Ianda
One of the exchange islands located in the southern portion of Gor.
"I did not go as far south as Anago or Ianda, or as far north as Hunjer or Skjern, west of Torvaldsland." — Raiders of Gor, page 137.
Ice Beast
A white-furred Kur.
"An ice beast!" cried Akko. The other figure was that, clearly, shambling, long-armed. of a white-pelted Kur." — Beasts of Gor, page 292.
Ice House
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. Errantly called "chilleries" by the online world.
"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.
Ice Mountain
Gorean expression for an iceberg.
"Gorean has no expression specifically for an iceberg. The same expression is used for both mountain and iceberg. If a reference should he unclear the expression is qualified, as by saying, 'ice mountain.' A mountain is a mountain to Goreans, regardless of whether it be formed of soil and stone, or ice." — Beasts of Gor, page 37.
Ice Wagon
Wagons specifically built to delivery ice to those wealthy Goreans who can afford ice during the summer .
"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.
Identificatory Anklet
In lieu of a collar, a small metal anklet is fastened about a captured Earth girl's ankle for transportation to Gor; it is removed once she is delivered on Gor .
"… A metal anklet of some sort was fastened on my left ankle."
"A girls identificatory anklet," I said. "It is removed after her delivery to Gor." — Savages of Gor, page 181.
Identificatory Slave Bracelet
In lieu of a collar, a small metal bracelet is placed around the wrist of a slave; generally used by owners of lure slaves.
"The slave looked up at me while the retainer removed his chains, and the identificatory slave bracelet, of silver, which he had worn on his left wrist." — Magicians of Gor, page 430.
"He did so, and I locked a silver slave bracelet, resembling the one he had previously worn, on his left wrist. On this bracelet, in fine, tiny lettering, were the words "I belong to Tarl of Port Kar." — Magicians of Gor, page 441.
Igloo
Also: Iglu
Innuit shelter; not necessarily made from snow or ice.
"Once again, as he had before, he found a suitable drift of snow and began to cut blocks. We may call this type of shelter an igloo, or iglu, I suppose, for that is the word, an Innuit word actually, by which we would think of it. Yet in the language of the Innuit, or of the People, the word 'igloo' or 'iglu' designates more generally a dwelling or house. For example, it is not necessary for an igloo to be made from snow or ice. Imnak's half-underground hut, or house, at the permanent camp, for example, was also called an igloo." — Beasts of Gor, page 336.
Ihanke
In the language of the red savages, a word meaning "Boundary."
"Kailiauk is the easternmost town at the foot of the Thentis mountains. It lies almost at the edge of the Ihanke, or Boundary. From its outskirts, one can see the markers, or feathers on their tall wands, which mark the beginning of the country of the red savages." — Savages of Gor, page 77.
Ihdazicaka
The term which means One Who Counts Himself Rich in the language of the red savages.
"Before that time, as a stalwart, handsome lad, he had been affectionately known as Ihdazicaka, or One-Who-Counts-Himself-Rich." — Blood Brothers of Gor, page 9.
Ihn
The Gorean second, of which there are eighty (80) in an Ehn. The Ihn is also used in measurement of latitude and longitude.
"Each Ahn consists of forty Ehn, or minutes, and each Ehn of eighty Ihn, or seconds." — Outlaw of Gor, page 26.
"There is also a system of latitude and longitude figured on the basis of the Gorean day, calculated in Ahn, twenty of which constitute a Gorean day, and Ehn and Ihn, which are subdivisions of the Ahn, or Gorean hour." — Nomads of Gor, page 3 (footnote).
Immunity of the Herald
Another phrase for that old adage, "Don't shoot me, I'm just the messenger."
"Proclaim Henrius Sevarius sole Ubar," said Lysias numbly, "and your lives will be spared, and you will be granted amnesty."
"That is your proposal?" asked Samos.
"It is," said Lysias.
"Now hear," said Samos, "the proposal of the council, that Henrius Sevarius and his regent, Claudius, lay down their arms, and divest themselves of all ships, and men and holdings, all properties and assets, and present themselves, stripped and in the chains of slaves, before the council, that its judgment may be passed on them."
