Updated: 2-5-02

Ar A High Walled City-State between the Vosk and Cartius Rivers

" 'Yes,' said the Older Tarl, 'And there,' he said, poking downward with his finger, 'is the City of Ar, hereditary enemy of Ko-ro-ba, the central city of Marlenus, who intends to be the Ubar of all Gor.'" Book 1, Tarnsman of Gor, page 64 " The city of Ar must have contained more than a hundred thousand cylinders, each ablaze with the lights of the Planting Feast. I did not questions that Ar was the greatest city of all known Gor." Book 1, Tarnsman of Gor, page 76 "She tossed her head back and laughed. 'Are you of Gor or not? I have never seen my father except on the days of public festivals. High Caste daughters in Ar are raised in the Walled Gardens, like flowers, until some highborn suitor, preferably a Ubar or Administrator, will pay the bride price set by their fathers.' 'You mean you never knew your father?' I asked. 'Is it different in your city, Warrior?' 'Yes,' I said, remembering that in Ko-ro-ba, primitive though it was, the family was respected and maintained. I then wondered if that might be due to the influence of my father, whose Earth ways sometimes seemed at variance with the rude customs of Gor. 'I think I might like that,' she said." Book 1, Tarnsman of Gor, page 114 ~¤~ "Ar, beleaguered and dauntless, was a magnificent sight. Its splendid, defiant shimmering cylinders loomed proudly behind the snowy marble ramparts; its double walls, the first three hundred feet high; the second, separated from the first by twenty yards, four hundred feet high-walls wide enough to drive six tharlarion wagons abreast on their summits. Every fifty yards along the walls rose towers, jutting forth so as to expose any attempt at scaling to the fire of their numerous archer ports. Across the city, from the walls to the cylinders and among the cylinders, I could occasionally see the slight flash of sunlight from the swaying tarn wires, literally hundreds of thousands of slender, almost invisible wires stretched in a protective net across the city. Dropping the tarn through such a maze of wire would be an almost impossible task. The wings of a striking tarn would be cut from its body by such wires." Book 1, Tarnsman of Gor, page 162 ~¤~ "Since the siege of Ar, when Pa-Kur, Master Assassin, had violated the limits of his caste and had presumed, in contradiction to the traditions of Gor, to lead a horde upon the city, intending to make himself Ubar, the Caste of Assassins had lived as hated, hunted men, no longer esteemed mercenaries whose services were sought by cities, and, as often by factions within cities." Book 2, Outlaw of Gor, page 72 "Chronology in Ar is figured, happily enough, not from its Administrator Lists, but from its mythical founding by the first man on Gor, a hero whom the Priest-Kings are said to have formed from the mud of the earth and the blood of tarns. Times is reckoned 'Constanta Ar', or 'from the founding of Ar.' The year, according to the calendar of Ar, if it is of interest, is 10,117. Actually I would suppose that Ar may not be a third of that age. Its Home Stone, however, which I have seen, attests to a considerable antiquity." Book 2, Outlaw of Gor, page 179 "Most quivas, incidentally, are wrought in the smithies of Ar." Book 4, Nomads of Gor, page 124 "In some cities, including Ar, an unchained male slave is almost never seen; there are, incidentally, far fewer male slaves than female slaves; a captured female is almost invariably collared; a captured male is almost invariably put to the sword" Book 5, Assassin of Gor, page 51 ~¤~ "The free woman was a tall woman, large. She wore a great cape of fur, of white sea-sleen, thrown back to reveal the whiteness of her arms. Her kirtle was of the finest wool of Ar, dyed scarlet, with black trimmings." Book 9, Maurauders of Gor, page 156 "I had seen Ar at various times before. Such a sight I was accustomed to. It would not move me, as it might others, the first time to look upon it. 'Incredible' said a man. 'Marvelous!' said another. 'I had not realised how vast was the city' said one of the men. 'It is large' said another fellow. 'There is the central cylinder' said a man pointing. The high uprearing walls of the city some hundred feet or more in height stretched into the distance. They were now white. We could see a great gate too and the main road leading to it the Viktel Aria. Within the gamut of those walls, so lofty and mighty, rose thousands of buildings, and a veritable forest of ascendant towers, of diverse heights and colours. Many of thesetowers, I knew were joined by traceries of soaring bridges, set at different levels. I did not forget the house of Cernus, the stadium of tarns, the stadium of blades. I had not forgotten the streets, the baths, the shops, the broadnoble avenues, with their fountains, the narrow twisting streets, little more than darkened corridors,shieded from the sun of the lower districts..." Book 21, Mercenaries of Gor, page 255 "One popular account has it that an ancient hero, Hesius, once performed great labors for Priest-Kings, and was promised a reward greater than gold and silver. He was given, however, only a flat piece of rock with a single character inscribed on it, the first letter in the name of his native village. He reproached the Priest-Kings with their niggardliness, and what he regarded as their breach of faith. He was told, however, that what they gave him was indeed worth far more than gold and silver, that it was a 'Home Stone.' He returned to his native village, which was torn with war and strife. He told the story there, and put the stone in the market place. 'Of the Priest-Kings say this is worth more than gold and silver,' said a wise man, 'it must be true.' 'Yes,' said the people. 'Ours,' responded Hesius. Weapons were then laid aside, and peace pledged. The name of the village was 'Ar.' It is generally accepted in Gorean tradition that the Home Stone of Ar is the oldest Home Stone on Gor." Book 22, Dancer of Gor, page 302 "Ar is the largest city of known Gor, larger even, I am sure, than Turia, in the far south. She has some forty public gates, and I suppose, some number of restricted smaller gates, secret gates, posterns, and such. Long ago, I had once entered the city through such a passage." Book 25, Magicians of Gor, pages 9 - 10 "The discipline of a slave may be attended to by any free person, otherwise she might do much what she wished, provided only her Master did not learn of it. The legal principle is clear, and has been upheld in several courts, in several cities, including Ar." Book 25, Magicians of Gor, page 122 " 'Give me the note,' he said, irritatedly. 'Perhaps her master has not yet given her a name?' I said. 'You can see she carries a note!' said the fellow, gesturing to Lavinia. 'Give me the note,' I said to Lavinia 'It is private!' she said. I put out my hand, and she put the note in my hand. 'It is nothing,' I said, glancing at the note, and handling it back to Lavinia. 'Let me see!' he said. 'You dispute my word?' I said, eagerly. 'No!' he said. 'Draw!' I said. My hand went to my tunic. 'I am unarmed!' he said. It is the law! We of Ar may not carry weapons.' 'Let us then adjudicate our differences with our bare hands.' I said. 'You are drunk!' he said, stepping back. 'If true, that will give you an advantage,' I said. 'It is unseemily for free men to squabble before a female slave,' he said. 'I shall send her away then,' I said." Book 25, Magicians of Gor, page 380

