Free Women II
This info was found on the net - so i am not taking the honor for this. I think it was Lady Nyx writing this - but since i have collected so much info through the years - i can not be certain.
The
Free Woman - FW
Gorean society is populated by many different types of people of different caste
and social status, but of all the inhabitants of the counter-earth, few are
as fascinating and complex as are those who dwell within the insulae and shops,
or behind walls and guards in the secret pleasure gardens and relaxation pools
of the city, performing their labors, managing their households, taking their
pleasures and seeing to the birth, maintenance and correct training of the children
of Gor. I am speaking of the civilized Gorean Free Woman, the veiled matriarch
of the free holdings of the high cities.
It is a difficult and perilous undertaking for a Gorean Free Woman to maintain
her status... in fact, a Gorean Free Woman is expected to choose the option
of free and honorable death rather than accept the fate of living in slavery.
In practice, however, this rarely occurs. Few women, even Gorean women of high
caste and social position, will willingly choose to suffer a grisly death rather
than brave the degradations of bondage. Nevertheless, occasionally they do so,
and the honor of such Free Women is exalted to the skies. It is widely said
of such women that they were truly free in their hearts and therefore died free,
and it is the actions of such persons, which support the ancient Gorean belief
that perhaps not ALL women were born to be enslaved.
The
Northern Free Woman
The following are quotes from Marauders of Gor, in which certain differences
are explained between the Free Women of the South, and the Free Women of Torvaldsland.
Authority
| Bera, his woman, rose
to her feet. I could see that her mind was moving with rapidity. "Come tonight
to our hall, Champion," said she. The Blue Tooth did not gainsay her. The
woman of the Jarl had spoken. Free Women in the north have much power. The
Jarl's Woman, in the Kaissa of the north, is a more powerful piece than
the Ubara in the Kaissa of the south. This is not to deny that the Ubara
in the south, in fact, exercises as much or more power than her northern
counterpart. It is only to recognize that her power in the south is less
explicitly acknowledged." Marauders of Gor (pg 191) |
| "The women of the north,
commonly, do not veil themselves." Marauders of Gor (pg 199) |
| Her hair was hung in
a snood of scarlet yarn, bound with filaments of golden wire. She wore,
over her shoulder, a cape of white fur of the northern sea sleen. She had
a scarlet vest, embroidered in gold, worn over a long-sleeved blouse of
white wool, from distant Ar. She wore, too, a long woolen skirt, dyed red,
which was belted with black, with a buckle of gold, wrought in Cos. She
wore shoes of black, polished leather, which folded about her ankles, laced
twice, once across the instep, once about the ankles." Marauders of Gor (pg 25) |
| She was richly dressed.
The cape of white fur was a splendid fur. The scarlet vest, the blouse of
white wool, the long woolen skirt, red, were fine goods. The buckle from
Cos was expensive. Even the shoes of black leather were finely tooled."
Marauders of Gor (pg 34) |
| She wore black and
silver, a full, ankle-length gown of rich, black velvet, with silver belts,
or straps, that crossed over her breasts, and tied about her waist. From
it, by strings, hung a silver purse, that seemed weighty. Her blond hair
was lifted from the sides and back of her head by a comb of bone and leather,
like an inverted isoceles triangle, the comb fastened by a tiny black ribbon
about her neck and another such ribbon about her forehead. Her cloak, of
black fur, from the black sea sleen, glossy and deep, swirled to her ankles.
It was fastened at the left shoulder by a large circular brooch of silver,
probably from Tharna. She was doubtless the daughter of a very rich man.
She would have many suitors." Marauders of Gor (pg 35) |
| She wore rich green
velvet, closed high about her neck, trimmed with gold." Marauders of Gor (pg 112) |
| Her hair, long, was
braided. It was tied with golden string." Marauders of Gor (pg 112) |
| Her hands wore many
rings. About her neck she wore, looped, four chains of gold, with pendants.
