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 25 [1 June 1998 - 27 June 1998] 721: Engsvan hla Ganga Response 722: Maps and Figures 723: The Mad God of Hlikku 724: Provinces of Tekumel 725: Tekumelani Poetry 726: More on Stability/Change 727: Climate of Tekumel 728: Steam Engines/Cannon 729: More on New Religions 730: More on Natural History 731: More on Engsvan hla Ganga 732: Mad God of Hlikku Reply 733: Web Based Tekumel 734: More on New Religions 735: Mystery of New Non-humans Solved 736: Fenul 737: Poetry of Tsolyanu 738: More Climate of Tekumel 739: More Non-Humans Mystery 740: Campaign Material 741: Campaign Notes 742: New Web Site 743: Tekumel in Other Languages 744: The "Reality" of Tekumel 745: Trinesh hiKetkolel 746: Comets and Meteors 747: The Tomb Police 748: Mirusiya and Tsolyanu Update 749: Climate and Road Travel 750: Beginning Ref Seeks Help ******************************* //721 [Moderator's Note: Gordon Neff responds to the question about Engsvan hla ] [ Ganga. ] >Much has been ruined, too: the guides usually >point down into the water at a round-domed squat tower and tell the >tourists that this is the Imperial library. One of the wizards then wrote >that he had personally visited that building and had found nothing there >but waterlogged paper and ruined bookbindings, But he also said that he saw >"boxes of metal" and chests -- perhaps waterproof? Sounds more to me like he was 'ragging the greenhorn,' telling tall tales to the credulous tourist. The giveaway is the supposed presence of bookbindings and paper, however 'ruined,' after thousands of years in the ocean (!!). Perhaps he also found a banquet hall, with food still on the plates? Do tell. G. ----- Chris Davis Moderator, The Blue Room blueroom@prin.edu The Blue Room's FTP site: http://nexus.prin.edu or ftp://nexus.prin.edu Available 24 hours a day, except when my PC is down, or unavailable. //722 [Moderator's Note: Peter Huston also asks for info on maps of Tekumel, and ] [ for some info on miniatures. I'll forward replies on ] [ the miniatures to him directly. ] I would love to see a larger map of the explored areas of Tekumel. Does one exist anywhere? [Moderator's Note: There are 3 map sets that I know of. The set published ] [ with the TSR rules, the set published with the Zocchi ] [ Sourcebook, and the set published with Gardasiyal. Each] [ one has its strong points. ] Can anyone recommend a 25mm figure on the current market suitable for a Livyani heavy infantryman? (Is this an acceptable question? I hope so. ) ----- //723 [Moderator's Note: Charles Blakely asks about the Mad God of Hlikku. ] I would like to know more about the Mad God of Hlikku. What exactly are the ceremonies of the worshippers and what IS the god? Why is it limited to the city of Hlikku itself? Does the God communicate directly with all of the inhabitants of the city? In an adventure run by Curtis Scott we tried to infiltrate the city dressed as the natives, but were instantly recognized, so we suspected a kind of telepathy emanating from "brain" of the god or focus or temple located in the confines of the city. I would like to know more about the culture of the inhabitants themselves. Sincerely, Charles F. Blakely ----- //724 [Moderator's Note: Peter Bismire supplied a Province/Capital list with a few] [ missing capital cities. Professor Barker has supplied ] [ the missing details. Thanks Peter, and thanks Phil. ] Most of the provinces that have no capitals (cities or large towns) are run from headquarters in smaller towns that do not appear on the maps. Remember that the Empire has a network (a maze, according to many) of secondary roads that frequently have villages and sizeable towns at their crossroads. Most of these little places are unimportant; some are actually "ruled" from next-door in a larger and more prosperous city. You want all of these little places? I'll add them to your list below. Also fix a couple of spelling errors (e.g. "Khirgari" for "Khirgar"). Province Capital Marelmu Mrelu Turunkai Tumissaa Urudai Urmish Meku Meku Ketviru Katalal Nidlar ? Dhennai, a village of about 5,000 right in the middle of the "province," which is really administered from Urudai next door. Khosa Hauma Urusai Usenanu Sritl Si'is Tu'un Tu'unmra Daikan Khirgar Tsechelnu Penom Elenur Komore Parikana Purdimal Ssu Sarku Sarku Kurtur Kurtusha, a tribal village in the Kurt Hils, mostly run from Hauma. The Kurtani have limited autonomy. Alidlar Tsuru Ngalar Ngalar has no capital; it is administered from Jakalla. There used to be a capital back before Engsvan hla Ganga sank, but now the place is mostly swamp. Villages look to Jakalla for guidance. Veshmuna Aukesha Avanthar Avanthar Berananga Bey Su Purdasu Thraya Jakash Pala Jakalla Trantis Thriil Viridlan Fasiltum Heku'u No capital. Administered from Ferinara. Local village headmen hold yearly councils to decide any issues. Ferinara Ferinara Songga Sokatis Sine Lnoris Vra Vra Ganudla Tleku Layoda Petris Chaigari Fenul Kaija Jakalla Teshkuru Jaikalor Kerunan Hekellu Ru'anu Ru Milumarsha Sunraya Nemudlu Chene Ho Do Chaka Paya Gupa Pan Chaka Butrus ----- //725 [Moderator's Note: Dwight Grosso asks about Tsolyani poetry. ] >It has long bothered me that I'm not sure what Tsolyani poetry and prose is >like. I know from the reference works that it is rather complicated and grand >in its composition, but what kind of poetry from Earth would it be like? I >imagine them to be more like Hindu works for some reason You are pretty close. THe Vedas or the Ramayana are quite similar, although the Tsolyani metres and rhyme schemes tend to be more complicated. I can't go into this in more depth because I know too little about Western poetry myself. I did a "reader of classical Urdu poetry" once which ran to three thick volumes and had a lengthy dissertation on Arabic-Persian-Urdu metre and rhyme in it. Now there is a real toughie! The Tsolyani have love odes (Engsvanyali has the best: e.g. Yetil of Ganga), religious poetry (rather like Akhnaton's "Hymn to the Aten"), and lots of narrative epic poetry (like Homer, the Hindu epics, the Kalevala, etc.). >While we are on this >subject, what do the other nations consider to be great literature and poetry? >I have a hard time imagining the Mu'ugalavyani enjoying Tsolyani poetry. The Mu'ugalavyani like Yetil's delicately phrased romantic poetry, but they have their own more martial epics and hymns to the Lord Hrsh. There are also a few popular singer-poets (bards), who specialise in military exploits and descriptions of heroism. >I can >easily see a Nluss babrbarian enjoying a bawdy Irish ballad. He might. He would certainly be puzzled at some of the content, however. >I'd like to know >more about the structure of the poetry, because it's a nice way to introduce >some adventures, and what higher honor is there than to have an epic composed >in your honor after all? Thanks for the help. I can't help you with detailed rules for scansion and rhyme. Wish I knew more about this subject! There are various competing systems: Engsvanyali rhyme schemes are seen as the simplest and most beautiful. The Mu'ugalavyani have a system of word-stress and rhythmic "beats" that make their poetry sound like marching feet, even when it is intended to convey the tenderest sentiments. The Salarvyani have poetry that plays upon the complexities of their language. The Tsolyani use word-stress (plus closed syllables) as the basis for their metrics, and their rhyme scheme is usually intelligible to a modern American-European. The Ahoggya use bodily sounds as part of their poetry: vocal plus slapping of hands, snorting, loud reports from various orifices, whistling and wheezing from other orifices, etc. etc. No one has ever successfully described (much less imitated) an Ahoggya sonnet! [Moderator's Note: It's imagery like this that makes me love Tekumel so much.] [ I can just see this in my minds eye, and it is so comical ] [ that I break into hysterics... :) ] Regards, Phil ----- //726 [Moderator's Note: Scott Maxwell responds to Paul Snow's question about ] [ Stability and Change. Would still love to hear from you ] [ Bob, and the Professor if there is anything else to say. ] >[ Paul Snow asks about Stability and Change and how the ] >[ dichotomy is carried over into everyday life. ] > >I have a question for the Prof. and for anyone else who has an >opinion. Perhaps, Bob Alberti could comment as it is on religion or >possibly religious philosophy. >Does the Stability/Change dichotomy really represent a fundamental concept >of Tsolyani philosophy (or indeed popular psychology) as the division of >the Tsolyani pantheon implies? Although it's there as a division of the >Gods, are there other manifestations in Tsolyani life? I can't think of >any clear ones but why would the Tsolyani (and only the Tsolyani ?) >construct this symmetry in their religious world view if it didn't arise >from or relate to a more general view of this split in the nature of the >world or how they perceive it? There is a fundamental difference between Tsolyani religion and real world religion (or maybe not...), namely that the pantheons were dictated to the priest Pavar. Before him, there were only the gods of Change, and I do not believe that they were clumped together in a common faction. The appearance of Hnalla and others caused the division. So I doubt that the division arrose from a cultural condition. However, that does not mean to say that it has not developped since Pavar "discovered" the gods of Stability. >Do Tsolyani look for a Stability/Change balance or imbalance in their >lives? Rather than feeling in two minds when they can't decide on >something might they think that their restless Change side was busiest >today such that it was dominating their Stable side? >From reading the timelines, it appears to me that Engsvan hla Ganga was originally a Stability worshipping nation and that the gods of Change were pushed asside forcefully, until it was determined that that was not going to occur and the