Cabbage
Round, green leaf vegetable.

"I saw too, fields, fenced with rocks, in the sloping area. In them were growing, small at this season, shafts of Sa-Tarna; too, there would be peas, and beans, cabbages and onions, and patches of the golden sul, capable of surviving at this latitude." — Marauders of Gor, page 81.

Cacao Tree
Tree no doubt brought from earth, grown in the tropics and obtained by the merchants of Cos.

"This is warmed chocolate," I said, pleased. It was very rich and creamy.
       "Yes, Mistress," said the girl.
       "It is very good," I said.
       "Thank you, Mistress," she said.
       "Is it from Earth?" I asked.
       "Not directly," she said. "Many things here, of course, ultimately have an Earth origin. It is not improbable that the beans from which the first cacao trees on this world were grown were brought from Earth."
       "Do the trees grow near here?" I asked.
       "No, Mistress," she said. "We obtain the beans, from which the chocolate is made, from Cosian merchants, who, in turn, obtain them in the tropics." — Kajira of Gor, page 61.

Cage Cart
Also: Cage Wagon.
Literally, a cage with wheels, used for transporting animals, including slaves.

"The men on either side of the cage cart carried some sort of projectile weapon… It was wheeled through the halls by two men, leaning on handles from behind… I grasped the bars. The cart was on eight wheels, some four inches in diameter, rimmed with rubber. It was some four feet by four feet, by some seven feet in height. It was barred on four sides, and closed at the top and bottom by steel." — Beasts of Gor, pages 350-351.

"Another common type of slave wagon on Gor is the cage wagon which, depending on the stoutness of its bars and security, may be used for either men or women. The particular slave wagon in which I was fastened combined the features of the cage wagon and common slave wagon. It was a converted tharlarion wagon and, with bars and extra planking, was unusually stout, probably because its purpose was to transport fighting slaves. It was a heavy wagon, with high sides and covered with a brown canvas. About the whole a cage had been built, with heavy bars, which opened by means of a small door in the back. Within the wagon, in low-sided, heavy stalls, by means of rings at the front and back of the stall, and on the side of the stall near our necks, we were chained by the ankles, wrists and neck. We had, thus, far less freedom of movement than is commonly accorded to females. On the other hand this additional security was only to be expected. We were male slaves, and fighting slaves." — Fighting Slave of Gor, page 326.

Cage Girl
Slave girl that gets the privilege of riding on a cargo ship on the deck in a deck cage; also called "deck-cage girl." See also: "Deck Cage."

"How ugly you are, Below-Deck Girl," said one of the girls in a small deck cage. I looked at her. She was auburn-haired, and, like all the slave girls on the Clouds of Telnus, whether cage girls or below-deck girls, stripped; girls are not permitted clothing on a slave ship. — Slave Girl of Gor, pages 322-323.

"It is the deck-cage girls who are most often used for the sport of sailors." — Slave Girl of Gor, page 317.

Calligraphic
In reference to Tarl's comments on how perhaps some of the letters of the Gorean alphabet derived, calligraphic refers to as follows:

"Works in fine handwriting considered as a group; beautiful handwriting." — American Heritage College Dictionary, Third Edition ©2001

"The Gorean alphabet has twenty-eight characters, all of which, I suspect, owe their origin to one or another of the alphabets of Earth. Several show a clear-cut resemblance to Greek letters, for example. 'Sidge', on the other hand, could be cuneiform, and 'Tun' and 'Val' are probably calligraphically drifted from demotic." — Explorers of Gor, pages 9-10.

Caliph
A high ranking official amongst the desert nomadic tribes.

Etymology: Middle English caliphe, from Middle French calife, from Arabic khalIfah (successor); Date: 14th century
       "A successor of Muhammad as temporal and spiritual head of Islam used as a title" — Merriam-Webster Dictionary ©2004-2006

Also spelled Calif, Arabic Khalifah ("successor"), ruler of the Muslim community. When Muhammad died (June 8, 632), Abu Bakr succeeded to his political and administrative functions as khalifah rasul Allah, or "successor of the Messenger of God," but it was probably under 'Umar ibn al-Khat t ab, the second caliph, that the term caliph came into use as a title of the civil and religious head of the Muslim state. In the same sense, the term was employed in the Qur'an in reference both to Adam and to David as the vice-regents of God.
       Abu Bakr and his three immediate successors are known as the "perfect" or "rightly guided" caliphs (al-khulafa' ar-rashidun). After them the title was borne by the 14 Umayyad caliphs of Damascus and subsequently by the 38 'Abbasid caliphs of Baghdad, whose dynasty fell before the Mongols in 1258. There were titular caliphs of 'Abbasid descent in Cairo under the Mamluks from 1258 until 1517, when the last caliph was captured by the Ottoman sultan Selim I. The Ottoman sultans then claimed the title and used it until it was abolished by the Turkish Republic on March 3, 1924. After the fall of the Umayyad dynasty at Damascus (750), the title of caliph was also assumed by the Spanish branch of the family who ruled in Spain at C¢rdoba (755-1031), and it was also assumed by the Fa timid rulers of Egypt (909-1171), who claimed to descend from Fatimah (daughter of Muhammad) and her husband, 'Ali.
       According to the Shi'ite Muslims, who call the supreme office the "imamate," or leadership, no caliph is legitimate unless he is a lineal descendant of the Prophet Muhammad. The Sunnites insist that the office belongs to the tribe of Quraysh (Koreish), to which Muhammad himself belonged, but this condition would have vitiated the claim of the Turkish sultans, who held the office after the last 'Abbasid caliph of Cairo transferred it to Selim I. — Encyclopaedia Britannica ©2004-2006

"I looked about the room. It was a marvelous and lofty room, high ceilinged, columned and tiled, ornately carved, open and spacious in aspect, rich in its decoration. A vizier, a pasha, a caliph, might have held audience in such a chamber. " — Tribesmen of Gor, page 211.

Camerius
The third month of the Gorean calendar as it is called in Ar. See also: "Selnar."

"He did so late in spring, on the sixteenth day of the third month, that month, which in Ar is called Camerius in Ko-ro-ba Selnar." — Assassin of Gor, pages 234-235.

Camisk
A slave garment; there are several types of camisks depending on the region.

Camp Singers
That clan of the Wagon Peoples whose role is to keep the oral literature of the Wagon Peoples.

"The Wagon Peoples, as might be expected, have a large and complex oral literature. This is kept by and occasionally, in parts, recited by the Camp Singers." — Nomads of Gor, page 12.

Campaign Tent
So named as they are found within military camps in the field, especially, large fixed camp. Circular with conical roofs, these tents do not serve strictly the tarnsmen, but rather both ground and air troops. It's the responsibility of the ground troops to transport these tents via supply wagons of the main body.

Etymology:French campagne, probably from Old North French or Old Provençal, from Late Latin campania level country, from Latin Campania, the level country about Naples, from campus field;
       "The time during which an army is in the field; a connected series of military operations forming a distinct phase of a war." — Merriam-Webster Dictionary ©2004-2006

"There," said the fellow, indicating a tent at the foot of the rise surmounted by the headquarters tent of Artemidorus. That it was his headquarters tent, incidentally, did not meant that he, Artemidorus, was necessarily within it, or would sleep there, or such. Sometimes tarn strikes, infiltrating assassination squads, and such, are directed against such facilities.
       "My thanks, friend," said I, and bidding the helpful fellow farewell I went to the tent. It was somewhat large, and a bit ostentatious, I thought, for that of a mere courier. Like most Gorean campaign tents, at least those set up in large, fixed camps, it was circular, with a conical roof. It was striped with red and yellow, and had an entrance canopy. A pennon, one bearing the insignia of the company of Artemidorus, a sword grasped in the talon of a tarn, flew from the main pole, projecting through the roof. I myself prefer lower, more neutral colored tenting. It is easier, for one thing, to break the outline of such a tent. A tent, like this, incidentally, would not accompany the tarnsmen in their flights, borne by draft tarns, but would follow in the supply wagons of the main body. A company of tarnsmen, such as that of Artemidorus, is not burdened in flight with the transport of such items. Such a group would normally move, of course, with their war gear, such as missiles and weaponry, and supplies for a given number of days." — Vagabonds of Gor, page 51.

Canal Urt
One of the several varieties of rodents which plague Gor.

"I heard one of the giant canal urts twist in the water somewhere beneath me." — Raiders of Gor, page 119.

Cancega
The term in the language of the red savages for "drum" though literally it means "a skin stretched over a hoop." The term "cega" on its own means pot or kettle, and therefore, "cancega" can be translated to "kettle skin" or "pot skin" if one wants to be literal.

The medicine chief of the dance," said Cuwignaka. This year it is Cancega, of the Casmu." 'Cancega,' here, I think, would be best translated as "Drum." More literally, it is a skin stretched over a hoop. The expression 'cega', itself, may refer to a kettle, a pot, a pail, a bucket, or so on. 'Cancega', then, in a sense, could be taken to mean such things as "Kettle Skin," or "Pot Skin." The translation "Drum," all things considered, seems to be best in this context. — Blood Brothers of Gor, page 32.

Canhanpitasaka
The term in the red savages language meaning "lumps of cake sugar."

Grunt went again to his stores and brought forth some packages, wrapped in waxed paper. "Canhanpisasa," said Grunt. "Canhanpitasaka. Canhanpitikica." He then began to pass out, to the Dust-Leg men and women about, pieces of candy, lumps of cake sugar and flakes of dried molasses. The woman with whom I was dealing, too, received a palmful of molasses flakes. She smacked her lips. Grunt and she then exchanged what I took to be appropriate civilities and compliments. — Savages of Gor, page 216.

canhanpitasaka: the Red Savages word for lumps of cake sugar.

Canhanpisasa
The term in the red savages language meaning "candy."

Grunt went again to his stores and brought forth some packages, wrapped in waxed paper. "Canhanpisasa," said Grunt. "Canhanpitasaka. Canhanpitikica." He then began to pass out, to the Dust-Leg men and women about, pieces of candy, lumps of cake sugar and flakes of dried molasses. The woman with whom I was dealing, too, received a palmful of molasses flakes. She smacked her lips. Grunt and she then exchanged what I took to be appropriate civilities and compliments. — Savages of Gor, page 216.

Canhanpitikica
The term in the red savages language meaning "dried molasses."

Grunt went again to his stores and brought forth some packages, wrapped in waxed paper. "Canhanpisasa," said Grunt. "Canhanpitasaka. Canhanpitikica." He then began to pass out, to the Dust-Leg men and women about, pieces of candy, lumps of cake sugar and flakes of dried molasses. The woman with whom I was dealing, too, received a palmful of molasses flakes. She smacked her lips. Grunt and she then exchanged what I took to be appropriate civilities and compliments. — Savages of Gor, page 216.

Canhpi
The term in the language of the red savages for tomahawk; a long handled weapon, bladed in stone. I've seen other "reliable" (and one official) sites describe the head of the canhpi as being made of steel or obsidian glass; nowhere in the books is this stated. In fact, only on page 9 of Blood Brothers of Gor is it mentioned that the canhpi is a tomahawk with a brief description. Only two other places in the book is the canhpi somewhat described. Upon researching the tomahawk of the Native Americans, the tomahawk were made of stone and wood — that is, until the arrival of the Europeans. Ornately incised, feathered, globe-headed clubs used for ceremonies as well as war, have also been called tomahawks among the Native Americans.

Tomahawk:
"The war hatchet of the North American Indians. 'Tomahawk' was derived from the Algonquian word otomahuk ("to knock down"). Early versions were made by tying a stone head to a handle with animal sinew or by passing a double-pointed chipped stone through a hole bored in a handle. After the arrival of Europeans, tomahawk heads often were made of iron obtained in trade. Globe-headed clubs, often ornately incised and decorated with feathers, and used for ceremonies as well as war, have also been called tomahawks." — Encyclopaedia Britannica © 2006

It had been given to him by a Yellow Knife, in mounted combat, the result of a stroke by a long-handled, stone-bladed tomahawk, or canhpi. — Blood Brothers of Gor, page 9.

"I saw Alfred struck down from behind with the heavy, balled knob of a carved wooden canhpi. — Blood Brothers of Gor, page 447.
      "We had brought the girls to the edge of the escarpment, near the posts. We had not roped them to them, however. They had spent the night, as the several nights previously, hooded and bound in the prison lodge. They were still stripped, as before. In another such lodge, hooded and bound, were Alfred, and four of his officers. He had not perished of the blow from the knob-headed canhpi. These were all who had survived of the soldiers." — Blood Brothers of Gor, pages 449-450.

Canjellne
"To Challenge." See: "Kajira Canjellne."

At this point the helmeted warrior began to descend the aisle. We watched him approach. In moments he stood, too, on the block, facing the crowd. He struck the butt of his great spear on the heavy wood. "Kajira canjellne!" he said. "Slave girl challenge!" — Slave Girl of Gor, page 435.