On her wrists were bracelets of silver and gold." Marauders of Gor (pg 114) |
| "Ivar
Forkbeard then bent to the girlīs feet and pulled away her golden shoes,
and, his hands at her legs, she, her eyes closed, removed from her, too,
her scarlet, silken hose, She stood, her arm held by my hand, in the fetters,
in the dress of green velvet, it torn open at the collar to reveal her throat;
she had been stripped of her rings, the bracelets, the chains; her hair
was loose; her hose and shoes had been removed." Marauders of Gor (pg 117) |
| "At her waist she wore
a jeweled scabbard, protruding from which I saw the ornamented, twisted
black of a Turian dagger; Free Women in Torvaldsland commonly carry a knife..."
Marauders of Gor (pg 156) |
Paga Taverns
| In most paga taverns,"
he said, "Free Women are not permitted. In some they are.'" Kajira of Gor (pg 122) |
| I have never been in
one of these places before," she said..."I now understand why it is that
Free Women never enter Paga taverns." Elizabeth Cardwell, Assassin of Gor (pg 22) |
| If you may pleasure
yourself in taverns," she said, "surely so, too, may I.' "Free Women," I
said, "do not come here. It is too close to the wharves. It is dangerous.
This is Gor." Rogue of Gor (pg 158) |
Remember your status. A Free Woman is proud, but she does not challenge or insult.
To do so is to invite a face-stripping. A tavern is typically full of Warriors,
and one of the things that Warriors do is collar and enslave Free Women. To
draw attention to yourself by making yourself a nuisance to such men is foolhardy
to say the least. Be attractive, witty, graceful, and behave with honor, and
you will be treated with the respect due to one your station.
Some Gorean males may take action to protect you from overzealous Masters in
search of a slave, as long as you do not actively provoke such unwanted attention.
This tendency, as well as others, depends entirely upon the customs of the particular
tavern and the laws of the city you are in. The laws of the city of Ar, for
instance, are quite specific regarding the disposition of Free Women who invite
enslavement. Act like a slave, and you will wind up as one. Behave like the
lady you are, and perhaps earn the respect and honor of Gorean males. Your choice.
It would probably not be a wise course of action to get drunk while visiting
a Gorean drinking establishment. If you do allow yourself to become too inebriated
to defend yourself, then all bets are off.
Rarius' views about
FW
The pride of the Free Women of his city is very important to the typical Gorean
warrior... in his mind, though the Free Women of other cities are open game
to be captured for sport or profit, the Free Women who share his Home Stone
are sacrosanct, aloof and virtuous creatures who are worthy of constant respect
and protection. These are, after all, the mothers, daughters and sisters of
both himself and his comrades, and are therefore to be treasured and respected
at all costs.
The Gorean Free Woman is revered, honored and protected. After all, only a FW
can bear and raise Free children, and continue the bloodlines of the Noble Rarius.
The care and upbringing of this future generation of Gor also falls upon the
Free Woman, and she carefully instills the values, honor code and manners which
will influence the Rarius of tomorrow.
The key trait a Gorean warrior expects to find in the Free Women of his city
is "virtuous." To the Gorean mind, any woman who possesses the raw lust and
submissive desire openly displayed by collared slavegirls deserves to be one,
and if a Free Woman's actions seem to suggest that she either secretly or openly
wishes to be enslaved, sooner or later she will be called forth to disprove
such accusations. Nevertheless, the honor in which a true Free Woman is held
is so great that normally several such offenses must be committed before she
is stripped and collared.
A Free Woman will first be warned to abstain from slave-like behavior... if
she continues to behave so, then to the mind of the Gorean male, and according
to the rules of Gorean society, she is actively seeking enslavement.
A Gorean Free Woman does not draw a weapon against another individual unless
she is under attack. Beware! According to his codes, to draw a weapon against
a member of the Warrior Caste is to place yourself within his capture rights.
