Shinyhead - Branding Marketing and Design Services

Speculations

Note: None of these things are specified as factual in the books.

On Pa-Kur:

Pa-Kur may still be alive. A man fitting his description is throughout the series. He may also be the Master in the last chapters of Witness of Gor, therefore making it seem he may have fled his caste and is capable of love, although he fights it as a weakness.
(14, 43,44)

(notecard nc14 of Garians original SL Gor document)
"It is said," remarked Kamchak, "that the sword of Ha-Keel is scarcely less swift and cunning than
that of Pa-Kur, the Master of Assassins."
"Pa-Kur is dead," I said. "He died in the siege of Ar."
"Was the body recovered?" asked Kamchak.
"No," I said.
Kamchak smiled. "I think, Tarl Cabot," he said. "you would never make a Tuchuk."
"Why is that?" I asked.
"You are too innocent," he said, "too trusting."
"Long ago," said Harold, nearby, "I gave up expecting more of a Koroban."
I smiled. "Pa-Kur," I said, "defeated in personal combat on the high roof of the Cylinder
of Justice in Ar, turned and to avoid capture threw himself over the ledge. I do not think
he could fly."
"Was the body recovered?" Kamchak asked again.
"No," I said. "But what does it matter?"
"It would matter to a Tuchuk," said Kamchak.
"You Tuchuks are indeed a suspicious lot," I remarked.
"What would have happened to the body?" asked Harold, and it seemed he was serious.
"I suppose," I said, "it was torn to pieces by the crowds below or lost with the other dead.
Many things could have happened to it."
"It seems then," said Kamchak, "that he is dead."
"Surely," I said.
"Let us hope so," said Kamchak, "For your sake."
Nomads Of Gor, Chapter 26
 
(notecard nc43 of Garians original SL Gor document)
Pa-Kur had leaped from its height. The sheerness of the fall was broken
only by a tarn perch, some feet below.
I could see crowds milling at the foot of the cylinder.
The body of the master of the assassins had never been recovered.
Doubtless it had been torn to pieces by the crowd.
In Ar, years earlier, Mip behind me, late at night, I walked out upon a tarn perch, and surveyed the beauties of the lamps of Ar, glorious Ar. I had looked up and seen, several feet above me, the height of the cylinder. It would be possible, though dangerous to leap to the perch. I had thought little of it. Pa-Kur was dead.
"Was the body recovered?" asked Kamchak.
"No," I had told him. "It does not matter."
I threw back my head and laughed
Hunters Of Gor, Chapter 22
 
(notecard nc44 of Garians original SL Gor document)
I wondered if Pa-Kur, Master of the Assassins, yet lived. I thought it not
impossible.
Hunters Of Gor, Chapter 22

On the black tunic with a white stripe down the front and back:

It would seem most logical that this man is of the Initiates, not assassins. Kuurus acts as if he is not within the black caste. Although he does say “his tunic is as black as mine,” he probably refers to the fact that a person buying the services of an assassin is no different from killing on their own. Kuurus speculates that the man may be an initiate, (17) as the man fits the description by lacking hair, which is common of initiates (11). The man talks of justice, and Kuurus points out that “they” like to speak of this as terms of justice, as if they are justifying dealing with an assassin (19). Afterall, the initiates are known to be concerned with justice (8). Perhaps this special black tunic is just a ritual that initiates perform when a city seeks justice by means of assassination.
 
(notecard nc17 of Garians original SL Gor document)
He wore a black robe with a stripe of white down the front and back. Kuurus  knew that it would be this man, who wore the black, but not the full black, of the Assassin, who would deal with him. Kuurus smiled bitterly to himself. He laughed at the stripe of white. Their tunic, said Kuurus to himself, is as black as mine.
When the man near the smoking wood turned to face him, Kuurus descended the hill. He was now welcome. Kuurus smiled to himself.
The man did not greet him, nor did Kuurus lift his hand to the man, palm inward, saying "Tal."
The man was a strange man, thought Kuurus. His head was totally devoid of hair, even to the lack of eyebrows. Perhaps he is some sort of Initiate, thought Kuurus
Assassin Of Gor, Chapter 1
 
(notecard nc11 of Garians original SL Gor document)
In the next flash of lightning I saw the white robes of an Initiate, the shaven head and the sad eyes of one of the Blessed Caste, servants it is said of the Priest-Kings themselves.
Outlaw Of Gor, Chapter 5
 
(notecard nc19 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."
Assassin Of Gor, Chapter 1
 
(notecard nc8 of Garians original SL Gor document)
The cylinder was white, a color Goreans often associate with impartiality. More significantly, it indicated that the justice dispensed therein was the justice of Initiates.
Tarnsman Of Gor, Chapter 18

On assassins killing other assassins:

The books never specify that they would not, but most likely they would only for a very logical reason. It would not be logical for an assassin to kill another assassin for assassinating someone else, due to the fact that an assassin is only carrying out his caste duty. The real danger lies with the person who hired the assassin and therefore should be the one sought after. The assassin, however, may do something outside his duty to provoke someone else to pay for his death. I also think it is possible that an assassin would hesitate to kill a caste brother because it would hurt the caste itself. An assassin would definitely be sought after by the caste, however, for violating caste codes, attempting to leave the caste, or dispersing caste secrets.

On the amount of master assassins:

There seem to be multiple caste masters  (54) maybe for each city (2) and then an overall caste master for all of Gor (13).
 
(notecard nc54 of Garians original SL Gor document)
The training of the assassin is thorough and cruel. He who wears the black of that caste has not won it easily. Candidates for the caste are chosen with great care, and only one in ten, it is said, completes the course of instruction to the satisfaction of the caste masters. It is assumed that failed candidates are slain, if not in the training, for secrets they may have learned. Withdrawal from the caste is not permitted. Training proceeds in pairs, each pair against others. Friendship is encouraged. Then, in the final training, each member of the pair must hunt the other. When one has killed one’s friend one is then likely to better understand the meaning of the black. When one has killed one’s friend one is then unlikely to find mercy in his heart for another. One is then alone, with gold and steel.
Beasts Of Gor, Chapter 30
 
(notecard nc2 of Garians original SL Gor document)
"More effective than the Assassins of Ar," she said. "Pa-Kur, Ar’s Master Assassin, was dispatched to kill you, but failed."
Tarnsman Of Gor, Chapter 8
 
(notecard nc13 of Garians original SL Gor document)
And when the swift living blade of Sarm was still a full yard from my throat it met the lightning steel of a Gorean blade that had once been carried at the siege of Ar, that had met and withstood and conquered the steel of Pa-Kur, Gor's Master Assassin, until that time said to be the most skilled swordsman on the planet.
Priest-Kings of Gor, Chapter 27

On assassins taking time to kill:

In Tarnsman, Tarl just got on Gor and Pa-Kur attempted a quick assassination. In Assassins of Gor, however, Kuurus took his time, although he didn’t know who his intended mark was. Assassins wouldn't take chances, so usually they would take a bit of time to gather data and plan, unless they judge they can do it swift and immediately.
As for the process of death, it would be unlikely that they’d torture or lengthen death.

On assassins and free companions:

A man that would not even stay loyal to a homestone wouldn't seem likely to be bound in such a contract as free companionship, although might for power gain (4) or means to get closer to a kill.
 
(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