Torvaldsland Studies Pt 2
2/16/26
BilliAnn Bravin
⚬────────────────────✧────────────────────⚬
This lesson by Lady BilliAnn focuses on the political structure and leadership of Torvaldsland. Unlike the South, which is composed of independent city-states, Torvaldsland functions as a large region under the influence of powerful High Jarls, though it remains resource-poor and decentralized.
The Hierarchy of Leadership
Leadership in the North is categorized by "high men" who hold various titles, often distinguished by talmits (headbands indicating rank or district).
High Jarl: The most powerful leader (e.g., Svein Blue Tooth). He can summon 10,000 men and over 100 ships via the "war arrow." He is not a dictator but acts as a presiding officer over assemblies.
Jarls & Chieftains: These terms are used almost interchangeably for leaders of villages, holds, or camps. While "Jarl" is more common, "Chieftain" is also book-accurate (BtB).
Lieutenants: High-ranking officers who serve as direct counselors or deputies to a High Jarl.
Captains: Leaders who command the "serpent ships" (longships).
Lawmen: Officials paid by the Jarl to oversee specific districts.
Social Markers of Rank
Talmits: Headbands that vary in material and design to signify an officer's rank or the district they represent.
Salt: Used within the Long Hall to rank individuals; those of higher prestige sit "above the salt" (closer to the High Jarl).
Governance & The Assembly (The Thing)
Torvaldsland follows a more "democratic" process for major decisions compared to the UBara-led cities of the South.
The Assembly of Free Men: Major political and military decisions (like allowing foreign powers to traverse the land) are put to a vote or consensus among all free men present.
The Peace of the Thing: A sacred law ensuring that even sworn enemies must remain peaceful while on the grounds of the Thing-Fair.
Counsel: Even the High Jarl is expected to seek parley with his officers and the Rune-Priests (religious leaders) before acting on significant matters, such as executions or changing laws.
Geography & Economics of Power
The harshness of the land directly impacts how it is governed:
Resource Scarcity: Torvaldsland is poor, with "scraggly" trees and little arable soil. Famines are common, forcing the population to rely on imports (like fine wood for ships) and raids on the South.
Limited Ambition: Because the land is poor and the population relatively small, the Priest-Kings allow the High Jarls to maintain power. Torvaldsland lacks the resources to mount a full-scale conquest of the South, preferring swift, cunning raids instead.
Rivalries: Blue Tooth vs. Thorgard
The transcript notes that Svein Blue Tooth is the generally regarded High Jarl, but he has a major rival:
Thorgard of Scagnar: A Jarl of comparable power who commands his own holdings and the ship Black Sleen.
The Conflict: Thorgard represents a darker side of Northern leadership, as he was willing to ally with the Kurii (monstrous aliens/beasts) to overthrow Blue Tooth and seize control of the North.
A Note on "Onlineisms"
Lady BilliAnn points out two common practices in Roleplay (RP) that are not found in the books:
"First Ax" / "Second Ax": These titles are likely made up by players to mimic Southern titles like "First Sword."
Governing Clans: While the concept of a family unit or ätt exists, the books do not show "clans" acting as the primary political or governing units of a village.
⚬────────────────────✧────────────────────⚬
[15:05:35] BilliAnn Bravin-Ireman (billiann.bravin): Welcome to today's Gorean Campus Torvaldsland Studies class on the "Governance of Torvaldsland"--I.e., How Torvaldsland is governed. Let's get some preliminaries out of the way first and then we can get started.
[15:06:05] BilliAnn Bravin-Ireman (billiann.bravin): If you wish to make a statement or comment during a lesson or ask or answer a question, we ask that you simply type @ in your local chat box and I will get to you in the order that I see your posts. If for some reason I miss you, please feel free to post again.
[15:06:39] BilliAnn Bravin-Ireman (billiann.bravin): I do prefer, if at all possible, that you hold questions to the end to make sure that we can move along in a timely fashion and not get lost or off on a tangent--though the latter can sometimes be fun or enlightening. But if you're really lost or I'm going too fast for you or you feel something vital is missing, do feel free to pop in with a question, and I'll do my best to cover it before we get too far along. Or to slow down if I'm moving too swiftly. :) Thanks!