This includes drawing weapons and placing them on a table or displaying such
objects in a threatening manner to others in the room, without suitable provocation.
Free Companionship
It is commonly believed that the goal of every Free Woman upon Gor is to arrange
and maintain a lasting free companionship with a freeman of her choice, to dwell
with him in honor and dignity, to bear his children and propagate their combined
family line. A free companionship is typically contracted only after much legal
wrangling and dedicated pursuit on the part of the male, after which a simple
ceremony is held in which both parties interlink arms and drink the wine of
free companionship from the same chalice, signifying that they pledge themselves
solely to one another for the period of one year. Every year this ceremony must
be repeated, and the companionship repledged by both parties; otherwise it is
considered to have lapsed. This seems a wise practice when one considers that
due to the stabilization serums, the typical Gorean lifespan can last several
centuries or more. During the period of this companionship, neither party may
willingly engage in sexual activity with another free person who is not their
sworn free companion. This monogomy, however, does not preclude the sexual use
of slaves by either party, provided of course such things are acceptable to
both parties. Gorean free companionship is therefore a rather practical institution.
A free companionship is immediately considered legally dissolved if either party
is enslaved.
Bride Price
In order to assure the continuance of the family line as well as the financial
security and well-being of her household, every Gorean Free Woman is expected
to be willing to subject herself to the rigors of a politically motivated free
companionship. In such a case, the family of the would-be female companion is
typically presented with a pre-arranged "bride price" upon conclusion of such
a union. Often the dowries of such wealthy females can be quite high, and the
bride price which is required to attain such a companionship reflects that fact:
before her enslavement, Talena, the daughter of the Ubar Marlenus of Ar, was
said to be worth a thousand tarns... many high-born ladies can expect to bring
as much as even one hundred tarns, which is a substantial addition to any city's
tarn cavalry.
Enslavement
Enslavement can occur for several reasons, not the least of which is "slave-like"
behavior. Typical examples of such behavior are openly admiring the bodies of
male freemen, commenting upon such things in a sexually suggestive way, flirting
lewdly or lasciviously, or repeatedly seeking sexual union with another who
is not one's free companion. A Gorean Free Woman is expected to behave in a
ladylike fashion at all times... she is an object to be admired and pursued,
not the pursuer in such relationships (at least not openly). The Free Woman
is graceful, mysterious and untouchable. The very right to look upon the delicate
expressions and soft features of her face is a goal to be much sought after
by others of her caste and social class. Any Free Woman who willingly face-strips
herself before the eyes of men who are not her personal servants or close relatives
is immediately castigated by Gorean society as behaving in a "sluttish" fashion.
Upon Gor, such "sluts" are immediately collared for the use and service of males.
Therefore, the term "slut" and the term "Free Woman" must be considered mutually
exclusive of one another at all times.
Similarly a Free Woman who willingly places herself into a perilous situation
in which enslavement might be the outcome is assumed by most Gorean males to
be "courting the collar." In such instances it is generally accepted practice
to bestow upon the Free Woman the very thing which she so seems to want, a brand
and collar of her very own. If at any time a Free Woman loses all means of self-protection
and falls prey to a Warrior or one who is stronger than she, she is said to
be within the boundaries of "capture rites." If she is to be held for ransom,
then she retains her free status... she is not branded or collared, though depending
upon the whim of her captor she might be facestripped or put to sexual use.
During the period of her captivity she does not refer to freemen as Master,
but rather as "Captor." In some cases she is simply chained in the holding of
her captor and ignored until she can be exchanged for ransom. Since Free Women
of high caste typically fetch a ransom equal to or in excess of their bride
price, the richer and more powerful her family the greater her chance of being
ransomed. For a poor Free Woman, perhaps of the peasants or a similar low caste,
she can usually not expect such treatment. In such a case the Free Woman in
question typically may expect nothing better than either her enslavement, if
she proves to be pleasing, or her execution if she is not. It is important to
remember that when a Gorean city or settlement is conquered, typically all male
survivors of that city are immediately put to death... in short, Goreans rarely
take prisoners of war. When all things are considered, therefore, if her Home
Stone is conquered, at least a Free Woman has a better chance of surviving,
even as a slave, than do the freemen of her city.
