The Gorean novels present a fictional history of Gor that extends back a couple
million years. This scroll shall explore the events on that timeline, adding
some analysis and comparisons to Earth history when applicable. Some of the
events on this timeline have very nebulous dates so their position on the
timeline is only supposition. This timeline does not contain every event
mentioned in the books, just many of the major ones. Additional events may be
added in the future, especially if new books are ever published.
The Mother of the Priest-Kings, alive at the time of Priest-Kings of Gor, was
the oldest known being on Gor. She was over two million years old though she
died during the events of Priest-Kings of Gor. Her first five children became
the High Council of the Nest. Sarm was the First Born and Misk was the Fifth
Born. Misk was hatched, over two million years ago, before Gor was brought to
our solar system. Only Sarm and Misk would still be alive by the events of
Priest-Kings of Gor. It is unknown when the other three Priest-Kings died
though it is known they succumbed to the lure of the Golden Beetle.
Around two million years ago, the Priest-Kings brought the planet of Gor to our
solar system. Gor was brought from another solar system, possibly from another
galaxy even. Gor has been transported before but we know nearly nothing of that
distant past. Obviously transporting an entire planet, inhabited as well, is a
monumental technological achievement. This speaks much of the power of the
Priest-Kings at that time. Why they chose to settle in our solar system is a
mystery. We do not know what attracted them. We do not know what they required
of a solar system before they would settle there.
At that time
period on Earth, Homo Habilis, a primitive precursor to Homo Sapien, walked the
world. Homo habilis, the "handy man," presented a key point in evolution. It
had a larger brain than its ancestors and it was able to create and use tools.
Civilization though was still a very long time away. Maybe the Priest-Kings
were seeking a place where no other sophisticated, intelligent life existed.
Maybe they sought a place in its beginnings, a place they could help direct and
control.
We know the Priest-Kings brought with them to our solar
system certain species of creatures, some sentient such as the Swamp Spiders.
We do not know what type of civilization the Swamp Spiders might have had over
the last two million years. They may have once covered much of Gor, roaming far
and wide. We do not know if they evolved or changed at all during this time.
They are now pacifists but we do not know if once they were more aggressive
creatures that became pacifists over time. We do not know what other creatures
may have existed on Gor during that time that maybe now are extinct. As the
time of the dinosaurs on Earth had already been long past by this time, no
dinosaurs could have been transported to Gor.
We do not know
exactly when the Priest-Kings began transplanting plants and animals from Earth
to Gor. We also do not know if the Priest-Kings transplanted any Gorean plants
or animals onto Earth. These are matters we will never know. We also are
unsure what part the Priest-Kings may have played in the evolution of man. Did
they somehow interfere in man's natural evolution to create mutations to speed
up the evolutionary process? Where did man originate, Gor or Earth?
Anthropoidal fossils have been found on Gor that leads to the
possibility that man could have developed independently on Gor. Thus, it is
possible that these men could have been sent to Earth to develop and evolve.
Though we know as a fact that many men would be eventually brought to Gor from
Earth, there is still the possibility that some Goreans have no Earth blood at
all. In the present day, it is unlikely that any pure blooded Goreans exist as
so many Earth people have been brought to Gor that the bloodlines have probably
been well mixed.
For the last one million years, no Priest-King has
killed another Priest-King. This would change during the War of the Nest in
Priest-Kings of Gor.
About one hundred thousand years ago, the
Kurii civilization began. They originated on a planet orbiting a yellow,
medium-sized and slow-rotating star. After two billion years of evolution, the
kurii had emerged as the dominant species on their world. The pinnacle of their
civilization was about forty thousand years ago. At that time, they possessed
very advanced technology, far greater than what they presently possess. But,
over twenty thousand years ago, the kurii fought internecine wars, very
destructive wars among themselves. Much of their technology was destroyed and
lost during these wars. They also ruined the viability of their world so they
needed to locate a new planet to inhabit.
After these great wars,
the remnants of technology they still possessed was sufficient to create
interstellar spaceships, steel orbs, each several pasangs in diameter. They
piloted these ships to other stars seeking a new world to claim as their own.
We know that one group of Kurii entered our solar system about twenty thousand
years ago, before man on Earth had begun civilization. We are unsure if other
groups of Kurii settled into other solar systems. We do not know the details of
the first encounter between the ships of the Priest-Kings and those of the Kurii
but we can be sure it was not peaceful. The Kurii are an aggressive race and
the Priest-Kings are very possessive of both Earth and Gor. The war between the
Kurii and Priest-Kings has continued through the many centuries.
We
know that the Kurii have been driven from our solar system eleven times but they
always return. We do not know why the Kurii have continued to fight this losing
battle for thousands of years. Why don't they simply seek another solar
system? Maybe their fuel for their spaceships is scarce and they do not possess
sufficient power to travel to other solar systems. Maybe our solar system
possesses something unique that they desire. Maybe there are few solar systems
that possess viable planets that would fit their physiology. Their
technological might is not a match for the Priest-Kings and probably will never
be as technological research does not appear to be a high priority for the
Kurii.