Canka
The term in the language of the red savages meaning "fire-steel."

"A lance, unbroken, had been placed by him, butt down, in the earth, in token of respect, at least, by Canka, Fire-Steel, his brother. Canka had also taken the dress which Hci had thrown contemptuously beside him, taken from the loot of one of the wagons, and wrapped it about the lance. In this fashion Canka had conspicuously marked the place, as though with a flag." — Blood Brothers of Gor, page 29.

Canopy Zone
This ecological zone is the second level of the rainforest, ranging between 60 feet Gorean to 125 feet Gorean, situated between the lofty emergents and the ground zone. It is best described as that blanket of green a tarnrider might think it to be as he flies over the jungle. In this level, several varieties of birds can be found, however, snakes, insects and small animals may also be found here.

"'The second level is often spoken of as the canopy, or as that of the canopies. This is the fantastic green cover which constitutes the main ceiling of the jungle. It is what would dominate one's vision if one were passing over the jungle in tarn flight or viewing it from the height of a tall mountain. The canopy, or zone of the canopies, ranges from about sixty to one hundred and twenty-five feet high, Gorean measure. … In the second level, that of the canopies, is found an incredible variety of birds, Warblers, finches, mindars, the crested lit and the common lit, the fruit tindel, the yellow gim, tanagers, some varieties of parrot, and many more. Here, too, may be found snakes and monkeys, gliding urts, leaf urts, squirrels, climbing, long-tailed porcupines, lizards, sloths, and the usual varieties of insects, ants, centipedes, scorpions, beetles and flies, and so on. In the lower portion of the canopies, too, can be found heavier birds, such as the ivory-billed woodpecker and the umbrella bird. Guernon monkeys, too, usually inhabit this level." — Explorers of Gor, page 311.

Canpasapawi
In the language of the red savages, term meaning the moon when the chokeberries are ripe; one of the summer moons; also known as "Takiyuhawi." See also: "Takiyuhawi."

"This was the moon following the next moon, which is known variously as Takiyuhawi, the moon in which the tabuk rut, or Canpasapawi, the moon when the chokecherries are ripe." — Savages of Gor, page 253.

"The current moon was Takiyuhawi, the moon in which the tabuk rut. It is sometimes known also as Canpasapawi, or the moon when the chokecherries are ripe." — Blood Brothers of Gor, page 5.

Canwapegiwi
In the language of the red savages, term meaning the moon in which the leavees become brown; one of the autumnal moons. The autumnal equinox occurs during this moon.

"Two moons will be sufficient to return to Kailiauk," said Grunt, "If one does not stop for trading." The two moons he had in mind, as I later learned, were Canwapegiwi, the moon in which the leaves become brown, and the moon known variously as Wayuksapiwi, the Corn-Harvest Moon, or Canwapekasnawi, the moon when the wind shakes off the leaves. The autumnal equinox occurs in Canwapegiwi. — Savages of Gor, page 253.

Canwapekasnawi
In the language of the red savages, term meaning the moon when the wind shakes off the leaves; one of the autumnal moon; known also as "Wayuksapiwi."

"Two moons will be sufficient to return to Kailiauk," said Grunt, "If one does not stop for trading." The two moons he had in mind, as I later learned, were Canwapegiwi, the moon in which the leaves become brown, and the moon known variously as Wayuksapiwi, the Corn-Harvest Moon, or Canwapekasnawi, the moon when the wind shakes off the leaves. The autumnal equinox occurs in Canwapegiwi. — Savages of Gor, page 253.

Capacian Baths
One of the most luxurious of bath houses, located in the city of Ar.

"I have already mentioned the baths in the House of Cernus, which can rival some of the pools in the gigantic Capacian Baths, the finest of known Gor." — Assassin of Gor, page 111.

"There were dozens of pools in the vast, spreading Capacian Baths. In some of the larger pools the girls went as cheaply as one copper tarn disk. For the fee one was entitled to use the girl as he wished for as long as he wished, his use, of course, limited by the hours of the pool's closing." — Assassin of Gor, page 160-161.

"There are, as I mentioned, many pools in the Capacian Baths, and they differ in their shapes and sizes, and in their decor, and in the temperatures and scents of their waters." — Assassin of Gor, page 163.

Captain
Military rank.

"I am Thorn," he said, "a Captain of Tharna." — Outlaw of Gor, page 57.

Capture Cubicle
A room often found in certain inns designed for the capture of a free woman who is then enslaved; a useful tool of slavers.

"The net and room doubtless constituted a capture cubicle, simpler perhaps, but not unlike those in certain inns, in which a woman, lulled by the bolting on the doors, and feeling herself secure, may complete her toilet at leisure, bathing, combing her hair, perfuming herself and such, before the trap doors, dropped from beneath her, plunge her into the waiting arms of slavers." — Magicians of Gor, page 42.

Capture Feast
Feast honoring a young warrior's first capture (of a female). See: "Mission of the First Capture."

Capture Knot
A knot used by Warriors in binding slaves; should the slave struggle while bound this way, the knot is made in such a way that it will continue to tighten with each struggling movement. Warriors are trained this particular knot, and most can perform the binding in less than three Ihn.

"Would you like me to show you some others?" I asked.
       "Signature knots?" she asked.
       "No," I said, "simple knots, common Gorean knots."
       "Yes," she said, delighted.
       "Bring me a pair of sandal thongs," I told her. — Assassin of Gor, page 81.
       "Now cross your wrists," I said. She did so. "So you think your knots are neater than mine?" I asked.
       "Yes," she said, "but then you are only a man." I flipped one of the thongs about her wrists, then again, then turned a double opposite overhand, with a twist following the first overhand. "My," she said, wiggling her wrists, "you tied that quickly." I did not tell her, of course, but Warriors are trained to tie that knot, and most can do it in less than three Ihn. "I wouldn't struggle," I said.
       "Oh!" she said, stopping, pinched.
       "You will tighten it," I said.
       "It is an interesting knot," she said, examining her bound wrists. "What do you call it?"
       "It is a Capture Knot," I said.
       "Oh," she said.
       "It is used for binding slaves and such," I remarked. — Assassin of Gor, pages 81-82.

"Then, with the scarf, using the simple capture knots of Gor, I lashed her wrists together." — Outlaw of Gor, page 140.

"… it was seen that their wrists had been bound with capture knots… Such knots are tied by a warrior," he said. — Explorers of Gor, page 85.

Capture Loops
Used by Slavers; lassoes made of leather formed with slip knots dropped over a leg, head or arm and pulled tight.

"Then, as we milled and ran, here and there among us were men of Port Kar, warriors, some with helmet and shield, sword and spear, others with club and knife, others with whips, some with capture loops, some with capture nets, all with binding fiber. Among them ran slaves, carrying torches, that they might see to their work." — Raiders of Gor, page 51.

Capture Nets
Nets which used to capture animals, slaves or free persons in times of war.

"Then, as we milled and ran, here and there among us were men of Port Kar, warriors, some with helmet and shield, sword and spear, others with club and knife, others with whips, some with capture loops, some with capture nets, all with binding fiber. Among them ran slaves, carrying torches, that they might see to their work." — Raiders of Gor, page 51.

Capture Scent
An anesthetic used in the capturing of women; soaked in a rag and scarf, and held over the nose and mouth for five (5) Ihn will render a female unconcious. Most probably chloroform.

I attempted to conceal one vial, which we had not permitted her to sample. But her eye was too quick for me. "What is that ?" she asked, sharply.
       "It is nothing," I said.
       "Let me smell it," she said.
       "Please, no, great lady!" I begged.
       "You thought to keep it from me, did you ?" she laughed.
       "Oh, no, great lady," I wept.
       "Give it to me," she said.
       "Must I, lady?" asked I.
"I see," said she, "beating is not enough for you. It seems you must be boiled in the oil of tharlarion as well!" I lifted it to her, piteously. She laughed. My assistant and I knelt before her, at her feet. She wore, beneath her green velvet, golden shoes. "Uncork it for me, you sleen," said she. I wondered if I had, in my life, seen ever so scornful, so proud, so cold a woman. I uncorked the vial. "Hold it beneath my nostrils," she said. She bent forward. I held the vial beneath her delicate nostrils. She closed her eyes, and breathed in, deeply, expectantly. She opened her eyes, and shook her head. "What is this ?" she said.
       "Capture scent," I said. I held her forearms. Ivar Forkbeard quickly pulled the bracelets and rings from her wrists and fingers. He then threw from her neck the golden chains. I pulled her to her feet, holding her wrists. Ivar tore the golden string from her hair, loosening it. It fell behind her, blond, below the small of her back. He tore the collar of her gown back from her throat, opening it at her neck. — Marauders of Gor, page 115.
       "Shall I hold again the vial beneath her nose?" I asked. Soaked in a rag and scarf and held over the nose and mouth of a female it can render her unconscious in five Ihn. She squirms wildly for an Ihn or two, and then sluggishly, and then falls limp. It is sometimes used by tarnsmen; it is often used by slavers. Anesthetic darts, too, are sometimes used in the taking of females; these may be flung, or entered into her body by hand; they take effect in about forty Ihn; she awakens often stripped, in a slave kennel. — Marauders of Gor, page 116.

Carnarium
(plural: Carnaria)
The city dump.

"You could have retrieved from a carnarium," I said. This was one of the great refuse pits outside the walls. — Magicians of Gor, page 38.

"I wondered if the drunken fellow knew where his camp was. Fortunately, there were no carnaria in this vicinity. It would not do to stumble into one. — Magicians of Gor, page 40.

Carpenter
Person skilled at building things from wood.

Etymology: Middle English, from Old North French carpentier, from Latin carpentarius carriage maker, from carpentum carriage, of Celtic origin; akin to Old Irish carpat chariot, carr vehicle;Date: 14th century;
       "A worker who builds or repairs wooden structures or their structural parts." — Merriam-Webster Dictionary ©2004-2006

The next item on the agenda dealt with the demand of the pulley-makers to receive the same wage per Ahn as the oar-makers. I voted for this measure, but it did not pass. A Captain next to me snorted, "Give the pulley-makers the wage of oar-makers, and sawyers will want the wages of carpenters, and carpenters of shipwrights!" — Raiders of Gor, page 134.

Carpet Plant
A plant of the rainforest area inland of Schendi.

"I then rose to my feet and walked a few yards away, to a fan palm. From the base of one of its broad leaves I gathered a double handful of fresh water. I retuned to the girl and, carefully, washed out the wound. She winced. I then cut some leaves and wrapped them about it. I tied shut some leaves and wrapped them about it. I tied shut this simple bandage with the tendrils of a carpet plant." — Explorers of Gor, page 347.

Carrot
A root vegetable; the staple of Bugs Bunny.

"A great amount of farming, or perhaps one should speak of gardening, is done at the oasis, but little of this is exported. At the oasis will be grown a hybrid, brownish Sa-Tarna, adapted to the heat of the desert; most Sa-Tarna is yellow; and beans, berries, onions, tuber suls, various sorts of melons, a foliated leaf vegetable, called Katch, and various root vegetables, such as turnips, carrots, radishes, of the sphere and cylinder varieties, and korts, a large, brownish-skinned, thick-skinned, sphere-shaped vegetable, usually some six inches in width, the interior of which is yellowish, fibrous and heavily seeded. At the oasis, because of the warm climate, the farmers can grow two or more crops a year." — Tribesmen of Gor, page 37.

Cart
Gorean map direction. See "Gorean Map."

"Accordingly, the main divisions of the map are Ta-Sardar-Var, and the other seven; taking the Sardar as our "north pole" the other directions, clockwise as Earth clocks move (Gorean clock hands move in the opposite direction) would be, first, Ta-Sardar-Var, then, in order, Ror, Rim, Tun, Vask (sometimes spoken of as Verus Var, or the true turning away), Cart, Klim, and Kail, and then again, of course, Ta-Sardar-Var." — Nomads of Gor, page 3 (footnote).

Cartius
Once thought to be one huge river, discovered later by the explorer Shaba to be be three distinct rivers: the Cartius proper, the subequatorial Cartius and the Thassa Cartius.

