The following article is not mine, but that of Payne Sciarri, a former Gor player on French-speaking SL sims, who was very active and well-known. I’m merely translating, correcting and annotating her text, with her permission.

One role that is neither given the place it deserves, nor often sufficiently described and explained to be played properly, is the Gorean Free Woman. As a result, many are repulsed by the idea of playing a Free woman and prefer to become Kajirae, Panthers, outlaws and female pirates. I’ve always found this to be a monumental waste, and having personally had the immense pleasure of playing FWs of all kinds for quite some time, I’ve decided to honor the role that has made me love Gor for so long, which is something of a miracle too when you see what some people make of it!

I’m not an expert, I’m not a visionary; I just think that over time, I’ve come to understand the mechanics of this role pretty well, as it’s one of the most misunderstood in the game. I’ll be terribly frank, and I may put you off even more, but at least you’ll know everything! …Well, you’ll know what I know, so it’s all relative.

Everything that follows will be very relative, since these are MY conclusions, reached over time and using logic. It’s by taking one tradition, and another, and another, and weaving the web of logic around a subject, that you can get closer to something suitable and, above all, more realistic to the universe you’re playing in. Not by simply reading the books and pulling out whatever you want as a quote. (Especially as the books sometimes contradict each other…)

(Editor’s note: ho that yes, Norman’s novels never cease to introduce contradictions that often require having to synthesize information by having to choose certain aspects and making use of coherence and historical bases. The use of novels alone is never enough).

Grandpa Norman’s books are not a bible for me, but a guide to help. Norman, all the more so, drew inspiration from many historical civilizations, so…

To understand the role of the Free Woman, you have to ask yourself: why do we have them? A very stupid question, it seems, but one we don’t ask ourselves enough; after all, Gor’s men could just be content with having slaves. But here’s the thing: if they keep women free, it’s for a very important aspect of Gor culture. So let’s get started.

1. Offspring

When a slave gives birth, her child automatically becomes a slave. To have free children, Gorean men simply have to have them with free women. Procreation, and the perpetuation of the caste, are the primary role and responsibility of Free women. If we follow the statistics in the books (very controversial, by the way), we calculate that around 90% of Gor’s wives are Free women…

(Editor’s note: the average proportion of slaves in Gor described by Norman is around 2-4% of the half-billion humans on Gor, with local peaks of 10-20% in big cities like Ar. But if you look at the number of free female characters compared to slaves in the novels, especially when Norman describes the use of slaves as workers, field laborers, beasts of burden, animals for show, breeding and so on, as well as their average mortality described in the novels and the sometimes ridiculous price of a slave at the market, you really get the feeling that it’s more like 30 to 40% female slaves everywhere. Another paradox, whose interpretation must be chosen, of course. On the Gorean Archives, we’ve chosen that slaves are indeed an uncommon product and therefore, not so widespread and costing a certain price and investment. There’s no such thing as a slave at a bronze tarsk, and even a slave at a silver tarsk slave is uncommon).

The free woman is also a worker, helping her husband in his trade, within the limits also imposed on a woman. A citation from the novels says that a city could exist without slaves, but not without free women.

2. Birth and education

Free women are very proud of their status. Poor people hardly have anything else to show off, so to speak.

Right from birth, there’s a natural selection process that, let’s be clear, is common to boys too: being born as a girl on Gor, even a free one, is no sesame to freedom: right from birth, in fact, parents decide whether to keep the child, kill it if it’s too imperfect (serious illness, handicap) or sell it as a slave. These are things that come as no shock to Goreans.

Babies sold in this way bring little profit, as they are bought back for a few tarsks. As in any ancient society, and even today in some countries, having a male child is always better than having a girl, because a girl will only be “useful” to be “sold” when she “marries”, years later. For peasants, a girl can help by working, but will remain more a loss of money than a real investment. I’ll talk more about this later.

Free girls of all castes and backgrounds are taught the basics of housework and cooking, because later they must be perfect companions and housewives; Gor is a tough enough world for them to quickly understand that even the richest Free woman can end up a peasant at the first mistake; nothing is taken for granted about Gor.