The city of Ar is said to been the oldest civilized
community on Gor, over 10,000 years old. The calendar of Ar dates back to the
city's mythical founding by Hesius. Hesius may be the same individual as
Hersius. Hersius is the Gorean name for the planet Jupiter and was once a
legendary hero of Ar. It is unclear if Hesius and Hersius are two different
people or not. The Home Stone of Ar is said to be as old as the founding of
Ar. The founding of Ar would coincide with the invention of agriculture on
Earth. Earth civilization would still be a couple thousand years away. Now, we
do not know if Ar is actually that old or not. It may only be a myth and it may
be a few thousand years younger. I believe it makes more sense that Gorean and
Earth civilization paralleled each other so both may have developed civilization
about 8000 years ago.
Priest-Kings are usually sexless. Only the
Mother of the Priest-Kings is a female. During the last 6000 years, only a
single female egg had been hatched. Sarm had previously destroyed all of the
other female eggs. In the last 8000 years, only a single male egg has been
hatched.
It is clear the Voyages of Acquisition, when the
Priest-Kings would bring men from earth to Gor date back nearly to the beginning
of Earth civilization. There is no rhyme or reason as to which Earth people
were taken. There are Earth civilizations that are not represented on Gor. Why
were they passed over? What did they lack that the Priest-Kings sought in
others? Or are there other civilizations on Gor but located in the unexplored
regions of Gor? For example, is there a Japanese culture somewhere on Gor?
Could it be located past the World's End, that part of Thassa that is unknown?
Based on the civlization of Gor, we can see that ancient Greece and
Rome apparently had the greatest impact on the cities of Gor. This would make
it logical that the Priest-Kings made the most Voyages of Acquisition about two
thousands years ago, during the historical period of ancient Greece and Rome.
The other cultures of Gor can also be somewhat dated as to their arrival on
Gor. Torvaldslanders are similar to the Earth Vikings and the Torvaldsland
calendar in Marauders of Gor states it is year 1006 by their reckoning. This
would follow the historical period of the Earth Vikings. The Red Savages of the
Barrens are similar to the Native Americans of North America. They have a
Memory of a hatred of white men so they would have had to be brought to Gor
sometime after the first white explorers came to North America. Thus, the Red
Savages may have been brought to Gor roughly 300-400 years ago.
One
important question then arises of why the Priest-Kings chose to monitor only Gor
and leave Earth free to develop on its own. The small number of Priest-Kings
may have prohibited them from properly monitoring two worlds at once. They may
also have wanted Earth to be a control for their experiment on Gor, to see what
man would become if left unfettered to develop. Whatever their reasons, they
are not pleased with the progress of Earth. They even believe that the Earth
will destroy itself in 1000 years. Yet, they still protect the Earth from the
predations of the Kurii.
During the last ten thousand years on Gor,
only the last fifty years are documented to any sufficient degree in the
novels. Some prior historical events are mentioned but often not given specific
dates.
The Slave Wars occurred at some indeterminate time in the
past, likely quite some time ago. The Slave Wars were a series of wars, between
various cities, that occurred off an on for a period over a period of twenty to
forty years. The wars involved large-scale slaving, levying of tribute and
trade route control. The importance of these wars was that much of the law
concerning slavery originated as a result. The Slave Wars occurred basically in
the northern hemisphere of Gor but in the southern hemisphere there were the
Kailla Wars. We do not know if these Wars occurred in the same time frame or
not. The Kaiila Wars were fought among the different tribes of the Wagon
Peoples. Though the acquisition of kaiila was the primary reason for the Wars,
the acquisition of slaves became an important side benefit. The Wagon People
began to appreciate the idea of owning slaves and their slave ownership grew
more prevalent.
The most common calendar used on Gor is the
calendar of Ar. The calendar of Ar is reckoned as "Contasta Ar" which means
from the founding of Ar. It is the calendar I will use primarily to describe
the events depicted in the Gorean series. Other calendars are used by the
different cities of Gor but the Ar calendar is the most widely used. We can try
to equate the Ar calendar to our own Earth calendar but we cannot be precise as
there is insufficient information in the books to do so. Logically, we can
narrow it down to within a two to three year span.
The events of
Tarnsman of Gor started during 10,109 C.A., during February on Earth. The book
was published on Earth in December 1966. According to Outlaw of Gor, Harrison
Smith, a friend of Tarl Cabot, received the manuscript for Tarnsman of Gor just
after Tarl Cabot returned to Gor the second time, in 10116 C.A., again in
February. The Gorean New Year begins in March. Harrison Smith brought this
manuscript to John Norman to publish. It normally takes at least a year or two
to get a book published.
If we assume the book was published in
less than a year, which is unlikely, then Outlaw of Gor would have begun in
1966. That would then place the start of Tarnsman of Gor in 1959. But, it would
make more sense that the book took longer than a year to be published, based on
normal publishing standards at that time. Thus, we should push back the time
frame a year so that Tarnsman of Gor actually began in 1958. Potentially, if
the manuscript had serious problems getting published, we might have to push the
date back further to 1957. My personal preference would be 1958 as I assume it
would take longer than one year to get published but not more than two. In the
rest of this scroll, I will use this estimate to translate Gorean years. Though
Gorean years and Earth years are the same length, they do begin at different
times. Gorean years go from spring equinox to spring equinox. Thus, the Gorean
year of 10110 C.A, would encompass the Earth time period of March 1958 to March
1959.
During the 1300s A.D. (about 9451 C.A. to 9551 C.A), Matthew
Cabot was born. We do not have a more specific date, knowing only that he was
brought to Gor over 600 years ago, possibly when he was in his 40s.
During the 1500s A.D. (about 9651 C.A. to 9751 C.A.), Matthew Cabot began to
first work for the Priest-Kings.
