Praetor

 There has been confusion about the title of Praetor in Selnar and this document serves to answer the most common questions we’ve been asked about it. Before we begin, let two things be absolutely clear:

1. The definition of ‘Praetor’ isn’t singular in the novels; the title’s meaning varied from city to city, and sometimes even in the same city (ie. market praetors, camp praetors). For example, in Ar, Praetors and Magistrates are one and the same. In every context, however, praetors are lawmen in some form.

2. In Selnar, we have changed the title of ‘High Magistrate’ to ‘Praetor’ and have not abolished the magistracy at all.

Can warriors be magistrates?

There is no evidence in the novels that would suggest they cannot. A common misconception is that magistrates are a subcaste of the scribes. This is incorrect.

Besides reading the novels yourselves, the next best source for information is the Gorean Cave run by Fogaban for nearly 30 years, who has compiled every quote and reference to praetors and magistrates ever mentioned in the series. Based on the content of these pages, nothing suggests that magistrates cannot be warriors. In fact, they don’t even mention magistrates being scribes. 

There is one quote that definitively separates scribes of the law (lawyers) from magistrates (judges) and is mentioned on both their respective pages:

Possession, particularly after a lengthy interval, is often regarded as decisive, by praetors, archons, magistrates, scribes of the law, and such. What is of most importance to the law is not so much that a particular individual owns a slave as that she is owned by someone, that she is absolutely and perfectly owned.

Swordsmen of Gor Book 29 Page 452

Now, how do we know that this definitively separates the two? “Praetors, archons, magistrates, scribes of the law and such,” are listed separately here, and the dedicated page hyperlinked above for scribes of the law mentions nothing about magistrates, which means that we can safely assume they are two entirely different disciplines, which is further supported by various quotes in all three pages.

Have warriors taken over the legal departments of Cos?

The Ubar is a warrior, and his word is the law, and the law is his word. To literally answer that question, yes, a warrior has taken over the entirety of Cosian law by simply existing as Ubar. 

Has any agency been taken away from the scribes as magistrates?

Absolutely not. The magistrates will remain autonomous and the Praetor (high magistrate) will not prevent them from doing their jobs, nor will he encroach on their caste in any way. The Praetor is a position appointed by the Ubar, who has supreme authority over the entirety of Cos. He can, legally and literally, do whatever he wants. 

The Praetor’s scope is more or less limited to the following:

• Hearing appeals made by citizens unsatisfied with a magistrate’s ruling.

• Overseeing large, public court cases with the assistance of other magistrates.

• Presiding over trials that majorly impact the city (ie. a high ranking official’s murder, theft of the Home Stone, etc).

• Reviewing formal complaints lodged against magistrates by citizens.

• Reviewing cases against warriors with the cooperation of the High Admiral.

• …and similar scenarios not explicitly mentioned.

An easy way to look at the role of Praetor in Cos would be like comparing the praetor and magistrates to the Supreme Court and Lower Courts in America.

Relevant notes

The government of a typical city is casteless.

“The city-state," said my father, speaking to me one afternoon, "is the basic political division on Gor - hostile cities controlling what territory they can in their environs, surrounded by a no-man's land of open ground on every side."

"How is leadership determined in these cities?" I asked. "Rulers," he said, "are chosen from any High Caste." -Tarnsman of Gor

Merchant Magistrates

“Flanking the wagon, on both sides, were the musicians, with their drums and flutes. Behind the wagon, in the white robes trimmed with gold and purple of merchant magistrates, came five men. I recognized them as judges."  - Hunters of Gor

In conclusion, the Ubar’s word is law at the end of the day. He has appointed a warrior to the position of Praetor, and has defined Praetor as High Magistrate in Selnar. It may be contested or otherwise disputed in roleplay like with anything else, but on an OOC level - there is nothing in the lore that conflicts with what’s been stated here.