THE RETURN OF SIERRAROSE

ESCAPE FROM VENNA

While preparations are underway in the city for the fair we will soon inaugurate on the occasion of the festival of Se-Var, the annual fair held on the winter solstice, when day defeats night and the sun provides ever more light day after day.

While the stalls and booths of the various Castes and the many merchants who have come to the city are being prepared, I set up two newsstands on the main avenue, one opposite Lady Luelar's barbershop. Our newspaper is doing very well, and sales are improving day by day. With the consent of Administrator Sir Pettigrew, I plan to add more copies, hoping to get a little help by making sure everyone knows where to get them. Of course, at the fair, newspapers are free for everyone.

sir Argos

Suddenly, a guard came running, announcing the arrival of a caravan from the Silverstone Oasis, where I knew Sir Yuroki lived with his companion, Lady Sabayna, and their daughter, Sierra Rose. The young woman I had first courted in Port Victoria, but she had followed her family first to the Cartassa Oasis and then to their Silverstone Oasis.

I dropped everything and ran to the gate where the caravan was completing its entry formalities at the guardhouse. They would then wait to meet the leader of the Traders and finally enter the city. Although Venna was a tourist destination, anyone could enter freely as long as they handed over their weapons to the guards. I descended the grand staircase, scanning the crowd, trying to recognize my beloved Sierra among them, and finally I saw her. She ran toward me and literally leaped upon me, breaking every law on female freedom on the planet.

lady Luelar

We hugged and stayed that way for a long time until their mother, Lady Sabayna, came to greet us. Lady Sabayna was a great perfumer, and I had often met her on my travels at fairs, even though her skin was brown and burned by the Thahari sun.

lady Sierra

I didn't see Sir Yuroki with them, and when I asked where he was, they told me he had remained in the ruins of the oasis, after the destruction by the Torvie warriors who lately have been attacking cities and oases, arriving on their Tarls, scaling walls and fences, and destroying and killing everything in their path. Yuriki, along with trusted men, gathered everything they could. He would seek out a new, deserted, more sheltered oasis, perhaps somewhere far from the known trails, and repopulate that new oasis. The women had been sent to a nearby city and placed in the Arem for safekeeping.

We climbed the long staircase to the square, and then sat on the bench in the flowerbed in the garden in front of the Scribes' Palace. We told each other about our past, our love, and our forced separation, until their mother joined us. I took them around the squares and along the avenue where the stalls were lined up on both sides of the avenue. Then I took them to the Scribes' Palace, introducing them first to Lady Zoye, then to Lady Tenka. Lady Tenka was with us in Port Victoria, running the large perfumery on the harbor, and here in Venice she worked hard to find a stall to rent and sell her wonderful products. Although Eva also sells perfumes, Lady Tenka sells various bath and beauty products. I must confess that I also bought soaps from her, which I put in my clothes' cases to perfume them.

lady Sabayna

   Sierra announced that she spoke with her mother and received permission to stay and live with me in Venna. After our engagement period, which usually lasts four Mani Gor (weeks), we will celebrate our companionship ceremony, hoping that her father, Sir Yuroki, will arrive in the meantime.

Meanwhile, I sent a message to Sir Argos, who is L'ubar and the Chief Scribe, to discuss the possibility of Sierra and I taking up a position with the Scribe Caste. However, with preparations for the blessing of the Temple, the preparation of the Caste stall with all the arrivals, and the people around seeking news, we have postponed the meeting, but I hope she can live here with us.

The fair, as usual, was very chaotic, with people arriving from all over. Many Pani citizens came from the foot of the Sardar Mountains to visit the new museum dedicated to Pani art. Lady Luelar was a Pani descendant and was well-known and respected in the city of Venna for her skill as a weaver and ladies' hairdresser.

