Story 2: The Blue Flame

(This is a short story that was an actual story-line in Delphius. The story-line was done through the emails and sections of the story were sent each day, like a serial. When the first section of this story-line was sent out, many players were worried that the city was actually going to be destroyed. No one knew what the outcome of the story-line was going to be. It did keep the players though on the edge of their seats.)

"Occasionally on Gor we destroy a city, selecting it by means of a random selection device. This teaches the lower orders the might of Priest-Kings and encourages them to keep our laws."

"So much the better," said Misk, "for the Men below the Mountains are then confused and fear us even more--but the members of the Caste of Initiates, we have found, will produce an explanation of why the city was destroyed. They invent one and if it seems plausible they soon believe it." (Priest Kings of Gor, p.123)

The Nest had regained its strength and stability after the chaos of the War of the Priest-Kings. It was now time to assert the extent of their power against Gor and the Kurii. The Kurii incursions had grown bolder and stronger. They had felt the weakness of the Priest-Kings and made tentative probes to test the waters. Once they felt secure, they began to exploit this weakness. The Kurii needed to feel the power of the Priest-Kings and that would hopefully cause them to pull back. Gor could not fall into their paws. The Men below the Mountains also needed to feel the power of the Priest-Kings. For far too long they had been growing complacent. They needed a sudden jolt to wake them to reality.

Misk, the eldest of the Nest, authorized the random selection of a city to be destroyed. Such raw power and destruction would reverberate throughout Gor and the Steel Worlds of the Kurii. An innocent city would be annihilated for the greater good. Misk had reluctantly given the order despite the many that would die. Once the city was chosen, Misk spent some Ahn observing the city through the cameras in their patrol ships. Was Tarl Cabot in that city, Misk thought.

Luther paced the confines of his bed chamber, his thoughts spinning in many directions. He had stood firm when the chaos attempted to over run everything. He held to his convictions and he remained honorable. So many platitudes and sayings resounded through his mind, each more true than any realized.

"It is hard to be Ubar." Such a simple thought but the truest of all. "The Ubar must contain within himself dark strengths. He must be capable of doing, as many men are not, what is necessary." Who understood what an Ubar had to do? He had to act for the city and not for personal motives. He had to be above that.

"He who sits upon the throne is the most alone of men." "The throne indeed is a lonely country. Many men desire to live there but few could bear its burden." Yes, he had few true friends. Each was so very precious. To lose even one was to tear at his heart. Many sought his favor but they were not friends. Many were parasites and sycophants. They wished to rub against the power and hoped some would rub off on them.

As the new year began, the fate of Delphius seemed so tenuous. The idea of just mounting a tarn and flying off into the skies away from it all had begun to appeal to him. Did he really wish to continue the immense responsibility of this large city? Could his heart stand to remain in the city?

Misk watched the city all day. It was a typical Gorean city in many ways but with its own unique flair. Misk saw no sign of Tarl Cabot. The city was undeserving of punishment but an example needed to be made. Let the Initiates concoct an explanation for its demise. Gor would shudder at the city's destruction. The Kurii would withdraw some from Gor, wary of the raw power evidenced by the Priest-Kings.

Though usually one of the regular observers would press the button to commence destruction, Misk wished to do this. Misk wanted the sole responsibility for the death of all of those people, several hundred thousand at least. The visit of Tarl to the Sardar had changed Misk. Misk now had some compunctions about killing the Men Below the Mountains. Yet not enough to stop him from his duty.

The coordinates were input into the targeting mechanism. The weapon was charged. The weapon ship steadied itself and waited to reach the targeting coordinates.

Luther left the Central Cylinder in the guise of a simple merchant. Only a few trusted guards noticed his departure and even they did not recognize him in his disguise. Luther wanted anonymity.

He wandered the city, visiting its sights. He hung around the marketplace, had a few drinks in some paga taverns and watched a few duels in the arena. He immersed himself in the city, gathering information about its citizens. He asked many questions, seeking the answers to the quandary that plagued him.

Luther remained in the city almost all night before sneaking back into the Central Cylinder. He did not sleep though. Instead, he stood on the rooftop of the cylinder, contemplating the results of his city exploration. He had received some answers, a few that made him happy and others that irritated him. He knew the time for action neared.

