Gorean Dictionary

LA (phrase; fem): I am; you are

LAAGER (noun): also known as wagon fort, it is a defensive wagon formation utilized by wagon peoples. Wagons are arranged in a circle, end to end, tongues inward, and chained together, the front axle of one wagon chained to the rear axle of the next. The encampment, the draft animals, and any accompanying livestock are protected within.

LADY (noun): a term of respect used to address a free woman. A contradiction exists in the books. Although we are told free women are always addressed as 'Mistress', there are instances where a slave uses 'Lady' without rebuke. LAKE IAS (noun): lake located near Corycus.

LA KAJIRA (phrase; declarative): I am a slave.

LAKE NGAO (noun): an equatorial lake of the Jungles of Schendi, the Ua River enters it's eastern extremity, connecting this Lake to Lake Shaba in the NE corner of the rainforest. 'The Falls of Bila Haruma', named for the famed explorer of this region, lies 100 pasangs to the east. The villages of Unkungu are located on the NE shore. Nyundo is the central village of the Ukungu region.

LAKE SHABA (noun): located in the NE corner of the Schendi rain forest, it is the source of the great river Ua. Originally named Lake Bila Haruma for the explorer who discovered it, the name was changed at the great explorer's request by Tarl Cabot.

LAKE USHINDI (noun): drained by the Kamba River and Nyoka River, it is a large, equatorial lake, located in the Jungles of Schendi. The inland village of Nyuki is located on the north shore. It's western border is made up of bogs, marshes, and floodlands. A canal connects Lake Ushindi east across the swampland to Lake Ngao.

LAMP, RAVISHMENT - a small tharlarion- oil lamp found in the chamber of a Master; its soft glow is sufficient to illuminate a slave girl during her sexual use.

LANCE, KAILLA (noun): used for hunting kailiauk and mounted warfare, there are two types. The hunting lance are longer, heavier, and thicker than the war lance, and are undecorated except for the feathers of the prairie fleer. The point of the hunting lance is longer and narrower. The shafts are made from black, supple, and strong, made from tem wood. head is made of metal, bone or stone, affixed to the shaft with sinew, rawhide or metal trade rivets. Any decoration or mountings, such as wrist loops are bound onto the weapon with rawhide and sinew.

LANCE, THARLARION (noun): weapon designed for use from the rider's munt on a high tharlarion, it is longer and heavier than the kaiila lance, for example.

LAND, THARLARION (noun): land dwelling tharlarion used for towing. The land tharlarion can swim, though not as efficiently as the river tharlarion.

LANG GIM (noun): an insectivorous bird which inhabits the ground level of rainforests inland of Schendi.

LANGUAGE, THE (noun): the fierce, sweet, liquid speech of a native Gorean.

LAR (adj.): central

LARA (noun): a city, part of the Salerian Confederation, located at the confluence of the Vosk and Olni Rivers.

LARL (noun): a large (7 ft. at shoulder) feline, tawny red or black in color, having a black mane; carnivorous; similar to a lion

LARL, BLACK (noun): predominately nocturnal larl which is sable coated and maned both male and female.

LARL, RED (noun): predominately day hunting larl which is tawny-red coated and has no mane in either male or female.

LARL, WHITE (noun): seen in icy mountains of the Sardar they are the largest of the big cats standing 8 feet; upper canines extending below their jaws very similar to saber-toothed tiger; long tails are tufted at the ends.

LARMA (noun): segmented, succulent fruit, rather like an apple; sometimes sliced and fried, and served with browned honey sauce; offering a larma, real or imagined, by a slave girl to her Master is a silent plea for the girl to be raped

LARMA, APPLELIKE (noun): single-seeded applelike fruit; a variation of the succulent juicy larma with a single seed; commonly called the pit fruit.

LART, TWO-STOMACHED SNOW (noun): mammalian animal with four legs, that is about 10" high, and weighs between 8-12 lbs. It hunts in the sun. The food in the second stomach can be held almost indefinitely. It is filled in the fall and must last the lart through the winter night, which lasts months. It eats bird's legs and preys on the leem.

