Gor - Dictionary

A glossary of some terms found in the Chronicles of Gor series of science fiction books written by John Norman, in alphabetical order (a number of them are used by real-world Gorean lifestylers to describe their practices, and a few have been taken up in general BDSM use):

Barbarian: A term which refers to any individual who does not speak the main common language or lingua franca of known Gor (called simply the "Gorean language" in the books, though there are other languages spoken on Gor) and/or who is conspicuously unassimilated to the culture(s) of "northern civilized cities of known Gor" (as they're referred to in Assassins of Gor, book 5 of the series — i.e. the region labelled as "Civilized Gor" on the simplified map of Gor). All those from earth are by definition barbarians, unless they have been intensively acculturated to the norms of the cultural sphere of the Gorean city-states over a fairly long period.
Bina: Gorean-language term for "slave beads", i.e. cheap glass or painted wooden beads considered appropriate for slave adornment, generally worn around the neck.
Bondage knot: A simple loose overhand knot tied in the long hair falling at the right side of a kajira's face can be symbolic of the master-slave relationship in several contexts. Most commonly, the kajira ties the knot in her own hair, and kneels naked before her master to inform him that she is in the mood and "ready for love" (of course, a slave on Gor must always obey her or his owner's commands, regardless of mood).
Camisk: A common Gorean garment for female slaves (the simplest and cheapest garment which provides some degree of coverage at both top and bottom). In its basic form, it is a simple rectangle of cloth, about 18 inches wide and up to six feet long, with a hole in the centre. The kajira's head goes through the hole, and the cloth is worn as a sideless poncho, generally belted at the waist by a tied cord, and often falling a little above the knees in front and back (sometimes shorter). Making a camisk requires no tailoring or seaming skills (though the cut edges of the fabric are often stitched to prevent unraveling). A kajira in a camisk would generally wear nothing besides the camisk, her collar, the cord or strap wrapped once or twice around her waist and tied "snugly" above a hip to provide a belt, often also a string or ribbon to tie back her hair (since the hair of kajirae is often full and long, but elaborate hairstyles tend to be considered inappropriate for them), and possible restraints and adornments (though occasionally she might be allowed to wear low non-heeled slippers). Undergarments are not worn, due to the prohibition against a "nether closure" (see the entry for Tunic below). A version of this was the main slave attire seen in the first release of a Japanese fan's efforts to illustrate Gor book #19 (an early, influential, use of Poser software for Gorean fan-art).
Dina: The "slave flower", an alternative symbol to the kef for a female slave.
First girl: In a household or establishment with multiple kajirae, one of them is often given authority over the others, in order to help in maintaining discipline and ensuring the efficient and orderly performance of kajira duties. Such a "first girl" might wear a talmit or headband to mark her status, and/or have other slight differences in her clothing. She is addressed as "mistress" by the other kajirae, and is sometimes given a five-strap flogger or "slave whip" to help enforce her authority over them. However, she is still a full slave and must follow the orders of free persons with perfect obedience. Of course, who (if anyone) is designated as first girl is entirely up to the owner of the kajirae, or the free person who has been given charge of them, and "first girl" status can be withdrawn or transferred at the whim of masters.
Free companion: On Gor, the pledging of a "free companionship" between a free man and a free woman is the counterpart to marriage. In a number of ways, a woman in a free companionship is more autonomous than a wife in a traditional marriage on earth: the man and woman are viewed as partners in a contractual relationship; there is no particular expectation that the woman should submerge her personality in that of the man; in many cases, a free companionship is automatically dissolved after a year, unless annually mutually renewed by the parties; and most of the time a woman free companion is fully respected as befits her status as a free woman. However, woman free companions are sometimes subject to occasional arbitrary assertions of male authority by their partners (in accordance with prevailing Gorean views of the basic natures of the two sexes), and if a man in a free companionship has sex with a kajira, normally this is not viewed as adultery or "cheating" according to Gorean laws and social customs. Gorean free woman are often frustrated that they are effectively in competition with kajirae for the attentions of free men, but in some ways are kept at a disadvantage in such competition by the restrictive social customs governing the behavior of free women; since free women can't generally vent such frustrations on the men themselves, they often take them out on the kajirae, so that free women often despise kajirae.
High slave: A kajira who is kept clothed in somewhat dignified slave silks (as opposed to common rep-cloth), and given rather light duties to be performed in elegant surroundings. However, a high slave is still a full slave who must follow the orders of free persons with perfect obedience; her clothing consists of a single thin layer of silk which is sleeveless, has a hemline above the knees, and is without a "nether closure"; and only a minority even among high slaves are completely exempted from performing common domestic chores. Of course, whether or not a kajira is a high slave is decided by her owner, and status as a high slave can be withdrawn by the master at any time.
