High Castes
Initiates
Initiates are the representatives of the Priest-Kings in Gorean society and are the religious branch of the government. They are responsible for spiritual guidance through rituals and prayers offered to the Priest-Kings. Some are rumored to have the ability to call down the wrath of the Priest Kings, or the dreaded "Flame Death." They wear white robes, have shaven heads and faces, and refuse to eat meat or imbibe alcohol. The white caste code states they must remain celibate. They are feared and often distrusted by those of the lower castes.
Caste color: WHITE
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Scribes
Scribes are concerned with history, accounting, record�keeping, etc. and are one of the five High Castes that make up Gorean government. They are often scholors, historians, or clerks. They tend to be serious and studious, with an attention to detail and a passion for knowledge.
Caste color: BLUE
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Builders
This caste includes architects, draftsmen, stone�masons, inventors, technicians, etc. and the Builders are one of the five High Castes that make up Gorean government. They are involved with the creation of the physical and engineering wonders of Gor.
Caste color: YELLOW
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Physicians
Physicians are belong to the caste that practices the healing arts, and includes those in medical fields. Surgeons, apothecaries, medical researchers and health practicioners are all members of this caste. Physicians are one of the five High Castes that make up the Gorean government.
Caste color: GREEN
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Warriors
This caste includes infantry, tharlarion cavalry, archers, tarnsmen, etc. and is the military branch of the government. They are known to have one of the strictest sets of caste codes in use on Gor.
Caste color: RED
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Low Castes
& Sub-Castes
Artisans
This is a very broad caste with a great number of sub-castes. Any production of hand-made goods, no matter its use, is considered by the typical Gorean to be a work of art.
Caste colors: AQUA & RED
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Assassins
This caste kills for payment. A black dagger upon the Assassin's forehead serves as warning that He has been hired.
Caste colors: BLACK
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Bakers
A very broad caste that consists of hundreds of sub-castes. Bakers tend to prepare sa-tarna or vegetarian dishes.
Caste colors: BROWN & YELLOW
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Charcoal Makers
This caste produces charcoal for use in Gorean forges and ovens. This caste was mentioned in Outlaw of Gor.
Caste colors: BLACK & GREY
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Guardsmen
A sub-caste of the caste of Municipal Servants. This caste is responsible for patrolling the city or village streets, arresting those who violate local ordinances and laws, and ensuring the general well-being of all citizens of their city. They generally wear the city's traditional color instead of having a caste color.
Caste colors: NONE
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Lamp Lighters
A sub-caste of the caste of Municipal Servants, this caste lights the tharlarion oil lamps used to provide illumination to the city streets.
Caste colors: GREEN, WHITE & RED
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Merchants
This is a very broad caste with hundreds of subcastes all concerned with the sell and trade of merchandise for a profit. Two sub-castes of interest are Slavers and Spice Merchants.
Caste colors: GOLD & WHITE
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Metal Workers
A sub-caste of the caste of Artisans, they produce most of the metal items on Gor. Sub-castes include the castes of Swordmakers, Armorers, and Smiths.
Caste color: STEEL GREY
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Municipal Servants
This large caste includes many subcastes, all concerned with providing various public services to those who live within a city or village.
Caste colors: GREY & WHITE
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Musicians
A sub-caste of the caste of Entertainers, they often work in conjuction with the caste of singers. This caste is concerned with providing and performing instrumental musical works, as well as accompaniment for those of the caste of singers. In most cities it is considered a criminal offense to enslave one of the Musicians or Players caste.
Caste colors: AQUA & RED
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Peasants
The lowest and most common of castes in Gor is the Peasant Caste. Peasants are concerned with the maintenance, planting, and harvesting of the vast lands surrounding many cities. These are the farmers of Gor. While they are considered a low caste, they refer to themselves as "The Ox on which the Homestone rests."
Caste color: BROWN
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Players
This caste is made of those who have dedicated their lives to playing the Gorean game Kaissa. They are a subcaste of the Artisans. Members of this caste are granted blanket immunity to prosecution and slavery, and are highly regarded based upon their level of skill. They wear distinctive hooded robes in their caste colors.
Caste colors: RED & YELLOW
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Poets
Poets are considered to be of the caste of Artisans, not the caste of Entertainers. This is probably because Goreans view the creation of a poem to be no different from the fabrication of any physical work of art. This caste is mentioned in Assassins of Gor.
