Clothing
Men of the Plains
The clothes of Tuchuk men resemble much of that worn by the Mongols of Earth. They have a leather jerkin, covered by a quilted jacket that can be trimmed with fur and have a fur collar. They wear wide leather trousers held by a five-buckled belt. Their boots can be made of hide and trimmed with fur. They wear a hood and cape of fur or a flopping cap of fur covering a conical steel helmet. While riding, they also wear a soft, leather wind scarf to use against the wind and dust of the ride.
In the coldest weathers, both men and women, Free and slave, will wear furred boots and trousers, coats and ear-flapped caps that tie under the chin. It becomes difficult to differentiate between the Free and slave though there may still be signs. Kajirae have long, unbound hair and their collar can be visible. Male slaves wear shackles, linked by a foot of chain.
City Men
The most common clothing worn in the cities is the tunic. This may be the Roman or Greek style of tunic with or without sleeves. It may be tied at the waist with cord or a sash, or belted. Tunics come in various lengths, the shorter being knee-length and the longer going to the ankles. The tunic is also worn in villages and settlements away from the cities, depending on the climate. Surcotes, jackets and vests may also be used over tunics.
Other Areas
In the North, more clothing is worn because of the cold climate. Fabric or leather pants, tunics, vests, and jackets are commonly used. For the hot Tahari, clothing is similar to that of the nomadic peoples of the Middle East of Earth. In the steamy jungles, people often wear robes and cloaks, though the fabric is lighter. Even so, leather and skins are also worn. Feathers are very popular.
Common Throughout Gor
Cloaks, short and long, hooded or not, are worn throughout Gor. Sandals are the most common footwear. Boots may be used in colder climates or as protection when riding. Accessories include headwear, belts, sashes, pouches, gloves, and jewelry.
Combat Rules
Combat Posting
The stance post will be first. Each warrior will then post three to eight combat posts in alternating fashion. An “ending post” of two defensive actions only will be the final post. ALL posts, including the stance and final defense post will be scored. An individual post will consist of NO MORE than five actions. Actions include any combinations of movement, changing weapons, attacks, and defense. Each post will be worth five points. Deductions from each post will be based on mistakes, unrealistic actions, confusing posts, non-flowing posts, and time limit violations (over the eight minutes). One point per round will be awarded to the warrior who posts the most “effective aggression.” Remember that a post should represent no more than two to three seconds maximum of R/T.
Types of Combat
Four types of combat are recognized:
- Sport Spars: These spars are for practice and tournament competition. These spars are light contact. No serious wounding and no death blows are allowed. These spars may be entirely hand-to-hand combat if both combatants agree. These spars shall be three to five posts in length, although extra rounds may be added to break a draw, if agreed to by both combatants.
- Honor Duels (Canjellne or Honor Spars): These duels are for settling disputes and lesser matters of honor. Typically, the combatants will set stakes and the winner is awarded all. These duels are more serious and critical wounds may be inflicted. Death blows and permanent injury are not permitted. These duels may be entirely hand-to-hand combat, if both combatants agree. These duels shall be five posts in length, although extra rounds may be added to break a draw.
- Death Duels (Death Spars): These duels are for grave matters of honor. The combatants are risking their lives. The loser of a death duel dies. Both may die if the duel is ruled a draw. Permanent injury, even to the winner, may occur. The combatants risk everything they own in addition to their lives, including, but not limited to, gold, free companions, and slaves. These duels are fought with weapons, although hand-to-hand combat may be used. These duels shall be eight posts in length, although extra rounds may be added to break a draw.
- Open Combat: Sometimes combat will spontaneously begin between two or more warriors, or possibly due to an assassin's attack.
- Each duel/spar will be alternating posts each by each combatant. A “beginning post” shall state the stance, where weapons are (hands or sheathed), and if any subtle motion, e.g. “circling.” All times and time violations will begin after the beginning post is made. The first post of sport spars will be determined by a random method agreed to by the combatants and judges. The first post of either honor duels or death duels shall be the option of the challenged warrior. The challenged warrior may post first or second as he chooses.
- Each combatant may use up to seven Gorean weapons including quiva. This also includes shields, bucklers or helmet. A pair of fighting slave’s gloves shall count as two weapons. A bow is a weapon and each arrow is an additional weapon. Non-Gorean weapons will not be permitted and, of course, no armor, chain mail, or similar protection.
- Combatants will be judged on realism and skill. All strikes must be accepted, evaded or blocked. Each combatant chooses how to respond and the duel/spar must flow reasonably from one move to the next. Connection to the prior post is the responsibility of combatants.
- An individual post will consist of NO MORE than five actions. Actions include any combinations of movement, attacks, and defense. Accepting a strike, blow or wound does not count against the five allowed actions.Movement Actions
- Closing to engage a combatant. Even on the opening post.
- Moving back out of combat and getting reading to defend.
- Changing weapons.
- Changing Your position during or after attacking.
- Getting out of the way of an attack (ducking, rolling out of the way, etc.).
- Feints.
Attacking Actions
- Hitting or attempting to hit with a weapon.
- Hitting or attempting to hit with a shield.
- Hand-to-hand attacks such as kicks, punches, leg sweeps, head butts, throws, etc.
- Using blood, sand, or another foreign substance to blind.
- Parries with a weapon.
- Blocks with a shield.
- Ducking, dodging or otherwise evading an attack.
- Judges and the number of them for a duel/spar shall be set and agreed on by the combatants. An odd number of judges is preferred to minimize the chance of a draw. In the case of a death duel, the judges must first decide if a death duel is warranted for the dispute between the combatants. If the judges decide a death duel is not warranted, then the duel shall be reduced to an honor duel. In the case of open combat, the ubar/jarl/chief of the room where the combat occurs shall judge the combat. If the ubar/jarl/chief is involved in the combat or if the ubar/jarl/chief cannot FAIRLY judge the combat, the ubar/jarl/chief shall appoint a single neutral judge agreeable to all combatants to determine if any deaths, serious wounds, or captures occurred.