On February 3, 1640 A.D., (8469
C.A.), Matthew Cabot wrote a letter that would eventually be delivered to Tarl
Cabot, over three hundred years in the future.
We do not have an
exact age for Tarl Cabot though he is said to be in his early 20s and not more
than 25 years old. He did attend a University in England so it is likely he is
not just 20 or 21 years old. He does become a college professor though so may
have gotten his Masters after University. I will suppose that he was 25 years
old when he was first brought to Gor. This would make his year of birth around
1933. His father, Matthew Cabot, would vanish before Tarl Cabot was six years
old. His mother would die when Tarl was six, around 1939.
Around
10098 C.A. (around 1947 A.D.), a Valley War ended on Gor. The war involved the
city of Ar against unknown foes. There are no real details of this war but it
would coincide timewise in some respects with Earth's Second World War. In the
Valley War, Marlenus seized power in Ar as a Ubar. After the war, Marlenus
refused to step down as Ubar but luckily many people supported him and permitted
him to remain in power. Marlenus had major plans for the expansion of Ar.
Around 10108 C.A., (around 1957 A.D.), Matthew Cabot became the
Administrator of Ko-ro-ba. He was once its Ubar and it is unsure if this
occurred directly before he became Administrator.
In 1957, Tarl
Cabot would begin a job as an English history teacher in a small college in New
Hampshire. During the Christmas vacation, Tarl would go camping in the White
Mountains of New Hampshire. On Febrary 3, 1958, Tarl Cabot was first taken to
Gor, by a spaceship of the Priest-Kings. Thus begins the events of Tarnsman of
Gor that will continue on into 10110 C.A. When Tarl arrives on Gor, it would be
the 11th month of 10109 C.A. Tarl Cabot would reunite with his father and
receive training both as a Warrior and all about Gorean society. This training
would last several months, into 10110 C.A.
During the Planting
Feast of Sa-Tarna, celebrated early in the growing season of Ar, Tarl steals the
Home Stone of Ar. Marlenus, Ubar of Ar, humiliated for this great loss, must
flee the city and the Initiate Caste takes control of Ar. Later, the Master
Assassin Pa-Kur assembles a mighty army to try to conquer Ar. His army besieges
Ar and the Initiates eventually surrender to Pa-Kur. His reign is short lived
though as Tarl Cabot, Marlenus and armies from Ko-ro-ba and Thentis,
successfully retake the city. Tarl and Pa-Kur duel and Tarl defeats him.
Rather than be captured, Pa-Kur leaps off a high cylinder, obstensibly to his
death. But, Pa-Kur's body is never found and its whereabouts are never
confirmed. The Warrior Kazrak is made the temporary Administrator of Ar while
Marlenus is exiled. Tarl is joined in Free Companionship to Talena, the
daughter of Marlenus. But, Tarl is then returned to Earth, against his will, in
September 1959, seven months after his arrival on Gor. Tarl does not understand
why the Priest-Kings returned him to Earth.
Around 10114 C.A., Ar's
Station is established by the city of Ar as an outpost and trading station on
the southern shore of the Vosk River. Ar does this in an attempt to extend its
influence over the important Vosk River. Ar is battling Cos and Tyros for
influence over the Vosk River communities.
Tarl spends several
years on Earth, yearning to return to Gor. Finally, on February 3, 1965, Tarl
is once again taken to Gor by agents of the Priest-Kings. This begins the
events of Outlaw of Gor, which start in the 11th month of 10116 C.A. and
eventually end in 10117 C.A., before the fair of En'Kara. Tarl discovers that
the city of Ko-ro-ba, the place of his Home Stone, has been destroyed by the
will of the Priest Kings. Tarl chooses to confront the Priest Kings in the
mysterious Sardar Mountains to get an explanation for their actions. On route
to the Sardar, he stops in the city of Tharna to purchase a tarn. Tharna is a
city ruled by women, led by a Silver Masked Tatrix. Tarl ends up accused of
plotting against the Tatrix and is enslaved, to be used in their gladiatorial
games. Tarl is able to escape, kidnapping the Tatrix as well. While Tarl and
the Tatrix are away, Dorna, a powerful woman in Tharna, seizes power of the
throne. She captures Tarl when he tries to ransom the Tatrix back to Tharna and
he is once again made a slave, though this time to work in the silver mines.
Tarl is able once again to escape, this time freeing many of the other mine
slaves. The slaves then lead a rebellion in the city and the Silver Masked
women in power are overthrown. Dorna is able to escape by tarn from the city
and vows vengeance on Tarl. Dorna does not appear in any further books. The
former Tatrix, Lara, is installed as Administrator of Tharna. Tarl then
continues his journey to the Sardar.
Late in En'Kara of 10117 C.A.,
as depicted in Priest-Kings of Gor, Tarl ventures to the Sardar Mountains to
confront the Priest-Kings who ordered the destruction of Ko-ro-ba. Tarl Cabot
is permitted to enter the Sardar and soon learns the identity of the
Priest-Kings, a race of sentient insect-like beings. Tarl finds himself drawn
into the intrigues between two High Priest-Kings, Sarm and Misk. Sarm wants
Tarl to destroy Misk. Misk though has a more noble task for Tarl, to save the
Priest-Kings from extinction. The Priest-Kings are generally sexless but the
first male Priest-King has been born after 8000 years. The Mother of the
Priest-Kings is dying and they need to perpetuate their race. A female egg has
recently become available and Misk wants Tarl to locate it. Tarl is told that
he was brought to Gor to help the Priest-Kings and he had been tested at the
siege of Ar. He was then sent back to Earth for a time to build up resentment
to the Priest-Kings. When he was brought back, Ko-ro-ba was also destroyed to
build even more hate within Tarl for the Priest-Kings. They wanted to goad Tarl
into coming to the Sardar.
