A Typical Wagon

The interior of a typical wagon, lashed shut to protect from dust, is often richly carpeted, filled with soft silken pillows strewn about, chests and silks, and booty from looted caravans, lit by hanging tharlarion oil lamps. In the center of the wagon, you will find a small shallow fire bowl, formed of copper, with a raised brass grating. Although some cooking is done here, the bowl is largely to furnish heat. The smoke escapes by a smoke hole at the dome of the tent-like frame, a hole which is shut when the wagons move.

"The wagons of the Wagon Peoples are, in their hundreds and thousands, in their brilliant, variegated colors, a glorious sight. Surprisingly the wagons are almost square, each the size of a large room. Which is drawn by a double team of bosk, four in a team, with each team linked to its wagon tongue, the tongues being joined by tem-wood crossbars. The two axles of the wagon are also of tem-wood, which perhaps, because of its flexibility, joined with the general flatness of the southern Gorean plains, permits the width of the wagon.
       The wagon box, which stands almost six feet from the ground, is formed of black, lacquered planks of tem-wood. Inside the wagon box, which is square, there is fixed a rounded, tentlike frame, covered with the taut, painted, varnished hides of bosks. These hides are richly colored, and often worked with fantastic designs, each wagon competing with its neighbor to be the boldest and most exciting. The rounded frame is fixed somewhat within the square of the wagon box, so that a walkway, almost like a ship's bridge, surrounds the frame. The sides of the wagon box, incidentally, are, here and there, perforated for arrow ports, for the small horn bow of the Wagon Peoples can be used to advantage not only from the back of a kaiila but, like the crossbow, from such cramped quarters. One of the most striking features of these wagons is the wheels, which are huge, the back wheels having a diameter of about ten feet; the front wheels are, like those of the Conestoga wagon, slightly smaller, in this case, about eight feet in diameter; the larger rear wheels are more difficult to mire; the smaller front wheels, nearer the pulling power of the bosk, permit a somewhat easier turning of the wagon. These wheels are carved wood and, like the wagon hides, are richly painted. Thick strips of boskhide form the wheel rims, which are replaced three to four times a year. The wagon is guided by a series of eight straps, two each for the four lead animals. Normally, however, the wagons are tied in tandem fashion, in numerous long columns, and only the lead wagons are guided, the others simply following, thongs running from the rear of one wagon to the nose rings of the bosk following, sometimes as much as thirty yards behind, with the next wagon; also, too, a wagon is often guided by a woman or boy who walks beside the lead animals with a sharp stick.
       The interiors of the wagons, lashed shut, protected from the dust of the march, are often rich, marvelously carpeted and hung, filled with chests and silks, and booty from looted caravans, lit by hanging tharlarion oil lamps, the golden light of which falls on the silken cushions, the ankle-deep, intricately wrought carpets. In the center of the wagon there is a small, shallow fire bowl, formed of copper, with a raised brass grating. Some cooking is done here, though the bowl is largely to furnish heat. The smoke escapes by a smoke hole at the dome of the tentlike frame, a hole which is shut when the wagons move." — Nomads of Gor, pages 30-31.

People not of the wagons, say that the wagons themselves are without number, however, this is not true. The Ubar of each of the tribes knows exactly how many wagons there are, as well as the numbers of the beasts.

"Soon the animals would be turned in on themselves, to mill together in knots, until they were stopped by the shaggy walls of their own kind, to stand and grew until the morning. The wagons would, of course, follow the herds. The herd forms both vanguard and rampart for the advance of the wagons. The wagons are said to be countless, the animals without number. Both of these claims are, of course, mistaken, and the Ubars of the Wagon Peoples know well each wagon and the number of branded beasts in the various herds; each herd is, incidentally, composed of several smaller herds, each watched over by its own riders." — Nomads of Gor, page 21.

The Wagon of the Ubar

We are led to believe that Kutaituchik was the true Ubar of the Tuchuks, though we later learn that in fact, though he once was the Ubar, it is, in fact, his son, Kamchak, who is the real Ubar. However, in order to keep the decoy Ubar believable, Kutaituchik resides in the wagon befitting a Ubar. Such wagon is immensely large, unbelievably large, and in actuality, was a platform set upon numerous wheeled frames; the hides that form the dome of the wagon are multicolored, the peak more than one hundred feet from the flooring.

We do not get to visit the interior of this great wagon, but Tarl speculates what surely must be inside. We do get a glimpse of much of the treasures surrounding Kutaituchik on his dais.

