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 [Moderator's Note: This volume was created in the style of the previous ] [ volumes by me. If you notice any errors, please let me ] [ know immediately. Chris ] BLUE ROOM ARCHIVE -- VOLUME 13 361: Lisa's Log #0 362: Lisa's Log #1 363: More Maps and Other Musings 364: More on Maps 365: Adventure Ideas Needed 366: Girigamish 367: Lisa's Log #2 368: See Salarvya... 369: Log Commentary 370: Misc Questions 371: Correction and Logs 372: The City of Ru 373: Lisa's Log #3 374: Yeleth and Ru'un 375: More Yeleth and Ru'un 376: More on the Seal 377: More Yeleth and Ru'un 378: Tekumel Con News 379: More Yeleth and Ru'un 380: Tumissa 381: Water Oriented Aspects 382: Nonhuman Legions 383: More Yeleth and Ru'un 384: Geo-Political Questions 385: More Yeleth and Ru'un 386: More on Water Oriented Aspects 387: Geo-Political Answers 388: More Yeleth and Ru'un 389: More Yeleth and Ru'un 390: Sro and Serudla //361 [Moderator's Note: Sorry it took me so long to get back going, but I have ] [ had a flurry of new members (now at 160) and just overall] [ general busy-ness. Work, still unpacking from the move, ] [ arranging for a mess of furniture to arrive from Texas, ] [ etc, etc. Many have supported the idea of adventure logs] [ being posted here. I have been posting them from the UK ] [ group of players, and now I have submissions from Joe ] [ Saul's campaign here in the US. BIG HINT TIME!!! It ] [ sure would be nice if CERTAIN of our list members that ] [ are part of a certain special campaign would submit such ] [ a log!!! End BIG HINT... In this message Lisa sets up ] [ their situation, and the next message is the first log. ] Campaign Log Zero ----------------- On request, I am sending my campaign summaries to the blueroom list. This first message is "set-up" information necessary for understanding the logs. About the Summaries ------------------- Each summary is titled and dated. They are logs of what happened, not diaries, and as such they are not written from any one point of view, though since I am the author of the logs, my character tends to take center stage more often than others. They are "joke logs," so read them with a large grain of salt. (perhaps it is best to drive to a salt mine first). I added editorial remarks in a few places for clarification for those not present (i.e. almost all the blueroom members). All editorial remarks not part of the original logs are in brackets []. For those who don't know this already, "^H" is the backspace symbol. A string of N ^H means that you're supposed to "erase" the previous N characters. I used them on average at least once a summary. The reason will become clear when you see them. On the Campaign --------------- Joe has set his campaign in the same year that Dhich'une took the Petal Throne. All the characters comes from very high status clans (you'll meet them soon), and the campaign will be heavy on the politics. One of the tricky elements is the very different loyalties that the characters have, and I'm looking forward to how this plays out in the campaign. Joe did disallow Sarku worshipping characters, and a good thing too. I think a Sarku worshipping character would have found him- or herself quite unrevivably dead rather early on in the campaign. (Then again, they might *like* that.) On Magic in the Campaign ------------------------ We have two sorcerers in the campaign, so we use quite a bit of magic (as do our foes too! :-( ). We're careful about how much metal the sorcerers are carrying, what spells they can learn from their temples, and what the spells cost in spell points, but we've been lax about durations and casting time and rather loose in the interpretation of what one can do with illusion-type spells. Meet the Cast ------------- Shekkara Tlakotani More beautiful than even Princess Ma'in (but don't say that publicly!), this clan niece of Prince Rereshqala is a 23 year old fourth-circle Priestess of Dlamelish (much to Hnalla- worshipping Rereshqala's chagrin). Born and raised in Jakalla, she is Jakallani through and through, which means that she's doubly arrogant and will happily eat food so spicy hot that it takes the skin off of other mortals' lips. Good clan girl? You must be joking. The woman who has it all, including perhaps too much fondness for Liviyani men, is learning how difficult it is to hang on to it. [maxed the comeliness roll] Tetkoru hiSsaynuch of the Golden Sunburst Handsome, yes; urbane, no. This 19 year old enthusiastic (though moderate) worshipper of Vimuhla and Kasi in the Legion of Storm of Fire comes from a part of Tsolyanu so rural that Chlen races are considered major entertainment. This hasn't hindered his career, though, as evinced by his quick rise to Kasi (his family bought him the rank of Tirrikamu; he earned the rest) and recent personal favor from Prince Mirusiya who awarded him the Gold of Glory. Jakalla's decandent and polished society shocked Tetkoru, but Tetkoru also shocked Jakalla with his unique blend of bravura, noble action, and ability to escalate the smallest matters worth perhaps 50 kaitars of Shamtla to 20,000 kaitars and a duel so publicly known that Jakalla's Hirlakte arena--normally closed during the heat of summer-- was opened just to showcase it! Akhan hiKetkolel of the Might of Ganga Urbane, yes; handsome, no. (on the very homely side of average) This immensely strong 23 year old worshipper of Karakan and Tirrikamu in the Legion of Ever Present Glory hails from Tumissa. His extraordinary strength made him popular among the ladies of Dlamelish and Hrihiyal at Shekkara's latest party. He has a high regard for his own opinions, but his bravery and loyality to his Prince and his friends is unmatched. Akhan has found himself "trapped" into helping Shekkara carry out what essentially amounts to a direct order coming from Prince Rereshqala, and now he is wondering how in the world he is going to get back to Paya Gupa and his legion and the Prince he serves (and a long overdue promotion, but that's beside the point). [maxed strength] Ngaya hiChaishyani of the Golden Bough From the very heart of Empire, Avanthar, comes this fourth- circle Priestess of Chegarra. Friendly and very honorable, Ngaya has an interest in politics which has recently become more than satisfied when she too became caught up with Shekkara's "family problems." Ngaya takes turns pouting with the others whenever Shekkara chooses someone else to warm her bed, and seems to be the only one who doesn't know that her steel sword is possessed by a demon. She would be quite pretty if only she wore her hair differently, or perhaps it's the cut of her clothes, or her makeup... What could be more pleasant than a trip to Jakalla in the heat of summer? A return trip to Penom by sea! [Ngaya experienced the AoT Penom adventure, and wishes very much that her player had chosen to take her elsewhere.] Dlarku hiSsanmirin of the Cloak of Azure Gems Who knows for sure what this 28 year old reclusive fourth- circle Priest of Ksarul really looks like underneath his silver mask? Does it matter? Who are you? And why do you want to know anything about him in the first place? Dlarku is learning how to share his body with an aspect of his god. Everyone else fears that he is beginning to enjoy it a bit too much... Mikusa hiNashomai of the Jade Diadem This 25 year old worshipper of Dlamelish and master merchant--yes, she enjoys spending her time turning kaitars into even more kaitars--has recently gotten caught up in Shekkara's dirty family politics. She is only just beginning to realize just how far off the "neutral path" she has strayed. Mikusa has a liking for odd-foreign-ish things that must certainly hurt her marriage prospects, but she's too busy making money with her caravans to have time for marriage anyway. [maxed dexterity] [Mikusa makes her first appearance in the 7th log] Their Most Secret Companion You expect me to enlighten you about her? What's the point of having a secret if you tell it to everyone? [NPC] The Summaries: -------------- I didn't start doing these session summaries until about the seventh gaming session into the campaign. Here's a one-paragraph description of what had gone before. Most of the characters met each other at least briefly at a party that Shekkara threw in Jakalla. Afterwards, they managed to get invited (or invite themselves) to go to Lord Tekunu's fief--Jakalla was becoming a bit too worm-infested for some tastes. Little did they know just what they were getting into... (Joe based the campaign's opening group adventure on the solo AoT archeology adventure.) They returned to Jakalla afterward, where immediately upon their arrival Tetkoru got himself involved in "The Duel" (mentioned in passing in his character description). Very very soon afterwards, they were "recruited" by Prince Rereshqala to do a task for him: escort this anonymous woman out of Jakalla; she knows where she is going. They were just setting out at the beginning of the first summary... (next message, Log 1: "Tell My Horse") Lisa Leutheuser P.S. yes, I know there aren't any horses in Tsolyanu. The reference will be explained at the end of Log 1. ----- 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. [Moderator's Note: Woops, last message was Lisa's Logs #0, not #1. Oh well,] [ chalk it up to rustiness! :) ] //362 Joke log #1 Tell My Horse* ------------- April 25, 1996, Session Summary: [*"horse" is explained at the end of the summary] When last we met our foolhardy^H^H^H^H^H^H^H^H^Hbrave, noble Tsolyani, they had left the winemakers' clanhouse just as it burst into flames. Under partial disguise, courtesy of a spell from The Most Beautiful Lady Shekkara, they made their way through the city toward the Temple district. There, they encountered the first of two blockades. The Refulgent Lord Dlarku bluffs them past the first blockade-- that of the "enemy"--and at the second they find soldiers of an unknown legion keeping guard. Lady Shekkara recognized them as those of Prince Rereshqala and showed to them the letter from her clan uncle, The Protector of Jakalla and Most Noble Imperial Prince Rereshqala. [I make up various "titles" as the whim takes me. Don't take them seriously. Rereshqala was taking the city; the "enemies" were those loyal to Emperor Dhich'une and anyone else who got in their way.] Lord Dlarku then confidently led the party into the Temple of Ksarul and down into its lower and less used public chapels where The Most Victorious Lord Tetkoru gifted a 9th circle Priest of the Doomed Prince for their gracious hospitality, while The Honorable Lady Ngaya displayed uncharacteristic clumsiness with her kaitars. [Gifted? Can we say "bribed to leave us alone?" I thought so. Ngaya threw a kaitar at the priests after they had departed down the corridor. Fortunately, they didn't notice.] Their Most Secret Companion directed them to a specific chapel. There, they searched for and failed to locate, due to references too obscure for those not of the Doomed Prince's faith, a door that would lead them out and beyond the Temple, beyond the city, beyond the reach of all but their enemies... Ah, but I get ahead of myself. [the wall was covered in carved script in the secret language of the priests of Ksarul, which Dlarku could read. "references too obscure..." We like to think of it as a brief attack of blind stupidity as Dlarku's player's brain went on hold.] Lord Dlarku requested some time alone with his God, and returned to the group most transcendent* and requested the use of a sword. Lord Tetkoru offered him the use of his magnificent metal blade, which Lord Dlarku showed his appreciation of through expert handling. Lady Shekkara and Lord Akhan observed most astutely Lord Dlarku's new state of mind, while Lord Dlarku revealed to the party that the secret of the door to Beyond can be had--for a price of a simple sacrifice. [*Dlarku did "something" in that shrine and got himself "possessed" by a particularly violent aspect of Ksarul that Joe invented on the spot. Dlarku barely knows which end of a sword to hold. This aspect, however, handles swords just fine...] Lady Shekkara's pleasure slave Arjun fainted. Lady Ngaya, in the sharing spirit of Lord Chegarra, offered most generously the use of her slave as a sacrifice to Lord Ksarul, but, having recently become disassociated from consciousness, the slave sadly could not be used. (1) The Mighty Lord Akhan then stepped in and offered his slave as a substitute. The slave, in an act that reflects most nobly upon Akhan and his god Lord Karakan, went humbly to his fate. As Lord Dlarku prepared the sacrifice, two first circle priests arrived just in time to participate in the ritual. Having seem them and judged them to be more worthy than a mere slave for this great honor, the horse (2) , Lord Dlarku, sacrificed and feasted upon them instead. [ 1 this Aspect enjoys a conscious and screaming sacrifice, but we did not know this and, in an attempt to make this go faster, Ngaya had Akhan slug her slave into unconsciousness (it only takes one slug well placed from Akhan) BTW, Dlarku had no slaves with him, which is why the debate over who would donate a slave to "the cause" happened. Of course, all this fuss with the slaves was nothing compared to the fuss that the first circle priests put up when they realized just what their function was to be. 2 again, I explain "horse" at the end of this summary] Whereupon, after the feast, Lord Dlarku found himself alone in his corporal body, but not without the gift of knowledge from his god: The Door to Beyond may be opened by pressing upon the single occurance of the word "door." [Doh!] Lord Dlarku, in a moment of unparalleled brilliance, recognized that where they were going it would be better for them to travel in the accompanied with his god than without, and so wisely dispensed with performing the ritual of cleansing. [Dlarku, a 4th circle priest, did not know the cleansing ritual! In fact, he should have never become possessed at all. La! We cannot begin to count the number of temple rules broken this night.] The most brave and noble party quickly departed for places low. Yea! One might even say that they venture into the depths of the Underworld! La! So brave is our party! So noble must be their goal to venture to such a despised place where ignoble acts are perpetrated against noble persons without recourse! May their foes quake with laughter^H^H^H^H^H^H^H^Hfear at the sound of their footsteps! Lo! Wrote this, Lisa Leutheuser, horse* of The Most Beautiful Shekkara Tlakotani, on this 30th day of April, 1996 Anno Domini. Next session: "off the wall, off the record" [*This is a Voodoo term for possession, and a joke on the Professor's own convention of calling the characters "vehicles" for the players. In Voodoo, the person who is possessed by a loa ("god") is called the "horse," that is, they are the "vehicle" through which the loa will speak and act. So here I have reversed the Professor's description and have the players being vehicles for the characters, who come down and "possess" the players one night a week. And, obviously, Lord Dlarku has become the "horse" for the aspect of Ksarul that (still!) shares his body.] Lisa Leutheuser ----- 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. [Moderator's Note: Fred Kiesche reflects on maps and other differences ] [ between roleplaying on Tekumel and elsewhere. ] //363 Greetings: The recent discussion about maps reminds me of trying with EPT to make Tekumel seem like something other than another D&D variant. We had