An Introduction To TÉKUMEL

By Donald A. Kaiser, With the assistance of Lady Anka’a, Jeff Berry and Karin Karejanrakoi Portions compiled from the writings of and conversations with Prof. M. A. R. Barker

Tékumel Copyright: M.A.R. Barker and the Tékumel Foundation

Portions abstracted from works published by: Different Worlds Publications San Francisco, CA

Portions abstracted from works published by: Tékumel Games, Inc. Minneapolis, MN

Portions abstracted from works published by: Tita’s House of Games Berkeley, CA

ART CREDITS:

James Garrison: Pages 9-11, 31-35

Chris "Bear" Huddle: Cover, End Illustration

Don Kaiser: Page 10

Dave Magi: Pages 25, 36, 38

Special thanks to Tony Bloxzyl, Lady Anka’a, Jeff Berry and Brett Slocum for editorial assistance.

FRONT COVER: Emperor Tontikén Riruné "The Slave of Demons" 39th Seal Emperor during one of his secret ceremonies in the Golden Tower atop Avanthár.

END ILLUSTRATION: The author, as H’hranka hiKággmodu, Yán Kóryani Legate to the City and Province of Hekéllu and the Chaigári Protectorate, and Priest of Belkhánu in high ceremonial garb. Table of Contents E. The Five Lords of Change ...... 10 Forward ...... iii 1. Hrü’ǘ ...... 10 Map ...... iv 2. Vimúhla ...... 10 I. History ...... 1 3. Ksárul ...... 10 A. Times of the Ancients ...... 1 4. Dlamélish ...... 10 B. Time of Darkness ...... 1 5. Sárku ...... 10 C. The Latter Times ...... 1 F. The Five Cohorts of Stability ...... 10 D. The Historical Empires ...... 1 1. Drá ...... 10 E. The Empire of Llyán of Tsámra ...... 1 2. Chegárra ...... 10 F. The Three States of the Triangle ...... 1 3. Keténgku ...... 11 G. The Dragon Warriors ...... 2 4. Dilinála ...... 11 H. The Fisherman Kings ...... 2 5. Qón ...... 11 I. The First Imperium ...... 2 G. The Five Cohorts of Change ...... 11 J. The Golden Age of Éngsvan hla Gánga ...... 3 1. Wurú ...... 11 K. The Time of No Kings ...... 3 2. Chiténg ...... 11 L. The Second Imperium ...... 3 3. Grugánu ...... 11 M. Recent Events ...... 4 4. Hriháyal ...... 11 1. The Creation of Yán Kór ...... 4 5. Durritlámish ...... 11 2. The War Between Tsolyánu and Yán Kór .... 4 H. The Shadow Gods of Livyánu ...... 12 3. The Death of Hirkáne and the Rise of 1. Qame’él ...... 12 Dhich’uné ...... 4 2. The Shadowed One ...... 12 4. The Tsolyáni Civil War ...... 5 3. Kirrinéb ...... 12 5. The End of the Civil War and the Crowning 4. Vrusáemaz ...... 12 of Mirusíya ...... 5 5. Guodái ...... 12 6. The Current Situation in the Five Empires ... 5 6. Ru'ungkáno ...... 12 II. The Planet Tékumel and Its Solar System ...... 6 7. The Horned One of Secrets ...... 12 A. Astronomical Data ...... 6 8. The Lost One of the Sea ...... 12 B. Physical Information ...... 6 9. Quyó ...... 12 C. Climate ...... 6 10. Ndárka ...... 12 III. Human Ethnology...... 6 11. The Sea-Goddess of Kakársha ...... 12 IV. The Five Empires ...... 7 12. Kikumársha ...... 12 A. Tsolyánu ...... 7 13. The One of Fears ...... 12 B. Yán Kór ...... 7 I. The Pariah Deities ...... 13 C. Mu'ugalavyá ...... 7 1. The Goddess of the Pale Bone ...... 13 D. Salarvyá ...... 8 2. The One Other ...... 13 E. Livyánu ...... 8 3. The One Who Is ...... 13 V. The Gods of the Five Empires ...... 9 VI. The Priesthood and Temple Life ...... 14 A. Stability and Change ...... 9 A. The Priesthood ...... 14 B. The Concept of Noble Action ...... 9 B. Temple Life ...... 14 C. The Great Concordat of the Temples ...... 9 C. Monasteries ...... 15 D. The Five Lords of Stability ...... 9 D. Temple Finances ...... 15 1. Hnálla ...... 9 E. Lay Priests ...... 15 2. Karakán ...... 9 VII. Clan and Daily Life ...... 16 3. Thúmis ...... 9 A. Clan ...... 16 4. Avánthe ...... 9 B. Lineage ...... 17 5. Belkhánu ...... 10 An Introduction to Tékumel – i C. Education ...... 17 F. Hokún ...... 32 D. Women ...... 17 G. Mihálli ...... 32 E. Sexuality ...... 18 H. Nyaggá ...... 32 F. Marriage ...... 18 I. Páchi Léi ...... 33 G. Slavery ...... 19 J. Pé Chói ...... 33 H. Servants ...... 19 K. Pygmy Folk ...... 33 I. Medical Care ...... 19 L. Shén ...... 34 J. Behavior ...... 20 M. The Shunned Ones ...... 34 K. Dress ...... 21 N. Ssú ...... 34 L. Personal Possessions ...... 23 O. Swamp Folk ...... 35 VIII. Magic ...... 24 P. Tinalíya ...... 35 A. The Five “Selves” ...... 24 Q. Urunén ...... 35 B. Personal Magic ...... 24 XIII. Adventuring on Tékumel ...... 36 C. Psychic Magic ...... 24 A. The Great Metropolises ...... 36 D. Ritual Magic ...... 24 B. The Underworlds ...... 37 E. Universal, Generic and Temple Spells ...... 24 C. The Sákbe Roads ...... 38 F. Military Magic ...... 24 D. Overland Adventures ...... 39 G. The Devices of the Ancients ...... 25 E. Ocean Voyages ...... 39 H. Psychic Dampeners ...... 25 XIV. Conclusion ...... 40 IX. The Military ...... 26 XV. Glossary ...... 41 A. Armies ...... 26 B. Warfare ...... 26 C. Non-Military Troops ...... 27 1. Prison Guards ...... 27 2. Sákbe Road Guards ...... 27 3. City Militias ...... 27 4. Tomb Police ...... 27 5. Temple Guards ...... 27 D. Navy and Marines ...... 27 E. Military Life ...... 28 X. The Four 'Palaces' of Tsolyánu ...... 30 A. The Palace of the Realm ...... 30 B. The Palace of Ever-Glorious War ...... 30 C. The Palace of the Priesthoods of the Gods ... 30 D. The Palace of Foreign Lands ...... 30 XI. The Major Power Blocs of Tsolyánu ...... 30 A. The Imperial Party ...... 30 B. The Royalist Party ...... 30 C. The Priestly Party ...... 30 D. The Military Party ...... 30 XII. The Non-Human Races of Tékumel ...... 31 A. Ahoggyá ...... 31 B. Chíma ...... 31 C. Hláka ...... 31 D. Hlutrgú ...... 31 E. Hlǘss ...... 32

An Introduction to Tékumel – ii Forward Welcome to the world of Tékumel, created by Professor M.A.R. Barker. As a new player in the world of Tékumel this introduction will present you with enough of the basic history, culture and geography for you to have a basic understanding of Tékumel, and in particular of the five great Empires spanning the great northern continent so that you can enjoy role-playing in the world setting. Tékumel’s history starts 60,000 years in our future when the Lords of Humanspace, who had complete mastery of matter and energy, built a pleasure planet on the world, through extensive terraforming using their most advanced technology. Thousands of years later, for reasons unknown, Tékumel and 772 other solar systems were ripped out of normal space-time and dropped into pocket dimensions. Being cut off from outside trade, the culture and technology on Tékumel digressed to that of ancient Rome. Since the great cataclysm, some 30,000 years have passed, great empires have come and gone, and mankind and his allies have continued the slow march of civilization. On Tékumel the Gods are real and often active in the daily affairs of the inhabitants of the world. Magic is real and powerful, but so are the still-viable technological devices of the ancient Lords of Humanspace, and the march to more advanced culture and technology has been hampered by the use of this magic and the ancient technologies. In fact, Tékumel is a perfect example of Arthur C. Clarke’s “Third Law” that “Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic” in that the ancient devices of the Lords of Humanspace are essentially magic. Larry Niven's Law "Any sufficiently rigorously defined magic is indistinguishable from technology" also applies to Tékumel, as much of the magic taught in the temples was developed to mimic these ancient devices. When the Lords of Humanspace came to Tékumel it was on an important interstellar trade route, and other allied alien races came too. Uninvited, alien races that were enemies of humanity set up secret spy posts; and all of these alien races, as well as the planet’s original alien inhabitants, were present when Tékumel’s solar system was sent into the pocket dimension. They all have found their niches on Tékumel, but humans remain the dominant intelligent life form. With the intelligent races, other semi-intelligent and non-intelligent life forms were imported to Tékumel: some as part of the original terraforming; some into zoological and botanical gardens and preserves; and some, legally and illegally, into the private preserves of the wealthy. Many came from Earth (including dogs, cats and birds as pets) and the planets of humanity’s allies, and others from less hospitable places. In addition, some of Tékumel’s deadly native life forms and vegetation had been preserved on ‘reservations’ and these survive to this day; making Tékumel a widely varied mix of flora and fauna, much of which is deadly. As a player character on Tékumel you will have ample opportunity for adventure: take a stroll in the marketplace of one of the great metropolises, mingle with the teeming masses and perhaps get snared in some political intrigue; delve into the underworlds – the remains of the native inhabitants or the Lords of Humanspace and the tunnels, catacombs, and even entire lost cities of the historical empires; risk exploring outside the borders of civilization in the many great wildernesses seeking fame and fortune; or even take an ocean voyage and perhaps encounter pirates or one of the many large and very dangerous sea creatures of Tékumel’s seas. The world of Tékumel has a long history in the real world as well. Professor Barker began developing his world of Tékumel when he was growing up in Idaho in the 1930s, so there is much of the feel of pulp fiction and space opera in the world. As he continued to develop Tékumel, Professor Barker also drew strong influences from non-western cultures (particularly from Mesoamerica and South Asia), grounding Tékumel in our world while at the same time giving it an unfamiliar/alien feel. First published as the role-playing game “Empire of the Petal Throne” in 1975 by TSR, just one year after the company published the original D&D, it was the first role-playing game to present a detailed original fantasy world. I hope you enjoy the world of Tékumel as much as I do. I have been adventuring in the world since the late 1970s and still discover new and interesting things. I hope you will take the time to find out even more about Professor Barker’s fascinating world. It’s a rich and unique creation. – Don Kaiser

An Introduction to Tékumel – iii An Introduction To Tékumel I. History A. Times of the Ancients: Tékumel was first visited by mankind some 60,000 years in the future. Tékumel's solar system (Nu Ophiuchi a.k.a. Sinistra) lay upon an important trade route and the Lords of Humanspace decided to build a star base on Tékumel. The Lords of Humanspace had complete control over matter and energy and thus they poisoned the deadly purplish vegetation, cleared the lands and seas of many of the dangerous lifeforms, cleaned the atmosphere of the clouds of yellowish gas, and drove the native inhabitants, the Ssú and the Hlüss, onto reservations. They shifted the planet's orbit to conform to a standard earth-year and it’s rotation to that of a standard earth day; and added great eternal gravity engines to the planet's core (which is composed of lighter elements than the earth’s) to bring the gravity up to Terran standard. As the centuries passed, Tékumel became a residential pleasure planet for mankind and his allies (and some of his foes also came – uninvited). A planet-wide network of underground tubeway cars was built, and the sprawling estates were filled with interesting animals and exotic flora from all the worlds of Humanspace. Thus it remained until – B. The Time of Darkness: No record exists of this time, but folk memory laments of a time in which the hills rose up, the seas walked the land, flame spouted from the brazen mouths of the mountains, and the stars went out forever. For reasons unknown, Tékumel and its solar system had fallen – or were thrust – through a warp in the fabric of space-time itself into a pocket dimension in which no other matter had previously existed. The same fate befell 772 other worlds of Humanspace (the "planes of existence"). It is said, though it cannot be known for sure, that the Time of Darkness lasted fifty centuries. C. The Latter Times: During the Time of Darkness, certain enclaves of humanity endeavored to retain the technologies of the Ancients. Cut off from the raw materials and finished goods once brought in from the stars, they hoarded the products and devices of the Ancients against the coming Darkness. These enclaves became known as the Cities of the Latter Times, and their caches are filled with everything from toiletries to aircars, but even the people of these enclaves eventually succumbed to the Darkness, and abandoned their cities to join the rest of Tékumel's survivors in learning the ways of agriculture and a less technological way of life. D. The Historical Empires: 1. The Empire of Llyán of Tsámra (approx. 25,000 Before Present (B.P.)): The oldest written records date back some 25,000 years, and tell of an empire founded by a soldier/adventurer named Llyán "in the days which came after the Latter Times" whose capital was apparently at Tsámra (now the capital of Livyánu). Very little else remains: names of places and people whose meaning are now lost, fragments of walls, rings of monoliths, shards of pottery, golden scrolls, and, in the underworlds which underlie many of the ancient cities, chambers, halls, labyrinths, and occasional hoards of thick coins stamped with the image of a naked man holding a wand or two- handed sword. The Scholars of Llyán's time also compiled voluminous compendia of spells and magical instructions utilizing energy from the planes beyond (e.g. The Book of Ebon Bindings). It is unfortunate that so little of this wisdom has been preserved. 2. The Three States of the Triangle (approx. 25,000 B.P.): Contemporaneous with – or perhaps just subsequent to – the Empire of Llyán of Tsámra, there arose a confederation of three city- states in what are now the southern plains of Tsolyánu. No material artifacts of this culture have been identified for sure because the city/capitals of this confederation – Úrmish in the west, Jakálla in the south, and Thráya in the East – have been rebuilt many, many times, and any smaller sites lie buried at the bottom of meters of sediment from the Mssúma river delta. Almost all evidence of the Three States of the Triangle comes from their conquerors, the Dragon Warriors.

An Introduction to Tékumel – 1 3. The Dragon Warriors (approx. 24,000 B.P.): The Dragon Warriors were the Nlüss people, great barbarians from the mountains north of modern Mu'ugalavyá. At the end of the Empire of Llyán of Tsámra, some unknown NIüss scholar contacted the first of the mighty beings from the Planes Beyond – the God Vimúhla, Lord of Fire. NIüss culture was based upon violence, and the chiefs and tribal shamans seized upon the religion of Vimúhla to spark the greed of the tribes, unite them, and lead them out in a mighty wave into the lands of the south. Soon, the squalid log huts of the village of Malcháiran were transformed into the proud towers of the capital of a theocratic empire. Within 200 years, the Empire of the Dragon Warriors stretched from the borders of the Shén States to the towers of Tsatsayágga (now the capital of Salarvyá). The Empire of the Dragon Warriors maintained its internal cohesion for only some 200 years after this, for by the year 500 of their dynasty remote regions began to split away, each ruled by one of the original conquering tribes, and the next 1500 years were filled with petty wars, personal intrigues, rivalries and vengeances – and always endless, pointless, self-serving greed. 4. The Fisherman Kings (approx. 22,000 B.P.): During the last centuries of the Empire of the Dragon Warriors, a lordling from the city of Fénul, Gámulu, united the people of western Salarvyá to drive out the last decadent heirs of the Dragon Warriors. He spent the next 25 years at war with the non-human Ssú (see below), who had come forth from the mountains north of western Salarvyá, before finally driving them back into their strongholds below Ssuyál. His twelfth son, Hó Etéhltu, seized the throne of the Ebon Helm, and spent his long reign consolidating his domains in western and central Salarvyá and the northern peninsula of Háida Pakála. It was he who built the navy of small, fast galleys that give the dynasty its name. During the reign of the 22nd King of Gámulu's dynasty, contact was made with a second of the gods, Ksárul, the Doomed Prince of the Blue Room (see below). The mysteries and doctrines of Ksárul's faith spread throughout the realm of the Fisherman Kings, and it was through the establishment of the faith of Lord Ksárul that the Salarvyáni language (then called Bednálljan) spread as the medium of scholarship, literature, and diplomacy. At the end of the reign of the Fisherman Kings, the worship of the remaining Lords of Change appeared: Hrü’ǘ Supreme Principle of Change; Sárku, Master of the Undead; and Dlamélish, the Green-Eyed Lady of Fleshly Joys. 5. The First Imperium (the Bednálljans) (approx. 21,000 B.P.): The First Imperium began when Nayári, a 13-year-old nomad girl, arrived in Purdánim (a city now lost). There she learned the ways of the courtesan and was passed from hand to hand, like a pretty toy, rising to become Chief Wife of the Clanmaster. Continuing to hunger for power, she took five years to lay her snares, and when all was ready the pretty toy turned upon her owners and destroyed them. Seven years transformed Nayári the child-courtesan into Queen Nayári of the Silken Thighs. She employed intrigue, war, poison, the dagger, and the delights of her body to secure alliances – and suddenly deceased husbands – and acquire Fasíltum, Tumíssa, and Sokátis. She combined the rag-tag armies of her city-states into one force, and within four more years had defeated the last quarrelsome heirs to the Dragon Warriors' empire in Mu'ugalavá and the 55th descendant of Gámulu in Salarvyá. Nayári ruled with an iron fist, putting down revolts swiftly and ruthlessly, and perished by the very arts of which she was a great exponent: kissed with poisoned lips by a young lover. Her children warred briefly and bloodily, and she was succeeded by her son Ssirandár I, who renounced his mother's ruthless policies and spent the next 50 years building and unifying. He began building the Sákbe Road system and moved his capital from Purdánim to Jakálla. Utékh Mssá, his grandson, moved the capital a second time about a hundred years later, this time to a virgin site – Béy Sǘ. Missionaries went forth to the unknown lands preaching the faiths of the Lords of Change, and for the first time in millennia the isolation of the non-human enclaves was broken. As the centuries rolled along the societies grew ever more formalized and conservative, borne down by the panoply of Imperial glory and the weight of hoary tradition.