Lysias, his body rigid with fury, his hand on the hilt of his sword, stood not speaking before Samos, First Slaver of Port Kar. "Perhaps," said Samos, "their lives may be spared, that they may take their seat on the benches of the public round ships." There was an angry cry of affirmation, and a shaking of fists, from those of the council.
Lysias, looked about himself. "I claim the immunity of the herald!" he cried.
"It is yours," said Samos. Then he spoke to a page. — Raiders of Gor, page 156.
Imnak
Masculine Innuit name which means "Steep Mountain."
The names of the red hunters, incidentally, have meaning, but, generally, I content myself with reporting the name in their own language. 'Inmak,' for example, means 'Steep Mountain' …" — Beasts of Gor, page 194.
Impalement
A form of execution in which the person is laid over the point of a pole to slowly die.
"In the country, impalement is often used, the pole usually being set up near a crossroads." — Renegades of Gor, page 14.
Implanted One
The Priest-Kings were a suspicious, wary lot. Therefore, they often implanted a person to act as their agent, or spy, upon other Goreans. After the Nest Wars, Misk recalled the use.
"But much of our knowledge comes from our implants," said Misk. "We implant humans with a control web and transmitting device. The lenses of their eyes are altered in such a way that what they see is registered by means of transducers on scent-screens in the scanning room. We can also speak and act by means of them, when the control web is activated in the Sardar."
"Was the creature Parp so implanted?" I asked, remembering his eyes.
"Yes," said Misk, "as was the man from Ar whom you met on the road long ago near Ko-ro-ba."
"… and your father, who is a brave and noble man, has served us upon occasion, though he dealt only, unknowingly, with Implanted Ones." — Priest-Kings of Gor, page 126."This might interest you," said Sarm, indicating one of the observation cubes. The angle from which the lens was functioning was unlike that of most of the other cubes. The lens was apparently parallel to rather than above the scene. It was merely a scene of a road, bordered by some trees, which seemed to slowly approach the lens and then pass behind it. "You are seeing through the eyes of an implanted one," said Sarm … "the pupils of his eyes have been replaced with lenses and a control net and transmitting device have been fused with his brain tissue. He himself is now unconscious for the control net is activated. Later we will allow him to rest, and he will see and hear and think again for himself." — Priest-Kings of Gor, page 136.
"There are no more Implanted Ones," said Misk. "We have recalled them and are removing the control nets. They may return to their cities or remain in the Nest, as they please." — Priest-Kings of Gor, page 313.
Ina
One of the 28 letters of the Gorean alphabet.
"Over forty percent of the language consists of the first five letters I mentioned, Eta, Tau, Al-Ka, Omnion and Nu … Further, over sixty percent of the language consists of those five letters plus Ar, Ina, Shu and Homan." — Slave Girl of Gor, page 383.
Inboard Oar
The inboard oar is the longest oar.
"The Dorna used oars of varying lengths; her oars, like those of many tarn ships, varied by about one and one-half foot Gorean, oar to oar; the most inboard oar being the longest; the outboard oar being the shortest." — Raiders of Gor, pages 193-194.
Initiates
The religious caste on Gor; the first of the five High Castes.
"In taking companionship with one of the Warriors she would raise caste, for the Warriors on Gor are among the high castes, of which there are five, the Initiates, Scribes, Physicians, Builders and Warriors." — Slave Girl of Gor, pages 113-114.
Initiatory Whipping
The beating, usually of about ten (10) strokes, which a slave girl receives upon being brought into a new household, to remind her that she is a slave and under discipline.
"Each girl in her processing," said Ho-Tu, "after her fingerprinting, is given five strokes of the lash, that she may feel it and know what it means. After that, to ensure prompt obedience, it is commonly enough to merely move one's hand toward the leather." — Assassin of Gor, page 127.
"Sometimes a girl is whipped when she is first brought into a new house. It is regarded, in some cities, including Victoria as a way of making clear to her that the house in which she now finds herself is a house in which she is a slave." — Rogue of Gor, pages 129-130.
