After Life

The belief in the after-life, or eternal life, within the culture of Gor, is that only an Initiate may obtain an eternal life, having something to do with the teachings of mathematics and avoiding impurities. Females, however, being unable to even become an Initiate, therefore have no chance of obtaining eternal life.

"Incidentally, it is a teaching of the initiates that only initiates can obtain eternal life. The regimen for doing this has something to do with learning mathematics, and with avoiding the impurities of meat and beans. This particular teaching of the initiates, it is interesting to note, is that least taken seriously by the general population. The Gorean feeling generally is that there is no reason why initiates or only initiates, should live forever. Initiates, though often feared by lower castes, are also regarded as being a bit odd, and often figure in common, derisive jokes. No female, incidentally, may become an Initiate. It is a consequence, thusly, that no female can obtain eternal life. I have often thought that the Initiates, if somewhat more clever, could have a much greater power than they posses on Gor. For example, if they could fuse their superstitions and lore, and myths, with a genuine moral message of one sort or another, they might appeal more seriously to the general population if they spoke more sense people would be less sensitive to, or disturbed by, the nonsense; further, they should teach that all Goreans might, by following their rituals, obtain eternal life; that would broaden the appeal of their message, and subtly utilize the fear of death to further their projects; lastly, they should make greater appeal to women than they do, for, in most Gorean cities, women, of one sort or another, care for and instruct the children in the crucial first years. That would be the time to imprint them, while innocent and trusting, at the mother's or nurse's knee, with superstitions which might, in simpler brains, subtly control then the length of their lives. So simple an adjustment as the promise of eternal life to women who behaved in accordance with their teachings, instructing the young and so on, might have much effect. But the initiates, like many Gorean castes, were tradition bound. Besides, they were quite powerful as it was. Most Goreans took with some seriousness their claim to be able to placate and influence Priest-Kings. That was more than they needed for considerable power." — Marauders of Gor, pages 29-30.

Cities of Dust

Goreans do not believe in an afterlike like many of those on Earth do. The Cities of Dust is the Gorean belief of the final "home" or resting place of the dead. These quotes are the entire compilation of what is spoken of with regards to the Cities of Dust in the first 25 books of the series. As you can see, not much was really said of this enigmatic place of dead.

"I was dizzy, unsettled. It seemed my vision reeled; I couldn't move. Things grew black for a moment, but I shook myself and clenched my teeth, breathed in the sharp, cold mountain air, once, twice, three times, slowly, gathering the piercing contact of reality into my lungs, reassuring myself that I was alive, not dreaming, that I held in my hands a letter with an incredible date, delivered more than three hundred years later in the mountains of New Hampshire, written by a man who presumably, if still alive, was, as we reckon time, no more than fifty years of age - my father. Even now I can remember the letter to the last word. I think I will carry its simple, abrupt message burned into the cells of my brain until, as it is elsewhere said, I have returned to the Cities of Dust." —Tarnsman of Gor, page 11.

"Who are you?" he asked. I was silent. "You are an outlaw," he said. "That I can see by the lack of insignia on your shield and tunic." I saw no reason to dispute his opinion. "Outlaw," said he, "what is your name?"
       "Tarl," I responded.
       "Of what city?" he asked. It was the inevitable question.
       "Ko-ro-ba," I said.
       The effect was electric. The girl, who had been standing behind us, stifled a scream. Thorn and his warrior sprang to their feet. My sword was free of its sheath.
       "Returned from the Cities of Dust," gasped the warrior.
       "No," I said, "I am a living man, as you."
       "Better you had gone to the Cities of Dust," said Thorn. "You are cursed by the Priest-Kings." — Outlaw of Gor, page 61.

"Among warriors, the bite of an ost is thought to be one of the most cruel of all gates to the Cities of Dust; far preferable to them are the rending beak, the terrible talons of a tarn." — Outlaw of Gor, page 118.

He had been destroyed by Priest-Kings as casually as one might jerk loose the thong of a sandal. He had disobeyed and he had been destroyed, immediately and with grotesque dispatch, but the important thing was, I told myself, that he had disobeyed, that he could disobey, that he had been able to disobey and choose the ignominious death he knew must follow. He had won his freedom though it had, as the Goreans say, led him to the Cities of Dust, where, I think, not even Priest-Kings care to follow. He had, as a man, lifted his fist against the might of Priest-Kings and so he had died, defiantly, though horribly, with great nobility. — Priest-Kings of Gor, page 14.

"How long has it been since you have seen her?" demanded Vika.
       "It has been more than seven years," I said.
       Vika laughed cruelly. "Then," she gloated, 'she is in the Cities of Dust." — Priest-Kings of Gor, page 72.

"I," said Thurnock, in a booming voice, "would follow you even to the Cities of Dust." — Raiders of Gor, page 89.

The Quest for Immortality

Although generally the people do not think of immortality, there are those men that do, and go in search of the secrets of such immortality on the Sardar. Prior to Tarl Cabot's own venture into the Sardar, no man had ever returned. Thus, it became a popular superstition that to go there meant death, which only helped the cause of the Initiates.

"Sometimes," said my father, his eyes still faraway, "when men are old or have had enough of life, they assault the mountains, looking for the secret of immortality in the barren crags. If they have found their immortality, none have confirmed it, for none have returned to the Tower Cities." He looked at me. "Some think that such men in time become Priest-Kings themselves. My own speculations, which I judge as likely or unlikely to be true as the more popular superstitious stories, is that it is death to learn the secret of the Priest-Kings." — Tarnsman of Gor, page 30.

Funerals

 

Editor's Note

This page is an on-going project and will be updated as time allows.

 

 

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Special Note

Because of the differences in publishing the books, depending upon whether published in the U.S. or Europe, depending upon whether a first publishing or a Masquerade Books release, page numbers will often vary. All of my quotes are from original, first-printing U.S. publications (see The Books page for a listing of publishers and dates) with the exception of the following books:

  • Tarnsman of Gor (2nd Printing, Balantine)
  • Outlaw of Gor (11th Printing, Balantine)
  • Priest-Kings of Gor (2nd Printing, Balantine)
  • Assassin of Gor (10th Printing, Balantine)
  • Raiders of Gor (15th Printing, Balantine)
  • Captive of Gor (3rd Printing, Balantine)

Disclaimer

These pages are not written for any specific home, but rather as informational pages for those not able to get ahold of the books and read them yourself. Opinions and commentaries are strictly my own personal views, therefore, if you don't like what you are reading — then don't. The information in these pages is realistic to what is found within the books. Many sites have added information, assuming the existences of certain products and practices, such as willowbark and agrimony for healing, and travel to earth and back for the collection of goods. I've explored the books, the flora, the fauna, and the beasts, and have compiled from those mentioned, the probabilities of certain practices, and what vegetation mentioned in the books is suitable for healing purposes, as well as given practicalities to other sorts of roleplaying assumptions.