Face Stripping
Perhaps the worse offense which can be performed against a Free Woman is that
of public facestripping, i.e. when the veils of a Free Woman are removed from
her by force. This is the equivalent of stripping her naked, though even the
loss of her robes of concealment is not as great an insult as the loss of her
veils. It is regarded as the right, duty and privilege of Gorean Free Women
of the high cities to remain veiled... even when captured by the Warriors of
an enemy city, the Free Woman will commonly be allowed to retain her veils at
least until her final fate has been decided. The friends, bodyguards, and male
relatives of a facestripped woman are quite willing to slay any offender who
so degrades one of the ladies of their city... unless, of course, through her
own actions she has indicated that she is, in the depths of her belly, a slave.
In such a case she may expect her veils to be taken from her at once, and if
she is fortunate she will be allowed to keep her life, though forevermore she
will be a slave. The penalty for any slave caught impersonating a Freeperson
varies from city to city, though it is typically death. Not death by execution
with the sword or impaling spear... such a death is considered an honorable
one, reserved for Freepersons only. When a slave is caught impersonating a Freeperson
he or she is typically subjected to the lowly "garbage death," wherein the offending
slave is bound hand and foot and cast amongst the city carnarii (trash pits)
to be devoured by urts and other carrion feeders at their leisure. Needless
to say, a public facestripping is too be avoided by a Gorean Free Woman at all
costs.
Rite of Submission
If at any time, or for any reason, a Free Woman decides that it is in her best
interests either to become a slave or to openly submit herself to a male for
his protection and use, this is accomplished by the performance of a formal
gesture of submission by which she invokes the ancient Gorean "rite of submission."
Many Free Women would rather die than perform such a subservient act. It is
important that a Free Woman understand that when this rite is invoked, there
is no going back. Typically there are only two possible outcomes when a Free
Woman submits so; either she is enslaved and becomes the personal chattel of
the male, his to do with as he sees fit, or she is found lacking in desirability
by the male in question and is driven from him in disgrace. In the case of a
Warrior, the consequences are even more dire, since a Warrior is not permitted
by his codes to abandon the female while she is still alive. Therefore, most
Warriors have no qualms whatsoever against putting the submitting female to
death on the spot. Indeed, to a Warrior's mind, it is better by far to take
the supplicant's life than to abandon her to be randomly enslaved by the first
person who comes along. Believe it or not, in such a situation a Warrior is
acting to preserve the honor of the former Free Woman and her caste and family.
The way the rite is invoked is this: the Free Woman typically facestrips herself,
publicly announces that she willingly submits to the individual she has chosen,
and then assumes "the Position of Female Submission," wherein the Free Woman
kneels at her captor's feet and leans her body back, sitting upon her heels,
with her arms extended upward, crossed at the wrists, and her head beneath them
lowered in supplication. If the male accepts her, she becomes his slave and
forfeits all titles, rank and property immediately. If he does not, she accepts
the consequences of her actions, even if it means her death.
It should be obvious that a Free Woman does not invoke the Rite of Submission
hastily or without much consideration, as the very act can cost her her life.
FW & slavegirls
For some reason, many Free Women actively seem to dislike slavegirls, even going
so far as to torment them when their Masters are not around, or to behave toward
them in a rather cold and callous manner. This is of course their right as free
persons, and they may in effect behave toward slaves in any manner that they
see fit. Understand, though, that not only is such behavior perceived as mere
jealousy on the part of the Free Woman involved, it is also thought to suggest
that the Free Woman herself envies the position of the slave in question. As
long as such behavior does not insult a Freeperson free Gorean males will grudgingly
tolerate it, unless any damage or long-term harm is inflicted upon the slavegirl
so treated. Apart from that, slavegirls are expected to treat Free Women humbly
at all times, as they would any other Freeperson.