one situation where the players had escaped from the Underworld. They were on the surface, hidden amongst some monuments to glories past, trying to figure out how to get back to Jakalla. It was night. They planned, and they planned, without me saying much. They had astronomy skills, they figured they'd navigate by the stars in the general direction of Jakalla and at least get somewhat back. "There are no stars", I stated. "But! But! But! There are stars--you said it was a clear night!" they replied. I reminded them of the history that I had gone over before we played, trans-dimensional tunnels, planets getting sucked in--only one star in the neighborhood. Well, they determined that they should be able to navigate by the moons, and I agreed. But it was a good lesson in where they were--not on a alter-Earth, but a truley alien place. I used to suggest that they read stuff by Jack Vance--like the Tschai novels--to get a feel for humans in a alien place. It seemed to work. [Moderator's Note: A wonderful set of stories. For those not in the ] [know the series Tschai, Planet of Adventure consists of 4 books, City ] [of the Chasch, Servants of the Wankh, The Dirdir and The Pnume. Very ] [good stuff, but hard to find. For a bit more mundane setting, but a ] [very good story, Vance's Demon Princes novels are also WONDERFUL, IMHO] [They are pure Science Fiction, despite the series name. A five book ] [series, titled, Star King, The Killing Machine, The Palace of Love, ] [The Face, and The Book of Dreams. A five novel tail of pure revenge. ] [Great stuff for those that like that sort of story. :) Sorry to have] [blathered on about things non-Tekumel. Don't send book recommenda- ] [tions, as I will never get the Sourcebook finished if you do! :) ] [Moderator's Note: Brett Slocum sends the following. Please get in ] [ touch with him at the address given. ] I'm offering copies of Gardasiyal (Adventures on Tekumel) at $28.50 plus postage (should be about $3 in USA). Also, any of the individual books are at 35% off too. Anyone desiring this game (unopened condition), contact me via email. I'll confirm the postage cost. Brett Slocum slocum@io.com http://www.io.com/~slocum My Tekumel Home Page: http://www.io.com/~slocum/tekumel.html ----- 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. [Moderator's Note: David Bailey comments on the Maps issue. ] //364 >[Moderator's Note: Someone mentioned to the Professor that he might write ] >[ a bit about the lack of common maps on Tekumel. ] >I'd like to clear up a commonly misunderstood feature of Tsolyani >culture. >There are a couple of exceptions: merchants and other travellers may >use a diagrammatic sort of "map": a series of boxes for cities >connected by lines representing roads, with notations in writing to >show difficult terrain, etc. These are rather similar to Arab maps of >the Middle Ages. The "roads" are not in proportion, nor are the city >boxes "sized" to show big versus small cities. A note in the margin or >scribbled all around the box may explain some of this. I saw some of these Arab trade maps when I was last in Oman. Although they are not cartography as we would recognise it, they were perfectly adequate for the type of travel they undertook. The real problem for a Tsolyani using such a thing would come if they stepped off the route. Being more by way of a route plan than a 'map' they do not encourage exploration of the land to each side. Curiously this is probably an advantage in a strict society like Tsolyanu. David Bailey. ----- 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. [Moderator's Note: Stuart Bonham asks for adventure ideas. I'll accumulate ] [ any responses, and post summary messages when I get a few.] //365 Hi, As a GM new to Tekumel, I wondered if people on the mailing list could come up with some suitable ideas for adventures, or even fully worked out scenarios. Both the players and I are new to this setting, so introductory material is what I'm after. Also the players are mostly familiar with the AD&D style of play, so Underworld type adventures would probably appleal to them most, though I want them to be able to savour the unique colour and depth of Tekumel as well. Thanks in anticipation, -- Stuart N. Bonham Smoke me a kipper, I'll be back for breakfast... [Moderator's Note: A line from one of my favorite shows, Red Dwarf. If you] [ love English Comedies, check it out! In the US, you can] [ usually find it on a PBS station somewhere. ] [Further Note: Jan Spoor provides this opinion on Ghatoni fashion! :) ] >(and don't ask me what a Ghatoni wears underneath his kilt!) Sandals, surely? ----- 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. [Moderator's Note: Brett Slocum asks about the Wizard Girigamish. ] //366 >I was checking out information on Girigamish. maker of the Skullcap >of Girigamish, and I found an inconsistency. I'm assuming that the >description in Gardasiyal is correct, but the description makes me >wonder. >EPT states that Girigamish lived during the Bednalljan dynasty. >Gardasiyal states he lived during the last centuries of the Latter >Times. EPT states that he made several of these devices for the >Brotherhood of the priests of Ksarul, which jives with the Bednalljan >time period. Gardasiyal merely states that one is in the possession >of the priests of Ksarul. There really isn't a lot known about Girigamish. At this great time-depth, it isn't even very likely that such a person can be placed for certain. The end of the Latter Times was not just one event that happened at one, fixed, historical time; it seems to have ended sooner here and lingered longer there. The Tsolyani think the Latter times ended some time later than do the Liyani, who claim that there were still active scholars, cities, etc. surviving into a somewhat later era, particularly down in the Southern Continent to the southwest of Livyanu (what they now term the "Naqsai Lands"). EPT is correct as far as legend goes: the Bednalljan period is a sort of catch-all for legends, myths, heroes, and all sorts of unprovable stuff. If you don't have accurate dates or archaeological evidence, you just toss it into the Bednalljan Dynasty and hope you're right. New research reveals that some of these legends are older than popular belief had previously placed them. Current thinking places several of these legendary wizards, heroes, and Wunderkind back in the shadowy centuries near the end of the Latter Times. Certainly the origins of many of the technological (or techno/sorcerous) devices now listed as having been invented during such and such a dynasty are dubious at best. The Hra, the Ru'un, and others of these advanced creations are vey likely to come from farther back in history than the modern priesthoods are willing to admit. As for the number of devices Girigamish made, this is again part of the legend. EPT recounts the common story told in the Temple of Ksarul. In Gardasiyal, I was more conservative and listed only the one certain device attested by the Priesthood. Girigamish almost certainly made more than one -- and perhaps other devices as well -- but only this one can actually be proved to exist by historical records. You'll find a treatise on it in the Phantasmic Library of the Indigo Tower in the city of Hmakuyal. Don't expect to check it out for a quick read, however; it's in one of the treasuries of the Temple of Ksarul there and hasn't been allowed out for millennia. Regards, Phil ----- 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. [Moderator's Note: Log #2 of Joe Saul's campaign as recounted by Lisa ] [ Leutheuser. ] //367 Joke Log #2 Off the Wall, Off the Record ---------------------------- May 2 1996 Session Summary: After session "quote of the week" is by Ngaya: "When I loaned him my sword, I didn't know he was going to start at the feet!" ----- We last left our rash Tsolyani standing on the dark, foreboding edge of the Jakallani Underworld. After displaying great feats of agility, the party courteously announced their presence with loud shouts and foot stomping to those worshiping at a secluded Ksarul shrine below them. Lord Dlarku greeted his fellow priest and priestess, honoring them with a glimpse of his real face. The priestess was so overcome with emotion at meeting Dlarku that she immediately summoned a Nexus Point to carry him away from the dark, dreary place of Jakalla's underworld. Alas, Lord Tetkoru got in the way, and the Nexus point swallowed him and his fire-bearing slave instead, leaving poor Dlarku behind. [Tetkoru's player, Alex, is spending the summer in New Orleans. More fool him. I did not mention this previously, but Dlarku was wanted for the murder of a fellow Ksarul priest from an adventure that pre-dates these logs. He was actually framed for the murder, but he didn't stick around to try and clear up the misunderstanding. (which does not help him look at all innocent) The players are guessing the above priestess wanted to capture him for those charges. Of course, these are all unwarranted assumptions based on observed surface actions. Suffice to say there is strange secret society stuff going on.] Angry at their clumsy mistake and at being left behind, Dlarku cast a bright flash of light as a symbol of his desire to open hostilities. The priest responded in kind, symbolizing his acceptance and willingness to engage in a battle of magical energies [1]. Lady Shekkara, 4th circle Priestess of Dlamelish, cast doubt concerning her true faith when she displayed remarkable facility with a Ksarul temple spell [2]. Lord Akhan marveled at his expert knife throw that not only hit the priest, but put him instantly to sleep [3]. Their Most Secret Companion shed the Light of Hnalla upon the situation, enlightening all, while Dlarku dessicated his fingertips [4]. [1 that is, both of their spells fizzled, with only a showy display of light for their efforts 2 Shekkara imitated the effects of a successfully cast spell which was not noted in this combat sequence 3 Akhan threw a knife at the same time Shekkara cast a sleep spell 4 another useless failed spell] Lady Shekkara collected an Eye of Unknown Properties from the body of the priestess from which life had departed forever. When the Sleeping Prince of the Blueroom descended once again upon Dlarku, Lady Ngaya most generously loaned the use of her metal sword to him, and Dlarku once again demonstrated proper sacrifice technique for those who missed it the first time around. Upon realizing that he had just sacrificed a most noble friend*, he then turned the blade upon himself. Lord Akhan slugged Dlarku and took the sword away from him. [*Dlarku actually knew the priest personally and thought he was an ally, before the priest turned against him in this encounter. Ngaya's sword, by the way, is possessed by a stability-perferring demon that took exception to being used by an Aspect of Ksarul, and tried to force Dlarku to kill himself. Ngaya is still convinced that there is nothing unusual about her sword other than it's metal. Then again, Ngaya has the psychic sensitivity of an iron bar.] Not wanting to mar the artistic death scene with the sight of living souls for those who, by the sound of their footsteps, would soon arrive, the party then departed. Much to everyone's happiness, Dlarku bathed himself in the overflow of the Equnoyel river. Shekkara demonstrated Jakallani sword technique to a Scales of Brown mrur. The party took a small detour to navigate one of the famous underworld mazes. The party paused in the tomb of an ancient Engsvanyali merchant to admire the Lament to the Whell of Black expertly carved upon the walls, and Akhan displayed his renyu's prowess at sniffing out Scales of Brown troops. Then Ngaya demonstrated proper technique for triggering a poison gas trap and, in an amazing feat of agility and speed, topped that with a world record breaking sprint. [the party explored various passages, discovering (and setting off!) traps, and, in the Renyu's case, sniffing out Scales of Brown troops heading their way! While from another direction comes a group of tomb robbers...] Shekkara showed to all her great persuassive abilities in earning the trust of a group of tomb robbers, giving to them, in a surprising display of generosity, a prized item of jewelry. [a failed bribe attempt] When the troops of the Legion of the Scales of Brown, those who would thwart our most noble heroes' purposes, came upon them, Akhan and Dlarku quickly showed the party which way to freedom not to take*. Shekkara raised a wall to hide behind and block the troops' way, and the party eavesdropped on their nefarious plans to attack The Most Noble Prince Rereshqala. [*ouch! damn those poison spear traps! Their plans were a surprise attack on Rereshqala's forces by sneaking up on them by taking a "short-cut" through the underworld.] Finding themselves blocked by the unexpected wall, the troops instead pursued the ungracious tomb robbers, while our party made quick their exit. But, of course, as this all happened in the underworld, who can say what truly transpired? Lo! Wrote this, Lisa Leutheuser, horse of The Most Beautiful Shekkara Tlakotani, on this 6th day of May, 1996 Anno Domini. Next week "between a wall and a sharp point", when imaginary Engsvanyali walls come falling down... --- end log --- ----- 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. [Moderator's Note: Bob Dushay has had his players crawling around Salarvya,] [ and is sharing the knowledge discovered. ] //368 Subject: See Salarvya at 5 Nzuggesh a day! I have been slowly moving my campaign into Eastern Salarvya. (It is now the beginning of 2365.) As this is relatively undetailed land, I have been forced to turn to other resources for information. After plying a rogue named Nzutlmanshi Dhrengngommo with expensive Dronu, I was able to glean some details about the coastline from Tsatsayagga to the Ojjarga flats, in between stories about Nzutlmanshi's "heroics" in battling Haida Pakallani pirates. Luckily, I checked with the professor, who kindly corrected the most obvious misinformation. I present this material to you in case you need to travel to this region. The professor's comments on my material are marked by a ">". The wrong information I originally wrote has been removed. I hesitate to call this official without further word from Minneapolis (I especially note here the professor's uncertainty regarding Fammannazhtl Island and the lighthouses of Peleis), but it may provide guidance for other travelers. Oh, and if you meet Nzutlmanshi Dhrengngommo, tell him the OAL is looking for him. --Bob Dushay The towns of Ajjan and Muallu are typical Salarvyani coastal towns: the coast nearby is studded with enchanted steles to repel pirate attacks, the walls are in good repair, and the town within has narrow streets, elaborately decorated buildings, and a noticeable odor of human bodies, strong pomades, and baking raw sewage. There is a frowning fortress where the ruling family resides, overlooking the walls, but a long arrow shot within. Townsfolk bustle about on their business, and curious children follow travellers if they enter the town. Ajjan: The rulers of Ajjan are strongly tied to the Chruggilleshmu family of Tsatsayagga. The dock facilities are good, because ships of the Nchesh of the Sea Grey Wave visit here frequently. In fact, Ajjan provides good recruits for this Nchesh. Papers from the Chruggilleshmu are usually respected. On the other hand, travelers coming overland from Jeggeth may be scrutinized as possible agents from the Gurrushyugga. >The