Early in my time in online Gorean areas I spent some time thinking about who and what I am and what I would be if I was a character in one of John Norman's Gor novels. From those thoughts I started writing. The following is what I call "A tale told round a campfire." It is purely fictional but as it says, there is truth about me embedded into the story. While it is from the days when I was still Gorean only online, I am not displeased with what I wrote. At this point it is here for your entertainment and to help you understand me a little bit better.

 

 

 

Let me tell you a tale. Like many tales, this one has some truth in it, and some parts are 'embellished' a bit to make a better tale. This is the tale of how Malkinius might have come to be where he is today.

 

Quite a while back, there was a member of the scarlet caste known as Malkinius of...well...lets just of a city that is not of the wonderful city we are currently in. Now Malkinius was not known as a great warrior, but he was known as a good teacher of warriors. Many of his students went on to surpass his abilities. Malkinius also liked to invent new ways to use a warrior's weapons. He also like to use things not often thought of as weapons in a fight. He thought cleverness might make up for his (to him) mediocre abilities as a swordsman.

 

As time went along, as it has a way of doing, Malkinius worked for many people. Many merchant caravans and households used his services and were not displeased. He gathered a small group of warriors with him to take employment as a group. Melding their strengths into a whole. Then something happened. He never did say what he fought, but it left him more dead than alive with great damage to his left leg. Many days passed before the physicians said he would live and heal. But the physicians could promise little for his leg. He said, "Let it be as it is. I will live or die as I have become, but I am what I am. A warrior born who has lived and who will die by the sword." Brave words from someone who could not stand or walk.

 

His small band helped as best they could. Now it was the teacher's time to learn again. To stand, to walk, to ride, to fight again. But not to run. With time and work he could walk on his own, but often used a cane for distance or hard motion. The first time in a training bout a sword cut his wooden cane in two, he knew he had a problem. Thus was born what he called the War Cane. A rod of steel with a steel ball on top. A bone and sword breaker. He found it fun.

 

When Malkinius was ready, he once more worked the caravans. This time as Master of Guards. We skip some time to when he was working a caravan belonging to a slaver from Port Kar. A merchant he had worked with before. There were three wagons of slaves and two others in the caravan as they worked their way up the Vosk, buying and selling as they went. Then the brigands struck. Although outnumbered three to one (or was it five to one), Malkinius and his men prevailed. Too many warriors made their last mistake by dismissing the cripple in scarlet.

 

Although more than half of Malkinius' men were slain, they prevailed. The slaves were saved and the merchant too, although his auctioneer was silenced at last with a spear through his throat. Malkinius and a few mostly whole men pursued two fleeing brigands on Tharlion-back, following them back to their camp. When they saw the camp, his men stopped, Malkinius too. The brigands got away, trading their camp for their lives. Malkinius says that he never saw them again, never cared to either. Malkinius made short work of the guards left behind and took possession of the treasure and slaves that were there.

 

Now Malkinius had a problem...too much of a problem. Too many slaves and too much treasure to safely bring with them on their planned journey. The slaver and Malkinius agreed upon a plan. They would sell all but the best of the slaves, return to Port Kar, and use the profits to increase the business and make them both rich.

 

Now money is not the main motivator for a member of the scarlet caste. But seldom have I heard of them turning down having more of it. There is no shame in honorably being rich.

 

But the merchant, whose name was...well, it doesn't matter much what his name was at this point, but that's for later in the story. The merchant said that they would have to hire another auctioneer because his had died. Malkinius demurred, the loss of the extra wealth to pay yet another person not sitting well with the newly rich, stated firmly, "I have helped and worked with many auctioneers and slave sales these many years. I will do it myself. After all...how hard can it be?" With these familiar famous last words, the bargain was struck.

 

Unexpectedly to the slaver, and somewhat to Malkinius who found out just how hard it could be, he didn't do too badly. The girls sold for more than minimums, even tho they flooded a small market with all the slaves they sold. With their now greatly diminished group, they hired cargo tarnsmen to ferry them quickly back to Port Kar.

 

As Malkinius did not like getting up in front of people and accidentally making a big fool of himself, he decided to learn more about being an auctioneer. He found he liked it. A few coins and a lot of paga to soothe thirsty throats of other auctioneers gained him quick instruction in the art. He had frequently said that "A teacher who stops learning should stop teaching," became once more the student.