Inland Language
The "inland language" is actually a compilation of many dialects spoken in the Ushindi region.
"There are, of course, many languages spoken on Gor, but that language I have called Gorean, in its various dialects, is the lingua franca of the planet. It is spoken most everywhere, except in remote areas. One of these remote areas, of course, is the equatorial interior. The dialects of the Ushindi region I will usually refer to as the inland dialects. To some extent, of course, this is a misnomer, as there are many languages which are spoken in the equatorial interior which would not be intelligible to a native speaker of the Ushindi area. It is useful, however, to have some convenient way of referring to the linguistic modalities of the Ushindi area. Gorean, incidentally, is spoken generally in Schendi. … The inland language, or, better, one of its dialects, is, of course, the language of the court of Bila Huruma, Shaba's patron and supporter. — Explorers of Gor, page 100.
Innuit
The Red Hunters; a nomadic group of people that live in the arctic north. Literally "The People" in the language of the Red Hunters; what the Red Hunters call themselves.
Inuit; also Innuit:
"A member of the Eskimo peoples of North America, esp. of arctic Canada and Greenland" — American Heritage College Dictionary, Third Edition ©2001
"With Imnak's help we would cross Ax Glacier and find the Innuit, as they called themselves, a word which, in their own tongue, means 'the People.'" — Beasts of Gor, page 188.
Innuit Carving Knife
Knife used by the Innuit in their carvings of ivory and bone; long wooden handle, short point for easy guidance by fingers.
"Imnak's knife had a wooden handle, some fourteen inches long. Its point was some three inches in length. He braced it on his leg in carving, his fingers near the blade end where they might delicately control the movement of the metal. Bracing the knife permits force from the leg to be applied, whereas balance and control are not sacrificed, because the point is subtly guided by the movement of the fingers." — Beasts of Gor, page 253.
Innuit Drums
Large heavy drums, disk-like and with a handle. Much strength is needed to manage these drums which are held in one hand and beaten with a stick held in the other hand.
"The drum of the red hunters is large and heavy. It has a handle and is diskilke. It requires strength to manage it. It is held in one hand and beaten with a stick held in the other. Its frame is generally of wood and its cover, of hide, usually tabuk hide, is fixed on the frame by sinew. Interestingly the drum is not struck on the head, or hide cover, but on the frame. It has an odd resonance. That drum in the hand of the hunter standing now in the midst of the group was some two and one half feet in diameter. He was now striking on it and singing." — Beasts of Gor, pages 261-262.
Insula
(pl. Insulae)
A large tenement inn usually made shabbily of brick and wood.
"Characteristically Roman, the thermae were an important part of its social life, where most citizens lived in crowded tenaments (insulae) without running water or sanitary facilities." — Encyclopaedia Romana ©2002
"We were in a street of Ar, a narrow, crowded street, in which we were much jostled. It was in the Metellan district, south and east of the district of the Central Cylinder. It is a shabby, but not squalid district. There are various tenements, or insulae, there. It is the sort of place, far enough from broad avenues of central Ar, where assignations, or triflings, might take place." — Magicians of Gor, page 9.
"To be sure, there were virile male slaves in Ar. For example, many of the fellows who attended to the great refuse vats usually kept at the foot of the stairs in insulae were male slaves. Usually they worked under the direct or indirect supervision of free men." — Magicians of Gor, page 71.
"This morning, some Ahn before dawn, a convoy of wagons had rattled past our lodgings in the Metallan district, in the insula of Torbon on Demetrios Street. Our room, like many in an insula, had no window there, overlooking the street. Below, guided here and there by lads, with lanterns, were the wagons. There had been a great many of them. Demetrios Street, like most Gorean streets, like no sidewalks or curbs but sloped gently from both sides to a central gutter. The lads with the lanterns, their light casting dim yellow pools here and there on the walls and paving stones, performed an important function. Without some such illumination it is only too easy to miss a turn or gouge a wall with an axle. Marcus had joined me after a time. The wagons were covered with canvas, roped down. It was not the first such convoy which we had seen in the past weeks." — Magicians of Gor, page 102.
