Friday, January 31, 2014
Free Men
Clothing
Men of the Plains
The
clothes of Tuchuk men resemble much of that worn by the Mongols of Earth. They
have a leather jerkin, covered by a quilted jacket that can be trimmed with fur
and have a fur collar. They wear wide leather trousers held by a five-buckled
belt. Their boots can be made of hide and trimmed with fur. They wear a hood
and cape of fur or a flopping cap of fur covering a conical steel helmet. While
riding, they also wear a soft, leather wind scarf to use against the wind and
dust of the ride.
In
the coldest weathers, both men and women, Free and slave, will wear furred
boots and trousers, coats and ear-flapped caps that tie under the chin. It
becomes difficult to differentiate between the Free and slave though there may
still be signs. Kajirae have long, unbound hair and their collar can be
visible. Male slaves wear shackles, linked by a foot of chain.
City Men
The
most common clothing worn in the cities is the tunic. This may be the Roman or
Greek style of tunic with or without sleeves. It may be tied at the waist with
cord or a sash, or belted. Tunics come in various lengths, the shorter being
knee-length and the longer going to the ankles. The tunic is also worn in
villages and settlements away from the cities, depending on the climate.
Surcotes, jackets and vests may also be used over tunics.
Other Areas
In
the North, more clothing is worn because of the cold climate. Fabric or leather
pants, tunics, vests, and jackets are commonly used. For the hot Tahari,
clothing is similar to that of the nomadic peoples of the Middle East of Earth.
In the steamy jungles, people often wear robes and cloaks, though the fabric is
lighter. Even so, leather and skins are also worn. Feathers are very popular.
Common Throughout Gor
Cloaks,
short and long, hooded or not, are worn throughout Gor. Sandals are the most
common footwear. Boots may be used in colder climates or as protection when
riding. Accessories include headwear, belts, sashes, pouches, gloves, and
jewelry.
Combat Rules
Combat Posting
The
stance post will be first. Each warrior will then post three to eight combat
posts in alternating fashion. An “ending post” of two defensive actions only
will be the final post. ALL posts, including the stance and final defense post
will be scored. An individual post will consist of NO MORE than five actions.
Actions include any combinations of movement, changing weapons, attacks, and
defense. Each post will be worth five points. Deductions from each post will be
based on mistakes, unrealistic actions, confusing posts, non-flowing posts, and
time limit violations (over the eight minutes). One point per round will be
awarded to the warrior who posts the most “effective aggression.” Remember that
a post should represent no more than two to three seconds maximum of R/T.
Types of Combat
Four
types of combat are recognized:
Sport
Spars: These spars are for practice and tournament competition. These spars are
light contact. No serious wounding and no death blows are allowed. These spars
may be entirely hand-to-hand combat if both combatants agree. These spars shall
be three to five posts in length, although extra rounds may be added to break a
draw, if agreed to by both combatants.
Honor
Duels (Canjellne or Honor Spars): These duels are for settling disputes and
lesser matters of honor. Typically, the combatants will set stakes and the
winner is awarded all. These duels are more serious and critical wounds may be
inflicted. Death blows and permanent injury are not permitted. These duels may
be entirely hand-to-hand combat, if both combatants agree. These duels shall be
five posts in length, although extra rounds may be added to break a draw.
Death
Duels (Death Spars): These duels are for grave matters of honor. The combatants
are risking their lives. The loser of a death duel dies. Both may die if the
duel is ruled a draw. Permanent injury, even to the winner, may occur. The
combatants risk everything they own in addition to their lives, including, but
not limited to, gold, free companions, and slaves. These duels are fought with
weapons, although hand-to-hand combat may be used. These duels shall be eight
posts in length, although extra rounds may be added to break a draw.
Open
Combat: Sometimes combat will spontaneously begin between two or more warriors,
or possibly due to an assassin's attack.
Rules for Combatants
Each
duel/spar will be alternating posts each by each combatant. A “beginning post”
shall state the stance, where weapons are (hands or sheathed), and if any
subtle motion, e.g. “circling.” All times and time violations will begin after
the beginning post is made. The first post of sport spars will be determined by
a random method agreed to by the combatants and judges. The first post of
either honor duels or death duels shall be the option of the challenged
warrior. The challenged warrior may post first or second as he chooses.
Each
combatant may use up to seven Gorean weapons including quiva. This also
includes shields, bucklers or helmet. A pair of fighting slave’s gloves shall
count as two weapons. A bow is a weapon and each arrow is an additional weapon.
Non-Gorean weapons will not be permitted and, of course, no armor, chain mail,
or similar protection.
Combatants
will be judged on realism and skill. All strikes must be accepted, evaded or
blocked. Each combatant chooses how to respond and the duel/spar must flow
reasonably from one move to the next. Connection to the prior post is the
responsibility of combatants.
An
individual post will consist of NO MORE than five actions. Actions include any
combinations of movement, attacks, and defense. Accepting a strike, blow or
wound does not count against the five allowed actions.Movement Actions
Closing
to engage a combatant. Even on the opening post.
Moving
back out of combat and getting reading to defend.
Changing
weapons.
Changing
Your position during or after attacking.
Getting
out of the way of an attack (ducking, rolling out of the way, etc.).
Feints.
Attacking
Actions
Hitting
or attempting to hit with a weapon.
Hitting
or attempting to hit with a shield.
Hand-to-hand
attacks such as kicks, punches, leg sweeps, head butts, throws, etc.
Using
blood, sand, or another foreign substance to blind.
Defensive Actions
Parries
with a weapon.
Blocks
with a shield.
Ducking,
dodging or otherwise evading an attack.
· Combatants will have an eight-minute period from
the previous post to respond. After eight minutes, a penalty shall be imposed.
· To assist the judges, combatants shall use some
method of separating actions, such a numbered sequence (1, 2, 3...), series of
periods (......), stars (****), or some other method.Example: “Parrying
your sword with mine...punching you in the stomach with my right fist...leaping
back three paces...knees bent and crouching in defense.”
· A combination move incorporates two actions that
fit well with each other into one, more complex, action. Combination moves that
flow well are encouraged and considered as one action in the total of five
allowed actions. Combination moves must flow well and must be
believable.Example: “Dropping low and sweeping your legs” is
an acceptable combination and does not have to be separated into “dropping
low....sweeping your legs.”Example: “Parrying your blade with mine
then quickly striking your shoulder with the blade”is unacceptable as a
combination move. Clearly, parrying a weapon, then striking are two different
actions.