name of the ruling family is Khelantikesh. I think...??? The >rest is correct. The local ruler is a reasonable fellow, but there >are factions at his court that want closer ties with Tsa'avtulgu >to the north, where the most unwholesome and repellent of all of >Sarku's Aspects rules: Black Qarqa. Muallu: Muallu is a small town, ruled by the Hwa'altikonesh family, placed in power by the Chruggilleshmu to remove the Ruthoshshikh family, who ruled the independent Chadara before it was conquered as a protectorate. Muallu is too small to figure into higher politics, and it does not suffer from the attentions of Tsa'avtulgu. This freedom from outside meddling allows the Hwa'altikonesh family to keep a firm hand on the protectorate. Political dissidents are swiftly suppressed, which helps to maintain Muallu's reputation as a sleepy backwater. Prices are high, outsiders are not encouraged to stay after trading, and there is little to do for sailors or other travelers. Most press on to Peleis or Ajjan as fast as possible. Physically, the buildings tend to be light grey limestone with grey tile roofs made from the local clay. The artisans are not as skilled as in Tsatsayagga (or Ajjan, for that matter), but they have labored to cover every available surface with carved vinery, faces, demons, and praises to Shiringgayi. >This town is too small to figure much in Salarvyani politics or economic >struggles. The ruling family is, I think, named Hwa'altikonesh. Your >informant did not get the names right -- or your informants have written >them down incorrectly. Salarvyani does sound rather like a mouthful of >mush, punctuated with splinters of broken glass... The Ojjarga Flats: The Ojjarga Flats are famous for their shellfish. The Salarvyani relish the Shuggwa (accent on the u), a black, pulpy thing in a tubular shell, which they eat raw, accompanied by a fiery seaweed paste (beginners find it vile); and the Ghighannok (accent on the a), a disk-shaped, twelve-legged, creature in a hard shell that is baked over coals. One may also mention sea vegetables, such as Jujjokhkh (accent on the o), a muddy-green globule of a rubbery consistency, or Ng'atlmoch (accent on the o), a flabby mass with crisp black bulbs throughout, or Hlinnghom (accent on the o), clusters of small pods with a salty taste that is usually fried. The Haqel, detailed in the Tekumel Bestiary, is appreciated here as a fine eating fish, although it is very expensive due to the dangers of hunting it. When they grow large enough, they feed on the fisherman and destroy their boats, and occasional monster-sized ones threaten larger vessels. Such monsters usually require an expedition to hunt down and kill it. The Haqel are responsible for many deaths and lost limbs among the fishers. A caution to foreigners: although these dishes are Salarvyani delicacies, it takes non-natives months to acclimatize to the cuisine. In addition to tasting vile to the uninitiated, vomiting and severe diarrhea are common side-effects for outlanders unacclimated to Salarvyani food. Hlinnghom is especially vile, and none but the locals ever eat it. >I am, frankly, unaware of the details of much of this region. The names >of the shellfish, etc. are not in any of my notes. Did Tekunu have them >written down? I would certainly stay away from most of the food in this >region, however, since it is said to take months to acclimatise and adapt >to its peculiar flavours and content: diarrhea and vomiting are common >fates for foreigners who try this unpleasant cuisine. Of the four towns on the Flats, Peleis is thought to have the best cuisine, both for its seafood and the agricultural bounties of the rich farmlands northwest of the city. The markets are full of their fine black bread, multi-colored fruits, and rich, black Dronu. Foreigners find the land-food easier to digest than the seafood, and some of it is actually quite tasty. Lollyanthi (accent on the a) stew, made from the gelatinous "bones" of a species of land-spider, is another local delicacy, but this is guaranteed to cause vomiting in an outlander (which is often quite amusing to the Peleisani. >The food of Peleis itself, on the other hand, is indeed quite good, coming >from the rich agricultural lands to the northwest of the city. Round loaves >of black bread, thick soup made with the gelatinous "bones" of a species of >land-spider, various fruits, and the inevitable black Dronu -- all of these >are good and tasty. Peleis: The town of Peleis is situated at the tip of a point, the main harbor facilities on the inside of the bay. The famous Achetlappan lighthouse (accent on the last a) of Peleis and the Khaummodh (accent on the a) lighthouse of Fammannazhtl Island (accent on the middle a) allows pilots for hire to guide ships around the point without stopping at night. >I don't know the names of the lighthouses or of the points on which they >stand. >There are minor probblems with your phonetics: Achetl(a)ppan requires a >vowel of some sort after the "tl": I think it is "a". I am also unsure of >the "-ich" endings on your place names. I think these are suffixes >denoting "...place." They may also be from western Salarvyani "-hlich," >which signifies "I think this is the correct word," which is suffixed to >nouns used for the first time in a text. Peleis has sturdy granite walls and magic-encrusted posts to keep pirates away, and often a warship or two from the Nchesh of the Sea Grey Wave in port, too. There is a famous inn here, the Dhrummillyithetl House (umlaut over the u, accent on the final e), which has excellent Salarvyani seafood cooking (still very greasy for Tsolyani tastes) and Dronu, and good entertainment as well. If one wishes to discover what the Salarvyani see in a greasy bowl of Lollyanthi stew, or a platter of baked Ghighannok drizzled with Hmelu fat, a side dish of fried Jujjokhkh, and a fine, thick black Dronu, this is the best place in the world to do it. Sailors often throw their pay away here, and so many empty-pursed sailors have been thrown into the street that it is often called "the pauper's sleeping-mat". >The stew is the land-spider stew mentioned above. I had no idea this was >its name. I have never tried Ghighannok, and I wouldn't touch Hlinnghom >with a player-character's usual 10-foot pole! This is one of the few places in Salarvya where a temple is dedicated exclusively to the Dlamelish aspect of Shiringgayi, and it has a steady supply of business, mostly from sailors. In general, Peleisani are rather friendly, for Salarvyani, but hard bargainers. They also expect to earn money for their hospitality. The exception is that Peleisani hate and fear the Tsa'avtulguyani. They will sometimes refer to Tsa'avtulgu as the "horrid city", avoiding even its mention. They are glad that Shiggath and Naggas have been defending the lands north of the city for some years. >Dlamelish is one of the "parts" of Shiringgayi, as you know. She is thus >tolerated in her "foreign" form as Dlamelish, although the Peleisi sneer >at Tsolyani inability to see Her in Her Oneness. >Your informant gave you a name [for the ruling family] which is >absolutely incorrect. It is part of the cultural tradition of Peleis that >one never names a person, clan, or ruling group that is higher than his/ >her own. One says only "Wowallyu khukh" which denotes something like "the >Unmentioned one." Your informant has again added "-ich," probably the >"place of" suffix. The real name of the ruling clan (which >cannot be spoken without risking a good drubbing with sandals, jailing, >or expulsion from the town, is Wittupenukh. The Peleisi are otherwise >rather friendly, for Salarvyani, though hard bargainers. The name of the ruling family of Peleis is Wittupenuhk. They are a canny family that values keeping Peleis pleasant (and profitable). Travelers don't mind the high costs because of the virtues of the town. The Wittupenuhk are grateful that Shiggath buffers them from the attentions of the Gurrushyugga, and owe their position and loyalties to the Chruggilleshmu. Peleis is a good place to collect information and rumors without actually moving into non-Chruggilleshmu territory, although the information received is not always the most up to date nor the most accurate. The large island just off Point Pu'ortlinggoch is called Fammannazhtl Island. It supports the aforementioned Khaummodh lighthouse and Village P'dworma, where Hmelu are raised for their meat, and Gudru plants are raised to make cloth. The lichens on the island provide fine dyes of ochre and rust, and are in some demand. The villagers there are thought to be simple and suspicious of visitors, but they spend money freely enough when they sail in to Peleis. >This is mostly correct, though I cannot vouch for the names of these >places. Shiggath: Shiggath is a strong contrast to the other towns of the Flats. Situated by the mouth of the Tsa'av river, it is the best way for sea- shipped goods to get to and from Tsa'avtulgu. The Tsa'av spills an unpleasantly yellow-colored mud into the Flats, and the waters near Shiggath are stained with it. The ruler is Lord Chuggillishmayul Vringgamuluk , a fussy little man devoted to his creature comforts and the deference of his subjects. He is obsequious to those he is inferior to, (notably powerful Chruggilleshmu and Gurrushyugga agents) and overbearing and demanding of those below him. >Did Tekunu give you his name? I can check in my notes. I do recall this >rather obsequious little fellow. Like a slimy hair-ball found under a >rug, as one of my players put it. The Vringgamuluk family is the dominant political force of the Ojjarga Flats, and they have been fighting a war with forces from Tsa'avtulgu for years. The Tsa'avtulgu armies are better equipped, but indifferently led and poorer fighters. The forces raised from Shiggath are small and also poorly led, but they are supplemented by troops from Naggas, and Lord Vringgamuluk has been hiring mercenaries, many of them Haida Pakalayani fleeing from the unrest in their own land. The Vringgamuluk citadel of black granite frowns over the town, and the black-hatted police force is known to be far more concerned with extracting Nzuggesh than in enforcing laws, save for periodic sweeps for "known criminals". It is rumored that travelers disappear here, and most visitors prefer to sleep on their ships. (The city has its share of Gurrushyugga spies, and those travelers that interest the Lords of Tsa'avtulgu may find themselves drugged and carried off.) Although the town can hardly be considered a happy place, the citizens do bustle, and they seem fairly prosperous. There is a lot of merchant traffic. Shiggath buys luxury goods, and taxes all the trade of the Ojjarga flats that comes within reach. The Vringgamuluk also collect tribute from all of the other families that are subordinate to it. There is money in Shiggath. Naggas: The walls are well-maintained, with spells and warnings carved into them, along with the protective steles driven into the shore. The governor is Lord Mmachutusu Hruchchittlantyal, and his palace rises high above the town, each side of it carved with a massive, frowning face, which is why it is called "The Palace of the Four Faces". Local legend says that four brother wizards of the Fisherman Kings were merged into the tower by the demon Shibb'tlekhkharm, who was cheated of his payment for his services in creating the port. The streets ascend from the port to the rise of the palace, and then descend down to the other side. The rich folk live near the rise, and the poor live closer to the walls, and especially by the waterfront. The foreigner's quarter is small and divided from the rest of the city by the Zurr river. >He's given you another wrong name for the river: it is Zurr. [My informant told me it was "Eshqottlikkm".] >I have no idea what he was trying to do to your party, but I suspect the >name is some local obscenity that would get them arrested or killed! It may also be noted that Naggas is at the far end of the Chruggilleshmu family's influence, and although the ruling Hruchchittlantyal family owes their fealty to the Chruggilleshmu through the Vringgamuluk family of Shiggath, they are well aware they are at the edge of their sphere of influence, and that the Gurrushyugga Clan of Tsa'avtulgu has designs on their city. They have committed their forces to the war against Tsa'avtulgu, but the war has been mostly stalemated for some years. >This is about as correct as I can make it in a hurry. I hope this helps. >Don't trust the Salarvyani any farther than you can throw 'em! Warn your >expedition that misdirection and general humorous malice are common >reactions to foreigners in Salarvya. Check names and facts two or three >times, from several informants, and don't be afraid to lie, cheat, and >bluster in order to get what you want! >No wonder we have had so few groups traipsing through Salarvya.... --Bob Dushay ----- 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. [Moderator's Note: Stephen Posey (a resident New Orleanian) and Fred ] [ Kiesche write about Lisa's Logs. ] //369 >Joke Log #2 [Deletia] > [Tetkoru's player, Alex, is spending the summer in New Orleans. > More fool him. [delurk] Actually, if one appreciates Tekumelani (esp. Jakallan) summers, then a New Orleans August ought to be just about right (including the rain, humidity, oversized bugs, crumbling buildings, AND necropoli) ;-) [Deletia mas] Otulengba, Stephen Posey [Moderator's Note: I can vouch for that. It is pretty much my home away ] [ from home. In fact I am driving down to New Orleans ] [ tomorrow for an all day meeting on Saturday, then driving] [ back to St. Louis on Sunday, so there won't be any new ] [ messages over the weekend. ] [ Fred Kiesche adds. ] These logs are great! More power to the author! Keep 'em coming! Reminds me of the good old days at Rutgers U. when we first ran EPT (winter of 77)! Fred Kiesche (One of my favorite EPT memories. When we first started running EPT, of course we had none of the guidance or resources available now...in the process of naming characters we were using fairly straightforward Tolkien-esque fantasy names--hey, most of us played D&D! One of my friends was stumped. "What should I call my character?" he cried. "Call yourself a taxi" was the wiseacre response of one of the other players. So, Sir Ataxi of Jakalla was born!) ----- 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. //370 [Moderator's Note: Del Padilla asks the following miscellaneous questions.] [ I responded to some, and the Prof added, and handled ] [ the others. ] Legend >> Del's Questions > My Answers Professor's Answers >>1) How many keys to Ksarul's tomb. The sourcebook makes it sound like 3, >>and the all worshipper of the Prince needs to do is face down Bassa King of >>the Ssu in order to immanatize the eschaton. True or false? Any clues as >>to the location of the supposed other keys? >Well, there was one for each of the other God's at the Dormoron plain. That >would be 10, (other 9 Pavarian deities, plus the One Other). I believe that >there are sets on numerous dimensional occurances of Tekumel, but that they >cannot be intermixed. Ten. Each has two Wards that must be disarmed or used first before the key will work. Yes, these have counterparts on other Planes, but nobody knows exactly how freeing him on one of those Planes would affect Tekumel Prime. They cannot be intermixed or used on a Plane different from their Plane of origin. >>2) What _really_ caused the earthquake that destroyed Ganga? >The Prof has alluded to failure of