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Originally Printed at Gor.net.  Reprinted with Permission

The Gorean philosophy is a philosophy espoused in the science fiction novels by John Norman. A number of fans of Norman’s work have attempted to live their lives according to this philosophy.

The majority of Goreans who pursue a “lifestyle” approach often do not consider what they do to be BDSM. However, they are generally considered part of the “kinky” subculture. In that context, they reject the idea of isolated “scenes”. Instead, their practices may be described as 24/7, dominance & submission, and/or Total Power Exchange relationships. BDSM concepts of servitude and slavery typically play a key role in Gorean dynamics.

The most conspicuous Gorean departure from mainstream modern norms is that Goreans promote sexual master-slave relationships. Some of this philosophy is concerned with “order of nature” and the relations between men and women, which may or may not take the form of a master-and-slave dynamic.

Be forewarned though.  Gorean BDSM is a vast and complex field.

A Glossary Of Gorean Terms

The Slaves

Kajira/Kajirus: These are slaves, female and male respectively. There are many types of slaves to be found on Gor, however, the most common on IRC (and IRL) is the ordinary kajira, a multipurpose personal female slave. These slaves are referred to as “kettle and mat” slaves; in other words, they do everything from serve as scullery, to cooking, serving, and warming Master’s furs at night. Pleasure slaves are often referred to in discussion, but actually are not common. Just because a slave is used for pleasure, does not qualify her as a pleasure slave. However, the term is wrongly but commonly in use among those of little knowledge; being applied tp ANY female slave. Of course all kajira are given the basic instructions in how to serve as a sexual slave.

Pleasure Slave: A slave specially taught the arts of pleasure. A true pleasure slave knows the positions of a slave, many dances, how to cook, serve, and how to make love to a man..all with superb skill. Her chief trait is to be pleasing to her Master, regardless of the circumstances, hence the name, ‘Pleasure Slave”. Because the house that trains such a kajira tends to put it’s special flavor on a girl, many prefer to train their own slaves, rather then have the girl they owned trained by one whose tastes and passions are not one’s own. Indeed, training onws own is the mark of a true Master. (Assassin of Gor , the fifth book has many details on the training, but other titles i.e. Slave Girl of Gor, Kajira of Gor and Dancer of Gor also should be studied to get a complete picture )

Passion Slave: A girl, not trained, but Bred specifically for sex. No Earth girl is EVER a passion slave. It inconceivable and impossible. No passion slave is ever taken to Earth either. Passion slaves are almost never freed. Passion slaves breed true, and their children are marked with the mark of the house that bred them. In this way they are easily identified.. Male passion slaves are harder to identify, except that they are uncommonly beautiful and almost always have a club foot (inherited from the mother). DO NOT claim to be a passion slave, unless you have seriously studied Gor.

Free Persons

Free Woman: Free women are viewed by most Goreans as priceless. Slaves are not used for breeding, except to create additional slaves. Therefore only a free woman can bear children that create family. If a slave gets pregnant, most Goreans would either enslave the child, or give it away. In rare cases, the slave was freed long enough to have the child. Even rarer is the case where the mother is allowed to remain free, some men becoming very sentimental about women that present them with children. The rights of Free Women vary by city, caste and wealth as might be expected, with wealthy high caste women having woman a great deal of freedom of action. Free Women are often seen managing shops in the cities, since it is generally dangerous for women to travel without an escort. In such cases, the men do the leg work and the women manage the business. Many members of the Caste of Scribes are woman, and generally these women are as honored for their work as their male counterparts. An unescorted Free Woman is in constant danger as it is not uncommon for young tarnsmen to rope women off the high bridges of a city just for sport and capture. Of course, with the Robes of Concealment hiding the features of a Free Woman as they do, slave girls make much better prey, if only because the tarnsman can see the value of what he is capturing. This is why the Robes of Concealment are so much a part of the Free Woman’s life, including the veil. On Gor a Free Woman would rather be totally stripped of the rest of her clothing than to lose her veil. A woman without a veil is naked, while those without clothing are merely undressed.

Free Companion: Free companions are the closest thing to a “wife” that a Gorean has.A contract with another free person, usually of the opposite sex, for a period of one year. If not re-avowed and renewed on it’s anniversary, the contract is considered dissolved. Considering the life span of a Gorean is measure in centuries, not years, this is very practical. Free companionship are automatically dissolved if either is enslaved.

Everyday terms/expressions

-A-

  • ah-il (noun): a unit of measure, the distance from the elbow to the tip of the middle finger, c. 18″; analogous to the Earth cubit; 10 ah-il equal one ah-ral
  • Ahn (noun): the Gorean hour, of which there are 20 in a Gorean day; it consists of 40 ehn (minutes)
  • ah-ral (noun): a unit of measure equaling 10 ah-il, or approx. 180″
  • al-ka (noun): first letter of the Gorean alphabet; corresponds to the Earth letter ‘A’
  • All Comrades (noun): a warrior society of the Kaiila tribe of Red Savages; a.k.a. the Fighting Hearts
  • ar (noun): a letter of the Gorean alphabet; cap. the name of an important Gorean city-state
  • applause (noun): as on Earth, a sign of approval; on Gor, however, it is performed by striking the right hand against the left shoulder
  • Ar: One of the oldest city on Gor, it has 10,000 years of recorded history.
  • Arani (noun): a minor tribe of the Tahari; they are a vassal tribe of the Aretai
  • Aretai (noun): a major tribe of the Tahari; their vassal tribes are the Arani, Luraz, Raviri, Tajuks, Tashid, Ti, and Zevar; their war-cry is ‘Aretai Victorious!”
  • Aria (adjective): of Ar
  • armored gatch (noun): a marsupial mammal which inhabits the rainforests inland of Schendi
  • Assassins, Caste of (noun): the caste of those who kill for pay; exist mostly in Ar, but have been found in other cities; their caste color is black