· Combatants may NOT post the actions of their
opponents (force posting) or the damage that their attack does.Example: “Stabbing
you in the chest with my quiva” is an acceptable attack. “Stabbing
you in the chest with my quiva....puncturing your lung” is an
unacceptable attack because it declares the damage received by the
opponent.Example: “Circling to your left” is an acceptable
move. “Circling to your left, forcing you to turn” is an
unacceptable move because it declares a movement by the opponent.Example:"Swinging
My sword to meet Yours, parrying Your strike" is an acceptable
parry. "Swinging My sword to meet Yours, parrying Your
strike...shoving Your blade wide to the left" is an unacceptable
parry because it declares the motion of the opponent's hand/arm and the
opponent's weapon.Note: Posts that include striking the intended target, such
as “stabbing you in the chest with my quiva,” do not describe
the actions of their opponents or the damage that their attack does. Instead it
is considered a “guide” to the intent and thinking of the combatant.
· Combatants are urged to be as descriptive and
accurate as possible. Use of “right and left” with regard to the opponent (be
sure to post if its your right or your opponent’s right) is highly encouraged
and could result in points rewards.
· An “ending post” may be posted after the final
strikes have been posted. The ending post will consist of no more than two
actions and WILL NOT contain any offensive actions.Rules for Judges
Judges
and the number of them for a duel/spar shall be set and agreed on by the
combatants. An odd number of judges is preferred to minimize the chance of a
draw. In the case of a death duel, the judges must first decide if a death duel
is warranted for the dispute between the combatants. If the judges decide a
death duel is not warranted, then the duel shall be reduced to an honor duel.
In the case of open combat, the ubar/jarl/chief of the room where the combat
occurs shall judge the combat. If the ubar/jarl/chief is involved in the combat
or if the ubar/jarl/chief cannot FAIRLY judge the combat, the ubar/jarl/chief
shall appoint a single neutral judge agreeable to all combatants to determine
if any deaths, serious wounds, or captures occurred.
Judges
shall read all posts carefully and objectively assess the merit of the posts.
If a judge cannot do this, the judge should REFUSE to judge the duel/spar. It's
the only honorable action.
For
booted/crashed/frozen/tech impaired/RTI'd combatants (this IS on line and WILL
happen), allowances of extra time over the eight-minute limit should be given.
Where a combatant cannot return to the duel/spar, the judges shall decide
whether to restart the entire duel/spar at a later time or pick up the
duel/spar where it ended at a later time. The judges may render decision on the
duel/spar at the point the duel/spar ended, IF and ONLY IF, both combatants
agree.
Each
post for each round of a duel/spar shall be worth a base of five points. Points
shall be added or subtracted from the base.
Duels/spars
will be judged on the basis of realism, following the rules of combat, and
effectiveness of offense and defense.
Violations
of the eight-minute time limit shall have a one-point deduction from the base
of five. The eight minutes are calculated from the time of the opponent's last
post. A one-second violation of the eight minutes IS a violation.Example:
Fighter 1 posts at 15:21:45. Fighter 2 has until 15:29:45 to respond. If
Fighter 2's post arrives at 15:29:46, then one point is deducted.
Unrealistic/confusing/non-flowing
posts shall have one point deducted from the base of five points. Combatants
are not supermen and posts should reflect humanly possible actions. The posts
of each combatant should be clear, easy to read and easy to visualize. The
posts should flow easily from one post to the next.
Violations
of the rules of combat shall have a one-point deduction from the base of five
per violation. For example, if a combatant posts six actions in a post, the
combatant loses one point. If a combatant posts six actions AND directs the
opponent's next move, the combatant loses two points. If a combatant posts six
actions, directs the opponent's next move, AND violates the eight-minute time
limit for response, the combatant loses three points.
Posts
that are flawless, that is, completely realistic and without violation of the
rules of combat including, but not limited to, time violation, may be rewarded
with an additional point to the base of five IF AND ONLY IF there is evidence
of extra realistic, descriptive, accurate, superior strategy, or extra
effective offense or defense.
Judges
shall evaluate each round of the duel/spar for effective offense. The combatant
that posts the most effective offense, that is, realistic within the other
confines of the rules; and either acknowledged as a strike, unrealistically
blocked, or ignored by the other combatant, shall receive an extra point added
to their base score for the round. The only time such a point will not be
awarded is in the event of a time violation. A post that contains the most
effective offense, but is not posted within the eight-minute time limit, shall
not receive an extra point.
The
end of the duel/spar will occur when the ending post is posted. At the end of
the duel/spar, each judge will all add his scores from all five posts for each
combatant to determine who won the duel/spar. The name of the winner shall then
be given to the head judge. The winner of the duel/spar shall be the combatant
who has the most judges deciding in his favor at the end of the duel/spar.Possible
Outcomes
Judge
1 scores for Fighter 1: 21 – 19, Judge 2 scores for Fighter 2: 22 – 17, and
Judge 3 scores for Fighter 1: 20 - 19. Fighter 1 is the winner of the duel/spar
because 2 of the 3 judges have decided for Fighter 1. Fighter 1 wins the
duel/spar even though total points totals are 58 (Fighter 1) to 60 (Fighter 2).
This prevents a single judge (like Judge 2) from effectively overruling the
other two judges.
Judge
1 scores for Fighter 1: 20 – 19, Judge 2 scores a draw: 19 – 19, and Judge 3
scores for Fighter 2: 19 - 17. The duel/spar is a draw even though Fighter 2
has a one- point edge in the totaled score.
Judge
1 scores for Fighter 1: 20 – 18, Judge 2 scores a draw: 19 – 19 and Judge 3
scores a draw: 17 - 17. The duel/spar is a draw because 2 of 3 judges ruled it
a draw. To allow Fighter 1 to win would allow Judge 1 to overrule the other two
judges. This duel/spar is a draw, even though Fighter 1 has a two-point edge in
the totaled score.
· Judges shall give their scoring and the reasons
for the scoring to either combatant or in public, if requested by either
combatant.
· · It is hoped that any
duel/spar would have a winner and loser but both duels and the sport spar may
end in a draw. Extra rounds may be added to a sport spar or either duel (honor
or death), if both combatants agree. When there is a draw in a sport spar, there
are no consequences to a draw. With a draw in an honor duel, both combatants
keep their stakes. When there is a draw in a death duel, the judges must decide
whether both combatants live or die. If both combatants are deemed to die due
to severe injuries, then their property is returned to their next of kin.