[15:07:29] BilliAnn Bravin-Ireman (billiann.bravin): (and then you can probably guess from the information posted about the class), I'm Lady BilliAnn. If you should fail to include the "Lady" part in addressing me, it's not a problem, however, as all our classes here at Gorean Campus are OOC (out of character) as opposed to IC (in character). That's something we always need to keep in mind to avoid any confusion when it comes to what and how we cover things in our classes here on Campus. At my home sim of 1888, which sadly closed down two years ago this month, I held the title of "Lady." And in my Gorean RP I portray Lady Anja Steinnsdottir, Skald of Torvaldsland. So I'm covered on that, both OOC and IC. :)
[15:08:10] BilliAnn Bravin-Ireman (billiann.bravin): If you've been in any of my classes before, you are likely familiar with my own background as a teacher and a Gorean, so I'm going to dispense again today with the bio info I often give, other than to note that I've been a teacher of Gorean studies--with a focus on Torvaldsland--for almost 10 years now. And just one month shy of having been in SL Gor for 11 years. If by chance you are new and would like more information on that, just IM me after class and I'll be happy to fill you in or send you some information to get you up to speed. :) And I'll try to do so as succinctly as possible . . . (I always make that offer, but so far no one has taken me up on it. I guess I'm not very interesting.) :)
[15:08:59] BilliAnn Bravin-Ireman (billiann.bravin): Today's class is the second in a series of loosely related Torvaldsland Studies classes I'll be teaching in the upcoming weeks. This one is on the "Governance of Torvaldsland," which you're probably aware of or you wouldn't be here. :) It was originally class 5 of a series of "Introduction to Torvaldsland" classes that I've taught in the past. However, the original class, which covered both governance and warfare in Torvaldsland ran around an hour and a half long. As that was a bit long to ask students to sit there listening, I decided to cut it in two and, in the first class, as tonight, cover just the governance of Torvaldsland. The second half of the class, on warfare, will come next week as part 2 of 2. So I've reworked each class to stand alone, as well as to better fit into the hour without going overtime. Hopefully, I've succeeded and that isn't confusing to you. :)
[15:09:53] BilliAnn Bravin-Ireman (billiann.bravin): In any event, Torvaldsland governance can be a little difficult to discuss when we're sticking strictly to BtB, as we have but one book that focuses on Torvaldsland, "Marauders of Gor." And yet we do get a good glimpse of many aspects of Torvaldsland as Tarl Cabot makes his way through the North, along with Ivar Forkbeard and his crew. But as Norman doles out the information in chunks here and there throughout "Marauders," this teaching may seem a wee bit disjointed as I jump from topic to topic. Still, you should be able to follow along without much--if any--difficulty. :) At least I hope that's the case . . .
[15:10:28] BilliAnn Bravin-Ireman (billiann.bravin): As far as how Torvaldsland is governed, you first need to understand that, as a region rather than a city state with a surrounding area of influence, Torvaldsland is governed very differently than most of Gor. That's because--unlike in the South, where the Priest-Kings keep any city or its Ubar from becoming too powerful--the various holds, landfalls, and villages of Torvaldsland, besides each having their own leaders, have an overall leader to whom they give their allegiance. And that's the High Jarl of Torvaldsland. Or, to be precise, given what "Marauders of Gor" describes, one of two High Jarls. And we'll get into that in a moment.
[15:11:36] BilliAnn Bravin-Ireman (billiann.bravin): You might wonder why the Priest-Kings allow such a sizable territory to be governed by just one--or two--leaders. Wouldn't that make it likely that the men of Torvaldsland might look toward the South and perhaps decide, as a country, to invade and conquer the cities of the South, one by one, until they fall? Well, unfortunately, Norman doesn't give us the answer to that question. At least not directly. So we have to engage in a bit of deduction and even some speculation based on what we are told.
[15:12:37] BilliAnn Bravin-Ireman (billiann.bravin): The first thing to consider is that Torvaldsland is most definltely *not* a rich land. It is a very poor land in terms of what can grow there and how much arrible soil you can find there. Trees, we are told in the opening chapters of "Marauders of Gor," are wind-blown and scraggly. The great trees of the South can't grow in Torvaldlsand. No ka-la-na, no temwood trees. Needle trees apparently are present, as we see in Chapter 10 that one of the games at the Thing-Fair in which the men of Torvaldsland compete is called climbing the mast--with the mast actually being the trunk of a needle tree.
[15:13:10] BilliAnn Bravin-Ireman (billiann.bravin): Of course, that's only one of a handful of such mentions of needle trees in Torvaldsland that you find in "Marauders." (And one of those refers to needle tree oil from Thentis, not Torvaldsland.) Elsewhere in the Gorean saga, we learn that needle trees are abundant jn the Northern Forests, which lie south of Torvaldsland. And "Marauders" also tells us that there is trade between the North and the South, much of it passing through Kassau on its way to Torvaldsland. So it's entirely possible that the needle trees used for the game at the Thing-Fair and the masts of Torvaldsland's fast serpent ships were imported rather than home grown. We don't know for sure, but everywhere else in the book, the trees of Torvaldsland are described as looking pretty pathetic.
[15:14:25] BilliAnn Bravin-Ireman (billiann.bravin): Still, In one passage in Chapter 11, one of the Kurii who shows up at the Thing-Fair (as I'll mention more on in a bit here) makes the following statement when asked how many Kurii gather to march through Torvaldsland:
"As many as the stones of the beaches," said the Kur "as many as the needles on the needle trees."
"Marauders of Gor," Chapter 11.)