- Judges shall read all posts carefully and objectively assess the merit of the posts. If a judge cannot do this, the judge should REFUSE to judge the duel/spar. It's the only honorable action.
- For booted/crashed/frozen/tech impaired/RTI'd combatants (this IS on line and WILL happen), allowances of extra time over the eight-minute limit should be given. Where a combatant cannot return to the duel/spar, the judges shall decide whether to restart the entire duel/spar at a later time or pick up the duel/spar where it ended at a later time. The judges may render decision on the duel/spar at the point the duel/spar ended, IF and ONLY IF, both combatants agree.
- Each post for each round of a duel/spar shall be worth a base of five points. Points shall be added or subtracted from the base.
- Duels/spars will be judged on the basis of realism, following the rules of combat, and effectiveness of offense and defense.
- Violations of the eight-minute time limit shall have a one-point deduction from the base of five. The eight minutes are calculated from the time of the opponent's last post. A one-second violation of the eight minutes IS a violation.Example: Fighter 1 posts at 15:21:45. Fighter 2 has until 15:29:45 to respond. If Fighter 2's post arrives at 15:29:46, then one point is deducted.
- Unrealistic/confusing/non-flowing posts shall have one point deducted from the base of five points. Combatants are not supermen and posts should reflect humanly possible actions. The posts of each combatant should be clear, easy to read and easy to visualize. The posts should flow easily from one post to the next.
- Violations of the rules of combat shall have a one-point deduction from the base of five per violation. For example, if a combatant posts six actions in a post, the combatant loses one point. If a combatant posts six actions AND directs the opponent's next move, the combatant loses two points. If a combatant posts six actions, directs the opponent's next move, AND violates the eight-minute time limit for response, the combatant loses three points.
- Posts that are flawless, that is, completely realistic and without violation of the rules of combat including, but not limited to, time violation, may be rewarded with an additional point to the base of five IF AND ONLY IF there is evidence of extra realistic, descriptive, accurate, superior strategy, or extra effective offense or defense.
- Judges shall evaluate each round of the duel/spar for effective offense. The combatant that posts the most effective offense, that is, realistic within the other confines of the rules; and either acknowledged as a strike, unrealistically blocked, or ignored by the other combatant, shall receive an extra point added to their base score for the round. The only time such a point will not be awarded is in the event of a time violation. A post that contains the most effective offense, but is not posted within the eight-minute time limit, shall not receive an extra point.
- The end of the duel/spar will occur when the ending post is posted. At the end of the duel/spar, each judge will all add his scores from all five posts for each combatant to determine who won the duel/spar. The name of the winner shall then be given to the head judge. The winner of the duel/spar shall be the combatant who has the most judges deciding in his favor at the end of the duel/spar.Possible Outcomes
- Judge 1 scores for Fighter 1: 21 – 19, Judge 2 scores for Fighter 2: 22 – 17, and Judge 3 scores for Fighter 1: 20 - 19. Fighter 1 is the winner of the duel/spar because 2 of the 3 judges have decided for Fighter 1. Fighter 1 wins the duel/spar even though total points totals are 58 (Fighter 1) to 60 (Fighter 2). This prevents a single judge (like Judge 2) from effectively overruling the other two judges.
- Judge 1 scores for Fighter 1: 20 – 19, Judge 2 scores a draw: 19 – 19, and Judge 3 scores for Fighter 2: 19 - 17. The duel/spar is a draw even though Fighter 2 has a one- point edge in the totaled score.
- Judge 1 scores for Fighter 1: 20 – 18, Judge 2 scores a draw: 19 – 19 and Judge 3 scores a draw: 17 - 17. The duel/spar is a draw because 2 of 3 judges ruled it a draw. To allow Fighter 1 to win would allow Judge 1 to overrule the other two judges. This duel/spar is a draw, even though Fighter 1 has a two-point edge in the totaled score.
Tips and Hints
- Visualize the duel/spar as completely as you can. Try to :see” your actions and your opponents. State your position and actions as clearly as you can and visualize your opponent's position as well. Remember and post orientation information such as right and left (yours or your opponent), and up and down. Know the position of weapons for you and your opponent, hands, and feet.
- Be clear and concise in what you post.
- A duel/spar is something like two artists painting a single picture. The artists are competing to see who is best on the same canvas. Warriors should continue “painting the picture” from the prior post, but only your part of the picture.
- Accepting all blows is an easy way to proceed with a duel/spar, but shows little skill or imagination. Conversely, blocking or evading all blows is unrealistic. Both combatants are supposedly trained warriors and some attacks will land.
- Make sure your pictures and java are off. Clear your cache.
- For an honor or death duel, or serious tournament spar running ScanDisk and Defrag prior to combat is a good idea.
Scar Codes
“ On the face of each there were, almost like corded chevrons, brightly colored scars. The vivid coloring and intensity of these scars, their prominence, reminded me of the hideous markings on the faces of mandrills; but these disfigurements, as I soon recognized, were cultural not genetic. They bespoke not the natural innocence of the work of genes but the glories and status, the arrogance and prides, of their bearers. The scars has been worked into the faces, with needles and knives and pigments and the dung of bosks over a period of days and nights. Men had died in the fixing of such scars. Most of the scars were set in pairs, moving diagonally down from the side of the head toward the nose and chin. The man facing me had seven such scars ceremonially worked into the tissue of his countenance, the highest being red, the next yellow, the next blue, the fourth black, then two yellow, then black again. The faces of the men I saw were all scarred differently, but each was scarred. The effect of the scars, ugly, startling, terrible, perhaps in part calculated to terrify enemies, had even prompted me, for a wild moment, to conjecture that what I faced on the Plains of Turia were not men, but perhaps aliens of some sort, brought to Gor long ago from remote worlds to serve some now discharged or forgotten purpose of Priest-Kings; but now I knew better; now I could see them as men; and now more significantly, I recalled what I had heard whispered of once before, in a tavern in Ar, the terrible Scar Codes of the Wagon Peoples, for each of the hideous marks on the face of these men had a meaning, a significance that could be read by the Paravaci, the Kassars, the Kataii, the Tuchuks as clearly as you or I might read a sign in a window or a sentence in a book. At that time I could read only the top scar, the red bright, fierce cordlike scar that was the Courage Scar. It is always the highest scar on the face. Indeed, without that scar, no other scar can be granted. The Wagon peoples value courage above all else. Each of the men facing me wore that scar.”