· · If the results of the
combat are a draw, and both combatants agree to break the draw, then an extra
round will be added to the duel/spar. The extra round shall be judged
independently of the preceding regular rounds. The scores of the regular rounds
of the duel/spar are no longer valid. After completion of the extra round, the
judges will confer to see if one combatant has won or lost the extra round. If
a winner of the extra round is found, then the duel/spar is over and the winner
of the extra round is declared the winner of the duel/spar. If no winner has
been determined in the extra round (i.e. the extra round was judged a draw
too), then a second extra round is added to the duel/spar. This process
continues until a winner is declared.
Tips and
Hints
Visualize
the duel/spar as completely as you can. Try to :see” your actions and your
opponents. State your position and actions as clearly as you can and visualize
your opponent's position as well. Remember and post orientation information
such as right and left (yours or your opponent), and up and down. Know the
position of weapons for you and your opponent, hands, and feet.
Be
clear and concise in what you post.
A
duel/spar is something like two artists painting a single picture. The artists
are competing to see who is best on the same canvas. Warriors should continue
“painting the picture” from the prior post, but only your part of the picture.
Accepting
all blows is an easy way to proceed with a duel/spar, but shows little skill or
imagination. Conversely, blocking or evading all blows is unrealistic. Both
combatants are supposedly trained warriors and some attacks will land.
Make
sure your pictures and java are off. Clear your cache.
For
an honor or death duel, or serious tournament spar running ScanDisk and Defrag
prior to combat is a good idea.
Scar Codes
“
On the face of each there were, almost like corded chevrons, brightly colored
scars. The vivid coloring and intensity of these scars, their prominence,
reminded me of the hideous markings on the faces of mandrills; but these
disfigurements, as I soon recognized, were cultural not genetic. They bespoke
not the natural innocence of the work of genes but the glories and status, the
arrogance and prides, of their bearers. The scars has been worked into the
faces, with needles and knives and pigments and the dung of bosks over a period
of days and nights. Men had died in the fixing of such scars. Most of the scars
were set in pairs, moving diagonally down from the side of the head toward the
nose and chin. The man facing me had seven such scars ceremonially worked into
the tissue of his countenance, the highest being red, the next yellow, the next blue, the fourth black, then two yellow, then black again. The faces of the
men I saw were all scarred differently, but each was scarred. The effect of the
scars, ugly, startling, terrible, perhaps in part calculated to terrify
enemies, had even prompted me, for a wild moment, to conjecture that what I
faced on the Plains of Turia were not men, but perhaps aliens of some sort,
brought to Gor long ago from remote worlds to serve some now discharged or
forgotten purpose of Priest-Kings; but now I knew better; now I could see them
as men; and now more significantly, I recalled what I had heard whispered of
once before, in a tavern in Ar, the terrible Scar Codes of the Wagon
Peoples, for each of the hideous marks on the face of these men had a
meaning, a significance that could be read by the Paravaci, the Kassars, the
Kataii, the Tuchuks as clearly as you or I might read a sign in a window or a
sentence in a book. At that time I could read only the top scar, the red bright,
fierce cordlike scar that was the Courage Scar. It is always the highest scar on
the face. Indeed, without that scar, no other scar can be granted. The Wagon
peoples value courage above all else. Each of the men facing me wore that
scar.”
Chapter
2, Nomads of Gor.
“Without
the Courage Scar one may not, among the Tuchuks, pay court to a free woman, own
a wagon, or own more than five bosk and three kaiila. The Courage Scar thus has
its social and economic, as well as its martial, import.”
Nomads
of Gor, pg 113.
“To
a Tuchuk,” said Harold, “success is courage- that is the important thing -
courage itself - even if all else fails - that is success.”
Nomads
of Gor, pg 273
A
young man, blondish-haired with blue eyes, unscarred, bumped against the girl’s
stirrup in the press of the crowd. She struck him twice with the leather quirt
in her hand, sharply, viciously. I could see blood on the side of his neck,
where it joins the shoulder. “Slave!” she hissed. He looked up angrily. “I am
not a slave,” he said. “I am Tuchuk.” “Turian slave!” she laughed scornfully.
“Beneath your furs you wear, I wager, the Kes!” “I am Tuchuk,” he responded,
looking angrily away. Kamchak had told me of the young man. Among the wagons he
was nothing. He did what work he could, helping with the bosk, for a piece of
meat from a cooking pot. He did not have his own wagon or his own bosk. He did
not even own a kaiilal He had armed himself with castoff weapons, with which he
practiced in solitude. None of those, however, who led raids on enemy caravans
or sorties against the city and its outlying fields, or retaliated upon their
neighbors in the delicate matters of bosk stealing, would accept him in their
parties. He had, to their satisfaction, demonstrated his prowess with weapons,
but they would laugh at him. “You do not even own a kaiila,” they would say.
“you do nto even wear the Courage Scar.” I supposed that the young man would
never be likely to wear the scar, without which, among the stern, cruel
Tuchuks, he would be the continuous object of scorn, ridicule and contempt.
Nomads
of Gor
“You
are a coward!” cried Kamras. I wondered if Kamras knew the meaning of the word
which he had dared to address to one who wore the Courage Scar of the Wagon
Peoples.
Nomads
of Gor
“It
should be worth the Courage Scar,” said Harold from above, “don’t you think
so?” “What?” I asked. “Stealing a wench from the House of Saphrar and returning
on a stolen tarn.” “Undoubtedly, “ I grumbled. I found myself wondering if the
Tuchuks had an Idiocy Scar. If so, I might have nominated the young man
hoisting himself up the rope above me as a candidate for the distinction.
Nomads
of Gor
“And
while you are remembering things,” remarked Harold, ‘you might recollect that
we two together won the Courage Scar in Turia.” “No,” I said, “ I will not
forget that either.”
Nomads
of Gor pg. 340
“I
saw even a Warrior, from the distant, treeless plains of the south, though I
did not know him; it was not by the epicanthic fold that I recognized him; it
was by the courage scars, high on his angular cheekbones.
Hunters
of Gor, pgs. 41-42
“But
you wear the Courage Scar for what you did--not all men who wear the Courage
Scar do so visibly.
