These messages are the accumulation of the messages that were sent out on the Blue Room email list between May 1995 and June 2000. A large portion of the information is directly from Professor M.A.R Barker. When the list members joined during the time the list was active, they agreed to refrain from sharing this data with non list members. When the list ended, it was urged that the data be made available to non-list Tekumel fans, and it seemed like a good idea all around. I only ask that if you download these digests, or have received them in some other way, please respect the agreements the list members made, and refrain from passing them around and instead point people to the Tekumel web site, www.tekumel.com so that they can download them for themselves, and see all the other material available on the Tekumel.com web site. Many Thanks. Chris Davis Moderator: Blue Room mailing list Creative Commons - Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs CC BY-NC-ND BLUE ROOM ARCHIVE -- VOLUME 35 [26 July 1999 - 16 August 1999] 1021:Company of the Crystal Sword Reply 1022:Nighted Tower Clan Reply 1023:Serqu, the Swathe of Red Reply 1024:Kunakh 1025:Dawn of a 'New Day' 1026:Dawn of a New Day Responses 1027:Administrative Note 1028:Kunakh Reply 1029:Dawn of a New Day Reply 1030:More on Serqu 1031:More Character Feedback 1032:More Dawn of a New Day 1033:Administrative Note 1034:Language Question 1035:Tsolyani Navies 1036:Pechani/Ssu Relations 1037:Tsolyani Body Language 1038:More on Serqu 1039:Language Reply 1040:Tsolyani Navies Reply 1041:More Pechani/Ssu Relations 1042:More Pechani/Ssu Relations 1043:Sorceror-Priests of Hru'u 1044:Blind Barter 1045:Miscellaneous Questions 1046:The Island of Dlanta 1047:Administrateve Note-Aug 14,1999 1048:More Music 1049:Priest of Hru'u Reply 1050:Blind Barter Reply ******************************* //1021 [Moderator's Note: Professor Barker comments on Jack's story. ] >Dramatis Personae [Players] I like the idea of a list of "dramatis personae." Names are generally a problemfor non-Tsolyani referees, but the ones used here are quite good. The scenario is well organised and structured. Excellent! 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. //1022 [Moderator's Note: Professor Barker provides Michael Schwartz some info on ] [ the Nighted Tower Clan. ] [Moderator's Note: Michael Schwartz asks about the Nighted Tower Clan. ] >Hey folks, >The Tekumel Sourcebook tells us that Nighted Tower is a very low clan >mainly of tomb guards and manufacturers of various chemicals, often >accused of being tomb robbers also. The main clanhouse resides at >Purdimal in the Swamps of Ksarul, but clansfolk can be found throughout >northwestern Tsolyanu. Nighted Tower clansfolk are primarily devoted to >the Lords of Change, save for Vimuhla and Chiteng. >What else is known about Nighted Tower, and how much of a presence do >they have in provinces other than those of the northwest? There isn't a lot more to tell. There are a half dozen shadowy "semi-clans" or "incipient clans" at the bottom of the Tsolyani social ladder. These groups compete for members, business, and economic-political influence, The great clans usually ignore them, unless there is a need for them. A tomb guard is not a high-prestige person. He/she would be more welcome than a slaver-clansman but less desirable than members of the agricultural or craftsman clans at a feast. Some members of the Nighted Tower clan are involved in making chemicals used for embalming and the purification of tombs and corpses. Others are tomb guards, hired and paid by other clans to protect catacombs and underground sepulchres. These persons are not employed to guard buried shrines to any of the gods; each temple has a contingent of soldiery, who are charged with maintaining the sect's subterranean temples. Still other priests are sent down to perform the ceremonies there. Nighted Tower would have no more access to the interior of Lord Sarku's huge complex under Jakalla than any of the other clans. Members are usually devotees of Sarku or Durritlamish. There is another smaller separate clan made up of adherents of Lords Belkhanu and Qon, the Chamber of Yellow. These factions are quite hostile to one another. Rightly or wrongly, Nighted Tower has a reputation for occasional tomb robbery or at least pilfering. It is said in Purdimal that if you want to acquire some of your great-grandmother's teeth with which to brew up a magical fertility potion, Nighted Tower can get them for you -- complete with her name etched on the enamel! Tomb robbery is a serious crime in Tsolyanu, punishable by death, and the business of looting graves is more risky on the surface than it is underground. You ask about Nighted Tower outside of the northwest. As far as I know, there are no clanhouses or groups of members anywhere east of Bey Su and down the Missuma River to Jakalla. Thraya and Penom both have local incipient-clans: e.g. The Protectors of Sweet Decay and the Arjumi Society, to name two.. The northeast is divided between the Fasiltum-based Guardians of Forever and an unnamed tomb-protective association which does not aspire to clan status. The south and southeast use the services of the Amber Urn of Memory. All of these are hardly more than tradesmen's organisations at present, but there are pressures to make them into formal clans. Imperial recognition may be long in coming, of course. The distinction between Belkhanu/Qon and Sarku/Durritlamish is important here: the former specialise in funerals, "spiritual matters" connected with death and the world to come; the latter, as might be expected, are focussed upon the protection of the corpse and the resurrection of the Intellect, as Lord Sarku preaches. On the surface, these groups appear to cooperate; underground, real combat sometimes occurs. They also play tricks and commit sabotage upon one another. I recall one instance where a squad of Nighted Tower members were sent into the Underworld beneath Usenanu to protect the tomb of a newly deceased member of the Golden Sunburst clan. The leader of the Chamber of Yellow came to know of it, since his first wife's sister had married into that clan. The Chamber or Yellow secretly sent a gang of diggers down to excavate a deep trench all around the new sepulchre. When the Nighted Tower people were inside, the Chamber of Yellow leader called out insults and obscenities -- and had his people pull out supporting balks of timber, entirely surrounding the new tomb with a 10-foot deep trench into which they emptied urns of serpents, epeng, biting insects, and other noxious creatures -- not the most poisonous, but enough to hurt. They then offered to build a bridge for those who would surrender their armour and their clothing to the gleeful Chamber of Yellow people. After a number of days without food and being bitten by creatures that crawled up onto the central tomb platform, the Nighted Tower people gave in and left in some disgrace. The Golden Sunburst clan discovered these shenanigans and had the Chamber of Yellow charged with an Imperial crime: defacing tombs. The case is still proceeding, with talk of high Shamtla - the trench had made the ground under the Golden Sunburst's sepulchre unstable, and the priesthood of Belkhanu reported that the deceased Golden Sunburst tomb-owner was being harassed in his coffin by legions of vicious vermin. (When asked for proof of this, the priests brought forth a group of psychics who -- they said -- had direct contact with the dead on the Isles of Teretane. Not everyone believed them, but the Imperium wants to maintain the honour of the great clans and the sanctity and solemnity of the catacombs. There'll probably be a payment of a couple thousand Kaitars to the Golden Sunburst clan -- and another couple thousand to the Imperium to pay for settling this. Best 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. //1023 [Moderator's Note: The Professor provides some information about Serqu, ] [ the Swathe of Red. ] I'd love to be able to help, but this is rather a lengthy topic. >[Moderator's Note: Michael Schwartz also asks about the Legion of Serqu, ] >[ Sword of the Empire. ] >Hey folks, >The entry detailing the Legion or Serqu, Sword of the Empire (14th >Imperial Heavy Infantry) from DEEDS OF THE EVER-GLORIOUS mentions the >epic deeds of the seventeenth commander of the legion, called Serqu "the >Swathe of Red". According to the epics, in late Bednalljan times this >Serqu defeated the assembled Salarvyani forces at Tsatsayagga and later >went on to wed one Alitle Nradesu, a princess of Pechano whom he loved. The story is probably exaggerated in the telling. "Assembled Salarvyani forces" probably only included some local units from Khum and Koyluga. In many periods, Salarvyani troops were noticeably less-well-trained than their Tsolyani counterparts. The "defeat" was perhaps not much larger than a standard Qadarni battle. The Pechani lean heavily on the Tsolyani to help maintain their independence from Salarvya. It is thus no surprise that the aristocrats of Pechano were so happy to hand over a princess of the blood to the Tsolyani general, As I recall, he took her home with him, but she did not much like the hot, flat plains of the central Empire. After a few years, she left him, taking her children with her, and returned to Mechaneno, where she lived a secluded life for several decades. >DEEDS additionally states that the wedding was attended by Chnur, King of >the Ssu, (as a guest no less) and that the epic poem recounting the >events of the wedding feast could be found in the libraries of the temple >of Karakan. I'd love to know more about the deeds of this particular >Serqu, especially details concerning the events of his wedding. > >Has anyone has come across any of the temple, legion or Golden Sunburst >epics regarding this man? The details of the wedding are too long to be included here. The Pechani have always had a sort of "honourable enemy" relationship with the Grey Ssu, and it is no surprise to encounter this sort of rare visit. In reality, the Ssu "king" probably was provided with a separate room from which to view the ceremonies. Communication between Ssu and humans was done, as it is today, with gestures. Neither side speaks the other's language. The Pechani are adept at this. They still fight the Ssu regularly but have occasional non-hostile contacts as well. For a copy of the Tsolyani epic poem, try the great library of the Temple of Karakan in Sokatis. I think the librarian, my old friend Tekuo hiFershena, knows where it is. 