[15:14:51] BilliAnn Bravin-Ireman (billiann.bravin): It's also said just before this passage that one of the Kurii in the party carried an ax, its handle made of green needle wood. The Kurii are requesting to march through Torvaldland to invade the South, so from these two statements, you might infer that needle trees are indeed native to Torvaldsland. So we can't count them out entirely. Though perhaps they're not as robust as those needle trees that grow in the South. :)
[15:15:29] BilliAnn Bravin-Ireman (billiann.bravin): (Just a little aside on needle trees--getting back on track here momentarily.) :)
[15:16:20] BilliAnn Bravin-Ireman (billiann.bravin): We also learn in the earlier chapters of "Marauders" that due to the harsh climate of Torvaldsland, famines during the long, cold winters are not unknown. At those times, we discover, the people of Torvaldsland are forced to eat tree bark (which must not be plentiful). seaweed, and lichens. So Torvaldsland is very poor in resources and its people are very reliant on imports from the South to sustain them. Especially for fine wood with which to build their swift serpent ships that they rely on for their marauding missions, which often go south for their raids. As when Ivar Forkbeard looted Kassau, taking not only the gold of its Initiate Temple, but a number of slave girls. So the people of Torvaldsland are reliant on trade with the South in order to often meet their own basic needs. Why would they cut off the hand that feeds them, so to speak?
[15:17:05] BilliAnn Bravin-Ireman (billiann.bravin): But wait, you may ask. If Torvaldsland is so poor, wouldn't that make them more likely to decide to come together and wish to conquer the South? On the surface, it may seem so. But even though the serpent ships of the North are formidable on Thassa, when you look again at the nature of Tovaldsland, you find that there really aren't enough of them to pull off such a feat. Even the High Jarl of Torvaldsland is said only to be able to call a hundred and ten ships to his name when he sends out the war arrow. And even some of the pirate fleets on the Vosk River have more ships than that, much less the great cities of Gor.
[15:18:50] BilliAnn Bravin-Ireman (billiann.bravin): So, no, it's not likely that the people of Torvaldsland would come together, even under one High Jarl, to mount a cohesive attack on the South. Very poor lands rarely do a lot of major invading of other lands. They have more important things to think about--like basic survival. The way of the warriors of Torvaldsland, too, is more to conduct swift raids on the South, relying not only on their prowess as fighters, but on trickery and cunningness, as we see in Chapter 2 of "Marauders" when Ivar Forkbeard and his men used such means to gain access to the Temple at Kassau. So unlike with the great cities of the South, the Priest-Kings seem to have little concern about any leader of Torvaldsland attempting to overstretch his power beyond Torvaldsland.
[15:19:57] BilliAnn Bravin-Ireman (billiann.bravin): All right then . . . First, let's talk about those leaders of smaller areas of Torvaldsland: the isolated farms, small villages, and various holds or camps or landfalls that we're told exist there. Most of you, if you know anything at all about Torvaldsland, will know that the leader of a village or camp or hold is often known as a Jarl. This term comes from the title given to the Norse upper class in Viking times. It's pronounced "Yarl" with the "J" sounding as a "Y" as is the case with the Germanic and Scandinavian languages. So keep that in mind if you're ever conversing in voice about a leader in Torvaldsland. :) In text, of course, the actual pronunciation isn't so important. (Just don't go around calling Torvaldsland leaders "Jar(l)-heads"--you'll probably find them not too pleased about it . . . )
[15:21:31] BilliAnn Bravin-Ireman (billiann.bravin): Of course, as I describe in my lesson on the slaves of Torvaldsland that I'll be presenting in a couple weeks, to the bond-maid or thrall, every man of Torvaldsland is called a Jarl. That's because, like a Master in the South, every free man is a slave's superior, so in essence her or his leader. All right, so--Jarls. But are there any other titles leaders in Torvaldsland might go by? Yes, there are. When I RPed at the Northern sim of Hunjer many years ago, we didn't have a Jarl as the head of our village, or island. We had a chieftain. One time, a very otherwise well-informed Gorean RPer told the owner of our sim that he was wrong in having a chieftain--that to be BtB, we had to have a Jarl in charge. (Wasn't that a TV series once? "Jarls in Charge" . . .? Hmmmm, never mind . . .)
[15:22:20] BilliAnn Bravin-Ireman (billiann.bravin): So was he right? Not at all. We learn that very early in "Marauders of Gor," when Tarl Cabot was musing on how little inroad the religion of the Initiates had gained with the rough men of the North:
"Sometimes a Chieftain, converted to their ways, would enforce his own commitments on his subordinates. Indeed, this was not unusual. Too, often, a chief's conversion would bring with it, even without force, those of his people who felt bound to him in loyalty."
("Marauders of Gor," Chapter 2.)
[15:23:09] BilliAnn Bravin-Ireman (billiann.bravin): So we see in this passage that there are indeed some leaders in the North known as Chieftains rather than Jarls. Now, Cabot is jumping around a bit in the lengthy paragraph where this appears. He's talking about both Torvaldsland and Kassau, which as is apparent with a careful reading of "Marauders," is not part of Torvaldsland. But in context, this seems to indicate the near-certain existence of leaders known as Chieftains in the North. I say "near certain" because, if this was the only reference to such leaders, one could perhaps validly argue that Cabot was referring only to the towns and areas of the north that lie south of Torvaldsland, since he did reference Kassau. But another passage later in the book adds support to Chieftains in Torvaldsland.
[15:23:52] BilliAnn Bravin-Ireman (billiann.bravin): In Chapter 10, while at the Thing-Fair with Ivar Forkbeard and his retinue, Cabot is describing those in attendance at the Thing. Among the crowd?
