Places gone and places missed - do your part before more are gone!

So last night I was at the HUB with my girl listening to DJ Irish Breen spinning tunes when I struck up a conversation with a woman who needed some help.  I will spare the details here, but she was looking for someplace safe to go and submit herself where she could live and learn in a BTB environment.  Immediately my mind went to Port Haifa, and that is where I directed her.  Over the years I had been to many classes there of all kinds, RP'd in the tavern, attended a few slave graduation ceremonies, knew one or two of the prominent personalities, and even had a stall for a few months selling my goods.  I considered it, along with the Gorean University and the Gorean Campus to be one of the main pillars or 'foundation sims' of SL Gor.  Someplace you could always go and gain some knowledge, or a reliable place to send or sell a slave to a slaver that knew his business and handled both the IC and OOC needs of the slaves in his kennels.  Someplace that would always be there churning out new and better Goreans every day.

Imagine my surprise when a few moments later I was told that Port Haifa was no more.  I have to admit that I was truly shaken.  I immediately looked at the world map and tried to pull it up.  No luck.  I went to find the people that I knew that lived there only to have my concerns substantiated.  Haifa is indeed gone.  How and why it happened I don't know.  I suspect, as with many Gorean sims, there was not enough funds to support it....even after 8 years of supporting and training thousands of Goreans both free and slave they likely couldn't make ends meet and had to shut down.

Of course Port Haifa is not the first place I have seen ripped away from us.  The first place I stepped into Gor so very long ago, Lorem Ipsum (ran by Magistrate Papa Gibbs), met a similar fate.  The first sim I took part of as a leader, Borderlands (Fulcrum), the Gorean Slave Gardens, Gimli, even stores like the Perfumed Rope...the list goes on and on....all gone now..  Here is the scary part...as we enter what everyone knows as the 'summer doldrums' of 2016 we are sure to lose a number of other sims as well...we always do.

'So what?' you might ask.  Change is a part of Gor and SL.  Places come and go and that is life.  While I do agree with that sentiment to some extent, we are not talking of regular RP sims or stores here.  A store has to survive on it's customers, and normal RP sims need to survive on the generosity of the players there or the person running the sim.  Places like Port Haifa, the GC and GU need and deserve ALL of our support!  Without safe places to learn or expand our RP, teach newcomers to Gor, and get insight on the different cultures and places in Gor what will Gor on SL devolve to?  I hear so many of you bitching about what Gor has become...but what are you doing about it besides standing in the Gor HUB and whining like two year olds?  Do you not understand that letting places like Port Haifa slip away hurts us ALL?  Do you not understand that failing to get new folks into Gor and helping them learn will only mean the eventual death of Gor on SL?

For those of you who frequent these places I call on you to please DONATE!  Not just of your time which I know is VERY appreciated, but also a little of your hard earned funds!  It costs approx 80,000 Linden (or $300 US) a month to have a sim on SL.  That's right, a sim actually COSTS REAL MONEY to run!  It's not provided free by the Lindens for your amusement.  Having had to administer a sim myself I can tell you that every tiny bit helps!  Please don't think that 5L or 100L won't make a difference...it does!

For those of you (like me) who are merchants selling gorean items, remember that without 'foundation' sims like the GU, GC, and Port Haifa pumping out more Goreans into SL your customer base WILL dwindle down to nothing.  No Goreans on SL means NO SALES.  Supporting these kinds of sims is in your own best interest.  Open a stall or store there...become a paying supporter...do something besides simply take advantage of them putting out new and better Goreans.


If we all do our parts, if we all contribute just a little, maybe we won't have to see another of our pillars, our foundation sims crumble.  Maybe it's not to late to breath life back into Port Haifa.  I don't know.  What I do know is that if we all just sit on our hands, or stand in the 'flesh lanes' of the HUB and whine then we will eventually see more places close and Gor on SL will suffer a long and lingering death.

Finally, I want to offer one person a very personal apology.  emm.jacks was a cornerstone of Port Haifa.  No matter how many times I was there over the years I saw her on sim.  I am sure she doesn't know me from Adam (or Torvald in my case), but I certainly knew of her.  Reading her profile picks last night was heartbreaking.  To her I would like to offer the most heartfelt of apologies.  I should have done more to support Haifa.  We all should have.  I hope you do rebuild Port Haifa, and if you do I will be taking a merchant stall there to show my support. 