"Tell me what you know of the Cartius," he said.
      "It is an important subequatorial waterway," I said. "It flows west by northwest, entering the rain forests and emptying into Lake Ushindi, which lake is drained by the Kamba and the Nyoka rivers. The Kamba flows directly into Thassa. The Nyoka flows into Schendi, and moves thence to Thassa." Schendi was an equatorial free port, well known on Gor. It is also the home port of the League of Black Slavers.
      "It was, at one time," conjectured Samos," that the Cartius proper was a tributary of the Vosk."
      "I had been taught that," I said.
      "We now know that the Thassa Cartius and the subequatorial Cartius are not the same river."
      "It had been thought, and shown on many maps," I said, "that the subequatorial Cartius not only flowed into Lake Ushindi, but emerged northward, traversing the sloping western flatlands to join the Vosk at Turmus." Turmus was the last major river port on the Vosk before the almost impassable marshes of the delta.
      "Calculations performed by the black geographer, Ramani, of the island of Anango, suggested that given the elevations involved the two rivers could not be the same. His pupil, Shaba, was the first civilized man to circumnavigate Lake Ushindi. He discovered that the Cartius, as was known, enters Lake Ushindi, but that only two rivers flow out of Ushindi, the Kamba and Nyoka. The actual source of the tributary to the Vosk, now called the Thassa Cartius, as you know, was found five years later by the explorer, Ramus of Tabor, who, with a small expedition, over a period of nine months, fought and bartered his way through the river tribes, beyond the six cataracts, to the Ven highlands. The Thassa Cartius, with its own tributaries, drains the highlands and the descending plains." …
      "I know," said Samos, "tradition, and the directions and flow of the rivers. Who would have understood, of the cities, that they were not the same?"
      "Even the bargemen of the Cartius proper, the subequatorial Cartius, and those of the Thassa Cartius, far to the north, thought the rivers to be but one waterway." — Explorers of Gor, pages 16-17.

Carvel-Built
Refers to the method of ship building; in a carvel-built ship, the ship is built from wooden planks with flush seams.

Etymology: probably from Dutch karveel-, from karveel caravel, from Middle French carvelle; Date: 1798;
       "Built with the planks meeting flush at the seams." — Merriam-Webster Dictionary ©2004-2006

"She is carvel-built, and her planking is fastened with nails of bronze and iron; in places, wooden pegs are also used; her planking, depending on placement, varies from two to six inches in thickness; also, to strengthen her against the shock of ramming, four-inch-thick wales run longitudinally about her sides." — Raiders of Gor, page 192.

Carver, Caste of

Case
Reference to the Mul-case. See: "Mul-case."

Casmu
The term in the Kaiila dialect of the red savages meaning "sand."

"The Isbu, or Little-Stones band; the Casmu, or Sand, band; the Isanna, the Little-Knife band; the Napoktan, or Bracelets, band; and the Wismahi, or Arrowhead band, are the five bands which constitute the Kaiila tribe." — Blood Brothers of Gor, page 10.

Casmu Band
Literal, Sand Band. One of the five bands (subgroups) that make up the red savage Kaiila tribe; possibly named after geographic features or those areas adjacent to their encampments. The proper way to refer to them would be Casmu Kaiila. The Casmu Kaiila habitate above the descending northern branch of the Northern Kaiila River, west of the lands of the Isanna and north-and-west of what is known as Council Rock and the lands of the Isbu. The Casmu band is one of the largest within the Kaiila tribe, numbering approximately one thousand (1,000) members. The warrior society of the Casmu is called the Yellow-Kaiila Riders (not to be confused with the Yellow Knives Tribe.

"The Isbu, or Little-Stones band; the Casmu, or Sand, band; the Isanna, the Little-Knife band; the Napoktan, or Bracelets, band; and the Wismahi, or Arrowhead band, are the five bands which constitute the Kaiila tribe. The origins of these names are not always clear. It seems probable that the Little-Stones and the Sand bands may have had their names from geographical features, perhaps those adjacent to riverside encampments. " — Blood Brothers of Gor, page 10.

"The Kaiila were mostly members of the All Comrades, a warrior society, like the Sleen Soldiers, of the Isbu Kaiila. They were under the command of Canka, Cuwignaka's brother. One other was with the party, too, an older warrior, Kahintokapa, One-Who-Walks-Before, of the prestigious Yellow-Kaiila Riders. He was of the Casmu, or Sand, band." — Blood Brothers of Gor, page 14.

"The Isanna was the Little-Knife Band of the Kaiila. They came from the countries around Council Rock, north of the northern fork of the Kaiila River and west of the Snake, a tributary to the Northern Kaiila. The normal distributions, given food supply and such, of the bands of the Kaiila are usually rather as follows. First, understand that there exists the Kaiila River, flowing generally in a southwestward direction. At a given point, high in the territory of the Kaiila tribe, it branches into two rivers, which are normally spoken of as the Northern Kaiila and the Southern Kaiila. The Snake, flowing in an almost southern direction, is a tributary to the Northern Kaiila. The land of the Napoktan, or Bracelets band of the Kaiila, is east of the Snake, and north of the Northern Kaiila, and the Kaiila proper. The Wismahi, or Arrowhead band of the Kaiila, holds the more northern lands in and below, to some extent, the fork of the Kaiila. The Isbu's lands are the more southern lands between the Northern and Southern branches of the Kaiila. The lands of the Casmu, or Sand band of the Kaiila, lie to the west of the Isanna, and to the north and west of the Isbu, above the descending northern branch of the Northern Kaiila. It is not clear, historically, whether the river is named for the red savages through whose territories it tends to flow, or whether the savages have taken their name from the river system. My own suspicion in this matter, borne out by tribal stories, is that the early savages in this area found large herds of wild kaiila roaming the plains. They took, then, probably for medicine reasons, the name of the Kaiila for themselves. Subsequently, one supposes, watercourses originally understood to be, say, the rivers of the Kaiila people, or the rivers in the country of the Kaiila people, came to be known more simply as the Kaiila River, or Rivers." — Blood Brothers of Gor, pages 24-25.

The Isanna Kaiila number between some seven and eight hundred. They were now entering the camp, from the east, in long lines, in their full regalia. The Casmu, the Wismahi and the Napoktan had already joined the Isbu in the summer gathering. The Casmu numbered in the neighborhood of one thousand; the Wismahi, one of the smaller bands, number about five or six hundred. The Isbu was the largest band, containing between sixteen and seventeen hundred members. The Napoktan, which had arrived at the camp only yesterday, was the smallest of the bands of the Kaiila, numbering between some three and four hundred members. These bands, within their own territories, are often divided into separate villages or encampments. In a given encampment, usually under a minor chief, there is seldom more than two or three hundred individuals. Indeed, sometimes an encampment contains only seven or eight families. — Blood Brothers of Gor, page 25.

"We will go north," he said. "We will build a raft for the travois and cross the Northern Kaiila. We will then proceed north and west of Council Rock, into the land of the Casmu Kaiila. There is a place there I know. It is a camping site favored by Kahintokapa." — Blood Brothers of Gor, page 286.

Caste
The regimented division of classes amongst Goreans.

Caste Brother
Reference to a fellow caste member.

"I was your enemy," said Portus. "But now I am nothing. Only a caste brother, nothing.'' — Assassin of Gor, page 209.

Caste Codes
The ethical teachings, a collection of ancient sayings, independent of the claims and propositions of the Intiates.

"The ethical teachings of Gor, which are independent of the claims and propositions of the Initiates, amount to little more than the Caste Codes - collections of sayings whose origins are lost in antiquity. I was specially drilled in the Code of the Warrior Caste." — Tarnsman of Gor, pages 40-41.

I had learned enough of Gor by now to know that one could not always count on the Caste Codes being observed. — Tarnsman of Gor, page 42.

Caste Discipline
Martial law in a peasant village.

Bran Loort turned away from the rack and bent down to pick up his tunic. He went to the gate and it was opened for him. He left the village of Tabuk's Ford. "Follow him, who will," said Thurnus to the young men who had been his cohorts. But none made to follow their former leader. "Of what village are you?" asked Thurnus.
       "Tabuk's Ford," they said, sullenly.
       "And who is caste leader in Tabuk's Ford?" asked Thurnus, sweating, grinning.
       "Thurnus," they said.
       "Go to your huts," he said. "You are under caste discipline." They withdrew from the circle of the fire. I expected that they would tend his fields for a season. — Slave Girl of Gor, page 234.

Caste Leader
In the smaller villages, they do not have the political structure as their larger counterparts, the cities. Therefore, instead of an Administrator or a Ubar, the leader of their village is the caste leader, as all in the villages are of the Peasant Caste. See also: "District Leader."

"He was caste leader in Tabuk's Ford. Tabuk's Ford was a large village, containing some forty families…" — Slave Girl of Gor, page 135.

Caste Sanctuary
The state of seeking safe haven. As on Earth, a person may seek sanctuary of the church and be safe from the laws, it is similar on Gor. Each caste allow for such sanctuary amongst its members. See also: "Places of Sanctuary."

It seemed incredible to me that Portus had come to the House of Cernus, for much bad blood had existed between the houses. Surely to come to this place, the house of his enemy, must have been a last recourse in some fearful set of events, to throw himself on the mercies of Cernus, claiming Caste Sanctuary. "They have taken my properties!" cried Portus. "You have nothing to fear. I have no men! I have no gold! I have only the garb on my back! Tarnsmen! Soldiers! The very men of the street! With torches and ropes! I barely escaped with my life. My house is confiscated by the state! I am nothing! I am nothing!" — Assassin of Gor, page 208.

Catapult
A siege engine.

Etymology: Middle French or Latin; Middle French catapulte, from Latin catapulta, from Greek katapaltEs, from kata- + pallein to hurl; Date: 1577:
       "An ancient military device for hurling missiles." — Merriam-Webster Dictionary ©2004-2006

"On the tenth day of the siege small engines, such as covered catapults and ballistae, were flown across the ditches by tarn teams and soon were engaged in artillery duels with the engines mounted on the walls of Ar." — Tarnsman of Gor, pages 177-178.

Catapult Cordage
Ropes and cords used with the catapults, often made of female hair due to its resiliency, strength and weather resistance.

Etymology: Middle French, from corde + -age;
       "Ropes or cords; especially: the ropes in the rigging of a ship." — Merriam-Webster Dictionary ©2004-2006

"Too, interestingly, female hair is prized for catapult ropes. It is not only stronger and more resilient than hemp but is possesses better properties of weather resistance, being less affected by moisture and temperature changes. When a city is under siege, particularly if the siege is prolonged, even free women will often have their hair shorn, contributing it then to the supplies for municipal defense." — Blood Brothers of Gor, pages 245-246.

"It was easy to see, even with her head down, because of the shortness of her hair. It had been shaved off some weeks ago by the keeper of the Crooked Tarn, to be sold as raw materials for catapult cordage. Women's hair, soft, glossy, silky and resilient, stronger than vegetable fibers and more weather resistant, well woven, is ideal for such a purpose." — Vagabonds of Gor, page 8.

"Her hair was a marvelous auburn. Too, by now, it would have muchly grown out, after having been shaved off some months ago, for catapult cordage." — Magicians Gor, page 49.

Cat's Cradle Game
A popular game amongst many of the peoples of Gor, similar to the cat's cradle of earth.

Caulking
Substance used to seal boat seams.

Etymology: Middle English caulken, from Old North French cauquer to trample, from Latin calcare, from calc-, calx heel; Date: 15th century;
       "To stop up and make tight against leakage (as a boat or its seams, the cracks in a window frame, or the joints of a pipe)." — Merriam-Webster Dictionary ©2004-2006

"It was voted that another dozen covered docks be raised within the confines of the arsenal, that the caulking schedule of the grand fleet might be met." — Raiders of Gor, page 134.

Cega
The term in the language of the red savages for a kettle, pot, pail, bucket, et al.

"The expression 'cega', itself, may refer to a kettle, a pot, a pail, a bucket, or so on. 'Cancega', then, in a sense, could be taken to mean such things as Kettle Skin,' or 'Pot Skin.'" — Blood Brothers of Gor, page 32.

Celane Melons
This is another example of the rampant misinformation that plagues many Gorean sites. There is no such melon on Earth or on Gor. Throughout my research, I did happen upon the term "celane." It's a Latin term that loosely means "mankind." Also, I found this:

"Jatropha hedges were largely replaced in Senegal more than twenty years ago by two other euphorbias, known locally as celane and celane toubab. These were promoted by the agriculture extension service because they are very dense growing, and therefore make an even more effective barrier to wind and livestock than jatroha curcas. Farmers are familiar with jatropha and fondly remember its utilisation for village soapmaking and as a topical antiseptic. A few farners have begun the difficult task of replacing their celane, which has a caustic latex that burns the eyes, with jatropha hedges." — ATI Project in Senagal

Euphorbia
Etymology: New Latin, alteration of Latin euphorbea, from Euphorbus, 1st cent. A.D. Greek physician
       "Any of a large genus (Euphorbia of the family Euphorbiaceae) of plants that have a milky juice and flowers lacking a calyx and included in an involucre which surrounds a group of several staminate flowers and a central pistillate flower with 3-lobed pistils; broadly." — Merriam-Webster Dictionary ©2006

Celane, is a euphorbic plant, which means, you definitely don't want to be eating it! There are, however, unspecified varieties of melons mentioned in the books. See: "Melons".

Cell
A secure compartment for the holding of prisoners and slaves. Special cells are often found for certain special captures, such as a face-stripped free woman or a slave intended for a particular training.