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. //1024 [Moderator's Note: Peter Bismire offers this treatise on Falconry. ] Kunakh - Falconry on Tekumel "Dense forest and mountain crags. A larger sub-species is found in the northern mountains of Yan Kor. These brownish birds have limited intelligence, plus the ability to speak in simple terms if trained by a bird-trainer. They are thus useful as hunters and spies, since they can report back on the disposition of troops, terrain, etc. They can be trapped, lured down with aromatic Tsural-buds (a 50% chance), or shot down with blunt-headed arrows smeared with a sticky substance. The Kuni will try to escape but cannot fight. They are inedible." This is the description of the kuni bird from the Tekumel Bestiary and as with much else it has been greatly simplified to allow for a reasonable space in a gaming compilation. The following will I hope add to this basic information and allow visitors to Tekumel to appreciate these beautiful flyers. Kuni birds in fact have a much wider range than the Bestiary description allows, although their basic preference for raised nesting sites and drier hunting conditions normally excludes them from swampy terrain. Even then there are reports of a smaller black-bodied type from Haida Pakala but as this is too small for hunting use it is not captured like its larger brethren and has escaped close attention. That said a wide range of subspecies exists covering all of the main continent (and offshore islands). The northern Yan Kor species mentioned in the Bestiary is in fact the size of a small eagle and as far as I am aware unused for hunting. The local tribes (Lorun?) however use its hunting as an initiation test in some of their rituals and the Governor of Khirgar's small museum has a number of tribal "decorations" made using its wings and feathers. The hunting ritual involves building a "hide", either a pit or a low raised circle of rocks and covering it with branches to conceal the hunter. A small decoy device in the form of a small animal is then used to attract the bird's attention and when it stoops the hunter grabs its legs. As these are not small birds, the struggle is severe and while maybe not life threatening the beak and claws can leave impressive scars. It is also known for the hunter to subsequently die of infections from these wounds as the talons are rarely clean. More conventionally sized birds are distributed in a wide band across the continent and include both short- and long-winged types. The short-winged types inhabit forested areas (though not the dense forests mentioned in the Bestiary) where the greater manoeuvre ability comes into play. The long-winged are hunters over open fields and more likely to be familiar to the average person as they can often be seen using updrafts from sakbe roads to gain height before swooping on prey on the ground. In all species the male tends to be about a quarter again larger than the female and responsible for most of the hunting while the females are smarter and tend to have larger vocabularies. The birds communicate with an impressive internal "language" but can use only a limited number of human words. Even then they tend to have atrocious accents and it usually requires some familiarity with the bird to understand its meaning. Depending on how they have been trained some birds can have bad habits including repeated demands for "foooood" every few minutes. The kuni-bird as mentioned tends to prefer nesting in elevated positions including cliffs but also high trees when these are unavailable and then normally the tallest in the area. The nest is constructed from dead twigs woven into a tight mass and reused year after year. During the nesting season the female lays three eggs which hatch white down covered young. The parents work full time feeding their brood with small creatures (including epeng!) That they catch in the surrounding area. The pairs tend to be territorial and some clashes take place at the edge of these territories with tumbling sky-fights that rarely result in serious damage to the participants. This can affect the "tame" birds as their flight across another birds "space" can lead to one of these fights thus distracting them from their mission. More than one commander has been informed of a "great fight" by his kuni bird only to discover it meant itself and not warriors! Most wealthy clans have a mews set aside for its birds and depending on the current fashion both within the clan and society it can be a large bustling place full of birds, trainers and slaves or a dilapidated ruin. In charge of this there is a "chief falconer" once again his condition and skills can vary depending on the sports current popularity. He is normally assisted by a bevy of lesser handlers in the direct care of the birds with the more menial tasks being carried out by slaves. As with so much else on Tekumel the kuni bird allows for an ostentatious display by the owner whether in having rarer birds ie the white-flecked kuni from the hills near Fasiltum (one of the long-winged breeds) or heavily jewelled hoods (the Tsolyani word is hlasfarzhailukh literally "bird-mask"?), jesses (vaglakh?) and other equipment. Almost universal is the use of inscribed rings of various materials including bronze, silver and gold around the bird's right leg corresponding to the medieval varvel. The glove (ambukh?) is usually made of heavy leather with double layering over the thumb and first two fingers although some have also been made that included light chlen hide plates. The latter are usually used with the breed of Kuni birds from the Chakas (a short-winged type distinguishable by its white and black wing tips and the white circles around the males eyes) due to their larger claws and are usually referred to as a "Chakan glove". Contrary to the traditional Terrestrial European (and Japanese) habit of holding the bird on the left hand the inhabitants of Tekumel all as far as it is known use the right hand. This may be because of the lack of a need to hold reins with the right. With the hoods two main types exist corresponding to what falconers in our times would refer to as Dutch (in this case Tsolayni) and Indian (a type mainly used in Salarvya). In southern Tsolyanu the types mix in use with Jakallan falconers recommending both for different circumstances. The kuni can be flown at most reasonably sized game but in southern Tsolyanu the preferred quarry is the sahelu (sp?) with frequent hunting parties setting out from the cities, towns and villas to hunt the bright golden birds. A side custom for this is the tradition of the hunters wearing white conical hats although nobody seems to know why this is or when it originated. On the other hand there are some unexpected risks to the hunt as well. Falconers, around Purdimal in particular, must be wary of their charges hunting the Qasu bird which is sacred to Hru'u. The Temple of Hru'u is always prepared to claim shamtla for each bird taken and whole estates have been confiscated during some Imperial reigns, the charges based purely on a pathetic bundle of purple and black feathers. The most frequent sources of birds are professional catchers who normally supply newly fletched chicks taken from the nest. Purchasing birds in the markets, you are most likely to find available the "eyases" or rejects from the mews. There is a section of the market in Bey Su where bird specialists gather and sometimes you can find better quality birds trained by freelance handlers here. Once again quality can vary so caveat emptor (Professor is there a suitable Tsolyani expression?). More rarely adult birds are captured and trained (equivalent to what were once known on Earth as passage hawks) but these are largely the efforts of an individual enthusiast and his trainers. This is where the use of trapping nets, sticky arrows and most of all Tsural-buds comes in. Apart from its effects on the human metabolism the reaction of the kuni to Tsural is like a cat to catnip and it is frequently used as a reward to just returned birds to encourage their return in the future. The more normal trade in Bey Su is the centralisation and dispatch of birds from one end of Tsolyanu (and beyond) through the dealers here with much of the trade being on the "special order" category. The best way to obtain good birds is direct negotiation with owners and possibly as gifts. Also a prize bird or pair as a gift in the right places can help a career immensely. Depending on how you feel about falconry be careful about introducing the subject at feasts as the ability of an aficionado to talk about his birds is legendary and can lead to the clearing