Genres of Play

There are several distinct genres or styles of contemporary slave play. The picture above illustrates the difference between two of them: Gorean and Code d' Odalisque. The Gorean style, based on the novels of John Norman, invokes a world of rugged tribesmen and their captive slaves. Code d' Odalisque, on the other hand, is a system of slavery for the sophisticated urban gentleman.

Both of them are, of course, fantasies. Gorean in fact is explicitly drawn from fantasy fiction; Goreans adopt the manners and customs of a fictitious slavekeeping world and have turned it into a lifestyle. Code d’ Ode draws upon the historical models of odalisque slavery in cultures such as the Ottoman Empire and takes inspiration from the sensual fantasies of orientalist art and Victorian and Edwardian erotica.

Both of these styles stand in contrast to the so-called ‘Old Guard’ style which is the most common style where S&M is involved. It is based on models taken from the French revolution: dungeons, chains, whips, etc.

Code d’ Ode has more in common with Gorean slave play than with the ‘Old Guard’ (French Revolution) style. As the picture shows, though, the two systems are distinct and have different values and aesthetics. Note especially the difference in the Slavekeepers. These are two different visions of the dominant male.