More curious, however, more taboo and yet totally common: the girls learn to submit. They know it could one day save their lives, so they reluctantly know what to do about it. They know how to get down on their knees, they know the open-thigh posture, the posture of submission, of supplication, the simple rites of submission, the dances, etc. All these things are learned among women. Generally speaking, the richer they are, the more the young Free women live in a rather closed universe, among women, until their first companionship; it’s often the mothers, older sisters and aunts who take care of the education. In a way, although they often have a happy and protected childhood, young girls don’t stay little girls for very long.

QUOTE:

“However, most of the silver masks, when they realized that their battle had been lost and that Tharna’s laws were irrevocably broken, willingly took to the streets and submitted to the traditional manner of the captive Gorean woman, kneeling, bowing her head, raising and raising her arms, her wrists crossed to bind herself.

Outlaw of Gor Book 2 Page 247″

3. Free Company, the Gorean marriage

Love stories where the girl marries the man she loves are very RARE on Gor! After all, love marriage is, historically, a modern invention.

Unions on Gor are first and foremost a matter of interest; it’s obvious that, whoever she may be, a Free woman is never really free to make her own choices. As long as she has a living male relative, or a “guarantor”, a protector, it’s the latter who decides EVERYTHING for her, so to speak, and she’s treated as a minor for the rest of her life, barring a few exceptions. Very often, Free girls don’t know the man they’re going to marry. A Free woman may well feel, in her own way, what the slave sold like a beast on a slave-selling block feels.

Basically, it’s not so different; generally speaking, as soon as a young girl menstruates and is therefore fertile and ready to be impregnated (awful, eh?), she is technically negotiable into a contract of companionship. Parents, out of love, keep their children longer, and won’t negotiate it until they’re 15 or 16. But seeing 14-15 year-old mothers is not at all surprising, in Gor’s world.

(Editor’s note: Companionship is an oral or written contract between two parties, the parents and the family of the two future companions, certified by a witness. What is at stake in this contract is above all childbirth and the assurance of having heirs, in exchange for which the union of the means of the two parties is negotiated, the exchange of diplomatic or commercial alliances, even dotes or access to the social echelon of the castes. Technically, the man and woman don’t even have a say, and the woman even less: it’s their heads of household who organize and manage the companionship contract, which lasts a year on average)

4. The duties of a companion

Preamble: don’t forget that a Free woman may well change companion every year, without, of course, having any form of choice in the matter, at the whim of contracts and pregnancies. Although couples do in fact last quite a long time: not everyone can buy a new wife every year and, fortunately, it’s not all ONLY links of interest. But can you feel the close connection with the sale of a slave?

Once united, the free woman finally fulfills her role on Gor. This role differs according to her caste, and above all, her social category – id est: her wealth. Slaves aren’t everything, far from it; not everyone has a slave, it’s still a luxury.

(Editor’s note: reminder… 3% slaves on average. So, 3% of the population AT BEST to own some… and probably much less)

Peasants, small-scale craftsmen and workers make their wives do the most ungrateful things. A free woman may well have to be the beast of burden pushing the plough. She’ll also do all the household chores, while fulfilling her main duty: ensuring the offspring.

A woman merchant, on the other hand, will also help her companion, while remaining in her place. A woman selling her fish in a market won’t talk like a High Lady from a “noble” family, but their roles will remain the same: work and procreation.

And this is where things get serious: having a male child is the purpose of procreation. An infertile woman can be repudiated without shame, or enslaved by her husband if he has been “cheated” in some way by taking her on as a companion. A woman who gives only daughters will also have her work cut out for her. You have to bring up a daughter, spend money on it, and it only becomes profitable when you negotiate it in a companionship contract – if you can manage it! Once a companion, a girl often becomes the “slave” of her in-laws, the daughter-in-law to whom anything can be asked.

What does a boy bring? A work force with far more rights than a daughter, the continuity of the name, the heir to the family who can protect his parents in old age, the male who brings a daughter-in-law to the family, and therefore an extra workforce; and he’s far less likely to end up a slave.

For example, a female physicist (green caste) wears two bracelets, one on each wrist, as soon as she finishes her studies. Each time she has a child and gives it to the green caste, she removes one of the bracelets. When she no longer has them, she can become a doctor; before that, she’s considered a nurse and can’t show rank in the caste.