LAR-TORVIS (noun; lit. 'central fire'): the sun

LAST GIRL (noun): used to denote either the newest girl on a chain, or the least of all the girls.

LAST SPEAR (noun): the last hunter in a band of hunters in the Voltai Ranges to thrown his spear; this spearman is the weakest of the party and will if all spears have not killed the prey and it attacks be the one sacrificed to allow his fellows to escape.

LAST VEIL (noun): the innermost of the five veils worn by free women; it is worn under the veil of the citizeness, and is often very sheer

LAURA (noun): east and north of Ko-ro-ba about two hundred pasangs inland from the sea called Thassa on the Laurius River; it is a small trading city, a river port, whose buildings are made largely of wood. It is a clearinghouse for various goods, a mercantile town. It is the only civilized area in the region.

LAURIUS RIVER (noun): winding, long, gentle, slow river two hundred pasangs inland from the coast of the Thassa. The free port of Lydius is found at it's mouth. The river is not as broad or brisk as the Vosk River farther to the south. It is located below Ko-ro-ba and above Ar and flows in a generally westerly direction.

LEADING POSITION (noun; used as a command): posture of a slave girl, bending forward at the waist, with her head at a Master's hip, so that he may grab her hair and guide her where he wishes her to go

LEAF URT (noun): a small tree-dwelling rodent having 4 toes which inhabits the rainforests inland of Schendi.

LEAGUE OF BLACK SLAVERS (noun): a branch of the Caste of Slavers; they work out of Schendi and its environs.

LEASH (noun): various types of rope, fiber, chain, etc. used to restrict a slave from flight or movement. The rope or fiber chains may be corded with wire to prevent them from being shredded by chewing.

LEASH, HAIR (noun): hair confined into a ponytail with a ribbon or wooden fillet, so called because it can be used as a method of seizure and control by the Master.

LEASHED-LEGS TIE (noun): a standard submission tie; the kneeling girl has the leash, attached to her collar, passed down the front of her body and between her legs to bind her crossed ankles together.

LEATHER LEASH COLLAR (noun): a leather slave collar with attached which may be used when the slave is to be led, usually for reasons of security.

LEATHER-SLUNG FEE CART (noun): a public or rented 'coach' for transportation of passengers with seats facing each other. Its carriage is suspended by strong leather which causes a swaying, many times bringing on motion-sickness for passengers. Large hides are often suspended underneath to store items, as is a grease bucket for greasing the axles.

LEECH, MARSH (noun): described as rubbery about 4 inches long; it attaches itself to plants in the marsh or float free in the water, waiting for warm blooded animals. They fasten themselves to their victim to suck blood until, satiated, they detach. They can be removed with fire or salt. They are edible.

LEECH PLANT (noun): a hemovorous plant that fastens two hollow, fang-like thorns into its victim, through which it can suck the blood that nourishes it

LEEM (noun): a small arctic rodent, five to ten ounces in weight. It hibernates in the winter and their summer coats are brown.

LEG-SPREADER (noun): devices of various complexity designed to keep a slave girl's legs spread while being used sexually by her Master(s); sometimes used on male captives as an indication of humiliation; used mostly among the Red Savages of the Barrens

LELT (noun): a small (5-7") blindfish with fernlike filaments at either side of the head which are its sensory organs; white, with long fins, it swims slowly, and is the main food of the salt shark; inhabits the brine pits such as those at Klima in the Tahari

LEASHA (standing, command; lit. 'leash'): at this command, the slave girl stands with her hands behind her back, ready for binding, and with her head back and chin to the left, ready to have a leash snapped onto her collar

LESHA (siting, command; lit. 'leash'): at this command, the slave girl nadu's put her hands behind her back, ready for binding, and with her head back and chin to the left, ready to have a leash snapped onto her collar

LIANA VINE (noun): a rain forest plant which can be used as a source of drinking water

LICE, TARN (noun): marble sized parasites that infest wild tarns.