"In the cylinder there are several varieties of retention areas, ranging from the luxuriousness of the cell shown to me earlier by Ho-Tu, in which Cernus was accustomed to keep special captures, to the iron pens. Some of the facilities were simply lines of reasonably clean cells, some with windows, usually a lavatory drain and something in the way of a mat to sleep on. Other rows of cells were rather more ornate, with heavy intricate grillwork taking the space of bars, hung with red silks, floored with furs and perhaps lit by a tharlarion oil lamp set in a barred recess in the ceiling." — Assassin of Gor, page 122.

Cell for Special Captures
In the House of Cernus, this was a cell Cernus created and reserved for certain captives he found of special interest.

"This is an interesting room," said Ho-Tu, opening a door and leading me through." Sometimes it is guarded, but now it is empty." On our side of the glass there was a metal grillwork, with rectangular openings about twelve inches long and four inches high. I gathered this was in case someone on the other side would attempt to break the mirror. In the room, which now had no occupant, I saw an open wardrobe closet, some chests of silks, a silken divan of immense size, several choice rugs and cushions about, and a sunken bath to one side. It might have been the private compartment of a lady of High Caste save that, of course, in this house it was a cell. "It is used for special captures," said Ho-Tu. — Assassin of Gor, page 117.

"I found that my steps had inadvertently brought me to the corridor with the heavy bolted door, that door leading to the hallway off which lay the cell for Special Captures, earlier shown to me by Ho-Tu." — Assassin of Gor, page 181.

"Claudia Tentia Hinrabia, though she had now been gone months from the House, had been kept for better than two months in the cell for Special Captures." — Assassin of Gor, page 191.

Cell Spider
Familiar eight-legged creature which inhabit the prison cells.

"On the same rinds, taking and eating vints, were two small cell spiders." — Tribesmen of Gor, pages 115-116.

Censer
An incense burner, usually used in religious ceremonies.

[l] Brass Censer; [r] Tibetan Censer

Etymology: Middle English censer, senser, from Old French censier, senser, short for encensier, from Medieval Latin incensarium, from Late Latin incensum incense;
       "A vessel for burning incense; especially a covered incense burner swung on chains in a religious ritual." — Merriam-Webster Dictionary ©2004-2006

"Emerging through the crowd first were two boys, one ringing the bells and the others shaking a censer, wafting fumes of the incense about." — Witness of Gor, pages 423.

Center Defense
A Kaissa move.

"Would he play the Center Defense against one such as Scormus?" asked a man. — Beasts of Gor, page 89.

Centian Opening
A Kaissa move.

"Ubar's Tarnsman to Physician Seven," said the Vintner. "The Centian Opening," said one of the Saddle Makers. — Assassin of Gor, page 32.

Centipedes
Multi-appendaged bug.

"Here, too, may be found snakes and monkeys, gliding urts, leaf urts, squirrels, climbing, long-tailed porcupines, lizards, sloths, and the usual varieties of insects, ants, centipedes, scorpions, beetles and flies, and so on." — Explorers Gor, page 311.

Central Cylinder
In Ar, this serves as the home to the Administrator/Ubar, as well as his court.

"In the central cylinder of Ar, that in which the Ubar has his palace and holds his court… " — Assassin of Gor, page 388.

Ceremony of Companionship
Such ceremonies differ by cities and cultures on Gor.

"One lunar month from this date, by the phases of the largest moon, after days of preparation, the ceremony of the companionship was scheduled to be consummated in Ti, binding together as companions Thandar of Ti, son of Ebullius Gaius Cassius, Administrator of Ti, and the Lady Sabina, daughter of Kleomenes, high merchant in Fortress of Saphronicus." — Slave Girl of Gor, page 113.

Ceremony of Citizenship
A rather lavish ceremony in the city of Ar, in which the young Free pledge themselves to Ar as their Home Stone.

"Explain to me then in precise detail the ceremony of citizenship…" Young men and women of the city, when coming of age, participate in a ceremony which involves the swearing of oaths, and the sharing of bread, fire and salt. In this ceremony the Home Stone of the city is held by each young person and kissed. Only then are the laurel wreath and the mantle of citizenship conferred. This is a moment no young person of Ar forgets … — Slave Girl of Gor, pages 394-395.

Cernus, House of
One of the largest slave houses located in Ar.

"You say that this house of which you speak is the largest and richest, the most powerful, on the Street of Brands?"
       "Yes," said Portus.
       "What is the name of this house?" asked Kuurus.
       "The House of Cernus", said Portus. — Assassin of Gor, page 21.

Cesli
In the language of the red savages, this term means dung, either men or animals.

"Perhaps we could call you 'Cesli' or 'Cespu'," I said.
       "What do those names mean?" she asked.
       "'Cesli'," I said, "means dung."
       "Oh," she said.
       "Either of men or animals," I said. — Blood Brothers of Gor, page 288.

Cespu
In the language of the red savages, this term means wart or scab.

"'Cespu', means 'wart' or 'scab'," I said. — Blood Brothers of Gor, page 288.

Chain Luck
This entails the capturing of a girl, generally not knowing what the girl looks like prior to the capture.

"I wondered if many of Treve's women were as beautiful as Vika. If they were it was surprising that tarnsmen from all the cities of Gor would not have descended on the place, as the saying goes, to try chain luck." — Priest-Kings of Gor, page 61.

"That is interesting," said Harold, "for I had thought I might try chain luck in the Pleasure Gardens of a Turian merchant named Saphrar." — Nomads of Gor, page 187.

Chain and Claw Brand
Brand of Kurii slaves.

"Incidentally, there are many brands on Gor. Two that almost never occur on Gor, by the way, are those of the moons and collar, and of the chain and claw… the second tends to occur in the lairs of Kurii agents on Earth; the first brand consists of a locked collar and, ascending diagonally above it, extending to the right, three quarter moons; this brand indicates the girl is subject to Gorean discipline; the chain-and-claw brand signifies, of course, slavery and subjection within the compass of the Kur yoke." — Explorers of Gor, page 12.

Chain Mail
Prohibited on Gor sanctioned by the Priest-Kings.

"I would have supposed that armor, or chain mail perhaps, would have been a desirable addition to the accoutrements of the Gorean warrior, but it had been forbidden by the Priest-Kings." — Tarnsman of Gor, page 48.

Chain Master
A free male in the house of a slaver that oversees the duties, chores, training, and discipline of slave girls.

"I hear from the chain master," said Samos, "that you have learned the tile dance creditably." — Explorers of Gor, page 13.

Chained on Boards
Also: Exposure on Boards
An ancient form of execution in which the offender is chained by means of collar and shackles on parallel upright boards. It is a long, tortuous death, oftent taken two to three days. This means of execution is most common in harbor cities.

"Chain them on the boards," cried another. — Renegades of Gor, page 14.

"This, like hanging in chains, the exposure on boards, and such, is a very ancient modality of execution." — Renegades of Gor, pages 14-15.

Chairs
Though found on Gor, chairs are not generally found in private homes. Chairs are reserved for such dignitaries as administrators and judges.

"On Gor, incidentally, chairs have special significance, and do not often occur in private dwellings. They tend to be reserved for significant personages, such as administrators and judges." — Priest-Kings of Gor, pages 45-46.

Chalwar
Baggy trousers; on Earth, men wear the chalwar as well as the women. The silk variety are often known as "harem pants." On Gor, they are worn by slave girls only, made of diaphanous silk, worn low on the hips with a sash and vest.

"She wore a high, red-silk vest, swelling, fastened with a single hook; diaphanous red-silk chalwar, low on her hips, gathered at the ankles; two golden bangles on her left ankle; collar." — Tribesmen of Gor, pages 156-157.

Chamber Chronometer
A time-telling device; a clock.

"Although it was late, according to the chamber chronometer … Unfortunately there was no natural light in the room and so one could not judge the time by the sun or the stars and moons of Gor." — Priest-Kings of Gor, page 48.

Chamber of the Council
The Council (representatives of the High Castes) meeting room found in usually every city.

"The Chamber of the Council is the room in which the elected representatives of the High Castes of Ko-ro-ba hold their meetings. Each city has such a chamber. It was in the widest of cylinders, and the ceiling was at least six times the height of the normal living level. The ceiling was lit as if by stars, and the walls were of five colors, applied laterally, beginning from the bottom - white, blue, yellow, green, and red, caste colors. Benches of stone, on which the members of the Council sat, rose in five monumental tiers about the walls, one tier for each of the High Castes. These tiers shared the color of that portion of the wall behind them, the caste colors." — Tarnsman of Gor, page 61.

Chamber of the Golden Mask
The throne-room of the Tatrix of Thorna. The golden mask that adorned the throne room was later destroyed by the command of the Tatrix, Lara.

At last I found myself in a large, vaulted room, lit by torches set in the walls. In spite of its loftiness, it too was plain, like the other rooms and passageways I had seen, somber, oppressive. Only one adornment relieved the walls of their melancholy aspect, the image of a gigantic golden mask, carved in the likeness of a beautiful woman. Beneath this mask, there was, on a high dais, a monumental throne of gold. — Outlaw of Gor, pages 89-90.
       "It was the wish of the Tatrix that the slave be yoked and brought to the Chamber of the Golden Mask as soon as possible, and unharmed." — Outlaw of Gor, page 92.

… Lara had commanded that the giant mask of gold which hung behind it be pried by spears from the wall and cast to the floor at our feet. The men of Tharna watched almost in disbelief as the great mask loosened, bolt by bolt, from the wall, leaned forward and at last, dragged down by its own weight, broke loose and plunged clattering down the steps of the throne, breaking into a hundred pieces.
       "Let it be melted," Lara had said, "and cast into the golden tarn disks of Tharna and let these be distributed to those who have suffered in our day of troubles."
       "And add to the golden tarn disks," she had exclaimed, "tarn disks of silver to be formed from the masks of our women, for henceforth in Tharna no woman may wear a mask of either gold or silver, not even though she be Tatrix of Tharna herself!" — Outlaw of Gor, page 247.

Chamber of Irons
The branding room in the house of a slaver.

"The chamber of irons was empty, but coals glowed softly in the brazier, from. which two handles protruded. An iron is always ready in a slaver's house. One does not know when a new girl may be brought in." — Explorers of Gor, page 20.

Chamber of the Mother
The very large chamber which houses the Mother of the Priest-Kings.

"I checked the sword in its sheath and left Misk's compartment, stepped to the transportation disk and swept silently, rapidly, down the tunnel in the direction in which I knew lay the Chamber of the Mother." — Priest-Kings of Gor, page 210.
       "I followed these scents and soon found myself peering into an immense chamber. Its ceiling was only perhaps a hundred feet high but its length and width were considerable…" — Priest-Kings of Gor, page 213.

Chamber of the Power Plant
Blue domed building which housed the main source of power for the Nest of the Priest-Kings. This was, incidentally, destroyed during the Nest Wars, although an emergency back-up was secretly built by those that foresaw such a need. Sometimes this dome was referred to as the Home Stone of all Gor.

… the power source of the Priest-Kings, the great plant wherein the basic energy is generated for their many works and machines…" Sometimes this is spoken of as the Home Stone of all Gor," said Sarm, as we walked the long, winding, iron spiral that clung to the side of a vast, transparent blue dome. Within that dome, burning and glowing, emitting a bluish, combustive refulgence, was a huge, crystalline reticulated hemisphere… At last we had reached the very apex of the great blue dome and I could see the glowing, bluish, refulgent, reticulated hemisphere far below me. I supposed the dome to be a reactor of some sort. — Priest-Kings of Gor, pages 143-145.

"Then I saw him through the sides of the blue dome that covered the power source, far above, a golden figure on the narrow walkway at the crest of the dom e… I surmised the tunnels might have collapsed and they were even now trying to cut their way through to the Chamber of the Power Plant." — Priest-Kings of Gor, pages 270-271.

Chamber Slave
A slave girl assigned to a guest chamber.

"He tells me," said she, "that he has at last bribed the chamber slave in the compartments of Cernus to allow him access to the compartments at given times. — Assassin of Gor, page 178.

Chamber of Submission
A place where a slave girl must submit totally to the will of men.

" … a chamber of submission, a chamber in which you, a slave girl, must bend in all respects, a chamber in which you, only a female slave, must submit, in every bit of you, totally, completely, to the will of men." — Explorers of Gor, page 174.

Chamber of the Urts
One of the torture chambers in the palace of the Tatrix of Tharna.

"Very well," said Lara, and turned the glittering mask to the guardsman who had hurled the yoked Ost to her feet, "take him to the Chamber of the Urts." — Outlaw of Gor, page 95.

Chaq
Someone created this word; it wasn't John Norman and never seen in the books of Gor.

Char
A minor tribe of the Tahari; they are a vassal tribe of the Kavars.

Chatka
The strip of black leather worn by the slave girls of the Wagon People.

Chatka and Curla
A paga tavern in Cos.

"The Chatka and Curla is a large paga tavern. It is built on four levels, a large, open court, wooden floored, an encircling dais, some twenty feet deep, and, over the dais, two encircling balconies, each some ten feet deep… The tavern is dimly lit, by wagon lanterns, paneled with red glass, which hang on chains from the ceilings and balconies." — Slave Girl of Gor, page 328.