Honorifics of address: All slaves must address all free persons as "master" or "mistress". In some contexts, a slave must address even other slaves placed in authority over her or him as "master" or "mistress". The form "my master" is reserved for a slave addressing her or his actual owner. For one free person to address another free person as "master" or "mistress" is usually a sign of obsequious cringing servility on Gor. Also, the words "master" and "mistress" are not used as titles on Gor (i.e. regularly prefixed to names) — in fact, almost the only situation in the books where "master" is prefixed to a name is when a kajira is speaking to one free man, and mentions the name of another free man who is also present and overhearing the conversation; in that context, the name of the second free man will be preceded by the word "master" to acknowledge his presence. Note that slaves are generally not permitted to directly address free persons by name, unless given special permission to do so.
Hook bracelets: Locking wrist manacles or leather wrist cuffs, each of which has a ring or "U" on the outside which latches shut without locking. If hook bracelets worn by a kajira are attached to fixed points more than a few inches apart, or are snapped together behind her body, then anyone who comes along can easily unlatch the bracelets, but she is powerless to free herself. Not to be confused with "snap bracelets" — which are permanently chained in place (separated by more than a few inches), and made so that the bracelets latch shut around a kajira's wrists without locking — though the end result is the same (others can free the kajira, but she cannot free herself).
Iron belt: Chastity belt for female.
Kajira: Word for female slave in the Gorean language (the Latin-style plural is kajirae). A less commonly-used metaphorical synonym is Sa-Fora (which most literally means "daughter of the chain" in the Gorean language). Other synonyms used in certain contexts are "bondmaid", "property girl" etc. A woman who is enslaved loses all legal status (citizenship, caste membership, name etc.) and cannot own anything (but is herself owned). Under Gorean law, a slave is the absolute property of her or his owner, and has no rights or protections; no obligations or duties are ever owed to a slave. A slave of either sex (kajira or kajirus) must render perfect obedience to an owner of either sex (master or mistress) or suffer the consequences — but many on Gor believe that the situation of a male master owning a female slave is most in accord with the basic natures of the two sexes. Only a minority of women on Gor are enslaved, but there is a fairly common opinion that the female slave is the paradigmatic or ideal woman (kajirae "are closest, perhaps, to the essentials of the female, those of subservience to the masculine will, obedience, service and pleasure"). Free women can be very conscious of kajirae, and sometimes envy them for being uninhibited by the restrictive customs which frequently govern the behavior of free women (especially high-caste women in the city-states), but they often seek to distinguish and differentiate themselves from kajirae as far as possible.
Kajirus: Word for male slave in the Gorean language (the Latin-style plural is kajiri). There are far fewer kajiri than kajirae on Gor, since Gorean men can only rarely be effectively "tamed", so that most male slaves are considered inherently slightly dangerous, and have little value other than as unskilled heavy labor which must often be kept under armed guard. Men conquered in war who are not left free are more often killed than enslaved, while women in the same situation are almost always enslaved (since kajirae are a readily-negotiable commodity, among other reasons).
Kef: Letter of the fictional Gorean alphabet (slightly resembling a Latin-alphabet "k"), which is commonly used as a symbol for a slave (since it writes the first sound of the words Kajira/Kajirus). The kef symbol is the most common slave brand on the planet Gor (though other marks are sometimes used). In the case of a female slave, it is most commonly placed high on the side of the left thigh below the hip in a stylized cursive form, called the "staff and fronds" (a "strict" vertical line or bar denoting authority, and to its right two upwards-curling quasi-floral curves which join together near the base of the vertical line to denote vulnerably open femininity in submission to authority, or "beauty under discipline"). Kajiri (male slaves) seem to be less often branded, but a simple block script form of the letter kef can be used to designate a male slave. Both the kajira and kajirus forms of the Kef can be used as artistic symbols (as well slave brands) on Gor, in which case they are often painted in red.
Kennel: When a household has few kajirae (or only one), a kajira often sleeps on a mat on the floor at the foot of her master's bed or "couch" (sometimes fastened to the "slave ring" which is almost invariably found at the foot of a Gorean couch). It is considered a privilege for a kajira to be allowed on the master's couch, and kajirae are generally trained to kneel before the couch and kiss it before "ascending" to join the master there. However, in some circumstances (especially when a household has multiple kajirae) it is considered desirable for a kajira to have a separate bedroom or "kennel". A kennel can be reasonably roomy, but it is generally too short for the kajira to stand up straight in. It is constructed so that a master or first girl can easily inspect the kajira within from the outside at any time. The door is usually relatively small and square, so that the kajira must enter and exit the kennel on her hands and knees; it is thus easy to attach a leash to a kajira's collar etc. as she is exiting the kennel. When the door is closed, it latches shut so that it cannot be opened from the inside. Usually a kajira is required to be naked in her kennel, except for the blanket that covers her when she sleeps.
