Mercenaries was the big one though they pop up here and there.
I will point out (much to the frustration of some) that Klaus is of Torvaldsland. His path has been a lone one and his story is old - it took him to the Alar when the wagons were circled at Bosk Plains. Later- he decided they were men not unlike himself and so accepted an invitation into the circle of the wagons, and to live amongst the people. Klaus rarely lives amongst anyone
AlarsThe Alars are a nomadic people that travel between the cities of Gor, in their wagons. They remind me a bit of the gypsies of Europe though they seem fair complexioned and light of hair, their woman seem to be seen as large and rather plain.
We were now within the laager of Genserix, a chieftain of the Alars, a nomadic, wandering herding people, and one well-known, like the folks of Torvaldsland, for their skills with the ax. The laager of the Alars, like that of similar folks, is a fortress of wagons. They are ranged in a closed circle, or concentric, closed circles, draft animals and women and children within. Also, not unoften, depending on the numbers involved, and particularly when traversing, or sojourning in dangerous countries, verr, tarsk and bosk may also be found within the wagon enclosure.
Mercenaries of Gor, page 43They are ruled by chieftains, and that would be the best warrior of their group. They are great cavalrymen and fight with the great axe, a long handled weapon made of iron, Alar sword and lance, with the oval shield.
They will raid any village and city they think they can get away with and seem to have a wry sense of humor. Their mounts are the saddle tharlarion.
Alars, incidentally, are renowned for their capacity to wreak havoc, conduct massacres, chop off heads, and such, and then get a good night's sleep afterwards. Mercenaries of Gor, page 125
Besides the ax Alars are fond of the Alar sword, a long heavy double-edged weapon. Their shields tend to be oval, like those of the Turians. Their most common mount is the medium-weight saddle tharlarion, a beast smaller and less powerful, but swifter and more agile, than the common high tharlarion. Their saddles, however, have stirrups, and this make possible the use of the couched, shock lance. Mercenaries of Gor, page 45
The Alars seem to profit in areas where war is imminent - they will often supply the troupes and be used as wagoners.
When there is weakness or chaos in an area, and when the ordinary structures of social order are disrupted, with the concurrent disorganisation, failures of responsibility and discipline, it is natural for folks like the Alars to appear. They have a tendency to pour into such areas. Mercenaries of Gor, page 44 hence the reason they Alar are now in the vicinity of the village of Minus, or so some would say.
The Alars seem rather fond of their children, though right at birth a child will be inspected by the father or chief and needs to be pronounced healthy before the child is returned to its mother. Male newborns will receive two shallow cuts above the cheekbones, this being one of their rituals.
"It must learn to endure wounds before it receives the nourishment of milk." Mercenaries of Gor, page 47
The women of the Alars are also very proud and will kill slaves brought in by their men, they do not wear veils but wear dresses.
"Why are there so few slaves among the wagons?" I asked.
"The free women kill them," said Hurtha. Mercenaries of Gor, page50
Boabissia was not in furs and leather. She now wore one of the simple, corded, belted, woollen, plain, widely slaved, ankle-length dresses of the Alar women. It was brown. She had belted it snugly, and had, too, drawn its adjustment cording snugly from its loop about the back of her neck down to her breasts where she had crossed it and then taken it back, both cords, between and under her breasts against to her belt, tying it closely at the sides of her body. This is not uncommon among the Alar women. Even though they are free they are apparently not above reminding their men that they are females. Mercenaries of Gor, page 72
The Alars like the lower castes of Gor are illiterate.
"Anything so simple as letters of safety could have been issued in the main hall," I said.
Mincon spoke to the officer at the table, who, it seemed, recognized him.
"I would think so," said Hurtha, righteously, adding "whatever a letter of safety might be." He looked about, with his Alar distrust of bureaucracy and enclosed spaces. "I trust there will be no necessity for me to read such a letter," he said, "as this would be difficult, as I cannot read."
"You could learn," I said, somewhat snappishly.
"Between now and when we receive the letters?" asked Hurtha, incredulously.
"Alars do not read," said Boabissia, proudly. "And we are Alars."
"I am an Alar," said Hurtha. Mercernaries of Gor, page 143