-B-

  • Bakahs (noun): a minor tribe of the Tahari; they are a vassal tribe of the Kavars
  • bana (noun): jewelry, of precious metals and stones, worn by free persons
  • bara (command; lit. ‘belly’?): at this command, a slavegirl will lie on her stomach, with her wrists crossed behind her back, ready for binding, and with her ankles crossed, ready for binding
  • barbarian (noun): a native of the planet Earth; usually used in a derogatory sense in reference to slavegirls from that planet
  • ba-ta (noun): second letter of the Gorean alphabet; corresponds to the Earth letter ‘B’
  • Bazi plague (noun): a deadly, rapidly-spreading disease with no known cure; its symptoms include pustules which appear all over the body, and a yellowing of the whites of the eyes
  • Bazi tea (noun): an herbal beverage served hot and heavily sugared; traditionally drunk 3 tiny cups at a time, in rapid succession
  • bina (noun, lit. ‘slave beads’): slave jewelry, usually consisting of plain metals, colored string, wooden or cheap glass beads; sometimes used as a slave name
  • binding fiber (noun): stout twine made of strips of leather or of a fiber like hemp; a piece long enough to circle a slavegirl’s waist 2-3 times is often used as a belt for her slave tunic
  • binding strap (noun): a strap 3/4″ wide and 18″ long commonly used for binding the wrists and/or ankles of prisoners and slaves
  • bint (noun): small carnivorous freshwater fish which inhabits the rivers of the rainforests inland of Schendi; a large school of bints can strip a carcass in minutes; similar to the piranha of Earth
  • black wine (noun): coffee; traditionally served with red and yellow sugars and powdered bosk milk, and in tiny cups
  • Blue-Sky Riders (noun): a warrior society of the Fleer tribe of Red Savages
  • bondage knot (noun): a knot, tied by a slavegirl in her hair on the right side of her face; it is a silent plea to her master that she be raped
  • bond-maid (noun): the term for a slavegirl used in Torvaldsland
  • bond-maid gruel (noun): see slave porridge
  • bosk (noun): large, shaggy, long-horned bovine similar to the Earth cow; cattle
  • brak bush (noun): a shrub whose leaves have a purgative effect when chewed; traditionally, branches of it are nailed to house doors during the Waiting Hand to discourage the entry of bad luck into the house for the New Year
  • brand (noun): a mark burned into the flesh of animals and slaves to mark them as property; specific brands include the kef (common kajira brand), Dina, Palm, mark of Treve, mark of Port Kar, mark of the Tahari, mark of Torvaldsland (a girl whose belly lies under the sword), Tuchuk brand of the 4 bosk horns
  • brand, penalty (noun): small 1/4″ brands that mark a convicted liar, thief, traitor, etc.
  • brand, thief’s (noun): tiny 1/4″, 3-pronged brand worn on the cheek of those of the Caste of Thieves
  • branding rack (noun): a device to which a new slavegirl is chained for branding; her hands are chained above her head, but the rest of her body is free to move, except for whichever thigh is to be branded, this being held motionless in a large vise
  • breeding wine (noun): a sweet beverage which counteracts the effects of slave wine, making a slavegirl fertile; also called second wine
  • Builders, Caste of (noun): the caste which includes architects, draftsmen, stonemasons, etc.; the Builders are one of the five High Castes included in the government of Gor; their caste color is yellow.

-C-

  • Camerius (noun): the third month of the Gorean calendar (in Ar and some other cities)
  • camisk (noun): simple, poncho-like slave garment, about 18″ wide
  • camisk, Turian (noun): a style of camisk worn by slaves in the city-state of Turia; it consists of a piece of cloth shaped like an inverted ‘T’ with a beveled crossbar; it fastens behind the neck & falls before the wearer’s body; the crossbar then passes between her legs & is then brought forward snugly at the hips; it is held in place by a single cord that binds it at the back of the neck, behind the back, & in front at the waist
  • canjellne (verb): challenge
  • capture scent (noun): chloroform
  • carpet plant (noun): a plant of the rainforest area inland of Schendi, having tendrils that are sometimes used as a source of drinking water
  • Casmu Band (noun): a sub-group of the Yellow-Kaiila Riders
  • chain luck (noun): the attempt to capture a slavegirl without having a particular target in mind
  • chalwar (noun): baggy pants of diaphanous silk, worn by slavegirls of the Tahari; similar to the harem trousers of Earth
  • Char (noun): a minor tribe of the Tahari; they are a vassal tribe of the Kavars
  • chatka (noun): the strip of black leather, some 6 inches by 5 feet long, worn like a breech-clout over the curla by the slavegirls of the Wagon Peoples
  • Cities of Dust (noun): the Gorean land of the dead, or underworld
  • Coin Girl (noun): a slavegirl who, with a coinbox and triangular flat bell chained around her neck, is sent out in the streets of a city to earn money from masters in return for her sexual use
  • coffle (noun): a method of chaining a line of slaves together for trekking; common methods are to link the slaves by the left ankle, left wrist, or throat; also, the line of slaves itself
  • collar (noun): any of several iron or steel devices that fit around the neck of a slave; in Torvaldsland, they are of iron, hinged, and fastened with a rivet
  • collar, dance (noun): a collar to which light- weight (but effective) chain has been attached in order to set off the dancer; a common type consists of a large oval of chain roughly 3 yd. in circumference, to which wrist cuffs and ankle cuffs are attached; once the two sides of the oval have been attached to a ring on the collar, the chain gives about 36″ of play for each hand, and 18″ play for each foot; much used in the Tahari
  • collar, lock (noun): a hinged collar easily removed by the use of a key; usually of flat stock, c. 1-1/2″ to 2″ high; usually worn by trained slaves; the lock has one pin for each of the letters in the word ‘kajira’
  • collar, plate (noun: collar of flat stock which is hammered about a slave’s neck; usually worn by untrained slaves
  • collar, Turian (noun): a slave collar of cylindrical stock, rather than the normal flat stock of northern lock collars; fits more loosely that a lock collar, enabling it to turn around the wearer’s neck
  • Collaring Feast (noun): a private feast for a young tarnsman and his family and friends; held to celebrate the capture of his first slavegirl; during it, the girl formally submits to him as his slave, then proceeds to serve him at the Feast and afterwards in his quarters
  • Companionship Price (noun): the gift, in money or goods, given by a man to the father of the woman he wishes to take in Free Companionship
  • con (conj.): from
  • contasta (adv.; lit. ‘from the founding of’): means of determining chronology; equivalent to the Earth term AD (Anno Domini)
  • Council of Captains (noun): the governing body of the city of Port Kar
  • curla (noun): the red waist cord worn slave- girls of the Wagon Peoples; supports the chatka
  • Cur-lon Fiber (noun): fiber spun by the Swamp Spiders (Spider People) and used in the textile mills of Ar
  • Curulean (noun): the most prestigious slave auction house in the city of Ar
  • czehar (noun): musical instrument consisting of a flat, oblong box, having 8 strings which are played with a horn pick; similar to a Japanese koto

-D-

  • da (conj.): here
  • dar (adj.): holy; priest
  • Dar-Kosis (noun; lit. ‘holy disease’): an incurable, wasting disease akin to the Earth disease of leprosy
  • degradation stripe (noun): a 2″-wide band shaved into the hair of men captured by talunas, or panther girls; it runs from the forehead to the nape of the neck
  • dina (noun): a small, short-stemmed flower indigenous to hillsides; sometimes called the ‘slave flower’, it is often used as a design for slave brands; sometimes used as a slave name
  • display slave (noun): a slavegirl whose primary purpose is for the display of her beauty to reflect the affluence of her master; often chained in coffle with other display slaves behind the palanquin or other transport of her master
  • dock eel (noun): a black freshwater fish, 4′ long & weighing 8-10 lb.; carnivorous; they inhabit the shallow waters around the dock and wharves of river ports
  • Double Knowledge (noun): the two forms of knowledge provided on Gor; the simpler knowledge is taught to the lower castes, the more esoteric knowledge is taught to the higher castes
  • Dust Legs (noun): a tribe of Red Savages which inhabits the Barrens; so called because they were the last tribe to domesticate Kaiila