Concordant (in one form or another was formed). I can see a superstition arising from this where the followers of Change could blame all of their misfortune on the forces of Stability and visa versa. I kind of see the division as a "devil made me do it" type of a philosophy rather than any practical, or quanitative division. >Or, for example, if your clan's Chlen herd was frightenly restless one day >would you think, > >a) Hmm. They didn't enjoy the slops bucket today. > >b) Oh. The weather must be changing. > >c) The Change demons are pricking their hides today. We're in for some >trouble. I'd say this was the case if the herdsman was a follower of Stability, but probably not from a follower of Change (unless he used the Dark Trinity of Hru'u, Sarku, and Ksarul as boogymen). Regards, Scott Maxwell ----- //727 [Moderator's Note: George Hammond asks about the climate of Tekumel. ] Hi all, As a first step in thinking about the "natural history" of Tekumel, I've been considering the climate. The Swords & Glory Sourcebook gives some useful information on temperatures, but it would be helpful to know a little more about seasons. I don't need to know specific dates or rainfall amounts (though of course that would be welcome). I'm just asking when do the rains come, and for how long? For instance, the Sourcebook mentions a monsoon in Southern Tsolyanu and coastal Salarvya. What time of year does it occur? The first of the Adventures on Tekumel books has a calendar with some seasonal information (rains start, harvest month, etc.) but it's not clear what region the calendar applies to, especially since some crops (e.g. Dna-grain) are harvested 2 or 3 times a year. Any information from your Tekumel correspondents would be much appreciated. (Professor Barker, I understand your reluctance to get involved with technical details beyond your expertise. I have the same reaction to many of the linguistic issues . I'm happy to work from observations and impressions, and try to elaborate/explain from there.) In exchange, I offer these brief thoughts on the heat of the moment: One of the factors that got me thinking about climate is the heat, especially in the south. Temperatures in Jakalla and Tsamra regularly range into the 100's/40's (F/C), with extremes higher than any measured on Earth. This kind of heat can easily be lethal to humans, even to those who are fully acclimated from birth. Humans can keep a normal body temperature at up to 130/54.4 if the air is dry and they have adequate water (see below), but if the humidity is high, sweating is much less effective (body temp can rise to deadly levels in 94/34.4 degree air if humidity is 100%). Of course all of this assumes no heavy physical labor. Doing real work lowers the lethal temperatures even more. This suggests to me that many Tekumelyani, not just the Livyani, become practically nocturnal during the hot months, or at least take *very* long siestas. It would be simply impossible to work the Jaffa-rice paddies outside Jakalla on summer days, and the military campaigning season in the southern regions would probably be centered on winter months. Sea travel in the hot months could be hazardous, and ships would all have sun shades rigged over as much of their decks as possible. If military actions were taken in the summer, units of heat-tolerant Shen could be of tremendous value on land or sea. Of course to live at all in such heat, one needs lots of water. Just sitting in the shade at 104/40, an adult human loses c. .25 kg of water per hour. Marching in the sun at the same temp increases that to 1 kg per hour. Dehydration is lethal at about 12% of body weight, so at that rate 70 kg person could die of thirst in one long day. As a rule of thumb, even assuming most activity is in the cool of the night and early morning, troops in the desert or slaves on a desert sakbe road might easily need 2-3 kg water per day. Vigorous activity in day would quickly double or triple that. Anybody travelling in the summer would have to carry lots of water, and without enormous quantities of bearers, an army might not be able to move much faster than its Chlen-carts of precious water. Worse yet, loss of said carts could be a death sentence for otherwise intact legions. Ignoble action to be sure, but such lofty sentiments mean nothing to the Milumanayani nomads (or the hated Ssu, or the Pygmy Folk, or...) Some other interesting implications to think about: --Ownership of the water concession (or the Imperial revenues from water tax) on a sakbe road through drylands could be truly lucrative... --Salt is probably a commodity of considerable strategic value, especially given how inhospitable and humid most of the Tsolyani coast is. If the Tsolyani extract salt from the ocean, then the works are liable to be a hell-hole among hell-holes. Salt mines (if they exist) would be very valuable. --Depending on how the rains and seasons intertwine, large-scale migrations of animals could occur. Herds of wild Chlen or Tsi'il making their inexorable way to water would be an awesome, and awesomely destructive, phenomenon. How regrettable if one's clan had started a new plantation in their path... --To be blown south by an ocean storm is to face grave peril, even if you don't get all the way to the 60C degree band at the equator. --Only widely-traveled Tsolyani who have had the misfortune to be in the north or among high mountains in winter will have ever seen frost, much less ice or snow. --"Warm-blooded" animals spend the vast majority of their energy maintaining their body temperature. "Cold-blooded" creatures don't have that metabolic cost, so you get much more new crocodile per kg of croc food than you get new wolf per kg of wolf food. In the warm climes of Tekumel, densities of insects and other "cold-blooded" creatures will be high (compared to what most of us temperate-zone types are used to). They might displace "warm-blooded" types that occupy similar niches further north. These "cold-blooded" types might be especially vulnerable to cold-based magic. --Particularly in the south, cities are likely to have a tremendous amount of shade built-in. Porticos, awnings, arbors, extended eaves, colonnades, and pavilions are likely to be major parts of the architecture. I would bet many cities are similar to Sokatis, where you can walk the length of the city without stepping into the sun. Are parasols used in the 5 Empires? --Of course, humans alive in the distant future might not have the same temperature sensitivities that we do. Perhaps their ancestors all had heat tolerant proteins and super-efficent sweating systems engineered into their genes. But where's the sport in that? [Moderator's Note: Could tens of thousands of years be enough time for some] [ good old Darwinian evolution to have played a part? ] Regards, George Hammond ----- //728 [Moderator's Note: The Professor answers Gordon's questions on steam cannons] [ and engines. ] >[Moderator's Note: Gordon Neff writes about some interesting methods of naval] >[ protection and propulsion (actually they would probably ] >[ apply to land based situations as well). ] >Can a magically powered equivalent of a cannon be built to work more >economically than a mage at sea throwing about the same amount of force >the same distance ? Telekinesis spells are too short-range to make good artillery propellants. They also tend to be too weak. It is more economical to use magic if the structure has not been "proofed." If it has, the usual role for mages is against personnel. >Can you believe I haven't touched cannabis sativa in years ? ? >I've never dared do this in a game, but years ago I figured that if >you conjured up a powerful but none-too-swift Fire Elemental and confined >him within a chamber submerged in a cauldron, you would have yourself a >'thaumaturgical steam engine.' This sounds too "modern-scientific." I doubt whether any Tekumelani would think of it. The use of fire-demons is limited, rare, and risky, and submerging one in a cauldron (how did he get in -- and let you seal the caulgron in the first place?) is a sure way of suicide. >You'd certainly have the makings of a great steam cannon, too-- >after a few disastrous experiments. Too disastrous. There would also have to be a *theory* about the efficacy of a steam cannon in the first place. The Tekumelani don't have steam engines and would be quite amazed at all this. Remember, there is little interest in "hard science" on magic-rich and metal-poor Tekumel. >One of the cleverest things about Tekumel is this whole 'absence of >metals' thing. Not only does it utterly preclude any sort of yawn-Tolkien >or rosy-colored European knockoffs, it also produces interesting >consequences in its own right. >Chlen hide may be harder than bronze, but 'hardness' is its only >resemblance to metal-- it won't hold fire, and it won't conduct >electricity. Even if a Reformation did lead to a scientific, 'let's find >out' view of the world, Tekumel would never produce a Benjamin Franklin-- >though it might produce a Newton. All true, as I see it. Regards, Phil ----- //729 [Moderator's Note: The Professor responds to Gordon's message about New ] [ Religions. ] >Regarding someone with a new religion who decides that he must >'witness to the multitudes': > ><"insane" and should be cared for by his clan and original temple. Ridicule >works about as often as capital punishment. Only if he really started to >gain power would he be "offed.">> > >No, he wouldn't. Instant martyr. Some folk do not think far enough ahead to be able to perceive the consequences of an "instant martyr." Try explaining this to some plump bureaucrat in the Palace of the Realm in Jakalla -- or to the Sanjedrin and Pontius Pilate... In the 20th Century on this planet we have achieved a certain tolerance for other faiths and "new religions" (as if anything really can be new!). In earlier times you would get a swift trip to the Inquisition or to a witch's gallows. The Tekumelani worship many deities, some with very different (almost