The Caravanserai Market is located directly between the major trade hubs of Market of Semris and Torcadino, beneath Lake Ias.
This well-garrisoned rest stop for Gorean travelers is a 100% Safe Zone. Please read the rules below before entering.
The Caravanserai Market Rules:
The ONLY initial consequence for improper behavior in the Caravanserai Market is caging by either a played character or a NPC market guard, with scripts posted to the Judgement board for the Magistrate to determine the validity of the caging and any additional consequences. Such rulings are made on a case-by-case basis per the guidelines indicated under "Caging and Judgments."
All Portal of Dreams site rules, as well as a MODIFIED version of our rules for Gorean General Role-Play Rooms, will apply to all role-play that happens within the Caravanserai Market. By entering the Caravanserai Market, you have agreed to to abide by all rules listed on or linked to this page; therefore, please take a moment to ensure you have read and understood them before entering the room. Ignorance will be no excuse to escape the dangerous role-play that may occur within.
All role-play must be realistic and appropriate for this room. Aside from the provisions detailed below, most situations simply require knowledge of Gor or a willingness to learn. Keeping your role-play as realistic to the Gorean novels of John Norman as possible will usually prevent most problems.
MODIFIED General Common Sense Rules and Guidelines:
First and foremost, Portal of Dreams Site Rules take precedence over the rules of any privately-run home located in the Gorean Section.
All role-players should attempt, in every instance, to accept whatever consequences come as a result of their actions during role-play in this room. Should complications arise, we strongly encourage attempting resolution through reasonable and mature discussion with all parties involved, even in cases where the role-play will require judgement. However, regardless of outcome, no one will be forced, guilted, or coerced to leave one site for another if they are not comfortable in doing so.
Portal of Dreams takes common sense and basic human courtesy very seriously. If you choose to disrespect these Rules and Guidelines, your fellow Gorean role-players, or Site Staff, please be prepared to face consequences. Repeat offenses, or refusal to honor an OFFICIAL Portal of Dreams Magistrate ruling by shelving your character or using any other method to avoid following through on the consequences of your actions, will result in one or more of the following consequences: a verbal or written warning; being removed from a room by a Site Moderator; being banned from role-playing within the Caravanserai Market, either temporarily or permanently; or being site banned, either temporarily or permanently. If you cannot abide by these rules and subsequent rulings, please refrain from utilizing our GRP room.
If you have any questions or concerns pertaining to the Rules & Guidelines set forth on this page, please contact the Magistrate, or a member of Admin for clarification or conflict resolution.
Observing and Valid Names:
Your character’s name or use name must be Gorean-themed in nature. Initials, room default or anonymous names, Gorean animal names used to lurk rather than actively role-play, and improperly themed names such as Buffy the Vampire Slayer are not acceptable within the Caravanserai Market and may result in removal from the room by a Site Moderator.
You are free to use the Caravanserai Market to silently observe, meditate, or quietly learn. We won't hold it against you, so long as you are practicing good manners and using a valid role-play name! However, once you break your silence in any fashion in the open room, you are fair game and subject to the harsh realities of this room.
Anything said in PM is just that -- private -- and does not constitute breaking the silently observing rule.
It is acceptable for chatters to wear a legitimate Home Stone name in their tags. For example, if Leonardo roleplays he is an Alar, being "Leonardo of the Alars" is acceptable. Leonardo will not be labeled an outlaw, and no one will have just cause or authority to cage him as an outlaw.
Out-of-Character (OOC) Commentary:
To prevent disruption of role-play, OOC actions or commentary is NOT PERMITTED in the Caravanserai Market. Therefore, please keep discussions of this nature to private messages. Further, you are responsible for every word you utter, whether you consider yourself to be in character or not, and will be held accountable IN CHARACTER.
General Role-Play Protocols:
It is not acceptable to be in two rooms at the same time. If you are here, then you are not to be in another Gorean room, as well. Pick one. The only exception to this rule are for Site Moderators or Admin tending to site duties, or moderator calls.
Role-play within Caravanserai Market requires mandatory use of location pull-downs to add validity to role-play and to aid with matters requiring judgment by the Magistrate.
