RAVEN STORY    

THE END (take from originaL story)

byRaven (killian)

Thank you to everyone who has gathered here today. I had to think long and hard about how I wanted to present myself today. As Kajirus, who I was for so long, or as the person I have kept secret inside me for so long? I decided on the latter. Today, I am banishing the Kajirus inside me. I am showing who I really am, what has been made of me. That a chapter is ending here and now.

My last part ended with us getting lost in front of the Sardar Mountains. Yes, they towered above us, but we still had a long way to go. A journey that raised more and more questions in me, to which I received only very brief answers, if any at all.

I can still remember clearly that I had goose bumps, non-stop. Something was happening here, but I didn't know what. It was driving me crazy. I also found myself questioning everything. Had it been wise to come along? But he was my brother, so everything was fine. Wasn't it?

Again and again, I caught myself looking at my brother, watching him. He was strange. He often showed sides of himself that I didn't know. But I dismissed it as figments of my imagination, my nerves getting the better of me. I was seeing things that weren't there. But I was wrong about everything. Especially about my brother. He was no longer the person he had once been. Something had happened to him; where he had once shown kindness, there was now coldness. Even towards me.

 

This became more apparent the closer we got to our destination. You're probably wondering what our destination was. A Kur camp. He led me straight to a camp of Kurii. There he made it clear which side he was on. Everything he had told me, everything about the priest-kings, was it all a lie? It seemed that he had only been carrying out an order to find me. And so I became a pet of the Kurii. 

It was not a pleasant time. I still remember clearly how I almost wet my pants when the captain towered over me, grabbed me by the throat and clarified that I had to obey them, that there was no alternative, and so I resigned myself to my fate for the time being.

 

I can still clearly see my brother's face in front of me. I didn't understand. Why had he betrayed me? What was he trying to achieve? He acted as if he didn't know me. He pushed me aside, and my hatred grew. At first, I thought he was trying to achieve something, but when I was severely punished by him during my first attempt to escape, it suddenly became crystal clear to me. My brother had died on the day he was kidnapped. Every one of the men who became warriors was so deeply mentally manipulated that nothing of their humanity remained.

That was also the moment when I turned against him and everyone there. I went into battle with them, yes, but I did it cleverly. I never wanted to be a weapon of the Kurii. I would rather have died than continue to obey them, and my plan to escape again grew with each passing day. With each passing minute. Even though the threat that I would lose more than just my fingernails next time raged inside me. They could kill me. This was no life.

 

They even turned against their own kind. Their own people became renegades and it was precisely these who were recaptured. Often killed to make an example of them. 

When I wasn't fighting, I had to look after one of the Kurii. It was menial work, making sure the cave and sleeping quarters were clean. And yes, at first I didn't notice, but soon I realised the difference between him and the others. 

It was one night. I came into the shelter and caught him trying to comb himself. Yes, I had to look twice, I had never seen anything like it before. Normally, a Kur didn't care what his fur looked like. But mine here did seem to care.

At first he didn't notice me and continued combing himself, only turning around when he caught my scent. And yes, these creatures could be damn fast. He pounced on me and knocked me down. He growled dangerously, showing his enormous fangs, which were close to my throat.

 

I didn't move, stayed where I was and my thoughts raced. Normally he was very gentle, I had never seen him like this before. So what to do? Our languages were different, but I had learned a few things. And so I tried to calm him down. I stroked his fur. Tried to clarify that I wouldn't say anything. His behaviour also showed that it was dangerous to be different in his world. Well, we weren't so different in that respect.

Anyway, he eventually let go of me and crouched down, growling and staring at me suspiciously. I had to regain his trust, but how? As I was thinking, my gaze fell on the comb. I picked it up and slowly walked over to him, crouched down and pointed to the object. I slowly ran it through his fur. 

Yes, I thought he would beat me up now, since every Kurii enjoyed hitting me.But no, he let me, and so I combed him almost every day. This connection showed me very clearly how different he was, how he stood out and was considered an oddball even among his own people. He never joined in a fight; no, he always stayed in the camp. He hunted and took care of the wounded. People would call him a healer, and damn it, he knew how to hold his own as one.

