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#Post#: 45--------------------------------------------------
Bards of Gor
DIR By: High Captain Song
Date: May 24, 2024, 7:29 pm
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I have had some question me about my decision to play a
bard/skald/singer/poet/musician. Primarily because they are not
a prominent caste or even a High Caste.
And yet, in some places on Gor, the Singer is held in better
regard than the Scribe. And despite being a Low Caste, Singers
are afforded two great freedoms denied others.
Part of the problem is that the Books are inconsistent as to
whether Poets, Singers and Musicians are all one caste or not.
They are sometimes also lumped in with the Players.
Certainly, the Poets and Singers seem to be of one caste, at
least according to Outlaw of Gor. This is also the first of the
book to mention Singers. Indeed, it features one poet, Andreas
of Tor, as a major character.
From Outlaw of Gor, p 107 -
"What," cried a merry young voice, insolent and good natured,
"could a wench like you know of fools, of the Caste of Singers,
of Poets?"
However, later in the same book, Tarl Cabot notes Musicians and
Poets as being different castes.
From Outlaw of Gor, p. 223-224 -
"I wondered at this for the Caste of Musicians had been, like
the Caste of Poets, exiled from Tharna. Theirs, like the Caste
of Poets, had been a caste regarded by the sober masks of Tharna
as not belonging in a city of serious and dedicated folk, for
music, like Paga and song, can set men's hearts aflame and when
men's hearts are aflame it is not easy to know where the flame
may spread."
And yet, earlier in the novel, Andreas speaks of seeking out
adventures alongside Tarl Cabot and writing new songs. The
writing of songs suggests music which, in turn, suggests some
knowledge of how to play instruments.
From Outlaw of Gor, p. 171
"No," I said. "I think you would find few songs in the
mountains."
"A poet," said he, "will look for songs anywhere."
"I am sorry," I said, "but I cannot allow you to accompany me."
Andreas clapped his hands on my shoulders. "Hear, dull-witted
scion of the Caste of Warriors," he said, "my friends are more
important to me than even my songs."
I tried to be light. I feigned skepticism. "Are you truly of the
Caste of Poets?"
"Never more truly than now," said Andreas, "for how would my
songs be more important than the things they celebrate?"
I marveled that he had said this, for I knew that the young
Andreas of Tor might have given his arm or years of his life for
what might be a true song, one worthy of what he had seen and
felt and cared for.
The general consensus seems to be that Singers and Poets are one
caste and Musicians another. This, to my mind, makes little
sense.
Certainly there are song-writers on Earth who cannot play
instruments and musicians who are technically proficient but
cannot write their own tunes. It is much more common, however,
for Musicians to write their own music and song writers to have
some musical ability.
In any case, the Poets, Singers and Musicians share two rare
privileges that mark them as unique in Gorean Society.
1. It is illegal to enslave a Poet, Singer or Musician.
2. Poets, Singers, and Musicians have the right of free passage
between cities.
It is an often quoted saying among Goreans the same word is used
for stranger and enemy.
Less quoted is a phrase first coined in Players of Gor. ""No
musician can be a stranger."
From Players of Gor, p. 294 -
"To be sure, there tend to be few restrictions on the movements
of players on Gor. They tend to travel about, on the whole,
pretty much as they please. They tend to have free access almost
everywhere, being welcomed, unquestioned, in most Gorean camps,
villages, towns and cities. In this respect, they tend to
resemble musicians, who generally enjoy similar privileges.
There is a saying on Gor, "No musician can be a stranger." This
saying is sometimes, too, applied to members of the caste of
Players."
However, the same privileges are applied in earlier books to the
Singers and Poets. In most of these passages, we again see
overlap between Pets, Singers, Musicians and Players.
From Nomads of Gor, p. 154 -
"Lastly it might be mentioned, thinking it is of some interest,
musicians on Gor are never enslaved; they may, of course, be
exiled, tortured, slain and such; it is said, perhaps truly,
that he who makes music must, like the tarn and the Vosk gull,
be free."
From Hunters of Gor, p. 148 -
"Players, incidentally, are free to travel where they wish on
the surface of Gor, no matter what might be their city. By
custom, they, like musicians, are held free of the threat of
enslavement. Like musicians, and like singers, there are few
courts at which they are not welcome."