-E-

  • Ehn (noun): the Gorean minute, of which there are 40 in an ahn (hour); it consists of 80 ihn (seconds)
  • en (adj.): first
  • energy bulb (noun): light bulb
  • En’Kara (noun; lit. ‘first turning’): the first month of the Gorean calendar, that of the vernal equinox, which is the Gorean new year; roughly equivalent to the Earth calendar month of March
  • En’Var (noun; lit. ‘first resting’): the fourth month of the Gorean calendar, that of the summer solstice, roughly equivalent with the Earth calendar month of June
  • eta (noun): a letter of the Gorean alphabet; corresponds to the Earth letter ‘E’ (?); apparently adapted from the Greek alphabet; sometimes used as a name for slavegirls
  • -F-
  • face-strip (verb): to remove the veil(s) worn by a free woman; to do so usually means that she is to be enslaved
  • Fighting Hearts (noun): see All Comrades
  • fire-maker (noun): a small device consisting of a small reservoir of tharlarion oil, a wick, a thumb-activated, ratcheted steel wheel, and a splinter of flint; not unlike an old-fashioned cigarette lighter
  • First Knowledge (noun): the education available to the lower castes, such as the Peasants; it is practical, if occasionally deliberately erroneous (i.e. it purports that Gor is a flat disk)
  • flahdah (noun): a tree of the Tahari having lanceolate leaves; the trunk leans, like that of a palm tree
  • Flame Death (noun): a form of capital punishment imposed by the Priest-Kings and triggered from the Sardar; in it, the victim seems to spontaneously erupt in blue flames
  • flaminium (noun): a largish scarlet flower having 5 petals
  • fleer (noun): large, hook-billed bird which hunts at night
  • Fleer (noun): a tribe of Red Savages which inhabits the Barrens
  • fleer, prairie (noun): yellow bird with long wings and a sharp bill; sometimes called the ‘maize bird’ or ‘corn bird’ from the belief that it is usually the first bird to find food
  • Foot (noun); a unit of measurement equal to 10 horts, or 12 1/2 Earth inches
  • fora (noun): chain; pl. fori – chains
  • Frame of Humiliation (noun): wooden frame to which the condemned person is tied before it is set adrift in the Vosk River, so that he may die of exposure and/or dehydration, if he is not eaten by tharlarion or other carnivorous reptiles
  • Free Companion (noun): spouse; consort
  • Free Companionship (noun): the Gorean equivalent of marriage; must be renewed annually
  • fruit tindel (noun): a bird? which inhabits the rainforests of the Schendi area

-G-

  • gant, jungle (noun): a bird, related to the marsh gant, which inhabits the rainforests inland of Schendi
  • gant, marsh (noun): a long-legged marsh bird with a piping cry; similar to a curlew?
  • giani (noun): a large mammal of solitary habits which inhabits the rainforests inland of Schendi
  • gieron (noun): a drug, an allergen, which causes a yellowing of the whites of the eyes; in combination with sajel, it reproduces the symptoms of the Bazi plague
  • gim, horned (noun): a small owl-like bird, c. 4 ozs. in weight, which inhabits the forests of northern Gor
  • gim, lang (long?) (noun): an insectivorous bird which inhabits the rainforests inland of Schendi
  • gim, yellow (noun): a bird, related to the horned gim, which inhabits the rainforests inland of Schendi
  • gint (noun): a tiny (6″) freshwater fish which inhabits the rivers of the rainforests inland of Schendi; it has bulbous eyes & flipper-like fins; is amphibious, having both lungs & gills; is capable of walking on its pectoral fins; often found in the company of tharlarion, feeding off the scraps of their kills
  • gint, giant (noun): a large cousin of the gint found in western Gor, similar in appearance, but with a 4-spined dorsal fin; is also amphibious and capable of walking on its pectoral fins
  • girl-yoke (noun): a narrow piece of wood c. 5′ long with holes drilled in the middle and at each end; to secure a girl in this yoke, a thong is tied around one wrist, the end of the thong then being passed through the hole in one end of the yoke; the thong is then passed through the middle hole of the yoke, wrapped around the girl’s neck 5 times, then passed back out through the same hole, after which it is passed through the hole at the other end of the yoke, so that her other wrist may be tied to the yoke; shorter (2 1/2′ long) versions are sometimes used while the girl is serving her master’s pleasure; used mostly among the Red Savages of the Barrens
  • Glass of the Builders (noun): telescope
  • Golden Beetle: an insect, roughly the size of a rhinoceros, which lives in the caverns below the Nest of the Priest-Kings in the Sardar Mountains; its prey is the Priest-Kings themselves
  • gor (noun): Home Stone
  • grub borer (noun): an insectivorous bird which inhabits the rainforests inland of Schendi
  • grunt (noun): a large, carnivorous, salt-water fish which inhabits Thassa; is often attracted by the blood of a wounded creature; similar to the shark of Earth
  • grunt, blue (noun): a small, voracious, carnivorous freshwater fish, related to the Thassa grunt; like its larger cousin, it is attracted by blood
  • Gur (noun): a thin, white honey-like liquid secreted in the Nest by a large, grey domesticated arthropod which feeds on Sim plants; when fermented in the social stomachs of somnolent Priest-Kings, it is ritually fed to the Mother of the Nest on the Feast of Tola
  • Gur Carriers (noun): mutated Muls who can climb walls and who gather the fermented Gur for the Feast of Tola

-H-

  • hand (noun): the Gorean week, consisting of five (5) days
  • Harl ring (noun): a form of slave chain which consists of an ankle ring with a welded ring in back and a yard of in front; the chains termi- nates in a locking device which can be attached to another Harl ring, around a post, or to itself in order the secure the slave who wears it; named for its inventor
  • har-ta! (command): faster!
  • haruspex (noun): soothsayer; omen-taker
  • herlit (noun): Gorean eagle, having a wingspan of 6-8 feet; is carnivorous, and has yellow feathers tipped with black; also called ‘Sun-Striker’ or ‘out-of-the-sun-it-strikes’, from its habit of striking with the sun above and behind it; inhabits the Barrens
  • Hersius (noun): the planet Jupiter; named for a legendary hero of Ar
  • hinti (noun, plural): small, flea-like insects; unlike fleas, they are not parasites
  • hith (noun): huge python-like snake
  • homan (noun): a letter of the Gorean alphabet; derived from the Cretan alphabet
  • Home Stone (noun): 1) a stone, often circular and flat, that is sacred to each dwelling, and is to be defended ferociously by even the meanest peasant; 2) a similar stone that represents the soul of a city; to be without a Home Stone is to lack citizenship
  • hook-billed gort (noun): a carnivorous hunting bird of the rainforests inland of Schendi; preys on ground urts
  • hort (noun): a measure of distance equal to 1- 1/4 inches
  • house veil (noun): the next-to-last veil worn by free women, esp. when in the company of men not of her own family; worn over the pride veil, and under the street veil upon leaving the house
  • huda (noun): a unit of measure equalling 5 tefa
  • hurt (noun): a kangaroo-like animal whose wool is used for cloth

-I-

  • I ask your favor (phrase): Gorean phrase equivalent to ‘Please’
  • I wish you well (phrase): Gorean phrase of farewell
  • Ihn (noun): the Gorean second, of which there are 80 in an ehn (minute)
  • ina (noun): a letter of the Gorean alphabet
  • Inititates, Caste of (noun): the representa- tives of the Priest-Kings in Gorean society; the Initiates are one of the five High Castes, and are the religious branch of the government; their caste color is white
  • initiatory whipping (noun): the beating, usually of about 10 strokes, which a slavegirl receives upon being brought into a new house- hold, to remind her that she is a slave and under discipline
  • iron pens (noun): the subterranean retention facilities in a Slaver’s house where slaves are kept for training and prior to sale
  • Isbu Band (noun): a sub-group of the All Comrades
  • -J-
  • jard (noun): a small, yellow-winged scavenger bird of the rainforest inland of Schendi
  • jarl (noun): the title for a leader of warriors in Torvaldsland; also, the title by which all free men of Torvaldsland are addressed by slaves
  • jit monkey (noun): a simian mammal which inhabits the rainforests inland of Schendi

