Glory to the Black Caste
- Lure Girls"For one thing she was not of the warriors and was thus not entitled to this badge of station; indeed, her wearing it, as she was a mere female, would be a joke to outsiders and an embarrassment to men; it would belittle its significance for them, making it shameful and meaningless. The insignia of men, like male garments, become empty mockeries when permitted to woman. This type of thing leads eventually both to demasculinization of men and the defeminization of females, a perversion of nature disapproved of generally, correctly or incorrectly, by Goreans. pg 56 Mercenaries of GOR
Female Warriors, Merc or Outlaws did not exist
There is an argument which seems to support the existence of Female Mercenaries in Gor, typically, as with many of these misconceptions regarding any kind of Female outlaw, with the exception of legitimate Panthers and Talenas, the supporting texts are generlly taken out of context, they seem valid, but infact they are not.
The same applies to the offending text being handed about SL Gor that suggests female outlaws or Mercs of the black leather, high heeled, bow and spear wielding varity did indeed exist...Let me tell you now...They did not!
Below is the offending "Out of context" conversation between Tarl Cabot and Sidney Anderson, taken from the John Norman book "Beasts of Gor - Page 145-46. )))
I turned my attention to the auburn-haired girl.
"Are you well paid?" I asked.
"Yes," she said.
"Do you understand the nature of hte cause in which you work?" I asked.
"Of course," she said. "I labor in the cause of Sidney Anderson."
"You are a true mercenary," I smiled.
"Yes," she said, proudly, "I am a mercenary." She loked at me. "Do you think a woman cannot be a mercenary?
"No," I said, "I see no reason why a woman cannot be a mercenary."
"Are you well paid?" I asked.
"Yes," she said.
"Do you understand the nature of hte cause in which you work?" I asked.
"Of course," she said. "I labor in the cause of Sidney Anderson."
"You are a true mercenary," I smiled.
"Yes," she said, proudly, "I am a mercenary." She loked at me. "Do you think a woman cannot be a mercenary?
"No," I said, "I see no reason why a woman cannot be a mercenary."
((( From the above text you would rightly conclude that TOUGH, POWERFUL and PHYSICALLY STRONG female mercs might have existed on Gor. Now read the entire chapter and see just how misguided many people, who rp as Female Outlaws or Mercs, really are.
I have highlighted interesting sections of information between dotted lines if you wish to skip a lengthy read. The chapter covers 7 pages from the book. )))
Chapter 8 - I FIND MYSELF PRISONER IN THE NORTH - Beasts of Gor
"There seems to be no end of them," said a mans voice.
"We kill hundreds a day, and yet more come."
"Increase then," said a girls voice, "the ratios of you slaughtering."
" The men are weary," said the voice.
"Double then the fees,"she snapped.
"It will be done," said the voice.
"The wall weakens a passang east of the platform," said another mans voice.
"Strengthen it," she said.
"Logs are now few," he said.
"Use stone," she said.
"It will be done," said the voice of the man who had spoken.
"We kill hundreds a day, and yet more come."
"Increase then," said a girls voice, "the ratios of you slaughtering."
" The men are weary," said the voice.
"Double then the fees,"she snapped.
"It will be done," said the voice.
"The wall weakens a passang east of the platform," said another mans voice.
"Strengthen it," she said.
"Logs are now few," he said.
"Use stone," she said.
"It will be done," said the voice of the man who had spoken.
I lay on a wooden floor, of heavy, rough boards. I shook my head. I felt the roughness of the boards with my shoulder. I was stripped to the waist. I wore loose trousers of fur, tied about my waist, and fur boots. My hands were manacled behindmyback.
"This is the new one?" asked the girl's voice.
"It is he," said a mans voice.
"Arouse him," she said.
I was dragged to my knees and struck with the butts of spearas. i shook my head and regarded her.
"You are Tarl Cabot," she said.
"Perhaps," I said.
"What men could not do," she said, "I have done. I have taken you."
"There were some men in Lydius," I said.
"They were in my fee!" she said. "Thus, it is I who have taken you."
"Of course," I said.
"We have been watching for you," she said. "We were warned that you might be foolish enough to venture northward."
