Glory to the Black Caste
- IntroductionKilling
An assassin may take money at anytime for killing, initiated by a verbal offer. They can have multiple contracts at once. They deny bribes against killing someone that they have already set out to kill (nc27).
(notecard 27 of Garians original SL Gor document)
Yes, Master," said Hup.
"Was the begging good today?" asked Kuurus.
Hup looked at him in fear. "Yes, Master," he said, "yes!"
"Then you have money," said Kuurus, and stood up behind the table, slinging the sheath of the short sword about his shoulder.
Hup wildly thrust a small, stubby, knobby hand into his pouch and hurled a coin, a copper tarn disk, to Kuurus, who caught it and placed it in one of the pockets of his belt.
Hup looked at him in fear. "Yes, Master," he said, "yes!"
"Then you have money," said Kuurus, and stood up behind the table, slinging the sheath of the short sword about his shoulder.
Hup wildly thrust a small, stubby, knobby hand into his pouch and hurled a coin, a copper tarn disk, to Kuurus, who caught it and placed it in one of the pockets of his belt.
"Do not interfere," snarled the man who held the hook knife.
"There are four of us," said another, putting his hand on his sword.
"I have taken money," said Kuurus.
The men in the tavern, and the girls, began to move away from the tables.
"We are Warriors," said another.
Then a coin of gold struck the table before the Assassin, ringing on the wood.
All eyes turned to face a paunchy man, in a robe of blue and yellow silk. "I am Portus," he said. "Do not interfere, Assassin."
Kuurus picked up the coin and fingered it, and then he looked at Portus. "I have already taken money," he said.
Portus gasped.
"We are Warriors," said another.
Then a coin of gold struck the table before the Assassin, ringing on the wood.
All eyes turned to face a paunchy man, in a robe of blue and yellow silk. "I am Portus," he said. "Do not interfere, Assassin."
Kuurus picked up the coin and fingered it, and then he looked at Portus. "I have already taken money," he said.
Portus gasped.
Assassin of Gor, Chapter 2
They do not have to take full payment immediately nor do they have to have a name of the person to be killed (nc19).
(notecard 19 of Garians original SL Gor document)
"Justice must be done," said the man.
Kuurus said nothing, but only looked at the man. Often, though not always, they spoke of justice. It pleases them to speak of justice, he said to himself. And of right. It eases them and gives them peace.
There is no such thing as justice, said Kuurus, to himself. There is only gold and steel.
"Whom am I to kill?" asked Kuurus.
"I do not know," said the man.
Kuurus looked at him angrily. Yet he had in the pockets of his belt twenty gold tarn disks, and of double
weight. There must be more.
"All we know is this," said the man, handing him a greenish patch.
Kuurus studied the patch. "It is a faction patch," said he. "It speaks to me of the tarn races of Ar."
"It is true," said the man.
The faction patches are worn in Ar by those who favor a given faction in the racing. There are several
such factions, who control the racing and compete among themselves, the greens, the reds, the golds, the
yellows, the silvers.
"I shall go to Ar," said Kuurus.
"If you are successful," said the man, "return and you will receive a hundred such pieces of gold."
Kuurus looked at him. "If it is not true," he said, "you will die."
Kuurus said nothing, but only looked at the man. Often, though not always, they spoke of justice. It pleases them to speak of justice, he said to himself. And of right. It eases them and gives them peace.
There is no such thing as justice, said Kuurus, to himself. There is only gold and steel.
"Whom am I to kill?" asked Kuurus.
"I do not know," said the man.
Kuurus looked at him angrily. Yet he had in the pockets of his belt twenty gold tarn disks, and of double
weight. There must be more.
"All we know is this," said the man, handing him a greenish patch.
Kuurus studied the patch. "It is a faction patch," said he. "It speaks to me of the tarn races of Ar."
"It is true," said the man.
