These messages are the accumulation of the messages that were sent out on the Blue Room email list between May 1995 and June 2000. A large portion of the information is directly from Professor M.A.R Barker. When the list members joined during the time the list was active, they agreed to refrain from sharing this data with non list members. When the list ended, it was urged that the data be made available to non-list Tekumel fans, and it seemed like a good idea all around. I only ask that if you download these digests, or have received them in some other way, please respect the agreements the list members made, and refrain from passing them around and instead point people to the Tekumel web site, www.tekumel.com so that they can download them for themselves, and see all the other material available on the Tekumel.com web site. Many Thanks. Chris Davis Moderator: Blue Room mailing list Creative Commons - Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs CC BY-NC-ND BLUE ROOM ARCHIVE -- VOLUME 7 181: More on Pechano 182: Mrur and Dueling 183: Kolumejalim Question 184: Vra, Thayuri and Ganga 185: More on Vra 186: Destruction of the Pariah Temples/Worshippers 187: More on Thayuri 188: The Sinking of Ganga 189: Miscellaneous Questions 190: Some Answers to Miscellaneous Questions 191: More Island Talk 192: More Answers to Misc Questions 193: Misc Questions Followup 194: Flora of Tekumel 195: More Island Talk - Clans of Vra 196: Professor Answers Misc Questions 197: Professor Comments on Vra 198: Professor answers Misc Questions - Breeding 199: Professor comments on Flora List 200: Twas the Night Before Chitlasha 201: Professor answers more questions on Vra 202: Horzion Viewing Details 203: Horizon Viewing and Vra 204: New Misc Questions 205: Dhich'une's Kolumejalim Question 206: More on Dhich'une's Kolumejalim 207: More on Horizon Viewing and Vra from the Professor 208: More on Dhich'une's Kolumejalim from the Professor 209: More on Dhich'une's Kolumejalim from the Professor 210: More on Dhich'une's Kolumejalim from the Professor ************************************* //181 [Moderator's Note: Evan has some more questions on Pechano. Also, I have ] [ set up a web server on nexus. You can reach a very ] [ rudimentary home page by using http://nexus.prin.edu/ ] [ as the URL. If it doesn't work, you'll have to try ] [ http://nexus.prin.edu/html/Tekumel.html. Please under-] [ stand, this is alpha test situation, and it could go ] [ down and up with the whims of The Weaver of Skeins. ] >I am writing up some stuff on Pechano for my group. I want to present >it to them in a historical treatise format. Could you please translate >the following title into Tsolyani for me? "The Book of Journeying Forth >(into) Pechano." As I said, I don't have a lot on Pechano. In vol. 3 of "Gardasiyal" there is a Pechani book listed, as I recall. The language is like Salarvyani: full of juicy consonant clusters and jawbreaking syllables. I can translate only one or two of his titles: Korunkoi hitheku molPechanodalisa "Book of Journing to Great and Powerful Pechano," by the traveller and scholar-priest of Nyesset, Kettuk Jaigash. Written about a hundred years ago. Not a good source, but the best there is... >Also I would like to include the following bibliography in the treatise. >Smiting of the Hated Ssu. >The Journey's of Turisan of Purdimal. >The Gods of Pechano. >Salarvyani Fuedalism. What Merits does it Have? >The Excellent Treatise of the Travels of Shemek hiTankolel:An Account of >Things Wonderous. >Could you also give me a translation of the above titles as well? [Moderator's Note: This is Smiting of the Hated Ssu. ] Dimlalikh hiSsugarayal, by Ssorik Mnattukor, Mechaneno, 2268 A.S. The Journey's of Turisan of Purdimal. Never heard of this one. The Gods of Pechano Mitlanyal hiPechanodalisa. This is not a title but rather a subject! Salarvyani Fuedalism. What Merits does it Have? Can't figure this one out. The Excellent Treatise of the Travels of Shemek hiTankolel:An Account of Things Wonderous. Korundhalidhalikoi (book!) hithekuyal hiShemek hiTankolel. Parshalikh (relation) hirusiyal (immaterial things) lel Chenuyal (material things) Lelain. Shemek wrote in Tsolyani. You can get his book in most libraries. >And last but not least is possible to get a list of authentic Pechani >names from you? I hate to make up names that are not at least based on >actual ones. How do the Pechani introduce themselves? Do they have >something similar to the Tsolyani "hi" ? Is their clan mentioned when >introducing themselves to strangers? Pechani don't introduce their clan names with "hi-". They put the personal name first, followed by the clan name. Look in the army list for Salarvya: there may be a few names there. The only Pechani we currently have in our campaign is Pogorto Chelesh, a warrior from Mechaneno. He is extremely pragmatic, tough, and eager to fight Ssu. My players are afraid of him for fear he'll get them killed! I don't have a list of Pechani names. Check vol. 3 of "Gardasiyal": the only book there -- I think - is Kizhaga (Book) Dlitlumri (Dli- five; Tlumri fingers, plural of tlumro). That's about all I have on the topic. Sorry I can't do more. Phil ----- Chris Davis Moderator, The Blue Room blueroom@prin.edu The Blue Room's FTP site: nexus.prin.edu Open 24 hours a day, except when my PC is down or unavailable. //182 [Moderator's Note: New list member Steve Lopez asks some questions on Mrur, ] [ and how to handle duels out in the country. ] >1) Mrur should be burned after you "kill" them. However, what if >they're *not* burned? The original EPT states that Mrur regenerate >automatically within two turns after you kill them, while the >Tekumel Bestiary suggests they be burned so that their original >creator can't reanimate them. Which is correct, automatic >regeneration or reanimation by a sorcerer? The Bestiary is correct. The old EPT version was written as a "game" and thus had a lot of "game mechanics" in it that were not real Tekumel. In the same way, one cannot pay $50 or roll doubles and expect to get out of prison free in this world -- only in "Monopoly." In real Tekumel terms, a Mrur is a form of undead, animated by necromantic sorcery. If you "kill" it, somebody has to put the pieces together and work further magic on it. >Also, a previous Blue Room message said that Chlen-hide weapons >turn black and pieces flake off after the weapons get pretty old. >If one wanted to use Mrur as tomb guardians, how would one arm >them? After all, they could be down there undisturbed for a >looooong time... Quite right. Chlen-hide weapons can be obtained easily, however, and one who wishes to maintain an arms supply for the Undead can easily do so. The temples know the way down to the lairs of their own under- world guardians and can carry down weapons and armour from time to time. Another way is to provide bronze weapons -- these also corrode, but much more slowly than Chlen-hide. The Temples of Sarku and Durritlamish use a type of "enchanted" (specially treated) copper, which lasts a very long time. There are also enough steel weapons to be found in the labyrinths to keep at least some of the more active Undead well-armed. The metals of the Great Ancients (before the Time of Darkness) are also available, and though they cannot now be worked (the technology is lacking), splinters and shards of these materials are often mounted on hilts and used as swords, stabing picks, hammers, etc. >2) Serious personal squabbles between individuals sometimes lead to >duels being fought. In the cities, these are regulated and fought >in the Hirilakte Arenas. But what if two people in a smaller town >or village decide to fight a duel? Do they have to schlep the whole >way to a larger city that has an arena (which seems very unlikely) >or is there some provision made in more rural areas for the >settling of such disputes? Does the village Laithturunkoi (headman) >oversee the proceedings? Is there usually a special area set aside >for such fights? What if an enterprising villager wanted to earn >some supplementary income by selling tickets and/or starting a >gambling "concession"? Or how about a *real* concession, selling >Gegresa and Dna-grain beer? Duels can be fought anywhere. Two farmhands can "go at it" out behind the haymow; two servants can thrash each other in the scullery -- etc. Setting up impromptu Hirilakte arenas is not done, however; duelling is a "noble" act, in Tsolyanu, and only those who are noble can sponsor contestants in the arenas. In practice, there are many lower-level gladiatorial schools and entrepreneurs who pander to the tastes of the Tsolyani public, much as there were in ancient Rome. These employ real gladiators to amuse the "Great Unwashed," and their services are paid for by noble patrons who want to appeal to public opinion. I have no record of a village headman holding a Hirilakte Arena-style duel or making a public fair out of a duel. Hirilakte Arenas are ancient and traditional, and such an impromptu event would lack the nobility and historical tradition needed. The local Governor might also step in and refuse permission to go ahead with such a thing, too; somebody, he might say, has to uphold moral standards in these degenerate times! Private duels are fought, of course, and there is no harm if the locals want to bet on the outcome. As a one-time event, this is quite normal and permitted. The Headman will only intervene if the law is being broken in some way, and both private duels and gambling are legal. >Here's why I'm asking (and don't slay me when you hear this!): a >few years ago there was a movie called "A Gunfight" (starring Kirk >Douglas and Johnny Cash), about two over-the-hill gunfighters who >meet by chance in a one-horse town. Everybody expects them to kill >each other -- in fact, everybody *wants* them to kill each other. >So the old gunslingers hit upon an idea: they decide to shoot it >out and sell tickets, winner takes all the proceeds, loser gets a >faceful of dirt. They sell tickets, set up concessions, etc. and >hold the event in an abandoned bullfighting arena just outside of >town. >Could something similar happen on Tekumel? Sounds highly ignoble to me. Maybe the individualistic and "capitalistic" American West could produce such a thing, but I suspect that the Japanese would not countenance it (I know little aout Japan -- correct me if I'm wrong), and I know that the formal and highly ritual- ised Tsolyani would shudder at the idea. Go out behind the barn, they would say, and fight -- meet at dawn in a remote clearing -- attack one another in the public square -- but don't pretend that your quarrel is a "noble" one that deserves recognition! Going to a city where there is a Hirilakte Arena might not even help; private quarrels are sometimes included and made into "events" on the programme, but this is only when the combatants are of sufficiently high clan and status to deserve it. (Some of the ease with which people became combatants in the Hirilakte Arenas was also due to "game considerations in the old days of EPT: a venue for personal combat was needed for obstreperous player characters, and the Arenas served nicely.) >Churak is currently stuck in a tiny Kerunan village of about 800 >people, dealing not only with the occasional Salarvyani patrol but >also a hostile brown-robed local or two. If it should come to blows >with one of the worm-lovers, how would a formal duel be handled out >in the boonies? (And if it should turn into a commercial venture, >would it be ignoble for Churak to get a cut of the profits?) Churak can challenge or be challenged by one or more opponents -- or just be waylaid at night and knocked over the head, if his foes are not interested in nobility! I do not think he can or should try to turn this into a commercial venture -- that would be rather like Ollie North selling tickets to Vietnam! If the Sarku opponents want a more formal duel, they can certainly challenge Churak to one. They can present a champion, choose seconds, etc. This would still be a private quarrel. If Churak's friends chose to bet on the outcome, this would still be all right. But NOT a public fair with tickets and popcorn! I hope Churak wins, for his sake. The power of the Sarku Emperor is growing weaker by the day, but he still has enough support to make it very bad for someone who is relatively unprotected and without strong clan support. Phil ----- Chris Davis Moderator, The Blue Room blueroom@prin.edu The Blue Room's FTP site: nexus.prin.edu Open 24 hours a day, except when my PC is down or unavailable. //183 [Moderator's Note: I asked Phil this question about the Kolumejalim. ] >Hi. A question about Kolumejalim. I noted in the Hnalla article that the > Royal siblings are rounded up at the end, and quietly executed once the > new emperor has been chosen. Does that include the contender's > champions, too? As we know, each contender can have 2 or 3 champions > to help them in areas that they have less than solid knowledge or > ability. Just wondering.... Usually not. Champions who do their best for their candidate return to their jobs and families. A few who seem likely to make trouble are quietly advised to leave the Empire. A very few -- the most obstreperous and noisy -- may be "offed" by the winner's supporters. Of course, if a champion dies during the Kolumejalim, he/she is lionised as a hero. Deceased champions are never revivified, even if the spells and money are available. [Moderator's Note: Thanks Phil. ] ----- Chris Davis Moderator, The Blue Room blueroom@prin.edu The Blue Room's FTP site: nexus.prin.edu Open 24 hours a day, except when my PC is down or unavailable. //184 [Moderator's Note: David Chaterjee asks questions about Vra, Thayuri and ] [ Ganga. (Sorry this took a few days David) ] >I'm developing a campaign on the Isle of Thayuri, and before I start >making it all up I'd like to ask if anyone else has spent much time there. >Mark Daniels tells me that the Professor has not, but what information I >have (mainly from Deeds of the Ever-Glorious) leads to a string of >questions I and my players will have to answer for ourselves (with >pleasure) if neither the Great One nor anyone else can: >1. The Vrayani legion descriptions (Sruma of Vra 39 IMI, Joyful of Vra 3 >Slingers) discuss the horrific massacres of the Vrayani in the Tsolyani >invasion of Vra, Ganga and Thayuri in 1115 AS. Meanwhile the only >Thayuri-based legion (Echoing Stone 11 IHI) shows that Thayuri offered >apparently no resistance to the Tsolyani, without explanation. Is an >explanation known? The Legion of the Echoing Stone was not very large, nor very political, during the period of the invasion of Vra in 1115. It is not well known, but the records seem to imply that the officers of the Legion in this period were actually pro-Tsolyani. Thayuri Isle has always been a bastion of loyalty to the Imperium; just why is not known. >A boring possibility is that they saw what happened to the Vrayani and >kept their heads down. But this assumes the Vrayani atrocities were clear >before the Thayuri invasion, and that Thayuri lacks the "noble" attitude >prevalent throughout the legion histories of "ok boys we're completely >outnumbered and if we don't surrender we're sure to die horribly, but hey >we're not wimps are we lads? Charge!" This explanation does not ring true. The Thayuri are very proud of their "nobility" and would probably take violent exception to someone who suggested otherwise. The legion was small, its leaders were probably loyalists, and the people of Thayuri are NOT Vrayanai and feel little ethnic identity with Vra. The Thayuri consider themselves to be descended from the mighty Priestkings of Ganga, and some clans still have legends of arriving by boat on the island after the catastrophe that sank mighty Ganga to the south. >First alternative that occurs to me is that Vra was already treating >Thayuri pretty badly and the Tsolyani were welcomed as liberators (ok not >so bright maybe). Or Thayuri was betrayed by its leaders (compare Butrus >in 2019 or Fasiltum every couple of hundred years). Or something a bit >juicier? (I haven't started thinking up sexy possibilities yet. If nobody >knows the facts, speculation would be welcome.) I don't have the name or clan of the general who was in charge of this legion in 1115, but I would bet he is descended from somebody in the Might of Ganga clan, even possibly of the Zayuvu lineage, like the present general. These people are aristocratic bluebloods, who consider anything not traceable back to the court of the Priestkings