opposing at times) theologies, goals, and precepts; there is room for differences of all kinds, *unless* the perpetrator rocks the social boat and upsets the folks in power. There are plenty of "crazies" but very few *successful* crazies. >I'm in South Carolina, and I knew some people who at the time were >planning a little visit to Jerry Falwell's Capitol Building/church >headquarters. It might be thought that they'd seen a few too many episodes >of 'Mission Impossible,' but they had the minivan, the grey coveralls, and >this little bottle of LSD... > >The plan was simple-- get in posing as electricians while nothing >is going on, paint the podium liberally with this colorless, odorless >fluid, and leave. That's all. > >Under the hot klieg lights, sweaty palms rub the edges of the >podium... and about ten minutes into his 'sermon,' he starts making less >and less sense-- gets more and more vehement in the exposition of >non-sequiturs and utter gibberish... > >It could be a good five, ten minutes before someone thinks to shut >it off. In an hour or so he'd be himself again, no ill effects... but it >would all be over. He would be finished. >For the record, they decided against the attempt. Good thing, too. People can get killed or injured in the resulting chaos from a successful "crazy attack." >But if they'd had a SPELL to do the same thing, from a distance, now... Not as easy as it looks. Get in close enough for a spell to function, hit the leader or speaker with it, make it effective -- and get out. Ritual spells require movements, vocables, and gestures that make the caster very visible to others, and there is also a sort of aura around major spellcasting that makes other nearby mages aware that a spell is being cast. >Arthur Clarke once wrote, "How long would Adolph Hitler have lasted >if every hour of the day and night a little voice was whispering in his >ear? Or a constant tone, loud enough to banish sleep?" > >Oh, no, -killing- him would be the last thing they'd do. Given Tekumelani society, Hitler would have had his own spellcasters and would swiftly have dissipated the spell -- and erected a few of his own. He could have set up a repeating message for Winston Churchill saying, "Cigars are dangerous to your health..." >[Moderator's Note: I doubt they would have had to. Making the person Nakome] >[ would probably be all that is necessary (and threaten the] >[ same to potential worshippers). ] Neither the government for the temples can make a person Nakome without concurrence of that erson's clan. He *has* to be expelled first. There are plenty of Nakomeyal anyway: lowest of the low people who perhaps never had a clan, or whose parents lost theirs (it's usually hereditary). Criminals, debtors, and ne'er-do-wells may also be Nakome, Making your religious leader Nakome might work, but it would be far easier to ignore him, at least until he showed signs of becoming too powerful -- then a quick mindbar ot a trip to an ecclesiastical dungeon would fix him! It's not an absolutely sure thing, of course, An occasional religious change does become important -- as Pavar's pantheon itself testifies. THe status quo is a ponderous weight, however. Regards, Phil ----- //730 [Moderator's Note: The Professor replies to Gordon's comments on the Natural] [ History of Tekumel. ] [Moderator's Note: Gordon Neff responds to George's biology questions. ] >>"I'm hoping to write some contributions of my own (I'm a biologist, and >>enjoy thinking about alien ecologies), but I don't want to overlap or >>infringe on others' efforts." >Doc, you just established better bona fides than anyone from whom >you're likely to hear. Seems to me, you ought to be the one -establishing- >the 'official info.' I've always said that somebody better qualified than I should answer questions about technical details. I have no knowledge of pistils and stamens, much less of growing seasons, soils, etc. Here on Terra, I watch my wife growing things in her back yard; her activities are as mysterious to me as a Hru'u ceremony held in a dark room at midnight! >I would only point out that considering how multi-legged all the >various sentient species are, virtually every mammalian form encountered >ought to have at least six. (Only we would have brought four-legged >species, dogs &c.) There are a few four-legged critters from other worlds, just as we have four-, six- and eight-legged thingies. >I don't recall as I sit here if any such thing has been developed, >but you must have a gasbag creature with dangling tentacles. It's an SF >staple since the 1930s. Usually it produces hydrogen through an enzymatic >process and anchors itself to trees in high winds. >[Moderator's Note: Don't Kayi already count as that? ] You just described the Kayi quite well. It is mostly nocturnal and inhabits tombs and caves, however. Never grows much bigger than 4-5 feet in diametre, but its tentacles are dangerous. See the Bestiary. Regards, Phil ----- //731 [Moderator's Note: A gaggle of responses on the Engsvan hla Ganga under-water] [ remains subject, covering a couple of topics. Including a] [ word from the Professor. ] Joe Saul writes... >Sounds more to me like he was 'ragging the greenhorn,' telling tall >tales to the credulous tourist. The giveaway is the supposed presence of >bookbindings and paper, however 'ruined,' after thousands of years in the >ocean (!!). Perhaps he also found a banquet hall, with food still on the >plates? Do tell. Preservation spells could make a bit of a difference -- and we don't know what they might have had in common use in the glory days of Engsvan hla Ganga. Joe ----- Leonard Erickson writes... >>Much has been ruined, too: the guides usually >>point down into the water at a round-domed squat tower and tell the >>tourists that this is the Imperial library. One of the wizards then wrote >>that he had personally visited that building and had found nothing there >>but waterlogged paper and ruined bookbindings, But he also said that he saw >>"boxes of metal" and chests -- perhaps waterproof? > > Sounds more to me like he was 'ragging the greenhorn,' telling tall > tales to the credulous tourist. The giveaway is the supposed presence of > bookbindings and paper, however 'ruined,' after thousands of years in the > ocean (!!). Perhaps he also found a banquet hall, with food still on the > plates? Do tell. Especially in a "bay" or "harbor" were you tend to get the more active near shore critters. :-) -- Leonard Erickson (aka Shadow) ----- Professor Barker writes... >>Much has been ruined, too: the guides usually >>point down into the water at a round-domed squat tower and tell the >>tourists that this is the Imperial library. One of the wizards then wrote >>that he had personally visited that building and had found nothing there >>but waterlogged paper and ruined bookbindings, But he also said that he saw >>"boxes of metal" and chests -- perhaps waterproof? >Sounds more to me like he was 'ragging the greenhorn,' telling tall >tales to the credulous tourist. The giveaway is the supposed presence of >bookbindings and paper, however 'ruined,' after thousands of years in the >ocean (!!). Perhaps he also found a banquet hall, with food still on the >plates? Do tell. Now you're spoiling the guide's pitch! He pays good bribes to the local administrators to provide occasional "proofs" of his tourist legends. A soggy bookbinding with the Priestkings' sigil upon it is worth a lot to these fellows. There are dozens of little boys industriously manufacturing stone, clay, and metal statues and religious icons "dug up from the ocean floor where once Great Pavar walked." Some local entrepreneur once put together a bundle of plastic tubes and bottles and called it a "magic breather" for use in exploring underwater Ganga. Three people died before they gave up on trying to make it work -- some player characters are just as gullible as a many Tsolyani tourists... Regards, Phil ----- //732 [Moderator's Note: The Professor answers Charles' questions about the Mad ] [ God of Hlikku. ] [Moderator's Note: Charles Blakely asks about the Mad God of Hlikku. ] >I would like to know more about the Mad God of Hlikku. What exactly are the >ceremonies of the worshippers and what IS the god? Why is it limited to the >city of Hlikku itself? Does the God communicate directly with all of the >inhabitants of the city? In an adventure run by Curtis Scott we tried to >infiltrate the city dressed as the natives, but were instantly recognized, so >we suspected a kind of telepathy emanating from "brain" of the god or focus or >temple located in the confines of the city. I would like to know more about >the culture of the inhabitants themselves. The city is sealed to outsiders, rather like Dlash in Livyanu but with an added feature of raw violence directed towards interlopers. No one knows who the Mad God is, but there are theories that he is a manifestation of one of the three Pariah Deities, possibly She Who Cannot Be Named herself since the other two are not as hostile and virulent. The God is *said* to communicate with those worshippers who are most dedicated (= fanatic), although this has not been proved. The Yan Koryani use regular contingents sent out from the city in their military forces because they are such berserkers. They don't accept guidance and orders very well, however, and a commander has to be skillful to get them to do what is wanted. I don't know much more than this. I'm rather glad that none of my parties have ever chosen to venture into Hlikku. I don't recall ever having had a party visit the "outsider" markets and "foreigners' suburb outside its walls either. Leather, bone implements, various kinds of semi-precious stones, etc. are traded out of the city by intermediary merchants who live there most of the year -- but who leave and go elsewhere for 30 days or more when the people of Hlikku hold their great annual celebration for their strange deity. Then it gets ugly. Regards, Phil ----- //733 [Moderator's Note: David Aitken asks for