The wagon of Kutaituchik, called Ubar of the Tuchuks, was drawn up on a large, flat-topped grassy hill, the highest land in the camp. Beside the wagon, on a great pole fixed in the earth, stood the Tuchuk standard of the four bosk horns. The hundred, rather than eight, bosk that drew his wagon had been unyoked; they were huge, red bosk; their horns had been polished and their coats glistened from the comb and oils; their golden nose rings were set with jewels; necklaces of precious stones hung from the polished horns. The wagon itself was the largest in the camp, and the largest wagon I had conceived possible; actually it was a vast platform, set on numerous wheeled frames; though at the edges of the platform, on each side, there were a dozen of the large wheels such as are found on the much smaller wagons; these latter wheels turned as the wagon moved and supported weight, but could not of themselves have supported the entire weight of that fantastic, wheeled palace of hide. The hides that formed the dome were of a thousand colors, and the smoke hole at the top must have stood more than a hundred feet from the flooring of that vast platform. I could well conjecture the riches, the loot and the furnishing that would dazzle the interior of such a magnificent dwelling. But I did not enter the wagon, for Kutaituchik held his court outside the wagon, in the open air, on the flat-topped grassy hill. A large dais had been built, vast and spreading, but standing no more than a foot from the earth. This dais was covered with dozens of thick rugs, sometimes four and five deep. — Nomads of Gor, pages 41-42.
       There were many Tuchuks, and some others, crowded about the dais, and, standing upon it, about Kutaituchik, there were several men who, from their position on the dais and their trappings, I judged to be of great importance. Among these men, sitting cross-legged, was Kutaituchik, called Ubar of the Tuchuks. About Kutaituchik there were piled various goods, mostly vessels of precious metal and strings and piles of jewels; there was silks there from Tyros; silver from Thentis and Tharna; tapestries from the mills of Ar; wines from Cos; dates from the city of Tor. There were also, among the other goods, two girls, blonde and blue-eyed, unclothed, chained; they had perhaps been a gift to Kutaituchik; or had been the daughters of enemies; they might have been from any city; both were beautiful; one was sitting with her knees tucked under her chin, her hands clasping her ankles, absently staring at the jewels about her feet; the other lay indolently on her side, incuriously regarding us, her weight on one elbow; there was a yellow stain about her mouth where she had been fed some fruit; both girls wore the Sirik… At the edge of the dais Kamchak and I had stopped, where our sandals were removed and our feet washed by Turian slaves, men in the Kes, who might once have been officers of the city. We mounted the dais and approached the seemingly somnolent figure seated upon it.
       Although the dais was resplendent, and the rugs upon it even more resplendent, I saw that beneath Kutaituchik, over these rugs, had been spread a simple, worn, tattered robe of gray boskhide. It was upon this simple robe that he sat. It was undoubtedly that of which Kamchak had spoken, the robe upon which sits the Ubar of the Tuchuks, that simple robe which is his throne. Kutaituchik lifted his head and regarded us; his eyes seemed sleepy; he was bald, save for a black knot of hair that emerged from the back of his shaven skull; he was a broad-backed man, with small legs; his eyes bore the epicanthic fold; his skin was a tinged, yellowish brown; though he was stripped to the waist, there was about his shoulders a rich, ornamented robe of the red bosk, bordered with jewels; about his neck, on a chain decorated with sleen teeth, there hung a golden medallion, bearing the sign of the four bosk horns; he wore furred boots, wide leather trousers, and a red sash, in which was thrust a quiva. Beside him, coiled, perhaps as a symbol of power, lay a bosk whip." — Nomads of Gor, pages 42-43.

The First Wagon

The First Wagon is actually a group of wagons in the personal household of the Ubar, the occupants of which, are generally not related to the Ubar.

Kamchak laughed. "She is Hereena, a wench of the First Wagon," he said.
       "What does it mean to be of the First Wagon?" I asked.
       Kamchak laughed. "You know little of the Wagon Peoples," he said.
       "That is true," I admitted.
       "To be of the First Wagon," said Kamchak, "is to be of the household of Kutaituchik."
       I repeated the name slowly, trying to sound it out. It is pronounced in four syllables, divided thus: Ku-tai-tu-chik. "He then is the Ubar of the Tuchuks?" I said.
       "His wagon," smiled Kamchak, "is the First Wagon and it is Kutaituchik who sits upon the gray robe."
       "The gray robe?" I asked.
       "That robe," said Kamchak, "which is the throne of the Ubars of the Tuchuks."
       It was thus I first learned the name of the man whom I understood to be Ubar of this fierce people.
       "There are a hundred wagons in the personal household of Kutaituchik," said Kamchak. 'No be of any of these wagons is to be of the First Wagon."
       "I see," I said. "And the girl she on the kaiila is perhaps the daughter of Kutaituchik, Ubar of the Tuchuks?"
       "No," said Kamchak. "She is unrelated to him, as are most in the First Wagon." — Nomads of Gor, pages 32-33.

