HQM's Gorean Economics, Commerce & Other Currency Guidelines

All civilizations throughout the history of Earth has relied on some sort of merchant or monetary system, be it bartering, paper currency or coinage. Goreans are no different, and live a highly commercial life. Economics, therefore, a major factor and a standardization of monies developed.

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Although the Goreans do utilize promissory notes, it is not used often as Goreans hold no faith in such things as paper. Highly suspicious in their exploits of trade and purchasing, Goreans prefer holding cold hard cash in their hands. Can one blame them?

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The styles and shapes of coins vary from city to city, yet it is imperative a standard system of metal weights established to ensure value consistent through-out Gor. The value of Gorean coinage can fluctuate greatly depending upon the quality and purity of the precious metal used for coinage. The gold of both Ar and Turia is highly prized for its purity, thus gold coins from those cities are of greater value than gold coins produced in other cities from lesser metal. The same can be said of the silver of Tharna and Argentum, the two famous Silver Cities of the north. In finality, merchants decide the buying power of particular coinage.

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"In most exchanges, it is valued at a hundred copper tarsks, each of which valued, commonly, at some ten to twenty tarsk bits. Ten silver tarsks, usually, is regarded as the equivalent of one gold piece, of one of the high cities. To be sure, there is little standardization in these matter, for much depends on the actual weights of the coins and quantities of precious metals, certified by the municipal stamps, contained in the coins. Sometimes, too, coins are split or shaved. Further the debasing of coinage is not unknown. Scales and rumors, it seems are often sued by coin merchants. One of the central coins on Gor is the golden tarn disk of Ar, against which many cities standardize their own gold piece. Other generally respected coins tend to be the silver tarsk of Tharna, the golden tarn disk of Ko-ro-ba, and the golden tarn of Port Kar, the latter particularly on the western Vosk, in the Tamber Gulf region, and a few hundred pasangs north and south of the Bosk's delta." — Rogue of Gor, page 155.

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Coins come in many shapes, sizes and designs specific to their region. In the Tahari districts, the local coinage is pierced through the center, a modification which enables its user to thread a series of such coins on a leather thong or string for ease of carrying. Also, some Gorean coins, such as the stater, are rectangular in shape and resemble small flat ingots of precious metal rather traditional round coins. The average Gorean coin is about 1 1/2 in in diameter and about three-eights of an inch thick. Designs vary depending upon the city where they are minted, though typically they will bear, the likeness of the creature for which they are named for (i.e, a tarn disk will display the image of a tarn, a tarsk disk will display the image of a tarsk, etc.). The opposite side is often adorned with the symbol or seal of the coin's city of origin.

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The Gorean is normally made by hand. The planchet (coin-blank) is warmed to soften the metal. It is then placed between the dies and the die cap is then struck with a hammer, simultaneously impressing designs on both sides of the coin. This enables Gorean coins to carry a design which is deeply and intricately sculpted.




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1 copper tarsk bit (CTB) : Equivalent to 1 Earth penny

10 copper tarsk bits(CTB) = 1 copper tarsk (CT) : Equivalent to 1 Earth dime

100 copper tarsks(CT) = 1 silver tarsk(ST) or 1 Silver Stater(SS) : Equivalent to $10.00

10 silver tarsks(ST) = 1 gold tarn(GT) : Equivalent to $100.00

2 gold tarns(GT) = 1 doubleweight gold tarn(DGT) or 1 Gold Stater(GS) : Equivalent to $200.00[/font][/b]

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"Prices, of course, tend to fluctuate with given markets and seasons. If there are few such on the market in a given time, their prices will tend to be proportionately higher."
--HUNTERS OF GOR, Pg. 32

A golden tarn disk was a small fortune. It would buy one of the great birds themselves, or as many as five slave girls."
--TARNSMEN OF GOR, Pg. 91

"The tarn I had sold in Kasra, for four golden tarn disks."
--TRIBESMEN OF GOR, Pg. 43

"Five pieces of gold, in its way, incidentally, is also a fortune on Gor. One could live, for example, in many cities, though not in contemporary Ar, with it's press on housing and shortages of food, for years on such resources."
--MAGICIANS OF GOR, Pg. 468


