Common Worlds

Some groups I'm working on:

Splendid Masters Dancing Against Melib (Melib is an island off Teshnos)
The Fire of Higher Reason School of Sorcery (devotees to Fire and Knowledge)
The Seven Lords of Malachite
Beauteous Marine Guardianesses (warrioresses who fight the Amazons of Trowjang)

Others that are just names:

Guilty Sinners Burned From Within
Vigorous Masters of the Blessed Phallus
Embyli (jungle Elf) Ambassadorial Heralds
Dragon Smoke's Embrace Guild
The Tourmaline Society of Flaming Purification and Sacrifice to Honor the Vessel of Light

Ohhh, you said the wrong thing buddy!!! (preparing my underground story lab as we speak) :)

Brian

Can you log in as you? If it's telling you that your chosen name is taken, that sounds more like you're trying to create a new user account.

Brian you bastard...you have upped the anty, oh my god where did you come up with the material for those cults? oh and by the by Garusharp would be horrified to fight the peasant elephant cult of whoever!

It is believed that in Teshnos my gracious King Pubnushap is but a figure head on the throne, while the prince really runs things...i am here to tell you that the fire that is Pubnushap is the gude to Chal! oh just to confuse things more...the Prince of teshnos is named Garusharp and no he is not me!

Teshnos is MUCH less "set" in my mind than the Pavis run. I have only one or two ideas I want to explore in that game. One idea requires a certain level of narrative surprise, so I can't discuss it.

Another of those ideas is a question: What happens if I allow you all to have more direct influence over the narrative itself? What if you were all more like parts of a co-creative team than people who experience the game that I create?

I write the above by way of illustrating that ANY and ALL of the things below are fair game. Not REQUIRED, but AVAILABLE. You, the players, have the chance to direct the narrative of the Teshnos game at a time that your direction of the Pavis narrative is growing more and more restricted. (Thinking about the Pavis game yesterday, I realized that I have reason to hit the Rass with some result of their actions EVERY DAY for the rest of the season: Black and Ivory Hunt, Pavic Secret Society Politics, Marble Phalanx revenge, Raven's Impatience, Stargazer holy day, oddness at Arlaten's Wizard Tower....) The Rass have a LOT of things to do, and not too many choices about how to frame those things.

Teshnos is wide open, ready to be informed by the players, the characters and the back stories you pick. For example--at the moment we apparently have a merchant woman with some herbalist skills, a crazed desert mystic and a temple thief. Depending on what Brad chooses, we might well end up with a game that has little or nothing to do with fighting. Cool! to quote
http://www.indie-rpgs.com/viewtopic.php?t=13831&sid=2de236962d24fef578ca5abe60445696

Read that last sentence again: "This is what I care about, this is what I want this evening to be about." Instead, say "this is what I want the run to be about."

To say it again, the answer to all these questions is "If it is important to you." or "If you think it is cool."

There are other questions to think about as well--because you all are going to be HEROES:

My Hero's life is less important than_________.
I would kill a good man in order to ______________.
Ultimately, is it your hero's place to save or to destroy Teshnos? Is there a difference?

One thing that leaves me wondering--if you've read about the inner fires of Teshnans and how they're passed from the dying to the young, where did Garusharp's fire come from? Where is your child's coming from?

Here's a VERY extreme example. I'm not sure it always works like this. But I think it works this way sometimes.
http://www.geocities.com/TimesSquare/Realm/5545/mything/teshnan.html

As players in the Teshnos, game, I'm going to allow you much more leeway in setting scenes. If you're crossing the desert, running out of water and chased by Jaldonites, I would let Chris say "Here's where I want to introduce my character. As Garusharp's caravan stumbles around a rocky dune, the dune is revealed instead as the skull of a gigantic dragon. In the shade of its tilted palate, an oasis of delicate plants grow. My character is sitting on a stool made out of a shard of tooth, meditating."

Or perhaps Jon really wants all of you to arrive at Zanozar with a big entourage of happy, devoted peasants. He says to me "along the route from the western edge of Teshnos, I'd like us to visit a village that has just had a crop failure, so I can use my cooking skills to teach them how to eat something else that grows in plenty near them."

The Washermen of Teshnos
The dhobis or washermen of the Teshnosan empire were regarded as both humble workers and pious shamans. Besides their daily task of beating the linens of the nobility upon the smooth stones of the river, many of the common people employed them to spritually cleanse away evil iyats and other dark things that sometimes infested the janapada (districts) of the Teshnosan empire. Most lived simple lives dedicated to the purifying of the nobility and peasants alike. But some of these noble shamans fell prey to luxuaries of the nobility that sometimes employed them. Many dhobis would use their sacred washing stones to steal the jiva or soul of victims in order to recieve payment in gold or silver from a vindictive Emir.