Patience was a virtue of the Warrior but decisive action was now required. A difficult decision lay before him. As always, his decision would not please everyone. That was a given. But he needed to do what was necessary.

Luther stroked the feathers of his favorite war tarn, the gray Silent Steel. The mighty tarn strained at the tethers holding it in its cot. It ached for a chance to stretch its wings over the city. Luther smiled and untethered the bird. He climbed the mounting ladder and belted himself into the saddle. He wanted some invigoration and the crisp, night air would do that. He pulled on the one-strap, launching the tarn into the sky.

A squadron of six Kurii ships rapidly approached Gor. Their mission was vital to the cause of the Kurii. They needed to create a diversion and destroy the eyes that might observe their nefarious plans. The Kurii gleefully anticipated the damage they would cause the Priest-Kings. The rumors of their weakness seemed to be confirmed more and more each day. The Priest-Kings had repelled the Kurii too many times in the past but never again would they permit it. Gor would be theirs.

All six ships unleashed a barrage of missiles and beam weapons, targeting the monitoring ships of the Priest-Kings. The plan of the Kurii necessitated shutting down the spy capability of the Priest-Kings, to conceal the true plans of the Kurii. The squadron needed to act quickly to limit the reaction time of the Priest-Kings. The Kurii destroyed a couple ships and damaged several others, effectively blinding them.

As the Priest-Kings mobilized their ships to the affected area, the Kurii ships sped off, their mission accomplished. Enough cameras had been neutralized to hide their nefarious activities. The Priest-King ships pursued them for many pasangs but the Kurii ships eventually escaped.

"One of the monitors we lost was our targeting ship. We have registered that the ship fired but we cannot confirm the target. It took heavy damage. It may have not struck its target."

Luther feared what he would see when his sight returned. He feared to see the ashes of Delphius. He knew that the Priest-Kings had the power to destroy cities and he knew that the blue beam was the method of that destruction. Cities had been annihilated before. But he knew no reason why Delphius could have earned their ire. Delphius had some problems but none that should anger the Priest-Kings.

If they had destroyed Delphius, Luther vowed to seek answers from the Priest-Kings themselves. He would journey to the foreboding Sardar and confront the mysterious overseers of Gor. None had ever returned from the Sardar but Luther had no fear. To destroy his cherished city would earn his unforgiving wrath.

As his vision returned, he saw the great expanse of ash, the blackened remnants. Tears welled up and his anger surged. Why? Why? What had Delphius done wrong?

Misk watched the view screens come into focus and then he saw the blackened circle, the annihilation wrought by their dreaded weapon. Misk tried to discern the location he was seeing.

Luther stared at the devastation and then turned his eyes toward the walls of Delphius. It had missed by less than half a pasang. Why? What had gone wrong? The Priest-Kings could not have purposefully missed. That was not their way. An error must have been made. Would the Priest-Kings rectify the mistake? How long would it be before they corrected the error and destroyed Delphius?

Misk saw that the beam had barely missed the city. It would be a few days likely before they could repair the targeting mechanism, a few days before they could fire the beam again.

Misk wondered how the Goreans would view the near miss? Would they see it is a warning? Few would dare believe that the Priest-Kings had erred. The Kurii would also note the blast and be wary of the raw power of the Priest-Kings. Was it thus necessary to complete the mission and destroy Delphius?

Luther sat poised in the saddle of his war tarn. Would the Priest-Kings finish the job? Should he try to evacuate the city? Was there enough time to do so? If he entered the city, would he escape before another beam struck? Too many questions without answers. He had no way to predict the actions of the Priest-Kings.

Misk had thought carefully on his next move. For now, nothing else would be done. Misk would wait to see how matters developed. Maybe the miss would be sufficient to accomplish their goals. Only time would tell how it would be viewed. Cameras would remain over Delphius to examine their reactions. Misk could afford to wait. If the reaction was not pleasing, Misk could then reactivate the weapon and complete the objective.

As the Ahns passed, Luther began to relax. As he sat on his throne, he started to feel that the beam may have been only a warning. For what, he still did not know. Delphius could not stop the Priest-Kings if the blue beam was to strike again. They were helpless. All they could do was to go on with their lives and hope for the best.