somewhat declasse. >2. Deeds generally implies that the 1115 invasion was the first time >Tsolyani and the islands were brought together. But then how come the >Legion of the Twelve Paths of Avanthe (9 Slingers) from Ganga was a >favourite of Avanthar well before this time? Is the modern history (ie >After the Seal) of Ganga completely distinct from those of Thayuri and >Vra, or was the link between the churches of Avanthe on the island and the >mainland purely an internal affair? Yes, one must distinguish between Vra and the other southern islands. Ganga, Thayuri, Burru Isle, and even little Lilsu Isle are all part of the Engsvanyali heritage, while Vra was always separate, with a different dialect, a somewhat different culture (hardly more than a sub-culture, really), and very distinct political objectives that did not include being subservient to the lords of Bey Su, Jakalla, and the north. The temples of Engsvanyalu had better luck with the Vrayani than the Priestkings' political arm. The temple of Lady Avanthe was particularly popular -- and was perhaps identified with one or another of the goddesses of the southern seas (cf. the Sourcebook, p. 54) in this area. >3. Is anything known about the People of the Peak who opposed the First >Tlakotani and fled to Vra? (See Deeds, 3 Slingers and maybe 39 MI.) Is the >Vrayani Clan of the High Pinnacle derived completely from them, or were >the two merged? Not much is known. The "People of the Peak" were apparently dissidents against the Engsvanyali, and when the island of Ganga sank, they fled not to Thayuri Isle but westward to Vra, where they quickly became cosy with the local anti-Tsolyani attitude. There were probably no more than two or three hundred of these folk, plus some retainers and serfs. Later, the Vrayani tried to seal off their island and keep it "pure" from Tsolyani influences. The "People of the Peak" played a small role in the political infighting that went on sporadically until the Imperium conquered the island in 1115 A.S. >More boring ones: >4. Does anyone know anything at all about the Isle of >Lilsu just north of Thayuri? Lilsu Isle is low, rolling, covered with rather pretty farms and estates owned by magnates from Jakalla, the Kaija Protectorate, and also from Thayuri Isle. Most of these estates grow garden vegetables, fruits, and crops for the markets of the other islands and also Jakalla. Nuts, berries, Dlel-fruit, and other commodities bring in a lot of wealth. There are only small port towns on Lilsu, too small to be marked on the map. There is also a central ridge of scrub forest, where a few wild animals can still be found. The island is about 90 Tsan east-west, by 30 north-south. There are no good all-weather ports, however, and when storms come, the inhabitants haul their fishing boats and cargo vessels out of water and put them into protected drydocks. This precludes larger vessels, of course. There are also dangerous shallow waters and shoals off the northwest corner of the island, which only a skilled pilot can avoid. The island is technically under the governorship of Thayuri Isle, but in fact it tends to be semi-autonomous, run by wealthy landholders and business folk from Jakalla, Kaija, and Thayuri Isle. >5. The Bestiary section on the Hlutrgu (and probably elsewhere) seems to >imply that the name of Msumtel Bay on the world-maps covers at least the >whole Kerunan/Salarvyani coastline as far as maybe Songyal. Obviously >particular stretches of sea will have more specific names, but is this >broadly true? And are the names of the channels between the islands known >to anyone? The name Msumtel Bay does not quite reach as far south as Songgyal Isle -- only to the northern edge of Tamkade Bay -- a rather vague delineation. All of this area is named, although some parts are not often traversed by human shipping: e.g. the little islands closest in to the Layoda Swamps. This area is the "Drowned Land": a region of great underwater tree trunks, vines, roots, and vegetation that contain some of the ugliest creatures on the planet, many not in the Bestiary at all! The western reaches of the Gilraya Forest become progressively wetter and denser jungle, and by the time one reaches the boundaries of the Layoda Swamps, there is no ground underfoot at all -- only squelching vegetation and dismal water. At the south edge of the Gilraya Forests, along Tamkade Bay, the land rises somewhat, and there are stretches of miasmal coastal swamps all along here. Ships generally stay well to the south of this, and hug the Salarvyani coast all the way up to Heru. >6. Ganudla province covers Thayuri and Lilsu (map in volume one of the >split-up edition of the Sourcebook). The kerdu of the Legion of the >Echoing Stone (in 2358 at least) is Ri'isma hiZayavu of the Clan of the >Might of Ganga (see Deeds), and he is described as the "Lord of Tleku" >(the capital of Thayuri). Does this mean he is the Governor of Ganudla, >or is this just a noble title without formal administrative power (though >inevitably with a good deal of influence)? If he is not Governor, does >anyone know who is? (Or even whether it is a local or a mainlander?) He is not the Governor but rather holds an historic but rather empty title. His clan and family is indeed very wealthy, but the Governor is someone appointed by the Imperium. He is currently Lord Changartla hiMriyatlaku, of the Golden Bough clan. He is 43 years old, has 2 wives (one of whom he mistreats, while pampering the other one). He has 3 sons and 1 daughter, all adults with jobs of their own. Lord Changartla is suave, sophisticated, loves dogs (racing, hunting, breeding), and high-culture entertainments like epic poetry, drama, mime, etc. He is also as crooked as the day is long: cheats on taxes and contracts, takes bribes, hires hitmen, ruthlessly grabs property, and is generally not a nice person. He is no favourite of Avanthar, but rather almost an exile from the court at Bey Su. The current Emperor, Dhich'une, hardly knows he exists. As long as reports and taxes come in, Dhich'une ignores him. One day he may get what he so richly deserves: a one-way trip in a small boat into the Msumtel Swamps... >(PS Present tense here refers to 2363, since most of my players are fairly >new to Tekumel and I'd like them to see the start of the civil war. I'm >aware of what's appeared on this list about the Tsolyani losing control >over this part of the world to the Salarvyani over the coming few years.) The Salarvyani have not been able to extend their control to the islands, at least not completely nor for any length of time. They do raid, loot, and take slaves. The Tsolyani, Vrayani, etc. have been able to fend off the one or two largish attempts at conquest mounted by the Lords of Chame'el. Hope this helps... Phil ----- Chris Davis Moderator, The Blue Room blueroom@prin.edu The Blue Room's FTP site: nexus.prin.edu Open 24 hours a day, except when my PC is down or unavailable. //185 [Moderator's Note: Paul Snow contributes another item on Vra, a seemingly ] [ popular topic these days. ] Greetings Oh Noble Scholars, I am Nikun hi Sayodla of the Blue Hood Clan. I have been asked by a humble doorkeeper to the Great Tower of the Roaring Gong here in my temple to prepare a report on the history and current events of the Isle of Vra. As a humble, but keen, priest in the Temple of Our Great Blue Prince here in Jaikalor I realise it is wise to answer the requests of any apparent menial. So I turn to you my colleagues for any help you may be able to offer. I shall present below the knowledge I have so far gathered and place in parentheses [thus] any speculations of my own. I would be honoured to hear any comments that you can make upon my facts and speculations. A (?) mark shows a point that seems worthy of elaboration for the enlightenment of all. <<** I Nikun hi Sayodla of the Blue Hood Clan dedicate this work to my father Jerus that I might follow his steps to wisdom. **>> -------------------------------------------------------------------- Some History of Vra ------------------- Gamulu the Fisherman King built a navy of small, fast galleys which he used to capture the Dragon Warrior strongholds on the Isles of Ganga, Thayuri and Vra. There are epic poems dating to this age which tell of the adventures of one Khu'es vuNaoma whose sling-stone struck out the fourth eye of the Demon Kurritlakal and thus saved mankind. [ I conclude from this that Vra was part of the Dragon Warriors empire which brought worship of Vimuhla across the face of the lands but then learned of our mighty Lord Ksarul from the Black Robes of the Fisherman Kings whilst Jakalla and the mainland still lived in sorry ignorance of the power of His knowledge.] [Did this period have any lasting effect on the development of the Vrayani people? They still seem a bellicose people who play host to three Imperial legions. From the earliest days they have had to fight off the threat of the Hluss from the west. Perhaps some of the spirit of the Dragon Warriors remains in them as they struggle against the enemies of mankind. For how many generations has Lnoris been the last bastion of civilisation facing out to Hlussuyal? The folk from there do seem to be very tall] [ During the Engsvan hla Ganga Vra was clearly near the heart of the mighty empire yet I know nothing about Vra at this time. I speculate that this golden age for mankind still has more obvious influence on the present state of Vra than it has for much of the rest of Tsolyanu. I will return to this later.] This fact has been found. Engsvanyali records state that once the troops of the island of Vra were garlanded with wreaths of gold and given sacks of "sling-stones of diamond and rubies and all precious gems" as a reward for their slaying of the Hluss and the evil Hlutgru. [ Next, after the fall of Ganga, comes the time of no Kings that lasts according to our standard histories until the founding of our current glorious Imperium which stands as the culmination of all past knowledge, wisdom and history. Yet, I find that the Vrayani do not see it like this. The lights are said not to have dimmed so darkly on the Isle. A state was established there that stood for 2000 years before our Seal Emperor Kanmi'yel Nikuma IV conquered Vra in 1115.] Vra is conquered in 1115 AS by the Emperor Kanmi'yel Nikuma IV "Flattener of Peaks". The Legion of Mirkitani, Hero of Victories helped take the island and has been stationed there for most of the time since. Vra was at the time of the conquest the home of the "People of the Peak"(?) who had taken refuge on Vra after being driven back by the first Tlakotani. The island was described as "The First of the Isles of the Excellent Dead" as it was death for a Tsolyani to land there. Such was the enmity involved. For at least a 1000 years Vra held off the Hluss, the Hlutgru, the Tsolyani and all the pirates of the southern sea. Mighty warriors are they indeed on Vra. After the conquest the nobility of the island were apparently exterminated to a man and the women and children sold into slavery. Many Vrayani women and children served out miserable lives in the mines to the north of Avanthar. Princess Eddyana "the Singer of the Golden Cage" suffered a less pleasant fate (?- what?) In 1458 AS, Hejjeka IV "Restorer of Dignities" restored fiefs to some disaffected noble families. At this time a commoner was identified to be a direct descendant of the last of the God-Kings of Vra. He was found to possess the lost Sapphire Seal of the Vrayani dynasty. The nobility of Vra was restored to the island as fiefholders under the Imperium. The Emperor encouraged the founding of a new Vrayani legion (The Battalion of Sryma of Vra as it is now) and encouraged the development of a truly Vrayani local autonomy and culture ruled from the Palace of the God-Kings of Vra. At this time the treasure of Tneyu vuWasuma, which he seized from the Hluss, was returned to the rebuilt citadel of Vra. The coming of the Imperial officials to the simple mountaineers and peasants ( the remainder of the slaves ) to whom they restored their ancestral rights is recorded in the "Hymn to the Light Above" by Ndiu vuChrayu. At this time the peasants were robed again in the strange costumes(?) of the people of Vra. [ I believe that when the ancient rights were restored to the God-Kings of Vra, the reformed Vrayani culture accentuated its differences from the Tsolyani norm. This highlighted the theocratic nature of the rule of the god-kings which is seen on Vra as linking back to the glorious time of Engsvan hla Ganga. Reinvented traditions are more extreme and more dearly held than simple habit. Religious structures permeate the nature of life and rule on Vra. Education is at temple schools for all those who are educated. All officials in the palaces of government on Vra who are Vrayani are also lay-priests. This is tolerated by the Tsolyanu mainland as it doesn't contribute greatly to politics off of Vra. The big contribution Vra makes to mainstream political life is that it is a center of power for the military party because] Vra is the home of many generals loyal to Kettukal and hence Eselne. Finally, I note that Vra is in turmoil, having received no goods from Livyanu because of the plague.. There is a growing movement towards autonomy. { MARB - Eye of All-Seeing Wonder 5} [ This shows that there is normally an important trade route to Livyanu from Vra. For this to vie in importance with the routes to the Tsolyani mainland I believe that this suggsts that there is one trade route across open sea to Livyanu that avoids hugging the coast via Mu'ugalavya. This is an extraordinarily adventurous route that has only been mastered by Livyani vessels (possibly in Convoys) using a superior navigational technology to that displayed by the Tsolyani. My researches have not yet uncovered whether this advantage is due to magic or skill ] These are lineage names associated with Vra vuWasuma, vuChrayu, hi Makkochaqu [ Princes of Vra], hi Hoqqulen [of the Clan of the High Pinnacle if not others too], vuNaoma [ What do we know about these lineages? Who are they named for? What does the vu prefix tell us about Vrayani language or society. Do the vus stand apart from the his? What are the dominant clans on Vra? Who are the current personages of note on Vra? What famous sites are worth visiting on Vra? How much of Vra was destroyed when Ganga fell? What is exported from Vra? All details will be very thankfully appreciated and I might yet make it to Vth circle.] Nikun hi Sayodla ----- Chris Davis Moderator, The Blue Room blueroom@prin.edu The Blue Room's FTP site: nexus.prin.edu Open 24 hours a day, except when my PC is down or unavailable. //186 [Moderator's Note: Evan switches gears from Pechano, to the Pariah deities. ] [ Everyone is intrigued by the Pariahs... ] >It has often been said in The Blue Room, and in the sourcebooks that the >worshippers of the Pariah Gods, and their temples were completely >destroyed.How was such a massive undertaking accomplished? The resources >that must have been commited [monetarily and personel] would have to be on a >monumental scale. Why? The undertaking was not THAT _massive._ The Pariah Deities were never all that popular; the average Tsolyani was much more comfortable with accommodating gods and goddesses who fulfilled his/her personal needs without a lot of threatening theology. There were probably no more than a Pariah temple or two in any big city of the post-Engsvanyali age. The Priestkings themselves had pretty well contained the Pariah Gods' followers, suppressed, oppressed, and depressed them to the point that the weaker members were mostly gone (i.e. had joined other sects or were just "in name only" worshippers). There were still enclaves of Pariah Deity worship, particularly in remote areas, the mountains north of Tsolyanu, the northeastern areas around Hekellu and up through Sa'a Allaqi, etc. Most of these were traditional: local villagers who followed the old religions because their forefathers had done so. There were only a few real practitioners by the time the early Tsolyani Emperors decided that enough was enough. You can compare the destruction of this religious heritage to the crusade against the Cathars in France, led by Simon de Montfort the Elder in the 1200's. A whole religious tradition was declared anathema and expunged, with attendant blood and fighting and disruption. Read the history of the Cathars' last fortress, Montsegur, some time. >Prior to their destruction, were the followers of the >Pariah Gods operating and worshipping