Nomads
of Gor, pg 274
Warrior
Codes
Warrior Caste
The Warrior
Caste is one of the five High Castes on Gor, though it is the least of the High
Castes. Red, or scarlet, is the color of the Warrior Caste and Warriors often
wear red tunics to denote their status. The usual garb of a Warrior is a
scarlet tunic, sandals and cloak. The books do not explicitly state that there
are any subcastes to the Warrior Caste but it seems reasonable that some do
exist such as Tarnsmen and Tharlarion Cavalrymen. It can be difficult at times
to differentiate between what would be considered an actual subcaste and what
would simply be considered a different position. A City Guardsman may simply be
a possible position and not an actual subcaste. It generally seems that
subcastes possess certain skills that others may not. Being a City Guardsman
does not really take special skills but obviously a Tarnsman would. The
Gorean term for a Warrior is "rarius" and the plural form is
"rarii." A rarius denotes any type of Warrior and not just a member
of the Warrior Caste. The warriors of the Wagon Peoples, Torvaldsland and other
such cultures are rarii. This term was never used to refer to a woman in any of
the novels. A pride consists of a hundred Warriors. It appears to be an older
term that has fell out of use by the timeframe of the novels. In Gor's past,
there were once Pride Chiefs who ruled rather than the Ubars and Administrators
of today. It is unknown if Pride Chiefs still exist. For further information on
the Warrior Caste, see Ubar Luther's
scroll on the topic. Warrior CodeThe conduct of the Red Caste is
governed primarily by the Warrior Code. The Warrior Code is a rudimentary form
of chivalry, emphasizing loyalty to the Pride Chiefs and the Home Stone. It is
harsh but with a certain gallantry and sense of honor. All Warriors are
supposed to obey this code. The code is never fully laid out in the novels but
many important details were given. More information about the Warrior Caste
Codes was given in the novels than for any other Caste. Certain quotes help to
delineate the importance of the Codes to Warriors.
"What are the codes? They are nothing, and everything. They
are a bit of noise, and the steel of the heart. They are meaningless and all
significant. They are the difference. Without the codes men would be
Kurii."
(Beasts
of Gor, p. 340)
"What is it to be a warrior? It is to keep the codes. Nothing
else matters."
(Beasts
of Gor, p.340)
"One does not speak to a slave of the codes."
(Beasts
of Gor, p. 340)
Yet,
a number of Goreans acknowledge that the Codes may not be absolute. There may
arise situations not covered by the Codes. Or there may arise times when a
Warrior feels he must violate his Codes for some reason or another. A couple
quotes illustrate this viewpoint.
"...all wisdom and truth does not lie in my own codes."
(Priest-Kings
of Gor, p. 14)
"...all truth and reality is not written in one's own
codes."
(Raiders
of Gor, p.310)
Warrior
Code SpecificsHere are some of the items that are specifically included in the
Warrior Codes in the novels. This is not an exhaustive list of everything in
their Caste Codes. Code: The only honorable reply to a challenge is to
accept it promptly. (Warriors do not back down from challenges. They face such
matters with bravery.) Code: One who has shed your blood, or whose blood
you have shed, becomes your sword brother, unless you formally repudiate the
blood on your weapons. This is part of a bond shared by Warriors that overcomes
city barriers. It is a matter of Caste that supersedes allegiances. It is a
showing of respect for those who this Caste. Code: Warriors do not break
their sworn word. Code: The only death fit for a warrior is in
battle. Code: If you want another's slave, you must challenge for her and
meet your opponent with the weapon of his choice. This is also known as the
claim of sword-right. Code: He who cannot think is not a man and neither
is he who can only think. Code: Warriors do not kill themselves or aid
others in doing so. (Suicide is not an option for a warrior.) Code: "I
had been so much a fool as to be sad. That is not the mood in which to enter
battle, even the battle which one knows one cannot win, even the ultimate
battle in which one knows is doomed to defeat. Do not be sad. Better to take
the field with laughter, with a joke, with a light thought, with a buoyant
thought, or to go forward with sternness, or in fury, or with hatred, or
defiance, or calculation, but never with self pity, never with sadness. Never
such things, never them!" (Vagabonds of Gor, p. 446) Code:
When a women kneels, lifts her hands up with wrists crossed, and submits to a
warrior, custom demands that he either accepts the submission or slays the
captive. Code: If a warrior accepts a woman as a slave, it is prescribed
that, at least for a time at his discretion, she be spared. But if she is in
the least bit displeasing, she may be immediately killed. Code: In times
of crisis, a war chief, or Ubar, is named whom rules without check and by decree
until he decides the crisis has passed. Sword loyalty is the bond of fidelity
to a Ubar. It is not sworn lightly. When an Ubar is thought unfit, the sword
loyalty is dishonored and the Ubar may be deposed by his own warriors. Those
who don't surrender are usually deserted by their men. When the men don't
desert, the Ubar then rules as a tyrant. Code: Warriors have a common Home
Stone. Its name is battle. Code: The slave is a joy and a convenience to
the warrior. Taking slaves is not only permitted, it is encouraged. Code:
If you lift a weapon against a warrior, he is permitted by his codes to kill
you. (Do not draw a weapon against a warrior unless you are prepared for
battle.) Code: There is nothing in the codes that explicitly demands
resistance to brigands. Code: Poisoned steel is against the
codes. Code: The oath of disownment is an irreversible ceremony. You
essentially disown a family member so that they lose their family and caste.
Basically you make the pronouncement with your hand on the hilt of your sword. Code:
97th Aphorism of the Warrior Codes: "What is invisible but more beautiful
than diamonds?" The answer is "Honor." Other answers could
include "that which is silent but deafens thunder" and "that
which depresses no scale but is weightier than gold." Code: Even
warriors long sometimes for the sight of their own flags, atop friendly walls,
for the courtyards of their keeps, for the hearths of their halls.
Warrior
SayingsThere
are also sayings of the warriors which may or may not be actual parts of the
codes but which are commonly followed.
"The bite of the ost to be one of the cruelest ways to
die."
(Outlaw
of Gor, p. 118)
"Be strong and do as you will. The swords of others will set
you your limits."
(Marauders
of Gor, p. 10)
"A warrior takes what he wishes."
(Outlaw
of Gor, p. 28)
"I am of the Warriors. I will take by the sword what women
please me."
(Beasts
of Gor, p. 348)
"Steel is the coinage of the warrior. With it he purchases
what pleases him."
(Marauders
of Gor, p. 10)
"Within the circle of each man's sword, therein is each man a
Ubar."
(Marauders
of Gor, p. 10)
"Until you find (someone or something), your companion is
peril and steel."
(Priest
Kings of Gor, p. 307; Nomads of Gor, p. 287)
"A sword must drink until its thirst is satisfied."
(Guardsman
of Gor, p. 17)
"Where weapons may not be carried, it is well to carry
weapons."
(Marauders
of Gor, p. 41)
"Did he think that the color of a fellow's garments was what
made him a warrior? Surely he must realize that one not of the warriors might
affect the scarlet, and that one who wore the grimed gray of a peasant, one
barefoot, and armed only with the great staff, might be of the scarlet caste.