the "Hero of the Age" of that era. The Goddess won that round. When Kokun failed, down went Ganga. >>3) Who is Prince Mridobu's Mother? Is she alive? From what clan, etc... A >>little description would be very useful. Odd you should ask. She is Lady Mineleth hiBarudra of the Clan of the Cloak of Azure Gems. She's still alive -- or was last week. She has retired to the Temple of Ksarul at Hmakuyal and is said to be high in the Inner Hierarchy, although that may or may not be true since the Priesthood of the Doomed Prince rarely tells anything like it is. She is still beautiful, although she doesn't come out much or take part in secular affairs. She knew Hirkane before he was Emperor. It is now 2,367. Hirkane acceded in 2,347, and Mridobu was born about 2,325 -- when the Emperor was somewhere near 50 -- so she is probably 50-60 now. Lady Kalusu hiViridame (mentioned in the Solitaire Adventures) knew Lady Mineleth fairly well and briefly served as her handmaiden, so this is likely to be as close to the facts as anyone is ever going to get. >>4) Why didn't the Azure Legion use the Jade Arch on that archfiend >>Dhich'une? Or did they... >I believe that the Jade Arch has gone a bit wonky, as we have heard here >recently. There have been problems with the Jade Arch, due to unlawdul tinkering by Dhich'une's sorcerers and the priests of Sarku. Remember, too, that it was not designed to impose any particular ethical or religious ideas on the subject passing through it, but only an intense and unbreakable loyalty to the Petal Throne and the occupant thereof. Dhich'une could have waltzed through it singing' Dixie... >>5) Which Legions are under Mridobu's command? Current strengths and >>locations? A hint of his plans to unseat the False Kolumel? (oops, bias >>showing.) >Well, Mridobu participated in a coup, that sat him on the throne for a mere >2 days, before Dhich'une called up hordes of undead from below Avanthar and >pitched everyone out. Mridobu's body was never found, but some of us >believe that he has escaped. Most of the Legions are now divided between those opting for Eselne and those working for the Taksuru-Mirusiya coalition. Rereshqala's Army of the South also is strong and getting stronger, with many of the Jakalla, Thraya, Jaikalor, Sokatis legions joining him. It's hard to say just which legions Mridobu could count on if he suddenly popped up again. >>6) What is Mridobu's connection, if any, to the Cloak of Azure Gems? The Clan of the Cloak of Azure Gems has only religious and aristoratic affiliations with the ruling Tlakotani clan. Naturally, the marriage between Lady Mineleth and Mridobu put them in line for goodies, if he managed to secure the Petal Throne. Looks unlikely now. >>8) Had anyone ever been marked by the Seal? What would happen to he that was so marked? What do you mean "marked?" Nobody touches the Seal -- it's said to be kept in a thoroughly secure, secret place in the Golden Tower at Avanthar. Not even the Emperors ever take it out -- although Empress Dashiluna (1,279-1,306) is said to have demanded to see it. She was shown it, but one of her advisors argued her out of taking it out of its protected case and touching it. She ordered him to touch it instead, but he promptly begged the Servitors of Silence who were guarding it to kill him. They did so -- it is blasphemy to even breathe on it. This so infuriated the Empress that she made no further attempt to reach it and stalked out of the vault. That's the story, anyhow. I doubt whether even Dhich'une would dare break this tradition. Regards, Phil ----- 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. //371 [Moderator's Note: I goofed. I found a glitch in the last message and for-] [ got to check it out with the Prof. He found it and re- ] [ minded me. He said something about the marriage of Mri-] [ dobu and Lady Mineleth in Question #6, when it should ] [ have been the marriage between Mridobu's father and Lady] [ Mineleth. Phil also comments on Lisa's logs. ] Lisa's Logs ought to become a net book! She writes cleverly and interestingly. I enjoy her stuff very much. >Actually, if one appreciates Tekumelani (esp. Jakallan) summers, >then a New Orleans August ought to be just about right (including >the rain, humidity, oversized bugs, crumbling buildings, AND >necropoli) ;-) I probably added to my already-formulated idea of Tekumel's heat from my first experiences in India (Lucknow,etc.) in 1951-53. When I think of Tsolyanu, I get this picture of sweltering, steaming streets, swarms of bugs so numerous that the traffic cops could not stay at their traffic lights in the middle of the street -- the bugs formed a visible cloud around each light -- and the dripping, sweating, prickly-heat, the stuff rooms with little boys pulling sweep-fans, etc. etc. I loved every moment of it. As for tombs and catacombs, you should check out Lucknow. >These logs are great! More power to the author! Keep 'em coming! Reminds me >of the good old days at Rutgers U. when we first ran EPT (winter of 77)! >Fred Kiesche I agree, Fred! -- Phil >(One of my favorite EPT memories. When we first started running EPT, of >course we had none of the guidance or resources available now...in the >process of naming characters we were using fairly straightforward >Tolkien-esque fantasy names--hey, most of us played D&D! One of my friends >was stumped. "What should I call my character?" he cried. "Call yourself >a taxi" was the wiseacre response of one of the other players. So, >Sir Ataxi of Jakalla was born!) Same originally happened in my first EPT campaigns. One player hired a Pe Choi warrior, whose name he had no hope of ever pronouncing. He gave the poor creature an enchanted steel sword to use in each hand, put him under haste, and had himself an unbeatable killing machine with four strikes per turn! He named this creation "Stuka." I finally persuaded the player that nobody -- not even a Pe Choi -- could coordinate 4 sword blows at once, much less hit with enough force to do real damage. He was a rules-lawyer, however, and insisted. I finally just put my size 14 down and said rules or no rules, we weren't having any. We also had a player who named his beautiful slave girl "Miss Clairol" because of her long, glossy tresses. She ran off with him into the Chaigari Protectorate, but she may still be around somewhere, with her name now suitably Tekumelised. All of this is funny, but it does seem to detract from the "reality" of the world. I don't let players make "American jokes" within the game any more, although they are constantly quipping and sniping at each other outside the game context. This is just fine by me. It's part of the fun. So, welcome to "Sir Ataxi." I assume that since Tsolyani doesn't have an "x" that is pronounced "ks" (as in English "taxi") that he spelled his name "Ataksi?" Regards, Phil ----- 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. Moderator's Note: Stuart Bonham asks for more info about Ru. ] //372 I am thinking of developing a series of adventures in and around Ru. I intend to use the Battle of Ru for ideas, but wondered if anyone (the prof. perhaps) could supply me with any details of the city, its inhabitants, clans, etc. and the environs of the place. Does Ru have an Underworld and are there any ruins of note in the area? cheers, -- Stuart N. Bonham ----- 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. //373 [Moderator's Note: Lisa provides volume 3 of her log files. ] Joke Log #3 Between a Wall and a Sharp Point -------------------------------- May 7 1996 Session Summary Our Tsolyani party decided to brave the sharp, poisoned traps of their Engsvanyali ancestors as disposing of the Scales of Brown sentries would be too easy. Lord Akhan boldly volunteered to trigger each trap so that the others might pass safely down the corridor. Lady Shekkara checked Lord Dlarku for concealed weapons while he checked her pain tolerance [1] and Akhan's renyu discovered that sometimes having a tail is bad [2]. [ 1 a bit of mutual groping while passing each other 2 the renyu got poison on his tail, then on rest of him, and on Akhan, on the walls, on the slaves...] After the third trap, Dlarku became impatient with the party's lazy progress and levitated himself to the end of the corridor. Once there, he amused himself by performing a materials stress test on the stone floor. [partially collasped already, the floor promptly gave out beneath our bright Refulgent Dlarku when he sat on the edge of a hole. Lucky for him that he still had his levitation/flying spell on him.] The Scales of Brown soldiers returned from hunting tomb robbers, only to discover that their "map" was correct after all.* Brave soldiers were ordered^H^H^H^H^H^H^H^H^H^H^H^Hvolunteered to explore the corridors where they were speared by the poisoned trick spears (we shall mourn!), but their noble deaths were not in vain as they later permitted our party to escape down the hallway, away from the soldiers, away from the sacrificial screams of the captured tomb robbers, away from--ah, but I get ahead of myself! [* i.e. Shekkara's spell for the imaginary wall had expired Not mentioned: the commanding officer got fed up with the loosing good soldiers to the traps and called for a worship, meal, and sleep break for his soldiers...] Our party settled down to a cozy dinner in the shade of the poison spears, listening in silent appreciation as the Scales of Brown soldiers began to serenade their god with the Songs of Sarku [1]. When the soldiers began to sacrifice their captives [2] to Lord Sarku, the party decided that it was time to leave lest the near presence of unbelievers cause distress to the soldiers, those Most Faithful to Sarku. [ 1 written by by the Bey Su Rollers, of course! 2 we're guessing they caught at least some of the tomb robbers see Joke Log #2] Akhan and Dlarku had an eye-opening experience when Shekkara used the Eye of Most Brilliant Refulgency [1]. May the images they perceived in this most transcendent moment be etched forever in their eyes! Lady Ngaya sheltered the now-opened Eye from the harsh realities of their dismal surroundings, allowing it only small glimpses of what lay beyond her hands, while Shekkara most nimbly fetched the generous gifts [2] from their benefactors, the Scales of Brown. [ 1 *don't know the real name of the Eye; but it's as bright as a giant spotlight of the kind they mount on police helicopters. 2 the dead bodies] Using the dead Scales of Brown soldiers to trigger the other traps, the party then quickly took their leave to the end of the hall where Dlarku and the Pit to Dark Unknown Depths awaited them. In a show of foolhardiness^H^H^H^H^H^H^H^H^H^H^H^H^Hbravery, Akhan leapt into the pit where he quickly made friends with the local inhabitants.* The rest quickly followed him, leaving behind the singing Sarku worshippers and their ecstatically wailing sacrificial victims and entering the underworld of the Bedjnallan era. May they make their way safely and quickly and may they not meet the spirit of She Whose Thighs are Silken! [* Dlaqo beetles. The largest were easily the size of a VW Beetle.] Lo! Wrote this, Lisa Leutheuser, horse of The Most Beautiful Shekkara Tlakotani, on this 14th day of May, 1996 Anno Domini. Next Session: "for every two steps gained..." P.S. Those spear traps were nasty. We spent a long time testing each stone, finding out how many poison spears were set for each trap, where they came from, what angle, and so on, so that one of us could find the a safe place to put some weight to trigger the dang things while the rest squeezed, climbed, and crawled their way through. We were about halfway down the hallway when the Scales of Brown troops started exploring the same passage way. Many thanks to the powers that be that their torches did not burn brightly enough to allow them to see us, and many more thanks that they got fed up and retreated to the larger hallway to take a break, and the largest thanks of all that Akhan's renyu did not sneeze. This was a very tense session. Joe did a wonderful job with the atmosphere. Our characters were edgy, tired, and scared. A number of us experienced the joyous sensations of the Engsvanyali poison on our bodies. As you might guess, poison alliviation spells were exceedingly useful during this time. ----- 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. //374 [Moderator's Note: Jeff Butler asks about the Artificial Intelligence in the] [ Ru'un and Yeleth. He is especially interested in res- ] [ sponces from those who have met them in the Professor's ] [ campaign. ] I would like to learn more about the Yeleth and Ru'un - specifically how they have interacted with PC's in Professor Barker's campaigns throughout the years. The accounts of listmembers who participated in these encounters would be greatly appreciated, along with the input of other DM's on this subject. I am also curious to know if anyone has ever discovered any other forms of AI (artificial intelligence) in the Professor's games. I would also like interested parties to comment on the possibility that the Lords of the Latter Times could have been capable of programming AI's with variations of the "gestalts" used by human mages to cast spells. (Professor Barker often compares the mental pattern of a spell to a circuit board.) The other-planar powersources of these AI's might be used to power these spells. Furthermore, an AI might have a great advantage over an organic life form due to it's assumably greater than human capacity for memory and precision, etc. ----- 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. //375 [Moderator's Note: Steve Posey offers opinions on the Yeleth/Ru'un subject. ] >I would like to learn more about the Yeleth and Ru'un - specifically how >they have interacted with PC's in Professor Barker's campaigns >throughout the years. The accounts of listmembers who participated in >these encounters would be greatly appreciated, along with the input of >other DM's on this subject. I am also curious to know if anyone has ever >discovered any other forms of AI (artificial intelligence) in the >Professor's games. I'd be curious to hear some feedback on this as well; I've always wondered if/suspected that more sophisticated "androids" akin to the Yeleth were possible, and might even have been used as substitutes for humans in some circumstances. Whether they could be made to effectively duplicate a particuar individual (a la _The Stepford Wives_ or _Futureworld_), or perhaps only play the role of an actual human (not necessarily duplicating a "real" person) so well that few would guess, I don't know. >I would also like interested parties to comment on the possibility that >the Lords of the Latter Times could have been capable of programming >AI's with variations of the "gestalts" used by human mages to cast >spells. (Professor Barker often compares the mental pattern of a spell >to a circuit board.) The other-planar powersources of these AI's might >be used to power these spells. Furthermore, an AI might have a great >advantage over an organic life form due to it's assumably greater than >human capacity for memory and precision, etc. I certainly would think such creations could perform "spells"; even if only as a "hard wired" circuit akin to an eye or other device. Whether a more generic "programmable" spell device would be possible, I don't know, though the descriptions of the Mihalli's "Orbs of Immediate Eventuation" sound somewhat like that. Otulengba, Stephen Posey ----- 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. //376 [Moderator's Note: Phil has been soaked out by a storm and is coming off ] [ of a 2 or 3 day power outage. He responds now to a ] [ question by John Grandidge's question about the Seal ] [ in a bit more detail. ] >I was very taken aback by that last answer about the Seal. I had always >thought that the Seal was used to make some sort of un-forgable mark >(or impression) on documents, dispatches and the like. Could you confirm >that this is not the case? The Professor's reply to the question of >whether any person had ever been marked by the seal seems to imply that >the seal doesn't make marks at all, has no actual function, and is never >seen! What is it then? Ah, I see I misinterpreted Mr. Grandidge's question. I thought he meant "marked" as in "marked by an Aspect of the God." This doesn't happen. As for marking documents, the Servitors of Silence use a copy of the Seal that apparently has its own magical properties. While the original Seal stays in its secret vault, this copy is employed to put the Imperial mark on documents, etc., as Mr. Grandidge supposed. This is done in order to keep the original (and only!) Seal clear of contamination. The copy apparently has been imbued with sorcerous power that keep it from being forged. Nearly every Imperial document coming out of the Golden Tower has this copy used upon it. I suppose that putting the copy to the forehead or hand of a human would indeed leave an impression. As far as I know, this is not done. Hope this clarifies matters. Regards, Phil ----- 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. //377 [Moderator's Note: Phil responds to Jeff Butler's question about Yeleth and ] [ Ru'un. ]` The Ru'un and Yeleth are both creations of he Lords of the later Latter Times, almost at the end before the centuries of turmoil that preceded the Empire of Llyan of Tsamra. Some have said that these devices (for such they are) were created by the ancient priests of Ksarul or Hru'u, but this is almost certainly erroneous. There may still be a few scholars who can effect repairs and possibly even perform a little simple reprogramming (e.g. "attack only encountered creatures wearing mostly blue instead of 'all' invaders of the Underworlds"). I don't even know if this is possible any more. As for reprogramming them to use magical power, I have strong doubts that this was ever done or even attempted. These artificial intelli- gences employ "brains" that are very different from organic brains, and apparently one needs the full complexity and range of an organic brain in order to set up and activate the magical "circuit boards" to which I have referred. There may have been an exception or two over the millennia, but I have never come across one. It would also be impossible for anyone today to perform such reprogramming. If it were done by the creators themselves, then .. well, hmmm, maybe... But I doubt it. After all, the reasons for creating artificial intelligences of these types were to take the place of (and do better than) magical creatures and beings that were being devised in considerable numbers by the savants who served this or that Lord of the Latter Times. Robotic creatures (the many forms of Ru'un) were first, and undoubtedly dated from before the Latter Times themselves, when they were invented to perform unpleasant tasks, e.g. service tubeways and underground power stations, see to machines and distribution, and do a myriad other jobs that neither humans nor aliens wanted to do on Tekumel, the Retirement World. As time went on, some of these robots (many different forms -- not all bipedal and humanoid in shape by any means) were selected to guard valuables (tombs, treasures, etc.), and as the Latter Times came to a close, various of these automatons were given further tasks that could be done mindlessly and endlessly, with a minimum of repair and damage control. Many of these machines perished, of course, while others have become inoperative. Some still exist, and there are still robotic service centres somewhere beneath Tekumel's surface, reachable, perhaps, only by the machines themselves or by occasional intrepid adventurers. Identity cards and eyeprint checks are almost always required, and unwanted intruders are escorted out -- or otherwise dealt with. The Yeleth is another sort of being. Colloidal androids (usually with some metal or plastic components) were created as servants and "decorations" by the Lords of the Latter Times. Beautiful females (and handsome males) were employed to guard, serve, entertain, and act as literate "companions" for the effete masters of those long-lost domains. Somehow, once the Latter Times ended and there was chaos and a loss of technological know-how, the Yeleth managed to become independent, with more thinking power than most Ru'un. They took to dwelling in the Underworlds here and there. They are not frequent and usually exist only in small communities, rarely coming to the surface. They subsist on small animals, carrion, lichens and cave-flora, and occasional adventurers who wander into their realms. The Yeleth have altered their original mold, rather subtly and with considerable effect: they have developed a hypnotic power and some intelligence of their own, including some form of communication. They control a few sites in the catacombs where they are able to reproduce their own kind (as full-size adults -- no Yeleth rugrats, sorry!). They can imitate (though not speak?) human language, and their mimicry is so good that they can call out in the voices of humans they have overheard. They cannot or do not communicate with humans otherwise, but treat them as prey. They may also combat (and consume?) other denizens of the Underworlds, such as Kurgha, Qol, etc. They seem to appear only in human form -- there are no animal or nonhuman Yeleth, to my knowledge. Neither Ru'un nor Yeleth (nor Qol, nor Hra, nor any others of the so-called "Underpeople" can perform magic. This appears to be limited solely to humans and the sentient nonhuman races. Devices can be programmed to perform one single "magical" task, of course, by setting up the right "circuit board" and programming it -- just as a human "programmes" a handgrenade to explode by pulling the pin, or a security alarm to go off when a light-beam is broken. This type of simple "magic" could indeed be programmed into a Ru'un, but it would have no power to alter the "spell" or to devise new ones. Once set, the "board" would perform its function as long as the being existed. None of this is straightforward or simple, given the complexity of history on Tekumel. I hope it helps a little... Regards, Phil ----- 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. //378 [Moderator's Note: Very Cool announcement here! Set your calendar dates! ] [ I know I am! If you have any questions, you can mail ] [ David Cheng (the organizer) using the address at the ] [ bottom of the message. ] TEKUMEL-CON UPDATE Things with the long-promised Tekumel-Con have been going very slowly, for reasons too many and too feeble to mention. However, I've got momentum building up, and lots of progress has been made recently. What follows is a summary of the text of a promotional flyer being distributed at the TOME/PhD tables at GenCon. Actually, all the text is here; you're just missing the formatting and Red Devastation Legionnaire graphic :-). Many of you will soon receive this very flyer in the mail, along with some other Con-related materials. Watch this space for more news. = = = The Flyer = = = TEKUMEL-CON Just as the name suggests, Tekumel-Con is a convention dedicated to Professor M.A.R. Barker's world of fantasy adventure, gaming and literature. A convention for mature, sophisticated gamers who appreciate the cultural richness and fantasy-realism of Tekumel. This is guaranteed to be a once-in-a-lifetime experience not to be missed! IS THIS THING FOR REAL? You bet! We're going to gather Tekumel fans from around the world for a weekend devoted to Tekumel gaming, seminars, discussion and camaraderie. THE TEKUMEL-CON PHILOSOPHY Tekumel-Con will be a sophisticated event for mature, sophisticated gamers. More than just a collection of tournaments, it will be a place to come together and share quality gaming ideas; a forum to recognize Tekumel as one of the very best gaming worlds that the hobby has to offer. Tekumel-Con will be the best opportunity to talk and game Tekumel, for a whole weekend, ever organized. Let's face it-99% of all Tekumel fans are starved for lack of local campaigns and convention tournaments. Tekumel-Con will be not be in some run-down hotel that gives us the cheapest rate. Tekumel gamers are mature, and we understand you expect a certain amount of comfort. The hotel will add to, not detract from, your enjoyment of the weekend. This is not to say that cost will be prohibitive; we are targeting a room rate of about $70 per night, shared by all room occupants. Tekumel-Con will be Minneapolis, Minnesota. This is to ensure that Professor Barker can attend. We understand that many of you will have to travel great distances. We the organizers will do everything we can to make sure this is a once-in-a-lifetime-great gaming experience, one worth planning a whole vacation around. GUEST OF HONOR Professor M.A.R. Barker (who else?). Professor Barker has been creating Tekumel since the 1940's, and has been publishing gaming material since 1975. He is the undisputed Father of Tekumel. GUESTS OF NOTE Professor Barker isn't going to carry the celebrity load all by himself. All the following folks have contributed to Tekumel in their own way, and will be on hand to share their insights and suggestions with us: Neil Cauley - author of Gardasiyal, the most recent incarnation of Tekumel RPG rules. Dave Morris and Steve Foster - past and present editors of The Eye of All-Seeing Wonder, the indispensable British Tekumel fanzine. Wes Postlethwaite and Larry Hull - of PhD Games, producers of the classic 25mm Tekumel figures and soon-to-released wargaming rules. Bob Alberti - author of the forthcoming encycloaedic tome of Tekumelyani religion, Mitlanyal. Ed Wimble - of Theatre of the Mind Enterprises, publishers of Tekumel products since 1992. Mark Daniels - world-hopping Tekumel scholar extraordinaire, and frequent contributor to The Eye. Rob Smith and John Medway - Texan producers of 15mm Tekumel figures, and the Light of Action companion rules. Andrew Lorince - long time convention presence and dealer of rare products. James Roach - Publisher of the fanzine Realms of Wonder. Sandy Petersen - better known for designing Call of Cthulhu and Doom (yes, that Doom), Sandy is also a big Tekumelphile. And many more . . . really! We're still working to line up more authors and artists who have contributed to the Tekumel universe over the years. WHAT KINDS OF THINGS WILL BE GOING ON? Tournaments! * Role-playing -Gardasiyal, Tirikelu, Swords & Glory, and maybe even some good ol' Empire of the Petal Throne. Miniatures -Missum!, Qadardalikoi, Light of Action, and probably some other home-grown systems. * Board gaming - the mark of a real Tekumel fan is his ownership of War of Wizards, plus others. * Seminars - "Tekumelyani Religion" hosted by Bob Alberti, "Gardasiyal Q&A" hosted by Neil Cauley, and of course several sessions of Professor Barker talking about whatever comes to mind. * Live-Action Gaming - We're probably going to have a big live-action game, for the total-Tekumelyani immersion experience. * Please contact us for the fully detailed pre- registration booklet! We're offering a lot, but _we still want more_. If you've got an idea for a tournament or seminar, please consider running it. We need GMs for tournaments we'll provide. We also need volunteers for tasks like registration. Volunteers and GMs will get discounted entry. RARE MERCHANDISE FOR SALE Of course, the full line of in-print Tekumel products will be available for purchase. We will certainly also have an auction, to give you a chance to get those rare long out-of-print items you only wish you had (or the chance to unload the ones you've got). There might even be some never-published items for sale too. WHEN: Thursday, June 6th - Monday, June 9th, 1997 (not finalized) WHERE: Tekumel-Con will be held in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The hotel will be less than 20 minutes from both the airport and the fabled Mall of America. Inexpensive shuttle service will be available to and from both. FOR MORE INFORMATION: Please contact David Cheng * 313 East 85th Street, Apt 2C * New York, NY 10028 USA * (212) 472-7752 * cheng@io.com ----- 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. //379 [Moderator's Note: David Bailey adds on the Yeleth and Ru'un subject. ] >I would like to learn more about the Yeleth and Ru'un SEE THE RU'UN SPOT? RUN SPOT, RUN!!! >I am also curious to know if anyone has ever >discovered any other forms of AI (artificial intelligence) in the >Professor's games. Can't speak for the Prof's gamers, but we have had 'intelligent' responses from 'swords', 'wands', and all sort of TMD's. My especial favourite was an aircar that wouldn't let the players carry non-humans, and an arachnoform tubecar tunnel cleaning device that was very very depressed indeed. >I would also like interested parties to comment on the possibility that >the Lords of the Latter Times could have been capable of programming >AI's with variations of the "gestalts" used by human mages to cast >spells. (Professor Barker often compares the mental pattern of a spell >to a circuit board.) The other-planar powersources of these AI's might >be used to power these spells. Furthermore, an AI might have a great >advantage over an organic life form due to it's assumably greater than >human capacity for memory and precision, etc. None of the players have ever been able to tell whether they were up against (or in some cases going along with) a machine or an organic being. One of the beautiful things about tekumel is that there is no real difference between a demon living in an artifact and a 6 trillion megahertz decium processor in a microchip:- it is the personality that counts, not the technology. As to the 'superior powers' of advanced AI's, why should this be so? Perhaps the inaccuracy of magic, the limits to power and the relative unpredictability are inherent in the quantum microstructure of the Tekumel continuum? ----- 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. //380 [Moderator's Note: David Chatterjee asks about Tumissa, and the western ] [ part of the empire in general. (Phil, I injected a ] [ question down by the Pachi Lei section.) ] >I have some questions on Tumissa in 2366-'67 for Phil or any recent >visitors. >First, on geography: >The two or three lines on the city in the old Sourcebook put it on the >shore of a volcanic lake. Then the region (and Pan Chaka) is >mountainous in general? There are no active volcanoes? (Hmakuyal is in >an extinct crater also, I think?) Are there human settlements bigger >than villages in the forest proper? What is the river that passes by >Tumissa: is this the Chaigavra? (If Tumissa is in a crater, how far >away does the river pass? A stream presumably flows from the lake.) >What is the architectural layout of the city? (Pretty please, any >maps?) The Tumissa map will be up on the FTP site by the time you read this, along with Fasiltum, Thri'il, and Sa'a Allaqiyar. These are computer- generated, but they look pretty good, and they work. [Moderator's Note: They are there. ] Tumissa is built around the shores of a lake inside a