Now, when someone asks me if it is possible to develop a kind of friendship with a Kur, I have to confirm in a messed-up way that it is possible. Not in the way we know it, but rather based on trust. No, a Kur does not allow closeness. We had to show trust in gestures and actions, so I helped him when he healed someone, when he cooked, or he helped me when I was injured in battle. 

I wasn't just his slave, no, I had to help everywhere. I was also a trained warrior and cannon fodder. With every mission, they sent us to the front line. It wasn't a question of whether you wanted to go, it was more like do it or lose your head. That's how I ended up being sent to the Sardar. More than once. My mission was to gather information. Sometimes I succeeded, sometimes I didn't.

 

One day, after thinking long and hard about how I could plan another escape, everything went haywire, but there were Sleen in the camp, so escape was hopeless. In any case, I no longer counted on a chance, but often something unexpected happens. In my case, it was a case of jumping out of the frying pan into the fire.

I know I'm talking in riddles.

 

On that day, we attacked a village near the Sardar Gate. My mission was to take out the village's Ubar during the attack. He was a spy for the Priest Kings. The actual attack was just a diversion. Yes, I had been given more missions like this over time because the commander had noticed that I was quite skilled at it. My training on Earth had included this objective. I was and am a contract killer; here, you would call me an assassin. That was also the reason why my brother was supposed to capture me. Today, that is what I call it.

 

But sometimes missions go wrong, as they did that day. The inhabitants knew what was going on. The Ubar was already waiting for me. And I had walked into a trap, my own fault. Something hit me in the neck and I was knocked unconscious. When I came to, I was no longer in the village, but in a strange room.

When I sat up, I still felt a little dizzy and sat back down. ‘Drink the water, it will weaken the effect of the anaesthetic,’ said a voice from the entrance. It was a young guy dressed in a kind of tunic. He was good-looking, but I wanted out of there and stood up.

 

The guy backed away but didn't leave the cell. ‘You should stay lying down, it was a strong dose.’ I waved him away and pretended it couldn't hurt me, but the next moment I sank to my knees. What the hell had they given me? My knees were like rubber. I glared at the guy. I hated kneeling like that.

 

I dragged myself to the bed and grabbed the cup. I drank the damn stuff, then leaned against the bed. I yelled at him, asking him where the hell I was. The answer silenced me and I blinked. In the Sardar Mountains, inside... the mountain. Damn it, I had actually made it into the mountain, well, not on my own. I had to try three times to answer, and anyone who knows me knows that this was not me.

It soon became clear to me that I had escaped the Kurii and didn't have to kill anyone anymore. The guy who introduced himself as Rius quickly made it clear why they had captured me.

‘You've done a lot of damage. Many have died.’ 

I just shrugged my shoulders. What else could I do? Better someone else's head than mine.

 

At first, I wanted to try silence. Maybe they would soon get fed up with me and throw me out. But they were persistent, and eventually I opened my mouth. It had been a process, unnoticed. Silence was useless. My subconscious knew that, only my thick skull didn't.

Soon Rius knew what I had to do it, but he already knew that. It was well known how things worked in the Kurii camp. That they had abducted us from Earth. And I was still alive only because I was now supposed to switch sides. It was quite simple. They brought the most important horse on board.

 

And once again I was trapped, once again I couldn't decide what I wanted. I wanted to get away from everything. But Rius quickly clarified that the Kurii were a great danger and were still kidnapping people and destroying entire families.

He didn't need to explain it to me, I had experienced it myself. My family, my brother, everyone was gone. The Kur war had claimed many victims and there was no end in sight.

I could go on and fill hours with stories, but I'll leave it to your imagination to figure out what happened next. 

In any case, I stayed in the Sardar Mountains and switched sides. Today, I fight for the priest kings. Nothing much has changed, really. Today, I carry out the orders of another in order to protect humanity and make life difficult for the Kurii. 

I hid in Isfahan as a slave. It couldn't have been more inconspicuous, but now my path is leading me further.

I thank everyone for the time I spent here and for what I was able to experience.

