There are 26 books in the Chronicles of Gor, written by Prof. John Lange under the name John Norman. Each book is another part in the making of Gor. In each book you will find information about the different regions of Gor, and follow different story lines of people that you meet over and over in the books. Depending on One’s nature They might feel more in tune with one region than another … kind of like time warping on Urth except that the regions of Gor are all on the same time, just evolved at different rates. In book 4 you will read about the Wagon People …nomads of Gor, the city of Torvaldsland (raiders of the sea) in book 9, Port Kar (port city of thieves) in book 6, Tahari (desert people) in book 10, the Red Hunters (far north Gorean Eskimos) in book 12. In book 13 you will read of Schendi and the League of Black Slavers in the jungles of Gor.

There are many things that on Gor that may seem a bit different to One from Urth but after a while things on Urth will seem backwards to Gor. Gor is said to be located on the opposite side of the sun from its sister planet Urth. Gor is slightly smaller with three moons instead of one. The planet is rules by insect-like beings called Priest Kings that have made their nests in the belly of the Sardar Mountains. The Sardar Mountains are a very important part of Gor as everything stems from this location. Direction is started from here and goes to the left (counter clock wise) as does time. Compasses are used, most often with a chronometer or watch. Directions are in 8 sections from the Sardar instead of 4 and then each section is also sectioned. The directions being Ta-Sardar-Var (facing the Sardar), Kail, Klim, Cart, Vask or Verus Var (true turning away), Tun, Rim, Ror. There also is a system like Urth longitude and latitude however instead of degrees it is based on the Gorean Day, calculated in Ahn. An Ahn being an hour, 20 ahn in a Gorean day, 5 Gorean days to a hand (week), 5 hands or 25 days in a Gorean Month and 12 months in the Gorean year. The noon hour is referred to as the 10^th Ahn as midnight is called the 20^th Ahn. The break down of an Ahn is 40 Ehn, and 80 Ihn in 1 Ehn. Time however is kept in Ahn.

There are many holidays in Gor, which coincide with the seasons. The four major fairs are held at the base of the Sardar where all Goreans, male and female must go before they are 25 years of age. This is done as a tribute to the Priest Kings and to find their destiny put forth by the Priest Kings. Some of the holidays are different and geared to the area or people who celebrate them. One such festival day is Kajuralia; slaves trade places with Free and is allowed to play tricks on the Free. Most cities celebrate this day on the last day of the 12th passage Hand (a passage hand is the 5 days between one month and the next) but in Ar and some other cities it is on the last day of the 5th month, the day before the Love Feast. The Love Feast is a five-day (Aug 13th-17th) celebration where many slaves are sold, the climax the fourth day in regards to the sale of slaves (Aug 16th). The Wagon People (Four tribes) usually compete with the Warriors of Turia during the Second Passage Hand (May 15th-19th). The Love Wars as they are called are various challenges and mock combats for the ownership of slaves and highborn Free Women. Another ritual of the Wagon People is the Omen year. Every tenth year the Wagon People stop in their migration past Turia and various Omens read by their haruspexes (Gorean fortune teller) regarding their future and the bosk (animal like the cattle of Urth). This is usually done during the month of Camerius. Another feast that is celebrated by most Gorean cities is the Planting Feast. This feast is held early in the growing season, (April 16th-18th) and numerous rituals performed by members of the Caste of Initiates (priest like beings) and members of each of the high castes (Initiates, Builders, Physicians, Scribes, and Warriors) also perform their part of the ceremony during the three-day feast.

In the books there are many different things yet when we look a little closer there is a somewhat close item on Urth. There are many drinks and foods that are found in Gor that are derived from something in Urth. This is a result of the Acquisition Journeys. Journeys to Urth for various items, most important it seems are slaves.

Many animals are hunted for food, prize and sport. The Tabuk is found in many parts of Gor. The antelope like creature makes a great steak. Bosk (kind of like bison of Urth) is called "The Mother of the Wagon People". This is because there is not one part of the bosk that is not used in their daily lives. For those that need a fowl in their diet, the vulo is a great choice. Similar to a pigeon it is used for meat and produces eggs. As with Urth many drink alcoholic beverages on Gor …kalana wines, ta-wine, kalda, and paga to name a few. Blackwine (coffee), Bazi Tea and chocolate are also major favorites. Each liquid having special ways of being prepared stored and served to the Ones who wish to savor the flavors of the heady drinks. It is said everything is stronger, sweeter, and tastier on Gor. As on Urth and the fascination of starches, Goreans also share this need. Bread is commonly made of sa-tarna, a yellow grain that is made into round cakes and is a staple of every meal. Slaves eat when allowed by the Master. Two most common things are slave wine and slave gruel. The slave wine, a bitter black beverage has a very specific purpose. It is a contraceptive that is instantaneous and lasts for over a month … (sounds heavenly huh) and easily counteracted with a sweet wine when One wishes for His slave to have children. The gruel is unsweetened and like Urth malt-o-meal often served with bites of parsit fish. Doesn’t that sound great? A slave soon realizes that by being pleasing to Those that own her can have a taste benefit in regards to the food they are allowed.

Before going into greater detail about slaves this girl would also like to point out a couple of things of Gorean nature that are like Urth. One is the kurt. The kurt is a five bladed slave whip. A kin to the Urth cat-o-nine tails except it is used usually for punishment of a slave. When applauding, and Goreans love to smile and laugh and to generally have a good time with friends, instead of clapping their hands together, they strike the left shoulder with the palm of the right hand. Different yes, but effective. Not all Free spend Their time raiding and fighting, using Their minds are very important. Kaissa, a game like chess, gives Them a calmer way to challenge and test each other.