On the last day, the Temple was inaugurated. An Initiate came for the blessing. The entire city was present and moved. When it was all over and the last merchant had left with his goods, a caravan arrived in the city. They weren't merchants or desert folk, but well-dressed gentlemen, and one was wearing a blue suit. I wanted to go meet him, but something told me he would never be there.a friend, I sat down as usual at the inn table on the stairs and waited, I clearly saw Sir Argos, who was going towards him and greeting him with great effusion, I recognized in that man dressed in blue an old Magistrate student of mine, I stood up and headed towards them, when I was close to them Argos introduced himself saying that he would be the new Head of the Magistrates, a role that I had held until that moment, and that he clearly gave to his friend, I remained silent, I was very disappointed and offended, in the meantime Yuroki arrived in the city, took the family and left for the new Oasis he had rebuilt, Sierra I had lost again, but I was too humiliated at that moment, I packed my trunks and left with the first caravan towards Thassa, I would find another city to live.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Greetings to all readers

During the GMA (Gorean Merchant Association) meeting, the beautiful Billy Ann wrote this poem dedicated to the Merchant Caste, and I am honored to publish it and share it with you.

darianelnairad

Nina with Erik child

From the Oasis to the Cold North - Erik the Tavernkeeper

By now the Oasis had been rebuilt and enlarged with a new gold-adorned palace and large spaces. All the other palaces and gardens had been enlarged. The large fountain in the central square provided water for the population, and the dance gazebo had also been enlarged. I had sacrificed the Zoo and the animals given up for adoption to the inhabitants of the interior. I had left for myself only two Tarms and a few camels. The Gallery had also been enlarged. Now I had plenty of free space, and I can put up new portraits of Goreans I will meet on my travels.

The time had come to set off on a new adventure. We are now in mid-spring and I can return to the North. It's been a long time since I saw the beautiful Nina in the village of Hammersgaard, despite her sending me so many invitations, and now I can finally hug her again.

Erim the Viking

Nina was a Panther. She escaped from the Shendi forest following a Viking merchant named, who had gone south to trade and had fallen in love with Nina in a tavern where she served customers disguised as a merchant. She often left her tribe and visited cities and villages in disguise, and never missed an opportunity to rob and kill some man she met on her way. And so it was that in the city of Baku she met him, Erik, a tall, blond, blue-eyed Vuchingo, who had arrived at the port with his ship to trade furs and buy wine, fabrics, and perfumes for the women of his village. He fell in love at first sight with Nina, the waitress who served at the tables and who could keep even the most fiery men of the Desert and some enterprising drunkards at bay.

Nina with the King

  She fell in love with that handsome man in his traditional Viking village clothes. She never left him alone at the table, always ready to serve him food and wine. When it was time to leave, she followed him, took the few things she had, and boarded that ship full of tough, mean-looking men.

ERIK-fREYA-ANGEL

In the village of Hammersgaard, Erik had a tavern on the harbor. He put his beautiful Nina in charge and kept the customers in check while he traveled. Nina, a Panther who was not only beautiful but also a great warrior, had learned the art of combat from a young age. She had participated in raids on many cities and villages in the Thahari Desert, and had never accepted the elders' rules. Instead, she would wander off to hunt and prey on travelers on the desert trails.

It was there that I met her for the first time, in that tavern on the harbor. I had just arrived from Finnurfjiord, where I had left my adoptive mother, Lady BB Arliss. Back then, I was still called Darian Arliss, and hadn't yet inherited the title of Emir. From the first moment she saw me, she was immediately kind to me. She had seen my nobility, and I often told her about my travels around the planet. She was fascinated every time I spoke of great cities with enormous palaces with golden domes, cities with skywalks connecting the towers, and villages built on the water.

Erik respected me, and we became friends, but he was always traveling. I took advantage of the break between trips to have a big company ceremony with the beautiful Nina. She was expecting their child and her belly was getting bigger every day. On the day of the ceremony, we all went to the temple on the hill overlooking the village. From there, you could see Lindenberg Castle, and even further away, a village of Panthers. A fire was always lit on that hill at night to indicate the position of the ships. The ceremony was very simple. They used the one with the glass of wine, exchanging it among themselves. Then everyone went to the great hall for the wedding lunch, which lasted until the next morning. Then, all drunk, everyone returned to their huts.