Chemical Brand
Not technically a brand, but rather a way of marking, practiced by agents of the Kurii, this particular brand is invisible unless activated by a reagent.

"A small chemical brand," she said, "which you will wear in your flesh, something by which our agents in Cos will recognize you."
       "Chemical brand?" I said.
       "It will remain invisible until the proper reagent is applied," she said.
       "Can it be removed?" I asked.
       "Yes," she said, "but you cannot remove it. It requires the proper combination of chemicals." — Slave Girl of Gor, pages 315-316.

"The physician swabbed a transparent fluid on my arm. Suddenly, startling me, elating the men, there emerged, as though by magic, a tiny, printed sentence, in fine characters, in bright red. It was on the inside of my elbow. I knew what the sentence said, for my mistress, the Lady Elicia of Ar, had told me. It was a simple sentence. It said: "This is she." It had been painted on my arm with a tiny brush, with another transparent fluid. I had seen the wetness on the inside of my arm, on the area where the arm bends, on the inside of the elbow, and then it had dried, disappearing. I was not even sure the writing had remained. But now, under the action of the reagent, the writing had emerged, fine and clear. Then, only a moment or so later, the physician, from another flask, poured some liquid on a rep-cloth swab, and, again as though by magic, erased the writing. The invisible stain was then gone. The original reagent was then again tried, to check the erasure. There was no reaction. The chemical brand, marking me for the agents with whom the Lady Elicia, my mistress, was associated, was gone. The physician then, with the second fluid, again cleaned my arm, removing the residue of the second application of the reagent." — Slave Girl of Gor, page 326.

Cherry
A tree which bears a small red fruit of the same name, grown in Tyros.

"It reminds me of the cherries of Tyros," I said. — Beasts of Gor, page 349.

Chillery
Never is this word used in any of the books of Gor. I haven't figured out exactly what a "chillery" is; different people use it in different contexts. Some reference a "chillery" as if it's a refrigerator (walk-in or otherwise) or an ice box, while others reference it as a sort of walk in cold storage room. Ice is not easily obtained on Gor, however, there is some ice storage available, and only the wealthiest of Goreans can afford such luxury. The ice house is such a cold storage. However, such ice houses would not be found in places like the desert lands, the camps of wagon peoples, the jungle villages of the Schendi, etc. See: "Ice House."

"I brought up from the kitchen, where I had been keeping it hot, a vessel of black wine, with sugars, and cups and spoons. Too, I had brought up a small bowl of powdered bosk milk. We had finished the creams last night and, in any event, it was unlikely they would have lasted the night. If I had wanted creams I would have had to have gone to the market. My house, incidentally, like most Gorean houses, had no ice chest. There is little cold storage on Gor. Generally food is preserved by being dried or salted. Some cold storage, of course, does exist. Ice is cut from ponds in the winter, and then stored in ice houses for it, or have it delivered in ice wagons. Most Goreans, of course, cannot afford the luxury of ice in the summer." — Guardsman of Gor, page 295.

Chokecherry
A tree which bears a small red fruit of the same name, grown in the Barrens; the black cherry.

" Crushed fruit, usually chokecherries, is then added to the meat." — Blood Brothers of Gor, page 46.

Choke Collar
Made of metal and leather, used in conjunction with a leash; intended to compel obedience with a simple tug. See also: Choke Leash.

The girl, clad like the others in the skins of forest panthers, who had held my leash, and now again held it, she who had bound me, her sleen knife again in its sheath, thrust her face toward mine. It was she who had leaped at me with her knife. She twisted her hand in the metal and leather choke collar. "Kajira!" she said, with contempt. I gasped, choking. I was terrified of her. — Captive of Gor, page 126.

"Another girl snapped a choke leash on my throat, twisting it, so that I almost strangled. As I opened my mouth, gasping for air, a wadding was thrust into it by another girl. Then I was gagged. The pressure on my throat then eased. I was thrown onto my stomach and, with binding fiber, my wrists were tied behind my back. Then, by the choke leash, half strangling, I was dragged to my feet." — Captive of Gor, pages 117-118.

Choke Leash
Made of metal and leather, used in conjunction with a leash; intended to compel obedience with a simple tug. See also: Choke Collar.

"The choke leash is a useful device for controlling a bound slave. I must follow perfectly. I could not offer the least resistance without strangling myself." — Captive of Gor, page 122.

Chronometer
A time-keeping device; a clock. Mechanical chronometers are rare and valuable on Gor.

noun; Date: circa 1735:
"Timepiece; especially: one designed to keep time with great accuracy." — Merriam-Webster Dictionary ©2004-2006

"Like most Gor compasses, mine contained a chronometer, and I took the compass, turned it over, and pressed the tab that would snap open the back and reveal the dial." — Tarnsman of Gor, page 78.

"Chronometers exist on Gor, but they are rare and valuable. Marcus and I did not have any, of intent, at the time, among our belongings. They would not have seemed to fit in well with our guise as auxiliary guardsmen. In many cities, of course, including Ar, time tends to be kept publicly. Official clocks are adjusted, of course, according to the announcements of scribes, in virtue of various astronomical measurements, having to do with the movements of the sun and stars. The calendar, and adjustments in it, are also the results of their researches, promulgated by civil authorities. The average Gorean has a variety of simple devices at his disposal for making the passage of time. Typical among them are marked, or calibrated, candles, sun dials, sand glasses, clepsydras and oil clocks." — Magicians of Gor, page 358.

Chronometric Temperature Device
A device that is placed in sleeping mats to keep the bed at a comfortable temperature for the sleeper; the Gorean form of an electric blanket. It can be used as a sort of alarm clock as evidenced by Tarl Cabot.

"In the morning I awoke on the sleeping mat in the corner of my apartment, cold and shivering. It was shortly before dawn. I turned off the power switch on the mat and folded back its blanket sides. It was chilly to the touch now, because I had set the chronometric temperature device to turn to cold an hour before the first light." — Tarnsman of Gor, page 60.

Cinnamon
A tree which produces a fruit bearing the same name, generally ground into a sweet spice which is a main export of the Schendi region; also has medicinal value.

"Yes," I said. "It is cinnamon and cloves, is it not?"
"Yes," said Ulafi, "and other spices, as well." — Explorers of Gor, page 98.

Cinto
In the language of the red savages, the term which indicates positive acknowledgment (i.e, "certainly", "surely", "yes").

Cinto!" she laughed. Oh, yes! Surely!" — Blood Brothers of Gor, page 288.

Circle of the Torch
In the peasant village game similar to Girl Catch, the circle of the torch is where captured girls are returned and then raped. See also: "Run for Peasant Boys."

"I could hear cries, it seemed from far off, from the circle of the torch, where the peasant boys sported cruelly with their captured beauties." — Slave Girl of Gor, page 171.

Cistern
A water reservoir.

Etymology: Middle English, from Old French cisterne, from Latin cisterna, from cista box, chest; Date: 13th century;
       "1) an artificial reservoir (as an underground tank) for storing liquids and especially water (as rainwater)
       2) a large usually silver vessel formerly used (as in cooling wine) at the dining table." — Merriam-Webster Dictionary ©2004-2006

"Many of the perches were empty, but there were more than a hundred birds in the room; each was now chained to its area of the perch; but each, I knew, at least once in every two days, was exercised; sometimes, when men do not wander freely in the cot, and the portals of the cot, opening to the sky, are closed, some of the birds are permitted the freedom of the cot; water for the birds is fed from tubes into canisters mounted on triangular platforms near the perches, but there is also, in the center of the cot, in the floor, a cistern which may be used when the birds are free." — Assassin of Gor, page 169.

Cities of Dust
The Gorean belief of the final "home" the dead.

"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.

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

City of Silver
The city of Tharna.

"Tharna, sometimes called the City of Silver, is well known for the richness of her silver mines." — Slave Girl of Gor, page 110.

City of Tents
After the fall of Marlenus, the city of Ar was left in turmoil. This, of course, left wide-open, a chance for scavengers, armies of other cities, and such, to come to Ar, and take what they could, be it slaves, money or the city of Ar itself. One such army, formed of fifty cities, camped outside the city walls while amassing their force, thus becoming known as the City of Tents.

"As the caravan mounted a rise, we saw far below us, on the banks of the Vosk, a sight of incredible barbaric splendor - pasangs of brightly colored tents stretching as far as the eye could see, a vast assemblage of tents housing one of the greatest armies ever gathered on the plains of Gor. The flags of a hundred cities flew above the tents, and, against the steady roar of the river, the sound of the great tarn drums reached us, those huge drums whose signals control the complex war formations of Gor's flying cavalries. — Tarnsman of Gor, pages 129-130.

"Now, while the men of Ar fight among themselves for the cylinders, an army is gathering from fifty cities, massing on the banks of the Vosk to invade Ar. There is a camp there such as you have never seen - a city of tents, pasangs of tharlarion corrals; the wings of the tarns sound like thunder overhead. The cooking fires of the soldiers can be seen two days' ride from the river." — Tarnsman of Gor, page 116.

"To the banks of the Vosk, to the City of Tents," said the warrior. — Tarnsman of Gor, page 116.

Mintar sniffed." In the wagons I have four hundred fully as beautiful, destined for the City of Tents." — Tarnsman of Gor, — age 120.

"That night I took Talena into the City of Tents, and by the light of torches set on lances we walked arm in arm through the crowded streets, among the colorful tents and market stalls. Not only warriors were in evidence, but tradesmen and artisans, peddlers and peasants, camp women and slaves. Talena clung to my arm, fascinated. We watched in one stall a bronzed giant apparently swallowing balls of fire, in the next a silk merchant crying the glories of his cloth, in another a hawker of Paga; in still another we watched the swaying bodies of dancing slave girls as their master proclaimed their rent price." — Tarnsman of Gor, page 132.

Civitatis
Literal translation: "city;" "of the city."

"Lo Rask," said he. "Rarius. Civitatis Trevis."
"I am Rask," he said, "of the caste of warriors, of the city of Treve." — Captive of Gor, page 266.

Clad Kajir
Literal meaning: "To be dressed as a slave." The term is not a term strictly with regards to the dress of the slave of the wagon peoples. It refers to all slaves and the manner in being dressed as a slave. Period. In fact, the following quote states exactly that, with the explanation, "Among the wagon peoples, to be clad Kajir means" followed by the description of the customary slave livery of the kajirae of the wagon peoples.

"In time," said Kamchak, "she will beg for the rag of a slave." I supposed it was true. A girl could take only so much, and then she would kneel to her master, her head to his boots, and beg for a bit of clothing, even though it be only to be clad Kajir. … — Nomads of Gor, page 29.
Among the Wagon Peoples, to be clad Kajir means, for a girl, to wear four articles, two red, two black; a red cord, the Curia, is tied about the waist — Nomads of Gor, page 30.

Clark, House of
Large slave house.

"It is true that if she, with other girls, were shipped by wagon to Ar, this schedule would not be met; but we knew that the House of Clark, in the case of select merchandise, under which category Elizabeth surely fell, transported slaves by tarn caravan to the markets of Ar, usually binding them in groups of six in slave baskets, sometimes as many as a hundred tarns, with escort, flying at once." — Assassin of Gor, page 79.

Claws of the Sleen, Rite of the
A blood-brother ritual of tearing the flesh with the claw of a sleen, then mixing the blood. This ritual is done after one saves the life of another. The one whose life was saved, then, owes a returns debt should the other be in danger for his life.

"Greetings, Lady," said Tup Ladletender. He had emerged from between the huts.
       Thurnus threw away the emptied goblet, into the dirt. "It is a harmless draught," he said. "Tup Ladletender and I, as young men," he said, "have fished and hunted sleen. Once I saved his life. We are brothers by the rite of the claws of sleen." Thurnus lifted his forearm where one might see a jagged scar. Ladletender, too, raised his arm, his sleeve falling back. On his forearm, too, there was such a scar. It had been torn by the claw of a sleen, in the hand of Thurnus; the same claw, in the hand of Ladletender, had marked the arm of Thurnus; their bloods had mingled, though they were of the peasants and merchants. "He now, has, too saved my life," said Thurnus. "I am pleased to have had the opportunity," said Ladletender. — Slave Girl of Gor, pages 235-236.
       Thurnus, at the feast, stood up. He lifted a goblet of paga. Tup Ladletender," said he, "by the rite of the claws of sleen, is my brother. I lift my cup to him. Let us drink!" The villagers drank. Tup Ladletender rose to his feet. "You have shared with me tonight your paga and your kettle," said he. "I drink to the hospitality of Tabuk's Ford." There was a cheer. The villagers, and Thurnus, and Ladletender, drank. "And, too, this night," said Ladletender, "I drink to one with whom I do not share caste but that which is stronger than caste, the blood of brotherhood, Thurnus, he of Tabuk's Ford." — Slave Girl of Gor, page 239.

Clay Tablets
Small, glazed tablets made of clay, used as betting markers at tarn races.

