Tékumel Archive

The Eye of All-Seeing Wonder

Issue Two | Autumn 1993

Opening the Way

Did I say in the first Issue that I hoped to get The Eye out every four months or so? Whoops. Well, it’s actually taken something like nine months, but perhaps we can look on that as a promising period of gestation. I have high hopes the baby’s progress will be a bit faster from now on!

On the plus side, this Issue has an extra twelve pages – at no extra cost, at least to subscribers. I decided that, in case there was another delay getting Eye 3 ready, it wasn’t fair to make people wait even longer for the TIRIKELU combat rules. At least now you can do something with the characters you rolled up last Issue. I hope to get some of the magic system into next Issue. Jamie Thomson’s article on Livyáni sorcery, although written to fit a number of games systems, gives a taster of what to expect.

After putting the finishing touches (or so I thought) to the first Issue, I duly took off for Central America to get married. It was only when I returned a month later that I discovered our original printer deal had fallen through. It had been left to Dermot Bolton to find another printer who could do the print-run at the same cost. Luckily he came through with the goods, so this Issue is dedicated to him. Thanks, Dermot.

Thanks are also due to Mark Wigoder-Daniels, Our Man in Manhattan, who has arranged for The Eye to be printed by Theatre of the Mind. This means two things. First, the format changes from A4 to 8.5” by 11”, which is the US standard. Secondly, it will now be much easier to get The Eye in the States. If your local games store doesn’t have it, try contacting TOME.

Subscribers in the United Kingdom and Eire can secure their copy of the next Issue by sending me £2.50. (For the rest of Europe, make that £3.00.) I can’t predict as yet how the TOME deal will affect The Eye’s price, but that’s not something subscribers need worry about. If it turns out that the pricing works out at less than £2.50 per copy, you’ll be credited with the difference.

As you may have noticed, this Issue’s cover features some proper artwork, courtesy of Russ Nicholson. The illustration comes from my new book, Necklace of Skulls, published by Mammoth (a division of Reed International). I mention this not for self aggrandisement, but because readers of The Eye might be interested in the story, which is based on Mayan mythology. There are also another twenty or so of Russ’s excellent pictures to look at.

From what we get to hear about Professor Barker’s campaign, it sounds like his players are living in interesting times. Things have taken an unexpected and exciting turn. We’ve tried to tie in this Issue’s scenarios with current events, with Dhich’uné on the Petal Throne and half the Empire clamouring for civil war. Prince Rereshqala has quelled food riots in Jakálla and announced that there should be a new Kolumejalim. If the other princes take part he will defer to them, but if no-one else attends then he will “reluctantly” Assume power “for the sake of the Empire”. On top of this, a new prince has declared himself in Béy Sü: Taksuru hiViridame. Why retain the name of the venerable Viridame lineage and not call himself a Tlakotani? I don’t know. It might just be a garbled rumour, or maybe he thinks these upstart Tlakotani don’t have enough tradition behind them. And how can there be a new Kolumejalim while Dhich’uné is alive? Whatever you think of his methods, the fact is that there was a Kolumejalim and he won it.

We’ll try and find out all we can about these ongoing events. Momentous times are ahead for Tékumel, both in and out of game. Be here next Issue to share them with us.

Brumazik! Dave Morris

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