Glory to the Black Caste
- IntroductionHabilments:
The attire is all black:
Tunic (nc16, nc26, nc76 )
(notecard 16 of Garians original SL Gor document)
Kuurus stood up and stretched. He picked up his short sword in its scabbard, his helmet and his shield. These he slung over his left shoulder. Then he picked up his spear, and stood there, against the sky, on the crest of the hill, in the black tunic.
Assassin of Gor, Chapter 1
Assassin of Gor, Chapter 1
(notecard nc26 of Garians original SL Gor document)
“Scarcely a quarter of an Ahn had passed and the men who drank in that room had forgotten, as is the way of men, that a dark one sat with them in that room, one who wore the black tunic of the Caste of Assassins, who silently drank with them.”
Assassin Of Gor, Chapter 2
Assassin Of Gor, Chapter 2
(notecard nc76 of Garians original SL Gor document)
The blacktunicked men are trained to kill for a purpose, and to think as little of it as others might of the cutting of wood.
Witness Of Gor, Chapter 40
Witness Of Gor, Chapter 40
Helmet (nc3, nc4, nc6)
(notecard nc3 of Garians original SL Gor document)
- I had noticed that there was among the crowd one tall, sombre figure who sat alone on a high, wooden throne, surrounded by tarnsmen. He wore the black helmet of a member of the Caste of Assassins.
Tarnsman Of Gor, Chapter 11
(notecard nc4 of Garians original SL Gor document)
I cleared my head as best I could, and into my uncertain field of vision moved a dark object, which became the black helmet of a member of the Caste of Assassins. Slowly, with a stylised movement, the helmet was lifted, and I found myself staring up into a grey, lean, cruel face, a face that might have
been made of metal. The eyes were inscrutable, as if they had been made of glass or stone and set artificially in that metallic masj of a countenance.
'I am Pa-Kur,' said the man.
It was he, the Master Assassin of Ar, leader of the assembled horde.
'We meet again,' I said.
The eyes, like glass or stone, revealed nothing.
'The cylinder at Ko-ro-ba,' I said. 'The crossbow.'
He said nothing.
'You failed to kill me that time,' I taunted. 'Perhaps you would care to risk another shot now. Perhaps the mark would be more suited to your skills.'
The men behind Pa-Kur muttered at my impudence. He himself
showed no impatience.
'My weapon,' he said, simply extending his hand. A crossbow was immediately placed in his grip. It was a large steel bow, wound and set, the iron quarrel placed in the guide.
I prepared to welcome the bolt flashing through my body. I was curious to know if I would be concious of its strike. Pa-Kur raised his hand with an imperious gesture. From somewhere I saw a small, round object sailing high into the air, out over the river. It was a tarn disc hurled by one of Pa-Kur's men. Just as the tiny object, black against the blue sky, reached its apogee, I
heard the click of the trigger, the vibration of the string, and the swift hiss of the quarrel. Before the tarn disc could begin its fall, the quarrel pierced it, carrying it, I would judge, some two hundred and fifty yards out into the river. The men of Pa- Kur stamped their feet in the sand and clanged their
spears on their shields.
'I spoke as a fool,' I said to Pa-Kur.
'And you will die the death of a fool,' he said. He spoke with no trace of anger or emotion of any kind.
He motioned to the men to thrust the frame out into the river, where it would be swept away.
'Wait,' I said, 'I ask your favour.' The words came hard.
Pa-Kur gestured to the men to desist.
'What have you done with the girl?'
'She is Talena, daughter of the Ubar Marlenus,' said Pa-Kur. 'She will rule in Ar, as my queen.'
'She would die first,' I said.
'She has accepted me,' said Pa-Kur, 'and will rule by my side.' The stone eyes regarded me, expressionless. 'It was her wish that you die the death of a villain,' he said, 'on the Frame of Humiliation, unworthy to stain our weapons.'
