All Men of the Wagon People are expected to be Warriors first, irrespective of
their Clans. Therefore, the Wagon People will have an Ubar as their leader.
The wagon of Kutaituchik, called Ubar of the Tuchuks, was drawn up on a
large, flat-topped grassy hill, the highest land in the camp. Beside the wagon,
on a great pole fixed in the earth, stood the Tuchuk standard of the four bosk
horns. The hundred, rather than eight, bosk that drew his wagon had been
unyoked; they were huge, red bosk; their horns had been polished and their
coats glistened from the comb and oils; their golden nose rings were set with jewels;
necklaces of precious stones hung from the polished horns. The wagon itself was
the largest in the camp, and the largest wagon I had conceived possible;
actually it was a vast platform, set on numerous wheeled frames; though at the
edges of the platform, on each side, there were a dozen of the large wheels
such as are found on the much smaller wagons; these latter wheels turned as the
wagon moved and supported weight, but could not of themselves have supported
the entire weight of that fantastic, wheeled palace of hide. The hides that
formed the dome were of a thousand colors, and the smoke hole at the top must
have stood more than a hundred feet from the flooring of that vast platform. I
could well conjecture the riches, the loot and the furnishing that would dazzle
the interior of such a magnificent dwelling. But I did not enter the wagon, for
Kutaituchik held his court outside the wagon, in the open air, on the
flat-topped grassy hill. A large dais had been built, vast and spreading, but
standing no more than a foot from the earth. This dais was covered with dozens
of thick rugs, sometimes four and five deep. Nomads of Gor
The first group of wagons moving, known as the first wagon will belong to the
Ubar and His household. Commanders would be next in line in the hierarchy of
the Wagon People. The often have their wagons painted red and filled with
riches from their conquests.
"At that time, of course," said Harold, "our wagons were not
painted red, nor filled with booty and rich things, for we were not then
commanders."
"But to reward us for what?" I asked.
"For courage," said he. Nomads of Gor
"… I have had it well stocked — with Paga and Ka-la-na wines from Ar
and such." In Turia, even though we had much of the riches of the city at
our disposal, there had not been much Paga or Ka-la-na wine. As I may have
mentioned the Turians, on the whole, favor thick, sweet wines. I had taken, as
a share of battle loot, a hundred and ten bottles of Paga and forty bottles of
Ka-la-na wine from Tyros, Cos and Ar, but these I had distributed to my
crossbowmen, with the exception of one bottle of Paga which Harold and I had
split some two nights ago. I decided I might spend the night in my wagon. Nomads
of Gor
It was a large wagon, drawn by eight black bosk. There were two Tuchuk
guards outside. Beside it, fixed in the earth, on a pole, there was a standard
of four bosk horns. The pole had been painted red, which is the color of
commanders. The two Tuchuk guards saluted us, striking their lances three times
on their shields. Nomads of Gor
Ubar San
During the days of the Omen Taking, the haruspexes of the four Clans of the
Wagon People (Kassars, Kataii, Paravaci and Tuchuks) to determine if conditions
are right for the election of a Ubar Sar … who would rule over all the Wagon
Peoples.
"They do not have castes, as Goreans tend to think of them. For
example, every male of the Wagon Peoples is expected to be a warrior, to be
able to ride, to be able to hunt, to care for the bosk, and so on. When I speak
of Year Keepers and Singers it must be understood that these are not, for the
Wagon Peoples, castes, but more like roles, subsidiary to their main functions,
which are those of the war, herding and the hunt. They do have, however,
certain clans, not castes, which specialize in certain matters, for example,
the clan of healers, leather workers, salt hunters, and so on. I have already
mentioned the clan of torturers. The members of these clans, however, like the
Year Keepers and Singers, are all expected, first and foremost, to be, as it is
said, of the wagons namely to follow, tend and protect the bosk, to be superb
in the saddle, and to be skilled with the weapons of both the hunt and
war."Nomads of Gor
"I had learned to my surprise that the Ubars of the Kassars, Kataii and
Paravaci were, respectively, Conrad, Hakimba and Tolnus, the very three I had
first encountered with Kamchak on the plains of Turia when first I came to the
Wagon Peoples. What I had taken to be merely a group of four outriders had
actually been a gathering of Ubars of the Wagon Peoples. I should have known
that no four warriors of the four peoples would have ridden together. Further,
the Kassars, the Kataii and the Paravaci did not reveal their true Ubars with
any greater willingness than the Tuchuks had. Bach people, as the Tuchuks, had
its false Ubar, its decoy to protect the true Ubar from danger or
assassination. But, Kamchak had assured me, Conrad, Hakimba and Tolnus were
indeed the true Ubars of their peoples." Nomads of Gor
"Indeed it was true, for the next level beneath a Ubar among the Wagon
Peoples is that of the Commander of a Thousand." Nomads of Gor
"I resolved that the best time to steal the egg would be during the
days of the Omen Taking. At that time, the men would be afield, on the rolling
hills surrounding the Omen Valley, in which on the hundreds of smoking alters,
the haruspexes of the four peoples would be practicing their obscure craft,
taking the omens, trying to determine whether or not they were favorable for
the election of a Ubar San, a One Ubar, who would be Ubar of all the Wagons.