 BETWEEN HEAVEN AND EARTH (Duchess)

-A fantastic world, a distant land

I travel through worlds, the search continues

After days and nights, hoping for something

Finally, there it is, a white castle

Flags in the wind, joyful people

I approach, timidly, I look around

Everything is festive, everyone happy

I ask why, the Duchess arrives

They say

What figure could she be, the people love her

I enter the castle, I wander through the gardens

I greet everyone, everyone greets me

The blue sky, the clear water of the fountains

How did I end up in this world

I've traveled so much in search of something

Now I finally understand,

This is what I was looking for, a fantastic world

With happy people, dancing and games

She entertains the guests, nobles and commoners

Everyone agrees, she is the Duchess

Everyone's dream, the dream of men

She gives everyone a smile,

I approach cautiously, I don't dare Disturb

It's not my world, I come from far away

Golden hair and a face burned by the desert

I am Darian, I say with pride,

A great man from the planet Gor, Magistrate

Writer and portraitist, I show the world

In my pages, I will show you today

I want no honors or glories,

I want to share happiness with you

The sky is my witness, its three moons of Gor

and the entire firmament of stars

Who knows if there's a star called "Duchess"-

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darianeditor

RAVEN'S JURNEY INTO THE UNKNOW

For those who don't know me yet, let me introduce myself. My name is Raven, but as you can guess, it's not my real name. A long time ago I was called Silas, son of Veit. I gave up this name voluntarily, actually at the time when I realized that I would never return home. It was meant to stand as a kind of closure. But you can't quite shake off your past. At some point it catches up with you again.

My current status? Slave to the Khan of Isfahan, the hidden city in the Schendi Jungle.

I come from Earth and I don't care what the Priest Kings think about it or that I would be doomed to die because I wasn't born on Gor. Which is what I've been hearing a lot. No, I don't hate those Priest Kings, they hadn't taken me. They were different from the ones you all worship.

So I'm not a true Gorean, I was born on Earth, in Scotland. The land of green hills, myths and legends. An ancient land, full of history, warriors and rulers. Clans. In the Highlands.

I come from such a clan. Was born with the intention of being trained as a warrior, then to fight and die for our king. No not one of the kings you see in the history books. We were a separate people. Had our own problems, worries and rules. So when young men came of age, they were sent to a camp for training.

I can't say I looked forward to that time, or look back on it fondly. The camp was hard, only the best got through. Humiliation was the order of the day. We called the camp the arena because we practically lived in it. It was supposed to toughen us up, make us strong for everything that was to come. But many were broken, from the tyranny and torment, psychological and physical. The fear of failing in the arena was high, even tangible. Many preferred death.

I have always been a fighter and there was no turning back for me, but if I thought I would finish the training, I must have been barking up the wrong tree. I can still remember strange men coming up to us one night, walking through our ranks, looking at each one of us. Sometimes stopping longer than necessary.

We thought they were the ones who picked us out for private fights, this sometimes happened. To get money in the coffers, as the instructors said. But I didn't like the moment, my gut told me something was wrong here. I should have listened to my gut, but that's the way it is. These men took some of us to Gor.

How I got there I can't say, except that I was welcomed by a gush of cold water. Floating on a piece of wreckage. Alone, somewhere on a great sea. Above me, three moons. In retrospect, I can't describe what was going on inside me. But I wasn't alone for long, a sailing ship came astern and I was pulled onto the ship.

I didn't understand these people, their language, only their gestures, which were not exactly friendly. And my anger grew, fed with rising fear of the new, the unknown. My heart beat violently. Many thoughts ran through my head. Insane, crazy ones. Yes, had I gone crazy? Had I fallen too hard on my head during training? 

In my fear I yelled at the guys and hit one of them in the face with my fist and snatched the sword from him. Threw him to the ground and put my foot on his throat. They didn't understand me, but they should understand this gesture and they did. 

Fortunately for me, I must confess that they did not throw me to the fishes after all. The first time was hard, but I managed to assert myself. Soon I was one of them. In the long time I lived with them, I learned the language and what it means to be a pirate of Thassa. To consider Port Kar as one's home. I was not a slave at that time. I threw overboard one who tried to be. So that was the end of that issue.