Secondary Characters are allowed within the Caravanserai Market for the purpose of enhancing role-play, with the provisions that Secondary Characters are not allowed to capture, collar, maim, or kill any other character and must have "Secondary Character" clearly stated in their tags. In the interest of fair play and mirror rules, Secondary Characters cannot be captured, collared, maimed, or killed by any other character, including marked Assassins, BUT a secondary character can be caged, subject to a judgement by the Magistrate if acting in a non-Gorean manner be it a Free or slave; after all, if a Secondary Character exists primarily to enhance role-play in the home of the typist's Primary Character, and cannot cause harm in the GRP Caravanserai Market, this also means that a Secondary Character would be unable to change homes due to collaring, defend against attack, or take the combat to the GRP Stadium. As with any other character, the only acceptable means of dealing with a rule-breaking or unruly Secondary Character is a caging pending Magistrate ruling as stated above. However, due to the limited manner in which a Secondary Character may be played in the GRP Caravanserai Market, any Magistrate ruling beyond a first-offense warning will most likely entail the typist being barred from bringing a Secondary Character into the GRP Caravanserai Market or possibly dealing with a caged Secondary Character as any caged character doing improper Gorean role-play, such being at the discretion of the Magistrate in what judgement/punishment option is taken.
As with Secondary Characters, NPC Animals/Insects may be used to enhance a storyline but CANNOT kill or maim any Non-NPC character, nor may they be used to capture errant slaves, improper free women, law-breaking free men, or outlaws of either gender. Rather, the only consequence for improper behavior in the Caravanserai Market is a caging to be undertaken by either a played character or a NPC market guard, which is then subject to Magistrate Ruling. No registration will be required by those wishing to play NPC animals/insects in Gorean GRP Rooms. Please note that NPC animals/insects should be played realistically. Animals do not talk on Gor. Priest-Kings, Kurii, and Spider People are sentient humanoid races and do not count as animals/insects. Additionally, NPC animals/insects are not to be used for the purposes of observing, lurking, or causing disruption by chatting in an OOC fashion while others are trying to role-play.
MPG Players are allowed within the Caravanserai Market. MPG must be in your tags.
Open Combat:
The Caravanserai Market is a 100% Safe Zone. Any attempts at combat will result in ejection from the market by the Market Guards. Repeated attempts at combat in the market will result in a permanent ban from the Caravanserai Market.
Assassination Attempts:
The Caste of Assassins have been paid off by the Magistrate, and have agreed to no longer hunt within the Caravanserai Market. Any assassination attempts will result in immediate ejection by the Market Guards.
Raids:
Fun Raids are allowed within the Caravanserai Market. PoD Raid Rules apply. No Killiing/Maiming/Harm will be done to any live players. NPC's can be killed, tortured, etc. All Players can defend/attack during any raids. Please read the PoD Raid Rules if you are unsure how this works.
Caging and Judgments:
As previously stated, the ONLY initial consequence for improper behavior in the Caravanserai Market is a caging to be undertaken by either a played character or a NPC Market guard, which will need to be posted to the PoD boards for judgment by the Magistrate. The Caravanserai Market Room Rules will supersede Gorean laws in making the initial determination of a caging's validity. Once determined to be valid, the consequences will be reasonable per the norms of Gorean standards, as follows:
Free Men
No man is above the laws of the Caravanserai Market. Should any of the laws be violated, you will be held accountable. Punishment can vary from caging to being banned, either temporarily or on a permanent basis, depending on the severity and number of times you've disrespected our rules. All cagings should be posted on the Judgment section of the boards for review by the Magistrate.
The detainment of free men shall be handled as follows: Law Breaking (theft - either of merchandise or another person's property) = 1 Silver + 3 days of labor. Role-play scripts of labor and payment must be posted to be valid.
If unable to pay, the free man will be "sent to the Salt Mines," i.e., collared and sold to the highest bidding home. Said home will pay the fine plus their bid.
Free Women
You do not require escort to enter this room. Being respectful and remembering your status within this realm will keep you protected by the guards scattered throughout the caravanserai. However, if a free man or free woman takes offense to any behavior they feel is unbecoming of a free woman, they have the right to cage you, or to have NPC Guards do so; and no guard within the caravanserai will stop them. Inappropriate or revealing avatars are at the discretion of the individual who decides to take offense, so be very mindful of what you wear here. All cagings should be posted on the Judgment section of the boards for review by the Magistrate.
Detainment of free women will be handled as follows: Improper Clothing = 10 copper + 3 days of labor. Improper Behavior = 25 copper + 5 days of labor. Couching of another's slave = 1 Silver + Labor within the Market until the trial + Trial of Peers. The free woman will remain detained until the trial has concluded, at which time, the Magistrate will determine the punishment if found guilty. All labor must be role-played and scripted to be valid.