The Mother of the Priest-Kings tells
Tarl that the female egg is being kept by the Wagon People. Soon after speaking
with Tarl, she dies. Sarm, thwarted in his plans to use Tarl to kill Misk and
also wanting vengeance against the Mother, starts a war within the Sardar. Sarm
has many allies and at first his forces are able to overpower Misk and his
allies. But, Tarl Cabot and the Muls aid Misk and they are eventually able to
defeat Sarm's forces. Sarm then tries to destroy the Power Plant within the
Sardar that will destroy the entire planet of Gor. The Muls though had
previously constructed an alternate Power Plant and this was placed into action
to save the planet. Tarl and a few others now leave the Sardar. They find it
is now the Fair of Se'Var in 10117 C.A. Tarl finds his father at the Fair who
has the Home Stone of Ko-ro-ba. The city of Ko-ro-ba may now be rebuilt and the
people of Ko-ro-ba are returning to help. Tarl heads off the land of the Wagon
Peoples to locate the female egg of the Priest-Kings.
Nomads of Gor
details Tarl's experiences with the fierce Wagon Peoples of the Plains of
Turia. In the fall of 10117 C.A., Tarl begins his journey to the south. On the
Plains, Tarl impresses the Ubars of the Wagon Peoples with his courage and is
befriended by Kamchak, the Ubar of the Tuchuks. The Tuchuks find an Earth
woman, Elizabeth Cardwell, bearing a message collar. The message within it is
obstensibly from the Priest-Kings and states that Tarl should be killed.
Kamchak ignores the message, knowing that it is a fake. Tarl spends some time
among the Tuchuks and notes a gold sphere that he believes to be the egg he
seeks. The Turians also appear interested in the egg. Eventually, Turians,
accompanied by a group of mercenary tarnsmen, attack the Tuchuk camp. They kill
Kamchak's father and steal the golden egg. In retaliation for the murder of his
father, Kamchak and the Tuchuks besiege Turia.
Tarl enters Turia to
steal the golden egg but ends up captured. He learns that the Paravaci have
betrayed the rest of the Wagon Peoples. Tarl is given to the Yellow Pool
Monster of Turia to be killed but he is able to escape the creature's grasp. He
flees the city only to return at another time. This time though, the Tuchuks,
with a bit of subterfuge, break into the city and capture it. The treacherous
Paravaci though attack the Tuchuk camps and kill many of their bosk. With the
help of the other tribes, the Tuchuks are able to defeat the Paravaci. Tarl
then discovers that the golden sphere was not the egg of the Priest-Kings.
Kamchak gives him the real egg, now trusting he will deliver it to the
Priest-Kings. The Tuchuks depart from Turia, allowing it to recover and
rebuild. Kamchak is declared the Ubar San of the Wagon Peoples, a great honor.
It is now the start of 10118 C.A., and Tarl and Vella, once Elizabeth Cardwell,
head off toward the Sardar.
The events of Assassin of Gor begin in
10118 C.A. Tarl returns the egg to Misk and is told about the Others who seek
to conquer Gor. These Others had been quiet for thousands of years but now have
begun again to make moves against Gor. To help battle these Others, Tarl
proposes infiltrating a known connection to the Others, the House of Cernus, a
Slaver in Ar. During the second month of 10118 C.A., Tarl stops to visit
Ko-ro-ba before following through with his mission in Ar. A Warrior is killed
and Tarl Cabot is thought to have been the victim. He pretends to be dead and
disguises himself as an Assassin named Kuurus. He enters Ar in En'Var and is
hired by the House of Cernus as a Sword. Cernus is working for the mysterious
Others and is scheming to become the Ubar of Ar.
A few years
before, Administrator Kazrak of Ar was deposed and banished by the Initiates and
Merchants. Kazrak had made many enemies during his short reign. He began to
levy taxes on the Initiate Caste and upheld some rulings of the civil courts
over the Initiate courts. He also tried to stop some of the monopolies of the
Merchants. A new Administrator was chosen, Minus Tentius Hirnabius, of a
well-known and respected family in Ar. Cernus eventually kidnaps the
Administrator's daughter. Cernus also raises his Caste and becomes a Warrior.
Cernus increases the pressure on Administrator Minus and causes him to step
down. Cernus is then made Ubar of Ar in the month of Camerius 10119 C.A.
Cernus captures Tarl, aware of his disguise as Kuurus. Tarl is
made to participate in the gladiatorial games of Ar. Marlenus also happens to
be disguised as a gladiatorial fighter. Together, they cause the other
gladiators to rebel and strike back at Cernus. Cernus tries to escape in the
chaos but is killed by one of the Others. Marlenus assumes the throne of Ar
once again. Though Tarl helped him regain the throne, he banishes Tarl for his
past crime of stealing the Home Stone of Ar. Marlenus could not escape this
duty to his city even though he likes Tarl. Tarl left Ar on his tarn.
