The Tharlarion (Luther)

From Luther Scroll Archives

"Tharlarion" is a general term for several species of animal on Gor which we would doubtless think of as reptiles, or, certainly, as reptilian. 
---John Norman, Letter to The Gorean Group, 9/20/00 

The Gorean tharlarion. There are various species of this creature, many which resemble lizards or even dinosaurs, and they range in size from very small creatures to massive beasts the size of a bus. Tharlarion exist in many places on Gor, though they do not appear to extend to as many natural environments as do sleen. For example, there do not appear to be tharlarion adapted to the cold weather of the far north. Some species of tharlarion have been domesticated and serve several different purposes, from cavalry to draft animals. It should also be noted that the term "tharlarion" appears to act as both the singular and plural forms, much like the word "fish." Though there are a couple isolated quotes that mention "tharlarions," those instances appear to be mistakes as the vast majority of quotes do not use that plural form.

Origin of Tharlarion

"There is some speculation they are forms of reptilian life brought to Gor long ago by the Priest-Kings in their Voyages of Acquisition, and may be related to the dinosauria. (It is not clear how long Gor as been in our solar system, or, if, perhaps, it has come and gone at various times in the past, such beasts being protected in the "Nest" during transits between stars.) "Others speculate that they are native to the Gorean world, and their resemblance to the dinosauria is a function of ecological niches and convergent evolution." ---John Norman, Letter to The Gorean Group, 9/20/00

Within the novels, Tarl Cabot speculates on the origins of some tharlarion, believing that they are very different from Earth reptiles. "The marsh tharlarion, and river tharlarion, of Gor are, I suspect, genetically different from the alligators, caymens and crocodiles of Earth. I suspect this to be the case because these reptiles are so well adapted to their environments that they have changed very little in tens of millions of years. The marsh and river tharlarion, accordingly, if descended from such beasts, brought long ago to Gor on Voyages of Acquisition by Priest-Kings, would presumably resemble them more closely. On the other hand, of course, I may be mistaken in this matter." (Explorers of Gor, p.326) Tarl's theory has some validity as otherwise we would have to assume that once the Earth lizards were brought to Gor, they evolved differently than on Earth, and in a much shorter timespan. We would then have to determine what reasons existed for a different evolution. We would also have to determine whether there has been adequate time for such evolution to occur, to make the Gorean tharlarion so different.

Norman does mention "convergent evolution" within the Gorean series. This is an Earth theory that tries to explain how certain animals develop to fill certain niches within the natural world. These animals thus bear certain common characteristics. Norman uses this concept to show the similarities between the Gorean larl and the Bengal tiger, similar creatures in some ways, and each the ultimate land predator on their world. Thus, it is believed that certain general creature forms, similar in many ways, could evolve on different planets, to fill certain ecological niches. Thus, not all Gorean animals have to be descended from Earth animals. They could have developed independently on their own.

Physical Description

"They are usually divided into the quadrupedal and bipedalian varieties." ---John Norman, Letter to The Gorean Group, Sept 20th, 2000

With the many different types and varieties of tharlarion, it is difficult to adequately describe their average physical description. They are all reptilian and thus scaled and likely all cold-blooded as well. Some are carnivorous while others are herbivorous. They range greatly in size, from tiny rock tharlarion to massive draft and war tharlarion. It will likely be easier to discuss the differences by describing the various types of known tharlarion. But, we first should mention their nervous systems, which do seem common to most, if not all, tharlarion.

"Tharlarion," I told her, expanding on the driver's remark, "show little susceptibility to pain." (Mercenaries of Gor, p.34) Why is that so? What physical characteristics of the tharlarion make them so? "The tharlarion, incidentally, at least compared to mammals, seems to have a very sluggish nervous system. It seems almost impervious to pain. Most of the larger varities have two brains, or, perhaps better, a brain and a smaller brainlike organ. The brain, or one brain, is located in the head, and the other brain, or the brainlike organ, is located near the base of the spine." (Mercenaries of Gor, p.34) This will have some application in the control of tharlarion, which is discussed later in this essay.