The merchant turned to me. He handed me a silver tarsk from the purse.
"You need give me nothing," I said. "It was not important."
"Take, if you will," said he, "as a token of my gratitude, this silver tarsk."
I took it. "Thank you," I said. Several of the men about, striking their shoulders in the Gorean fashion, applauded the merchant. He had been very generous. A silver tarsk is, to most Goreans, a coin of considerable value. In most exchanges it is valued at a hundred copper tarsks, each of which valued, commonly, at some ten to twenty tarsk bits. Ten silver tarsks, usually, is regarded as the equivalent of one gold piece, of one of the high cities. To be sure, there is little standardization in these matters, for much depends on the actual weights of the coins and the quantities of precious metals, certified by the municipal stamps, contained in the coins. Sometimes, too, coins are split and shaved. Further, the debasing of coinage is not unknown. Scales, and rumors, it seems, are often used by coin merchants. One of the central coins on Gor is the golden tarn disk of Ar, against which many cities standardize their own gold piece. Other generally respected coins on Gor tend to be the silver tarsk of Tharna, the golden tarn disk of Ko-ro-ba, the golden tarn of Port Kar, the latter particularly on the western Vosk, in the Tamber Gulf region, and a few hundred pasangs to the north and south of teh Vosk's delta.
--ROGUE OF GOR Pg. 155


“Boy!” cried the Forkbeard. The boy looked at him. The Forkbeard threw him a golden tarn disk. “Buy a bosk and sacrifice it,” said the Forkbeard. “Let there be much feasting on the farms of the Inlet of Green Cliffs!”
--MARAUDERS OF GOR Pg. 150


For purposes of comparison, in many paga taverns, one may have paga and food, and a girl for the alcove, if one wants, for a single copper tarsk. Dancers, to be sure, sometimes cost two.
--RENEGADES OF GOR Pg. 51-52


"The price of a good sleen pelt is now a silver tarsk,' said Arn."
--HUNTERS OF GOR, Pg. 23



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• Copper Tarsk Bit
Depending upon the original value of the coin and how the coin was cut into "bits, it is, naturally, copper, worth from 1/4 to 1/10th of a copper tarsk. The common number of tarsk-bits in a copper tarsk is eight. When copper tarsks are struck, they are often created with deep grooves which enable the owner to snap the coin into smaller pieces. This is typical in the city of Ar.

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• Copper Tarsk Disk
A copper coin of the least value on Gor, usually equal to eight tarsk-bits.

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• Silver Tarsk Disk
The silver tarsk is probably the most-used denomination of Gorean coinage; generally the equivalent of one hundred (100) copper tarsks. The Silver Tarsk of Tharna is considered one of the most highly respected coins based on true and honest value.



"I threw a sliver tarsk, taken from what we had obtained from the slavers in the marsh, to the proprietor of the paga tavern, and took in return one of the huge bottles of paga…" — Raiders of Gor, page 111.

"He had been very generous. A silver tarsk is, to most Goreans, a coin of considerable value. In most exchanged, it is valued at a hundred copper tarsks, each of which valued, commonly, at some ten to twenty tarsk bits. … Other generally respected coins tend to be the silver tarsk of Tharna, the golden tarn disk of Ko-ro-ba, and the golden tarn of Port Kar, the latter particularly on the western Vosk, in the Tamber Gulf region, and a few hundred pasangs north and south of the Bosk's delta." — Rogue of Gor, page 155.

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• Copper Tarn Disk
Another copper coin that is of a slightly greater value than that of the copper tarsk. A rare coinage no longer in use due to standardization of coinage through-out Gor.

"What do you for that slave?" asked a captain, a tall man with a small, carefully trimmed beard.

"Fifty copper tarn disks," said the slave master. — Raiders of Gor, page 182.


"The proprietor, when I entered, lifted his head from the counter, behind which hung a great bottle of paga in its pouring sling. I threw down a copper tarn disk and he tilted the great bottle. I took my goblet of paga to a table and sat down, cross-legged, behind it." — Raiders of Gor, page 120.

