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Sword brothers on Gor
Do not harm him," said Kazrak. "He is my sword brother, Tarl of Bristol." Kazrak's remark was in accord with the strange warrior codes of Gor, codes which were as natural to him as the air he breathed, and codes which I, in the Chamber of the Council of Ko-ro-ba, had sworn to uphold. One who has shed your blood, or whose blood you have shed, becomes your sword brother, unless you formally repudiate the blood on your weapons. It is a part of the kinship of Gorean warriors regardless of what city it is to which they owe their allegiance. It is a matter of caste, an expression of respect for those who share their station and profession, having nothing to do with cities or Home Stones. Tarnsman page 119 Kazrak agrees to give the remainder of his wages to Tarl, and have Tarl take his place in the service of a merchant, because Tarl has done Kazrak honor and is his sword brother 'Then I cannot pay the debt I owe you,' I said. 'I am a merchant,' said Mintar, 'and it is in my code to see that I am paid.' I set myself to sell my life dearly. Oddly enough, my only fear was what would happen to the girl. 'Kazrak of Port Kar,' said Mintar, 'do you agree to surrender the balance of your hiring price to Tarl of Bristol if he takes your place in my service?' 'Yes,' responded Kazrak. 'He has done me honour and is my sword brother.' Tarnsman Tarl argued with Kazrak to keep half the wages, on the grounds that they are sword brothers Kazrak, as he had promised, turned over the balance of his hiring price to me - a very respectable eighty tarn discs. I argued with him to accept forty, on the ground that he was a sword brother, and at last convinced him to accept half of his own wages back. Tarsnman It is natural and expected that one will enlist the aid of a sword brother when needed It is natural and understood by others that the sword brother will go Mintar looked up, and he, too, seemed pleased. 'You are the only man who has ever escaped the tarn death,' he said, something of wonder in his voice. 'Perhaps it is true, as they say, that you are the warrior brought every thousand years to Gor - brought by the Priest-Kings to change a world.' 'How did you know I would come to the camp?' I asked. 'Because of the girl,' said Mintar. 'And it was logical, was it not, to expect you to enlist the aid of your Kazrak, your sword brother?' 'Yes,' I said. Mintar reached into the pouch at his waist and drew forth a golden tarn disc, of double weight. He threw it to Kazrak. Kazrak caught it. 'I understand you are leaving my service,' said Mintar. 'I must,' said Kazrak. 'Of course,' said Mintar. Tarnsman Fighter in the stadium described as cruel and scornful to swordsmen, disabling their sword arms so they might never raise steel again, but offering the courtesy of a sword brother to common foes fighing for their freedom Equaling and perhaps exceeding the fame of Gladius of Cos was that of the swordsman Murmillius, of the cruel games observed in the Stadium of Blades. Since the beginning of En'Kara he had fought more than one hundred and twenty times, and one hundred and twenty foes had fallen before him, which, following his unusual custom, he had never slain, regardless of the will of the crowd. Some of the best swordsmen of Ar, even Warriors of High Caste, eager to be the one to best the mysterious Murmillius, had dared to enter the arena against him, but each of these bold gentlemen he seemed to treat with more scorn than his common foes, playing with them and then, it seemed when he wished, disabling their sword arm, so cruelly that perhaps they might never again be able to lift the steel. Condemned criminals and men of low caste, fighting for gold or freedom in the arena, he treated with the harsh courtesies obtaining among sword brothers. Assassin Enemy has high respect when honored as a sword brother Those of Tyros, upon discovering they were unknowingly using poisoned steel upon enemies who treated them as sword brothers, demand the antidote. "We of Tyros are warriors and we do not deal in poisons. Upon my return to Tyros, Sullius inquired if our foes had been wounded, and I informed him that indeed we had struck you, drawing blood. His laughter, as if demented, he turning away, alarmed me. I forced the truth from him. I was in agony. It was to you that my men and myself, those who survived, owed their lives. Marlenus would have carried us to Ar for mutilation and public impalement. You were magnanimous, honoring us as warriors and sword brothers. I demanded an antidote. Marauders gorean_librarian@yahoo.com 
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