From the desk of Paladin
First and foremost I would like to thank any of My fellow Veterans out there and wish them a Happy Veterans Day. It was on the 11th hour, of the 11th day, of the 11th month that World War 1 ended.
Lest We Forget.
Back to the current progress on all Projects
I have been toying with the story lines for all three of My stories Ragenta, Darterra, and Barataria but have not started writing the next segments for the first two or the beginning for the last.
Ragenta: I have been racking My brain trying to come up with a way to go back to the well one more time for another prequel. She can only tempt fate so many times before the kiss of the iron and locking of steel. But I think I have found a way to make one more prequel back story work. Just have to work on getting the pieces to fall into play from point A to point B to start it.
Darterra: We ended Book 2 with the group preparing to bug out from the ranch before the Corporation forces found there way there. We had some regain their freedom and others find new owners as well as some new allies. I have several rough ideas for Book 3, enough that I can start it. I just need to find the time when the muse is flowing,
Barataria: This one has only a couple more things needed before I start writing. Mainly the creation and naming of Characters. But it too is about ready to start being written.
For vyeh,
To answer your questions, The inhabitants of the Island are people that have lived on the Sea and made their livings from it. So when tides were low, fishing boats would sail out and drop their nets, remain out till the next low tide. During that time they would catch fish. During these ventures outside the walls, If they found anyone marooned from a shipwreck or plane crash, if numbers were in their favor they would take them back as slaves. It not in their favor, they would watch and wait as one boat would be sent back for more raiders to come out. This would apply to anyone that dropped anchor close to the island on small pleasure craft.
As for the Gor connection that will come into play later
Paladin:
ReplyDelete(1) Happy Veteran’s Day and thank you for your service. Most citizens would agree, regardless of their background or political affiliation.
(2) Thank you for responding to my comments.
(3) Fishing boats, not longboats -- they built boats. The original inhabitants were pirates, unless they summoned their relatives. Some would be former fishermen, although most of them were former impressed sailors or former merchant mariners.
(4) Fishing would be an easier food source for former pirates than hunting or agriculture.
(5) I prefer a Regenta prequel. You could write about her search for Leta and Sena; her growing disillusionment with Spectus; her relationship with Atilas; her inner psychological struggles after she called Dantor, “Master;” encounters with Caperus; his attempts to capitalize on events; her hiring an Assassin; her finding Leta and Sena; and, following Dantor’s last wish, free them and give them his estate.
(6) As for tempting fate, Regenta could become Enta to make contact with Leta and Sena and have to please a passing guard with coaching from Leta; or disguise herself as Sena to steal Leta and Sena.
(7) In Rafe’s chain of slave girls, Magdella is “Jolara.”
vyeh
Fishing makes sense as a food source on what appears to be an island formed by volcanic action. Former pirates were sailors and sailors are from coastal communities were the sea always forms part of the food particularly protein resource.
ReplyDeleteLittle known fact about British impressment for sea service. Although there were abuses, the press was legally and practically focused on sailors and fishers. For the jobs sailing the ships, persons with sea knowledge was essential.
As C S Forester's Hornblower noted: He was unlikely to get topmen from Bodmin Gaol.
Hands to work guns, and load ships, basically labouring jobs, were filled on Navy ships by Landsmen, desperate paupers or landless farm workers who needed food or to get away from an illegitimate baby or too many legitimate ones.
I wish you well.
Tracker:
Delete(1) The lowest rank of David Drake’s (a Vietnam veteran, who died December 10, 2023 — today is a good day to remember him), riggers was “Landsman.”
(2) Fishers would have a lot of practical sea skills and knowledge.
(3) There is a lot more sea within fishing boat range than land inside the rock walls of Barataria; hence there is more sea protein than land protein available to the former pirates.
(4) I wish you well.
vyeh
Ironic that you mentioned the Hornblower series. The movie with Gregory Peck was one of My favorites growing up. Then wen A&E came out with the 3 mini-series I had to buy and read all of the books. And while I am not an expert by any means on 19th Century ships, what I have learned has came from reading and playing video games, but I remembered something from Hornblower. Many long boats or ship's boats were equipped with not only oars but a small sailing mast that could be lower and raised as needed. So perfect for oarsmen to ger the boats through the cavern and out into the sea. Then raise the mast and sail to move about and drop nets for fish.