Types of Tharlarion

"Large quadrupedal types are usually used for draft purposes or as shock forces in ground warfare, rather as might have been the elephants utilized by the Carthaginians in the Punic Wars. Others, faster, upright, etc. are used as mounts, either generally, or by a ground cavalry, so to speak, of the Gorean military." ---John Norman, Letter to The Gorean Group, Sept 20th, 2000 

There are several varieties of tharlarion, adapted to a number of diverse environments as well as some that have been domesticated. Unfortunately, the books do not provide much detail concerning the differences between all of these varieties of tharlarion. There are also multiple tharlarion types that inhabit the same environment. This can get confusing when Norman does not specifically identify the type of tharlarion within a certain environment. He also uses some descriptives which are ambiguous as well, so one is unsure whether a certain tharlarion is a different species of tharlarion or just a variety of the same species. The tharlarion and the tarn are the two most common mounts for Gorean warriors. It is said that tharlarion are used primarily by clans who have not domesticated the tarn, though the books show several cities that use tharlarion despite their common use of tarns as well. Kaiila are used as mounts, but far less in the cities of Gor. They are more often used by the Red Savages of the Barrens, the Wagon Peoples and the tribesmen of the Tahari. Tharlarion are also used for numerous other purposes such as draft animals. The various types of tharlarion sometimes dictate for which purposes the tharlarion can be used.

Black Tharlarion;

There is a single book reference that mentions a black tharlarion. "Pa-Kur himself rode a black tharlarion, one of the few I had seen. The beast was bejeweled and moved with a grave, regal stride." (Tarnsman of Gor, p.189) With such limited informarion, it is difficult to determine whether this is a different species of tharlarion, or only a rare coloration. It does seem to be a type of high tharlarion so it might just be a more unique coloring. An Assassin would obviously prefer such a tharlarion, to match their preference for the color black.

Draft Tharlarion

There are at least four species of draft tharlarion, also known as broad tharlarion, though it is unknown in how each species differs from each other. Draft tharlarion are quadrupedal beasts, and often quite large, some the size of an Earth bus. They are generally docile and slow-moving animals, though possessed of great strength and stamina. They are most often used to draw wagons and pull other heavy items. They are relatively easy to lead, simple enough for almost anyone. "Draft tharlarion are harnessed, and can be managed either by men, or usually boys, who walk beside them, or by reins and whips, controlled by drivers, men mounted in drawn wagons." (Fighting Slave of Gor, p.174)

High Tharlarion

There are several different species of high tharlarion though again it is unknown in how each species differs from each other besides their size. The smaller high tharlarion are mainly for riding while the larger high tharlarion are used as war tharlarion. High tharlarion are bipedal creatures whose forelegs are largely useless. "Its two small, ridiculously disproportionate forelegs dangled absurdly in front of its body." (Tarnsman of Gor, p.115) High tharlarion run in "great bounding strides" though they are not as agile as kaiila. "The kaiila is extremely agile, and can easily outmaneuver the slower, more ponderous high tharlarion." (Nomads of Gor, p.13) High tharlarion though can still move quickly. "When the high tharlarion moves slowly, the stride is best described as a proud, stalking movement, each great clawed foot striking the earth with a measured rhythm. When urged to speed, however, the high tharlarion bounds, in great leaping movements that carry it twenty paces at a time." (Tarnsman of Gor, p.125)

They are also carnivorous, possessing large mouths lined with many long, sharp teeth. "However, their metabolism was slower than that of a tarn, whose mind never seemed far from food and, if it was available, could consume half its weight in a single day. Moreover, they needed far less water than tarns." (Tarnsman of Gor, p.125) One must be careful with high tharlarion has they possess short tempers as well, and can be very dangerous when angered. Controlling high tharlarion is not always easy. "They responded to voice signals, conditioned into their tiny brains in the training years. Nonethless, the butt of one's lance, striking about the eye or ear openings, for there are few other sensitive areas in their scaled hides, is occasionally necessary to impress your will on the monster." (Tarnsman of Gor, p.124-25)

Horned Tharlarion

There are a few references in Assassin of Gor to "horned" tharlarion. The references apparently refer to draft tharlarion which possess horns. It is unknown whether all draft tharlarion possess such horns, or that horned tharlarion may be a specific species of draft tharlarion.