Chapter 2, Nomads of Gor.
“Without the Courage Scar one may not, among the Tuchuks, pay court to a free woman, own a wagon, or own more than five bosk and three kaiila. The Courage Scar thus has its social and economic, as well as its martial, import.”
Nomads of Gor, pg 113.
“To a Tuchuk,” said Harold, “success is courage- that is the important thing - courage itself - even if all else fails - that is success.”
Nomads of Gor, pg 273
A young man, blondish-haired with blue eyes, unscarred, bumped against the girl’s stirrup in the press of the crowd. She struck him twice with the leather quirt in her hand, sharply, viciously. I could see blood on the side of his neck, where it joins the shoulder. “Slave!” she hissed. He looked up angrily. “I am not a slave,” he said. “I am Tuchuk.” “Turian slave!” she laughed scornfully. “Beneath your furs you wear, I wager, the Kes!” “I am Tuchuk,” he responded, looking angrily away. Kamchak had told me of the young man. Among the wagons he was nothing. He did what work he could, helping with the bosk, for a piece of meat from a cooking pot. He did not have his own wagon or his own bosk. He did not even own a kaiilal He had armed himself with castoff weapons, with which he practiced in solitude. None of those, however, who led raids on enemy caravans or sorties against the city and its outlying fields, or retaliated upon their neighbors in the delicate matters of bosk stealing, would accept him in their parties. He had, to their satisfaction, demonstrated his prowess with weapons, but they would laugh at him. “You do not even own a kaiila,” they would say. “you do nto even wear the Courage Scar.” I supposed that the young man would never be likely to wear the scar, without which, among the stern, cruel Tuchuks, he would be the continuous object of scorn, ridicule and contempt.
Nomads of Gor
“You are a coward!” cried Kamras. I wondered if Kamras knew the meaning of the word which he had dared to address to one who wore the Courage Scar of the Wagon Peoples.
Nomads of Gor
“It should be worth the Courage Scar,” said Harold from above, “don’t you think so?” “What?” I asked. “Stealing a wench from the House of Saphrar and returning on a stolen tarn.” “Undoubtedly, “ I grumbled. I found myself wondering if the Tuchuks had an Idiocy Scar. If so, I might have nominated the young man hoisting himself up the rope above me as a candidate for the distinction.
Nomads of Gor
“And while you are remembering things,” remarked Harold, ‘you might recollect that we two together won the Courage Scar in Turia.” “No,” I said, “ I will not forget that either.”
Nomads of Gor pg. 340
“I saw even a Warrior, from the distant, treeless plains of the south, though I did not know him; it was not by the epicanthic fold that I recognized him; it was by the courage scars, high on his angular cheekbones.
Hunters of Gor, pgs. 41-42
“But you wear the Courage Scar for what you did--not all men who wear the Courage Scar do so visibly.
Nomads of Gor, pg 274
Warrior Codes
Warrior Caste
The Warrior Caste is one of the five High Castes on Gor, though it is the least of the High Castes. Red, or scarlet, is the color of the Warrior Caste and Warriors often wear red tunics to denote their status. The usual garb of a Warrior is a scarlet tunic, sandals and cloak. The books do not explicitly state that there are any subcastes to the Warrior Caste but it seems reasonable that some do exist such as Tarnsmen and Tharlarion Cavalrymen. It can be difficult at times to differentiate between what would be considered an actual subcaste and what would simply be considered a different position. A City Guardsman may simply be a possible position and not an actual subcaste. It generally seems that subcastes possess certain skills that others may not. Being a City Guardsman does not really take special skills but obviously a Tarnsman would. The Gorean term for a Warrior is "rarius" and the plural form is "rarii." A rarius denotes any type of Warrior and not just a member of the Warrior Caste. The warriors of the Wagon Peoples, Torvaldsland and other such cultures are rarii. This term was never used to refer to a woman in any of the novels. A pride consists of a hundred Warriors. It appears to be an older term that has fell out of use by the timeframe of the novels. In Gor's past, there were once Pride Chiefs who ruled rather than the Ubars and Administrators of today. It is unknown if Pride Chiefs still exist. For further information on the Warrior Caste, see Ubar Luther's scroll on the topic. Warrior CodeThe conduct of the Red Caste is governed primarily by the Warrior Code. The Warrior Code is a rudimentary form of chivalry, emphasizing loyalty to the Pride Chiefs and the Home Stone. It is harsh but with a certain gallantry and sense of honor. All Warriors are supposed to obey this code. The code is never fully laid out in the novels but many important details were given. More information about the Warrior Caste Codes was given in the novels than for any other Caste. Certain quotes help to delineate the importance of the Codes to Warriors.