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• Golden Tarn Disk
Generally, this coin is equivalent to that of ten (10) silver tarsk. Although many cities on Gor mint their own gold tarn disks, the Gorean standard is the gold tarn disk of Ar because of its consistant quality and and purity, thus making it the most valuable of such coins. Standardization is very little because coinage depends on the qualities of the metals, and the weights of the coins, as well as the accuracy of the scales. Too, further debasing to the coins by shaving or splitting of the coin.

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"In most exchanged, it is valued at a hundred copper tarsks, each of which valued, commonly, at some ten to twenty tarsk bits. Ten silver tarsks, usually, is regarded as the equivalent of one gold piece, of one of the high cities. To be sure, there is little standardization in these matter, for much depends on the actual weights of the coins and quantities of precious metals, certified by the municipal stamps, contained in the coins. Sometimes, too, coins are split or shaved. Further the debasing of coinage is not unknown. Scales and rumors, it seems are often sued by coin merchants. One of the central coins on Gor is the golden tarn disk of Ar, against which many cities standardize their own gold piece. Other generally respected coins tend to be the silver tarsk of Tharna, the golden tarn disk of Ko-ro-ba, and the golden tarn of Port Kar, the latter particularly on the western Vosk, in the Tamber Gulf region, and a few hundred pasangs north and south of the Bosk's delta." — Rogue of Gor, page 155.

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• Double-Weight Gold Tarn Disk
A gold tarn disk, minted at double thickness to be twice the weight of a standard gold tarn disk.

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• Silver Stater
This coin used more often in the cities of Argentum and Brundisium, it is likely to be equivalent in value to 3 standard Gorean silver tarsk disk.

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• Gold Stater
This coin is commonly used in the city of Brundisium, possibly elsewhere. It is known to be of excellent quality and weight; possibly of more worth than that of a traditional gold tarn disk, equivalent in value to a 2 standard Gorean gold tarn disk or 1 Double weight Gold Tarn Disk.






• Ah-il
An An ah-il is a measurement used by cloth merchants in selling their bolts of silks, rep-cloth, etc. It is measured as the distance from the elbow to the tip of the middle finger.

"Too, there were cloth merchants, with their silks and rolls of rep cloth. Cloth is measured in the ah-il, which is the length from the elbow to the tip of the middle finger, and the ah-ral, which is ten ah-ils." — Tribesmen of Gor, page 50.


• Ah-ral
An ah-ral is ten (10) ah-ils.

"Too, there were cloth merchants, with their silks and rolls of rep cloth. Cloth is measured in the ah-il, which is the length from the elbow to the tip of the middle finger, and the ah-ral, which is ten ah-ils." — Tribesmen of Gor, page 50.


• Gorean Foot
Actually known as the Merchant Foot, being referred to as the Gorean Foot by Tarl Cabot, this is a unit of measurement similiarly equivalent to the Earth foot, approximately twelve and one-half inches (12-1/2"), which is measured by an official "foot" at the Sardar; this "foot" is in actuality, a metal rod. Approximately ten (10) Horts equal one (1) Gorean Foot. See: "Merchant Foot."

"The Gorean foot, interestingly, is almost identical to the Earth foot. Both measures doubtless bear some distant relation to the length of the foot of an adult human male. The Gorean foot is, in my estimation, just slightly longer than the Earth foot; based on the supposition that each of its ten Horts is roughly one and one-quarter inches long, I would give the Gorean foot length of roughly twelve and one-half inches, Earth measure. Normally, incidentally, in giving measures, the Earth foot, unless otherwise specified, should be understood. It seems pertinent, however, in this instance, to state the ratios in Gorean feet, rather than translate into English measure, where the harmony of the proportions would be obscured. As in the case of the official 'Stone,' so, too, at the Sardar in a metal rod, which determines the Merchant Foot, or Gorean foot, as I have called it. Port Kar's Merchant Foot, like her 'Stone,' is kept in the arsenal, in the same building as her 'Stone.'" — Raiders of Gor, pages 127-128.


• Gorean Stone
A unit of weight equaling approximately four (4) Earth pounds.