An Introduction to Tékumel – 2 6. The Golden Age of Éngsvan hla Gánga (the Priest-Kings or Engsvanyáli) (approx. 19,000 B.P.): The Golden Age of Éngsvan hla Gánga began when a crippled, middle-aged priest from the island of Gánga (off the southern coast of modern Tsolyánu), Pavár, contacted the Lords of Stability: Thúmis, Lord of Wisdom; Hnálla, Supreme Principle of Stability; Avánthe, Mistress of Heaven; Karakán, Lord of War; and Belkhánu, Lord of the Excellent Dead. The doctrines of these new Gods touched the hearts of the common people, those who had no part in the glory of the Temples, and who were weary of the rituals and the bloody sacrifices of the old faiths. Whole regions threw aside the Lords of Change: e.g. the Mssúma River basin all the way from Jakálla to Béy Sǘ and the areas around Thráya and Úrmish. None of this was accomplished without turmoil; the priests of the old faiths waxed wroth, and the kings and princes sent forth soldiers and inquisitions. Eventually, as all things must, the furor died away, the zealots became plump priests, and the temples of the Lords of Stability stood side-by-side with those of the Lords of Change. By the third century after Pavár's death, secular power began to shift away from the kings of the First Imperium to the Hierophants of the Isle of Gánga, and by the ninth century the last king of the Bednálljans stole away from Béy Sǘ. The capital was moved to Pavár's island, and thus began Éngsvan hla Gánga: "The Kingdom of the Gods". Éngsvan hla Gánga lasted for over ten millennia; during that time the exploration and conquest of most of the great northern continent was completed, and the Sákbe Roads grew into thick serpents of stone bearing the commerce of dozens of nations. Engsvanyáli legates held court from the Tsoléi Isles in the west to the wilds of Nuru'ún in the east, and from Yán Kór in the north to Háida Pakála and the Farisé Isles in the south. The Kingdom of the Gods was the greatest flourishing of human culture since the Times of the Ancients. Art, architecture, music, literature, science (even to the repair of some of the simpler devices of the Ancients), and a thousand other crafts and skills all throve. This is not to say it was a utopia: the Priestkings were theocrats and those who opposed their laws were either executed or enslaved. Éngsvan hla Gánga perished suddenly, as vast seismic convulsions of the planet tilted Pavár's island, drowning the metropolis of the Priestkings in the sea. The shallow inland sea of Yán Kór rose up, and the Spouting Mountains of the Shén and Dríchte Peak erupted, burying those regions in ash. Nowhere escaped the physical, economic, and political consequences of the disaster. Local loyalties and hatreds, long suppressed, reemerged, and war was reborn. Within two centuries after the first paroxysm, the Kingdom of the Gods was picked apart by a thousand greedy scavengers, and another time of darkness overspread the land at least as total and Stygian as that which had come to Tékumel long ago. 7. The Time of No Kings (approx. 9,000 B.P.): During The Time of No Kings, history becomes a confused babble: seals, coins, stelae, and other artifacts cry the glories of this or that "Omnipotent Emperor of All the World" - and naught else is known of most of these potentates beyond their names. However, it is to this period that many of the present-day folk legends refer: the warriors Hagárr of Paránta, Chirené of Nlüss, and Pendárte of Khéiris; and the Undying Wizards: Nyélmu the Necromancer, Subadím the Sorcerer, Thómar the Ever-Living, Turshánmu the Summoner of Demons, Metállja of Salarvyá, and Qiyór the Many-Tongued. 8. The Second Imperium (2373 B.P. to present): By the time the histories began to be written again, the foundations of the Empire of the Petal Throne had already been laid. The first Emperor is known only by his clan-name: "the Tlakotáni". There are no records of his antecedents, who he was, or how he came to subdue the other petty states then ruling in the region. All that is certain is that he had a considerable body of supporters, an army of sorts, a base of operations around Béy Sǘ, and an ancient technological device which struck awe into his contemporaries: the Seal of the Imperium, which could produce impressions upon any material. Surviving legends indicate that even the first Tlakotáni may have practiced the royal seclusion that has become the hallmark of Tsolyáni government. Present time dates from that first seal Emperor of Tsolyánu nearly 2400 years ago, but the modern history of Tsolyánu starts with the crowning of the 61st Seal Emperor of the Petal Throne in Avanthár: Hirkáne hi Tlakotáni “The Stone Upon Which the Universe Rests” in 2347.

An Introduction to Tékumel – 3 9. Recent Events: a. The Creation of Yán Kór Starting in the early 2350s Emperor Hirkáne hiTlakotani authorized incursions into the then city-states of Yán Kór. In one of these incursions internal Tsolyáni politics caused the expeditionary force, the Legion of the Scarlet Plume, to be left in an untenable position and was wiped out nearly to a man (and has not be reactivated to this day). One of the survivors was the general of the legion, Áld Vishétru, a mercenary relative of the King of Saá Allaqí. The Yán Koryáni recognized his royal connections and military prowess and offered him the ‘peace of the mercenary’: gold in exchange for working for them. Disenchanted with Tsolyáni politics, Áld accepted and soon rose to be commander of the forces of Yán Kór City. Áld’s military successes soon convinced other city-states in Yán Kór to join forces against the Tsolyáni. As Tsolyáni incursions were repulsed, additional city-states joined the alliance, and within a few short years, Áld had pieced together an incipient nation. Eventually, even the King of Saá Allaqí joined in alliance with his former poor relation. Áld took the title “Baron”, a relatively modest rank, in order to not offend the matriarchal society of the north, but in actuality he now rules Yán Kór as an absolute monarch. b. The War Between Tsolyánu and Yán Kór Finally, in 2356, war officially broke out between Tsolyánu and Yán Kór. Over the next 8 years the war dragged on with both sides advancing and retreating across the border regions of the two empires. The early front was in the west where the Tsolyáni Prince Eselné commanded the legions of the Tsolyánu. Baron Áld’s early successes on this front soon bogged down to a virtual stalemate as neither side could gain a decisive victory. In 2358 the Tsolyáni Prince Mirusíya was revealed, and in 2360, seeing that the war in the west had bogged down, Mirusíya proposed to open a new front of the war to the east and take command of the troops there. During the siege of Pu'er in 2361 a legion dedicated to the worship of Sárku, Lord of the Undead, used undead legionnaires, a breach of the rules of war. As a result, Mirusíya had the commanding general, a close friend of his brother Prince Dhich’uné (also a Sárku devotee), impaled, earning Mirusíya the enmity of Dhich’uné. In 2362 the Tsolyáni forces sacked and burned much of southern Saá Allaqí, essentially taking them out of the Yán Koryáni alliance, but failed to advance further due to long supply lines. Meanwhile Baron Áld had made a secret alliance with Prince Dhich’uné to overthrow Emperor Hirkáne and put Dhich’uné on the throne – Yán Koryáni forces secretly entered into Tsolyánu for some time, aided by Dhich’uné's generals. c. The Death of Hirkáne and the Rise of Dhich’uné In 2364 the old emperor Hirkáne hiTlakotáni died suddenly (some say he was killed by Dhich’uné during a visit), and, using the war with Yán Kór as an excuse, Dhich’uné called a Kolumeljálim (the competition where the next emperor or empress of Tsolyánu is chosen). As no other prince or princess entered the competitions (the fact that no one else was notified may have been to blame for this), Dhich’uné declared himself Emperor and took the throne name “Eternal Splendour”. Dhich’uné quickly moved to end the war with Yán Kór, uniting the two empires into one and making Baron Áld First General of the combined armies, using Áld to consolidate his power. Most of the northern Tsolyáni cities were firmly in their control, though Fasiltúm was a holdout due to loyalty to Mirusíya. Midland cities were ostensibly under Dhich’uné's control, although underground movements still existed; and the cities of the south-east were far enough away that, although they payed lip service to the new emperor, they were far from loyal to him. Any rebellion was ruthlessly suppressed.

An Introduction to Tékumel – 4 Later in 2364, Dhich’uné broke the tradition of Imperial Seclusion and left the Imperial city of Avanthár to travel to a religious ceremony in the City of Sárku. A military force led by Prince Mridóbu entered the imperial citadel at Avanthár and took the throne, reigning for two days before an invasion of Dhich’uné’s undead army from below the city retook the throne. Mridóbu escaped, but was unheard from for some time. In the summer of 2365 Dhich’uné tried to have Áld assassinated in order to remove him as a potential rival, but failed and Áld fled to Béy Sǘ where his loyal Yán Koryáni forces fought and defeated the forces of Dhich’uné. The Temple of Sárku in Béy Sǘ was sacked and the Governor and his sister were impaled. d. The Tsolyáni Civil War Late in 2365 a new Prince of Tsolyánu was revealed in Béy Sǘ: Prince Taksúru. Áld and Mridóbu (newly come out of hiding) quickly flocked to him and vowed their support. This gave Prince Taksúru a strong base of support in the center of the Empire. Forces led by Prince Eselné in the west, Prince Mirusíya in the east, and Prince Taksúru in the central area took to the field to fight Dhich’uné’s forces, starting an all-out civil war involving nearly all of the armed forces of Tsolyánu. Even the normally passive Prince Rereshqála was forced to take up arms and quell food riots in Jakálla. The other Imperial Princes and Princesses took sides with one faction or another or chose to flee. Any territory gained in the war with Yán Kór was lost. Meanwhile, the Mu’ugalavyáni Empire took the opportunity of the unrest in Tsolyánu to invade the two Chákan Protectorates from the west. The non-human enclaves of the Pé Chói in the northern Dó Cháka was overrun, and of the Páchi Léi in southern Pán Cháka (who were always hated by the Mu’ugalavyáni for some reason) were slaughtered or forced to flee. The Mu’ugalavyáni took the city of Butrús and tried to take additional western Tsolyáni cities but were repulsed by Prince Eselné’s forces. The Salarvyáni also took the opportunity to invade Tsolyánu from the east and take the outpost cities of Rǘ and Fénul and invaded the Gilráya forests, but ran into trouble from the nonhuman Hlutrgú and Ssú. The Livyáni were in no position to interfere on either side as they were being ravaged by The False Plague, and they were forced to abandon most of their cities. In 2366 Áld returned to Yán Kór to crush an incipient rebellion there. e. The End of the Civil War and the Crowning of Mirusíya Finally in 2369 the combined forces of Rereshqála, Mirusíya and Taksúru (Eselné having died of a wasting disease the previous year) defeated Dhich’uné, forcing him to flee Avanthár. With the defeat of Dhich’uné, a new Kolumeljálim was called, this time with all of the Princes and Princesses, functionaries, temples and nobility in attendance. Ultimately, Mirusíya was the only candidate choosing to compete and he was crowned Emperor, taking the throne name of “The Flame Everlasting”. The military declared support for the outcome, thus allaying the fear of a military coup, and the civil war was ended. f. The Current Situation in the Five Empires Mirusíya, despite his upbringing as a fanatical worshiper of Vimúhla, has, so far, proven himself to be a fair and capable leader. He has surrounded himself with skilled people, including convincing his eldest brother Prince Rereshqála to become the Chamberlain of the Court of Purple Robes (Prime Minister), and is now in the process of piecing the Tsolyáni Imperium back together. An uneasy peace exists between Tsolyánu and its neighbors, including Yán Kór and, for now at least, all seems fairly stable. Baron Áld is back in control of Yán Kór after quelling the riots and revolts there.

An Introduction to Tékumel – 5 The Mu’ugalavyáni have been driven out of Dó Cháka by the Pé Chói, but still control southern Pán Cháka and the city of Butrús. What little are left of the Páchi Léi are scattered among the other Empires and perhaps to other non-human enclaves. Salarvyá still holds the outpost cities of Rǘ and Fénul, but is currently having its own succession problems: with the death of King Griggatsétsa Chruggilléshmu civil war has broken out there also. The False Plague in Livyánu has been brought under control and the Livyáni are slowly getting their lives back together. II. The Planet Tékumel and Its Solar System A. Astronomical Data: As mentioned above, there are no stars in Tékumel’s sky; however there are seven heavenly bodies (the sun, four other planets and two moons that orbit the Tékumel). They are: 1. Tuléng: (the sun – Nu Ophiuchi a.k.a. Sinistra a K0 class star): associated with Hnálla 2. Ülétl: a dusty-brown inner planet planet associated with Sárku 3. Riruchél: a scarlet colored inner planet associated with Kárakan 4. Shíchel: a sky-blue outer planet associated with Avánthe 5. Zirúna: a dim-flickering outer planet associated with Hrü’ǘ 6. Gayél: Tékumel’s greenish outer moon associated with Dlamélish 7. Káshi: Tékumel’s orange-red inner moon associated with Vimúhla (interestingly, this moon has a retrograde motion relative to the other planets and Gayél) B. Physical Information: Tékumel is a large planet, about 65% larger than the earth, but its core is made up of lighter elements than the earth’s. Because of this, many of the heavier metals are in short supply. Iron especially is rare relative to the earth, and iron and steel items are quite valuable, though gold and silver still remain the standard of currency and jewelry. The great northern continent in which lay the Five Empires stretches across some two-thirds of Tékumel’s northern hemisphere. A great southern continent is known, but is largely unexplored by the Five Empires, as the northern portions of it straddle the equator where the daily temperatures can reach 60° C (140° F) in some months making travel there difficult. The polar ice caps are small, but there is a southern polar landmass that is temperate and fertile and is the home of the non-human Urunén. What is known of the rest of Tékumel’s surface is a great ocean scattered here and there with island archipelagos on which can be found ruins of the ancients, other non-human races, and some rare and exotic creatures brought to the planet when Tékumel was a pleasure planet of the Lords of Humanspace and the islands were the luxury retreats of the nobles of the time. C. Climate: Unlike the earth, Tékumel has only a small axial tilt (due to the standardization of the planet’s rotation by the Lords of Humanspace), and thus has a much smaller seasonal variation of climate; and as Tékumel is closer to its sun than the earth, the climate is considerably hotter, especially in the equatorial regions, such as in southern Livyánu where in the summer months all work and commerce ceases in the day and all but the most unfortunate citizens seek refuge in deep cellars dug beneath their clanhouses or temples. Shénu, the largest of the Shén states, is even hotter, with summer temperatures reaching 55° C (131° F) – of course the non-human Shén enjoy greater warmth than humans. III. Human Ethnology Humans are the dominant intelligent life on Tékumel, but many other intelligent races are present: some live in and amongst the humans, and some are isolationist. The humans on Tekumel are mostly descended from the human races inhabiting the Southern continents of Old Earth. In times long past – long before humanity moved outward beyond their own solar system – there was a massive nuclear war An Introduction to Tékumel – 6 that wiped out most of humanity in North America, Europe and China. The survivors united and over time a uniform human race developed. Most people on Tékumel are bronze-skinned, with straight black hair and brown eyes. The height of average humans ranges from 1.65m to 1.75m for males and 1.55m to 1.65m for females. People taller or shorter do pop up now and then, and occasionally a brown or blonde haired, and/or blue-eyed person is born. These unusually featured people would be considered suspect or exotic and might be sold as a choice slave or donated to a temple whose deity has an aspect resembling that person. But for the most part, humans are no longer divided into ‘races’ as we know them. Some cultures have practices that differentiate them from their neighbors: the Livyáni, for example, tattoo themselves heavily (and some of these tattoos may even have magical properties). Racism, if it does exist, is reserved for the non-human races, though there is quite a bit of clan, temple, and national chauvinism. IV. The Five Empires A. Tsolyánu Government: Hereditary Empire Emperor: Mirusíya hi Tlakotáni ‘The Flame Everlasting’ Secret Police: The Omnipotent Azure Legion (OAL) Capital: Béy Sǘ (The Emperor resides in Avanthár) National Color: Blue and Gold Religion: Pavár's 20 Deities (see below)

B. Yán Kór Government: Feudal Monarchy under charismatic leader Current Ruler: Baron Áld Secret Police: Surgéth Capital: Yán Kór City (The Baron resides in Ke’ér) National Color: Green and Gold Religion: Pavár's 20 Deities; The Lord of Sacrifice (a form of Vimúhla) on the Isle of Vrídu. The Mad One of Hlíkku from the city of Hlíkku

C. Mu'ugalavyá Government: Hereditary Oligarchy – Current Princes are: Tu'umúnish Ssa'amússa (First Palace – NE) Dilitlázish Ko'ól (Second Palace – SE) Gremendúish Firu'úna (Third Palace – SW) Herekkúnish Ketláino (Fourth Palace – NW) Secret Police: The Company of the Mourners in Sable Capital: Ssa'átis (First Prince resides in Kúrdis) (Second Prince resides in Khéiris) (Third Prince resides in Tráhlu) (Fourth Prince resides in Tlár) National Color: Red Religion: Hŕsh (possibly an amalgam of Vimúhla, Karakán, and Ksárul) whose primary shrine is on the forbidden island of Mu'úgalla. Vimúhla The remainder of Pavár's 20 Deities. An Introduction to Tékumel – 7 D. Salarvyá Government: Feudal Monarchy Current King: Currently there is no king: a civil war among the great families is occurring, the outcome of which will determine the new King Secret Police: Small ineffectual intelligence arm Capital: Tsatsayágga National Color: Black Great Families: Chruggilléshmu of Tsatsayágga Hruchcháqsha of Chame'él Thirreqúmmu of Koylúga Khekhkhéssa of Héru MreshshéI-Átl of Lake Mrissútl Gurrushyúgga Tsa'avtúlgu Shiggashko'ónmu of Jaekánta Religion: Shiringgáyi (a mixture of Avánthe and Dlamélish) whose primary shrine is on the shores of Lake Mrissútl Black Qárqu (a particularly repugnant form of Sárku) venerated by the lords of Tsa’avtúlgu Pavár's 20 Deities.

