This guy just did a review of the version I wrote. (edit: this is the 5e edition, I *much* prefer the native rules)

https://youtu.be/wsJpC3IPMOI

With props to Jack Vance.

Edit2: Here's KS video Nocturnal did.

Thanks to both of you for the video recommendations. I do prefer to get a video summary of a setting, before I dive into the books, so I'll add those to my watchlist.

Quote from: GeekyBugle on September 12, 2022, 10:41:57 AM

Quote from: Angry Goblin on September 12, 2022, 08:48:48 AM

Quote from: soundchaser on September 11, 2022, 10:40:32 PM
Tekumel *is* interesting, if intimidating... I gave up on supporting, running, collecting (etc) it once I discovered the awful antisemitism of its author...

Many people share your stance. The author is dead by now and you won´t be giving him any money in any shape or form and the antisemitism
is not visible in Tekumel, atleast I haven´t seen any signs of it personally. The foundation that runs the show now, have given a formal apology
of sorts and clearly have washed their hands from Barker´s political views. Then again, some complain about Tolkien or Lovecraft having some views
on racial issues, of course, their work can´t be compared to writing and publishing a racewar novel obviously.

Tolkien, who when asked if he was a Jew by an Anti-Semite answered: "No, I don't have the HONOR of belonging to such great people" (I'm paraphrasing), you're mixing him up with Barker and Lovecraft...

I'm even inclined to give Lovecraft a pass, partially because he was a "man of his time", but mostly because the guy was so spectacularly neurotic. If you read up on the his life and mental state, it's not surprising that he feared and hated practically everyone and everything. 

While Doc MARB is dead, the foundation allocates revenue to his estate. Their apology is necessary... but even so I cannot in good conscience aid them with money.

To my mind, Tolkien saying he "did not have the honour" of belonging to the Jewish ethnos, doesn't actually indicate one way or the other his views on that group. It's just an arch, dry, British way of politely refusing to be drawn on the issue.

Quote from: GeekyBugle on September 12, 2022, 10:41:57 AM

Quote from: Angry Goblin on September 12, 2022, 08:48:48 AM

Quote from: soundchaser on September 11, 2022, 10:40:32 PM
Tekumel *is* interesting, if intimidating... I gave up on supporting, running, collecting (etc) it once I discovered the awful antisemitism of its author...

Many people share your stance. The author is dead by now and you won´t be giving him any money in any shape or form and the antisemitism
is not visible in Tekumel, atleast I haven´t seen any signs of it personally. The foundation that runs the show now, have given a formal apology
of sorts and clearly have washed their hands from Barker´s political views. Then again, some complain about Tolkien or Lovecraft having some views
on racial issues, of course, their work can´t be compared to writing and publishing a racewar novel obviously.

Tolkien, who when asked if he was a Jew by an Anti-Semite answered: "No, I don't have the HONOR of belonging to such great people" (I'm paraphrasing), you're mixing him up with Barker and Lovecraft...

I just looked up the quote, which is different to that above: Tolkien definitely placed himself against the anti-Semites.

Quote from: TheShadow on September 12, 2022, 11:25:57 PM
I just looked up the quote, which is different to that above: Tolkien definitely placed himself against the anti-Semites.

I did say I was paraphrasing. But even if it was identical it would mean he was putting himself on the side of the Jews and not the Nazi questioning him.

Quote from: ForgottenF on September 12, 2022, 07:51:18 PM

Quote from: GeekyBugle on September 12, 2022, 10:41:57 AM

Quote from: Angry Goblin on September 12, 2022, 08:48:48 AM

Quote from: soundchaser on September 11, 2022, 10:40:32 PM
Tekumel *is* interesting, if intimidating... I gave up on supporting, running, collecting (etc) it once I discovered the awful antisemitism of its author...

Many people share your stance. The author is dead by now and you won´t be giving him any money in any shape or form and the antisemitism
is not visible in Tekumel, atleast I haven´t seen any signs of it personally. The foundation that runs the show now, have given a formal apology
of sorts and clearly have washed their hands from Barker´s political views. Then again, some complain about Tolkien or Lovecraft having some views
on racial issues, of course, their work can´t be compared to writing and publishing a racewar novel obviously.