" We saw, too, many chieftains, and captains, and minor Jarls, in the crowd, each with his retinue. These high men were sumptuously garbed, richly cloaked and helmeted, often with great axes, inlaid with gold. Their cloaks were usually scarlet or purple, long and swirling, and held with golden clasps. They wore them, always, as is common in Torvaldsland, in such a way that the right arm, the sword arm, is free."
("Marauders of Gor," Chapter 10.)
[15:24:48] BilliAnn Bravin-Ireman (billiann.bravin): Cabot witnessed chieftains, captains, minor jarls, whom he also describes collectively as "high men." This sounds very much like he's describing those considered as leaders in Torvaldsland. He in fact equates chieftains with minor jarls. This would seem very much to indicate that, just as some leaders in Torvaldsland are known as jarls, others may be known as chieftains. Now how did Cabot recognize who was what? We can't really know for sure, since we're not told. Perhaps the Forkbeard pointed out the difference to him. In any event, we see chieftains along with minor jarls described as high men in Torvaldsland. That mere captains are listed here as well may seem problematic, but perhaps not. They may just be a different type of high man. Perhaps the captains of some of the swift serpents ships of the North. That would certainly qualify a man as a leader in Torvaldsland.
[15:25:55] BilliAnn Bravin-Ireman (billiann.bravin): There's a reference in Chapter 12 to "chief men" from the scattered farms over which Svein Blue Tooth presides as High Jarl, though it's not clear if these are chieftains, simply referred to by a different term, or another type of chief man. I'll cover that passage shortly here. But I think that even with those few references, we can safely say that some leaders in Torvaldsland are known as chieftains, so the term is indeed BtB if that's what a Northern sim owner chooses to call the leader of his or her Torvaldsland village, hold, or whatever the chieftain resides over. :) Or course, that leader could just as well be a jarl, and many places do have a jarl in control. Ivar Forkbeard was the jarl of his landfall or hold. And we learn of another in this passage:
15:26:20] BilliAnn Bravin-Ireman (billiann.bravin): "Thorstein Camp, well to the south, but yet north of Einar's Skerry, was a camp of fighting men, which controlled the countryside about it, for some fifty pasangs, taking tribute from the farms. Thorstein of Thorstein's Camp was their Jarl."
("Marauders of Gor," Chapter 10.)
[15:27:35] BilliAnn Bravin-Ireman (billiann.bravin): This quote comes from a much longer section involving a duel that was to take place at the Thing-Fair between a man from Thorstein Camp and a young lad to determine the fate of the latter's sister. I'll get into duels in next week's class. But we see that Thorstein Camp had a Jarl as its leader. As likely did many if not most sizable locations in the North. And indeed, most of Torvaldsland was ruled by a Jarl--the High Jarl, Svein Blue Tooth. (I'll explain why I say "most" shortly here.) We first hear of Svein Blue Tooth in Chapter 6 of "Marauders," when Ivar Forkbeard is explaining to Tarl Cabot the circumstances of him becoming an outlaw in Torvaldsland.
[15:28:26] BilliAnn Bravin-Ireman (billiann.bravin): "I am an outlaw," said Ivar. "In a duel I killed Finn BroadbeIt."
"It was in a duel," I said.
"Finn Broadbelt was the cousin of Jarl Svein Blue Tooth.
"Ah," I said. Svein Blue Tooth was the high jarl of Torvaldsland, in the sense that he was generally regarded as the most powerful. In his hall, it was said he fed a thousand men. Beyond this his heralds could carry the war arrow, it was said, to ten thousand farms. Ten ships he had at his own wharves, and, it was said, he could summon a hundred more "He is your Jarl?" I asked.
"He was my Jarl," said Ivar Forkbeard."
("Marauders of Gor," Chapter 6.)
[15:29:15] BilliAnn Bravin-Ireman (billiann.bravin): So we see that Svein Blue Tooth was considered the High Jarl of Torvaldsland in that he was generally regarded as the most powerful of jarls in that bleak land. His followers were apparently vast in number--a thousand men at his hall alone, and ten of the swift serpents ships of Torvaldsland at his immediate command. And when he sent out the war arrow (which we'll talk about a bit more next time), it went to some 10,000 farms! That would indicate that at least 10,000 men were at his call--maybe more if the farm consisted of more than one man of fighting age (and we see elsewhere that even young boys of Torvaldsland came when called by the war arrow). He could also summon an additional hundred ships to sail to war in his name if needed!
