Every year, at the foot of the sacred Sardar Mountains, fairs are held for which all of Gor gathers regardless of states of war and unrest. These Sardar Fairs are called by the Initiates and hosted in honor of the Priest-Kings (who dwell in the Sardar Mountains) but organized and financed by the Merchant Caste.
During these events, Merchants from all over Gor discuss weights, measures, coins, value of goods, and rules to be given to trade between cities: thus were born the Merchant Laws, probably the only type of law, excluding religious laws, that are enforced not in one city but in every civilized town in Gor.
In essence, the tenets of Merchant Law intertwine with the caste's codes, functioning as both a safeguard for consumers and a mechanism to uphold the esteemed reputation of merchant caste affiliates. Through self-regulation, merchants adeptly cultivate and sustain the confidence of their clientele, ensuring a trustworthy rapport between buyer and seller.
Establishing and Implementing Merchant Code:
1. The Merchant Code is established through the assembly of Merchants at the Sardar and can only be modified by a majority vote during a duly announced Quarterly meeting.
2. The Merchant Code recognizes no political authority and universally applies, irrespective of any conflicts between jurisdictions.
3. All cities and trading posts are encouraged to embrace the Merchant Code and apply it impartially to all citizens, residents, and visitors engaged in fair trade. Failure to adopt the Merchant Code renders a city ineligible to partake in the Fairs, serving as a warning to Merchants to refrain from trading with said city, trading post, or political jurisdiction.
4. Chief Merchants have the authority to appoint Merchant Magistrates to facilitate equitable and unrestricted trade while upholding the principles of the Merchant Code. In certain jurisdictions, Council, Administrator, or Ubar approval may be required.
Regulating Currency:
5. Altering, mutilating, reducing, or deforming metal coins is regarded as theft and deception, diminishing their value. The weight and composition of coins are determined by the issuing city.
6. Instruments of debt may be transferred, usually at a discounted value, enabling the transferee to seek payment for the full face value of the instruments. Bounty creditors frequently take advantage of this opportunity.
Property Regulation:
7. Merchants convening at the Sardar shall establish standardized weights and measures applicable throughout Gor. Cities subscribing to the Merchant Code are obligated to conform to these standards or adjust monetary exchanges accordingly.
8. Two legal statuses exist in Gor: Free and Slave. Unless one is legally owned, they are deemed free, even if imprisoned, captive, or outlawed. Free individuals possess legal rights.
9. An individual without ownership or a gesture of submission is classified as a prisoner, not a slave.
10. The possessions of an enslaved individual shall be transferred to the nearest male relative, or the nearest relative if no male heir exists, or to the city or a designated guardian. Even if the slave is later freed, their property remains unrecoverable.
11. Offspring born to a slave become the property of the mother's owner upon birth. The application of this law pertains to the time of birth, not conception.
12. Enslavement serves as an annulment of the past. Once enslaved, an individual embarks on a new life as a slave, absolved of any crimes committed during their previous free existence.
13. Should a lost, stolen, or runaway slave be found or acquired by another individual, the rightful owner has a limited timeframe of five days to substantiate their claim and reclaim ownership. After this period elapses, legal possession transfers to the new owner.
14. Crests, symbols, and family emblems may be registered, and their usage shall be subject to legal restrictions.
Regulating Trade:
15. An unbranded slave may not be publicly offered for sale, and the seller may not make false claims regarding the slave's attributes, such as falsely asserting possession of highly-prized auburn hair.
16. Forging or falsifying pedigree documents pertaining to any slave is a grave violation of the Merchant Code. Such documents may include information regarding brands, measurements, training, age, or physical characteristics.
17. An individual unknowingly in possession of a lost or stolen slave shall not be convicted solely based on possession. However, they may be subject to civil laws concerning theft if implicated in the act.