Nina did not forget her past as a Panther and often went away without a reason. I confess that she reached the Panther villages and trained there and met with her sisters. Erik left one morning and for months gave no news of himself, they thought he was dead and Nina often cried. Meanwhile, the baby was born, whom Nina called Erik for love of her husband. They baptized him in the river according to the Viking rite, immersing him in the icy waters of that river. One day, some merchants from Cos spoke of a merchant named Erik who lived on an island in the archipelago and had a tavern where he sold wine. Nina was enormously disappointed; he had betrayed her like this, leaving her with the Child, but she was very tough-minded and continued her life normally. One night we were attacked by pirates, they arrived in the morning with two ships pretending to be traders, and as soon as the evening arrived they attacked the few warriors on guard, and put the village to fire and sword, we all fled into the forest, Nina also escaped but was unable to save her son. She had been surrounded by some men. She fought to the end, but they prevailed, snatching the child from her and fleeing, leaving her wounded on the road. When she recovered, she joined us in the forest. Having no village left, we sought refuge at Linderberg Castle. They welcomed us and helped us, treating our wounds. Then the ruler of that castle confessed that Erik was his son, fathered with a woman in the village many years before, but he had never wanted to acknowledge his father as King. Then he summoned the village Jarl and the Elders and assigned him a plot of land under a promontory to rebuild the village. I sent men to look for his grandson, and we reached that new land and began rebuilding.

Erik returned repentant, begging for forgiveness, but Nina chased him away. Devastated by the loss of his son, he isolated himself in his castle for the rest of his life.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

 

RETURN TO THE OASIS

1st The Illusion

the new great Gorean gallery

I was shuttling between the city of Teletus and that of Var-Kor. I'd received a message from a woman I thought was a friend, asking me to move in with her, but in the end I found myself alone again, because she had emigrated to Teletus, not without explanation, with a man who later left her. It wasn't the first time things like this had happened, I'm used to it now. In Gor lately, you often encounter adventurers who pose as honored representatives of the Caste but are actually just minor figures seeking glory.

   I returned to the city of Var-Kor, disappointed by the decision that my friend had chosen a companion from another Caste, leaving her post as head of the Scribes and leaving for a hopeless adventure, meanwhile in the city the Caste was being reorganized, the empty post of Head of the caste had been taken by the beautiful lady Myriam, I had met her for the first time as part of the Combo family in the oasis of Tashid, then she was an apprentice Scribe, while I had the newspaper '' Tashid news '' and was a Magistrate, but in the Oases the Castes are not taken into consideration, there was not much work so I left for my Oasis of the 7 Palms, later I found lady Myriam at the EnKara fair a few years ago, she was still an apprentice Scribe and spent her time in front of Tashid's tent studying, then I lost track of her, until today when I met her in Var_kor, now she was the Head of the Scribes, sir Vulcan had her Rewarded after saving her from kidnapping, she worked hard and organized events. It's a shame that, despite their number, scribes are always traveling.

I was very surprised to meet Lady BB in the Caste Palace. Remember, she was my adoptive mother, back in the days of Cartassa and our escape north to the village of Finnurfjiord. We escaped from Korat in the Shendi region due to the Panthers' attack on the city and the resulting destruction. I had then lost sight of her, always traveling with her husband, Sir Mith the builder. Now I found her as an apprentice Scribe. I remembered she was a merchant, but as long as she wanted to study and become a Scribe, that's fine.

   I had never developed a friendship with Lady Myriam, and it was a great surprise. I liked her way of doing things, and after a few days of talking, I asked if I could court her. Naturally, after we got to know each other better, even though I'm much older than she is. I've lived in Gor for many years. To have a point of reference, I asked her to become a Magistrate. She accepted, but I didn't know there were already Magistrates, including the Chief Magistrate. He had an office on the upper floor, while he gave me a small office in a corner while I waited for any developments.

(I had written the story of the woman who ran away with the Assassin, but when they read the article, they threatened me, saying I'd written lies. However, I had written the article based on the notes she'd given me while speaking privately. I was forced to delete the chapter dedicated to them, and I hope to never see them again.)