Yet, a number of Goreans acknowledge that the Codes may not be absolute. There may arise situations not covered by the Codes. Or there may arise times when a Warrior feels he must violate his Codes for some reason or another. A couple quotes illustrate this viewpoint."What are the codes? They are nothing, and everything. They are a bit of noise, and the steel of the heart. They are meaningless and all significant. They are the difference. Without the codes men would be Kurii."(Beasts of Gor, p. 340)"What is it to be a warrior? It is to keep the codes. Nothing else matters."(Beasts of Gor, p.340)"One does not speak to a slave of the codes."(Beasts of Gor, p. 340)
"...all wisdom and truth does not lie in my own codes."(Priest-Kings of Gor, p. 14)"...all truth and reality is not written in one's own codes."(Raiders of Gor, p.310)
Warrior Code SpecificsHere are some of the items that are specifically included in the Warrior Codes in the novels. This is not an exhaustive list of everything in their Caste Codes. Code: The only honorable reply to a challenge is to accept it promptly. (Warriors do not back down from challenges. They face such matters with bravery.) Code: One who has shed your blood, or whose blood you have shed, becomes your sword brother, unless you formally repudiate the blood on your weapons. This is part of a bond shared by Warriors that overcomes city barriers. It is a matter of Caste that supersedes allegiances. It is a showing of respect for those who this Caste. Code: Warriors do not break their sworn word. Code: The only death fit for a warrior is in battle. Code: If you want another's slave, you must challenge for her and meet your opponent with the weapon of his choice. This is also known as the claim of sword-right. Code: He who cannot think is not a man and neither is he who can only think. Code: Warriors do not kill themselves or aid others in doing so. (Suicide is not an option for a warrior.) Code: "I had been so much a fool as to be sad. That is not the mood in which to enter battle, even the battle which one knows one cannot win, even the ultimate battle in which one knows is doomed to defeat. Do not be sad. Better to take the field with laughter, with a joke, with a light thought, with a buoyant thought, or to go forward with sternness, or in fury, or with hatred, or defiance, or calculation, but never with self pity, never with sadness. Never such things, never them!" (Vagabonds of Gor, p. 446) Code: When a women kneels, lifts her hands up with wrists crossed, and submits to a warrior, custom demands that he either accepts the submission or slays the captive. Code: If a warrior accepts a woman as a slave, it is prescribed that, at least for a time at his discretion, she be spared. But if she is in the least bit displeasing, she may be immediately killed. Code: In times of crisis, a war chief, or Ubar, is named whom rules without check and by decree until he decides the crisis has passed. Sword loyalty is the bond of fidelity to a Ubar. It is not sworn lightly. When an Ubar is thought unfit, the sword loyalty is dishonored and the Ubar may be deposed by his own warriors. Those who don't surrender are usually deserted by their men. When the men don't desert, the Ubar then rules as a tyrant. Code: Warriors have a common Home Stone. Its name is battle. Code: The slave is a joy and a convenience to the warrior. Taking slaves is not only permitted, it is encouraged. Code: If you lift a weapon against a warrior, he is permitted by his codes to kill you. (Do not draw a weapon against a warrior unless you are prepared for battle.) Code: There is nothing in the codes that explicitly demands resistance to brigands. Code: Poisoned steel is against the codes. Code: The oath of disownment is an irreversible ceremony. You essentially disown a family member so that they lose their family and caste. Basically you make the pronouncement with your hand on the hilt of your sword. Code: 97th Aphorism of the Warrior Codes: "What is invisible but more beautiful than diamonds?" The answer is "Honor." Other answers could include "that which is silent but deafens thunder" and "that which depresses no scale but is weightier than gold." Code: Even warriors long sometimes for the sight of their own flags, atop friendly walls, for the courtyards of their keeps, for the hearths of their halls.
Warrior SayingsThere are also sayings of the warriors which may or may not be actual parts of the codes but which are commonly followed.
- "The bite of the ost to be one of the cruelest ways to die."
- (Outlaw of Gor, p. 118)
- "Be strong and do as you will. The swords of others will set you your limits."
- (Marauders of Gor, p. 10)
- "A warrior takes what he wishes."
- (Outlaw of Gor, p. 28)
- "I am of the Warriors. I will take by the sword what women please me."
- (Beasts of Gor, p. 348)
- "Steel is the coinage of the warrior. With it he purchases what pleases him."
- (Marauders of Gor, p. 10)
- "Within the circle of each man's sword, therein is each man a Ubar."
- (Marauders of Gor, p. 10)
- "Until you find (someone or something), your companion is peril and steel."
- (Priest Kings of Gor, p. 307; Nomads of Gor, p. 287)
- "A sword must drink until its thirst is satisfied."
- (Guardsman of Gor, p. 17)
- "Where weapons may not be carried, it is well to carry weapons."
- (Marauders of Gor, p. 41)
- "Did he think that the color of a fellow's garments was what made him a warrior? Surely he must realize that one not of the warriors might affect the scarlet, and that one who wore the grimed gray of a peasant, one barefoot, and armed only with the great staff, might be of the scarlet caste. It is not the uniform which makes the warrior, the soldier."
- (Magicians of Gor, p. 129)
- "There are no mere points of honor."
- (Vagabonds of Gor, p. 63)
- "Tears are not unbecoming to the soldier�The soldier is a man of deep passions, and emotion. Many men cannot even understand his depths. Do not fear your currents and your powers. In the soldier are flowers and storms. Each is a part of him, and each is real. Accept both. Deny neither."
- (Guardsman of Gor, p. 238)
- "No one can take the scarlet from you, once it is granted, unless it be by the sword."
- (Tribesman of Gor, p. 218)
- "There is no incompatibility between letters and arms. The greatest soldiers are often gifted men."
- (Mercenaries of Gor, p. 48)
- "Many are the causes of Gor and so too, many are the captains. Many captains choose their causes on the scales of merchants, weighing their iron against gold."
- (Mercenaries of Gor, p. 48)
- "Steel can always command a price."
- (Explorers of Gor, p. 86)
- "Causes exist that men may fight."
- (Guardsman of Gor, p. 16)
- "War is a perilous and exhilarating sport, a game of warriors and Ubars."
- (Vagabonds of Gor, p. 18)
- "It is no dishonor to surrender."
- (Beasts of Gor, p. 421)
- "There is a time and place for speaking, as there is a time and place for steel."
- (Slave Girl of Gor, p. 269)
- "Not everyone who is of the Warriors knows that he is of the Warriors."
- (Rogue of Gor, p. 317)
- "Is it not a paradox? Men need us in order to bring about a world in which we may be scorned and disregarded...Men seldom recall whom it was who brought them the fruits of victory."