Kept woman: If a free man is economically supporting a free woman, and they are not Free Companions or members of the same family, then she is the man's "kept woman", and he is her "keeper". A kept woman can choose to leave if she is willing to renounce the man's financial support — but if she stays, then he is within his rights to demand that she follow certain basic ground-rules within his dwelling, and never keep an inside locked door between them at any time.
Kirtle: In the cool climate of Torvaldsland, the common kajira garments of more southern latitudes are not practical during much of the year, so that the main kajira garment there is the "kirtle", or long ankle-length white wool gown (of thin wool in summer, and presumably of thick wool in winter). However, it is sleeveless, has a plunging neckline ("slit to the belly"), and is worn without underwear, to clearly indicate that it is a slave garment. If this would make doing a task easier and is allowed by the weather (or if the master orders it), then the kirtle is often hitched up so that its hemline is some inches off the ground.
Ko-lar (Collar): The collar is an important symbol of Gorean slavery; the brand (usually the Kef or Dina) symbolizes general slave status, while the collar proclaims ownership by a particular Master or Mistress. Many different types of collars can be worn in different circumstances or cultures, but the type most commonly worn by kajirae in the northern temperate zone city-states is a thin cylindrical metal locking collar (which usually fits closely enough to leave only the width of a finger or two in space between the inside of the collar and the neck), with the lock worn at the back of the neck. Collars worn by slaves under a long-term ownership and/or who go out in public generally have an emblem or inscription which identifies the slave's owner, and thus indicates whom the slave should be returned to if lost, stolen, or runaway. (By contrast, in a closed environment such as a slaver's establishment, a collar can sometimes be just a plain narrow bar of iron bent around the neck.) A collar is sometimes inscribed with the name of the slave who wears it, but this is not always feasible, since slaves have no permanent names, but are only given names for the convenience of their owners (who can change them or remove them at will). Occasionally a slave is named by her collar — that is, if a collar of the correct size happens to be available for a kajira to wear, and this collar has previously been inscribed with a name, then the kajira might be given that name simply to match the collar.
Kurt: Gorean-language term for a five-strap flogger ("five-stranded Gorean slave lash") or "slave whip", described as typically having an eighteen inch long handle (suitable for either one- or two-handed use, and about an inch-and-a-quarter to an inch-and-a-half in diameter) from which hang five relatively soft and flexible flat lashes, each an inch-and-a-half wide and two-and-a-half to three feet long. It is intended to effectively discipline female slaves without real risk of injury or scarring. Gorean kajirae are fairly often required to kiss the whip, or to fetch the whip to the master (carrying it gripped in their teeth while crawling on their hands and knees across a room), in order to remind them of their status, and what the consequences can be if they fail in a kajira's duty of being "absolutely obedient" and "perfectly pleasing". Kajirae are usually punished not so much for any specific fault as for having been generally "displeasing". Since a master's power over his kajira is absolute, he can punish her for any reason, or no reason at all (other than to "remind her that she is a slave"); however, the goal of a good Gorean master is to get a master-slave relationship running along smoothly so that only rather sporadic physical punishment is necessary to maintain perfect discipline. Gorean masters are occasionally quite harsh in order to impress on a kajira the fact of her slavery and subjection to male domination — but inflicting pain on a slave solely for the personal gratification of the master, without any legitimate relationship to discipline or training, is what Norman condemns as "sadism" (and insists is rare on Gor).
La kajira: A sentence meaning "I am a slave girl" in the Gorean language (the main lingua franca of the northern temperate zone city-states). In some cases, a free woman who utters this sentence becomes legally enslaved. This is one of the few Gorean-language sentences given in the books. The Gorean language appears to have sex-specific first person pronominal forms (the corresponding masculine being Lo).
Love silks: Sheer, sometimes almost diaphanous, garments worn by upper-class free women to entice their partners in Free Companionship (or their owned kajiri) in the privacy of their own chambers. In contrast to the slave silks worn by kajirae, love silks seem to tend to be long gowns (with hemlines that fall well below the knees), and not to be made out of almost fully transparent material. Note that among the tribes of the Wagon Peoples of the Plains of Turia, free women are actually forbidden to wear silk (considered suitable only for slaves to wear). This is not the case elsewhere on Gor, where upper-class free persons often wear silk as part of their clothing (though only slaves wear garments of just a single layer of thin silk in public).