(...) There had been no Ubar San for a hundred years or more—the Wagon Peoples,
fierce and independent, did not wish a Ubar San." Nomads of Gor
Ubara
The wife of a Ubar
"I would be the Ubara of all Gor,” she laughed, “with Priest-Kings at
my beck and call, at my command all their riches and their untold powers!”… Priest-Kings
of Gor
"The principle here, I gather," said Marcus, "is that the
Ubara is above the law." "The law in question is a serious one,"
said Tolnar. "It was promulgated by Marlenus, Ubar of Ubars."
"Surely," said Venlisius to the netted woman, "you do not put
yourself on a level with the great Marlenus." "It does not matter who
is greater," she said, "I am Ubara!"
"The Ubara is above the law?" asked Marcus, who had an interest in
such things. "In a sense yes," said Tolnar, "the sense in which
she can change the law by decree." "But she is subject to the law
unless she chooses to change it?" asked Marcus. "Precicely,"
said Tolnar. "And that is the point here." "Whatever law it
is," cried the netted woman, "I change it! I herewith change
it!" "How can you change it?" asked Tolnar. "I am
Ubara!" she said." Magicians of Gor
Chiefs of the Red Savages
Among the various tribes of the Red Savages are chiefs. Each tribe would have
its own chiefs. There are several different kinds, the primary types are war
chief, medicine chief and civil chief. In addition, most tribes had several
warrior societies. These societies would function as guards, police, keep the
tribes advised to the movements of the kailiauk and organize hunts. It is
common for them to give feasts and hold dances.
"Among the red savages there are various sorts of chief. The primary
types of chief are the war chief, the medicine chief and the civil chief. One
may be, interestingly, only one sort of chief at a time. This, like the
rotation of police powers among warrior societies, is a portion of the checks
and balances, so to speak, which tend to characterize tribal governance. Other
checks and balanced are such things as tradition and custom, the closeness of
the governed and the governors, multiple-family inter-relatedness, the election
of chiefs, the submission of significant matters to a council, and ultimately,
the feasibility of simply leaving the group in greater or lesser numbers."Savages
of Gor
"Most tribes had several warrior societies These societies had much
influence within the tribes and on an alternating basis to preclude any one
society from becoming predominant a good deal of power. Their members were
expected to set an example in war and the hunt." Savages of Gor
"Warrior Societies in the tribes have many functions They are a
significant component of tribal existence. Such societies on an alternating
basis do such things as keep order in the camps and on the treks. They function
too as guards and police. It is part of their function too to keep the tribes
apprised as to the movements of kailiauk and to organize and police tribal
hunts. Such societies too it might be noted are useful in various social ways.
They provide institutions through which merit can be recognized and rewarded
and tribal traditions freshened maintained and renewed. They preserve medicine
bundles keep ceremonies and teach histories. It is common for them to give
feasts and hold dances. Their rivalries provide an outlet for intertribal
aggression and the attendant competitions supply an encouragement for effort
and a stimulus to excellence. Within the society itself of course the members
profit from the values of alliance and camaraderie and friendship. Needless to
say each society will have too its own medicines and mysteries."
Savages of Gor
The Government of the Red Hunters
Red Hunters called themselves the Innuit which means “the People”. They
normally live in scattered, isolated communities and war, in its usual sense is
unknown to them. They seem to have the least organized government structure.
"With Imnak's help we would cross Ax Glacier and find the Innuit, as
they called themselves, a word which, in their own tongue, means “the People.”I
recalled that in the message of Zarendargar he had referred to himself as a war
general of the “People.” He had meant, of course, I assumed, his own people, or
kind. Various groups are inclined to so identify themselves. It is an arrogance
which is culturally common. The Innuit do not have “war generals.”War, in its
full sense, is unknown to them. They live generally in scattered, isolated
communities. It is as though two families lived separated in a vast remote
area. There would be little point and little likelihood to their having a war.
In the north one needs friends, not enemies. In good years, when the weather is
favorable, there tends to be enough sleen and tabuk, with careful hunting, to
meet their needs. One community is not likely to be much better or worse of
than another. There is little loot to be acquired. What one needs one can
generally hunt or make for oneself. There is little point in stealing from
someone what one can as simply acquire for oneself. Within given groups,
incidentally, theft is rare. The smallness of the groups provides a powerful
social control. If one were to steal something where would one hide or sell it?
Besides, if one wished something someone else owned and let this be known, the
owner would quite possibly give it to you, expecting, of course, to receive as
valuable a gift in return. Borrowing, too, is prevalent among the red hunters.
The loan of furs, tools and women is common. ...............The Innuit, on the
whole, seem to be happy, pleasant fellows.’Perhaps that is why they live where
they do. They have been unable, or unwilling, to compete with more aggressive
groups. Their gentleness has resulted, it seems, in their being driven to the
world’s end. Where no others have desired to live the Innuit, sociable and
loving, have found their bleak refuge." Beasts of Gor
Torvaldsland Leaders – Jarls
In Torvaldsland, leaders are known as Jarls. There were also chieftains and
captains and all were ruled by the High Jarl.
"We saw, too, many chieftains, and captains, and minor Jarls, in the
crowd, each with his retinue. These high men were sumptuously garbed, richly
cloaked and helmeted, often with great axes, inlaid with gold."Marauders
of Gor
"Svein Blue Tooth was the high jarl of Torvaldsland, in the sense that
he was generally regarded as the most powerful. In his hall, it was said he fed
a thousand men. Beyond this his heralds could carry the war arrow, it was said,
to ten thousand farms. Ten ships he had at his own wharves, and, it was said,
he could summon a hundred more "He is your Jarl?" I asked. "He
was my Jarl," said Ivar Forkbeard." Marauders of Gor
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