"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.

The High Castes and Council

The High Castes are the ruling castes of Gorean society within the city-state division, which is the basic political division on Gor. In most cities, to be a member of the city council, one must be a member of one of these five castes, however based on the following quote, there likely is the exception to the rule.

From the five High Castes, a mayor, or Administrator as it is known on Gor, is selected to rule the city.

"In many cities only members of the high castes may belong to the city's high council." — Slave Girl of Gor, page 114.

"The city-state," said my father, speaking to me late one afternoon, "is the basic political division on Gor — hostile cities controlling what territory they can in their environs, surrounded by a no-man's land of open ground on every side."
      "How is leadership decided in these cities?" I asked.
      "Rulers," he said, "are chosen from any High Caste."
      "High Caste?" I asked.
      "Yes, of course," was the answer. "In fact, in the First Knowledge, there is a story told to the young in their public nurseries, that if a man from Lower Caste should come to rule in a city, the city would come to ruin." …
      "The High Castes in a given city," said my father, "elect an administrator and council for stated terms. In times of crisis, a war chief, or Ubar, is named, who rules without check and by decree until, in his judgment, the crisis is passed." — Tarnsman of Gor, page 42.

Color Coded

Every caste, whether high or low caste, claim one or more colors to represent their caste. These colors are often a part of their clothing, their tents and other housing, their wagons, as well as other facets of their properties.

The five High Caste colors are:

  • White — Initiates
  • Blue: Scribes
  • Yellow: Builders
  • Green: Physicians
  • Red: Warriors

The Chamber of the Council

The Chamber of the Council, as it is known in Ko-ro-ba and most other cities on Gor, is that room in which the elected representatives of the High Castes conduct their meetings.

The largest of all the buildings within a city, high-ceilinged to perhaps better the amplification of voices, or merely to give the members a feeling of great importance, the council chamber was surrounded by walls of the five colors representative of each of the five High Castes. Roman Council Chamber and TiersThe colors, applied laterally, beginning from the bottom are white, blue, yellow, green, and red. Benches made of stone, upon which the members of the Council sat, rose in five monumental tiers; one tier for each of the High Castes. These tiers shared the color of that portion of the wall behind them. Pictured here is the Roman council chamber.

"We are going to the Chamber of the Council," he said. I followed him.
      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.
      The tier nearest the floor, which denoted some preferential status, the white tier, was occupied by Initiates, Interpreters of the Will of Priest-Kings. In order, the ascending tiers, blue, yellow, green, and red, were occupied by representatives of the Scribes, Builders, Physicians, and Warriors.
      I was pleased to note that my own caste, that of the Warriors, was accorded the least status; if I had had my will, the warriors would not have been a High Caste. On the other hand, I objected to the Initiates being in the place of honor, as it seemed to me that they, even more than the Warriors, were nonproductive members of society. For the Warriors, at least, one could say that they afforded protection to the city. But for the Initiates one could say very little, perhaps only that they provided some comfort for ills and plagues largely of their own manufacture.
      In the center of the amphitheater was a throne of office, and on this throne, in his robe of state — a plain brown garment, the humblest cloth in the hall — sat my father, Administrator of Ko-ro-ba, once Ubar, War Chieftain of the city. At his feet lay a helmet, shield, spear, and sword. — Tarnsman of Gor, pages 61-62.

Double Knowledge

Members of all castes, both the high and the low, are taught what is referred to as the Second Knowledge. This instruction includes only the very basic knowledges of their world. However, those born of the High Castes are also instructed in what is known as the First Knowledge. Collectively, this is known as the Double Knowledge.

>First Knowledge would include the more technological details of their world; something those in authority would prefer to keep to themselves. It can also be safely speculated that those of the High Castes preferred keeping certain knowledge from the Lower Castes to render them somewhat ignorant and under a stricter control. Ironically, teachings of the origins of Earth is considered Second Knowledge.

"I was also instructed in the Double Knowledge — that is, I was instructed in what the people, on the whole, believed, and then I was instructed in what the intellectuals were expected to know. Sometimes there was a surprising discrepancy between the two. For example, the population as a whole, the castes below the High Castes, were encouraged to believe that their world was a broad flat disc. Perhaps this was to discourage them from exploration or to develop in them a habit of relying on common-sense prejudices — something of a social control device.
      On the other hand, the High Castes, specifically the Warriors, Builders, Scribes, Initiates and Physicians, were told the truth in such matters, perhaps because it was thought they would eventually determine it for themselves, from observations such as the shadow of their planet on one or another of Gor's three small moons during eclipses, the phenomenon of sighting the tops of distant objects first, and the fact that certain stars could not be seen from certain geographical positions; if the planet had been flat, precisely the same set of stars would have been observable from every position on its surface.
      I wondered, however, if the Second Knowledge, that of the intellectuals, might not be as carefully tailored to preclude inquiry on their level as the First Knowledge apparently was to preclude inquiry on the level of the Lower Castes. I would guess that there is a Third Knowledge, that reserved to the Priest-Kings." — Tarnsman of Gor, page 41.

"Earth origin, incidentally, was not a part of the First Knowledge, though it was of the second." — Tarnsman of Gor, pages 44-45.

 

 

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Special Note

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

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

Disclaimer

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