volcanic crater that has the eastern side broken down. The Turina River flows out of this, although this is only a branch of the Turin River that emerges in the depths of the Chakan Forests and passes Tumissa to the east. It travels south to Butrus and farther down to Urmish and empties out into the Deeps of Chanayaga at Penom. It is not navigable by anything larger than a rowboat for most of its length. The lake inside the crater is named Nettu Tlakan, and it is apparently fed from deep springs inside the crater itself at some level or other. The volcano has been extinct since long before the First Imperium. Hmakuyal to the east is dry; the volcano there is also long extinct. >Second, on current entertainments: >If the Mu'ugalavyani invaded the Chakas in '64, and the Emperor was >otherwise occupied with Eselne and Mirusiya, we might expect Tumissa >to be relatively free from Sarku appointees? Is the governor still >Tsumikel hiTengetlaku of the Red Sword Clan? Did the Mu'ugalavyani >manage to capture the city in '66? (And do they still hold it?) Does >Hmakuyal have direct interest and influence in Tumissa, or does >everybody pretend it doesn't exist? Are the city's factions split in >allegiance or have they swung behind one Prince or another? Or are >they busy enough simply trying to stay alive? Or are they holding >themselves independent for independence's sake? (The Ito - what's left >of them, that is - have little influence in Tumissa?) Which legions >might we expect to find in Tumissa at the moment? (Eg. surely the >Legion of the Lord of Red Devastation has not returned from Mirusiya's >side since the Imperial succession.) Many, many interrelated questions! The Governor is still old Tsumikel. Dhich'une didn't rock any boats and carefully kept those officials in office who did not actively oppose him. This didn't stop Tumissa from declaring for Mirusiya, however, although Eselne took a lot of wind out of their sails by demanding that the Tumissan legions join him instead -- and threatening a blockade if they did not. The Governor has judiciously played both hands against the middle, and the city is still fairly independent. Princess Ma'in was there for a while but has now moved to Jakalla, and Princess Arimala (the sculptress who gave up the Gold) still lives there. The Mu'ugalavyani showed up and demanded that Tumissa surrender, but they didn't try very hard to besiege it, and when the Pe Choi threatened to cut their lines of communication across Do Chaka, they retreated in good order. Red Devastation is still with Mirusiya near Avanthar. Its components have changed considerably since it left Tumissa. The Governor's crossbow legion is still with him, but it, too, likes Mirusiya. It stayed home to defend Tumissa against all comers: Eselne, Dhich'une, the Red Hats, or Rereshqala. Hmakuyal has always been quite aloof from Tumissa. Ksarul devotees just don't mix well with Vimuhla's followers. There is thus not much interaction. The Ito are farther north, in Do Chaka itself. They interact with certain Pe Choi factions but not much with either Tumissa or Paya Gupa. >Say hypothetically a pro-Vimuhla legion based in Tumissa was fighting >alongside Eselne in Pijena before the succession: would its loyalty >once civil war began be towards the Emperor, its current army >(Eselne), its God (hence Mirusiya), or its home city (under threat of >Mu'ugalavyani invasion and in need of help)? No doubt this all would >depend on the particular legion and its sponsors; but how much freedom >would a general have to switch sides? This is a tough question. The answer depends on local commanders and local situations and probably cannot be answered in general, abstract terms. Chances are that home and deity would matter more than current assignment to Eselne. It would thus want to be close to Tumissa or close to a strong Vimuhla worshipping candidate. A general has no freedom -- legally -- to switch sides, any more than a British general would have to join the IRA! Personal, clan, and religious "druthers" might make such a legion defect, switch sides, or even just go home and till the crops, however. >If Eselne was under threat in >the north but he recognised the legion's desire to protect Tumissa, he >might let it go against his better judgment without viewing it as >mutiny: are decisions like these a matter of case-by-case politicking, >or are there clear precedents under more "normal" circumstances? This is a case-by-case problem. It's always better to have things happen smoothly and without lasting friction, and even Eselne would see it, I think. There are precedents in history for letting a legion go home -- and there are other precedents when a tough and stubborn leader demanded loyalty to the death against a legion's own co- religionists, clan, or city. Sometimes such leaders won out, and at other times they bought the proverbial farm and were slain by their own mutinous troops. >And if all that's too easy, what's the current plight of Butrus and >Paya Gupa? Butrus was taken by the Red Hats, who still occupy it with the aid of local factions favourable to them. The Pachi Lei were driven into the forests or eastwards towards Urmish. There was an awful massacre of these peaceful nonhumans, and the Pachi Lei then mounted a counter- massacre, which ended in something of a stalemate. I wouldn't want to be a Mu'ugalavyani sentry or patrol outside of the walls of Butrus! [Moderator's Note: Phil, just what is the deal with the Red Hats and ] [ the Pachi Lei? You describe the Pachi Lei as ] [ peaceful, yet they are always massacring (sp?) the ] [ Red Hats. I know that their hatred of one another ] [ now has grown from things in the past, massacres and ] [ counter-massacres, but what was the first event that ] [ started the whole situation? ] Paya Gupa is another case: the Red Hats made a faint attempt to scare the city into surrendering, but the Thumis Adept, Lord Gamulu, is a staunch follower of Prince Eselne, and he made some counterthreats that made the Mu'ugalavyani think twice. They knew they couldn't take the city without major siege units, supplies, and time; they thus retreated into the forest -- just in time to get slapped around a little by the Pe Choi, who were angry at the treatment of the Pachi Lei and also at the thinly veiled attempt to take over the governing of the Chakas entirely. Rather than fight a guerrilla war in dense jungle against a nonhuman foe who knew every inch of the place, the Red Hats backed off. This is about where it stands right now, in the middle of summer in 2,367. Regards, Phil ----- 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. //381 [Moderator's Note: Mark Bee asks about water oriented aspects of gods, and] [ also on Meshqu. ] >I'm wondering if there are any aspects of the Gods that are concerned with or >deal with nature. Specificly the element of water. If there is such an aspect >could you tell me the god or goddess that the aspect belongs to and the name >along with a brief discription of that aspect. The Goddess Avanthe is involved with water, the seas, rain, etc. She has an Aspect or two that deal with various features of this: E'eth of the Rains, or Bolende the Master of the Spirits of the Water. Ask Bob Alberti, who is working on "Mitlanyal" to comment, too, if you need more. [Moderator's Note: Feel free to comment Bob. ] >On another subject: >>When are we going to see a rising young entreprenuer among our ranks >>petition the Emperor for permission to retail "Meshqu Plaques" on >>Earth? Good idea. I have said yes to this proposal several times. All we need is somebody with skill, facilities, and money! >>As I see it, it would advertise Tekumel in a (mostly) harmless manner, >>it would provide a capitalistic outlet for an artisan in our midst, and >>it would give us a way to express our moods in a non-confrontational >>manner. >I might be interested in doing something like this. I understand that >there are a standard 12 plaques that are used, but have no idea of the >design or materials that would be needed. If someone would enlighten >me on this matter I could look into the possibility...with the >Emporer's permission of course. I think there was an old Tekumel Journal article on the Meshqu Plaques. Perhaps somebody could send Mark a copy of it? It might be fun. I can provide more colours and designs, if needed. [Moderator's Note: I can provide a copy of the article in question. ] Regards, Phil ----- 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. //382 [Moderator's Note: Shawn Bond asks about nonhuman legions of the Empire. ] >By the by, I would also like to post a question to the Prof. requesting >some more information on the goings on of the legions in the Empire. After >reading Message #370, I was curious what some of the nonhuman legions are >up to. I think that maybe the Hlaka have flown back home to protect their >aeries in response to the increase in incursions of Ssu war parties in the >east (it also seems to me that the Hlaka probably think of human civil wars >as rather funny and a waste of time - if you don't like a leader, just >ignore him!) Most of the Hlaka are still on duty in Tsolyanu. They tend to stay abroad for long periods of time, and there are enough at home to keep the Ssu out of their territory. I think Mirusiya has a Hlaka legion or parts of it, and there are troops with Reresqala and Eselne, too. I don't know if any of the northern units went over to Dhich'une or not. >What are the Pe Choi legions doing now that much of Do Chaka >is currently "controlled" by rebel Pe Choi (at least as long as Prince >Eselne's soldiers aren't around)? I would suppose that many have returned >home to aid their brethern. The Pe Choi legions in the Empire have had various fates: most have stayed on, loyal to their officers and to the prince paying their salaries. Some troops have indeed gone home. A few have bcome bandits and have ravaged areas around the central Empire, even near Katalal and Usenanu. Each Pe Choi band seems to have a mind of its own. >I would also imagine that the Pachi Lei are >grouping in numbers to deal with the Mu'ugalavyani problem in Pan Chaka. >Has any Prince capitalized on this (perhaps having the Pachi Lei hold onto >certain areas for one prince or another in return for liberating those >Pachi Lei trapped in Red Hat territory - after he or she is made Emperor, >of course)? Any Ahoggya still enlisting with the Imperium (or has Salarvya >cut off these creatures from Tsolyanu)? Prince Eselne hasn't had much luck in the south. Rereshqala appeals more to the peaceable Pachi Lei. Eselne's Pachi Lei are still with him, but he has posted them to the north, where they can't defect easily. He has encouraged the Pachi Lei to fight against the Red Hats, but Rereshqala has done the same thing, with better luck. The Pachi Lei refugees around Urmish and Katalal have largely gone over to Rereshqala, although they haven't proved very effective fighters yet. Not many of their species seem to favour a career as soldiers. There are old, traditional families of Pachi Lei in many of the Tsolyani cities, of course, who have adapted to human ways and ideas, and this is where many of the best Pachi Lei soldiers come from. Many of these are linked to the Stability temples and ideals, which Rereshqala personifies more than does Eselne -- and certainly not Dhich'une or Mirusiya. The new Ksarul rince, Taksuru, is appealing, of course, but he's too new to have garnered mcuh allegiance from these supporters yet. Regards, Phil ----- 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. //383 [Moderator's Note: The Professor expounds upon Yeleth and Ru'un some more, ] [ in response to Steve's questions. ] >I'd be curious to hear some feedback on this as well; I've always >wondered if/suspected that more sophisticated "androids" akin to the >Yeleth were possible, and might even have been used as substitutes for >humans in some circumstances. Whether they could be made to effectively >duplicate a particuar individual (a la _The Stepford Wives_ or >_Futureworld_), or perhaps only play the role of an actual human (not >necessarily duplicating a "real" person) so well that few would guess, I >don't know. The Lords of the Latter Times did experiment with both robots and organic androids, as well as biologically engineered "mutants." With robots (many forms of Ru'un), they did not need to arm them with magic -- they still had considerable technology, and sorcerous methods were fairly new and untried. Later came the Yeleth and various other "sorcerous" artificial intelligences. Robots were frequently used as guards, servants, mechanics, and artisans. The Yeleth and a few other android-varieties were employed as companions, decorations, sex-partners, etc. They were not often armed with anything -- and frequently had built-in commands that prevented them from attacking or even defending themselves. When the Latter Times were drawing down to a close, somebody or something altered the mold for the Yeleth (and certain other artificial creatures, creating hostile and independent entities that had no love for their former masters and mistresses. These newer versions still could not cast magic -- except as a single spell, programmed in by their creators, much like an "Eye." Nobody seemed to have envisioned a need for independent artificial intelligences that had a repertory of spells to cast freely and at will! That was probably a wise decision... >I certainly would think such creations could perform "spells"; even if >only as a "hard wired" circuit akin to an eye or other device. Whether a >more generic "programmable" spell device would be possible, I don't >know, though the descriptions of the Mihalli's "Orbs of Immediate >Eventuation" sound somewhat like that. I think that hard-wired single spells (like "Eyes") were indeed occasionally added to very late models of the Ru'un and the Yeleth (and to some others, not all of which have perhaps been seen by visitors to Tekumel). Many of these seem to have perished or gone defunct over the ages, but there may still be a few around. (Moral: if a Yeleth points a finger at you, duck!) Regards, Phil ----- 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. //384 [Moderator's Note: Kenji Schwarz asks about the geography of Tekumel and ] [ also about Salarvya. ] I have a few quick questions (and one longer one) for the Blueroom group about the geography of "known Tekumel," Maps 1-4. On these large-scale maps, there are several settlements which are not clearly part of a described state, nor are they mentioned (except perhaps in passing) in published materials. I'm curious to know a little more about them -- who lives there, what their political status is with regard to neighboring countries, and what they might be like to visit. 1) The coastal cities in the Unknown Forest: Port Chanul and Dale'e. Are these Livyani outposts? Mu'ugalavyani? Something else? 2) Ssamris Isle: Is this under Mu'ugalavyani or Tsolyani jurisdiction at the present time? (Or Livyani?) Its location could make it, perhaps, an important port along the sea lanes, but is not mentioned (that I can find) in any released materials. 3) The Isles of Ill Winds, with the town of Mardza. This is not part of the Ahoggya lands, nor of the Nyemesel Islands, is it? Who or what lives here? 4) The Farise Isles, and the town of Ai'is. Are these islands part of the Salarvyani feudal domain, or part of Rannalu (or the Nom lands)? Again, what are the islands and their inhabitants like? 5) The towns in Rannalu (Birchan, Tkemar, Hlame'e, Mimore)--given the "band"-type social structure and nomadic economy of the inhabitants of Rannalu, how did these settlements arise, and who lives in them? Obviously, given the remoteness and obscurity of most of these places, one should expect fanciful and inexact travelers' tales. Nonetheless, a few reliable pointers or basic facts would be greatly appreciated. 