"They filed before us in the street below, each under the contemptuous eyes of the warriors of the Wagon Peoples, each in turn going to a long table whereon were placed many pairs of scales, and each at that table was weighed out four Gorean stone of gold, about six Earth pounds, which he put in his cloth sack and scurried away, through an avenue opened for him between the warriors. They would be escorted beyond the city. Four Gorean stone of gold is a fortune." — Nomads of Gor, page 310.

"I have calculated this figure from the Weight, a Gorean unit of measurement based on the Stone, which is about four earth pounds. A Weight is ten Stone. A medium-class round ship should be able to carry from 5,000 to 7,500 Gorean Weight. The Weight and the Stone, incidentally, are standardized throughout the Gorean cities by Merchant Law, the only common body of law existing among the cities. The official 'Stone,' actually a solid metal cylinder, is kept, by the way, near the Sardar. Four times a year, on a given day in each of the four great fairs held annually near the Sardar, it is brought forth with scales, that merchants from whatever city my test their own standard 'Stone' against it. The 'Stone' of Port Kar, tested against the official 'Stone' at the Sardar, reposed in a special fortified building in the great arsenal, which complex was administered by agents of the Council of Captains." — Raiders of Gor, page 127.


• Gorean Weight
The Gorean weight is equal to ten (10) Gorean stone, or forty (40) Earth pounds.

"I have calculated this figure from the Weight, a Gorean unit of measurement based on the Stone, which is about four earth pounds. A Weight is ten Stone. A medium-class round ship should be able to carry from 5,000 to 7,500 Gorean Weight. The Weight and the Stone, incidentally, are standardized throughout the Gorean cities by Merchant Law, the only common body of law existing among the cities. The official 'Stone,' actually a solid metal cylinder, is kept, by the way, near the Sardar. Four times a year, on a given day in each of the four great fairs held annually near the Sardar, it is brought forth with scales, that merchants from whatever city my test their own standard 'Stone' against it. The 'Stone' of Port Kar, tested against the official 'Stone' at the Sardar, reposed in a special fortified building in the great arsenal, which complex was administered by agents of the Council of Captains." — Raiders of Gor, page 127.

"A weight is some ten stone, or some forty Earth pounds." — Tribesmen of Gor, page 37.


• Hort
A hort is approximately 1.25 Earth inches.

"The hort is approximately an inch and a quarter in length." — Tribesmen of Gor, page 49.


• Merchant Foot
A unit of measurement similiarly equivalent to the Earth foot, approximately twelve and one-half inches (12-1/2"), which is measured by an official "foot" at the Sardar; this "foot" is in actuality, a metal rod. Approximately ten (10) Horts equal one (1) Gorean Foot. See: "Gorean Foot."

"The Gorean foot, interestingly, is almost identical to the Earth foot. Both measures doubtless bear some distant relation to the length of the foot of an adult human male. The Gorean foot is, in my estimation, just slightly longer than the Earth foot; based on the supposition that each of its ten Horts is roughly one and one-quarter inches long, I would give the Gorean foot length of roughly twelve and one-half inches, Earth measure. Normally, incidentally, in giving measures, the Earth foot, unless otherwise specified, should be understood. It seems pertinent, however, in this instance, to state the ratios in Gorean feet, rather than translate into English measure, where the harmony of the proportions would be obscured. As in the case of the official 'Stone,' so, too, at the Sardar in a metal rod, which determines the Merchant Foot, or Gorean foot, as I have called it. Port Kar's Merchant Foot, like her 'Stone,' is kept in the arsenal, in the same building as her 'Stone.'" — Raiders of Gor, pages 127-128.


Solid and Liquid Volume Measures
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• Tef
A closed handful of produce (i.e, dates);
six (6) tefs equals one (1) tefa.

"A veiled woman was hawking dates by the tefa. A handful with the five fingers closed, not open, is a tef. Six such handfuls constitutes a tefa, which is a tiny basket. Five such baskets constitutes a huda." — Tribesmen of Gor, page 46.

• Tefa
Six (6) tefs (or closed handfuls), or the amount of merchandise it would take to fill a small basket; five (5) tefas equal one (1) Huda.

"A veiled woman was hawking dates by the tefa. A handful with the five fingers closed, not open, is a tef. Six such handfuls constitutes a tefa, which is a tiny basket. Five such baskets constitutes a huda." — Tribesmen of Gor, page 46.