Luther remained awake for the next twenty Ahn. After that time, he felt secure that another beam was not imminent. He then retired to his chambers to obtain some sleep. It had been a trying couple days.

(Here is another story-line that was run in Delphius. The following was the lead-in to the storyline. This was sent in sections in emails and gave several different options for a variety of players to get involved in the story-line. The public board posts were meant to entice the players into joining the story-line. The idea was to intrigue players with the background)

I am returning to Delphius for the first time since the horrid war with Cos. I once was a happy man, a prominent research Physician. From my laboratory on Pythian Street, I studied the mysteries of disease and the immunity system. I stayed away from Dar-kosis as I had no wish to be interrupted by the Initiates who feel that it is a "holy" disease. What bosk dung! How can any disease be holy?

The war changed everything for me. My beloved Tabitha, my Free Companion for over sixty En'Karas, was killed by a stray crossbow bolt. My precious daughter, Paissa, died in a fire. The tragedies shattered my life and I fled Delphius.

Why return now? Why come back to the scene of death and destruction? I must return because I have work to do. I now have an intense research problem that I must try to answer. The Physicians of Delphius and their library are superb. They will benefit greatly my studies. I really have no choice. I must return if I ever hope to be happy once again.

My research into the stabilization serums must be done. The fate of all Gor is in my hands. Even the Priest-Kings may not be able to prevent the potential disaster that looms over this planet. I am key to that Armageddon. Shall the door be unlocked or closed forever?

Post #1: Seeking donors to provide blood and tissue specimens for medical research. Each donor will receive five copper tarns. The procedure will take less than half an Ahn. We require free persons and slaves. We only need a set number of specimens so space is limited. Contact Physician Quelter on Pythian Street for further details.

Post #2: Seeking volunteers to participate in a five-hand long medical study. If qualified, you will receive two silver tarns for your participation. The study will require your presence once a hand at our facility. The study is not dangerous. We are seeking to improve the efficacy of still existing drugs. We require healthy individuals. Slaves may be delivered by their owners. Space is limited. Contact Physician Quelter on Pythian Street for further details.

Post #3: Seeking men to gather some rare plants in the Northern Forests. We will pay very well. Contact Physician Quelter on Pythian Street for further details.

Post #4: Seeking Physician to aid in research experiment. Familiarity with standard research protocols necessary. Would be helpful to possess knowledge of advanced chemistry, drug interactions and disease prevention. Contact Physician Quelter on Pythian Street for further details.

The flow of donors and volunteers has been slow but my work has been progressing well anyways. My library of medical scrolls already contains a near exhaustive compilation of information concerning the stabilization serums. Since the creation of the serums over five hundred years ago, few have tried to improve them. They normally work so well that few saw a need to refine their efficacy.

Yet, the serums are not perfect. They do not work on certain people. In some cases, the serums only work for a short time. In the worst cases, they even accelerate the aging process with fatal results.

I have studied the latest works of Armenius of Ko-ro-ba and Talius of Ar, both esteemed Physicians who have done extensive research on the serums. But their works do not cover the area I must research. I know of no other Physician studying in my area. I would have been quite surprised to have found any of my Caste brothers researching my special topic. My experiments will be unique. In memory of my family, I shall persevere in my studies until I succeed. I shall tolerate no obstacles.

Aging is a disease like any other. It once plagued us all but the serums have inoculated us from its dangers. My Caste though has been lax in this area. They have been lulled into a false sense of security about this disease. I must show them the error of their ways. The extinction of all Gorean life hangs in the balance. We are on the edge of a precipice and walking along blind.

I have achieved a phenomenal breakthrough with subject Shu-138. Her unfortunate death spawned a significant discovery. Even without an autopsy, I could easily discern the cause of death. The autopsy though yielded several vital keys for my research. I incinerated the body afterwards to prevent contamination. I compensated her Master for the loss. Money is not a concern. The owner was glad to receive such a high price for his kajira. Who truly cares what happens to them anyways?

I now know that it can be done. That was always a given though. The vector has always been the puzzle. Intravenous, insinuative, ingestive, air-borne, viral, bacterial, communicable? I knew what I desired but was not sure if it was possible. This breakthrough had accelerated my proposed research schedule. I could now expect to finish my studies in only three or four more months. This was quite different from my original estimate of nine to twelve months.