-K-

  • kaiila (noun): large (20-22 hands), carnivor- ous mammal, with a long neck and silky fur; its eyes have 3 lids; is vivaparous, has incredible stamina, and can be domesticated for riding in spite of its vicious temper; in the Tahari, its long hair is used to braid rope; its milk is potable by humans
  • Kaiila (noun): a tribe of Red Savages which inhabits the Barrens; their language is related to that of the Dust Legs
  • kailiauk (noun): stocky ruminant, tawny with red and brown markings on haunches, having 3 horns; stands c. 20-25 hands at the shoulder
  • Kailiauk (noun): a tribe of Red Savages which inhabits the Barrens; their language is a dialect of Kaiila
  • Kaissa (noun; lit. ‘the game’): a boardgame much favored on Gor; the board is marked with 100 squares, colored alternately red and yellow; there are 20 pieces per side, which represent Ubar and Ubara, Initiates, Riders of the High Tharlarion, Tarnsmen, Scribes, Builders, Spearmen or Spear Slaves, and the Home Stone; it is played much like chess, the object being to capture one’s opponent’s Home Stone; in Torvaldsland, the Ubar, Ubara, tarnsman, Initiate, and Scribes are replaced by the Jarl, Jarl’s Woman, Ax, Rune-Priest, and Singer, respectively
  • kajira (noun): slavegirl; pl. kajirae
  • kajirus (noun): male slave; pl. kajiri
  • Kajuralia (noun; lit. ‘holiday of slaves’): a festival, similar to the Feast of Fools, is which slaves trade places with their masters and have much freedom to play tricks on free persons; celebrated in most cities on the last day of the 12th Passage Hand, but in Ar and some other cities on the last day of the 5th month, the day before the Love Feast
  • Ka-la-na (noun): 1) a tree with very strong yellow wood, used for making bows; 2) a very potent dry white or red wine, made from the fruit of the Ka-la-na tree
  • kal-da (noun): alcoholic beverage made of ka- la-na wine diluted with citrus juices and mixed with strong spices, and served hot
  • kalika (noun): musical instrument having a long neck and hemispheric soundbox, its 6 strings being plucked; similar to a banjo
  • kalmak (noun): vest of black leather worn by the slavegirls of the Wagon Peoples
  • kan-lara (noun): slave brand
  • Kashani (noun): a minor tribe of the Tahari; they are a vassal tribe of the Kavars
  • kaska (noun): a small hand drum
  • Kavars (noun): a major tribe of the Tahari; their vassal tribes are the Ta’Kara, Bakahs, Char, and Kashani; their war-cry is ‘Kavars Supreme!’
  • kanda (noun): a shrub of the Gorean desert; a lethal poison can be extracted from its roots, while chewing the leaves has an addictive narcotic effect
  • kara (noun): turning
  • Kassars (noun): one of the 4 tribes of the Wagon Peoples; also called the Blood People; their standard is a scarlet bola
  • Kataii (noun): one of the 4 tribes of the Wagon Peoples, whose members are negroid; their standard is a yellow bow
  • kef (noun): a letter of the Gorean alphabet, analogous with the Earth letter ‘K’; the first letter of the Gorean words for male and female slaves, and hence often used as a brand
  • kennel (noun): a small, concrete room, usu. 3’x3’x4′, having an iron grill for a door, in which a slavegirl may be confined at night
  • kes (noun): a shrub whose salty, blue secondary roots are a main ingredient in sullage
  • kes (noun): short tunic of black leather worn by the male slaves of the Wagon Peoples
  • kettle-and-mat girl (noun): a slavegirl whose function is divided between household tasks and sexual servitude
  • ki (adv.): no, not; also indicates a negative (ex. ‘la ki kajira’ – I am not a slavegirl)
  • ko-lar (noun): slave collar
  • koora (noun): strip of red fabric worn as a headband by the slavegirls of the Wagon Peoples
  • ko-ro-ba (noun): village market (obsolete); cap. a major city-state, often referred to as the ‘Towers of the Morning’
  • kort (noun): a rinded fruit of the Tahari; served sliced with melted cheese and nutmeg
  • kosis (noun): disease
  • Kur (noun; lit. ‘beast’; pl. kurii; a corruption of their name for themselves): a large (8-9′) furred, mammal having 4 legs, which can stand upright or on all fours; each paw has 6 multiply-jointed digits with retractable claws and an opposing thumb, so that it can grip; it has 2 rows of teeth; they are incredibly strong and ferocious, and are carnivorous, even to eating humans
  • kurdah (noun): a small, light, semi-circular tent, c. 3′ in diameter and 4′ high, carried by a pack kaiila, in which women (slave or free) may ride; the frame is of tem-wood and is covered with layers of white rep-cloth; used mainly in the Tahari
  • kurt (noun): the five-bladed slave whip

-L-

  • la (phrase; fem): I am; you are
  • lar (adj.): central
  • larl (noun): a large (7 ft. at shoulder) feline, tawny red or black in color, having a black mane; carnivorous; similar to a lion
  • larma (noun): succulent fruit, rather like an apple; sometimes sliced and fried, and served with browned-honey sauce; offering a larma, real or imagined, by a slavegirl to her master is a silent plea for the girl to be raped
  • Lar-Torvis (noun; lit. ‘central fire’): the sun
  • last veil (noun): the innermost of the five veils worn by free women; it is worn under the veil of the citizeness, and is often very sheer
  • leading position (noun; used as a command): posture of a slave girl, bending forward at the waist, with her head at a master’s hip, so that he may grab her hair and guide her where he wishes her to go
  • leech plant (noun): a hemovorous plant that fastens two hollow, fang-like thorns into its victim, through which it can suck the blood that nourishes it
  • leg-spreader (noun): devices of various complexity designed to keep a slavegirl’s legs spread while being used sexually by her master(s); sometimes used on male captives as an indication of humiliation; used mostly among the Red Savages of the Barrens
  • lelt (noun): a small (5-7″) blindfish with fernlike filaments at either side of the head which are its sensory organs; white, with long fins, it swims slowly, and is the main food of the salt shark; inhabits the brine pits such as those at Klima in the Tahari
  • lesha (command; lit. ‘leash’): at this command, the slavegirl stands with her hands behind her back, ready for binding, and with her head back and chin to the left, ready to have a leash snapped onto her collar
  • liana vine (noun): a rainforest plant which can be used as a source of drinking water
  • lit, common (noun): a bird found in the rainforests of the Schendi area
  • lit, crested (noun): a bird found in the rainforests of the Schendi area
  • lo (phrase; masc.): I am; you are
  • long ship (noun): a swift, maneuverable ship having 2 rudders, 1 removable lateen-rigged mast, and a keel-to-beam ratio of 8:1; often used in military actions; some are fitted as ramships
  • Love Feast (noun): common name for the 5th Passage Hand, occuring in late summer, which time is the greatest period for the sale of slaves, esp. slavegirls
  • love furs (noun): soft furs spread thickly on the floor at the foot of a master’s sleeping couch, on which a slavegirl is most often raped
  • Luck Girl (noun): a slavegirl who acts as mascot onboard ship; her use is usually reserved for the captain of the ship, but she may be shared with the crew, usually as a disciplinary measure
  • Luraz (noun): a minor tribe of the Tahari; they are a vassal tribe of the Aretai

-M-

  • mamba (noun): large, predatory river tharlarion which inhabits the rivers of the rainforests inland of Schendi; they have long, log-like bodies, with short, powerful legs & a long snout & tail; similar to Earth crocodiles
  • marking stick (noun): a writing implement rather like a pen
  • matok (noun): a Priest-King term, it refers to an inhabitant of the Nest which is in the Nest but not of the Nest
  • Merchants, Caste of (noun): the caste of those who deal in merchandise and trading; their caste colors are white and gold
  • mindar (noun): a short-winged, yellow & red bird of the rainforests inland of Schendi; with its sharp bill, it digs in the bark of flower trees for larvae & bugs
  • mul (noun): a Priest-King term for a human slave