"It is he," said a mans voice.
"Arouse him," she said.
I was dragged to my knees and struck with the butts of spearas. i shook my head and regarded her.
"You are Tarl Cabot," she said.
"Perhaps," I said.
"What men could not do," she said, "I have done. I have taken you."
"There were some men in Lydius," I said.
"They were in my fee!" she said. "Thus, it is I who have taken you."
"Of course," I said.
"We have been watching for you," she said. "We were warned that you might be foolish enough to venture northward."
I said nothing.
"You are a strong, sensuous brute," she said. "Is it true that you are so dangerous?"
I saw no point in responding to her.
"Your aquisition," she said, " will earn me a promotion with my superiors."
"Who might they be?" I asked.
"Ones who are not Priest-Kings," she smiled. She went to a table. I saw belongings of mine on the table, doubtless fetched from Lydius.
"It was clear quite early," she said, "that you were not common ruffian from the docks of Lydius." She sifted golden tarns disks through her fingers. She drew forth the blade from the sheath. "I am told," said she, "this is a finely tempered blade, keen, subtly balanced, the weapon of one who is of the warriors."
"Perhaps," I said.
She unwrapped from its fur the carving, in bluish stone, of the head of a beast, "What is this?" she asked.
"Do you not know?" I asked.
"The head of a beast," she said.
"That is true," I said.
"Who might they be?" I asked.
"Ones who are not Priest-Kings," she smiled. She went to a table. I saw belongings of mine on the table, doubtless fetched from Lydius.
"It was clear quite early," she said, "that you were not common ruffian from the docks of Lydius." She sifted golden tarns disks through her fingers. She drew forth the blade from the sheath. "I am told," said she, "this is a finely tempered blade, keen, subtly balanced, the weapon of one who is of the warriors."
"Perhaps," I said.
She unwrapped from its fur the carving, in bluish stone, of the head of a beast, "What is this?" she asked.
"Do you not know?" I asked.
"The head of a beast," she said.
"That is true," I said.
She placed it back in the fur. It seemed clear to me that she did not understand its import. Kurii, like Priest-Kings, often work through men, conceling themselves from those who would serve. Samos, for example, had little inkling of the nature of Priest-Kings.
"You are a woman," I said.
I regarded her. She wore trousers and a jacket of whitish fur, of the sea sleen; the jacket had a hood, thrown back, rimmed with lart fur, on which human breath does not freeze. Her boots were of the fur of sea sleen, trimmed, too, with larl fur. The jacket was held about her waist, closely, by a narrow belt, black and shining, with a golden catch. To this belt, on to small straps, hung a dagger sheath; the handle of the weapon was ornamented with red and yellow swirls. Over her shoulder, across her body, was a second belt, from which hung, at her right hip, a pouch and, on a ring, a slave whip, its blades folded, and four coils of narrow, rawhide rope.
"You are perceptive," she said.
"And one who is perhaps beautiful," I said. Surely her face was beautiful. it was one which, like that of constance, was very femine and delicate. It did not comport well with what I took to be the harshness of her charge in the north. Her complexion was very fair; her eyes were softly blue; her hair fallen about her shoulders, revealed by the thrown-back hood, was a soft, lush auburn in color.
"And one who is perhaps beautiful," I said. Surely her face was beautiful. it was one which, like that of constance, was very femine and delicate. It did not comport well with what I took to be the harshness of her charge in the north. Her complexion was very fair; her eyes were softly blue; her hair fallen about her shoulders, revealed by the thrown-back hood, was a soft, lush auburn in color.
"What do you mean 'one who is perhaps beautiful'?" she asked.
"The furs obsure my vision," I said. "Why do you not remove them?"
"The furs obsure my vision," I said. "Why do you not remove them?"
She strode toward me, angrily, and struck me across the mouth with her small hand. She could not hit me hard, for she was too weak. I did not think she weighed more than one hundred and twenty Earth pounds. She was about five feet five inches in height.
I laughed. "I suppose you would bring something in the neighbourhood of a silver tarsk in the market," I said.
She struck me again, and again. And then disisted, in fury.
"I will make you regret your insolence," she said.
