Thread: Questioning chirine ba kal

Originally Posted by chirine ba kal

Straight out US 14 from Rochester, too. And you can't fool us; you don't mine Cavourite, you catch it in nets as it is released. Luckliy, we use the eighth ray to support our flyers. Other-planar energy for the air cars, of course. Nothing like modern science, I say!

Silly me. It's Upsy-Daisyum that's mined, not Cavourite.

Originally Posted by d(sqrt(-1))

Aha, a Tekumel question:

Our somewhat disparate party are likely soon to "acquire" some copper swords from some Shedra who won't be having any further use for them. If they wanted to sell them, who would give the best price without being offended? Would the temple of Sarku like them, without bearing a grudge, or would they be better off selling them to someone else? These swords will be from ancient Shedra that have been buried for many years, so not someone's recent pet project.

(Current game is set around Katalal, if that matters)

I'd start off with the Temple of Sarku; ask somebody in the clan - the players should ask each of theirs - who to talk to in the Temple. It's highly likely that one of their clans knows somebody who knows somebody. Assuming that the swords were picked up in the Underworld, and nobody from the Temple - a living nobody, of course - got hurt, then it's 'lost and found' and the players are being good citizens by restoring lost property to the most likely owner. The Temple will, unless the players botch the discussion, coo happily and offer these fine, upstanding young people who have such a fine sense of decency a nice finder's fee in order to recompense them for their trouble. The players will get cash, and store up some favors and goodwill with the Temple. The Temple might also want to know where this forgotten shrine or tomb might be, but that's a separate negotiation.

If the Temple isn't interested - hardly likely - then it's the clans to see who's who on the local antiquities market, and if nobody bites there it's the local scrap metal dealers. Although the clan will buy the metal as metal, most likely.

Generally, unless there's a major incident or scandal, it's considered that 'What goes on in the Underworld, stays in the Underworld'. So, no grudges, and they'd just be happy to get the swords back down the Temple.

From Hrugga:Lord Chirine,

Just a few quick questions. I understand that the shiny kaitar greases tha palm and gets things done on Tekumel. Is corruption more of an induvidual thing, or are certain groups more likely to be corrupt(poor tomb police,etc)?

We talked about this quite a while back, but it'll take you all day to scroll that far back, I think. Soooo...

The Western concept of 'corruption' is not what the Tekumelyani consider it to be. Gifts, donations, favors, and 'inducements' are the norm, where one does something nice for somebody and they do something nice for you. There is a line between this and out-and-out bribery, and it's a fine distinction; making a ten kaitar gift to the court to speed up the process is considered normal practice, trying to pay off the judges with a ten thousand kaitar bribe is not. Small gifts are part of the social process, like doing somebody a favor.

Everybody does this. Foe example, if I'm going down into the Underworld, I make sure to leave the tomb police commander an 'inducement', large enough so that he or she can share it with the troops, so that they'll remember to let me back up again - I might be in a hurry. Or like when I killed off some 'unlicensed' bandits; I gave the reward to my 'guide' and bearers as a gift for their good service, over and above what I was paying them. I routinely accept small gifts and favors from people who want something from me; I am considered a very honest and fair official because I do not misuse my position or authority and take advantage of people. It's well known that if, say, a very poor fisherman brings me a very nice fish as a gift, I make sure to compensate him or her for their trouble - that's their dinner for a day for their whole family, remember. A wealthy merchant, on the other hand, might give Their Ladyships some nice jewelry, as the merchant can afford it. Will I then remember the merchant? Yes. Will I do what he wants? Maybe. It depends on what he wants - anything like treason or tax evasion, is out.

Is that seen as corruption? If not what kinds of acts would be corrupt, besides having an undead army and taking the high ride...?

Treason, rebellion, tax evasion, and such are the really big crimes, and trying to bribe somebody to do these is right out. Remember that the concept of 'Noble Action' rules; one does one's duty without being 'induced' to do so - but any gifts are a nice perk. Think of it as tipping the waiter; it just happens at all levels of society. And intent makes a difference, too.

Does any of this help, or have I confused the issue?

The Tomb Police answer to the OAL?

Everybody answers to the OAL. In the normal run of things, the tomb police report to the city prefect, who answers to the city governor, who answers to bey Su, who answers to Avanthar, who answers to the Kolumel. If there's something going on that Avanthar is interested in the OAL will drop by the police post - which is something that the police will try to avoid!

One last question, was the tubeway car system used by the elite and military primarily in Tekumel's past? The size of the cars got me thinking about this. And it seems to me many of the stations were private...

Yes, to both. It was not 'public' transportation. That's what aircars and the intra-system space ships were used for.

Thank you in advance,

H:0)

You're welcome, as always!

Originally Posted by Gronan of Simmerya

Silly me. It's Upsy-Daisyum that's mined, not Cavourite.

See, folks? You can learn something every day, here in this thread!

Originally Posted by Big Andy

High and Dry I take it? Just ran my players through it last weekend. First time I have run a prepared scenario in about 30 years. My players loved it. And for some reason, they loved the copper swords, even though none of them are followers of Sarku.

And this is why I like Jeff Dee's work. He's been in the game industry long enough that he can write a good adventure - and then fit the adventure into Tekumel and not the other way around. The thing plays well, moves along nicely, and gives the players a lot of local color without turning into a lecture on bilabial phoneme fricatives. Mark Pettigrew did much the same thing with "Tomb Complex of Nereshanbo", although that is not what I'd call or use as an introductory adventure.

Shows you what can happen when a professional gets involved.

Originally Posted by d(sqrt(-1))

Yup, that's the one. I was thinking that they might want to sell them off as we have one PC with a debt problem, and another with a hnequ weed addiction...

Player characters never seem to change, do they?