"Kuurus pointed to a fruit on a flat-topped wagon with wooden wheels, drawn by a small four-legged, horned tharlarion." (Assassin of Gor, p.7) "The other bird was apparently only stunned, and it was being rolled to the edge of the net where it would be dropped into a large wheeled frame, drawn by two horned tharlarion, onto a suspended canvas, where it was immediately secured by broad canvas straps." (Assassin of Gor, p.139) "Eight tarns were flying in this race, and, hooded, they were brought forth on low, sideless wheeled platforms, drawn by horned tharlarion." (Assassin of Gor, p.143)

Land Tharlarion

There is a reference to land tharlarion but it is ambiguous as to their actual identity, whether they are a different species, a type of draft tharlarion, or just a descriptive phrase referring to draft tharlarion. "There were other barges on the river, some moving across the river, others coming toward Laura, others departing. Those departing used only the current. Those approaching were drawn by land tharlarion, plodding on log roads along the edges of the river. The land tharlarion can swim barges across the river, but he is not as efficient as the vast river tharlarion." (Captive of Gor, p.81) It is unknown whether all draft tharlarion can swim or not.

Marsh Tharlarion

One type of marsh tharlarion is similar, at least in rough appearance, to the Earth crocodile. These marsh tharlarion are short-legged, long-bodied creatures with long, narrow jaws. "The opening of its long, narrow jaws may have been as much as five foot Gorean." (Magicians of Gor, p.101) These creatures can attain great size, even much larger than Earth crocodiles. They can pose a threat to inhabitants of the marshes, such as the Rencers. "Although such tharlarion can be extremely dangerous man is not their common prey. Also, used to taking prey in the water, or near the water, they are unlikely to clamber upon rafts, and such. Indeed rencers sometimes paddle about amidst them in their light rence craft. Similarly, they seldom ascene rence islands. When they do even children drive them off with sticks. One that has taken human flesh, of course, for example, in attaching a rence craft, or on ascending a rence island, is particularly dangerous. Rencers usually attempt to destroy such an animal, as it represents a particular menace." (Vagabonds of Gor, p.164-65)

In their search for prey, these marsh tharlarion may rely on several different indicators. "It had been drawn to the area probably by the smell of blood in the water, or by following other forms of marine like, most likely the bint or blue grunt, who would have been attracted by the same stimulus. It is not unusual for tharlarion to follow bint and grunt. They form a portion of its diet. Also they lead it sometimes to larger feedings." (Explorers of Gor, p.270-71) When these tharlarion encounter large prey, they do not spend a lot of time on the surface battling it. They first just secure a strong hold on their prey. "The tharlarion, when it takes large prey, such as tabuk or tarsk, or men, commonly drags the victim beneath the surface, where it drowns. It then tears it to pieces in the bottom mud, engorging it, limb by limb." (Explorers of Gor, p.271) Gints, a small freshwater fish similar to the Earth lungfish, sometimes feed on the scraps from tharlarion kills. "Sometimes they even sun themselves on the backs of resting or sleeping tharlarion. Should the tharlarion submerge the tiny fish often submerges with it, staying close to it, but away from its jaws. Its proximity to the tharlarion affords it, interestingly, an effective protection against most of its natural predators, in particular the black eel, which will not approach the sinuous reptiles. Similarly the tiny fish can thrive on the scraps from the ravaging jaws of the feeding tharlarion. They will even drive one another away from their local tharlarion, fighting in contests of intraspecific aggression, over the plated territory of the monster's back." (Explorers of Gor, p.300) Other types of marsh tharlarion exist as well such as the long-necked, paddle-finned tharlarion. There are also tiny, vicious tharlarion in the marshes as well. "My leg slipped from the island into the water and suddenly a tiny tharlarion struck it, seizing his bit of flesh and backing, tail whipping, away. My leg was out of the water, but now the water seemed yellow with the flashing bodies of tiny tharlarion, and, beyond them, I heard the hoarse grunting of the great marsh tharlarion, some of which grow to be more than thirty feet in length, weighing more than half a hundred men." (Raiders of Gor, p.58)