"Do you know the dances of a Gorean slave girl?" I asked.
"Beast!" she screamed.
"You are of Earth," I said. "Your accent is not Gorean." I looked at her. "American, aren't you?" I asked her, in English.
"Yes," she hissed in English.
"That explains," I said, "Why you are unfamiliar with the dances of the Gorean slave girl."
"Do you know the dances of a Gorean slave girl?" I asked.
"Beast!" she screamed.
"You are of Earth," I said. "Your accent is not Gorean." I looked at her. "American, aren't you?" I asked her, in English.
"Yes," she hissed in English.
"That explains," I said, "Why you are unfamiliar with the dances of the Gorean slave girl."
She looked at me in fury.
"But you might be taught," I said.
She pulled the whip from her belt in a rage and hysterically, holding it with both hands, began to strike me with it. It was not pleasant, but she did not have the strength to make the blows tell. I had been whipped by men. Finally, angrily, she stepped back.
"You are too weak to hurt me," I said. "But I am not too weak to hurt you."
"I will have you whipped by my men," she ssaid.
I shrugged.
"What is your name ?" I asked.
"Sidney," she said.
"What is your first name?" I asked.
"That is my first name," she said, not pleasantly, "I am Sidney Anderson."
"Sidney'," I said, "is a man's name."
"Some woman have it," she said. "My parents gave it to me."
"Doubtless they wanted a boy," I said, then I added, "They were fools."
"Do you think so," she asked.
"Certainly," I said, "both sexes are utterly splendid. One is fortunate to have either. Wpman are rich, and subtle, and marvelous."
"I did not think you respected woman," she said.
"I do not," I said.
"I do not understand," she said.
"The man who respects a woman does not know what else to do with her," I said. "I meant only to indicate that woman are inordinately precious and desireable."
"We look well in collars," she said, acidly.
"You belong in collars," I said, "at the feet of men."
"I will have you whipped by my men," she ssaid.
I shrugged.
"What is your name ?" I asked.
"Sidney," she said.
"What is your first name?" I asked.
"That is my first name," she said, not pleasantly, "I am Sidney Anderson."
"Sidney'," I said, "is a man's name."
"Some woman have it," she said. "My parents gave it to me."
"Doubtless they wanted a boy," I said, then I added, "They were fools."
"Do you think so," she asked.
"Certainly," I said, "both sexes are utterly splendid. One is fortunate to have either. Wpman are rich, and subtle, and marvelous."
"I did not think you respected woman," she said.
"I do not," I said.
"I do not understand," she said.
"The man who respects a woman does not know what else to do with her," I said. "I meant only to indicate that woman are inordinately precious and desireable."
"We look well in collars," she said, acidly.
"You belong in collars," I said, "at the feet of men."
She turned away, angrily. I could not see her face.
"Are you still attempting to be the boy your parents wished?" I asked.
She spun about, in fury.
"In such a task," I said, "you will never be successful."
"You will be lengthily and sufficiently beaten," she said.
"You will be lengthily and sufficiently beaten," she said.
I looked away, at the room. It was high, and of wood, and with an arched roof. There was a dias at one end, on which, in a rough-hewn curule chair, she had sat. There was a rug of sleen skin beneth the chair, and another before the dias. A table was to one side, on which there were some of my things. There was a hearth to one side in whcih wood burned. I turned my attention back to the auburn-haired girl.
"Are you well paid?" I asked.
"Yes," she said.
"Do you understand the nature of hte cause in which you work?" I asked.
"Of course," she said. "I labor in the cause of Sidney Anderson."
"You are a true mercenary," I smiled.
"Yes," she said, proudly, "I am a mercenary." She loked at me. "Do you think a woman cannot be a mercenary?
"No," I said, "I see no reason why a woman cannot be a mercenary."
She came over to me and touched me on the cheek with the whip.
"I will put you to work on the wall," she said.
"What wall?" I asked.
"You will see," she said.
"Are you a virgin?" I asked.
She struck me across the face with the whip. "Yes!" she said.
"I shall be the first to have you," I told her.
She struck me again, savagely. "Be silent!" she said.
"Surely you are curious about your sexuality," I said.