"Many of them, too, were much involved in the race, for concealed in their trays or about their persons were doubtless the glazed clay tablets, purchased from the track merchants, redeemable at odds should their favorites finish in one of the four privileged positions." — Assassin of Gor, page 139.

"Below me I saw a hawker of sweetmeats angrily discarding four silver-glazed, numbered clay tiles." — Assassin of Gor, page 140.

Clepsydra
A clock which uses the gradual flow of water to tell time.

Inflected Form(s): plural -dras or clep·sy·drae; Etymology: Latin, from Greek klepsydra, from kleptein to steal + hydOr water; Date: 1646;
"Water Clock." — Merriam-Webster Dictionary ©2004-2006

The Clepsydra, also called Water Clock, is an ancient device for measuring time by the gradual flow of water. One form, used by the North American Indians and some African peoples, consisted of a small boat or floating vessel that shipped water through a hole until it sank. In another form the vessel was filled with water that was allowed to escape through a hole, and the time was read from graduated lines on the interior measuring the level of the remaining water. It may have been an invention of the Chaldeans of ancient Babylonia; specimens from Egypt date from the 14th century BC. In early specimens the graduations do not allow for the fact that, as the water escaped, pressure was reduced and the flow slowed down. The Romans invented a clepsydra consisting of a cylinder into which water dripped from a reservoir; a float provided readings against a scale on the cylinder wall. Clepsydras were used for many purposes, including timing the speeches of orators; as late as the 16th century, Galileo used a mercury clepsydra to time his experimental falling bodies." — Encyclopaedia Britannica ©2004-2006

"The average Gorean has a variety of simple devices at his disposal for making the passage of time. Typical among them are marked, or calibrated, candles, sun dials, sand glasses, clepsydras and oil clocks." — Magicians of Gor, page 358.

Clienthood
A coalition of sorts between ship captains and a Ubar; safety in return for taxes, performance of services, etc., paid to such Ubar; an Ubarate of sorts. See also: "Ubarate."

Etymology: Middle English, from Middle French & Latin; Middle French client, from Latin client-, cliens; perhaps akin to Latin clinare to lean; Date: 14th century;
       "1: one that is under the protection of another;
       2a: a person who engages the professional advice or services of another;
       3: Client State." — Merriam-Webster Dictionary ©2004-2006

"Many of the captains, incidentally, were client to one Ubar or another. I myself did not choose to apply for clienthood with a Ubar of Port Kar. I did not expect to need their might, nor did I wish to extend them my service." — Raiders of Gor, page 129.

"As my projects developed I had no wish to suffer for not having applied for client-hood to one Ubar or another." — Raiders of Gor, page 149.

Closed Fist
At an auction, a closed fist by the auctioneer signifies that a bid was accepted.

"The auctioneer looked from face to face, and there were no more bids forthcoming. He lifted his hand, palm up, open, to the crowd. If he closed his fist it meant he had accepted the bid. There was silence." — Assassin of Gor, page 306.

Cloth Worker, Caste of
One of the low castes.

Clover
Low growing, three-leafed plant.

"I set her down on a bed of green clover. Beyond it, some hundred yards away, I could see the border of a yellow field of Sa-Tarna and a yellow thicket of Ka-la-na trees." — Tarnsman of Gor, page 96.

Cloves
A tree which bears fruit of the same name; export from the Bazi region; used as a spice but has medicinal value as well.

"Yes," I said. "It is cinnamon and cloves, is it not?"
"Yes," said Ulafi, "and other spices, as well." — Explorers of Gor, page 98.

Coach
A public or rented wagons for the transportation of passengers, often slung on layers of leather (in effect: shock absorbers) to give a more comfortable ride. It seems free women, however, are the most commonly afflicted with motion sickness in these coaches. See also: "Fee Cart."

Etymology:Middle English coche, from Middle French, from German kutsche, probably from Hungarian kocsi (szekér) wagon from Kocs, village in Hungary;
       "A large usually closed 4-wheeled carriage having doors in the sides and generally a front and a back seat inside and an elevated seat in front for the driver." — Merriam-Webster Dictionary ©2004-2006

"Applied with the brush it is used, as would be mineral grease, were it more commonly available, to lubricate the moving parts of the wagon, in particular the axles, and where the rare wagon has them, metal springs, usually of the leaf variety. Some Gorean 'coaches,' and fee carts, not many, are slung on layers of leather. This gives a reasonably smooth ride but the swaying, until one accommodates oneself to it, can induce nausea, in effect, seasickness. This seems to be particularly the case with free women, who are notoriously delicate and given to imaginary complaints." — Renegades of Gor, page 19.

Code of the Warrior
To each Caste there is a standardization of rules, etiquette, etc., by which each person of that caste adhere to. Or should adhere to. The Warrior Code is a set of standards amongst warriors.

"The Code of the Warrior was, in general, characterized by a rudimentary chivalry, emphasizing loyalty to the Pride Chiefs and the Home Stone. It was harsh, but with a certain gallantry, a sense of humor that I could respect. A man could do worse than live by such a code." — Tarnsman of Gor, page 41.

Coin Girl
A slave girl, who, with a coin box and a triangular flat bell chained around her neck, is sent out in the streets to earn money from Masters, usually paga tavern owners for her sexual use.

"Coin girls are a form of street slave, usually set into the streets around dusk by their masters, who commonly own several of them, with a chain on their neck, to which would be attached, normally, a bell, to call attention to their whereabouts, and a small, locked coin box." — Renegades of Gor, page 107.

Coin Merchan
The Gorean banker; a sub-caste of the Merchants Caste.

"Many Gorean bankers, not only the fellows sitting on a rug in their booth on a street, their sleen about, but also those in the palaces and fortresses on the 'Streets of Coins,' work with scales. Too, sometimes coins are literally chopped into pieces. This is regularly done with copper tarsks, to produce, usually, the eight tarsk bits equivalent in most cities to the copper tarsk. Every year at the Sardar Fair there is a motion before the bankers, literally, the coin merchants, to introduce a standardization of coinage among the major cities. To date, however, this has not been accomplished. I did not feel it was really fair of Boots to call attention to my possible lack of expertise in these matters. I was not, after all, of the merchants, nor, among them, of the coin merchants." — Magicians of Gor, page 411.

Coffle
A method of chaining a line of slaves together; common methods are to link the slaves by the left ankle, left wrist, or throat; also, the line of slaves itself.

"Girls are spaced on such a chain, usually, by snap rings. An advantage of the first sort of coffle arrangement is that the chain may, as girls are added or subtracted, be shortened or lengthened. A chain which has been borne by fifty girls would, of course, be impracticably heavy for five or six. An advantage of the second arrangement is that girls can be easily spaced on the chain, more or less closely together, and can be conveniently removed from, and added to, the chain. Which chaining arrangement is best for a given set of girls depends, of course, on the particular intentions and purposes of their master." — Savages of Gor, page 136.

Coffle Collar
The coffle collar includes several types of steel collars with front and/or back rings so as to enable the slaver to secure several girls on one chain, with three (3') to four (4') lengths of chain between them.

"The collars had front and back rings, were hinged on the right and locked on the left. This is a familiar form of coffle collar. The lengths of chain between the collars were about three to four feet long. Some were attached to the collar rings by the links themselves, opened and then reclosed about the rings, and some of them were fastened to the collar rings by snap rings. Another common form of coffle collar has its hinge in the front and closes behind the back of the neck, like the common slave collar. It has a single collar ring, usually on the right through which, usually, a single chain is strung." — Savages of Gor, pages 135-136.

Coffle Line
A method of chaining a line of slaves together for trekking.

Collar
Any of several varieties of metal and even leather devices that fit around the neck of a slave, or captive free male or female. See also: "Slave Collar."

Collar Dance
One of the various slave dances.

Collaring Feast
See: "Feast of Collaring."

"If he is a young tarnsman, and she is his first girl, he will take her back to his own city, and display her for his family and friends, and she will dance for him, and serve him, at the Collaring Feast." — Captive of Gor, page 228.

Combination Lock
A common lock found on Gor, but rather than numbers, letters are used.

"Also, combination locks are not unknown, but they are infrequently found. The most common combination lock consists of a set of lettered rings which conceal a bolt. When the letters are properly aligned the bolt may be withdrawn." — Assassin of Gor, page 52.

Combing Circle
A method of grooming amongst a group of slave girls; the girls form a circle, each combing the hair of the one in front of her.

We took the combs and knelt, letting the blankets fall about our waist, and combed our hair. I think it pleased the men to see us do this. Gorean men relish women, and enjoy watching them, even in the performance of such simple, homely acts as combing their hair. To be sure, we were bare-breasted, and slaves, and obeying. We had not been asked to form a combing circle, probably because they were willing to permit us to remain in the vicinity of the fire. There were too few of us to circumscribe the fire. We would have had to withdraw from the fire, or most of us. In the combing circle we kneel in a circle, each girl combing the hair of the girl in front of her. Making us comb our hair before we were fed, incidentally, is typical of the manner in which Gorean men treat female slaves. The woman is to be presentable and beautiful, before she is permitted food. How much darker, I noted, did my hair, and that of the other brunets look, when it was wet. The combs were of yellow wood, and had long teeth. The entire comb, including the teeth, was about five inches square. There are various hairdos in which such combs are worn in the hair." — Dancer of Gor, pages 111-112.

Commander of a Ten
See: "Or."

Commander of a Hundred
See: "Orlu."

Commander of a Thousand
See: "Oralu."

Commissary Wagon
The wagon in a camp of the Wagon Peoples where food is stored, prepared and served. Often called "the servery" in chat room Gor.

"On the way to the compound I had met Harold and together we had eaten some dried bosk meat and drank water, from one of the commissary wagons attached to one of Hundreds …" — Nomads of Gor, page 307.

Common Chain
In reference to method of chaining slave girls for traveling, sometimes known as the "march chain" or "trekking chain."

Companion Contract
The legal, binding contract between two free persons about to be betrothed.

Companion Journey
Usually performed for a high-caste betrothal, this is the procession of the bride-to-be to various cities and villages, to display the new bride, as well as the riches she brings. Also referred to as "The Betrothal."

"The Betrothal or Companion Journey, ceremonially, included the circuit of the four villages, in each of which a feast was held, and from each of which a wagon of produce was procured, to be added to the dowry riches to be presented to Ebullius Gains Cassius, father of Thandar of Ti, to be included in the treasury of Ti …" — Slave Girl of Gor, page 112.

Companionship Price
The dowery, or gift, in money or goods, given by a man to the father of the woman he wishes to take into free companionship. See also: "Bride Price."

"Lurius of Jad, Ubar of the island of Cos, was said, by a long-dissolved companionship, to have a daughter. … Cos and Port Kar, of course, are enemies, but, if the Companion Price offered Lurius were sufficient, I would not expect him to hesitate in giving me the girl. … Perhaps I should think of the daughter of Lurius of Jad, Ubar of Cos. She was the daughter of a Ubar. He would doubtless let her go if the Companionship Price were sufficiently attractive." — Hunters of Gor, page 174.

Compass
See: "Gorean Compass."

Compass-Chronometer
See: "Gorean Compass."

"Most importantly, I found a compass-chronometer …" — Tarnsman of Gor, page 105.

Complex Knot
Also known as the Signature Knot; each person has his or her own style of tying knots, used specifically for compartments that do not have a metal lock, but rather only have a latch string hole. These locks are complex designs of tying (or turns), i.e, Tarl Cabot had a 52-turn knot. Similar to the ancient Gordian knot, made infamous by Alexander the Great. See: "Gordian Knot."