E. Livyánu Government: Theocratic Oligarchy Current Leader: Chorgház Líu Tláshte (The “First of Three” sits on the Lambent Throne and presides over the central council of the priesthoods of the Shadow Gods) Secret Police: The Vrú'uneb Capital: Tsámra National Color: None (though many legions wear yellow) Religion: The Shadow Gods

An Introduction to Tékumel – 8 V. The Gods of the Five Empires A. Stability and Change: Pavár’s pantheon is divided into two "alignments": Stability and Change. “Stability” supports the status quo, a tranquil and peaceful progression of time and space on towards a final amalgamation into a perfect and eternal "Light of Being". “Change” envisions continual and endless ephemerality, with perpetual violent upheavals: birth, death, and rebirth unending, in which the only unchanging principle is Change itself. It is incorrect to speak of either of these alignments in human moral terms; they are neither "good" nor "evil" except as how they affect man himself. Stability implies less pain and violence, while Change naturally implies more dislocation and unpleasantness. In Pavár’s pantheon there are 5 major ‘Lords’ of Stability and 5 of Change, each representing an aspect of their alignment’s philosophy. In addition, each of these Lords has an associated lesser deity, their ‘Cohort’, who represents some major related aspect of their Lord. There are also interplanar beings (the Pariah Deities) who stand outside of these two alignments, as well as whole hierarchies of lesser inhabitants (“Demons”) of other planes who have greater or lesser talents and powers than does mankind. B. The Concept of Noble Action: The Tsolyáni concept of "good" and "evil" is more utilitarian than spiritual. It is only when one comes to the doctrines of "noble" versus "ignoble" action that it is possible to speak of ethical behavior. To quote "The Book of Ebon Bindings": "... when a man acts 'nobly,' he behaves in accordance with his Skein of Destiny, as he perceives it. He serves his God; is loyal to his clan and to those who think as he does; is staunch in his courage; and is forthright in his deeds. Conversely, a man acts 'ignobly' when he ignores his own avowed principles, abandons his clan or his comrades, vacillates or is false or lazy, and/or when his deeds are small and niggling. The priestess of Lady Avánthe is 'noble' when she feeds the poor, assuages the pain of the aged and the sick and supports the strictures of society. So also is the priest of Lord Vimúhla 'noble' when he goes forth to bloody battle, sacrifices the daily victims upon the altar of the Flame, and burns the cities of his enemies." Everyone in the Five Empires is brought up to believe in the importance of ‘noble’ action and societal pressure prevents people from acting ignobly. When someone does act in an ignoble manner, compensation (shámtla) must be paid to anyone who has been wronged. C. The Great Concordat: In the interests of peace among the different sects, a Great Concordat of the Temples was formed. This prevents any overt religious hostility: there is no fighting in public and no sectarian violence; of course what takes place in the sanctuaries, the catacombs and underworlds, and in remote wildernesses is known only to those present – and perhaps to the ever-watching gods. D. The Five Lords of Stability (The Tlomitlányal) 1. Hnálla: Supreme Principle of Stability, Lord Whose True Name May Not Be Known, Master of Light, and Foe of Change. He seeks light without darkness and the ultimate presence of Changeless Radiance throughout the cosmos. He aids those who serve Stability, and those who are industrious, pious, temperate, and of dignified mien. His followers wear white.

2. Karakán: Lord of War, Master of Heroes, and The Ultimate Warrior on the Final Day. He seeks stability through active change, but change always towards a more stable social order: war for the expression of courage, war for the destruction of the Dark and the victory of Light. He aids those who are valorous. His followers wear scarlet red.

3. Thúmis: Lord of Wisdom, Knower of Arts, Hidden Seeker of Eternal Knowledge, and Sage of the Gods. He seeks total wisdom, cognition without the limitations of the ego, and an understanding of the Universe. He aids those who seek knowledge for the benefit of society, and those who heal, teach, and study. His followers wear gray.

4. Avánthe: Mistress of Heaven, Maid of Beauty, and Mother of Devotion, Wife (in a non-physical sense) to Hnálla. She stresses a patterned rhythm of cooperation and symbiosis, and her ceremonies commemorate the cycles of nature: the spring, sowing, the rains, the harvest, etc. She aids women in all circumstances; and those who maintain the clan and community, support justice, and who struggle against Change. Her followers wear sky-blue.

An Introduction to Tékumel – 9 5. Belkhánu: Lord of the Excellent Dead, Master of the Paradises of Teretané, and Opener of the Gates of Heaven. His sphere is not of this world, but of the life after death: the journey of the spirit- soul onward to the farther planes. He aids those who are close to death, those who mourn, those who would contact the dead, those who fight against Change, and those who are attacked by the undead, an abomination to him. His followers wear yellow.

E. The Five Lords of Change (The Tlokiriqáluyal) 1. Hrü’ǘ: Supreme Principle of Change, Master of Negation and Non-Being, Opponent of Permanence, and Dispenser of Calamities. He seeks the Dark, an end in chaotic form, a negation of this world, and a return to the Nullity which existed when Time was not; then from this he would bring forth a new reality, only to bring this new reality down: Change without cessation. He aids those who fight for Change, those who bring about their own glory with no thought of others, and those who are secretive and of a grasping nature. His followers wear purple.

2. Vimúhla: Lord of Fire and Power of Destruction and Red Ruin, Maker of Thunders, and All Consuming One. He is the catharsis and the cleanser through the flame, seeking to annihilate all matter, then to have the cosmos reborn in the heart of the flame. He aids those who fight heroically and fanatically for change, those who start conflagrations, and those who revel in destruction and pillage. His followers wear flame-orange.

3. Ksárul: The Ancient Lord of Secrets, Doomed Prince of the Blue Room, and Master of Magic and Sorcery. Ksárul seeks knowledge, like Thúmis, but for the Doomed Prince wisdom is not to be used for the benefit of others. For him, knowledge is power, and power is the individual's greatest goal. He aids those who would learn forbidden secrets, those who would contact the dwellers on other planes, seekers of knowledge, and those who would serve him against stability. His followers wear black.

4. Dlamélish: The Green-Eyed Lady of Fleshly Joys, Mistress of Demons, and Obsidian Princess of the Damned. She seeks the existential reality of the Now - changes as they occur at every moment, and the pleasures and pains of sense perception. She aids those who seek sensual pleasure and immediate gratification, those who engage in her orgies and her ceremonies in the service of the Demons of the Dark, and those who are hedonistic, selfish, and uncaring of others. Her followers wear green.

5. Sárku: The Five-Headed Lord of Worms, Master of the Undead, Guide into Darkness, and the Demon-Lord of Decay. He seeks a slower, colder winding-down into Hrü’ǘ's final Nullity: the certain transition of life and death and the survival of the intellect even after death. He aids those who serve the undead, those who worship the intellect and care little for or the needs of the body, and those who send the living down to him in the unutterable stillness of death. His followers wear

earth-brown.

F. The Five Cohorts of Stability 1. Drá: The Uncaring, Singer of the Hymns of Heaven, and Cohort of Hnálla. He represents the total disinterest of the Perfect Light in the phenomenal things of this universe. He does not even care enough to aid his worshippers, and if he does so, it is done carelessly and sloppily. His followers wear parti-colored white-and-tan. The “Perfect Ones” of his sect are complete ascetics, sitting or lying where the priests place them, are force-fed and ignore hunger, thirst, pain, and all of the sensations of their existence.

2. Chegárra: The Hero-King, Swordsman of Glory, Victorious Lord, and Cohort of Karakán. He is "Courage Applied": the experienced warrior of many battles, the resourceful ruler, and the patron of armies. He aids warriors in battle, those who marshal the forces of stability, those who face the Dark courageously, and those who rule justly and well. His followers wear checkered red-and- white. An Introduction to Tékumel – 10 3. Keténgku: The Many Eyed, Knower of All, Master of Scrolls, and Cohort of Thúmis. He is "Wisdom Applied": the patron of scholars, physicians, apothecaries, scribes, architects, engineers, and all those who use knowledge for the benefit of society. He aids those who study the mysteries, those who learn languages and travel abroad, and those who combat the egotistical doctrines of Ksárul. His followers wear gray and white.

4. Dilinála: The Lovely Maiden of the Turquoise Crown, Aid of Lovers, Solace to the Weary, Handmaiden of Avánthe and Spiritual Daughter of Hnálla. She is "Woman as Woman Alone": femininity without the polarity of male-versus-female; the innocent virgin, the beloved daughter, the loyal sister, the platonic confidante to whom a lover may confide, the wise woman of many years, and even woman in love with woman. She aids women in all circumstances. Her followers wear blue and white. She accepts no priests into her order, and her rituals are barred to males.

5. Qón: The Ancient One of Pleasures, Guardian of the Gates of Hell Against Those Who Would Come Forth, and Cohort of Belkhánu. Qón protects the spirit-soul against the perils of the journey onward to the Hereafter. He is also the active antagonist of Change, but on a more personal level than is Chegárra. He aids those who are attacked by the powers of the Dark, those who combat Change, and those who fight the Demons of other planes. His followers wear yellow and white. G. The Five Cohorts of Change

1. Wurú: The Unnameable, He Who Appears Where Evil Dwells, the Many-Legged Serpent of Gloom, and Cohort of Hrü’ǘ. He is the active antagonist of Stability. He aids those who promote Change and overturn permanency, and those who fight the minions of Stability. His followers wear parti-colored mauve-and-purple.

2. Chiténg: The Lord of the Red Spouting Flame, Drinker of Blood, Reaper of Cities, and Cohort of Vimúhla. He seeks to spread death by the flame, as does his Master, but he is more oriented toward group action: he is the patron of the armies of Change, the besieger of cities, and the overseer of torments. He aids those who combat Stability, those who besiege and devastate and plunder, and those who inflict atrocities. His followers wear orange and purple, and are often employed as torturers and executioners.

3. Grugánu: The Knower of Spells, Black Sword of Doom, Reader of the Incantations of the Dark, and Cohort of Ksárul. He combs the planes for knowledge and sorcery which may aid his Lord escape from his prison in the Blue Room. He aids Ksárul's followers in their quests for personal knowledge, and may provide special devotees with magical devices and spells. His followers wear black and purple.

4. Hriháyal: The Dancing Maiden of Temptation, Harlot of the Five Worlds, Mistress of the Unspeakable Acts, and Cohort of Dlamélish. She outdoes even her Mistress as the supreme orgiast. She is the patroness of the Thirty-Two ancient Mysteries and members of her Inner Temple may witness – or join – performances of the Thirty-Two Unspeakable Acts (the last of which is said to be a sacrifice to a demon while at the heights of sexual ecstasy). She is also the patroness of gambling. She aids those who engage in public debauchery, those who are given to greed and avarice, and those who serve her Mysteries. Her followers wear green and purple.

5. Durritlámish: the Black Angel of the Putrescent Hand, He of the Rotted Face, Opener of Catacombs, and Cohort of Sárku. He marshals the legions of the undead, and serves his Master in the places of the Dark. He aids those who serve the undead, those who join with the dwellers of the Dark and those who sacrifice their victims to him on the Orgy of Inimitable Demise. Followers of Durritlámish make up the majority of the Tomb Police (who guard the tombs and necropolises). His followers wear brown and purple.

An Introduction to Tékumel – 11 H. The Shadow Gods of Livyánu are kept shrouded in mystery; their attributes often deliberately misrepresented to foreigners and their hierarchies are only distantly polite to the priesthoods of other lands. The following Shadow Gods are known: 1. Qame’él: the chief deity of the pantheon, according to the priests at Tsámra. He is worshipped by the noble classes in and around Tsámra but is not popular elsewhere in Livyánu. He is said to be an amalgam of Thúmis and Ksárul. 2. The Shadowed One: he (it?) is revered all over Livyánu and has gigantic temples at Tsámra and Tsúpil Hláya. Fragmentary information indicates that he is a combination of Hnálla and possibly Hrü’ǘ. 3. Kirrinéb: this Goddess is the counterpart of both Avánthe and Dlamélish (and is thus very like the Salarvyáni Shiringgáyi). She has a violent side, however, since she favors human sacrifices and is the patroness of several Livyáni army units. 4. Vrusáemaz: A many-limbed dark being akin to Wurú, he is the wanderer of the many hells of the Livyáni Afterworld, a deity of darkness and sorcery. 5. Guodái: a martial divinity similar to Chegárra and possibly Chiténg. Guodái is the patron of soldiers, administrators, and the nobility. 6. Ru'ungkáno: this deity is probably the counterpart of Vimúhla (with aspects of Karakán and Ksárul). His rituals involve fire, and his devotees exhibit tiny burn scars all over their bodies. He is most influential at Sraón and also in the Tláshte Range where his great temple stands. 7. The Horned One of Secrets: probably another variant of Hrü’ǘ with an admixture of Ksárul, this deity's ceremonies centre around sorcery and interplanar travel. His temple at Laigás is extremely powerful, and his priests officiate the annual New Year's festival in Tsámra (called "the Opening of the Sun"). 8. The Lost One of the Sea: this deity (whose gender is uncertain) combines the attributes of Dlamélish, Avánthe, and Thúmis (!) with a tradition of association with the things of the sea. This divinity also has an extensive temple complex at Laigás. 9. Quyó: this Goddess is similar to Sárku. She is the Walker of the Demon Planes and the Mistress of the Grave. Her shrine at Heméktu is very ancient and much revered. The "rituals below" of most Livyáni funerals are celebrated by her clergy. 10.Ndárka: this God is a combination of Belkhánu and Qón. His powers relate to the Afterlife, rebirth, and also to funerals (where his priests perform the "rituals above" (cf. Quyó)). Interestingly enough, Ndárka is also the patron of crop fertility and "the Resurrected One" whose return to life is commemorated each year at harvest time. He is very popular with farmers and peasants, and little clay images him are buried in every field at the time of sowing. He has major temples at Farshá and Hráis. 11.The Sea-Goddess of Kakársha: she is possibly related to Avánthe but has special control over the sea and its creatures. She is the patroness of sailors, travelers, and the inhabitants of Kakársh and Sraón. Livyáni ship captains always propitiate her with a sacrifice of wine, blood, and water before setting sail. 12.Kikumársha: a close counterpart of Ksárul, this deity's doctrines involve both sorcery and the use of knowledge. He is also the patron of music, art, the dance – and strangely enough, of archery. Kikumársha is called "the Trickster of the Gods," and his exploits are the subjects of innumerable legends. Most of his tricks are anything but humorous, however. There is a large temple to him at Sraón, others at Núfersh, Fálli, and also at Tsámra. 13.The One of Fears: nothing is known of the attributes of this deity who is the patron of the forbidden city of Dlásh. It is said that he (she? it?) is akin to both Hrü’ǘ and Vimúhla.

An Introduction to Tékumel – 12 I. The Pariah Deities: As mentioned above, there are certain gods who do not belong to either the Stability or Change camp known as the Pariah Deities. While these gods have existed throughout historical times, their worship has been put down with a zeal unparalleled elsewhere, their temples razed, names carved from monuments and inscriptions and worshipers converted or executed. There is thus little evidence of their worship left on the surface of the Five Empires. In the vast underworlds under the great cities, however, or in far-flung places evidence of their worship may still remain. There are three known Pariah Deities: 1. The Goddess of the Pale Bone (now superstitiously called “She Who Cannot Be Named”): Probably the most feared of the Pariah Deities, this goddess hungers to consume all of reality, destroying all (and unlike Hrü’ǘ with no intention of creating anything in its place). Not much is known of her worship, though an occasional bone knife inlayed with magical runes and other indications of her worship are occasionally found. Her servitors, known as He’ésa, are created from inter-planer magic and are said to be able to pass themselves off as normal humans. 2. The One Other: This Pariah Deity probably is the best known. In “The Lament to the Wheel of Black” the great Engsvanyáli epic poem, he plays an important roll in the great battle between Pavár's 20 gods. In that battle he gives Lord Vimúhla the mighty sword “Flamesong”, helps the other 18 gods to defeat Ksárul and his Cohort Grugánu, and aids the Lords of Stability and Change in imprisoning the sleeping Ksárul in the Blue Room. Coins, inscriptions, and temples with the circle and dot motif of this deity are occasionally found. 3. The One Who Is: This Pariah Deity is the most mysterious and least known. It is said that this being lies in eternal imprisonment in “The Darkness Below the World” and that if ever unchained it will be the final day. Not much else is known.

