"John Norman - Gor 01- Tarnsman of Gor" - читать интересную книгу автора (Norman John)

plains below.

"There is at least one area, however," said my father, .
"in which the Priest-Kings do take a most active interest
in this world, and that is the area of technology. They
limit, selectively, the technology available to us, the Men
Below the Mountains. For example, incredibly enough,
weapon technology is controlled to the point where the
most powerful devices of war are the crossbow and
lance. Further, there is no mechanized transportation
or communication equipment or detection devices such as
the radar and sonar equipment so much in evidence in
the military establishments of your world. -

"On the other hand," he said, "you will learn that in
lighting, shelter, agricultural techniques, and medicine,
for example, the Mortals, or the Men Below the Mountains, are relatively advanced." He
looked at me
amused, I think. "You wonder," he said, "why the numerous, rather obvious deficits in our
technology have not
been repaired-in spite of the Priest-Kings. It crosses
your mind that there must exist minds on this world


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capable of designing such things as, say, rifles and armored vehicles." _

"Surely these things must be produced," I urged.

"And you are right," he said grimly. "From time to time they are, but their owners are then
destroyed, bursting into flame."

"Like the envelope of blue metal?"

"Yes," he said. "It is Flame Death merely to possess a weapon of the interdicted sort. Sometimes
bold individuals create or acquire such war materials and sometimes for as long as a year escape
the Flame Death, but sooner or later they are struck down." His eyes were hard. "I once saw it
happen," he said.

Clearly, he did not wish to discuss the topic further.

"What of the ship that brought me here?" I asked. "Surely that is a marvelous example of your
technology?"

"Not of our technology, but of that of the Priest-Kings," he said. "I do not believe the ship was
manned by any of .the Men Below the Mountains."

"By Priest-Kings?" I asked.