(Recruiting) Relic Hunters (All female PCs, Castles and Crusades rules, Tekumel Campaign Setting)

[Deuce Traveler]

Shayuri, I'm fine with the character idea as a springboard to explain her clerical or magic-user powers, but you really should read up on the history of Tekumel to make it work. Remember in a prior post of mine that I mentioned that the land you are from is full of stars, but Tekumel's night sky is missing stars? It's because the solar system that Tekumel is in has fallen into a pocket dimension, so only the sun and other planets are visible in the sky.

The everlasting storm I mentioned your party has to traverse to get from their land to Tekumel is actually a somewhat recent magical portal bridging the two planets. So perhaps your star avatar was put onto the world for a secondary reason: find out the state of Tekumel and evidence to what had caused its solar system to disappear from the infinite spheres of rocks stars gaze upon.

To go further, if stars in your vision of this and suns are the same, as they are in our reality, than perhaps in this fictional reality you are also looking to find the fate of a lost 'star sister' who disappeared along with Tekumel and her other orbiting planets.

 

[Shayuri]

Hah, sorry, I crazily missed that minor detail!

That said, I can totally work with it, and it actually adds a lot of interest!

 

[Queenie]

Rock on, man. I'll probably go with bastard sister, then. I will see about posting a character sheet by Tuesday night.

Do we both know she is a sister at this point or only one of us?

 

[CanadienneBacon]

I'd thought we would both know, but I'm easy. You have a preference?

 

[Queenie]

I'd thought we would both know, but I'm easy. You have a preference?

Either way is okay with me but since we all know each other already probably have a slight edge towards knowing?

 

[CanadienneBacon]

Deuce Traveler, or anyone, really, can you say something about the role of women in Tekumel? In Tsolyani? In Bey-Su? I did a little reading on teh Innerwebz about Tekumel, hunting for background flavor, and I need to know whether women are subjugated in Tekumel. Can they vote? Hold property? Inherit?

I'm thinking I want to create a suffragist. Maybe.

 

[Deuce Traveler]

I wouldn't encourage you to play a Tekumel woman. They are treated differently from location to location, but in the Empire of the Petal Throne they have many the same rights as men from what I've gathered so far. There are women in the military and city guard, for instance, and female nobles have held a lot of power in the lore I've sped through. There have been female empresses seated upon the Petal Throne, though normally it is a man who elevates to the position. One does not have the right to vote for anything in the Empire, however I do believe women can hold property and inherit since they seem equal in every aspect I have read thus far.

But I do not want you to play a Tekumel citizen at all for this game. The population is split heavily into a caste and clan systems that encourage loyalty to the empire and to the family, and therefore wouldn't be conducive to an adventurer. Let's break down the typical western fantasy tropes. The thief class is almost entirely unknown since thieves typically lose a limb or their lives if caught. Clerics and mages require education and an ability to read, which means that clerics and mages likely come from higher castes with even more clan and imperial responsibilities limiting their ability to go adventuring. I suppose you can make an argument for playing a fighter, but if so you will be limited to bone weapons and leather armor since Tekumel is scarce in quality metals like steel.

So let's say you want to play a non-Tekumel female adventurer striving for political change. Having a political agenda is a good way to get your character killed. The citizens that you could approach have little power and strongly distrust foreigners. The citizens of the higher castes are not to be approached by you of a lower caste (foreigner) without risking severe or lethal punishment. I picked merchants as your primary contacts with Tsolayni society because their castes are typically in the middle or lower-middle of Tsolayni society. There are five human kingdoms, however, and you might have more luck in one of the other four Tekumel kingdoms if your character gets to one of them safely.

 

[CanadienneBacon]

I was more thinking a non-Tekumel female adventurer appalled by the lack of women's rights in Tekumel, but, you're right, from what I read, we need to shy away from politics and culture.

Ah, the fine line that is being a Strong Woman in a foreign land.

 

[Shayuri]

The alternative is to play a gang of political outlaws constantly on the run as we prosecute our agenda...which might be fun, but is likely an entirely different game.

So now that I can poast a little bettar, let me throw out some ideas for party integration with my crazy character.

1) My character has a goal; to find out who stole this piece of the universe, why, and how to fix it. However worthy this cause is, she is still breaking rules to do it, which means she isn't going to be appealing directly to higher powers for help. This means she needs the help of reg'lar folks like y'all. The fact that you're outsiders to Tekumel actually helps a lot; allowing my character to fit in more easily among you. Her oddities become rolled up into all of yours, and much more ignorable.

2) My thought for my character's manner of arrival is somewhat explosive; a fireball coming down and hitting the ground. Given the magic bridge, I don't know if that applies. Did she have to 'land' somewhere else, then walk across? Or could she have been 'shot' through a wormhole to Tekumel? If the latter, perhaps other members of the party were witness...

3) Regardless of the entrance, my character would almost certainly have gotten into trouble quickly. Unfamiliar not just with local customs, but with many aspects of simply being human, it's very possible/likely that she would have needed some rescuing early on, which could be a way to have met.

 

[CanadienneBacon]

BRIONY KIDD

Human Fighter 3
hp: 33
Alignment: Neutral. She might kiss you. She might hit you. Or she might steal from you, depending.

STR 17 (+2)
DEX 14 (+1)
CON 13 (+1)
INT 13 (+1)
WIS 7 (-1)
CHA 11 (+0)

Primary Attributes: Strength, Dexterity, Constitution

Weapon Specialization: Sword, 2-Handed, +1 to hit and damage

[sblock=Equipment]
Equipment:
Sword, 2-Handed
Longbow
Daggers, 2
Short sword
Breastplate
Armor and weapon oil
Backpack
Blanket
Clothing
Tinderbox
Flint and steel
Whetstone
Lantern, bullseye
Oil, 4 pints
Grappling hook
Rope, 50' silk
Pouch, small
Cloak
Boots, heavy
Torches, 3
Arrows, 40
Rations, 1 week
[/sblock]
[sblock=Background]Briony is the bastard sister of Queenie's PC (born of Queenie's father and a tenant's daughter). Accustomed to having to assert herself for her father's affection, Briony trained at arms in the manor yard with her half-brothers and male cousins from the time she could carry a stick. Wide cheekbones that bespeak common stock frame quick eyes and a generous mouth. Quick to laugh, Briony is not beautiful, but she tells a good story and likes her bitter ale as well as the next bloke. She avoids wine. Nasty stuff, that. Elf drink.

Briony is brash. She's brains enough, and is a quick study, but she lacks common sense. Good thing she has a strong arm and is hale--two attributes that serve to get her out of much trouble thoroughly enjoyed. She explores with Queenie's PC, et. al. because she loves her half-sister, likes to swing her sword, and has a bone to pick with Rolfe, a rival and retainer of Handsome Jack's.[/sblock]