An Introduction to Tékumel – 13 VI. The Priesthood and Temple Life A. The Priesthood: Any free man or Aridáni woman may join the priesthood. The applicant joins the temple as an Acolyte, and spends six months to a year learning the basic rituals of the faith and the requirements of life in the temple. At this time, the Acolyte is either accepted as a First Circle Priest or sent home. (Ecclesiastical rank within the temple is spoken of in terms of the ancient Engsvanyáli classification of “Circles”.) A priest remains in the First Circle for perhaps a year to three years, and during this time the priest learns more details of the rituals, theology and dogma of the faith, and anyone who is slow, uncooperative or unwilling to adjust to life within the temple hierarchy are weeded out. It is also at this time that the priest selects their service branch within the temple: Ritual, Scholar or Administrator. Ritual priests perform the rituals and rites of their sects, serve the laity, and act as the ‘face of the sect’. Scholar priests specialize in some field of study important to their sect, research the ancient secrets, teach in the temple academies and keep the sect’s history, relics and treasures. Administrative priests do the record keeping and tithe-accounting; supervise the holdings, farms and trading places of the temple; and organize and run the daily life within the temple. Once a priest has chosen one of the three service branches it is difficult to change branches due to the specialty training required. Successful completion of studies results in the priest advancing in Circle membership. Those from the Second through Sixth Circles will usually hold a specific post within the temple: ritual priests may be assigned a function in a specific ceremony or ritual, administrative priests may be given oversight of a particular land holding, and scholar priests may be assigned to assist in the research with a senior priest. Each service branch of the temple has a hierarchy: most local temples have a high priest or priestess of each branch; each of these in turn answer to their superiors in various other places – up the line to a single Grand Adept and his or her governing council of Lord Adepts in the main temple of the sect. Advancement in the temple hierarchy is highly competitive, especially at the higher levels, as any number of priests may belong to a give Circle but the number of official positions is limited. For good or ill, experience, ability and seniority are often subordinated by clan and lineage connections, as well blatant bribery, when filling one of the higher temple posts. However, the higher one goes in Circle membership, the less direct correlation there is between the Circles and specific temple posts. Talent and experience are more clearly indicated by the priestly Circle than holding a given temple post. Thus a respected Scholar may belong to the Twentieth Circle or higher but hold no Temple post at all. Circle membership does depend somewhat on connections and inducements, but not as much as with the higher temple posts, and since there is no limit on how many priests may belong to a given Circle, the pressure on advancement is less. Throughout the Five Empires, the sects of the Gods have regional centers where their worship is strong, though it is exceedingly rare for only one God to be worshiped in a given locale. For example, while for all practical purposes Sárku is the sole diety in the City of Sárku, all of the other Gods do have small temples there and their worship is perfectly legal. B. Temple Life: Priests typically live in their temple dormitories and apartments (though they may stay at their clan house while traveling if there is no room in the temple dormitories), are paid by the temple, perform a multitude of duties within the temple, attend rituals and devote their entire lives to the temple hierarchy. Within the temple there are also hired staff and/or slaves that perform most routine day-to-day functions (meals, cleaning, maintenance and so forth). In addition, each temple maintains a small (or in the case of the war temples a large) military force, the temple guard, who act as a police force for the temple, provide security (overt and covert) and act as an investigatory arm. Temple guards take introductory training in the religion of their deity, but then are segregated and given military training (see below) and are not part of the temple hierarchies. The major temples in the great metropolises are almost city-states within the city as they are nearly self-sufficient. Their land holdings outside of the city bring in food and other resources for the daily sustenance of the temple, and any excess is sold in the marketplace to bring in cash. Scholars, servants, slaves, and businesses and land holdings within the city create most of the remaining day- An Introduction to Tékumel – 14 to-day needs. Specialty goods are bartered for with the specific clans if needed (for example the glassblower’s clan), but many temples have their own artisans and craftspeople, so it is only for the very specialized items that the temple need look outside for goods. These great temples may have hundreds of priests, servants, slaves and guards and are typically open all day and night. Outside of the great cities, however, temples are less self-sustaining and will have fewer priests and other attendants. A small town may have only a single mid-Circle curate keeping watch over a simple structure for the local folk, for example. C. Monasteries: In addition to the temples each sect maintains monasteries where devotees of the God can retire for contemplation and study. Some of these are great institutions known throughout the Five Empires (such as the Monastery of the Grey Cloak north of Páya Gupá dedicated to Lord Thúmis and his Cohort Lord Keténgku), but most are local or regional centers. D. Temple Finances: Temple income comes primarily from the land holdings both inside the cities and in the countryside which bring in rents and produce goods (any excess of which are sold for cash) and by tithing by devotees. However, each temple also has certain specialities which bring in cash. These specialities can be mundane (Lord Belkhánu’s funerals or Lady Dlamélish’s sexual rituals for example), highly specialized (such as the temple of Lord Thúmis or Lord Ksárul’s testing of an unknown device of the ancients brought back by an adventurer), or even magical (each temple has certain high and very secret spells that they will cast for a price which grant magical protections). E. Lay Priests: Lay priests are devotees of the sect who choose to live outside of the temple hierarchy. They are trained at the temple academies, have access to all of the temple resources, including the libraries, research facilities and rituals. Lay priests can be of any Circle from second through thirtieth and though they have no specific ritual or other temple duties and take little part in temple’s governance or politics, they frequently cooperate with their colleagues in the formal hierarchy and those of the highest Circles may be invited to join the temple’s High Council. Lay priests are usually scholars, physicians, astrologers, and practitioners of sorcery and other learned arts. They may ply their trade in the marketplace, or they may hire on as a ‘house priest’, tutor or magical bodyguard in the households of noble or wealthy clans. Lay priests are not paid by the temple and do not live in the temple dormitories (although they are may do so if they are traveling) and either live at their clan house or in the household of their employer. It is theorized that the institution of the Lay Priest provides a more direct interaction between the sect and the population at large. By going outside of the ‘ivory tower’ of the formal temple, the Lay Priest can carry the sect’s influence to places that the busy temple priests cannot. They are freer to travel and choose their own path than those within the highly structured bureaucracy of the temples, but they give up the security and stability of temple life to do so, so the choice of becoming a lay priest has some risks.

An Introduction to Tékumel – 15 VII. Clan and Daily Life A. Clan: While religion plays a roll in the life of everyone in the Five Empires (most people go to temple once a week and pay lip service to their sect) the most important institution in the daily life of most people is the clan. Clans provide innumerable services to their members from birth to death: housing and food at no cost, anywhere there is a clan house; care for the family and childrearing; protection from unwarranted arrest and harassment, mediation in civil affairs, defense in court, and payment of compensation (shámtla) to anyone the clan member has wronged; loans of items from the clan stores (weapons for example); investment in projects if the clan elders feel it is appropriate and possibly profitable; acting as a bank to hold possessions and wealth, and while traveling clan members may be issued letters of credit which can be cashed at clan houses in other cities or even abroad through mercantile connections; using its influence to obtain a posting or promotion; and a host of other matters. In return the clan demands cooperation and support from members, obedience to the clan elders, and a monetary contribution (usually about 10% of earnings, but high status and noble clans may demand more). Some clans are occupationally based (winemakers, carters, glassblowers); some specialize in the priesthood, military or administration; some are regional, others are widespread; some are devoted to one deity or group of deities, others are eclectic; most have both wealthy and impoverished members. The clan system in Salarvyá and Livyánu is different than that in the other empires and most of the small states. Salarvyá is dominated by seven great families (see above), so that it has become a feudal hierarchy with all other clans acting as clients and vassals to the seven great families, which in turn pay fealty (loosely) to the king. In Livyánu the clans are dominated by the Shadow Gods, as are most aspects of daily life, so that all clans essentially belong to one of the Shadow God religions. Clans try to be somewhat autonomous. They usually own arable land and grow food which is brought to the cities; surplus is sold and those services and trades not represented within a clan can be bought from other clans or bartered for similar services. Clan life is primarily communal – a typical clan house has many rooms and many people live their entire lives in one clan-house; meals are usually cooked in a central kitchen and either served communally or brought to private rooms for members who wish to dine separately. Living space is communal in the lower status clans; in medium clans there are separate apartments for the various lineages that make up the clan as well as for families of senior clansmen; and high and very high clans may have individual apartments. Like the temples, most clans have hired staff or slaves that perform most routine day-to-day functions (meals, cleaning, maintenance and so forth). Each clan house has a clan-master (or in the north, clan matriarch) who makes the major decisions for the clan, manages the finances and oversees the business of the clan, whatever it may be. In addition, there is typically a major-domo (who may be a servant or slave) who oversees the day-to-day running of the house. The elders of the clan form a loose clan council that determines who is to marry whom, what ventures the clan may engage in and keeps track of all the members – who is related to whom, what skills and abilities each member may have and decide who is to be sent for schooling or who will stay at home and continue the clan’s trade. If a member of the clan shows special skills or promise, they may be sent away so as to get the most from their skills, and if they become successful, will repay the clan’s sponsorship of them. Clanless persons (nakomé), foreigners, and non-humans stay in the foreigner’s quarter – a walled-off portion of the city/town where these people stay and even live and where various low ranked clans cater to lodging and/or feeding such persons. There are few ways for nakomé or foreigners to make a living outside of the clan structure; even what we would call menial labor is strictly controlled by one clan or another. They can attach themselves to a temple and perhaps gain some influence that way, but usually if they are to make their way they need to get themselves ‘adopted’ by a clan. Clan membership is generally determined by birth or marriage, but a nakomé or a foreigner who is seeking permanent residence may apply to join a clan by paying a fee. Lower status clans are often eager for ‘new blood’ if the applicant shows some skill or other promising attribute, medium clans less so and high clans are practically impossible to join. In the very high, old nobility clans it would take the sponsorship of an Imperial prince or the crown to induce them to take in a new member. Each clan has a unique glyph or clan symbol that identifies the members of the clan. This is usually worn as a piece of jewelry (necklace, pin, tiara), embroidered on a piece of clothing or tattooed on the clan member. This allows all members of society to instantly identify which clan a person belongs to. An Introduction to Tékumel – 16 B. Lineage: Within the Five Empires families are grouped into extended bloodlines descended from a single great hero, ancient leader or legendary person, called lineages. These lineages act as surnames and are added directly to a person’s personal name. Outside of Tsolyánu the lineage is simply added after the first name (Zhú Vtékh of Yán Kór, for example has the personal name of Zhú given to him by the clan matriarch at birth and the lineage name of Vtékh). Within Tsolyánu, however, the lineage name is preceded by a prefix meaning ‘of’ (much like the German ‘von’). Most commonly this prefix is ‘hi’, but in the Chákas ‘ba’ is used while in the southern island of Vrá ‘vu’ is used. Thus Archúne hiÓbra has the given name Archúne and the lineage name hiÓbra – of the lineage of Óbra. While a few clans have only one lineage (the Vríddi of Fasíltum, for example have a single lineage: Vríddi), the vast majority of clans have anywhere from several dozen to hundreds of lineages. Thus a clanhouse may have a single family of a given lineage, or it may house scores of households with the same lineage name, all intricately interrelated. It is also not unknown for an ancient lineage to cross two or more clans; thus the lineage hiKággmodu has families in the Blazoned Sail clan (a medium status clan) and in the Sinking Land clan (a very high status clan); while the lineage hiSsáivra has members in at least 12 clans! C. Education: In the Five Empires literacy rates range from 10-15% (and are even less in the smaller states), and the majority of formal education occurs within the temple academies. Most rural peasants receive no education at all, unless some village headman or clan elder notices that a child has a particular talent or promise, whereupon the child may be sent to a town or city for additional testing possibly followed by a formal education. Lower class urban children may or may not be given a few basic lessons in reading and arithmetic before being apprenticed in the clan’s occupation, again unless some particular talent or promise is noticed. The children of middle and upper class clans have more opportunities for a formal education and most attend the temple academies at least for a few years. Of course those children who show no aptitude or interest in learning are quickly weeded out and sent back to their clan where the middle class clan children are apprenticed in some occupation appropriate to the clan, and upper class clan children are either shunted to some out of the way clan house or given private tutoring to try to get them to get an education appropriate to their station in life. Followers of one of the Lords of Stability either send their children to a temple academy run by Lord Thúmis or his Cohort Lord Keténgku or if they wish a more doctrinaire education, an academy run by their own sect. Similarly, followers of one of the Lords of Change either send their children to a temple academy run by Lord Ksárul or his Cohort Lord Grugánu unless they wish a more doctrinaire education, whereupon they would attend an academy run by their own sect. After a child’s basic education is complete, those wanting a more advanced education apply for admittance to the priesthood. Those not interested in clerical life either return to their clan and apply for posts in the Imperial, City or Clan bureaucracy (where any specialized training will be provided). Those with the aptitude and specialized skills (such as a scribe, poet or entertainer) may also hire out individually in the marketplace or as part of a wealthy household. D. Women: In four of the Five Empires (Tsolyánu, Mu’ugalavyá, Salarvyá and Livyánu), women are handicapped by a male-dominated culture. A “good clan girl” will remain with the clan, have a monogamous marriage to whomever the clan dictates, perform the duties of wife and mother, produce children for the clan (bringing them up to be good clansfolk and citizens), share in the housework and childrearing with her clan sisters, and work alongside the men in the primary occupation of the clan. In return the clan provides lifelong security and care: they are housed, clothed and fed, cannot be sued or be the object of a demand for shámtla and they cannot be challenged to a duel (harming a clan-woman or her children is not “Noble”). Although she may seem to be destined to a boring life of hard work and monogamous childbearing/rearing, the communal nature of the clan can take pressure off her in both her domestic relationships – a wife who is not overly keen on her husband may never in fact have to spend much time with him – and childrearing as there are always plenty of sisters and brothers, aunts and uncles, and cousins around to help. Furthermore the clan-woman is not powerless and may in fact wield a great deal of influence through her male clansiblings, and through senior female relatives. She may even have discreet affairs and, because the clan is an emotional as well as an economic safety net, a partner who abuses a clan-woman may find him/herself shunted off to a farm up-country, if not worse.