Web-based Tekumel players. Get in ] [ touch with him via the address and URL below. ] Gentlemen & Ladies, I have been running a Web-based Tekumel campaign for almost a year now, and am looking to expand my user base. Time commitment is variable, but to be the most interesting, expect to spend perhaps ten minutes every day or two. I am loosely following the Swords & Glory rules, but since I have entered most of these to the web-site, it is not necessary for you to have a copy of this (admittedly hard to find) volume to play effectively. I do not focus on "rules" anyways, using them mostly for character generation and the occasional detailed melee session; the emphasis is on role-playing and on story-telling. In the future I may further simplify the rules and character generation systems, to make it easier and faster to get a new player up to speed. The system is predominently based on the interaction of player(s) and the referee through an append-only "Journal" mechanism. After generating a character through a series of web-forms, the referee will set the stage for your character by creating an initial journal entry. We then take turns (separated by minutes or days), appending to this living "novel". After every turn an eMail notification is generated to inform the other party. I work hard to incorporate as much Tekumelani detail and flavor as I can, and encourage my players to do the same. Within the journal reply system it is easy to include a non-narrative comment or question; this allows for cooperation between player and referee in clearly and effectively describing situations, and still allows for these sections to be easily hidden from the journal for future reading. Amongst the small group of players I currently have, we have composed in excess of 150 pages of high quality novels; not unlike the wonderful efforts of Professor Barker in his "Man of Gold" and "Flamesong". Since everything is kept in a database, these can be reviewed at any time over the web - or printed out for your reading pleasure. I have posted some samples on the web with the permission of my players; they make a great read. If you are interested in joining an active and mature campaign set on the wonderfull world of Tekumel, please come on over and take a look, then send me an eMail to get a login and password for full access. URL = http://vimuhla.stratpar.com:9000/tekumel login = guest password = nakome Sincerely, David Aitken aka "Renlorn hiMentolsch" dja@stratpar.com ----- //734 [Moderator's Note: Steve Pisani writes on the topic of new religions. He ] [ titles it, Fragile Religions but Persitant Ideas. ] This post concerns the dialogue about new religions unacceptable to the status quo on Tekumel. It seems that the ages of man on Tekumel include millennia of relative consistency in their oligarchs and beliefs. It also appears that these ages can collapse into chaos via religious misadventure. Apparently, some theological threats don't show themselves at once. The magic of Llyan's time reached beyond the planes - and to that which we call Vimuhla. ["The number you have reached...demands sacrifice."] The Dragon Warriors incinerated all before them by following Vimuhla - and then immolated themselves. [Anyone seen the directions for the cluster bombs ?] Nayari and company founded a huge, centralized police-state which could counter anything. This apparently did not include Pavar, channeling the new Vedic Vehicle Code for the pocket-dimension like Shirley Mclaine. Don't worry, the corrupt, thought-stagnant and disunited empires of this age have everything under control. All is well. If the Romans could keep those silly Christians underground, publicly humiliated or serving as lion chow, then the Five Empires can keep a lid on anything. Steve Pisani ----- //735 [Moderator's Note: Peter Huston asked about some Non-humans that he read ] [ about on Shawn Bond's History of Tekumel timeline. I had] [ not read the whole article completely, but had an idea of] [ what had happened. Shawn took a few creative liberties ] [ in the list and that was the center of Peter's question. ] [ Here is some of the communication between the Professor, ] [ Shawn and myself. ] >> Peter's questions > My ramblings Professor Barker I don't recall writing the book you mention...? Was this written by someone other than myself? Where and when was it published? >>My source is "The Known History of Tekumel" >> a very interesting document >> >>the noisome tripedal Popo of Beta Aquilae >>the shaggy Umpleb from Delta Aquilae >>the insidious Bahk Muhk from Denebola I now know that I never did write the book in question. It's fine, just as long as it comes from the "Contributor's Corner" and is not attributed to me -- the writer should get the credit. >Hi Shawn. In your timeline document you have a section that refers to 3 races >Phil doesn't remember. Here is the bit of the relevant passage. >the noisome tripedal Popo of Beta Aquilae, the shaggy Umpleb from Delta >Aquilae, and the insiduous Bahk Muhk from Denebola. >Where did you get these races from? I will begin my search, but I looked >through section 1 of the sourcebook and had no luck. >Chris Ack!! Hi Chris I was both amused and somewhat concerned at the previous posts concerning these beings. Though I would very much like to think that they are "official," they are only fabrications on my part (for the most part). After the first edition of the timeline went out and it was decided that it wouldn't be recognized as "official," I just added these three to the second edition of the chronology (everything else is consistent with canonized documents). I worked on the assumption that there are probably other alien civilizations out there (I thought were was something mentioned to that fact in Sourcebook Vol. 1, but I could not find anything either). Thus were these three highly exotic species formed from the comsic dust. In my little slice of the Tekumel Multiverse, a few pieces of information originating from the Golden Age of Tekumel (pre-Cataclysm) have been recovered. Most of the hints have come from pictoral material and other artifacts bearing likenesses of the first two species (though no modern scholar would probably classify them as being intelligent), and the third is the closest thing that a Tsolyani scholar could translate from metal plates with Llyani inscriptions (as well as a few hints that this third species somehow became involved with the Goddess of the Pale Bone...) No picture was available for this alien race. I apologize if this has caused any consternation for the Professor or any other fellow readers. Course, if anyone would like a little more information on these alien races (since they still thrive, in a way, on my Tekumel), I'd be happy to give it. [Moderator's Note: Sure Shawn. Send them in! We'll put em up. Right next] [ to the timeline! ] Shawn ----- //736 [Moderator's Note: Michael Schwartz asks for information on the city of ] [ Fenul. ] I am midway through the development of my campaign storylines and had some questions to pose about the eastern Tsolyanu protectorates. I am familiar with Mr. Andrew Lorince's efforts to flesh out Fenul, but wonder if others had visited the northeast corner of the Empire and had travelers' stories they might wish to share. Anecdotes about the tribes of the Kilalammu and Chayengar Ranges (such as the mysterious Horo Kanghai), the Dry Bay of Ssu'um, visits to the Hlaka Ruins, etc. are all welcome. Any information on the local climate, natural resources, or native flora and fauna found in the Chaigari and Kerunan regions would be very much appreciated. Are Tlani Hidallu and Kakri Midallu Peaks wetter and more heavily forested on their southern slopes, as might be deduced from the "fertile crescent" formed by Gilraya Forest to the southwest and the Pechani forest to the southeast? Or is it all "windy wasteland" as mentioned in "Adventures on Tekumel"? I suspect the former, if only because the Tsolyani have more than once attempted to "liberate" northwestern Salarvya from the Salarvyani. The region surely must be fertile farming country, and the political agenda ("reunification" of former Engsvanyali territories) merely serves as a convenient rationale for its seizure. Productive lands generate more taxes for the Imperial coffers, after all. In the main, I wish to know some details about the city of Fenul: population, recent history, economy, clan presence, temple presence, legion presence, notable personages, fortifications, underworlds, geographic environs and layout. Detail comparable to that given for the town of Setnakh or the city of Ru would be ideal, so I can begin assembling information packets for my players. I am especially interested in Fenul's relationship and history with its nearby foreign and nonhuman neighbors: Salarvya, Pechano, Kilalammu, Milumanaya, the Hlaka enclaves, and of course Ssuyal. Similar details on the city of Hekellu would also be appreciated, if anyone has such. Fenul is in a rather unenviable position, located as it is on the border with Salarvya and Ssuyal, and being at the distant end of a Sakbe road which only leads through foreign-held territory. A march of 200 Tsan through rough terrain along a hostile southern border to the Sakbe road leading south from Sirsum appears to be the only escape route the townsfolk have in the event of invasion. I would appreciate any observations or theories the community might provide on how these circumstances might shape the populace of Fenul. I'd imagine the locals have developed a frontier mentality not too far afield from that of the fortified towns of Old Mexico, Texas and the American West, circa the mid-to-late 1800s. The provincial map insert found in the Different Worlds edition of the Tekumel Sourcebook indicates Fenul as the capital of Chaigari, Hekellu as the capital of Kerunan, and Ru as the capital of Ru'anu. The larger maps found in Gardasiyal and the Sourcebook contradict this somewhat, placing both Ru and Hekellu in Kerunan and Fenul in Chaigari. Am