[15:30:12] BilliAnn Bravin-Ireman (billiann.bravin): So Svein Blue Tooth held a lot of power in Torvaldsland, and, reasonably, a lot of its people had sworn allegiance to him, from simple farmers to his high men. He had even been Ivar Forkbeard's jarl before declaring the Forkbeard an outlaw with an almost impossible wergild, or man price, against him. And yet, Svein Blue Tooth doesn't appear to be a dictator, nor a ruler who makes sole decrees without input from anyone else--though sometimes he fails to heed the counsel of others, as when he set the Forbeard's wergild so high that it was out of reach of custom and law. And he did so against the protests not only of the rune-priests, the religious leaders of the land, but of his own men! (I guess Finn Broadbelt must have really been the Blue Tooth's favorite cousin or something . . . :) )
[15:30:55] BilliAnn Bravin-Ireman (billiann.bravin): And yet, Blue Tooth did take counsel on other important decisions to be made. Even when his companion, Bera, the Jarl's Woman, invited the Forkbeard to the Blue Tooth's hall to celebrate his victories in the various contests at the Thing, it was said that Blue Tooth did not gainsay her, but let her make the decision for him. Though he would regret that when he learned that the Champion of the Thing was Ivar Forkbeard and not the man of Ax Glacier that Forkbeard had claimed to be. And we see a bit more about how Svein Blue Tooth governed when we examine the record in "Marauders" Chapter 11, where the Kurii address the Assembly of the Thing:
15:31:47] BilliAnn Bravin-Ireman (billiann.bravin): "It [the Kur] stood on the small hill, sloping above the assembly field. This hill was set with stones, rather in the manner of terraces. On these stones, set in semicircular lines, like terraces, stood high men and minor jarls, and rune-priests, and the guard of Svein Blue Tooth. Just below the top of the small hill, cut into the hill, there was a level, stone-paved platform, some twelve feet by twelve feet in dimension.
On this platform stood Svein Blue Tooth, with two high men, officers, lieutenants, to the jarL"
("Marauders of Gor," Chapter 11.)
[15:32:37] BilliAnn Bravin-Ireman (billiann.bravin): We see here a bit of the structure of the Assembly Field at the Thing. But what's notable is how the passage goes on to say that the Kur surveyed "the assembly of free men." In attendance, besides Svein Blue Tooth and his officers, the assembly consisted of high men and minor jarls, rune-priests and the guard of Svein Blue Tooth. All free men. Nothing is said of any free women in attendance, and we don't know whether any lower ranking free men--simple farmers and the like--are in attendance at such an assembly normally, though we know from Chapter 10 that they are now, due to the fact that they are gathered at the Thing-Fair anyway, as well as the unusual presence of the Kurii.
[15:33:48] BilliAnn Bravin-Ireman (billiann.bravin): One other thing we find here are high men of a different title than those described previously. These two high men, officers, are also given the title of lieutenants! And not just any old lieutenant, but lieutenants to the High Jarl! That would seem to indicate that, perhaps, this is a higher title among the men of Torvaldsland than even chieftains or captains. If only two are singled out as such. Though, again, this is all Norman tells us about this type of high men, so perhaps there are others. But this tells us that among those who follow and answer to the High Jarl of Torvaldsand are lieutenants. There is also a reference to the "guard" of Svein Blue Tooth. This likely isn't a rank per se, but more a group of men whose duty is to guard the life of the High Jarl, as we see has been the case with leaders throughout history.
[15:34:39] BilliAnn Bravin-Ireman (billiann.bravin): As High Jarl, Svein BlueTooth hosted at the Assembly his high officers, various counselors, captains, and the chief men of his holdings as men of law, who were to help to determine the laws under the Blue Tooth's domain. The chapter goes on to describe what the Kurii want of the men of Torvaldsland. A request that seems most reasonable . . . to the Kurii. The Kurii claimed to come in peace, though in the end they asked an outrageous tribute of Torvaldsland. But the main thing here to point out throughout this passage is that it wasn't the Blue Tooth alone who addressed them. They were questioned by various men of the assembly. Many though, on hearing the Kur's words, called out, not surprisingly, for them to be killed.
[15:35:27] BilliAnn Bravin-Ireman (billiann.bravin): After the Kurii had first outlined their desire to travel en masse through Torvaldsland and on to the south, the Blue Tooth declared that they'd deliberate on the matter, showing that the assembly was a true governing body and not just a group to put the rubber stamp of approval on the High Jarl's decisions.
"Various free men then rose to address the assembly. Some spoke for granting the permission to the Kurii for their march, many against it. Finally, it was decided that it was indeed germane to the decision to understand what the Kurii would offer to obtain this permission."
("Marauders of Gor," Chapter 11.)
[15:35:54] BilliAnn Bravin-Ireman (billiann.bravin): And, of course, what the Kurii offered was unacceptable to the men of Torvaldsland:
"Your lives," said the Kur.
There was much angry shouting. The blood of the men of Torvaldsland began to rage. They were free men, and free men of Gor.
Weapons were brandished."
("Marauders of Gor, Chapter 11.)
[15:36:34] BilliAnn Bravin-Ireman (billiann.bravin): Of course, there was more to the Kurii demand. Their tribute required the people of Torvaldsland to supply them with copious amounts of food on the march south--including bonds. (And *not* to warm their furs at night . . .) Finally, after a bit more of this kind of business, the Blue Tooth puts the question to the Assembly:
"Do we, free men of Torvaldsland," called out Svein Blue Tooth, "grant permission to the Kurii to traverse our land ?"
"No!" cried one man.
"No," cried others.
Then the entire field was aflame with the shouts of angry men."
("Marauders of Gor," Chapter 11.)