Wagons of Commanders

Commanders of the Wagon Peoples are often afforded a special wagon, painted in red to signify their rank, and filled luxuriously with valuable booty, such as fine wines and tapestries.

"Are you going to spend the night here?" asked Harold.
       "I suppose so," I said.
       "But some thousand bosk came today from the wagons," he said.
       I turned to look at him. I knew Kamchak had brought, over the past few days, several hundred bosk to graze near Turia, to use in feeding his troops. "What has that to do with where I sleep?" I asked. "You are perhaps going to sleep on the back of a bosk — because you are a Tuchuk or something?" I thought that a rather good one, at any rate for me.
       But Harold did not seem particularly shattered, and I sighed. "A Tuchuk," he informed me loftily, "may — if he wishes — rest comfortably on even the horns of a bosk, but only a Koroban is likely to recline on a marble floor when he might just as well sleep upon the pelt of a larl in the wagon of a commander."
       "I don't understand," I said.
       "I suppose not," said Harold.
       "I'm sorry," I said.
       "But you still do not understand?"
       "No," I admitted.
       "Poor Koroban," he muttered. Then he got up, wiped his quiva on his left sleeve, and thrust it in his belt.
       "Where are you going?" I asked.
       "To my wagon," he said. "It arrived with the bosk along with better than two hundred other wagons today — including yours."
       I propped myself up on one elbow. "I do not have a wagon," I said.
       "But of course you do," he said. "And so do I." I merely looked at him, wondering if it were merely Harold the Tuchuk at work again. "I am serious," he averred. "The night that you and I to departed for Turia, Kamchak ordered a wagon prepared for each of us to reward us." — Nomads of Gor, pages 272-273.
       "At that time, of course," said Harold, "our wagons were not painted red, nor filled with booty and rich things, for we were not then commanders."
       "But to reward us for what?" I asked.
       "For courage," said he. — Nomads of Gor, page 273.
       "… I have had it well stocked — with Paga and Ka-la-na wines from Ar and such." In Turia, even though we had much of the riches of the city at our disposal, there had not been much Paga or Ka-la-na wine. As I may have mentioned the Turians, on the whole, favor thick, sweet wines. I had taken, as a share of battle loot, a hundred and ten bottles of Paga and forty bottles of Ka-la-na wine from Tyros, Cos and Ar, but these I had distributed to my crossbowmen, with the exception of one bottle of Paga which Harold and I had split some two nights ago. I decided I might spend the night in my wagon. — Nomads of Gor, page 275.
       It was a large wagon, drawn by eight black bosk. There were two Tuchuk guards outside. Beside it, fixed in the earth, on a pole, there was a standard of four bosk horns. The pole had been painted red, which is the color of commanders… The two Tuchuk guards saluted us, striking their lances three times on their shields. — Nomads of Gor, page 276.
       I noted that the bosk seemed well cared for, and that their coats were groomed, and the horns and hoofs polished. Wearily I gave the kaiila to one of the guards and mounted the steps of the wagon. — Nomads of Gor, pages 277-278.
       I went to the chest by the side of the wagon and pulled out a small bottle, one of several, of Ka-la-na wine which reposed there. — Nomads of Gor, page 284.

Commissary Wagons

Also in the encampments, there are commissary wagons, which serve as the general kitchens of the wagon camps.

"More than an hour ago I had left the commander's wagon, being roused by one of the guards outside. As I had left Elizabeth Cardwell had awakened. We had said nothing, but I had gathered her into my arms and kissed her, then left the wagon. 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 in the city. As commanders we could eat where we chose." — Nomads of Gor, page 307.

Necessary Equipment for All Wagons

Typical amongst all wagons, however, are grease buckets, which contain tar and tallow which, when applied by a brush, serves as lubrication of the axles and other moving parts.

"In the wagon ahead, briefly illuminated, I saw, swinging from its strap, slung over a hook on the rear axle housing, a narrow, cylindrical, capped 'grease bucket,' the handle of the brush protruding through the hole in the cap. Such accessories are common on Gorean wagons. The 'grease' in such a container is generally not a mineral grease but a mixture of tar and tallow. 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." — Renegades of Gor, page 19.

Just for Fun

I have compiled a list of wagoner terminology, as well as pictures and schematics of common wagons, such as the Conestoga and the Yurt. The information is not being presented as being "Gorean" or even as wagons of the Alar, the Wagon Peoples, or any others on Gor. Rather, this page is designed to help those unfamiliar with many aspects of wagons, such as structural design, to better "see" what a wagon on Gor may look like. There are people out there that have never seen a wagon except in movies or on television (boy, they missed out on some fun hay rides, huh!), let alone be able to imagine what living in one would be like.

 

 

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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.