Mercenaries - A Brief Introduction

Quotes from John Norman's Novels of Gor

I presume that the mercenaries, being tarnsmen a proud, headstrong breed of men made the Turians pay highly for the supplies they carried, the indignities of bearing burdens being lessened somewhat by the compensating weight of golden tarn disks. (Nomads of Gor, Chapter fifteen, page 182)

'”They are mercenaries," growled Kamchak.

"I do not understand your meaning," I said.

"We have paid them not to burn the wagons nor slay the bosk," said he.

“They are being paid by both sides?" I asked.

"Of course," said Kamchak, irritably. (Nomads of Gor, Chapter fifteen, page 183)

Tarnsmen would have little difficulty in finding a rider and mount on the open prairie near Turia. It was almost certain they would be flying within minutes after an alarm was sounded, even though they need be summoned from the baths, the Paga taverns, the gaming rooms of Turia, in which of late, the siege over, they had been freely spending their mercenary gold, much to the delight of Turians. (Nomads of Gor, Chapter twenty-one, page 241)

"I would suppose," said Ha-Keel, "that all that you have is not worth so much as the golden sphere and that is Saphrar of Turia's."

"You cannot leave me here" cried the Paravaci.

“You are outbid for my services," yawned Ha-Keel.

The Paravaci's eyes were white in the black hood and his head turned wildly to regard the Tuchuks clustered in the far end of the room. (Nomads of Gor, Chapter twenty-six, page 318)

The other three men, hired swords, perhaps once of the Caste of Warriors, (Assassin of Gor, Chapter two

After a time I looked up at the warrior who had captured me.

He seemed broad chested, and broad shouldered. He had a large head, muchly concealed within the war helmet. He carried his head proudly. His arms were strong, muscular and bronzed. His hands were large, and rough, fit for weapons. He wore scarlet leather. His helmet, with its “Y”-like aperture, was gray. Neither his leather nor his helmet were distinguished by insignia. I supposed then, that he must be a mercenary, or an outlaw.

(Captive of Gor, pg 256, chapter 13)

Two warriors passed, proud of their red.

They were probably mercenaries. Their speech reminded me of that of Ar.

They did not wear, in silver, the medallion of the Ubar. They were not of the retinue of Marlenus, whom I now believed to be in Laura, or in the vicinity of Laura.

(Hunters of Gor, pg 45, chapter 3)

Out of the darkness came two men, warriors. Between them, face-stripped, was a woman, stumbling. Her arms, over her resplendent robes, were bound to her sides with a broad leather strap. She was thrown to the feet of Targo. I, and the other girls, crowded about, but the guards pushed us back with their spears. The woman struggled to her knees, but was not permitted to rise. Her eyes were wild. She shook her head, no. Targo then, piece by piece, from the leather pouch at his belt, handed forty-five pieces of gold to the chief of the two men. The girls cried out in amazement. It was a fantastic price. And he had not even assessed her! We realized then that she had been contracted for in advance. The two men took Targo’s gold and withdrew into the darkness.

“You were foolish to hire mercenaries to guard you,” said Targo.

(Captive of Gor, pg 75, chapter 7)

But the men frightened me. They were rough, cruel men, mercenaries, ruthless. I could not permit Elinor Brinton, the sensitive girl of Earth, to fall into the hands of such hardened brutes. I had heard them talk of what they would do to a girl, even though she might be white silk!

(Captive of Gor, pg 244, chapter 13)

I said nothing. This seemed to me, however, politically astute, particularly since the city was not currently under attack. I had realized for years, of course, that Dietrich of Tarnburg was a capable mercenary, and one of Gor’s finest commanders. I had not found mention, however, in the annals, or diaries, which had been generally concerned with marches and campaigns, a sufficient appreciation of this other side of his character. He was apparently not only a military genius but perhaps also a political one. Or, perhaps they are not really so separate as they are often considered to be. Territory must be held as well as won.

(Mercenaries of Gor, pg 141)

"For one thing she was not of the warriors and was thus not entitled to this badge of station; indeed, her wearing it, as she was a mere female, would be a joke to outsiders and an embarrassment to men; it would belittle its significance for them, making it shameful and meaningless. The insignia of men, like male garments, become empty mockeries when permitted to woman. This type of thing leads eventually both to demasculinization of men and the defeminization of females, a perversion of nature disapproved of generally, correctly or incorrectly, by Goreans." pg 56 Mercenaries of GOR