Dragon Magazine 004.pdf

Vol. I. No. 4 December ’76

DRAGON RUMBLES

When dealing with a game as special as EMPIRE OF THE PETAL THRONE, it is really difficult to choose a good place to begin, and

even harder to limit the discussion to our normal 32 pages, and not neglect everything else this issue. Therefore, as you may have noticed, we

felt that it was justifiable to add an extra four pages for this issue. Next time, we’ll revert to the old size.

EPT is the culmination of a life time of working on what started out as a childhood invention. In the course of evaluating the world of

Tekumel, certain comparisons are inescapable. For one thing, it is the ultimate in terms of a D&D campaign; the entire mechanism is D&D

inspired, as the author notes in his introduction. By mechanism, I mean

the mechanics of play: experience points, hit dice, combat resolution,

magic system, etc.

Contents

Once EPT has been studied, another comparison is inevitable; bet-

ween it and Tolkein’s Middle Earth. Now I’m not comparing EPT to his

novels, but rather to the mythos and world he created in them. An in-

teresting note is that both authors are scholars of linguistics, and both

created their own languages, alphabets, grammar and so on. Prof.

Barker is, at this very moment, working on small handbooks, drawn

from the complete rules developed for a couple of his languages. Right

now, Tolkein’s Elvish has acquired a cult-like following of linguists, and

it is reasonable to assume that someday the same will be true of the EPT

languages.

In terms of development of detail, I think EPT has it over Middle

Earth in the matters that most concern gamers. This is attributable to

the fact that EPT was developed by a wargamer, and M-E was not.

Both creations are intensely personal, in terms of devotion by the

author and personal feelings of how things “ought to be.”

Both mythos’ are the end result of a lifetime of work. Prof. Barker

has been working on Tekumel since the age of ten: I’ve seen his armies of

hand-carved wooden figures. (Those days are now past for all of us, as

there is now a line of EPT figures available, reviewed elsewhere in this

issue.)

What EPT is is the most detailed fantasy game available; a genuine

phenomenon. It is destined to become both a classic and a milestone in

fantasy role-playing gaming, and deservedly so.

Dispatches to the Petal Throne ....................... 4

Androids on board the WARDEN.. .................. 10

Jakalla Encounters ............................... 10

The Battle of the Temple of Chanis ................... 12

Double Creature Feature ........................ 18-19

Misc. Oddball D&D Stuff .......................... 21

Road from Jakalla Fiction ...................... ..23

Mapping the Dungeons ............................ 26

Wizards Defined ................................. 26

Wargaming World ............................... 28

Fantasy/S&S Reading List ....................... ..29

EPT Eye Matrix ............................... 31

Temple of Vimuhla pictorial. .................... .32

About this issue. . .

This issue turned out to be a monster, even turning on its

creator in the end. What seemed like a good idea back in Sept.

has turned into something much bigger than usual. Because of

this, and the topicality of this issue,

The Gnome Cache, Dirt

were bumped at the last minute due to

space considerations. Both features will be resumed in #5, and

I apologize for any inconvenience or annoyance this has

caused. — Editor.

Out On a Limb,

Editor — Timothy J. Kask

Staff Artist — Dave Sutherland

Cover by

Prof. M. A. R. Barker

Cover: Land grant to the Shipali Family of the Protectorate of Kerunan.

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and

Reports Submitted to the Petal Throne

Introduction and Translation by M.A.R. Barker

miniatures rules, strategic level rules, and other game extensions. The

best news of all is that by the time you read this, it is hoped that some

initial Petal Throne 25 mm figures will be out, produced by “The Old

Guard.” The prototypes I have seen are among the best 25 mm figures I

have EVER seen. These will be accompanied by a painting guide and or-

ders of battle for all of the five major empires (and also some remarks on

the organizations of the nonhumans). A supplement of further materials

on history and culture is contemplated, and I would also be happy to

reply to specific questions about aspects of Tekumel — perhaps in a

question-and-answer column or some such format?

Enough for now on these topics. We can now turn to some of the

more recent dispatches submitted to the Petal Throne. As was said in the

“Strategic Review” article, dispatches from all over the Empire are

gathered each month into another volume of the “Korunkoi hiGar-

dasisayal Koluman hiTirikeludalidalisa” (The Book of Mighty Imperial

Deeds of the Great and Glorious Petal Throne). Inscribed on leaves of

gold, this record is maintained in the Hall of Blue Illumination in the

Chancery at Avanthar, and persons of noble rank may see all but the

most secret portions of it upon application to the Provost, Lord

Chaymira hiSsanmirin. Naturally, not all items are of interest to those

learning about Tsolyanu, since the Book contains many types of in-

formation: tax records, priestly reports, trade and commerce analyses,

and much local news — all neatly collated and indexed by the Chancery.

What follows, thus, is a culling of topics from here and there. Much of

this is from the public record, but Lord Chaymira has graciously allowed

the publication of some items taken from the Secret Book submitted

directly to the Emperor.

Each item begins with a complex formula of praise and respect for

the Emperor which need not be repeated here. Readers with more

delicate sensibilities will forgive this absence of proper protocol.