Gorean slaves are like cars....

When I first came into Gor on SL I had some ideas about slaves in Gor from my readings of the books.  Admittedly I have only read through Marauders of Gor (book 9) so my views were decidedly slanted towards the first books...but then my entire view of Gor as a world or setting is slanted towards the first books.  It is my understanding that the later books had a distinct change in attitude and view.

Anyway, the attitude in SL Gor I find to be most prevalent is that slaves are 'a dime a dozen' in that they could be easily replaced and shouldn't be given any real thought.  Valuing your slave amounted to the same as coddling them, and if you cared for them then that only made YOU weak and 'ungorean'.  I see this attitude over and over again throughout many sims.

Personally I find this idea completely without any logical sense.  If we want to take from the books, then you can find again and again how Tarl valued and showed great affection for the slaves in his collar.  Just because they were his chattel (property) didn't change that.  In fact we can find on MANY occasions that Owners valued and cared for their slaves.

As I watched and learned more about Gor on SL and became an Owner and Master/Jarl I started to define what I think of slaves, and it can be summed up pretty easily:

A slave on SL Gor is like a Car to an earthling.

Ok, I know that will draw criticism from many, but read on and I will lay out my reasons.  These are the same reasons that many things from the books like Kajira Canjelline simply don't work in SL Gor.

• A slave on SL Gor represents an outlay of cash or effort (or both) to obtain and maintain.
• I paid a good deal of money for my car.  Therefor it is in my own best interest to make sure it is maintained and cared for properly, otherwise when I need or want it, it may simply not be there for me.  In the same way, a slave owner on Gor will pay good money for a slave OR they had to fight and capture them putting themselves at some level of risk.  Then the slave needs to be collared, branded, fed...all of which costs MORE money.  And, just as on Earth, money on Gor doesn't grow on trees...hence a slave would be something an owner would value and care for.  Good example here, which almost any parent can attest to:  When my kids first entered college I gave them a Car to use (and phones and computers).  I paid for those things as well as gas and insurance.  Over time that car (and all the other things I gave them) got trashed.  Flash forward a bit and my kids bought their own computers, phones and in the case of my oldest, a car.  They take care of those things like they never did for the things I GAVE them, because they had to work to purchase and maintain them.  The logic here is simple:  If you pay for something you are going to care for it...I don't care if you are on Gor or on Earth.
• Finding a slave on SL Gor who meshes with you as far as time zones, times online, interests, and even your particular kinks and needs can be very challenging and time consuming.  
• When I purchased my car I took a number of others for a test drive.  I looked for the best deal on the make and model, all the amenities I wanted, used or new, hell even the color of the outside and upholstery made a difference.  I took the time and effort to find the car that was the best fit for me.  Why the hell would I do anything less for a slave I was going to bed and feed and keep?  And having made such an effort to find her and make them yours, is it really hard to imagine that it might cause a bit of drama or anger if someone tries to take them away?  If not, then I wonder how you might react if someone stole your car...because it's the same thing. 
  
• A slave on SL Gor takes time to train and get to know until they are completely pleasing and useful to their owner, the same like customizing my car took time and effort.
• For my car I purchased mats for the front and back seats, the nice cargo tray for in the back, it has the special paint chip protection on the front, the upholstery has been treated to resist stains, I've loaded the MP3 player with a couple hundred songs, the navigation system with multiple points of interest...the list goes on.  As far as a slave, this is predicated on the idea that you actually try to involve your slave in your RP and treat them as something more than your personal fuck bunny and toss them to the side when you go for RP.  In my own RP I have taken time to train my slave how to help me in my work in the smithy (beyond just sweeping and cleaning).  I have also taught her what pleases me both in and out of the furs.  This represents a significant outlay of time for me as her owner.  Unless I consider my time as having zero value, then this obviously translates to my not wanting to lose all that time and start over for either the car OR my slave.
• A Car is property without feelings...yet we still become very attached to them.  A slave is property with feelings so becoming attached to them would be almost a forgone conclusion.

• This one is pretty obvious.  Look at the way some folks love their cars. (Ok, some folks love them way too much...the shifter seriously doesn't belong there hon...).  They pour money and love and time into their cars.  Now look at the way many owners train their slaves.  I know many who have helped their girls to become excellent dancers, helped them to figure out how to act, improve the look of their avatars and any number of other things.  Do you honestly think those owners had no attachment to their slaves? 