The Jain
The sect of Jaina, meaning 'followers of Jina' were were most common in the deep jungles and very little seen in the cities. These Jain, as they were called, adhered to a more extreme form of asceticism than did the Mahavira. They not only go naked but advocate self mutilation and death by starvation as the only true paths to salvation. The last known Jain to achieve the perfect paradise of tirhankara was Vallabhi, though it took him thirteen years to starve himself to death once he resolved to do so.

Hey,

aren't these direct from real world stuff? I've heard of Jainists--sweeping the road before them to avoid stepping on bugs, eating only fallen fruit, that sort of thing.

In fact, here's a cool comic (not safe for dial up)

http://www.e-sheep.com/jain/

Give me some adaptation of these examples to Teshnos and I'll add them. The washers could be a shamanic tradition, but what are the Janists? I think probably mystics.

The school of Enlightened burning in the exquisite truth of pain.

Amply qualified Head Master Vin Rin Sojen teaches pupils the secret aspects of fire where pleasure is derived from pain. Founded during the evil reign of the Seleric Empire, Chal reformed it by revealing that their techniques could be used to contact Solf. In the following centuries the emphasis of the Masters has changed, and now they make a splendid profit from wealthy Teshnans who visit out of curiosity and boredom.
The First and Everburning Overseer Qil Raq Toc founded the Enlightened Burning and became its patron spirit. He burned himself to paradise when he believed he had no more to offer in the way of schooling, showing his followers how to do the same. Each head master and many lucky students end their studies the same way.
Over the centuries the Masters changed their focus to be more in tune with the interests of the noble youth of Teshnos. In its hidden gardens and behind sound proof walls students are strive long and hard in the arts of 1000 needle ecstasy, fire vision, flexing the dragon, fire in the dark and many more techniques that the they endure. Frightened folk whisper that occasionally students go insane or are crippled, but that is the price paid for true understanding. As one of the few licensed schools offering a route to Solf's self-dissolution, there is no shortage of applicants. The school is open to all sexes!

THE FIRE OF HIGHER REASON RULE OF WIZARDRY
• Runes: Fire, Knowledge
• Common Knowledge
Also called the Yellow Wizards or the Fire Wizards,

Fire of Higher Reason
• Mythos and History
Saint Valkaro introduced wizardry to Teshnos on his Journey into Dawn. Holy Valkaro taught the intelligent how to be Bright, and the wise how to be strong. Burning desire is in every man, Valkaro said, and must be focused and refined within the Crucible of Thought.

Founded by followers of Saint Valkaro, the Fire of Higher Reason was reformed by Chal after the depredations of Sheng Seleris. Though obscured by revisionist history, the original order became a tool of Sheng during his occupation of Teshnos. Only Chal's healing instruction showed them the way to forgiveness from their fellows. This instruction involved the Fire's abandonment of the Abiding Book and its former identification with Malkion, whose foreign philosophy was used by Sheng and the Pentans to lure the members of the Rule away from traditional Teshnan values.

Manifestations, Icons and Images
Vijayan the Seeker founded the Rule of Higher Reason and gilt paintings of his wild youth, violent meeting with Valkaro, his conversion and the Incineration of False Doctrine decorate every Order Temple. Typical paintings of Vijayan show him wearing the Realized Crown of a Zitr and dressed in extremely impressive robes of the Consumed, resting on a cushion of gold whose five legs are fire.

Valkaro's image also appears in many Temples, always pale of face and hair and often dressed as one of the Bringers, but always with the Realized Crown of a Zitr.

Gold, rubies, tigereyes and garnet are all popular materials for working the symbols of the Rule. Yellow diamonds from Octamonist mines are sought after. Fires of all kinds are also popular, especially those held in decorative crucibles of base materials. Temples use modified human skullsof deceased members as oil lamps in ritual settings.