"..the largest, most populous, and most luxurious city of Gor. A city of lofty cylinders, spires, towers, lights, and high bridges lit by lanterns connecting many of the towers. Surrounded by great walls, it's great Gate opens onto the Viktel Aria and there are forty other gates as well. Her politics lack the grandeur of the city itself. The powerful of Ar contributed to a disaster in the delta by not supporting their own army against the invading forces of Cos. Her citizenry burned their gates and tore down their walls to aid the Cosians. Those Warriors who were betrayed by their city returned to it; their goal to liberate Ar by whatever means to revenge her humiliation and regain the glory that was hers." Book and page unknown

Ar's Station

" 'In Ar's Station,' he said, 'as in Ar, robes of concealment, precisely, are not legally obligatory for free women, no more than the veil. Such things are a matter of custom. On the other hand, as you know, there are statutes prescribing certain standards of decorum for free women. For example, they may not appear naked in the streets, as may slaves. Indeed, a free woman who appears in public in violation of these standards of decorum, for example, with her arms or legs too much bared, may be made a slave.' " Book 23, Renegades of Gor, pages 367 - 368

"...an outpost of the Ubarate of Ar and trading station on the south bank of the Vosk, founded four years after Pa-Kur's hordes gathered there, prior to their war against Ar. Ar's station was Ar's stronghold on the Vosk. When Cos landed at Brundisium, and moved it's forces toward Ar's Station, Ar failed to act because of political treachery. Ar's Station eventually fell to Cos. It stands at the northern terminus of the Viktel Aria which leads to Ar, also known as the Vosk Road." Book and page unknown

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