It is not the uniform which makes the warrior, the soldier."
(Magicians
of Gor, p. 129)
"There are no mere points of honor."
(Vagabonds
of Gor, p. 63)
"Tears are not unbecoming to the soldier�The soldier is a man of
deep passions, and emotion. Many men cannot even understand his depths. Do not
fear your currents and your powers. In the soldier are flowers and storms. Each
is a part of him, and each is real. Accept both. Deny neither."
(Guardsman
of Gor, p. 238)
"No one can take the scarlet from you, once it is granted,
unless it be by the sword."
(Tribesman
of Gor, p. 218)
"There is no incompatibility between letters and arms. The
greatest soldiers are often gifted men."
(Mercenaries
of Gor, p. 48)
"Many are the causes of Gor and so too, many are the
captains. Many captains choose their causes on the scales of merchants,
weighing their iron against gold."
(Mercenaries
of Gor, p. 48)
"Steel can always command a price."
(Explorers
of Gor, p. 86)
"Causes exist that men may fight."
(Guardsman
of Gor, p. 16)
"War is a perilous and exhilarating sport, a game of warriors
and Ubars."
(Vagabonds
of Gor, p. 18)
"It is no dishonor to surrender."
(Beasts
of Gor, p. 421)
"There is a time and place for speaking, as there is a time
and place for steel."
(Slave
Girl of Gor, p. 269)
"Not everyone who is of the Warriors knows that he is of the
Warriors."
(Rogue
of Gor, p. 317)
"Is it not a paradox? Men need us in order to bring about a
world in which we may be scorned and disregarded...Men seldom recall whom it
was who brought them the fruits of victory."
(Beasts
of Gor, p. 31)
"I had heard warriors say that they would rather be poisoned
by a woman than slain by an arrow."
(Raiders
of Gor, p. 4)
"The steel, as is often the case, had seemed to think for
itself."
(Savages
of Gor, p. 92)
"The cynical, mercantile mind will never understand the mind
of the soldier."
(Explorers
of Gor, p. 229)
Weapons
Swords
Scimitar (Tahari):
A long, curved sword, used either
one-handed or with two-hands, depending upon the situation. It has a wickedly
curved, single-edged blade, honed to razor-sharpness, which will easily part
silk dropped upon its edge. Even a light stroke of a Tahari scimitar will pass
effortlessly through the flesh, leaving a carved mark 1/4" inch deep in
the bone beneath. The overall blade length is perhaps thirty or more inches,
with an 8" inch long "false-edge" across the back of the tip,
for backhanded slashes. Used one handed from kailla-back it is incredibly
deadly; used two-handed upon the ground, it is equally terrifying.
Longsword (Viking Spatha):
The longsword is commonly used by the
denizens of Torvaldsland, Asperiche, Scagnar, and other such northern
cold-weather climes. It is approximately 36 inches in length, though longswords
in excess of 40 inches can also be found, depending upon the reach and
preference of the user. It is carried in a belt-scabbard or leather support
loop on the wielder's off side, or strapped across its user's back over his
right shoulder.
The Northerners employ it to great
effect with their thicker thews and greater arm length. It is primarily used
for slashing, to batter an enemy's shield to pieces, after which the wielder
follows through with a killing stroke. Universally hand forged, these swords
are "pattern blades" constructed in the Damascus style, whereby many
braided rods of both soft flexible steel and stronger, more brittle steel are
heated and worked into a single piece, then hammered flat for shaping and
tempering. In this way, the blade is imbued with both great flexibility
and superior strength. Because of this, when rubbed with a mild acid or
oxydizing compound, the finished blade will display a twisted, snake-like
pattern caused by the different carbon contents of the woven steel, embedded in
the polished surface. Each of these weapons is typically named by its creator,
and it is even a common belief among some northerners that such blades are
sentient beings, possessed of souls.
Short sword:
The common Gorean shortsword, designed
to be used in conjunction with the round battle shield so often favored by
Gorean warriors, is described as a leaf-shaped, double-edged blade with a short
single-handed grip. The grip is typically either of polished ka-la-na or
temwood, either unadorned or wrapped in leather, cloth or cord. The blade of
this weapon is between twenty and twenty-two inches in length, and it is worn
either in a belt scabbard on the left hip or alternately in the same scabbard,
slung over the left shoulder for travel.
In later books, this weapon is
described as a "gladius," which implies that, rather than a typical
crossguard assembly, it sports a simple sculpted or disk-shaped hilt, without
lengthy quillions, and either a plain disk-shaped or knobbed pommel. It is also
mentioned by Tarl Cabot that this weapon is ideal for the kind of swift,
close-up in-fighting which is so near and dear to the hearts of the Gorean
male. Typically honed to razor sharpness, the owner can even achieve a keen
enough edge that, when a piece of silk is dropped upon the blade, the fabric
will part effortlessly. The best example of such blades come from the smithies
of Ar and Ko-ro-ba. During the tempering process, such blades are commonly
quenched in wine, though it is not unknown for the red-hot metal to be quenched
by driving it through the body of a male slave. Such shortswords are heavily
employed in the city-states that have a standing army, since one of its primary
uses is to be wielded by a standing formation of men in matched ranks, shield
in one hand and sword in the other. Unlike the traditional Roman gladius,
however, this small weapon is often used singly, without the benefit of a
shield, and the Goreans seem to have developed a system for attack and defense
with it which is not unlike that of traditional fencing. Polearms and Spears
Kaiila Lance (Wagon Peoples):
A long slender spear, eight to ten
feet long, designed to be used from the saddle of a rider on kailla-back. These
lances are not used couched, but rather carried easily in the right fist and
are flexible and light. Used primarily for thrusting. They are black in color,
cut from the poles of young tem trees, and so flexible that they may be bent
almost double before they break. A loose loop of boskhide, wound twice about
the right fist, helps the user to retain the weapon in mounted combat. It is
seldom, if ever, thrown.
Kailla Lance, Hunting (Red Savages):
Similar in many respects to the kailla
lance of the Wagon Peoples, though the hunting lance of the Red Savages is
commonly longer, heavier and thicker than the war lance. They are commonly
undecorated or adorned only with a knot or tuft of feathers. The point of a
hunting lance is typically longer and narrower than the war lance, designed to
pierce deeply enough to strike a kailiauk's heart. The shaft is shaped temwood.
The tip is either metal, carved bone or shaped stone, lashed to the shaft with
boiled sinew or rawhide, or attached with metal trade rivets. Leather grips,
hand loops, and decorations are often present also.
