Paga Taverns |
| Most Gorean Free Women would rarely visit, much less frequent, a public paga tavern, as such places are, in essence, a Gorean cross between a strip-joint and a brothel. The men who visit such places do so because they have come to have sex with the slaves for the price of a cup of paga, or because they wish to take their ease and comfort in such a den of disrepute. Brawls, arguments, and killings are not uncommon in many such places... it is no wonder that in some cities, leagues of concerned Free Women have banded together in an effort to restrict and prohibit the existence of such establishments within the walls of their respective cities. Such efforts are rarely effective, however, since it is a well-established fact that Gorean males are most insistent upon retaining such places as outlets whereby they can vent their more fierce and primal urges upon the bodies of the serving slaves within. It is through the existence of such outlets that Gorean Free Women are able to retain their rights and status in Gorean society, for if the urges and needs of randy Gorean males were allowed to become pent up within them, perhaps no Free Woman upon Gor would be safe from the collar |
| There are, however, several recorded instances of Free Women who visited paga taverns in the Gor books. About half the time they behaved foolishly and wound up enslaved, like the Lady Beverly in Rogue of Gor; the rest of the time they drank their paga and conducted their business relatively safely. It would seem that the outcome of such visits depended greatly upon the general attitude and behavior of the Free Woman in question. The safety of a Free Woman within a particular paga tavern also seems to vary according to such factors as the time of the day, the strength of the current batch of paga, and the location of the particular tavern in the city. There are good paga taverns and bad paga taverns, just as there are safe neighborhoods and dangerous ones. Normally Free Women tend to avoid the more vicious and brutal examples of such establishments, and can instead be found sipping ka-la-na and black wine in the streetside bistros of the city, or even downing kal-da in a well-lit public kal-da house, more often than they can be seen in the dim shadowy recesses of a paga tavern. It is an unusual fact that the traditional crime of rape seldom if ever occurs upon Gor, at least to those women who retain their status as Free Women. This is due, no doubt, to the fact that to most Gorean males such measures are unnecessary: it is far easier and quicker to have sex with a collared slavegirl than to risk the wrath of the city or village magistrates, not to mention the male relatives of the Free Woman involved. Since, however, it is a fairly simple thing for most Gorean males to capture or collar a Free Woman (particularly one from another city), all Free Women must take great care to protect themselves from that particular threat. This can be accomplished in a number of different ways, most notably by wearing the traditional veils and robes of concealment.... few men would be foolish enough to collar a woman whose features they have not seen, and once the act of enslavement begins, typically there is no turning back. Another way in which a Free Woman can protect herself is through the use of hired bodyguards, or by forming and maintaining platonic relationships with skilled Warriors who might protect her should she find herself endangered. The use of trained animals such as guard sleen might also be a good idea, for those moments when a Free Woman finds herself alone in the streets or upon the high bridges of her city. |
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"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. |