LIGHT HARPOON (noun): used by Red Hunters to hunt and kill sea sleen, often from a kayak, it is used with a throwing board. The foreshaft, head, and point, made of bone, rests in the notch of the throwing board. The harpoon head is attached to a light rawhide line of twisted tabuk sinew which lies coiled in a tray

LIT, COMMON (noun): a bird found in the rain forests of the Schendi area

LIT, CRESTED (noun): a bird found in the rain forests of the Schendi area

LIT, NEEDLE-TAILED (noun): a bird found in the emergent (highest level) of rainforests in the Schendi area.

LO (phrase; masc.): I am; you are

LO SARDAR (phrase): I am a Priest-King.

LOCK COLLAR (noun): a hinged collar easily removed by the use of a key; usually of flat stock c. 1-1/2 inches to 2 inches high; usually worn by trained slaves; the lock has one pin for each of the letters in the word 'kajira'.

LOCK, RING (noun): there are many varieties of these locks, one being the combination padlock with numbers of rotating disks which, when aligned properly, allow the lock to open.

LOOKING INTO THE BLOOD (phrase): Gorean ritual where a hunter drinks a handful of blood from his prey, then takes another handful and looks into it to see his future, before drinking it. It is said that if one sees one's visage black and wasted, one will die of disease; if one sees oneself torn and scarlet, one will die in battle; if old and white haired, one will die in peace and leave children.

LOOT PIT (noun): a holding place for captured free women awaiting collars and branding during the military occupation of a city.

LONG-BILLED FLEER (noun): a bird inhabitant of the emergent level of the rainforest.

LONG BOW (noun): the Gorean long bow is the height of a tall man. It has a flat back and a round belly and may be made of supple Ka-la-na wood. A proficient bow man should be able to loose 19 arrows in a Gorean ehn. It is not as popular among Goreans because of some impracticalities of use. It cannot be used from the saddle, and the warrior must be standing or kneeling to aim, making him a target. It is favored by the peasants who make them and is also known as the peasant bow.

LONGHOUSE, TORVALDSLAND (noun): the hall of the Torvaldslander is about 120 Gorean feet in length, with walls formed of turf and stone, some more than eight feet in thickness. It is heated by a fire in it's center, burning in a rounded pit. It's ceiling, supported by posts is about 6 feet in height. At one end is a cooking area and along each side, stones mark sections off into sleeping quarters, furs strewn over an dirt floor. Scattered throughout are tables and benches. The center of the hall proper is about twelve feet in width.

LONG SHIP (noun): a swift, maneuverable ship having 2 rudders, 1 removable lateen rigged mast, and a keel to beam ratio of 8:1; often used in military actions; some are fitted as ram-ships

LOVE FEAST (noun): common name for the 5th Passage Hand occurring in late summer which time is the greatest period for the sale of slaves esp. slave girls.

LOVE FURS (noun): soft furs spread thickly on the floor at the foot of a Master's sleeping couch, on which a slave girl is most often raped

LOVE WAR (noun): The Wagon Peoples compete against the Warriors of Turia on the Plain of Stakes during the Second Passage Hand (May 15th-19th) in mid-spring, participating in various challenges and ceremonial combats. For Turians, the contest is to win ownership of a slave of the Wagon Peoples. The Four Tribes compete to win high born Turian free women, which will be turned into slaves of the wagons.

LOW CASTE (noun): those under High Caste; normally not born or trained to rule; allowed only First Knowledge. lower bowl fountain (noun): a portion of public fountains allotted for the watering of animals and slaves. Slaves caught drinking from the upper bowl face punishment by the magistrates of the city.

LOWER FAYEEN RIVER (noun): a tributary of the Cartius, located west of Tor. LUCK GIRL (noun): a slave girl who acts as mascot on board ship; her use is usually reserved for the captain of the ship, but she may be shared with the crew, usually as a disciplinary measure

LURAZ (noun): a minor tribe of the Tahari; they are a vassal tribe of the Aretai

LURE GIRL (noun): slaves who are set out by their Master's to entice men for the purposes of empressing as crewmen or in work gangs. While the man is delightfully distracted, her Master's men accost him and hustle him away.

