by Kati Evans
Here is the full production script for Week 9, Day 3.
To ensure this fills the 30–60 minute window, the focus today is on Social Stigma. I have added a specific interactive segment called "The Hiring Line" to demonstrate that the punishment of the Notched Ear lasts long after the blood dries.
Special Instruction: You must copy the "Part 2: The Poem" section into a Notecard and give it to your Poet (from Aria’s team) before the event.
📜 SECOND LIFE SCRIPT: WEEK 9, DAY 3
Event: The Poet's Corner ("The Mark of the Beast") Host: Kati Evans Guest Performer: The Poet (Aria or designate) Target Duration: 35–45 Minutes
🟢 PRE-EVENT CHECKLIST
[ ] Rez the Stage.
[ ] Props: A Mirror (handheld or on podium) or a Bandage.
[ ] The Poet: Ensure they have the poem text notecard. Costume Note: The Poet should ideally wear a bandage over one ear or have hair covering it for effect.
[ ] 1:00 PM: Start formal RP. Announce 5-minute gathering.
🎤 PART 1: THE INTRODUCTION (Kati)
(Walk to the podium. Pick up the mirror. Look into it, touching your own ear.)
[Chat Block 1] /me steps up to the podium. She holds a silver mirror, staring at her own reflection. She touches the shell of her ear tenderly. "Tal, Citizens. Welcome to Day 3 of The Circle."
[Chat Block 2] "Yesterday, we watched Gareth lose his hand. It was a bloody spectacle. But before a man loses his hand, he usually loses something else: A small piece of cartilage."
[Chat Block 3] "Law 4.4.1.a: 'First Offense: Ear notching.' It sounds minor. A flick of the knife. A bandage. A week of healing."
[Chat Block 4] "But the pain of the knife fades. The pain of the Silence does not. The Notch is a brand that screams to every merchant, every father, and every guard: 'Do not trust this man.'"
[Chat Block 5] "To explore the life of the marked man, I have invited a voice from the Caste of Singers. I present to you [Poet's Name], who will recite a piece titled 'The Mark of the Beast.'"
/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 20 seconds between each. The tone should be quiet, shameful, and lonely.)
[Stanza 1] /me stands with their head bowed, hand covering one side of their face. "A sliver of flesh, a drop of red, Better the notch than to be dead. The Magistrate wiped his bloody knife, And said, 'Go forth and live your life.' I walked away with a bandage white, And disappeared into the night."
[Stanza 2] /me looks up, scanning the crowd fearfully. "But morning came, and hunger too, I sought the work I used to do. I walked the docks to lift the crate, I stood before the merchant's gate. But eyes went to the scar I bear, The gap beneath my matted hair."
[Stanza 3] /me turns away from the audience, as if shunned. "No merchant trusts, no father lends, The Thief has neither coin nor friends. The silence follows where I go, A circle drawn in dirt and snow. They count their coins when I am near, Because of what is missing here."
[Stanza 4] /me touches the 'notched' ear, wincing. "I kept my hand, I kept my breath, But die a slow and social death. So hear me now, who covet gold, Before your honor is completely sold. The coin you steal is quickly spent, But the Mark... is permanent."
(The Poet bows deeply, keeping the ear covered.)
🎤 PART 3: THE ANALYSIS (Kati Returns)
(Wait for applause. Walk back to the podium.)
[Chat Block 6] /me returns to the podium. "Thank you, [Poet's Name]. 'The Mark is permanent.' That is the truth of Gorean Justice."
[Chat Block 7] "In Teletus, we do not have massive prisons to hold men for years. We do not pay to feed criminals. We mark them, and we release them."
[Chat Block 8] "The Ear Notch is a public record. It is the City saying to its Citizens: 'We have judged this man. He steals. Deal with him at your own risk.' It transfers the burden of safety from the Guard to the Public."
🤝 PART 4: THE HIRING LINE (Interactive Game)
[Chat Block 9] /me leans forward. "I want to play a game of Risk. I want you to imagine you are a Master Baker. You need an apprentice. The work is hard, but the pay is good."
[Chat Block 10] "Three men apply. I will describe them. You tell me: Who do you hire?"
[Applicant 1] "Applicant 1: A young man. Strong. Eager. But he has a Notched Ear. He swears it was a mistake of his youth. He begs for a second chance."
[Applicant 2] "Applicant 2: An older man. Slower. Weaker. But his ears are whole. He has no criminal record."
[Applicant 3] "Applicant 3: A stranger from another city. He has no references. His ears are whole."
(WAIT. Ask the audience to vote: 1, 2, or 3?)
[Chat Block 11 - The Verdict] "Most of you chose Number 2 (The Old Man). Why? Because he is safe. He is slow, but he will not steal your flour."
[Chat Block 12] "Some of you might risk Number 3 (The Stranger), but you will watch him closely."
[Chat Block 13] "Almost no one chooses Number 1 (The Thief). Even if he is the strongest. Even if he is the most skilled. The risk of theft outweighs the value of labor. This is the curse of the Notch. It creates poverty, which often leads to... more theft. And then the Second Cut."
❓ PART 5: Q&A SEGMENT
[Chat Block 14] "I will take questions now regarding The Mark, Social Stigma, or Healing."
(Signal PLANT A)
[PLANT A QUESTION] (Plant asks): "Mistress! Can I grow my hair long to hide the notch? Is that legal?"
[Chat Block 15 - Answer] /me nods. "It is legal. Many do it. But it is risky."
[Chat Block 16] "If you hide the mark and get a job... and then your Master discovers it later? He will feel betrayed. He will wonder what else you are hiding. He may fire you for the deception alone. Honesty is usually the safer path... though a harder one."
(Signal PLANT B)
[PLANT B QUESTION] (Plant asks): "Mistress, can I go to a Physician and pay to have my ear healed? Can they grow the flesh back?"
[Chat Block 17 - Answer] /me looks stern. "Absolutely Not. That is a crime against the Magistrate."
[Chat Block 18] "The Notch is a judicial sentence. It is a record. If a Physician uses their skills to erase a judicial mark, they are aiding a criminal in hiding his history. The Physician would lose their caste, and you would likely lose the ear entirely next time."
🏁 THE CLOSING
[Chat Block 19] /me smooths her robes. "Your body is your resume in Gor. Keep it clean. Keep it whole."
[Chat Block 20] "Tomorrow, we look at a crime that is the opposite of stealth. We will have a Storyteller share the tale of 'The Sacred Official.'"
[Chat Block 21] "It is the story of a man who got into a tavern brawl... and made the mistake of punching a Guard. We will learn why striking an Official costs more than striking a Citizen."
[Chat Block 22] "Thank you to our Poet. The Circle is closed!"
(Signal Crier/Slave to end.)
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