What do you wish you had known?

Hola Citizens!
I am preparing a "Lauran Orientation" class that will be offered not only to current citizens, but prospective citizens as well. It will be highly encouraged, if not required, that prospective citizens attend one of these before being promoted to full citizen.

In preparation for this, I am looking for some assistance from you, the current citizens of our fine city. What do you wish you had known when you started here? What do you still wish you knew? What do you see visitors and newcomers doing wrong most often? Leave your suggestions here, so I know what to beat the poor noobs over the head with later.
-Admin Markos

Please teach a segment on Free Women...

That they have to work, to ensure the respect and honor of Gorean Men. That they don't act like slaves. ie. No FLIRTING. They generally had no love for Slaves, and they tried not to draw attention to themselves which might invite a man's interest in collaring them - For starters.

In turn the Men of their Home Stone cherished them. Free Women of OTHER cities were collarbait. Not their own men's Companions, Mothers and Daughters.

Well, that is more of a gorean orientation than one specific to Laura, but since I have plans to do a class similar to the 'gor by the books' classes we did before, but with a focus on the free folks, this is a great suggestion for that, and I will write it down.

What I really would have enjoyed is to know what Laura was about ... what its history was, what was it known for ... I ve read some books when I started but knew nothing really of the 'costums of this city'. It would be nice to know ... when you start what is plausible in Laura and what is not.

Yesplz, what Anya said x100.

Also there appears to be a lot of confusion re: Laura specifically, and by that I mean, where it is located geographically (I've heard people call us Torvies, southerners, and gripe about the proximity of panthers...?!), the lifestyle there (rougher, less formal, full coverage + veils likely not common for lower castes, fancy stuff like blackwine gonna be rare and expensive, etc), that sort of thing.

For Lauran citizens I would go over our internal functions a little, sort of a "who to call for what" thing so people aren't confused or always contacting the same highly-visible people for stuff (and thus burning those people out).

I would make sure they understand with absolute clarity what constitutes "invalid," both so they are not calling it arbitrarily and so we're not engaging in/encouraging roleplay that goes against our BTB core values (i.e., how to differentiate between a panther/properly armed FW and a femlaw, what the raid rules are, etc).

I would encourage them to start stories! Don't always wait around for someone to invite you into theirs, get out and make your own. This can be scary as hell for real newbies so I might offer some examples of creative, proactive, and appropriate rp, just to get their minds going.

I would make sure they know where everything in the city is, and any common-sense restrictions (i.e., no women in the tavern, no men in the women's baths, etc) so they can take full advantage of all rp areas. Especially the little village and inn in the woods! I think a lot of people either have no idea what is there, where "there" is, or how they're supposed to/encouraged to be using those areas.

Ummmm........ I'm brainstormed out for now. I'll be back later if I come up with more.

I think slaves need to know what we expect on our sim, since in so many sims what they are told is contradictory (i.e., not speaking until spoken to, obeisance to High Council, not speaking in "slave speak", that sort of thing). I have noticed it can be damn confusing for new slaves who are not used to such or who have not been told correctly, BTB, by their own owner. Heck, a lot of slaves still think no one but their Master should be punishing them.. or that if they do not wear a belt they are still "restricted". A lot to learn for new Lauran slaves.

And, I will second Anya's suggestion for "how to be a proper FW", I see way too many of them flirting shamelessly with myself or others, and it's just. not. right. LOL

I'll also second Aria's suggestions, especially the 'what IS Laura' part. Where are we, what is our environment, what do we deal with as a result, etc. etc.

Can't wait for this, Markos!

gavinK wrote:

And, I will second Anya's suggestion for "how to be a proper FW", I see way too many of them flirting shamelessly with myself or others, and it's just. not. right. LOL

Anya's dead to rights we need a class on this, Aria and I have been saying that for months BUT! I want to point out that the fault lies not JUST with the few Free Women that do not truly understand how to play a free woman, that don't understand they are NOT to act like slaves, NOT FLIRT with every single man they come across, but that a large part of the fault lies with the men for not collaring them when they do this. Or at the very least call them out on it!! As a FW that has bitched in the past about men threatening a collar for the dumbest resasons, I now want to call you men out for not threatening that collar when it's proper to do so.

Stop playing into the FW that act like sluts and there will be fewer FW that don't know their role. Or is it that you like that? The slaves aren't enough and you want the flirty, girlfriend behavior from the free women too?

And to those free women that are flirting constantly IC, I'd like to suggest you pick up just one book. Pick any of the 26 that are out there, ANY of the, and read it cover to cover. Then come talk to me or Anya, or Aria about the proper way to play a free woman if you still believe that flirting like you're an earth woman is correct. And if you do, truly, honestly think the only way to play a woman is flirty, then find your proper place in Gor and submit to your slavery already for you truly have a slave belly, not a free woman one.

Markos,

How about inviting the Var Viverra She tribe to share about the tribe and what to expect in Northern Woodland and Northern Woods? At least, we can share what we try to teach to the new members (and old members too) on what to expect on panther behavior. I will be more than happy to do it.

See thread on Panther By The Book (BTB)

Lola

I would like attention to be drawn to the rules of Laura's infirmary. They should be in the "welcome package" for new citizens.

They are available in the infirmary but it is most helpful all round NOT to have read those in the heat of an medical emergency.

The things I wish I knew were not necessarily related to Laura, but I guess Gor-ientation, or general roleplay ... ettiquette.

I've been asked to serve "blackwyne" on several occasions, so I serve black wine, I don't bother to correct/educate, I don't feel it's my place so I let it go. I've also been asked when I arrived from "Urth" to which I told them when I arrived from Earth, easily enough done. What was harder was when I was scolded for using the word Tal. I went along, apologized and asked forgiveness for using the word, even though I knew I was allowed. So the question is, how do we, especially slaves, handle visitors coming to Laura and using onlinisms?

Also a price list. We're told to make the roleplay realistic to include a price, I had no idea the value of things so a price list would have been good.

A hierarchy of some sort of list the core Laura citizens. I didn't know what position was higher than others, or who filled them. I had never even heard the word Preator before.

Oh I remembered one more, tours! I know we don't do tours in Laura, but it's tricky to come up with an in character answer to give when you are asked/told to give a tour, especially when you are new. It would be great if the free could back up the slaves on this one, let the visitors know we don't do tours and not leave it on the slaves shoulders to enforce.