A few other ways slaves are like cars:

•  Not everyone can afford (or wants) to own a car.  Hence they can be rented (see your local city slave kennel or slave house) or there is public transportation (see your local tavern or longhouse).  
• Not everyone deserves to have a car.  Have you seen the way some folks drive?  Seriously....  Same goes for slaves.
• My car is a well kept, high performance, and expensive piece of machinery.  I don't want to trade it to drive your dirty Yugo for the night.  My slave is hot, sexy, intelligent, and knows how to bend in the furs in ways that might be illegal in some countries.  Why would I trade her for your one liner, ugly half sister slave (or FC) that hasn't showered in weeks and has an ass that looks like two bosks fighting?

I know I will likely leave many minds unchanged.  Too many just want to 'use' the slaves on Gor for their own pleasure (or abuse them, again for their own sick pleasure), but I wanted to make sure that my feelings on the subject were known.


As an afterward, here is my girl's blog.  It's very interesting reading and I recommend it highly.
Collared To His Will

Knowing your role in Gor

Recently I was at a discussion among SL Goreans and a subject was touched upon that I have very strong feelings about, namely 'Knowing one's role in Gor'.  Now, I'm not speaking of the simple roles of Free Man, Free Woman, or Slave, or even the slightly more complex ones of Torvie, Southerner, Taluna, or anything like that.  Those are the main roles in Gor, and you should know those very well as the rules and rights governing each of those main roles are what give us the 'big picture'.  What I am speaking of is known as 'caste' in the South, or your occupation.

For example, I play a Smith (with some training as a Rune Priest).  I have taken the time to learn about smithing in Medieval and Viking societies.  I have attended courses in the Gorean Campus, and in the Gorean University on the subject.  I have read about how copper pots are retinned, how hinges and nails were forged, how steel was made, how to properly brand a slave, and yes, how weapons were crafted.  Suffice it to say I have learned a great deal about the work of a smith, but far from everything.  I use that knowledge to deepen my RP and give it more richness and flavor.  When I collar a slave, it's not a simple "Blitz slaps a collar on the slut, slaps her on the ass and sends her on her way"....collaring and branding a new slave can take an hour or more in RP, and that is with my bond helping me.  Forging a weapon can take days of RP. 

So what sets my teeth on edge more than anything is some idiot coming on sim who labels himself a smith...but in reality doesn't know shit about doing the job other than 'Slap on the collar, now let's go drink...or fuck....or fight'.  Need to make a sword?  "Oh, I'll have that done in five minutes.  Let me go to my handy and unending supply of steel, toss it in the forge, pull it out, wack it a few times with a hammer and voila here is your sword with a side of daggers, and a collar for your next slut."


We expect so very much from our SLAVES.  We expect them to know how to serve, what side of their owner to kneel or stand on, how to do chores of all kinds and varieties, and how to be pleasing and sultry.  Shouldn't we expect as much or more from the FREE?  Shouldn't the free be held to a higher standard than they currently are?

I know the greens in Gor have a vigorous and healthy system for certifying physicians.  There are a number of schools, and even a green council.  I also know there has been some effort to have a school for metalworkers.  And there are many courses for scribes and slavers in places like Port Haifa, the Gorean University and the Gorean Campus.  But even without a formal course or school, you can teach yourself about your chosen occupation. Just ask yourself a few things:

1. Where would I get the raw materials to do my occupation?  A candle maker might need to keep bees or find someone who does in order to gather beeswax.  Contrary to popular belief, steel doesn't grow out of the ground.  Find out how to get iron and what it takes to make steel if you want to be a smith.
2. How would I need to refine or mix those raw materials? A baker doesn't just dump flour, eggs and milk into a bowl and toss it in an oven to get bread.  It needs to be mixed and then kneaded.  A carpenter would need to cut wood into lengths and sizes and then dry them properly (no trips to Home Depot!) before they could be used.
3. What kinds of tools would I need and where might I get them? A farmer needs a scythe, a plow, and many other tools.  A brewer needs large copper kettles to brew in and barrels to ferment in.  Think about what you need to do your work and seek out those other folks in RP to purchase or acquire those tools.
4. Where is the audience for what you are making?  Here is perhaps the most difficult part.  RP with people to find out their needs.  Find out what your neighbors need and want for their homes in RP.  Don't just sit on your ass in your shop and think people will come to you.  However, keep in mind that not every northern village can support a full time candy maker (Yes, I've actually seen this and always wondered how she made enough to support herself).  That kind of thing may work in the South where there are large cities that support many varieties of shops, but is unlikely to work well in the North.  

