Quote from: TAFMSV;844527Oh, no way!!  Wow!

That potentially speaks volumes.  Is there any substantial bridge between that and the deep history of the planet, or is it strictly alternate reality?

I suppose it's unlikely, considering the ethnicity of "Civilization" compared to Barker's description of Earth.  Maybe it's all ancient history...

Yes, WOW! I don't know if Phil had any really substantial connection planned; he played his cards very close to his chest about things like this; I found nothing in his files on this subject, except the 'Blue Room' posts on the subject, so all I have are my game session notes and the audio tapes we made of game sessions in the late 1980s.

Please keep in mind that the 'shared universe' concept in F/SF fiction back in the time when Tekumel was first chronicled was a very common one. Howard's heroes battle Lovecraft's Ancient Evils, for example, and Phil - Phillip Barker, fan in good standing with his club, "The Nameless Ones", was a very active part of this vibrant scene.

Phil was at pains to remind all of us that there are 772 other worlds trapped in pocket universes. We visited a few of them: places like Grey Hawk, Black Moor, and Barsoom. These other worlds, in turn, visited us; some stayed, like the two hobbits milking their expense accounts in Bey Sy, or a man-at-arms named Robert of Barthesville. Others just visit from time to time, causing trouble, getting into adventures, and generally doing what we did in their shared worlds.

Welcome to the Tekumel Gronan and I lived in for well over a decade. It's a very different place then people expect, I think...

Quote from: AsenRG;844536I suspect that's simply some reference that's not familiar to me.

May I suggest the source of the original quote:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Backstage_Lensman

Phil was a friend of one Dr. Edward E. Smith, better known in past years as E. E. 'Doc' Smith, author of the 'space opera' "Lensman" series:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lensman_series

Phil knew a lot of very interesting people from the early days of F/SF fandom; Jack Vance, for one. To say that they had an influence on his creation would be an understatement.

Tekumel is very much a product of a time and place that we can now only glimpse through the moldering pages of fanzines, and curled-up photos of these people having fun at what they called 'conventions'. We followed in their footsteps, and marveled at their creations.

I still do.

Quote from: TAFMSV;844551Yeah.  I'm not about to start thinking of Tekumel as a Lensman spin-off, or anything like that, but if there was a shared "Doc" Smith fantasy tech vibe informing the group's ideas about the ancients or extraplanar business, it helps my understanding.

You have it, exactly. Not a spin-off, but indeed a shared vibe.

Quote from: Gronan of Simmerya;844556* sob *
  Gosh, if only people had computing machines available, and somebody connected them into some sort of vast world wide computer web... you could goggle at things on this web to find out about them...

He gets a pass, Glorious General; he's in Europe, and I don't think Phil ever read any of the "Perry Rodan" series.

And just for you:



I have a house full of this kind of thing, folks, I've been around for a while, and I've led a very active and interesting life. Kind of like a player-character I know, actually...

Doesn't anyone want to talk about my kids? I love to talk about my kids. I am very proud of my kids, and I'll be happy to talk about them for pages and pages and pages...

Seriously; I am having a lot of fun with this thread, and I hope I'm able to convey some sense of the sheer fun and terror we had with Phil...

Quote from: chirine ba kal;844577He gets a pass, Glorious General; he's in Europe, and I don't think Phil ever read any of the "Perry Rodan" series.

Perhaps, but I think Google still functions in Europe.  If you google that phrase I quoted the first entry is the wiki page for Backstage Lensman.

Quote from: chirine ba kal;844577And just for you:



I have a house full of this kind of thing, folks, I've been around for a while, and I've led a very active and interesting life. Kind of like a player-character I know, actually...

Clear Ether, Lensman!:D

Quote from: Gronan of Simmerya;844587Perhaps, but I think Google still functions in Europe.  If you google that phrase I quoted the first entry is the wiki page for Backstage Lensman.

Clear Ether, Lensman!:D

Yep, sent him the link.

Hey, do you know where Origo left the pantosynclastic infandibulator? I had thought he's left it next to the crogulator, but maybe he loaned it to that Priestess of Ksarul you hang out with...

Quote from: chirine ba kal;844570You have it, exactly. Not a spin-off, but indeed a shared vibe.

