A Tale of Zhor
By Christopher Leeson
By Christopher Leeson
NOTE: This story is based on "The Fact Sheet for Zhorian Universe Contributors" by Overlord. Overlord invites Zhor fans to try writing Zhor stories of their own. The article is found at http://www.pornhome.com/stories/zhor/world.htm
Most Zhorians believe that the Overlords, immortal beings just below the gods, serve the deities and guide humankind. Like the Olympians of ancient Greece, the Overlords are held to favor those who win glory through heroic deeds. Some cities have even erected shrines to their departed champions and, generation to generation, have regarded them as liegemen to the Immortals themselves.
But the Overlords do not favor ruinous wars. They limit the weapons of war and keep power spread widely across the face of Zhor, so that world does not follow the regrettable path of the planet Earth.
As in most heroic societies, wars on Zhor are frequent but small. It is ambitious warlords seeking to aggrandize themselves and rule many cities that cause the most damage. These despots tend to have quick, violent ends because the Overlords do not favor them. Nor do many of the cities that tolerate such reckless leadership tend to prosper.
Where the men of earth have wasting the biological potentials of their best young men in widespread conflicts, the statesmen of Zhor have found ways to allow their males to prove themselves, even while limiting the carnage of battle. It is for that reason that they favor the "Stake War." It is trial by combat in which individual prowess is maximized, but little upset is done to the polity of Zhor. The disputes between two cities are now commonly settled by a duel of heroes, and even major disagreements are generally resolved by the victory of a city champion.
If the contention is over a tract of land, or an outrageous affront to the dignity of a city, the polis whose defender has been defeated is duty-bound to make good the fair demands of the victorious. Land is transferred and compensation is paid. City-states that have been infuriated enemies oftentimes become allies within a few years of a Stake War.
In time, the Stake War has not only served to settle disputes, but has also become a contest of honor. A duel, or several duels are held in a day, often gracing grand festivals, like the meeting of sports teams on the planet Earth.
Alas, Earth has no true Stake War, and without such an institution it's history has been bloody. Unreason rules on Earth and it is not the nature of its inhabitants to let the outcome of a single warrior contest decide issues. Their conflicts never concern honor, but always naked power grasping and base gain. Therefore are fought by thousands or millions, with atrocity following atrocity, until the weaker side collapses into ruin. But victory in this sort of war is always false victory. The stage is almost always set for even greater wars as ruthless coalitions fall out over proceeds of victory.
On civilized Zhor, the cycle of these festivals might be once per decade, once per five years, once per every three years, or once each year. Even friendly cities may compete, to publicly display of the prowess of their sons. A victor in the Stake War is well rewarded, usually from a settlement paid to his city from the defeated polis. But Zhorians spurn the inglorious chasing after gold. They are a lusty people and prefer symbolic rewards of honor above crass gain. There is a saying, "A beautiful woman is better than an estate."