Caste colors: AQUA & RED
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Pot Makers
This is also a sub-caste of the caste of Artisans. They are involved in the production of containment vessels.
Caste colors: BROWN & GREEN
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Saddle Makers
Another sub-caste of the caste of Artisans, they produce saddlery, harnesses, and tack used to manage all of the various riding and draft beasts of Gor. This caste was mentioned in Outlaw of Gor.
Caste color: TAN
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Sailors
This caste includes several dozen sub-castes, each with its own specialty. Bargemen, one such sub-caste, propel and steer the great river barges on the freshwater waterways of Gor.
Caste colors: BLUE & GOLD
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Singers
A sub-caste of the caste of Entertainers, they often work in conjuction with the caste of poets and musicians. This caste concerns itself with the performance of verbal enterainments set to music.
Caste colors: AQUA & RED
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Slavers
A sub-caste of the caste of Merchants, these individuals deal with human merchandise. They often shave their heads.
Caste colors: BLUE & YELLOW
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Sleen Trainers
A sub-caste of the caste of Animal Trainers, this caste feeds, cares for, and trains the Gorean sleen -- a six-legged furred hunting reptile.
Caste colors: BROWN & BLACK
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Tarn Keepers
A sub-caste of the caste of Animal Handlers, this caste cares for, feeds, and trains the Gorean tarn, the fierce, winged saddle-bird of Gor. This caste is mentioned in Tarnsman of Gor and Assassin of Gor.
Caste colors: GREY & GREEN
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Thieves
People who belong to this caste make a living by stealing, robbery, picking pockets, etc. This is a caste only recognized in Port Kar. They are identified by a mark, rather than by colors. Their caste marking is a tiny three-pronged black tattoo on their cheekbone. Of course, thieves do not flaunt their trade.
Caste colors: NONE
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Torturers
This caste is not common on Gor, and is only found among the Wagon People of the far south. They are considered a sub-caste of the caste of Artisans. One must, therefore, suppose that those of the Wagon Peoples consider the application of Torture to be an art form.
Caste colors: RED & BLACK
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Vintners
Vintners wear white decorated with green leaf patterns and are mentioned in Assassins of Gor.
Caste colors: WHITE and GREEN
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Woodsmen
All of those within this caste are concerned with protecting and managing the vast resources of various Gorean forests claimed by a particular city or village. They are experts in various forms of woodcraft and are the forest hunters, forest marshals, and forest trackers of Gor. This caste is mentioned in Outlaw of Gor.
Caste colors: BLACK & BROWN | |
General
Information
Gorean society is divided into castes. Each profession or occupation belongs to a caste. Castes are hereditary, meaning that a person is born into the caste of his or her father. Caste structure is relatively immobile, but not frozen. People can change their caste, either to "raise" or "lower" his or her caste, according to personal ability and aptitude.
"Caste is important to Goreans in a way that is difficult for members of a non-caste society to understand. Though there are doubtless difficulties involved with caste structure, the caste situation lends an individual identity and pride, allies him with thousands of caste brothers, and provides him with various opportunities and services. Recreation on Gor is often associated with caste, and tournaments and entertainments. Similarly, most public charity on Gor is administered through caste structure." -- Slave girl of Gor, page 213
"... Whereas caste membership is commonly connected with the practice of an occupation, such as agriculture, or commerce, or war, there can be, of course, caste members who are not engaged in caste work and individuals who do certain forms of work who are not members of that caste commonly associated with such work. Caste, commonly, though not invariably, is a matter of birth. One may, too, be received into a caste by investment. Normally mating takes place among caste members, but if the mating is of mixed caste, the woman may elect to retain caste, which is commonly done, or be received into the caste of the male companion. Caste membership of the children born of such a union is a function of the caste of the father." -- Slave girl of Gor, pages 212-13
All Goreans belong to castes except three groups: Priest-Kings, Outlaws, and slaves.
Caste Codes
Each caste has certain beliefs and rules. These are called the caste's "codes." They deal mainly with matters specific to that profession, and each caste's codes are different. Each caste is ranked according to its particular place in Gorean societal interaction. Many of the castes contain within their sphere several distinct sub-castes, particular to the precise activity and requirements of the profession involved.
