Editing Gor (section)

== Setting ==

Gor is described as a [[Planetary habitability|habitable planet]] in the [[Solar System]] that shares the same orbit as [[Earth]], but it is [[Counter-Earth|linearly opposed to Earth]] and consequently always hidden by the [[Sun]], making direct observation of it from Earth impossible. The flora, fauna and customs of Gor are intricately detailed. Norman populates his planet with the equivalents of [[Ancient Rome|Roman]], [[Ancient Greece|Greek]], [[Indigenous peoples of the Americas|Native American]], [[Viking]], [[Inuit]] and other cultures. In the novels, these various population groups are transplants from Earth brought there by spacecraft through the behind-the-scenes rulers of Gor, the Priest-Kings, an extraterrestrial species of [[insect]]oid appearance. The Gorean humans are permitted advanced architectural, agricultural and medical skills (including life extension), but are forced to remain primitive in the fields of transportation, communication and weaponry (at approximately the level of Classical Mediterranean civilization) due to restrictions on technology imposed by the Priest-Kings. The most advanced form of transportation is the riding of large predatory birds called ''tarns'' by masterful men known as ''tarnsmen''. The limitation of technology is imposed to ensure the safety of both the Priest-Kings and the other indigenous and transplanted beings on Gor, who would otherwise possibly come to harm due to the humans' belligerent tendencies.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Cultures |url=http://www.worldofgor.com/reference.aspx?rpID=9 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080424084718/http://www.worldofgor.com/reference.aspx?rpID=9 |archive-date=2008-04-24 |access-date=2009-03-27 |publisher=World of Gor}}</ref>

The planet Gor has lower gravity than the Earth (which allows for the existence of large flying creatures and tall towers connected by aerial bridges in the cities) and would have an even lower gravity if not for the technology of the Priest-Kings. The known geography of Gor consists mainly of the western seaboard of a continent that runs from the Arctic in the north to south of the equator, with the Thassa ocean to the west, and the Voltai mountain range forming an eastern boundary at many latitudes. There are also offshore islands in the ocean and some relatively sparsely settled plains to the east of the Voltai. The word "Gor" itself means "home stone" in the Gorean language, the native language of the "northern civilized cities of known Gor" (which resemble ancient [[Greco-Roman world|Greco-Roman]] [[City-state|city-states]] in many respects), and a widely spoken ''[[lingua franca]]'' in many other areas.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Places |url=http://www.worldofgor.com/reference.aspx?rpID=12 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081227220134/http://www.worldofgor.com/reference.aspx?rpID=12 |archive-date=2008-12-27 |access-date=2009-03-27 |publisher=World of Gor}}</ref>

[[File:Kajira-kef.svg|thumb|right|100px|The Gorean [[Kajira]] "kef" symbol]]