[15:37:20] BilliAnn Bravin-Ireman (billiann.bravin): So we see that it wasn't simply the Blue Tooth who makes the decision--he puts it to the Assembly of free men of Torvaldsland. This was much how it was at the medieval Things on Earth. Though, of course, the men are in accord on this with their High Jarl. The Kurii, furious at the rejection to their "reasonable" request, turned to leave, though by then, the men were brandishing their weapons in a threatening manner. But to his men, the Blue Tooth gave a reminder:
"Fall back!" cried out Svein Blue Tooth. "The peace of the Thing is upon them!"
Men fell back, and, between them, shambling, swiftly moved the three Kurs."
("Marauders of Gor," Chapter 11.)
[15:38:32] BilliAnn Bravin-Ireman (billiann.bravin): Even after an outrageous demand by the Kurii (and you can read more about it in "Marauders," Chapter 11), Svein Blue Tooth reminded his men that the peace of the Thing was upon even the Kurii while they were on the grounds. This was an important part of the Thing-Fair as a whole. Men came there not only from all of Torvaldsland, but all of Gor, as I described in my lesson on the culture of Torvaldsland. The law of the Thing was that all came in peace, even sworn enemies, and all were allowed to leave in peace. It was a matter of honor, and as we've learned in other of my classes, honor is very important to the men of Torvaldsland. As much so, if not more, than that of the rest of Gor. But we come away from these passages seeing that, except in certain matters, it's not just Svein Blue Tooth who decides what goes in his lands, but the Assembly as well.
[15:39:28] BilliAnn Bravin-Ireman (billiann.bravin): You see this again when, in Chapter 13, after learning of Ivar Forkbeard's true identity, Svein Blue Tooth is initially enraged and, despite the peace of the Thing (and several oaths the Forkbeard tricked him into swearing), the Blue Tooth wants to boil Ivar and all his companions in oil! But finally, after his men and the Rune-Priests have managed to get him to calm down. Blue Tooth instead confers with his men on deciding the fate of Ivar Forkbeard. So again, though he is the High Jarl of Torvaldsland, Svein Blue Tooth seeks counsel of his high men and others at the Thing-Fair.
"The veins stood out on the forehead and neck of Svein Blue Tooth. He was a powerful man. It was not easy for his officers to restrain him. At last, eyes blazing, he subsided. "We will hold parley," he said."
("Marauders of Gor," Chapter 13.)
[15:40:19] BilliAnn Bravin-Ireman (billiann.bravin): So despite his own wishes, rather than have the tharlarion oil boiled up immediately for Ivar and his companions (including Tarl Cabot), the Blue Tooth held parley with his officers and high men to determine their fate. Fortunately the decision went the Forkbeard's way, though many of the men gathered seemed to be in favor of the tharlarion oil solution. Fortunately, one of those arguing most in favor of this outcome sneezed as he did so. This was taken as a sign from the gods against that particular argument. (So it appears that even the gods of Torvaldsland had a hand in guiding Svein Blue Tooth on the governing of his land and people. :) )
[15:41:31] BilliAnn Bravin-Ireman (billiann.bravin): One more point that I mention in my upcoming lesson on the free men of Torvaldsland is the use of talmits to signify rank among leaders and high men. Cabot described it thus:
"The talmit is a headband. It is not unusual for the men of Torvaldsland to wear them, though none of Forkbeard's men did. They followed an outlaw. Some talmits have special significance. Special talmits sometime distinguish officers, and Jarls; or a district's lawmen, in the pay of the Jarl; the different districts, too, sometimes have different styles of talmit, varying in their material and design; talmits, too, can be awarded as prizes."
("Marauders of Gor," Chapter 10.)
[15:43:13] BilliAnn Bravin-Ireman (billiann.bravin): We see elsewhere in Chapter 10 that Ivar Forkbeard won talmits in several of the contests at the Thing-Fair--more than anyone else, which made him the Champion of the Thing, though no one knew who he was when he was declared so. If they had, well, things might have gone differently . . . And a little later on, we'll see yet another use of a talmit. Oh, and notice, too, the mention of "districts." It would seem from this that Torvaldsland as a whole is divided into smaller administrative units know as districts. Though other than here, we're not really given any information as to how they're set up or who runs them. But we see that there is something between the land as a whole and individual villages, holds and the like.
[15:43:53] BilliAnn Bravin-Ireman (billiann.bravin): There appears to be another method of ranking, though it's not clear that it specifically denotes someone with governing authority. I mentioned it in my teaching on the culture of Torvaldsland: salt! You see that method in this passage:
"On the long sides of the hall, on the north and south, there were long tables, with benches. Salt, in its bowls on the tables, divided men into rankings. Those sitting above the salt were accorded greater prestige than those sitting below it. If one sat between the salt and the high seat, one sat "above" the salt; if one sat between the salt and the entrance to the hall, one sat "below" the salt."
("Marauders of Gor," Chapter 13.)
[15:44:50] BilliAnn Bravin-Ireman (billiann.bravin): There's a lot more to how salt is used in Torvaldsland, but as I covered that in my previous class on Torvaldsland culture, I'll not go into it again here.