I mistaken about this, or do the Tsolyani consider the internal *administrative* boundaries and the overall protectorate boundaries to be two different things? Or is one map just patently incorrect? My choice to set my campaign in the distant northeast of Tsolyanu was largely based on the fact that I have several Tekumel novices in my campaign and the relative calm (relative to the rest of Tsolyanu, at least) that region experiences during the civil war will enable me to properly initiate them into Tekumelani culture while keeping them busy with the realities of invasion by Salarvya and worried about the omnipresent threat of Ssuyal. A small pond, to be certain, but the characters can be relatively big fish within it and have room to grow. NOTE: Several of my players are on the list so, if anyone has *seriously* juicy revelations to impart, please consider doing so *privately* via email... :) Michael Schwartz mschwartz@mindspring.com Ann Arbor, MI USA //737 [Moderator's Note: Bob Alberti provides a stunning example of poetry that's ] [ currently all the rage in Tsolyanu... :) ] [ To all of you out there. It looks like a busy summer here, so there ] [ will probably be long periods of silence. I'll continue to try and ] [ get even one message out every day or so, but no promises. Some nights] [ I get home from work and go to bed. So, continue to bear with me, but ] [ I will try to be better about getting stuff out. Chris ] I don't know if people are aware of it, but players in Professor Barker's Thursday Night Game are a particularly cultured lot. The recent discussion of Tekumelani Poetry, for example, comes on the heels of recent poetic advances developed just last Thursday. The party's resident poet, Arjai hiVaisoner, composed this, his latest sonnet in the style of Havlar Beruda of third-cycle Engsvanyali Recidivistists: I warned the sweet lass from Sokatis "Flee home, and close up your bodice! Lest your eager ambition For the Fifteenth Position Leave you with a sore epiglottis!" That's how it comes through in transation, of course. Mere English cannot convey the rich subtleties of the Tsolyani idioms... ----- //738 [Moderator's Note: Stan Rydzewski comments on the Climate of Tekumel. ] The climate of Tekumel post sparked a couple of questions in my mind: >...cities are likely to have a tremendous amount of shade built-in. >Porticos, awnings, arbors, extended eaves, colonnades, and pavilions >are likely to be major parts of the architecture. I would bet many >cities are similar to Sokatis, where you can walk the length of >the city without stepping into the sun. Are parasols used in the 5 >Empires? It would seem that shade would be even more desirable on the Sakbe roads, unless everyone travels at night. Do the roads have any such provisions, or do travellers have to provide portable shade? It would seem that (for part of the day) travelling beside the road, on its outer side, would be cooler, albeit less noble, than travelling on the road. Given the extreme nature of the heat, it would seem likely that some people of neglible status would be willing to do this--if not for comfort's sake, then to save money on water. Is such a thing: a) unthinkable for social reasons. b) impractical because of terrain. (I'm sure it is in certain locales.) c) prevented by the "Sakbe-wardens". d) feasible There may be something extremely obvious I'm overlooking here... Stan Rydzewski ----- //739 [Moderator's Note: Professor Barker responds on the Non-humans mystery. ] [ Peter Huston also responds. ] The Professor says... >I was both amused and somewhat concerned at the previous posts concerning >these beings. Though I would very much like to think that they are >"official," they are only fabrications on my part (for the most part). >After the first edition of the timeline went out and it was decided that it >wouldn't be recognized as "official," I just added these three to the second >edition of the chronology (everything else is consistent with canonized >documents). If you will put in a good piece of work on the physiognomy, societies, languages, beliefs, mores, etc. of your nonhumans, I'm tempted to agree that they may well exist within the Tekumel mythos on one of the planets that never made it into Tekumel's bubble plane. What you do with them then is up to you. Do they interact with the inhabitants of Humanspace, or do they somehow enter into Tekumel's space? What do they know about technology, and what are their goals and plans? Some of this may affect Tekumel directly, but a race way over on the opposite side of the galazy may never even know about the existence of humans. You are welcome, of course, to devise as many races as you wish, as long as they are not involved with Tekumel. Since I myself know little about the *present* inhabitants of Humanspace outside of Tekumel, you can even have your creatures interact with humans on worlds far from Tekumel. I have no problems with this. My only wish is that these creatures be rather thoroughly developed and described before they become "Tekumel-authentic" material. Nothing worse than the sketchy, pitiful little descriptions one used to read in science fiction books: "a giant reptile, fangs dripping, great ophidian eyes seeking its next prey," etc. You have to have some sophistication before you can build a society and develop space travel. I am thus bored by such films as the one in which some polar explorers did an ancient nonhuman out of the ice and reanimate it -- and it then roars, slavers, kills, mangles, and generally wreaks mindless havoc on all comers. (I am equally bored by mindless evil demons, Satan, ghosts, etc. -- to be a successful minion of Satan you'd certainly have to be smart, smooth, and sexy. Just roaring and munching is simply not enough!) >I worked on the assumption that there are probably other alien civilizations >out there (I thought were was something mentioned to that fact in Sourcebook >Vol. 1, but I could not find anything either). Thus were these three highly >exotic species formed from the comsic dust. You are correct. There *are* other species in or adjacent to Humanspace. At this time they are irrelevant to Tekumel because they cannot interact. Developing these species might be fun. Then, if they are interesting, they can be brought in and allowed to have established a small "base" on Tekumel, as the Shunned Ones have done. >In my little slice of the Tekumel Multiverse, a few pieces of information >originating from the Golden Age of Tekumel (pre-Cataclysm) have been >recovered. Most of the hints have come from pictoral material and other >artifacts bearing likenesses of the first two species (though no modern >scholar would probably classify them as being intelligent), and the third is >the closest thing that a Tsolyani scholar could translate from metal plates >with Llyani inscriptions (as well as a few hints that this third species >somehow became involved with the Goddess of the Pale Bone...) No picture >was available for this alien race. Unlikely that the Engsvanyali would have had pictures or descriptions of these beings -- the Age of Darkness was so long ago. But they may have found a medallion or even pages of a magically preserved book (or plate of gold, which does not decay). My question is then: what would the Tekumelani think of such a find? Probably attribute it to the iconography of one or another god or demon. "Nice picture of Morgoblastophor, who inhabits the XXVIIth Plane of Grumbling Gloom, eh?" >I apologize if this has caused any consternation for the Professor or any >other fellow readers. Course, if anyone would like a little more >information on these alien races (since they still thrive, in a way, on my >Tekumel), I'd be happy to give it. I second Chris. Please do continue your efforts. Send them to Chris. I'll certainly read them and see how they fit. In all cases, people are welcome to create additions and modifications of "my" Tekumel; I just cannot accept them and drop them right in without a lot of thought. Regards, Phil ----------- Peter Huston writes... Hey! I think it's cool. It's one thing to play with "modern" Tekumel itself. Too often this is done badly, or just as frustratingly perhaps, superseded by a later document. But the pre-cataclysmic times . . . . Well, I say go for it!! All those star systems and such, there's got to be some bizarre thingies that never made it to Tekumel. Why not share the details of these thingies if you have the time. Peter Huston ----- //740 [Moderator's Note: Peter Huston offers up some material for campaigns. ] Plants , Creatures and other Stuff from Ye Olde Tekumel Campaigne. Greetings! Like many of us on this list, I seem to have slipped into a phase of my life that does not actually include role playing games. Nevertheless, curiously, my interest in Tekumel continues -kept active by the quality of material, not so much the need for it. Most of the material I created for this game was when I was in my teens and early twenties, over ten years ago. I've decided to share bits and pieces of it with the list. I shall do so in drips and drabs as I expect it will make things more interesting and relaxed for all concerned. In a spirit of nostalgia, I have decided not to edit my own creations, but to repeat them as is and share them as created back then. Looking at them again, there are some that I personally would not use in my own campaign today but thought were quite good back when I wrote them down in my notebook. Some I can see that I copied from some other source. Its possibly that I might have slipped up and copied and then forgotten. It's been a while. Please point out any borrowings or plagiarisms, if I don't catch them and have forgotten. I would be honored if some were declared "official", but might I suggest that some might merely be, at best, "Tsolyani Folklore", perhaps. Things many Tsolyani believe to exist, but do not? And some, I suppose just won't exist at all, even in the wildest imaginations of the most ignorant and naïve Jakallan slum