of entire rooms as a small knot of enthusiasts argue the fine points of the sport. The clan mothers will NOT thank you for your efforts. ----- 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. //1025 [Moderator's Note: A question about when the day starts. My guess is that ] [ each temple has some opinion on this.... John Schippers ] [ asks about when the new day is recognized. ] A strange question for those in the know. In our western culture we call it a "new day" as of midnite, though we also think of the new day in terms of the dawn. When does the new day happen in Tsolyanu? John ----- 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. //1026 [Moderator's Note: Joe Saul and Leonard Erickson respond to the question ] [ about when the Tsolyani day begins. ] Joe writes. > A strange question for those in the know. In our western culture we call > it a "new day" as of midnite, though we also think of the new day in terms > of the dawn. When does the new day happen in Tsolyanu? This is actually a very good and useful question, but I have to share with our fellow list members that John is asking it because his character, Arkhane hiKetkolel, agreed to not act as a sorceror for three weeks as penance... so he's kind of anxious to know *precisely* when it runs out. ;-) -- Joe "John's GM" Leonard writes. > A strange question for those in the know. In our western culture we call > it a "new day" as of midnite, though we also think of the new day in terms > of the dawn. When does the new day happen in Tsolyanu? Actually, until fairly modern times, many cultures changed the date at *sunset*. The Moslem and Jewish calendars *still* do this. That's why "sabbath" rectrictions run from sunset Friday to sunset Saturday. Other cultures have chosen sunrise. For them, a given date starts at sunrise, and ends at sunrise of the next day. Clocks led to midnite being chosen. Even so, astronomers have long preferred to change the date at *noon*, so as to not split a night's observations over two different dates. Even with my limited knowledge of Tekumel and Tekumelani customs, I'd expect that *all* of these are indeed used for different purposes. For that matter, do the books note if hours are of equal or equal lengths? Sundials led to hours based on the azimuth of the sun (ie the angle from due north or south). If you use equal angles, then the hours are of differing lengths. Just what sort of clocks (and time keeping in general) are used? All I have are the original TSR rules... -- Leonard Erickson (aka Shadow) Joe writes to a comment I made. > In that case, doesn't it depend on when he made the promise??? I guess it > would depend on how the promise was worded. "For the next three weeks, you are not a sorceror." It's an interesting question. As a member of the legal profession, I can see several ways to argue it. ;-) I think the answer is likely to depend on culture -- especially where high-status Tsolyani, who are supposedly vague about precise times, are concerned, I'm not sure that "three weeks" would be taken as "three weeks worth of seconds, starting immediately". *We* would probably take it that way, or at least find that interpretation acceptable, but Tsolyani may have a more rigid conception of when a week starts or ends, to say nothing of when the day starts or ends. If he's smart, he'll go with the longest of all the reasonable interpretations, in order to be safe. It's a penance to Hru'u, after all. But you have to admit it's a good question. Joe ----- 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. //1027 [Moderator's Note: An administrative note. Joe Saul asks if anyone is ] [ going to GenCon. If you want to meet up with him, be ] [ to email or call him (not the list unless necessary). ] [ Peter Huston is also looking for miniatures players. ] [ Bob Alberti has created a Tekumel group for SETI@home, ] [ a unique project involving the search for life in space] [ utilizing processor cycles on your computer. ] Will any other Tekumelophiles (Tekumelistas? what's the Tsolyani form?) be at GenCon and, if so, do you want to get together and game or even just hang out? Several of my players will be there -- and as a special bonus, we'll even have literature about UCon's Tekumel Track. You can reply to the list, email me at jmsaul@umich.edu, or phone me -- even at GenCon -- on my mobile at (734) 604-2116 (go ahead; I have more minutes than I can possibly use up). Let's try to put something together! Joe Saul jmsaul@umich.edu -- Peter Huston writes. Is there anyone in upstate NY (Schenectady area??) who might be up for a miniatures battle using the Missum or other rules? phuston@capital.net -- Bob Alberti writes. Join the effort to discover life on other planets! SETI at home is the Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence, and radio astronomers from all over the world are processing astronomical data on their home computers, analyzing radio signals from space, hoping to be the Yuri Gagarin of SETI. Now a new team has formed, named The Omnipotent Azure Legion. Download the analysis program from http://setiathome.ssl.berkeley.edu to start processing data, and join the Omnipotent Azure Legion. If your computer is the first in the world to identify a signal from another star, you'll be listed as a co-discoverer! And what better name for a newly discovered alien species than... the Ssu! The analysis runs in the background on your computer, and can operate as a screen saver. For real processing speed, however, run the text version and save CPU cycles otherwise used on graphics. Versions of the analysis program exist for all computers. To join the Omnipotent Azure Legion, visit http://setiathome.berkeley.edu/team.html and search for "The Omnipotent Azure Legion" ----- 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. //1028 [Moderator's Note: Professor Barker replies to Peter's message on Kunakh. ] Excellent study of the Kuni bird! There are various sub-species, of course, and even a few in the northeastern deserts whose plumage is a beautiful reddish brown, with a purplish sheen to it. Your descriptions of the bird, its habitat, and hunting, etc. are particularly good. >That said a wide range of subspecies exists covering all of the main >continent (and offshore islands). The northern Yan Kor species mentioned >in the Bestiary is in fact the size of a small eagle and as far as I am >aware unused for hunting. The local tribes (Lorun?) however use its >hunting as an initiation test in some of their rituals and the Governor >of Khirgar's small museum has a number of tribal "decorations" made >using its wings and feathers. The governor is still squabbling over these "decorations" with the Lorun tribes, who claim that they are "sacred" and should not be displayed to outsiders. One of the tribes offered the governor a "fistful" of gold, but he refused. Governor Chankodla hiSenkolum collects weapons and trophies. He is a tough old man and firmly believes the Imperium has a right to whatever its officers capture. He did hint at a trade, however: the Kuni bird decorations in exchange for a pretty maiden of his choice. This time the Lorun refused. There the matter rests -- for now. >The hunting ritual involves building a "hide", either a pit or a low >raised circle of rocks and covering it with branches to conceal the >hunter. A small decoy device in the form of a small animal is then used >to attract the bird's attention and when it stoops the hunter grabs its >legs. As these are not small birds, the struggle is severe and while >maybe not life threatening the beak and claws can leave impressive >scars. It is also known for the hunter to subsequently die of infections >from these wounds as the talons are rarely clean. One often can recognise a Kuni-bird hunter by his scarred face, lack of an occasional eye, etc. >The birds communicate with an impressive internal "language" but can use >only a limited number of human words. Even then they tend to have >atrocious accents and it usually requires some familiarity with the bird >to understand its meaning. Depending on how they have been trained some >birds can have bad habits including repeated demands for "foooood" every >few minutes. The birds are passable scouts, but not everyone can understand their "speech." I recall one campaign against the Pijjenani on the northern sea when five or six Kuni-birds came flying back screaming "Pedhenyal" ("islands" along the coast). The Molkar in command of that part of the legion heard "Pedhuyal" "enemies" and mobilised his forces. After standing around looking silly for the best part of an afternoon, he ordered up a small squad of Hlaka to report the true facts -- and then retired into his tent to sulk. >As with so much else on Tekumel the kuni bird allows for an ostentatious >display by the owner whether in having rarer birds ie the white-flecked >kuni from the hills near Fasiltum (one of the long-winged breeds) or >heavily jewelled hoods (the Tsolyani word is hlasfarzhailukh literally >"bird-mask"?), jesses (vaglakh?) and other equipment. Almost universal >is the use of inscribed rings of various materials including bronze, >silver and gold around the bird's right leg corresponding to the >medieval varvel. These are not the only names for this equipment. There are are many types and designs. >The glove (ambukh?) is usually made of heavy leather with double >layering over the thumb and first two fingers although some have also >been made that included light chlen hide plates. The latter are usually >used with the breed of Kuni birds from the Chakas (a short-winged type >distinguishable by its white