Phase 2: Society & Decorum

Week 6: Free Women (Conduct)

Movement: Escorts, Taverns, and the Warrior’s Hall.
Poem: The Rose in the Garden (A poem about protected women).
The Trap: "Slave-like Behavior" (Lewdness, dancing).
Submission: Addressing men (Never say "Master").
Scenario: "Safe or Slavery?" (Audience votes on scenarios).

Week 6 Production Package.

This is the "scary" week. It focuses on Law 3.3 (Slave-Like Behavior) and Law 1.8.2 (Debt). The goal is to scare the citizens into compliance by showing how easily a Free Woman can lose everything if she is careless.

📂 PROJECT: THE CIRCLE - WEEK 6 (THE TRAP)

Theme: Enslavement, Debt, & Slave-Like Behavior Goal: A cautionary week explaining exactly how Free Women end up in a collar legally.

🔔 LOGISTICS: CRIER MACROS

Give these to the slave running the streets.

15-Minute Warning: /shout 🔔 HEAR YE! The Circle gathers in 15 minutes! Freedom is fragile! Come see how easily the collar snaps shut on the careless! 🔔

Start of Event: /shout 🔔 THE CIRCLE is now in session! Today we discuss The Trap. Ladies, guard your freedom! 🔔

📜 DAY 1: THE LECTURE (Script for Kati)

Topic: Slave-Like Behavior (The Slippery Slope)

[OPENING] "Tal. Welcome to Week 6. This is the most dangerous week of our study. Last week we talked about Veils. Today, we talk about what happens when you drop them." "In Teletus, you are what you act like. If you act Free, you are Free. If you act like a slave, the Law will oblige you and make you one."

[SECTION 1: THE ACTIONS] "Law 3.3 is titled 'Slave-Like Behavior.' It gives a Magistrate the power to strip your citizenship instantly." "What are these behaviors? Listen well:" "Law 3.3.2: Appearing in public immodestly (exposed chest, legs). That is slave skin." "Law 3.3.7: Slave Dancing. If you dance the sensual dances of the paga tavern in the street, you are advertising yourself." "Law 3.3.8: Addressing a Free Man as 'Master.' Never use that word unless you want him to own you."

[SECTION 2: THE RESULT] "If a Magistrate finds you guilty of these things, there is no fine. There is no jail time. There is only the Collar. Your property goes to your heirs or the Treasury, and you go to the block."

[CLOSING] "Tomorrow, our players will perform a tragedy about a woman who spent more coin than she had. Come watch 'The Debt.' Dismissed!"

🎭 DAY 2: CREATIVE BRIEF (For Aria/Actors)

Topic: The Debt (Financial Enslavement)

To: Aria / Caste of Players From: Kati Evans Theme: Law 1.8.2 (Debt) & 3.3.10 (Failure to Pay)

The Goal: A drama showing that it's not just lewdness that enslaves women—it's poor math.

Characters:

LADY MIRA: Stylish, wears expensive silk, arrogant.
THE MERCHANT: Holding a long scroll of debts.
THE MAGISTRATE: Clinical and cold.

Plot Outline:

The Shopping: Mira is buying things she can't afford. "Put it on my tab. My Father will pay."
The Reality: The Merchant confronts her. "Your Father is dead, Mistress. And your tab is full. I demand payment."
The Trial: They go before the Magistrate. Mira cries, "I am High Caste! You cannot touch me!"
The Law: The Magistrate reads Law 1.8.2.a: 'Free Women unable to repay debts may be enslaved, sold at auction, or compelled into labor.'
The Verdict: Since she has no coin, she is the coin. The Magistrate hands her ownership papers to the Merchant. "She is yours. That settles the debt."

🖋️ DAY 3: CREATIVE BRIEF (For Aria/Poets)

Topic: The Red Silk (Voluntary Enslavement)

To: Aria / Caste of Players From: Kati Evans Theme: Law 3.3.1 (Voluntary Declaration)

The Goal: A poem exploring the choice to surrender. Not all slaves are taken by force; some kneel willingly. This poem should be romantic but heavy.

Key Elements:

The Declaration: Reference Law 3.3.1: A woman declares herself slave before two witnesses.
The Feeling: The heavy burden of Freedom vs. the "lightness" of surrender.
The Transition: The moment the veil drops and the collar locks.