Raiders of Gor begins around the Sixth Passage Hand of 10119 C.A.,
just before Se'Kara. Tarl tried to get the Priest-Kings to return Vella to
Earth but she doesn't want to go. Vella fled on Tarl's tarn and when the tarn
returns, Tarl is very upset and sends the tarn away. Tarl now travels through
the Vosk delta on route to Port Kar to visit Samos. While traveling through the
marshes, Tarl is captured by Rencers. They give him a choice of becoming a
slave or being bound and fed to the marsh tharlarion. To his dismay, Tarl
chooses slavery over death. He then feels that he has betrayed his codes and is
nothing but a coward. A Rence girl, Telima, becomes his Mistress and makes Tarl
cut rence.
During a Festival in the marsh, slavers from Port Kar
attack, aided by a traitor within the Rencers. In the confusion, Tarl escapes
with Telima into the marsh. Because a small boy of the Rencers had once shown
him kindness, Tarl chooses to pursue the men of Port Kar. He kills many of them
with a long bow and ultimately prevents the slave ships from leaving the marsh.
Tarl frees two men, Thurnock and Clitus, and lets the Rencers be freed by the
other slaves on board. Tarl and the two men, and some slaves, then journey to
Port Kar. Tarl feels that due to his dishonor in the marshes, he may belong in
Port Kar.
Out of concern for the fate of a kajira, Tarl duels
Surbus, an infamous Captain of Port Kar. Tarl kills Surbus but allows him to see
Thassa before he dies. The men of Surbus, pleased that Tarl let Surbus see the
ocean, then join Tarl who becomes their Captain. By the First Passage Hand of
10120, C.A., Tarl has been in Port Kar for seven months. He now calls himself
Bosk of Port Kar and has become a prosperous Captain. Five Ubars led Port Kar
but the regent of one Ubar betrays the rest, seeking to be the sole ruler of
Port Kar. And this traitor is supported by the islands of Cos and Tyros, long
enemies of Port Kar. The coup fails and the Council of Captains seizes power in
the city. Port Kar tries to make peace with Cos and Tyros but they refuse.
In Se'Kara of 10120 C.A., a massive naval force from Cos and Tyros
sails toward Port Kar to attack. Many wish to flee Port Kar fearing this
massive navy. Tarl creates Port Kar's first Home Stone from a rock in the
streets, carving the initials of Port Kar in it. This helps to unite many in
Port Kar and give them an important reason to defend themselves against Cos and
Tyros. Though outnumbered, on the 25th of Se'Kara, Port Kar soundly defeats the
attacking fleet. While this occurs, the original traitorous regent tries to
seize power again. This second coup attempt is also defeated. Tarl later
learns that Samos works for the Priest-Kings and wants his help but Tarl states
that he will no longer work for the Priest-Kings.
In the beginning
of Captive of Gor, it is the spring of 10121 C.A. Elinor Brinton, an Earth
woman, is captured and taken to Gor by the Kurii, the enemies of Gor, known to
some as the Others. Their the ship crashes and Elinor escapes only to be later
captured by a Slaver. The book details her adventures on Gor including her
dealings with the infamous Rask of Treve. Marlenus, while hunting in the
northern forests, captures Verna, a leader of a band of panther girls. Men from
Treve would later help free Verna, basically to thwart Marlenus. Tarl Cabot
learns that Talena is now a slave of Verna and he wants to seek her out. Much
of this book sets up the plot for its sequel, Hunters of Gor.
In
Hunters of Gor, Tarl heads to the northern forest to find Verna so he can
recover Talena. Marlenus is also in the northern forests but he is there
seeking only Verna. While hunting, Tarl and his men locate Verna's camp and
find it empty. They drink some wine they find there but do not realize that it
is drugged. The panther girls later return to their camp and capture all of the
men including Tarl. Marlenus arrives though, captures Verna and frees Tarl.
Tarl returns to find his camp captured by men from Tyros. He later learns that
they are working with some panther girls and hope to capture Marlenus. Marlenus
is indeed captured by men of Tyros and some panther girls. The men of Tyros
head toward the shore to await their ships, building a wooden stockade for their
protection. Tarl enters this stockade to stop the men of Tyros and soon finds
himself aided by men from one of his ships. Unfortunately, in one duel, Tarl is
poisoned by a blade and ends up partially paralyzed. Marlenus is freed and
frees Verna, offering to make her his Ubara. She refuses though she loves him,
preferring the freedom of the forests. Talena is bought by men of Samos and
Tarl returns to Port Kar.
In the events of Marauders of Gor, Samos
gives Talena to Tarl who then frees her to return to Ar. Telima, the Rence
girl, is stolen from the marshes by a tarnsman who heads northwest. Tarl
overcomes his paralysis so he can recover Telima. He heads north, toward
Torvaldsland, early in 10122 C.A. In Kassau, Tarl meets Ivar Forkbeard of
Torvaldsland and takes passage north on his ship. Ivar is an outlaw and is
trying to pay a near impossible wergild. Tarl finds that there is a large army
of Kurii seeking passage through Torvaldsland to the lands of the south. The
men of Torvaldsland refuse their offer for safe passage through their lands and
eventually the Kurii attack. The Kurii win this first major battle though Tarl
and Ivar escape. Tarl and Ivar climb the Torvaldsberg Mountain and find the
ancient war arrow of Torvald, the legendary founder of Torvaldsland. With this
arrow, Ivar rallies the Torvaldslanders for an attack on the Kurii. In a
berserk rage, they are able to defeat the Kurii and thwart their plans. An
antidote for the poison that plagues Tarl is found and he is cured. Tarl sets
sails for Port Kar.