The faction patches are worn in Ar by those who favor a given faction in the racing. There are several
such factions, who control the racing and compete among themselves, the greens, the reds, the golds, the
yellows, the silvers.
"I shall go to Ar," said Kuurus.
"If you are successful," said the man, "return and you will receive a hundred such pieces of gold."
Kuurus looked at him. "If it is not true," he said, "you will die."
Assassin of Gor, Chapter 1
Assassins shouldn’t need the reason a kill is to be made, their only concern should be the amount for a kill. While many hire for justice, they may be hired to kill for any reason (53).
(notecard 53 of Garians original SL Gor document)
Some think the caste of assassins performs a service," I said, "but I find this difficult to take seriously. I suppose they could be hired in the service of justice, but it seems they could be as easily hired in the service of anything." I looked at him. "Do you fellows have any principles?" I asked.
Beasts of Gor, Chapter 30
Once an assassin has taken money for a kill, they affix a dagger on their forehead to indicate this (nc67).
(notecard 67 of Garians original SL Gor document)
This morning, before they left the quarters of the pit master each had, in turn, turned away from us, then being anointed, or something, by one of his fellows. Each, following this ritual, had then donned his helmet.
Witness of Gor, Chapter 31
Generally an assassin bearing the mark does not encounter interference with guards for entering city gates, (nc20, nc22) but some difficulties in proper arrangements may be brought about (nc65).
(notecard 20 of Garians original SL Gor document)
Kuurus, of the caste of assassins, entered the great gate of Ar. Guardsmen did not detain him, for he wore on his forehead the mark of the black dagger.
Assassin of Gor, Chapter 2
(notecard 22 of Garians original SL Gor document)
Yet none would stand in the way of Kuurus for he wore on his forehead, small and fine, the sign of the black dagger. When he of the Caste of Assassins has been paid his gold and has received his charge he affixes on his forehead that sign, that he may enter whatever city he pleases, that none may interfere with his work. There are few men who have done great wrong or who have powerful, rich enemies who do not tremble upon learning that one has been brought to their city who wears the dagger.”
Assassin of Gor, Chapter 2
(notecard 65 of Garians original SL Gor document)
"Cut their throats," said the leader of the strangers. We cried out, and shrank back, and might have run, but there was nowhere to run. Men were all about. One fellow took me by the hair, to hold me in place."Hold!" said the pit master. "Know that these women are
the property of the state of Treve! You are within the walls of
Treve. You are sheltered by her Home Stone. You cannot deal
with the property of Treve with impunity."
the property of the state of Treve! You are within the walls of
Treve. You are sheltered by her Home Stone. You cannot deal
with the property of Treve with impunity."
"You have delayed us long enough," snarled the leader of the black-tunicked men. "We came yesterday to the pits, and you put us off with some absurd technicality."
"We have our regulations, Master," said the pit master.
"That technicality was cleared this morning," said the leader of the strangers.
Witness of Gor, Chapter 31
There is sure to be certain necessary resistance when an assassin performs a kill (nc1).
(notecard 1 of Garians original SL Gor document)
Our discussion terminated abruptly. There was a rush of wings outside the window of my apartment, and the Older Tarl flung himself across the room and dragged me to the floor. At the same moment the iron bolt of a crossbow, fired through one the narrow windows, struck the wall behind my chair-stone and ricocheted viciously about the room. I caught a glimpse of a black helmet through the port as a warrior, still clutcing a crossbow and mounted on his tarn, hauled up on the one-strap and flew from the window.
There were shouts, and, rushing to the window, I saw several answering bolts leave the cylinder and fly in the direction of the retreating assailant, who was now almost half a pasang away and making good his escape.
'A member of the Caste of Assassins,' said the Older Tarl, gazing at the retreating speck in the distance. 'Marlenus, who would be Ubar of all Gor, knows of your existence.'
Tarnsman of Gor, Chapter 4
There is a first killing and a second killing. First killings are for miscellaneous reasons, while second killings are to avenge the death of someone (nc29).
