These are the rules I enforce for my slave girls. After each rule, I explain its derivation.
1. Because most people on this world do not understand that women should be slaves, and men should love them and master them, my slaves may act as though they were free women when people who do not understand this are about. However, my commands must always be obeyed and my slaves must always defer to a Master, no matter the circumstance. The only honor a slave girl has is serving an honorable Master who knows what is best for her.
Derivation: This is fundamental to the idea of the slave as someone who is owned. I have no desire to inflict my own beliefs on others, nor to cause them distress by making them see things which disturb them. Nor is there any point to having my slaves behave in an unusual manner when others are about. Even in the Chronicles, when a man wished to take his slave to a public event, he would dress her in the Robes as a recognition of the nature of the event. But I mean to be obeyed, and I will be obeyed, and I do not care who is watching. They know I do not enjoy humiliating people for no reason: that is enough to have made it appealing for them to submit to me. Now that they have done so, their choices are over.
2. The paramount duty of a slave to her master is honesty. If she is tied in such a way as to cause physical pain he might not anticipate, she should say so. If she does not understand why something is being done to her, she should say so. If she is feeling uncertain about an aspect of her slavery, she should say so. A respectful question or observation will never bring punishment. My slaves are to constantly inform me of their thoughts and feelings, which belong to me no less than their lovely necks and are treasured just as much.
Derivation: Pure logic. If I want them to hurt, hurt they will. If I don’t, and they are hurting, something is wrong. It is not rational to damage one’s own property. And it is very rational to work with slave girls to deepen their slavery and make them desire to be more pleasing. They cannot do that if they are uncertain.
3. If a slave behaves and obeys well, she should be proud. There is nothing pleasing about cringing like a dog, fearing the Master's least word or glance. Slaves who are well disciplined are vital, intelligent, and bright of eye, quick to answer and quick to take pride in their service, and these things are pleasing to me. A slave may offer an opinion when asked, may speak and ask questions unless bidden to be silent, and may respectfully correct me when I am mistaken.
Derivation: This is a combination of logic and personal preference. While a certain amount of deference is due to the idea of the master, as opposed to the fallible human being, I like lively conversation and a slave who is not afraid to contribute to it. And there is nothing shameful about being a slave if that is what one is: what is important then is to be the best slave one can be. If I make a mistake, then I do, and it is no threat to my mastery to have a slave tell me so.
4. My slave girls must always remember that they are valuable property which belongs to me. They must at all times take good care of themselves medically, physically, and mentally. They must never, ever provoke confrontations in unknown environments or endanger themselves unnecessarily. If anything threatens their well-being, in whatever aspect, they are to tell me about it at once.
Derivation: Again, simple logic. I wish my property to have the maximum value to me. Otherwise, why have it This rule was inspired by the fact that one of my kajirae has a tendency to be confrontational. While I enjoy her courage I do not want her damaged by the fact that she sometimes thinks with her fists instead of her brain.
5. My slave girls are owned utterly by me, down to the last strand of hair on their heads. If I choose to use them, they must show their appreciation and give all their passion in exchange for the smallest touch. A slave may never resist my advances, or anything else I choose to do to her. She may inform me if she is unwell, or if there is some other reason my desires might best be temporarily delayed, but the decision is for me alone.
Derivation:While this might seem obvious, it pleases me to state it very straightforwardly. One of the consequences of submission is that one loses all other choices. The choice of whether to engage in sexual activities is the most private and intimate of choices. Making it clear that they have lost it gives depth to the magnitude of what they have done, and what they are subject to.
6. Slave girls sometimes disobey or are insolent and must be punished. This, of course, is the Master's privilege and his duty, for if a slave is not corrected, she will not improve. Slave girls are punished if, when, and as I please. When I desire to punish a slave, I will tell her why she is to be punished and how. If instructed to bring a lash or paddle, she must do so quickly and obediently. Her hands must never touch it, or any weapon, so she must bring it in her teeth, and when she reaches me she must be on her hands and knees. I will then inform her which position to take, and they must obey instantly.
Derivation: This is taken in part from the Chronicles. I wish it to be very clear to them that while I have no particular desire to punish them, I do not have any reservations about it, either, and that I consider pain a perfectly valid disciplinary tool.