Importance of Colors
Most of the major castes of have their own "caste color." This color is displayed to let others know they are associated with a specific caste. It is not uncommon to find flags, banners, or entire buildings the color of a caste. Often an article of clothing will be worn when a Gorean goes out so that all around him/her know from just a glance what caste to which that particular person belongs. The colors of a caste can and are often held in high regard.
Castes' Role in Government
The five High Castes make up the governing bodies of the cities and states on Gor. At the government building, there are five stone chairs -- one for the head of each high caste. There is a wide band of the caste color going from the floor to the ceiling, six stories high, behind each Master's chair for the others within that caste.
Free Women and Castes
A Free woman is usually of the same caste as her FC, if she has one, but not always. Some Free women have no caste if wealthy.
"The woman of a given caste, it should be noted, often do not engage in caste work. For example, a woman in the metalworkers does not, commonly, work at the forge, nor is a woman of the Builders likely to be found supervising the construction of fortifications. Caste membership, for Goreans, is generally a simple matter of birth; it is not connected necessarily with the performance of certain skills, nor the attainment of a general level of proficiency in such skills." -- Fighting Slave of Gor, pages 209-10 |
More castes
These castes/sub-castes were mentioned in the books, but without color references:
Animal Handlers: A large caste category that contains many sub-castes specific to each type of animal. They are all concerned with the use and care of domestic animals used on Gor.
Brewers: This caste produces most of the grain-based alcohol on Gor.
Butchers: This caste, in conjunction with the caste of Bakers, is responsible for maintaining the majority of the Gorean industries involved with food service. This caste and its many sub-castes acquire and prepare sa-tassna, all forms of edible Gorean meat.
Clothiers: A sub-caste of the caste of Weavers that produces Gorean clothing.
Cosmeticians: A caste mentioned in Assassins of Gor.
Dressmakers: A sub-caste of the caste of Clothiers that produces female garments.
Drovers: A sub-caste of the caste of Animal Handlers. This caste concerns itself with the care of and feeding of various draft animals used on Gor. They also have the task of using wagons drawn by such creatures to ship goods from city to city.
Entertainers: A large caste with many sub-castes, all concerned with providing entertainment to other people.
Fishermen: A sub-caste of the caste of Sailors that harvest the vast variety of Gorean aquatic life for consumption by humans. This caste includes the sub-castes of River Fishermen, Thassa Fishermen, and Net Makers.
Goatkeepers: A sub-caste of the caste of Animal Handlers, this caste cares for and maintains herds of goats and other animals like the woolly Gorean hurt. This caste was mentioned in Priest-Kings of Gor.
Leather Workers: A sub-caste of the caste of Artisans, they make various leather goods from animal hides of all types. They are mentioned in Captive of Gor.
Magicians: This caste was discussed in Magicians of Gor.
Money Lenders: A sub-caste of the caste of Merchants, they engage in the trade and speculation of money for a profit. The only product they handle is money. They are the bankers of Gor.
Oil Makers: This caste makes or produces various types of oil used as fuel and lubrication.
Perfumers: This caste makes various types of scented perfumes. They often work in conjuction with the caste of Oil Makers to produce scented oils. They also work with the caste of Charcoal Makers and the caste of Spice Merchants to create incense. This caste was mentioned in Marauders of Gor.
Rencers: This caste consists of rence growers and it is exclusive to the Delta of the Vosk. They are said to be of higher caste than the peasants and the live on great floating man-made islands amidst teh marshes and swamps. They are highly teritorial and secretive. They are known for the adoption and usage of teh "Peasant Bow" in combat.
Rope and Sail Makers: A sub-caste of the Artisans, they produce rope, binding fiber, thread, cords, and sails. In many ways they are considered more of a union than a caste.
Vart Trainers: A sub-caste of the caste of Animal Handlers, this caste is exclusive to the island of Ubarate of Tyros. Members of this caste care for, feed, and train the Gorean vart, a bat-like creature that is used as a weapon on Tyros.
Waste Collectors: A sub-caste of the caste of Municipal Servants, this caste manages garbage and waste by-products and sees that it is disposed of in carnariums (waste pits) located beyond the city limits.
Weavers: A sub-caste of the caste of Artisans, they make textiles for the garment industry.
Wine Makers: This caste produces most of the fruit-based Gorean alcohol.
Wood Carriers: A sub-caste of the caste of Woodsmen, they harvest and transport trees of the Gorean forests and tree farms to cities. |
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