I delivered a missive to my Cosian contact. He would ensure that my message reached the court of Lurius. My letter told of my recent success and revised my proposed schedule. I told them though that I could now complete my work in six to nine months, giving myself some leeway. They would be quite pleased. They could revise their time frame for their attacks on Ar and Delphius. Those strikes needed to be simultaneously for maximum effect and to lessen their reaction time for defensive measures. Lurius would recall his agents and spies before the attacks. Lurius hoped to devastate both of those cities in one month's time. I am sure that time would be sufficient.

I spent another sleepless night, worrying. This time it was about the Priest-Kings. Would they intervene in my research? Did they even know about it? Would the Flame Death claim me? No one knew the motives or abilities of the Priest-Kings. My research did touch in areas that might concern them. I pray that they ignore me and allow my plans to come to fruition. The end result of my actions will be similar to what they did to Callox and Tyvik. We do not know why they deserved their fates. Maybe the Priest-Kings will accept my reasoning.

I have burnt nearly all of my research notes. The few notes that I have retained have been placed into a devious code. I have memorized the rest of what I need. I shall continue to burn my notes, keeping only what is absolutely essential. My purpose is two-fold.

First, I do not want any other Physicians to have my research. It is not meant for any other than me. No other Physician could be entrusted with this knowledge. The threat would be too dire. Second, without notes, I become indispensable. I will not be slain and my notes stolen. Cos cannot be trusted. They would kill me easily if all they needed were my notes. It is my insurance against betrayal.

The experiments progress well. Each day I am closer to my goal. I have begun to narrow my options, concentrating my efforts to expedite the process. I have also begun to plan what I shall do once my research is complete. That part will be the most dangerous. But, I have the drive to succeed. No one or no thing will bar my path. Revenge is a potent motivator.

I need to rest for a hand. I have spent too many long days working and had too many sleepless nights. I look terrible, with dark circles under my eyes, and a haggard look. I have eaten little and lost almost five stone. I am ahead of schedule so I can afford the time off. I need to get out, have some ka-la-na. I need to forget, even briefly, about what I am doing.

I spent one day wandering the streets of Delphius. Then I spent four days in a drunken stupor. That first day affected me too greatly. I watched the myriad of people in the streets and I was filled with despair. I could not handle it so I went to a shop, purchased several bottles of ka-la-na and locked myself in my room. I finished all of the bottles during the next few days. I remember little of that time. But, at least I did forget about my dilemma for a short bit.

I have always been a healer. Now I am researching a method to kill hundreds of thousands of people. Have I become a monster? Am I a disease that needs to be eliminated? Vengeance has directed me in this endeavor. Shall I allow that to control me? Can I control my plan or will it escalate out of control? Will I be responsible for the deaths of millions? My anguish has been consuming me. Yet, I shall continue to work. I have no choice.

Of all, the death of the Ubar will fill me with the greatest satisfaction. He is the one ultimately responsible for the bleakness in my life. He has destroyed my family. HE MUST PAY!!!!

(The basic idea of this story-line was that the Physician had been captured by the Cosians during the war. His son was also captured. The Cosians blackmailed the Physician into working for them or they would kill his son. The Cosians told him to create a plague, one that would reverse the effects of the stabilization serums, thus making people age all at once. Thus, everyone older than 90 or so would likely die due to the rapid aging. The Cosians wished to infect Delphius and Ar. The Physician did not want to do this but did perform the research. He hoped to instead use the disease on Cos. He hoped to find aid in Delphius.)

These are all questions that someone could ask about my city of Delphius. I have been asked these questions in the past and other similar questions. Yet, few truly know all of the origins of Delphius. And not a single person has ever guessed or asked about a unique thread that runs through the city. I have told a few people about this "thread" but in general it remains a mystery. Until now. The following will describe much of my thought processes and aims behind the creation of Delphius. Maybe it will help others to create unique and interesting Gorean cities. Delphius was not created in a vacuum. Much preparation and research was involved.

First, a little background on myself. I have been involved in role-playing for over twenty years. I have also been reading the Gorean novels for as long. I have had the pleasure of meeting John Norman on several occasions at successive Arisia Science Fiction Conventions. At one such convention, I received an autographed typewriter ribbon spool that he had used. No modern word processor for him it seems. Prior to coming to AOL Gor, I had been compiling my own Gorean encyclopedia, an A to Z guide to the books.