openly? Or was there always an aura of >secrecy associated to them? The temples of the Pariah Deities were not secret until the very end. During Engsvanyali times, they were open and busy, though never as popular as those of Pavar's pantheon. They operated fairly openly right up until Trakonel's troops made it clear that this was the end of the line for them. Then the inner circles did whatever they could to disappear, to hide under other names and identities, to pretend they were members of the other sects, and to erase any memory of their being worshippers of these deities. Now they have become secret, rather like covens of Satanists in this day and age. A few ancient traditions are still observed, and it is said that there are still connections between these sects and some of the temples of Change -- but who knows? >If secrecy was the rule then how did the >Imperium find the Pariah Temples and bases? Did the OAL infiltrate the body >of worshipper's and reveal the locations of the various temples? How active >a role did the other temples in the Imperium have in the destruction of the >Pariah Gods worship? The Imperium -- and the Mu'ugalavyani, Yan Koryani, and Livyani as well -- have efficient secret police. In these large, rigidly structured polities, the presence of police spies is taken for granted. The Five Empires probably shared information and made plans together to destroy these uncooperative alien influences. Consider the role of the F.B.I. and the C.I.A. in modern American society: it would be very hard to hide a major movement, one that was quite inimical to the status quo. Informers would quickly point to the existence of wrongnesses and inconsistencies in the body politic, and further investigation would swiftly reveal the presence of the "secret" movement. Once discovered, infiltrators and double agents would soon find most of the important leaders and bring on the rigours of the inquisition! Innocent people are always hurt in such operations -- ask anybody who was anywhere near the Left during the McCarthy Era in the United States -- but the goal of eliminating the opposition does get done. >Aproximately how long did it take to eradicate all of the known temples and >places of worship? About 30 years during the long reign of Trakonel I "The Blazing Light." It was not finished then, of course, and in fact it still goes on. >If today it was to come to the Imperium's attention that >a temple or community of these followers still operated in Tsolyanu what >type of reaction could we expect from the Emperor? Emperor Dhich'une is now very busy fending off a major attack by Prince Taksuru from Bey Su, in which the forces of Prince Mirusiya from Fasiltum have joined. During calmer times, the Imperium would act swiftly to extirpate any revial of the Pariah Deities' sects: destruction and death, impalement and confiscation, as ruthless and complete as necessary, would be the order of the day. Even very powerful members of the Pariah Deities' sects, such as the wicked Lord Menggan hiTirrune, find it difficult to appear in public, now that their activities are known. I'll try to get to the long submission about Vra very soon, but I don't have the time right now. It is certainly an interesting piece! Regards, Phil ----- Chris Davis Moderator, The Blue Room blueroom@prin.edu The Blue Room's FTP site: nexus.prin.edu Open 24 hours a day, except when my PC is down or unavailable. //187 [Moderator's Note: Phil answers some more questions about Thayuri Island. ] >1. What does Tleku city look like? It's a port city: wharves, warehouses, businesses, all at the western end, near the sea. Behind this, the city slopes up rapidly to a north-south crest that is the highest point of the island. There are palaces and temples built on these upper slopes. Behind the crest, to the northeast, the island slopes down very rapidly and ends up underwater, with muck, icky vegetation, and swamp creatures (most harmless: the big ones across the Bay have been eradicated on the island itself). The northwestern part of the island is covered with farms, fields, grape- vineyards, etc. Inland, this region becomes mountainous and rugged, with deep ravines and steep hillsides -- the leftovers of the great catastrophe so many years ago. Between the two "arms" of the central range is a depression that is swampy and jungle-covered. Thayuri Isle is known for its wines and fine, reddish-purple Dlel-fruit. The islanders mainly live off sea products, however: fish, shellfish, various types of kelp-like plants that are tasty eating, cordage made from another sea plant, etc. There are pearls and a few other products, as well. The island also functions as a take-off point for shipping in the archipelago, across to Vra, south to Ganga Isle, etc. Most of the islanders are Stability worshippers, claiming to be descended from the Priestkings and their court. >2. What is the name of the river at whose mouth Tleku sits? The Ma'an (stress on second "a'). I think. I don't have my original reference map in front of me right now, but I believe this is it. It's a short, tumultuous river, not very deep, but quite pretty. It rises in the central highlands and tumbles right down to the sea, where there is a north-south bridge that splits Old Tleku off from New Tleku to the south. Neither Old nor New Tleku are really old or new, of course -- the newest buildings on the island are the palaces and governmental offices of the Imperium, back up to the east behind the port. The port has an enclave of sailors and foreigners, as might be expected, with small districts devoted to Ahoggya and Shen -- no other nonhumans in any number -- and lots of Salarvyani, Haida Pakalani, and other human wanderers. >3. What is the island's terrain like? Described above. >The maps say that the eastern half of the island degenerates into >disgusting swampland; should we model the drier half on Phil's description >of Lilsu Isle? I was intending to go for something a bit more rugged, on >three grounds: >the river (as given on the Tsolyani provincial map) is very winding >compared to others in Tsolyanu, possibly due to complicated rocky things; This is correct. Lilsu Isle is flatter, more rolling. Thayuri has a central rocky ridge, and the river is really a rough little stream. >if the Engsvanyali catastrophe created geological chaos all over the >planet (exciting new real estate opportunities on offer from Yan Kor Land >Reclamation plc), why not have the eastern swamps formed by that end of >the island sinking and the western end rising, for instance; I think this is what I imply. The whole south sank somewhat, and the swamps were formed in the shallows of the low ground that was left. Ganga clearly is a tilted piece of real estate, sloping sharply down to the east. Thayuri is similar, ut with less of a tilt since it had a higher central ridge in the first place. >and I wanted an economic excuse (as well as just Tsolyani sluggishness) >for the island to be more rather than less isolated, so I wasn't >particularly keen on extensive fertile rolling countryside and vigorous >trade links based on the produce. Sorry! Thayuri is not isolated but rather a busy little shipping port, with lots of products from Salarvya coming in that are shipped off to Tsolyanu and Mu'ugalavya (via Vra). The fruits and wines of Thayuri Isle are quite popular, and various sea delicacies are also dried, salted, etc. and sent off to other markets. Some of the old shipping clans have clanhouses here. >So then the plan was that cliffs and a steep (-ish) valley would >characterise post-Catastrophe Tleku, and it could be a pretty bad port: >clan buildings crawling up the valley sides, demolished blocks shoved into >the river mouth to join those left from when the old Engsvanyali city fell >into the sea, the modern temples poised on the ridge along the top of one >of the valley sides. (I nicked the idea from a couple of days I spent once >trudging up and down the steep southern bank of the Douro trying to find >as many of Oporto's port-houses as possible before I collapsed from >exhaustion.) But no doubt I'm completely wrong: can you enlighten us? Not too far off. The temples, clanhouses, and government structures do climb back up away from the bright blue waters of the semi-circular port with its massive stone seawalls. There are no demolished blocks left, but the stone bridge that crosses the Ma'an is made of Engsvanyali masonry that has been reused. The highest ridge houses the Governor's palace, the temple of Hnalla, and the temple of Lady Avanthe. The other deities have shrines that are lower down, the farthest being that to Lord Ksarul off to the north end of the city along the ridge. Hope this helps. Phil ----- Chris Davis Moderator, The Blue Room blueroom@prin.edu The Blue Room's FTP site: nexus.prin.edu Open 24 hours a day, except when my PC is down or unavailable. //188 [Moderator's Note: Paul Snow asks some more questions about the islands ] [ South of the Empire. A quick note: Thanks to everyone ] [ who has contributed to these recent questions on Vra and] [ Thayuri, and Ganga. It turned out to be an extremely ] [ interesting topic, IMHO. ] >Greetings Noble and Mighty Kin, >As a follow up to the discussion of the effects the fall of Ganga on the >islands of the Gangan Archipelago (?- is that their collective >description - I never really listened to the geography scholar as it >was right after magic class ). >How quickly did all the disasters happen? In response to Nikun hiSayodla of the Blue Hood clan, it is written: The sinking of Ganga is fraught with legend and story. There are few contemporary records, and some of those are too wound up with mythological meanderings to be reliable as "history" (compare Plato on the subject of Atlantis, or various Middle Eastern sources on the Flood). The story of the Hero of the Age, the Warrior-Hero Kokun, and his attempts to defeat the Demons from Beyond, who brought about the sinking, take up a good part of the epic poetry dealing with this period. Kokun failed, betrayed by a woman, and then by comrades who were not strong enough to succeed him. Hence, it is said, mighty Ganga sank, all in one long day during a beautiful summer day (exact Tsolyani date unknown). There had been rumblings and subsidences for some years, and the more timid folk had already left the island, some fleeing to Thayuri, some to Vra, some as far as Jakalla. The story has it that the island shivered once, twice, thrice, and then tilted gracefully to the east, bowing to the Lord Sun when he rose, and then disappeared beneath the waves. The accompanying roar and tumult was, literally, the end of the world for many. They say that the death of Ganga could be heard as far away as Thraya, though this may be hearsay. The tidal waves that roared in did take out most of the coastal cities as far away as Penom! All was dark, clouds of vapour and dust filled the sky, and the gods ground their mighty teeth together in horror... This was the first of what seems to have been a long readjustment of the tectonic plates: northern Yan Kor rose, and the shallow inner sea was replaced with lowlands where Rulla and Eer and Go'on stand today. THe Desert of Sighs itself seems to be the lowest point of an ancient sea bottom. The catastrophe had ramifications in Mu'ugalavya and Salarvya, and high tides plagued Livyanu for years thereafter. Many of the folk of Ganga had had warning and managed to get away. Much of their moveable property was saved along with them. Others refused to move, feeling that the Gods would take care of them -- which they did, as one poet put it, "by throwing open the gates to the Paradises of the Isles of Teretane." >Was there a big bang and a crash, tidal waves, flying rock and a new >cartography needed? This onslaught of destruction burns libraries and >loses treasures for ever and seems to be implied. There was probably both a gradual subsidence and also a short, sharp catastrophe. The Priestkings apparently opted to stay with their palaces and gardens, although this is probably an exaggeration: many must have quietly fled to higher ground. The story has it that the waters roared down into the ancient underworld below the City of Ganga, drowning the tombs and catacombs, hurling the revered dead from their coffins, and bringing the roofs down with a thunder the like of which "no God had ever heard." There is no record of what happened to the creatures, guardians, and inhabitants of the tomb cities, but it is probable that most perished -- some may have got away across the Straits to what was then the pleasant woodland of Gilraya -- and is now a waterlogged morass. >or >Did the lands slip gently into (and out of) the waters. I imagine the >priestkings rising to find their ground floor rooms rather wet one day >as the water lapped in. So they decide to only use upper rooms until they >find that this is untenable too. This version would give much more >time to allow for migrations of families and less overall loss of life >but you would expect valuables to be saved and carried off rather than >lost. Some of the social effects mentioned in recent postings seem more >likely from this version rather than the mass destruction vision above. >I have just had an interesting idea for the seepage version above. Imagine >what would happen if one tremor occurred, starting fires across Ganga and a >few buildings tumble. This starts a _slow_ sinking of the terrain but also >releases waters to flood all through the underworld before they rise up >to basement levels. Imagine then a stream of underworld critters fleeing the >dark depths of the unknown to appear in the streets of the greatest and most >beautiful capital the world has ever known. That really would keep the temple >guards busy and encourage mass migration. >Nikun hi Sayodla of the Blue Hood Clan. >- All Praise to Lord Ksarul - Study the Darkness and Make it Your Own - All too true -- and possibly exactly as it happened. Even with a near- instantaneous catastrophe, there must have been time for many denizens of the dark to win free and vanish to parts unknown. The sinking of mighty Ganga still stands as one of the most moving and terrifying calamities that ever occurred. Far greater than one volcanic island of Thera (modern Santorini: where Atlantis is supposed have been), the fall of Ganga shook both the physical and the political world to its foundations. The forces of disruption soon triumphed over the shaken remnants of the Priestkings' administration, and whole provinces broke away within a few decades. The "lost armies" that had gone as far as old Mihallu and lost Tane, could not get home again and either perished or sent down roots and became local folk. Even the language slowly perished, giving way to the modern tongues of the Five Empires. The wings of the dark covered the eyes of light, as the poets say. There are some sources, but not many that give realistic pictures of this period. Most,as said above, are wound about with myth snd story to the point that they are of little use as histories. If you are interested, check out the books listed on p 11 of the Zocchi Sourcebook. "Pogurdikh hiKolumebabardali" by Kerulya Kettumridal of Jakalla is perhaps the most readable, although a knowledge of Engsvanyali is assumed. Hope this helps, Phil ----- Chris Davis Moderator, The Blue Room blueroom@prin.edu The Blue Room's FTP site: nexus.prin.edu Open 24 hours a day, except when my PC is down or unavailable. //189 [Moderator's Note: Adam Levine asks everyone's opinions on the following ] [ questions. ] A few questions to anyone who would care to share their thoughts ... What is the Petal Throne and what are its powers? I have heard of an arch through which individuals of import to the Empire are "invited" to pass through that ensures their lifelong loyalty. Is this part of the Petal Throne? What about the jade screen behind which the Emperor sits? How common are mind reading, mind bars and mind defenses? Can true mastery of these abilities only come to those individuals with special aptitude or are these something that any sorcerer can potentially learn. Was the knowledge lost in prior ages? The spells in the books only touch on the subject. However, in Man of Gold, very advanced techniques are used by both humans and the Mihalli. Under what conditions and circumstances would an individual accused of a crime have his mind read to determine guilt? Is this common? Is it possible to stretch one's Pedhetl to increase psychic energy and sensitivity? How might this be accomplished and what are the associated