I was not altogether without an expedient, however, as, upon examination, I discovered that the door had, as well as the latch string hole, another small hole bored below the latch bar, doubtless put there by someone who had used the room before myself. "This permits," I said to Elizabeth, indicating the small hole below the latch bar, "the complex knot."
       "What is that?" she asked.
       "Observe," I said to her. I sprang to my feet and looked about the room. There were several chests in the room, including the iron-banded one with its heavy lock. There were also some cabinets against one wall, filled with plate and cups, some bottles of paga and Ka-la-na.
       "What are you looking for?" she asked.
       "String," I said, "or cord, anything." We began to rummage through some of the chests and, almost immediately, Elizabeth discovered some five pairs of sandal thongs.
       "Will these do?" she asked.
       "Excellent," I said, taking a pair from her.
       She knelt and watched me as I took one of the thongs and sat cross-legged by the door, and split it carefully over the edge of my sword. I now had, in effect, a piece of boskhide cord. I then looped the cord over the latch bar and then put both ends of the cord through the small hole, so they dangled on the outside of the door. I then swung the door inward. "Suppose," I said, "I now tied a relatively fair-sized knot with these two ends of the cord."
       Elizabeth looked at the cords for a moment. "Then," she said, "you would have tied the latch bar down, so it could not be lifted with the latch string." I smiled. Elizabeth was quick, always quick. In tying such a knot, with the cord looped on the inside about the latch bar, and the knot too large to slip through the hole, I would have fastened the bar down. "But someone could untie the knot," she pointed out, "and enter."
       "Of course," I said, looking at her.
       She looked at me for a moment, puzzled. Then suddenly her face broke into a smile and she clapped her hands. "Yes!" she laughed. "Marvelous!" Elizabeth was one of quickest girls I had ever known. She, of Earth, had never heard of this trick, and yet, from the barest of hints, she had understood what could be done.
       "Observe," I said. I then took the two dangling cords and began to tie what must have seemed to her an incredible knot. "Actually," I informed her, as I continued to weave the cords together in an ever larger and more complex fashion, "this is only a fifty-seven turn knot. It is, however, my own invention, though I never thought I'd need it. This trick was taught to me by Andreas of Tor, years ago, of the Caste of Singers, for doors in the city of Tor are commonly of this variety. His own knot was a sixty-two turn knot, father's was seventy-one; one of his brothers used a hundred, and four turn knot, which, as I recall, Andreas thought a pretentious."
       "It is always the same knot though," said Elizabeth.
       "Yes," I said, "each man has his own knot, as distinctive as a signature, and each knot is his own secret Only he can tie it, and, more importantly only he knows the reverse turns by which that knot, provided it has been untouched, is untied."
       "Anyone then," said Elizabeth, "could untie the knot."
       "Surely," I said. "The problem is to reconstruct the knot after it has been untied."
       "The owner of the compartment," said Elizabeth, "returning to the compartment and untying the knot can tell immediately whether or not it is his own knot."
       "Correct," I said.
       "And thus he knows," said Elizabeth, "whether or not the compartment has been entered in his absence."
       "Yes," I said. "Sometimes," I added, "someone enters the compartment and has a confederate on the outside attempt to duplicate the knot, that the man inside may surprise the occupant on his return, but commonly this stratagem is unsuccessful, because of the difficulties of duplicating the knot." — Assassin of Gor, pages 52-55.

Cotanka
In the language of the red savages, the term meaning "love flute."

"Two hunters I saw returning, friends; one was Cotanka, 'Love Flute,' of the Wismahi, and the other was Wayuhahaka, 'One-Who-Possesses-Much,' who had elected to remain with the Isbu." — Blood Brothers of Gor, page 469.

Contasta
Literal translation: "From the founding of."

Time is reckoned "Contasta Ar", or "from the founding of Ar." — Outlaw of Gor, page 179.

Contasta Ar
Literal translation: "From the founding of Ar." This term is used for purposes of chronological time keeping, anc can be found in relation to the term, Ab urbe condita (related with Anno urbis conditae: AUC or a.u.c.) is Latin for "from the founding of the City (Rome)", traditionally set in 753 BC. It was used to identify the Roman year by a few Roman historians. Modern historians use it much more frequently than the Romans themselves did; the dominant method of identifying Roman years was to name the two consuls who held office that year. Before the advent of the modern critical edition of historical Roman works, AUC was indiscriminately added to them by earlier editors, making it appear more widely used than it actually was. The regnal year of the emperor was also used to identify years, especially in the Byzantine Empire after Justinian required its use in 537.

Time is reckoned "Contasta Ar", or "from the founding of Ar." — Outlaw of Gor, page 179.

"In the calendar of Ar, for those it might interest, it was the first year of the restoration of Marlenus, Ubar of Ubars, but, more usefully for the purposes of consolidating the normal chaos of Gorean chronology, it was the year 10,119 Contasta Ar, that is, from the founding of Ar." — Raiders of Gor, pages 1-2.

Contests of the Bola
A popular, though dangerous, game of the Wagon Peoples.

Contests of Oxen
The first of the two contests held in the Amusements of Tharna. See also: "Amusements of Tharna" and "Battles of Oxen."

"First," said the voice, "there will be the Contests of Oxen." — Outlaw of Gor, page 111.

Contrition Dance
A placatory dance of Turia. See "Placatory Dance."

"There are many forms of placatory dances which are performed by female slaves. Some of these tend to have rather fixed forms, sanctioned by custom and tradition, such as the stately 'Contrition Dance' of Turia." — Dancer of Gor, page 332.

Control Stick
Device used to control a slave girl.

Copper
Common ore found on Gor; used in the making of things such as bracelets.

"Then the rence girls, vital, eyes shining, breathing deeply, barefoot, bare-armed, many with beads worn for festival, and hammered copper bracelets and armlets, stood all within a circle." — Raiders of Gor, page 45.

Copper Tarn [Disk]
Unit of currency.

"She had first been sold for eight silver tarsks to a keeper of one of the public kitchens in a cylinder, a former creditor of her father, who had in mind making a profit on her; she worked in the kitchen for a year as a pot girl, sleeping on straw and chained at night, and then, as her body more adequately developed the contours of womanhood, her master braceleted her and took her to the Capacian Baths where; after some haggling, he received a price of four gold pieces and a silver tarsk; she had begun in one of the vast cement pools as a copper-tarn-disk girl and had, four years later, become a silver-tarsk girl in the Pool of Blue Flowers." — Assassin of Gor, pages 164-165.

Copper-Tarn-Disk-Girl
Bath girl whose price is a copper tarn.

"She had first been sold for eight silver tarsks to a keeper of one of the public kitchens in a cylinder, a former creditor of her father, who had in mind making a profit on her; she worked in the kitchen for a year as a pot girl, sleeping on straw and chained at night, and then, as her body more adequately developed the contours of womanhood, her master braceleted her and took her to the Capacian Baths where; after some haggling, he received a price of four gold pieces and a silver tarsk; she had begun in one of the vast cement pools as a copper-tarn-disk girl and had, four years later, become a silver-tarsk girl in the Pool of Blue Flowers." — Assassin of Gor, pages 164-165.

Corcyrus
Located south of Tharna, known for its silver mines and slave trade.

"Corcyrus," said the girl, "is south of the Vosk. It is. southwest of the city of Ar. It lies to the east and somewhat north of Argentum." — Kajira of Gor, page 40.

"These wholesalers usually distribute to retailers, in their individual cities, or, often, also, in well-known slaving centers, of which there are many, for example, Ar, Ko-ro-ba, Venna, Vonda, Victoria, on the Vosk, Market of Semris, Besnit, Esalinus, Harfax, Corcyus, Argentum, Torcadino, and others." — Dancer of Gor, page 102.

Cord Collar
A collar made of rence cord; worn by slave girls of the rencers, a small disk denotes their owner.

"On some rence islands I have heard, incidentally, that the men have revolted, and enslaved their women. These are usually kept in cord collars, with small disks attached to them, indicating the names of their masters." — Vagabonds of Gor, page 341.

Cords of Tharna
Rival paga tavern to the Chatka and Curla in Cos.

"… the Cords of Tharna, an establishment competitive with the Chatka and Curla." — Slave Girl of Gor, page 344.

Corn
Vegetable grown in agricultural communities in the Barrens. Known in the language of the red savages as "Wagmu."

"They grow produce for their masters, such as wagmeza and wagmu, maize, or corn, and such things as pumpkins and squash." — Savages of Gor, page 234.

Cos
One of the largest of the port islands and prominent maritime Ubarate of Gor.

"It is perhaps worth remarking, briefly, on the power of Port Kar, with it being understood that the forces of both Cos and Tyros, the other two significant maritime Ubarates in know Thassa, are quite comparable." — Raiders of Gor, page 133.

Cosians
Street gangs are alive and well on Gor. This particular gang is found in Ar; they adorn Cosian garments and haircuts, causing much mischief. It is a Gorean belief that if one mimics what he fears, he will gain strength from it; thus during the war between Ar and Cos, this gang of street youths mimicked those of Cos in hopes the city of Ar would strengthen because of it.

We heard then, behind us, running feet, laughter, a tearing of cloth, and a woman's cry. A group of young fellows was running past. We, too, were buffeted but I seized one of the lads by the wrist and, drawing him quickly across and about my body, and over my extended right leg, flung him to the stones, where I held him, my grip shifted now to the palm of his hand, on his knees, his head down, his arm high, twisted behind him, his wrist bent, far back. He screamed with pain. Another fraction of a hort, the least additional pressure, and his wrist would be broken. Almost at the same instant I heard Marcus' sword leave its sheath, warning back the other lads, some six of them. Marcus, I noted, was suddenly, relievedly, in an eager, elated mood. He hoped for their advance. He was quite ready, even eager, for the release of shedding blood. I felt my own nostrils flare as I suddenly, excitedly, drank in the air of Ar, exhilerated, fiercely alive. The six lads backed away. I had little doubt he would have cut them down had they come with the compass of his blade. One of the lads, their leader it seemed, clutched the woman's pouch, torn from her belt, and another held her veil. I looked back to the woman, who had been struck to her knees. She had drawn her hood about her face, that her features not be exposed publicly. Her eyes were wild in the opening within the hood.
       "Do not hurt me!" screamed the lad on his knees, I paid him little attention. He was going nowhere. At least two of the other lads had knives. "You are 'Cosians'?" I said to them. They looked at one another.
       Certain gangs of youths, young ruffians, roamed the streets, affecting Cosian garments and haircuts. These were called "Cosians." Such things are common where an enemy is feared. They ape the feared enemy, and hope thereby, as though by some alchemy, to obtain his strength and success. Such charades serve, too, as a form of cowardly camouflage. Knowing they have nothing to fear from their own people, they pretend they are like the enemy, perhaps in the hope that then they will have nothing to fear from him, as well. Too, such postures, costumes and mannerisms provide an easy way to attract attention to oneself, a welcome feature to one who may otherwise be unworthy of attention. Similarly, such charades provide, in more serious cases, a way of expressing one's alienation from one's own society, one's repudiation of it, and one's contempt of it. From this point of view then, such things may constitute a comprehensible, if somewhat silly, or ineffectual, form of protest. Too, of course, such costumes can intimidate weaklings, which some would undoubtedly rate as an additional advantage. — Magicians of Gor, pages 168-169.

Cosian Song Fish
Also known as the Cosian Wing Fish.

"They spend much of the day in the water and, it is said, are more at ease in that element than the Cosian song fish." — Assassin of Gor, page 161.

Cosian Wing Fish
Also known as the Cosian Song Fish.

"Now this," Saphrar the merchant was telling me, "is the braised liver of the blue, four-spired Cosian wingfish." — Nomads of Gor, page 84.

Cosmeticians
One of the many sub-castes on Gor; not much is spoken of this caste.

"Less impressive perhaps but even more essential to the operation of the House were its kitchens, its laundries, commissaries and storerooms; its medical facilities, in which dental care is also provided; its corridors of rooms for staff members, all of whom live in the House; its library, its records and files; its cubicles for Smiths, Bakers, Cosmeticians, Bleachers, Dyers, Weavers and Leather Workers …" — Assassin of Gor, page 111.

Couch, Master's
Often made of stone, covered in thick pelts and silk sheets for the comfort of the master. A slave ring is set in the bottom of the couch in order for the master to chain either his slave or his Free Companion.

"Vika had unrolled a straw mat which she placed on the floor at the foot of the great stone couch in the chamber. On this, wrapped in a light blanket, her chin on her knees, she sat watching me. A heavy slave ring was set in the bottom of the couch to which I might have, had I pleased, chained her." — Priest-Kings of Gor, page 48.

"… normally the Gorean slave girl sleeps at the foot of her master's couch… If she has not pleased her master of late, she may be, of course, as a disciplinary measure, simply chained nude to the slave ring at in the bottom of the couch, sans both blanket and mat. The stones of the floor are hard and the Gorean nights are cold and it is a rare girl who, when unchained in the morning, does not seek more dutifully to serve her master." — Priest-Kings of Gor, page 67.

"According to the Gorean way of looking at things a taste of the slave ring is thought to be occasionally beneficial to all women, even the exalted Free Companions. Thus when she has been irritable or otherwise troublesome even a Free Companion may find herself at the foot of the couch looking forward to a pleasant night on the stones, stripped, with neither mat nor blanket, chained to a slave ring precisely as though she were a lowly slave girl." — Priest-Kings of Gor, page 67.

Couching Law
A common law practiced in many cities of Gor, in which a free woman who becomes, or with intent to become, intimate with a male slave that she does not own, becomes the automatic slave of the owner of the male slave.

"I was taken pursuant to the couching laws," she said.
"I see," I said. Any free woman who voluntarily couches with another's slave, or readies herself to do so, becomes the slave of the slave's master. By such an act, the couching with, or readying herself to couch with, a slave, as though she might be a girl of the slave's master, thrown to the slave, she shows herself as no more than a slave, and in this act, in law, becomes a slave. Who then should own her, this new slave? Why, of course, he to whom the law consigns her, the master of the slave with whom she has couched, or was preparing to couch. — Magicians of Gor, page 303.

Council of Captains
A council of the city of Port Kar formed of the most powerful captains.

"I took my seat in the Council of the Captains of Port Kar." — Raiders of Gor, page 126.