Kailla Lance, war (Red Savages):
This weapon is almost identical to the
kailla lance of the Wagon Peoples, though it is more heavily carved and
decorated.
Tarn Lance (Red savages):
Similar in most respects to the war
lance, except that it is longer and more slender, to facilitate easier use from
tarnback.
Tharlarion Lance:
A thick spear, normally fashioned of
ka-la-na or needle wood, approximately ten to fourteen feet long. It tapers
from a lanceolate metal tip (either steel, iron or bronze) to a much thicker
hand-guard type grip. At the thickest part it is four inches in width and is
often fluted to lighten it while preserving its strength. Carried couched
beneath the right arm of the user, the length of the lance itself crossing over
and above the neck of the mount, to menace its target, often supported by a
lance-rest which is either attached to the saddle or worn strapped to the
user's chest. Can also be thrown, though not specifically designed for such
use.
Spear (common Gorean):
The common Gorean battle spear,
designed to be used both in single combat and thrown, though it is typically
depicted primarily as a missle weapon. Aided by the significantly lighter
gravity of the Counter-Earth, it is deadly when thrown, quite capable of
penetrating thick shields and even passing virtually unhindered through the
body of its victim. As described by Tarl Cabot, the typical Gorean spear is
approximately seven feet in length, with a fitted wooden handle up to two
inches thick, capped by a leaf-shaped, tapering bronze spear head eighteen
inches in length.
Alternately this spear head can be
made of steel, which is probably true in many cases, bronze being too soft and
brittle a metal for repeated or long-term usage. Nevertheless, perhaps as a
matter of custom, many spears in use on Gor do retain the traditional bronze
tip. The handle itself is usually made from ka-la-na wood, and can be banded
with metal near the juncture of the spear-head socket to prevent the handle
from shearing when thrown.
Spear (Red Hunters/Savages):
Similar in most respects to the common
Gorean spear, though often it is found tipped with carved bone or shaped stone,
rather than metal. It is also highly carved and decorated, according to tribal
custom.
War Spear (Kur):
Constructed similarly to the common
Gorean war spear, only much larger and heavier. The Kur war spear is some 12
feet in length, with a long, tapering bronze head. The shaft of the Kur war
spear is 3" in diameter and the bronze head weighs up to twenty pounds.
Harthingy:
A long slender javelin-type spear,
fitted with a barbed head and used with an attached line for retrieval. A
similar weapon first appears in the brine pits of Klima.
Trident:
The three-pronged spearing fork used
by fishermen and sailors of the island Ubarates of Gor. Can be utilized both as
a thrusting weapon and as a missle weapon. Also used, in conjunction with a
hooked net, in various gladitorial arenas throughout Gor. It is briefly
described as being approximately seven feet in overall length, with prongs of
10" inches or more. Often used with a lanyard or line attached, for
retrieval should it be thrown.
Knives
Dagger (common Gorean):
This is a very common weapon, a simple
or ornate handle fitted with either a double or single-edged blade of sharpened
steel. Daggers upon Gor take many forms, depending upon the needs and whims of
their users, and such weapons are the most common form of side-arm used on the
Counter-Earth, brandished by persons of all ages and castes. Commonly
disparaged by professional warriors as a "woman's weapon," it is
easily concealable and fairly simple to use.
Gorean daggers can range from four to
eight inches in length, and can be found in every city in various forms. It is
worn openly in a belt-sheath or concealed beneath one's clothing, often
strapped to the wrist beneath the owner's sleeve, tucked into the collar behind
the neck, or hidden in a boot. Used by many free women as a personal means of
self-defense.
Hook Knife:
Though never described in detail, its
usage seems to suggest that it is a short weapon, consisting of a thick, ridged
fighting handle and a wide curved blade, sharpened on both sides. The blade is
perhaps stubby and crescent shaped, like a modern Earth linoleum or grouting
knife, though larger and sharper. Its hilt and pommel can be either fancy or
plain and unadorned. The hook knife is often seen in duels and ritual combats,
though in displays or sport it is kept sheathed and the sheath itself is coated
with colored powder or pigment, so that any successful attack scored by the
user can be easily detected for judging purposes. Very popular in the larger
cities such as Ar.
Killing Knife:
A throwing knife, typically used only
in the larger cities such as Ar, and favored by those of the Caste of
Assassins. It is much smaller than the quiva, approximately six to eight inches
in length, and its blade is tapered on only one side. Such knives are often
inscribed on the hilt or blade with such ritual phrases as "I have sought
him. I have found him." Sometimes used in conjunction with poison kanda
paste smeared upon the blade, though trained Assassins typically disdain the
use of poison. It is rarely used in hand-to-hand combat, designed primarily to
be thrown at the body of an unsuspecting victim.
Sleen Knife:
This is a broad-bladed, flat,
double-edged utility knife equipped with a simple stubby crossguard and
unadorned pommel. Much favored by hunters and woodsmen, it is equally suited
for use as a camping and skinning knife, prying tool, and as a weapon in single
combat.
Tarn Knife:
This is a short-bladed, single-edged
utility knife typically used by tarnsmen and generally included among their
saddle equipment. Some versions of such knives are designed so that the blade
folds into the handle for safety when not in use. Often equipped with a lanyard
so that it may be lashed to the tarnsman's saddle or belt, to prevent its loss
while in flight.
Whip Knife:
The use of this weapon is widely
regarded as a difficult and delicate art to master. The whip knife consists of
a twelve foot long braided leather whip of the "bullwhip" type
commonly found on Earth, equipped with a lanyard to insure retention of the
weapon in combat. Set into the final eighteen inches of its length are twenty
thin, narrow blades, woven into the leather and arranged in sets, four such
blades to a set. Each such weapon is tipped either with a double-edged knife
blade approximately seven or eight inches long, or a "stunning tip,"
a lead weight which is designed to incapacitate the victim when he is struck.
Possibly originally intended to be
effective against an opponent with a shield (the blade or weight, on its
leather extension, would conceivably be able to flex in mid-air, passing around
such a protective device to strike the target, similar to a medieval flail) or
perhaps developed simply as an attempt to make the common whip more lethal.
Rarely used in actual warfare, this weapon is said to be unique to the delta
city of Port Kar and is often utilized in the fighting of duels. Axes
Battle Axe (Kurii):
A huge axe wielded by the members of
the Kurii race who have become native to Gor. It has a four-inch-thick round
handle of green needlewood, approximately eight feet in length, and is equipped
with a fixed double-bladed iron axehead, the blade of which is over two feet
wide and razor sharp. It is typically used in conjunction with a wide, round
iron shield some four feet in diameter.