7. I will punish my slaves in any way I see fit, naturally. They may be bound to remind them of their helplessness before me, or they may be ordered to hold a position to teach them to obey. When a slave knows she is being punished, she must obey instantly and without thought or question, unless she does not understand what she is to do.
Derivation: Not all punishments are physical, nor are they all obvious in their method or design. What is required from the girl is obedience. Making them understand how and why they are being punished is my lookout. If I do not make it clear, they will not improve, but that is my problem, not theirs.
Specific duties and "standing orders" for my slave girls include:
1. Slave girls must never speak the name of a Master unbidden, unless this would appear unseemly when others are about. The only time it should ever be spoken above a whisper is to call for immediate assistance with some urgent matter.
Derivation: I do not care to be called by my name by others without my permission. The name is the most intimate and valuable possession a person possesses. That a slave, an animal, would be allowed to use it as pleases her is a ridiculous idea. If the free person in question does not mind, all is well. She is using their possessions just as she might use her master's plates to serve dinner on. If she misuses the plates, she will be punished - and if she misuses a person's name, likewise. But unless and until the slave is told by a free person, "You may use my name," she should assume that they would consider this unacceptable. While the Chronicles inspired this particular rule, I have always felt this way about the use of my name. The world need not honor my preferences, but my slave girls must.
2. Slave girls must remember that they are property, and should not try not to refer to themselves as "I," "me," or to objects as "my" or "mine" in my presence. They instead should say "this girl," "your slave," and similar phrases.
Derivation: Slaves occasionally speak in the third person in the Gor books. They do this to emphasize that they are not "persons:" they do not own themselves. They are property. They are, philosophically as well as literally, "things." Many "real life" slaves, when forced to speak in the third person, have a visible reaction to this forceful reminder of their status. Many find it cumbersome as a full-time thing, and do not insist on its use at all times. Girls who have to interact with non-Goreans are at a decided disadvantage switching back and forth because of the conflict in their speech patterns. Its use when decreed, or when the slave wishes to demonstrate her slavery, is sufficient. There is more to showing need than bellying and lifting one's hindquarters, and subtle signs are no less valid than overt ones. Therefore I do not strictly enforce this requirement.
3. I prefer to be addressed as "Master" or "my Master" by slave girls. "Sir" or "My lord" is not to be used unless some fantasy or scene is being played out where it would be appropriate. A slave girl who wishes to indicate me in particular when other masters are about should refer to me as "my Master." Of course, this does not indicate her possession of me, but rather singles me out: She must respect all men, but I am her one true Master.
Derivation:They have to call me something. This is what I prefer. That is enough and ten times enough as far as they are concerned.
4. My girls are required to know how to dance for me. I will provide instruction as to the type of dance I wish them to learn, and they will then practice as directed by me.
Derivation: I like to watch women dance.
5. My slaves are to shave under their arms, their legs, and the pubic region. This is to be done not less than twice a week unless some physical reason for delaying it exists, and then only with permission. They are also, of course, to be clean and washed at all times
Derivation:I prefer this. I do not prefer it because I like them to look young, but because I like the way it feels. However, this is irrelevant: this is what I want, this is what they will do.
6. My slaves are allowed to speak to others without prior permission, even other Masters, so long as they are respectful. However, they are always to identify themselves as my slaves immediately upon beginning any conversation in a setting where this is appropriate.
Derivation: They are bright and intelligent women and I do not feel threatened by their existence outside of my personal purview. However, they are to make it very clear that they are the property of another.
7. My slaves, when approaching me and I am sitting or standing still, are required to kneel in the position known as "nadu:" sitting on heels, legs open, hands on thighs, unless for social reasons this would be inappropriate. After I see them do this, they may then sit comfortably at my feet unless I tell them otherwise. They are not to sit on chairs or furniture in my presence without permission unless in a mundane social situation.
Derivation: This is taken from the Chronicles and I find it a very appealing position to look at a slave in. However, it’s very uncomfortable to kneel like that if you haven’t grown up doing it and I see no reason to make them walk around as if crippled from kneeling too long. The restriction against furniture reminds them of the difference in our positions.