(Editor’s note: she must bring two children to the green caste; therefore, she must be the companion of a green-caste man, otherwise it doesn’t count!)

5. A mother’s duties

Having children is vital, and this is the purpose of Companionship contracts.  It’s the mother who takes care of the upbringing of young children and teaches her daughter everything she needs to know. The father only takes care of the boys, and only after they reach the age of 7 or 8, or even later, to mold them into good goreans, heirs to his caste.

Education is so important that slaves, even nannies, are not allowed to make their children study, so precious is this right, one of the few reserved for free women. The mother will teach her daughter the most taboo aspects of life as a Gorean woman: she will also warn her that intimate relations with her husband are likely to be harsh and unpleasant, all the more so in wealthy families. In high-class circles, many men only copulate with their free wives to have children.

Unsurprisingly, children, already sacred to all Goreans, are everything to the Free woman; as miscarriages are frequent, even with the efficiency of Gorean medicine – because you still need to have access to it – a Free woman must bear a fairly substantial number of children, according to the demands of her Companion or her family, to ensure the future.

Abortion is not well documented in the Gor Chronicles novels, but it does exist – unsurprisingly – for slaves. We can therefore conclude that a Free woman can decide to lose an unwanted fetus very early in pregnancy – before it becomes obvious, that is. Nevertheless, since an abortion involves the use of violent drugs, she herself risks death in the process.

A free woman who takes Sip root (Gor’s contraceptive which, in liquid form, is called Slave Wine) is technically committing an offence, unless her Companion no longer wishes to have children. A free woman who has an abortion runs the risk of getting into big trouble if it’s discovered; it’s a crime that may well end in violent punishment and enslavement, or even death – and here, it’s her Companion and his family who will decide, not even the law. We can also imagine that unscrupulous doctors will agree to give contraceptives or abortifacients to Free women, if the latter buy their silence.

6. Love and pleasure

Pleasure, unfortunately, is not a Free woman’s thing… but of course, it also depends on the Companion.

A man who doesn’t have a slave, or who is simply thoughtful, may well be content with his wife for trifles, and wish it to be erotically pleasurable, especially as some Free women learn from adolescence, or even later, certain tricks to please their husbands.

Love is also a rather vague thing. It is mentioned in the books that only a slave can bring love to a free man, but sometimes – not surprisingly – the adage is contradicted elsewhere. It’s obvious that Free women, in their first experiences, won’t be beasts in bed; first of all, they couldn’t, they’re virgins with no real experience; secondly, they’d be afraid that their husbands would take them for natural slaves.

(Editor’s note: a woman who unequivocally loves sex, in the mind of the Gorean man, is a slave! He calls them “natural slaves”, even if the term encompasses other things, such as being very much in love, devoted by nature, sensitive or even emotional. You don’t even have to quibble with them, or even go through the law. If a man sees that his young companion loves it, he’ll be tempted to enslave her for the pleasure of enjoying it as he pleases).

Over time, as the Companion helps and supports her Partner in a couple relationship, love can be created. Sometimes love comes early. But loving unions are rare, as they are above all unions of interest or alliance. Goreans are very discreet when it comes to love between freemen: a Gorean will kiss his pleasure slave without any problem in public; but affection between freemen is more private.

7. A pawn on the chessboard – The life of wealthy young Free women.

High-caste Free women have a different status from poor and/or low-caste Free women. Girls from higher social classes already receive a thorough intellectual education, including the Second Knowledge.

Wealth is not just for high-caste Free women, but also for daughters of wealthy merchant families. In fact, merchants are often much richer than high-caste people. Intellectual education is important, because by learning to read and write, and having access to books and the richest culture, she will also develop her way of thinking. Now, there’s an old historical adage (it dates back to the 19th century, though), which fits Gor very well, that says it’s better for a girl not to study too much, because otherwise she can think and, thus, know how and why to rebel.

While the work of the Free Wealthy woman will inevitably be much less manual, it does have its importance. In addition to being the mistress of a household that includes a number of servants, employees, administrators and slaves, she is the head of an estate that she must ensure runs smoothly, and often looks after the affairs of the merchant league of which she is the de facto head, or even has high responsibilities within the caste hierarchy. In short, she’s not just going to do the decorating.