risks? Does channeling extra-planar energy through one's body cause physical damage over time? What percentage of the human population of Tekumel has the aptitude for magic? Are there individuals so sensitive that the general populace would consider them psychotic? What about autistic idiot savants at manipulating extra-planar energy? Are such individuals, when discovered, put to death for the good of society? As psychic ability can be inherited, have any of the various governments, clans, temples or secret societies tried to breed individuals to enhance this ability? There must be a story or adventure hiding in this idea someplace. [Moderator's Note: Is Psychic ability inherited on Tekumel? I don't ] [ remember if there have been great families of mages or] [ not. I don't think so, howerver I could be wrong. ] If Dhich'une is an avatar of Sarku, is it possible to kill or destroy him? Isn't this why the Mad One of Hliku is allowed to continue its existance? ----- Chris Davis Moderator, The Blue Room blueroom@prin.edu The Blue Room's FTP site: nexus.prin.edu Open 24 hours a day, except when my PC is down or unavailable. //190 [Moderator's Note: Bob Alberti volunteers some answers to Adam's questions. ] The following answers are what I think is correct. The Perfesser will correct me if I'm wrong... >What is the Petal Throne and what are its powers? The Petal Throne is an ancient artifact, and its "petals" have very strange abilities. That's all I know. >I have heard of an >arch through which individuals of import to the Empire are "invited" >to pass through that ensures their lifelong loyalty. Is this part of >the Petal Throne? What about the jade screen behind which the Emperor >sits? I believe the screen is a part of the Throne itself. The arch is, I think, a seperate device, and not as old. I think the Throne is a device of the Ancients, the arch a device of the Priestkings. >How common are mind reading, mind bars and mind defenses? Moderately common -- as common as really good programmers are in this world. Common enough to be mundane, special enough to be special. > Can true >mastery of these abilities only come to those individuals with special >aptitude or are these something that any sorcerer can potentially learn. Like any other human endeavor, there are two routes to excellence. Some people are 'naturals', they're just born with a talent. Such folks ARE rare. When the OAL finds out about such people they are quickly "recruited" into Imperial Service. Of course, the OAL may never find out about such savants. If a temple is informed that they have such an individual, they may disappear into the temple library, never to be seen again. Such persons are kept isolated and live sheltered lives, but are also treated with great care and kept quite comfortable. They are very valuable. These individuals would usually come to the temple's attention either if and when they enter temple school, or if their clan brings them to the attention of the temple. A temple would look quite favorably upon a clan who brought in an apt pupil. On the other hand, mosts of us have to work for our accomplishments, and this is true of the telepath who is not so magically gifted. While there are going to be natural telepaths whose abilities can never be matched, "ordinary" telepaths can become quite proficient with practice. >Was the knowledge lost in prior ages? The spells in the books only >touch on the subject. However, in Man of Gold, very advanced techniques >are used by both humans and the Mihalli. Yes, the books cannot be comprehensive. There are extremely advanced techniques and even techniques unique to particular powerful sorcerors. Rest assured, the spells that Lord Fu' Shi'i employs do not appear in any spell books but his own. >Under what conditions and circumstances would an individual accused of >a crime have his mind read to determine guilt? Is this common? Such procedures are not cheap. A lie-detector test is commonplace, but not cheap either, and its not used in many cases. Only if an important person, a high clan-person, were accused of something which was very uncertain would such measures be taken. For the lower-clan persons guilt or innocence are often determined by an Imperial magistrate in very quick fashion. They aren't rich or powerful enough to afford the silver-grey trim of uncertainty on their cloaks. >Is it possible to stretch one's Pedhetl to increase psychic energy and >sensitivity? How might this be accomplished and what are the associated >risks? I have never heard of this being done, save by "storing", such as the Ksarul spell which creates a gem made of magical energy, or devices of the Ancients or such. There are no "spell multipliers" that I've found except maybe one used by this Ksarul priest... ...but that's another story. >Does channeling extra-planar energy through one's body cause physical >damage over time? This is an example of the danger of watching too much "Star Trek: The Next Generation". They talk about "energy" as if it were a thing. Energy is a "class" of things -- light energy, kinetic energy, heat energy. Does channeling extra-planar energy cause damage? Well, it depends on how that energy appears. Channel some extra-planar heat-energy and yes, you can cook yourself. Sound energy? Only if it's too loud. You get the idea. >What percentage of the human population of Tekumel has the aptitude for >magic? At a guess? About one in 4 have any intrinsic ability to use their magic, and only about one in ten ever receive any training. Of those, only about one in a hundred devote themselves to magic -- the rest simply using it as a tool to achieve their goals. Many people use computers, but very few of us are computer programmers, and of those only a very very few design computer chips or create new computer languages. >Are there individuals so sensitive that the general populace >would consider them psychotic? Probably, but how relevant is it? Such persons are either quietly disposed of or cared for by the benificient priesthoods. Unlike America, one is not likely to be harangued on a streetcorner by someone who ought to be taken care of for their own and society's sake. Such a person would not be encountered save by the priests attending them. >What about autistic idiot savants at >manipulating extra-planar energy? Are such individuals, when discovered, >put to death for the good of society? Of course it depends, again. If they're controllable, then they're treated like other valuable assets. If not, they're treated as I just described. >As psychic ability can be inherited, have any of the various governments, >clans, temples or secret societies tried to breed individuals to enhance >this ability? There must be a story or adventure hiding in this idea >someplace. >[Moderator's Note: Is Psychic ability inherited on Tekumel? I don't ] >[ remember if there have been great families of mages or] >[ not. I don't think so, howerver I could be wrong. ] I suspect this may have been done, but people are not cattle, and telepaths are very valuable. Would you bury a fortune in diamonds in order to see if they sprout diamond trees? If you were a telepath, used to being coddled by the temples, would you stand for an order to mate with this funny-looking gap-toothed clan girl because some "mute" told you to? You could just reach in and "change his mind". >If Dhich'une is an avatar of Sarku, is it possible to kill or destroy him? I don't think it's possible to kill him, but it may be possible to destroy him. >Isn't this why the Mad One of Hliku is allowed to continue its existance? Huh? -- Chris Davis Moderator, The Blue Room blueroom@prin.edu The Blue Room's FTP site: nexus.prin.edu Open 24 hours a day, except when my PC is down or unavailable. //191 [Moderator's Note: There seems to be much interest in the area of Ganga, Vra ] [ and Thayuri, so I am going to post this directly to the ] [ list. However, Professor, would you give a shot at ] [ answering his questions and helping him flesh out his ] [ Duke? ] Continuing on the interesting theme of the Gangan archipelago I'd like to put some questions regarding one of my players characters. Hopefully it will add a bit of personality to a (so far) unpopulated Isle. Could you pass my queries onto the professor for some flavour please. If Phil has any time to answer these queries we'd appreciate it. :) No worries if he can't answer them all. Thanks Dermot ---------- Greetings noble lords and ladies, I am Dridakku vuGachu, senior archivist and scholar to the Clan of the Joyous of Vra here in Lnoris, Vra. Even though my lineage is not as glorious as others I gain great honour from this position. It gives me great pleasure to tell you all that we have a newly appointed nobleman here in Lnoris, a great hero so they say and a proud member of our clan, Joyous of Vra! His name is Tetkoru vuChrayu and due to the great deeds he performed for the empire the clan was awarded the title of Duke of Lnoris, which was given to Lord Tetkoru in recognition of service. He is a tall handsome and proud man, a strong worshipper of Avanthe he has four wives and at least six children at the last count, with another two on the way. It is rumoured that he has been blessed by the goddess herself as all his offspring are strong of mind and body. At the age of 25 he has acomplised a great deal, struggling against demons and technology of the ancients, saving the empire from great perils. Essentially he is a family man and kind of heart, but woe to any man that come against the steel of his hlepurdal blades! The honour bestowed as Duke of Lnoris meant that he has moved his household to Vra and is fast gaining a reputation as an honest and noble lord. He also holds the the fief of Karankor in the Bey Su area and is its arsemekoi (baron), but this is contested by reason of local troubles. So now you know something of the man I would ask you to help me compile some information on the personalities and politics of Lnoris and Vra. Some information on the clan and vuChrayu lineage has also been requested. His lordship requires a report of me and I would be most grateful if you could assist me in this. Who are the notables of Lnoris? (Govenor, senior clergy, military figures, clan elders, etc.) What does the title Duke of Lnoris actually mean? (lands, political influence, social standing, etc.) What of the local ecomomy, is it similar to Thayuri or more prosperous? What cultural differences can one expect in Vra? What is the feeling in the air about possible sucession from Tsolyanu? Any rebellion in sight? Could you give some words of advice for the good Duke as to how he should fit in and gain influence in his new home? Records show that lord Tetkoru is descended from the poet and scholar Ndiu vuChrayu, what other history does this lineage have? What are the origins of 'Joyous of Vra'? Were they once the nobility of the island, any bits of history? Have other (dispossed) lineages/clans held this position before, will this cause problems? --- Apologies for my rantings but I have so much to do for my new lord I can ramble on a little. Any response from so great a body of scholars is humbly appreciated. with gracious thanks Dridakku vuGachu, Joyous of Vra, Lnoris ----- Chris Davis Moderator, The Blue Room blueroom@prin.edu The Blue Room's FTP site: nexus.prin.edu Open 24 hours a day, except when my PC is down or unavailable. //192 [Moderator's Note: David Bailey responds to Adam's Questions, also. ] The answers are mostly in published source books. >What is the Petal Throne and what are its powers? No idea, but it is rumoured to come from Malchairan - Map 1 of the old Source Book. At least one Usegroup reply has described this. I also seem to remember that there was a description in one of the novels. >I have heard of an >arch through which individuals of import to the Empire are "invited" >to pass through that ensures their lifelong loyalty. The Jade Arch. My curiosity surrounds the effects of disobedience. >Is this part of >the Petal Throne? The descriptions appear to imply otherwise. >What about the jade screen behind which the Emperor >sits? It has a few Servitors of Silence to clean it, for sure. >How common are mind reading, mind bars and mind defences? Ask the almond eyed telepathic dwellers in the City of Lost Bayarsha >Can true >mastery of these abilities only come to those individuals with special >aptitude or are these something that any sorcerer can potentially learn. >Was the knowledge lost in prior ages? Who says they ever knew. >The spells in the books only >touch on the subject. However, in Man of Gold, very advanced techniques >are used by both humans and the Mihalli. Artistic license? Perhaps the scruffy looking 'interrogator' using the 'mind ream' was, in reality a potent Sarku priest using T level mind bar! >Under what conditions and circumstances would an individual accused of >a crime have his mind read to determine guilt? Is this common? No, its more fun to employ a mrik of those well trained lads from the temple of Chiteng. >Is it possible to stretch one's Pedhetl to increase psychic energy and >sensitivity? How might this be accomplished and what are the associated >risks? Ask a nice friendly demon. Train as a shaman. Dangerous. >Does channelling extra-planar energy through one's body cause physical >damage over time? What channelling through the body? Spells release the energy from 'other planes', no mention of it physically passing through the caster, unless they screw up the spell, in which case there is a _lot_ of damage! >What percentage of the human population of Tekumel has the aptitude for >magic? Varies with location and race. Estimates vary from one in 1,000 to 1 in 10,000 (see also Tirikelu rules - getting 17 in 2 attributes is pretty unlikely) [Moderator's Note: The above answer was based strictly in rules. Bob's ] [ answer was likely more accurate to "Real" Tekumel. ] [ Rules based answers are less than accurate, because I ] [ may use Gardasiyal, S&G, or original EPT, or some other ] [ system massaged for Tekumel. So, let's refrain from ] [ referring to game mechanics for this type of answer. ] >Are there individuals so sensitive that the general populace >would consider them psychotic? What about autistic idiot savants at >manipulating extra-planar energy? Are such individuals, when discovered, >put to death for the good of society? Great idea. Sketch us a npc please! >As psychic ability can be inherited, have any of the various governments, >clans, temples or secret societies tried to breed individuals to enhance >this ability? There must be a story or adventure hiding in this idea >someplace. Why not write it? > [Moderator's Note:Is Psychic ability inherited on Tekumel? I don't] > [ remember if there have been great families of mages or] > [ not. I don't think so, however I could be wrong.] None in my source books. However, you may be interested to know that I and a friend play twins of the Might of Ganga with strong magical ability, rolled independently but with identical powers and stats. Spooky, eh? >If Dhich'une is an avatar of Sarku, is it possible to kill or destroy him? >Isn't this why the Mad One of Hliku is allowed to continue its existence? Que? ----- Chris Davis Moderator, The Blue Room blueroom@prin.edu The Blue Room's FTP site: nexus.prin.edu Open 24 hours a day, except when my PC is down or unavailable. //193 [Moderator's Note: Adam Follows up his questions. ] >As psychic ability can be inherited, have any of the various governments, >clans, temples or secret societies tried to breed individuals to enhance >this ability? There must be a story or adventure hiding in this idea >someplace. >[Moderator's Note: Is Psychic ability inherited on Tekumel? I don't ] >[ remember if there have been great families of mages or] >[ not. I don't think so, howerver I could be wrong. ] >I suspect this may have been done, but people are not cattle, and >telepaths are very valuable. Would you bury a fortune in diamonds >in order to see if they sprout diamond trees? If you were a telepath, >used to being coddled by the temples, would you stand for an order to >mate with this funny-looking gap-toothed clan girl because some "mute" >told you to? You could just reach in and "change his mind". Bob, thank you for responding to my questions. I hope that Professor Barker can find a moment to respond to the questions about the Petal Throne and breeding for psychic ability. Your answer to the breeding question was somewhat unsatisfying. For love of God, family or country, I could easily see individuals of special ability