 

The slaver had once been of the City of Ar. One of the slave they kept was a daughter of the house in which he had trained in Ar. The fact that she was quite beautiful increased the wish to keep her as slave. The slaver still had some contacts in Ar and had been shipping a few slaves who had been "acquired" by various Captains in Port Kar to Ar for training and sale. Malkinius and the merchant decided to enlarge on this idea. Employing the assistance of the cargo tarnsmen, they set up a route for the fast transport of choice slaves from Port Kar to Ar. A series of fortified inns made the perfect stopping points along the route. The innkeepers were paid to increase their security and to provide guaranteed space for the shipments. Consignments were even taken with other merchants for shipments of valuable goods to Ar and to return other goods to Port Kar. Malkinius and the slaver were making almost as much from shipping as from slaving.

 

The slaver became infatuated with his new slave, the daughter of his old house. He started spending most of his time with her and the running of the business devolved onto a warrior's broad shoulders. The slaver decided to set up a second house in the City of Ar to anchor both ends of their route. Malkinius had no problem with this. He even spent time in Ar to find and staff a place near the Street of Chains.

 

Then came the revelation. Malkinius came home early and overheard the slaver and his favorite slave talking. Or to be more direct...the slave demanding and the Master capitulating. The slave wanted the slaver to sell all he had to her former house and take up a high position in it. Free her and make her his Free Companion. She would be free and her ideas would make both of them even richer, especially as they would no longer need to share with others. Malkinius heard the man he had come to think of as a comrade, even a friend, agree to all of this. Worried and embarrassed about overhearing this, Malkinius kept what he heard to himself.

 

A few days later, the merchant came to Malkinius with a plan. They would merge their operation with one of the great slave houses of Ar. The slaver would assume a high place within it, and Malkinius would become their chief guard and warrior. The slaver confided that all the personnel would need to be replaced with men from the great house. To insure a proper transition after all. And that Malkinius should choose one or two of his best to accompany them. All the wealth of the house would be moved to Ar, as would the slaver and his slave. As for those they did not keep, well...the slaver knew a captain from...well...let us say Cos. Yeah..sure..Cos. Anyway, this Cosian was always in need of new galley slaves and the slaver had already been in contact with him. The slaver said that he would get a full share of selling the business and named a very large sum, enough to surprise Malkinius who know about what the business was worth. His share was to be almost twice that worth. Malkinius asked and was granted a night to decide.

 

The next morning, Malkinius agreed to the slaver's plan. He volunteered to oversee the transshipment of all they wished to take with them, and to insure that all their treasure made it to their place in Ar. The merchant was delighted. They planned a great party to get all the future galley slaves drunk and easy to handle. Malkinius left nothing unplanned. He made certain the merchant understood every step he was taking for the benefit of them both. Both were smiling and happy. Even the slave was happy with her freedom just days away.

 

The night before the "big surprise" as Malkinius called the planned action. The three, the warrior, the slaver, and the slave, had a late meal together to make final plans. Malkinius even provided a rare date wine to toast the coming riches. It was a great pity that his leg gave out under him as the three were drinking the wine of celebration, spilling him and wine to the floor. Nothing stopped the other two from finishing the toast before coming to help him back to his feet. It is too bad they never made it around the table. The same drug planned for the staff and warriors was in the wine. They could hear and see, but not move.

 

Malkinius looked upon them scornfully. "A warrior places his honor above all else." said Malkinius as he looked down on them. "I compromised a portion of my honor in seeming to agree with your dishonorable actions. I kept my greater honor with my comrades and with those who would have been taken unawares and unable to resist into slavery. Once I would have died to protect you. Now...now we still have a meeting to make with a Cosian who deals in galley slaves. A pity we only have one to sell." He then turned to the slave. "I favor intelligence in a woman. Even female slaves have a mind that should be used. I like creativity and cleverness in ideas and actions. But not when those actions cause men to dishonor themselves and others for false gain. As for you slave, I owe those who clean the sewers a favor or two, so I will sell you to them for one tarsk bit and the promise not to resell you for at least until after the Se-Kara Fair next year"

 

Malkinius had let some of the staff and his comrades that he could trust in on his plans. Nothing had been moved and the great house in Ar thought that the small house of Port Kar had decided not to sell itself, or so documents delivered to them said. It was let known that the merchant had "retired" to devote himself to his "love slave" and her "perfect training". That left Malkinius to do what he had always done, the best he could with what he had and with what life and the Priest-Kings had given him. He still gives thanks to the Priest-Kings for allowing him to save most of his honor, and hopes someday to feel he has reclaimed it all.

 

Until then, he is slowly building what is now the House of Malkinius of Port Kar. He does spend much of his time in the city of Ar, as he is expanding the transportation system to more cities than Port Kar...or at least trying to.

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Revised 13/10/01