Thread: Questioning chirine ba kal - part II

Originally Posted by chirine ba kal

Was that your question? Did I get it wrong?

I was thinking there might be more energetic purges and/or restoring to glory as the politic winds blew in the other direction.

How long had you been playing before this sort of thing even became noticeable?
Would it effect the average player character?
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Originally Posted by Gronan of Simmerya

Ah, "surface" and "deeper stuff!" Like this example from War and Peace which C.S. Lewis quotes in his essay, "The Inner Ring".

When Boris entered the room, Prince Andrey was listening to an old general, wearing his decorations, who was reporting something to Prince Andrey, with an expression of soldierly servility on his purple face. “Alright. Please wait!” he said to the general, speaking in Russian with the French accent which he used when he spoke with contempt. The moment he noticed Boris he stopped listening to the general who trotted imploringly after him and begged to be heard, while Prince Andrey turned to Boris with a cheerful smile and a nod of the head. Boris now clearly understood—what he had already guessed—that side by side with the system of discipline and subordination which were laid down in the Army Regulations, there existed a different and more real system—the system which compelled a tightly laced general with a purple face to wait respectfully for his turn while a mere captain like Prince Andrey chatted with a mere second lieutenant like Boris. Boris decided at once that he would be guided not by the official system but by this other unwritten system.

Remember this, as well, in Tekumel.

This is so good and funny. Thanks for sharing. Very on point.

Originally Posted by chirine ba kal

About as much as the Republicans and Democrats - or Tories and Labour, if you will - matter to the vast body of the governments involved. The names at the top may often change, but the inertia of the corporate body limits the actual influence of the 'new' people and their beliefs. (I suggest the British series "Yes, Minister!" for an in-depth look at this.)

In Tsolyanu, about all the new incumbent on the Petal Throne can really have a direct effect on is what goes on in Avanthar itself. The Seal Imperium decrees 'Jump!", and the names at the top of the of the organizational pyramid respectfully ask "How high?" Beyond that, actually getting the whole structure of Imperium-Temples-Clans-Legions to actually change direction or philosophy is probably impossible in the long term. Which is how the corporate Imperium thinks; this or that person may be ruler, but there will be another one along in a generation. Speaking as somebody who is an avowed Imperialist in Tsolyani politics, yes, there will be Change - but it will happen long after we're all passed to the Isles.

But, surely, that's only true in stable periods, no? I'm thinking of the Tsolyani civil war here which unleashed quite a bit of chaos all around the country for a little while. Living dead legionnaires invaded the Golden Tower at one point. At least one heir to the throne was dispatched to the Isles, etc. Those events can't be good for any bureaucracy, even one as large and old and set-in-its-ways as the Tsolyani one, no?

Originally Posted by Gronan of Simmerya

Ah, "surface" and "deeper stuff!" Like this example from War and Peace which C.S. Lewis quotes in his essay, "The Inner Ring".

When Boris entered the room, Prince Andrey was listening to an old general, wearing his decorations, who was reporting something to Prince Andrey, with an expression of soldierly servility on his purple face. “Alright. Please wait!” he said to the general, speaking in Russian with the French accent which he used when he spoke with contempt. The moment he noticed Boris he stopped listening to the general who trotted imploringly after him and begged to be heard, while Prince Andrey turned to Boris with a cheerful smile and a nod of the head. Boris now clearly understood—what he had already guessed—that side by side with the system of discipline and subordination which were laid down in the Army Regulations, there existed a different and more real system—the system which compelled a tightly laced general with a purple face to wait respectfully for his turn while a mere captain like Prince Andrey chatted with a mere second lieutenant like Boris. Boris decided at once that he would be guided not by the official system but by this other unwritten system.

Remember this, as well, in Tekumel.

Interesting. Any examples of this during your campagins that stand out (between The Glorious General and Lord Chirine)? I think Uncle mentions something similar in TSTPT...

H:0)

So my rarely happening but darn it we're trying game had another session! And it's led to something I want to call on you all here for ideas about.

Short story: PCs prepped, got into the Underworld (We did have one player ask to change characters. Mostly because his overly social character wasn't clicking and was a lot more vulnerable in the now much smaller group, so he now plays a Ksarul Priest). After running into a Nakome Beggar colony that was terrified and huddled in misery for some reason. they found a nice little passage to crawl into, and I decided to use the random encounter table in Bethorm... and prompty rolled 100. Something special it is!

They fell through a weak floor into what was seriously the BROOM closet for a janitor of a tubeway station. Didn't recognize the mysterious "waist high or so device with a rope out of the back and wider tubes on it" (Vacuum cleaner!). Found a tiny letter opener knife. Then ran into the caretaker, and android that didn't speak their tongue.

It was super helpful though, I used a horrid mishmash of my language knowledge to have it do something like a language asking where to go. Listing off locations in old tongues. they were getting it. Then one said "Can you make it brighter?" And I decided to roll with it. "Braitaar cha bu braitaar?" they chose Braitaar - I was doing a Mandarin style "This or not this" question. Tubeway sphere appears. One of the PCs gets all excited "That's one of those neat things Uncle Khivasha always talks about! Yay!" and charges on in. Another is nearly as excited. The third groans in frustration and follows reluctantly.

This is where my question comes in. Any good suggestions for where the Tube is gonna take them? Ideally something (If Gronan or Chirine! Or anyone else) that would sound like Braitaar in the old tongues.

Originally Posted by Dulahan

Any good suggestions for where the Tube is gonna take them?

Ssu or Shunned Ones enclaves are always good for a laugh.

I've been thinking of having the PCs go "down" into the core of the planet, where they'll encounter Tinalya "tinkerers" (think Motie watchmakers/engineers) who, in their quest to "keep things working properly", are maintaining the world engines. The Tinalya will probably have some sort of robot to chase off the interlopers. "Pay no attention to that Tinalya behind the curtain..."

Blaise

Originally Posted by bconsidine

I've been thinking of having the PCs go "down" into the core of the planet, where they'll encounter Tinalya "tinkerers" (think Motie watchmakers/engineers) who, in their quest to "keep things working properly", are maintaining the world engines. The Tinalya will probably have some sort of robot to chase off the interlopers. "Pay no attention to that Tinalya behind the curtain..."

Blaise

Are you ready for "What's the worst that could happen?"
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Originally Posted by Greentongue

Are you ready for "What's the worst that could happen?"
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Based on how (overly) cautious my (currently one person) group is, I doubt major mischief will occur. But if so, we'll be starting over on a new branch of the Tree of Time. We'll get there when we get there.

Right now, he and his stack of adventurers (since he runs all surviving PCs from my departed players) are attempting to infiltrate Hmakuyal in an attempt to rescue a child psychic prodigy kidnapped by Ksarul fanatics. Attempts by the clan (Sky Blue Water--yes I was drinking Hamm's back in the day when it first evolved) to get its patron Temple, Thumis, to negotiate with the Temple of Ksarul have stalled out.

Blaise