-N-

  • nadu (command; lit. ‘kneel): at this command, a slavegirl will kneel back on her heels, with her knees spread wide, back straight, hands on thighs with palms up, head up, eyes lowered; ie: to assume the position of a Pleasure Slave
  • needle tree (noun): a tree of the Thentis region, whose oil is used in perfumes
  • Nest (noun): the colony and home of the Priest-Kings in the Sardar; the ruler of the Nest is the Mother, from whose eggs the Priest-Kings are hatched
  • Nest Trust (noun): the Priest-King equivalent of ‘friendship’
  • nu (noun): a letter of the Gorean alphabet; corresponds to the Earth letter ‘N’ (?); apparently adapted from the Greek alphabet
  • nykus (noun): victory; from the Greek nike

-O-

  • omnion (noun): a letter of the Gorean alphabet
  • ost (noun): tiny snake, about 12″ long, bright orange in color; its venom causes extremely painful death within seconds; the ost of the rainforests inland of Schendi are red with black stripes

-P-

  • paga (noun; abbr. of Pagar-Sa-Tarna, lit. ‘pleasure of the life-daughter’): a grain-based, distilled hard liquor akin to whiskey; sometimes served warm
  • paga attendant (noun): a male employee of a paga tavern, who supervises the serving of paga by slavegirls, and collects payment for the paga and the use of the slavegirls
  • paga tavern (noun): an establishment where food and alcoholic beverages, esp. paga, are sold; in addition, the use of the serving slave is included in the price of the paga bought
  • pagar (noun): pleasure
  • pagar kajira (noun): pleasure slave
  • Paravaci (noun): one of the 4 tribes of the Wagon Peoples; also called the Rich People; their standard is a boskhead-shaped banner made of jewels strung on gold wire
  • parsit fish (noun): a silvery fish having brown stripes
  • pasang (noun): measure of distance equalling .7 miles
  • Passage Hand (noun): the 5-day period between Gorean months, which consist of 5 5- day weeks
  • passion slave (noun): a slavegirl who has been bred, rather captured; specifically, one that has been bred for a particular trait, such as beauty or slave heat or the shape of her lips
  • Peasants, Caste of (noun): the basic caste of Gor; they refer to themselves as the ‘Ox on Which the Home Stone Rests’
  • Physicians, Caste of (noun): the caste which practices the healing arts; the Physicians are one of the five High Castes which make up the Gorean government; their caste color is green
  • pierced-ear girl (noun): a slavegirl whose ears have been pierced; as piercing a girl’s ears is consider the ultimate degradation, it virtually guarantees that the girl will never be freed; the practice first became popular in Turia, but is gaining acception in the northern cities, esp. Ar
  • plank collar (noun): a two-piece board hinged at one end and capable of being locked at the other, similar in operation to the stocks of 18th-century America and England; it has two or more semi-circular holes cut in each side so that it may fit around the necks of more than one slavegirl or captive free woman at one time
  • Player (noun): a member of a caste-like society who plays Kaissa professionally; their caste colors are red and yellow
  • Pleasure Garden (noun): an area in which wealthy Gorean men keep their slavegirls; roughly akin to the harem of the Arab countries of Earth
  • pleasure rack (noun): a device, ranging in complexity from a grid of ropes in a wooden frame to a moveable, adjustable frame with chains, for the display and sexual use of slavegirls and captive free women
  • pleasure silk (noun): sheer, clingy form of silk worn only by slavegirls; wraps like a pareau, with a disrobing loop at the left shoulder
  • Pleasure Slave (noun): a slavegirl whose main function is sexual servitude to her master; traditionally, she kneels with her knees spread wide, and her hands either resting on her thighs or, in some cities, crossed behind her, ready for binding
  • pot girl (noun): a slavegirl whose main function is cooking and other menial tasks; used disparagingly
  • Pride (noun): a military unit consisting of 100 Warriors
  • pride veil (noun): the third veil worn by free women; worn under the house veil and over the veil of the citizeness
  • Priest-King (noun): the Earth translation of the Gorean term ‘Sardar’
  • Prition (noun): title of a treatise on bondage written by Clearchus of Cos

-Q-

  • quala (noun): small, dun-colored, 3-toed mammal with a stiff, brushy mane of black hair; pl. qualae

-R-

  • ram-berries (noun): small, succulent berries
  • ram-ship (noun): war galley, having up to 3 banks of oars as well as masts and sails; named for the battering rams on the prow
  • rarius (noun; pl.rarii): warrior
  • Raviri (noun): a minor tribe of the Tahari; they are a vassal tribe of the Aretai
  • ravishment lamp (noun): a small tharlarion- oil lamp, found in the chamber of a master; its soft glow is sufficient to illuminate a slavegirl as she is raped
  • Red Hunters (noun): the peoples who inhabit the Gorean arctic; in appearance and culture, they are similar to the Eskimos of Earth
  • Red Savages (noun): the peoples to inhabit the plains area (Barrens) of Gor; in appearance and culture, they are similar to the American Indians of Earth
  • rence (noun): a tufted, reed-like plant that grows in the marshes; used for making paper
  • rence paper (noun): papyrus
  • rep (noun): a fiber plant similar to cotton
  • repcloth (noun): rough fabric woven from the fibers of the rep plant; analogous to cotton muslin?
  • river shark (noun): a narrow, black, vicious, carnivorous fish with a triangular dorsal fin, which inhabits the rivers of Gor
  • Robes of Concealment (noun): the mode of dress favored by free women in some of the larger city-states (i.e. Ar, Ko-ro-ba, Turia, etc.); it consists of one or more hooded robes of heavy brocade, or other opaque fabric, plus up to five face veils
  • round ship (noun): heavy cargo & passenger ships, having up to 3 banks of 10 oars to a side; not as swift or maneuverable as ram- ships, having a keel-to-beam ratio of 6:1; has 2 rudders, and 2 permanent, lateen-rigged masts; carries a crew of 20-25 free men, plus up to 200 oar-slaves