“ . . . Know ye, O Sun Who Rises and Illumines the Lands, that the

spread of the iniquitous drug Zu’ur has increased in spite of attempts to

check it. The centre of this traffic is one Tsauhl, a Livyani courtesan of

great beauty, who has gained access into many circles across the Empire

and even into Imperial society in Bey Sy. Dressed always in black, with

lips and nails also black-enamelled, and tattooed as are all Livyani of

status, she is immediately recognizable; yet is now clear that she either

has great powers of disguise or is herself some type of shape-changer, for

she and her agents are reported first here and then there in many cities

of the Imperium. A connection of this woman with the evil Hlyss is now

proved: a ship of the Hlyss was intercepted at Dzuruna Bay near

Ngeshtu Head [hex 2805; Translator], and this contained many chests of

Zu’ur, much gold, and some weapons of note. Three documents were

also seized, and once their code was broken, they showed that the Hlyss

obtain this drug from some ancient subterranean supply dump of the an-

cients. The Hlyss, for motives of their own, have somehow contracted

with the Baron of Yan Kor to supply this mind-destroying narcotic to the

Empire, and there is also evidence that the Mihalli, the ancient

nonhuman race once thought extinct beneath the volcanic plains of

northern Jannu [off the present map to the northeast; Translator], have

joined in this plot. Guidance is earnestly prayed.” [This is followed by

the glyph denoting “act as follows,” and an Imperial edict is appended

which reads in part: “Possessors of this drug Zu-ur are henceforth

declared clanless and are to be impaled; their goods are to be con-

fiscated and returned to their clans for distribution to law-abiding clan

members. Those selling Zu’ur are to be seized and brought before the

highest tribunals for interrogation. Mind Bars of the Twelfth, Eighteen-

th, and Twenty-Second Levels are to be used as needed, and no shred of

secrecy shall remain to any such prisoner. If such a culprit then live, he

or she is to be confined within The Ultimate Labyrinth beneath the

Tolek Kana Pits, from whence they may be brought forth again from

time to time for further interrogation and punishments. Further: all

military authorities on the coasts are to be alerted to destroy Hlyss ship-

ping and to search all vessels of other nationalities within the waters of

the Empire. Further: overland parties are to be searched similarly,

watches are to be doubled on the Sakbe Roads, and within every city in-

formers are to be set to seeking out these trading in Zu’ur. Further: a

party of the bravest adventurers is to be formed and provided with

In the final issue of “The Strategic Review” (Vol. II, no. 2) an ar-

ticle was published which provided news about doings on Tekumel, the

world of the Petal Throne. This created enough interest on the part of

referees and players to call for a second installment, and a number of

referees have sent in reports of doings in their own campaigns with

requests to include these in further submissions to the Imperium.

Before proceeding to honour these requests, however, there are

some fundamental problems to be overcome. If these various campaigns

are to be centralized and coordinated, then some means must be found

to keep developments both consistent and under control. As an example,

a very fine and well-written article appeared in the “Space Gamer,” (no.

6, June-July, 1976) in which Robert L. Large Jr. began with the premise

that our beloved Emperor is already dead, and he went on to describe the

subsequent battle between the various heirs for the Petal Throne. In his

version, the Emperor’s single Aridani daughter, Princess Ma’in Krythai

(the first word is her personal name, and the second is her Imperial

throne name, the title by which she will be known after her accession;

/krythai/ is really a childhood nickname, and it literally denotes

“elegant” or “sensitivity beautiful”) won the battle and is now Empress.

At last report, however, the Glorious Sixth-First Seal Emperor, Hirkane

Tlakotani, is still alive and well in Avanthar, although a trifle slowed by

his seventy years! We thus have an immediate and serious case of

“parallel universe” development!

A central headquarters and clearing house for Petal Throne in-

formation could be set up, of course, but this does not solve all of the

problems. For example, two referees might grant the same fief to dif-

ferent players; one referee might initiate an Empire-wide rebellion;

another might begin the Yan Koryani invasion; and still another might

just allow the dreaded Black Ssu to run every human off the planet!

Even at a relatively simple level, differences would arise. Some

referees are more “gentle” than others and allow players to attain high

levels quickly. This produces an instant surplus of Supreme High

Priests, Glorious Generals of the Empire, and Great Counts of the Seal.

Others (and this humble servant is amongst them) are more strict (some

say “fiendish”), and in my own campaigns no player has yet risen

beyond eighth level. This apparent severity (which creates no end of

pouting and altercation) is based upon the philosophy that it is really a

lot more fun to remain relatively small, while not completely powerless.

High office brings great responsibility and limits freedom of action. It is

much more enjoyable to be able to pack up and set out for far parts

than to be tied down to one’s paperwork in a temple or military head-

quarters. One theory which no historian has ever advanced — but which

ought to be thought of in the light of our modern experience — might be

that the Divine Alexander did not die of illness in 323 B.C., but rather of

despair when he contemplated the mountains of paperwork which con-

fronted him in running his vast empire!

Be all this as may be, the problems of running a centralized cam-

paign information centre are severe, and the easiest solution would be to

declare all campaigns as equally valid “parallel universes.” It would

then be interesting to publish reports on developments in several of these

campaigns. It would be fascinating to compare various referees’ and

players’ handling of the problems and issues described in the first sec-

tions of the Empire of the Petal Throne rulebook. This game really

belongs to the referees and the players; it can be played at levels ranging

from simple adventuring all the way up to involved socio-economic-

military intrigues. Our learned Editor of “The Dragon” has kindly of-

fered to publish reasonably literate accounts of doings in Petal Throne

campaigns, perhaps as a regular feature, if enough material can be

found, and this seems to be the best solution for now. If demand

warrants it, it might be possible to publish a brief newsletter of some

other centralized information sheet later, of course.

At the moment the main thrust is in the direction of providing more

materials on the world of Tekumel. A novel is “in the works,” although I

am most definitely NOT another Tolkien or even a passable novel-writer

of the “hack” variety. A grammar of Tsolyani is being produced, in

response to many requests. With various colleagues, I am working on

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