8. My slaves may come and go as they please unless they have been ordered otherwise. The only exception to this is as follows: If I have specifically summoned a girl for any reason, she is not to leave my presence without being dismissed, either explicitly or implicitly, as when she is told to go and do something. Slaves may ask to be dismissed, but they are to give a reason for the request.
Derivation: Again, I do not need or want mindless fawning servitude. They are permitted to have other interests and do as they like so long as it does not conflict with pleasing me.
Most of the Gorean approach to life can be observed in the Gorean aphorism:
"Do not ask how to live; rather, proceed to do so."
Goreans do not see life as a mystery to be solved, but as a reality to be experienced. They enjoy what they can and endure what they must. They do not rely overmuch on what they would see as the crutch of religion, but treat the unknown and unknowable with a matter-of-fact and direct approach.
Goreans are very concerned with honor, both in the context of the Codes and in general. However, the fundamental tenet of Gorean philosophy is not honor, but honesty. Self-honesty. This manifests itself most often in the idea that most men are masters, and most women are slaves, and they should not heed the urgings of a sick society to lie to themselves about the thing. Well and good. But if what you are, at heart, is a Scribe, it's silly to play at being a Warrior. If what you are at heart is a thief, then be a thief, and don't claim a bad childhood and economic repression drove you to it. (But see below about consequences.)
One result of this is that Goreans rarely lie. Even evil ones. They do a lot of misleading, wearing costumes and masks, not correcting misapprehensions or even going out of their way to create misapprehensions, and so forth, but even such anti-luminaries such as Pa-Kur or Kliomenes rarely tell outright untruths. It almost seems that lying is worse than killing or stealing to the average Gorean. ("On the other hand, I do not recommend lying to Goreans. They do not like it." – from Tarnsman of Gor)
If the basic tenet of Gorean philosophy being honesty, this makes sense. If your core belief is that people should be free, even jails for convicted wrongdoers seem immoral. (See Valentine Michael Smith's action regarding the jails in Stranger in a Strange Land.) If your core belief is that life is sacred, the tendency is to make even necessary killing seem somehow bad. (How many Americans think that meat comes from the supermarket?) If your core belief is, as it seems to be on Gor, that denying your own truth is evil, even the lies of others, or to others, take on a more negative connotation.
A related aspect of this is the method of dealing with consequences. Those persons who find consequences visited upon them on Gor don't waste a lot of time railing against their fates. Of course, Gor is a harsher world than Earth, so part of that is probably also simply that they know it won't do any good. But Goreans, while not generally superstitious, also almost seem to have an underlying belief in "destiny." This can be seen in the Caste system, which comforts them and prevents the sort of economic malaise and desperation we see in Western culture. It can be seen even in the behavior of Tarl and his various companions-in-chains when enslaved. Even in the mines of Tharna and Klima, there was little railing against the vagaries of fate.
If one believes that one has acted in accordance with one's nature, and with self-honesty, then for the most part, one can have confidence that what happens to one is in accordance with one's nature. Generally speaking, the best route to having what happens to one be in accordance with one's nature is that rigorous self-honesty. No matter how true you are to yourself, if you live in a city that falls in a war, you run the risk of having something awful happen to you. But that's a different question. This concept of "I will get what I deserve, not because I am entitled, but because that is what I deserve," would go a long way towards explaining why most Goreans are generally content with their lot, and most Westerners are not.
Once you get the idea that anything besides your own fundamental nature should be considered in determining what you should "get," be it material possessions or treatment by others, you enter a spiral of entitlement and greed which ends in the modern welfare state, crushing consumerism, and widespread feelings of failure and lack of self-worth we see in modern Western society. Cabot once described the difference between Goreans and Terrans as that Goreans live in a society where people know their places, and are generally content in them, whereas Terrans live in a society where all are expected to succeed, and most must fail. Even when a man changes Caste, he doesn't do so because his Peasant parents decided they wanted a Physician son, or he decided that the prospects for women and money were better for a Scribe than a Leather Worker, but because he knows that his talents and interests lie in a different direction. Again, self-honesty.
