Quote from: Gronan of Simmerya;967006It's amazing how being stranded in the middle of the desert surrounded by hostile tribesmen unifies a legion.

Indeed; it did wonders for morale, too.

Quote from: Neshm hiKumala;967034I like that.

Here's an idea: the Tinalyas are tinkering with a machine they don't understand at all (after all, it's a human machine from Humanspace times). They finally manage to make it work, thinking it's probably an experimental teleporter of sorts. But for some reason, when they step on its giant "teleporting" platform, nothing seems to happen. A lot of energy goes through the machine, lots of lights blink, etc ... but then, nothing. Whoever is on the platform just stays there, looking a bit silly.

Turns out the machine is an experimental replicator: it replicates whatever is put on its central platform ... which doesn't feel like anything to whoever is on the platform. It's just that their perfect double appears somewhere else (in the underground base itself, or in some other far away base).

What if the player-characters stepped on that replicating platform? Either they would quickly realize they've been replicated, or they would meet their doubles after a while, out of the blue. The doubles would not know they are doubles of course: for them, the transport/travel machine worked perfectly and transported them to another area of Tekumel, or Tsolyanu, or wherever they initially appeared.

So who are the doubles then? The ones who stayed on the platform, or the ones who appeared somewhere else?

Fun times to be had.

Quite possible; Phil did have object and food replicators in his ancient bases and the little intra-system ships. They converted energy to matter, and the installation was always happy to do the reverse, when the collection robots / machines / Ru'un bought their loads into the unloading dock.

I can see the Tinaliya loving this effect, too.

Quote from: Shemek hiTankolel;967064I know. Amazing for a boring and pointless thread, as some would suggest.

The problem with this thread, as I think might be the issue, is that it's not a one-topic thread; it's a bunch of people sitting around a table asking somebody questions on anything that they happen to think about. As a result, it will be all over the map, with no clear beginning and ending, and with a lot of digressions along the way. If that's an issue for folks, then ask more directed questions and guide the conversation; I simply respond to external stimuli, like any good lab animal, and twitch when you push the button and apply the shock. Ring the bell by showing me cool miniatures, and I'll be happy to drool all over you. I probably don't help by making the occasional observation about my gaming and such, which I try to corral in my blog so I don't bore the tears out of everyone.

Quote from: bconsidine;967133Mind if I use that? I'll have to be on my spontaneous ad libbing best when the replicants and originals both show up at the clanhouse.

Blaise

I want to be the street vendor hawking refreshments outside the front gate when this happens. It'll be a license to mint kaitars, it will.

Quote from: chirine ba kal;967235Quite possible; Phil did have object and food replicators in his ancient bases and the little intra-system ships. They converted energy to matter, and the installation was always happy to do the reverse, when the collection robots / machines / Ru'un bought their loads into the unloading dock.

I can see the Tinaliya loving this effect, too.

I had a feeling I was sort of pushing it with that idea, as in, "Is this Tekumel or am I going too far?" So I'm glad you mention that the good Prof. had played with a similar concept himself. But it's the sort of stuff you see in classic pulp science-fiction, so no surprises there. It's fringe, but it can exist.

And yes, the Gnomes would love it once they found out about it. Not to mention the Omnipotent Azure Legion, foreign powers, other temples, etc.

Somewhat related: I put together a one-shot a little while back, strongly inspired by an on-line report I read about one of Patrick "Tekumel: Empire of the Petal Throne" Brady's "shedra one-shots". I'm gonna clean my write-up a little and upload it. I think some of you will find it fun. The two groups of players I ran it with/for sure did.

Quote from: chirine ba kal;967238I want to be the street vendor hawking refreshments outside the front gate when this happens. It'll be a license to mint kaitars, it will.

I'll make sure "Uncle" Beshmu, the majordomo, has a place in the shade for you...

Blaise

Quote from: Neshm hiKumala;967327I had a feeling I was sort of pushing it with that idea, as in, "Is this Tekumel or am I going too far?" So I'm glad you mention that the good Prof. had played with a similar concept himself. But it's the sort of stuff you see in classic pulp science-fiction, so no surprises there. It's fringe, but it can exist.

And yes, the Gnomes would love it once they found out about it. Not to mention the Omnipotent Azure Legion, foreign powers, other temples, etc.

Somewhat related: I put together a one-shot a little while back, strongly inspired by an on-line report I read about one of Patrick "Tekumel: Empire of the Petal Throne" Brady's "shedra one-shots". I'm gonna clean my write-up a little and upload it. I think some of you will find it fun. The two groups of players I ran it with/for sure did.

Very nice. I'm looking forward to seeing that.