Battle Axe (Torvaldslander):
This weapon is described as a
single-bladed axe of hardened iron with a blade of anywhere from 8 to 14 inches
in width. It is mounted on a thick wooden handle and usually has a wrist thong
attached to the end the handle, which enables it to be more easily retained
during combat. Used in conjunction with a round iron-bound shield of wood and
hardened leather.
Great Axe (Torvaldslander):
This weapon is similar in most
respects to the Torvaldslander battle axe, except it is much larger, with a
handle up to four feet in length. The axe blade is also much larger, and this
weapon is used two-handed, without the benefit of a shield of any sort.
Occasionally such axes will be double-headed, though that adds considerably to
the weight of the weapon.
Tomahawk:
This weapon consists of a shaped
wooden handle up to two feet in length, capped with a narrow hatchet-type blade
comprised either of sharpened metal, shaped stone or obsidian glass. Often
carved with ceremonial inscriptions, it is a common war-arm in use by the Red
Savages of the vast grasslands located to the northwest of the civilized
city-states of Gor. Can be used as a hand weapon, often in conjunction with a
shield of dried rawhide over a wood frame, or thrown as a missle weapon.
War Club (Red Savages):
A carved, shaped club of wood or bone,
often mounted with a stone or metal head of some sort. This weapon is probably
approximately two to three feet in length.
Missile Weapons
Bola:
It consists of three long straps of
leather, each about five feet long, each terminating in a leather sack which
contains, sewn inside, a heavy round metal weight. Developed for hunting
fleet-footed and flighted game, it is also used as a weapon of war. Thrown low,
the long straps, with their approximately ten-foot sweep, strike the victim and
the weighted balls, as soon as resistance is met, whip about the victim's legs,
tangling and tightening the straps. Thrown high it can pin a man's arms to his
sides; thrown at the throat it can strangle him; thrown at the head the
whipping weights can crush his skull. Once a victim is entangled with the bola,
typically another weapon, usually a quiva, is then utilized to dispatch the
victim if he or she still lives.
Crossbow:
The standard infantry missile weapon
of Gor. It consists of a heavy, flexible bow of tempered steel, perhaps
18" across (when bent), mounted on a heavy wooden stock about two feet
long, with a trigger mechanism built into the shaped handle. It can fire
several types of spiked, smooth-tipped or broad-bladed quarrels with enough
force to penetrate wooden walls, doors or human bodies with relative ease. It
has an effective range of approximately 150 meters for aimed fire, and can
strike a target at up to 200 meters when fired into a press of bodies. Slow to
reload, it is commonly redrawn through use of a "goat's-foot" hook or
a cranequin (bow crank). Quarrels, or "bolts," are carried by the
user in a belt-case or quiver. Common throughout all of the Gorean city-states
and the preferred weapon of the Caste of Assassins.
Crossbow (Cavalry):
Similar in most respects to the larger
crossbow, though instead of possessing a heavy metal bow, it has a much lighter
bow of layered wood and horn. It is slightly smaller in overall size than its
heavy cousin and is equipped with a metal stirrup at the firing end, enabling
it to be more quickly restrung and drawn from kailla or tarn-back. Originally
mentioned quite early in the series as a "light crossbow" or
"sporting crossbow," it is more clearly defined later.
Great (Peasant) Bow:
A long bow typically made from the
wood of the ka-la-na tree or sometimes of temwood. Unstrung it is over six feet
in length and can require a pull of up to 120 lbs, depending upon the strength
of the user. The bowstring itself is usually made of hemp or sinew lashed with
silk thread. Armed with such a weapon, a highly skilled archer can accurately
strike a target the size of a man's head at distances of up to 100 yards. By
arcing his line of fire upward to allow for gravity, he can fire a shaft into a
ten foot diameter circle at up to 300 yards. The arrows of such a bow are
temwood, metal-piled and fletched with the feathers of the vosk gull.
Each such arrow is approximately three
feet in length, and can be tipped with several different types of arrowheads;
of these, the flight tip (a long narrow three-sided metal spike designed for
extreme penetration) and the sheaf tip (a wide double or triple-edged blade
designed to inflict maximum tissue damage upon impact) are the most common.
Special arrowheads, such as ones fitted with whistles or noisemakers for
signalling or reservoirs for flammable liquids, are not unknown. It is commonly
carried slung or strapped over the shoulder of the archer when not in use and
is accompanied by a belt or shoulder quiver containing forty or more
shafts. Its use requires the archer to wear a bracer of thick leather upon
the forearm of his bow arm and to utilize a special archer's glove or leather
finger tab to protect his hands and arm from friction caused by the motion of
the string when fired. It is a difficult weapon to master, though despite that
fact, it is widely used by both many members of the Caste of Peasants, and the
rencers of the Vosk Delta.
Short (Bone) Bow:
This weapon is heavily used upon Gor
for hunting, sport and warfare. Among its adherents are the warriors of the
Wagon Peoples, the panther girls (or Talunas), the Red Hunters and the Red
Savages. It is much smaller in size than the great bow, and is better suited
for use from the back of a kailla, tharlarion or tarn. It is often carved from
a single, flexible piece of tem wood or ka-la-na wood, though such peoples as
the Wagon Peoples and the Red Savages can craft shortbows of layered wood and
horn, which gives such bows much greater strength and durability.
Among the Red Hunters, it is a common
practice to treat such bows against inclement weather by smearing them with
liquified blubber taken from the carcass of the Hunjer whale. The shortbow can
fire as many different types of arrowheads as can its larger cousin, though
with substantially less range and penetrating power. The arrows used by the
shortbow are also much shorter than those employed by the great bow, due to the
shorter range of the weapon's "pull." These bows come in all shapes
and sizes, and are found throughout Gor.
Quiva:
A balanced saddle knife, usually part
of a set of seven such weapons. It consists of a narrow double-edged blade of
between 9 and 12 inches in length mounted on a shaped handle of wood, bone, or
horn. It is honed to razor sharpness, and its blade tapers to a needle point.
Designed for use primarily as a missile weapon, the quiva is also perfectly
functional as a hand weapon and general utility knife. It is mostly used by the
nomadic Wagon Peoples of the southern hemisphere, who will carry matched sets of
seven in special sheaths attached to their kailla saddles. The best examples of
these weapon are produced in the city of Ar. Once made, they are shipped to the
Wagon Peoples via traders, where they are sharpened and fitted with distinctive
handles.