An interesting and counter-intuitive result of this belief is that while Goreans are less likely to bewail their fates, they are also less likely to be resigned to them. If a person honestly and truly believes that they are worthwhile, and that eventually people get what they deserve, they will be unlikely to accept a temporary setback, even a radical one such as imprisonment, as their lot in life. In the unbelievably harsh mines of Tharna, and Klima, men still believed that they could be free if only they could find it within themselves to be so. This is similar to Heinlein’s famous quote "You cannot enslave a free man: the most you can do is kill him."
Honor is not a bad thing. The more honorably everyone behaves, the better society works. However, one cannot say that a person is not Gorean because they act without honor, nor that if a person is Gorean, he is honorable. A Gorean thief might walk up to you and grandly proclaim the classic, "Stand and deliver: Your money, or your life!" He might even take your money and then kill you anyway. But you simply would not see Gorean Scribes taking the work of others and claiming it as their own. Or Metal Workers taking the result of others' labor and proclaiming it to be their own skill which had produced the fine result. That is purely unGorean, not because it is dishonorable, which it most surely is, not because it is stealing, which it most surely is, but because it is a lie. Lies are unGorean. Whether told by Society or the individual, whether by design or by custom, untruth cannot long bewilder those who adhere to Gorean philosophy. As Shakespeare said:
"To thine own self be true: it then follows as the night from day that thou canst not be false to any man
As noted above, Gorean culture is much less technologically oriented than Terran society. While the Cylinder Cities of Known Gor – called this because their principle architectural form is large round buildings not unlike Chicago’s Marina Towers – have a fairly sophisticated technological knowledge, because of the Weapons and Technology Laws (see above) they seem what a modern Terran would consider primitive at first glance. However, like Terran cities, they are organized around the principles of common defense (Gorean cities are always walled, for good reason,) economic interaction, and social activity. A citizen of Rome at the Empire’s height would not feel out of place in Ar, Gor’s largest city, although he would be amazed at the general health of the citizenry and the cleanliness of the streets.
As most of the Chronicles take place either in the Cylinder Cities, or in areas such as the basin of the Vosk River which are strongly influenced by them, they will be discussed first and in the most detail. The reader should be aware that when someone refers to how things are done "on Gor" they usually mean in the Cylinder Cities. Exceptions to almost every cultural practice can be found somewhere on Gor in some other culture and this should not be taken to mean that the Chronicles are inconsistent (although at times they are) but rather that Gor is a very complex world, not unlike our own.
One practice common to all Gorean cultures, without exception, is chattel slavery. This will be addressed in depth in the section on Gorean Slavery, but will be mentioned wherever appropriate.
Language
Most Goreans speak the same language, which they simply call the Language, or Gorean. It is an extremely complicated language, similar to the Romance languages but with English’s habit of absorbing useful words from other languages. A person who spoke Latin and Greek could probably make themselves understood in Gorean with some effort. Goreans of Known Gor often refer to "barbarians." This includes Terrans, such as slave girls captured and brought to Gor, and many people think that that is what it means. Actually it refers simply to people who do not speak Gorean or who are not native speakers of it. A Red Savage who could not speak Gorean would also be referred to as a "barbarian" just as a Terran girl would.
Other languages do exist on Gor in other cultures, but many members of those cultures also speak Gorean so that they may trade knowledge and goods with others. The Sardar Fairs (see below) do much to encourage the widespread dissemination of Gorean and its uniformity over most of the planet.
The Sardar Fairs
The Sardar Mountains have a narrow pass by which one may enter the range and try to reach the Priest-Kings. No one who has done so has ever returned. (Animals will not enter the Sardar and tarns will not overfly it.) However, at the base of that pass is a large area of neutral territory where the Sardar Fairs are held four times a year at the equinoxes and solstices. The individual fairs are known as "The Fair of" the month they are held: collectively they are the Sardar Fairs. These are huge gatherings for social, cultural, and economic interchange. The fairs are safe territory: no one may be slain or enslaved at the Fair, although slaves may be bought and sold. The various Castes exchange information at the Fairs, news of Gor is muchly traded, and varied goods from the far corners of the planet are interchanged.