• Huda
A measurement equaling five (5) tefa.

"A veiled woman was hawking dates by the tefa. A handful with the five fingers closed, not open, is a tef. Six such handfuls constitutes a tefa, which is a tiny basket. Five such baskets constitutes a huda." — Tribesmen of Gor, page 46.


• Talu
A measurement of the Tahari districts equaling approximately two (2) Earth gallons.

"Water at Klima is generally carried in narrow buckets, on wooden yokes, with dippers attached, for the slaves. A talu is approximately two gallons." — Tribesmen of Gor, pages 266-267.





There is also other various ways people on Gor pay for services and items through barting or haggling that can consist of not just coin below are some other example of purchase that can be used by Goreans and accepted by those of House Quinzel Merchandising LTP's during Trading.



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I was not worried about the girl. I was more alert to the fact that, moments before, two guardsmen had passed. The rounds of guardsmen are generally randomized, usually by the tossing of coins, different combinations corresponding to difference schedulings. One of the most practical strategies for those who would avoid guardsmen, of course, it to follow them in their rounds. I was very aware of the fact that I carried, in my sea bag, the ring which the blond barbarian had had on the Blossoms of Telnus and the notes, bearing the signatures and seals of Schendi bankers, who had been made out to Shaba, the geographer of Anango, the explorer of Lake Ushindi, and the discoverer of Lake Ngao and the mysterious Ua River. I thought these might bring him out of hiding, with the Tahari ring, if I could not locate him by means of the blond Earth girl who had been purchased by Ulafi, captain of the Palms of Schendi, merchant, too, of that city. — Explorers of Gor, page 47.
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"Have no fear," is said. To be sure, there was more to what Boots was saying then might be evident at first sight. It was not that I had difficulty in adding and subtracting, of course, but rather that I was not always as knowledgeable as I might be about the relative values of various coins, of numerous cities, which, of course, depended on such things as compositions and weights, and exchange rates, which might fluctuate considerably. For example, if a city debases its coinage, openly or secretly, perhaps as an economy measure, to increase the amount of money in circulation, or there is a rumor to that effect, this will be reflected in the exchange rates. Many Gorean bankers, not only the fellows sitting on a rug in their booth on a street, their sleen about, but also those in the palaces and fortresses on the "Streets of Coins," work with scales. Too, sometimes coins are literally chopped into pieces. This is regularly done with copper tarsks to produce, usually, the eight tarsk bits equivalent in most cities to the copper tarsk. Every year at the Sardar Fair there is a motion before the bankers, literally, the coin merchants, to introduce a standardization of coinage among the major cities. To date, however, this has not been accomplished. I did not feel it was really fair of Boots to call attention to my possible lack of expertise in these matters. I was not, after all, of the merchants, nor, among them, of the coin merchants. — Magicians of Gor, page 411.
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• Monetary Drafts and Promissory Notes

Often there are times when carrying around large sums of coins is simply dangerous. Therefore, Goreans use promissory notes, or monetary drafts, drawn on paper from money-lenders and financial institutions. Such instances of use are often seen with suspicion, the Gorean preferring coins to paper, but it is not an unusual practice. The Caste of Merchants, specifically the Caste of Money-Lenders oversee all such practices from the city money-houses which reside on The Street of Coins, the common name for the financial districts of most Gorean cities.

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The use of Gems and Minerals for money is not common, although the use of such gems in terms of bartering is done, depending upon the quality of the stone and its rarity and purity. While slave girls wear jewelry, they are adorned only with colored beads of wood and other such materials of little value.




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Amber

"I looked at him steadily. “They are probably false stones,” I said, “amber droplets, the pearls of the Vosk sorp, the polished shell of the Tamber clam, glass colored and cut in Ar for trade with ignorant southern peoples."
"Nomads of Gor" page 20

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Amethysts

"You, Master,” said Tina, to a handsome young seaman, who wore a wristlet studded with purplish stone, amethysts from Schendi, “would you be so kind as to rise and come forward.”"
"Hunters of Gor" page 97

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Diamond, Sereem
A very valuable stone, sereem diamonds are red with white flecks.