"Do not use that word before me!" she said.
"It is obvious," I said. "Consider how closely you have fastened the belt on your furs. That is done, even if only unconciously, to draw attention to your figure, accenting and emphasizing it.
"No!" she said.
"Have you never considered," I asked, watching her, "what it would be like to be naked on a slave block, being sold to men, what it would be like to be a nude slave, owned, at the command of a Master?"
"No! No! No!" she cried.
"You have seen slaves," I said. "Surely you are curious what it would be like to be one."
"No!" she screamed.
"What wall?" I asked.
"You will see," she said.
"Are you a virgin?" I asked.
She struck me across the face with the whip. "Yes!" she said.
"I shall be the first to have you," I told her.
She struck me again, savagely. "Be silent!" she said.
"Surely you are curious about your sexuality," I said.
"Do not use that word before me!" she said.
"It is obvious," I said. "Consider how closely you have fastened the belt on your furs. That is done, even if only unconciously, to draw attention to your figure, accenting and emphasizing it.
"No!" she said.
"Have you never considered," I asked, watching her, "what it would be like to be naked on a slave block, being sold to men, what it would be like to be a nude slave, owned, at the command of a Master?"
"No! No! No!" she cried.
"You have seen slaves," I said. "Surely you are curious what it would be like to be one."
"No!" she screamed.
The intensity of her responses had conveyed to me the information in which I was interested.
"There is a slave in you," I said. "I will collar her."
I closed my eyes that I be not blinded by the blows of the whip. Then she stopped and, angrily, fastened the whip to her belt.
"Sidney Anderson," she said, "Will never be a man's slave. Never!"
"When I own you," I told her, "I will give you a girls name, an Earth girls name, a slave name."
"And what name would that be?" she asked, curious.
"Arlene," I said.
Momentarily she trembled. Then she said, "That is only a girl's name."
"And you are only a girl," I said.
"I see," she said. She backed away from me a few feet, and regarded me. "You are clever," she said. "You seek to anger me."
"No," I said, "I merely, in response to your request, informed you of the name I shall give you, when I own you."
"You are my prisoner," she said.
"For the time," I said.
"I will teach you to fear me," she said.
"It is you who will be taught to fear me," I said, "When I am your Master."
"When I own you," I told her, "I will give you a girls name, an Earth girls name, a slave name."
"And what name would that be?" she asked, curious.
"Arlene," I said.
Momentarily she trembled. Then she said, "That is only a girl's name."
"And you are only a girl," I said.
"I see," she said. She backed away from me a few feet, and regarded me. "You are clever," she said. "You seek to anger me."
"No," I said, "I merely, in response to your request, informed you of the name I shall give you, when I own you."
"You are my prisoner," she said.
"For the time," I said.
"I will teach you to fear me," she said.
"It is you who will be taught to fear me," I said, "When I am your Master."
She threw back her head and laughed.
I saw that she, too, as had the lady Tina of Lydius, knew too little of men to fear them. I suppose she had known only the men of Earth and, on Gor, those who were her subordinates in the disipline of the Kurii cause. I saw the sense of the Kurii enlisting such woman. They owned no Gorean allegiances. They possessed no Home Stones. They were aliens on this world.
Did they not know that they, not having a Home Stone, were subject to any man's collar? She looked at me, she had laughed, but i saw that she seethed with fury. Too, in her eyes there was another emotion. I think she was wondering what it would be like to be owned by me. Shewould learn.
"The mighty Tarl Cabot," she said, "A manacled, kneeling prisoner."
Too, such woman, in the frustrations, so desperately fighting their femininity, made excellent agents.
"Where men have failed to take you," she said, "I have succeeded."
Too, their sex and alien origin, being from earth, gives them an excellent distances from their subordinates. She pulled the loops of rawhide rope from the ring at her belt, the same ring that held the hook on the whip, and tied one end of the rope about my neck, knotting it tightly. Yes, I thought, such woman would make excellent tools for the Kurii.
"There," she said, "The feared Tarl Cabot is tethered, kneeling on a woman's rope."