I closed my eyes. I should have known that the proud Talena, daughter of a Ubar, would leap at the first chance to return to power in Ar, even though it be at the head of a plundering host of brigands. And I, her protector, was now to be discarded. Indeed, the Frame of Humiliation would be ample vengeance to satisfy even Talena for the indignities she had suffered at my
hands. It, if anything, would wipe out forever from her mind the offensive memory that she had once needed my help and had pretended to love me. Then, each of the men of Pa-Kur, as is the custom before a frame is surrendered to the waters of the Vosk, spit on my body. Lastly, Pa-Kur spit on his hand and then placed his hand on my chest. 'Were it not for the daughter of Marlenus,' said Pa-Kur, his metallic face as placid as the quicksilver behind
a mirror, 'I would have slain you honourably. That I swear by the black helmet of my caste.'
Tarnsman Of Gor, Chapter 12
been made of metal. The eyes were inscrutable, as if they had been made of glass or stone and set artificially in that metallic masj of a countenance.
'I am Pa-Kur,' said the man.
It was he, the Master Assassin of Ar, leader of the assembled horde.
'We meet again,' I said.
The eyes, like glass or stone, revealed nothing.
'The cylinder at Ko-ro-ba,' I said. 'The crossbow.'
He said nothing.
'You failed to kill me that time,' I taunted. 'Perhaps you would care to risk another shot now. Perhaps the mark would be more suited to your skills.'
The men behind Pa-Kur muttered at my impudence. He himself
showed no impatience.
'My weapon,' he said, simply extending his hand. A crossbow was immediately placed in his grip. It was a large steel bow, wound and set, the iron quarrel placed in the guide.
I prepared to welcome the bolt flashing through my body. I was curious to know if I would be concious of its strike. Pa-Kur raised his hand with an imperious gesture. From somewhere I saw a small, round object sailing high into the air, out over the river. It was a tarn disc hurled by one of Pa-Kur's men. Just as the tiny object, black against the blue sky, reached its apogee, I
heard the click of the trigger, the vibration of the string, and the swift hiss of the quarrel. Before the tarn disc could begin its fall, the quarrel pierced it, carrying it, I would judge, some two hundred and fifty yards out into the river. The men of Pa- Kur stamped their feet in the sand and clanged their
spears on their shields.
'I spoke as a fool,' I said to Pa-Kur.
'And you will die the death of a fool,' he said. He spoke with no trace of anger or emotion of any kind.
He motioned to the men to thrust the frame out into the river, where it would be swept away.
'Wait,' I said, 'I ask your favour.' The words came hard.
Pa-Kur gestured to the men to desist.
'What have you done with the girl?'
'She is Talena, daughter of the Ubar Marlenus,' said Pa-Kur. 'She will rule in Ar, as my queen.'
'She would die first,' I said.
'She has accepted me,' said Pa-Kur, 'and will rule by my side.' The stone eyes regarded me, expressionless. 'It was her wish that you die the death of a villain,' he said, 'on the Frame of Humiliation, unworthy to stain our weapons.'
I closed my eyes. I should have known that the proud Talena, daughter of a Ubar, would leap at the first chance to return to power in Ar, even though it be at the head of a plundering host of brigands. And I, her protector, was now to be discarded. Indeed, the Frame of Humiliation would be ample vengeance to satisfy even Talena for the indignities she had suffered at my
hands. It, if anything, would wipe out forever from her mind the offensive memory that she had once needed my help and had pretended to love me. Then, each of the men of Pa-Kur, as is the custom before a frame is surrendered to the waters of the Vosk, spit on my body. Lastly, Pa-Kur spit on his hand and then placed his hand on my chest. 'Were it not for the daughter of Marlenus,' said Pa-Kur, his metallic face as placid as the quicksilver behind
a mirror, 'I would have slain you honourably. That I swear by the black helmet of my caste.'
Tarnsman Of Gor, Chapter 12
(notecard nc6 of Garians original SL Gor document)
I dyed my hair black and acquired the helmet and gear of an Assassin. Across the left temple of the black helmet I fixed the golden sash of the messenger.
Tarnsman Of Gor, Chapter 16
Tarnsman Of Gor, Chapter 16