Thread: Questioning chirine ba kal

Originally Posted by Neshm hiKumala

To extrapolate on Hrugga's question regarding games taking place in other time periods, did your groups of PCs encounter a Hero of the Age? I've only read Man of Gold and Flamesong (the other books are way too expensive to purchase), but I seem to understand that the main protagonists of those books are part/members/components of the Hero (please, correct me if I'm wrong. Actually, enlighten me, whether I'm wrong or right!).

But, did your group of PCs encounter such entity? And, when it occurred, did Prof Barker explain to you then what It was? Did you notice any weird/far-out manifestations of Its power?

Did you think at one point that you yourself were a part/member/component of the Hero of the Age?

No, to all points. The 'Hero of the Age' concept came in with Phil's last game group in the middle 1990s, the people who are now the TF. They wanted to be special people, not like the hoi polloi that had been in Phil's games up to then. if one is being strictly 'canon', and gong by the texts that Phil did, this is a 'non-canon' concept. It's been described as 'ret-conning' by some, and 'special snowflakes' by others. The concept has nothing to do with any of Phil's novels: I think you can find more about it in the Blue Room Archives, however.

I have no opinion either way; my Tekumel games are set in the Tekumel we knew with Phil, and not much else.

Originally Posted by Shemek hiTankolel

Chirine,

If I could also add on to the Mighty Hrugga�s questions, what type of character did you play in each of the epochs that you mentioned? What were their names, classes, deity, etc..? What city did they come from? Did you explore the underworlds in these times?

Could you pass on some the details of the adventures that you had in these eras and the locations that you explored?
For example, while in the Bednalljan Campaign did you encounter Queen Nayari of the Silken Thighs, or have any dealings with her minions?

Inquiring minds want to know.

Shemek.

We played the same old dull boring characters we always played; this was all part of the 'tourist phase' of gaming with Phil, where he took us around to all the cool then-new hotspots in his then-new universe for us to boggle at and enjoy.

No. We had other concerns, like survival.

Not at this point. It'll be in the book, and I'll pass it along as soon I get it typed.

Yes. Had a great time, actually.

Originally Posted by chirine ba kal

No, to all points. The 'Hero of the Age' concept came in with Phil's last game group in the middle 1990s, the people who are now the TF. They wanted to be special people, not like the hoi polloi that had been in Phil's games up to then. if one is being strictly 'canon', and gong by the texts that Phil did, this is a 'non-canon' concept. It's been described as 'ret-conning' by some, and 'special snowflakes' by others. The concept has nothing to do with any of Phil's novels: I think you can find more about it in the Blue Room Archives, however.

I have no opinion either way; my Tekumel games are set in the Tekumel we knew with Phil, and not much else.

That's very enlightening and interesting indeed. Thank you.
I had not realized that, in the history of Tekumel's development, the Hero of the Age concept came so late.

About the HotA concept not being related to the novels: I'm thinking of the weird and very unusual case of Lady Jai Chasa Vedlan, a.k.a. "Flamesong".
As recounted in the novel, Lady Jay becomes the living incarnation of the divine, flaming weapon known as "Flamesong", thanks to Lady Deq Dimani's mighty and mysterious sorcery.

Is that (admittedly utterly awesome) concept of a human being/becoming the incarnation of a divine weapon not related to the "Hero of the Age" idea? Upon reading the novel, I thought Lady Jay's story sort of echoed the Hero idea.
In other words, to my still quite limited understanding of Tekumel, this "living divine-weapon" concept feels very unique in all of Tekumel-related things and I'm trying to figure out if it has an origin or if it's expressed, as is or transformed, in other bits about the world, etc.

Also, do we have information on the sort of "magic" Lady Deq Dimali used to incarnate the weapon in Lady Jay? As in, did she use a machinery of the Ancients to accomplish that miracle? etc.

Sorry for the somewhat confused, jumbled questions, but it's hard to know what to ask about that episode actually, becomes it's so unique and bizarre and fantastical.

Originally Posted by chirine ba kal

We played the same old dull boring characters we always played; this was all part of the 'tourist phase' of gaming with Phil, where he took us around to all the cool then-new hotspots in his then-new universe for us to boggle at and enjoy.

No. We had other concerns, like survival.

Not at this point. It'll be in the book, and I'll pass it along as soon I get it typed.

Yes. Had a great time, actually.