Dear Karakan, yes.  Once upon a time referring to another author's work was considered a complement, not "theft of intellectual property."

Like Poul Anderson's "Old Phoenix Inn" or the scene at the end of Number of the Beast.

Lord, I miss that world.

"When did sitting around a table drinking beer with friends and pretending to be an elf get to be such SERIOUS BUSINESS?" -- Me, interviewed for "Dungeons & Dragons: A Documentary" Jan. 2012, NYC

Quote from: chirine ba kal;844588Hey, do you know where Origo left the pantosynclastic infandibulator? I had thought he's left it next to the crogulator, but maybe he loaned it to that Priestess of Ksarul you hang out with...

* ZOT! *
* POOF! *
"AIEEEE!"


... found him....

Quote from: Gronan of Simmerya;844589Dear Karakan, yes.  Once upon a time referring to another author's work was considered a complement, not "theft of intellectual property."

Like Poul Anderson's "Old Phoenix Inn" or the scene at the end of Number of the Beast.

Lord, I miss that world.

"When did sitting around a table drinking beer with friends and pretending to be an elf get to be such SERIOUS BUSINESS?" -- Me, interviewed for "Dungeons & Dragons: A Documentary" Jan. 2012, NYC

Sweet Mother of God, ain't it the truth. I can't even begin to count the number of times we sat in the bar at a convention watching The Big Name Authors swapping ideas, exchanging characters and worlds at the drop of a martini olive. Game conventions, too, not just F/SF conventions.

Had much the same experience when i got interviewed for a different documentary. The look on the interviewer's face when I described those days was simply priceless - he'd had no idea whatsoever what life was like for you and I.

Must go for the night - this old dinosaur has a swamp to wallow in...

Quote from: Gronan of Simmerya;844591* ZOT! *
* POOF! *
"AIEEEE!"


... found him....

Actual dialog.

"Cripes, not again."

Folks, I used to carry around a little whisk broom and a little dustpan in my 'adventurer's kit' for just this sort of situation. You'd sweep up the ashes of the dear departed player-character, pour the ashes into the Helmet of the Three Pointed Star, push the button, and hope for the best.

Phil, not missing any chance for possible humor, would have the deceased player roll for being reconstituted and revivified. The chances were all based on the dexterity of the player (usually me) sweeping the ashes up, and trying not to get 'other substances' mixed in with the ashes...

[Edit: We got a bazillion of these stories, folks. Keep those questions coming, and we'll tell them to you.. ]

Quote from: Bren;844544Unless I miss my guess, he's referring to the Dauntless a space dreadnaught from the E.E. "Doc" Smith Lensman space opera series from around the 1930s while satirizing Smith's sometimes overblown descriptions of the various ray projectors used for space battles.

Sometimes if you are old enough and still have at least some of your marbles, you don't even need the Internet to answer trivia questions.

Quote from: Planet Algol;844546That's what I thought that jewelry reference was to!

Looks like I'm gonna read the lensmen series to get to the bottom of the silver suits.

Quote from: TAFMSV;844551Yeah.  I'm not about to start thinking of Tekumel as a Lensman spin-off, or anything like that, but if there was a shared "Doc" Smith fantasy tech vibe informing the group's ideas about the ancients or extraplanar business, it helps my understanding.

Quote from: chirine ba kal;844569May I suggest the source of the original quote:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Backstage_Lensman

Phil was a friend of one Dr. Edward E. Smith, better known in past years as E. E. 'Doc' Smith, author of the 'space opera' "Lensman" series:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lensman_series

Phil knew a lot of very interesting people from the early days of F/SF fandom; Jack Vance, for one. To say that they had an influence on his creation would be an understatement.

Tekumel is very much a product of a time and place that we can now only glimpse through the moldering pages of fanzines, and curled-up photos of these people having fun at what they called 'conventions'. We followed in their footsteps, and marveled at their creations.

I still do.

Thank you to everybody that answered. I googled "Dentless", but got lots of ads for dentists, and decided it's one of the references that got hopelessly tangled due to a new term appearing...

Quote from: Gronan of Simmerya;844556* sob *

  Gosh, if only people had computing machines available, and somebody connected them into some sort of vast world wide computer web... you could goggle at things on this web to find out about them...