Merchant Law: On Gor, the degree of legal comity (i.e. the ability or willingness of the magistrates of one city to examine and enforce the internal laws and judgements of another separately-governed city) is ordinarily minimal or non-existent. However, there is a widely-recognized body of "merchant law" governing inter-city trade. The main purpose of merchant law is to provide a legal framework which can help establish confidence and stable expectations for business relationships between citizens of different cities (something which might otherwise be difficult, given the entrenched local particularism and distrust of strangers common in the Gorean cities, and the lack of inter-city comity). Merchant law also encourages a certain degree of standardization of weights and measures across Gor, and the standardization of certain practices connected with inter-city commerce. Merchant law is the only form of international or "intermunicipal" law on Gor; if a city violates the norms of merchant law by showing blatant favoritism to its own citizens, then it might find its trading relationships disrupted and be banned from the Sardar Fairs. Part of merchant law is concerned with slavery, and defines exactly who is and is not considered to be a slave for the purposes of inter-city slave trading. So if a prisoner or captive has not been branded or made to wear a collar, and has not performed a "gesture of submission" or uttered a formula of self-enslavement, then that individual is not a slave according to merchant law. Merchant law recommends that female slaves always be branded, that the brand be at one of three locations (high on the side of the left thigh below the hip, high on the side of the right thigh below the hip, or on the lower left abdomen), and that a token of who owns her (almost always a collar, rarely a bracelet or anklet) be publicly visible. These recommendations are not any form of limitation on an owner's absolute power over a kajira, but in practice the vast majority of kajirae on Gor are branded on the left thigh — and if a master ends up losing ownership of a kajira because he did not have her branded or did not have her wear a collar with his name inscribed (thus potentially making it more difficult to prove her slave status or his ownership of her), then he has only himself to blame for not following the standards of merchant law. Note that someone who is a slave under merchant law is not always a slave under the laws of every Gorean city; if a woman was illegally enslaved in a city, she is free according to the laws of that city (and those who subjected her to false enslavement are criminals in that city) — but if she is then smuggled out to another separately-governed city, she will generally be considered a fully legitimate slave there (due to the lack of legal comity, which accords with Gorean attitudes that women of other cities are most naturally slaves to the citizens of one's own city).
Nadu: Gorean name for classic sexual submission kneeling position, with torso over heels and knees widely separated. (This position was described in the Story of O, though the name "Nadu" is Norman's, used by him only in Gor book 13 Explorers.) By default, the hands rest on the thighs. Also called "the position of the pleasure slave, that of a woman who is of interest to men". (See Gorean slave positions for a more detailed description, and further Gorean cultural context.)
Panther girls: Some women who are dissatisfied with the relatively narrow roles allocated to free women in Gorean societies, or who have run afoul of the laws of their native city-state or community, run away to the northern forests of Gor, joined there by some successfully-escaped kajirae. Such women are known as "panther girls" (from the panther-skins they wear as clothing) or "forest girls". Since they are outlaws (not under the protection of any Gorean home stone), they can be legitimately enslaved by anyone they meet, so they group together into roaming bands for mutual protection, and generally avoid men except in a few specific contexts (tense barter encounters, surprise ambushes to acquire captives, and occasional temporary bandit alliances). Some panther girls are very skilled with bows and arrows, but they're not real warriors (Norman thinks that a woman warrior is a contradiction in terms). Their only real military tactic is to try to arrange a surprise ambush to capture isolated individuals or small groups in the forest; if they fail to achieve a surprise ambush, or take on a group which they do not outnumber, then they very often lose and are captured and enslaved. They wear panther skins instead of cloth partly because they try to be self-sufficient, making do with resources available in the forests, in order to keep potentially dangerous encounters with outsiders to a minimum. However, they do periodically barter captives and stolen objects for a few items which they greatly need or desire, but which they can't make for themselves — knives and arrowpoints of hard metal forged to a sharp edge, and the occasional block of hard sugar candy. Panther girls are often contemptuous of women who are not suited to the panther-girl way of life, and show little compunction about making use of their male and female captives (including sometimes raping male captives) while usually trying to quickly trade them for weapons and candy.