    I returned to the Oasis of the 7 Palms and the first thing I did was to renovate the now old palace, enlarge the Gorean gallery and widen the large garden, I rebuilt the palace with gold friezes and large domes in Arabic style, I also changed the Dance Gazebo in the same style as the palace, and now I'm here waiting for the work to be finished then I will return to the city of Var-Kor, I received the Magistrate's plaque and if everything goes well I will go to work there,

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

 Publisher's Notice

Regarding the chapter on Kallis and his murderous friend, I have removed it from the article because it offended the subjects. I apologize for the inconvenience and hope you will ignore this. Thank you to all my readers. I hope this small aside doesn't hinder our future.

Thank you all.

 The Sa Fora Kef (SFK) dancers published a new video at Phoenix Studios, supporting their SL Gor awareness mission. The SFK kajirae and their musician dance through a magical forest on their way to the En'Kara Fair. The Sa Fora Kef dance troupe performed at En'Kara 2026.

Insert SFK the Mummers Dance pic

Here is the video url-under "Gemma Velvetleaf" in flickr

     https://flic.kr/p/2scHvE1

     

     

"One of their major markets, to which they generally arrange for the shipment of girls overland, is the Sardar Fairs, in particular that of En'Kara, which is the most extensive and finest."

Explorers of Gor     Book 13     Page 115

Insert SFK Mummers Dance A

"The fair of En'Kara occurs in the spring. It is the first fair in the annual cycle of the Sardar Fairs, gigantic fairs which take place on the plains lying below the western slopes of the Sardar Mountains. These fairs, and others like them, play an important role in the Gorean culture and economy. They are an important clearing house for ideas and goods, among them female slaves."

Players of Gor     Book 20     Page 8

Insert SFK Mummers Dance B

Insert dance in a dance 

Sarah Luxembourg (sara vermilion) can enroll you in the Sa Fora Kef fan club group. See Sarah and Asaeni dance at Phoenix studios  while an SFK  video played in "dance in a dance". 

 

Insert Mummers Dance D

 THE ABDUCTION OF MYRIAM

from Var-Kor to Teletus

Lady Kallis, who lives in the city of Var-Kor, had sent me a message. She, now the head of the Scribes, wanted me with her as a Magistrate. The position was vacant, and they needed me. I had already been to that city for the Autumn Fair. I had stayed for a while, but at the time, the city was expanding, and there was no work for me, so I left. Now it was different. Kallis was calling me, and I, as her friend, had been secretly in love with that woman since the time of the first Cartassa, where I had courted her. But on the day of our ceremony, the slave YI YI, in agreement with Lady Athena, a jealous woman, staged a supposed betrayal on my part, and she abandoned me, running away to live in the Black City, on a remote island in Thassa.

I arrived in Var-Korlei, she was no longer there. She had left with an Assassin for the city of Teletus, and the Scribes' door was closed. I knew I could enter freely, but this time I remained outside sitting at a table waiting. While I was sitting, Lady Myrian finally arrived with her escort. I didn't know an escort was needed in the city. I invited the woman to sit with me. I've known her since the time I was at the Tashid oasis. She was from the Combo family and studied to be a Scribe, while I was a Magistrate and had the Desert Tashid news newspaper. We talked about work and she told me she had become HoC Scribe after Kallis' escape. I was very happy about this. I saw the girl and she finally made a career. Sir Vulcan the Ubar of Var-Kor rewarded her.

As he spoke, I noticed a hint of sadness in his voice. I asked him if he had any worries. He remained silent for an indefinite period of time, which seemed like a long time to me, but only a few minutes. Then, in a low voice, he said, "I've had a bad experience lately and I want to forget it." I pressed him, and he finally replied, "I was kidnapped, and fortunately, Sir Vulcan came to free me with his men." I was astonished. I couldn't believe that even today, rude men kidnap women, especially free women. I asked him to tell me what happened. Then, slowly, after taking a deep breath, he said: Some time ago, I had traveled to the city of Teletus. I knew that Sir Abraham was the head of the Scribe caste and that he had classes for apprentices. I was in Var-Kor, but I needed some information about the caste and how to become a good Scribe. But when I arrived, Sir Abraham had already left, no one knew where. It was said he had health problems and needed rest.

