Tékumel News

estar · February 20, 2012, 02:24:11 PM

From the Tékumel Founction (http://tekumelfoundation.org/)

QuoteThe original manuscript for Empire of the Petal Throne is now available from DriveThru/RPG Now (http://www.rpgnow.com/product_info.php?products_id=99646). Known as the "green cover" or "mimeo" version, it was produced in the Spring of 1974 in a limited and confidential run of fifty copies for the world of Tékumel, the creation of Professor M.A.R. Barker.This is the first time this original manuscript has been published or made available to the general public. The PDF product now available for purchase was prepared from a copy taken directly from Prof. Barker’s archive, and is presented with each facing page containing the text of the original manuscript.

This version is a precursor to the game published shortly later by TSR, Inc. and contains a number of significant differences. However, it is in many ways is substantively similar to the later TSR publication, and is being produced more as a historical document than as a different product. Print-on-demand versions are in development and expected to be available by mid-March. "Tékumel" is a trademark of M.A.R. Barker; for more information about Tékumel, visit http://www.tekumel.com.

It is a pretty cool document showing the original mimeograph scan side by side with a OCR scan. It is not too much different from the TSR version.

The most interesting thing about the original Petal Throne rules was that characters did extra damage if they were higher level than their target(s). The damage points were allowed to be spread kill multiple opponents.

The Good Assyrian · February 20, 2012, 02:45:14 PM

Neat! I am prepping a Tekumel campaign as we speak. Sounds like good inspiration reading to me!

-TGA

Melan · February 20, 2012, 03:16:13 PM

Quote from: estar;515674The most interesting thing about the original Petal Throne rules was that characters did extra damage if they were higher level than their target(s). The damage points were allowed to be spread kill multiple opponents.

That's also in the released EPT version, pp. 33-34, unless the manuscript version does it differently. For example, a 6th level character does 3 dice of damage vs. 1 HD opponents, 2 dice vs. 2-3 HD opponents, and 1 die vs. 4+ HD opponents. Damage also carries over from opponent to opponent. Here is the example description from the book:

QuoteFighting three Kurghá (one die creatures), a 9th level Warrior rolls four dice. If he scores a total of 18 or better, he kills them all, since their maximum total hit dice cannot exceed 18 points. A 4th level fighter does 2 dice damage to these same creatures, and the referee then rolls to determine the hit dice the three Kurghá can take: let us say a 6, a 4, and a 2, totalling 12. If the fighter scored a total of 10 on his two dice, he would kill the two weakest Kurghá and leave the strongest one with only 2 points remaining!

Priests and Magic Users naturally do less damage than do warriors. If the attacker is a Priest, the damage dice level is moved UP one horizontal line: e.g. a 3rd level Priest does the same damage as a 2nd level Warrior. Magic Users are permitted only a dagger; if a hit is made with this, move the damage dice level UP two horizontal lines: e.g. a 7th level Magic User does the same hit dice damage as a 5th level Warrior.

(Also, a 20 is double damage, while a second 19 or 20 is an "instant death kill".)

EPT is really my favourite version of OD&D, chock full of neat ideas.

The Butcher · February 20, 2012, 03:25:35 PM

Oh dear.

I just might have to reconsider my $10 cap on PDF purchases.

The Good Assyrian · February 20, 2012, 03:40:14 PM

I just picked it up from DriveThru...pretty damn cool stuff! I particularly liked the side-by-side presentation of the scanned original and the cleaned up copy. Not exactly a practical purchase as I already have the TSR version in print and PDF already, but the Tekumel completist in me could not be denied!

-TGA

The Butcher · February 20, 2012, 03:45:09 PM

Quote from: The Good Assyrian;515689Not exactly a practical purchase as I already have the TSR version in print and PDF already, but the Tekumel completist in me could not be denied!

For someone who owns neither, which would you recommend?

The Good Assyrian · February 20, 2012, 03:50:56 PM

Quote from: The Butcher;515691For someone who owns neither, which would you recommend?

For the first-time purchaser I would recommend the final published TSR version. It can be found in PDF format for less ($11) and is going to be the same content, slightly more polished and edited. It can be found at:

http://rpg.drivethrustuff.com/product_info.php?products_id=2060&it=1

The manuscript version is really cool, but I wouldn't start with it.

-TGA

RPGPundit · February 21, 2012, 10:41:09 AM

Its very interesting, historically speaking, to see where "too weird to live" got its start.

RPGPundit