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| Gladius: Is a short sword and is the most common weapon of the Warrior. It is derived from the Earth sword of the same name. The gladius is of Spanish origin and was widely used by the ancient Romans. It is about twenty to twenty-two inches long, double-edged, and well balanced. Its blade is so sharp that it will slice a piece of silk dropped down on it. The gladius is heavy enough to have a considerable striking force in saberlike trajectories but light enough to have some of the swiftness and play of a foil. The gladius is maneuverable enough to work its way behind the guard of a longer, heavier weapon. There are other benefits of a short sword over a longer blade as well. A gladius can clear the scabbard a fraction earlier and that can be vitally important. The short blade can also be moved with greater swiftness than a long blade. It allows you to work close to your opponent. If a swordsman with a longer weapon can not finish a battle in the first thrust or two, he will generally lose the battle. The gladius though is very ineffective, due to its smaller size, when used from the back of a mount such as a tharlarion, tarn or Kaiila. The speed with which one can draw a sword is especially crucial in many battles. Spatha: Used by the Alars. It is a long and heavy, double-bladed sword. This is more effective from the back of a tharlarion, a common mount of the Alars. Sacramasax: Used by the Alars. This is similar to the gladius. Long Sword: The men of the Torvaldsland also use a long sword. Scimitar: Is commonly used in the Tahari. It is a long, curved blade that is effective from the back of a kaiila. There is even a two-handed variety called the scimitarus that is effective from tharlarion back. The saber is almost unknown on Gor as it is regarded as too long and clumsy for the close, sharp combat common to Gorean warriors. The Wagon Peoples rarely use swords. Non-Existent Swords A number of Earth swords do not exist in the Gorean novels. Rapiers, epees and foils do not exist. Such fencing is not a normal part of Gorean combat. Katanas and other such oriental swords also do not exist. Though there are Orientals on Gor, there is no evidence that there is a specific oriental culture that would create such weapons. Other types of European weapons such as broadswords, claymores and main-gauches also are foreign to Gor. It is possible that an Earth person could have a Metal Worker design one of these blades. Making such a unique weapon would be very costly. Metal Workers on Gor would be unfamiliar with the weapon so it would take them longer to do so. Would your character be able to afford such a blade? Bows Crossbow: This is primarily an infantry weapon. It can shoots iron bolts with an initial velocity of about a pasang per second. It has a considerable striking power and can penetrate most shields. It is easier to fire at short ranges but does has a slower rate of fire. It is the Assassin's weapon of choice. There is a cavalry crossbow. It has an iron stirrup in which the rider, without dismounting, may insert his foot to gain the leverage to draw the cable back. This is done with the right foot if you are right handed. It is still a slow weapon though. Most Gorean warriors receive training in this weapon. It is a common weapon used on tarn back. Most crossbows are of either the draw or windlass varieties, referring to the method used of drawing back the cable. Longbow: This is also known as the great bow or peasant bow. It is mostly a peasant weapon and few others, including most warriors, will use it. They look down on the weapon because it is used by the lowly peasant. Yet, it is due to the power of the longbow that many villages are able to successfully defend their Home Stones. It is not well known in Port Kar or Ar but is well known in Thentis and Ko-ro-ba. The Rencers, since the events of Raiders of Gor, have also begun to use the longbow. The longbow is usually made of supple Ka-la-na wood, tipped with notched bosk horn at each end, and loosely strung with hemp whipped with silk. It is the height of a tall man, about six feet or higher. Its back is flat and its belly is half rounded. The bow is about one and a half inches wide and from one and a quarter to one and a twelfth inches thick at its center. It requires considerable strength to wield and women cannot commonly draw the bow. Many warriors even do not possess the strength to wield it successfully. There is a peasant saying that "…he who can bend the longbow cannot be slave…" (Slave Girl of Gor, p.112) The longbow has a fast rate of fire. It can fire nineteen arrows in an Ehn, about eighty seconds. Nine arrows can be fired aloft before the first one falls to the ground. It also has a powerful penetrating force. At point blank range, it can be fired completely through a four-inch wooden beam. At two hundred yards, it can pin a man to a wall. At four hundred yards, it can kill a bosk. A typical skilled bowman, not even an expert, is expected to be able to fire nineteen arrows, within an Ehn, into a man-sized target at a range of 250 yards. Each of the arrows must also make what would be a mortal hit. The longbow does has its disadvantages though. It generally must be used while standing or at least kneeling. This tends to expose the archer more as a potential target. It is very difficult to use from a saddle and impractical in close combat. You cannot keep it loaded like a crossbow. In fact, it is painful to hold the bow drawn for more than an Ehn or two. |
| Weapons of Gor (cont.) |
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