Sample Imagery: "The weight of coin, the weight of choice, I lay them down with trembling voice. Two witnesses to hear my plea, To bind my wrists and set me free. No longer Lady, proud and tall, But slave and girl, owned by all."

📖 DAY 4: STORY BRIEF (For Guest Speaker)

Topic: The Dance at the Well

To: Guest Speaker / Storyteller Theme: Law 3.3.7 (Slave Dancing)

The Goal: A story about a girl who thought she was just "flirting" but went too far.

Story Arc:

The Girl: Young, pretty, perhaps a bit wild. She liked the attention of men.
The Scene: At a festival or near the city well, musicians played. She started to sway.
The Act: She hiked her skirt up (Law 3.3.2) and performed the movements of a slave dance (Law 3.3.7) to tease the boys.
The Slaver: A Slaver watching didn't see a Free Woman; he saw merchandise advertising itself.
The Claim: He called the Guards. They agreed: "If she dances like a kajira, she is a kajira." She was collared before the music stopped.
Moral: Do not play at slavery unless you intend to live it.

🗣️ DAY 5: THE FORUM (Script for Kati)

Topic: "Safe or Slave?" (Interactive Scenario)

[OPENING] "Tal. We have spent the week discussing The Trap. Today, I want to see if you know the difference between safety and slavery." "I will describe a situation. You tell me: Is she safe? Or is she slave?"

[SCENARIO 1: THE PONYTAIL] "A Low Caste girl is hot from working in the bakery. She pulls her hair back into a high ponytail to cool her neck." (Ask Crowd) Answer: "SLAVE TRAP. Law 3.2.3 explicitly forbids ponytails. It is a slave style. She should use a net or a bun."

[SCENARIO 2: THE INSULT] "A man insults a Free Woman. She yells back, 'You are a beast, but you are not my Master!'" (Ask Crowd) Answer: "SAFE. She used the word 'Master,' but she used it to deny him, not to submit. However, she should be careful. Law 3.3.8 says addressing a man as Master places her as a slave. Context matters, but it is risky."

[SCENARIO 3: THE BRAND] "A woman arrives at the gate. She claims to be Free, but she has a brand on her thigh. She shows a paper from the Scribes saying she was Manumitted (Freed) yesterday." (Ask Crowd) Answer: "SAFE. Law 3.3.9 says a woman with a brand is a slave unless she has documentation. If she has the paper, she is Free. But she must carry it always."

[CLOSING] "Next week, we shift our eyes to the Marketplace. Week 7: Merchant Law. We will talk of licenses, weights, and how not to get cheated. The Circle is closed!"

📜 SCRIPT 1: WEEK 6, DAY 1 (THE LECTURE)

Host: Kati Evans Topic: Slave-Like Behavior (The Slippery Slope)

(Instructions: Stand at the podium. Wait for Crier to finish.)

[LINE 1] Tal. Welcome to Week 6. This is the most dangerous week of our study. Last week we talked about Veils. Today, we talk about what happens when you drop them.

[LINE 2] In Teletus, you are what you act like. If you act Free, you are Free. If you act like a slave, the Law will oblige you and make you one.

[LINE 3] Law 3.3 is titled "Slave-Like Behavior." It gives a Magistrate the power to strip your citizenship instantly. What are these behaviors? Listen well.

[LINE 4] Law 3.3.2: Appearing in public immodestly. Exposed chest, bare legs, sheer silks. That is slave skin. If you show it, you lose the right to cover it.

[LINE 5] Law 3.3.7: Slave Dancing. If you dance the sensual dances of the paga tavern in the street, you are advertising yourself.

[LINE 6] Law 3.3.8: Addressing a Free Man as "Master." Never use that word unless you want him to own you. It is an act of submission.

[LINE 7] If a Magistrate finds you guilty of these things, there is no fine. There is no jail time. There is only the Collar. Your property goes to your heirs or the Treasury, and you go to the block.

[LINE 8 - CLOSING] Walk with dignity, or kneel in chains. The choice is yours. Tomorrow, our players will perform a tragedy about a woman who spent more coin than she had. Come watch "The Debt." Dismissed!

🗣️ SCRIPT 2: WEEK 6, DAY 5 (THE FORUM)

Host: Kati Evans Topic: "Safe or Slave?" (Interactive Scenario)

(Instructions: This is interactive. Be prepared to pause.)

[LINE 1] Tal. We have spent the week discussing The Trap. Today, I want to see if you know the difference between safety and slavery. I will describe a situation. You tell me: Is she Safe? Or is she Slave?