FW & silk slave (male slaves)
Many Gorean Free Women possess kajiri, or male slaves. These serve many purposes...
often they are servants and retainers, they may be utilized as pack bearers
or manual laborers. Often a Free Woman will be borne through the streets of
her city in a curtained palanquin carried upon the backs of such male slaves.
In addition, the wealthier and more free-thinking Gorean Free Woman will also
have within her household one or more "silk slaves," male slaves chosen for
their handsomeness and sexual vigor, who have been trained to serve a Mistress
sexually. This is quite acceptable, unless there is a law on the city scrolls
which prohibits such sexual congress by free females. At the present time there
is such a law in the city codes of Ar, though most wealthy women in the city
act in secret and circumvent it fairly easily.
A Gorean Free Woman may own and use slaves, both male and female, as she sees
fit. However, at the present time there is a city ordinance in Ar which prohibits
the sexual use of male slaves by Free Women of that city, on penalty of enslavement.
Of course, if you are not of Ar, then you are perhaps exempt from this particular
law. Remember however that those Free Women not of Ar might fall prey to chain
luck while visiting that city if they are not careful. Extreme caution is advised.
Chain Luck
"Chain Luck" is the terror of every Free Woman upon Gor. It is a practice whereby
Warriors (typically young men in search of a thrill or some sport) will decide
on a whim to attack a city not their own, hopefully evading the Warriors and
guardsmen of that place, and capture one or more Free Women to add to their
chain as slaves. The name "chain luck" refers to the fact that due to the veils
and robes of concealment worn by such Free Women, it is usually impossible for
the Warrior in question to ascertain the personal attractiveness of his would-be
target before he makes his strike. Therefore he must trust in his luck, hoping
that his new acquisition is young and beautiful beneath her robes. Many a warrior
has risked his life to skillfully lasso a Free Woman from the high bridges of
an enemy city only to discover that his catch has a face like a tharlarion and
a temperament to match. It is not entirely unknown for Warriors to be foolish
enough, or drunk enough, to practice Chain Luck within the environs of their
own city, though typically in such cases either they already have a target in
mind or are seeking a slave not for personal use but to sell her out of the
city for a quick profit. The Warriors and bodyguards of a Free Woman's household
are constantly on the lookout for such attempts on the persons of their ladies.
Woe be it to one who is caught practicing chain luck in his own city... if the
lady in question is discovered by the magistrates to be free and not a slave,
yet is taken and collared by a warrior of her own city, then it is considered
an offense against one's Home Stone, typically punishable by death. The Free
Women of an enemy city, however, are considered fair game for such activity.
Robes of Concealment
While in the privacy of her own home, in the company of those of her family,
a Free Woman will often affect a fairly relaxed and comfortable mode of clothing
herself; indeed, under such conditions and behind the closed doors of her household
it would be not only difficult for a Free Woman to wear the strictly moderated
and highly ornate garments of her caste, it would be simply ludicrous. She is,
after all, a Gorean woman, well accustomed to the scanty fashions and brief
garments worn by both the men and women of that savage planet. In the pleasure
gardens of her home a Free Woman dresses for attractiveness, comfort and functionality,
and some of her outfits can be revealing to say the least. However, once beyond
the safety and protection of her house walls she wisely dons garments which
are more suited for platonic interaction with the dangerous men of the cities:
the infamous Gorean Robes of Concealment.
The Robes of Concealment worn by Free Women in the high cities are elaborate
affairs, and are subject to the dictates of the current fashion in her city.