Pierced-ear girl: Traditionally in the "northern civilized cities of known Gor", piercing a woman's ears was usually done with the serious intention of permanently marking her as a particularly low slave, who should never be freed, and who should never even be made a high slave — since according to Gorean interpretations, a woman wearing ear-rings has an overwhelming sexual symbolism in which "the penetrability of her sweet flesh is brazenly advertised upon her very body, a proclamation of her ready vulnerability". (The use and meaning of ear-piercing described in Norman's Gor books was presumably influenced by Bible verses Exodus 21:6 and Deuteronomy 15:17.) After the fall of the southern-hemisphere city of Turia described in book 4 Nomads, ear-piercing became more common in the north, often done simply to attempt to increase a kajira's price, but pierced ears still retain connotations of brazen sexuality and permanent status as a low slave ("in Gorean eyes, [earrings] fasten a woman's degradation helplessly upon her"). By contrast, septum-piercing and the wearing of nose-rings is considered to be a simple kajira adornment (also practiced by free women in some cultures on Gor), without any strong symbolic significance.
Red silk: Non-virgin (especially of a female slave), one whose "body has been opened by men" for the "uses of men". "Red-silk" kajirae are not actually required to wear red clothes, or wear silk (though in some contexts, the wearing of red or scarlet slave silks can indicate that a kajira is a pleasure slave). The phrase is used because silk is a fabric which is considered very appropriate for slaves to wear, and because there is a symbolic opposition between the colors red and white on Gor: in some cases, red means "non-wirgin" and white means "virgin" — while in other cases, red indicates a pleasure slave and white indicates a tower slave / serving slave. (The second set of symbolisms is actually more commonly useful, since very few kajirae are virgins.) Male silk slaves (kajiri) can also be made to wear red silk tunics to indicate the sexual nature of thir servitude. Note that kajirae who serve in cheap paga taverns very often wear scanty yellow slave silks, but there is no such thing as a "yellow-silk kajira" in the Gor books.
Rep-cloth: A relatively cheap and durable fabric which the majority of ordinary kajira garments are made from in the zone of the "northern civilized cities" (though that's not its only use); it is often dyed or printed with floral designs. The basic plant fibers are soft, but the type of cloth used for slave garments is often rather coarsely woven. Some serving slaves owned by free women wear tunics of closely-woven white rep cloth starched to stiffness, which can be relatively modest (as slave garments go). However, kajirae more often wear unstarched clothing of rather thin rep-cloth which is closely clinging and not very concealing (quite revealing when wet). Male slaves (kajiri) more often wear garments of wool than rep-cloth.
Robes of concealment (free women's attire): Everywhere on Gor, it is required that the clothing of kajirae and the clothing of free women be strongly distinguished, so that people can tell at a glance whether a woman is free or slave, and thus be able to react to her appropriately according to her social status. In the zone of the main northern hemisphere cities, this almost always means that the gowns worn by free women in public must be long (falling well below the knees), be made of opaque material (not thin rep-cloth), and have high necklines that fully cover the shoulders. Since kajira garments are always sleeveless, in some cities free women's gowns must have sleeves in order to contrast; however, low-caste women sometimes do wear sleeveless gowns in other cities and regions. Free women also usually wear slip-like undergarments, stockings, and shoes (while kajira attire is generally restricted to one layer only, and kajirae usually go barefoot when the weather permits); however, some impoverished free women, or women living in certain geographically-remote areas somewhat independent of typical city-state culture, sometimes do wear a gown without undergarments (such as the summer dress of the women of the Alar tribe). High-caste or wealthy women in the cities emphasize their high social status by wearing voluminous "robes of concealment", with many layers of petticoats, and veils covering the face, and in some cases also high platform shoes (which can be almost mini-stilts). Such upper-class free women invest great emotional and symbolic significance in never showing their faces to any free men outside their family — but poor free women in the cities often find it impractical to go veiled, and the custom of face-veiling is unknown in many rural or tribal areas outside the cities. Some free women of intermediate social status in the cities compromise with a single veil of plain cloth (as opposed to the multiple layers of sheer veiling worn by upper-class women); in the cities of the Tahari desert region, such free women often wear a haik (black burka).
Sign of the looped binding fiber: In the arctic zone of the northern hemisphere of the planet Gor, it is not practical for kajirae to wear skimpy attire, so that kajirae wear the same basic clothing as free women. However, every single garment worn by a female slave there (whether an inner garment or outer garment) must have a distinctive pattern of stitching which represents a looped binding fiber (such as is often used to tie up kajirae). The design, sewn into the clothes with red-dyed sinew, appears on the left shoulder of upper-body garments, and on the left hip of some lower-body garments.
Silk slave: Male slave kept by a woman owner for bedroom duties (most male slaves on Gor are used for hard labor in work gangs). When a free woman makes use of a kajirus sexually, he is often chained so that he is unable to hold her in his arms — since allowing this would be considered to add a note of male domination to the lovemaking. Some free women carefully avoid kissing a kajirus when making sexual use of him, since they would consider it degrading to soil their lips by touching them to the body of a mere slave. Note that only a small minority of rich free women on Gor own silk slaves, and (in contrast to the usual situation with free men and kajirae) it is often not very easy or convenient for a free woman to obtain the sexual use of a kajirus whom she does not personally own (in the city of Ar it is strictly forbidden by law).
