact the slave's owner.

Slaves will refer to all men as MASTER. Port Victoria is not Torvaldsland. There are no Jarls here.

"Barenecks" (uncollared slaves) are an onlinism. See the next rule on this.

THERE ARE NO HOME COLLARS. Since we have no Slaver in our home, there is no home collar for Port Victoria. Should we get a Slaver become a member in our home, or request to open a Slave House in Port Victoria, this will change. In the meantime, your options are:
      * Currently, the only way to be a collared slave in Port Victoria is to submit to a free person. This does NOT mean to PM all the frees in the room. This means getting off your ass and realistically roleplaying meeting a free person, and then submitting.
      * If you are rejected, you will NOT badger the free person. It’s not required that he or she accepts you as their slave.
      * If rejected, you can either hope the guards don’t catch you and put you in the Sales Barn indefinitely, or you can roleplay as a free person and get to know the room and the members.
      * Harassing a member, such as relentlessly begging to be collared, etc., will earn you a boot out the door and the welcome mat removed, and you’ll be placed on the Banned list permanently.

Slave-like behavior and uncollared. Such persons can be force-collared by members of Port Victoria only in any of the unsafe zones. Voluntary submissions can take place in either zone.

If an "uncollared slave" is determined to be a negative disturbance, causing unnecessary drama and or not following the rules of the home, the slave will be escorted out the gates and warned not to return again, or outright killed by any free member of Port Victoria, depending on what zone (safe or unsafe) the slave is in.

Don't do something you know is wrong. Drawing attention to yourself by misbehaving doesn't give you the appearance of being special in any way; it merely demonstrates you to be a displeasing slave and non-productive member of the home.

Punishment. Slaves may be punished by any free person, member or visitor, as long as there is no permanent damage or marking or death.

Shelving is not the Equivalent of Being Released. Shelving a slave character will automatically result in the character becoming an NPC and remains the property of the free person of Port Victoria who owns the slave character. That free person has full control of what is to come of the slave character. Slave characters shelved due to the death or enslavement of their owner will automatically result in the character becoming an NPC and placed in the hands of slavers. The City Council will decide the ultimate fate of the slave.

Abandonment isn't a Get Out of Your Collar Free Card. Gor is chock full of slaves who have been abandoned by their owner. While upsetting, Port Victoria will not tolerate any drama arising from this online phenomenon. If a slave character is owned by a member of Port Victoria and appears to have been abandoned, the slave character is not automatically released of a collar and freed. If after two (2) Hands (10 days) of actively roleplaying and the slave has not had any in-character interactions with his or her owner, 1.) the slave can speak to the Room Leader for assistance, or, 2.) shelve the character. Additionally, a free member of Port Victoria may attempt to claim the slave as their own, but by doing so, understand their responsibility and consequences should the owner return within the two (2) Hands (10 days) "Capture Rights" period.