They can be highly personal modes of garb, cut and fashioned in countless ways
and in numerous styles, according to the whims and desires of the wearer and
the restrictions imposed by local sumptuary laws. Nevertheless, they universally
have these things in common: They consist of several layers of thick, opaque
cloth. Normally opaque hose are worn beneath them, and gloves, to insure that
no part of the wearer's body is visible. The typical garments worn by a Free
Woman of the high cities includes a shaped and fitted brocade gown with an ankle-length
hem and a high collar which reaches to just below the chin. Atop that is worn
a loose fitting robe to further conceal the lines and shape of her body. A quilted
or brocade headpiece, similar to the Arab kafiyeh, is worn pinned or buttoned
in place to cover her head, and drapes to the shoulders. The various veils are
then attached over the wearer's face through the use of pins and ties, completing
the ensemble. A Free Woman may wear slippers or even close-fitting boots beneath
her robes, and it is also the custom for women of extremely high rank to wear
ornate platform shoes which increase her height by as much as ten inches. Such
adornments as those are normally worn only within doors, however, since they
are exceedingly difficult to walk in over uneven surfaces. A wealthy Free Woman
typically wears much jewelry, consisting of brooches, medallions and chains
of office and rank, rings and armlets. Many Free Women are very careful about
wearing wristlets and bangles of precious metal, however, or even close fitting
necklaces and especially ornamental "chokers." Such jewelry is thought by many
to be an ornamental derivative of the collar and slave-bracelets of a kajira,
therefore it is almost never worn by the suitably cautious Free Woman, and under
no circumstances will a Free Woman wear any sort of jewelry or even a tied scarf
about her left ankle, since the left ankle is universally acknowledged by Goreans
as the "slave ankle," and any sort of adornment there by a Free Woman is unthinkable.
Her avoidance of such jewelry is part of her ongoing effort to distance herself
from women who have fallen to bondage.
The Veils
A Free Woman will, depending upon the customs of her household and city, wear
up to five separate veils simultaneously, each with a different purpose of concealment.
These veils range in function from thin, gauzy ones worn close to the skin,
all the way up to the heavily brocaded street veils worn by Free Women upon
the streets and in the public gathering places of her city. The five basic veils
worn by Free Women are, in the order they are donned: the last veil, the veil
of the citizeness, the pride veil, the house veil, and the street veil.
The
Last Veil
the innermost of the five veils worn by Free Women; it is worn under the veil
of the citizeness, and is often very sheer. Also known as the "privacy veil"
or "modesty veil," it is worn in all places except within the private chambers
of the Free Woman.
The
Veil of the Citizeness
the second of the veils worn by Free Women; worn under the pride veil and over
the last veil; it is worn by a Free Woman when she leaves her chambers for any
reason. The right to wear this veil at all times is guaranteed to all Free Women
upon attaining their majority and pledging citizenship. To strip this veil from
a citizen of your own Home Stone is considered a violation of basic Gorean law.
The
Pride Veil
the third veil worn by Free Women; worn under the house veil and over the veil
of the citizeness, it is worn when a Free Woman is in her house. Unlike the
last veil and veil of the citizeness, this veil is completely opaque, and provides
true concealment of her features.
The
House Veil
the next-to-last veil worn by Free Women, especially when in the company of
men not of her own family; worn over the pride veil, and under the street veil
upon leaving the house; when guests are within the walls of her house or when
the Free Woman is in the company of anyone who is not of her household, she
wears this veil at all times.
The
Street Veil
the outermost veil worn by Free Women; worn over the house veil when leaving
the house; typically a heavy, fitted face-covering of thick brocaded or quilted
cloth, equipped with numerous pins and fastening devices.