[LINE 2 - SCENARIO 1] First scenario: A Low Caste girl is hot from working in the bakery. She pulls her hair back into a high ponytail to cool her neck. Safe... or Slave?

(Wait for audience to shout answers)

[LINE 3] Answer: SLAVE TRAP. Law 3.2.3 explicitly forbids ponytails. It is a slave style. She should use a net or a bun. A Magistrate could cite her for slave-like appearance.

[LINE 4 - SCENARIO 2] Second scenario: A man insults a Free Woman. She yells back, "You are a beast, but you are not my Master!" Safe... or Slave?

(Wait for audience)

[LINE 5] Answer: SAFE. She used the word "Master," but she used it to deny him, not to submit. However, she should be careful. Law 3.3.8 says addressing a man as Master places her as a slave. Context matters, but it is risky. Better to call him a curr.

[LINE 6 - SCENARIO 3] Third scenario: A woman arrives at the gate. She claims to be Free, but she has a brand on her thigh. She shows a paper from the Scribes saying she was Manumitted yesterday. Safe... or Slave?

(Wait for audience)

[LINE 7] Answer: SAFE. Law 3.3.9 says a woman with a brand is a slave unless she has documentation. If she has the paper, she is Free. But she must carry it always. If she loses that paper, she is property again.

[LINE 8 - CLOSING] Next week, we shift our eyes to the Marketplace. Week 7: Merchant Law. We will talk of licenses, weights, and how not to get cheated.

[LINE 9] Bring your coin purses next week. The Circle is closed!

◈════════════════════════════════════◈

Week 6 - To Do Items

🛠️ Immediate Setup (Administrative)

[ ] Create Notecards: Create 6 separate Notecards inside Second Life (Logistics/Crier + Days 1–5).
[ ] Distribute to Staff: Pass the relevant Notecards to your staff and talent pool.
[ ] Update the Crier: Ensure the street slave deletes Week 5 macros and installs the Week 6 versions (Topic: Freedom is Fragile / The Trap).
[ ] Safety Warning: Briefly remind your actors that this week involves simulated forced enslavement scenes. Ensure everyone is comfortable with the OOC boundaries before the IC drama starts.

🎭 Creative Assignments (Delegation)

[ ] Send Brief to Aria (Day 2): Deliver "The Debt" brief.
- Action Item: Casting Note: "Lady Mira" needs to play the role with high arrogance so the audience feels the impact when she is humbled.
[ ] Send Brief to Aria/Poets (Day 3): Deliver "The Red Silk" brief.
- Action Item: Tone Check: This shouldn't be a "happy" poem. It should feel like a heavy, life-altering decision (Law 3.3.1).
[ ] Recruit Guest Speaker (Day 4): Select the Storyteller for "The Dance at the Well."
- Action Item: The speaker needs to emphasize the speed of the judgment—one moment she is dancing, the next she is property.

🗓️ Daily Execution Checklist

Day 1: The Lecture (Kati)

[ ] Review Script: Review Law 3.3 (Slave-Like Behavior). Be ready to quote the specific sub-sections (3.3.2, 3.3.7, 3.3.8) accurately.
[ ] Tone Check: Your tone today should be less "Teacher" and more "Warning." You are trying to save them from themselves.

Day 2: The Play (Aria/Actors)

[ ] Prop Check:
- The Merchant: Needs a very long/visible "Scroll of Debts."
- The Magistrate: Needs "Ownership Papers" or a visible document to hand over at the end.
[ ] Blocking Check: The moment of transfer (when the Magistrate hands the girl to the Merchant) needs to be slow and deliberate.

Day 3: The Poem (Aria/Poets)

[ ] Visual Cue: If the poet is willing, having them kneel at the final line ("Owned by all") would be a powerful visual punctuation.

Day 4: The Story (Guest Speaker)

[ ] Law Check: Ensure the story clarifies that the Guards didn't arrest her for fun, they arrested her because her actions (dancing) legally defined her as a slave.

Day 5: The Forum (Kati)

[ ] Prep the Quiz: Memorize the answers to the 3 scenarios (Ponytail = Trap / Insult = Safe / Brand+Paper = Safe).
[ ] Crowd Control: If the crowd gets the "Brand" question wrong (most usually think a brand always equals slave), be ready to correct them loudly with Law 3.3.9.

THE CIRCLE

Week 06 February 16 - 21