Tolkien, who when asked if he was a Jew by an Anti-Semite answered: "No, I don't have the HONOR of belonging to such great people" (I'm paraphrasing), you're mixing him up with Barker and Lovecraft...

I'm even inclined to give Lovecraft a pass, partially because he was a "man of his time", but mostly because the guy was so spectacularly neurotic. If you read up on the his life and mental state, it's not surprising that he feared and hated practically everyone and everything.

You summed up my thoughts better than I could have.

Quote from: soundchaser on September 12, 2022, 09:24:54 PM
While Doc MARB is dead, the foundation allocates revenue to his estate. Their apology is necessary... but even so I cannot in good conscience aid them with money.

I wasn´t aware of this, I stand corrected.

Quote from: ForgottenF on September 12, 2022, 07:51:18 PM

Quote from: GeekyBugle on September 12, 2022, 10:41:57 AM

Quote from: Angry Goblin on September 12, 2022, 08:48:48 AM

Quote from: soundchaser on September 11, 2022, 10:40:32 PM
Tekumel *is* interesting, if intimidating... I gave up on supporting, running, collecting (etc) it once I discovered the awful antisemitism of its author...

Many people share your stance. The author is dead by now and you won´t be giving him any money in any shape or form and the antisemitism
is not visible in Tekumel, atleast I haven´t seen any signs of it personally. The foundation that runs the show now, have given a formal apology
of sorts and clearly have washed their hands from Barker´s political views. Then again, some complain about Tolkien or Lovecraft having some views
on racial issues, of course, their work can´t be compared to writing and publishing a racewar novel obviously.

Tolkien, who when asked if he was a Jew by an Anti-Semite answered: "No, I don't have the HONOR of belonging to such great people" (I'm paraphrasing), you're mixing him up with Barker and Lovecraft...

I'm even inclined to give Lovecraft a pass, partially because he was a "man of his time", but mostly because the guy was so spectacularly neurotic. If you read up on the his life and mental state, it's not surprising that he feared and hated practically everyone and everything.

Agreed. Condemning Lovecraft for his "racism" is condemning the mentally ill for their illnesses.

Does every thread have to devolve into debating how racists/not racist some author from a century ago was?

Does anyone *truly* care? Cultural relativism is not good for gaming.

Dwarves hate Elves. Established. But Gimili did get a hard-on when he met Galadriel. And he's got friends that are Elves. Racist? I dunno/don't care. But the story was good. And Middle Earth is fucking cool.

Quote from: tenbones on September 14, 2022, 10:44:42 AM
Does anyone *truly* care? Cultural relativism is not good for gaming.

I don't except for two cases:

1. When it is used to rewrite history, such as the renaming of the World Fantasy Award.
2. When someone likes to make a big show about acknowledging how $WRITER was so racist and they aren't like that while shilling their own product based on that person's work and its popularity.

Both apply with Lovecraft. Actually can't think of anyone else where it does.

Well ya know...

There is this seeming inability to talk about anything topical without the inevitable descent into talking about how bad-faith actors are shitting on everything. I do get it. It's *real*. But at a certain point, it almost feels like people have developed a taste for the shit being served.

This is how I feel about D&D - so many people on this forum that consume D&D then rail about the direction WotC has been taking it for YEARS now. We threaten lose the thread of what's good about what we do, how we do it, if we're just debating about shit the vast majority of us already know/understand.

There is no one on this forum that believes Lovecraft or Tolkien are pieces of shit, that is going to be convinced otherwise. The rest of us already know. Just like we know who those posters are. And yet we follow this pattern with regularity trying to defend that which requires no defense.

And just like that - Jack Vance and his glorious works are forgotten...

Quote from: tenbones on September 14, 2022, 11:09:44 AM
And just like that - Jack Vance and his glorious works are forgotten...

My book giving habits would beg to differ 

I can only think of one author whose books I have given away more because some just needs to read them already than Vance.

Quote from: PulpHerb on September 14, 2022, 11:13:14 AM

Quote from: tenbones on September 14, 2022, 11:09:44 AM
And just like that - Jack Vance and his glorious works are forgotten...

My book giving habits would beg to differ 

I can only think of one author whose books I have given away because some just needs to read them already than Vance.

LOL I hear ya. I've "lost" my Raymond Feist books at *least* a dozen times. Same with my Howard books. My Leiber and Moocock books maybe half-dozen.