A young Free girl of high status is also, alas – and this is a crucial point – a political pawn for her family. Using this or that daughter to forge alliances and thus gain wealth, influence and status, thanks to her daughters, is perfectly normal! That’s what they’re for! It’s very difficult to rise in the closed, rigid society of the Gorean castes, and the only way to do so is through alliances via the Compagnonnage des jeunes filles. The young woman, of course, has no say in the matter; she’s not asked for her opinion, only to accept and hold her place as best she can in the interests of her family and her parents. And woe betide anyone who fails! Some families will not hesitate to get rid of a Free woman who has caused too much trouble or disgrace to their name. Enslavement is a very effective political tool for this.

8. Education, occupation and leisure

The wealthiest learn poetry, embroidery, the art of conversation, music and dance. The dances of free women are very special. They’re very slow, very graceful and delicate, and there’s no sensuality involved – only “beauty” and gentleness. It’s usually at parties or major events that Libres women dance; a much-appreciated spectacle. Personally, I’ve always compared it to Kathak, a dance from northern India, where only the feet and hands form the dance, with little or no hip movement.

It’s common for young, high-ranking Free women, to serve the interests of their families, to become lady-in-waiting and companion to the Tatrixes or Ubara (city chiefs and chiefs’ wives) of their cities. In this way, they are close to political life and can serve as political pawns. Free women also enjoy the evenings of carnivals and public férias, the big street parties, as these are the only events where they can legally indulge in a little flirting.

The poorest also know how to have fun, only with less means, and Free Women of lower social rank get together, have parties, drink with each other, chat, laugh and play music – in short, they know how to have fun.

9. Respect for Free Women

The free man, even Gor’s biggest macho, owes constant respect to a Free Woman, whoever she may be, even a she-urt. And this constant respect is all the more serious and respected if the Free Woman is of high rank. It is immensely more so if this Free woman is from the same city (Home stone) as him. It’s a question of honor, and Goreans don’t play around with honor! The big macho man who scorns or humiliates Free women is NOT a Gorean!

( editor’s note: I insist, by the way, because it’s really a subject overused on Gor SL by the guys: a Free Gorean woman should NEVER fear the collar from the male citizens of her city. A male Gorean assumes that he’ll be insulted or even slapped without flinching in front of a free woman of his city. He’ll raise his voice, remind her, depending on his social position, that he’s the strongest, but he’ll never threaten her with a collar! It’s simply dishonorable for any man!)

A man will always resent having to obey a woman who is his superior, especially if he finds her incompetent: but he has no choice. If she’s his superior, he obeys – his honor depends on it! If she proves competent and efficient, he’ll even admire her, for it’s not easy for a woman to have the guts to become a person of power. Nevertheless, if the Free woman makes too big a faux pas and misses the mark, the Free man won’t; it’s in his instinct. The slightest mistake for a powerful woman can mean the loss of her rank, freedom, or even her life.

Playing with men is a dangerous game, but one that can be worthwhile. In many cases, such as most public disputes, including an insult or affront, the Free woman can appeal to a magistrate to defend her cause; it’s her right and she can’t be refused, although we mustn’t forget something when we appeal to the law. If the Free woman is a Companion, and/or the matter is within the family, on the other hand, she will have to let her Companion defend her or endure ill-treatment: the men in a family have all the power over the women, Companions included. A free woman can very well be beaten or whipped as a lesson, and the law will have nothing to say about it.

Despite this, a free woman has the right to speak her mind loud and clear, even if she risks paying for it later, in private, by her Companion or her family. She even has the right to slap a Free man who has shown himself to be obnoxious, and he will be well advised not to respond to this gesture! Besides, a Free man who takes a slap from a Free woman will be mocked by other men for being foolish enough to deserve a slap. Even the most macho of Free men recognizes the usefulness and vitality of Free women. The status of a Free woman in her own city is somehow sacred. You can’t touch it, at least not without consequences.

But don’t forget that respect works both ways, and a Free man is ticklish; it’s best to avoid outraging him head-on, provoking him or insulting him. If you do, his reaction will be considered perfectly legitimate… and so will the possible consequences.