voluntarily indoctrin- ated into a controlled breeding program. If such a program were the least successful, then others would have to begin their own similar programs just to maintain the status quo. Also, I would think that such a program would have been started long ago out of simple fear that one of the inimical races would think of the idea. ----- Chris Davis Moderator, The Blue Room blueroom@prin.edu The Blue Room's FTP site: nexus.prin.edu Open 24 hours a day, except when my PC is down or unavailable. //194 [Moderator's Note: List member Mark Daniels provides us with a listing of ] [ Tekumel's Flora, and where info can be found about them.] [ Sorry Mark, I had to reformat it. It came out very jum-] [ bled when I received it. If anyone can think of more, ] [ I'll try to keep this as a running list. ] The Flora of Tekumel List with references of Flora mentioned in the corpus of MARB Aira grass (common anaesthetic found in high grassy areas, often brewed as a tea), PH67; Anje plant (common, fruit antidote), PH69; Arduro tree (Chayakku, NE Tekumel), PH69; Balur tree, SB#1.415; Chme tree, BEB57,81; Chr melon (Shenyu), SB#1.415,#1.421; Chral plant (Saa Allaqi, poison bulb root), PH68; Daichu tree (Chakan forests & Kurt hills), SB#1.415 & MoG9; Dele flower (Tsolei Isles, toxic, yellow buds), PH68; Dlel plum (grows on low tree in the North), SB#1.415, PH67, BEB10 & 70; Dmi fruit (root used for sugar), SB#1.415; Dmoz fruit (disgusting, grown by Pachi Lei), SB#1.415; Dna grain, SB#1.415, PH66 & BEB70; Ebzal tree (soaring: Pan Chaka & Gilraya), SB#1.414,#1.421; Firya reed (common, used for paper & cloth), SB#1.415; Food of the Ssu (poisonous, Suchel Head, Mssumtel Bay), SB#1.414, PH68 &129; Fssa plant (Shenyu), PH67; Gain wheat (the north), SB#1.415, PH66 & 67; Giyu flowers, BEB69 & 82; Gse tree (Shenyu), SB#1.414; Gudru plant (used for silk), SB#1.415; Hnequ weed (narcotic), PH67; Hreqa fruit (black), MoG187; Jutl tree (Tlashte, Livyanu), BEB33; Ka flower (a yard diameter: Mmorcha & Nmatursha), SB#1.414; Kao squash, MoG187; Khapa cactus (Milumanaya, fruit antidote), PH69; Las plant (common, leaves antidote), PH69; [Moderator's Note: You missed Lisutl Root ] Lisutl Root, SB, MoG. Not sure of the pages. Mash tree (tall, western Tsolyanu, golden fruit), SB#1.415, PH67; Mmuokh tree (Pachi Lei eat bark) PH67; Nalum vines (common, grape-like), SB#1.415, PH66; Ngosh tree (assoc. w. Ksarul & Thumis), BEB30,68,72; O Ti plant (N. Livyanu, leaves antidote), PH69; Onqe beans (common, emetic), PH69; Onumish plant (Mu'ugalavya, toxic leaves), PH68; Osrudha plant (S. Mu'ugalavya), BEB33,65; Ruqqa plant (E.Yan Kor & SA), SB#1.415; Ryshe Fibre (liana?), BEB72; Seresh tree, SB#1.415; Shirva tubers, MoG187; Ssalan plant (central Tsolyanu, toxic root), PH68; Ssar tree (swamps of Ksarul), SB#1.414; Tiu tree (slender, black-needled conifers), SB#1.414, BEB54,69,81, PH66; Tlebaz plant (Livyanu, toxic leaves), PH68; Tsevu fruit (bitter, assoc. w. Ksarul/Thumis), BEB54; Tsimer tree, can't find refs, sorry!, probably from a novel; Urtse tree (broad-leafed deciduous tree of Salarvya), PH67; Vatlaz plant (Livyanu), BEB9,65; Ve'ezhib tree, BEB58; Vraoz rushes (S.Livayanu), SB#1.415; Vres tree (drooping & olive-drab), SB#1.415, BEB28,31,54, MoG9,43; Water cactus (sprawling & spiny, Haida Pakala), SB#1.414; Yafa rice (Tsolyanu,Livyanu,Salarvya), SB#1.415; Znalaz plant (Tlashte, Livyanu: toxic berries), PH68. Phew! Mark Daniels ----- Chris Davis Moderator, The Blue Room blueroom@prin.edu The Blue Room's FTP site: nexus.prin.edu Open 24 hours a day, except when my PC is down or unavailable. //195 [Moderator's Note: Paul Snow writes about Clans on the Island of Vra. How ] [ close is this to 'Real' Tekumel, Professor? ] Temple of Ksarul - Jaikalor To the Master of all Knowledge. The Temple Library My Sagacious Master, Keeper of all Wisdom, I have gathered some information regarding the clans to be found in the city of Vra. Please can this be checked against the current temple records as a test of the veracity of my source. Report from Nikun hi Sayodla ============================ I have compiled the following list of the clans to be found in the city of Vra after interviewing a boatmen on the Equnoyel River who claims that he visited Vra in his youth. They are listed in order of their status as recognised in Avanthar. I believe that the effective ordering on Vra varies slightly from this due to local history and mores. [Is this true?] The List: Tlakotani. [ The Imperial clan has maintained a very small clanhouse in Vra since the accession of Vra in 1115. This symbolises the conquest of Vra and the authority of the Tlakotani. It is unusual to have a Tlakotani clanhouse this far south.] Golden Sunburst [small clanhouse] Might of Ganga [ V large. Full of overbearing Gangans who think they own Vra] Golden Bough [ V small clanhouse] Sword of Fire [ Large clanhouse with strong mercantile links to Mu'ugalavya] Blade Raised High [Strong links with the Legions associated with Vra. Claims to have been founded on Vra by a captain of the palace guard of the Priestkings who fled when Ganga sank] Purple Gem [v. small] High Pinnacle [ The current manifestation on Vra of the "People of the Peak" who came to Vra to avoid Tlakotani oppression. Wherever the original "Peak" was, the clan have adopted for their own the tall central peak of the range of hills/mountains south of the city of Vra { This is the high ground in the middle of the southern "blob" of the Isle of Vra }. A representation of this peak is now frequently used in clan symbols. The peak is also an important navigational aid for ships sailing to Vra.] Great Stone [small presence of a northern clan for trading purposes] Amber Cloak Joyous of Vra [ Enormous clanhouse - Think they should be running Vra and treated with a lot more respect than those Might of Gangans!] Blue Kirtle Golden Dawn Moon of Evening Red Flame [ Enormous - dominate all trading activity in and out of the port of Vra. Many official posts administering the port are passed down through the clan] Weeping Stone Blazoned Sail Flowering Life Flat Peak Collar of Bronze [ I am told that the big clanhouse for Collar of Bronze is in Lnoris as this has trading routes to Livyanu, Mu'ugalavya, Tsolyanu mainland and Salavya ] Thank you Mighty One for your time. Nikun hi Sayodla. ----- Chris Davis Moderator, The Blue Room blueroom@prin.edu The Blue Room's FTP site: nexus.prin.edu Open 24 hours a day, except when my PC is down or unavailable. //196 [Moderator's Note: The Professor responds the the Misc. Questions messages. ] >> = Adam Levine > = David Bailey = Professor Barker >>What is the Petal Throne and what are its powers? I'll add only a few words. As David says, most of this information is in the sourcebooks. The Petal Throne was brought from Malchairan sometime after the fall of the Engsvanyali Empire. No one knows who or why or how. It is actually not a "throne" in the Western European sense (a glorified chair), but rather a screen of translucent jade-like substance carved in intricate arabesques, lattices, whorls, and designs so delicate that the magical stories of how it was transported to Avanthar may actually have some truth to them. It covers the entire front of a hidden room behind it, in which the Emperor sits (with a lighted lamp to show he is physically present). See the Sourcebook (Zocchi version), p. 11 ff. and also p. 34. In the room behind the screen, it is said that there is a carved jade chair or seat upon which the Emperor sits. >No idea, but it is rumoured to come from Malchairan - Map 1 of the old >Source Book. At least one Usegroup reply has described this. I also seem >to remember that there was a description in one of the novels. Yes, all true. The best information is in the Sourcebook. >>I have heard of an >>arch through which individuals of import to the Empire are "invited" >>to pass through that ensures their lifelong loyalty. >The Jade Arch. My curiosity surrounds the effects of disobedience. The Jade Arch stands in one of the underground side chambers of Avanthar. See the Sourcebopok, p. 12. It is said to impart a complete and slavish loyalty to the God-Emperor when one walks through it. It has not been used much in recent years, however, because it is said that the mind control it instills has now grown a bit skewed and unreliable. The device dates from the days of the Lords of the Latter Times, and it is probably growing a bit cranky with age! >>Is this part of >>the Petal Throne? No, it is not. It is in a completely separate room under Avanthar, while the Hall of the Petal Throne is nearly at the top, just inside. From this, there are passageways that lead out onto the top of the mountain, and other corridors lead on to the base of the Golden Tower, in which the God-Emperor is immured. >>What about the jade screen behind which the Emperor >>sits? Technically, this jade screen AND the throne upon which he sits are all considered to be the "Petal Throne." >>How common are mind reading, mind bars and mind defences? Quite common, especially at higher levels. Thus, many officials, nobles, and wealthy people have hired telepaths, just as they have their own bodyguards and attendants. Just as Merlin was really an employee and closely guarded "expert" for King Arthur (compare Von Braun and other scientists in our day), so the hired telepaths and sorcerers are paid to detect outside meddling and spells and keep their master safe. Mind reading is not so common at lower levels of society: e.g. a criminal case could be decided in a second if a telepath is available, and if the defendant has no defensive abilities; but this isn't often done unless the case is important and has national ramifications (cf. O. J. in our world?). >>Can true >>mastery of these abilities only come to those individuals with special >>aptitude or are these something that any sorcerer can potentially learn. >>Was the knowledge lost in prior ages? These abilties do require talent. In the game, this is symbolised by your psychic ability and psychic reservoir rolls, which allow you to master spells and defend against just this kind of psychic attack. In "real" Tekumel (i.e. the non-game world), psychic power is a lot less common, harder to get, and requires longer training and experience. In the game we have dozens of player characters and their non-player friends with enough psychic power to blow Disneyland away (or any other fantasy locale), and yet if you read the novels and the solitaire adventures, you will see that such people are relatively infrequent -- and greatly valued when they do appear. Sometimes they are not only valued but also kept as virtual prisoners (in very luxurious circumstances, however) in order to serve their masters and work on private projects. The Imperium has a regular corps of these people working for the Omnipotent Azure Legion, just as the Yan Koryani have theirs in the Surgeth, the Livyani in the Vru'uneb, and the Mu'ugalavayani in the Company of the Mourners in Sable. >>The spells in the books only >>touch on the subject. However, in Man of Gold, very advanced techniques >>are used by both humans and the Mihalli. This is for game reasons. The novels present a reality that is rather different. The game is abstracted from the "reality" of Tekumel, just as Monopoly is abstracted from Atlantic City, New Jersey. Hence, what happens in the game is not always in complet congruence with what could or should happen on Tekumel. I try to stick fairly close, but with player characters rollicking around firing off spells and thinking up devious ways to circumvent the rules (and their old and much battered referee...!), I have had to make compromises. >>Under what conditions and circumstances would an individual accused of >>a crime have his mind read to determine guilt? Is this common? Quite common for the very upper echelons, or for national security reasons. Not common at all for the lower classes, minor criminals, etc. >> it possible to stretch one's Pedhetl to increase psychic energy and >>sensitivity? How might this be accomplished and what are the associated >>risks? It is not possible to expand one's Pedhetl. There are certain "enhancers," and even technological devices that will do this temporarily -- and sometimes with disastrous results -- but in general, the answer to this is no. >>Does channelling extra-planar energy through one's body cause physical >>damage over time? No, David is correct. All you are doing is reaching through the Skin of Reality to find the raw power that floats about between the Planes. You learn certain mind-sets and gestalts (rather like a circuit board for a computer) that allow you suck some of this power through into Tekumel's Plane and then mould it into energy, matter, etc. The Great Ancients learned to do this when they ran out of iron and other technological materials and could get no more. The peoples of the Latter Times then expanded on this body of learning and worked out the lattices and gestalts needed to produce many of the spells known today. Other scholars have worked on these disciplines since, and now there is quite a corpus of known "software." >>What percentage of the human population of Tekumel has the aptitude for >>magic? >Varies with location and race. Estimates vary from one in 1,000 to 1 in >10,000 (see also Tirikelu rules - getting 17 in 2 attributes is pretty >unlikely) Quite correst. Magical aptitude is a rather uncommon commodity on "real" Tekumel. There is no census and hence no reliable answer. >>Are there individuals so sensitive that the general populace >>would consider them psychotic? What about autistic idiot savants at >>manipulating extra-planar energy? Are such individuals, when discovered, >>put to death for the good of society? There are very sensitive individuals, yes. There's a priestess of Belkhanu from Thraya named Dzai who could not stay and face the demons and Other- Planer beings inhabiting the Valley of Kashkomai, where one of my player parties is now. She was so shaken that she begged for an escort and returned to Sokatis! As far as "psychotic" goes, there proably are such beings, and most of them are put to death whenever and wherever found. This may be seen as inhumane, but the Five empires value the social fabric more than the individual. A non-player character might be interesting, but he/she/it sounds inherently dangerous. >>As psychic ability can be inherited, have any of the various governments, >>clans, temples or secret societies tried to breed individuals to enhance >>this ability? There must be a story or adventure hiding in this idea >>someplace. It is not directly inherited, as far as I know, although there may be recessive genes for it -- or for the sort of mental sensitivity that engenders it. There are no "great families of mages" that I have seen. Most high mages seem to be the product of individual circumstances and training. A few are rather like Merlin: aloof and devoted to their arts. Others are more social, or are so used to wealth and power that they willingly serve the nobles and prelates who run the societies of Tekumel. >None in my source books. However, you may be interested to know that I and >a friend play twins of the Might of Ganga with strong magical ability, >rolled independently but with identical powers and stats. Spooky, eh? No problem. A pair of twins might logically inherit the sensitivity needed to produce dual magical power. Highly unusual, however. And be sure that if you and your twin are really good, that there is some agent of the Omnipotent Azure Legion (and possibly other agencies, governments, sects, etc. etc.) watching to see if kidnapping and using you as magical flunkies would not be useful! You're treading in shifting sand, as the Khirgari proverb has it. >>If Dhich'une is an avatar of Sarku, is it possible to kill or destroy him? >>Isn't this why the Mad One of Hliku is allowed to continue its existence? Dhich'une can indeed be destroyed. He is not an "avatar" of Sarku in the sense that he has become divine. He has acquired an ASPECT of Sarku that he dons -- and which takes him over at ceremonies -- that is quite an honour for a human being. The Aspect is like a mask that fills and pervades the Prince's body and being: "pouring perfumed wine into a bottle," as the priests say. As for the deity of the Mad Ones of Hlikku, it is hard to say who or what he/she/it/? is -- quite possibly a form of one of the Pariah Deities. You may not want to know... Regards, Phil ----- Chris Davis Moderator, The Blue Room blueroom@prin.edu The Blue Room's FTP site: nexus.prin.edu Open 24 hours a day, except when my PC is down or unavailable. //197 [Moderator's Note: The Professor responds to Dermot's message about Vra. ] Hail, Dridakku, Ngangmuru bruhaya lel brumazik! >I am Dridakku vuGachu, senior archivist and scholar to the Clan of the >Joyous of Vra here in Lnoris, Vra. Even though my lineage is not as >glorious as others I gain great honour from this position. > >It gives me great pleasure to tell you all that we have a newly appointed >nobleman here in Lnoris, a great hero so they say and a proud member of >our clan, Joyous of Vra! His name is Tetkoru vuChrayu and due to the >great deeds he performed for the empire the clan was awarded the title of >Duke of Lnoris, which was given to Lord Tetkoru in recognition of service. I am dubious about the _clan_ awarding anybody a noble title. These ancient patents of Bednalljan and Engsvanyali nobility are not much employed in the modern Empire and are largely hereditary. They are almost always a gift fromthe Emperor to a loyal and outstanding follower who has served the Petal Throne well. The title "Duke" is also not easily translated into Tsolyani since it has connotations of the Western European feudal system. The Tsolyani titles are given on p. 61 of the Zocchi "Sourcebook": Arsekmekoi (lower rank, akin to "Baron"), Hehellukoi ("Count" ???), Pachukoi ("Lord"), and Mringukoi ("High Lord"). (The -koi is a suffix of nobility; cf. the Tsolyani Grammar.) These are rather empty forms these days, although they do look well in one's dossier! >He is a tall handsome and proud man, a strong worshipper of Avanthe he has >four wives and at least six children at the last count, with another two >on the way. It is rumoured that he has been blessed by the goddess >herself as all his offspring are strong of mind and body. At the age of >25 he has acomplised a great deal, struggling against demons and >technology of the ancients, saving the empire from great perils. Sounds like a good candidate for Impeial recognition. But from the Sarku-worshipping Emperor Dhich'une? Wait for the next Emperor and then present your man's case to him. Prince Rereshqala worships Hnalla and is likely to be favourable. Prince Eselne worships Karakan and values only military service and bravery in battle -- not so likely. He rather despises those who stay home and fight demons. If Prince Mirusiya becomes Emperor there may be a chance for a noble title for your man; he values bravery and battle hardness. Prince Taksuru is an enigma: as a follower of Lord Ksarul, he does have some feeling for the exploits you describe, but he's likely to put all titles and other things on the back burner until he has brought the Empire back under control, ended the battles between the candidates for the Petal Throne, and settled a lot of issues. With him, it would be wait and see... >Essentially he is a family man and kind of heart, but woe to any man that >come against the steel of his hlepurdal blades! The honour bestowed as >Duke of Lnoris meant that he has moved his household to Vra and is fast >gaining a reputation as an honest and noble lord. He also holds the the >fief of Karankor in the Bey Su area and is its arsemekoi (baron), but this is >contested by reason of local troubles. Last I heard, Prince Taksuru's troops were occupying that fief and guzzling the goodies of its wine cellar! Your man will almost certainly be transferred OUT of that fief by any Emperor worth his salt. Absentee landlords collect few taxes, and as Arsekme, your candidate should be there to see to the Imperium's business. If he is seen as a loyal and useful person by the next Emperor, he will be given some other fief closer to home. There are two or three on Vra itself that are vacant. One belonged to a strong worshipper of Lord Durritlamish, a loyal fan of Dhich'une. It will almost certainly be vacated soon. One is vacant now, its previous owner having died at age 82. The third I'm not certain about -- have to check. >So now you know something of the man I would ask you to help me compile >some information on the personalities and politics of Lnoris and Vra. >Some information on the clan and vuChrayu lineage has also been requested. >His lordship requires a report of me and I would be most grateful if you >could assist me in this. Lnoris is a typical Vrayani city. Most of the inhabitants are followers of Lady Avanthe (or Dilinala), with a few members of other faiths. The industries are mostly connected with the sea, fishing, and transport of goods. Lnoris is one of the last good all-weather ports before the long trip north to Penom, one of the regular stops on the Salarvyanu-Tsolyanu- Mu'ugalavya run. The stone seawall was built by the Engsvanyali, and it has been rebuilt and expanded by Emperor Hejjeka IV "Restorer of Dignities." The politics of Lnoris are relatively simple: worship Lady Avanthe, belong to one of the high Vrayani clans (Joyous of Vra is the best!), serve the local shipping interests, grow nice fruits and vegetables in your estate's gardens, hold lots of delicate parties and fetes to entertain your peers, and enjoy! The warm southern sunlight will lull you into sleepy lethargy, and you'll die a rich man with lots of kiddies by pretty Vrayani clangirls whom you can hardly remember... Thus, the Tsolyani author says, is the fate of those who dwell on Vra, the "Island of Softnesses." >Who are the notables of Lnoris? (Govenor, senior clergy, military figures, >clan elders, etc.) Sorry -- no time to fill out the roster. Chris, you have the character files; if you're in a jolly mood, you may be able to sort out some Vrayani and e-mail these on. ??? [Moderator's Note: I'll see what I can do. ] >What does the title Duke of Lnoris actually mean? (lands, political >influence, social standing, etc.) As said, the title of "Duke" is a poor translation of an ancient Engvanyali title that really means something like "Loyal Friend of the Throne." Your man is obviously an important clansman, and he will have the say over clan lands, agriculture, fishing, etc., together with the council of his peers in the clan. He'll be a player in local politics and will carry some weight in the councils of the City of Vra itself. >What of the local ecomomy, is it similar to Thayuri or more prosperous? Mentioned briefly above. Vra is quite prosperous, rich and sunny, with lots of fine fruits, flowers, wines, and sweet, perfumed Dmi-sugar candies that are exported up to Jakalla and beyond. There is about as much agriculture on Vra as on Thayuri, but the latter's main products are sea-fish, shellfish, mother-of-pearl (a similar substance not identical with old Earth's), wines, etc. >What cultural differences can one expect in Vra? Hard to say but definitely there. The Vrayani are traditionally more fun-loving, more given to jokes and humour -- or at least an occasional smile -- than the serious and status-conscious Tsolyani, much less the dour residents of Khirgar and Yan Kor. There is always a party, usually informal, without all of the structured and stratified entertainments and feasting found in the Empire itself. The Arena in the City of Vra is often filled with clowns and pretty girls, and athletic events, rather than with grim and bloody gladiators. The Vrayani value singing, playing the Sra'ur (rather like a lute), folkdancing (which the mighty of Tsolyanu would not be caught dead doing), art, and erotic poetry. The Engsvanyali poet Yetil is much admired, and his sensuous verses have been translated into Tsolyani and also into the Vrayani dialect of Tsolyani, as well as other tongues. There is a thriving book-copying and selling business in Lnoris, as wella s in the City of Vra. Along with more jollity, the Vrayani are also given to hotter tempers and more violence, especially over women (and their women fight just as often over men!), gambling, and the custom of daring each other to perform feats of athletic prowess -- and quarreling over it. Be a little careful when addressing a Vrayani, male or female, especially one who wears the slim Vrayani dagger in a sheath at his or her hip. >What is the feeling in the air about possible sucession from Tsolyanu? >Any rebellion in sight? There is a battle going on right now for Avanthar. Prince Taksuru and Prince Mirusiya have combined forces. This news will not reach Vra for another month or two. Dhich'une's soldiers are polite, circumspect, and remain almost invisible, so as not to annoy the turbulent Vrayani. >Could you give some words of advice for the good Duke as to how he should >fit in and gain influence in his new home? Let him be generous and full of mirth, as Yetil says (in Engsvanyali verse). Thus is the gateway to the heart of Vra opened. Let him hear all who come to him, reflect wisely, judge carefully -- and then pass it all off with a joke... >Records show that lord Tetkoru is descended from the poet and scholar Ndiu >vuChrayu, what other history does this lineage have? I have no current information. Have to look it up. >What are the origins of 'Joyous of Vra'? Were they once the nobility of >the island, any bits of history? I'm running short of and must seal this letter. Perhaps I can return to it later. Happy to chat again later when you have a shorter list of queries! >Have other (dispossed) lineages/clans held this position before, will this >cause problems? Of course. There are several lineages and other clans who will be jealous. As ever, Phil ----- Chris Davis Moderator, The Blue Room blueroom@prin.edu The Blue Room's FTP site: nexus.prin.edu Open 24 hours a day, except when my PC is down or unavailable. //198 [Moderator's Note: The Professor speaks to the breeding program suggested by ] [ Adam in his followup. ] >> = Bob Alberti > = Adam Levine = Professor Barker I'll try to reply, but it is clearly hard to satisfy someone on this particular question. The answers are complex, and they have reverber- ations and ramifications in our own world: e.g. note the reference to "controlled breeding," below. This is largely a 20th Century question. Nobody seems to have thought much about it in preceding centuries, although there were indeed tyrants and despots who could have enforced it. The Mamluke Sultans did indeed purchase young Circassian slaves and bring them up as bodyguards and an elite corps of soldiers, but I don't remember that they ever even thought of _breeding_ them. You'd think they would have considered this, given the price of slaves, the distance from which they had to be brought, etc. But, apparently, they didn't. Nor did the Romans (who did breed slaves for beauty, etc. but never with any really specific eugenic programme). >>As psychic ability can be inherited, have any of the various governments, >>clans, temples or secret societies tried to breed individuals to enhance >>this ability? There must be a story or adventure hiding in this idea >>someplace. As just said, this is something that the peoples of Tekumel do not seem to have thought of. Psychic ability is not always clearly inherited, and it may lie dormant in a family for a generation or two. Hence, it may seem to the scholars of Tekumel that it is indeed a "gift of the gods," and not something over which humans can have much control. Earlier peoples, particularly the Lords of the Latter Times, may have tried to do more with breeding and technological controls, but this does not seem to have survived, except in the proliferation of "species" that have stable and strongly dominant genes. >>I suspect this may have been done, but people are not cattle, and >>telepaths are very valuable. Would you bury a fortune in diamonds >>in order to see if they sprout diamond trees? If you were a telepath, >>used to being coddled by the temples, would you stand for an order to >>mate with this funny-looking gap-toothed clan girl because some "mute" >>told you to? You could just reach in and "change his mind". You could "reach in and change his mind" if he were unprotected. But those who deal with telepaths and psychic powers are either themselves psychically talented, or else guarded by those who are. There is also a strongly ingrained (and continually reinforced) sense of loyalty and obedience to one's superiors that makes it a little easier to get co-operation from a Tekumelani boy or girl than from our own individualistic young people. If one is not asked to _marry_ the gap-toothed girl and live with her in a monogamous family for the rest of one's life, it doesn't seem quite so outrageous to think of a temporary union for the sake of one's temple, nation, etc., does it? Western Europeans and Americans have grown quite individualistic in these latter days of the 20th Century, but there have been periods when we were not so personally headstrong, and times when we might have acquiesced to the command of an accepted leader or government/ religious institution. >Bob, thank you for responding to my questions. I hope that Professor >Barker can find a moment to respond to the questions about the Petal >Throne and breeding for psychic ability. Your answer to the breeding >question was somewhat unsatisfying. For love of God, family or country, >I could easily see individuals of special ability voluntarily indoctrin- >ated into a controlled breeding program. If such a program were the >least successful, then others would have to begin their own similar >programs just to maintain the status quo. Also, I would think that >such a program would have been started long ago out of simple fear >that one of the inimical races would think of the idea. As with the wheel, maps, and a few other items, not every people automatically sees "inventions" that are instantly clear as crystal to the rest of us. What the Aztecs thought Cortes was and what he wanted has been much discussed, but the fact remains that had they perceived his powers and objectives more clearly, they would have seen to it that he never got off the boat! As far as I am aware, no Tekumelani nation or species has as yet come up with any large-scale breeding programme -- and we can hope that it stays that way! Phil ----- Chris Davis Moderator, The Blue Room blueroom@prin.edu The Blue Room's FTP site: nexus.prin.edu Open 24 hours a day, except when my PC is down or unavailable. //199 [Moderator's Note: Professor Barker's comments on Mark's list of flora. ] Thanks to Mark Daniels for the list of plants! I had forgotten some of them myself. (I also forget my Social Security number, telephone number, and code toget past my security alarm -- old age...!) Reminds me of a letter I once received from somebody in Canada (I think), who included an 80 page questionnaire about every plant species I had ever mentioned! He wanted more botanical information about them than I had ever dreamed existed! Number of stamens and petals, type of bark or skin, how they propagated, how often, and whether by spores or shoots or whatever ... On and on! I sadly had to send the questionnaire back to him empty, urging him instead to fill in some of these gaps himself. He obviously had the scientific knowledge, and I did not. I am rather like a tourist on Tekumel: I look, I listen, I report. I have no knowledge about a lot of subjects, but I can tell you what I perceive. Occasion- ally, I can quote a scholar of Tekumel and perhaps provide some further insight, but not all that often. Thanks again for the plant list! Now, about those stamens... Phil ----- Chris Davis Moderator, The Blue Room blueroom@prin.edu The Blue Room's FTP site: nexus.prin.edu Open 24 hours a day, except when my PC is down or unavailable. //200 [Moderator's Note: Bob Alberti entertains us with a traditional Christmas ] [ story, with a different twist. :) ] 'Twas the Night before Chitlasha and all through the clan Not a person was stirring, neither Pe Choi nor Man. The slaves were all locked in their stables with care For I didn't wish any more trouble down there. The children were nestled all snug on their mats, With nightmares of Ssuganar tormenting the brats. And I hung the meshqu "Don't disturb, I relax", While my wives settled down for a night on their backs. When out in the courtyard their arose such a clatter I sprang to my feet to see what was the matter. I leapt over my third wife, cross the room did I dash And I just reached the balcony when there came a great flash. The moons on the breasts of the demon Quyo Gave a red-and-green luster to her statue below, When what to my wondering eyes should appear But a shining blue oval that filled me with fear. Out leaped a creature with a nose that glowed red So I feared in a moment I soon would be dead. More