dweller. Alas, Alas. . . . In some cases, I'll share the EPT stats I created, but in most cases I don't think there's much need for this. Lets start with the plants as that's where some people's minds have been lately. PLANTS (I don't seem to have named the plants for some reason. There's one other plant, but I specified it was only found in the Mihalli ruins, so I'll include it some other day.) PALLIS WEEPER- Touching causes poison throw at –3 or death. If surprise there is a 1/6 chance of "bumping into" it. PLANT # 1. Large pot surrounded by large leafy fronds. Entering area causes a saving throw versus poison. If failed character wanders around hallucinating for six turns then approaches the plant and goes to sleep. After an hour the character will be wrapped up by the large leaves. He/She will then lose 12 hit points a day. After he/she reaches –6 hits revification is impossible. PLANT # 2. (There's a pencil drawing in the notebook. Basically, and it's tough to describe, the plant has many stems, At the end of each stem is a pointed kind of pod. One of the pods has "shot its load" and has its pointed portion attached to the end of the pod by a long thread. There appears to be a central nod which I later seem to refer to as the "brain" of the plant.) . . . . Shoots sticky pods out –Each plant has a number of pods. CHART % DIE ROLL # OF PODS DAMAGE RANGE HIT DICE OF PLANT 01-45 2-12 1-3 10 YDS 1 46-85 3-18 1-4 20 YDS 2 86-95 4-24 1-5 30 YDS 3 96-100 5-30 1-6 40 YDS 4 In addition to central "brain" and stalk hits, there are 4 hits per pod. After being hit by pods save 12 (on d20) to break loose from plant. Hmmmm….. As I look this one over it becomes obvious that despite the chart anyone who wishes to actually use it will have to do some work. : -) Oh well, I did use the EPT rules so people should be used to that. Actually, I think all in all, I've got about 20 "things" all together here on these few pages of the notebook. That is all the plants that I've created that can be found in the Five Empires. I'll share some more things when I get the time and feel in the mood. Feel free to change them and modify as you'd like and I hope you enjoy them. Peter Huston ----- //741 [Moderator's Note: James Maliszewski recounts a recent adventure. ] Having enjoyed the tales of others' adventures on Tekumel, I thought it only right that I should share one of my own. The following is a very brief summary of events from the first adventure of a new campaign for my own "Monday Night Group." I offer my apologies to Patrick Brady of London, England for shamelessly "borrowing" from an adventure idea that he sent to me while we were developing Khirgar for an article in "Seal of the Imperium." Dramatis Personae: Shemek hiVraisanu - an amateur archaeologist and devotee of Thumis Achan hiVraisanu - a professional duelist who views swordplay as an art Aruken hiArusa - an artist and priest of Avanthe Balesh hiSoruna - a priest of Qon The characters described above are all members of the Golden Dawn clan, a medium ranked clan of the city of Khirgar. The characters had returned to their clanhouse for the celebration of the wedding of their clan-cousin, Sanjesh, to a young clan girl of the powerful Golden Sunburst clan. This impending marriage was considered a major coup for Golden Dawn, as it gave the clan further respectability by aligning itself with the respected Golden Sunburst. Sanjesh was the "fair-haired boy" of the clan, being a high-ranking bureaucrat within Khirgar's Palace of War. His marriage would secure Golden Dawn an important place in the city's politics. Unfortunately, by the time that the characters arrived at their clanhouse, things had gone badly awry. Sanjesh was under suspicion because of the theft of silver ingots from Imperial payroll to the legions and the marriage was in danger of being called off. Sanjesh, they learned, was not necessarily under suspicion for the actual theft of the ingots, but, barring the capture of the actual thief, he would be held responsible, as the guardianship of the legions' payroll was his responsibility. Negligence in this matter carried the same penalty as complicity: death. Naturally, the characters decided to uncover the actual thief and clear their clan-cousin's good name (and save his marriage). They immediately assumed that Sanjesh or the clan had to have enemies who would want to frame him. This proved to be a good insight, but they took a long time to realize precisely why an enemy would wish to do so. They concentrated on rather high level theories: preventing the alliance between Golden Dawn and Golden Sunburst, an underling who wanted Sanjesh's job, a dismissed member of the bureaucracy, even agents provocateur from neighboring states. Consequently, they spent much time questioning bureaucrats and members of other clans in a vain attempt to make sense of the case. They were further baffled by two facts: 1) How the theft could have been carried out, since Imperial payrolls are guarded zealously under extreme conditions and 2) how the theft had been uncovered. The latter they learned occurred because an internal auditor of the Palace of War, a member of the Black Hood clan, had instituted a random check of the crates containing the silver ingots. He found that three ingots had been stolen from one crate and feared that others had been similarly removed. The characters were naturally suspicious of this Hru'u devotee. They wondered why he had chosen to institute a spot check at this particular time. After all, he must have had it in for their cousin. As it turned out, he was simply vigilant and heavily influenced by his personal astrologer, who assured him now was a good time to act as he did. Despite his religious affiliation, he had nothing to do with the plot. The characters had limited access to the Palace of War. They learned through their few contacts (actually, their cousin's) that the treasury of the Palace is heavily guarded day and night. Only verified personnel, soldiers and slaves, are allowed in or out and they only do so with permission. The treasury has only one narrow door and no windows. Someone stealing three silver ingots (or more -- at this time, it was unclear how many had been stolen. Later, they would learn that only three had indeed been stolen. Again, why only three?) would be detected very easily. Furthermore, there was a record of everyone who went in or out of the treasury. Sanjesh was, of course, among them, but then so were many others. They did discover that the treasury also contained ceremonial armor and weaponry to be used in the recent Litany of Noble Deeds ceremonies in Khirgar. They also learned that these items were commonly moved in and out of the treasury. In short order, they suspected that the ingots may have been concealed in one of the crates bearing these ceremonial items. The question remained how the ingots were removed from their crates without anyone knowing and, more importantly, who did so and why. An interrogation of some slaves and an examination of Palace records indicated that one crate of ingots was damaged while being moved. As is standard procedure, the crate was replaced and sealed again. The characters rightly assumed that whoever was present during this rare accident might well be their suspect. A further examination of records narrowed down the list of candidates to a Tirrkimau named Mridak. Mridak, it seemed, was commander of the guard unit the night of the accident. He also had a suit of armor lodged in the treasury for use in the Litany. All that remained was a motive. The characters' initial thoughts weren't far from the truth. Mridak had a grudge against Sanjesh because Mridak had hoped to marry Sanjesh's intended. Unfortunately, there was little genuine chance of this. Unlike Sanjesh, Mridak had little career success and not much to offer even a minor clan girl of Golden Sunburst. He stole the ingots not for material gain (he could hardly use them -- they had an Imperial payroll stamp on them), but as revenge against Sanjesh for destroying what he falsely believed was his only chance for happiness. The characters carefully collected their evidence and turned Mridak into the authorities. He had left Khirgar on a "hunting expedition" with his clan-brothers, but he was caught nonetheless. The ingots were recovered and Sanjesh's name cleared. The marriage went on as planned and everyone drank and celebrated appropriately. Naturally, a great deal more happened than I could record here. Nevertheless, the adventure was enjoyable and served as a nice introduction to Tekumel to a couple of my players who were unfamiliar with it. I'll post additional summaries if time and interest (both yours and mine) permit. James Maliszewski ----- //742 [Moderator's Note: James Maliszewski reports on his new web site. ] I have placed a very preliminary website, called "The Jade Arch" online. Its URL is www.interlog.com/~maliszew/jade.html. At the present time, there's very little on the site. This should change within a week or so, as I have a fair amount of material to place online. In case anyone should wonder, the website will consist of the following areas: Skein of Destiny - update notification page Deeds of Glory - rules and rules-related material for any Tekumel system, but with an emphasis on Gardasiyal Adventures on Tekumel - scenario and campaign ideas, as well as NPC and setting descriptions Cup of Subadim the Sorcerer - downloadable material of various sorts, such as character sheets and other play aids Tubeways - links to every known Tekumel web site I would be very grateful if anyone has material that they'd like to add to the site. As it stands now, most of the material that will be placed online will pertain to my own campaign in the northwest of the Imperium. I'd be more than happy to expand this to include other's material and credit their contribution. I don't intend (nor do I have the resources to do so) to compete with the Blue Room ftp site for material. The emphasis of "the Jade