I was puzzled only that the Kurii would enlist such obviously feminine, genuinely feminine, even beautiful, women in their cause. surely they would find more musculine woman upon Earth. Why did they not use harder, harsher and more manlike females? I looked up at her. She jerked the rawhide rope, testing it.
"An interplanetary force," she said, "unknown to the fools of Earth, lays siege to this solar system. Its programmes will culminate in conquest. I, participating in this struggle, will find high place in the ranks of its victors."
"Priest-Kings oppose them," I said.
"I understand Priest-Kings are weak," she said. "Do they move other than defensively?" she asked.
"Upon occasion," I said.
"Priest-Kings oppose them," I said.
"I understand Priest-Kings are weak," she said. "Do they move other than defensively?" she asked.
"Upon occasion," I said.
Yet it was true, surely, that Priest-Kings where not an aggressive species. It did not seem to me, objectively, that it was unlikely they would eventually be supplanted in the system, by a fiercer, more territorial, more agressive form of life. Kurii, it seemed to me, were well fitted to become the dominant life form in the system.
"I will be on the winning side," she said.
"The mercenary speaks," I said.
"Yes," she said.
"The mercenary speaks," I said.
"Yes," she said.
I regarded her, she was slim, blue-eyed, auburn-haired, delicately beautiful and feminine.
"Do you truely think," I asked, "That if the Kurii are victorious you will stand high in the ranks of the victors?"
"Of course," she said.
"Of course," she said.
I smiled to myself. I now knew why such woman had been brought to Gor. When they had served their purpose, they would be made slaves.
"She jerked the rope. "On your feet, Beast," she said.
I rose to my feet. I looked down on the beauty. She had been brought to Gor, ultimately, to wear a mans collar. I determined that it would be mine.
"Come, Beast," she said, leading me lashed from the room. "I will show you our work in the north. Later, as I chose and direct, you will labour for us." She turned and looked at me. "You have opposed us long enough," she said. "Now you will, in your humble way, contribute, if only by carrying stone and wood, to our cause."
Another passage detailing a woman striking a man
You will soon be slave in the heavy galleys," I said. I posed before him, as a slave girl, opening my silk. Men laughed. "Look well, Master," I said, "for there are few girls in the rowing holds." I turned before him, and again faced him. "Do not forget Yata, Master," I said. "Remember it was she who put you in chains, who puts you upon the bench of the galleys!"
He regarded me, not speaking.
I went to him and, suddenly, with all my might, slapped him. He scarcely moved.
"The vengeance of a girl," I said, "is not a light thing."
"Neither," said he, looking at me, "is the vengeance of a warrior."
He regarded me, not speaking.
I went to him and, suddenly, with all my might, slapped him. He scarcely moved.
"The vengeance of a girl," I said, "is not a light thing."
"Neither," said he, looking at me, "is the vengeance of a warrior."
Conclusion:
There were no "Gorean" female Mercs living and working on Gor. The only females close to such a thing were the panther kind. However, their may have been Females from Earth, calling themselves Mercs, who were deceived into working for the Kurii, who would, when done with them, make these females their slaves. Also in the above text, it was eluded that these females were not strong in the slightest, perhaps selected for their beauty because they would eventually become slaves, but certainly not for their strength.
Therefore, the mention of female mercenaries are just Kurii pawns, weak and slave like, from earth. From earth, she has the illusion she's in charge, something, Gorean women would know better. Chosen, so that in the end would be enslaved. She is even recognized immediately for being a slave by Tarl. In the way of weapons, she carries only a dagger and a whip. She can't even truly harm Tarl when she whips him.
John Norman has written
"There are no 'female warriors' on Gor. Gor is on the whole an honestly male-dominated realistic world. Indeed, this honesty is one of the things that commends it to romantic, heterosexual women. There are panther girls and talunas on Gor. They are unhappy, frustrated, disturbed women half alienated from their sex. They tend to run in dangerous feline packs. Once captured and subdued it is said they make excellent slaves. 'Bring me into the collar if you can!' 'I am now yours, Master.' 'Amazons' are for female frustrates, and perhaps male weaklings, or masochists. Mrs. Conan does not belong in the Gorean world, let her pump her iron elsewhere. In the Gorean world such a character would seem out of place, and silly."