rapid than Hlaka these monsters they came And one 'round the back called out their true names; "Now DASHER! now DANCER, now PRANCER and VIXEN! On COMET! on CUPID! on, DONDER and BLITZEN! To the top of the porch! to the top of the wall! Now dash away! dash away! dash away all!" As leaves which before a wild hurricane fly When they meet with an obstacle mount to the sky So up to the rooftop the first creature flew With eight more behind it, and a palanquin too. And then in a twinkling I heard on the roof The prancing and pawing of each demon-hoof. As I entered the room and was looking around Down the chimney a humanoid came with a bound. He was dressed all in fur from his head to his foot And his clothes were all tarnished with ashes and soot; A brick fireplace had appeared at his back Where there had been a mural from the Wheel of Black. His eyes, how they twinkled! his dimples how merry! His cheeks were like roses, his nose like a berry! His droll little mouth was drawn up like a bow And my wives and I feared there was nowhere to go. The stump of a pipe he held tight in his teeth, And the smoke seemed to come from burning a leaf. He had a broad face and a little round belly, Which shook when he laughed like a bowlful of jelly. He was chubby and plump, like a demonic peasant, And the smile I gave him was carefully pleasant. A wink of an eye and a twist of his head Seemed like a spell-motion, and filled me with dread. He spoke not a word for the spell he would work And had just turned around when he stopped with a jerk. A finger was laid to one side of his nose When he started to glow with the color of rose. My wife used the same Eye to capture the sleigh You can see them in Bey Su where they're on display. A priest closed the nexus with a ritual spell But I left the brick fireplace. Why not? It works well. I rewarded my wife with thesun and gold And named her First Wife though just sixteen years old. Thus did she exclaim during our evening rites "HAPPY CHITLASHA TO ALL, AND TO ALL A GOOD NIGHT!" -- [(C) 1995 Bob Alberti, Jr. with apologies to Clement Clarke Moore, M. A. R. Barker, Santa Claus, and most of Western Civilization. Permission to copy and redistribute is granted as long as this paragraph is retained. Game materials set in the world of Tekumel are available from TOME, Inc., (610) 935-7622] Arjai hi Vaisoner, Priest of Ksarul, Cloak of Azure Gems Clan. Tarinu hiKirisaya, Warrior of Chiteng, Golden Bough Clan. Adlar hiFershena, Warrior of Karakan, Red Sword Clan. Bob Alberti, Priest of Ethernet, Programming Geeks Clan. ----- Chris Davis Moderator, The Blue Room blueroom@prin.edu The Blue Room's FTP site: nexus.prin.edu Open 24 hours a day, except when my PC is down or unavailable. //201 [Moderator's Note: Paul Snow has a few more questions about Vra. The ] [ Professor sends these answers. The Professor also sent ] [ his Database of information on Vra. I will put it on the] [ ftp site by the weekend. ] Here's a brief reply to the Vra questions: >What roughly is the geography of Vra? By a rough calculation I estimate >it to about the size of Ireland. Given this I would guess that it must >have rivers or streams flowing from the inland to the coast. The Vrayani >heartland must really be very removed from the cosmopolitan life in the >ports on the coast. Since "Ireland" is a mythical place, and only Tekumel is real, I have no idea of their comparative sizes... Vra is about 400 Tsan NS and 300 EW. The northern shore is high and precipitous, sloping down somewhat to the east, where it becomes a region of pretty, forested, fields and copses on the shores of the Strait of Hanar (whoever HE was) across which lies Thayuri Isle. The northern portion of the island is sparsely populated, rocky, and comparatively mountainous. There are vineyards, Hma and Hmelu pasturage, orchards, and berry fields there. The central "saddle" between Lnoris and the City of Vra is lower, more populous, planted in grain (mostly Dna), vegetables, and big Mash-fruit trees. Workshops and shipyards fill the coves on the eastern shore, and Vra itself sits in a charming harbour, with white houses with brown and red tiled roofs, occasional temple pyramids, palaces, and parks where the lithe, golden-skinned Vrayani children play. This region is called "Avanthe's Table" because of its richness and beauty. The great clanhouses (those mentioned in a previous dispatch to the Blue Room and also some other, minor ones) are built like walled fortresses upon the hills behind the City of Vra. A single broad thoroughfare leads from Vra to Lnoris. This is not a Sakbe Road, of course, but it is a very good secondary road. Other, smaller roads lead northward and southward to other villages and towns. The southern part of Vra contains a central mountain peak, the "Old Woman Watcher." Small fishing villages, fruit orchards, and tiny grain-fields occupy the coves and inlets along these shores. >Looking at the map does this put the City of Vra in a sheltered bay where >a river meets the sea? Where is the high land in the middle of Vra that >the water flows down from? The one major river is the Hlanel (stress on the "nel"). It flows down from the northern mountains, takes a sharp eastern turn, and debouches into the Bay of Vra through the City of Vra. There are three bridges across this little river: the westernmost is the Span of the Judge, then the Bridge of Hejjeka IV "The Restorer of Dignities," and the easternmost (a longish pontoon bridge) is called the Bridge of Mighty Ships (for reasons nobody knows). >I suspect that the north western coast is higher land with cliffs falling >dramatically to the sea. Is this right? This is why Lnoris is the last good >port on the run across to Penom on the way to the West? You have it exactly right. The northern cliffs are not as high and steep as those of Dover, but they do make for glorious scenery. Lnoris has easy access across the "saddle" to the City of Vra, and timber for ships, tar, cordage, etc. are shipped to it from Thayuri Isle and other places, including Salarvyani goods brought in to Vra and less commonly, Mu'ugalavyani products sent the other way to Salarvya. There is no large, safe harbour on the long point that faces Tleku across the Strait of Hanar, but little fishing boats and a few passenger craft do ply those waters. Enjoy Vra! It's a lovely place. A little tense with ancient clan rivalries and now political differences, but still one of the nicer locales of the Empire. I've always had a soft spot for old Vra; there's nothing like sailing in to Vra Harbour just after sunset, with the coloured paper lanterns of the wealthy twinkling in the colonnades of the white clan-palaces rising up like cliffs behind the docks. The smells of spices, incense, cooking, and fresh fruit heaped on the quays give Vra its own sweet, exotic atmosphere. The tinkling bells and heady rhythms of the drums of the Temple of Dlamelish, which stands right beside the Bridge of Mighty Ships call the visitor to stay and drowse awhile. Phil ----- Chris Davis Moderator, The Blue Room blueroom@prin.edu The Blue Room's FTP site: nexus.prin.edu Open 24 hours a day, except when my PC is down or unavailable. //202 [Moderator's Note: Paul Snow provides some interesting data on horizon ] [ distances and viewing. ] Hello Everyone, As you will probably have realised I am preparing to run a campaign set on Vra. In preparation for this I have been thinking about ships, trading routes and navigation. This lead me on to considering how far you can see on Tekumel. A quickish calculation shows me that the distance to the horizon for a viewer at height, h, on a world of diameter D is given by, Horizon, H = SQRT[ h D ] = SQRT[h] * SQRT[D] SQRT[D] you can just calculate once for the world. This gives the distance to the furthest point on the surface of a sphere you can see from height h above it assuming that visibility is perfect. Clearly as D increases and the surface of the world tends towards being a flat plane the distance to the horizon increases. Now the Earth's diameter is roughly 12,752km, Tekumel's is 20,838km. This means that the distance to the horizon is ~28% greater on Tekumel than on Earth. Plugging some numbers into the equation, For a human [eyes ~ 2m from ground] H = 6455m [~4.8 Tsan] For someone on a cliff top [ say 66m above sea level] H = 37085m [~27.75 Tsan] This can be quickly used to give the useful field of view of a watchtower or lighthouse. Remember for two ships spotting each other at sea, lookouts in crow's nests see each other as just as they both become visible over the horizon which is a point half way between them limiting their sight. For spotting land from the sea, the horizon calculated for the top of a mountain tells you how far to sea that mountain can be seen. This will happen before the coast comes into view assuming that visibility is good. Explorers on Earth could see mountains in Africa like this before anyone {European} had actually reached them. Hope you find this intersting folks, Best Wishes Paul Snow PS My Tsolyani contact Nikun hi Sayodla will have something to say on this matter shortly. [Moderator's Note: Expect that message shortly after this one. ] -- Chris Davis Moderator, The Blue Room blueroom@prin.edu The Blue Room's FTP site: nexus.prin.edu Open 24 hours a day, except when my PC is down or unavailable. //203 [Moderator's Note: Paul's alter-ego's submission about visibility. The ] [ Professor commented on his first article, and it is in- ] [ cluded here. ] Dear Chris, This is really useful information. If I were doing naval rules, I'd want this sort of data very badly -- and would be greatly appreciative to Paul for providing it. Thanks! Phil [Moderator's Note: And now on to Paul's submission. ] Notebook of Nikun hi Sayodla ========================== Section 5.3.4b Geography of Vra : Old Women Watcher --------------------------------------------------- In compiling my report on Vra I have come across the following questions and answers. They were in a document acquired from the Temple of Ketengku many years ago which I found secreted in a cubby hole in our library. So best keep quiet about it! How Tall is Old Women Watcher? Wise Bashan, Scholar of the Temple of Thumis in the City of Vra, tells us that the Old Women Watcher rises 2790 dhaiba above the level of the sea. That is 30 dhaiba for every aspect of Lady Avanthe that separates the peak of Old Women Watcher from the body of our Lady Avanthe, Mistress of the Sea. [Seems an oddly convenient number to me! NhS] How tall is this? Old Women Watcher is tall enough so that ships setting out on the trip from the western trip of Burru Isle towards the Isle of Vra know that they are halfway to the Isle when on a clear day they see the mountain in the distance. Old women watcher is tall enough that she can just be seen in the distance from the high ground on the north of the island. Thus it is true that Old Women Watcher keeps a good eye on all of Vra and much of the surrounding sea. Nikun hiSayodla [ PS. 2790 dhaiba is 3720m. In comparison - Mt Etna is 3323m and Mauna Kea is 4205m. Two mountains on islands that I thought to look up. What is the Tsolyani or Vrayani for Old Women Watcher? Best Wishes Paul Snow ] -- Chris Davis Moderator, The Blue Room blueroom@prin.edu The Blue Room's FTP site: nexus.prin.edu Open 24 hours a day, except when my PC is down or unavailable. //204 [Moderator's Note: Wes Postlethwaite (gee, hope I spelled that right) asks ] [ questions on numerous topics. ] >Recently, someone was asking for advise and it was suggested to "wait for >the new Emperor chosen replacement". Does this signal a Kolumejalim is >eminent? Sometimes a "wait" for a new emperor may last for years! Especially when the present one is not willing to take the final journey to the Isles, worships Lord Sarku, and has the throne-name "Eternal Splendour." There cannot e a Kolumejalim until the present Emperor is officially dead, certified by the priesthoods (usually Hnalla and Belkhanu in the case of Stability-worshipping Emperors, and by Hnalla and the relevant deity in the case of those whoserve Change). Once the annoucement of the ruler's death is made, a few days, weeks, or even months pass while the funeral is held, various ceremonies are performed, and everybody sorts themselves out. Then the Temple of Hnalla (never any other) makes the proclamation of a Kolumejalim, sending out invitations to the known heirs. Declarations of eligibility come in from heirs (and their patrons) who have been kept concealed, and once the Omnipotent Azure Legion has authenticated this "short list," a time and place are chosen, champions selected and announced, etc. It's quite an interesting process. [Moderator's Note: Hmmm.... This leads me to question how Dhich'une ] [ prompted the ever so shady Kolumejalim that ended up ] [ making him emperor. Is there any light you can shed on ] [ this, Professor? Just how did he pull the strings of ] [ the temple of Hnalla?!? ] >Is there a map of the city of Vra or Lnoris available for download? Alas, no. Given time, I could produce these, but I'm a bit busy now. >Can you give me any lists of legions that have been involved in some >of the "Civil War"? Almost every major legion in the Empire is involved on one side or the other. I'd be hard put to draw up lists because some Legions are split in their allegiances, with certain Cohorts following one prince, and others fighting for another. Other Legions are solidly behind one patron, and a few Legions have hung back and tried to stay out of the conflict all together. It's a little like the American Civil War. I don't even have a full list myself. Phil -- Chris Davis Moderator, The Blue Room blueroom@prin.edu The Blue Room's FTP site: nexus.prin.edu Open 24 hours a day, except when my PC is down or unavailable. //205 [Moderator's Note: Phil responds to my question about Dhich'une's Kolume- ] [ jalim. ] Dear Chris, > >[Moderator's Note: Hmmm.... This leads me to question how Dhich'une ] >[ prompted the ever so shady Kolumejalim that ended up ] >[ making him emperor. Is there any light you can shed on ] >[ this, Professor? Just how did he pull the strings of ] >[ the temple of Hnalla?!? ] It appears he had the High Chancellor, Lord Chaimira, brought before him and demanded a Kolumejalim. Enough time had passed, he said, and the Empire had no monarch. The Temple of Hnalla is obligated to provide a Kolumejalim within reasonable time limits. These had never been formally defined. The Temple of Hnalla said that a Kolumejalim could not be held as long as all of the viable candidates were not present. Dhich'une knew Eselne and Mirusiya were away at war in the north, and Princess Ma'in was no threat. Prince Rereshqala had not declared himself as a candidate. Dhich'une and his supporters then demanded that a Kolumejalim be held, whether candidates could reach it or not-- national security, and all that -- and at length the temple prelates agreed. He did send invitations to both of the major heirs, although he knew they could not get free from the war and arrive in time. The thing was shoddily done, which is why many people are not satisfied just to let him remain Emperor. There have been Sarku Emperors before, and the Imperium has survived, but this was too much for the staid and sober clan-leaders of Tsolyanu. When Eselne and Mirusiya did manage to get back, they found readymade factions waiting to follow them. Not much is known about some of the internal politicking that went on during this period -- it's probably pretty shameful! Ah, dirty beezness as usual... [Moderator's Note: But those Sarku emperors had never named themselves ] [ Eternal Splendour, either, Phil. I think Dhich'une ] [ was/is planning a LONGGGGGG rule for himself. ] [ ] [ Couldn't the temple have delayed, citing a calling for ] [ more undeclared siblings? Wouldn't the OAL have ] [ supported that? Or have we seen all of old Hirkane's ] [ offspring (I remember Surundano, who gave up the gold) ] [ It just seems that there must have been some interesting] [ pressure placed on the temple of Hnalla to call it like ] [ they did, ie some VERY dirty beezness. ] Phil -- Chris Davis Moderator, The Blue Room blueroom@prin.edu The Blue Room's FTP site: nexus.prin.edu Open 24 hours a day, except when my PC is down or unavailable. //206 [Moderator's Note: Nick Brooke responds to my question about Dhich'une's ] [ Kolumejalim. ] DHICH'UNE'S KOLUMEJALIM I always found it pleasantly ironic that the Temples of Stability "conspired with" Dhich'une to bring about his Kolumejalim: the best source