In the Gor saga by John Norman, the Pirates of Port Kar represent the most feared and lawless naval force on the planet. Based in the "City of Treachery"—a sprawling, marsh-ridden metropolis built on the Delta of the Vosk River—these pirates are not a unified military, but a collection of rival fleets governed by the strongest and most ruthless captains.
Key Characteristics of the Pirates:
The City of Port Kar: Often called the "Venice of Gor," the city is a maze of canals and bridges where no central government holds power, and the "law of the steel" prevails.
The Tarnished Hero: The sixth book in the series, Pirates of Port Kar, follows the protagonist Tarl Cabot as he assumes the identity of "Bosk" and rises to become a dominant Admiral, uniting the fractious pirate captains into a formidable navy.
Naval Warfare: They primarily utilize galleys (large oared ships) to raid merchant shipping lanes across the Thassa (the Gorean ocean). Their tactics are brutal, involving ramming, boarding, and the capture of cargo and slaves.
Culture: The pirates are defined by a strict, if violent, code of honor and an extreme meritocracy. In a city where life is cheap, the pirates of Port Kar are respected and feared for their peerless seamanship and ferocity in battle.
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