If more people would do this, then I really feel that RP in Gor would be better.  There would be the hustle and bustle of every day life.  People would find RP because it would be all around them.  Perhaps that is a bit of a pipe dream...but it's one I will hold to.

I would make one last comment on this subject....and that is to actively engage your slaves in your chosen occupation.  By that I mean, don't just tell them to go out and do it for you, work with them, teach them the things you want them to do.  My bond is also my smith girl, helping me around the smithy as I work.  Not just sweeping the place up (hard to do in the North with mostly dirt floors), but with brandings, bringing me items I need, readying tools or implements she knows I will use.  Having that slave as yours should mean more than simply a furring companion...or a slut to bring you your drink.  In the North, everyone worked, or people starved.  And in the South, a slave owner still had to pay to feed their slave.  In neither case would they just leave them to sit and look pretty while the owner toiled away at an occupation.

Anyway, that's my two cents...I hope you found this post interesting.  Feel free to comment below, and I will try to post again soon.

Making outfit updates in SL - Tutorial

My gorgeous slave girl has asked me to give some instruction on how to easily update her outfits in SL...and before everyone starts ragging on her, this has actually been something I have been asked multiple times by many people.  I learned it myself back when the GM Meter was being updated almost weekly and all my outfits had to get the new meter.  Now since I only have seven or eight outfits, that's not a major deal.  Annoying, yes, but not a huge time sink.  My slave at the time though was a real clothes horse and had upwards of 20 or 30 outfits...and would have to spend the better part of a day updating them all with a new meter.  Since they were coming out at a rapid pace at that time, each new one reduced her to tears because she had a day's worth of updating to accomplish.  That's when I did a little research and found this function.  She was happy, I was happy, and now I am spreading the joy to you.  To do this short tutorial I am delving into my girl's inventory.  Guys...you should understand this is a dangerous and potentially mind numbing experience akin to delving into a woman's purse on earth.  Something not to be attempted by the faint of heart.

Let me preface this by stating that I am using Firestorm on a windows based machine (not a Mac), and I don't know how this works in other browsers.  I assume the function is in there, it just may not work exactly as it does in these instructions.

Gorgeous, isn't she?  Well she is all MINE...and for those of you who keep feeling her up or dive your face right in...all that creamy stuff you taste between her legs...well, I use her daily so you can guess where it came from.  If you enjoy that come see me inworld and we'll get you fitted for a collar, a cock cage, and a job as fluffer and clean up boy or girl.  But I digress (hey, I called my blog 'Ramblings' for a reason).

Anyway, she has been wearing one hair on all of her outfits and now would like to change them to this new hair.  I don't know what is it about women and hair...but they have so many...(maybe a subject for a different post).



So to start I pull up the inventory. and go to her OUTFITS folder.  Inside there is a folder for every outfit that has been set up.  And if you go into each folder you will see that there is a link for each item in the outfit.  This is where we are going to do the vast majority of our work.

Now I go into an outfit that needs the new hair (or meter, or whatever).  I find the link for the item I want to update and then by right clicking on it I get a drop down menu.  In that drop down you can see (highlighted in my example) a selection for Replace Links.

Now you should get a little popup for Replace Inventory Links.  As the Source it shows the item you wish replaced (in this case the hair my girl wants changed on all her outfits). Target is currently empty, and under that it tells you how many of that same exact link it found in your inventory (in this case it says 33 other links were found in her inventory for this hair).

Now what we have to do is find the new item you want to replace with.  In this case I right clicked my girl's hair, got the name and did a search in her inventory to pull up the "eXxEsS : CHOCOLAT A (Materials)" hair she wants to use.  By left clicking on the hair object in her inventory and HOLDING THE LEFT CLICK DOWN, I drag it to the Replace Inventory popup and drop it in the Target box.

At this point I simply hit the Start button and Firestorm does the rest of the work for me. If you look in your outfit again, you will now see that the old item is gone and has been replaced with the new.

That's pretty much it. You can check that it works properly by changing between outfits.  If you need more than one item changed (for example the GM meter needed both the HUD and the meter changed) just do the process again for the second item.