An Introduction to Tékumel – 17 A woman may, however, declare herself ‘Aridáni’ (independent) at any time after she reaches adulthood at about 14 or 15, and she would then have all of the rights, privileges and responsibilities of her male counterparts. A woman who wishes to wishes to become Aridáni need only go to the Palace of the Realm and declare before two witnesses that such is her desire and she will receive a document stating that it is so. Typically between 15 and 20 percent of the female population of the Five Empires claim Aridáni status, with higher percentages the further north one travels. In the far north in Yán Kór and Saá Allaqí there is no need for a woman to declare herself Aridáni as these countries are matriarchal; all property is inherited through the female line, and clan councils there have more women than men. Overt prejudice, and physical or psychological violence against Aridáni is uncommon; although some men will not want to marry an Aridáni, she may think this is a good thing. A woman can also renounce her Aridáni status at any time within reason (an Aridáni soldier cannot decide to become a clan-woman in the middle of a battle, for example). E. Sexuality: Pre-marital sexual activity is normal in the Five Empires. Male chastity is practically unknown and only a few sects require celibacy of their priestesses. In fact, sexual rituals are an important part in many of the temples, and some Temples arrange “defloration ceremonies” for the children of their adherents, coinciding with the children’s Coming-of-Age/Naming Ceremonies. Homosexuality and bisexuality are accepted as normal everywhere except Yán Kór and Saá Allaqí (where they are said to be ‘bad for society’), and there are even whole Tsolyáni legions made up of homosexuals only. Other sexual practices (sadomasochism and even necrophilia) are found in the practices of some sects, and it is said that the only thing not tolerated is intolerance. Birth control is common and fairly widely used; women chew Lisútl root and they are infertile for that cycle. If a woman becomes pregnant and the pregnancy is unwanted, she can either abort with herbs or carry the child and let her clan raise it (clans always need more members) so unless there is a pressing need the child is usually carried to term. Getting a neighboring clan-girl pregnant isn’t necessarily ignoble – and depending on the difference in the status of your clans, more or less shámtla (compensation) needs to be paid for the ‘inconvenience’ to the girl. If your clans are of approximately equal rank and if you agree to bring the child up in your clan, then you may only need to pay a small shámtla. If your clan is higher than hers, it could be considered a great opportunity for the girl, and no shámtla needs to be paid if she marries into the higher clan. Of course, if you are of a lower status clan, no amount of shámtla may be enough compensation and the girl’s clan may prosecute. Many servants and slaves (some specially trained) are expected to sexually service their masters and/ or mistresses; however, as the temples of Avánthe, Dlalmélish and Hriháyal hold public orgies (and have private rooms) as a part of their devotions, prostitution as we know it isn’t found in the Five Empires. Rape in the Five Empires is a crime – a civil crime, but a crime nevertheless – for which one is entitled to seek redress: through shámtla, the courts (which may impose fines, imprisonment, enslavement or even execution), a duel, or, if all else fails, by referring the matter to one of the Assassins’ Clans. Rape of a clan-member by another from the same clan will be punished harshly by the Clan Elders. F. Marriage: Throughout the Five Empires, marriage is considered a social and legal contract and only incidentally may involve ‘love’; and only in the theocratic Livyánu is marriage a religious institution. In the south marriages are arranged by the elder males of the clan and in the north it is the clan matriarchs who act as matchmaker. Often these arranged marriages are set while the principals are still children, and while a man or Aridáni woman (or any woman in the north) may object, societal and clan pressure is such that most of these arranged marriages take place. Multiple marriages are common for both men and women, (a man or Aridáni can marry as many people, of either sex, as he or she likes, or can afford), and children from most marriages are reared communally in the clan house. In the south all children belong to the father’s clan and in the north to the mother’s. Usually, one’s first marriage is across lineages within the clan, but subsequent ones are arranged with the spouses’ involvement. To be unmarried and childless by age 30 is considered odd and possibly an embarrassment to the clan, although, interestingly, one need only declare oneself a homosexual (or join the temple of Dilinála if a woman) in order to stop most peer pressure (although some pressure may still exist even for homosexuals to have an heir if important holdings are at stake for the clan.) Alliances of marriage may be made within a clan, between clans for mutual support/alliance, within a An Introduction to Tékumel – 18 temple for temple alliances/politics, between temples (especially with Deity/cohort alliances), or possibly with talented outsiders for gain of status or other perceived gain. Rarely will anyone marry a foreigner or nakomé (clanless person), as there would be no advantage to the individual or the clan. Marital relationships are largely irrelevant to people outside them, and, unless it is written into the marriage contract, exclusivity and marital fidelity are not expected. Thus as long as the persons do not behave ignobly, an affair can be carried out with no adverse repercussions. One exception, however, are clan-girls who may marry only one person and is expected to be faithful to that person. Even so, a clan-girl having a discreet affair will cause little reaction other than table gossip, providing the proprieties of clan and status are observed. Biological parentage is not very important in most of the Five Empires. The sisters of a child’s genetic mother, as well as the wives of her brothers, are also her/his “clan-mothers.” Similarly, the brothers of a child’s genetic father and the husbands of his sisters are also “clan-fathers.” All of these people’s children are “clan-brothers” and “clan-sisters.” At the next level out, the mother’s brothers’ and father’s sisters’ husbands are “clan-uncles,” and the father’s sisters’ and mother’s brothers’ wives are “clan- aunts”, and the children of those people are “clan-cousins.” Consequently, a person is likely to have many clan-fathers and clan-mothers, clan-sisters and clan-brothers (some of whom are not even blood relatives), and a horde of clan-cousins. Ending a marriage, if necessary, is easy – though one must repay any bride-price or dowry. If there are disputes over the children and where they will live, the relevant clans are first brought in to decide the matter. An arbiter may be chosen who is agreeable to both parties, and if neutral consultation fails, a judge from the Palace of the Realm would have the final say. The only difference between an Aridáni and a clan-girl divorce relates to property. Since the Aridáni may own property in her own right she may need to divide it up with her ex, according to the terms of their marriage contract; her clan does not get involved, unless there are larger issues. A clan girl, however, is represented by her clan and any property she may have acquired may be taken by her clan. G. Slavery: Slavery is an accepted practice in the Five Empires, though slaves only make up a small part of the workforce (10% to 15% in Tsolyánu and less elsewhere). The usual cause of slavery is indebtedness; in addition, prisoners of war, minor criminals (most major crime on Tékumel is punishable by death if caught and prosecuted), clanless persons and occasionally children captured by slaver gangs can be found as slaves. Most slaves are not mistreated, to do so would be ignoble, and have much the same life as very low-class citizens. Freedom from slavery does occur, the slave may buy his or her freedom or is granted freedom in a will for example, but a freed slave may not have an easy time as they have no clan, no resources, and no place in society. Note that within the Five Empires, slavers are rather disreputable, however wealthy they might be; they provide a commodity, but no respectable person would associate with them. H. Servants: As mentioned most clans and temple hire servants or keep slaves for the majority of day- to-day operations. In addition, there are clans who specialize in tasks such as baking, laundry and carting. However, most ‘noble’ persons have personal servants who see to their day-to-day needs, making sure they are fed, their clothing washed, their quarters kept clean and their lives ordered so they can use their time making their way in the world. I. Medical Care: Medical care is a combination of herb-lore, practical medicine and magic. Common folk use herbs and clan members who are versed in the healing arts (higher status clans hire trained physicians) when they need basic medical care. For anything other than basic care, however, magic is used. Magic can cure most any affliction, but unless a healing spell is readily available, one has to go to a temple to get the spell – for a suitable ‘donation’ of course (the Temples of Thúmis and his Cohort Keténgku are especially oriented to healing, but all temples have basic healing spells). Magic cannot always cure old injuries, moreover, a broken bone set badly and healed that way may cause an infirmity and magic applied years after the fact cannot cure it – healing magic is best used at the time of illness or injury. The average lifespan for a Tékumelani human depends largely on social class and wealth. Death may or may not be permanent – revivification is known and adventurers killed may be resurrected – for a price. The common person has no access to these rites and magic, however, so lifespans in the Five Empires averages about 50-60 years. (For the worshippers of Sárku, life is considered to be but the

An Introduction to Tékumel – 19 beginning of existence, of course, as their higher devotees are resurrected after death as undead, and begin their ‘second life’ in the Temple.) People can live longer, of course, and people of well over 90 years are known. People on Tékumel die in all the same ways present-day humans do: old age, disease, accident, murder, suicide. On Tékumel you would add to that list magic; which can be used to prolong (or revivify) a life, or to end it. J. Behavior: One should always be mindful of their clan and place in the fabric of society, and behave accordingly: giving reverence and respect to those of higher status, behaving properly to those of the same rank, and being considerate and understanding of those less fortunate. Polite action is always noble – you may have enemies and rivals, but you should always be polite and behave properly in public. Getting drunk or disturbing the peace is ignoble, you might have to pay shámtla to the neighbors disturbed by your rowdiness. Understanding one’s place in society is extremely important in the Five Empires. A member of the low status Woven Mat clan acts nobly and within the strictures of their place in society when they participate in the business of the clan (weaving mats for sleeping and sitting). They may also seek to join the military as a soldier or marine or join a temple as a low-ranking priest. Any of these career paths would reflect their place in society and would be considered noble. It would be presumptuous of them, however, to think that they could rise within the priesthood to become a High Administrative Priest, or a high ranking administrative officer in their Legion. Such presumption would be ignoble and out of place for such a person. Conversely, a member of the distinguished Sea Blue clan would cause a scandal if they decided to take up mat weaving as a career, join a legion and show no ambition to advance in rank, or join a temple and perform in a lazy or corrupt way. Such a person of high status is expected to uphold the honor of their clan and to behave in a dignified manner and is best suited to the governance of properties, the officer corps of the legion, temple administration, or the overseeing of clan businesses for the benefit of all. Failure to behave nobly reflects badly upon the clan as well as upon the individual, and clanmembers will be quick to rectify such behavior. Each person has a role to play in society and is expected to fit into that role; no role is undignified or ignoble if it is accomplished correctly. As a common Tsolyáni idiom puts it, "there is honor in weaving mats, if the mats are well-woven." After all, a High Administrative Priest would sleep on a cold stone floor without a comfortable sleeping mat, and a weaver of sleeping mats would have no raw materials with which to weave the mat would not the temple administrator be procuring these materials. One should also respect the structures and institutions of society. It would be ignoble for an adventurer to carry their own supplies and treasure, for example – the porter clans are there for you; and as long as you hire them, do not expect them to engage in anything outside their assigned tasks, and pay them properly, you can have a long and successful alliance with them. You must also make every effort to protect them while in the underworld; if you keep returning without your porters, but with your loot, you will need to pay shámtla and will have to pay much more to hire them in the future. You will also get a bad reputation among the service clans and find your day-to-day life less pleasant without so many of the services all citizens take for granted. While the occasional eccentricity can be tolerated, especially in those of high status, continued ignoble action will cause the clan to take action: first with advice, then with sanctions. These sanctions could include ‘house arrest’ within the clan house, being sent to one of the ‘sanctuaries’ (asylums) run by the temples of Thúmis, his Cohort Lord Keténgku, and the Lady Avánthe; or in the most extreme cases, being asked to leave the clan. This would leave the person clanless (nakomé) and would have all of the consequences of that status discussed above. Most crimes, up to and including murder, can be ‘smoothed over’ with an appropriate apology and payment of shámtla. Unless there is some ulterior motive (clan, temple or business rivalry, for example), or the crime is an Imperial offense, clans prefer to deal with crime this way and rarely is anyone prosecuted. Bribery is common and usually expected – every service or interaction outside your clan (and even within your clan on occasion) may need to be accompanied by ‘gifts’ or ‘inducements’ to get what you need done. If you want to dock your ship at the local harbor, for example, appropriate ‘gifts’ to the

An Introduction to Tékumel – 20 local harbormaster will ensure you get a good berth, your ship is not vandalized by the locals and you get a ‘permit’ to do business. Day to day life on Tekumel is conducted at a somewhat slower pace than we westerners are accustomed to. For example, if you are a middle or upper class person and you want to visit with a friend in another clan, you would send a servant with a note to your friend at their clanhouse (unless the business you have with your friend is urgent, when it would be possible to arrive unannounced, but this behavior is frowned upon). The message is delivered, and your friend eventually drafts a reply with a specific time and place of meeting and sends it back your clanhouse. If the time and place is acceptable, all is well. If not, several messages must be sent back and forth until an agreeable time and place can be set. This could take a few hours, or even several days. If you are going to your friend’s clanhouse for ‘lunch’, for example, you would wake on the day, breakfast lightly and prepare yourself for the visit. You would bathe and dress carefully with the help of your servants or clan members, and a palanquin would be made available for your transport – either by hire or from the clan’s communal property. You might arrange for a few ‘gifts’ to bring to present to your friend. Then you would leave, with an appropriate entourage for your clan, class and status, and eventually arrive at your friend’s clanhouse. You would be greeted by the servants of your friend, who would conduct you to the appropriate ‘audience hall’ in the clanhouse. Your servants would be brought to the servant’s quarters and they would be fed and given space to pass the time while you are in audience with your friend. In the audience hall, you would be given refreshment and possibly entertainment, and would pass the time until your friend appeared. You would greet each other, trade pleasantries and maybe gossip. Perhaps trade gifts. Then you would eat, maybe with light entertainment, and afterward would visit some more. If there were business to be conducted, this would be the time for that. The whole visit might last until ‘dinner time’ and then you would take your leave, have your palanquin brought around, and travel back to your home. A dinner invitation would include even more pomp and ceremony. Parties can last for days. K. Dress: Clothing is usually the main indicator of wealth and status for a private person. Tékumel is a hot world and so heavy clothing is counter-productive most anywhere except in the far Polar Regions. Nudity is not taboo, but for convenience most people wear at least a loincloth for cleanliness. Personal modesty is not an issue in clothing selection: nudity is not a signal for sexual license and most people in the Five Empires would find an artfully draped form much more sexually alluring than a totally nude body. Average people will usually wear a loincloth with a kilt, wrap, skirt or pants at the very least for everyday. They may or may not wear a tunic or vest also, and this everyday outfit is not sex- differentiated. Differentiation will come from clan, Temple or occupational dictates; or just personal taste. Most clothing will be loose and blousy, to allow for maximum coolness in the hot climate, but again wealth and status may have it more elaborate or fancy – or at least of more costly and finer fabrics. Clothing fads and fashions also vary from city to city and empire to empire. In the clan-house casual nudity is entirely appropriate if the person so wishes; so is wearing just a loincloth or just ‘street clothing’. Persons of status and/or wealth will also have more elaborate clothing. The more fancy and expensive your clothing is, the more you display your wealth and status. Elaborate and fancy does not necessarily mean more covering or modest, however. A hot climate means too much clothing can be literally fatal (though most Tekumeláni can tolerate temperatures modern humans would find oppressive and/or possibly hazardous). So a rich priestess of Avánthe, for example, might wear a long skirt of diaphanous blue material with a finely tooled jeweled belt, an elaborate collar studded with sapphires, elegant sandals, an elaborate hairdo, and nothing else. Most free persons of status will wear some sort of collar – a band of worked material worn along the neck and collarbone: sometimes cloth, sometimes Chlén-hide (a type of leather which is peeled from the Chlén beast every six months or so, with no ill effects to the animal, and processed by the tanners clans to make a durable material which can be slightly flexible or hardened to the strength of bronze or soft iron, yet is as light as modern plastics) or sometimes precious metal, that shows their clan affiliation, religion, possibly nationality and wealth and/or status. These collars are what identify each person to another if they are not personally acquainted. You can look at a person’s collar and An Introduction to Tékumel – 21 immediately ascertain their clan, probably the Deity they worship, perhaps their home city, possibly their nationality, and their wealth and/or status. Everyone will have several versions of these collars – cloth for informal and in-clanhouse wear; more formal for ritual or special occasions, and most elaborate and expensive for times when one would want to be at their best – meetings with persons of higher status, being presented to a person of Royalty or high office, and marriage or other formal ceremonies. Sometimes these collars are so high, elaborate and decorated that they can be a hindrance to the movement of the head or to vision, but as they are status markers, no noble person would be without their collar in public. Most everyone will wear some sort of footwear – most commonly sandals, as the sandal is the standard footwear throughout Tékumel, except in the colder near-polar climes. These would be constructed of woven reed for casual and/or cheap; or leather or Chlén-hide for more fancy/durable footwear. Boots are also known, mostly for soldiers and others who would need the extra foot protection such as those going on a long journey overland. When traveling, cloaks are used for warmth at night, for protection from the rain, or perhaps to disguise a person if they wish to be incognito. The temples all have their own ritual garb, and priests will dress appropriately for their office/station/ ritual setting. They also have various versions of their collars which can have special meanings within the temple and perhaps for special ceremonies. Sometimes these collars can be very high and heavy – encrusted with gems and/or magical glyphs. Again, priests and priestesses will have more casual wear for everyday and more elaborate – perhaps ritually specific garb for their outer and inner temple rituals and rites. A soldier will wear garb appropriate for fighting – either with or without armor depending on his/her unit, skills and/or wealth. If a soldier wears armor, they will also have padded cloth beneath to prevent chafing and help spread the force of blows. Persons in various trades will wear clothing appropriate to their work and status. Tattooing is widespread and common in the Five Empires, and tattoos are obligatory for certain persons in various temples/clans/nationalities. For example followers of Dlamélish and Hriháyal are all tattooed to indicate their learning, status and accomplishments within the temple. Some tattoos are even magical, and can invoke spells when used properly. The Livyáni, for example, are completely covered with blue tattoos all of which indicate status, clan, which Shadow God is worshiped, family history, etc.; and these tattoos are often magical in nature, especially in the high-born. Jewelry and adornment are generally up to the person. The wearing of elaborate jewelry can indicate wealth/status and/or clan/temple affiliation, or it may be required by one’s temple or occupation. Of course, wearing elaborate jewelry while on an underworld or wilderness expedition would be utterly impractical. Jewelry may also be used in place of money, the value of the metal, gems and workmanship being translated to monetary value. And, of course, gifts of gems or jewelry can be used as ‘inducements’ in many situations. Bands of jeweled or decorated cloth can also be worn for formal occasions like a priest’s stole. Arm or wrist bands of cloth, Chlén hide or metal are also worn, either as a symbol of status or wealth, or as part of ritual dress. Elaborate belts and stomachers are also worn. Plumes and elaborate headdresses are another way to show wealth and status, especially in formal and ritual settings. Plumes from the khéshchal are the most prized and the ones typically used by those of noble status, for military pomp and in ritual settings. These plumes may arch several feet above the head of the noble person, priest or military officer, perhaps on a ceremonial helmet or elaborate headdress. Either sex may dress in a colorful and gaudy style – this is not a sex-based thing. In fact, more colorful and gaudy is often considered to be more ‘tasteful’ than simple and plain. What colors you wear may or may not be dictated by your clan, religion or occupational affiliation. It all depends on who you are, what your clan and Temple are, and what are your personal wealth and status. Slaves will usually wear at least a loincloth, though some work totally nude, depending on their duties and all have a bronze or copper slave-collar. How the slaves of a noble person dress, however, will often reflect the wealth and status (and possibly taste) of their owner. For example, Major Domos and

An Introduction to Tékumel – 22 other chief servants may be dressed in rich clothing with gem-encrusted jewelry and slave collars to indicate the wealth and status of their master/mistress. L. Personal possessions: Most people will own their clothes and some minor personal possessions like jewelry, maybe some books or knick-nacks, and personal grooming items. They may also have some minor furniture; a sleeping mat, some cushions to sit on, a table or two, a carpet, maybe a chest for storage of personal items. If they are a soldier, priest, or have a specialized profession, they will also own the items needed to pursue that profession. The rest of their living accoutrements will belong to their clan or temple and are communally owned: kitchen utensils, cutlery and plates; the palanquin they may use from time to time; and all the other ‘stuff’ of maintaining a home or business. If a clan wants to establish a clan-house in a city where they have none, the clan elders would send a group from the clan to secure a property, set up housekeeping, and establish their income stream. How big or elaborate that place would be depends on the wealth and status of that clan in that area. This would be the same with a Temple. Only a very few wealthy people own private residences, but as they are also clan members, they would be expected to host clan members who came by. Of course their ‘palace’ may become the clan house for that area if the clan has no other house there. A government official may use a residence in connection with their job – a governor of a city or province would have an official residence, but that place would also be a seat of government as well as living quarters, and (except in very large cities) would house the bureaucracy of government as well as provide a place for the governor and his family and retinue to live. And if the governor was replaced, they would have to vacate their residence and go back to live with their clan. A person moving to a different city would have little to take with them aside from their clothes and few personal possessions. Their clan or Temple would provide whatever else they might need when they arrive. The average person could conceivably carry all that they own in a rucksack. A wealthy person with many servants and personal possessions, however, would require porters to carry their belongings if they moved, or they might ship everything on ahead by Chlén cart. Private wealth is tracked within the clan and the clans act as the banking system for the Five Empires. Few people carry large amounts of cash or valuables (small amounts are somewhat obligatory, of course, to provide the endless ‘inducements’ that everyday life requires); instead they would carry letters of writ to be ‘cashed’ at their clan-house in the city where they were going. The concept of personal wealth apart from one’s clan is not common; clan houses have strong rooms or vaults for storage of coin and valuables, and they are guarded and maintained by the clan. Persons are required to turn over a portion of their earnings – if they are employed outside their clan – to the clan in exchange for their maintenance and general upkeep of the clan house and other resources. Almost all large transactions or contracts are understood to be settled, a record of the transaction made, receipts exchanged, and then the actual coin is passed clan-to-clan, rather than in the marketplace or at the time of signing of a contract. It’s just not practical to carry coin for large transactions. Temples act in much the same manner for those who live in their temple.