Also at the base of the pass is a sort of shrine to the Priest-Kings. Every citizen of Known Gor, and many other cultures of Gor as well, is expected to make a pilgrimage to the Sardar before their twenty-first year to salute the Priest-Kings. While richer people can afford guards, the common folk must take their chances – and the approaches to the Fairs are not safe territory. Many women who meant to make an honorable pledge to the Priest-Kings have ended up seeing the Sardar from a slaver’s wagon. This encourages the mixing of bloodlines and slave stock from all over the planet and is also a primary, if little-known, purpose of the Fairs and the Sardar pilgrimage.
The First and Second Knowledge
One peculiar element of Gorean culture is the Two Knowledges. The First Knowledge is held generally by the Lower Castes. It holds such pre-technological references as believing that the world is flat, that names have magic power, and so forth. It is a simple worldview for simpler members of society.
The Second Knowledge, held by all of High Caste, is not exactly a secret, but is taken much more seriously by those of High Caste. It includes the knowledge that the world is in fact round, and that most superstitions are just that, superstition. Interestingly, it also includes the knowledge of the existence of Earth. As all Gorean humans are of Earth origin, it is not unlikely that this has simply been passed down through the High Castes, especially the Scribes. Not all members of the High Castes necessarily believe the Second Knowledge to be true, but they are all exposed to it.
Home Stones
The word "Gor" translates literally to "Home Stone." Home Stones are central to the culture of Known Gor. A Home Stone is just that, a rock. Typically, each man will have his own Home Stone, a rock kept in his home to show that it is his place and that he claims it as his own. While Terrans think of borders from the outside in, Goreans think of them from the inside out, with the center being the Home Stone of a city. Citizens of a city swear allegiance to its Home Stone, not to individual rulers or ruling bodies, typically in a ceremony on reaching adulthood. Home Stones are very dear to Goreans: a man who speaks of Home Stones should stand, as matters of honor are at stake. A conqueror may destroy the Home Stone of a city, which in essence destroys the city, but while the Home Stone survives and is uncaptured, its city lives and fights. A meek and mild man is a larl in the place of his Home Stone, and a man defending his Home Stone is not to be trifled with even by a Warrior.
It is a common practice in some online circles to refer to a Home Stone as a place, as in "Let us return to the Home Stone," or "You are welcome in my Home Stone." This is categorically incorrect. A Home Stone is a rock, not a place. Persons from the same city might refer to themselves as "sharing a Home Stone," and this does indicate some minimal social bonding, but they do not refer to their City as a Home Stone. A person would not say "Ar is my Home Stone," but rather "my Home Stone is that of Ar." The reverence for the two is somewhat interchangeable: while a citizen of Ar might speak negatively of the rulers of his city, he will always express profound reverence for "Glorious Ar" herself, and a man who insults his city, insults him.
The bonding of the Home Stone, while profound, is very nebulous: for instance, merchants will try to get dear prices from customers whether or not they share a Home Stone. However, persons who do not share a Home Stone will be naturally suspicious of each other: the Gorean word for "stranger" is the same as the word for "enemy." Goreans are not irrationally xenophobic: they are aware that there are friendly strangers and familiar enemies. The sharing of a Home Stone basically entitles a person to the benefit of the doubt, whereas persons who do not share the Home Stone have a higher burden of proof to show that they are not hostile or otherwise negative.
The definition of "outlaw," on Gor, is "one who has no Home Stone." As this implies it is a very serious matter indeed not to have a Home Stone. Only outlaws and slaves have no Home Stone. Note that not all Gorean cultures have the institution of the Home Stone.
Free Women
Free Women on Gor hold a precarious position. They are expected to be submissive to men, but not to demonstrate their submissive needs openly or deeply, for that indicates suitability for the collar of a slave. Typically, free women of any status or position wear the Robes of Concealment, similar to the robes worn by Muslim women, and are veiled. Even in the presence of male relatives, a Free Woman wears a light House Veil so as to appear modest. A Free Woman who exposes her face in public is said to be "face-stripped" and is considered extremely exposed and immodest: a Free Woman would rather be naked save for a face veil than clothed and unveiled.
