So, what does the term "moondance" bring to mind? Oddly enough, for most SL Goreans, it implies something fatal. Yet nothing in the books supports this view.
Some of us have debated this, and come to a few conclusions we think are pretty logical, given context clues in the books.
A moondance serves two purposes. First, it provides a sexual outlet for panther girls, but it's only the first step of the process. The second thing it does, usually, is breaks the captive male, preparing him for slavery. It's a male, they're supposed to be the stronger ones in Gorean society, so it would take more drastic measures to prove to them they too can be mastered.
Does it always work? Of course not, just as slapping a collar on a panther girl does not always a slave make. Both views are backed up by comments in the books. Tarl himself discusses how "not everyone takes to the collar" in Hunters. Hunters is also where we find the example that not all men break, in the character Rim. He was clearly captured, bearing the degredation stripe to prove it, yet while he behaves somewhat humbly until freed, it's obvious he's not broken.
A moondance isn't the only outlet, as the books mention how men are kept as slaves until the panthers tire of them, then sell them. So clearly, the moondance itself is not the only sexual outlet for panthers.
I suppose I can see where the concept that it means death for the captive male comes from. In a male-dominated society, being broken and forced to admit you've been bested by women would be a 'death' of your place as a Gorean man. Don't worry though, it's not really fatal...
Thursday, September 20, 2012
Sunday, September 9, 2012
When to develop ESP...
The following is an example of dealing with the ever popular (and lame) emoted insult. We've all heard them, and reacte differently. Personally, I'm kind of a fan of ESP...
Submitted by Altonia Aeon:
"Please read the small scrap of RP with my comments clearly marked
[06:14] Altonia Aeon shrugs as she mumbles "Couldnt care less about the Kurii wars", then takes her dagger from the woman's neck and places it on her left ear as she says "A common thief and a liar.... know what they do to thieves in the cities sis?"
[06:15] Rain (rain.tylman): dont they mark them with some kind of brand
[06:15] Rain (rain.tylman): on their face
[06:15] Rain (rain.tylman): motions to my cheek
[06:15] AAA remained silent .. she had been told to be quiet and she would do as she was told. It seemed ironic to her that these panthers were practicing the ways of free but her face was expressionless
^^^ Comment: This is a passive-aggressive emote - there is nothing you can react to apart from her silence, unless of course you can read her mind. Funnily enough you can at that point in RP develope that ability.
[06:18] Altonia Aeon stares the woman straight into her face and says "You find it amusing that we to some degree do as they do in the cities? It should be clear.... some of us have lived in cities, free or slaves.... at least we make no bosk-beef about where we came from, here we band together for survival.... you seem to think just about yourself"
^^^ Comment: I make it 100% clear here that I read her mind, further, I make it clear that such emotes of hers will not be accepted.
[06:19] Rain (rain.tylman): looks to Elle and just blurts out....Yeah What She Said!
[06:19] Rain (rain.tylman): nods and lets out a loud Hmmmph as I sling the bow over my shoulder and cross my arms
[06:20] AAA was concerned they could read her mind so she did not think of anything this time
^^^ Comment: Here AAA gave up, clearly, trying to RP - as a reward for this emote she got sailed out of the sim.
[06:28] Altonia Aeon hands the leash to the captain of the boat and says "Not paying anything, not sailing, she really is a gem of a new beast and she is all yours.... payment for the times I didn't quite pay you enough", then watches as the captain drags his new beast on the boat and making the final preparations for the journey, simply watches from the docks until the boat begins to drift from shore and the rowers begin to row, gaining speed as the boat sails for parts unknown
The point of this all is this: If a passive-aggressive emote is all you seem to get, you develop the ability to read minds. Plain and simple. And Panther Ridge mods will actually stand by you if you must resort to this.
Alt
XXX"
Submitted by Altonia Aeon:
"Please read the small scrap of RP with my comments clearly marked
[06:14] Altonia Aeon shrugs as she mumbles "Couldnt care less about the Kurii wars", then takes her dagger from the woman's neck and places it on her left ear as she says "A common thief and a liar.... know what they do to thieves in the cities sis?"
[06:15] Rain (rain.tylman): dont they mark them with some kind of brand
[06:15] Rain (rain.tylman): on their face
[06:15] Rain (rain.tylman): motions to my cheek
[06:15] AAA remained silent .. she had been told to be quiet and she would do as she was told. It seemed ironic to her that these panthers were practicing the ways of free but her face was expressionless
^^^ Comment: This is a passive-aggressive emote - there is nothing you can react to apart from her silence, unless of course you can read her mind. Funnily enough you can at that point in RP develope that ability.