An Introduction to Tékumel – 23 VIII. Magic A. The Five “Selves”: A discussion of magic on Tékumel must begin with an understanding of the Engsvanyáli view that every living entity consists of five parts, each of which has a separate identity and a certain degree of independence from the rest: 1. The Bákte is the physical body; that which is born, lives, grows, dies and returns to dust. 2. The Chusétl is the Shadow-Self: the sleeping counterpart of the waking person, the wanderer in dreams and illusions, and the far-traveler of astral projection that also perishes when the person dies. 3. The Hlákme, is the conscious mind, the intellect; this represents the being’s ability to learn and reason and their memories. After death this remains in the tomb, hovering near its bodily shell forever in a dreamless sleep unless returned to the corpse by necromancy. 4. The Pedhétl, the "Enemy" a mindless, inchoate bundle of raw instincts, lusts, fears, and desires, the source of all emotion and passion and the motivating energy behind all action and ambition. The Pedhétl holds the individual's measure of other-planar power into which one taps when casting spells. When the being dies, the Pedhétl returns to the "sea" of force that lies between the Planes. 5. The Báletl, the Spirit-Soul; which journeys on after death to the Isles of the Excellent Dead and thence to the Farther Shores of the Paradises of Teretané, shedding its burden of identity and memory as it travels in order to be born anew. (The spells of the medium are thus not efficacious if the Spirit-Soul has been too long upon its pilgrimage.) B. Personal Magic: As can be seen above, a person’s Pedhétl determines whether they can perform magic and one must have a large reservoir to tap into to perform magic. While it may be possible to find an instructor in the marketplace to teach some basic spells, the majority of personal magical study in the Five Empires takes place in the temples. There are two types of personal magic, Psychic and Ritual. 1. Psychic Magic: Psychic powers have been long recognized, but they were not developed to their highest level until the millennia following the Time of Darkness. Psychic magic depends primarily on the innate capability of the individual, though mental exercises taught in the temples hone and focus this ability. Psychic magic still requires some power from the planes beyond to work, however, and thus will operate poorly, if at all, in a ‘barren’ magical area. 2. Ritual Magic: Ritual magic depends almost entirely on otherplanar power, though it still requires a spark of psychic energy to work. The ritual mage employs his intellect and certain material aids to channel the otherplanar energy, shaping the raw energy into either matter or force. Ritual spells always product the same effect, one could not ‘retune’ a light spell to produce water, for example; one would need to learn a different spell. 3. Universal, Generic and Temple Spells: The spell corpora is also divided into three degrees of difficulty: common, utilitarian spells which are taught in all of the temples are known as ‘Universal’ Spells (these are the types of spells one might find an instructor for outside of the temples); certain more powerful spells are restricted to certain temple sects, whether due to theological doctrine or philosophical predilection, that are known as ‘Generic’ spells; and the most powerful and mysterious spells – the ‘Temple’ spells which are closely guarded by the individual sects, never being taught to outsiders. C. Military Magic: In addition to the personal magic taught in the temples, many of the legions of the Five Empires employ contingents of military magic users. These magic users are recruited young from the temple schools and are taught the specialized group magic used in battle. They are first instructed in how to tap their Pedhétl to send its power to another senior magic user and thus act as ‘batteries’ to increase the power of others. As they gain more experience they learn how to accept power from the ‘batteries’ and to channel these massive amounts of power into the military magic spells. These spells, while crude, are quite powerful, sending explosions, waves of fear or sweeping

An Introduction to Tékumel – 24 fogs of death across the battlefield. Of course, counterspells are also taught and learned as the magic contingents of the legions throw mighty spells and counterspells at their opposing armies. The Livyáni have the very best military magic-users and are organized into separate bodies within each legion called Díodaz and all of the high ranking officers of each legion are members of this military magic contingent. The Mu’ugalavyáni and Tsolyáni military magic contingents are next in skill, and the Yán Koryáni and Salarvyáni considered the least powerful in terms of their ability in military magic. The smaller states have magical units of far lesser power, although some of the individual units of these countries are very good indeed. D. The Devices of the Ancients: As stated above, the Lords of Humanspace had complete control of matter and energy and many of their machines and devices remain to this day around Tékumel. Many of the mechanical or electronic devices with moving parts are broken, corroded, or decayed and thus beyond use. Many of the devices that relied on otherplanar power, however, have fewer moving parts and may still be in working order. Everything from the small hand tools such as the ‘eyes’ (so called because of their small oval-spheroid shape and iris-like aperture on one side), to the larger weapons such as the ‘lightning bringers’, and even to the great inter-planetary tubeway system still work. That is not to say that all such devices still work, however. Care must be used when handling an unfamiliar device of the ancients; trying to activate a device without taking the proper precautions could lead to disaster if the device is malfunctioning. Some devices of the ancients are fairly common (the ‘eyes’ for example), some are rare (such as aircars), while yet others are the unique creations of one of the Lords of Humanspace or of the lords of the Latter Times. E. Psychic Dampeners: Someone with a very small Pedhétl can actually act as a ‘Psychic Dampener’ as their Pedhétl absorbs the otherplanar power around them to seek a balance. This being will prevent magic from operating within a 3m circle of them. Even the mightiest of sorcerers or military magicians cannot cast a spell within 1.5m of such a being and the magico-technical devices of the ancients work poorly or not at all.

An Introduction to Tékumel – 25 IX. The Military Any free, able-bodied man or Aridáni woman may join the military forces of the Five Empires, although women are less common in the military forces of Salarvyá and Livyánu. While there are generally no age limitations to service (especially in times of war) and recruits from 14 to 50 may be inducted, ages of 16 to 25 are preferred as this is considered the peak of physical prowess. There are also no class limitations for joining the military, though clan and lineage connections, as well as wealth, often grease the wheels of advancement, especially in the officer corps. A. Armies: The military forces of Tékumel are best known by those of the Five Empires; these established states have large standing armies, with units that have histories of service that go back hundreds and in some cases thousands of years. The smaller states have armies of greater or lesser size and ability, with the states furthest from the center of the Five Empires being the poorest and most disorganized. Troops are normally classified by the type of armor that they wear: this ranges from complete nudity in the case of some units of fanatic skirmishers; through a light breast and back-plate for light skirmishers and missile troops; shading into the same plus a helmet and defenses for the upper limbs of the medium infantry; to heavy infantry that has all of this plus armored boots and defenses for the lower limbs. There are no units that have armor like that of the medieval knights of our Terran past; metal is too rare and expensive, and Tékumel’s hot climate would make such armor impractical. In Tsolyánu, Mu’ugalavyá and Livyánu legions are organized strictly by troop types: heavy, medium, light infantry, archers, slingers, artillery, sappers and marines, etc. The city and clan-based legions of Yán Kór and the feudal levies of Salarvyá on the other hand include all troop types within one and the same legion, though each troop type within the legion has its own subcommander. Tsolyáni legions are organized into 20 Cohorts of 400 men plus 25 officers (for a total strength of 8,025); Mu’ugalavyá divides its legions into 10 cohorts of 500 men (including officers) for a total strength of 5,000; the other three great Empire’s have not standardized the size of their legions and thus these may range in size from as few as 1000 to as many as 10,000. This maximum battle-ready strength is rarely maintained (except in times of war) however, and all of the Five Empires maintain a roster of reserves and trainees that may amount to a quarter of even a third of the total strength of a legion. The smaller states either copy the models of the Five Empires, or simply have a disorganized horde of warriors that sweep down upon their foes in a single rush, staking all on a swift victory. Most of the armies of the Five Empires are equipped with armor and weapons made of Chlén-hide, though a few of the very elite and some of the most ancient legions do have steel armor and weapons. Shields and weapons of all types are used by the military of Tékumel. Pikes, spears, javelins, pole arms and swords of all shapes and sizes (some quite fanciful), maces, flails, bows, crossbows and artillery are all seen on the battlefield; with each legion or cohort specializing in one to three weapon types. Each legion has a sponsor who is responsible for equipping and maintaining the legion. This sponsor could be the central government, a temple (in Livyánu all legions are sponsored by one of the temples to the Shadow Gods), a city, a clan or even a single wealthy patron. The Five Empires also employ units of non-human and human mercenaries, and these tend to be strictly racially segregated, except in a few miscellaneous units such as the Yán Kóryani “Legion of Foreign Persons”. As mentioned above, included in the ranks of most legions are the military magic-users. These function more or less as a form of ‘heavy artillery’ on the battlefield, with their powerful but difficult spells used to make a decisive intervention at a critical point or a critical phase; they are not, however, a ‘panacea weapon’, and must be used carefully to get the maximum effect from their recondite sorceries. B. Warfare: The more civilized states observe certain conventions in warfare. The “Qadárni”, or ‘little war’, is a very formalized and usually very small battle intended to win honor and renown for the participants; it is arranged in advance, and fought under strict codes of behavior and honor that prohibit any sort of ignoble actions.

An Introduction to Tékumel – 26 The “Qádardàlikoi”, or ‘great war’, is a more general conflict fought by nations to gain territory, enforce policy, or to gain plunder; larger forces are used, but there are still strict rules and customs in place in the civilized societies to protect non-combatants from the ravages of warfare. The forces of the Five Empires employ a whole range of formations and stratagems that have evolved over Tékumel’s long history. The training and discipline of their military units allow for rapid and complex maneuvers, and commanders use various means of communications on the battlefield to make their orders known. This formalized and almost gentlemanly quality of warfare using well-trained professional armies means that, even in war time, the citizenry is generally unaffected by war. Trade continues, diplomatic relations are generally kept in place, and life away from the battlefield continues on its everyday course. Of course, the less-civilized and more savage countries and tribes tend not to observe these rules, and wars involving them are of a more brutal and less forgiving nature. C. Non-Military Troops 1. Prison Guards: In Tsolyánu the Imperial Prisons are manned by members of the Legion of Kétl. This legion, while considered a regular army legion, rarely sees action and is the only Tsolyáni legion that may have more than 20 cohorts. Interestingly, many members of this legion are worshipers of Lord Belkhánu and Lord Qón, presumably as many of the prisoners may need the services of the Lord of the Excellent Dead in the near future. 2. Sákbe Road Guards: Throughout the Five Empires and most of the smaller states, the great Sákbe Roads (see below) are manned by guards who keep travellers safe and prevent fights and other disturbances that may interfere with commerce on these great highways. In Tsolyánu, the Sákbe Road Guards are not part of the regular military but do receive some military training and typically have a similar organizational structure to the regular army. In Mu’ugalavyá and Yán Kór the Sákbe Road Guards are part of the regular military consisting of detachments from various legions. In Livyánu the Sákbe Road Guards are composed of detachments from Temple Guard units. While in Salarvyá each feudal family is responsible for the maintenance and protection of the Sákbe Road; thus the quality of the Sákbe Road Guards will vary drastically from locale to locale. 3. City Militias: Each city in the Five Empires and most of the small states maintain a militia to maintain order and guard against attack. In Tsolyánu, the police are members of the regular military; towns may have a small detachment of as few as 10 men, while the great metropolises may have a full legion. In Mu’ugalavyá the police are not part of the regular military and city prefects are allowed to raise just enough men to protect life and property. In Yán Kór police are organized, trained and paid for by the major clans of a city. In Livyánu the police are composed of detachments from Temple Guard units. While in Salarvyá each feudal family is responsible for protecting life and property and the police force consists of the poorly trained and organized retainers and bully-boys of the local overlord. 4. Tomb Police: The tomb police in each city are tasked with protection of the great Necropolises that lie outside of most major cities in the Five Empires. They are charged with preventing looting, and seeing that the graves of the dead are undisturbed. As mentioned above the tomb police in Tsolyánu are primarily recruited from the ranks of the worshipers of Durritlámish. 5. Temple Guards: As discussed above, each temple keeps maintains a small military force, the temple guard, who act as a police force for the temple, provide security (overt and covert) and act as an investigatory arm. D. Navy and Marines: ‘Deep-water’ voyaging on the seas of Tékumel is not considered good for one’s health, due to the number of large and hungry creatures that inhabit the deep seas, and so the navies of the Five Empires are limited in their size and scope of operations to their coastal waters. Major battles at sea have never been a common feature of Tékumel’s history; more limited actions against pirates and non-humans like the Hlǘss and the Hlutrgú are the norm. Most sailors of the navies of the Five Empires have, at best, only basic training in arms. Thus, all warships of the Five Empires include a detachment of well-trained marines. These marine legions constitute the fighting force of the navies and have the same training and command structures as the

An Introduction to Tékumel – 27 army. One interesting note is that the Swamp Folk, with their talents at sailing, make up the majority of the Mu'ugalavyáni navy and marines. Warships in the Five Empires run from small fast galleys (with 40-50 rowers, 15-20 marines, 8-10 deck crew, 3 officers and a single lateen-rigged sail), to biremes, triremes and even quinqueremes (which carry 280-300 rowers, 100-150 marines (including archers, crossbowmen, and artillerists), 30-40 deck crew, 10 officers and have two or three square-rigged masts). Even larger ships are known, but these are huge and unwieldy and are only used in specialized contexts (as floating artillery platforms, for example). The non-human Shén probably possess the most powerful and fearsome navies and only the distance from the Five Empires and the constant fighting among the Shén states prevents them from being a true naval hazard. Their large, sleek trireme-like galleys are heavily armored and manned with highly professional and fierce Shén warriors, making combat with a Shén warship a risky business. E. Military Life: The life of a soldier is more or less the same across all of the Five Empires. Barracks are usually located in the larger cities and for wealthier units the standard of living for the troops is much like that of a good middle-class clan (military service is often seen as a way for a poor, lower- class clan member to rise out of poverty). Poorer units, especially in the smaller states, usually have their soldiers living in their own clan-houses and support them by paying a subsidy to the clan for the troops’ food and housing. The very poorest units are little more then badly-uniformed rabble, for whom a good meal is a rare luxury. The prospective soldier enters a legion by applying to his clan elders; typically, the clan will have traditional ties to a specific unit or units, and may even be a sponsor of a unit. In addition, the clan will be able to provide introductions to other units that that have some historical connection to the clan but are supported by temples or the central government. ‘Inducements’ often change hands, of course, in order to speed a new recruit’s path into the unit and advancement within the ranks. Prospective officers are also recruited in this manner, but political patronage and wealth have a much larger part to play in their case. When advancing in the officer’s corps, experience, ability and seniority are often subordinated by clan and lineage connections, as well blatant bribery, though this is not as pronounced as in the priesthood, especially in times of war. Conscription is rare in the Five Empires, except in times of a major war, and none of the Five Empires have mandatory military service (though all priests in the ‘War’ temples of Karakán and Vimúhla are required to have some military training). Soldiers are normally provided with the basic weapons and armor of their unit from the units’ storehouses; the recruit’s clan may opt to enhance this basic kit by providing items of better quality, and may offer the new soldier a much better weapon for his or her personal use than is provided by the unit. New officers, on the other hand, are almost universally expected to provide their own kit from approved patterns, and will normally be sent to one or another armorer which has been traditionally favored by the unit. Again, the wealth and prestige of the unit and the wealth and prestige of the soldier’s clan and lineage will factor very strongly into these matters. Wealthy and fashionable units will expect their high-status recruits to have a very smart turn-out, and to be able to live well no matter what the soldier’s pay from the unit might actually be. The daily life of the soldier and his officers are much the same as they always have been across the centuries. Drills, guard mounting, parades and formations, and the usual round of meals and duties would all be familiar to one of Caesar’s legionaries – or a solider of any army. This usual routine may be broken by the fighting of a “Qadarni” battle with another unit, orders to march out and ‘show the flag’ by patrolling the local area or other less mundane duties (larger battles, or even real wars, are not all that frequent). Soldiers may be detailed for ‘special duties’: guarding some dignitary or being assigned to a mission that requires some professional military experience; these duties often lead to interesting – and profitable – ‘adventures’ for the soldiers so assigned. In the field, each unit will have a logistical arm that has a baggage train to supply the soldiers with their needs (only Mu’ugalavyá has separate logistical units). Again, wealthier units are more plentifully supplied and more comfortably accommodated; poorer units tend to ‘live off the land’ or expect their soldiers to make their own way in this regard. In these poorer units, a relatively richer soldier will find him or herself much more popular. When barracks or other quarters are not available, the unit will live in tents; officers will try to commandeer what few buildings might be in the area, or live An Introduction to Tékumel – 28 in their own tents and pavilions. All of the baggage and supplies are carried in the slow, lumbering Chlén carts, which limits the speed of movement of the unit and provides endless anxiety for the junior officers placed in charge of the train – and endless annoyance for the soldiers detailed to guard the carts and their drivers.