-S-

  • sa (noun): life
  • sa (noun): daughter
  • Sa-eela (noun): one of the most sensual and erotic of slave dances; it consists of five distinct portions; belongs to the class of slave dance known as Lure Dances of the Love- Starved Slavegirl
  • sajel (noun):a drug which causes harmless pustules to erupt on the body; in combination with gieron, it reproduces the symptoms of the Bazi plague
  • salt shark (noun): a long-bodied (12′ or more) carnivorous fish having gills situated under the jaw, several rows of triangular teeth, a sickle- like tail, and a sail-like dorsal fin; inhabits brine pits such as those of the Tahari
  • san (adj.): one; fem. sana
  • sa’ng (adj.): without
  • sa-fora (noun; lit. ‘chain-daughter’): slavegirl
  • sa’ng-fori (noun; lit. ‘without chains’): freedom
  • Salerian Confederation (noun): an alliance of 4 cities – Ti, Port Olni, Lara, and Vonda – formed to rid the Olni River of pirates & to protect inland shipping
  • sar (noun): king
  • Sardar (noun): priest-kings, large (c. 8 ft. tall) intelligent insects who are the true rulers of Gor; the mountain range where the Priest- Kings live
  • Sardar Fairs (noun): huge fairs held 4 times each year at the foot of the Sardar Mountains; they coincide with the equinoxes and solstices (En’Kara, En’Var, Se’Kara, & Se’Var); for the during of the Fair, the area is neutral territory: no one may be enslaved at the Fair (though slaves captured elsewhere may be sold), & no blood may be spilled; serves as a trading point for information and merchandise; every Gorean is required to visit the Fair at least once before the age of 25
  • Sa-Tarna (noun; lit. ‘life-daughter’): grain, specifically wheat
  • Sa-Tassna (noun; lit. ‘life-mother’): meat; food in general
  • Schendi (noun): a port city just south of the equator, having a population of c. 1 million citizens; is the base of operations for the League of Black Slavers
  • Scribes, Caste of (noun): the caste concerned with history, accounting, record-keeping, etc.; one of the five High Castes which make up Gorean government; their caste color is blue
  • se (adj.): second
  • Second Knowledge (noun): the education available to the higher castes; it is more esoteric, and includes knowledge of Earth
  • second slave (phrase): referring to the serving of black wine, it indicates that the consumer prefers to drink it without sugar or milk; from the fact that the sugar and milk are placed in the cup by one slave before the beverage is poured into the cup by a second slave
  • second wine (noun): see breeding wine
  • Se’Kara (noun; lit. ‘second turning’): the seventh month of the Gorean calendar, that of the autumnal equinox, roughly equivalent to the Earth calendar month of September
  • Selnar (noun): the third month of the Gorean calendar (in Ko-ro-ba and some other cities)
  • sereem diamonds (noun): a transparent mineral which is precious because of its rarity; is red with flecks of white
  • Se’Var (noun; lit. ‘second resting’): the tenth month of the Gorean calendar, that of the winter solstice, roughly equivalent with the Earth calendar month of December
  • she-urts (noun; short for ‘she-urts of the wharves’): homeless free girls – runaways, vagabonds, orphans, etc. – who live near the canals in port cities, surviving by scavenging, begging, stealing, and sleeping with paga attendants; they sleep wherever they find space, and usually wear a brief tunic instead of Robes of Concealment
  • shipping collar (noun): a loose, generic collar worn by slaves when being shipped as cargo
  • shu (noun): a letter of the Gorean alphabet; derived from oriental calligraphy; represents the sh sound
  • sidge (noun): a letter of the Gorean alphabet; derived from cuneiform
  • side-block girl (noun): a slavegirl sold for a fixed price from the side block of a slave auction house, instead of auctioned from the main block; used disparagingly
  • silk girl (noun): term used by those of Torvaldsland to denote a slavegirl from the southern cities; often used disparagingly
  • silk slave (noun): a male pleasure slave; usually in attendance on a free woman
  • sim plant (noun): a rambling, tangled vine-like plant with huge, rolling leaves, raised in the pasture chambers of the Nest
  • sip root (noun): a bitter root whose extract is the active ingredient in slave wine
  • sirik (noun): a arrangement of chains used to display a slavegirl rather than confine her; it consists of a collar, to which about five feet of chain is attached; part-way down the chain is a pair of manacles, and the chain terminates in a set of shackles
  • slave bells (noun): tiny bells which give off a sensual shimmer of sound; threaded by the dozen on thongs or chains, they may be tied or locked around a girl’s ankles or wrists, or attached to her collar; are worn or removed only at the whim of a master
  • slave belly (noun): the area of the abdomen around the navel; so called because only slavegirls expose their navels
  • slave box (noun): 1) small, square (3×3′) iron box, with a door having a viewing aperture of 7″x1/2″ in the middle, and a pass-through of 12×2″ at the base; a punishment device for slaves; 2) a small ventilated box, barely large enough to contain a slave, sometimes used in the transport & delivery of slaves after purchase
  • slave bracelets (noun): manacles; there are 3 links between the wristrings
  • slave cage (noun): a small cage, just big enough for a slavegirl to sit or curl up, in which she may be placed as cargo
  • slave dance (noun): any of the sensuous and lascivious dances performed by slavegirls to entertain their masters; designed to display the sexual heat of the performer, and invite her use by masters; dances include the Belt Dance, Chain Dance, Dance of the 6 Thongs, Sa-eela, Tile Dance (performed on red tiles), Tether Dance
  • slave goad (noun): an electrical device, much like a cattle prod, used for controlling and disciplining slaves
  • slave heat (noun): the intense need and passion of a slavegirl
  • slave hobble (noun): a chain consisting of a wrist-ring and an ankle-ring joined by 7″ of chainl it is fastned on one ankle and the opposite wrist
  • slave hood (noun): a leather hood, having no opening for eyes, mouth, or ears, which covers a slave’s entire head; usually has a gag attachment
  • slave lips (noun): the pursing of a slavegirl’s lips as for kissing; often used as a command
  • slave mat (noun): a course mat to which area a slavegirl may be ordered for discipline or rape; the girl may not leave the mat unless permitted by her master
  • slave oval (noun): a method of chain a slavegirl consisting of a hinged iron loop which locks around her waist, with two sliding wrist- rings and a welded ring in the middle of the back
  • slave pole (noun): imaginary pole that ‘transfixes’ a dancing girl, by which she is ‘held’ during her dance
  • slave porridge (noun): a cold, unsweetened mixture of water and Sa-Tarna meal, on which slaves are fed; in Torvaldsland, it is called ‘bond-maid gruel’, and often mixed with pieces of chopped parsit fish
  • slave perfume (noun): perfumes designed to be worn by slavegirls; they are heavier and more sensual than those designed for free women
  • slave rag (noun): see Ta-Teera
  • slave rape (noun): the sexual use of a slavegirl; may be either tender or brutal, casual or deliberate
  • slave ring (noun): a heavy iron ring, c. 1′ in diameter, to which a slave may be secured for security, discipline, or any other reason; often found in floors, interior & exterior walls (either 1′ or 3′ above the ground), attached to the foot of a master’s sleeping couch, etc.
  • slave steel (noun): generic term for collars, chains, siriks, etc. worn by slaves
  • slave strap (noun): a heavy strap or belt which buckles behind the wearer’s back; in front, there is a metal plate with a welded ring, through which passes the 4 hort (5″) chain of a pair of slave bracelets; designed to keep the wearer’s hand before his body
  • slave veil Noun): a small triangle of diaphanous yellow silk, worn across the bridge of the nose and covering the lower half of the face; it parodies the heavy veils worn by free women, as it conceals nothing and often arouses the lust of masters
  • slave wagon (noun): a flat-bedded, barred wagon, like a large cage with a door in the rear, in which many slaves may be transported at one time, their ankles chained to a bar that runs down the center of the floor; tarpaulins are often used to cover the cage & hide the cargo; analogous to an old-fashioned Earth circus wagon
  • slave wine: a black, bitter beverage that acts as a contraceptive; its effect is instantaneous and lasts for well over a month; can be counter-acted with a another, sweet-tasting beverage
  • Slavers, Caste of (noun): the sub-caste of the Merchants, one who deals in human merchandise; their caste colors are blue and yellow
  • Slaver’s Caress (noun): a method of touching, without warning, a slavegirl who is being sold in order to exhibit her slave heat for potential buyers; also known as the Whip Caress, as it is commonly done using a coiled whip
  • Slavers, League of Black (noun): a branch of the Caste of Slavers; they work out of Schendi and its environs
  • Slaver’s Necklace (noun): fanciful term for a coffle of slavegirls
  • slee (noun): a rodent which inhabits the rainforests inland of Schendi
  • sleen (noun): a ferocious feline, some 20 feet long, having 6 legs and 2 rows of teeth; there are four types: the prairie sleen, which is tawny; the forest sleen, which is black or brown; the aquatic sea sleen; and the white snow sleen; can be domesticated for herding and tracking
  • Sleen (noun): a tribe of Red Savages which inhabits the Barrens
  • slime worm (noun): a long, slow, blind worm which inhabits the caverns below the Nest in the Sardar; scavenges the remains of the Golden Beetles kills
  • sorp (noun): a shellfish, common esp. in the Vosk river, similar to an oyster; like an oyster, it manufactures pearls
  • Stabilization Serums (noun): a series of medical injections which, among other things, retards the aging process; an invention of the Priest-Kings, approved by them for use by humans; administered in 4 injections
  • stimulation cage (noun): an ornate, fairly roomy cage, furnished comfortably with fabrics of all kinds, furs, cosmetics, perfumes, jewelry, etc. in which a naked slavegirl in training may be housed; its purpose is to awaken her senses, esp. the tactile senses, to everything in the world around her, so that she may be more pleasing to masters; in addition, it is just too short for her to stand upright, so that her head is always inclined in a gesture of submission
  • Stone (noun): a unit of measurement equal to 4 Earth pounds
  • Stones (noun): a guessing game in which one player must guess whether the number of stones hed in the fist of the second player is odd or even
  • Street of Brands (noun): the city or area in a given city where slavers conduct their business
  • Street of Coins (noun): the street or area in a given city where banking and other financial transactions take place
  • street veil (noun): the outermost veil worn by free women; worn over the house veil when leaving the house
  • submission mat (noun): a scarlet mat, used in Tharna, on which a free woman, naked and bound with yellow cords, must submit as slave to her master, first hearing him recite a ritual poem, then yielding physically
  • sul (noun): starchy, golden-brown, vine-borne fruit; principal ingredient in sullage
  • sul (noun): a tuberous vegetable similar to the potato; often served sliced and fried
  • sul paga (noun): alcoholic beverage made from suls; akin to vodka
  • sula (command; lit. ‘back’?): at this command, a slavegirl will lie on her back, her hands at her sides, palms up, and with her legs spread wide
  • sullage (noun): a soup made prinicipally from suls, tur-pah, and kes, along with whatever else may be handy
  • Sun Lances (noun): a warrior society of the Sleen tribe of Red Savages
  • Swamp Spiders (noun): man-sized acrachnids which inhabit the swampland near the city of Ar; they can communicate in human speech via the mechanical translators they wear around their abdomens; they spin Cur-lon Fiber, which is used in the textile mills of Ar

