The Gorean Laws

These here, are just a few of the Gorean laws, based from the books. There is an average of one hundred and thirty-three or so laws within Gorean terms.

Now, I’m not encouraging any to remember all these laws. But, to keep in mind, for there are a few sites online, that might enforce them. So, keep weary and always read before acting, whenever online.

1 Once outside the city wall, it’s laws will no longer apply and the city will not protect you. But, there are a few exceptions to this rule. First, certain locations that are located outside the city, called banner keeps or Merchant Keeps, that the city has full legal control and is governed by the city’s laws. And second, the Merchant Law, extends past the city walls, protecting commerce. Thus, it binds many of the cities of Gor.

2 Many cities may have one gate, know as the Sun Gate, a primary gate that is only open from dawn to dusk. Most cities might have a special night gate, that allows citizens to enter and leave at night.

3 Members of the Players Caste (Players, Poets, Musicians and Singers) may freely enter any city. Anyone else, who enters without permission, is punished by impalement.

4 All Outlaws (including Panther Girls and Talunas) are forbidden entrance into the city and subject to impalement.

5 Assassins, who bears the mark of the black dagger upon their forehead, are permitted, without interference, to enter any city.

6 To claim unowned land, outside the city, places a yellow stake of claimancy into the ground at dawn until dusk, protecting the land. When dusk falls, the land is claimed with a Home Stone.

7 Citizenship is a privilege, not a right. All must actively apply for it as well as to earn it throughout life. Mostly when reaching the intellectual majority, all must perform the citizenship ceremony. And the specifics of the ceremony will vary from city to city.

8 If the citizenship ceremony isn’t performed, within one year of reaching intellectual majority, will be punished by expulsion from the city. This applies only to those who are born within the city or born to the those of the city.

9 One benefit of citizenship, is that it provides protection against foreign creditors. Of course, it is unknown to whether this area is covered by Merchant Law or not.

10 Any can renounce an existing citizenship and acquire citizenship in another city. Obviously, all must be accepted by the other city as a citizen, meeting all prerequisites that are in place.

11 Only members of the High Caste maybe elected for High Council of a city. Each of the five High Castes, can vote for their own representative on the High Council.

12 Only members of the High Caste may vote for a city’s Administrator or to appoint an Ubar. Low Castes doesn’t possess any voting rights.

13 Each city determines which Castes and sub-castes will be legally recognized.

14 It is legally permissible to change one’s Caste, though most Goreans would not willingly change their Caste, being proud of their Caste no matter how low it might be. Otherwise, to change Caste, the High Council of the city must approve the change, based on qualifications for the new Caste and the willingness of the new Caste to accept the person.

15 By law, the Slaver’s Caste is a sub-caste of the Merchant’s Caste. The Slaver Caste though often prefers to consider themselves as a separate Caste. It is unknown to whether this determination is part of Merchant Law or not.

16 A Free Companionship, the Gorean form of marriage, last for a single year. If not renewed by the twentieth Ahn of the anniversary date, it will automatically dissolve.

17 A person may have only one Free Companion at a time. In the equatorial jungles, men may posses multiple companions.

18 A Free Companionship will dissolve earlier than one year, if one of the parties is either enslaved or dies.

19 Forgery of an official city seal on mercantile products is illegal. This is to help protect the integrity of official city products.

20 Patents, which cover inventions or copyrights, which cover written materials, are available in a city, but their power extends only as far as the city wall. Thus, many craftsmen and manufacturers, keep their formulas and plans in cipher, to protect them from theft and unauthorized copying.

21 It is a felony to forge or falsify pedigree papers on any slave. Such papers might include information on brand type, number of different measurements, type of training received; a place for sales endorsements for when a slave changes hands and a remark section for miscellaneous information.

22 The theft of a Home Stone, maybe one of the most heinous crimes that exists on Gor. Despite this, the theft of an enemy’s Home Stone is also considered the greatest of glories, showing that the thief is favored by the Priest-Kings.

21 Thievery is illegal and harshly punished. First offence is punished by an ear notching. After that, the penalties for subsequent offences will vary by city and gender. In most cities, a Free Woman, found guilty of a second offence is enslaved. If a Free Man is found guilty of a second offence, he often will lose one of his hands.

22 Robes of concealment and veils, may or may not be required by law for Free Women. In some cities, it is only custom, while in others it is an actual law. An unveiled Free Woman is susceptible to be taken into custody by guardsmen, then to be veiled, by forced if necessary. Repeated offences can even lead to enslavement. Even where it is only custom, it is strongly recommended that all Free Women wear robes and veils in public.

23 In cities, where robes and veils for Free Women are not legally mandatory, there are other laws restricting on how much bare skin a Free Woman may show. If too much skin is shown, then the woman is subject to possible enslavement.

24 A Free Woman, who submits to a particular man, when there is no captured involved, may or may not become a slave. This will be dependent upon city law.

25 A Free Woman can sell herself into slavery. But, once the sale is complete, the woman cannot then revoke it.

26 Any Free Woman, who couches with Another’s slave or readies herself to couch with Another’s, become herself a slave and the slave of the slave’s Owner.

27 There are two basic legal statuses on Gor: Free and slave. Unless you are legally owned, then you are considered technically free, even if you are a prisoner, captive or outlaw. As a Free Person, they possess legal rights that slaves do not possess.

28 According to Merchant Law, a person is considered to be a prisoner and not a slave, as long as they have not been branded, collared or performed any gesture of submission.

29 Legally, slaves are considered property, on the same level as domestic animals. Their Owners may do anything they wish to them without repercussion. Their power over their own slave is absolute.

30 Slaves may not own anything, not even their own names.

31 When a person is enslaved, they begin a new life as a slave and may not be held accountable for any crimes that accrued while they were Free.

32 Any Free Person may discipline an insolent or errant slave, even one who is in the least displeasing. If the slave is killed or injured, the Free Person needs only to pay compensation to the Owner and only if the Owner requests such compensation. This of course, does not give any the right to injure or kill someone else’s slave. It simply states the penalty for such a violation.

33 If a lost, stolen or runaway slave is taken by another person, the original Owner has only one week to regain Their property before legal title passes to the new Owner.

34 For a slave to runaway from their Owner, is a serious offense.

35 It is the right of all people, Free and slave, to receive the Stabilization Serums, the Gorean life extension treatment. This maybe one of the only rights that a slave possesses.

36 Freed slaves are required to have explicit papers of manumission or they maybe enslaved without repercussion. Slaves, who have been branded or had their ears pierced and later freed, should definitely keep their papers handy at all times.