I came to AOL Gor and wanted to role-play Gor, to immerse myself in its grandeur and atmosphere. I wanted to stay true to the books because they are what intrigued me. I found many did not follow the books though largely out of ignorance. Few had read the books. They were mostly out of print and difficult to find. The existing websites were often rife with errors and inaccuracies. People created their own matters and others were led to believe those matters were true to the books.

As I could not find what I sought, I decided to create my own city that would be true to the spirit of the books. But, I also knew that such a city would need to educate as well. How could someone be expected to follow the books unless they knew what the books said? To that end, I began writing what was then known as the "Educational Scrolls of Delphius." Those first scrolls were geared towards my new city but were based on information from the books that I had personally researched so I could vouch for their accuracy. Those scrolls have since grown to be more generic and now comprise about 300 pages of information all about Gor.

When I thought about creating a city, I did not want to use a city from the books. I did not want to conflict with the information about those cities from the books. The books stated that there were many other cities on Gor besides the ones that were specifically named in the novels. Thus, my city would be one of those unnamed ones. This would give me free reign to design the city from the ground up. I wanted a "theme" for my city, a common thread, something to tie it together and give it character. I thought about the matter, considering aspects of ancient Greece and Rome, sources Norman used for his works.

I decided that the Greek god, Phoebus Apollo, would be the inspiration for my city. Apollo was a sun god, a healer and the source of the wisdom of the Oracle of Delphi. Delphi was the location where the ancient peoples went seeking wisdom and advice. My city would be a place of learning, where people came to learn about Gor. It would thus become "Delphius" similar to the Oracle's home. I would then use other related elements in other parts of my city.

The flag of Delphius would bear a "yellow sun," a symbol of Apollo. Apollo was allegedly born on the island of Delos so he was also called the Delian. The founder of Delphius was a Scribe named Delian. Delphius would also have a "Delian Gate," a sun-gate, a Delian Street, a street for the city library, and the colony of Delos, a coastal outpost. Apollo was also called the Pythian for killing a huge serpent, the Python. Delphius thus had a Pythian Street. This became the street for the hospital and headquarters of the Physician's Caste as Apollo is also the god of healing. Delphius would also have a Apollonia Street, a feminized version of Apollo. Delphius has continued to this day to emphasize Gorean education.

As I constructed the city, I needed to decide on a form of government. As I was following the history of the novels, I chose to locate the city about twenty years after the events of Magicians of Gor. Delphius was made a victim of the Cosian invasion that also impacted mighty Ar. Thus, Delphius was still recuperating from the prior devastation. Amidst this chaos, a Ubar was needed to bring the city back together, to rebuild what was lost. Ubars do not just rule during war time. They also rule during times of civil chaos and unrest. Delphius has had a tumultuous history in the last two years so the position of Ubar has remained necessary. One day, maybe it will not be so and the Ubar will become an Administrator.

As I wrote the rules for this new city, I knew there were matters I wanted to do much differently from the rest of AOL Gor. I wanted a new combat system, one that would be more realistic. I used my role-play experience to create a system I felt would work well online, one not too complex but also diverse enough to add realism to the role-play. I tried to make sure that all of the city rules reflected the novels. I saw no need for mun consent as I felt mature role-players did not need it.

When I considered those who would play in Delphius, I knew I wanted mature adults. I would keep the city private so I could better control the type of players in the city. I wanted people not afraid to learn, people eager to embrace good story-lines. The first House in Delphius was the House of Black Moon, led by OnyxxMoon. Onyx was a good friend and a sounding board for many of my ideas. She offered support and helped keep the role-playing going for a long time. I do owe her many thanks for all her help.

Over the past two years, the city has waxed and waned as players came and went. Through it all, Delphius has always been true to its ideals. It has remained a teaching city and it has offered its players some excellent story-lines and role-play. I do wish to thank all the players of Delphius, past and present, for helping to keep Delphius alive. Delphius still flourishes and hopefully will continue its proud journey.

I do wish to offer special thanks to the memory of Dharkholm, a true Gorean who was taken from us far too soon. He brought much to Delphius and I am proud he chose to reside there. He shall live on in our memories.