(notecard 29 of Garians original SL Gor document)
"May I ask, Killer," asked Portus, "if you come to make the first killing----or the second?"
"The second," said Kuurus.
"I hunt," said Kuurus.
"Of course," said Portus.
"I come to avenge," said Kuurus.
Portus smiled. "That is what I meant," he said, "that it is good those in the black tunic are once again amongst us, that justice can be done, order restored, right upheld."
Assassin of Gor, Chapter 2
An assassin wouldn’t let any weakness get in the way of a kill, not even a homestone (nc56).
(notecard 56 of Garians original SL Gor document)
"Assassins, as I recall," I said, "have no Home Stones. I suppose that is a drawback to caste membership, but if you did have Home Stones, it might be difficult to take fees on one whose Home Stone you shared."
Beasts of Gor, Chapter 30
Assassins have many clever strategies (nc48). A disguise would not be unusual (nc38).
(notecard 48 of Garians original SL Gor document)
I thought him now of the assassins for the trick with the canvas was but a variant of the loosened door trick, left ajar as in flight, a lure to the unwary to plunge in his pursuit into the waiting blade.
Beasts of Gor, Chapter 4
(notecard 38 of Garians original SL Gor document)
"I see you now wear the red of the Warrior," said he, "rather than the black of the Assassin."
I said nothing.
I said nothing.
"I know disguises are useful," said he, "in hunting." He grinned at me. "I liked what you did at the game, when you gave the double tarn to the Player."
"He did not accept it," I said. "To him it was black gold."
"And so it was," said the Tarn Keeper, "so it was."
"It will buy as much as yellow gold," said I.
"True," said the Tarn Keeper, "and that is what must be kept in mind."
Assassin of Gor, Chapter 13
Assassins may also be hired as another sword (nc30,nc37 ).
(notecard 30 of Garians original SL Gor document)
"I shall permit my sword to be hired," said Kuurus.
"Good!" cried Portus, his hands on the table, his eyes gleaming. "Good!"
"By the House of Cernus," said the assassin.
Assassin of Gor, Chapter 2
(notecard 37 of Garians original SL Gor document)
"Greetings, Flaminius," said Ho-Tu. "May I introduce Kuurus, of the black caste, but of our employ?"
Assassin of Gor, Chapter 11
A group of assassins declared they were hired for transportation of a prisoner, although the pit master thought it deception, and it was (nc63).
(notecard 63 of Garians original SL Gor document)
"They wish to take custody of the prisoner," said the
officer. "I am sure of it."
officer. "I am sure of it."
"It will be a brief custody, I am sure," said the pit master.
"He is to be removed to Cos," said the officer.
"He will never reach Cos," said the pit master.
"I have heard he is to be removed to Cos," said the officer, firmly.
"Why Assassins?" asked the pit master. "Why those of the black caste?"
"Efficiency, anonymity," said the officer.
Witness of Gor, Chapter 30
Assassins would have no problem killing a slave (nc62).
(notecard 62 of Garians original SL Gor document)
"But perhaps," said he, "we have no intention of taking you from the city."
"What?" she said, frightened, lifting her head again with difficulty and regarding him.
Her eyes went to the dagger at his belt. His fingers were upon it. "No!" she said. "Surely you are not assassins!"
He merely looked at her, his hands on the hilt of the dagger.
"Surely you do not intend to kill me!" she cried.
He regarded her, not speaking.
"Do not kill me!" she wept. It was not irrational on her part, of course, to fear an assassination plot. Even if she believed herself generally popular within the city, perhaps even much loved within it, she would realize that these sentiments might not be universal. For example, the increasing resistance to Cosian rule in the city, the growing insurgency, the actions of the Delta Brigade, would surely have given her cause for apprehension, if not genuine alarm. "Surely," she said, "I have not become a slave, simply to be slain?"
Magicians of Gor, Chapter 26