Tribesmen of Gor begins during the winter of
10122 C.A. and then continues into 10123 C.A. Tarl returned two months ago from
Torvaldsland. The Kurii have issued a cryptic ultimatum to the Priest-Kings.
It simply read "Surrender Gor." Tarl heads toward the Tahari region to try to
gain further information about the plans of the Kurii. Tarl encounters
Sulieman, chieftain of the Aretai tribe. Tarl is framed for an assassination
attempt of Sulieman and is sentenced to be a slave in the salt mines of Klima.
Tarl eventually escapes before being sent to the mines and seeks for a steel
tower in the desert. Tarl is subsequently caught two more times, but now by
agents of the Kurii and he is actually sent to the salt mines of Klima. Tarl
escapes once again and finds a Kur in the desert. The Kur leads Tarl to a Kurii
spaceship. The Kur gives Tarl an invisibility ring that will allow Tarl to
easily sneak up on the ship. The ship has a massive bomb that will destroy the
entire planet. Tarl is able to kill the Kur guarding the ship and disarm the
bomb. Another plot of the Kurii is foiled.
Though little clear
evidence is given, it appears that most of the events of Slave Girl of Gor occur
during 10124 C.A. An Earth girl, Judy Thornton, is captured and sent to Gor,
part of a Kurii plot. The book details her life on Gor as a slave. Near the
end of the book, we learn that she has a secret message hidden away within her
memory. Tarl and Samos learn that the message states that a great Kurii
general, Half-Ear, is coming to Gor. This might signal an imminent invasion.
Beasts of Gor begins just before the En'Kara Fair of 10125 C.A.
Tarl receives a message from Half-Ear, the Kurii general, to meet him at the
world's end. Samos wants Tarl to immediately sail past the World's End, that
part of Thassa past which no one knows what lies and from which no one has ever
returned. Tarl decides to first attend the En'Kara fair to see an important
Kaissa match between Centius of Cos and Scormus of Ar. In this epic match,
Centius defeats Scormus. Scormus feel disgraced and goes into hiding. Tarl
also uncovers some clues that indicate Half-Ear might be in the polar north,
another possible definition of the world's end. When Tarl returns to Port Kar,
he tells Samos he is going to the polar region though Samos thinks it is a trap
to keep him from the World's End.
Tarl heads north and encounters
the Red Hunters of Gor. He stays with them for a time and eventually seeks out
Karjuk, a Red Hunter who might know of the Kurii. Tarl is eventually captured
by agents of the Kurii and brought to their secret base within a mountain of
ice. He meets Half-Ear, the Kurii General, who has plans to conquer Gor. He
sends Tarl out to be killed by a Kur on the ice. Tarl is able to defeat the Kur
and he returns to the base to seek a way to destroy it. Aided by some Red
Hunters and an Assassin, they attack the base and seize control of it. Rather
than surrender, Half-Ear sets the base for self-destruction. Tarl and his
friends leave the base before it explodes and Half-Ear is believed to have died
in the explosion.
It is now 10126 C.A. for the events of Explorers
of Gor. Samos recovers a ring similar to the invisibility ring that Tarl Cabot
acquired in the Tahari. But, this new ring might be a trap. The other ring is
supposed to be taken by Shaba, an explorer and agent of the Priest-Kings, and
delivered to the Sardar. But, Shaba instead takes the ring and heads into the
equatorial rainforests. Tarl pursues him into the jungles. Tarl meets Bila
Huruma, the black Ubar of the jungles, and is again set up to look like an
assassin out to kill Bila. Tarl is sentenced to work as a slave building a
canal. Tarl escapes and continues his pursuit of Shaba. Tarl heads up the Ua
River, finally finding Shaba at a lake at the head of the Ua. There are the
ruins remains of an ancient civiliztion at the lake. Shaba tells Tarl that he
used the ring for the glory of exploring these uncharted regions, not for
personal gain. Kurii then attack the men at the lake, including a force of men
of Bila Huruma. Shaba is killed, the Kur recover a ring and then they depart.
But, they recovered the wrong ring, the trapped one. It explodes, killing that
group of Kurii. Tarl is given the true invisibility ring and he returns to Port
Kar.
Books #14 to #16 form the Jason Marshall trilogy, three novels
centering on another Earth man brought to Gor. They apparently begin in 10126
C.A. and conclude in 10127 C.A.
In the first book of the trilogy,
Fighting Slave of Gor, Jason Marshall is taken from Earth to Gor and immediately
enslaved. He is trained as a silk slave, a male slave taught to please women.
Jason eventually becomes a stable slave, fighting other slaves as entertainment
for the stable masters. He excels in this area becoming a champion fighting
slave. Cosian tarnsmen attack the suburbs of Ar. During this time, Jason
enslaves his own Mistress and escapes from his slavery. He begins to search for
an Earth girl, Beverly Henderson, he knew who was enslaved when he had been.
In the second book of the trilogy, Rogue of Gor, Jason searches for
Beverly Henderson in the towns on the Vosk. At this time, Cos and Vonda ally
together against Ar and try to get the rest of the Salerian Confederation to
join against Ar. Ar successfully conquers Vonda and holds off the other cities
of the Confederation. The Confederation decides not to pursue the issue and the
war ends. Jason does find the woman he seeks, wanting to free her, but she is
not what he expects. The Vosk River pirates decide at this time to join
together to attack some of the river towns. The pirates begin amassing their
fleets while some of the river towns try to ally together against the coming
attack.