and black wing tips and the white circles >around the males eyes) due to their larger claws and are usually >referred to as a "Chakan glove". Right on. >With the hoods two main types exist corresponding to what falconers in >our times would refer to as Dutch (in this case Tsolyani) and Indian (a >type mainly used in Salarvya). In southern Tsolyanu the types mix in use >with Jakallan falconers recommending both for different circumstances. These people have a reputation of "being as noisy as their birds." They seem to be quarrelling all the time. Another idiom is "as raucous as a falconer's wife..." >The kuni can be flown at most reasonably sized game but in southern >Tsolyanu the preferred quarry is the sahelu (sp?) [sahelunikh, pl. >sahelunyal. Sahelu without the ending is colloquial.] with frequent hunting >parties setting out from the cities, towns and villas to hunt the bright >golden birds. A side custom for this is the tradition of the hunters >wearing white conical hats although nobody seems to know why this is or >when it originated. Somebody theorised that it had to do with the golden Sahelunikh birds being associated with Lord Belkhanu, some of whose priests wear high peaked headdresses -- but yellow, rather than white. >The most frequent sources of birds are professional catchers who >normally supply newly fletched chicks taken from the nest. Purchasing >birds in the markets, you are most likely to find available the "eyases" >or rejects from the mews. There is a section of the market in Bey Su >where bird specialists gather and sometimes you can find better quality >birds trained by freelance handlers here. Once again quality can vary so >caveat emptor (Professor is there a suitable Tsolyani expression?). In colloquial, one says: "Khinang, tajaimo!" ("Danger, (O) buyer"). Excellent article. 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. //1029 [Moderator's Note: Professor Barker replies to John's message about when] [ the new day starts. ] You know, this is a subject I have never yet researched. It is indeed an interesting topic. It seems that most Tsolyani (and others of the Five Empires as well) hold that the day dawns when the top of the sun-disc appears above the horizon (as seen from some local eminence, such as a tower, a hill, etc.). The followers of Lord Hru'u claim that a new day has come when the top of the sun-disc has *descended below* the horizon, leaving the land in darkness. I think the other "dark temples" agree, but most average Tsolyani (etc.) go with the majority and consider dawn to be the start of the day. Hnalla, Avanthe, and Dilinala have a slightly different idea: they say that days dawns when there is "enough light to see an Epeng in one's bed" -- i.e. about 4=5 A.M. The concept of midnight as the start of a new 24 hour day seems to be rather rare on Tekumel. Dawn (usually) is the start of the day; see above. There are other customs, however: many people measure time by the clamour of the great Tunkul gongs. One thus speaks of "Avanthe's Sweet and Holy Voice" (in Jakalla and Bey Su both). Folk also say, "the Singer in Velvet" to designate Lord Ksarul's deep, minor-chord gong, usually sounded about midnight throughout the Empire. There are probably other terms in different cities as well. Certainly the above terms would be untranslatable into Mu'ugalavyani or Yan Koryani. The Livyani are probably the best time-keepers: their temples are always equipped with sundials and water clocks. The role of time in their theology has not yet been explored. -- And they show no inclination to enlighten the rest of Tekumel. 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. //1030 [Moderator's Note: Matthew Pook offers some information about a possible ] [ descendant of the Legendary Serqu. ] >The entry detailing the Legion or Serqu, Sword of the Empire (14th >Imperial Heavy Infantry) from DEEDS OF THE EVER-GLORIOUS mentions the >epic deeds of the seventeenth commander of the legion, called Serqu "the >Swathe of Red". According to the epics, in late Bednalljan times this >Serqu defeated the assembled Salarvyani forces at Tsatsayagga and later >went on to wed one Alitle Nradesu, a princess of Pechano whom he loved. >Has anyone has come across any of the temple, legion or Golden Sunburst >epics regarding this man? I cannot actually comment on this particular question, except to add an aside. One the characters in Patrick Brady's campaign claims to be a descendant of this legendary hero, with whom he shares his name. Serqu hi Nereshan of the Clan of the Broken Reed is from Thraya, and is currently (2359) serving as a soldier and archer with the 12th Medium Infantry in their defence of the Akotel (sp) [Atkolel?] Heights. He is known for his skills in Marotlan and Charage, and for being popular with women. His Thrayan is also rather strong (the only accent I can really do is a West Country/Mummerset one and this has become the Thrayan accent in the game!) Pookie (matthew@hogshead.demon.co.uk) ----- 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. //1031 [Moderator's Note: Matthew Pook offers some more feedback on what to do ] [ with characters who don't necessarily measure up. ] >[Gordon Neff's comment] > As a Temple bodyguard, almost certainly. The High Priest needs >-someone- to bludgeon the unwashed rabble out of his path, and to >cheerfully 'take a bullet' for him at need, yes? This final comment actually raises another option, as both the priests of Thumis and his cohort Ketengku, have individuals who actually do this. In meetings between priests (whether of opposing factions or different temples), no weapons are allowed, but occasionally somebody will successfully sneak a small knife in... This is where those trained in the art of unarmed combat come in... There are two. Dederatl is taught only by the Temples of Thumis and Ketengku, whilst the Temple of Ksarul teaches Huon. Dederatl uses the hands for a very quick response, whilst Huon is based on the use of kicks. Dederatlokoi are trained to react to threats very quickly. Their aim is to stop the attacker long enough for their superiors to retreat and for the armed temple guards to rush in deal with the threat. Though some may be able to, they do not kill, but with either powerful blows or strikes to vital points, they aim to stun. One important aspect of their training is that they can deal with armed opponents as they wear very snuggly fitting vambraces used to parry and inflict blows. This parrying ability also extends to the blocking of missiles as well, though this is a much more difficult skill. My main character, Urukai hi Kharsan, of the Clan of the Hall of Stone, and nephew of the noted astrologer, Orun hi Kharasan, is training to be a Dederatlokoi. He is an average student at the Monastery of the Grey Cloak, studying to become a priest of the Temple of Ketengku. Unfortunately, his grades of late have not been as good as he hoped they would and he has travelled into the Akotel (sp) Heights to find a singing master and cram for poetry exams. All this in the middle of the war with Yan Kor! In the light of his skills, and a letter from his uncle Orun, he has found himself assigned to an undercover mission to determine the whereabouts and safety of some captured clansman, equipped with only a medical bag, a book of basic poetry, a large packed lunch and instructions to practise singing scales with a clan cousin each day! Pookie (matthew@hogshead.demon.co.uk) ----- 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. //1032 [Moderator's Note: Gordon Neff comments on the new day topic. ] "The concept of midnight as the start of a new 24 hour day seems to be rather rare on Tekumel. Dawn (usually) is the start of the day; see above." I'm not sure just when Europeans adopted that concept. Medieval monks developed a water-powered alarm clock for night-time prayers (reconstructed today, it actually works!) but the Roman conception seems more appropriate to Tekumel, where metrical time is not a priority: They measured the day, literally, as twelve hours long from sunup to sunset (why we refer to the time period as a "day") and did not measure the night at all, save for the military, which divided the time of darkness into "watches" of roughly two-hour duration. Naturally, dividing the duration of daylight by twelve produced "hours" of wildly varying length, depending on the season, but noon was always noon... -- wherein the Romans assiduously observed siesta; the streets became so silent and deserted that at least one Roman writer chose this period as the proper time for a ghost story! "On March 20 and September 23, when darkness and light were equal, Roman hours were equivalent to ours. On December 22 the day was less than nine of our hours long, and each hour not quite forty-five minutes; while on June 21 a Roman day was over fifteen hours long, and each hour about seventy-five minutes." -- Mary Johnston, "Roman Life," 1957, p. 25 The Swords and Glory sourcebook speaks of how Tsolyani aristocracy in particular disdain any attempt to metricate time; things take as long as they take, and the subjective experience of duration is what counts. That's very much the Roman attitude as well, and I suspect the cultural result would be essentially identical. -- G. ----- Chris Davis Moderator, The Blue Room blueroom@prin.edu The Blue Room's FTP site: http://nexus.prin.edu or ftp://nexus.prin.edu Available 24 hours a day, except when my PC is down, or unavailable. //1033 [Moderator's Note: I think that I will compile a weekly administrative ] [ mesage, for topics that are important to the list, but ] [ not