LYDIUS (noun): free port administered by Merchants, at the mouth of the Laurius where it empties into the Thassa. Goods, primarily rough goods like tools, crude metal and cloth are shipped from this port to many islands and coastal cities. It is one of the few cities in the north with public baths and has the only mint within one thousand pasangs of Torvaldsland.

MAMBA (noun): large, predatory river tharlarion which inhabits the rivers of the rain forests inland of Schendi; they have long, log-like bodies, with short, powerful legs and a long snout and tail; similar to Earth crocodiles

MAMBA PEOPLE (noun): also called 'Tharlarion People' a cannibal tribe.

MANUMISSION (noun): the documented, legal freeing of a slave.

MARCH (noun): the 2nd largest military unit of the Kurii it consists of 12 Bands (2 160 animals).

MARCHER ANT (noun): known in the jungles of Schendi as 'The Marchers' are these aggressive carnivorous insects. Each is about 2 inches long, with a shiny black exoskeleton and two antennae. Their name is derived from their, apparently seasonal, marches through the jungle in a single column, yards wide and pasangs in length. They may number in the millions, their path's widening to as much as 500 feet when they overtake, swarm over, and devour all flesh, living or dead, in their path. Their bite is extremely painful, but not poisonous. Their victims die from being weakened from relentless attack, being overcome until they are still.

MARGIN OF DESOLATION (noun): This area borders the Vosk River, north of Ar. The area of man-made devastation was designed as a barrier to prevent attack on Ar from the north. Wells were poisoned, and fields burned and salted to prevent the approach of armies from the north. It was later allowed to re-vegetate and re-populate, but still retains its name. Some believe the it was allowed to regrow to bring more arable land under cultivation; others say that the eyes of Ar turned north toward the powerful Salerian Confederation. It is 200-300 pasangs in area.

MARINE SAURIAN (noun): fish-like predator with long, toothed snouts that are silent and aggressive; sailors fear them as they do the long-bodied sharks.

MARINE SAURIAN, REPTILIAN (noun): reptilian-like scavengers found in the Thassa, more than 20 ft in length, it has a long neck and small head with rows of small teeth. Its appendages are like broad paddles.

MARKET OF SEMRIS (noun): a small town south and somewhat east of Samnium, it is famed for its markets for tarsks, four-legged and two-legged. The town square is described as neat and well maintained, set with flat stones intricately fitted together. There are shops, fountains, a closed temple and public buildings.

MARKING STICK (noun): a writing implement rather like a pen

MARSH GANT (noun): a small long-legged horned bird; broad-billed and broad-winged; hunted by marsh girls It's cry is imitated by the rence people as as a surreptitious means of communication.

MARSH LEECH (noun): described as rubbery about 4 inches long; it attaches itself to plants in the marsh or float free in the water, waiting for warm blooded animals. They fasten themselves to their victim to suck blood until, satiated, they detach. They can be removed with fire or salt. They are edible. MARSH MOCCASIN (noun): narrow dark, poisonous snake about five feet long with a small triangular head. It inhabits the waters of the Vosk Delta.

MARSH SHARK (noun): long bodied, nine-gilled inhabitant of the rence island areas of the marsh, they are almost eel-like.

MARSH THARLARION (noun): inhabitants of the marshes that comprise the delta of the Vosk; similar to crocodile.

MASTER BELT (noun): a belt worn by the men of Torvaldsland from which hangs a knife in it's sheath, as well as a pouch and other accouterments. The axe is supported in it's own belt hung over the left shoulder, but it is also anchored by a ring in the Master belt. Additionally, if the sword is not looped over the left shoulder, it will hung by its sheath and sheath straps from the Master belt. Some say the name, 'Master belt' derives from it's not infrequent use in the disciplining of bond-maids.

MASTER OF REELS (noun): a city's Master of Entertainment.

MASTER, PRIVATE (noun): an individual free man who owns slaves chosen for the pleasure he will personally receive from owning them and being in their company.

