by Kati Evans
Here is the full production script for Week 1, Day 3.
To ensure this event fills the 30–60 minute window, the focus today is on Atmosphere and Interpretation. Poetry in Second Life takes time to type/paste and time to read. Do not rush. Let the words hang in the air.
I have included the Poem Text below. You must copy that specific section into a Notecard and give it to your Poet (from Aria’s team) before the event.
📜 SECOND LIFE SCRIPT: WEEK 1, DAY 3
Event: The Poet's Corner ("The Weight of the Stone") Host: Kati Evans Guest Performer: The Poet (Aria or her designate) Target Duration: 35–45 Minutes
🟢 PRE-EVENT CHECKLIST
[ ] Rez the Stage. (Maybe add a few extra fire braziers for mood).
[ ] The Poet: Ensure they have the poem text (below) and a spot to stand.
[ ] 1:00 PM: Start formal RP. Announce 5-minute gathering.
🎤 PART 1: THE INTRODUCTION (Kati)
(Walk to the podium. Wait for the crowd. Keep the mood solemn/quiet.)
[Chat Block 1] /me steps up to the podium. The firelight flickers against her robes. She speaks softly today, her voice carrying a different weight than the lectures of before. "Tal, Citizens. Welcome to Day 3 of The Circle."
[Chat Block 2] "On Day 1, we spoke of the Law—the cold, hard text of the scroll. On Day 2, we saw the Treason—the foolishness of the traitor."
[Chat Block 3] "But the Law is not just ink. And the City is not just stone. If you cut a Citizen, does he not bleed? If the city falls, do we not weep? Today, we speak of the Emotion behind the Law."
[Chat Block 4] "Law 1.3 says: 'All Citizens and Residents must protect the Home Stone.' Why? Is it because the Ubar commands it? No. It is because without it, we are dust."
[Chat Block 5] "To help us understand this, I have invited a voice from the Caste of Singers. I present to you [Poet's Name], who will recite a piece titled 'The Weight of the Stone.'"
/me steps back from the podium and gestures for the Poet to take the center stage.
📜 PART 2: THE POEM (For the Actor/Poet)
(Give this text to your Poet. They should paste one stanza at a time, waiting 10-15 seconds between each to let the audience read.)
[Stanza 1] /me stands tall, looking out over the heads of the crowd, eyes fixed on the horizon. "The wind screams wild beyond the Gate, Where lawless beasts and shadows wait. No wall to guard, no fire to warm, Only the chaos of the storm. Out there, a man is just a thing, A leaf upon a vulture's wing."
[Stanza 2] /me lowers their gaze, looking at the ground beneath their feet. "But here the earth is firm and deep, And safe the beds where children sleep. The walls of clay, the gates of iron, Protect the lamb from wolf and lion. What holds the wall? What locks the gate? It is the Stone that bears the weight."
[Stanza 3] /me raises a hand, clenching it into a fist over their heart. "It is not rock, it is not gold, It is the story we have told. Of blood that soaked the thirsty sand, To carve a City from the land. To claim a spot and say 'I Am,' And defy the wolf, and save the lamb."
[Stanza 4] /me looks directly at a Warrior in the crowd (or the camera). "So when the drums of war beat low, And to the walls we have to go. Do not ask why, or what, or when, But stand and fight like Gorean men. For if the Stone should crack and break, We drown within the darkling lake."
[Stanza 5] /me bows their head, voice dropping to a whisper. "The Weight is heavy, this is true. But better on me... than crushing you. I serve the Stone."
(The Poet bows deeply.)
🎤 PART 3: THE ANALYSIS (Kati Returns)
(Wait for applause. Walk back to the podium.)
[Chat Block 6] /me returns to the podium, letting the silence hang for a moment. "Thank you, [Poet's Name]. 'Better on me... than crushing you.' Think on that line."
[Chat Block 7] "This is the essence of Law 1.3.3. It states: 'During conflict, the Warrior Caste may lawfully demand assistance from any able-bodied Free Man or slave.'"
[Chat Block 8] "When the alarm sounds, you do not get to say, 'I am a Baker, I do not fight.' You do not get to say, 'I am busy.' The Poem tells us why. If the walls fall, the Baker dies just as surely as the Warrior."
[Chat Block 9] "The Home Stone is an anchor. In the chaos of Gor, where cities burn and populations are enslaved, the Home Stone is the only thing that says: We Remain."
🗣️ PART 4: THE DISCUSSION (Interactive Time Filler)
[Chat Block 10] /me leans forward. "I want to hear from you now. The Poet spoke of the 'Chaos outside' versus the 'Order inside.' I ask the Citizens here..."
[Chat Block 11] "In one word... just one word... what does the Home Stone mean to you? Shout it out."
(WAIT. Encourage the crowd. If they say "Safety," "Honor," "Life," nod at each one.)
[Chat Block 12] "Safety. Honor. Life. Order. These are good words. They are the rewards of obedience to the Law."
(If you need more time, use the PLANT QUESTIONS below.)
❓ Q&A SEGMENT
[Chat Block 13] "Does anyone have a question for the Poet, or regarding the Laws of Defense?"
(Signal PLANT A)
[PLANT A QUESTION] (Plant asks): "Mistress, the poem mentioned the 'blood soaked sand.' Does that mean I have to die for the stone even if I am a Scribe?"
[Chat Block 14 - Answer] /me nods solemnly. "If it comes to it? Yes. Law 1.3.3 is clear. Refusal to assist in the defense of the city is Treason. A Scribe may not swing a sword well, but he can carry water, he can load arrows, he can hold a spear. No one is too high to defend the ground they stand on."
(Signal PLANT B)
[PLANT B QUESTION] (Plant asks): "Mistress, what about slaves? Do they defend the Stone?"
[Chat Block 15 - Answer] /me shakes her head. "A complicated question. Generally, no. Slaves are not Citizens. They do not have the honor of fighting. However... in the direst hour, if the walls are breached... a Master may command his slave to fight to save the household. But a slave fighting without command? That is a crime. They defend the Master, the Master defends the Stone."
🏁 THE CLOSING
[Chat Block 16] /me looks to the fire burning in the brazier. "The fire burns because we feed it. The City stands because we defend it."
[Chat Block 17] "Tomorrow, we move from poetry to history. We will have a Guest Speaker tell us the story of 'The Man with Two Faces'—a tale of a man who tried to serve two cities at once."
[Chat Block 18] "Thank you, [Poet's Name], for your art. And thank you, Citizens, for your ears. The Circle is closed!"
(Signal Crier/Slave to end.)
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