But how I became a slave in the end and submitted to the Khan, that is what I would like to tell you now, because I think I would only bore you with anecdotes from my time in Port Kar.

I'm sure everyone has heard of the naval battle of Port Kar, the time after that brought renewal, whether it was about the Captain's Council or the Rence farmers. I felt my time was up. I had heard a lot about Gor, seen many islands, but I now wanted to see Gor by land and became a pilgrim. No, to the priest kings I did not want to go. I wanted to see what Gor was all about.

I am a slave of the Khan of Isfahan. By choice? Yes, I chose it when our paths crossed by chance. We were both hunting and as luck would have it, we had chosen the same tarsk. Me to fill my stomach and the khan to restock his breed I guess.

Not being a slave at the time, I defended my food - well, in the end the tarsk won out - well, would have won out if the khan hadn't been there to slay the beast and save my life.... and my stomach growled even more. 

So when the Khan invited me to his city, I didn't say no. It was tempting to get something warm to eat and a sheltered place to sleep. At that point I hadn't told him what had driven me to the Schendi jungle. Nor did I want to. I kept it to myself. For the time being, however, I liked the inhabitants and the city better every day.

I liked the Khan very much, caught myself looking out for him, my early training and innate loyalty to another had taken root after all.

My respect for him grew and so I decided to offer myself to him as a slave. For I had been born for nothing else but to serve. On earth I had started my training as such and here I would finish it. With all the facets of what being a slave on Gor would mean.

I knew that slaves were also sold. I had often experienced it. That this would now also await me was no longer surprising when my Khan asked me to prepare for it. It was to be for three days. Well, three days would also pass.

Anyway, day X dawned, the morning passed with working, and slowly the first visitors arrived and my Khan opened the cages to present us there. I can still remember how it boiled up inside me when everyone started touching me, I am not one of the slaves you would normally expect. My khan likes to call me rebellious. Which I am.

Then shrugged my shoulders, I wasn't excited, at least I didn't show it. Looked at the visitors, then when my door was opened and it was time to go to the podium to present myself, the first bids were very slow, no doubt due to what my Khan had said. Most people like it easy in their lives.

But then suddenly the bids went up and now I was surprised after all. My heart suddenly beat up to my neck. Not only because the free woman with the baby had bid. She couldn't really want me to change her baby! I really wasn't suited for that. And then He appeared in the crowd. 

Red long hair. Very self-confident, he looked at me with a steady gaze and bid high. And finally bought me too. Yes, I hadn't had weak knees for a long time, but somehow I managed to get down the platform and kneel before him. My new master was called Red Wolf and there was something wolfish about him that awakened the beast in me.

Normally we should have gone to the new masters the day after next, but my master took me right away. He didn't want to wait and so I got to know the huge desert city of Scimitars sooner than expected. 

At first, the journey seemed to have no end. The road led us into the desert. I never thought I would say I couldn't stand the sun. But it burnt me, made thinking difficult, almost unbearable. The heat seemed to penetrate everywhere. It was difficult to breathe. We were wrapped in white linen to be a little protected from the sun. Everything flickered before my eyes, I couldn't see far. I protected my eyes as best I could from the blinding sun and the sand.

And then, out of nowhere, when I was beginning to think I was going to die here, the city appeared. Like a mirage. So beautiful in the glow of the sun, so powerful and proud, it stood out against the sand. Those thick walls made it a fortress, a fortress in nothingness. As it seemed, but life pulsed inside. 

 

At first I didn't know where to look first, so many impressions! Inside the city it was not so hot, almost pleasant. There was water at every corner, lively bubbling pools.

Master Red gave me his permission to move around freely. At first he showed me around, instructed me in serving his teahouse, taking care of the guests. So the first day passed, in the evening I got to know his premises and he showed me that he was not only interested in serving. I became very close to him. But here I will remain silent and end the first day. 

As I discovered during my wanderings, and as my Master also showed me, the city had been built around an oasis. A magnificent place that was connected to the bathhouse. 

I liked to stay here when I wasn't walking around the city and looking around, which is also when I met Dante, a city slave. It was through him that I came to know and appreciate the city better. But just when you think everything is idyllic, calm and peaceful, the unexpected happens.