MASTER, PUBLIC (noun): an individual free man or institution owning multiple slaves who are chosen for pleasing others, bringing indirect pleasure to their owner. Examples are feast slaves, flute girls, or state slaves.

MATOK (noun): a Priest-King term, it refers to an inhabitant of the Nest which is in the Nest but not of the Nest

MAZA (noun): Kaiila or Dust Leg term meaning metal.

MAZASA (phrase): translation: copper.

MAZASAPA (noun): Kaiila or Dust Leg term meaning black metal; translated loosely into iron.

MEAD (noun): the preferred beverage of the northland, made with fermented honey, water and spice, traditionally served in a large animal horn.

MEAT-CATCH (noun): a carnival-like game which involves slaves lined up on their knees, hands bound behind their backs who are tossed bits of meat to catch one at a time; the girls catching the meat, or recovering a missed bit by scrambling with the others for it, receive points for their Masters.

MELODIES, BLOCK (noun): certain melodies commonly used in slave markets in the display of merchandise. They are intended to 'set the mood' in the mind of potential buyers.

MELON (noun): in a Tahari market, described as a yellowish red-striped sphere. MEMORY, THE (noun): although the Red Savages, described as ruthless and ferocious, seem to thrive on internecine warfare, there is one common tradition that will unite them over customary conflicts and rivalries. Their hatred of the white man, called simply, 'The Memory' always takes priority.

MEN OF TORVALDSLAND, CREATION OF (legend): according to Gorean legend, man was formed from the mud of the earth and the blood of tarns by the Priest-Kings. In Torvald legend, man was formed from the hoe, water, and salt by the Gods to serve as their slaves. Those of Torvaldsland share an addendum to this story. One of the Gods, curious, careless, or, perhaps angry, threw his own axe to the ground and poured paga and his own blood upon it. The axe laughed, lept up and fled so fast no Gods could catch him. He became the father of the men of Torvaldsland.

MERCHANT BRAND (noun): a tiny brand in the form of spreading bosk horns for any wishing to do business with the Wagon Peoples that allows their passage over the plains; the stigma connected with this brand is that it suggests that any approaching the wagons do so as slaves.

MERCHANT, COIN (noun): terminology for all gorean bankers, ranging from the the fellow sitting on a rug in his booth on the street to the financial institutions on the 'Street of Coins'.

MERCHANT KAISSA (noun): refers to the standardized version of kaissa played at fairs and tournaments.

MERCHANTS, CASTE OF (noun): the caste of those who deal in merchandise and trading; their caste colors are white and gold

MESSAGE COLLAR (noun): worn by slaves who convey messages, it is a thick, high, leather collar, fashioned by Turians, literally sewn around her throat. Sewn inside, within the leather itself is a message, written on a small piece of rolled rence paper. The slave girl often does not know that her collar carries a message and of course would never know it's contents.

MESSAGE TUBE (noun): a capped tube affixed to a slave's collar by a small thong which can hold messages for her to transport.

METAGLANA (adv): a female who is no longer a virgin or 'glana' preceded by the state of 'profalarina' indicating a female who is about to be 'falarina' and before that by 'meta glana' one who looks forward to her deflowering. MILK (noun): can be bosk milk, verr or kaiila.

MILK, BOSK (noun): milk from the bosk, a staple of life for the Tribes of the Wagon Peoples. In some areas, it is available in powdered form.

MILLK, KAIILA (noun): used by the peoples of the Tahari as verr milk is used elsewhere, it is reddish with a salty strong taste due to the content of ferrous sulfate.

MILK, VERR (noun): sometimes sold in open markets from a brass container, carried on a strap and served in tiny brass cups.

MINDAR (noun): a short winged, yellow and red bird of the rain forests inland of Schendi; with its sharp bill, it digs in the bark of flower trees for larvae and bugs

MINT STICK (noun): a confection served in a bowl on a tray set for blackwine service, otherwise not described.

MINUS (noun): a village under the control of Ar.