Quote from: chirine ba kal;967236The problem with this thread, as I think might be the issue, is that it's not a one-topic thread; it's a bunch of people sitting around a table asking somebody questions on anything that they happen to think about. As a result, it will be all over the map, with no clear beginning and ending, and with a lot of digressions along the way. If that's an issue for folks, then ask more directed questions and guide the conversation; I simply respond to external stimuli, like any good lab animal, and twitch when you push the button and apply the shock. Ring the bell by showing me cool miniatures, and I'll be happy to drool all over you. I probably don't help by making the occasional observation about my gaming and such, which I try to corral in my blog so I don't bore the tears out of everyone.

Well for what it's worth I like the format. Why start a new thread every time you have a question, or observation, that might deviate a bit from the main focus of the primary thread?

Quote from: chirine ba kal;967236The problem with this thread, as I think might be the issue, is that it's not a one-topic thread; it's a bunch of people sitting around a table asking somebody questions on anything that they happen to think about. As a result, it will be all over the map, with no clear beginning and ending, and with a lot of digressions along the way. If that's an issue for folks, then ask more directed questions and guide the conversation; I simply respond to external stimuli, like any good lab animal, and twitch when you push the button and apply the shock. Ring the bell by showing me cool miniatures, and I'll be happy to drool all over you. I probably don't help by making the occasional observation about my gaming and such, which I try to corral in my blog so I don't bore the tears out of everyone.

It's exactly the "kitchen table" attitude of this thread that got me to drop out of lurk mode and pull up a chair.

Blaise

Quote from: chirine ba kal;967238I want to be the street vendor hawking refreshments outside the front gate when this happens. It'll be a license to mint kaitars, it will.

* sets up a folding chair and umbrella *

Chirine (et al.)

 I know that cats, dogs, ducks, etc made it to Tekumel, but did crocodiles, sharks, lions, tigers, or any of the other large Terran predators which exist today find their way there?

Does Tekumel have anything like a crocodile?

Chirine,

I was recently looking at the drawings of the tubeway cars, on the yahoo site, and was wondering about the large "pill shaped" ones, the troop carriers. How do they traverse the tubeways? The small private ones (like the one in Flamesong) seem to access the system via openings in the floor, in straight vertical drops, making the actual tube inaccessible to adventurers. But would the larger ones use some type of "horizontal" shaft opening located on a "wall" that could be accessed on foot, and presumably traversed/explored?

Quote from: Shemek hiTankolel;967436Chirine (et al.)

 I know that cats, dogs, ducks, etc made it to Tekumel, but did crocodiles, sharks, lions, tigers, or any of the other large Terran predators which exist today find their way there?

Does Tekumel have anything like a crocodile?

I was wondering about whales and other sea animals too...? Though in the the long run in my Tekumel they are there!!!

H;0)

Quote from: Shemek hiTankolel;967437Chirine,

I was recently looking at the drawings of the tubeway cars, on the yahoo site, and was wondering about the large "pill shaped" ones, the troop carriers. How do they traverse the tubeways? The small private ones (like the one in Flamesong) seem to access the system via openings in the floor, in straight vertical drops, making the actual tube inaccessible to adventurers. But would the larger ones use some type of "horizontal" shaft opening located on a "wall" that could be accessed on foot, and presumably traversed/explored?

Lord Shemek,

This is from Uncle from part I of the thread from the notes I took:

There are the larger 'troop carrier' cars, which are the same diameter as the personal cars, but longer - like long 'pills' or medicine capsules. These can go anywhere in the system, but will only stop at the stations with the long platforms - they will not go to the usual stations, as they won't fit. They go to the main stations at the old installations of the Ancients, where they pull up at dual level platforms; the upper is for passengers, the lower for cargo, and there are often automated cargo-handling machines present.

I'm sure Uncle will have more to say as well!!!

Enjoy my Friend,

H:0)

Quote from: Hrugga;967447Lord Shemek,

This is from Uncle from part I of the thread from the notes I took:

There are the larger 'troop carrier' cars, which are the same diameter as the personal cars, but longer - like long 'pills' or medicine capsules. These can go anywhere in the system, but will only stop at the stations with the long platforms - they will not go to the usual stations, as they won't fit. They go to the main stations at the old installations of the Ancients, where they pull up at dual level platforms; the upper is for passengers, the lower for cargo, and there are often automated cargo-handling machines present.

I'm sure Uncle will have more to say as well!!!

Enjoy my Friend,

H:0)

Mighty Hrugga of the Epics,

I thought I had read this somewhere, but could not remember for the life of me where! Thank you for the clarification. I still wonder if someone can get into the tubeways via these long platform stations.

Shemek