specifically about Tekumel. Here goes the first. ] Michael Schwartz writes... >Will any other Tekumelophiles be at GenCon and, if so, do >you want to get together and game or even just hang out? In theory, I will be attending GenCon; in practice, I may have other obligations which will preclude my presence. I may or may not be gamemastering demos of the forthcoming "Hero Wars" (Greg Stafford's new Glorantha roleplaying game) during the weekend; if I have adequate free time, though, I would enjoy the opportunity to play. >As a special bonus, we'll even have literature about UCon's >Tekumel Track. In recompense for my unfortunate cancellation due to illness last year, I wish to offer my "Deeds of the Ever-Glorious" mini-LARP again this year. As Games department head at Rider's Downtown with a booth to staff, I will likely be free to gamemaster only on Friday evening. My concept of the game has evolved since last year, so the previous event description will not suffice. I'll pen a new one in the next few weeks and email it to you (or whomever acts as U-CON Events Coordinator this year) before mid-August. -- Bob Albert writes... >Now a new team has formed, named The Omnipotent Azure Legion. Download >the analysis program from http://setiathome.ssl.berkeley.edu to start >processing data, and join the Omnipotent Azure Legion. I sent two copies of the link to the SETI project, and I had an omission in the second one that rendered it unusable. Thanks to Martin Heath for pointing it out. The link listed above is the correct link. Also, I have figured out how to get a direct pointer to the Omnipotent Azure Legion group homepage rather than having to search for it. The URL is http://setiathome.ssl.berkeley.edu/stats/team/team_18365.html -- Scott Maxwell writes... I am starting a new PBeM game, which will start on August 13th. Anyone interested to play or lurk may do so by using the following URL to subscribe to the mailing list: http://www.onelist.com/subscribe/Mokaltokoi_Tsomun If you wish to be a player, please write me directly at Turgon@nidlink.com to see if there are any openings available. A brief summation of the campaing follows, which was originally posted to Alt.Games.frp.Tekumel: Some of you may know me for my occasional stupid comments, others by my Tekumel PBeM game "Clan of the Radiant Dark". By popular request (actually by one guy who begged me to let him play) I'm starting a new game entitled "The Voyage of the Mokaltokoi Tsomun". Unlike the first game, this one will be hosted using a moderated ONElist. (Not my first choice, but RPG Host is untended right now -- I cannot even get the players names for my current game corrected. If you wish to subscribe as a Lurker or a player, you can do so by going to http://www.onelist.com/subscribe/Mokaltokoi_Tsomun. (God I hope that I didn't misspell anything!!! Oh, for those of you need to type the address in, the last part is Mokaltokoi_Tsomun with an underscore.) The Mokaltokoi Tsomun is a ship commanded by Charash Tlakatoni, the second cousin to God-Emperor Mirusaya. Charash Tlakatoni's intent is to explore the Southern realms of Tekumel. He has assembled a group of mercenaries (mainly Shen and Ahoggya), sorcerers -- mainly priests of Hru'u and Avanthe for their obviously useful spells that can be used to mitigate the harsh environment -- and noted scholars and explorers. Charash is in need of brave men and women like yourselves to help in the expedition. Though he is the ultimate authority, he knows that he has neither the knowledge nor skill to discover and handle what he may find in the unknown portions of the world. Tekumel newbies are welcome. They may choose to start with a Tekumelani character (with help from myself, of course) or a character from any others world -- There are Nexus points on Tekumel which makes such happenings possible. There are a maximum of five players in the game. So far one and a half slots are filled. So a possible three, maybe four people will be accepted as initial players. E-mail me directly at turgon@nidlink.com in order to reserve your position. Include a brief character description of what you would like to play and a list of any Tekumel gamebooks -- not source books, just the rules systems -- that you currently own. List the game system that you are most familiar too. For those without a single copy of a Tekumel rules system (there are at least four), then list any and all PRG rules systems that you are familiar enough to use for generating characters -- Personally, you should stay away from D&D and AD&D and stick with more skill oriented systems, but if that's all you know, then that's fine too. The rules system is basically only used for character creation and benchmarks, and is otherwise irrelevent. Scott -- Martin Burlingame writes... Are there any groups in Denver, Colorado that journey through the wonders and intrigues of Tekumel? [Write him at MadMartinB@aol.com Martin ----- 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. //1034 [Moderator's Note: Scott Maxwell asks a Language question. ] I am starting a new game and one of the major NPCs is names Charash Tlakotani and is a second cousin of Emperor Mirusiya (Charash's great Grandfather was Emperor Hetkolainan, "Whose Glory Never Ends"). Would this closeness rate Charash as part of the Imperial family? Would he us the 'I' Lukan or the 'I' Salum? Would he be adressed with the 'you' of profound submission (tusmitlakomelu) or the 'you' of eminent splendour (qalotusmi)? Thanks for your help, Scott ----- 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. //1035 [Moderator's Note: Scott Maxwell asks about Tsolyani navies. ] Can you tell me something about Tsolyanu's navy? Particularly how are they structured --e.g, are they formed like a legion? Any information would be helpful. Thanks, Scott Maxwell ----- 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. //1036 [Moderator's Note: Bob Dushay comments on the Pechani/Ssu relations. I ] [ get the feeling that we won't be hearing much more ] [ about it. I am sure that the legend in the Serqu ] [ entry may have been heavily embellished over the ] [ years with every re-telling. Just my opinion. ] I'm sorry, but I'm not able to let this one go by without more detail. The professor's recent statement that the Pechani and the Ssu have an "honorable enemy" relationship (message #1023, July 26) was a shock. How much non-hostile contact do they have? Do they trade? Why would a Ssu come to a human wedding, and what reciprocal arrangements would the Pechani have with the Ssu? Wouldn't this relationship make the Pechani seem suspect to humans from other countries, as willing to deal with "the enemies of Mankind"? 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. //1037 [Moderator's Note: Scott Maxwell asks about Tsolyani Body language. ] I have always been interested in cultural variations of body language. Seeing that the Tsolyani ultimately came from non-Western cultures, I have been including some non-western body language. Most notably, the wobbling of the head from side to side to indicate agreement. I am, however, unsatisfied with only this change -- especially since I don't know if it is "real" in Tsolyani culture. Seeing that body language is non-verbal language, I thought that you, Prof. Barker, would be able to reveal some of the secrets of Tsolyani body language. Regards, Scott Maxwell ----- 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. //1038 [Moderator's Note: Professor Barker offers up some more info on the ] [ original Serqu and on the ancestor Matt refers to. ] >>Has anyone has come across any of the temple, legion or Golden Sunburst >>epics regarding this man? As I said, there is a narrative poem describing his history (probably exaggerated and apocryphal). There is also a prose treatise somewhere in one of the libraries of the Temple of Karakan. A few folk stories exist as well, although these take on the style and "colour" of similar tales from the Epic of Hrugga. >I cannot actually comment on this particular question, except to add an >aside. One the characters in Patrick Brady's campaign claims to be a >descendant of this legendary hero, with whom he shares his name. > >Serqu hi Nereshan of the Clan of the Broken Reed is from Thraya, and is >currently (2359) serving as a soldier and archer with the 12th Medium >Infantry in their defence of the Akotel (sp) [Atkolel?] Heights. He is >known for his skills in Marotlan and Charage, and for being popular with >women. His Thrayan is also rather strong (the only accent I can really >do is a West Country/Mummerset one and this has become the Thrayan accent >in the game!) Broken Reed is a low-medium ranked clan. Most of the current Serqu's clansmen are Golden Sunburst or Golden Bough, and it is doubtful whether they would even deign to recognise the genetic relationship of someone from Broken Reed. I, too, use a completely fake "British-peasant" accent to simulate the speech differences of lower class Tekumelani. This is easy and recogniseable, but it is *not* "realistic" in linguistic terms. My "peasants" do sound different, but my players do not speak Tsolyani and would not know the difference between a Bey Su slum-dweller, and a Thrayan farmer. So... Of course, my lower-class "Tsolyani" dialects are *not* really "British"; they're sort of like them but only an imitation. An example? My players once encountered a Chlen-cart loaded with produce on its way into Bey Su from farms out of Berenanga Plain to the west of the city. The accents of the carters were so thick they were nearly unintelligible! "Y'gots to git the veggy-tubbles outa t'sun afore they rots..." Just "fun" for local colour! 