Members of the order wear specific dress based on their rank within the Rule. Embers wear grey aprons, the Smouldering wear dark reddish brown work clothes, Ignited wear yellow hats and red sashes, the Bringers dress entirely in red and the blessed and rare Consumed always appear in voluminous robes of a special yellow-white silk, heavily decorated in gold thread and jewels.
Otherworld Home and Life After Death
The Crucible of Thought is a node on the Adept Plane and the primary connection members of the Rule have with an Otherworld. Chal discovered a link to it from his node as part of his reformation of the Rule. The Crucible of Thought connects to Valkaro's Node on the Saint Plane, but members of the Rule think it unwise to explore in that direction. Theoretically, from Valkaro's Node members of the Rule could reach nodes of almost any Malkioni saint.
Members are promised that if they successfully integrate the understandings and power of the Crucible into their lives and souls, they will be reborn as part of every Teshnan's struggle toward zitr-hood. The Rule shows that its practices can allow the worthy and dedicated to become Zitrs themselves.

Nature of the Rule
This order of wizardry knows little of Malkion but a great deal about certain nodes in the adept and saint planes. Malkion and the Creator are distant, overly personalized ideas about the Higher Planes of the Sorcery World according the the Merciless Crucible of the Intellect and Chal's Rules, Part One. Stories in both of these books warn of the dangers of adopting foreign ways of thought and custom, warnings illustrated by powerful stories of the horrors perpetrated by Sheng Seleris in an age gone by.

Cosmological Reason for Existence
At the end of the Second Age, Blessed Valkaro spent some time in Teshnos. His logical way of thinking attracted a few thoughtful followers who, inspired by Teshnos' Inner Fires, explored the Adept Plane and found the Crucible of Thought. Vijayan the Seeker was one of these inspiried adepts, and he saw in those rarified realms the ultimate source of his own inner fire. Writing of his experience and identification, he wrote The Rule of Higher Reason and the terrifying Merciless Crucible of the Intellect.

Role of the Rule in the Society
The Fire of Higher Reason serves as the preeminent culturally-approved school of wizardry in Teshnos. Its responsibilities include identifying and training talented children, reigning in rouge sorcerers who endanger the realm, acting as intermediaries or war-wizards with or against the Mostali Octamonists in northern Teshnos and serving as magical guardians of the Vessel of Light and his court.

Attitudes and Relationships

Brothers of External Fire
The Brothers of External Fire share a generations-old, mutually benificial relationship with the Fire of Higher Reason. The Brothers devote themselves to martial training and leave aside all but the simplest magics. Instead, they rely on the magics of their older brothers in the Fire of Higher Reason. In return, the Brothers act as bodyguards and leaders of household troops for those with more advanced understanding of the Higher Reason. The Brothers accept any boy of ten years or less whose elder brother studies the Fire of Higher Reason.
This is not an exclusive relationship, but the traditions are strong and only rarely do the Brothers work for anyone outside of these two groups.

The Vessel of Light
Particularly talented Bringers of the Rule earn positions at the court of the Vessel of Light, where they serve as court wizards and guardians of the Vessel's physical being.

Mode of Worship
This order of wizardry knows little of Malkion but a great deal about certain nodes in the adept and saint planes.

Sacrifices
Holy Days
Organization
The Consumed are the ultimate authorities on all Rule matters.
Distribution of Worshippers

Holy Places and Temples
The Ruby Library of the Bird of Knowledge
Inter-temple Administration

Temple Organization and Ranks
The Master of Unflinching Truth is the first among equals among the Consumed. He is concealed from most Teshans, who instead are more likely to have heard of the Voice of Reason at the court of the Vessel of Light.

Embers
Almost all young students are communal worshippers of the Rule. They learn some simple and safe spells as they learn to read, write and control their emotions.

Smouldering
The Smouldering are those who have shown seriousness in their study of the Rule and some magical aptitude. To become Smouldering, a candidate must have Read Teshnan and Write Teshnan at 17, Clean or cook or Copy Text at 17, Tend Fire at 17, and Chal's Rules Part 3 at 13.

Ignited
The Ignited must have skills of 20 or more in every skill (except Grimoires) in the Rule's Magic Keyword. They must possess two of the Rule's virtues, or one of them at 17 or higher.

Bringers
Bringers spend time out in the world, acting as an illumination of the Fire of Reason in the world. They also bear the responsibility of searching out and bringing talented young recruits to the Rule. This duty has earned them the nickname [] among ignorant peasants, whose misunderstanding of their actions lead to accusations of child murder and torture.

To be elevated to be a Bringer, a member of the Rule must have at least two masteries in three of the Rule's grimoires and at least three spells with talismans at two masteries.