Invisibility Rings
Rings designed by the great Kurii scientist, Prasdak,which project a light diversion field, thus enabling its wearer to become invisible to the normal visual range spectrum; also called Light Diversion Rings. See also: "The Five Rings" and "Shield Ring."
"Of course," I said, "it is the ring which I obtained in the Tahari, that ring which projects the light diversion field, which renders its wearer invisible in the normal visible range of the spectrum."
I looked at the ring …" If this is an invisibility ring, we are fortunate to have it fall into our grasp," I said. — Explorers of Gor, pages 27-28.
Iron Belt
The Gorean chastity belt. Although generally it is used to protect the virginity of a slave girl, it is also used at times as a means of punishment. It consists of a horizontal and vertical piece; the horizontal portion, shaped in an oval, encircles well around the girl's waist, and the vertical portion is shaped like the letter "U" and hinged in front to the horizontal portion. If it's not fitted properly on a girl, it can cause much skin irration.
"The White Silk Girls, of course, having been released from the house, would have been placed in locked, iron belts." — Assassin of Gor, page 147.
"To their consternation, before being permitted to leave the training room, Virginia and Phyllis, beneath their livery, had locked on their bodies, by Sura, the iron belt." — Assassin of Gor, page 214.
"Too, more than once one of the guards at the house had angrily tested the security of the iron belt on me, and then, finding it secure, had thrust me from him, then taking another girl in hand, one not in such a belt, for the satisfaction of his fierce needs." — Dancer of Gor, page 88.
Iron Hoods
Used in the games at the Stadium of Blades, helmets which prevent the wearer to see. See: "Blind Helmet."
"Sometimes men fight locked in iron hoods, unable to see their opponents." — Assassin of Gor, page 189.
Iron Hooks
Similar to the iron hooks of ancient Earth, sometimes referred to as "spurs," these metal spikes are set into wooden blocks and buried in the sand, used as a military defense.
"Also, half buried in the sands among the stakes and set in wooden blocks would be iron hooks, much like those used in ancient times on Earth and sometimes called spurs." — Tarnsman of Gor, page 163.
Iron Master
One of the Wagon Peoples who is skilled in the making of collars and piercings for nose rings.
"… Kamchak would call for the Tuchuk Iron Master, to brand what he called his little barbarian…" — Nomads of Gor, page 62.
"The Iron Master affixed the Turian collar. He bent to his tools, taking up a tiny, open golden ring, a heated metal awl, a pair of pliers, I turned away. I heard her scream… She had been bound across a wagon wheel lying on the ground, her body over its hub. Her clothing had been removed. Fresh and clean on her burned thigh was the brand of the four bosk horns. She was weeping. The Iron Master affixed the Turian collar. He bent to his tools, taking up a tiny, open golden ring, a heated metal awl, a pair of pliers." — Nomads of Gor, page 173.
Iron Pens
A confinement for slaves; generally subterranean with no comforts, which serves as motivation for slaves to earn their way out of the pens quickly.
The expression "The Iron Pens," incidentally, generally refers to all of the subterranean retention facilities in the house of a slaver, not simply cages, but pits, steel drums, wall chains and such; it is the name of an area, on the whole, rather than a literal description of the nature of the only sort of security devices found there. — Assassin of Gor, page 122.
Ho-Tu led the way, moving from catwalk to catwalk, spanning cages below. In these cages, through the bars, male slaves, crowded together, naked and wearing heavy collars, glared sullenly up at us. "It would not be well to lose your footing," advised Ho-Tu. I supposed it was from this sort of facility that the general expression "The Iron Pens" took its origin. On each cage we passed, as we took our way over it, I saw a thin metal plate covered with numbers. Some of these numbers referred to the occupants within the cage, but other numbers were coded to instruct the keepers in such matters as diet, special precautions, date of the lot's acquisition, and its intended disposition. Some of the numbers had been scratched out, and others had been hammered into the plates, which were changed from time to time. The pens seemed humid and, though we were below ground, warm from the heat of the bodies. The only sanitation facility was an open metal mesh, supported by close-set horizontal bars, in the bottom of the cages, beneath which, some five feet below, was a cement floor, washed down and cleaned by slaves once daily. There was a feed trough at one side of each cage and a low watering pan on the other, both filled by means of tubes from the catwalk. The cages of female slaves were mixed in with those of the male slaves, presumably on no other basis than what cage happened to be empty at a given time. The female slaves, like the men, were unclothed, and wore collars; their collars, however, were not the typical locked collar of the female slave but, since they were only in the iron pens, a narrow band of iron, with a number, hammered about their neck. — Assassin of Gor, page 123."When will you begin the training?" I asked.