You could. And you could find your search of Google terms isn't getting you anything related to SF, games, or anything of the sort.
You're probably a better sort than me* for deciding to not ask for clarification in an "Ask Me Anything" thread. Be happy.

*What's the goddamn sarcasm font on this board?

Quote from: chirine ba kal;844564"Ah! You are an educated person!" - Klingon officer, "How Much for Just The Planet", by John M. Ford



Three of us 'got it', that night; Ken Fletcher, Kathy Marshall, and Yours Truly; you and Jean had not been able to be there, that session, and I think Phil mourned not being able to see the look on your face.

He loved his 'in-jokes', and lovingly prepared them over literally years to spring on people. This was, in my biased opinion, one of the very best ever!

Years? That's meticulous planning if I've ever seen it...

Quote from: chirine ba kal;844568Yes, WOW! I don't know if Phil had any really substantial connection planned; he played his cards very close to his chest about things like this; I found nothing in his files on this subject, except the 'Blue Room' posts on the subject, so all I have are my game session notes and the audio tapes we made of game sessions in the late 1980s.

Please keep in mind that the 'shared universe' concept in F/SF fiction back in the time when Tekumel was first chronicled was a very common one. Howard's heroes battle Lovecraft's Ancient Evils, for example, and Phil - Phillip Barker, fan in good standing with his club, "The Nameless Ones", was a very active part of this vibrant scene.

Phil was at pains to remind all of us that there are 772 other worlds trapped in pocket universes. We visited a few of them: places like Grey Hawk, Black Moor, and Barsoom. These other worlds, in turn, visited us; some stayed, like the two hobbits milking their expense accounts in Bey Sy, or a man-at-arms named Robert of Barthesville. Others just visit from time to time, causing trouble, getting into adventures, and generally doing what we did in their shared worlds.

Welcome to the Tekumel Gronan and I lived in for well over a decade. It's a very different place then people expect, I think...

Well, I was at a SF/Fantasy convention in 2004 (Eurocon, if the name means anything to anyone else). Much the same thing was going on, though they mostly exchanged ideas...
So the idea is still alive, except it's working around a much more stringent IP law.

Quote from: chirine ba kal;844585Doesn't anyone want to talk about my kids? I love to talk about my kids. I am very proud of my kids, and I'll be happy to talk about them for pages and pages and pages...

Seriously; I am having a lot of fun with this thread, and I hope I'm able to convey some sense of the sheer fun and terror we had with Phil...

Well, I'm sensing some interesting stories here...
Tell me about the twins:D!
Also, how many natural children does Chirine have?

Follow-up question, you listed a big family with two co-wives and several "aunties". Did you have any co-husbands?

Quote from: chirine ba kal;844592Sweet Mother of God, ain't it the truth. I can't even begin to count the number of times we sat in the bar at a convention watching The Big Name Authors swapping ideas, exchanging characters and worlds at the drop of a martini olive. Game conventions, too, not just F/SF conventions.

Had much the same experience when i got interviewed for a different documentary. The look on the interviewer's face when I described those days was simply priceless - he'd had no idea whatsoever what life was like for you and I.

Must go for the night - this old dinosaur has a swamp to wallow in...

It's still the same, or at least it looked like it last I checked.
I haven't been to a convention in years, though, not counting the mini-conventions for RPGs we've been organising.

Quote from: AsenRG;844603You could. And you could find your search of Google terms isn't getting you anything related to SF, games, or anything of the sort.
You're probably a better sort than me* for deciding to not ask for clarification in an "Ask Me Anything" thread. Be happy.

If you take the phrase I quoted,

"beams, rods, cones, stilettos, icepicks, corkscrews, knives, forks, and spoons of energy raved against the screens of the Dentless."

and enter it in its entirety into Google, the first link you get is the Wikipedia page for "Backstage Lensman" by Randall Garret.

Quote from: Gronan of Simmerya;844607If you take the phrase I quoted,

"beams, rods, cones, stilettos, icepicks, corkscrews, knives, forks, and spoons of energy raved against the screens of the Dentless."

and enter it in its entirety into Google, the first link you get is the Wikipedia page for "Backstage Lensman" by Randall Garret.