Guardsman of Gor is the finale of the trilogy. A few of
the Vosk towns form a blockade line to stop the pirate fleets from uniting. The
pirate fleet, though heavily damaged, breaks through the blockade and unites
with the other pirate fleets. The pirates attack the town of Victoria but are
defeated by a joint alliance of all the major river towns. This new alliance
then seeks out and destroys the strongholds of the river pirates. The alliance,
except for Ar's Station, then form the Vosk League to prevent any further piracy
on the Vosk. Ar will not permit Ar's Station to join the alliance. Jason
becomes a lauded hero of the river war and he also makes Beverly his slave.
Books #17 and #18 then form a single story of Tarl Cabot's journey
to the Barrens in 10128 C.A. As Savages of Gor begins, two Kurii have come to
parley with Tarl and Samos. The Kurii claim that Half-Ear still lives and is
hiding in the Barrens, the home of the Red Savages. The Kurii want them to kill
Half-Ear for them. Tarl refuses to aid them and the Kurii depart. Tarl decides
to travel to the Barrens to warn Half-Ear because they once shared paga
together. Samos does not quite understand why he is going. Tarl first visits
some border towns next to the Barrens seeking a guide to take him into the lands
of the Red Savages. Tarl finds a Merchant to take him into the Barrens. In the
Barrens, Tarl learns that a small force of Kurii has entered the Barrens seeking
Half-Ear. At one point, Tarl frees a staked Red Savage, angering the Kaiila
tribe. Though Tarl wishes to battle them, he is convinced to surrender to them
as a slave.
Tarl's adventures in the Barrens continue in Blood
Brothers of Gor. Tarl remains as a captive of the Kaiila. The Kurii foster war
within the Barrens convincing some of the tribes to attack other tribes. The
tribes of the Yellow Knives and Kinyanpi, along with a mercenary force of white
men, plan to attack the Kaiila tribe during their Festivities. A traitor within
the Kaiila tribe aids them as well. During the Festivities, a great battle
ensues and it goes poorly for the Kaiila. Tarl and and a few others escape and
seek out other Kaiila tribes for aid. Tarl reunites with his old tarn, the Ubar
of the Skies. The remaining Kaiila tribes rally together to battle a combined
force of Yellow Knives, Kinyanpi, white mercenaries and Kurii. Half-Ear joins
the battle to aid the Kaiila and fight the Kurii. The Kailla are victors in the
war.
After the war, there is a single Kur left who speaks with
Half-Ear. This Kur was not part of the Death Squad. Tarl leaves his tarn to be
free within the Barrens. Tarl then speaks with Half-Ear and learns that the
death sentence against Half-Ear has been lifted. Half-Ear will return to the
Steel Worlds as a General. Tarl then returns home.
Kajira of Gor
takes place during 10129 C.A. An Earth woman, Tiffany Collins, is captured,
brought to Gor and made the Tatrix of Corcyrus. This is all part of an
intricate scheme by the real Tatrix of Corcyrus, Sheila, supported by the
Kurii. Corcyrus seizes the silver mines of Argentum, starting a war, the Silver
War. But forces from Ar enter the fray to protect their ally, Argentum, and Cos
chooses not to get involved. Corcyrus loses the war and is captured. Tiffany,
thought to be the Tatrix, is to be brought to Argentum to be impaled. She is
freed by unknown parties and she flees. Eventually she is caught and brought to
Argentum, though the real Tatrix has also been captured. Argentum tries to
decide who was the true Tatrix and in time the real Tatrix confesses. Tiffany
becomes the slave of her previous bodyguard. Corcyrus now becomes an ally of
Ar.
Also in 10129 C.A., Marlenus, Ubar of Ar, takes a military
force to make a punitive attack against Treve. The results of this attack have
yet to be given though Witness of Gor is expected to give the details of this
endeavor.
As Players of Gor begins, it is a couple days before the
Twelfth Passage Hand of 10129 C.A. There is now a new Mother of the
Priest-Kings. Carnival arrives in Port Kar and someone tries unsuccessfully to
kill Tarl. Samos warns Tarl that the Priest-Kings have declared him to be a
traitor and wish him to be captured and sent to the Sardar. Samos though will
not do that. As Tarl plans to leave the city, he is tricked by a woman, drugged
and captured. Tarl is later able to trick the woman and escape. He stops off
at the En'Kara fair of 10130 C.A. Tarl's clues lead to the city of Brundisium
and he joins a carnival troupe on route to the city. Just outside Brundisium,
Tarl is captured and placed into a cell with an urt person. He and the urt
person escape though their captors had expected it. Only Tarl is able to escape
from a murderous horde of urts.
The carnival troupe recaptures Tarl
and brings him back to the city. One of the troupe is actually Scormus of Ar,
the famous Kaissa player. The city, once an ally of Ar, is now working with
Cos. The troupe helps Tarl escape, their plan all along. Tarl frees a captive
Kur and it then kills the Ubar of Brundisium. Ar arrives to retake the city.
It is learned that Cos and Tyros wish to attack the city of Ar. Early in
Se'Kara, their fleets begin landing in the harbors of Brundisum and Ar must
flee. Tarl deciphers some intricate codes that state Talena is going to betray
Ar to the Cosians. Cos and Tyros have some bold ambitions and a traitor within
Ar would surely make it much easier for them.