for this being the Hnalla article (at the Blue Room ftp site, ). The irony is, of course, that Stability worshippers fundamentally *want* to follow their rituals by the book to select and enthrone a new Emperor, regardless of who that Emperor may be. So Prince Dhich'une plays the game against them -- I had assumed he did this by "arranging" Hirkane's death inconveniently close to a (predict- able) astrological conjunction auspicious for the Kolumejalim -- after which he has Stability and tradition on his side in calling for an expedited contest. Sure, it's awkward that Hirkane just happened to die at the worst possible moment from Eselne and Mirusiya's point of view -- but you can't blame Dhich'une for that! SHARPE'S ARCHERS A thought for an atypical Tsolyani campaign (or series). We all know that warfare on Tekumel is characterised by vast armies wearing brightly-coloured armour and manoeuvering with parade-ground precision at their generals' behest; that campaigns are decided by the great battles directed by brilliant commanders; that the ordinary rankers are largely irrelevant to this, being unwashed scum beneath their officers' notice. In short, a wargamer's paradise. It struck me that this is very similar to the common view of the Napoleonic Wars. Enter Richard Sharpe. I imagine some of you must have read Bernard Cornwell's "Sharpe" novels, about the atypical rise from the ranks of a British officer in the Peninsular War. >From an inferior social background and a second-rate part of the army (the Rifles), elevated to officer rank by saving his general's life in a heroic act on the battlefield, the stories (and especially their smaller-cast television adaptations) are examples of how a handful of player characters at the bottom of the heap can play a significant part in the course of events. So, what's wrong with "Dha'alan's Crossbows" ["Dha'alan" = sharp, in Tsolyani]? Assisted by his huge Chakan tirrikamu, Tenturen ["Harper"]; raised from the ranks for saving General Kettukal's life at the battle of Ru; now serving in the gruelling campaigns in the Atkolel Heights, under officers who may be soft high-clan snobs, self-serving politicians, underhanded traitors, or all three; considered an expendable embarassment by his superiors, passed over for promotion whenever possible, but nevertheless winning it for his unexpected success in desperate missions against the odds... Just a thought; maybe material for a PC group, or prominent NPCs? FOOD FOR THE WORM This next is a speech by a regimental chaplain to a group of Sarku- worshipping soldiers from the Battalions of the Seal of the Worm, condemned to death by a military court for their unwitting complicity in one of Prince Dhich'une's Concordat-breaking uses of Undead troops. I drafted it for use in a proposed game; I'm posting it 'cos I quite liked the philosophy and wanted to see if I have the Sarku attitudes down right. The Skull-Priest's Address: "Oh Noble Slaves! "Think not that your personal misfortune at this unsought-for turn of events is unnoticed, or that your lives have been snuffed out untimely, availing nothing! "Our master, the most noble and mighty Prince Dhich'une, sought in this place to create a new and magnificent victory for the Forces of the Worm. Admittedly, he has toyed with your lives and happiness. The loss of these appears severe to you, and you may feel justified in remon- strating against your unlovely fate upon the man-skewers waiting yonder. "But consider: the Prince has done no more than the player of Den-Den, when he moves his black tokens upon the game-board, seeking by subtle strategy to overthrow his opponent. The game being lost, the pieces are put away. "But how much more piercing is the loss felt by the noble player, who has lost his wager and forfeited, it may be, something of true and lasting value, than the loss to the tokens. Each of them, the merest chips of wood or stone or bone, has wagered nothing, lost nothing, felt nothing. They return to the gamer's box, to await the next contest, and do so with placid resignation. "The tokens feel no harm; the player of games does not resent them for their role in his discomfiture, but rather learns from this setback and resolves to comport himself better in the next contest. By your sacrifice here, you have taught our noble master something that may be of great value in future. "You have not failed him, and he has not failed you. He has failed himself, and your fleeting and ephemeral suffering here will count for nothing when the final game is played and won upon the Board of Empire! "We are pawns in the hands of the mighty, never more. Consider yourselves fortunate to have been touched by the hand of grace, to have attained an infinitely more poignant significance in your fate than the other chips of bone and stone and wood which never attract the attention of the mighty. "Comport yourselves with dignity, therefore, and go graciously into the Maw of the Worm, for in death we strengthen our Divine Lord Sarku even as we strengthen the Prince, His champion in this world. The worms will glut themselves upon your empty flesh, but the imperishable and penetrating intellect of our Mighty Lord can only improve from this setback." INFORMATION WANTED Can anyone tell me anything unusual about the Hills of Kraa and the Sarku-worshipping tribes who live there, or about the City of Purdimal -- especially the Ksarul-dominated politics, the governor, prominent local figures, and anything I should know before venturing into Purdimal's City of the Dead? Many thanks, ==== Nick ----- Chris Davis Moderator, The Blue Room blueroom@prin.edu The Blue Room's FTP site: nexus.prin.edu Open 24 hours a day, except when my PC is down or unavailable. //207 [Moderator's Note: Paul's translation question went un-answered in the last ] [ message. So here is that answer. ] > What is the Tsolyani or Vrayani for Old Women Watcher? Thu'inin Senyaratorakh would be the literal translation: old (adj.) + watch-person-feminine-nonhonorific. Senyara is "to watch over something. The stress (accent) is on the first "i" in Thu'inin, and on the first "a" in Senyaratorakh. In colloquial Vrayani, however, most people say Thunsenya, and add the -kh suffix for feminine or ignoble when trying to mind their grammar: Thunsenyakh. The stress is on the "e." Phil ----- Chris Davis Moderator, The Blue Room blueroom@prin.edu The Blue Room's FTP site: nexus.prin.edu Open 24 hours a day, except when my PC is down or unavailable. //208 [Moderator's Note: Phil continues to elaborate on my question about ] [ Dhich'une's Kolumejalim. ] >[ Couldn't the temple have delayed, citing a calling for ] >[ more undeclared siblings? Wouldn't the OAL have ] >[ supported that? Or have we seen all of old Hirkane's ] >[ offspring (I remember Surundano, who gave up the gold) ] >[ It just seems that there must have been some interesting] >[ pressure placed on the temple of Hnalla to call it like ] >[ they did, ie some VERY dirty beezness. ] The Princes have always had more power than appears on the surface. It must have taken some exceedingly delicate planning to get rid of Mridobu, but Dhich'une has had help from various places (Planes, too!), that must have got past the defences. As for the Temple of Hnalla, they were under pressure to solve the succession quickly, in view of the war in Yan Kor and the fear of Mu'ugalavyani and Salarvyani invasions. A period without an Emperor is always a shaky one, and perhaps the priesthoods decided that instability might be fine on paper, but in politics it is dangerous for the social order. Surundano was an ackonlwedged wimp; Arimala was a fine sculptress but not in the least interested in becoming Empress. The other hidden heirs (e.g. Taksuru) were caught off guard and unprepared. Now they've had time to plan. It will be different this time. Phil [Moderator's Note: Phil, Wes asks a followup question. We know how Mridobu ] [ was dealt with after Dhich'une was on the throne, but how] [ come Mridobu wasn't in Avanthar when Dhich'une called his] [ "Kolumejalim" (if we can call it that)? How did ] [ Dhich'une manage to get Mridobu out of the way before the] [ Kolumejalim? ] This is Wes' question. Why did Mridobu not respond to the call from the priests of Hnalla? ----- Chris Davis Moderator, The Blue Room blueroom@prin.edu The Blue Room's FTP site: nexus.prin.edu Open 24 hours a day, except when my PC is down or unavailable. //209 [Moderator's Note: The Professor responds to Nick's post on Dhich'une's ] [ Kolumejalim and his speech. ] [ Another quick note: Hope everyone had a pleasant holiday season, no ] [ matter which holiday you observe. Looking forward to an active new ] [ year. I am hoping to break apart my Sourcebook (sniff!!) so that it ] [ can be scanned sometime in the next week. - I hope you realize the ] [ sacrifice that act is! - :) I will probably concentrate on the last ] [ third of the Sourcebook first, what would have been Volume 3 in the ] [ TOME/DW reprints. Then I will add the other sections to make one ] [ large volume (like the Zocchi edition). I have some troop lists ] [ to add to the ftp site, sent in by Nick that will appear on the ftp ] [ site very soon. Thanks to everyone who has helped make the Blue Room] [ a success. We now have 88 members, and a great ftp site. ] Dear Chris and Nick, >DHICH'UNE'S KOLUMEJALIM >I always found it pleasantly ironic that the Temples of Stability >"conspired with" Dhich'une to bring about his Kolumejalim: the best >source for this being the Hnalla article (at the Blue Room ftp site, >). The irony is, of course, that Stability worshippers >fundamentally *want* to follow their rituals by the book to select and >enthrone a new Emperor, regardless of who that Emperor may be. So >Prince Dhich'une plays the game against them -- I had assumed he did >this by "arranging" Hirkane's death inconveniently close to a (predict- >able) astrological conjunction auspicious for the Kolumejalim -- after >which he has Stability and tradition on his side in calling for an >expedited contest. Sure, it's awkward that Hirkane just happened to die >at the worst possible moment from Eselne and Mirusiya's point of view -- >but you can't blame Dhich'une for that! You are correct in saying that the worshippers of the Stability deities want a solid, stable, and predictable Empire, and that a long-lived (if "lived" is the correct term?) Sarku Emperor is just the one to give it to them. I doubt whether Dhich'une had to "conspire" with the temple of Hnalla in any really conspiratorial sense; all he had to do was to do away with the present Emperor and the likely local candidate, Prince Mridobu; then he could honestly point out that the other viable candidates were far away, fighting dangerous battles from which they might not return for years or not at all. A glance toward Mu'ugalavya and its adventures in Livyanu, and toward Salarvya and its pressure on the eastern flank would be all that would be needed to send the Stability temples scurrying for a solution. Your idea for "Sharpe's Archers" is interesting -- and quite possible within the Tsolyani cultural framework. >FOOD FOR THE WORM >This next is a speech by a regimental chaplain to a group of Sarku- >worshipping soldiers from the Battalions of the Seal of the Worm, >condemned to death by a military court for their unwitting complicity >in one of Prince Dhich'une's Concordat-breaking uses of Undead troops. >I drafted it for use in a proposed game; I'm posting it 'cos I quite >liked the philosophy and wanted to see if I have the Sarku attitudes >down right. > >The Skull-Priest's Address: > >"Oh Noble Slaves! > >"Think not that your personal misfortune at this unsought-for turn of >events is unnoticed, or that your lives have been snuffed out untimely, >availing nothing! > >"Our master, the most noble and mighty Prince Dhich'une, sought in this >place to create a new and magnificent victory for the Forces of the >Worm. Admittedly, he has toyed with your lives and happiness. The loss >of these appears severe to you, and you may feel justified in remon- >strating against your unlovely fate upon the man-skewers waiting yonder. > >"But consider: the Prince has done no more than the player of Den-Den, >when he moves his black tokens upon the game-board, seeking by subtle >strategy to overthrow his opponent. The game being lost, the pieces >are put away. > >"But how much more piercing is the loss felt by the noble player, who >has lost his wager and forfeited, it may be, something of true and >lasting value, than the loss to the tokens. Each of them, the merest >chips of wood or stone or bone, has wagered nothing, lost nothing, >felt nothing. They return to the gamer's box, to await the next contest, >and do so with placid resignation. > >"The tokens feel no harm; the player of games does not resent them for >their role in his discomfiture, but rather learns from this setback and >resolves to comport himself better in the next contest. By your sacrifice >here, you have taught our noble master something that may be of great >value in future. > >"You have not failed him, and he has not failed you. He has failed >himself, and your fleeting and ephemeral suffering here will count for >nothing when the final game is played and won upon the Board of Empire! > >"We are pawns in the hands of the mighty, never more. Consider yourselves >fortunate to have been touched by the hand of grace, to have attained an >infinitely more poignant significance in your fate than the other chips >of bone and stone and wood which never attract the attention of the mighty. > >"Comport yourselves with dignity, therefore, and go graciously into the >Maw of the Worm, for in death we strengthen our Divine Lord Sarku even as >we strengthen the Prince, His champion in this world. The worms will glut >themselves upon your empty flesh, but the imperishable and penetrating >intellect of our Mighty Lord can only improve from this setback." Nice piece! Your command of the idiom is very good, indeed. I suspect that the Prince might arrange for his minions to be freed, rather than punished for the crime of using Undead. A bribe here and there, a judicious threat, a comment to the effect that fiefs and lands might be gained or lost, and the soldiers so condemned might well be suddenly found to have had nothing to do with the "crime." >INFORMATION WANTED > >Can anyone tell me anything unusual about the Hills of Kraa and the >Sarku-worshipping tribes who live there, or about the City of Purdimal -- >especially the Ksarul-dominated politics, the governor, prominent local >figures, and anything I should know before venturing into Purdimal's >City of the Dead? >Many thanks, Chris can provide a Filemaker Pro database list of Purdimal's citizens who have somehow entered our game over the years. If I find time, I'll add some remarks about the old city and the area to its north. "Man of Gold" has a couple of scenes set in Purdimal, and you might want to look those over,.too. [Moderator's Note: Nick, I will work on Purdimal and Vra for Paul and ] [ the others. Should have them by the end of the week. ] All the best! Phil ----- Chris Davis Moderator, The Blue Room blueroom@prin.edu The Blue Room's FTP site: nexus.prin.edu Open 24 hours a day, except when my PC is down or unavailable. //210 [Moderator's Note: Phil answers Wes' question about Mridobu. ] >Why did Mridobu not respond to the call from the priests of Hnalla? He wasn't around to object. It is theorised -- but not known for certain -- that Mridobu escaped from Avanthar the same night his father was unceremoniously translated to the Isles of Teretane. Dhich'une discreetly hunted high and low for him but never found him -- until he reappeared much later with a Ksarul contingent which tried to pull off a coup in Avanthar while Dhich'une was away (yes, Emperors do occasionally slip out of the Golden Tower, and he had some very important business in the City of Sarku). No one knows exactly how Mridobu got away (but read through the solitaire adventures -- hint!), and no one knows where he is now. It is thought that when Dhich'une's undead friends came up out of the basement at Avanthar and did away with Mridobu's coup personnel, that either Mridobu died in the fighting, or else he may have been captured -- or killed. No one knows. [Moderator's Note: So he hasn't surfaced yet, giving what was left of his ] [ support to Taksuru yet? ] Phil ----- Chris Davis Moderator, The Blue Room blueroom@prin.edu The Blue Room's FTP site: nexus.prin.edu Open 24 hours a day, except when my PC is down or unavailable.