Thread: Questioning chirine ba kal

Originally Posted by Greentongue

Is there a Clan Registry or do each Clan keep their own records of what other clans there are?

Where would a "Country Bumpkin" go to find a branch of their clan in a city?

Would the average person on the street know more than just the largest and the ones they have specifically dealt with (or were local)?

What about temples or shrines?
Assuming there are a multitude of aspects that a person could focus on for worship and/or offerings.
How does one find where they are located?
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Yes, to both. The Imperium's Palace of the Realm keeps a central registry of all clans, as well as all of the local ones - no matter how small or obscure. Asking there can result in some very interesting things happening. The clans also keep their own lists, carefully annotated with 'who we like and don't like' and why and in what context. A clan might be opposed to another for business reasons, but allied for political ones. Or the reverse, too.

They would have been provided with a letter of introduction from their home clan house, and given detailed directions on how to get there if they were not already provided with a guide. There are 'transport' clans that specialize in moving goods and people, and these would take care of the visitor at the behest of the local clan. One can always ask at the Palace of the Realm, too. The city guards at the gate will also know, as well.

Could be, depending on the status of the person being asked. The higher level the person, the more likely they might know. (I'd roll percentile dice for them knowing the answer to the question, myself.) I normally ask one of the market urchins, who seem to know everything, and then hire them as a local guide. It's cheaper and more efficient, as the kids seem to know everything and everyone - for a small consideration, of course!

(On a side note, my palace has 'market urchins' - the Court Pages - who seem to know everything and everyone in the palace, and what's going on at any given time. Everybody thinks I've got this wonderful ability to know what's going on, with eyes in the back of my head, but it's all nonsense. I just ask the Pages, 'cause they know everything. Do not play games of skill and chance with them, however; you will deeply regret it.)

Yes, there are many, many Aspects to the gods. Ask at the temple of the god or goddess; they have in-house 'chapels' and little mini-temples to the various aspects, and they can provide guides and escorts to any located elsewhere in the local area. The Shrine of the Blue Fish in Khirgar is a good example; ask at the Temple of Ksarul, and they'll be happy to take you there. You can also ask at the Imperium's Palace of the Priesthoods for this kind of information, and also the city guards would probably know. Again, you can always ask the urchins; they are usually honest - for a small consideration, of course - and both better informed and more discreet.

Originally Posted by Greentongue

I would expect the City Guards to know the Ones That Matter and not every 2 bit clan in existence.

Like the City Guard, I would expect them to know only Those That Matter.
Unlike the Guard I would think they would know the Top People in the Top Clans and the lesser ones that their clan deals with directly.

Gods Bless the Urchins!
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Agreed; that's where the money usually is...

On the other hand, in smaller towns the city guards are usually members of the two-bit clans.

Agreed; you have it down quite accurately!

Indeed; they've saved my sorry butt on a number of occasions.

Originally Posted by Greentongue

chirine ba kal:

Do clans borrow items from other clans?

If so, what happens if they don't or can't give the item back?

As with items, what about people?

If a clan member is enslaved, how far will their clan go to recover them?

What about impressed into service by the Imperial Navy or Army?
Do they serve and the clan gets compensation? Can the clan "trade" a person?
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Yes.

They pay shamtla money in compensation.

Yes. Same answer; compensation is paid. (We actually had a court case that we tried in Phil's campaign for some UK gamers over a valuable sword that was in a situation like you describe, by the way.)

Pretty far; it's considered pretty dire (and an embarrassing scandal!) to have one's clan-cousin get sold into slavery. Aside from people born slaves, getting sold into slavery is usually for failing to pay one's debts; the clan will normally try to step in and pay the debts, and then make the debtor work off the debt to the clan as a whole. The clan will not be amused, and the debtor will be in the clan's bad graces until they repay their 'ransom'.

The Imperial military doesn't impress people for military service proper; it's not 'noble'. People do get turned out for what I'd call 'forced labor' for things like digging, moving supplies, etc., but they'd all be from low-status clans - or unlucky PCs, who happen to be in the neighborhood. Clans-people who get 'requisitioned' get paid a bit of money - never very much! - for their labor, and their clan does usually get a payment n compensation for the loss of their labor while they are in Imperial service.

Yes, the clan can exchange one person for another in the corvee; higher-status people in the clan, or those who are in the clan's 'good graces', will usually not have to serve. They'll be 'exchanged' for low-status people or those in bad odor with the clan-elders. The Imperium is not fussy about who gets drafted for work - all they do is tell the clan that such and such a number of people are wanted for such and such a time in such and such a place, and the clan sends the people as required.

As you might guess, it's a system ripe with opportunities for abuse and fraud, and is usually a source of problems for everyone concerned. Clans have been known to 'sweep' the Foreigners' Quarter of the nearest large city, rounding up all the low-status foreigners that they can find, and then sending these people off as the requisitioned workers and keeping their own people at home.

Personally, I have always preferred to hire 'temporary workers' from reputable clans. I do not keep slaves, because I'd prefer not to have my throat cut while I'm asleep; part of my 'back story' is that I was assigned to the Imperial forces that put down the nasty slave revolt in and around the town of Ferenara. (A player got the fief, and thought that he could raise a private army by arming slaves. Guess how well that worked? This was in the old "Dragon", by the way.) It's just safer and more efficient to have hired staff, if you ask me; impressed labor looks cheaper at first glance, but there is always a problem or problems that come up.

Originally Posted by chirine ba kal

(A player got the fief, and thought that he could raise a private army by arming slaves. Guess how well that worked? This was in the old "Dragon", by the way.)

I remember that ...

Actually, it was a valuable early lesson in how Tekumel was not formed by the myths of late 20th century America, where if you free and arm slaves they will be devoted to you as their liberator. Simon Bolivar he wasn't.

Originally Posted by Gronan of Simmerya

Tekumel has very different sexual mores from Earth, or at least late 20th century midwestern American Earth. For starters they aren't embarrassed by sex. Neither are a lot of non-American cultures in real life, for that matter.

I�m convinced that most of the people in Europe who were embarrassed by sex emigrated to America.

Originally Posted by chirine ba kal

Most Americans are quite unaware of the island in the Aegean...

Sapphic poetry just isn't as popular as it used to be. Personally, I blame HBO.

Originally Posted by Gronan of Simmerya

I remember that ...

Actually, it was a valuable early lesson in how Tekumel was not formed by the myths of late 20th century America, where if you free and arm slaves they will be devoted to you as their liberator. Simon Bolivar he wasn't.

Yep; I don;t think the player - Gary Rudolph - ever really 'got' why the slaves didn't love and adore him. Phil had ample historical precedent to back himself up, though...