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. //1039 [Moderator's Note: Professor Barker answers Scott's questions about Language.] >I am starting a new game and one of the major NPCs is names Charash >Tlakotani and is a second cousin of Emperor Mirusiya (Charash's great >Grandfather was Emperor Hetkolainan, "Whose Glory Never Ends"). Would this >closeness rate Charash as part of the Imperial family? Charash is indeed a "royal," though distantly. There are hundreds just like him, scattered all over the Empire: everybody from fisherman and farmers through bureaucrats, priests, and minor aristocracy. Charash is probably a bit arrogant about his Imperial connections, but so are a lot of others. >Would he us the 'I' Lukan or the 'I' Salum? He himself may be daring enough to use /salum/ for "I." This is too high for him, however, and only if he is rich and prestigious would he use /lukan/. Informally, he will employ /lum/, like most other Tsolyani of medium status. >Would he be adressed with the 'you' of profound submission (tusmitlakomelu) >or the 'you' of eminent splendour (qalotusmi)? This depends on Charash' profession, age, and demeanour. If he is a warrior, people may address him as /tusmikang/ "the you of martial victory." If he is a priest, he can be addressed as /tusmishan/ "the you of perfect piety." He does not seem to be old enough or prestigious enough to merit /tusmitlakomelu/. He is also probably too far from any direct relationship to the Imperial family to warrant /qalotusmi/. Using this eould be seen as presumptous posturing. As the hero Hrugga said to the Epeng-king in the folktale: "Better to be humble than stepped on!" 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. //1040 [Moderator's Note: Professor Barker answers Scott's question about the ] [ Navies of Tsolyanu. ] >Can you tell me something about Tsolyanu's navy? Particularly how are they >structured --e.g, are they formed like a legion? Any information would be >helpful. The Tsolyani navy is a collection of "legions" rather like the army. The Imperium provides some funding, and the mercantile clans (particularly in Jakalla, Penom, etc.) provide more, as long as the "navy" serves clan interests by helping shipping and keeping piracy down. Militarily, each ship has a staff of officers, equivalent to the army ranks, but the ship's captain (who is also termed a /kasikoi/, just as in the army) belongs to a "council" of captains, under the direction of senior officers, who mostly are retired ship captains. The Imperium chooses a "legion commander" (= /Kerdukoi/ "general") through the Palace of Ever-Glorious War to administer the legion. There are currently two regular naval legions, which are briefly described in the Tsolyani Army List and also in "Deeds of the Ever-Glorious." Tsolyanu's coast is not conducive to naval invasions from Salarvya or Mu'ugalavya, although these have been tried. The coast of Pan Chaka is thickly forested and rocky, with few coastal towns or villages. To the east lie the swamps around Penom; then the shallow, muddy waters of the great estuary of the Missuma River. East of Jakalla, the coast of Kaija is similarly no very suitable for naval warfare. Distances are also too great to encourage raids and invasions. Tsolyani warfare, thus, is "land-based," rather than "sea-based." For more information, please contact the offices of General Tlaneno the Steersman in the Palace of Ever-Glorious War at Jakalla. He maintains an adjutant or two to advise ship captains, travellers, merchant clans, sailors, etc. Sincerely, 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. //1041 [Moderator's Note: Well, Professor Barker did have more to say about the ] [ interaction between Ssu and Pechani in response to Bob ] [ Dushay's question. ] >I'm sorry, but I'm not able to let this one go by without more detail. >The professor's recent statement that the Pechani and the Ssu have an >"honorable enemy" relationship (message #1023, July 26) was a shock. How >much non-hostile contact do they have? Do they trade? Why would a Ssu >come to a human wedding, and what reciprocal arrangements would the Pechani >have with the Ssu? Wouldn't this relationship make the Pechani seem >suspect to humans from other countries, as willing to deal with "the >enemies of Mankind"? Matters are really as you probably expect. The Ssu rarely -- occasionally -- trade by "silent barter" with the Pechani along the northern border of the latter little nation. The Pechani clan leaders lay out a sheet of cloth dyed bright yellow (to attract the Ssu -- or to tell them that the humans have peaceful intentions??). On this, they place small clay dishes piled with certain minerals (e.g. copper sulfate -- for unknown reasons). Bits of metal, parts and junk from machines from the time of the Great Ancients, etc., modern ewers, urns, and other metal vessels are also sometimes laid out. The humans retreat to the safety of one of the local fortresses. At night the Ssu come chiming up from their underground labyrinths. They lay out metal item, gems and jewellery found in the old ruins, a few minor magical items (an Eye or two), clay pots filled with unidentifiable substances (which the humans throw away at once), and other trinkets. The creatures then take whatever of the humans' items they wish and depart. There are no words spoken, nor is there ever a physical confrontation -- which would almost certainly lead to bloodshed. There is very little of this non-hostile contact; otherwise I would have said more about it. Other human nations either do not know of this Pechani custom or else do not care. In the north, the dwellers on the shores of Lake Parunal have a similar arrangement with the aqueous Nyagga, although there the trading is more structured and frequent. Occasionally a Tsolyani merchant will visit the northern villages of Pechano and trade for curiosities of Ssu manufacture. Ssu gems, usually egg-shaped, crudely faceted, and pierced with many little twisting holes, are popular among the aristocratic ladies of Sokatis and Thraya. The metal items traded by both sides are generally useless. Efforts to build up the trade of cloth, foodstuffs, and other items have almost universally failed. As for the wedding, it is probably apocryphal or totally imaginary on the part of the story-teller. As far as I know, the Pechani have never done anything to make good relations with the Ssu. Instead, they have fought them furiously, whenever they have come into contact. Sincerely, 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. //1042 [Moderator's Note: Andrew Lorince adds to the discussion about the Ssu and ] [ the Pechani. ] >I'm sorry, but I'm not able to let this one go by without more detail. >The professor's recent statement that the Pechani and the Ssu have an >"honorable enemy" relationship (message #1023, July 26) was a shock. How >much non-hostile contact do they have? Do they trade? Why would a Ssu >come to a human wedding, and what reciprocal arrangements would the Pechani >have with the Ssu? Wouldn't this relationship make the Pechani seem >suspect to humans from other countries, as willing to deal with "the >enemies of Mankind"? this is not suprising. for it was in the tomb of the ancient king, translated as ke djkla hi quarztki', found by the diplomat turned archeologist purch hi'andarththijak, east of mecchano, at a place called localy quartano, that the first evidence of the red ssu were found. this was reported in a number of my old dispatches. the same situation exists in some of the small villages east of fenul, along the river of many cowardly men. yuninash hi'ancholbel governor of fenul ----- 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. //1043 [Moderator's Note: George Hammond asks for info about Sorceror-Priests of ] [ Hru'u. Check out a great story in the section of Hru'u] [ in Mitlanyal. ] Hello, I'm planning to play a priest of Hru'u, a sorceror of moderate power. Unlike some other temples (e.g. Thumis, Vimuhla), I've found particulars about who the important people are (and how they're spending their time) to be a bit sparse. Can anyone provide news of the purple-robes? I'd be especially interested in what sort of priest might be suitable to accompany Charash Tlakotani on his voyage to the far south, and in knowing what sorts of political positions the temple finds itself in these days. How did they weather the political struggles? many thanks, George H. ----- 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. //1044 [Moderator's Note: Peter Huston asks about the blind barter system in use ] [ in a number of areas on Tekumel. ] There are frequent or at least occasional references to "blind barter" on Tekumel. Is this something that has happened or happens here on Earth? Are there any examples you could share? (It sounds like a fascinating subject.) -- Peter Huston ----- 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. //1045 [Moderator's Note: Andreas Baede asks some miscellaneous questions. ] Hi everybody, I am fairly new to Tekumel and I am still busy trying to absorb all the information I have collected. My intention is to launch a (the first ever ?) Tekumel campaign here in the Netherlands in a couple of months' time. Meanwhile, the following questions have popped up in my crazed mind: 1) Music to accompany Tekumel games. What kind of music is used to add atmosphere to Tekumel roleplaying ? Does anyone (including of course professor Barker) have any ideas about this subject ? In the Gamescience Sourcebook the professor mentions that music in the