Free Women are allowed to demonstrate their needs in private, and to take pleasure in the sexual act. However, even then, they are expected to hold back just a bit, to demonstrate that they are not helpless in their need like a slave.
All Gorean Free Women are addressed as "Lady" when speaking formally, even a child, a beggar, or a Peasant woman. This indicates that they are not slaves and they become very angry when slighted in this regard. Free Women are always addressed as "mistress" by slaves.
Free men and Free Women are joined formally in the Ceremony of Free Companionship, and the two are referred to as "Free Companions." Free Companionship must be renewed once a year, or the Companionship is terminated. This is necessary given the long lifespan of Goreans and the uncertain and hazardous nature of Gorean society. The enslavement of either Companion also immediately terminates the Companionship. While typically in the upper Castes Companionships are entered into for political purposes or monetary gain, Companionship for love is also very common, and even in arranged Companionships it is not unheard of.
Other than the above restrictions on behavior, Free Women may do much as they please. They can own property, maintain businesses, and so forth. Many upper Caste Free Women have guards who accompany them outside their homes, ride in sedan chairs, and have personal slaves. While Free Women are usually allowed to have their own slaves, including those for sexual use, they are forbidden to couch with the slaves of others in some cities, notably Ar. The penalty for such is immediate reduction to slavery. Male slaves used for sexual purposes by women are usually referred to as "silk slaves."
Castes
Most Gorean societies operate under a Caste system. Although the Castes are largely hereditary, they are not immutable, and a person who demonstrates aptitude in a Caste other than that they were born into may change with the permission of both Castes and the ruling body of the city. In this respect the Castes are more like a medieval guild system than the castes of Hindu India. Family is also very important to Goreans, and they have a clan system which recognizes ties of blood to the fifth degree.
Goreans are fond of their Caste system and view it as a stabilizing and civilizing influence. There are five High Castes: all others are Low Castes. However, while only members of High Caste may exercise political power, most Gorean cities have a more or less democratic system for picking the ruling Councils and Administrators in which all free citizens of High Caste may vote and in which the will of the populace is ignored only at the peril of the powers that be. Of course, money, as always, also translates into power, and as a result of all these factors the Caste system does not greatly hinder the rise of men of ability in government. Furthermore, Castes are not a "licensing system." If one wanted to build a wall, one would hire laborers: if one wanted to build a large public building, one would hire a Builder. Most soldiers are not Warriors, but most leaders of soldiers are. Anyone may bake bread for his own use: only Bakers mass-produce it for public sale.
Initiates
The first High Caste is the Initiates. The Initiates devote themselves to studying, worshipping, and interpreting the will of the Priest-Kings. Their Caste color is White. Culturally, the Initiates are generally either the most powerful High Caste of a given city, or the least, depending on various factors. In times of trouble the status of the Initiates usually either dramatically improves as the populace seeks their intercession with the Priest-Kings, or falls sharply as the populace blames them for not interceding properly on their behalf. Only men may join the Initiates – making it an exception to the hereditary nature of the Caste system. Initiates do not eat meat or beans, shave their heads, and spend much time studying obscure prayers and mathematics which they claim will enable them to enter the afterlife when they die.
The Initiates as a group do not, in fact, know the nature of the Priest-Kings: they consider them beings of spirit with no fixed form and regard them as gods. The Priest-Kings find the Initiates both puzzling and extremely amusing, and take no special steps to improve or degrade their claims to know the will of Priest-Kings. Certain members of the Initiates are in contact with the Priest-Kings (as are various people all over Gor, although how this contact is made is not clear and such agents do not know what the Priest-Kings are like) and do perform certain tasks on their behalf.
The Initiates form the only generally found religious body on Gor although there are also sun-worshippers, sky-worshippers, and followers of a modified Norse pantheon, among others. The average Gorean is not very religious – although he may be superstitious – and basically seeks to have the Priest-Kings leave him alone. Since the Initiates teach that only Initiates can find the afterlife, and most Goreans do not believe in an afterlife anyway, the populace respects them but does not seek to follow them fervently. Goreans often speak of someone who has died as having gone to the "Cities of Dust," which may be a reference to an Assyrian/Mesopotamian version of the afterlife, where the dead are ghosts who live on dust. However, they do not believe in an actual afterlife, saying rather than a man’s deeds live after him, as do his children.