Helmets and Shields
Helmets:
There are various types of helmets in
use by soldiers and warriors upon Gor. The most commonly used is the standard
Gorean war helmet, popularized and manufactured in the larger city-states by
the thousands. It is described by Tarl Cabot as being a close-faced helmet
which encloses the entire head, with a distinctive "Y" shaped opening
in the faceplate to admit air and to allow breathing. This style of helmet
seems to be based on the Barbuta-style helmets which date from classical
antiquity on Earth, perfected and much in use during the heyday of the Athenian
city-states of Greece. Typically mounted atop each example of this type of
helmet is a crest plate, upon which can be displayed the symbol of a city or
organization.
The crests themselves adorn the top of
the helmet either crosswise, from one side of the neck to the other, or
lengthwise from the back of the neck to the upper forehead like half-fans, and
can be fitted with any number of accoutrements, from sleen fur to tarn feathers
and the like; in addition, the helmet itself can be painted or lacquered in any
color, to represent a grouping, city or caste. As described in the books they
are hammered and riveted together in several pieces, though the pierced
faceplate itself is depicted as "a single piece of iron." Due to the
highly developed metal-working capabilities of modern Goreans, however, it is a
safe assumption that they are actually of tempered steel, which is lighter and
stronger. It could be that Cabot's reference to them as iron is merely a
fanciful allusion on the part of the author. Additionally, such helmets can be
hammered from bronze, also an inferior metal, though such examples are probably
symbolic of some cultural significance and not intended to be used in actual
combat. According to Cabot, each such helmet is fitted with removable padding
of rolls of leather, stuffed with softer material and laced into the helmet to
insure a superior fit. These helmets are often stripped of their crests and
padding to be used as crude cooking vessels by soldiers on the
march. Another example of a Gorean helmet is that often worn by the desert
tribesmen and denizens of such southern cities as Turia and Tor, as well as by
the nomadic warriors of the Wagon Peoples. This helmet is similar in design to
the Mongol/Saracen battle helmet of Earth and is a cone-shaped steel defense
worn atop the head, often fitted with a nasal guard of narrow flat
construction. Such helmets may be adorned with a ring of fur or fabric which
encircles the browband area and can also be found mantled with either a cloth
covering or a camail of linked chain. These helmets are closely fitted to the
wearer's head, padded with a thick cloth cap which laces into it, and are often
fitted with a leather or cord chin strap to secure the device in place. A
final example of Gorean helmetry is the Spangenhelm worn by northern warriors,
which is in effect a steel or iron bowl constructed from heavy metal strapping.
A single metal browband encircles the head, with two or more curved metal
straps attached to it in the pattern of an "X", covering much of the
wearer's skull. Curved plates are riveted in place to fill the gaps between the
strapping, resulting in a layered metal cap with covers the entire head. These
helmets are often fitted with cheek and neck guards, chainmail camails or even
metal faceplates which conceal the face or portions of it like a metal
mask. The horns of animals or metal spikes may be attached to the helmet
as decoration or to add some measure of protection to the apparatus, though
this usually makes them rather bulky and difficult to wear in combat. These
helmets are padded with leather or lined with thick fur, and can also be fitted
with a leather or cord chin strap to insure a reliable fit.
Shields:
Several different types of shield are
described in the series. Typically they are round in shape, though they range
in size from the huge shield used by the Gor-bound Kurii to the small bucklers
wielded by gladiators in the Stadium of Blades in Ar. The most common shield in
use upon Gor is the standard warrior's shield of the civilized cities. This is
a largish round shield comprised of many concentric overlapping layers of dried
shaped leather, probably stretched over a wooden or metal frame, and banded for
extra strength with brass or iron bands.
It is fitted with a pair of straps
whereby it can be worn upon the user's arm, typically the left one, and is worn
slung across the back for ease of movement while its user is traveling from
place to place. Among the civilized armies of Gor, such shields are normally
painted boldly and have affixed on them some device for identifying the
bearer's city. The warriors of the southern city of Turia are known for their
usage of distinctive shields which are oval, rather than circular, in
shape. Rare and Unusual Weapons
Knife Gauntlets:
A pair of thick leather gauntlets,
upon which are mounted crescent shaped knife blades. Sometimes used by
gladiators in arena combats.
Kurii Beam projector:
A handheld device of some kind, big
enough to fit comfortably in the hand of a Kur. This missile weapon fires a
highly concussive heat blast, which strikes its target fiercely, often leaving
a 3/4" wide hole at the point of impact and an exit wound of upwards of
ten inches across, where applicable. It is described as having only a limited
number of charges, similar to a revolving cartridge weapon. Used only by the
Kurii.
Kurii Dart Thrower:
A breech-loading missile weapon which
fires a six-inch long, conical gas propelled dart. Its configuration is similar
to an Earth rifle. Kurii dart throwers have carved wooden stocks, upon which
are incised eccentric designs. These tubular weapons discharge with a hiss,
which is not particularly loud. Several types of darts may be fired from such a
weapon, including poison tipped, explosive tipped, and tranquilizer darts.
These weapons are used exclusively by human agents of the Kurii. The actual
firing button is located on the forepart of the stock, and the weapon itself
seems to be a one-shot weapon, requiring reloading after every firing.
Silver Tube:
This is a charged, cylindrical weapon,
perhaps two feet in length, manually aimed and operated; it incorporates
principles much like those of the Priest-King's flame death mechanism. When not
in use, it is encased in a sealed plastic quiver for storage. When fired it
generates a fierce blast of blue flame from its tip, as the air within the path
of its beam ignites into flame. It is effective at distances of up to 100
meters, and its use can be aurally detected by the audible hiss caused by the
ignition of the air in the beam's path.
Any living creature within the path of
the beam, as well as any organic matter caught therein, will instantly erupt
into a ball of bright blue flame as the target consumes itself from within. A
silver tube will sputter and become inert once its charge is fully expended,
though a typical charge will last for literally hundreds of firings. These
weapons can only be found within the Nest Complex of the Sardar, and none who
do not dwell there can possess them. An additional example of this type of
weapon also makes an appearance in the series, and is described as a narrow,
cylindrical, silverish object small enough to be concealed in the palm of a
human hand. When used upon its lowest setting, such an object produces a small
flame suitable for igniting brush and kindling; however, it can be reset to
fire one short burst of high intensity blue flame, after which the weapon's
charge is expended.
Spiked Hand Wraps:
Similar to the Earth cestus, or heavy
cloth or leather strips bound about the hand, with projecting spikes which
cover the wearer's knuckles.
Spiked Leather:
A pair of spiked leather balls which
are worn upon the hands of gladitorial fighters; the spikes of these devices
can be very long.
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