western regions (Tsolyanu, Mu'ugalavya, Yan Kor, etc.) uses the diatonic scale, and that the pentatonic scale is used in the eastern regions (Salarvya). However, the pentatonic scale (I'm quoting the Encyclopedia Britannica here) is found, in different forms, in most of the world's music. The same goes for the diatonic scale, so that doesn't give me any idea how Tsolyani music is supposed to sound. The illustration on page 17 of 'Coming of Age in Tekumel' of a Tenturen player suggests that I have to look to Indian music. Personally, I am tempted to use any music that I can't clearly identify as 'western', 'Chinese', 'Indian', or whatever. And there is a lot of that around. For instance, I once used North Sumatran music to accompany an 1880s Chtulhu adventure set in Atjeh, in northern Sumatra. First thing my players exclaimed was that it 'didn't sound Indonesian'. And anyone interested in how a Nluss song might sound should try Tuvan music (it's from Tuva in the ex-USSR, northwest of Mongolia), it MUST ruin the singer's throat... [Moderator's Note: Someone suggested Coil as good Tekumel music. Check ] [ the old messages. I remember it being somewhere in the ] [ 400s. Try 412. ] 2) About the Urunen. According to the Gamescience Sourcebook and the Bestiary, they live on a small continent near the South Pole, and until recently they have not had any contact with Humankind since the Latter Times. Now, I have the impression that the climate of the Urunen lands is reasonably pleasant (cool temperate climate, like northern Europe ?). If so, why was the Urunen continent not settled by humans ? After all, they ran the place for tens of thousands of years, and I seem to remember having read that the Urunen only migrated there after the cataclysm. Or did the human population there go extinct ? (perhaps with a little help of our Urunen friends ?) Or is the climate more like northern Siberia, and nobody bothered to go there ? Or did humans and Urunen amicably agree to swap places ? 3) The fall of Engsvan hla Ganga. According to all the sources, this catastrophe had widespread effects - the rise and sinking of lands, disrupted weather patterns, etc. Am I right to assume that not only the Tsolyanu continent was affected ? That ALL of Tekumel suffered (indirectly) from this catastrophe ". If this is the case, can one expect a 'break' in the history of all Tekumel contemporary with the fall of Engsvan hla Ganga ? Even in the case of the Urunen lands mentioned above ? 4) And now for something completely different. I am currently reading quite a bit of cultural anthropology, and I have stumbled upon the subject of infanticide (I hope nobody takes offense...I know our modern western sensibilities can't abide the idea of infanticide. Sorry). At least in the Empire of Tsolyanu women have access to lissutl root (and how effective a contraceptive is it? How widely known among the various human societies on Tekumel ?). But what when a woman accidentally does get pregnant ? Are the children cared for by the clan, sold as slaves, abandoned on the doorsteps of a temple, or just, well, thrown in the river ? (In 17th century Amsterdam, there was a special organisation to fish dead people - mostly little children - out of the city's canals. And that was in one of the richest and most sophisticated cities of 17th century Europe, with many charitable institutions. At the other end of Eurasia, in 19th century Peking the bodies of dead babies (some of them partly eaten by dogs and rats) were collected from the streets, thrown in carts, and buried outside the city. I used it once to shock my players in a Cthulhu adventure set in 1880s Peking). Are there cases of 'indirect' infanticide ('accidentally' rolling over babies, starving them, being very careless with them, etc. 19th and early 20th century German working-class women, for instance, sent unwanted, 'surplus' children to a wet-nurse known in the local neighbourhood as a 'Engelmacherin', or 'maker of angels'. With predictable results for little Fritz or Gretl). Not a very nice subject, but something that may illustrate something of the life and squalor of the lower classes in Tsolyani society. Anything known about the situation in the other Human societies of the northern continent ? Sincerely, Andreas Baede The Netherlands ----- 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. //1046 [Moderator's Note: Scott Maxwell asks for information on the Island of ] [ Dlanta. ] Could I have some information about the Island of Dlanta? Who has control of it? Salarvya? Haida Pakala? Independant? Which culture has the most influence on the inhabitants? Any preferences in God? Any quirks that you could share? Thanks, Scott Maxwell ----- 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. //1047 [Moderator's Note: This week's administrative message. Aug 14, 1999 ] I have installed smartlist and procmail onto my mailserver, and will begin working with it soon. When I am ready, I will cut the list over to it and enlist the help of some moderators. At that time, the way the list functions may change a bit. I'll still make digests for newcomers, and they'll probably be placed on the web site. I'll keep you informed. (Please remember, I work at a school, and this is now my absolutely busiest part of the year. I may be relegated to Tekumel stuff only on weekends. Especially since my wife has taken a job where she travels most of the week.) In other news, it seems I will be visiting the UK this September/October. We'll be in the London area some, vacationing in the Lake District, and visiting my brother in Aberdeen. I'd like to meet some of the UK list crowd, if you guys would like to do so. It looks like I'll be there from about 9/21 to 10/5. ------ Our only other message comes from Ted Lyng. He has bunches of Tekumel stuff to trade. I have noticed that you sometimes allow messages regarding Tekumel merchandise. I have a number of items to trade that I think would be of interest to people on the list. I hope you can post the following: TEKUMEL ITEMS TO TRADE I have a number of Tekumel items that I would like to trade for OOP Tekumel items. If there are no offers for trades, I will consider selling the items for cash, but I am mainly interested in trading my items. I am also willing to pay cash for the items I want: WHAT I HAVE: 1) German Tekumel -- I have obtained some copies of "Kindheit und Jugendjahre in Tsolyanu" (Agema Verlag Detlef Wenzlik, 1994). This rare German item had been thought unobtainable. The Professor and Chris Davis have mentioned in a Blue Room message (#757) that this edition has nice artwork. Tekumel collectors will enjoy the beautiful full color cover and black and white drawings inside (none of the illustrations are available elsewhere as far as I know). And if you speak German you can even use it as a rulebook! I have six copies (three mint, one near mint, one very fine, and one fine). German hobbyists estimate 200-250 were printed but I have not turned up any others for sale. 2) Tekumel Journal No. 1 (Imperium Publishing 1977) According to Bruce Roberts, 500 were published. I have seen a copy auctioned for $60.00. Much of the text has been reprinted on the web, but it has some nice artwork that is otherwise unavailable, as far as I know. I have one VF copy for trade. 3) Tekumel Journal No. 2 (Imperium Publishing 1978) Again according to Bruce Roberts, 500 were printed and only 150 were bound. Everything described above for No. 1 applies to No. 2 as well. I have one fine copy for trade. 4) Dragon #4 (December 1976) -- This very rare early Dragon is an almost all-Tekumel issue with a beautiful color Tekumel cover. Early Dragons like #4 are expensive from dealers. This copy has some wear and a very faint crease on the cover. It has no other defects. I rate it good to very good. 5) 2 x War of Wizards (TSR, Bagged edition. 1st printing 1975). Recently reprinted by Carl Brodt, this was for a long time one of the hardest to find Tekumel items. The first printing has counters cut horizontally and perforated vertically. These go for high prices on ebay and the newsgroups. I have two copies. First copy: rulebook -- some dinginess and one faint spot on cover, otherwise no marks; Turn Record Sheet -- a red pen line has been drawn with a ruler to divide "hit points" from "spells cast;" Tables: have just a bit of writing in pen; Board: some wear but clean; Counters: halfpunched; Not the original plastic bag. Second copy: Rulebook -- NM; Turn Record Sheet -- A bit of pencil writing; Board: clean with just a bit of wear; Tables: clean with just a bit of wear; Counters -- punched; original bag. 6) Extra EPT Maps. This is a set of the three original maps from the TSR EPT (Western Tekumel, Eastern Tekumel, and Jakalla). They are in mint condition, meaning they come with deep folds as all the maps did originally. Carl Brodt sells just the Western original map for 4.95. 7) The Tsolyani Language (Adventure Games, 1981). This grammar and dictionary of Tsolyani is in near mint condition. This version has a tan cover with a drawing. It does not include the cassette tape. 8) Deeds of the Everglorious (Adventure Games, 1981). This history of the Tsolyani legions has just a slight bit of graying from shelf wear. Overall it is in very fine condition.. 9) The Armies of Tekumel Volume 1: Tsolyanu. 1st printing by Imperium Publishing. Carl Brodt sells this for 4.95. This copy is in near mint condition. 10) 2 x Legions of the Petal Throne (TSR, 1977). The original miniature rules for Tekumel. Two copies available. Copy one has some scuffing and a faint spot on the front cover. Copy two has some cover scuffing. Other than that, neither copy has any other defects. The perforated pages are still untorn in both copies. A copy of LPT sold recently on E-bay for over $60.00. 