-T-

  • Ta-Teera (noun): a one-piece, sleeveless, short slave garment; also called the slave rag
  • Ta-Thassa (phrase; lit. ‘to the sea’): ritual phrase invoked during a libation offering of wine, oil, and salt made to Thassa
  • tabor (noun): a small drum
  • tabuk (noun): a kind of antelope, being yellow in color and having a single horn
  • Tajuks (noun): a minor tribe of the Tahari; they are a vassal tribe of the Aretai
  • Ta’Kara (noun): a minor tribe of the Tahari; they are a vassal tribe of the Kavars
  • Tal (noun): greetings; often accompanied with a salute performed by raising the right hand to shoulder level, palm inward
  • talender (noun): delicate, yellow-petaled meadow flower, symbolic of feminine love and beauty; a crown of talendars is often worn by a free woman during the Companionship ceremoney; worn in a slavegirl’s hair, it is a silent plea for her to be raped
  • talmit (noun): headband
  • talu (noun): a unit a measure equalling 2 gallons
  • taluna (noun; lit. ‘panther girl’): a free woman who lives as a hunter in small tribes of 15-100 members; they roam the northern forests of Gor
  • tar (preposition): to
  • Tar-Sardar-Gor (lit. ‘To the Priest-Kings of Gor’): ritual phrase recited during the pre- banquet libation in which a few grains of meal, colored salt, and a few drops of wine are placed in a fire; the equivalent of saying grace
  • tarn (noun): crested, hawk-like bird large enough to be ridden; used in battle and in racing
  • tarn cot (noun): building in which domes- ticated tarns are housed
  • tarn disk, copper (noun): a unit of currency
  • tarn disk, gold (noun): a unit of currency, of the highest value on Gor; also made in double- weight; many cities on Gor mint their own money, but the gold tarn disk of Ar is the standard for much of Gor
  • tarn goad (noun): an electrical device, much like a cattle prod, used for controlling tarns; is c. 20″ long
  • tarn ship (noun): a type of ram-ship, being long and narrow, with a shallow draft, a straight keel, a single lateen-rigged mast, and a single bank of oars; at the prow, below the waterline, is a ram shaped like a tarn’s head; it also carries light catapults, shearing blades, and other weaponry
  • tarn wire (noun): razor wire strung between the walls of a city to protect it from aerial attack
  • tarna (noun): daughter
  • tarsk (noun): a) porcine animal akin to the Earth pig, having a bristly mane which runs down its spine to the base of the tail; b) copper coin that is the whole coin of least value, equalling 10 tarsk bits
  • tarsk, giant (noun): large cousin of the tarsk, standing 10 hands high at the shoulder
  • tarsk, silver (noun): a coin worth 100 copper tarsks
  • tarsk bit (noun): a copper coin worth from 1/10 to 1/4 of a copper tarsk, depending on the city which mints the coin
  • Tashid (noun): a minor tribe of the Tahari; they are a vassal tribe of the Aretai
  • Tassa powser (noun): a reddish powder, usually mixed with red wine, which renders the consumer unconscious
  • tassna (noun): mother
  • tasta (noun): founding, as of a city
  • Ta-Teera (noun): similar to a slave tunic, but more ragged and revealing; often referred to as the ‘slave rag’
  • tatrix (noun): title of the female ruler of the city of Tharna
  • tau (noun): a letter of the Gorean alphabet; corresponds to the Earth letter ‘T’ (?)
  • tef (noun): a unit of measure, consisting of a handful of whatever produce (such as dates) is being weighed; 6 tefs equal one tefa
  • tefa (noun): 1) a unit of measure equalling 6 tefs, or handfuls; 5 tefas equal 1 huda; 2) a small basket
  • telekint (noun): a plant of the Tahari; its roots, mashed & mixed with water, provide a red dye
  • tem (noun): a tree which produces a black wood that is very strong; ebony?
  • tenth ahn (noun): tenth ‘hour’, the Gorean noon
  • teslik (noun): a plant whose extract is the active ingredient in breeding wine
  • tharlarion (noun): one of several types of large, carnivorous reptiles, some of which have been domesticated; it’s fat is rendered to provide lamp oil; see also mamba
  • tharlarion, broad (noun): sluggish tharlarion used as draft animals; herbivorous
  • tharlarion, high (noun): agile tharlarion used as a mount for riding; like T. rex, they have very short, almost useless, forlegs; carnivorous
  • tharlarion, river (noun): extremely large, herbivorous, web-footed lizards used by bargemen of the Cartius River to pull barges
  • tharlarion, rock (noun): a small reptile of the Tahari
  • tharlarion boots (noun): high boots of soft leather worn by riders of high tharlarion to protect their legs from the abrasive hides of their mounts
  • Thassa (noun): the sea
  • Third Knowledge (noun): that which, if it exists, is reserved for the Priest-Kings
  • Thieves, Caste of (noun): the caste of those who make their living by stealing, robbery, picking pockets, etc.; exists only in Port Kar
  • Ti (noun): a minor tribe of the Tahari; they are a vassal tribe of the Aretai
  • tibit (noun): a small, thin-legged bird which lives on tiny mollusks found on the shores of Thassa; sandpiper?
  • Tola, Feast of (noun): the Priest-King festival celebrating the anniversary of the Nuptial Flight of the Mother
  • Tolam, Feast of (noun): the Priest-King festival celebrating the anniversary of the Deposition of the First Egg
  • Tolama, Feast of (noun): the Priest-King festival celebrating the anniversary of the Hatching of the First Egg
  • toos (noun): a crab-like organism with overlapping plating; inhabits the Nest and scavenges on discarded fungus spores
  • tor (noun): light
  • Tor-Tu-Gor (noun; lit. ‘light upon the Home Stone’): the sun
  • torvis (noun): fire
  • tospit (noun): a bitter, juicy citrus fruit
  • Tower Slave (noun): a state slavegirl in any of the cities of Gor; her duties in the apartment cylinders are largely domestic; traditionally, she kneels with her knees together & with her wrists crossed in front of her, as if for binding
  • tu (noun): on; upon
  • tu (prhase): you are
  • Tuchuk (noun): one of the four tribes of the Wagon Peoples; their standard is a representation of 4 bosk horns
  • tufted fisher (noun): a waterbird which inhabits the rivers of the rainforests inland of Schendi
  • tumit (noun): large flightless bird, about the size of an ostrich, having an 18′-long hooked beak; carnivorous
  • tun (noun): a letter of the Gorean alphabet; derived from demotic Egyptian
  • tur (noun): a reddish tree having a large trunk
  • Turia (noun): a major city-state of Gor, located south of the equator; named for the single Tur tree found at the bank of the stream by which it was built; celebrates the New Year at the summer solstice; often referred to as the ‘Ar of the South’
  • tur-pah (noun): an edible tree parasite with curly, red, ovate leaves; grows on the tur tree; a main ingredient in sullage
  • twentieth ahn (noun): twentieth ‘hour’, the Gorean midnight