DeleteAnd as the story will play out, the island may have provided some wild boar for their diet. But there is always a good chance that one of the ships from the early days returned with chickens, small hogs, or other small livestock either traded for in other ports if they dared, or by raiding ashore or on ships going to and from the mainland to the islands.
Lots of possibilities
I wish you well
1) As a writer myself, I do understand very well that Erato, the muse of writers is often absent; but she will return. Attempting to write without her approval, I find, is unsatisfying and doesn't produce adequate quality work. Go with your heart, rather than the calendar.
ReplyDelete2) Whilst Bermuda itself is not the island envisaged, it is a seamount that protrudes above sea-level. It also has a couple of subsidiary sea-mounts to the South and West, that don't quite reach the surface. I would argue then that with a similar alignment there would be adequate fishing opportunity nearby to sustain a colony when there are no passing 'visitors'.
Paladin:
ReplyDelete(1) Is “serving Cobra” part of the Cobra series? The two Joe’s are in the slavish bikinis and slave collars of “We have better uses for” and the Baroness, who was darted and removed in “We have better uses for” reappears in a bikini and collar in “serving Cobra.”
(2) The two Joe’s do not have the temple devices that they have in “We have better uses for.” Is that deliberate?
(3) There are no links in “serving Cobra.”
vyeh
Paladin:
ReplyDelete(1) “Circe’s super girl” doesn’t have the links associated with Circe’ Conquest.
vyeh
Paladin:
ReplyDelete(1) I read your post on DA. “Slaves of Cobra is done for the moment and Time Slaves will end soon for now.” Wasn’t there a comic book code that said evil can’t triumph in the end? Cobra Commander has 3 slaves “for the moment.”
(2) I’d like to see Leta and Nina triumph, but I accept their slavery “for now.”
(3) I’m excited that you are working on the final prequel to Lady Regenta Moves to Ar. I want to see her recover Leta and Sena and carry out Dantor’s last wish.
(4) For Darterra, it would be a shame if Tyrell didn’t recover his wife and daughter. If Nate/Rafe doesn’t recontact the Union, which treated Leta/Terra and Marla as expendable pawns, it is no great loss. Leta wants to be Nate’s slave; Kala and Magdella will take care of Nina; and Marla and Naomi don’t lose much in the transition from Union officers to Nate’s slaves. He hasn’t touched them. On Gor, that would be neglect, but they don’t have slave needs.
(5) For Barataria, I hope the crew of the Zadkiel and the pirates come to an accommodation. Perhaps the pirates could give up the survivors of the missing chartered plane and the Zadkiel could give the pirates medical supplies. Sadly, the pirates are rabid isolationists and the Zadkiel is part of the anti-trafficking movement.
(6) I wish you well.
vyeh
vyeh.
ReplyDeletewell for starters I am sure that there is a comic book code that said that back in the day. You want comic books to be hopeful and show that good always wins in the end. Because in real life that is not always the case. And it is not always a super villain that wins in the end. It is a broken system or greed that does. As Thomas Jefferson said "Power Corrupts and Absolute Power Corrupts Absolutely" so you get in today's world Insurance Companies or agencies that are suppose to help that rubber stamp denials on claims of people that they never look in the eye or talk to. But I digress, in this case, for the time being, the three are obedient docile slaves of the evil Cobra until something would happen to change Cobra's plan or control over the three. It might be a coup inside of Cobra where one of the high commanders decides that what has been done to Baroness is not right. At least not if they were not the one that has her as a slave anyway. Or the forces of Cobra are attacked by the Joe's and forced to flee in retreat. Slaves might be left behind and recovered by the Joes. Baroness would still be a POW but depending on how long they have been under the mind control, would the other two ever recover from the effects fully to return to normal duty.
Leta is tied to her master by more than steel and legal documents. There is a bond between the two and after given the fact of she had been pretty much written off and condemned to slavery by the system she once served. So she may desire to stay as she is and not go back to her former life if it were possible. Nina on the other hand is very practical and mission driven. So seeing that one of them needs to be inside the Garbeh community and that under the current laws human have to be slaves. She has submitted herself as a slave knowing that she may not gain her freedom as long as she is there.