8) I've also wondered about the cultural cohesiveness of Salarvya. Bob Dushay's recent Blueroom article on western coastal Map 3 Salarvya got me thinking about this again. Salarvya as a whole extends over 7000 Tsan from east to west, which, given the slowness of normal travel and communication on Tekumel, suggests little contact between, say, Elelun and Chame'el. The fragmented, feudal political structure and the (apparent) absence of a powerful centralized religious or cultural authority extending over the entire country would also seem to encourage cultural drift as one moves away from the "center" of Tsatsayagga. I would tend to imagine that there is a great amount of variation in language, material and symbolic culture, and probably even physical appearance as one travels from one end of Salarvya to the other. Is this correct? If so, could the Professor perhaps mention a few key points in which the "Far East" of Salarvya is different from the better-known western regions? If, on the other hand, there _is_ socio-cultural-linguistic homogeneity in Salarvya comparable to that found in the other Five Empires, why is this? What historical forces created the uniformity across this huge area, and why does it persist? ----- 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. //385 [Moderator's Note: Adam Levine provides the following story dealing with ] [ Yeleth and Ru'un from a campaign he was in. ] >I would like to learn more about the Yeleth and Ru'un - specifically how >they have interacted with PC's in Professor Barker's campaigns >throughout the years. The accounts of listmembers who participated in >these encounters would be greatly appreciated, along with the input of >other DM's on this subject. I am also curious to know if anyone has ever >discovered any other forms of AI (artificial intelligence) in the >Professor's games. The following is a brief description of events that occurred long ago in an adventure under Jakalla: After our adventure with the Hluss, we returned to Jakalla where we each became involved in Temple life. However, the friendship build between the player characters from shared adversity lasted. The Temples of Ksarul and Sarku approached their followers in our group to pursue a cache of records in The Domed City. It was hoped that these record would identify the precise astrological configuration that signaled the last ditlana of Jakalla. With this information, it would be possible to force the new ditlana of Jakalla now long overdue. There are many powerful individuals and groups that stand to gain or suffer if such an event were to transpire. We were cautioned to be mindful of opposition to our efforts. We accepted our mission. Well provisioned, we entered the underworld through an opening in the necropolis maintained by the Temple of Sarku. The instructions that we were given were both clear and cryptic. We were told to descend down a series of wide stairways avoiding any branches until we found an Engsvanyali sewer. In an offhand way, we were told that if we were to investigate the wrong side passage while going down, then we might happen onto a shrine to one of the Pariah Gods that has been known to melt the bones of anyone who looked upon it. We were motivated not to do too much exploring. At the end of the sewer, we found the River of Silence. There, our instructions indicated that we were to fire off a chemical fire pot that was extra bright. After about fifteen minutes, we began having tsoggyu problems. Fighting furiously, you can imagine our surprise when a hover barge came wisking over the river with people (ru'un) firing mounted lightning bringers into the undead. Momentarily distracted and stunned, the tsoggyu were sufficiently disoriented to enable us to jump onto the barge and make our escape. The perfectly formed male crew refused or, more likely, were incapable of speaking to us. They took us to Katalan's island. Katalan is an Engsvanyali ru'un that runs a safe house/fortress near the far side of the River of Silence. A real gentlerobot, we were served thousand year old rations (for which Katalan apologized) and had a very interesting conversation about the current Emperor of Engsvanyali. He doesn't know or refuses to accept that Ensvanyali has fallen. He also asked if we knew when replacements and parts would be coming, explaining that they were in great need. We were each shown to personal sleeping quarters. The bed sheets fell apart at a touch. Katalan was apologetic about the accomodations. The beds had two small prongs protruding from the location of a sleeper's lower back that made it impossible to use the beds. We assumed that the ru'un used these beds to somehow replenish their power. Throughout our visit, we saw many other humanoid constructs. However, only Katalan could speak and appeared to operate correctly. After sleeping on the floor, we went on our way across a rickety bridge to The Domed City. Incidently, I broke a slat in the bridge and was scratched badly by tsogyyu waiting below. ----- 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. //386 [Moderator's Note: Bob Alberti, author of Mitlanyal responds to Mark Bee's ] [ question about the aspects of gods that may be water ] [ oriented. ] >>Mark Bee asks >>I'm wondering if there are any aspects of the Gods that are concerned with >>or >>deal with nature. Specificly the element of water. If there is such an >>aspect >>could you tell me the god or goddess that the aspect belongs to and the name >>along with a brief discription of that aspect. >The Perfesser replies >The Goddess Avanthe is involved with water, the seas, rain, etc. She >has an Aspect or two that deal with various features of this: E'eth >of the Rains, or Bolende the Master of the Spirits of the Water. As far as Avanthe goes, there's little to add. Here are the actual entries from Mitlanyal: 4) E'eth of the Rains She it is who brings the rain to water the fields; her older sister Quyela, who fertilizes the crops, and her oldest sister is Chikuna, who ripens the crops and causes them to be ready for the harvest. E'eth has no shrines or images but is worshipped in the fields by priests and priestesses specially trained in her rituals. If she does not respond and rain does not come, farmers may then appeal to Qalai, the Maintainer of Cycles. 16) Bolende, the Lord of the Spirits of Water. Like Niluelde, Hlikarsh, and Dede he is charged with the demons of a specific realm. He is the patron of those missing at sea, of ships that are becalmed, of the creatures of the water (both fresh and salt), of cretins beings from other Planes where water is the medium of existence, and of sunken treasures. His images are shaped like swimming fish with high dorsal fins and long serpentine tails. His shrines are simple stone platforms, found along the banks of a lake, river, or ocean, and his only sacrifices are fresh fish (not crustaceans or eel-like creatures). It's important to remember, however, that Aspects are very localized. In Avanthe's Temple, aspects number 18 through 24 are listed as "localized", along with some others. Fishing villages will usually have aspects dedicated to the movement of the schools of fish, the safe conduct of boats, or the flow of currents. These will differ in name and appearance based on the history and tradition of the area. So if your players are in Penom and about to undertake a hazardous journey, they could be directed to the local aspect "Ta'al of Smooth Waters" who sees to the steady rhythm of the waves and their moderate perpetuation, neither too large or too small. Upon landing in Jakalla, they would not find a shrine to Ta'al. A few of the local clergy may have heard of her, but that would be due only to the frequency of commerce between the two cities and not any doctrinal support. Bolende's shrines are found all over the wharves in Jakalla, however, so your players would have no shortage opportunity to sacrifice their next voyage. Elsewhere, Avanthe's foreign counterparts have even greater aquatic emphasis. The Lady Shiringgayi of Salarvya has several oceanic Aspects, and the Mreshshel-Atl Lineage of Lake Mrissutl has its own secret Aspect related to the lake which they do not reveal to those outside their lineage. Here's more from Mitlanyal in this regard: "Whenever there is a great storm, when a ship feared lost returns safely, when a son is born to the master, etc., it is customary among the coastal-dwelling Salarvyani priests to oversee the raising of a stone monolith on the seashore. Such monuments are inscribed with protective runes, and offerings of animals, sea creatures, and occasionally slaves are made to them. These runes seek Shiringgayi's protection from storms, shipwreck and the like, and especially protection against the sleek pirate galleys of the Haida Pakalani, who practice a similar custom." The aforementioned Haida Pakalani worship their own version of Shiriggayi named Mretten (which, two interpretations removed from Tsolyanu, is becoming quite different): "Known as She Who Strides the Wind, Her symbol is that of two tridents side-by-side, like three fingered hands. It is inscribed ship-bows and guard against Her." Mretten of Haida Pakala is known as She Who Walks Upon the Sea in the nearby Nyemesel Isles, where she is not quite as viciously perceived as in Haida Pakala, and her trident symbol is interpreted as the Two Hands of Mretten. The Ghatoni worship "Onudza the Rain who not only fertilizes the crops, but is connected to storms, the sea, typhoons, and darkness. Before a voyage, slaves are sacrificed from the ship to satiate the gods." The Northeast States have their own interpretations of the Engsvanyali theology, along with their own complex mythology. Occupants of largely mountainous regions, there is correspondingly less emphasis upon aquatic deities. The Pechani worship an interesting pantheon, which includes Setha, Mother of Children, Scatterer of Seeds, Bringer of Rain and Harvests, Singer and Dancer of Festivals (another Avanthe/Dlamelish combination, to the Tsolyani, though the Pechani have their own mythology which has nothing to do with the Mitlanyal.) The secretive Livyani have two gods who are obviously related to the ocean. The Sea-Goddess of Kakarsha is the patroness of sailors and oceangoing travelers. Possibly related to Avanthe, She has special control over the sea and its creatures. And The Lost One of the Sea who combines the attributes of Dlamelish, Avanthe and Thumis, and is also associated with the sea. Fisheries, ships, and algae ponds are operated by the Temple of the Lost One of the Sea on the eastern coast, and the temple complex of the Lost One of the Sea in Laigas is extensive. The Nom, of course, spend most of their lives at sea, and thus they worship Kaa, Pei and To'u, gods of the Sea and Fertility, Storms, and the Night respectively. To'u is included because he is said to have underwater shrines and temples of some sort. So those are a few of the water-related gods of Tekumel. I'm out of time so I hope this will suffice. [Moderator's Note: Very informative Bob! Thanks. ] ----- 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. //387 [Moderator's Note: The Professor responds to Kenji's questions. ] >On these large-scale maps, there are several settlements which are not >clearly part of a described state, nor are they mentioned (except perhaps >in passing) in published materials. I'm curious to know a little more >about them -- who lives there, what their political status is with regard >to neighboring countries, and what they might be like to visit. >1) The coastal cities in the Unknown Forest: Port Chanul and Dale'e. Are >these Livyani outposts? Mu'ugalavyani? Something else? Most of the settlements and towns not included in any nations with boundaries (e.g. Port Chanul, Dale'e, etc.) are indeed independent or at least semi-autonomous. They are either too far or too economically undesirable to make them a target for anything except a passing raid and demand for cash. The Mu'ugalavyani, the Shen, and the pirates of Tsolei have all descended on Dale'e from time to time, usually without lasting effects. Port Chanul borders on the Tane Peninsula that leafs off the map to the east, to one of the enclaves of the Black Ssu. It is not only independent but also owner of some enterprising little pirate ships of its own. The merchants of Port Chanul sell pitch, timber, furs,fish, and other marine products to other towns farther along the coast, out to Tane. They rarely trade down to the Tsolei Archipelago, or back all the way to Mu'ugalavya -- although the new military road down from Gashchne to the northern shores of the bay directly south of it may make it easier to do this in future. There is just too much of Tekumel to talk about! I could not include all of these little settlements and remote towns in my descriptions! There are many others: e.g. Ai'is in the Farise Isles on the far eastern coast of Salarvya -- who have never heard of Tsatsayagga! >2) Ssamris Isle: Is this under Mu'ugalavyani or Tsolyani jurisdiction at >the present time? (Or Livyani?) Its location could make it, perhaps, an >important port along the sea lanes, but is not mentioned (that I can find) >in any released materials. Ssamris is now in Mu'ugalavyani hands. The Livyani have owned it, and some Shen mercenaries took it for awhile; then the Hluss invaded and ravaged it pretty thoroughly. When they left, the Tsolyani established a trading mission, as did the Mu'ugalavyani, AND the Livyani. The island is a free market and mercantile meeting place. It is pretty wild and lawless. Squalid, too. >3) The Isles of Ill Winds, with the town of Mardza. This is not part of >the Ahoggya lands, nor of the Nyemesel Islands, is it? Who or what lives >here? Who knows? This is *very* remote and unlikely to be visited, even by the most intrepid sailors. It is probably inhabited by eastern Salarvyani blown off course and stranded by the winds and tides. There are Ahoggya there, too, of course, but nobody knows what resources the place has or how it is governed -- if at all. Fish, shells, oils from marine creatures -- plus certain mysterious narcotics -- are the only know exports, very very rarely traded northward to Fort Vrusaggu and Khirre. The place is claimed by the Salarvyani, but as far as I know, they have no presence there. The only report I have ever had was from one Captain Harchar, a vicious pirate, who said it was a pretty little town until he had finished with it -- no pretty girls, though, and he could never get excited about sex with the Ahoggya. If you want to look, go right ahead... >4) The Farise Isles, and the town of Ai'is. Are these islands part of the >Salarvyani feudal domain, or part of Rannalu (or the Nom lands)? Again, >what are the islands and their inhabitants like? Mentioned above. The Salarvyani of Elelun and Mimore deal with the fisherfolk of the Farise Isles, but they are so very remote that no one really knows or cares. The Nom visit them, too. See the article on these people in the Bestiary. >5) The towns in Rannalu (Birchan, Tkemar, Hlame'e, Mimore)--given the >"band"-type social structure and nomadic economy of the inhabitants of >Rannalu, how