An Introduction to Tékumel – 29 X. The Four "Palaces" of Tsolyánu The bureaucracy of Tsolyánu is divided into four "Palaces" according to function, following ancient Engsvanyáli tradition: A. The Palace of the Realm: This department is in charge of domestic affairs, public works, taxes, the judicial system, trade, transport, the Sákbe Roads, the necropolises, and labor. Every town of more than 5,000 has a branch of this Palace. B. The Palace of Ever-Glorious War: This department deals with all military matters: recruitment, supply, training, deployment, fortifications, the Sákbe Road Guard, the Tomb Police, and strategic issues. Offices exist in major cities only. C. The Palace of the Priesthoods of the Gods: This department maintains surveillance over relations between the temples and their interactions with the government. It collects taxes from temple lands, organizes public ceremonies, and sees to religious issues affecting the state. Branches of this Palace are found in all large cities and in some of the smaller towns as well. D. The Palace of Foreign Lands: This department has charge of external relations, foreign trade and shipping, customs, diplomacy, and the Imperium's embassies and legates abroad. This Palace is only represented in border towns and cities, ports, Béy Sǘ, and, of course, Avanthár.

XI. The Major Power Blocs of Tsolyánu A. The Imperial Party: These are the men and women most loyal to the system and most resistant to change. Their objectives include expansion only through political and diplomatic means rather than conquest, and the perpetuation of the status quo. B. The Royalist Party: This bloc is made of members of the great ancient clans and include many high-level administrators, bureaucrats, landholders, and functionaries. This party also desires the status quo but with themselves in Avanthár instead of the present coterie. C. The Priestly Party: This bloc is split, of course, between the devotees of Stability and Change, but cooperation is temporarily useful since the short-term goals of the temples are the same: the expansion of the temple's power and the establishment of theocratic control over the Empire (similar to that existing in Livyánu). D. The Military Party: This bloc is made up of members of the military, members of the military temples, and members of certain militaristic clans. This party is also divided between the supporters of Karakán and Vimúhla (though not as divided as the Priestly Party).

An Introduction to Tékumel – 30 XII. The Non-Human Races of Tékumel A. Ahoggyá: "The Knobbed Ones": These four-armed and four-legged creatures, originally from the star system of Achernar, are brown, gray, or dun in color and are tremendously strong. Their four arms extend out at equidistant intervals from under a domed, heavily armored carapace on top of the body. Between and below the arms are the eyes and other organs: two eyes and a fanged mouth on one side, and two eyes and other organs on the other three sides. Their thickly-muscled legs extend out from the base of the body below the arms in a permanent crouch. They are from 1.41m to 1.60m in height, and tend to be gruff, rude, boisterous, and insensitive, obeying their own alien customs and displaying little interest in man's concerns. Some Ahoggyá, however, do serve as mercenaries in human armies for two or three years before Ahoggyá returning home. They have no curiosity about religious matters, and are abysmally poor sorcerers; in fact, one in ten is a "psychic dampener". They live in the swamps on the southwest coast of Salarvyá", across the sea in Háida Pakála, and in a large region in the far southeast called Ónmu Tlé Hléktis, an autonomous state. B. Chíma: “The Seafarers”: These speckled, grey-green bipeds have very long forearms, a segmented- looking, leathery torso with dark fur down the spine, and a short thick tail that does not reach the ground. The elongated ovoid head has two bright-green eyes under a heavy brow ridge, leafy-looking ears, a small sharp chin, and a curious-looking hooked beak/proboscis that protrudes about 300cm or more from their face. They stand from 1.5m to 1.8m in height are very social, friendly to visitors, and fascinated by design, decoration and body paint. They live most of their lives on boats and large rafts that may hold an entire community. Their social structure is largely focused on tribe and family with little thought of larger organizations. They seem to have no religion, are poor sorcerers, and appear uninterested in exploring the world Chíma beyond their island archipelago. They have only recently been contacted by the Five Empires as they live on and between small islands in the Southern Ocean on the opposite side of Tékumel. C. Hláka: "The Furred Flyer": These slender, light-boned flyers, originally from the star system of Ensis, have leathery wings and short grayish or brownish fur. The head is humanoid with three close-set eyes (often bright blue). Their arms and legs are relatively weak, and they hate walking for any distance. They also possess a powerful prehensile tail which ends in a rapier-like bony blade (which they often poison before combat). They are from 1.40m to 1.59m in height. The flying talents of this species makes them valuable as scouts, but they are very skittish and will fly off at the slightest pretext. The Hláka are generally neutral to man's doings, talkative, curious, and a bit scatterbrained. Hláka may serve as mercenaries for three years at a time, but always insist on going home to their mountain aeries in Kilalámmu - often never to Hláka return. D. Hlutrgú: "The Swamp Frogs": These tough, rubbery, and violently inimical little beings, originally from the star system of Algenubi, have a rotund body, four limbs (each with a usable six- fingered hand), and a skull-like head with a mouth full of needle-sharp fangs. They are totally hairless and are of a mottled greenish, grayish, or blackish hue, and range from 1.23m to 1.71m in height. They are one of man's most implacable foes. However, the Hlutrgú prefer the isolation of their bogs in the Káija Protectorate to conquest and are only occasionally encountered during a raid on a human village or harassing shipping.

Hlutrgú

An Introduction to Tékumel – 31 E. Hlǘss: "The Spawn of the Old Ones": These insectoid beings are one of the indigenous species of Tékumel. They have a long, segmented, scorpion-like body, four high-arched legs a prehensile tail with a paralyzing sting, two smaller forearms, and a broad, flattish head with three eyes and a sharp proboscis extending out above a set of razor- sharp mandibles. They are covered all over with a light, chitinous-appearing exoskeleton and range from greenish blue to shiny black in color. They normally remain on all fours, but can rear up and use their central pair of legs as tearing weapons. They range from 1.22m to 1.62m in height when on all fours, gaining about another meter if they rear up. They are another race which hates mankind, and are allies of the Ssú. They are inquisitive, greedy for magical devices and Hlǘss weapons, and love to set gems in a kind of cement (which they secrete) all over their bodies, making a Hlǘss warrior a fearsome and magnificent spectacle. They prefer to dwell on their lonely island of Hlǘssuyal, but frequently venture out in their hive-shaped ships. They can be detected at sea by their constant buzzing/humming sound, and on land they may be smelled at a distance of 3040m as they give off an acidic, sweetish odor. F. Hokún: These crystalline creatures, originally from the star system of Markab, have a gaunt, preying mantis-like appearance. They range from 1.63m to 2.21m in height, have a chitinous translucent exoskeleton, and ride upon steeds which are actually other members of the Hokún race, specially mutated and bred for this purpose. They are contemptuous of man and hunt them with slim lances or other weapons of a glassy substance. In the past, the Hokún have cooperated with man and have ruled large communities of men as near demigods. When mankind eventually threw off the yoke of Hokún slavery, however, the Hokún retired to the island of Benré Sá on the other side of Tékumel.

Hokún

G. Mihálli: These creatures, though generally humanoid, are probably the most alien of the non-human races. Originally from the system of Dorsum, the Mihálli have two arms, two legs, and are essentially man-like (with four breasts). They have five fingers on each hand with a sixth functioning as a thumb. Their head is reminiscent of a great cat with up- pointed ears and large opalescent red eyes. They are almost hairless but have a skin coloration varying from dull green to reddish brown, and are about as tall as a man but with a more slender build. They have the ability to change shape and can adopt the appearance of any other being of comparable size; they can only use four limbs, however, and their eyes always remain a gleaming red color. They are gifted with great sorcerous and interdimensional powers, and it is said that they may even Mihálli exist on more than one plane at the same time. Thus, their motives are completely unintelligible by man: one moment friendly, the next hostile, the next gone through some interdimensional doorway. They are very rare, and many people believe them to only be creatures of myth. H. Nyaggá: This aqueous race, originally from the star system of Alhena, is warm-blooded and mammalian and is the only non-human race to be able to interbreed true with humans. In form, however, they are the most alien of the non-humans. Their bodies are essentially a long tapering cylinder about 3m, in length, without fins or scales, a sickly gray-white color ending in an eel-like tail. The head is round and bulbous, soft and segmented, rather like a human brain. A central black-lipped mouth is surrounded by a ring of six jet-black eyes. At the junction of the body and head is another ring of muscle from which six long tentacles emerge; these are retractable and are covered with tiny suckers and cilia, which the Nyaggá use for hands. Fully extended, the Nyaggá are about 5m in length. They remain aloof and generally do Nyaggá not bother human shipping, and come ashore only for brief raids, as they can only survive for an hour or two out of water. They cannot - or do not - communicate with man. They live in Lake Parunál to the east of Yán Kór and Saá Allaqí.

An Introduction to Tékumel – 32 I. Páchi Léi: "The Forest Dwellers": These forest-dwellers, originally from the star system of Arcturus, have four short legs, a soft, gray-green, pear-shaped body, covered with small knobs and pendulous protuberances, four slender upper arms, and a heavily-jawed, toothy, animal-like head. Their huge platter-shaped eyes permit them to see well in the dark, and an atrophied "sixth sense" gives them a good chance of perceiving ambushes, secret doors, and physical dangers within a 3m range. They range from 1.53m to 2.01m in height. The Páchi Léi are friendly, loquacious, and active in human affairs. They enjoy politics and social interaction, and many of them have gained high posts in the army, priesthoods, and administration of the Tsolyáni Imperium. They hate the Mu'ugalavyáni, to the west of their homeland of Pan Cháka, however, because of Páchi Léi certain massacres that the latter perpetuated upon them. J. Pé Chói: "The Listeners": These forest-dwellers, originally from the star system of Procyon, are covered with a chitinous exoskeleton (jet black for males and chalk white for females). They have two powerful rear legs, four smaller upper limbs ending in three-fingered hands with an opposable thumb, and a segmented prehensile tail. The head is long and slender, with two large green eyes, a tapering snout, and two fan-like ears at the back of the skull. The Pé Chói have excellent hearing and vision and can perceive very faint sounds at a range of 60m or more or detect secret doors, traps, and other dangers within a 3m range, even if they are just passing by. They range from 1.63m to 2.21m in height. The race also possesses a simple form of telepathy that can detect the presence (but not the thoughts) of creatures within 2m. Through this same sense, Pé Chói Male the Pé Chói can detect whenever another of their race has been killed, and if they find the perpetrator they can become unforgiving enemies. One interesting feature of the Pé Chói is their double set of lungs: one in the upper torso, and one in the lower abdomen. It is because of these lower lungs that most Pé Chói are terrified of water (they are very poor swimmers and can easily drown in a half-meter of water). They enjoy human society, join human institutions, and copy human dress and customs. They possess considerable psychic talent and are frequently found in the scholarly contingents of the temples. Their homeland is in the Do Cháka forests between Tsolyánu and Mu'ugalavyá. Pé Chói Female

K. Pygmy Folk: "The Little Ones": These small beings, originally from the star system of Mirach, superficially resemble rodents. They have a sharp-featured face, large ears, grayish or blackish fur, two muscular rear legs, two upper arms with three-fingered hands and an opposable thumb, and a vestigial tail. Their sight and hearing are excellent. They see easily in pitch darkness, and can hear very faint sounds even through a stone wall 30cm thick. They range from 0.43m to 0.91m in height. The Pygmy Folk live in subterranean burrow-like towns in the northern plains of Yán Kór They are often capricious, sometimes cruel, and yet they are generally friendly to man. They are renowned for their greed and avarice, however. In battle they make ferocious opponents and will fight to the last. However, they generally try to avoid fights with a Pygmy Folk large party and may then resort to traps and ambushes.

An Introduction to Tékumel – 33 L. Shén: "The Demon Warriors": These great reptiles, originally from the star system of Antares, are armored all over with shining black scales. They are roughly humanoid, standing erect on two powerful rear legs, with two forearms ending in three-fingered hands with an opposable thumb. There is a thick prehensile tail with a mace-like knob on the end which they can use as a secondary weapon in combat. Their curved beak- like snouts, double row of needle-sharp teeth, and crest of glittering spines (which normally lies flat against the skull, but rises when the owner is enraged) gives them a ferocious appearance. The Shén range from 1.83m to 2.31m in height, and are very strong, but a little clumsy. Their psychic and magical talents are weak, and they are temperamentally disdainful of sorcery. They dislike over-refinement and delicacy, Shén and they value physical power, ferocity, and endurance instead. They are mildly friendly towards man, rather harsh and abrupt in manner, and laconic of speech. They prefer the heat of their great enclaves south of Livyánu and come north only for brief periods to serve as mercenaries. They also never forget an offense: e.g. they still hate the Ahoggyá because the latter once cooked and ate some Shén captives - a perfectly natural act for the Ahoggyá. Generals still do not dare to place a contingent of Shén in the same wing as a battalion of Ahoggyá: there is more chance of their battling one another than of attacking the foe. The Shén are divided into genetically determined lineages or "egg-groups" which can be friendly, neutral, or dangerously hostile to one another (Shén can detect the "egg-group" of other Shén by smell), and fights between hostile "egg- groups" are spontaneous and violent. M. The Shunned Ones: These hideous, gangling beings, originally from the star system of Regulus, are rarely seen outside of their scaled cities in the barren planes of northern Yán Kór. They are humanoid, very tall (ranging from 1.85m to 2.33m in height), and possessed of extremely long, bony limbs. Their face is puckered and wrinkled like a rotting fruit and has only a pair of round, black, pupilless eyes for features. The mouth lies hidden in a mass of wrinkles at the base of the throat. The Shunned Ones wrap themselves in voluminous, flapping robes of dust-brown or night-black. The most unpleasant thing about them, however, is their terrible stench, which can be detected up to 60m away, even in a mild country breeze! The Shunned Ones are totally inimical to mankind and his allies. They are mighty sorcerers, and their Shunned One objectives in searching the ruins of ancient Tékumel are focused upon the acquisition of magical devices and equipment rather than treasures of gold or gems. They never stay away from their sealed cities for extended periods, however, as they do not breathe normal air but a corrosive, yellowish gas, and thus must take a breathing supply with them. N. Ssú: "The Enemies of Man": This race was once master of the land areas of Tékumel, while their cousins, the Hlǘss, ranged over the coasts and seas. There are several sub-species of Ssú: the smaller Grey Ssú, whose enclave lies just north of Salarvyá and Pecháno; the larger Black Ssú, who dwell on a large island in the western ocean; and the recently discovered Red, Green, and Blue Ssú, from the island archipelago of the Nóm. All Ssú have the same general appearance: a central torso set upon a narrow abdomen from which four legs extend out at equidistant points, two upper arms ending in three-digited "hands" (the largest digit acting as a thumb), and a head which is superficially man-like with two eyes, nostril slits, and a mouth shaped like a vertical oval. Their outer integument is wrapped around their limbs like paper on a Grey Ssú roll, and the loose, ends of this "skin" keep pulling away in ragged fragments, giving the Ssú something of the appearance of a tattered mummy. Like the Hlǘss, they can rear up on their back legs to fight and will occasionally use their middle limbs to hold a shield or weapon (though only the Black Ssú are adept at this). In height, the Grey Ssú range between 1.71m and 1.90m, and the Black Ssú range between 1.83m and 2.41m (little is yet known about the other the Ssú races). The Ssú smell rather like musty cinnamon, and their language sounds to humans like a high chiming, rippling up and down the scale like a chorus of little bells (these characteristics allow the Ssú to be detected at a distance). They see well in the darkness, and prefer to work in dim blue light. The Ssú are another race which hates mankind, and are allies of the Black Ssú Hlǘss. They are excellent magic-users, and they also posses a limited hypnotic ability which can immobilize humans or cause them to turn and fight their friends. An Introduction to Tékumel – 34 O. Swamp Folk: This swamp-dwelling race, originally from the star system of Unukalhai, have their home in the watery bogs along the Putuhénu River in Mu'ugalavyá. They are about the same height as men and have a rotund, rubbery, doughy white body, four slender legs, two upper arms with four-digited hands and an opposable thumb, and a head with rather humanoid features. The skull, however, is long and backward-slanting, with a bony crest rising from the forehead and curving out over the back. A flexible "drapery" of skin depends from this crest and falls down behind the shoulders to join the body again at the base of the spine. They cannot use other-planar magic at all (except for the technological devices of the ancients), and one in five is a "psychic Swamp Folk dampener". However, they do have a natural ability to sense "wrongness", changes in direction, sloping passageways, and interdimensional nexus points. The Swamp Folk fit in very well with man's culture, and their talents at sailing make them the mainstay of the Mu'ugalavyáni navy and commercial shipping industry. They are usually friendly, courteous, and eager to copy the ways of men, except in their own enclaves where they preserve something of their ancient customs. P. Tinalíya: "The Gnome-Like Ones": These small beings, originally from the star system of Algol, dwell in the foothills of the Tláshte Heights in Livyánu. They have four outward-bowed legs, a spherical abdomen upon which the torso is centrally placed, two long arms ending in three-fingered claw-like hands with an opposable thumb, and sloping heads with huge eyes and vaguely humanoid features. The body, arms, and legs are divided into bulbous segments, and are covered all over with a horny integument, usually tan, russet, or deep brown in color. They are quite small, ranging only from 0.56m to 0.75m in height, and are intensely curious, learned, materialistic, often generous, and disturbingly literal minded. They cannot comprehend exaggerations, jokes, idioms, and figures of speech at all, and this sometimes results in Tinalíya misunderstandings. They live in communal underground cities and neuters of the race may emerge to seek knowledge and to "see the world". They are good fighters, moreover, and the Livyáni have several legions of Tinalíya serving under their own leaders as a defense against the Mu'ugalavyáni, whom the Tinalíya despise. The Tinalíya are also noted for their magical talents, and especially for their skills with mechanical devices and the devices of the ancients. Q. Urunén: This race, originally from the star system of Betelgeuse, has its home in the sub-polar regions around the south pole. They have only recently again come into contact with the races of the northern continent through the ancient tubeways. They are quite humanoid in appearance, with an erect, muscular body, two rear legs, and two man- like forearms ending in four-digited hands with an opposable thumb. The Urunén are covered with brownish fur as short as the nap of velvet, however, and there is a long tail which is not used in combat. The head is quite alien, moreover, being long- snouted, triangular, and has the brain-case at the back, with eyes set wide apart on each side. They are slightly taller than man, ranging from 1.45m to 1.93m in height. The Urunén are intelligent, proud, jealous, and suspicious of other species. They are Urunén also good scholars, exhibit psychic talents about on a par with mankind, and show an ability to dissemble and play at diplomacy, and it is likely that their cleverness will make them difficult allies and dangerous foes.