I think you will enjoy the new installment when it is finished. But don't get your hopes up too much for a happy ending.
Darterra us far from done. As far as Gor and the neglect of slaves by not touching them. From all I have read, while a female slave on Gor often had her fires stoked by the use of her owner. Many did not, they were owned slaves and hoped for the touch of any free man as they were one of many slaves owned by an owner such as mill slaves, or state slaves. even the slaves of a slaver might never see the Slaver that owns her and only be touched by a worker if she caught his eye. Marla and Naomi are still new to their slavery. Marla more so than Naomi who was a slave for a month or more prior to being sold to Rafe and introduced to her slavery by those that enslaved her. But it's hard to say what will happen just have to wait and see when I write it.
Finally, Barataria, All I will say is that Zadkiel is privately owned and funded.so think of it and it's crew in D&D terms as Neutral Good. So they might not agree with the Pirates slave system, but they are not going outside of their domain to take slaves or sell their slaves so it is really the Zadkiel's problem other than those they are looking for.
I wish you well
Paladin:
ReplyDelete(1) I agree with you. There was someone caught red-handed by the FBI, with a valid search warrant, with tons of classified documents at a club he owned. The AG appointed a special prosecutor to avoid his and his boss’ obvious political bias. A judge appointed by that someone threw out the case on the grounds that the appointment of the special prosecutor didn’t have a statutory basis. Later that someone fired the FBI agents. The special prosecutor, who quit to avoid being fired, is under investigation by a Congressional committee. But I digress.
(2) I’m looking to escape real life and live in a world, where good always wins in the end. I agree with Leta. Nate came for her when the Union wrote her off. Then the Union issued orders to Nate to abandon her and Marla and turn them and 4 more slaves over for a covert operation with no rescue option. Definitely time to retire as a slave to Nate.
(3) The Union hasn’t betrayed Nina. She sees Nate needs help from the Garbeh. She has to go undercover as Magdella’s slave, knowing Magdella is a reluctant slave owner and very sympathetic to slaves. In addition, Kala saw Nina kill the perpetrator of Kala’s shame. She knows Nate will rescue her if he can.
tbc
ctd
Delete(7) I wish you well.
(8) Blogger blocked my first attempt to post the seven points above. In a comment on 12/01/2022 at 18:10 to Secrets of Gor Chapter Four posted on Wednesday, 12 January 2022, Emma says for a Mac, "under Safari/Preferences/Privacy, there's an option entitled 'Website tracking: Prevent Cross-site Tracking'. If that is ticked, it prevents comments from being posted. If it is unticked, comments can be posted." I unticked that option.
(9) (8) didn't work. I'll split the post in half.
(10) The first half from (9) went through, but not the second half, so I'll split the second half!
vyeh
ctd
Delete(6) “Neutral good” means looking the other way at slavery. What actions would neutral good take or actions would neutral avoid that “Neutral” would not take or avoid?
(11) The fourth quarter went through, but not the third quarter, so split the missing quarter in half!
tbc
Paladin:
ReplyDelete(1) Emma is back!
(2) Points (4) and (5) from my last post are stuck in limbo. Can you release them?
(3) I wish you well.
vyeh
That's great news vyeh. Thank you for letting Me know.
DeleteI think that I got to all your questions and gave an answer but if I missed anything, Just let Me know.
wish you well
Paladin
From my next to last post:
ReplyDelete(5) Neither Marla nor Naomi flirted with Nate in “Marooned.”
Paladin:
ReplyDelete(1) A happy Darterra ending: Tyrell recovers his wife and daughter. If ruined for freedom, he finds a suitable master for his daughter, e.g Davis.
(2) I wish you well.
vyeh
That was point (3) to the second to the last post reworded. I am not sure what was wrong with that point.
DeletePaladin:
ReplyDelete(1) Congratulations on 1000 watchers despite the distraction of 3 new Emmy chapters.
vyeh
Paladin:
ReplyDelete(1) Congratulations on 1100 DA watchers. Only three days from 1000 watchers.
(2) I know you’re getting responses and requests from DA, which is wonderful, and reading and commenting on Emma’s chapters.
(3) Lady Regenta will have to wait until Emma’s next break.
(4) I wish you well.
vyeh