Arch" is roleplaying, nothing more. Consequently, everything included in it must further roleplaying on Tekumel and not be merely an elaboration on the setting for its own sake. There's already enough information on Tekumel as a setting. I want more material to encourage gaming in Tekumel. I am sure that there are errors on the site, small though it is. Please point them out to me, as I'd like to iron out all of its current flaws before putting the new material online. James Maliszewski ----- //743 [Moderator's Note: Ted Lyng asks about Tekumel in other Languages. ] Bruce Roberts has done a wonderful job compiling a comprehensive Tekumel Products list. I wonder, though, if there are Tekumel materials out there in languages other than English (and Tekumel languages)? Chirs has said that list subscribers live in many different countries. A search of "Tekumel" on Yahoo turns up German, Finnish, Japanese, and other non-English pages. Has Professor Barker ever licensed translations of any of his Tekumel works? Are any list members aware of non-English 'zine articles or other items? While we are on the subject of unknown Tekumel materials. I recall reading somewhere that before the publication of EPT, Professor Barker wrote stories for science fiction magazines. Is this true? Were any of these Tekumel-related? Thanks -- Ted Lyng ----- //744 [Moderator's Note: The question came in anonymously. It ponders the ] "reality" of Tekumel. ] We Tekumel afficionados often ask "Is this 'real Tekumel'?" I have a slightly different question: "Is Tekumel real?" Three things to ponder: 1) Certain Details. Professor Barker's ability to visualize Tekumel goes beyond human powers of imagination. His ability to look into Tekumel more resembles what he has called (in one of the netbooks) "skrying." Professor Barker's ability to trace Tekumelani families and verbally sketch flora and fauna exceeds in volume and consistency what a person could invent. Of course, he cannot always explain certain mechanics like how Hlaka can fly and why Shunned Ones breathe foul air, just as you and I could not explain how a humming bird flies backward or an electric eel shocks its prey. These lacunae make the descriptions of Tekumel more compellingly "realistic," not less. 2) Certain Coincidences. Reading through the Blue Room messages, one can find several cases of Professor Barker's saying, "How did you know about X hiY? I've never mentioned him/her in my writings." Or, more prosaically, how many times has he said in response to someone else's description of a completely unexplored aspect of Tekumel, "Exactly right." Strange, that other people are poking through to what seems to be exactly the same plane. 3) Certain Feelings. A few days ago I was outside just before dusk. On one side the overcast sky was glowing a bright pinkish orange. On the other side, very deep blue patches were showing through scattered puffy white clouds. Overhead, lightning was quietly crackling (no thunder for some reason) in big webs across the top of the sky, overlaid across a rainbow. Just as I was watching this weird beautiful sky, a man and a woman walked by speaking a language I didn't understand (Keralan/Malayalam, I think). The strangeness and beauty of this scene jolted me out of my usual everyday torpor, and I thought "this happens in the south near Jakalla." I haven't shaken this feeling. I've communicated with other people who've had similar feelings (though with far different details). Are we reaching through? I am reminded of the "Quarterdeck" chapter of Moby Dick where Ahab compares external reality to a "pasteboard mask" and says in his search for the white whale he pierces through to what is beyond. I have a few other thoughts that follow from the speculation that Tekumel might be real (including why I hope it's not), but the above is perhaps enough to start a discussion. ----- //745 [Moderator's Note: The Professor responds to a question from Joseph Major] [ about the fate of Trinesh hiKetkolel from Flamesong. ] >When last we saw Hereksa Trinesh hiKetkolel of the Legion of the >Storm of Fire (21st Imperial Medium Infantry), he was saying confidently >"I intend to be a general myself someday." Flamesong ends as the Yan Koryani war is entering its final phase. Dhich'une has not made his move and taken the throne; Mirusiya is still in Yan Kor (or was it Milumanaya?) on the eastern front; Eselne was in Kai in Pijjena. I don't have my date-list in hand right now -- can anybody help with the year/month? I know several of you kind folks have maintained a chronology. >Now much water has flowed under the bridge since the events >recounted in _Flamesong_. Has Trinesh come any closer to his intent? Or >did some dire disease lay him low, some Yan Koryani spear, sandworm sling, >or undead mace snap his Skein of Destiny? Trinesh hiKetkolel is now a Kasi (Captain), serving as a detached Liaison officer in Avanthar. He is popular with Mirusiya's courtiers and followers. He has married a young girl, a daughter of the old nobility, and has been granted a small fief and a pretty villa near Aukesha. They have a new baby son. Trinesh is politically well on his way to becoming a general -- but that's another story...! Regards, Phil ----- //746 [Moderator's Note: Michael Schwartz asks about comets and meteors in ] [ Tekumel's bubble of space. ] As I have said, I am *not* an astronomer -- nor a mathematician, nor a scientist, nor any other kind of specialist (outside of some anthropology and some linguistics -- and a lot of adventures when I was younger and more healthy!). >Poring over the vast body of astronomical lore on the Tuleng system, I >noted no references, pre- or post-terraform, to the existence of >interplanetary "debris" such as asteroids and comets. As these are >probable remnants of natural planetary formation, likelihood is high that >Tuleng once had such small-mass bodies within its gravity well. If such >bodies did, in fact, once exist in-system, were they destroyed by >Tekumel's terraformers (or utilized for raw materials), or is their >disappearance due to the cataclysm which dropped Tuleng and its planets >into their current pocket dimension? Comets (from outside Tekumel's system) are, of course, no longer possible -- the "bubble plane" that contains Tekumel cannot admit anything other than what it is already within it. Asteroids and smaller bodies still exist, but these are the ones that are too small to be seen without a telescope -- meteors are still occasionally seen. Most of the larger bodies in the inner system were cannibalised for resources with which to terraform the planet. Some were just removed as "traffic hazards" by the pre-Time of Darkness authorities, When Tekumel was sent over into its bubble plane, a few apparently fell into Tuleng, without doing much damage. There are actually a few ancient satellites still in orbit. One can see them going across the sky in the proper latitudes. The Tsolyani refer to them as "Lesser Demons." >It also seems suspect to me that the Tuleng system did not see the >formation of any Jovian planetary bodies, and even more suspect that >Tuleng's five planets would by necessity all orbit within three Tekumel >orbits of their sun. Were there other planets orbitting Tuleng (its >equivalent of Sol's outer or transasteroidal system) prior to the >cataclysm, planets which for some reason did not make the transition from >"normal space" to Tekumel's extra-dimensional space? This would explain >the absence of cometary material around Tuleng (its Oort cloud >disappeared with the outer planets), although some amount of asteroidal >debris should still be found in the Lagrange points of the remaining >planets. The terraformers eliminated whatever outer giant planets there had been: they were useful for various metals, gases, chemicals, etc. When Tekumel entered its own plane, all other debris in the outer system was left behind. I suspect you are quite correct in what you have theorised. An interesting tale comes to mind here: the Llyani once managed to translate a small portion of one of the books of the Latter times. This mentioned a "great wizard" who so offended the Demon Origob that the latter "hurled him high into the heavens" and placed him in a "little egg" in a sea of black darkness. The wizard is in stasis and thus never ages or wakes. This is supposed to have happened *before* the Time of Darkness, back when somebody might have found him and rescued him. Now he just orbits Tuleng, quite unreachable and unknowable. He has no way back, and there are no ships to come and get him. What an unpleasant surprise if he ever does wake up. >Essentially, my question is this: have the modern inhabitants of Tekumel >ever witnessed a meteor impact, meteorite showers, or a comet? I would >assume these are rarer than here on Earth by several orders of magnitude, >such that recurring or regular phenomena would be of considerable >interest to, or cause considerable dread in, the average Tekumelani. How >do Tekumel's various cultures view such phenomena, if they exist? As said above: meteor showers do happen -- but small ones! There are records of such "Lesser Demons" in all of the Five Empires. Aside from causing Chlen-beasts to drop their calves prematurely, giving zits to young maidens, and causing geysers in the Spouting Mountains of Livyanu to erupt at the wrong times, no other effects upon human affairs have been noted. I think it is only the Shen who have postulated that these "Lesser Demons" are actually small "planets" made of stone, metal, etc. Of course, few humans ever believe a Shen scientist! Regards, Phil ---- //747 [Moderator's Note: Brett Slocum asks about the creative idea behind the ] [ Tomb Police. ] >Does the idea of Tomb Police come from some historical culture? If so, >does a reference exist to this? Tomb Police were found in ancient Egypt, where they served with some efficiency until the weakening of central power in the New Kingdom. Tomb robberies became more and more common, although it is