- (Beasts of Gor, p. 31)
- "I had heard warriors say that they would rather be poisoned by a woman than slain by an arrow."
- (Raiders of Gor, p. 4)
- "The steel, as is often the case, had seemed to think for itself."
- (Savages of Gor, p. 92)
- "The cynical, mercantile mind will never understand the mind of the soldier."
- (Explorers of Gor, p. 229)
Weapons
Swords
Scimitar (Tahari):
A long, curved sword, used either one-handed or with two-hands, depending upon the situation. It has a wickedly curved, single-edged blade, honed to razor-sharpness, which will easily part silk dropped upon its edge. Even a light stroke of a Tahari scimitar will pass effortlessly through the flesh, leaving a carved mark 1/4" inch deep in the bone beneath. The overall blade length is perhaps thirty or more inches, with an 8" inch long "false-edge" across the back of the tip, for backhanded slashes. Used one handed from kailla-back it is incredibly deadly; used two-handed upon the ground, it is equally terrifying.
Longsword (Viking Spatha):
The longsword is commonly used by the denizens of Torvaldsland, Asperiche, Scagnar, and other such northern cold-weather climes. It is approximately 36 inches in length, though longswords in excess of 40 inches can also be found, depending upon the reach and preference of the user. It is carried in a belt-scabbard or leather support loop on the wielder's off side, or strapped across its user's back over his right shoulder.
The Northerners employ it to great effect with their thicker thews and greater arm length. It is primarily used for slashing, to batter an enemy's shield to pieces, after which the wielder follows through with a killing stroke. Universally hand forged, these swords are "pattern blades" constructed in the Damascus style, whereby many braided rods of both soft flexible steel and stronger, more brittle steel are heated and worked into a single piece, then hammered flat for shaping and tempering. In this way, the blade is imbued with both great flexibility and superior strength. Because of this, when rubbed with a mild acid or oxydizing compound, the finished blade will display a twisted, snake-like pattern caused by the different carbon contents of the woven steel, embedded in the polished surface. Each of these weapons is typically named by its creator, and it is even a common belief among some northerners that such blades are sentient beings, possessed of souls.
Short sword:
The common Gorean shortsword, designed to be used in conjunction with the round battle shield so often favored by Gorean warriors, is described as a leaf-shaped, double-edged blade with a short single-handed grip. The grip is typically either of polished ka-la-na or temwood, either unadorned or wrapped in leather, cloth or cord. The blade of this weapon is between twenty and twenty-two inches in length, and it is worn either in a belt scabbard on the left hip or alternately in the same scabbard, slung over the left shoulder for travel.
In later books, this weapon is described as a "gladius," which implies that, rather than a typical crossguard assembly, it sports a simple sculpted or disk-shaped hilt, without lengthy quillions, and either a plain disk-shaped or knobbed pommel. It is also mentioned by Tarl Cabot that this weapon is ideal for the kind of swift, close-up in-fighting which is so near and dear to the hearts of the Gorean male. Typically honed to razor sharpness, the owner can even achieve a keen enough edge that, when a piece of silk is dropped upon the blade, the fabric will part effortlessly. The best example of such blades come from the smithies of Ar and Ko-ro-ba. During the tempering process, such blades are commonly quenched in wine, though it is not unknown for the red-hot metal to be quenched by driving it through the body of a male slave. Such shortswords are heavily employed in the city-states that have a standing army, since one of its primary uses is to be wielded by a standing formation of men in matched ranks, shield in one hand and sword in the other. Unlike the traditional Roman gladius, however, this small weapon is often used singly, without the benefit of a shield, and the Goreans seem to have developed a system for attack and defense with it which is not unlike that of traditional fencing. Polearms and Spears
Kaiila Lance (Wagon Peoples):
A long slender spear, eight to ten feet long, designed to be used from the saddle of a rider on kailla-back. These lances are not used couched, but rather carried easily in the right fist and are flexible and light. Used primarily for thrusting. They are black in color, cut from the poles of young tem trees, and so flexible that they may be bent almost double before they break. A loose loop of boskhide, wound twice about the right fist, helps the user to retain the weapon in mounted combat. It is seldom, if ever, thrown.
Kailla Lance, Hunting (Red Savages):
Similar in many respects to the kailla lance of the Wagon Peoples, though the hunting lance of the Red Savages is commonly longer, heavier and thicker than the war lance. They are commonly undecorated or adorned only with a knot or tuft of feathers. The point of a hunting lance is typically longer and narrower than the war lance, designed to pierce deeply enough to strike a kailiauk's heart. The shaft is shaped temwood. The tip is either metal, carved bone or shaped stone, lashed to the shaft with boiled sinew or rawhide, or attached with metal trade rivets. Leather grips, hand loops, and decorations are often present also.
Kailla Lance, war (Red Savages):
This weapon is almost identical to the kailla lance of the Wagon Peoples, though it is more heavily carved and decorated.
Tarn Lance (Red savages):
Similar in most respects to the war lance, except that it is longer and more slender, to facilitate easier use from tarnback.
Tharlarion Lance:
A thick spear, normally fashioned of ka-la-na or needle wood, approximately ten to fourteen feet long. It tapers from a lanceolate metal tip (either steel, iron or bronze) to a much thicker hand-guard type grip. At the thickest part it is four inches in width and is often fluted to lighten it while preserving its strength. Carried couched beneath the right arm of the user, the length of the lance itself crossing over and above the neck of the mount, to menace its target, often supported by a lance-rest which is either attached to the saddle or worn strapped to the user's chest. Can also be thrown, though not specifically designed for such use.
Spear (common Gorean):
The common Gorean battle spear, designed to be used both in single combat and thrown, though it is typically depicted primarily as a missle weapon. Aided by the significantly lighter gravity of the Counter-Earth, it is deadly when thrown, quite capable of penetrating thick shields and even passing virtually unhindered through the body of its victim. As described by Tarl Cabot, the typical Gorean spear is approximately seven feet in length, with a fitted wooden handle up to two inches thick, capped by a leaf-shaped, tapering bronze spear head eighteen inches in length.