[15:45:48] BilliAnn Bravin-Ireman (billiann.bravin): Before we leave the topic of governing and rank in Torvaldsland, I should probably point out at least one ranking that you never see in the pages of "Marauders." Many Torvaldsland sims will have men bearing the title of "First Ax," or "Second Ax" and so on. You never find such a title anywhere in "Marauders of Gor." So technically, that's non-BtB. On the other hand, it doesn't directly contradict anything in the book, so it's seemingly one of those harmless additions. I mention it only because of its lack of foundation in "Marauders." This of course takes it out of the realm of BtB. I don't know for sure, but I suspect that such usage came from RPers in Torvaldsland borrowing such titles from the South--First Sword and so on--and making them sound more "Northern" by changing the weapon to an ax. This may stretch back as far as when Gor was RPed in chat rooms online, before even the advent of SL, making it another of those onlineisms many incorporate into SL Gor that have no book basis.
[15:46:29] BilliAnn Bravin-Ireman (billiann.bravin): Another thing I've seen in some Torvaldsland sims that relates to the topic of governing is the practice of having the sim--i.e., the village or hold or camp or whatever--being governed by a "clan." I was even asked at one point to present a teaching about this. The problem, however, is that clans are never mentioned at all anywhere in "Marauders of Gor"--nor in any other reference to Torvaldsland throughout the Gorean saga that I'm aware of. I think this idea probably started from the tendency of people in SL to form their own inworld families and, in this case, to extend it to their Gorean RP.
[15:47:07] BilliAnn Bravin-Ireman (billiann.bravin): "Clan" itself is an English term that came into widespread usage in the 15th century in England, borrowed from the Gaelic term "clann," referring to children, progeny, descendants and so on. The term was mainly used to refer to families in the Scottish Highlands, such as, say, the MacLeod clan. Clans did exist in ancient and medieval Scandinavia, called an "ætt" or "ätt" in Old Norse, but it was mainly a social group based on common descent. It really had nothing to do with governing a village, region, or any other political unit.
[15:47:49] BilliAnn Bravin-Ireman (billiann.bravin): Because, however, Norse society didn't have any designated police forces, the clan was often the primary force of security--in that clansmen were obliged by honor to avenge one another. The closest that we see to that in "Marauders" is of Svein Blue Tooth putting such a huge wergild on Ivar Forkbeard after the latter killed the Blue Tooth's cousin, Finn Broadbelt, in a duel. But we still don't see any evidence in the pages of the book in which the Blue Tooth's "clan" had any active part in governing the parts of Tovaldsland over which he was High Jarl. So while it isn't entirely out of the question to have clan units in SL Tovaldsland, you can't really consider such units to be BtB when it comes to governing any parts of Torvaldsland.
[15:48:37] BilliAnn Bravin-Ireman (billiann.bravin): Now, I mentioned that, as High Jarl, Svein Blue Tooth was probably the most powerful jarl in all of Torvaldsland . . . and yet (as we heard similarly in "The Empire Strikes Back"), there is another . . . When discussing the outrageous wergild that the Blue Tooth had set against him, beyond a hundred stone of gold and the weight of a full-grown man in the sapphires of Schendi, we learn this:
"But there is one thing more which the Blue Tooth demanded of me," said Ivar.
"The moons of Gor?" I asked.
"No," said he, "the moon of Scagnar."
"I do not understand," I said.
"The daughter," said he, "of Thorgard of Scagnar, Hilda the Haughty."
I laughed. "Thorgard of Scagnar," I said, "has power comparable to that of the Blue Tooth himself."
("Marauders of Gor," Chapter 6.)
[15:49:18] BilliAnn Bravin-Ireman (billiann.bravin): Thorgard of Scagnar! We first learn about this apparently powerful Jarl in Chapter 5, when the Forkbeard's ship, which incidentally is named the Hilda--and perhaps you see why--encounters Thorgard's Black Sleen on its way from Kassau to Torvaldsland.
" It was at noon of the following day that the lookout cried out, "Serpent to starboard!" . . .
"It is the serpent of Thorgard of Scagnar," cried out Forkbeard, much pleased.
"Is he an ally ?" I asked.
"No," laughed the Forkbeard, delighted, "an enemy!"
("Marauders of Gor," Chapter 5.)
[15:50:21] BilliAnn Bravin-Ireman (billiann.bravin): Cabot learns only a little about Thorgard at this point, though he says he has heard of his ship, the Black Sleen. As we'll see in a coming lesson, the Forkbeard has too much to lose in a potential battle with Thorgard under the current circumstances, so chooses to outrun the Black Sleen. Which he does in his ship, the Hilda, but not before displaying the slaves and the loot from the Temple at Kassau to taunt his opponent. As the Black Sleen pulled to within 50 years of the Hilda, however, a few arrows and other missiles did hit the Forkbeard's ship. From there, Cabot gets a glimpse of Thorgard himself:
[15:50:48] BilliAnn Bravin-Ireman (billiann.bravin): "The ship of Thorgard, Black Sleen, was no more than some fifty yards away. I could see helmeted men at its gunwales, some five feet above the water line. The helmets of the north are commonly conical, with a nose-guard, that can slip up and down. At the neck and sides, attached by rings, usually hangs a mantle of linked chain. The helmet of Thorgard himself, however, covered his neck and the sides of his face. It was horned. Their shields, like those of Torvaldsland, are circular, and of wood. The spear points are large and heavy, of tapered, socketed bronze, some eighteen inches in length. Many, too, carried axes."