If only I did:D!

But I didn't, and instead, my question was answered, by different people who didn't see a problem with it.
Why do you still have a problem with it, Gronan, or is it a problem with me?

Quote from: AsenRG;844603Years? That's meticulous planning if I've ever seen it...

Well, I'm sensing some interesting stories here...
Tell me about the twins:D!
Also, how many natural children does Chirine have?

Follow-up question, you listed a big family with two co-wives and several "aunties". Did you have any co-husbands?

Oh, yes - Phil thought in very long terms.

The twins are mine and Si N'te's little bundles of joy. Phil rolled them up, and commented he'd created two little monsters - one boy, one girl. They both inherited my abilities as a magic-user, and the wife's abilities as a telepath. She's from the Nyemesel Islands, where they have the 'good' telepaths; their very nasty cousins live in Lost Bayarsha, which is a place I do not advise visiting. The 'natural' telepaths were bred for their ability by the ancient Lords of Humanspace, like the way that they bred their Space Marines - the Nylss - and the deckhands for their starships - the Nom. The telepaths' genetic marker - and this was before DNA had been discovered, remember - is a lack of any body hair.

So, the twins were born while we were fighting the Sirsum Campaign, at the Monastery of the Many Falling Leaves about a week's march east of Hekellu. (Try running a military campaign with a heavily pregnant wife, sometime; it was a little too exciting.) They have grown up into two holy terrors, as they are perfectly normal toddlers who can vaporize you if them wanted to. Since they are telepaths, they have picked up all of mommy and daddy's spells, and while they can't blast big things, they can be hard on their toys. I am happy to say that they have also inherited their mother's good looks and even better nature, so we don't have many problems with them.

Their Ladyships refer to them as "our scrumptious little darlings", and dote on them; they are naturally cute and adorable, and their good natures simply ad to their winsome ways. They find their father (me) a never-ending source of amusement, and tend to break out into laughter when I come into the room and say something...

(One cautionary note: The twins got some 'dolls' as gifts when they were infants, and these are still their constant night-time companions. These were a gift from the Clan of the Striding Incantation, the very ancient and very high-status magical puppeteers' clan; we never, ever mess with or play with them ourselves, and only the twins handle them. We adults call the four 'dolls' The Warrior, The Priestess, The Sorceror, and The Soldier; what the twins call them, they're not sharing with us.)

That's two natural children; the third is Elara, who is a perfectly normal girl in her late teens. Luckily, she looks more like her mother then she does me - I do look like her mother, though, so there's a very strong family resemblance. She's not a magic-user, or a warrior; just a normal girl, who happens to have a large extended family.

There are the adopted kids, all of whom just sort of happened. They are relatives of various friends, allies, and people we know who wound up with us - usually, they have a bit of a history behind them, like any good NPCs, butt hey are good kids. About half of them are on the legion rolls, as they are pretty good officers - over and above the family connection, otherwise we would not have them in command of troops. The other half, more or less, are on the payroll as palace staff, keeping the place running. Two have achieved relatively high office, and I am very proud of them. I'm proud of all of them, really; all they needed was a little parenting, I think.

I can tell you all about them...

I do not have any co-husbands. (There are days when I could use the reinforcements, but we manage to work things out.) Their Ladyships - more formally, the Senior Wife, the Junior Wife, the First Concubine, the Second Concubine, and the Senior Courtesan - haven't found anyone that they like well enough to invite into the family, so I soldier on by myself as The Husband. The Senior Wife, in her capacity as Lady Of The House, writes up everyone's marriage contracts after lots and lots of negotiations. All of Their Ladyships (in order of seniority: the telepath, the scholar, the assassin, the sorceress, and the buccaneer - I have a very eclectic family!) get the kind of relationships that they want; it helps that they all knew each other for years before they were formally married to Yours Truly, and they're a pretty tightly-knit group.

I think I don't have any co-husbands because Their Ladyships have been described as 'formidable', and while they are not actively recruiting (I think) it may very well be that their individual and collective reputations may be scaring potential suitors off.

Me, I'm happy; they let me run the military, letting me do what I do best.

How's this for a short introduction?