Alternately this spear head can be made of steel, which is probably true in many cases, bronze being too soft and brittle a metal for repeated or long-term usage. Nevertheless, perhaps as a matter of custom, many spears in use on Gor do retain the traditional bronze tip. The handle itself is usually made from ka-la-na wood, and can be banded with metal near the juncture of the spear-head socket to prevent the handle from shearing when thrown.
Spear (Red Hunters/Savages):
Similar in most respects to the common Gorean spear, though often it is found tipped with carved bone or shaped stone, rather than metal. It is also highly carved and decorated, according to tribal custom.
War Spear (Kur):
Constructed similarly to the common Gorean war spear, only much larger and heavier. The Kur war spear is some 12 feet in length, with a long, tapering bronze head. The shaft of the Kur war spear is 3" in diameter and the bronze head weighs up to twenty pounds.
Harthingy:
A long slender javelin-type spear, fitted with a barbed head and used with an attached line for retrieval. A similar weapon first appears in the brine pits of Klima.
Trident:
The three-pronged spearing fork used by fishermen and sailors of the island Ubarates of Gor. Can be utilized both as a thrusting weapon and as a missle weapon. Also used, in conjunction with a hooked net, in various gladitorial arenas throughout Gor. It is briefly described as being approximately seven feet in overall length, with prongs of 10" inches or more. Often used with a lanyard or line attached, for retrieval should it be thrown.
Knives
Dagger (common Gorean):
This is a very common weapon, a simple or ornate handle fitted with either a double or single-edged blade of sharpened steel. Daggers upon Gor take many forms, depending upon the needs and whims of their users, and such weapons are the most common form of side-arm used on the Counter-Earth, brandished by persons of all ages and castes. Commonly disparaged by professional warriors as a "woman's weapon," it is easily concealable and fairly simple to use.
Gorean daggers can range from four to eight inches in length, and can be found in every city in various forms. It is worn openly in a belt-sheath or concealed beneath one's clothing, often strapped to the wrist beneath the owner's sleeve, tucked into the collar behind the neck, or hidden in a boot. Used by many free women as a personal means of self-defense.
Hook Knife:
Though never described in detail, its usage seems to suggest that it is a short weapon, consisting of a thick, ridged fighting handle and a wide curved blade, sharpened on both sides. The blade is perhaps stubby and crescent shaped, like a modern Earth linoleum or grouting knife, though larger and sharper. Its hilt and pommel can be either fancy or plain and unadorned. The hook knife is often seen in duels and ritual combats, though in displays or sport it is kept sheathed and the sheath itself is coated with colored powder or pigment, so that any successful attack scored by the user can be easily detected for judging purposes. Very popular in the larger cities such as Ar.
Killing Knife:
A throwing knife, typically used only in the larger cities such as Ar, and favored by those of the Caste of Assassins. It is much smaller than the quiva, approximately six to eight inches in length, and its blade is tapered on only one side. Such knives are often inscribed on the hilt or blade with such ritual phrases as "I have sought him. I have found him." Sometimes used in conjunction with poison kanda paste smeared upon the blade, though trained Assassins typically disdain the use of poison. It is rarely used in hand-to-hand combat, designed primarily to be thrown at the body of an unsuspecting victim.
Sleen Knife:
This is a broad-bladed, flat, double-edged utility knife equipped with a simple stubby crossguard and unadorned pommel. Much favored by hunters and woodsmen, it is equally suited for use as a camping and skinning knife, prying tool, and as a weapon in single combat.
Tarn Knife:
This is a short-bladed, single-edged utility knife typically used by tarnsmen and generally included among their saddle equipment. Some versions of such knives are designed so that the blade folds into the handle for safety when not in use. Often equipped with a lanyard so that it may be lashed to the tarnsman's saddle or belt, to prevent its loss while in flight.
Whip Knife:
The use of this weapon is widely regarded as a difficult and delicate art to master. The whip knife consists of a twelve foot long braided leather whip of the "bullwhip" type commonly found on Earth, equipped with a lanyard to insure retention of the weapon in combat. Set into the final eighteen inches of its length are twenty thin, narrow blades, woven into the leather and arranged in sets, four such blades to a set. Each such weapon is tipped either with a double-edged knife blade approximately seven or eight inches long, or a "stunning tip," a lead weight which is designed to incapacitate the victim when he is struck.
Possibly originally intended to be effective against an opponent with a shield (the blade or weight, on its leather extension, would conceivably be able to flex in mid-air, passing around such a protective device to strike the target, similar to a medieval flail) or perhaps developed simply as an attempt to make the common whip more lethal. Rarely used in actual warfare, this weapon is said to be unique to the delta city of Port Kar and is often utilized in the fighting of duels. Axes
Battle Axe (Kurii):
A huge axe wielded by the members of the Kurii race who have become native to Gor. It has a four-inch-thick round handle of green needlewood, approximately eight feet in length, and is equipped with a fixed double-bladed iron axehead, the blade of which is over two feet wide and razor sharp. It is typically used in conjunction with a wide, round iron shield some four feet in diameter.
Battle Axe (Torvaldslander):
This weapon is described as a single-bladed axe of hardened iron with a blade of anywhere from 8 to 14 inches in width. It is mounted on a thick wooden handle and usually has a wrist thong attached to the end the handle, which enables it to be more easily retained during combat. Used in conjunction with a round iron-bound shield of wood and hardened leather.
Great Axe (Torvaldslander):
This weapon is similar in most respects to the Torvaldslander battle axe, except it is much larger, with a handle up to four feet in length. The axe blade is also much larger, and this weapon is used two-handed, without the benefit of a shield of any sort. Occasionally such axes will be double-headed, though that adds considerably to the weight of the weapon.
