Basic Gor

Gor is not fair

Gor is Harsh

Gor is GOR

Planet of Gor: As Tarl was taught by his father, 'Gor is the name of this world.' In all the languages of the planet, it means 'Home Stone'. The planet is also called the Counter-Earth from the writings of the Pythagoreans who first speculated on it's existence. According to the Initiates, Gor was originally a satellite of a distant sun n the Blue Galaxies. It was moved several times from star to star by the Priest-Kings, by one theory, but according to the 'Theory of the Sun Shield', it has remained in the same place, undiscovered because it is placed as a counterpoise to the Earth. It has the same plane or orbit and maintains that position, with occasional adjustments by the Priest-Kings, to always keep'The Central Fire'between it and it's planetary sister, Earth. Tarnsman of Gor pg 26,28,32,33 "the more W/we understand, the ways, the better"

Gor's Origination: John Norman created the world of Gor in the late 1960's and early 1970's in a series of 25 books. These books were written on a level for adults to be able to understand the phylosophy he was trying to convey. Many people became infatuiated with the phylosophy and began to develope and insert many of the Gorean ways and beliefs into their daily lives.

Definition of Gor: "The Home Stone." An object to be revered. The central object around which one arranges the matter of one's life. The core of one's dwelling that which defines a place and those that dwell there.

Home Stone: On Gor, there is nothing more sacred or worthier of respect than a Home Stone. A Home Stone is the center or heart of a place. When one uses the word Gor upon the counter-earth, they are referring to the ancient Home Stone of all the Gorean people, the planet itself,which supports their lifes.

GOR: Gor is what Earth might have been, had civilization not developed and made great technological strides. It is a planet that has not been spoiled by pollution of its environment, waste of it's resourses or destruction of it's natural beauty. Gor is a place where every man and woman are accountable for who and what they are. Where there are no restrictions placed on a man's abilities and strengths. Where women are allowed to display their sexuaity openly. It is a place where honor amd your word are more sacred than life itself. To break this honor or your word is to tempt fate. Women may be free on Gor, but to do so requires one to so requires one to stand strong and prove themselves worthy of the right. A place where such Free Women are respected, but who must always strive to protect their status or find the fate of chains or possible death. Gor is a place where women may be free from the bonds of their counter parts on earth, in that they openly show their sexuality and desires knowing they are protected by the collar they wear. On Gor there are no laws or rules that allow the weak to control the strong. It is a place where the strong survive and the weak are either enslaved or killed. Gor is a world where you are held accountable for your actions, good or bad. Gor is harsh in many ways and not always are results what you might wish them to be. You can learn and undertand the Gorean way and become a useful and respected member or you can follow a path of dishonor and be shunned by all there.

Fictional Gor: Gor is a world not unlike Earth, though slightly smaller in size. It possesses three moons, and has a lighter gravity than Earth, giving greater strength abilities to humans than on Earth, Gor exists in the same orbit as Earth, on the opposite side of the sun, causing it to be unseen from Earth.

Priest Kings: The Priest Kings are a race of super intelligent, insect like beings with a highly evolved society and technology. They reside in the Sardar Mountains in the Far Northern part of Gor. It is their technology, which controls the planet, including its rotation and location in space. They also introduce other species of life to the planet among which are humans

Technology: The Priest Kings have carefuly restricted the development of technology in certain areas while allowing it to develop in others. The areas most carefully watched are weapons, communications and transportation. Medicine and basic physical comfort have been allowed to compete and at times even surpass those same areas of Earth No weapons are allowed more developed than that of a crossbow or catapult. Yet medicine is so advanced that disease is rare, and serums have been developed which allow rich Goreans to possess a virtually limitless lifespan.. That is why warfare is key in controlling population levels, especially among upper castes.

The Flame Death: The Priest Kings maintain a fairly tight control over the planet. They have highly developed surveillence devices and are known to recruit human agaents to serve their schemes. It is difficult to violate their rules and remain undetected. Those creatures who displease them are occasionally subjected to "The Flame Death," and are destroyed in a flash of colored fire, reducing them to ashes.

Cultures: Civilized Gor is a planet of walled cities, each in constant conflict with the others. The Priest Kings discourages large Empires and so warfare tends to be small-scale. Some of the othe races and cultures include the Wagon Peoples, the Torvaldslanders, the Red Savages the tribesmen of the Tahari, the Red Hunters of the North, small tribes such as the Alars and the Tribesmen of the Southern Forests.

Gorean Castes: Society on Gor is caste-oriented, A person is born into a particular " caste" or trade abiding by its accepted laws and rules. Each indvidual cast has its own codes of conduct, and by violating those codes a caste member relinquishes his or her rights to be considered a law-abiding participant of society. Such a person is typically branded an outlaw and shunned by those of their family and caste. The principal Gorean virtues are strength of character, loyalty, skill and ability of your caste or trade.

Slaver: Perhaps the most commonly misunderstood social institution upon Gor is that of human slavery. A sometimes cruel practice, it takes many varied forms. The psychological effects of this servitude are well understood. To the Gorean slavery is not bad, it is a part of life. Few people are born into slavery, most who are slaves are because they were actively enslaved. Goreans feel that to be enslaved is to be humbled, to be forced to acknowledge that fact that one stronger than you exists and has taken your freedom from you. Women being less physically endowed to fighting and self-defense, are by nature the ones most often enslaved upon Gor. There are male slaves as well, but most die reletively quickly from being worked long and hard in the mines and other places. Females, however, are generally treated better and require less effort to subdue than males. This is also true because most males regard beautiful, intelligent women as a highly valuable commodity for trade purposes. They are treated as what they have become under Gorean law, the property of the one who owns them. Slavery is a highly-regarded way of life and more than a way of thinking. It is part of the culture and is supported in custom and practice. To be a slave is to be totaly enslaved, and simply put you are no longer free and therefore have no rights. Only free persons are protected under Gorean law and only free persons have any say in the dealings of government and civil administration.

Gorean Politics: The most often utilized political structure is the free City-State. Each city state considers itself to be seperate from all others and that everyone is an enemy. Buying from land, agriculture and resources is a high priority to each city. During times of peace, most free cities are governed by a democratic ruling council made up of notable citizens from the five High Castes and ruled overall by an elected city administrator. During wartime an Ubar or military ruler, is often chosen. Sometimes the Administrator and the Ubar are one and the same. The Ubar is customarily expected to relinquish all power once the present crisis has been averted, and allow the administrator to resume his duties. Sometimes this is not done and so in efect the city remains under military rule. Which can lead to the Ubar and his followers to be removed by force and power returned to the civil administrators. Outside the great walled cities, there are as many political systems upon Gor as there are on Earth. These alliances, leagues and groups control various portions of civilized Gor. Some consisting of simple tribal groups, others growing beyond that, growing even to the brink of Empire. Normally the major city-states will take action to stop this growth in power long before it becomes a threat to their own soverenty.