MIRA (poss. pronoun): my

MITAKODA (noun): Dust Leg term meaning my friend.

MITAKOLA (noun): Kaiila word meaning my friend.

MODALITY OF SHE-QUADRUPLED (noun): an instruction whereby the slave performs her regular duties upon hands and knees without the benefit of the use of her hands. In this mode she may not rise to her feet and may use only her mouth and teeth to grasp and manipulate objects.

MOONS, GOREAN (noun): three moons shine on the planet, Gor, one large and two small ones, described as full, beautiful, and 'hurtling through' the clouds. They are said to have a biological effect on females, who are sometimes chained beneath them. One of the moons is called Prison, the other two are not stated in the books.

MOONS, RED SAVAGE (noun): the moons as they mark the seasons of Red Savage life. Among them are the winter moons of Waniyetuwi and Wanicokanwi, as well as the Istawicayanzanwi or Sore-Eye Moon. The moon of the Returning Gants or Magaksicaagliwi heralds early spring followed by Wozupiwi, the Planting Moon. Kantwasi is the moon when the plums are red. The moon in which the tabuk rut (Takiyuhawi) is also called the Canpasapawi, the moon when the chokecherries are ripe. The Canwapegiwiw is the moon when the leaves become brown followed by the Corn-Harvest Moon which is called either the Wayuksapiwi or Canwapekasnawi, the moon when the wind shakes off the leaves. The autumnal equinox occurs in Canwapegiwi.

MONKEY, GUEMON (noun): found in the jungle along the Ua river; recognized by their chattering sound.

MONKEY, JIT (noun): a simian mammal which inhabits the rainforests inland of Schendi; nocturnal.

MU (noun): a letter of the Gorean alphabet, corresponds to the letter "m".

MUL (noun): a Priest-King term for a human slave

MUL CASES (noun): transparent plastic tube in which a mul sleeps.

MUL FUNGUS (noun): bland whitish fibrous vegetable-like material which is the main food of muls.

MUL-PELLETS (noun): surmised by Tarl Cabot to be a vitamin supplement for muls.

MUL TORCH (noun): rod used to light passages in the Priest-Kings Nest.

MUSICIANS, CASTE OF (noun): czehar players have the most prestige, followed by the flutists and the players of the kalika. The players of the drums come next, and the farthest fellow down the list is the man who keeps the bag of miscellaneous instruments, playing them and parceling them out to others as needed. Musicians are never enslaved, but they may be exiled, tortured, or slain. It is said, that he who makes music must, like the tarn and the Vosk gull, be free.

NADU (command; lit. 'kneel): at this command, a slave girl will kneel back on her heels, with her knees spread wide, back straight, hands on thighs with palms up, head up, eyes lowered; ie: to assume the position of a Pleasure Slave

NAPOKTAN (noun): the Bracelets Band of the Kaiila Tribe of the Red Savages.

NEEDLE FLY (noun): also known as sting flies, these originate in the delta and similar places. Its sting is extremely painful but it is usually not dangerous unless inflicted in great numbers.

NEEDLE-TAILED LIT (noun): a bird found in the emergent (highest level) of rainforests in the Schendi area.

NEEDLE TREE (noun): a tree of the Thentis region, whose oil is used in perfumes NEST (noun): the colony and home of the Priest-Kings in the Sardar; the ruler of the Nest is the Mother, from whose eggs the Priest-Kings are hatched

NESTLE POSITION (noun): ''Nestle ' I told her. 'Yes Master ' she said. She nestled obediently in the crook of my left arm.'

NEST TRUST (noun): the Priest-King equivalent of 'friendship'

NGAO, LAKE (noun): an equatorial lake of the Jungles of Schendi, the Ua River enters it's eastern extremity, connecting this Lake to Lake Shaba in the NE corner of the rainforest. 'The Falls of Bila Haruma', named for the famed explorer of this region, lies 100 pasangs to the east. The villages of Unkungu are located on the NE shore. Nyundo is the central village of the Ukungu region.

NIGHT GATE (noun): a gate or gates monitored to allow passage of bona fide citizens to and from the city after dark.

