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The Excellent Travelling Volume #13

TETV #13

The Excellent Travelling Volume #13 is now available in PDF format via DriveThruRPG. The print version to follow, I understand.

Issue 13 contains the following articles:

• Naqsái Sorcery
• The Magic-User
• Shiringgáyi: Queen of the Heavens and of Tékumel
• Patrons
• Poisons, Antidotes & Narcotics
• Puppetmaster Clans
• The Epic of Hrúgga
• Hanging on the Ropes
• 
  

Hari Ragat Games has moved blogs...

Dariel has moved his blog to:

https://swashbucklingplanets.wordpress.com/

What happened to 2020?

Sadly, my Tekumel gaming hit a speed bump when I discovered that 54mm "scale" does not necessarily mean 54 actual millimeters, and that "54mm scale" manufacturers are just as wildly variable as the rest of the industry. That effectively derailed my efforts mid-summer, and I have yet to get things moving again.

Instead, I re-focused on larger 60mm figures, in a non-Tekumel, Hyboria-campaign-inspired effort, which can be found over on my Lohwand blog. HERE. 

I am considering 60mm Tekumel, but only in a vague sort of way...

More 54mm Heroes!

54mm Irregular Miniatures

Moving forward slowly with my 54mm Tekumel dungeon party, I put a second order into Irregular Miniatures. Seen above, this is an eclectic assortment of periods chosen for their suitability of conversion to Tekumel-appropriate adventurers.

Starting with the top photo, in the center of the pic is my Noble character figure, the leader of the expedition. Actually a Samurai leader, I'm going to add some plumes to his helmet to give him that "Tekumel Vibe". To his left is my main magic support (a Chinese noble or general, IIRC) in the form of a lay wizard, temple as yet unknown. In the right of the picture are my missile support: a generic archer in back and two Ashigaru in front, one with bow and one with musket, which is going to be converted into a crossbow. To the right of the noble is his right-hand man, and bodyguard in the form of a Carolingian Guardsman. Currently he is the most heavily armoured of my figures. Nest to him is a generic slinger - more missile support (and general labour.) The last figure on the left is another gladiator; the bulk of the fighters in the party will only be medium or lightly armoured.

The lower photo shows more supporting cast: back left is a native bearer who will continue that role with a little different hairstyle when I've finished. I'll probably want a few more to act as bearers. In front of him is my second magic user, a priestess, probably of Avanthe, to provide healing support to the party. The rest of the front row consists of a Zulu man and boy, a Zulu woman with pot, and on the end two Zulu maidens about to get married. Not in my game: here they are probably going to end up as Aridani warriors as will the woman with the pot. The man is likely going to be the majordomo overseeing the servants, the boy being one of those. The rest of the back row is made up of two male and two female generic nudes, one of each pose Irregular sells. Not sure what I will end up doing with these, but my thinking is more light to medium combat support.

So, including the four figures from my last post, the party consists of:

A nobleman, the party leader;
His well armed and armoured bodyguard;
A lay priest to provide magic support, temple undetermined;
A priestess of Avanthe as back-up magic and healing support;
Six male warriors with light or medium armour and shields;
Four missile armed warriors: two bows, a crossbowman and an slinger;
Six aridani warriors, unarmoured but with shields;
An majordromo to oversee the servants;
Two servants for him to oversee, including the boy.

That's twenty three in total.

Obviously I have to build up the numbers of servants! There probably should be one bearer for each other party member, plus a few extras. And I need to consider torch and lantern bearers.

With twenty three members the party dwarfs the typical D&D party, but then I think Tekumel parties do tend to be larger; they are more like RW archaeological digs that a small band of murder hobos. At least, I think they are!

Heroes for A Band of Joyous Heroes

L-to-R: Warrior Priest of Hru'u* , adventurer with axe, 

adventurer with sword and shield, 

aridani adventurer with spear and shield.

*don't worry I haven't put on 

the purple yet, but I'll get there...

WIP pics of 54mm Irregular Miniatures I am converting and painting for use with A Band of Joyous Heroes.

Behind is a Ru'un, Servitor of the Ancients, supplied by Hydra Miniatures (a Warbot). In front are a Safari Good Luck Dragon mini as a Kuruku beast, a Tekumel Project Serqu spearman for scale, and a Reaper Bloodwolf, as a Hiya-hiyu. Also, in the last pic a Space Scorpion also from Irregular Miniatures.

I am painting eyes on the back of the Hru'u priest's helmet but my first attempt got a little messed up. Actually, I forgot one as well; I think there should be a third eye up and between the first two. That would be proper Tekumel. The idea with the eyes is the same as in India where they wear masks facing behind to ward off Tigers. Tigers always try to sneak up behind you when they attack, or so the thinking goes, so if they think you're watching them they are less likely to attack. 

The 54mm figures are from the Gladiator range, with a Roman Auxiliary as well. The original figure pics from the website are attached as well.

The sword, axe and spear blades are from various Reaper Bones chaos warriors with over-sized weapons that I sliced off with the Xacto and drilled out and/or glued in place with super glue. Those are all from figures I wouldn't actually use because they are too outlandish and in heavy plate armour so using them for bits works out perfectly.

A Tropicana Dais

Tropicana orange juice lids, 

shown with 28mm Figures

Where we are Tropicana recently switched from cartons to bottles for their orange juice. It wasn't long before I noticed the cap - see above pics - and realized one would make a pretty nifty dais. Or perhaps a fancy column as shown in the second pic.

All that is needed is to craft up some sort of surface to cover the logo on the top and voilà, a dais!