I was staying in the house of a friend of mine, promised to a free merchant, who in turn had a brother who was also a merchant. I was looking for a companion. My friend asked me if I was available, but I didn't want a companion yet, nor did I want to live with a merchant who was always traveling, so I refused. The man didn't take it well; he thought that with his gold cooper tarsks he could buy anyone, and I left again for Var-Kos.

I resumed my work in the Caste, Lady Kallis was OhC, and I continued to study and learn everything I could. My house was on the plateau behind the caste palaces, a resort area inhabited only by free people of the high Caste. In the evenings, I walked up those long steps and down that dimly lit avenue to reach my home. That evening, I was particularly nervous, I didn't know why. I quickened my pace to get into the house and be safe. I had no escort, there was no need in the city; everyone was calm and happy. But as soon as I turned the corner of the avenue, someone covered me with a sheet, making me faint. I woke up; we were on the road, and I recognized the Merchant from the proposed companionship. My cries and screams were useless; we were far from the city by now. They took me to the city of Teletus. He and my friend's brother, whom I had already met, took me to the city. The Merchant was keeping me hidden; no one knew my fate, but I refused to give in.

Meanwhile, in Var-Kor, they had noticed my disappearance and everyone was busy searching for Myriam, even Sir Vulcan the Ubar was mobilized, and at the main gate the guards reported that some merchants from Teletus had entered the city but that they had disappeared. It was immediately clear that she had been kidnapped. Myriam had told an apprentice about the Merchant's request for company, and Sir Vulcan organized an undercover expedition to Teletus. He and some trusted guards disguised themselves as Merchants and reached the city. After investigating the merchants, they discovered their house, first the friend's brother, who confessed to his friend's crime and directed the men to the house. After a fight with the Merchant, they freed Myriam and brought her back to Var-Kor.

Myriam, meanwhile, had recovered from her fright, and Sir Vulcan rewarded her by appointing her as Scribe Caste leader in Kallis's place, and assigned him a permanent escort.

I hope to become friends with her; I'm tired of living alone, and I'm considering moving to the city of Var-Kor to pursue her, but that's another story.

A few days later, an Assassin was wandering around the city. No one knew the reason, but I think he was just passing through, and he had taken up residence in the tavern across from the caste deglin.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

 LOST IN THE INFINITY

Journey to the Far North

I told you about my journey to see Sir Balrough and Macha the Kajira dancer again. On the Pirate ship I'd asked to accompany me, we reached the city of Rive de Bois at the end of the Exange Point River. From there, I took a caravan to the city of Ko-Ro-Ba. I'd already been there for the Kajira dancers' festival, and it was there, many years ago, that I met Macha, the choreographer of the dancers of Tyros (the Cos archipelago). Sir Balrough and I would later become very close friends. But once we reached the city, everyone had left to reach the city of Olni, where they would open a dance school and the new headquarters of the Tyros dancers. All I had to do was return towards the Sea of ​​Thassa and then decide. We thus reached the city of Piedimont passing through the Teveh pass. We stocked up on provisions. There were two possibilities: reach Rovere in its gulf, or go down the river and reach the city of Laura, on the Larius river, and then head back towards the sea and reach Lidyus at the end of that long river.

Lidyus didn't hold much attraction for me, even though the city was located at the end of the promontory and on the route of ships heading to the islands to the north.

viking warrior

I could have gone south, but it was Spring, and I wanted to return to visit northern Torwsland, many large cities on the islands north of Lidyus: the great Farnacium on its own island, the coastal city of Kassau, then the island of Hulmeth, the island of Skjem, the city of Helmutsport on the coast beneath the Prigmar mountains, then the island of Scagnar, and the island of Hunjer. I had never been to these islands; I had always traveled along the coast. I stopped for a few days on the island of Scagnar. I wanted to explore that highly populated part of the planet.