did these settlements arise, and who lives in them? Settled by exiles, bandits, and enterprising colonists up from the coastal plains of eastern and central Salarvya. They all speak one dialect or other of Salarvyani, and they generally fit into the cultural patterns of "rural" Salarvya. There are older sub-strata, of course. Tkemar is influenced by the humans now inhabiting Mihallu, while Birchan tends to be more tribal, with Salarvyani and Rannaluyani elements mixed together. Mimore is a clear offshoot from Elelun: Salarvyani fisherfolk, with merchants and sturdy peasants occupying hamlets and little fields in the coves along the coast. Hlame'e is a weird place: desert tribesemen, mixed with Salarvyani, and including some silent and uncooperative nomads from the Plains of Glass. Some guides can be found there who can take you across to the Crater of the Unstraightened City -- if Metallja's guards don't catch you! >Obviously, given the remoteness and obscurity of most of these places, one >should expect fanciful and inexact travelers' tales. Nonetheless, a few >reliable pointers or basic facts would be greatly appreciated. Most travellers have never heard of these places. You might find an occasional wanderer who has seen them, but you'll have to hunt! >8) I've also wondered about the cultural cohesiveness of Salarvya. Bob >Dushay's recent Blueroom article on western coastal Map 3 Salarvya got me >thinking about this again. Salarvya as a whole extends over 7000 Tsan from >east to west, which, given the slowness of normal travel and communication >on Tekumel, suggests little contact between, say, Elelun and Chame'el. The >fragmented, feudal political structure and the (apparent) absence of a >powerful centralized religious or cultural authority extending over the >entire country would also seem to encourage cultural drift as one moves >away from the "center" of Tsatsayagga. You are mainly correct. Salarvya is a nation in name only. The great "families" do lay claim to areas within their own enclaves and spheres of influence, and there was a time when Bendalljan colonists and later Ensgvanyali missions and traders wandered out to settle along the fertile southern coasts. There has always been shipping and marine contact, with frequent pushes in from the sea to settle the northern regions just south of Rannalu. There is the religion if Lady Shiringgayi, of course, plus the linguistic heritage and accompanying cultural attitudes and mores that hold the "nation" together (in the loosest sense!). There have also been occasional powerful leaders who have kept the Salarvyani banners flying way out in such outposts as Jaekanta and Retsullu. But not for long and not without a lot of local cultural changes. There is still an intense desire to maintain the linguistic links between all of the Salarvyani regions -- somewhat as the Chinese dialects all managed to keep the same written structure while modifying the spoken forms of their dialect/language greatly. The lords of Jaekanta are not likely to offer more than lip-service to the "king" in Tsatsayagga, but they still like to think they're speaking and writing "The King's Salarvyani." >I would tend to imagine that there is a great amount of variation in >language, material and symbolic culture, and probably even physical >appearance as one travels from one end of Salarvya to the other. Is this >correct? Asolutely right. This could be the subject of a whole book! I can only urge you to look at the Zocchi version of the "Sourcebook" (until Chris gets vol. 3 up on the FTP site!). I wish I had time for it, and maybe I will indeed get off a few dollops of information soon -- if I can find the time. >If, on the other hand, there _is_ socio-cultural-linguistic homogeneity in >Salarvya comparable to that found in the other Five Empires, why is this? >What historical forces created the uniformity across this huge area, and >why does it persist? There _is_ some homogeneity because of historical connections and origins. But there are many, many changes, too. It would be hard for a native of Jaekanta to communicate with a Tsatsayaggani. Rather like me listening to a Cockney fellow one time in Hong Kong: he was expounding at length on world politics, but I could only tell he was talking about Germany because he kept saying "I'-lah" (Hitler)! The rest I could not fathom. Regards, Phil ----- 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. //388 [Moderator's Note: Brett Slocum adds to the Yeleth and Ru'un discussion. ] [ You may have trouble reaching me and the ftp/web site ] [ tomorrow, Saturday Aug 17, 1996 from about 9:30 AM to ] [ 2:30 PM Central Time. Please plan accordingly. ] >I would like to learn more about the Yeleth and Ru'un - specifically how >they have interacted with PC's in Professor Barker's campaigns >throughout the years. The accounts of listmembers who participated in >these encounters would be greatly appreciated, along with the input of >other DM's on this subject. I am also curious to know if anyone has ever >discovered any other forms of AI (artificial intelligence) in the >Professor's games. I played in Craig Smith's (the artist from Swords and Glory as well as other publications) semi-official offshoot of the Professor's campaign in the 70's. On one adventure at sea, we ran into an island that had once been an R&R facility for the military during the Latter Times (or some such ancient period). There was a class of Ru'un there that was much more intelligent than the run-of-the-mill tomb guardian type (yes, I know they really aren't run-of-the-mill). These had some kind of energy blaster instead of the usual bolt caster, and seemed better armored as well (drawing in Tekumel Journal #1, p. 17). They thought we were soldiers on R&R and treated us accordingly. They could interact, answer questions, etc. They knew Tsolyani, which was remarkable in its own sense. The problem was that we didn't have any orders that said we could leave, so they attempted to prevent our departure in a rather non-violent manner, at least at first (they didn't want us to go AWOL). We did manage to escape (with three energy pistols) and only losing one party member. (We later lost the energy pistols to the Vru'uneb in Tsamra, but that's another story.) An Imperial Dispatch in The Imperial Military Journal (Vol. II, #5, Winter 2360 - mislabelled #4) appeared describing these events. [Moderator's Note: I thought I had heard this story before. I believe I ] [ read that Imperial Dispatch. ] ----- 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. //389 [Moderator's Note: Professor Barker responds to Brett's article on Yeleth ] [ and Ru'un. ] >>I would like to learn more about the Yeleth and Ru'un - specifically how >>they have interacted with PC's in Professor Barker's campaigns >>throughout the years. The accounts of listmembers who participated in >>these encounters would be greatly appreciated, along with the input of >>other DM's on this subject. I am also curious to know if anyone has ever >>discovered any other forms of AI (artificial intelligence) in the >>Professor's games. >I played in Craig Smith's (the artist from Swords and Glory as well >as other publications) semi-official offshoot of the Professor's >campaign in the 70's. On one adventure at sea, we ran into an island >that had once been an R&R facility for the military during the Latter >Times (or some such ancient period). There was a class of Ru'un >there that was much more intelligent than the run-of-the-mill >tomb guardian type (yes, I know they really aren't run-of-the-mill). >These had some kind of energy blaster instead of the usual bolt >caster, and seemed better armored as well (drawing in Tekumel Journal >#1, p. 17). They thought we were soldiers on R&R and treated us >accordingly. They could interact, answer questions, etc. They knew >Tsolyani, which was remarkable in its own sense. The problem was >that we didn't have any orders that said we could leave, so they >attempted to prevent our departure in a rather non-violent manner, at >least at first (they didn't want us to go AWOL). We did manage to >escape (with three energy pistols) and only losing one party member. >(We later lost the energy pistols to the Vru'uneb in Tsamra, but >that's another story.) An Imperial Dispatch in The Imperial Military >Journal (Vol. II, #5, Winter 2360 - mislabelled #4) appeared >describing these events. >[Moderator's Note: I thought I had heard this story before. I believe I ] >[ read that Imperial Dispatch. ] Brett's recollection is exact. Craig Smith took some of his campaign ideas directly from mine, and the "lost islands: in the southern seas was one of them. The Ru'un there are much more sophisticated than the run-of-the-mill storeroom guard or or service robot. The problem is that the R-n-R base is absolutely unalterable and fixed by any methods the Tsolyani have today (think of Amazonian jungle tribesmen in an American underground missile base for a comparison). The R-n-R Ru'un are programmed to serve, entertain, and help soldiers and space pilots relax. They cannot provide information (that a Tsolyani could understoand), and they do NOT offer technology, weapons, or the like. As for the language, Craig neglected to mention to Brett and his party that the Ru'uns' lips do not move in sync with the Tsolyani words they seem to be uttering. They use a form of "technological telepathy." The base dates not from the Latter Times (it was known but not used -- after all nobody who got there could get off without identification and authorisation, and few of the ancient military ID cards were available -- and they had the wrong pictures, dates, eye-prints, etc. The Lords of the Latter Times at first tried to move a couple of the sophisticated pleasure robots to their own installations, but this kind of meddling is resisted with force by the island "brain centre," and these attempts failed or led to disaster. By the bye, do most of you know about the "little golden translation balls?" These are highly treasured by players in my games. They are creations of the early (and more technological Latter Times) and are found here and there in ancient installations. They are about the size of a small marble and are made of golden metal. Put one inside your cheek, and it connects with your brain waves to translate audible foreign speech into your own tongue -- and your words into something understandable by your hearers. They won't work on Ru'un, Yeleth, or the nonhuman languages, but they are very useful for most modern human languages. You can thus "speak" to a person whose language you don't know at all. They work by some sort of gimmicky computer chip circuitry, I suppose. They do short out or go dead -- rarely harming the user -- but they are extremely useful for long distance travellers. They are bulky in one's cheek, however, and I have known persons to swallow one accidently -- and then have to wait for its eventual emergence... If you don't have one of these "golden balls," You can spend months learning a foreign language, which would slow the game down greatly. On "real Tekumel" the golden balls are quite rare and do require some configuration for various languages, but it's better to keep it simple for players in the games. Hope this helps! Regards, Phil ----- 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. //390 [Moderator's Note: Bill Faulkner asks about Sro and Serudla. ] [Further Note: Some of you have seen this already. About 80 percent of the] [ list did not, however. It appears that the mailout process ] [ screwed up on me, and I didn't notice. Things will be slim ] [ here for the next couple of weeks as we gear up for the ] [ start of school here at Prin, and I will be going down to ] [ Texas to settle the final affairs of my Mom's estate. On ] [ bright side, I do get a bunch of editing done when I travel.] [ So, expect a bit of a draught here for a bit, and the week- ] [ end after Labor Day (and the first part of the week after, ] [ too), I'll be out of town. Thanks for your patience. ] >I have a few questions for Phil about the Sro and Serudla. It is >primarily driven since I I bought one of the Sro figures from PHD at >GenCon this year. My first question is what colors do I paint this thing. >Not much is said about these two semi-intelligent creatures other than >the Serudla is used by the Penjani (or at least I think that is correct) >as a huge battle beast. First question (after to color issue) is what is >the origin of these two large creatures. I believe that that are >non-native, so why were they brought here? Perhaps as a specimen for one >of the legendary zoos? Second, descibe these creatures habitats and >life-styles. Essentially whatever information Phil has would be rather >interesting. The Serudla is described in the "Tekumel Bestiary" as being covered with grey-green iridescent scales. The colour is deeper and more grey on top and lighter and with a distinctive greenish tinge on the belly, throat, and under-limbs. There are variations: from really dark grey to fairly pale, cloud- or mist-grey. The Tsolyani peasants name the Serudla "the Pale Murderer." The reason for this choice of name is not known. This species mostly lives in low mountains and forested regions. I recall well the player who started a character in Jakalla and was expecting to meet a Serudla just outside the city limits! Rather like those benighted types who expect to see bears in Minneapolis suburbs -- and sometimes do... It is the Ghatoni who have some secret method of domesticating the Serudla enough to use it as a battle-beast. The Sro is darker, ranging to charcoal and black above, with a lighter grey or blue-grey underbelly. The scales are iridescent, shining with bluish lights. The eyes are sometimes rimmed with blue-black or purplish-blue-grey scales that lend them a luminous, malevolent look. They are not particularly aggressive, however, and may even help humans who are under attack from other, still more inimical species. The Sro lives in the high mountain ranges in remote areas of the continent. They are not very numerous, and few have seen them. As far as I know, the Sro has never been domesticated or used in battle, although it is intelligent enough to use weapons (huge bronze or steel swords -- supplied by species like the Hluss, who enjoy causing humankind as much fear and grief as possible. If you're in Jakalla, you can see examples of these swords in the Governor's arms collection -- it's open to the public on certain days. Right now, though, Jakalla is a good place to stay *away from*: the civil war has mostly passed over it, but there are food riots and unrest. These two creatures are probably genetically related. They originate on one (or two?) of the Shen worlds and were brought to Tekumel to adorn some ancient spacefarer's private zoo. When the Time of Darkness came, they escaped and sought habitats suitable for their species. They now find Shenyu and Mmatugual inhospitable -- too hot to suit them. They thus seem to have wandered north to Ghaton and the N'luss area, over across Yan Kor and the Lorun regions to the small states of the far northeast, and down into some of the mountain ranges in northern Tsolyanu. Both Sro and Serudla have recently been reported in the eastern empire: in Kerunan, near Ru, the Hundranu Rise, and up towards Fenul. These creatures are neither pets nor playthings. The last Tsolyani who tried to domesticate a Sro is still missing... Take care! Regards, Phil ----- 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.