Sirik: A set of linked chains and attached locking circlets intended to thoroughly restrain a woman's movements, but without needing to fasten her to anything, and while still allowing her to stand, to walk with mincing steps, and to kneel in the tower or nadu positions. The main chain (about five feet long) hangs down from a locking collar (sometimes a loose Turian collar which can be slipped over a regular slave collar); a bracelet chain (connecting two locking wrist manacles that are usually about 6-12 inches apart) is attached to the main chain roughly two feet below the collar, or at the "lower belly", while an anklet chain (connecting two locking fetters that are usually about a foot to a foot-and-a-half apart) is attached to the end of the main chain. The chain lengths can ideally be adjusted to taste; Norman suggests that best results are obtained when the main vertical chain (collar chain) is long enough to rest on the floor for several inches when the woman is standing straight (alternatively, the collar chain can be slightly shorter, and end in a small ring, through which the anklet chain is allowed free play). The chains should be light enough not to be too burdensome or uncomfortable when worn for hours.
Slave bells: Small bells worn by a kajira to make her more conscious of her body movements and/or to make it easier for masters to track her whereabouts, while providing a pleasant background of sound (the "music of bondage"). Such bells can be worn in many forms, but the most classic method is as five bells attached to a locking slave anklet (this is worn by state slaves of Ar, etc.).
Slave bracelets: A pair of locking wrist manacles connected by a light chain often about five inches in length. Can be used to confine a kajira's hands in front of or behind her body (more often the latter, as indicated by the "Bracelets!" command).
Slave livery: Term which usually refers to a specific type of basic slave tunic when this becomes a conventional kajira uniform in certain contexts. Thus "state slaves" owned by the government of the city of Ar wear standardized grey tunics. Also, in some Gorean cities during certain periods it was customary for kajirae to wear tunics with one or several diagonal stripes of color across the front. If in a household or establishment with multiple slaves, the kajirae are generally required to wear the same standardized attire most of the time, that's the "livery of the house".
Slave papers: Legal documents which include minute physical descriptions and measurements of a slave, along with information about the circumstances of her enslavement, whether she was a virgin when first enslaved ("white silk"), her ownership history, the names she has been called by at different times, the type and location of her brand, her various abilities and characteristics, etc. Often such papers will include attestations by doctors who have examined her, magistrates or merchants of cities where she was sold, etc. Probably only a minority of slaves on Gor are the subject of papers of this type, since they are not usually necessary to establish a kajira's slave status. (If a woman in a city has a slave-brand on her body, and there is no specific evidence that she was branded in the city contrary to the city's laws or that she is a citizen of the city who has suffered the illegal indignity of false enslavement, and the woman has no manumission papers showing that she has been freed, then the fact of her being branded is taken as an overwhelming indication that she is a kajira.) However, slave papers might come in handy if a kajira is being kept in the same city where she was formerly a citizen (to show that her enslavement was legitimate and above-board), as proof of ownership when a slave has become lost, stolen, or runaway, or as proof of slave status if a kajira is (unusually) not yet branded. As is generally the case with legal documents on Gor, slaves are not allowed to read or touch slave papers (except to add an ink impression of their fingerprints).
Slave silks: Sheer or diaphanous garments with some similarity to earthly lingerie, but generally respecting the Gorean "no nether closure" rule (as well as typical requirements that kajira attire should be sleeveless and remain above the knees); also known as "pleasure silks". Sometimes silk garments which are almost completely transparent are said to make a kajira feel "more naked than naked". Note that kajira clothing is more often brief, open, and loose than tight-fitting, thus allowing fairly free access to the kajira's body without the need to remove her clothing first (though kajira garments are sometimes tightly belted at the waist); for this reason, bra and panties or bikini type garments are not particularly Gorean — though minimal silk G-strings (which can easily be pushed to one side) are occasionally worn. (Earth bras and panties are often considered to be somewhat paradoxical garments on Gor, since their skimpy cut and being made of thin or sheer silk-like fabrics strongly suggests kajira attire, but the way in which they fit tightly over the most intimate areas — thus potentially obstructing the master's right of constant unhindered access to all of his slave property — would almost never be tolerated in kajira garments worn in the zone of the main northern hemisphere cities.) Also, slave silks are not underwear (since kajira clothing rarely has more than one layer, except for an occasionally-worn outer "slave cloak").