thought that they had been going on since time immemorial: Khufu's Great Pyramid is supposed to have been looted in ancient times, as were the tombs of most of the pharoahs. Tutankhamun's tomb was entered, but the tomb police found out, inspected it, and resealed it. The Egyptians also paid priests to serve as the staff of mortuary temples. These were separate from the actual tombs, often near the Nile and connected to the pyramid, etc. by a causeway. These mortuary temples served as a place for relatives and others to bring food offerings and other goodies, Some of these contingents of priests lasted for a couple hundred years or more. I suppose this is *my* starting point for the tomb police of Tekumel, although I prefer the dictum of the Engsvanyali priest of Belkhanu, Ravinan of Thraya: "Let the Excellent Dead be carefully guarded; who knows when the Circle of their lives will come round again?" After death, one passes to the Isles of Teretane, according to Lord Belkhanu's theologians; after an undefined period of "wandering," each dead person returns to this Plane to live yet another life. Some say this happens only once; others say the cycle is endless. But in any case, a reborn dead person would not be happy to see that his previous body had been disinterred, dishonoured, stripped of its possessions, and thrown to the dogs! Many Tsolyani are convinced that "ghosts" can still take revenge upon perpetrators of hostile deeds and their families and their descendants for milllennia to come. Regards, Phil ----- //748 [Moderator's Note: Rick Sauter asks about Mirusiya's throne name. I take the] [ opportunity to ask the Professor to give us a news update ] [ about Tsolyanu. ] >Rick Sauter asks about Mirusiya. It would probably be a good time to >summarize what is going on since the Kolumejalim. Can you provide the >info? Mirusiya is now esconced in the Golden Tower. (Bob Alberti: can you give an exact date? Keith? Hello?) Prince Eselne had died of his wounds suffered in Pijjena during the war and never completely healed. Prince Rereshqala resigned the Gold and has become the High Chancellor in Avanthar. He spends many boring hours trying to make sense of the Imperial bureaucracy when he'd rather be enjoying his lovely wife, Sogai, or puttering with his collection of antiquities. Prince Taksuru also resigned the Gold to take on the richly rewarding (as in gold and gems and goodies) task of being High Princeps of the Palace of the Priesthoods. His functions are largely ceremonial, but he has aspirations of becoming a scholar -- and possibly leaving Tsolyanu to travel and explore. Ma'in Kruthai lives in Tumissa, where she occasionally sees Princess Arimala, the sculptress. Ma'in also gave up the Gold -- no sense fighting a battle you are *sure* to lose -- but she has spurned Mirusiya's offers of pleasant (and harmless) Imperial posts. She is currently having a fling with a whole school of Hirilakte gladiators -- about 30 men, 8 women, and a gaggle of Shen. She is beginning to age a bit -- "used" may be a better term for it. The nation is slowly getting its act together again. The forces of Lord Sarku managed to spirit Dhich'une completely off the plane to one of the alternate ones surrounding Tekumel, but he hopes to return one day. His minions are working to undermine and replace the followers of other sects. For example, Lord Sanjesh hiKirisaya, of Usenanu, returned home to find the Sarku Priest Elon hiTlelsu had occupied his mansion and used magical methods to make people think *he* was Sanjesh, Sanjesh' wife, A'is, was replaced by Elon's female counterpart, Ke'ela, who may not be very human. Elon went through a faked "conversion" over to the temple of Sarku and is currently having a great hall for the worship of the Worm Lord built on Sanjesh' land. Sanjesh himself felt he could not trust anybody and fled to Hauma, where he now has a job in the Palace of the Realm there as a scribe, writing copies of contracts and bureaucratic letters. >We are wondering if the new Emperor has chosen his throne name yet? He has, but there was some theological point about it that bothered his advisors, and he now has opted for "The Flame Everlasting." Rereshqala likes "The Flame Ascending," and others have made still other suggestions. >Also, the Sakbe road that goes north from Jakalla to Usenanu crosses the >Mssuma River at the great bend. Is this crossing a ferry system or bridge >structure? When the Sakbe roads cross larger rivers, what is the common >method used? That is, can one usually assume a bridge or ferries? There is a ferry system. The river is too wide to bridge, and every year the inundation also moves the banks of the river one way or the other for various distances, A bridge that is effective one year may have one or both ends in the water away from the shore next year! The transport clans handle caravan shipments, carts, travellers, and other traffic with some efficiency. Just go down to the ferry quay on either side of the river, and you'll be besieged with boatmen trying to be hired to take you across. Don't pay more than 7-9 Hlash, however -- and don't pay the rascals on the other bank who claim to be "river-crossing tax collectors!. Caravans and carts do have to pay a tax, collected by officials who operate from small buildings on the quays -- but travellers without commercial cargo pay nothing. Regards, Phil ----- //749 [Moderator's Note: Bob Alberti responds to the question about climate and ] [ how it affects travel on the Sakbe roads. ] >It would seem that shade would be even more desirable on the Sakbe >roads, unless everyone travels at night. Do the roads have any >such provisions, or do travellers have to provide portable shade? Every few Tsan there are road-towers straddling the causeway, and everyone has to pass through them. These are military defenses built of heavy stone and are large, spacious, and considerably cooler than being out in the sunlight. Some of them have water or else are served by locals who carry water and provisions out to sell. At the top of the entrance ramps leading to the rural roads are marketplaces. The booths and stalls are lightweight and portable, built of wood and fabric for the most part. They have extensive awnings of brightly-colored fabric which cast an alluring shade. Once under the awning you should be prepared to buy something, however, or endure the berating of the stall-owner. And you can buy broad-brimmed hats to wear on the road. I've never seen anything akin to an umbrella, although of course if you are high clan you have teams of slaves who carry poles suspending a fabric awning over you as you walk. Hats and awnings, towers and wives, no matter how many are going to St. Ives you're still not going to travel in the hottest part of the day, especially during the summer. You mostly fetch up for siesta under a tower or make a camp with awnings somewhere off the road or under a tree. >It would seem that (for part of the day) travelling beside the road, >on its outer side, would be cooler, albeit less noble, than travelling >on the road. This would work about as well as trying to parallel a major freeway by driving on the side-streets through the neighborhoods it passes. There are often footpaths and such, but there are also croplands, rocks, streams, and the occasional underbrush preventing such easy passage. >a) unthinkable for social reasons. >b) impractical because of terrain. (I'm sure it is in certain locales.) >c) prevented by the "Sakbe-wardens". >d) feasible It differs from place to place. In the central empire the terrain around the Sakbe roads is highly populated and for short distances you could choose between taking the Sakbe road or taking a side road. In the more outlying parts of the empire the Sakbe road is often the only practical way to get from place to place. Of course you can travel on the river rather than walking if such is available. Or, if you're a Great and Powerful Magic User like the legendary Lord Osumetlu (Allelujah Chorus: "OH-su-met-lu!") of Usenanu ("Uuu-se-na-nu!") you can simply fly. At night. In the dark. ----- //750 [Moderator's Note: Kevin King asks for some tips on running a Tekumel based] [ adventure for the first time. I'll collect and post a ] [ single collection of responses. ] I'm a new list member though I have been lurking for a while. There's a gaming con coming up in the area I live (around Phoenix, AZ) and I may be gaming there depending on time and motivation. Rather than run yet another session of AD&D or White Wolf, I thought about trying my hand at EPT. Here's where you come in. I'm too new to the game to attempt to run a high politics scenario in Bey Su. The names, relationships and machinations are a bit bewildering at this point. Consequently, the scenario will have to be set in a backwater province away from the attention and influence of the empire. Despite this restriction, I feel it would be a miscarriage of the game to create a scenario that could appear in any other rpg. To avoid this and to represent the game as accurately as possible I would like suggestions as to a "typical" Tekumel session. I have read the three solo adventures and have made it through about 1/3 of your voluminous digests (made available by Chris). I have the Gardasiyal boxed set and the separate character generation system. I intend to pregenerate characters and use the simplified combat system. What I would like from the list are a few posts describing a typical EPT gaming session. What is the structure of a scenario in Tekumel? What is the pace? How much emphasis is placed on role play as opposed to game play? The scenario I will construct, but, as I have never played EPT with an experienced group, I lack a sense of the appropriate tone and mood for the game. Any comments welcome. Thanks. Kevin King ----- Chris Davis Moderator, The Blue Room blueroom@prin.edu The Blue Room's FTP site: http://nexus.prin.edu or ftp://nexus.prin.edu Available 24 hours a day, except when my PC is down, or unavailable.