Tales of Gor: Gorean Roleplaying — Print Softback Edition

Science-fantasy adventure on the savage and sophisticated Counter-Earth.

Tales of Gor brings John Norman’s long-running Gorean Cycle to the tabletop as a complete Open D6 roleplaying game.

Gor is a world of contradictions:

• Primitive violence and advanced technology.

• Powerful city-states and vast wilderness.

• Freedom and slavery.

• Civilised courts and dangerous frontiers.

• Human ambition and alien manipulation.

Two great extraterrestrial powers—the Priest-Kings and the Kurii—vie for control of the Solar System. Their struggle reaches across both Earth and Gor, drawing human beings into schemes they may barely understand.

The player characters can take sides in that hidden conflict, pursue their own ambitions or simply try to survive a world of gigantic animals, powerful cities and ruthless political machinations.

More Than the Notorious Reputation

Gor is famous—and infamous—for its treatment of slavery, sexuality and relations between men and women.

Tales of Gor does not remove those elements or pretend they are absent. It presents them as features of a fictional world while allowing each group to decide what place they should have in its own campaign.

The setting also offers far more than the single subject for which it has become notorious:

• Swords-and-planet adventure.

• Political intrigue between city-states.

• Alien conspiracies.

• Wilderness exploration.

• Tribal and nomadic cultures.

• Espionage and warfare.

• Personal ambition and survival.

• High adventure in a richly developed science-fantasy world.

One detailed review praised the game for concentrating upon Gor’s imaginative adventure setting while handling its controversial material without allowing it to overwhelm the game. The reviewer described the result as accessible, easy to grasp and faithful to the flavour of the novels.

The Counter-Earth

The core book introduces the major powers, peoples and societies of Gor.

Its setting material covers subjects including:

• The Priest-Kings and Kurii.

• The Steel Worlds.

• Major Gorean city-states.

• Alliances and nations.

• Deserts, forests, jungles and the frozen north.

• Nomadic and tribal peoples.

• Gorean castes.

• Clans and families.

• Slavery and its place within Gorean society.

• The events and background of the Gorean Cycle.

The book also includes a synopsis of the novels, helping players and Games Masters understand the development of the setting without requiring everyone at the table to have read the entire series first.

The separate World of Gor: Gorean Encyclopaedia provides a considerably larger reference work, but this core rulebook contains the setting introduction needed to create characters and begin play.

Powered by Open D6

Tales of Gor uses the accessible Open D6 system.

A character’s natural abilities and learned skills determine the number of six-sided dice rolled when attempting an action. The system is straightforward enough for newcomers while supporting capable heroes and the larger-than-life action associated with swords-and-planet fiction.

Character creation includes:

• Open D6 attributes and skills.

• A broad selection of Gorean skills.

• Traits that provide both advantages and disadvantages.

• Customisable character templates.

• Templates organised around Gorean castes and roles.

• Additional ready-made characters in the appendices.

The setting’s caste structure lends itself naturally to templates, giving players a clear starting point while retaining room for individual development.

Rules for Gorean Adventure

The book provides the rules needed to resolve action throughout a Gorean campaign, including personal challenges, social situations and violent conflict.

It also contains a substantial equipment section covering weapons, shields, armour and other useful possessions found on Gor.

The Games Master material includes:

• Different kinds of adventures suited to Gor.

• Guidance on structuring scenarios.

• Advice for new and experienced Games Masters.

• Discussion of common Games Mastering mistakes.

• A bestiary of Gorean creatures.

• Sentient adversaries.

• Guidance for adapting the setting to different campaign styles.

The book also discusses playing online and the handling of sexual encounters in roleplaying, allowing groups to establish the approach suitable for their own table.

The Traitoress

The core book includes the introductory adventure The Traitoress.

Supplied pregenerated characters are drawn into the hunt for a woman escaping Ar after regaining her freedom from Cos. The scenario provides a starting point for a new group and an opportunity to put the game’s setting and rules into practice.

Illustrated by Michael Manning

Tales of Gor is illustrated throughout by fetish and comic-book artist Michael Manning, creator of works including The Spider Garden and Tranceptor.

His black-and-white illustrations provide distinctive interpretations of Gor, its people, creatures and customs.

The art received particular praise in reviews. One reviewer compared its strong use of light and darkness to a comic-book interpretation of Aubrey Beardsley, while another praised Manning’s treatment of the setting’s exotic qualities and unusual animals.

Positively Reviewed

Independent reviews have praised Tales of Gor for:

• Providing an accessible Open D6 system.

• Presenting Gor faithfully without reducing it to its controversies.

• Drawing out the setting’s pulp science-fantasy adventure.

• Offering useful templates for quick character creation.

• Providing extensive Games Master advice and setting material.

• Giving groups freedom to interpret Gor in their own way.

• Using original artwork suited to the setting.

A detailed fan review awarded it five stars, calling it an impressive adaptation that successfully brought the flavour of the source material to the tabletop.

RPG Resource concluded that it was a faithful and tasteful presentation of the Gorean Cycle, particularly recommending it to readers who enjoy the novels or richly constructed fantasy worlds.

Carve Out Your Future on Gor

The Priest-Kings watch from their hidden domain.

The Kurii prepare their own moves.

City-states compete for wealth, honour and power while traders, warriors, outlaws, slaves and adventurers struggle to determine their own destinies.

Choose your caste.

Choose your loyalties.

Take up sword and shield.

Enter the Counter-Earth with Tales of Gor.

This listing is for the physical softback edition of Tales of Gor: Gorean Roleplaying, written by James Desborough. It is a 170-page, black-and-white A4 perfect-bound paperback. ISBN: 978-0-244-00554-2. Several six-sided dice and ordinary gaming materials are required and are not included. The game contains artistic nudity and complex adult themes, including slavery, sexuality and violence. Mature audiences only.