On Gor slaves called kajira or kajiri are nothing, are property and own nothing. Slaves come from many walks of life - born, Free, stolen from Urth, captured. It is rare that once One is a slave that they are given freedom and many would rather stay slaves. That is except for the men of Gor. When encountering a slave there are a few things that a Gorean will check for first. One is a collar. There are four purposes of a collar. When one wears a collar it is common knowledge that one is a slave. It makes the girl more aware of her slavery as it never is taken off. Many Masters have more than one slave, and so it may identify a slave. Lastly it makes it easier to leash one like an animal. There are many types of collars; the crude rope collar, a traditional Gorean collar (flat, snug fitting band), a Turian collar (round loose collar) and a message collar that is made of leather. The next thing a Free looks for is a brand. Most clothing of a slave will hide a brand and so they are often stripped of any and all clothing if a collar is not found. There are eight common sites for a brand … left thigh, right thigh, lower left abdomen, inside forearms, left side of neck, behind & below left ear, back of legs, and buttocks. There can be any number of brands but on a slave. It depends on the Free Person and His preferences. Most common are the kef and dina. There are some that are when seen can place a girl back to her Owners easily, like the four bosk horns (Tuchuk) or a half circle with a steep diagonal line adjoining it’s right tip (Forkbeard in the north). Most slaves will be branded once …when they first become slaves and never branded again. That is unless their Master chooses to brand them again or penalty brands are placed on them. Penalty brands are small but completely visible, there are many, two common ones are thief and liar. Another thing One might look at is a girl’s ear. Once a person’s ears are pierced they will forever be seen as a slave as only slaves have pierced ears.

Slaves are dressed in many different ways. The usual clothing being tunics, camisks and Ta-Teeras, also many different colored silks. The slaves of the Wagon People are clad Kajir. This means 4 articles of clothing two red and two black. The red Curla is tied around the waist, the black leather Chatka fits over the cord in front, passes under and then again from the inside and over the cord in back and pulled tight. The short open sleeveless vest of black leather Kalmak is then put on and lastly a red strip of red cloth the Koora is wound around the slaves head to hold the hair back. The Red Savages dress Their slaves in what might pass as an Urthen American Indian dress except that it stops high at her waist, split to the waist and belted tightly with rawhide. A steel collar on their necks and a beaded cuff upon their left ankles are their ‘pretties’. Red Hunters of the Northern Area clothe Their slaves differently as well. Because of the cold artic weather, the articles are made from furs and hides; stockings from larl skin, shirts of hide, larl rimmed, hooded parkas one light one heavy. The high fur boots of the north extend to the crotch where brief fur panties are worn. Stitched upon the shirts and parkas are the looped design of stitching at the left shoulder, this designating the garment as one worn by a beast or animal. The collars different than others made of four looped strings each knotted differently that by inspection of a Free He will know whom the slave belongs to.

There are many things that a slave of Gor must learn and learn quickly. There are many positions, some basic like nadu, and submission, stand and sula. Others like the Gorean bow and shesleen are more difficult. Since a slave it not allowed anything it is hard to show One that she desires Him. Larma fruit is a tasty fruit that is eaten by the Free but when offered by a slave to the Free it takes on a totally different blatantly sexual meaning, as would a slave knotting her hair and placing it so that it drapes over her left shoulder. A girl needs to watch her actions around the Free so that they are not misinterpreted. There are many things on Gor to help make slaves seem more beautiful; things such as makeup and perfume, pretty beads and soft ringing bells adorn one’s body in hopes to please the Free.

Unfortunately with online Gor it is very hard to stay totally true to the scrolls (collection of books written by John Norman). It has been found that as some sites contradict the books the books contradict themselves as well. Most sites however are staying as true as they can. Following are a list of items that are the most common differences:

· The spelling of ones name. In the books all names are capitalized. Online we use all lowercase for slaves and Cap Free Persons as a way to help visualize the difference.

· The definition of red and white silks is another difference. The books say a white silk to be a virgin of sorts never used by a Gorean and a red silk as one that has been used. Online we use the white, yellow, red and more to show status, position and training.

· Talking in first person online by a slave is for the most part not acceptable. However, slaves in the books often talk in first person unless overcome with emotion or commanded to speak as a slave.

· The looking into a Free Person’s eyes is another questioned area. Online this is not done, unless ones face is positioned by a Free, or commanded so, where one would have no choice. The books say that it is common to look into Ones eyes yet sometimes hard as a person’s eyes are seen as a window to the soul.

· The handling of money and knives online by slaves is cause for serious punishment or even death. Yet, the books show slaves handling money and knives or weapons under strict restrictions and situations such as shaving Ones face or cutting meat or kajiri fighting for one’s Master.

· In serving a slave also has found differences of online and the books. There are some Free that do not wish a slave to touch Their vessel, this making it hard to serve Them, let alone kiss the rim of the drink as she offers it to Them. Tasting the drink or food, online this is done to show there are no poisons. The books show a slave never touching the food of ones Master as it is definitely not done. They are usually fed by being thrown food or off the floor, or a slave dish.

· The definitions of positions change slightly from site to site as well as position of hands. One common question of the position nadu is where are the palms placed? On the thighs facing up or down flat? According to the books flat against one’s legs unless one is silently pleading the Master to take her.

Each Person that reads the scrolls written by Master John Norman will get something different

The meanings of His words are different for each individual

For Online Gor to survive All must realize this and accept it

Each person is entitled to His opinion but must realize that on Gor,

the Gor brought forward in the scrolls,

the only opinion that means anything is that of the Free Gorean Male

once this is accepted Online Gor will become more like the books

Many that say it if One does not like the Gorean ways

This is something that dreams can totally agree with

We are not on Earth but Gor and by making that choice

We make the choice to follow the ideals brought forth in the Scrolls

sweetdreams is looking forward to the advanced classes.