Use
of Weaponry
There are no restrictions upon the weaponry owned and used by Free Women, apart
from the general prohibition of technological items sanctioned by the Priest
Kings. Nevertheless, the Free Women of the larger and more civilized cities
of Gor seldom carry weaponry which cannot easily be concealed. The two primary
weapons in use by such women are the dagger and the poisoned needle, both of
which can be secreted among the many folds of her robes and drawn forth for
use at a moment's notice. In fact, most Gorean Free Women spend many hours practicing
such movements, knowing that a moment's hesitation may one day make the difference
for them between a life of ease and honor or a life of imbonditude. Bladed hair
combs and the long, razor sharp pins which hold her many veils in place are
often used by the Free Woman in such an instance. In general, the typical Gorean
Free Woman doesn't carry a weapon large enough to be perceived beneath her robes...
she knows that there is little chance she will prevail in open combat against
a trained Warrior. Her weapons are of stealth and surprise, combined with the
desperate desire to remain free at all costs.
FW &
the Caste of Warrior
The Free Women born into the Caste of Warriors on Gor are quite similar in most
respects to those of other castes, except perhaps they are fiercer and more
handy with their weapons. This is an understandable by-product caused by residing
in a house that is constantly full of warriors in training. It should be remembered
that in order for a Warrior to actually don the scarlet of his caste, the high
council of his city must first affirm him. Few, if any, women are ever accorded
that honor, though that circumstance is possibly caused more by tradition that
by lack of potential or ability. Female combatants are not unknown upon Gor,
especially among the more open-minded denizens of the southern hemisphere, but
they are still rare enough to be considered a social aberration when they do
come into being. In general, Gorean females can do pretty much anything male
Goreans can, though most Gorean women don't bother. The sheer difficulty of
maintaining her freedom amidst a clashing army of warriors is more than enough
incentive for most Gorean women to abandon any such personal thoughts of bloodlust
and single combat and retreat within the walls of her home city, where her precarious
social status is more easily safeguarded. The Free Women of the Wagon Peoples
and Red Savages are occasionally known to take up arms and fight beside their
male brethren; there have been recorded instances of Turian women who have fought
in combat upon kaillaback, and of course if severely pressed every Free Woman
is expected to pitch in to defend her Home Stone. Nevertheless, the concept
of an actual female Warrior wearing the scarlet in one of the major city-states
of Gor (Ar, Ko-ro-ba, Tharna, Thentis, Treve, Port Kar, Cos, Tyros, Lydius,
Laura) is almost completely unknown.
Panther Girls
Panther Girls are the fabled wild girls of the northern forests, such bands
being comprised of runaway slaves and the occasional Free Woman who has fled
from the dictates of Gorean society and taken up residence amidst the primitive
camps of the unexplored woodlands. The Panther Girls are fierce fighters when
encountered, since they can expect only enslavement or death upon capture. Their
weapons of choice are slim spears, short bows and hunting knives, and they make
do by trading with outlaws and the inhabitants of certain outlying settlements
for metal and other difficult to obtain supplies, and by hunting and trapping
game in the wild. They are free-women in the technical sense of the term, since
they are not enslaved and have little or no discourse with civilized Gorean
society. They are a rare breed and are cautious about accepting newcomers to
their ranks... those who seek them out and are found lacking in necessary survival
skills are commonly captured by them and sold as slaves in trade for civilized
foodstuffs and items of equipment. In the jungle regions of the far south they
also exist, living in amidst the jungle rainforests much as their sisters do
in the Northern Forests. Members of this southern version are referred to as
"Talunas." There are no Panther Girls or Talunas in any of the major city-states,
including Ar. If a Panther Girl ventured that far into civilized territory,
she would undoubtedly be enslaved upon sight.
There are no panther girls or talunas in the High Cities of Gor, which include
Ar, Ko-ro-ba, Tharna, Thentis, Turia, Treve, and many other major settlements.
All Free Women in these cities are expected to wear the robes of concealment
and veil themselves in public at all times. The only exceptions to this practice
tend to be in Tharna, where few if any Free Women are allowed, and in Ko-ro-ba,
where the customs regarding Free Women's fashion are somewhat lax.
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