"Before Suleiman, now, there lay five stones, three sereem diamonds, red, sparkling, white flecked, and two opals, one a common sort, milky in color, and the other an unusual flame opal, reddish and blue. Opals are not particularly valuable on Earth, but they are much rarer on Gor; these were excellent specimens, cut and polished into luminscent ovoids; still, of course, they did not have the value of the diamonds."
(Tribesman of Gor)

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Emerald, Regular or Green gem.


"I saw the scabbard was set with six stones. Emeralds. Perhaps not of great value, but worth taking." (utlaw of Gor)




Opal, Common - One of two types of opals found on Gor, milky in color. The opal is worth much more on Gor than on Earth.


"Before Suleiman, now, there lay five stones, three sereem diamonds, red, sparkling, white flecked, and two opals, one a common sort, milky in color, and the other an unusual flame opal, reddish and blue. Opals are not particularly valuable on Earth, but they are much rarer on Gor; these were excellent specimens, cut and polished into luminescent ovoids; still, of course, they did not have the value of the diamonds." (Tribesman of Gor)

Opal, Flame - A much more unusual opal than the common milky sort, it is reddish and blue in coloring and more valuable than the same stone if sold on Earth.


"Before Suleiman, now, there lay five stones, three sereem diamonds, red, sparkling, white flecked, and two opals, one a common sort, milky in color, and the other an unusual flame opal, reddish and blue. Opals are not particularly valuable on Earth, but they are much rarer on Gor; these were excellent specimens, cut and polished into luminscent ovoids; still, of course, they did not have the value of the diamonds." (Tribesman of Gor)



Pearl - The pearl of the vosk sorp seems to be worth almost nothing, being spoken of as a false stone.


"They are probably false stones, amber droplets, the pearls of the Vosk sorp, the polished shell of the Tamber clam, glass colored and cut in Ar for trade with ignorant southern peoples." (Nomads of Gor)


Ruby - Presumably the same as the earth stone, its cost is not mentioned but assumably it would be a precious stone.


"I thrust out the silver paga goblet, studded with rubies, and Telima, standing beside my thronelike chair, filled it." (Raiders of Gor)


Sapphires, Schendian - Sapphires of Schendi, are widely prized throughout all of Gor. General deep blue but others are purple, white or yellow.


"One of her most famous and precious, exports are the small carved sapphires of Schendi. These are generally a deep blue, but some are purple and others, interestingly, white or yellow. They are usually carved in the shape of tiny panthers,but sometimes other animals are found as well, usually small animals or birds. Sometimes however the stone is carved to resemble a tiny kailiauk or kailiauk head." (Explorers of Gor)


"You will note, he said, that you wear a common slave leash and collar. There is nothing unusual or valuable about them. The collar, for example, is neither set with sapphires nor is it trimmed with gold. The leash, similarly, is of plain but sturdy material. Both devices are quite ordinary, but, of course, quite efficient." (Kajira of Gor)



Topaz - A yellowish, brown stone


"Policrates, sitting beside me, behind the broad, low table, musingly fitted together the two pieces of yellowish, brown stone, the two halves of the once-shattered topaz. Again I found it startling, and impressive, how the figure of a river galley emerged from the brownish discolorations in the two pieces of stone, once they were fitted together. There was no mistaking that they were the two halves of what was once an unusual, divided stone. (Rogue of Gor)


"One of her most famous and precious, exports are the small carved sapphires of Schendi. These are generally a deep blue,but some are purple and others, interestingly, white or yellow. They are usually carved in the shape of tiny panthers,but sometimes other animals are found as well, usually small animals or birds. Sometimes however the stone is carved to resemble a tiny kailiauk or kailiauk head."
(Explorers of Gor)

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Bronze

"Four of the others actually carried spears. The spears were large, with curved bronze heads. They seemed heavy. I could not have thrown one." (Captive of Gor)

"Make way! Make way!" laughed the brawny young fellow. He had a naked girl over his shoulder, bound hand and foot. He had won her in Girl Catch, in a contest to decide a trade dispute between two small cities, Ven and Rarn, the former a river port on the Vosk, the second noted for its copper mining, lying southeast of Tharna. (Beasts of Gor)

