by Jarl Amra, Hall of Thor

According to what is written in the books, the Torvaldslanders are descents of pre-medieval Vikings that were taken during the voyages of acquisition, more specifically the Icelandic settles of Greenland, which disappeared mysteriously. If we take that for the “scroll truth”, it can explain many things about the difference between Torvaldsland and the rest of Gor.

First, the role of women; the Norse people frequently went away to explore or plunder to that they called going Viking, that derives the name from what they became know in all Europe and world. Those trips occurred, due to some factor like, the lack of agricultural soil in their countries which made that they had to go try to find new places to settle, like happened with Iceland, Greenland, Britain, France and, of course, North America.

During those trips the women were the ones responsible for the houses, the estates and basically everything, as the vast majority of the male population of the town or settlement would embark on those trips. This gave to the women considerable more power and independence than any other in Europe, they many times had to take arms to defend their houses and they were swift while dealing with the slaves that they owned. Another fact that contributes for their independence is the that divorce was allowed and very used in those days of pre-Christianity.  If a woman decided to divorce, she would just declare such in front of witnesses - the man didn’t have much choice other than to accept due to the fact that the woman were considered still under the guard of their fathers more than of their husbands.  That doesn’t mean, of course, that they had total freedom and dominated the men, usually the divorces occurred due to debts or infidelity. In those times on earth also the women carried the key to house.  On Gor things had to be different, but in the books we have examples of FW telling a FM to do something and it is complied even without any relationship between them.

Debts were actually the only way of a fellow Norse became a slave, otherwise it wouldn’t occur, that is why we have that same idea explicit by John Norman.

Secondly, in the books, Torvaldslanders have a different religion. On earth the Norse only became Christians from the XI to XIII century, more by convenience than by conviction, and some forced by political power upon the people. Still during these days, the old Gods have adepts and are recognized. So it isn’t hard to imagine that people, isolated, with little friendly contact with outsiders would retain that religion.

Third, the government of Torvaldsland can be explained by the fact that as on earth, on Gor they didn’t live in cities but in settlements. Also, as on earth, that made it hard to establish a central power, each leader of the settlement is the ruler there and only in grave matters would he enlist himself and his men under the command of another. In the books that figure is called High-Jarl and he is elected in a gathering called the AlThing, which is the exact copy of the Icelandic system, the world’s most ancient parliment, is the Icelandic AlThing.

Fourth, the fact that in Torvaldsland there are more males slaves, called thralls, than in other regions of Gor. That is due to the fact that men were out at sea, so manpower to work in agriculture and other activities as such was required, thus the female slaves also were required to work on the fields, contrary to the way of life for kajirae. Few bondmaids, Torvaldslanders female slaves, worked solely inside the house.

The following note is a personal one: John Norman wrote about Torvaldslanders very little and superficially. Viking way of living, traditions and habits aren’t very well known, basically we imagine them as they are shown in the cinema, a violent and rude people, warrior-like and with little respect for human life.  While that is, in part, true they also were superb seaman and, if a Norse killed another, he would pay dearly for it. One thing that is somewhat curious to me is the fact that Torvaldslanders speak Gorean and their own language. Since they were living, as it is said in the books, on remote settlements, it should not be a strange fact that they had maintained their own language and writings.
 

Basic Dictionary

Jarl – Title that slaves address the Free Men in Torvaldsland, also mean Chieftain so that is why you will read in the books a Free Man addressing other as Jarl.

High Jarl – Leader of all the Jarls in Torvalds, elected in an assembly of Jarls.

Thrall – male slave.

Bondmaid – female slave, in the language of Torvalds it means, “the one whose belly lies under the sword” that is why the common brand for a Torvaldsland slave represents exactly that.

Kirtle – woolen garment worn by bondmaids.

Rune Priests – religious of the Norse Religion.

Bondmaid circle – Circle drawn in the ground used for ritually enslaving women.
 
 

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