I asked around about what lay beyond that sea. They told me there were no more islands, but on the coast were the Blue Tooth lands, then the Torvaldsberg region, in the Torvaldsmark region, and then it all ended with the great region of Axe Glacier, perpetually frozen. They told me it was impossible to live there, and no one had ever ventured into that frozen land.

Everywhere I went, I took note of the places and positions on the maps. There was still an unexplored region called Hrimgar Mountain. They told me that few had undertaken that journey, and many had never returned. This piqued my curiosity. I wanted to know everything about the planet, and I organized that journey into the unexpected.

Traveling in Torwsland is never easy. There are many difficulties to overcome. There are no pre-established paths; you have to travel by the stars and the moons. We had to head east, starting from Scagnar, the planet Gor, located on the other side of planet Earth. Therefore, the sun rises in the west and sets in the east. We had to follow the sun. And so it was that, after passing the great mountain of Torvaldsberg, we headed towards the mountains of Hrimgar, the last known ones. No one had ever discovered what lies behind those icy mountains.

We were already in sight of those mountains. Around us lay the desolation of the lands, great valleys crashing against the distant slopes. We found shelter at the foot of a hill whose summit was frozen. The cold was already making itself felt, even though it was the height of spring, and I was beginning to think I had made a grave mistake in wanting to visit that region.

One morning I went off to draw a map of the area. I was looking for a hill where I could take notes. The sky, initially clear with a timid sun, gradually became more and more cloudy as time passed. A light rain was falling, then from rain it turned to snow. I tried to return to the camp, but between the snow and the wind I lost track of the place and consequently my direction. I wandered in search of shelter. By now the snow was falling heavily. I don't know how long I walked, forcing my way through that storm, and finally, from exhaustion, I collapsed. I thought that this was my end, after a life spent traveling through storms and tempests at sea, the heat of the desert and the cold of the north. Then I fell asleep, exhausted.

I woke up, I don't know how long I had slept, I wasn't cold anymore, a warm fire was warming me and I had a Tarsk hide blanket on my legs. I looked around. I was in a large cave. A fire was illuminating part of it and I could clearly hear the moaning of some Tarsk and Borsk, and of course their stench, I got up and found myself in front of two large men dressed in skins with long hair and long beards, they had large axes in their hands, they looked like Vikings seen in old books, they looked at me suspiciously, I backed away in fear to the wall of the cave, until from the shadows came out a woman already advanced in years but, certainly, that she was expecting a child, you could tell by her large belly, she greeted me while signaling the men to stop.

In her hands she had a steaming bowl, it was Tarsk milk, I could finally warm up, they invited me to their table on the other side of the cave, after we sat down I explained who I was and why I was there, they listened with interest to what I said, the woman said that they had never seen southern men like me come all the way to their land, sometimes they came down to Laura in the summer, to sell their milk products, and the furs of hunted animals, and exchanged them for tools that were needed for survival.

They told me that they lived so free, that their mother was also their woman and with them also lived a sister of theirs who was sitting in the shade apart, a beautiful girl with golden hair and eyes as blue as the sky, they continued the family lineage among them, if at first they seemed like dangerous savages, in the end I had to change my mind, they were kind, they gave me some cheese, and some pieces of dried dog, they told me of their decision to live in those remote mountains, because they were descendants of the Vikings who came from planet Earth, and they did not want to change their family tradition or their culture.

They invited me to stay with them; they would give me their sister as a bride, and we would live happily. Their proposal made me proud. I liked the still very young girl with womanly curves, but I said I had my own oasis of the seven palms, and that they were surely worried at my camp and I didn't want to alarm them. So the next morning, by then it had stopped snowing, they accompanied me to the trail that led to the camp.

A contrasting experience, of people who lived promiscuously, but I respect their culture and their decisions, and I thanked them. I gave them some maps of the area to the west, and returned to the camp. My men had gone out to scout, and when they returned they found me and were happy.

So we set off again towards the coast. This journey had served me well, but I wanted to return to civilization..............

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

 darian el nairad present............

NEW OASIS 7 PALMS

http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Waterfalls%20of%20Wonder/191/242/24