10. The view of free women

Compared to slaves, panthers and outlaws/pirates.

Free women are often jealous of slaves, as they rob them of the attention of their Companions and therefore, sometimes, of the one they love. They also recognize that they need slaves, because there are things that slaves must do for them. It’s up to you to decide what to do about this. There’s also an underlying jealousy in wanting to be in the place of these slaves, to experience a “freedom” that a Free woman will never know. That said, when you see the price of this questionable freedom, very few Gorean women must really feel that way.

This jealousy, which is not constant, explains why Free women are sometimes more cruel to slaves than men. That said, everyone tends to be more or less cruel and harsh with slaves on average, so it doesn’t make much difference.

As for panthers, pirates and other female outlaws… Free women hate them and let them know when they have one on their hands. Free women’s lives are made up of sacrifices; so for them, who have the courage to put up with it, panthers and others have chosen the easy way out, i.e. escape.

I often ask people, what do you think is braver? The woman who accepts all the sacrifices and constraints of the Gorean woman, manages to hold out and take care of her duty without complaint? Or the woman who rebels and fights, often causing drama and tragedy, even though her cause is hopeless? I’ll leave you to ponder this, but for me, both are equal.

For Free women, however, panthers and outlaws are weaklings, who have flinched from their duty, betrayed it and deserve their fate when they die or are captured. That said, some of the Free women must also admire them, for their courage in going through with their resolution, even if the outcome is known in advance. But they’re not going to say so!

11. Clothing, perfumes and hairstyles

A Free woman’s clothing is her armor to protect her from the concupiscence of Gor’s men. And no matter how much we explain how much Free men respect Free women, it’s still their instinct to want to possess women, id est: to make slaves of them. Yeah, basically, they don’t really know how to put their virility in their pocket.

I won’t go into a detailed description of the number of veils here and there, because in Second Life, you can’t dress like the books. Let’s not be strict, it’s a game, and you might as well treat yourself to some nice outfits! But there are dress codes everywhere in the world of Gor.

The veil, for example: it’s often a controversial issue; veil, not veil? It depends on the sims; for my part, I compare the layer of fabric worn by the Free woman to her social level: the more she’s covered, the more important her rank: it’s not serious for a high-ranking woman to be dressed lightly or wantonly. I like the idea of the veil, personally, because it also shows the modest side of the Free woman and also her side more mother and Companion, than mistress, rather reserved for intimacy, or quite simply, for slaves.

It’s only logical that a peasant woman should dress more simply than a rich woman. Try to match your dress to your caste and social rank; avoid wearing princess gowns if you’re a basic peasant, thank you. Be realistic. But don’t forget one thing: high caste doesn’t necessarily mean rich; some high-caste families are poor as Job.

No earrings or piercings: pierced ears are a sign of slavery, and a Free woman with pierced lobes is sure to lose the respect due to her. Except, of course, for Tuchuk women, who wear a nostril ring. Oh, and no tattoos either!

Free women generally use very little cosmetics and beauty products, as many believe (at least among the poorer social strata) that only slaves need them. It’s not so much for their own pleasure, although one can imagine that being morally satisfying, but also to tell themselves “I’ll be beautiful for my companion/family”. That said, it’s hard for Free women to enjoy anything cosmetic: a Free woman’s beauty is also a curse. If she’s too beautiful and it’s seen or known, men will dream of taking her over and making her their slave.

(Editor’s note: hairstyles don’t depend on whether a woman is Free or Slave, but on her social rank and the work she does. Goreans love hair, and all Gorean women have very long hair, sometimes down to their knees or below. In the novels, young Libres women expose their loose hair, skilfully covered with a light veil that allows their length to be seen and guessed, as a showpiece to attract handsome men when they’re looking for a Companion. The richer a woman is, the less manual she works, the more she shows off her hair, but the more elaborate, complex and ornate her hairstyle. The peasant woman will just have a vague chignon, her hair held back in a ponytail, etc. And it’s the same for slaves. The more a slave comes from a rich and powerful master, the more elaborate her hairstyle will be, up to and including buns worn high and richly ornamented. If goreans prefer to see long hair loose, that’s a preference, not a rule, not a law, not even a custom. So avoid imposing to impose the bun and knotted hair as a rule on a sim, it’s not Btb at all, contrary to what you think, it’s Onlinism!)