("Marauders of Gor," Chapter 5.)
[15:51:14] BilliAnn Bravin-Ireman (billiann.bravin): We see Thorgard again in Chapter 8, after Cabot and Forkbeard have kidnapped Hilda the Haughty, daughter of Thorgard, and are attempting to escape in a longboat:
"Then we saw Thorgard of Scagnar, cloak swirling, in his horned helmet, descend the gangplank. He was met by his men, and, high among them, by his holding's keeper, and the keeper of his farms."
("Marauders of Gor," Chapter 8.)
[15:52:04] BilliAnn Bravin-Ireman (billiann.bravin): We learn a little more about Thorgard in this chapter and later in the book, but as it's not pertinent to what we're discussing now, I'll leave that for you to read yourself. :) Now from what little we do discover, Thorgard seems to have his own followers, his own high men, such as the keepers of his holdings and his farms. Beyond that, we're not really told how many men owe allegiance to Thorgard. Only that Cabot says he has power as great as Svein Blue Tooth. Which makes him a rival to the Blue Tooth. Thorgard, we do find out later in the book, has thrown his lot in with the Kurii who wish to march through Torvaldsland, basically ravaging the land, to take their war to the rest of Gor. Which doesn't, I submit, make him a very good ruler. Perhaps a clever or shrewd one, believing he's chosen the stronger side and that it will result in his becoming High Jarl of all Torvaldsland.
[15:53:04] BilliAnn Bravin-Ireman (billiann.bravin): Well, it doesn't quite turn out that way, thanks to the willingness of those men who follow Svein Blue Tooth to stop him and his allies. But we know little more about how Thorgard governs his lands, whatever they may be beyond Skagnar. I suspect he's not as benevolent a ruler as the Blue Tooth, despite the latter's flaws, such as his vendetta against Ivar Forkbeard. He certainly lacks the honor of those other leaders of Torvaldsland we've met, if allying himself with the Kurii over his own peoples. But we'll leave Thorgard and the question of how he governs for now and turn in our next lesson to the topic of warfare in Torvaldsland. How do the Torvaldlanders make war? What are the instruments they use? How do they go about it? We've already seen a bit of their instruments of war in the description of helmets. We'll see much more next time. :)
[15:53:30] BilliAnn Bravin-Ireman (billiann.bravin): Oh, and as for the reference to Thorgard's "horned" helmet, I'll talk a little about that in the next class as well. If you've mostly familiar with Vikings from what you've seen in cartoons such as "Hagar the Horrible" or the "How to Train Your Dragon" movies, you might think what he's wearing is typical for those descended from Norsemen. But is it? We'll find out next week. :)
[15:54:13] BilliAnn Bravin-Ireman (billiann.bravin): So we have a High Jarl over all of Torvaldsland. (Two if you count Thorgard of Skagnar and whatever other lands he might hold sway in.) The High Jarl has high men, among them lieutenants, who seem perhaps to be special counselors to the High Jarl. Under those are other high men or chief men that seem to consist of chieftains and minor jarls, whom it would appear head up individual villages, holds, or camps, perhaps even districts, and captains, who most likely command the swift serpent ships that the High Jarl can call upon when the war arrow goes out. (And as I mentioned, we'll discuss the war arrow more next week.)
[15:55:04] BilliAnn Bravin-Ireman (billiann.bravin): We also have lawmen, paid by the High Jarl, over various districts, though we're not told exactly what their duties are. They would seem to replace some of the duties of the ancient Norse clans as security forces or keepers of the law. And we have the High Jarl's guard, whose duties most likely are to guard the life of their jarl. Certain of these ranks are designated by the talmits that each wears. Though we're not given much detail on these. (And I have yet to see any man in SL Torvaldsland sporting a talmit, but that could be more for lack of availability in SL than anything else.) Finally, we see that salt can also be a sign of rank within a hold, as placed on the tables in a long hall.
[15:55:36] BilliAnn Bravin-Ireman (billiann.bravin): And that pretty much covers what "Marauders of Gor" tells us about how Torvaldsland is governed. :) Hopefully, you've learned a little more about life in the North and how it's lived than you knew already. Or at least enjoyed the refresher. :) I will leave you with a teaser that any aspects I may not have covered tonight, or mentioned only briefly, will be coming up in some of my future classes in this series of Torvaldsland Studies. :) Next week, however, I'll cover some basic information about how Torvaldsland goes to war.
[15:55:58] BilliAnn Bravin-Ireman (billiann.bravin): If you have any questions or comments about tonight's lesson, please feel free to ask now.
[15:56:37] BilliAnn Bravin-Ireman (billiann.bravin): All right, if there are no questions, we'll go ahead and conclude for today. And please, if you can, support Gorean Campus as you are able. I hope to see you again next week as well as in the coming weeks as we continue to study the land to the North! I wish you all well!
No comments:
Post a Comment