"I clutched the medallion about my neck, with its tarn ship and the initials of the Council of Captains." — Raiders of Gor, page 237.

Council Guard
The police force of Port Kar, formed after the failed coup of Henrius Sevarius to become the single Ubar of the city.

"Also considered, though nothing was determined that night, were matters of taxation, the unification and revision of the codes of the five Ubars, the establishment of council courts, replacing those of the Ubars, and the acquisition of a sizable number of men-at-arms, who would be directly responsible to the council itself, in effect, a small council police or army. Such a body of men, it might be noted, though restricted in numbers and limited in jurisdiction, already existed in the arsenal. The arsenal guard, presumably, would become a branch of the newly formed council guard, if such became a reality." — Raiders of Gor, pages 159-160.

"Meanwhile, while I had been plying the trade of pirate, the military and political ventures of the Council itself, within the city, had proceeded well. For one thing, they had now formed a Council Guard, with its distinct livery, that was now recognized as a force of the Council, and, in effect, as the police of the city." — Raiders of Gor, page 218.

"Samos wore the blue and yellow robes of the Slaver. Indeed, he was first slaver of Port Kar, and first Captain in its Council of Captains, which council, since the downfall of the four Ubars is sovereign in Port Kar." — Hunters of Gor, page 7.

Coup
"Coup" literally means to strike an enemy at close range; effectively, to slap him. It is a game of honor amongst the red savages not to kill their enemy, but to see how close they can get to their enemy and "touch" him; often this "touching" includes the taking of scalps. The counting of coup places the warrior in the heirarchy of his tribe. Coup is counted by how close the warrior gets to his prey. For example, striking the enemy at close range with a bow and arrow might be considered in the range of a fifth to seventh coup, while touching the enemy with one's open hand would count as the highest coup ever, the first coup. The use of coup by John Norman suggests more the coup de main.

plural coups; from Middle French caupe blow, stroke; Date: 1791;
"A brilliant, sudden, and usually highly successful stroke or act."

coup de main:
Etymology: French, literally, hand stroke; Date: 1758;
"A sudden attack in force." — Merriam-Webster Dictionary ©2004-2006

The most highly regarded battle exploit among most tribes, for which the highest honors are accorded, is not to kill an armed enemy but to touch or strike one with the open hand. The more danger and risk that is involved in a deed, on the whole, the greater is the concomitant glory of accomplishing it. Killing the enemy, thus, in the heraldry of the red savages, ranks far beneath the besting of the enemy, and in a way that supposedly demonstrates one's greater prowess and courage. It is thus understandable that touching an armed enemy with the open hand counts among most tribes as a first coup. The second and third man to accomplish such a deed would then receive second coup and third coup. Killing an enemy with a bow and arrow from ambush, on the other hand, might be counted as only a fifth or seventh coup." — Savages of Gor, pages 44-45.

Courage Scar
Indigenous to the Wagon Peoples. This scar holds great social and economic status.

"At that time I could read only the top scar, the red, bright, fierce cordlike scar that was the Courage Scar. It is always the highest scar on the face. Indeed, without that scar, no other scar can be granted. The Wagon Peoples value courage above all else. Each of the men facing me wore that scar." — Nomads of Gor, pages 15-16.

"Indeed, without the Courage Scar one could not even think of proposing oneself for the competition. It might be mentioned, incidentally, that without the Courage Scar one may not, among the Tuchuks, pay court to a free woman, own a wagon, or own more than five bosk and three kaiila. The Courage Scar thus has its social and economic, as well as its martial, import." — Nomads of Gor, page 113.

Crater
Drinking vessel for wine.

Depicted: Wine Crater, circa 660 BC "Heralces in the House of Eurytos"

"Krater, or crater: A wide two-handled bowl used in ancient Greece and Rome." — American Heritage College Dictionary, Third Edition ©2001

"Aphris got up and fetched not a skin, but a bottle, of wine, Ka-la-na wine, from the Ka-la-na orchards of great Ar itself. She also brought a black, red-trimmed wine crater from the isle of Cos… She poured wine into the crater… Then he threw back his head and drained the crater." — Nomads of Gor, pages 150-151.

"Serve me wine," I said. She did so, kneeling before me, head down, handing me the black, red-trimmed wine crater, that of the master…" — Nomads of Gor, page 293.

Crier
A sub-caste of the Caste of Scribes. The duties of the [town] crier is to announce special events, etc.

Date: 1602:
"A town officer who makes public proclamations." — Merriam-Webster Dictionary ©2004-2006

One disappointment to me in trekking through the streets of Turia was that a crier advanced before us, calling to the women of the city to conceal themselves, even the female slaves. — Nomads of Gor, page 88.

Crossbow

Cuneiform
In reference to Tarl's comments on how perhaps some of the letters of the Gorean alphabet derived, cuneiform refers to:

"Wedge-shaped; Being a character or characters formed by the arrangement of small wedge-shaped elements and used in ancient Sumerian, Akkadian, Assyrian, Babylonian, and Persian writing; Relating to, composed in, or using such characters." — American Heritage College Dictionary, Third Edition ©2001

"The Gorean alphabet has twenty-eight characters, all of which, I suspect, owe their origin to one or another of the alphabets of Earth. Several show a clear-cut resemblance to Greek letters, for example. 'Sidge', on the other hand, could be cuneiform, and 'Tun' and 'Val' are probably calligraphically drifted from demotic." — Explorers of Gor, pages 9-10.

Curla
The red waist cord worn by slave girls of the Wagon Peoples.

Cur-lon Fiber
A fiber spun by the Spider People and used in the textile mills of Ar.

"That is pleasing to me," said the insect, "for the men of Ar do not behave well towards the Spider People. They hunt us and leave only enough of us alive to spin the Cur-lon Fiber used in the mills of Ar. If they were not rational creatures, we would fight them." — Tarnsman of Gor, page 83.

Curule Chair
Ornately decorated chair usually reserved for dignitaries, magistrates, and other high officials.

Pronunciation: [kyur-ul]; Etymology: Latin curulis, perhaps alteration of currulis of a chariot, from currus chariot, from currere to run; Date: 1600
"Privileged to sit in a seat reserved in ancient Rome for the use of the highest dignitaries; also: of or relating to a curule chair." — Merriam-Webster Dictionary ©2004-2006

"Latin: Sella Curulis, a style of chair reserved in ancient Rome for the use of the highest government dignitaries and usually made like a campstool with curved legs. Ordinarily made of ivory, with or without arms, it probably derived its name from the chariot (currus) in which a magistrate was conveyed to a place of judgment; it served early as a seat of judgment. Subsequently it became a sign of office of all higher ("curule") magistrates, or officials, including the consul, praetor, curule aedile, dictator, master of the horse, interrex, censor, and, later, the emperor." — Encyclopaedia Britannica ©2004-2006

"His large hands rested over the arms of the curved curule chair in which he sat, which was mounted on a platform of stone, about a foot high and twelve feet square." — Assassin of Gor, page 39.

"Near the finishing perches, nine of which were standing for this race, were the areas reserved for the Administrator, the High Initiate, and members of the High Council. These areas were almost porches, extending beyond the regular stands, covered with awnings, on which were mounted sets of curule chairs, at different levels." — Assassin of Gor, page 139.

Curulean
The large, major auction house in Ar.

"The major auction house, the Curulean, contains the great block. It is a great mark of prestige among slave girls to be selected for sale from the great block in the Curulean, and girls tend to compete viciously among themselves for this honor. To be sold from the Curulean great block is almost a guarantee of a rich master, and a luxurious pleasant life, though it be, of course, only that of a slave. As at many of the larger markets, there are Musicians near the block, and a girl is given enough time to present herself well. At the minor blocks in the small houses, or even the minor blocks in the Curulean, sales are conducted with a swiftness and dispatch that gives the girl little time to interest and impress buyers, with the result that even a very fine girl, to her indignation and shame, may be sold for only an average price to an average buyer, who may use her for little more than, as it is said, kettle and mat." — Assassin of Gor, page 112.

Cutthroat Tribe
The Kaiila tribe of the red savages.

That stood for the Kaiila, the Cutthroat tribes." — Savages of Gor, page 246.

Cuttlefish
One of any various squid-like mollusks.

"Any of various squidlike cephalopod marine mollusks of the genus Sepia, having a calcareous internal shell." — American Heritage College Dictionary ©2000

"It contained as well the separated oil of the Thentis needle tree; an extract from the glands of the Cartius river urt; and a preparation formed from a disease calculus scraped from the intestines of the rare Hunjer Long Whale, the result of the inadequate digestion of cuttlefish." — Marauders of Gor, page 114.

Cylinder
Cities of Gor are often composed of cylindrical buildings, each painted to distinguish caste, services provided, etc. See: "Cylinder of Documents," "Cylinder of Justice," "Cylinder of Warriors."

"The city of Ar must have contained more than a hundred thousand cylinders …" — Tarnsman of Gor, page 76.

"Tharna, though a city of cylinders, did not seem to my eye as beautiful as many other cities I had seen. This was perhaps the cylinders were, on the whole, less lofty than those of other cities, and much broader, giving an impression of a set of squat, accumulated disks, so different from the lofty forests of sky-challenging towers and battlements distinguishing most Gorean cities. Moreover, in contrast to most cities, the cylinders of Tharna seemed excessively solemn, as if overcome by their own weight. They were scarcely distinguishable from one another, an aggregate of greys and browns, so different from the thousand gay colors that gleamed in most cities, where each cylinder in towering splendor lodged its claim to be the bravest and most beautiful of all." — Outlaw of Gor, pages 69-70.

Cylinder of Documents
raries are separate from the Cylinder of Documents and are open to the public.

"Game! Game!" I heard, and quickly shook my head, driving away the memories of Ar, and of the girl once known, always loved. The word actually cried was "Kaissa," which is Gorean for "Game." … It might be mentioned that the game, as I shall speak of it, for in Gorean it has no other designation, is extremely popular on Gor, and even children find among their playthings the pieces of the game; there are numerous clubs and competitions among various castes and cylinders; careful records of important games are kept and studied; lists of competitions and tournaments and their winners are filed in the Cylinder of Documents; there is even in most Gorean libraries a section containing an incredible number of scrolls pertaining to the techniques, tactics and strategy of the game. Almost all civilized Goreans, of whatever caste, play. It is not unusual to find even children of twelve or fourteen years who play with a depth and sophistication, a subtlety and a brilliance, that might be the envy of the chess masters of Earth. — Assassin of Gor, pages 26-27.

"In the House of Cernus, after the sheet, bracelets, leash and collar had been removed, agents of House of Cernus had checked her fingerprints against those on the papers. She had then been examined thoroughly the by Physicians of the House of Cernus. Then, found acceptable, she had knelt while agents of the House signed the receipt of her delivery and endorsed her papers, retaining one set, giving one set to the seller's agent, for forwarding to the Cylinder of Documents." — Assassin of Gor, pages 40-41.

Cylinder of Justice
The judicial hall of Gorean cities; can either be civil courts or, if the Cylinder is white in color, the courts of the Initiates.

"The Cylinder of Justice," he said. The cylinder was white, a color Goreans often associate with impartiality. More significant, it indicated that the justice dispensed therein was the justice of Initiates. — Tarnsman of Gor, pages 193-194.

"The Cylinder of Justice was a lofty cylinder of pure white marble, the flat roof of which was some two hundred yards in diameter." — Tarnsman of Gor, page 204.

Cylinder of Warriors
The building which houses warriors.

"A knife on the high bridge," said I, "in the vicinity of the Cylinder of Warriors—at the Twentieth Ahn—in the darkness and the shadows of the lamps." — Assassin of Gor, page 41.

Cylinder Lock
Common lock found on Gor; used for many purposes such as on doors, chests, and slave collars.

"The small, heavy lock on a girl's slave collar, incidentally, may be of several varieties, but almost all are cylinder locks, either of the pin or disk variety. In a girl's collar lock there would be either six pins or six disks, one each, it is said, for each letter in the Gorean word for female slave, Kajira; the male slave, or Kajirus, seldom has a locked collar; normally a band of iron is simply hammered about his neck…" — Assassin of Gor, page 51.

Cymbals
A percussion instrument which consists of a circular flat or concave metal plate that is used in pairs struck glancingly together.

"I could hear from a tent nearby the sound of a flute, some soft drums, and the rhythmic jangle of some tiny cymbals." — Tarnsman of Gor, page 134.

Cylix
See: Kylix.

Czehar
This lyre-type instrument consists of a flat, oblong box, having 8 strings, it is held across the lap when sitting cross-legged and is played with a horn pick. Czehar players generally are the leaders of the ensembles. An instrument that most resembles the czehar is that of the koto, a Japanese instrument. See: "Lyre."

"Now that the sport was done some Musicians filed in, taking up positions to one side. There was a czehar player, two players of the kalika, four flutists and a pair of kaska drummers." — Assassin of Gor, page 88.

 

 

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.

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