An Introduction to Tékumel – 35 XIII.Adventuring on Tékumel

A. The Great Metropolises Perhaps the best way to explore the rich fabric of Tékumel’s cultures is to explore the great metropolises. Wandering about one of the great cities one can encounter the entire spectrum of civilization: nobles, high priests and senior members of the bureaucracy passing in their palanquins borne by slaves; common people walking about their business; and slaves running this or that errand. City planning is nearly non-existent everywhere except Mu'ugalavyá, so cities have simply grown from some central point (a crossroads, important shrine or river, for example) outward along lines of least resistance, surrounded by a high city wall with sturdy city gates. Wandering about a strange city can seem like wandering through a labyrinth, though most cities have neighborhoods where similar activities take place. Nearly all cities have a temple district where the temples for each of the local gods are found, though some cities may have very large temples to one or more deities that are especially strong there (In Livyánu each of the temples to the Shadow Gods act as a miniature city within the city; with marketplaces, shops and other services clustering around the temple along with the clan houses associated with that deity). So too, are the bureaucratic buildings found together. Typically within each city there is a governor’s palace, surrounded by gardens and decorative ponds within its own fortifications. Surrounding this are the nicer neighborhoods where the higher status clans have their houses, also surrounded by walls. There are districts for each of the trades, warrens of slums where the lower classes live, and, of course, the foreigner’s quarter. In Tsolyánu you will also find the Hirilákte Arena, where gladiatorial games are staged, Imperial Ceremonies are staged and duels are fought. Some streets in the city may be vast thoroughfares and colonnaded boulevards, immaculately cleaned and kept up. Other areas are tangles of narrow streets and alleys, dirty and smelly from the press of humanity. Outside the city walls are the high-walled estates of very wealthy individuals, the necropolises, and tent cities and mud huts of the very poor. Unlike the other empires, the cities of Mu'ugalavyá are highly structured. Still typically built around some central point, the Mu'ugalavyáni build their cities in squares, perfectly oriented so that the sides face due north, south, east and west. The streets are all perfectly straight and either oriented along the axes of the cities or at 45º. While neighborhoods of similarly situated clans, areas for the temples and even the governor’s palace are in each city, all exist within this highly regulated structure. Mu'ugalavyáni cities are also notoriously clean, littering can lead to some hefty fines in a Mu'ugalavyáni city. Walking through any city you will also encounter many marketplaces; some are vast general markets and some specialize in one trade or another. Trade is mostly done on the model of the old marketplaces – you go find a merchant you trust and express interest and then the bargaining begins for the best price. You would be invited into the shop for sweets or other refreshment, you would chat idly, and eventually you would turn the topic to business: “I am in need of a new carpet for my quarters”. “Indeed, noble sir (or lady). I might have some small wares that you would deign to consider.” “Indeed, I might be pleased to see a few items you would have available.” An Introduction to Tékumel – 36 The merchant would clap his hands, and a flurry of activity would result in a presentation of many carpets. You would comment and compliment, the merchant would deprecate his poor wares, you would say this or that is ‘interesting’ and the choices would be winnowed down. Then the haggling would begin in earnest. You would offhandedly name a price; the merchant would bemoan his state: “my wife is ill”, “I am arrears in my rent”, “my temple is building a new wing”, and he would offer a counter price. You would indicate the merchandise is nice, but not so princely as to warrant that great a sum, and you would counter-offer. Eventually after many theatrics and emotion, a price would be agreed upon, and you would relax and finish your tea while the merchant chatted some more, and eventually you would leave. Your servants would arrange with the merchant (or his servants) for payment and delivery, and a while later, you would find the new carpet laid out in your quarters. All this might take an entire afternoon. Little is hurried in the Five Empires. To rush the process is considered rude, and unless there is a pressing need, you will be expected to pay more if you do not follow the societal conventions. With high-status clans, many merchants will bring their wares to the back-door of the clanhouse and transactions are carried out there rather than in the marketplace. A high-status wealthy clan member may not have to leave their clanhouse for anything – they simply express their wishes to the clan’s major-domo, notice is sent to the appropriate merchants and the merchandise is brought around for perusal and purchase. Once the choice is made, and price agreed upon, arrangements for payment is made between the servants of clan and merchant, and the noble persons do not have to actually use coin themselves. It’s all very civilized and noble. Of course day-to-day shopping for general items such as food, wine or basic clothing is arranged through the clan or temple major-domo or the legion’s quartermaster. You would simply give a list of your needs and the supplies would be delivered, either from the stores of the clan, temple or legion or purchased for you (paid for by the clan, temple or legion). B. The Underworlds Tékumel is a world awash in ruins: from the remains of the alien cities of the first inhabitants (the Ssú and Hlǘss); to the twisted tunnels of incorruptible metal and glass of the centuries of glory of the Lords of Humanspace; to the crumbling cities filled with mysterious (and dangerous) items of the Lords of the Latter times; to the thousands of tunnels, catacombs, labyrinths, dungeons, shrines, caches and even entire lost cities of the historical dynasties. These are the Tsuru’úm, the Underworlds. An important factor in the creation of this subterranean world is the process of urban renewal, started during the time of the First Imperium and continued throughout the time of Éngsvan hla Gánga and through to the current Five Empires, called Ditlána. This process calls for the razing of each city and town every five hundred years or so (depending on the portents, the city’s horoscope, and, most importantly, on the economic feasibility the project at the time). Once the city has been razed, the rubble is used to fill in foundations, and a new and more splendid metropolis built on the site of the old. Ditlána requires millions of man-hours of labor and the expenditure of immense wealth, yet the people of the Five Empires are fond of tradition and symbols and so Ditlána continues (that is not to say that some parsimonious or impoverished monarch will not fudge the due-date of a scheduled Ditlána, of course – both Béy Sǘ and Jakálla are long overdue, for example). The inhabitants of the city often tunnel out these rubble-filled foundations (or never properly fill them in to begin with), in order to maintain certain shrines or vaults. The temples refuse to abandon their ancient and sacred shrines buried by Ditlána, as tradition demands that certain rituals be performed there. In addition to their shrines, the temples often maintain storerooms, vaults and dungeons, the exact details of which are known only to a few of the higher ranking priests of the temple. Some of the larger and wealthier clans also maintain storerooms and vaults in the underworld. All of these areas are guarded by men, locks, traps, and often by magic. Most of these temple and clan areas are connected by tunnels and labyrinths (sometimes connecting in the deeper sections to the tunnels and tubway stations of the ancients); vast empty sections lost in the dust of Stygian darkness: square rooms, vaulted rooms filled with columns, round rooms, winding corridors, intricate halls with niches and dead ends, burrows, pits, falling traps and much more. Some areas are smooth stone, others ancient brickwork, still others are little more then a small tunnel dug through the rubble, while still others are cut from the native rock or connect to natural caverns. There are areas of putrid fungus, flooded sections, areas filled with poisonous or corrosive earth gasses, and, of course, those areas inhabited by the underworld

An Introduction to Tékumel – 37 predators, parasites, undead and other sorcerous creatures, and even automatons of the ancients. All of which make adventuring in Tékumel’s underworlds, while potentially lucrative, not for the faint of heart. In addition to the underworlds beneath the cities, there are the catacombs and tombs in the Cities of the Dead. There the sovereigns and wealthy nobility of antiquity lie asleep in their stony tombs under the protection of the creations of their sorcerers, surrounded by the wealth and artistry of their time. Less noble tombs also lie in the cities of the dead, perhaps not sorcerously guarded, but a potential thief must still avoid or appropriately bribe the Tomb Police or risk being thrown in the corpse pit, which is reserved for the indigent or slaves, there to be eaten by the great Dlaqó Beetles. C. The Sákbe Roads Several mentions have been made of the great Sákbe Roads and a description of them is in order. Begun during the time of the Bednálljans and grown to its greatest extent during the time of Éngsvan hla Gánga the Sákbe Roads system is one of the wonders of Tékumel. Crisscrossing the Five Empires and most of the small states in the great continent, this system of roads goes from Gaschné in far western Mu’ugalavyá to Mimoré at the easternmost tip of Salarvyá, from Malcháiran in Nlǘss in the north to the Shén states in the south. Across the great central planes of Tsolyánu, through the Desert of Sighs in Milumanayá, across the mountains of Kilalámmu and the great Chákan Forrests and even through the Swamp of Ksárul around the ancient city of Púrdimal, these great highways of commerce are feats of engineering prowess. Wherever possible, the roads were built of solid stone, in others areas there are made of rubble faced with masonry of baked brick (an interesting exception is the Sákbe road through the swamps around Púrdimal which are built like a great wooden boardwalk). These great roads are built in three tiers, mirroring the penchant for visual display of social class within the society. The lowest tier is 8-15m wide, raised 3-5m above the surrounding landscape and has a low parapet on the open side. This tier is for common travelers, caravans of merchants or slavers, troops (unless the army is too large and then they may march on the ground beside the road), and the plodding Chlén carts. The middle tier is 6-8m wide, 3-4m above the lowest tier, and also has a low parapet on the open side. This tier is reserved for upper class travelers: high or noble clanspeople, upper-level government functionaries, and higher-level priests and military officers (with their entourages, of course). No wheeled traffic is allowed on this tier, though many people do travel in slave-borne palanquins. The top tier is 4-6m wide, another 3-4m above the middle tier, and has crenellated battlements on either side. This tier is reserved for the most exalted of nobility, grand adepts of the temples, great generals and the highest of government bureaucrats. In addition, the fast-running troop of Imperial Couriers travel on this tier and have right-of-way for all but imperial princes and princesses. Though palanquins are allowed on this tier, any entourages of the noble personages must accompany their patron on one of the lower tiers. At intervals of about half a Tsán (about 600m) small guard towers look over the road. A special corps of Sákbe Road Guard may man these towers in areas thought to be hostile to travelers, or the towers may stand empty in centrally located peaceful areas. At about 10 Tsán intervals (about a day’s travel for a Chlén or a half-day’s travel by foot) larger towers have been built where ramps connect the various tiers and the surrounding terrain. These larger towers are always manned by the Sákbe Road Guard and will have areas for travelers to unroll their sleeping mats. They may also include rest houses, shrines to the various gods, villages at the base of the tower, and areas for merchants to set up shop to sell food, entertainment or various necessities. Throughout the Five Empires and in the wealthier of the small states, the Sákbe Roads are kept in good repair and new construction is also known. In the poorer small states the Sákbe Roads may be An Introduction to Tékumel – 38 in poor repair and may even be little more than crumbling ruins. Here and there the Sákbe Roads may end without leading to any destination, abandoned due to insurmountable engineering problems, economic feasibility or even as being too dangerous due to local bandits or beasts. D. Overland Adventures Travel within the Five Empires and the smaller states on the great Sákbe Roads is usually uneventful; about the most one can expect to encounter is a merchant and the most danger one could get into would be a brawl at one of the way stations. Cross-country travel is also safe throughout most of the Empires; however, the occasional bandit or irate farmer may be encountered. On the edges and outside the borders of the Five Empires and the smaller states, however, lie the great wildernesses where the rule of civilization has not come: the Chákan Forests between Mu'ugalavyá and Tsolyánu; the mountains and Desert of Sighs of Milumanayá between Tsolyánu and Yán Kór; the Forest of Gilráya between Salarvyá and Tsolyánu; the Tláshte Heights between Livyánu and Mu'ugalavyá; the Jungles and Forests of M’Mórcha, the Great Desert of Galái and the Plain of Towers west of Mu'ugalavyá out to the land of the Tané; and all of the mountains, deserts and forests east of Yán Kór and Saá Allaqí and north of Salarvyá out to the Plains of Glass. Encounters here can be deadly for the ill-equipped and unprepared. The Great Southern Continent is also largely unexplored (at least as far as is known within the Five Empires) and though there are known human and non-human settlements along the northern coast, little is known of the interior. This is due in part to the difficulty of sea travel, in part due to the terrible equatorial heat (reaching up to 60º C – 140º F – in some months), but also in part due to the lack of interest in exploring these far away lands. The ancient tubeway cars do travel to those areas, of course, but usually the stations there are devoid of people (though not necessarily of other denizens). E. Ocean Voyages Water travel on Tékumel is accomplished by wind power or galley slaves (though there still exist ships of the ancients powered by other-planer energy, their existence are closely guarded by the Five Empires, Temples or their wealthy owners). The lack of any stars for navigation also makes open-sea travel difficult. For these reasons, sea travel is almost always along the shore. In addition, Tékumel’s seas are inhabited by many large and inimical creatures that make open-sea travel dangerous or even fatal. Even the rivers have denizens that can catch the unwary – so a leisurely swim is not usually a good idea, except in man-made pools and decorative lakes. Many of the non-human races also sail the seas, so encounters with aliens can happen on ship as well as on land or in the underworld. Pirates also are found, and so any ship is wise to have warriors for protection as a matter of course. Ship travel is generally safe within the Five Empires when within reach of the local harbor patrols and the navies, but in the wide stretches of water with few or no inhabitants, pirates and inimical races such as the Hlǘss can prey on the undefended and unwary. When you need to travel by water, there are many areas where regular ferries and water shuttles operate between cities, and one can travel for a fee with relative safety. Much travel and commerce also occurs along the great rivers of the Five Empires, and booking passage along one of these rivers is fairly easy and usually safe. For longer sea voyages you could book passage on a ship traveling for other purposes (the proverbial ‘tramp steamer’), or hire a ship outright from among the sailing clans.

An Introduction to Tékumel – 39 XIV. Conclusion Tékumel is a large planet, with roughly 2¾ times the surface area of the Earth. This document centers on the great northern continent, where the Five Empires lie. Mention has been made of other areas, but the rest of the planet is relatively undocumented in present times. Except in various Temple enclaves, there is no knowledge of worlds beyond Tékumel; there is no wonder about what’s “out there”, as Tékumel itself is richly varied and still mostly unknown, and is a great enough canvas for any person to wonder about. There are large areas of peaceful domesticity and large areas of untracked wildernesses. There are great metropolises, and thousands of years of ruins and underworlds. There are intelligent aliens, some who live among humans and some who are hidden away in their own enclaves. There are a great number of plants and animals; some are domesticated and used for food and clothing, but much is poisonous and/or ferocious and highly dangerous; even the insect life can be deadly. All this makes adventuring on Tékumel interesting, but often dangerous and possibly deadly. I hope you enjoy this world as I have.

An Introduction to Tékumel – 40 XV.Glossary Aridáni: An independent woman with all of the rights, privileges and responsibilities of a man Bednálljan: 1. Referring to the First Imperium 2. The ancient language of Salarvyá and the Temple of Ksárul (spoken in the time of the Fisherman Kings and the First Imperium) Engsvanyáli: Referring to the Great Empire of Éngsvan hla Gánga (the Priest-Kings) Llyáni: Referring to the Empire of Llyán of Tsámra Nakomé: A clanless person Shámtla: Restitution or compensation paid for a wrong Tsuru’úm: The underworlds of Tékumel

An Introduction to Tékumel – 41