Oh, OK. I misunderstood what you had written. I thought that these were side campaigns independent of the main game. Sound like fun times with much mayhem indeed! Can't wait to read all about this. Thanks for the clarification.
BTW, bow goes the book? Is there a completion in sight? I'm getting antsy to see the final product.

Originally Posted by chirine ba kal

No, to all points. The 'Hero of the Age' concept came in with Phil's last game group in the middle 1990s,

I do remember, just before or just after Tekumel was originally "solved" back in, I think, the mid to late 70s, Kadarsha talking about Phil's spinning a few tales of the "Hero of the Age." But I am fairly certain it never actually showed up in play, and it was only a one-time mention that I remember.

From Neshm hiKumala:
That's very enlightening and interesting indeed. Thank you.
I had not realized that, in the history of Tekumel's development, the Hero of the Age concept came so late.

As Gronan mentions down thread, it was very lightly touched on in the early days of the campaign, in regard to the great epic heroes of the Latter Times - Hrugga, Chirine, etc. Kadarsha was interested in how you got to be a great hero, as it sounded cool. It also fit in with their style of power gaming, too.

About the HotA concept not being related to the novels: I'm thinking of the weird and very unusual case of Lady Jai Chasa Vedlan, a.k.a. "Flamesong".
As recounted in the novel, Lady Jay becomes the living incarnation of the divine, flaming weapon known as "Flamesong", thanks to Lady Deq Dimani's mighty and mysterious sorcery.

Yep; different concept, different process. Akin to the old Divine Intervention roll, with Jai as the sacrifice.

Is that (admittedly utterly awesome) concept of a human being/becoming the incarnation of a divine weapon not related to the "Hero of the Age" idea? Upon reading the novel, I thought Lady Jay's story sort of echoed the Hero idea.
In other words, to my still quite limited understanding of Tekumel, this "living divine-weapon" concept feels very unique in all of Tekumel-related things and I'm trying to figure out if it has an origin or if it's expressed, as is or transformed, in other bits about the world, etc.

It is unique, but the two concepts are not related, according to the texts I've read. See also the various Aspects of the gods, in Bob's quite useful "Mitlanyal".

Amusingly, Yours Truly has been described as an aspect of Lord Vimuhla at times.

Also, do we have information on the sort of "magic" Lady Deq Dimali used to incarnate the weapon in Lady Jay? As in, did she use a machinery of the Ancients to accomplish that miracle? etc.

No; in game terms, a DI roll. No, not as far as we know; Phil just wasn't interested in showing those cards.

Sorry for the somewhat confused, jumbled questions, but it's hard to know what to ask about that episode actually, becomes it's so unique and bizarre and fantastical.

No problem. It's what I'm here for.

Originally Posted by Shemek hiTankolel

Oh, OK. I misunderstood what you had written. I thought that these were side campaigns independent of the main game. Sound like fun times with much mayhem indeed! Can't wait to read all about this. Thanks for the clarification.
BTW, bow goes the book? Is there a completion in sight? I'm getting antsy to see the final product.

Sorry. No, there was only the two campaigns he did, Mondays and Thursdays, and the two I did on Fridays and Saturdays. We played the same PCs for about twelve years - something unheard of today, perhaps.

I lost most of January, February, and March between dealing with other peoples' problems and the results. Back in action now; new lead has proven to be a tonic.

Originally Posted by Hrugga

Yes!!! We can not wait to read it...!!! Looking forward to it!!!

H:0)

Working on it!

Originally Posted by Gronan of Simmerya

I do remember, just before or just after Tekumel was originally "solved" back in, I think, the mid to late 70s, Kadarsha talking about Phil's spinning a few tales of the "Hero of the Age." But I am fairly certain it never actually showed up in play, and it was only a one-time mention that I remember.

Yep; this was around the time the groups split. Kadarsha was talking to Phil about how he could make his PC more powerful, and the epic heroes of the Latter Times came up. The later elaboration of the idea was a very marked return to the kind of power gaming that you and I abhored, but then that was what the players in the much-reduced group wanted. Phil's letters on the subject are both fascinating and depressing. He felt he was being used as cheap entertainment, and they (for their part) told me that they felt that they were serving as his therapy group.

Either way, it's not a kind of gaming that I like, and I was very happy to be long gone when it all happened. See also your comment about "no gaming is better then bad gaming"...