vanea-DISCLAIMER: we of The_Gorean_Voice are in no way, shape or form, responsible for any slave attacks, screen licking, or abundance of collar begging that might concur from this interview.

With pen and pad in hand, vanea wiggles up close to the feet of a handsome figure to interview (its a job and someone has to do it, wink). This well known face to many of this community is none other than Master Phormio. For any that do not know him, you can find and recognize him by going to #Silk&Steel on dal.net, turning to the right where a big op table sits. You will probably not be able to see his feet, as they are usually covered by a plethora of drooling girls on their knees. vanea grins and whispers "guilty".

Master Phormio was born of German and Scottish descent in Lima, Ohio a mere 52 years ago. He proudly comments, "The state that the most United States Presidents have come from". At present, he resides in the good ole Cajun country known as Louisiana. vanea asks, "How did you end up down there in Cajun Country, Master?". Master Phormio smiles, "Well, I was here 30 years ago in the army. I loved it then and I kept trying to get back here. Finally, about 5 years ago, I got transferred down here for work." vanea probes a bit to learn more of his time in the service, asking, " When were you in the Army, Master, and was this experience a positive or negative one for you". "I was in the army for 2 years, from 1969-1971. In many ways it was a positive experience. It teaches us many useful things for later in life and our careers," he said. "vanea would like to know if you could tell us one major thing it has taught you, Master, something that has either changed your life or has helped it" Master Phormio smiled as he stated "Patience". vanea knows from personal experience that Master Phormio is one of the many patient men she has met online and knows many girls including herself who are very grateful for that. You can often see him take extra time to explain and talk with people eager to learn and understand. Master Phormio added that, "It also teaches you how to deal successfully with people that you may not necessarily like or respect." Master Phormio is of the Caste of Warriors.

Master Phormio was working as a sales manager for a large multinational chemical company, when he was sent to Louisiana to head up the Gulf Coast Region. That was about 5 years ago. Recently, he got an opportunity to retire early. Not being able to resist the opportunity, he did so and now calls himself "a man of leisure". He said, "I do a little consulting for them, but not that much any more."

"What do you fill your leisure hours doing now, Master Phormio." vanea asks, thinking he looks way young to be what we vision as a retired person. "Fishing, cooking, reading, following my investments on line", grinning wickedly, "using slaves." vanea smiles and volunteers. His favorite types of fishing are, muskie fishing in Canada and off shore saltwater fishing.

Having heard what a wonderful cook he was vanea just had to bring this up as to what he enjoyed cooking the most. Master Phormio enjoys cooking Italian, but is experimenting with French cuisine lately. He claims to be adept at simmering things.

His favorite color, "Denim", and favorite type of music is classic rock and some current pop. Sometimes he enjoys a bit of classical.

Now for a bit of the Gorean aspects. He has been on irc for 2 years. vanea asked him how did his coming to irc happen. "I was talking with a girl on aol one night. She pointed me to the Sword and Shield website. While there, I meant to click the link to their tavern and instead clicked the link to the Silk&Steel on dal.net. It directed me to a website to get mirc. I got that and from there, I went on to the #SilkandSteel and never left. Prior to that, I had gone to a couple of Gorean channels before on aol and was part of Sardaria for a couple weeks, maybe a month. When I went to irc I went there looking for Goreans. I have never gone to a non-Gorean channel on irc." said Master Phormio. vanea asks, "When did you first learn of the word Gor, Master?" "I first read Tarnsman as a college sophomore. I read roughly the first ten as a young adult."

vanea asks, "When you were younger and were reading the books, what did they mean to you? Were they just some fun fictional books or did you already see deeper meaning in them perhaps, Master?" "They were mainly interesting sci/fi but they also struck a chord deep inside. But it was not until the late 80's that I began to reread them and dig more into the philosophy that they contained." vanea leans in closer with great interest, whispering, "Master, when were you able to say to yourself you are Gorean?" Master Phormio smiles, "I never thought of myself as Gorean until I met others that were so and began to discuss things with them. It was from these discussions and meetings with them that I realized that I am."

Asked to define his definition of what it means to be Gorean, Master Phormio replied, "Got about 50 hours?...I do not think that is something that can be justly described in an interview of this nature. I think Marcus covers the topic well on the website. I find integrity, being true to oneself, the role of men and women, to be key parameters in it. I believe a quote from my father expresses the cornerstone of my beliefs quite well "The true strength of a man is measured by the strength of his word" I think that the men of my Home Stone have very similar ideas on the basics of being Gorean. We all have a slightly different slant on the details of it, but the major points are jointly held."

Master Phormio once wrote that he did not think that a girl knew what it was really like to be a slave until she was owned so vanea inquires more as to why he says this. "I said that I do not believe a girl is a slave until she has been collared, because I do not believe that they fully understand the meaning of surrender until they have been made to do so. I do not believe they can completely surrender until they are owned. I did not say they had to be owned to be slave, but they had to at least have been owned once. Prior to that they are submissive, but have not surrendered. All slaves are not equal, all slaves do not surrender as deep as others either. I do not think that every girl that has been collared has truly surrendered. I personally do not think that girls that are merely collared on line have truly surrendered totally. I could be wrong of course, but I find it hard to believe that they can surrender as fully on line as they can at the feet of a man. It does not have to be 24/7 but there needs to be some off line contact to fully experience being owned. These are merely my opinions though."

Master Phormio is not married at the moment. He owns 2 slaves and owned slaves before coming to irc. His thoughts on Free Women and their place in the community brought this response. "There is a place for them. We have several that are citizens of the #Silk&Steel. They are a part of the Gorean community. They fit in as they do in the novels." vanea has heard from the time she began exploring her own slavery that inside each female there is a slave and asks Master Phormio what he thinks about this. "I think that some slave blood courses through the veins of all woman. It merely takes the right man, at the right time to bring it out."

His views on gamers and players is a simple one. "I believe anyone can be what they want to be. If they are playing at it, then they should let everyone know. They should not try to deceive others of us. They need not come around me or most of my friends. There are plenty of places for them to play. There is a place for them, but it is not amongst the Gorean community that I belong to."

"Master Phormio, how do you give back something to the community? What things do you do to help?" vanea asks. "That is a difficult question, vanea. I try at times to address issues on the boards. I try to talk with people and discuss the philosophies involved. I try to support those that are truly trying to learn and to point out when I think others are acting improperly."

Some thoughts on the tavern brings a small laugh as he talks of his first visit, how he was treated, and the overall experience. "I was kicked by Modred on my first visit. Almost kicked by Wolf on my second. I did not find anything in particular outstanding in the beginning. However, I now find the camaraderie and deep friendships I have formed with some of the men there to be outstanding." Master Phormio has been an op in Silk&Steel for about 18 months. He didn't have just one mentor but says there are several men he talks with often such as Masters Wolf, Tusker, Mastiff, Mach, and JaKil. Master Phormio laughed and said, " You know me. I like to talk. So I often talked with many of them." He is, as all OPs seem to be, an excellent muli-tasker.

vanea goes to put her pen and pad away when someone slips her a piece of paper with the following questions: "Ask him for his recipe for mudpuppies, ask him where he was when Mastiff tried to crawl into bed with me." vanea laughs, folds the unsigned paper up, hunts a place to put it which is useless and wishes all well. After all, she only gets a small place to write and has to save room for Master Marcus in case he has something to write this month…wink..

See you next month...all comments, suggestion, ideas, chocolates, corrections may be sent to the Voice and will be forwarded.