All payments must be made by a man of the free woman's home or a male member of her family. Payment must be role-played and scripted to be valid. If there is no home or male family member, the male can be a NPC/Storyteller. If unable to pay, the free woman will be enslaved and sold to the highest bidding home. Said home will pay the fine plus their bid.
Please Note: If a free woman voluntarily submits, her collaring will be deemed valid, her owner will not be automatically caged by the NPC Guards, and the matter will not require Magistrate ruling. This includes role-play in which a free woman is "captured and forced to submit." If a free woman goes along with the role-play rather than screaming for the NPC Guards to intercede, the role-play will be considered consensual and therefore valid. If she, or someone acting on her behalf, later attempts to contest the role-play and place it on the board for Magistrate judgment, the Magistrate will automatically rule that she acted in a manner unbecoming of a free woman, and the role-play outcome will stand.
Outlaws
Despite the harsh penalties exacted upon outlaws found within city walls, it was not unknown in the Gorean novels for both male and female outlaws to enter cities, towns, and encampments in disguise, or when secretly invited by a legitimate member of Gorean society for the purpose of conducting a covert business arrangement. Therefore, outlaws may enter the Caravanserai Market at their own risk!
Should an outlaw's status be discovered through valid role-play, such as admitting their outlawry within earshot of an enemy, they will be immediately caged until the Magistrate determines their fate of either enslavement or impalement, per Gorean law as seen in the writings of John Norman. All scripts should be posted to the boards regarding these cases. Note: Determining an outlaw's identity via role-play tags or mind-reading of thought posts will not constitute valid grounds for a caging, and the Magistrate will rule any such "psychic hotline" role-play null and void.
To clarify, anyone who claims to be an outlaw, or claims to have no Home Stone, is considered an outlaw. Those who have no actual role-play home, yet claim to have a Home Stone or to be a member of a fringe culture such as the Alars or Tuchuks, are not outlaws.
Panthers & Talunas- Any Panther Girl or Taluna caught within the Caravanserai Market is subject to the same rules and judgments as a male outlaw; see above.
Collared Slaves
Regarding your private property: If you do not want your slave to be potentially caged for disrespectful or inappropriate behavior, then we strongly suggest that you do not allow them to enter unless they can behave. While not requiring escort, your slave must have your permission to travel to the Caravanserai Market or else risk being caged as a runaway.
Collared slaves will be protected by the guards so long as they remember their proper place, but no guard within the carvanserai will protect a mouthy or disrespectful slave. We do not care who your owner is or where you are from; you are held to the highest standards here and are expected to behave accordingly.
Caging is the only permitted repercussion for a collared slave; whipping, beating, maiming, or otherwise marking another's property will be prohibited by NPC Guards. Cagings for inappropriate behavior should be posted on the Judgment section of the boards for review.
Detainment of collared slaves will be handled as follows: Behavior unbecoming of a kajira - 50 copper + 1 day labor. All fines must be paid by the owner or their representative. Labor and payment must be role-played and scripted to be valid. Owners or their representatives will have a Gorean Hand, or five (5) days, to claim the slave. Any unclaimed property will be sold to the highest bidding home.
Please Note: Owners may discipline or kill their personal property at their whim, without interference from the NPC Guards.
Uncollared Slaves
Uncollared slaves have no protection within the Caravanserai Market. Barenecks, as they are often called, cannot be protected by a free person or NPC guards. Any uncollared slave will be immediately placed in a market collar and sold during a monthly auction, as per any auction rules and stipulations that may have been placed on each slave's thread, unless said slave has expressed a desire for a long-term Caravanserai Market collar. (For more information on long-term Market slaves, please see the Gorean Announcements boards.) Caravanserai Market slaves are not caged, for they are there to serve and entertain those within the Market. Caging is the only permitted repercussion for a Caravanserai Market slave; whipping, beating, maiming, or otherwise damaging the Caravanserai Market's property will be prohibited by NPC Guards. Cagings for inappropriate behavior should be posted on the Judgment section of the boards for the Magistrate to review.
Voluntary Submission
Uncollared slaves, free women, and even free men who willingly submit to a free person do not fall under the uncollared slave rule for immediate caging. If they willingly submit to a free person, then that free person has a right to either accept and collar, cage and hand them over to the Caravanserai Market, or kill the slave/ex-free woman who has submitted.