Consumed
The undisputed masters of the Rule, the Consumed make up the temple officials, instructors, grimoire copyists and node-investigators with permanent positions at one of the Rule's schools, scriptoria, or temples. They devote themselves to esoteric study and refining of their arts, rather than spreading that fire out in the wider world. "There is darkness everywhere," goes the Introduction to the Merciless Fire of the Intellect "except in the souls of those Consumed with the Fire of Higher Reason." They do not go among the shadows and greyness of the mundane world, instead they contemplate and research the eternal symmetries and glowing wonder of the Crucible of Thought.

The one exception to this is the Rule Master known as the Voice of of Reason, a member of the Consumed who coordinates the Bringers and Ignited who protect the Vessel of Light. Though his position gives him no more authority than any other Consumed member of the Rule, his proximity to the Vessel and relatively visible position at court makes him a de facto leader of the Rule. Most Teshnans, even sophisticated courtiers, assume the Voice of the Fire of Reason is the head of the Rule.

The Consumed rise to that rank at some time after achieving three masteries in all of the Rule's Grimoires. Members of the Consumed need not ever have been qualified to be Bringers.

Membership Requirements
Though the Rule is open to boys and girls, co-ed policies are only a generation or so old and the institution still contains significant sex discrimination. Faced with declining enrollment twenty-five years ago, the radical and holy Consumed Golden Mind Master proved that the Fires of Reason burned in women as in men.

When searching for potential students, the Rule Bringers watch for children who show signs of being Clever, Smart, Logical, Dedicated, Respectful, Introspective, Strong-Willed or similar traits. To pass the entrance examiners, girls often need to display several of these traits.

Role in the Religion
General Expectations of Worshippers
Petitioners to the Order are expected to hold reason and logic as the highest virtues, surpassing self-interest, and revenge, but also mercy and love. The Rule's Virtues are Logical, Thoughtful, and Dedicated.
Initiation
Those joining the Rule need not concentrate their magic, but as most members join as children and lead a well defined life, they have little opportunity to gain magic aside from that taught by the Rule.
Magic Keyword
• Chalite Teachings, Rule of Higher Reason Grimoire, Merciless Fire of the Intellect Grimoire, Chal's Rules 1,2 and 3 grimoires, Read Teshnan, Speak Firespeech, Read Firespeech, Write Firespeech, Tend Fire
• Devotion
Grimoires
Books of Chal
Spell of Health,
• Chal's Rules, Part One
Contemplatiion of the Infinite, Ward Inner Fire, Sense Inner Fire, Incandescent Aura

• Chal's Rules, Part Two
Detect Foreign Sorcery, Heal Sorcerous Injury, Ward of Fire, Burn Away Sorcery

Chal's Rules, Part Three
Deity Detection, Fight Theistic Beings, Heal Before Combat, Magic Protection, Spirit Combat, Spirit Detection.

Rule of Higher Reason
Enchant Gold, Enchant Ruby, Enchant Garnet, Enchant Red Diamond, Enchant Yellow Diamond, Scry in a Ruby, Rise Toward the Sun, Frighten Dark Thing, Scry in Holy Flames

Merciless Crucible of the Intellect
Summon Fire Essence, Command Fire Essence, Banish Darkness, Call Forth Fire, Burn Spirit, Burn Daimon, Burn Essence,
• Wizards: The Bringers and the Consumed
• Disciples: Zitrs of the Mind Aflame
• Requirements to Belong
• Benefits
• Magic Available
• Disadvantages
• Subcults of [God]
• Sample Subcults, usually as abbreviated Magic Keywords
• Hero Cults of [God]
• Sample Hero Cults, usually as abbreviated Magic Keywords
• Divine Retribution
• Agents of Reprisal
• Other Notes

First off, can we make the title something besides "Sultana" which is a term more appropriate to another land?

I'm not so concerned about Wahima. Tell me more about the Sacred Jewel the Queen-SomethingElse-a.

Is this a thing? A person? A ritual role? A magic? A party hat?

http://starbulletin.com/2005/07/24/news/story9.html

There's a solfite festival description waiting to happen.

But the Solf worshippers probably bemoan the "good old hot days" when the contests took place on flowing, hot lava.

Greetings,
Depending on how perceptive Erani is, she may have noticed the effects of the fragrant flower and/or its nectar on Kalsa. The exchange between Neeri and Kalsa was not in private, so if she saw K's reaction she will want to help him recover from the blossom's langorous inducing power. After all, it was Kalsa's vision that may have saved the "precious ones" from the "red hot iron armored attackers". Then there is the opportunity to have some of this power for herself if she can prevent the sweet scent from affecting her too...Let's get together on Monday and play a little bit.
Jonathan