Priest-King Law

Conclusions on Priest-King Law: Absolute Control and Planetary Preservation

Priest-King Law is the supreme legal authority on Gor, distinct from human civil or caste laws. It is characterized by its technological enforcement, its objective of planetary stability, and its ultimate manifestation of a non-human species' dominance over all other life forms on Gor.

I. Nature and Source of Authority

1. Divine Authority (Perceived by Humans): Priest-Kings are seen as "divinities" who inspire "awe, and occasionally fear." Men live in a "truce" with them, keeping their laws and festivals. This perception is crucial for human compliance.

2. Absolute and Unquestionable: Priest-King Law is not debated or appealed; it is simply "the law." Violations are met with immediate, devastating, and often inexplicable sanctions.

3. Beyond Human Morality: The right of Priest-Kings to make and enforce laws for lower-order organisms (humans, Kurii) is asserted as the same right humans have to slaughter animals for food. This indicates a complete detachment from human concepts of justice or fairness.

4. Implicit, Not Explicit Rule: Priest-Kings prefer to "have as little to do with [humans] as possible," remaining "remote, mysterious masters." They are content as long as their laws are kept. Their rule is through prohibition and occasional, brutal enforcement, rather than direct governance.

5. Evidence of Existence: While some humans may doubt their existence (attributing their laws to Initiate inventions), Kurii do not, citing "destroyed fleets and devastated landing forces" as "irrefutable evidence." The "Flame Death" is a primary, undeniable proof.

II. Core Tenets and Enforcement

1. Weapon and Technology Laws (Primary Focus): This is the most consistently enforced aspect. Priest-Kings strictly prohibit advanced weaponry and technology (e.g., high-powered rifles, mechanisms for mechanized transportation, even chemistry for sulfur matches) for humans and other species (Kurii).

   • Purpose: This is to "keep dangerous power out of the hands of species too aggressive, or stupid, to manage it with intelligence." It's a preventative measure to avoid the "destruction of another world" caused by unchecked technological development (mirroring Earth's potential demise).

   • Permitted Weapons: Weapons within "permissible perimeters" include knives, swords, pikes, spears, staffs, and axes.

2. Planetary Preservation: The laws are ultimately designed to "reduce, sicken, or ruin their world" by other species. They aim to protect Gor, a "generally undamaged world," from the "psychotic pastimes" and "stupidities" of aggressive species like humans.

3. Strict Enforcement (Flame Death): Violations are commonly met with the Flame Death Mechanism – "fire, streaming from the sky," "bursts of light, of flesh of blood, and ash," capable of melting stone. This is selectively used and ensures compliance.

4. Other Sanctions: Beyond the Flame Death, violations can lead to "destructions of cities, the seizures and flingings of tides, the melting of mountains, the geysers and floodings of fiery magma."

5. Surveillance: Priest-Kings operate "scanners" (manned by 400 Priest-Kings) to monitor for violations. While their surveillance might be "limited... incomplete and sporadic," it exists, making detection of violations likely.

6. Communication Laws: Like weapon laws, communication technologies (e.g., superior drum stations) are restricted for humans, possibly to prevent widespread coordination and maintain control. Priest-Kings may favor a "common language" to facilitate communication of their laws.

III. Tolerance and Intervention Principles

1. Tolerant of Presence (Conditional): Priest-Kings tolerate humans, Kurii, and other species on Gor, even bringing them from across the galaxy, provided their fundamental weapon and technology laws are respected. They have "curiosities, hobbies, passions, and interests" in stocking Gor with diverse life forms.

2. Defensive, Not Aggressive: Priest-Kings are generally "tolerant and defensive creatures." They "will react sharply if not inevitably to border crossings," but they "will not pursue the rebuffed invaders" or destroy them in their lairs. Their interventions are typically reactive to violations, not proactive conquest.

3. Protecting Earth: Priest-Kings "shelter Earth," preventing species like the Kurii from seizing it and using its resources as a platform for attack against the Priest-Kings themselves.

4. Strategic Non-Intervention: Priest-Kings avoid intervening in human-Kurii conflicts as long as technology restrictions are not violated. They would only be "forced to intervene" if the existence of men on the planet were threatened (e.g., by Kur conquest), which would break their own laws. They also might be lured into situations where they might betray their laws or reveal their power, which Kurii strategists sometimes attempt.

5. No Inquiry/Trial: Violations of Priest-King laws (e.g., possessing a forbidden weapon) do not lead to an "inquiry, a trial, or such." Enforcement is immediate and absolute.

In conclusion, Priest-King Law is a technologically enforced, often invisible, and brutally effective system designed to maintain an ecological and technological stasis on Gor. It ensures the dominance of the Priest-Kings as "world masters" by preventing other species from developing the means to challenge them or destroy the planet, operating with a cold, alien logic beyond human notions of justice or mercy.

- Kati Evans