Minimal slave strip, with one narrow rectangle of cloth

Slave strip(s): A garment which consists of a cord tied around a kajira's body at the belly (usually fastened by an easily-untied slip-knot or bow at the left hip), sometimes with two rectangles or strips of cloth folded over the cord (one in front and one in back), but often with only one rectangle folded over the cord, in front.
Slave wine: Semi-permanent female contraceptive, usually taken by drinking an unsweetened bitter liquid. This is a medical refinement of the naturally-growing "sip-root" (traditionally used as a short-term contraceptive in some Gorean cultures); its effects can be reversed by administering a dose of a "releaser".
Southern hemisphere slave garments: In the southern hemisphere of the planet Gor (south of the equatorial jungles and west or south of the Tahari desert), there are some cultural practices different from those prevailing in the zone of the main northern hemisphere cities (or "northern civilized cities of known Gor"). Thus in the largest southern-hemisphere city of Turia, piercing the ears of kajirae, and having kajirae wear ear-rings, was traditionally done much more often than in the northern hemisphere (and without the special meaning assigned to ear-piercing in the northern hemisphere). The loose-fitting toroidal Turian collar is also favored over the close-fitting cylindrical collar of the northern hemisphere. Another difference between the two hemispheres is that in southern hemisphere cultures, kajira clothing often violates the "no nether closure" rule of the northern hemisphere. So among the Wagon Peoples of the Plains of Turia, standard kajira attire consists of the following four items: the Curla, a red cord knotted tightly around the waist and fastened above the left hip with an easily-untied slip knot (i.e. shoelace knot); the Chatka, a strip of black leather about six inches wide and four to five feet long, which is slipped over the Curla in front, passed between the legs, and slipped over the Curla from the inside in back, so that it is tight-fitting in the middle, while the loose ends fall freely in front and back; the Kalmak, a short sleeveless vest of black leather open in the front; and finally the Koora, a strip of red cloth (matching the Curla) used to tie back the hair (note that kajirae of the Wagon Peoples are not allowed to confine their hair in any other way). In addition to the "no nether closure" principle, this also violates the northern hemisphere preference that kajirae should not usually wear leather (which is considered too "masculine" for them), but rather soft clinging fabrics such as silk and rep-cloth. (See the entry on "slave strips" for a Chatka and Curla type garment adjusted to northern hemisphere preferences.) In the city of Turia itself, the most common kajira attire is the "Turian camisk" or piece of cloth cut in the shape of an inverted "T": the foot of the "T" is fastened at the neck and goes down the front of the body, between the legs, and up to the lower back where it meets the crossbar; the two ends of the crossbar are then brought around to the front of the body and fastened there. Note that a Turian camisk is not actually a camisk according to the basic northern hemisphere meaning of the word; however, the two types of garment do share the feature of revealing the most common site for a kajira brand (high on the side of the left thigh under the hip).
Stabilization serum: Immortality potion. (Slave wine and stabilization serums combine to contribute to certain apparently intentionally unrealistic aspects of the Gor books.)
Ta-Teera: The Gorean-language term for a "slave rag", that is, an irregular and generally somewhat fragmentary garment which is vaguely tunic-like, but which does not fit the definition of any of the standard types of kajira clothing styles (tunic, camisk, etc.). Ta-teeras are often customized with strategic rips and gaps to be rather scanty and revealing. The minimum coverage requirement for a ta-teera would seem to be that if the kajira stands still, then her crotch will be covered from the view of anyone directly in front of her (but it might become visible from other angles and/or when she is in motion, as is the case to varying degrees with the majority of Gorean slave garments).