Late in Se'Kara of
10130 C.A., Mercenaries of Gor begins. Tarl is traveling around, seeking
information on the invasion forces of Cos and Tyros. Tarl encounters a group of
Alars and travels with them a bit. They visit they city of Torcodino that was
once allied with Ar but now is allied with Cos. Dietrich of Tarnburg, the
famous mercenary captain, now captures the city of Torcodino with his mercenary
army. He does this on his own initiative. No one had hired him to do so. Tarl
meets with Dietrich who asks him to deliver some military information to Ar.
Tarl accepts the mission and journeys to Ar. He learns that Talena has been
made a citizen of Ar by the Regent of Gor. Marlenus is still away on his raid
against Treve. Tarl is arrested and is to be brought before the Regent.
Dancer of Gor is a bit of a departure from the last book. It
concerns an Earth girl, Doreen Williamson, who is taken to Gor to be a slave.
The book mainly deals with her life as a slave, eventually becoming a very
talented dancer. The book touches on the Ar/Cos war only briefly. It states
that Ar sends some forces toward Ar's Station to defend it from Cosian invaders.
Renegades of Gor continues the story that ended in Mercenaries of
Gor. Tarl is brought before the Regent of Ar and tells him that the main Cosian
force is at Torcodino. The Regent ignores his information and sends the bulk of
the army of north toward Ar's Station. The Regent sends Tarl to Ar's Station
with a message for the city. Tarl flies to Ar's Station and finds Cosian forces
besieging it. Tarl enters Ar's Station and meets the commander, handing over
the message. The Regent's message states that Tarl is a Cosian spy and he is
arrested. The army of Ar is actually wintering at Holmesk and will not come to
save Ar's Station. Tarl escapes from his cell and helps defend the city against
Cos. But, Cos captures the city though the Home Stone had been sent to Ar a few
weeks before. Ships of the Vosk League arrive and attack some Cosian ships.
Tarl meets Jason Marshall. Vosk League ships help take some of the refugees
from Ar's Station to Port Cos. Rumors begin to pass around that Ar's Station
willingly let Cos capture the city in exchange for gold.
Vagabonds
of Gor appears to take place during 10131 C.A. Tarl goes forth to spy on Cosian
forces near the Vosk River. Tarl is recognized as a spy and must flee the
Cosian camp. Tarl heads toward Holmesk and encounters his friend Marcus on route
to Holmesk. They meet a patrol of Ar and are arrested as spies. They learn
that Ar has left Holmesk and is headed toward Brundisium. Tarl is sent to the
Vosk Delta as a prisoner with a large army of Ar seeking Cosians within the
Delta. This is actually ruse to destroy the army, devised by traitors within
Ar. The army loses many men to the natural dangers of the delta and to the
Rencers. Some men try to leave the Delta and are attacked by Cosians waiting
outside the Delta. Tarl eventually escapes and meets up with some of the
remaining men of Ar who now realize they have been betrayed. Over 45,000
Warriors of Ar perished in the Delta. Tarl reunites with Marcus and they leave
the Delta. Dietrich withdraws from Torcodino and Saphronicus, leader of the
forces of Ar in the north, dies mysteriously. Tarl and Marcus head back to Ar.
Magicians of Gor, the last published Gor novel, starts with Tarl
and Marcus staying in a camp outside of Ar. During the day, they enter the city
and Tarl tries to join Ar's military but no one is being hired. The Home Stone
of Ar's Station is publicly displayed and people revile it, thinking Ar's
Station sold out to the Cosians. People are saying that the Regent is a tyrant.
Seremides finally deposes the Regent in a military coup. Cos is then welcomed
into the city, praised for helping to deliver Ar from the tyranny of the
Regent. The mighty gates of Ar are burned by its own citizens. Talena is made
the Ubara of Gor, the military forces of Ar are disbanded and Cosians take their
place. The citizens of Ar are disarmed and the walls of Ar are destroyed to
serve as quarries. It is said that Ar's Home Stone is moved to Cos and a false
Home Stone is used for citizenship ceremonies.
Tarl and Marcus form
what they call the Delta Brigade to cause trouble for Cos. The Brigade is just
the two of them but others begin copying their tactics to oppose Cos. Tarl
meets again Boots Tarsk-Bit, the leader of the carnival troupe he once
accompanied to Brundisium. He hires Boots to recover the Home Stone of Ar's
Station through his sleight of hand. Boots easily recovers it and takes it
north to Port Cos. Tarl tricks Talena into going to meet a handsome male slave,
Milo. Talena prepares to couch with the handsome slave and thus violates the
couching laws of Ar. She then becomes a slave of the master of the male slave,
which is now Tarl. Her violation is witnessed and her slavery is documented.
Tarl allows her to resume her position of Ubara knowing that she is his secret
slave. Tarl wants to oust Cos from Ar and Marcus remains with him in Ar.
The timeline of these books would bring us to 1981 A.D. The
projected 26th book of the Gor series is Witness of Gor. This will deal with
the fate of Marlenus and his raid against Treve. It is supposed to be over 1000
pages long. It may also continue to describe Tarl's efforts within Ar to help
oust the Cosians. There is no current date of publication for Witness of Gor
though it is eagerly awaited by many.
The current Earth year of
2000 A.D. would correlate to 10152 C.A.
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