12. Free women and combat

The dagger is the only weapon that free women can commonly use, and it’s common for them to wear one under their dress. They learn from their mothers and other women how to use it with some effectiveness. Poison is also a woman’s weapon. Poison is common, in hairpins or clothespins. They don’t hesitate to use it to defend themselves. The Gorean Freedwoman is not a weak woman and does not let herself be captured easily, unless she knows she has no alternative.

One of the distractions of Free women is bow hunting, which is perfectly authorized and highly regarded! It’s not really a sport for the poorer ones; they do it to add a little meat to their pittance. On these occasions, Free women wear leather outfits, practical mid-length tunics. These are still dresses, but open, less heavy and with pants underneath. Sport hunting is done with bows and arrows, with trained sleens, riding thalarions, etc.

13.  Independent, widowed & head of household.

A Free woman’s interests are normally looked after by her father or partner. As a reminder, a Free woman is looked after all her life, like a teenager with few rights, especially not those of Free men. But if a Free woman is widowed or orphaned and there are no Free men directly in her family unit, she can thus be the head of her family, and become its leader.

The free woman, in this case, will be free to make her own choices, as no one will be “above” her from a legal point of view; she will be able to take whomever she wishes for Companion, manage her fortune as she sees fit, and conduct her personal affairs as she wishes.

Many free women try to marry very old men or men with risky lifestyles and wait for them to die, in order to reap their fortune and gain their independence and personal freedom in the process. Don’t forget: when you’re married, your partner has a say over your money; in fact, he can do whatever he likes with it, but you can’t say anything, unless the Companionship contract stipulates otherwise.

Free women can become very powerful, running large families, clans, trading empires and cities. A more matriarchal setting, no doubt, but a Free woman will often be tougher and more ruthless than the men, because in this kind of situation, she knows her rank is fragile and won’t allow herself any mistakes. Then again, she knows the value of such freedom and the acceptable price to pay for defending it.

Summary of prohibited items/subjects for FW

• No earrings, piercings or tattoos: except for Tuchuk women and their nostril rings.
• Relationships outside unions are forbidden: if they are discovered and judged by a court, you risk ending up a slave.
• An out-of-union pregnancy will not go down well: a good way to lose honor, respect and even freedom.
• No seduction or eroticism: too much seductive behavior, too much flirting or too much pettiness, can bring you a direct collar.
• Refusing your family’s orders is a bad idea: it can also get you into trouble: you may be free, but you’re your family’s slave.
• Sterility: if you’re not indispensable in a union, you’ll be repudiated, and if you’re not useful as a free woman, you’ll be enslaved.
• Running away from an arranged marriage: if you are later found by your family, you will be directly enslaved.
• Infidelity to your partner: that’s enslavement.
• Accusation of incest, betrayal or other: anyone’s guess? Hey, yes, enslavement.
• Never beg a man: see below, if you beg a man to help you because you’re in danger and he helps you, here’s what happens below:
• If a man saves your life, without being from your family, from your Home Stone, or hired to protect you: he can make you his slave on the spot, it’s perfectly legal!

Conclusion

There, this article is finished. I’ve tried, even more than simply being “BTB” as they say, to remain above all logical. I’ve enjoyed playing free women of all kinds for a long time, and I’ve seen other players who share this with me; others go straight wrong and end up preferring to play outside the law, without looking deeply into the role.

I’ve always liked complicated things, I admit; if it were too simple it wouldn’t be so enjoyable. Maybe everything I’ve said isn’t quite right, but once again, I’ve tried to be logical, above all. Free women are all different: ambitious, submissive, immoral, virtuous, materialistic or curious, they’re involved in plots and everyday things, they look after their families and try to survive a little better every day. Gor’s world couldn’t run without them.

Don’t think of free women as idiots in crinoline dresses chatting over tea; try to look beyond them. Embody them, understand them, make them cheerful peasants, fierce politicians, successful merchants, treacherous, unfortunate, naive or courageous. Do with them what you will, but just stay in your role, and try to understand that they may not be that happy, but they have the power to do great things.

Payne Sciarri, Magistrate of the scribe caste.