Tomahawk:
This weapon consists of a shaped wooden handle up to two feet in length, capped with a narrow hatchet-type blade comprised either of sharpened metal, shaped stone or obsidian glass. Often carved with ceremonial inscriptions, it is a common war-arm in use by the Red Savages of the vast grasslands located to the northwest of the civilized city-states of Gor. Can be used as a hand weapon, often in conjunction with a shield of dried rawhide over a wood frame, or thrown as a missle weapon.
War Club (Red Savages):
A carved, shaped club of wood or bone, often mounted with a stone or metal head of some sort. This weapon is probably approximately two to three feet in length.
Missile Weapons
Bola:
It consists of three long straps of leather, each about five feet long, each terminating in a leather sack which contains, sewn inside, a heavy round metal weight. Developed for hunting fleet-footed and flighted game, it is also used as a weapon of war. Thrown low, the long straps, with their approximately ten-foot sweep, strike the victim and the weighted balls, as soon as resistance is met, whip about the victim's legs, tangling and tightening the straps. Thrown high it can pin a man's arms to his sides; thrown at the throat it can strangle him; thrown at the head the whipping weights can crush his skull. Once a victim is entangled with the bola, typically another weapon, usually a quiva, is then utilized to dispatch the victim if he or she still lives.
Crossbow:
The standard infantry missile weapon of Gor. It consists of a heavy, flexible bow of tempered steel, perhaps 18" across (when bent), mounted on a heavy wooden stock about two feet long, with a trigger mechanism built into the shaped handle. It can fire several types of spiked, smooth-tipped or broad-bladed quarrels with enough force to penetrate wooden walls, doors or human bodies with relative ease. It has an effective range of approximately 150 meters for aimed fire, and can strike a target at up to 200 meters when fired into a press of bodies. Slow to reload, it is commonly redrawn through use of a "goat's-foot" hook or a cranequin (bow crank). Quarrels, or "bolts," are carried by the user in a belt-case or quiver. Common throughout all of the Gorean city-states and the preferred weapon of the Caste of Assassins.
Crossbow (Cavalry):
Similar in most respects to the larger crossbow, though instead of possessing a heavy metal bow, it has a much lighter bow of layered wood and horn. It is slightly smaller in overall size than its heavy cousin and is equipped with a metal stirrup at the firing end, enabling it to be more quickly restrung and drawn from kailla or tarn-back. Originally mentioned quite early in the series as a "light crossbow" or "sporting crossbow," it is more clearly defined later.
Great (Peasant) Bow:
A long bow typically made from the wood of the ka-la-na tree or sometimes of temwood. Unstrung it is over six feet in length and can require a pull of up to 120 lbs, depending upon the strength of the user. The bowstring itself is usually made of hemp or sinew lashed with silk thread. Armed with such a weapon, a highly skilled archer can accurately strike a target the size of a man's head at distances of up to 100 yards. By arcing his line of fire upward to allow for gravity, he can fire a shaft into a ten foot diameter circle at up to 300 yards. The arrows of such a bow are temwood, metal-piled and fletched with the feathers of the vosk gull.
Each such arrow is approximately three feet in length, and can be tipped with several different types of arrowheads; of these, the flight tip (a long narrow three-sided metal spike designed for extreme penetration) and the sheaf tip (a wide double or triple-edged blade designed to inflict maximum tissue damage upon impact) are the most common. Special arrowheads, such as ones fitted with whistles or noisemakers for signalling or reservoirs for flammable liquids, are not unknown. It is commonly carried slung or strapped over the shoulder of the archer when not in use and is accompanied by a belt or shoulder quiver containing forty or more shafts. Its use requires the archer to wear a bracer of thick leather upon the forearm of his bow arm and to utilize a special archer's glove or leather finger tab to protect his hands and arm from friction caused by the motion of the string when fired. It is a difficult weapon to master, though despite that fact, it is widely used by both many members of the Caste of Peasants, and the rencers of the Vosk Delta.
Short (Bone) Bow:
This weapon is heavily used upon Gor for hunting, sport and warfare. Among its adherents are the warriors of the Wagon Peoples, the panther girls (or Talunas), the Red Hunters and the Red Savages. It is much smaller in size than the great bow, and is better suited for use from the back of a kailla, tharlarion or tarn. It is often carved from a single, flexible piece of tem wood or ka-la-na wood, though such peoples as the Wagon Peoples and the Red Savages can craft shortbows of layered wood and horn, which gives such bows much greater strength and durability.
Among the Red Hunters, it is a common practice to treat such bows against inclement weather by smearing them with liquified blubber taken from the carcass of the Hunjer whale. The shortbow can fire as many different types of arrowheads as can its larger cousin, though with substantially less range and penetrating power. The arrows used by the shortbow are also much shorter than those employed by the great bow, due to the shorter range of the weapon's "pull." These bows come in all shapes and sizes, and are found throughout Gor.
Quiva:
A balanced saddle knife, usually part of a set of seven such weapons. It consists of a narrow double-edged blade of between 9 and 12 inches in length mounted on a shaped handle of wood, bone, or horn. It is honed to razor sharpness, and its blade tapers to a needle point. Designed for use primarily as a missile weapon, the quiva is also perfectly functional as a hand weapon and general utility knife. It is mostly used by the nomadic Wagon Peoples of the southern hemisphere, who will carry matched sets of seven in special sheaths attached to their kailla saddles. The best examples of these weapon are produced in the city of Ar. Once made, they are shipped to the Wagon Peoples via traders, where they are sharpened and fitted with distinctive handles.
Helmets and Shields
Helmets:
There are various types of helmets in use by soldiers and warriors upon Gor. The most commonly used is the standard Gorean war helmet, popularized and manufactured in the larger city-states by the thousands. It is described by Tarl Cabot as being a close-faced helmet which encloses the entire head, with a distinctive "Y" shaped opening in the faceplate to admit air and to allow breathing. This style of helmet seems to be based on the Barbuta-style helmets which date from classical antiquity on Earth, perfected and much in use during the heyday of the Athenian city-states of Greece. Typically mounted atop each example of this type of helmet is a crest plate, upon which can be displayed the symbol of a city or organization.