"To the oases caravans bring various goods, for example, rep-cloth, embroidered cloths, silks, rugs, silver, gold, jewelries, mirrors, kailiauk tusk, perfumes, hides, skins, feathers, precious woods, tools, needles, worked leather goods, salt, nuts and spices, jungle birds, prized as pets, weapons, rough woods, sheets of tin and copper, the tea of Bazi, wool from the bounding Hurt, decorated, beaded whips, female slaves, and many other forms of merchandise" (Tribesmen of Gor)

"We did not even know, now, if they were behind us or not. Too, we had seen no new evidence of Shaba ahead of us. A month ago we had eluded the net of vines and, by paddling into the darkness, had escaped our pursuers. They would not remain on the river at night. It is impossible to convey, in any brief measure, the glory and length of the river, and the hundreds of geographical features, and the varieties of animal and vegetable life characterizing it and its environs. The river alone seems a world of nature in its own right, let alone the marvels of its associated terrain. It was like a road to wonders, a shining, perilous, enchanted path leading into the heart of rich, hitherto unknown countries. It, in its ruggedness, its expanse, its tranquility, its rages, was like a key to unlock a great portion of a burgeoning continent, a device whereby might be opened a new, fresh world, green, mysterious and vast. Not a geographer, I could scarcely conjecture the riches and resources which lay about me. I had seen traces of copper and gold in cliffs. The river and forests teemed with life. Fibrous, medicinal, and timber resources alone seemed inexhaustible. A new world, untapped, beautiful, dangerous, was opened by the river. I think it would be impossible to overestimate its importance." (Explorers of Gor)



Feldspar

"I turned about and looked at the great rock, the granite, streaked with feldspar."
(Slave Girl of Gor)

Ferrous Oxide

"Most salt at Klima is white, but certain of the mines deliver red salt, red from ferrous oxide in its composition, which is called the Red Salt of Kasra, after its port of embarkation, at the juncture of the Upper and Lower Fayeen.
(Tribesmen of Gor)

Granite

I turned about and looked at the great rock, the granite. streaked with feldspar."
(Slave Girl of Gor)


Iron

"We are not fond of men of Port Kar," Ho-Hak said.
There was a rusted, heavy iron collar riveted about the neck of Ho-Hak, with a bit of chain dangling from it."(Raiders of Gor)

Iron Oxide

As nearly as I could determine from the map and my memory of the location of the Vosk and the direction I had been carried, I was somewhere in the Voltai Range, sometimes called the Red Mountains, south of the river and to the east of Ar. That would mean that I had unknowingly passed over the great highway, but whether ahead of or behind Pa-Kur's horde I had no idea. My calculations as to my locale tended to be confirmed by the dull reddish colour of the cliffs, due to the presence of large deposits of iron oxide. (Tarnsmen of Gor)

Lead, Red

"Suddenly the foot of Kron swept through the white perfumed sand, bright with mica and red lead, and kicked a broad sheet of particles toward my eyes. It came like a silver and crimson storm, taking me by surprise, blinding me. (Outlaw of Gor)

Marble

"Though the pool was marble and the walkways about it, much of the area was planted with grass and ferns and various other flora were in abundance. (Assassin of Gor)

Mica

"Suddenly the foot of Kron swept through the white perfumed sand, bright with mica and red lead, and kicked a broad sheet of particles toward my eyes. It came like a silver and crimson storm, taking me by surprise, blinding me (Outlaw of Gor)

Quartz - The only mention of quartz in the books is seen here in a wrecked ship of the Priest Kings. All other minerals seem to appear in several places and in ways that suggest the element existed and was available to average Goreans.


"I then approached the ship, half buried in the grass. I looked inside, trough one of the great rents in the steel. Its edges seemed to have melted and hardened. In places there were frozen rivulets of steel, as though heavy trickles of paint had run from a brush and then hardened. The inside of the ship was black and scorched. The piping, in several places, was ruptured. Panels were split apart, revealing a complex, blackened circuitry within. The heavy glass, or quartz or plastic, in the ports was, in many places, broken through (Captive of Gor)

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