NOON, GOREAN (noun): 10th ahn is the gorean noon.

NORTHERN BOW (noun): a short bow, with short, heavy arrows, heavily headed, it is accurate with a short range of a hundred and fifty yards. It somewhat resembles the Tuchuk bow of layered horn in it's accuracy and striking ability, which is about a hundred and fifty yards. It is useful for close combat on a ship, and can easily be fired through a thole port with the oar withdrawn.

NORTHERN COLLAR (noun): a utilitarian sounding collar made of black iron with an iron ring to be used if a chain is attached. It is rivited around the neck of the bond-maid.

NORTHERN FORESTS (noun): North of Laurius River and far northeast of Ko-ro-ba, it covers hundreds of thousands of square pasangs. This is the largest forest area on Gor and is also called the High Forests. They are north of Laura, extending north to Torvaldsland, past the northern ridges of the Thentis Mountains. They also extend east, past the northern ridges of the Thentis Mountains, and no one knows how far they extend. They extend on the west to the shores of Thassa. The forests are a vast uncharted wilderness, containing a multitude of different types of trees and vegetation. The most typical tree is the lofty, reddish Tur tree that may grow to two hundred feet or more. Tur trees bear some similarity to the great redwoods of Earth. The forests are also the home to many animals, including panthers, sleens, tabuk and hith. In addition, the forests are the refuge of various outlaws, forest people, panther girls, and is frequented by slavers from Port Kar. The forests can be a very dangerous area to visit.

NORTHERN HELMET (noun): conical shaped with a nose guard that can slip up and down; about the neck it usually has chain mail dangling from rings.

NORTHERN ISLANDS (noun): numerous but small islands, extending in an archipelago like a scimitar northeastward from Cos. The islands are not united. Their governments are usually no more than a village council. They usually possess no vessels larger than clinker-built skiffs and coasters.

NORTHERN SALT LINE (noun): an east/west road; Torcodino is on this road.

NORTHERN SHIELD (noun): round and wooden, variously painted, they are reinforced with iron bands, or leather, or small bronze plates. Hung, overlapping over the side of a ship, they are an indication of peaceful intent.

NORTHERN SILK ROAD (noun): a north/south road, Torcodino is on this road.

NORTHERN TABUK (noun): massive tawny and swift is much larger than its smaller southern variety; standing ten hands at the shoulders. They have a single spiralling ivory horn, which at it's base can be 2 1/2 inches in diameter and over a yard in length. The Red Hunters are irrecovably tired to the tabuk for sustenance and the devices of daily living much like the Wagon Peoples and the bosk, and the Red Savages and the kailiauk.

NOSE RING (noun): fine, gold ring fitted into a hole pierced into the septum of the nose. Among the Wagon Peoples, all females, slave and free wear such rings, as do their animals.

NOTCHED STICK (noun): musical instrument played by sliding a polished tem-wood stick across its surface.

NU (noun): a letter of the Gorean alphabet; corresponds to the Earth letter 'N' (?); apparently adapted from the Greek alphabet

NYKUS (noun): victory; from the Greek nike

NYOKA RIVER (noun): river that flows into Schendi harbor from the rainforest, and then on to Thassa.

NYUNDO (noun): A village located northeast of Lake Ngao, the central village of the Villages of Ukungo.

OAR DANCE (noun): a feat of agility performed by the rovers of Torvaldsland, that of leaping from moving oar to moving oar of the Serpent ships of the Torvald. Apparently a celebratory act.

OBEISANCE POSITION (position): a position of extreme deference which is described as a slave deeply bowing her head from the basic pleasure slave position, often flattening her palms against the floor and leaning forward to lick and kiss the boots of a Free person.

OCTAVII (noun): ranked as first and second, these individuals are deputy commissioners in the records office of a city.

OFFICIAL STONE (noun): a solid metal cylinder that is kept near Sardar. Four times a year on a set day during the fairs cities have the chance to test it against the standard stone.

OIL CLOCK (noun): mentioned as an example of the chronometer technology available on Gor.