Racing Tharlarion

"The Mistress did not breed and raise racing tharlarion, incidentally. These are usually larger and more agile beasts than common saddle tharlarion and are smaller, of course, than either draft tharlarion or war tharlarion, the latter used almost exclusively in the tharlarion cavalries of Gor, huge, upright beasts, several tons in weight, guided by voice commands and the blows of spears." (Fighting Slave of Gor, p.233) More information on racing tharlarion can be found below.

River Tharlarion

River tharlarion have been domesticated to act as draft animals to tow barges across rivers such as the Cartius. "…was drawn by two gigantic, web-footed river tharlarion. They were the first tharlarion that I had ever seen. They frightened me. They were scaled, vast and long-necked. Yet in the water it seemed, for all their bulk, they moved delicately. One dipped its head under the surface and, moments later, the head emerged, dripping, the eyes blinking, a silverish fish struggling in the small, triangular-toothed jaws. It engorged the fish, and turned its small head, eyes now unblinking, to regard us." (Captive of Gor, p.80) Such barges are constructed of layered timbers of Ka-la-na wood and a bargeman controls the river tharlarion. "They were harnessed to the broad barge. They were controlled by a bargeman, with a long whipping stick, who was ensconced in a leather bucket, part of the harness, slung between the two animals. He would also shout at them, commands, interspersed with florid Gorean profanity, and, slowly, not undelicately, they responded to his cries." (Captive of Gor, p.80)

One apparent contradiction is that in an earlier book, river tharlarion are described as: "…domesticated, vast, herbivorous, web-footed lizards,…" (Nomads of Gor, p.3-4) Yet in the above passage from Captive of Gor, the river tharlarion is clearly eating a fish, and thus is not herbivorous. This could be a mistake on Norman's part, or that not all river tharlarion are herbivorous.

Rock Tharlarion

In southern Torvaldsland, there are "tiny, six-toed rock tharlarion" which may be hunted, by spear, by children. Torvaldslanders enjoy eating the tails and legs of these rock tharlarion.

Saddle Tharlarion

Saddle tharlarion seem a type of high tharlarion, bipedal creatures that are smaller than war tharlarion. They have been bred to be mounts for riding or hunting. They are agile mounts, generally controlled by stout reins or a bit and bridle. Some women ride saddle tharlarion.

Sea Tharlarion

There are a number of varieties of different sea tharlarion, also varying greatly in size. The books provide few details about the different species. There are some small sea tharlarion which are immune to the poisonous spines of the Cosian wingfish. There are other small sea tharlarion, which swim in packs, and are thought to be little more than "teeth and tail." There are even some enormous sea tharlarion, capable of snapping a galley in half. Thus, the seas contain many dangerous sea tharlarion.

Ul

The Ul is a winged tharlarion, similar to the ancient pterodactyl. It inhabits the marshes of the Vosk delta. "I once saw, outlined against one of the moons, membranous, clawed wings outspread, the soaring shape of the giant, predatory ul, the dreaded winged tharlarion of the delta. It is, normally, the only creature that dares to outline itself against the sky in the area." (Vagabonds of Gor, p.90) There are several different types of Uls. "The larger uls, as opposed to the several smaller varieties, some as small as jards, tend to be isolated and territorial." (Vagabonds of Gor, p.203) Though Uls can be very dangerous foes, they will not attack tarnsas the mighty tarn would relatively easily tear an Ul apart.

