Stabilization Serums on Gor according to Lady Yesi

This is based in the Gorean world, which is based on the books by John Norman. 

Class by Yesi

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 Myth, Canon, and Roleplay Use

In recent years, a number of myths have circulated within Gor roleplay communities—particularly around stabilization serums: what they do, who receives them, and how they function. This article aims to clarify those misunderstandings using canon sources and practical reasoning.

Aging on Gor: A Disease, Not a Destiny

On Gor, aging is not regarded as a natural or inevitable process. Instead, it is viewed as a disease—commonly referred to in the texts as the drying and withering disease. Gorean Physicians devoted centuries of research toward combating it.

Canon makes it clear that stabilization serums were developed specifically to halt physical aging. This research was so successful that aging became rare among the Free and enslaved populations alike.

“Age on Gor… was regarded, and still is, by the Caste of Physicians as a disease, not an inevitable natural phenomenon.”
(Players of Gor)

Who Received Stabilization Serums?

A persistent misconception is that stabilization serums were reserved only for the Free. Canon directly contradicts this.

Stabilization serums were administered to:

  • Free men and women

  • Slaves of both sexes

In fact, slaves who had been properly stabilized at the correct age were often considered more valuable, as their youth, health, and physical condition could be preserved indefinitely.

“Why should slaves not be given the serums? Do the masters not want their slaves healthy and better able to serve them?”
(Slave Girl of Gor)

The serums were regarded much like routine inoculations—standard medical practice rather than a privilege.

The Importance of Timing

While stabilization was widespread, the age at which it was administered was critical.

  • Stabilizing someone too early was considered a punishment

  • Premature stabilization could permanently freeze a person in an immature phase

  • Once stabilized, further physical maturation would not occur naturally

Canon repeatedly emphasizes this point:

“By means of these serums a given phase of maturation… may be retained indefinitely.”
(Swordsmen of Gor)

For most Free individuals, stabilization typically occurred when full physical and emotional maturity had been reached—generally around the mid-twenties.

For slaves, stabilization could occur slightly earlier (often between 21–25), prioritizing:

  • Youthful appearance

  • Physical strength

  • Emotional maturity sufficient for service

Premature stabilization was socially stigmatized and could ruin a person’s future prospects entirely.

Administration of the Serums

Stabilization was not a single injection, but a series of four injections, administered over several days.

Canon describes the process in detail:

  • A long, thick needle

  • Injection site: the small of the back, near the hip

  • The process was painful

Enslaved individuals were restrained face-down during administration due to the severity of the pain. For Free persons, the books are less explicit, but it is reasonable to assume greater care, possibly including local anesthetics.

“They are administered in four shots… The shot was painful. It was entered in the small of my back, over the left hip.”
(Captive of Gor)

Effectiveness and Longevity

By the time most Gor stories are set, stabilization serums had been refined to a very high degree. Failures were rare, but not unheard of.

In some cases:

  • The serums failed entirely

  • Their effects wore off after centuries

  • A new series of injections was required

Even so, the Gorean versions were inferior to those developed by the Priest-Kings.

“Sometimes [the Gorean serums] do not function, and sometimes the effect wears off after only a few hundred years.”
(Priest-Kings of Gor)

Health, Disease, and Survival

The stabilization serums did not eradicate all disease. Their primary function was halting aging and stabilizing hormonal and physical systems.

However, because Gorean Physicians focused almost exclusively on combating aging, many other diseases were neglected. The result was a form of long-term natural selection: those susceptible to illness died, while the strongest survived and reproduced.

Over generations, this led to an exceptionally healthy population.

“Disease is now almost unknown among the Gorean cities, with the exception of the dreaded Dar-Kosis.”
(Players of Gor)

Stabilized individuals therefore tended to grow healthier over time—not because the serums cured everything, but because they preserved bodies already optimized for survival.

Manipulating Physical Age

Canon also establishes that stabilization technology could:

  • Halt aging

  • Reverse physical aging

  • Accelerate physical maturation

However, accelerating maturation was considered dangerous and unethical. The body could be altered, but the mind could not keep pace, resulting in severe psychological harm. For this reason, such practices were illegal in many cities.

“Much can be done with the body… but little with the mind.”
(Swordsmen of Gor)

Gorean society showed no interest in bodies divorced from emotional and mental maturity.

Implications for Roleplay

In modern Gor RP, stabilization is often treated casually or ignored altogether. Canon suggests it should be:

  • Rarely dramatized, but not ignored

  • Medically verified (blood testing before and after)

  • A meaningful life event for both Free and slave characters

Used thoughtfully, stabilization opens rich RP possibilities involving:

  • Punishment and social stigma

  • Lost potential through premature stabilization

  • Long-term health and longevity

  • Ethical conflicts around bodily control

Conclusion

Stabilization serums are not magical shortcuts or cosmetic fixes. They are one of the most significant medical achievements in Gorean lore, deeply tied to how Gor understands life, health, punishment, and power.

When used correctly in roleplay, they add depth, consequence, and authenticity—far more than they take away.

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