Tuchuk Society

Tuchuk society is organized very simply, far more simply than in the large cities of Gor. At the head of the tribe there sits a chief, known as the Ubar. His Wagon, known as the First Wagon, is the largest in the encampment, and is located on the highest ground. The wagon is so large that it must be pulled by a hundred bosk, and these bosk are decked with jewelled gold nose-rings and necklaces of precious stones, attesting to the wealth of the Ubar. Before the wagon is planted the war-standard of the Tuchuks, with its four bosk horns. Outside the Wagon, the Ubar holds court on a large dais, covered with treasures and slaves. He is seated on an old grey bosk-skin, the throne of the Ubars.

Somewhat confusingly, the First Wagon of the Ubar is not the only wagon in the encampment known as the First Wagon. In fact, there may be a hundred wagons bearing that designation, but only one of them is the huge supreme wagon of the Ubar, with its raised dais and its standard of four bosk-horns. The other wagons of his household are smaller, and house many of noble blood who are generally not related directly to the Ubar. To be "of the First Wagon" means that one is an influential member of Tuchuk society, one who has been singled out, such as a girl who is being trained to be a fitting prize in the games of Love War.

The Tuchuks do not have a system of formal castes. Instead, they have hereditary clans who perform certain tasks, over and above their primary duties as Tuchuks: war, hunting, and tending the bosk. There are clans of healers, salt-hunters, leatherworkers and torturers. There are also other functionaries of society, such as Haruspexes, Camp Singers and Year Keepers, who perform important tasks, but who are still expected to be, first and foremost, "of the wagons." All are warriors, all are hunters, all are protectors of the bosk.

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