I was in the teahouse with Master Red when the town horn sounded. The guards ran around and straight to the gate. Master Red rushed after them and since I am very curious and it is my duty to protect my master, I followed him. So we ran to the gate and there was a lot of excitement.

Panthers were standing in front of the gate and they had a man with them. Naked and it seemed, a slave. But when he spoke of being able to buy his freedom with gold, it was clear to me that this was probably a free man who had had the misfortune to have run into the clutches of the panthers.

A guard, followed by what I thought was the slaver, left the safe walls of the city. They negotiated and then returned with the prisoner. A fierce confrontation now ensued. I was involved, but my master protected me from the slaver. And we then withdrew. What happened to the slave I cannot say, but by now I knew that the city was often attacked. Slaves are stolen, goods and even warriors. Often I asked myself, how should I defend myself as a slave? 

For swords are forbidden to slaves in Scimitars. Carrying them is even punishable by death. At some point I stopped worrying about it, pushed it aside as best I could. Moreover, my worries were also taken away for I saw that the city was a real fortress. Even if the enemy managed to penetrate, they would get no further. The city was criss-crossed with many tunnels to get from A to B quickly. My fighter's heart beat faster when I was allowed to enter the tunnels to have a look around. Under surveillance, of course.

It was only three days in total, but they flew by and I am grateful to my Khan that he made this possible for me. 

 send by RAVEL

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darianeditor

  5°- on the canoes route  series                     

              ꧁✬◦°⋆⋆°◦. darian-travels ◦°⋆⋆°◦✬꧂

                         CITY OF TURIA

Continuing my journey along the canoe route, I came within sight of the great city of Turia, under construction.

We had left the great Thahari Desert, and I had decided to visit the Ishahan Oasis. Soon there would be the great reading of the stories of Gor. After so much time interrupted by the fairs around the planet, before the En-Kara fair, I wanted to see some old friends.

A merchant I met in a small water supply oasis told me about the new city of Turia under construction, and I, curious, had organized the journey to this new reality.

The city appeared behind a small hill in all its grandeur, with its high walls and great white towers topped with golden domes.

I camped just outside the walls, and after resting from the long camel journey, I set out to visit that great city, but at the great entrance gate the guards stopped me. I had not been invited and had no authorization.

I was very disappointed, but it was clear that

everything was bustling with workers and materials coming and going. I asked the commander if I could make some sketches of what I could see. He said, "I can't stop you from doing it if you're outside the walls," so I made some sketches. I hope you'll like them and that you'll all go en masse to visit the city of Turia on the canoe route.

darianeditor

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Notice

The Khan of Isfahan sent me a scroll to inform the residents of Gor and says this: the reading evening has been postponed to March 6 -
2026 (Earth Time). Sorry for the inconvenience, and see you in Isfahan.

darianeditor

 

Discovering the Pirate Island "Port Shadow North - Trigger Reef"

I hadn't been to these pirate-inhabited islands in a long time. I took the opportunity to attend the trade fair. Lady Sabayna sent me an invitation, and I set out to reach the island in time to participate.

The port isn't very large, unlike other cities, but it's well protected by towering rocks on three sides, leaving the harbor the only possible landing place. I was welcomed into the large gazebo for recognition, and I set up my kiosk on the main road. I then sent a message to Lady Mae Leidolf and Lady Kallis. Lady Sabayna was already there and had set up her perfume stall on the highest point of the city, a small hill with a large temple reminiscent of the Pani style. I also took a stall near her and had my ship bring the products from my oasis.

On the opening night, I met Rikki, my panther friend, who had arrived for the fighting tournament in the large floating arena in the sky. Naturally, there were many other visitors and tournament participants.

The city is inhabited by pirates, warriors, and merchants; they often organize games and fighting tournaments, but I avoid this type of entertainment. After the fair, I left to attend the MTA (Merchant Association) meeting on Lara Island, where I applied for my own oasis on the trade routes. I hope Sir Trygg will give me an answer soon.

I'm posting the portraits and sketches I made of the city of Shadow. I hope they'll help you reach that highly populated island. Thank you all for reading. See you soon.

darianeditor

sir Shadow







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