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Civitatis Ar, Plus!
Avenues / Streets / Districts
Street of Coins
The fairs incidentally are
governed by Merchant Law and supported by booth rents and taxes levied on
the items exchanged. The commercial facilities of these fairs, from money
changing to general banking, are the finest I know of on Gor, save those
in Ar's Street of Coins, and letters of credit are accepted and loans
negotiated, though often at usurious rates, with what seems reckless
indifference. Yet perhaps this is not so puzzling, for the Gorean cities
will, within their own walls, enforce the Merchant Law when pertinent,
even against their own citizens. If they did not, of course, the fairs
would be closed to the citizens of that city. PRIEST KINGS OF GOR-,
(3) Page 11
In spite of having the respect,
even to some degree the adulation, of almost all Goreans, the Players
lived poorly. On the Street of Coins they found it difficult even to
arrange loans. They were not popular with innkeepers, who would not
shelter them unless they paid in advance. Many were the nights a master
would be found rolled in robes in a Paga tavern, where, for a bit of tarsk
meat and a pot of paga, and an evening's free play with customers, he
would be permitted to sleep. Many of the Players dreamed of the day they
might be nominated for intercity competitions at the Fairs of the Sardar,
for a victor in the Sardar Fairs earns enough to keep himself, and well,
for years, which he then would devote to the deeper study of the game.
There is also some money for the masters in the annotation of games,
printed on large boards near the Central Cylinder, in the preparation or
editing of scrolls on the game, and in the providing of instruction for
those who would improve their skills. On the whole, however, the Players
live extremely poorly. Further, there is a harsh competition among
themselves, for positions in certain streets and on certain bridges. The
most favorable locations for play are, of course, the higher bridges in
the vicinity of the richer cylinders, the most expensive Paga taverns, and
so on. These positions, or territories, are allotted by the outcome of
games among the Players themselves. In Ar, the high bridge near the
Central Cylinder, housing the palace of the Ubar and the meeting place of
the city's High Council, was held, and had been for four years, by the
young and brilliant, fiery Scormus of Ar. ASSASSIN OF GOR-, (5)
Pages 28-29
It is not unusual, on Gor,
incidentally, for the articles sold in a shop to be manufactured on or
near the premises. This is often the case with craft products, such as
glassware, metalware, particularly gold and silver work, rugs and mats,
sandals and jewelry. The tradesman, thus, closely supervises the
production, and controls the quality of the articles he markets. There are
also, of course, many shops which specialize in the sale of, so to speak,
foreign goods. A major difference between Gorean shopping and that on
Earth is that on Gor there are few stores of a general nature, handling a
large variety of goods. One tends, usually, to go from one shop to
another, garnering what one needs from a place which specializes in that
sort of product. This is inconvenient, perhaps, in some respects, but at
least, one knows that the shopkeeper one visits knows his goods and that
the quality of his livelihood is intimately connected with the excellence
of his merchandise. The place of general stores is taken largely by
bazaars and markets where, quite close to one another, in various booths,
sometimes of canvas, one may find a large variety of goods. There are, of
course, shopping districts in all Gorean cities, where one may find
clusters of shops, often specializing in different items. Sometimes, of
course, certain areas specialize in, or are known for, given types of
services or products. Each city usually has, for example, its "Street of
Coins." On such a street, or in such an area, its banking will largely be
done. Similarly most cities will have their "Street of Brands," on which
street, or in which area, one would expect to find the houses of its
slavers. It is to one of these houses, or one of the markets in the area,
that one would go if one wished to buy a woman. As I have mentioned, most
Gorean slaves are female. FIGHTING SLAVE OF GOR-, (14) Page 214
"Yes," I said. "In a few days we
should reach Ar."
"Is it a beautiful city?" she asked.
"Yes," I told her.
"I am certain," said Boabissia, happily, fingering the small copper disk
at her neck, "that I am of lofty birth, and high station. I cannot wait
until I get to Ar, to claim my glory and wealth!"
I did not respond.
"There is no telling, what with interest rates on the Street of Coins, the
maturation of notes, and such, to what heights my fortune, in these
several years, may have soared."
I did not respond.
"I may be one of the noblest, richest and most powerful women in Ar," she
said.
"Perhaps," I said. MERCENARIES OF GOR-, (21) Page 232
Kudos to you, Mr. Norman for writing the Gorean series!
A rich, yet utterly simple saga; a world, a time, a people;
those of the Counter-Earth .. the planet .. Gor.
Thank you!
The material presented herein was researched and compiled by me,
naia{Saul}.
The material referenced comes from John Norman's Gor Series, The
Counter-Earth Saga.
This is a work in process.
Please, do not take, copy, duplicate, or use this work as your own.
If you find it valuable enough to share, please .. share the link to this
page.
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