11) 2 x Northwest Frontier Maps (Adventure Games, 1979). The same ones (originals) sold by Carl Brodt for 4.95. I don't have the gazetteer for trade. I have two mint copies of the set of maps. 12) 2 x Man of Gold (DAW Books, 1984). The original Tekumel novel. I have two copies. Both copies have just a few lines along the spine and a very few tiny nicks on the edges. No creases or visible wear on either cover and they lie as if they have never been opened (though they have, I think). 13) Flamesong (DAW Books, 1985). The second Tekumel novel. I have one copy that is not as nice as my copies of Man of Gold. It has some very visible lines along the spine and some crease lines near the corners front and back. Still, one of the nicer copies I've seen of this old book. 14) The Nightmare Maze of Jigresh (Judges Guild, 1985). To be honest, a so-so early adventure with so-so artwork. Carl Brodt now sells this for 3.95. My copy is in fine condition with just a touch of scuffing. 15) Space Gamer #71. A special Tekumel edition with a vey interesting interview with M.A.R. Barker. Near mint condition. A copy of this recently sold for $13.50 on E-bay (I also have some non-Tekumel rare FRP items for trade. E-mail me for details. WHAT I WANT: 1) War of Wizards (TSR 1975) Boxed Version. The boxed version of WoW apparently came in two versions: one had two figures and one had a strip of four small figures. I would like a copy of the version with two figures. 2) Empire of the Petal Throne (MAR Barker self-published edition, 1974 or 1975). Bruce Roberts describes this as published in two volumes with pale green covers and no artwork. 3) Empire of the Petal Throne (TSR "1.5th" printing 1975). The first printing of the TSR EPT had a box that was blank on the bottom. The second printing's box had some text and a black and white picture of the game contents on the bottom. However, I know of one copy that has a box with just text on the bottom and blank space where the picture appears in the the second printing. Any others out there? 4) Empire of the Petal Throne (TSR 2nd printing). I am looking for a near mint copy. 5) Empire of the Petal Throne, Gamescience. I have yet to meet anyone who has actually seen this. I have an all white perfect bound edition of EPT with no marking as to publisher, but I think this is actually the Tekumel Games Third edition. Has anyone seen a version marked Gamescience? If so, I'd like one. 6) The Book of Ebon Bindings (2nd edition, Adventure Games, 1981). The 1991 black version by Different Worlds is called the "2nd Edition" but Adventure Games also printed a "2nd edition." I'd like one. 7) The Tsolyani Language cassette tape, 1981. I have the books. I would like the original tape. 8) The Armies of Tekumel Volume 3: Mu'ugalavya (The Tekumel Journal, 1983) 9) The Armies of Tekumel Volume 4: Salarvya (The Tekumel Journal, 1983) 10) The Armies of Tekumel Volume 5: Livyanu and Tsolei (The Tekumel Journal, 1983) 11) Miniatures for Tekumel Painting Guide (The Tekumel Journal, 1982) (Note: For items 8-11 I want the original Tekumel Journal-published editions, not the Carl Brodt reprints) 12) Qadardalikoi (1st Printing, Tekumel Games, 1983). My copy of Qadardalikoi is marked "second printing." I would like the first printing. 13) Swords and Glory Index to Volume 1 The Source Book (Tekumel Games, 1985) (The original.) 14) The Tsolyani Primer (Tekumel Games, 1982). The original of the work now published on the net. 15) Man of Gold (British Edition). 16) Eye of All-Seeing Wonder 1,2,4,5 (1992-1995) I would like the originals not the Andrew Lorince/Carl Brodt reprints. 17) The Imperial Courier Vol 1 #1-6, Vol 2 #1 (Tekumel Games August 1984-August 1985) and Vol 2 #2 (Tekumel Consortium Spring 1987) 18) The Best of the Journals Volumes II and III (Tekumel Games 1986) 19) Journal of Tekumel Affairs Vol III #1-4, 6-9 (Thursday Night Group 2360 A.S.-2361 A.S.) 20) The Imperial Military Journal Vol II No 1-5, 7 (Thursday Night Group 2358 A.S.-2361 A.S.) 21) Realms of Wonder (James Roach) I am interested in all issues. 22) Missum! (Tita's House of Games) I have the original. I am looking for the reprint by Carl Brodt that itself is now out of print. 23) World of Tekumel Temple of Vimuhla (unspecified handout listed by Bruce Roberts) 24) World of Tekumel Battle Kibitzers Guide 1&2, 3&4, and 5&6 (GenCon 19?? handouts) 25) Gateway to Tekumel Character Information Booklet 26) Poposyal Newsletter Volume 1 #1 (Items 25 and 26 are from Curtis Scott's planned PBM game.) 27) An Introduction to Tekumel (GenCon 1989 handout) 28) Citizenship Documents (Listed by Bruce Roberts with no other details.) 29) Swords and Glory Volume 3 Referees Guide (Exists as a typewritten manuscript. Brett Slocum has a copy. It is unclear to me whether there are any other copies.) 30) Northwest Frontier maps (first and second printings). Carl Brodt now sells the third printing. 31) The Imperial Dispatches Volume I (listed with no details by Bruce Roberts) 32) Dispatches to the Imperium (listed with no details by Bruce Roberts) 33) Last Imperial Courier (Bruce Roberts lists this, which contains the article "The Temple of Dlamelish," as unpublished. it is unclear to me whether there is more than one copy. Thanks for your attention to this long message. Ted Lyng (tedly99@ppp.nasionet.net) ----- 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. //1048 [Moderator's Note: Gordon Neff comments on music for Tekumel. ] The illustration on page 17 of 'Coming of Age in Tekumel' of a Tenturen player suggests that I have to look to Indian music. Personally, I am tempted to use any music that I can't clearly identify as 'western', 'Chinese', 'Indian', or whatever. And there is a lot of that around. . I'd have to agree with those musical choices entirely -- and don't forget Africa. I've used Indian ragas, Balinese temple music -- there are even some classical Japanese pieces, for shakuhachi particularly, that work extremely well. As a side note, now that the "train to Communism" has finally coasted to a complete stop at last, one of the stranger legacies of this last, largest application of the "White Man's Burden" has begun emerging in examples such as Irina Mikhailova's "Russian Twilight," which I highly recommend for this purpose. She, like so many Russians, was born and raised in some howling godforsaken sandheap of rocks and flies in the "Republic of Kazakhstan," where (as usual) the local cultures exerted a greater influence than the thin, faraway voices that whined and crackled in over the shortwave. As a result, though her language is Russian, her musical background and training owes very little to Western Europe. The result is odd, beautiful -- something of an acquired taste to the MTV-weaned, but then, so would Tekumel itself be! ( gives more information, if you're interested; includes a charming portrait.) ----- 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. //1049 [Moderator's Note: Professor Barker answers George's question about Priests] [ of Hru'u. ] >I'm planning to play a priest of Hru'u, a sorceror of moderate power. >Unlike some other temples (e.g. Thumis, Vimuhla), I've found particulars >about who the important people are (and how they're spending their time) >to be a bit sparse. Can anyone provide news of the purple-robes? I think Chris' suggestion of a look at Mitlanyal is excellent. I have several priests entered in my character database, but I agree: materials on Hru'u are rather scanty. Part of the reason is the secrecy and deliberate mystical obscurantism of the sect. It is hard to know what is being done, much less why. >I'd be especially interested in what sort of priest might be suitable to >accompany Charash Tlakotani on his voyage to the far south, and in knowing >what sorts of political positions the temple finds itself in these days. >How did they weather the political struggles? A Hru'u priest to accompany Charash Tlakotani (he's not Emperor, so the hi- prefix would be possible: hiTlakotani) is not hard to find. The temples are full of 'em, most with no real craft or skill, often without money or property -- after the recent takeover of the administration by Mirusiya's boys. I can look in my files for a likely priest/sorcerer if you wish. You might try: Onorel Veschur Black Hood Human M age 44 Hru'u Paya Gupa Priest, Ritual Spells: regular list of priestly spells up to 9th level. Pleasant, thoughtful, scholarly. Knows Salarvyani and some of various other languages. Unmarried. Has a mistress, who is from Butrus. She rules him with an iron first. He enjoys jokes, parties, and gambling. A risk-taker. Acknowledges at least three children (2 girls & a boy) Rather handsome in an unassuming way. No fighting skills. Hope this helps. Sincerely, 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. //1050 [Moderator's Note: Professor Barker comments on blind barter. ] >Is this something that has happened or happens here on Earth? Are there any >examples you could share? >(It sounds like a fascinating subject.) I read somewhere that blind barter was used between Christian missionaries and certain South American Amazon tribes. The former left mirrors, colourful cloth, etc., and the latter replaced these items with their own various productions. There are probably other examples. It is not common on Tekumel, but it does work -- as long as neither party fudges on the items for trade. Sincerely, 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.