"When the two new girls chosen for the first set grow weary of the kennels, and of the gruel of the iron pens."
"Do girls in training not eat such gruel?" I asked.
"Girls in training," said Ho-Tu, "partake of the finest of slave porridges. They are given mats to sleep on, and later in their training, furs. They are seldom chained. Sometimes they are even permitted, under guard, to leave the house, that they may be stimulated and pleased by the sights of Ar." — Assassin of Gor, page 119.
Isanna
The term in the Kaiila dialect of the red savages meaning "little knife."
"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.
Isanna Band
Literal, Little-Knife Band. One of the five bands (subgroups) that make up the red savage Kaiila tribe. The origin of the name perhaps arose from a Dream, which are important to the red savages. They inhabit the areas around Council Rock, north of the northern fork of the Kaiila River and west of the Snake River, a tributary to the Northern Kaiila River. The proper way to refer to them would be Isanna Kaiia. The Isanna number approximately seven- to eight-hundred (700-800) members.
"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. … I do not know the origin of the name for the Isanna, or the Little-Knife, band. Sometimes, as I suspect was the case with the Napoktan, these names may owe their origin in the idiosyncrasies of given leaders, to unique historical events or perhaps, even, to dreams. Dreams, and dreaming on matters of importance, are taken very seriously by the red savages." — Blood Brothers of Gor, pages 10-11.
"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." — Blood Brothers of Gor, page 24.
"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." — Blood Brothers of Gor, page 25.
Isbu
The term in the Kaiila dialect of the red savages meaning "little stones."
"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.
Isbu Band
Literal, Little-Stones 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 Isbu Kaiila. Their lands encompassed the southern lands between the Northern and Southern Kaiila. The Isbu is the largest of the five bands, numbering sixteen- to seventeen-hundred (1,600-1,700) members. The warrior society of the Isbu are known as the Sleen Soldiers (not to be confused with the Sleen 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." — Blood Brothers of Gor, page 14.
"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 (pg.25) 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 Isbu was the largest band, containing between sixteen and seventeen hundred members." — Blood Brothers of Gor, page 25.
Iskander
One of the river townships along the Vosk River.
"I had later voyaged down river to Iskander, Forestport, and Ar's Station." — Rogue of Gor, page 62.
Istawicayazanwi
In the language of the red savages, term meaning the Sore-Eye Moon; one of the winter moons.
"The preceding moon was the Sore-Eye Moon, or Istawicayazanwi. Because of its uncertain weather, the possible freezes and storms, and its harsh winds, this month had been avoided by Grunt." — Savages of Gor, page 144.
Itancanka
In the language of the red savages, the term meaning "master."
"'Wicayuhe', 'Itancanka'," she said, "words which mean 'Master'." — Savages of Gor, page 231.
"Howo, Oiputake," called her red master, turning about. He was Wapike, "One-Who-Is-Fortunate," Of the Isanna.
"Ho, Itancanka!" she cried, springing to her feet, joyfully, and running to follow him. — Blood Brothers of Gor, page 469.
Iwoso
The term in the red savages language meaning pouting lips.
"The name 'Iwoso', incidentally, means 'Pouting Lips.' Her lips, on the other hand, were not protrusive. The name, thusly, I conjectured, might once have been given to her for other than anatomical reasons. Probably she had once been sullen or petulant. She had then discovered that, by the decision of her master or mistress, she was 'Pouting Lips'." — Blood Brothers of Gor, page 29.
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.