Scribes
The second High Caste is the Scribes. It is generally held to be the highest Caste after the Initiates, although this varies by city - as does the ranking of the Initiates themselves. The Caste of Scribes concerns itself with the acquisition, storage, and dissemination of knowledge. The Caste Color of the Scribes is Blue. They generally wear long robes, which like the academic robes of historical Terran institutions are often tattered and worn as Scribes have better things to do than worry about the state of their robes. Scribes in general are very circumspect and proper in their speech and action, with a concern for Caste demarcation and precision in language. The Caste of Scribes includes lawyers, judges, librarians, teachers, and almost any other field where large amounts of abstract learning are required.
As a High Caste, and of course as the Caste of the keepers of information, Scribes hold the Second or Double Knowledge, and are aware of the existence of Earth and the nature of the physical world. Given the love of Scribes for knowledge, any knowledge, it is not impossible that one might find a Scribe who could speak or read one or more Terran languages, pulled from a slave girl, simply for the sake of knowing it. A scroll in English would be treasured by a Scribe every bit as much as one in Gorean, even if he could not read it, simply because it was knowledge.
Scribes are not, by and large, scientists - that distinction belongs to the Builders, for the world of physical science, and the Physicians, for the world of biological science. However, a Scribe with an interest might study almost anything, and given that knowledge is their field one should not be too surprised with a Scribe who knows the workings of optics, ballistics, or physiology, although he would be very unlikely to be actively contributing to such a field. Someone who wrote fiction or poetry would not be a Scribe, but a Poet or Singer - Scribes deal in knowledge, not entertainment.
The most famous example of the Scribes in the novels of Gor is Torm of Ko-ro-ba, Although he was rather derisive of the combat training given to Tarl by the Older Tarl, he was a true friend and a very brave man, although he took great pains to conceal this fact.
Although Scribes are not skilled with weapons nor the arts of combat it should never be forgotten that men of this Caste, and all others, are free men, Gorean men, and are not to be underestimated. A slave girl who thinks that without the Scarlet tunic or a sword a man is not to be pleased, and completely, does so at her peril.
Physicians
The third High Caste is the Physicians. Their Caste Color is Green. The Physicians of Gor are extremely knowledgeable: their grasp of anatomy, physiology, and biology is equal to that of Terran science. Their diagnostic capabilities are extremely advanced. Their crowning achievement, of course, is the Stabilization Serums. They have also discovered an extremely effective birth control known as "slave wine." This is brewed from various native plant species, and drunk by women who do not wish to conceive. Although it is recommended to be renewed every month, so effective is it that most women who have it will not conceive unless and until given the counter-agent, referred to as a "releaser."
Builders
The fourth High Caste is the Builders. Their Caste Color is Yellow. The Builders are the engineers, physicists, and physical scientists of Gor. They developed the Energy Bulbs, co-developed the Slave and Tarn Goads with the Physicians, and have developed the telescope, which is referred to as the "glass of the Builders." They are also highly proficient civil engineers: the cities of Gor have good waste management, aqueducts, and impressively large buildings.
Warriors
The fifth High Caste is the Warriors. (The Gorean word for Warrior is "Rarius," plural "Rarii.") Their Caste Color is Scarlet. Warriors, naturally, study the arts of war, from individual weapons to theories of battle, siegecraft, and the attainment of military goals by political means. With the possible exception of the Initiates, the Warriors are always regarded as the "lowest" of the High Castes. While the Administrator of a city may be of any High Caste, if the city goes to war, an Ubar, or War Leader, is chosen, who is always a Warrior. Typically, the Ubar steps down when the crisis has passed. If he refuses to do so, typically the Warriors of the city impale him. But if he has gained their loyalty, they may support him, and he can then rule as a tyrant until such time as he is overthrown. Given the independent nature of Goreans in general and Warriors in particular, a Roman-style "mad emperor" would not survive long on Gor. A man who remains Ubar, while he may be brutal, will be a man of ability and will have the capability to govern well.
