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Sons' of the Vríddi -9 Dohála 2340. Part 2

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The game definitely started to take a darker turn as the evening went on. Part 2 Practice makes perfect, as someone once said, and both Horu and Ghachayal had a lot of practice doing these types of jobs.   Yet, something was bothering Ghachayal; why should a lowly scribe be such a concern and require this attention? Wouldn't it have been easier, and cheaper, if Agama had just gotten some toughs from the marketplace to settle the matter? A few kaitars, a quick stab in the back when Kageshi was making his way home one night, the obvious victim of a robbery. Normally, Ghachayal didn't bother to ask why, or even expect an answer. When given a task he saw it through and that was the end of it. Many things had changed in the last few months, including it would seem himself. Lost in thought, Ghachayal suddenly started, and almost fell from the palanquin. "You realise that you've been set up" a voice had clearly said. A voice that didn't belong to Horu, o...
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The Clan of Sky Blue Water

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Into the Cistern The last of the temple gongs had just finished ringing in the hour of the Dawn when the explorers gathered under the cistern pavilion.   The group was led by Wachánu hiVayéshtu, scholar and antiquarian.   He was accompanied by Ikané hiShúkla, a recently declared Aridáni , yet still a sworn servant of the hiVayéshtus.   With her was her younger brother, Rachan.   They had been “assigned” as guards and issued short spears, though neither had any formal training. Just behind Wachánu came Kéttukal hiBaláshi, from one of the merchant lineages, assigned to act as cataloger/appraiser.   He was accompanied by clan cousins Údey and Kámat hiDangól.   Like Ikané and Rachan, they had been issued spears.   Truth was, Kámat and Údey were just in it for a chance to break their daily routine. They were met by the two laborers who first discovered the doorway, Tufiq and Tabriz hiIndukar.   Together, they descended the stairs into the re...
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Why did we decide to write another Tekumel blog?

As I mentioned, this blog is different from most other blogs! How? It's the collective work of people who don't play together, for one thing. So the Tekumel we're talking about is always OUR Tekumel. Remember that line by Prof. Barker in "Empire of the Petal Throne"? "This is MY Tekumel. Now make it YOURS!" (Capitalization mine). We've all done this to one degree or another, and we're sharing the results with you. Why do we bother? Well, as you guessed, there's a reason for this endeavour. In short, there are a couple popular misconceptions about Tekumel that are really getting on our nerves. This blog is an answer to all of them. If someone ever tells you "you can't understand Tekumel"/"you need a Degree in Tekumeli Studies to play or run Tekumel"/any variation of the previous points...point them to this blog! If someone ever asks "But what do you DO in Tekumel?", point them to this blog. If someo...
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Sons' of the Vríddi -9 Dohála 2340. Part 1.

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Game Session 12, November 25, 2017 This is the first part of a long and productive Saturday evening of gaming. I have jumped ahead about 8 months real time, (and 6 months game time) from the first post. The party is currently 3rd Level. 9 Dohála 2340. (6 months and many hundreds of Tsan later) Part 1. The evening is cool, but tolerable, and the nearby neatly tended garden is full of the sound of insects and other nocturnal creatures. If one carefully looks one can see armed guards patrolling the shadows.   Although only 5 people are seated on the thick carpet the amount of noise being generated by them would lead one to believe, were he not standing nearby, that a party was being held. Much laughter, and shouts of joy and disbelief could be heard. A musician is playing on a stringed instrument, adding to the general merriment. The five people are, and in no particular order, Horu hiFa'asu, Ghachayal hiKhalumis, Dadayal hiVríddi , Autso hiVríddi, and Agama hiViri...
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I also play in Tekumel! How can I tell you about my sessions?

This blog is different from most other blogs! How? It's the collective work of people who don't play together, for one thing. So the Tekumel we're talking about is always OUR Tekumel. Remember that line by Prof. Barker in "Empire of the Petal Throne"? "This is MY Tekumel. Now make it YOURS!" (Capitalization mine). We've all done this to one degree or another, and we're sharing the results with you. Now, the only question is...do you want to share your campaign with us? Whether you're playing an RPG in Tekumel, or a wargame, or something else? E-mail me to  actualplayintekumel@abv.bg and we're going to talk. All I ask is that you prioritize narrating what was happening "in character" - but by all means, tell us about the mechanics you're using, too!
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The Clan of Sky Blue Water, Distinguished and Sedulous

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Some background before we begin The short of it: I fell in love with the Empire of the Petal Throne boxed game in the late 70s as a high schooler.   College and life intervened and my love of the setting sat idle until 2014, when I got back into gaming.   The group lasted about a year before collapsing—just as I was about to take over the DM slot and dust off my dormant EPT campaign. I have one player, my good friend Chris.   We don’t play as regularly as I might like, but often enough that my interest in Tékumel has remained rekindled.   Between sessions, I’ve taken the time to flesh out some of my 30+ year old ideas.   Chris isn’t familiar with Tékumel, so we decided to operate in more of a “one-off” mode so that adventures are kept short.   Once we get to a point where he is comfortable with the setting, I have a “campaign” mostly ready to go. We’re using Béthorm, a skill-based, points-buy system, with a 2D10, roll low mechanic.   Chris pl...
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