[06:18] Altonia Aeon stares the woman straight into her face and says "You find it amusing that we to some degree do as they do in the cities? It should be clear.... some of us have lived in cities, free or slaves.... at least we make no bosk-beef about where we came from, here we band together for survival.... you seem to think just about yourself"
^^^ Comment: I make it 100% clear here that I read her mind, further, I make it clear that such emotes of hers will not be accepted.
[06:19] Rain (rain.tylman): looks to Elle and just blurts out....Yeah What She Said!
[06:19] Rain (rain.tylman): nods and lets out a loud Hmmmph as I sling the bow over my shoulder and cross my arms
[06:20] AAA was concerned they could read her mind so she did not think of anything this time
^^^ Comment: Here AAA gave up, clearly, trying to RP - as a reward for this emote she got sailed out of the sim.
[06:28] Altonia Aeon hands the leash to the captain of the boat and says "Not paying anything, not sailing, she really is a gem of a new beast and she is all yours.... payment for the times I didn't quite pay you enough", then watches as the captain drags his new beast on the boat and making the final preparations for the journey, simply watches from the docks until the boat begins to drift from shore and the rowers begin to row, gaining speed as the boat sails for parts unknown
The point of this all is this: If a passive-aggressive emote is all you seem to get, you develop the ability to read minds. Plain and simple. And Panther Ridge mods will actually stand by you if you must resort to this.
Alt
XXX"
Monday, September 3, 2012
Connect the Dots
Recent events have reminded me of some...minor...details that make the difference between roleplay, and really good, immersive roleplay.
Most people assume because they don't see dots on the map, no one is there. In choosing to raid or steal from a panther camp, city, whatever....is it reasonable to assume there's no one there, just because no one shows on the map? Are you really roleplaying then? Many people even deliberately seek to come in when there's no one there. They roleplay their epic break in and theft, but they removed any real challenge by making a point of hitting an empty sim.
I've seen people many times 'scout' from a sim's market, or docks, where they have no realistic line of sight to their target area. This is often passed off as 'roleplay'. The usual excuse is they don't want to be shot on sight. Granted, some sims do that, but not all. But, you're scouting, presumably because you're up to no good on behalf of a larger group up to no good, you should be shot at. That's realistic.
And one of my favorite topics...fires. People like to set fires around here, it's like being around a bunch of pixel pyromaniacs. But do they really know why they're setting fires? Most often it's just because for some reason people think this goes along with raiding. Eh, maybe. In human history there's plenty of examples of burning going along with pillaging. But this isn't Earth, this is Gor we're roleplaying on. Setting fires, especially in the forest, was never something lightly done, even by outlaws. It gets more complicated, realistically, when taking in to account WHAT is being set on fire. Cities and other stone structures should be a no-brainer. Panther camps add a whole new factor...you're setting fire to wooden structures, surrounded by forest. If you have any idea how a forest fire works, and how fast it can move, you'd get just how monumentally foolish this is.
Is it really so hard to rely only on your avatar's direct line of sight, think about the rp setting you're in, and a realistic way to do what you're doing? Maybe these details aren't so minor afterall.
Most people assume because they don't see dots on the map, no one is there. In choosing to raid or steal from a panther camp, city, whatever....is it reasonable to assume there's no one there, just because no one shows on the map? Are you really roleplaying then? Many people even deliberately seek to come in when there's no one there. They roleplay their epic break in and theft, but they removed any real challenge by making a point of hitting an empty sim.
I've seen people many times 'scout' from a sim's market, or docks, where they have no realistic line of sight to their target area. This is often passed off as 'roleplay'. The usual excuse is they don't want to be shot on sight. Granted, some sims do that, but not all. But, you're scouting, presumably because you're up to no good on behalf of a larger group up to no good, you should be shot at. That's realistic.
And one of my favorite topics...fires. People like to set fires around here, it's like being around a bunch of pixel pyromaniacs. But do they really know why they're setting fires? Most often it's just because for some reason people think this goes along with raiding. Eh, maybe. In human history there's plenty of examples of burning going along with pillaging. But this isn't Earth, this is Gor we're roleplaying on. Setting fires, especially in the forest, was never something lightly done, even by outlaws. It gets more complicated, realistically, when taking in to account WHAT is being set on fire. Cities and other stone structures should be a no-brainer. Panther camps add a whole new factor...you're setting fire to wooden structures, surrounded by forest. If you have any idea how a forest fire works, and how fast it can move, you'd get just how monumentally foolish this is.
Is it really so hard to rely only on your avatar's direct line of sight, think about the rp setting you're in, and a realistic way to do what you're doing? Maybe these details aren't so minor afterall.
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