The training of Warriors is phenomenal, equaling anything in the history of Earth. A typical Warrior can run for hours at a steady jog, fight multiple opponents, and use a wide variety of weapons or his bare hands. Warriors typically shun bows and crossbows as coward’s weapons, but many of them are skilled in their use.
Lower Castes
Examples of Lower Castes include the Peasants, the Potters, the Bakers, and basically any other craft which has an organized body of knowledge. Persons of Lower Caste are not thought of as inferior per se by persons of High Caste, nor do they consider themselves unworthy. Social divisions are clear on Gor, and a Gorean would likely approve of the saying, "A place for everything, and everything in its place." However, Goreans will not long tolerate injustice or overt oppression, and even the lower Castes are capable of courageous and determined fighting. The Peasants, in particular, while the lowest Caste on Gor, consider themselves the "Ox upon which the Home Stone rests," and their practice with the Peasant Bow, a fearsome longbow, means that a body of Peasants would give even a number of Warriors serious pause.
Other Cultures of Gor
Gor has dozens of other cultures, which are found in various places on the planet. These are usually very analogous to some Terran culture, which is understandable since all Goreans originated on Earth. Some of the more important groups are as follows:
Wagon People / Turians
In the Southern Hemisphere of Gor lie a large plain similar to the Great Plains of North America or the Steppes of Asia. Huge bands of nomads known as the Wagon People herd a form of cattle known as bosk through these plains. The Wagon People are divided into four tribes, who war amongst themselves but will band together against outsiders or Turians if the need is great enough. The Wagon People, like all Goreans, acknowledge the power of Priest-Kings but believe that the Sky is the creator-figure of the world.
In the center of the Plains of the Wagon People lies Turia, the "Ar of the South." A great walled city, Turia trades finished goods and slaves with the Wagon People in exchange for meat and other products. While a great deal of animosity exists between Turians and Wagon people, the two societies are extremely interdependent. Women of the Wagon People, free and slave alike, wear golden nose rings, and these are often seen in slaves from the region. Also the main alternative to the flat slave collar originated in Turia, the round rod collars often referred to as "Turian Collars."
More information on these people may be found in Book Four, Nomads of Gor.

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Patchwork Merchant Mercenaries had its humble beginnings as an idea of a few artisans and craftsmen who enjoy performing with live steel fighting. As well as a patchwork quilt tent canvas. Most had prior military experience hence the name.

 

Patchwork Merchant Mercenaries.

 

Vendertainers that brought many things to a show and are know for helping out where ever they can.

As well as being a place where the older hand made items could be found made by them and enjoyed by all.

We expanded over the years to become well known at what we do. Now we represent over 100 artisans and craftsman that are well known in their venues and some just starting out. Some of their works have been premiered in TV, stage and movies on a regular basis.

Specializing in Medieval, Goth , Stage Film, BDFSM and Practitioner.

Patchwork Merchant Mercenaries a Dept of, Ask For IT was started by artists and former military veterans, and sword fighters, representing over 100 artisans, one who made his living traveling from fair to festival vending medieval wares. The majority of his customers are re-enactors, SCAdians and the like, looking to build their kit with period clothing, feast gear, adornments, etc.

Likewise, it is typical for these history-lovers to peruse the tent (aka mobile store front) and, upon finding something that pleases the eye, ask "Is this period?"

A deceitful query!! This is not a yes or no question. One must have a damn good understanding of European history (at least) from the fall of Rome to the mid-1600's to properly answer. Taking into account, also, the culture in which the querent is dressed is vitally important. You see, though it may be well within medieval period, it would be strange to see a Viking wearing a Caftan...or is it?

After a festival's time of answering weighty questions such as these, I'd sleep like a log! Only a mad man could possibly remember the place and time for each piece of kitchen ware, weaponry, cloth, and chain within a span of 1,000 years!! Surely there must be an easier way, a place where he could post all this knowledge...

Traveling Within The World is meant to be such a place. A place for all of these artists to keep in touch and directly interact with their fellow geeks and re-enactment hobbyists, their clientele.

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