An Ul possesses webbed, scaled wings that can span twenty-five to thirty feet Gorean. "Again it opened its wings. These are of skin and stretch from the jointed, hind legs, clawed, of the creature to an extremely long, fourth digit on its clawed hand." (Vagabonds of Gor, p.182) A standing Ul can measure over twelve feet high. Like the pterodacytl, the Ul has a strange looking head. "I had also seen then, as I had come closer, the small head of the creature, small considering the size of its body, and the span of its wings, lift up, above the rence, with its long, narrow, toothed jaws, like a long snout or bill, with that long, narrow extension of skin and bone in the back, balancing the weight of the long, narrow jaws, contributing, too, given the creature's weight and general ungainliness in structure, to stability in flight, particularly in soaring." (Vagabonds of Gor, p.179) This is not the only physical feature that provides stability in flight. "It had a long, snakelike tail, terminating with a flat, spadelike structure. This tail lashed, the spadelike structure dashing sand about. This tail, with its termination, too, I think, had its role to play in flight, primarily one of increasing stability." (Vagabonds of Gor, p.179-80) Uls can "squeal," "scream" and emit a "hissing, grunting sound." The danger of the Ul is apparent with its unsual wing buffet attack, combined with its great strength. "The creature then snapped its wings again and again. I had not realized the blast that might be created from that, and was thrown back, stumbling, into the rence. I fought my way forward, again, then, against the gusts, as though through a storm in the Tahari. I held my arm before my face. I heard the short-legged tharlarion make a strange noise and saw it lifted from the sand and shaken. I heard its back snap. With a beating of the giant wings the creature ascended, struggling with the weight of the tharlarion, and then, after a moment, perhaps from a height of a hundred feet or so, dropped it into the marsh. I did not see it hit the water, for the rence, but I saw, two or three hundred feet away, the splash. Its shadow was then over the water, rapidly approaching, and, in a moment, its clawed feet striking down into the sand, it alit on the beach, much where it had been before. The whole thing had taken no more than a few Ihn. I had not realized the power of the creature, or that it could lift that much weight. The weight of a man, then, or a woman, would have been nothing to it. There is little wonder, I thought, that many take the predatory ul, the winged tharlarion, to be the monarch of the delta." (Vagabonds of Gor, p.182)

War Tharlarion

War tharlarion are a type of high tharlarion, usually the largest and strongest of high tharlarion. Smaller high tharlarion are still used for military purposes though, such as foraging, scouting, skirmishing and screening troop movements. More information on them can be found below.

Water Tharlarion

There are various species of water tharlarion, most being carnivorous and aggressive creatures. They inhabit almost all of the different waterways of Gor, both salt water and fresh water. They vary in size, shape and temperment. For example: "To my right, some two or three feet under the water, I saw the sudden, rolling yellowish flash of the slatted belly of a water tharlarion, turning as it made its swift strike, probably a Vosk carp or marsh turtle. Immediately following I saw the water seem to glitter for a moment, a rain of yellowish streaks beneath the surface, in the wake of the water tharlarion, doubtless its swarm of scavengers, tiny water tharlarion, about six inches long, little more than teeth and tail." (Raiders of Gor, p.1)

Wild Tharlarion

Wild tharlarion are apparently any tharlarion that have not been domesticated. In one book passage, a wild tharlarion is described though the specific type of species is not provided. "Scarcely had she broken into the clearing, splashing through the shallow greenish waters near us, than the fearsome head of a wild tharlarion poked through the reeds, its round, shining eyes gleaming with excitement, its vast arc of a mouth swung open. Almost too rapid to be visible, a long brown lash of a tongue darted from its mouth and curled around the slender, helpless figure of the girl. She screamed hysterically, trying to force the adhesive band from her waist. It began to withdraw toward the mouth of the beast." (Tarnsman of Gor, p.84-85) It is unknown which species of tharlarion possess such a tongue.

About

Since the saga of the Books of GOR have started back in 1966 many texts have already been written and many persons have spent countless hours studying and sharing information to help others understand better what is GOR. One of these persons is known as “Ubar Luther” who wrote a series of papers (most seem to be over 15 to 20 years old, but still very up-to-date in many topics) called the “Luther’s Gorean Educational Scrolls” that were available on Gor-Now.net, but that site has been hacked. So to preserve them, I have moved them to this wiki.