OIL VEMINIUM (noun): by-product of Veminium petals being boiled in water; a scented oil used in middle to upper-class homes to rinse hands before and after eating.

OLAKOTA (noun): Kaiila word meaning peace.

OLIVE, RED (noun): from the groves of Tyros, not otherwise described.

OLNI RIVER (noun): A large tributary of the Vosk River which stretches northeast from the Vosk at Lara and north of Tharna. Lara, Vonda, Port Olni and Ti are the cities forming the Salerian Confederation, all of which lie on the Olni River.

OMEN YEAR (noun): a season, rather than a year, calculated by the Wagon Peoples into three phases. The first phase is called the 'Passing of Turia', in the fall; the 'Wintering', which takes place north of Turia and south of the Cartius River, and, finally the 'Return to Turia' in the spring (also called 'Season of Little Grass'). The omens are taken near Turia by the haruspexes, mostly readers of bosk blood and verr livers. Depending on their determination an 'Ubar San' might be chosen, the Ubar of all the Peoples. In the time of Tarl Cabot, the omens had not been favorable for one hundred years.

OMNION (noun): a letter of the Gorean alphabet, corresponds to teh letter "o".

ONKOS (noun): a towering, imposing headress used by actors in serious dramas.

ONE-STRAP (noun): one of a series of straps used in the navigation of a Tarn, namely for climbing steeply; it is also a command for Tarns trained in verbal cues.

OPALS, COMMON (noun): milky in color. Because they are much more rare on Gor they are of more value than those of Earth.

OPALS, FLAME (noun): reddish and blue in color. Because they are much more rare on Gor they are of more value than those of Earth.

OPEN-LEGGED TIE (noun): right wrist is tied to right ankle, and left wrist to left ankle, with about six or seven inches of slack between wrist and ankle. It is not good for general security but is it a good and familiar slave tie. One advantage of this is that a girl may kneel comfortably for hours.

OR (noun): a unit of ten warriors of the Wagon Peoples.

ORALU (noun): a unit of a thousand warriors of the Wagon Peoples

. ORGASM, SLAVE (noun): powerful orgasm in which a slave completely yields to the Master, after which she can never be anything but a man's slave.

ORLU (noun): a unit of a hundred warriors of the Wagon Peoples.

OST (noun): tiny snake, about 12" long, bright orange in color; its venom causes extremely painful death within seconds; the ost of the rain forests inland of Schendi are red with black stripes

OSTRAKA (noun): token given for admittance to a Gorean performance.These were apparently originally shells or pieces, shards, of pottery, but now were generally small clay disks, with a hole for a string near one edge. These were fired in a kiln, and glazed on one side. The glazing's colorations and patterns are difficult to duplicate and serve in their way as an authentication for the disk, the glazings differing for different performances or events. The unglazed back of the disk bears the date of the event or performance and a sign indicating the identity of the original vendor, the agent authorized to sell them to the public. Some of these disks, also, on the back, include a seat location. Most seating, however, in Gorean theaters, except for certain privileged sections, usually reserved for high officials or the extremely wealthy, is on a first-come-first-served basis. These ostraka, on their strings, about the necks of their owners, make attractive pendants. Some are worn even long after the performance or event in question, perhaps to let people know that one was fortunate enough to have been the witness of a particular event or performance, or perhaps merely because of their intrinsic aesthetic value. Some people keep them as souvenirs. Others collect them, and buy and sell them, and trade them. If the event or performance is an important one, and the ostraka are limited, their number being governed by the seating capacity of the structure or area in question, it is unlikely that they will be publicly displayed until after the event or performance. Needless to say some profiteering occasionally takes place in connection with the ostraka, a fellow buying a few for a given price and then trying to sell them for higher prices later outside, say, the stadium or theater.

OVAL, SLAVE (noun): a method of chain a slave girl consisting of a hinged iron loop which locks around her waist with two sliding wrist- rings and a welded ring in the middle of the back.

OYSTERS (noun): from the delta of the Vosk.