From Kajira of Gor, P. 297-298 -
"The musicians were free. Musicians on Gor, that is, members of
the caste of musicians, are seldom, if ever, enslaved. Their
immunity from bondage, or practical immunity from bondage, is a
matter of custom. There is a saying to the effect that he who
makes music must, like the tarn and the Vosk gull, be free. This
is a saying, however, which I suspect was invented by the caste
of musicians, to protect itself from bondage. For example, there
are many musicians on Gor, not members of the caste, who are
enslaved. For example, it is quite common on Gor to train a
slave girl in the use of a musical instrument, that she might be
more pleasing to masters."
Curiously, references to the Singers and Poets seem to decrease
after the early books and Musicians are mentioned almost
constantly afterward. Indeed, there are only two passes which
seem to offer a distinction between Poets and Musicians.
From Beasts of Gor, p. 44 -
"Poets and musicians, and jugglers and magicians, vie for the
attention of the crowds."
From Vagabonds of Gor, p. 304 -
"Many folks," I said, "think of Ar not in terms of her
musicians, her poets, and such, but in terms of administrators,
engineers and soldiers."
"That, too, is Ar," granted a fellow, generously.
Thankfully, one of the most recent Gor books seems to offer an
explanation for this confusion.
From Warriors of Gor, p. 119 -
"In defense of many Goreans, if a defense might seem in order,
they do listen to, relish, and often travel far, to see plays,
attend song dramas, and hear stories, some of which may take
several days to tell, particularly if they are from the lips of
famed Singers. The name of this caste does not translate well
into English, but it seems to me that "Singers" might be more
apt than "bards, reciters, story tellers," "poets," and such.
Some well-known singers are William of Harfax, Olaf of Kassau,
Andreas of Tor, Hakeem of Turia, and Phaidon of Anango."
While this seemingly establishes a firm line between Singers and
Poets, it also says that Singers are responsible for plays, song
dramas and stories. This suggests further overlap between
Singers, Musicians and Players, who would all be needed for a
Song Drama.
Alas, we may not know for sure until John Norman writes "Musical
Theaters of Gor."
In any case, there is enough grey in what is written for me to
be comfortable playing Frode in the tradition of the Norse
Skalds.
More on that next time.
#Post#: 46--------------------------------------------------
Re: Bards of Gor
DIR By: High Captain Song
Date: May 24, 2024, 7:59 pm
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Skalds, the Singers of the North, enjoy even greater privileges
than Singers and Poets in the South.
Such is the position of Skalds in the North that they have
replaced the Scribe in the game of Kaissa.
From Marauders of Gor, p. 57 -
"Similarly there are no Scribes, but a piece, which moves
identically, called the Singer. I thought that Andreas of Tor, a
friend, of the caste of Singers, might have been pleased to
learn that his caste was represented, and honored, on the boards
of the north."
Skalds are also in high demand during the harsh winters, and it
is considered a mark of prestige for a famous Skald to winter in
one's hall.
From Marauders of Gor, p. 231 -
"In the feast-season of Odin a fine skald is difficult to bring
to one's hall. One must bid high. Sometimes they are kidnapped,
and, after the season's singing, given much gold and freed."
This is similar to the prohibition on enslaving Singers,
Players, Musicians and Poets in the south. It also notes the
difference between being a captive and a slave, which has been
noted in other stories with some being captives and being
pressured to submit to slavery.
This makes sense, given the high illiteracy in the North and the
low regard given scribes and their work. In these places, where
Singers are among the few allowed to travel freely, they would
be invaluable as a source of news between settlements.
From Viking Skalds and Storytellers
HTML https://www.historyonthenet.com/viking-skalds-and-storytellers
"Skalds played an important role in Viking society and were both
honored and feared. The fear of a skald comes from his ability
to compose sarcastic poetry about people that could harm a
king’s standing or reputation. Mostly, however, skalds praised
their lords and were well-rewarded for their efforts. Skalds
were also teachers, historians and advisors to their lords,
their people and children. Skalds conveyed essential information
about how to behave in society through their poems and stories.
Some say skalds were also musicians, playing the harp or lute
while reciting poetry or sagas."
Given that, and the inspiration for the Skalds of Gor, I am
comfortable playing Frode as a poet and musician, who, like most
Northmen of Gor, cares little for the business of castes, being
a warrior, a slaver, a merchant, and a sailor in addition to a
singer and poet.
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