The crests themselves adorn the top of the helmet either crosswise, from one side of the neck to the other, or lengthwise from the back of the neck to the upper forehead like half-fans, and can be fitted with any number of accoutrements, from sleen fur to tarn feathers and the like; in addition, the helmet itself can be painted or lacquered in any color, to represent a grouping, city or caste. As described in the books they are hammered and riveted together in several pieces, though the pierced faceplate itself is depicted as "a single piece of iron." Due to the highly developed metal-working capabilities of modern Goreans, however, it is a safe assumption that they are actually of tempered steel, which is lighter and stronger. It could be that Cabot's reference to them as iron is merely a fanciful allusion on the part of the author. Additionally, such helmets can be hammered from bronze, also an inferior metal, though such examples are probably symbolic of some cultural significance and not intended to be used in actual combat. According to Cabot, each such helmet is fitted with removable padding of rolls of leather, stuffed with softer material and laced into the helmet to insure a superior fit. These helmets are often stripped of their crests and padding to be used as crude cooking vessels by soldiers on the march. Another example of a Gorean helmet is that often worn by the desert tribesmen and denizens of such southern cities as Turia and Tor, as well as by the nomadic warriors of the Wagon Peoples. This helmet is similar in design to the Mongol/Saracen battle helmet of Earth and is a cone-shaped steel defense worn atop the head, often fitted with a nasal guard of narrow flat construction. Such helmets may be adorned with a ring of fur or fabric which encircles the browband area and can also be found mantled with either a cloth covering or a camail of linked chain. These helmets are closely fitted to the wearer's head, padded with a thick cloth cap which laces into it, and are often fitted with a leather or cord chin strap to secure the device in place. A final example of Gorean helmetry is the Spangenhelm worn by northern warriors, which is in effect a steel or iron bowl constructed from heavy metal strapping. A single metal browband encircles the head, with two or more curved metal straps attached to it in the pattern of an "X", covering much of the wearer's skull. Curved plates are riveted in place to fill the gaps between the strapping, resulting in a layered metal cap with covers the entire head. These helmets are often fitted with cheek and neck guards, chainmail camails or even metal faceplates which conceal the face or portions of it like a metal mask. The horns of animals or metal spikes may be attached to the helmet as decoration or to add some measure of protection to the apparatus, though this usually makes them rather bulky and difficult to wear in combat. These helmets are padded with leather or lined with thick fur, and can also be fitted with a leather or cord chin strap to insure a reliable fit.
Shields:
Several different types of shield are described in the series. Typically they are round in shape, though they range in size from the huge shield used by the Gor-bound Kurii to the small bucklers wielded by gladiators in the Stadium of Blades in Ar. The most common shield in use upon Gor is the standard warrior's shield of the civilized cities. This is a largish round shield comprised of many concentric overlapping layers of dried shaped leather, probably stretched over a wooden or metal frame, and banded for extra strength with brass or iron bands.
It is fitted with a pair of straps whereby it can be worn upon the user's arm, typically the left one, and is worn slung across the back for ease of movement while its user is traveling from place to place. Among the civilized armies of Gor, such shields are normally painted boldly and have affixed on them some device for identifying the bearer's city. The warriors of the southern city of Turia are known for their usage of distinctive shields which are oval, rather than circular, in shape. Rare and Unusual Weapons
Knife Gauntlets:
A pair of thick leather gauntlets, upon which are mounted crescent shaped knife blades. Sometimes used by gladiators in arena combats.
Kurii Beam projector:
A handheld device of some kind, big enough to fit comfortably in the hand of a Kur. This missile weapon fires a highly concussive heat blast, which strikes its target fiercely, often leaving a 3/4" wide hole at the point of impact and an exit wound of upwards of ten inches across, where applicable. It is described as having only a limited number of charges, similar to a revolving cartridge weapon. Used only by the Kurii.
Kurii Dart Thrower:
A breech-loading missile weapon which fires a six-inch long, conical gas propelled dart. Its configuration is similar to an Earth rifle. Kurii dart throwers have carved wooden stocks, upon which are incised eccentric designs. These tubular weapons discharge with a hiss, which is not particularly loud. Several types of darts may be fired from such a weapon, including poison tipped, explosive tipped, and tranquilizer darts. These weapons are used exclusively by human agents of the Kurii. The actual firing button is located on the forepart of the stock, and the weapon itself seems to be a one-shot weapon, requiring reloading after every firing.
Silver Tube:
This is a charged, cylindrical weapon, perhaps two feet in length, manually aimed and operated; it incorporates principles much like those of the Priest-King's flame death mechanism. When not in use, it is encased in a sealed plastic quiver for storage. When fired it generates a fierce blast of blue flame from its tip, as the air within the path of its beam ignites into flame. It is effective at distances of up to 100 meters, and its use can be aurally detected by the audible hiss caused by the ignition of the air in the beam's path.
Any living creature within the path of the beam, as well as any organic matter caught therein, will instantly erupt into a ball of bright blue flame as the target consumes itself from within. A silver tube will sputter and become inert once its charge is fully expended, though a typical charge will last for literally hundreds of firings. These weapons can only be found within the Nest Complex of the Sardar, and none who do not dwell there can possess them. An additional example of this type of weapon also makes an appearance in the series, and is described as a narrow, cylindrical, silverish object small enough to be concealed in the palm of a human hand. When used upon its lowest setting, such an object produces a small flame suitable for igniting brush and kindling; however, it can be reset to fire one short burst of high intensity blue flame, after which the weapon's charge is expended.
Spiked Hand Wraps:
Similar to the Earth cestus, or heavy cloth or leather strips bound about the hand, with projecting spikes which cover the wearer's knuckles.
Spiked Leather:
A pair of spiked leather balls which are worn upon the hands of gladitorial fighters; the spikes of these devices can be very long.
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