Drmg004, Dragon
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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.
THE DRAGON
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3
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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