Tower slave: Female slave whose duties do not prominently include sexual services, also known as a "house slave" or "serving slave" (derogatory variant: "kettle slave"). Opposite is "pleasure slave" or "silk girl". Of course, the manner in which a kajira serves is decided solely by her owner.
Tower slave position: Like nadu, but with knees together (indicating a less sexual submission). Also called "the position of the house slave". When the hands are not occupied with some task, they generally rest loosely in front, with wrists crossed. Gorean free women commonly use a similar position to simply sit on the floor or the ground (without expressing any submission), but in less revealing garments than kajirae, and never with wrists crossed.
Tunic: Standard garment worn by men on Gor whose occupations demand physical effort and freedom of movement (such as warriors) — and also (in a rather different form) by female slaves. Tunics worn by kajirae are sleeveless and commonly rather short (with the hemline always above the knees, and usually only coming down to the upper thighs). Those slave tunics worn by pleasure slaves (as opposed to tower slaves) often have a deeply-plunging neckline, which can be slit in front down to the navel, and are often modified so that they can be removed with a simple pull on a "disrobing loop" attached to the left shoulder-strap, or by unfastening a clasp or loosening an easily-untied slip-knot (bow or shoelace knot) at the left shoulder strap. Unlike several other types of kajira attire, a slave tunic usually covers the most common kajira branding site (high on the side of the left thigh, under the hip). However, tunics can be slit at the sides in various ways, in order to be more revealing, and this can allow the brand to become visible. The tunics of the house livery worn by the kajirae of Miles of Argentum are "slit at the sides to the rib cage", so that the back and front are joined only for a few inches below the armpit (of course, if a tunic is slit completely, so that the back and front are not joined at the sides at all, then it becomes a camisk). In the northern temperate zone city-states, all of a kajira's garments are generally required to be open at the bottom (allowing an open-air path to her privates), to symbolize and facilitate her constant sexual availability and accessibility to her master (i.e. a "nether closure" is forbidden), so that no undergarments are worn.
Two-piece kajira outfits: The common northern-hemisphere slave garments (camisk, tunic, etc.) can be quite scanty and revealing in many ways, but do not fully bare the midriff. If this is desired, then two-piece outfits can be worn: most often a simple rectangle of cloth worn as a short skirt tied at the left hip (so that the left leg and the common kajira branding site there are fully revealed), and a halter top above. Fancy outfits worn for solo kajira slave dances are often of the same basic type, but of silk rather than rep cloth, etc. For another type of two-piece kajira outfit, see the standard attire of the kajirae of the Wagon Peoples of the southern hemisphere, described above.
Walking chain: Light locking ankle fetters connected by a light chain a foot or more long, when worn without other restraints, are likely mainly intended to keep a woman's stride length below some maximum considered aesthetic, rather than to confine a slave as such. Free women in some regions of Gor sometimes use an analogous "silken thong" as a beauty aid for the same reason, or occasionally even wear chains (as may have also sometimes been done in Biblical times — see Isaiah 3:16).
White silk: Virgin (especially of a female slave). Virginity in a kajira is more often considered a negative (i.e. a sign of awkward inexperience) than a positive by Gorean men (though in some contexts it can have a certain commercial value on Gor). In the zone of the main northern cities, a "red-silk" kajira would not normally wear pure white garments (without any accents or trimmings of a contrasting color), since to do so would be to falsely proclaim her to be white silk; however, tower slaves / serving slaves often wear simple predominantly-white tunics.

External links

Gorean dictionary part A on SM-201 (There are also several other parts; this is a glossary of all terms connected with the fictional planet Gor, not just ones relevant to BDSM. )

Gor - Dictionary

See also

External links

Personal tools

Namespaces

Variants

Views

Actions

Search

Navigation

Tools