-U-

  • ubar (noun): war chief
  • ubar san (noun, lit. ‘one ubar’): war chief chosen to be supreme commander of the 4 tribes of the Wagon Peoples
  • ubara (noun): the Free Companion (consort) of a ubar
  • ubarate (noun): the territory governed by a ubar
  • ul (noun): giant carnivorous pteradactyl
  • urt (noun): a small, silken-furred rodent akin to the Earth rat; it has three rows of teeth, two tusks, and two horns
  • urt, ground (noun): a small rodent which inhabits the floor of the rainforests inland of Schendi
  • urt, leaf (noun): a small tree-dwelling rodent, having 4 toes, which inhabits the rainforests inland of Schendi; tree sloth?
  • urt, tree (noun): a small tree-climbing rodent found in the rainforests inland of Schendi
  • Urt Soldiers (noun): a warrior society of the Yellow Knife tribe of Red Savages

-V-

  • val (noun): a letter of the Gorean alphabet; derived from demotic Egyptian
  • var (noun): resting
  • var (conj.): where
  • vart (noun): blind, bat-like flying rodent, about the size of a small dog
  • vart, jungle (noun): a relative of the northern vart, it inhabits the rainforests inland of Schendi
  • veck (verb): stand
  • veil (noun): a covering or coverings for the face, worn by free women in many city-states; up to five are worn see also house veil, last veil, pride veil, street veil, veil of the citizeness
  • veil of the citizeness (noun): the second of the veils worn by free women; worn under the pride veil and over the last veil
  • veminium (noun): a bluish wildflower com- monly found on the lower ranges of the Thentis mountains; used in perfumes
  • veminium, desert (noun): small, purplish flower found in the Tahari; used in perfumes
  • verr (noun): a mountain goat indigenous to the Voltai Mountains; wild, agile, ill-tempered, with long hair and spiraling horns; source of a form of wool; it milk is potable, as well as being used for cheese
  • viktel (noun): triumph
  • Vosk League (noun): an alliance of 19 towns (Fina, Forest Port, Hammerfest, Iskander, Jasmine, Jort’s Ferry, Point Alfred, Port Cos, Ragnar’s Hamlet, Sais, Siba, Sulport, Tafa, Tancred’s Landing, Tetrapoli, Turmus, Ven, Victoria, White Water) formed to keep the Vosk River clear of pirates & to promote trade
  • Voyages of Acquisition (noun): voyages made to Earth by the Priest-Kings to gather biological samples; this perhaps accounts for the similarity in many animals, as well as in language and culture, between Earth and Gor
  • vulo (noun): a tawny-colored poultry bird, similar to a pigeon, which also exists in the wild; used for meat and eggs

-W-

  • wader, ring-necked (noun): a variety of waterbird which inhabits the rivers of the rainforests inland of Schendi
  • wader, yellow-legged (noun): a variety of waterbird which inhabits the rivers of the rainforests inland of Schendi
  • Wagon Peoples (noun): four nomadic tribes that wander the Plains of Turia with their immense herds of bosk
  • Waiting Hand (noun): the 5-day period between the 12th Passage Hand and the beginning of the New Year, which begins on the Vernal Equinox
  • walking chains (noun): adjustable chains fastened on the ankles of a slavegirl to train her to walk with the length of stride preferred by her master
  • Warriors, Caste of (noun): the caste which includes infantry, tharlarion cavalry, and tarnsmen; one of the five High Castes which make up Gorean government, and as such the military branch of the government; their caste color is red
  • Warrior’s Pace (noun): a slow jog that can be maintained for hours
  • Weight (noun: a unit of measurement equal to 10 Stone, or 40 Earth pounds
  • Whip Caress (noun): see Slaver’s Caress
  • Whip of the Furs (noun): a method of disciplining slavegirls by rape rather than by flogging; esp. popular in Torvaldsland
  • Whip Knife (noun): a whip with razors embedded in the tip
  • wingfish (noun): tiny blue salt-water fish with 4 poisonous spines on its dorsal fin; found in the waters off Port Kar; its liver is considered a delicacy in Turia

-X-

-Y-

  • Yellow-Kaiila Riders (noun): a warrior society of the Kaiila tribe of Red Savages
  • Yellow Knives (noun): a tribe of Red Savages which inhabits the Barrens

-Z-

  • zad (noun): a large, broad-winged, black-&- white bird with a long, narrow, yellowish, hooked beak, found in the Tahari; they scavenge on carrion; similar to the Earth vulture
  • zad, jungle (noun): a cousin of the Tahari zad; found in the rainforest inland of Schendi
  • zadit (noun): a small, tawny-feathered, sharp- billed bird of the Tahari; insectivorous, feeding on sand flies and other similar insects; they often land a kaiila and spend long periods hunting the sand flies that infest the host animal
  • Zar (noun): a boardgame of the Tahari; the board is marked like a Kaissa board, but the pieces – 9 per player, and called ‘pebbles’ – are placed at the intersections of the lines; movement is somewhat like that of checkers, but without capturing of pieces; the object of the game is to effect a complete exchange of the original placement of the pieces
  • zeder (noun): a small, sleen-like, carnivorous mammal which inhabits the rainforests inland of Schendi, esp. along the Ua River; grows to c. 2′ and weighs 8-10 lbs; is diurnal, can swim very well, & builds a stick-&-mud nest in the branches of a tree, where it spends the night
  • Zevar (noun): a minor tribe of the Tahari; they are a vassal tribe of the Aretai

Originally Printed at Gor.net.  Reprinted with Permission

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