One Little Chart That Says So Much...

While looking up the info on the Empire of the Petal Throne reprints, I stumbled across this table for generating the nature of Tekumel underworld complexes by "dungeon level."

I'm definitely going to have to put it in my collection of useful DM tables, and I think I may have to order "The Pettigrew Selections" for the Underworlds article alone!

An Algol Legend of the Inchoate Aeons

After the Great Old Ones had been driven out of the universe the Lords of Light began making order out of the inchoate matter and energy that swirled in the aftermath of that great battle.

Eventually Metazon devised the varied elements of the universe and set the Lords of Light to crafts his great work. First the stars and suns; than the worlds; than oceans and skies; than slimes, molds, algae and protozoa; than plants; than beasts; and finally Man.

When devising Man Metazon had planned out his body and soul, but desired a means to instruct and command Man and thus invented Language. The Lords of Light were tired from building the stars, worlds, oceans, slimes, plants, beasts, and the body and soul of Man, and thus Metazon was merciful and instructed some of the beasts to assemble Language.

He commanded the Monkeybats to craft words, for they were clever and had mouth-parts like that of Man.


He commanded the Flying Lizards to gather the wind to power the words for they were the most masterful of the winds among beasts.

Finally he commanded the Chitinous Fliers to assemble the components and program Language, for they were industrious and precise in their works.

However, one of the Chitinous Fliers, some say a fly; some say a winged myriapod; some say a disguised Mi-Go; and some say a demon named Baelzebub, worked a curse into Language while assembling it. This curse subverted Language and allowed Man to Lie.

Arch-Hierophants of Metazon

The diverse sects dedicated to Metazon scattered across Algol are usually lead by one of these nigh-immortal cyborgs, comprised of a towering, athletic body with two heads and pairs sets of arms, the lower of which is usually far less muscular.

These beings are manufactured by grafting the head and arms of a high-ranking Hierophant of Metazon that is a powerful mind wizard, sage or sorcerer, onto the body of a mighty warrior, usually volunteers from the ranks of the Zealot of Metazon, although exceptions are made for exceptional available specimens. Such warriors that are unwilling or that become troublesome are usually lobotomized and conditioned to serve to the Hierphant-head's will.

Rumors speak that these Arch-Hierophants are further conditioned via the implanting of fragments of the divine essense of Metazon itself into both brains.

The Disciples of Nothingness

Usually lumped in with the followers of the Lords of Change by those that sort and catalogue cults, The Disciples of Nothingness pay homage to Iajuxxa "The Great Unmaker - The Ever Sucking Maw" as the aperture of a feeding filament of an extradimensional entity of infinite hunger that they worship as the penultimate power of, and eventual devourer of, all universes, planes and dimensions; utterly consuming all reality(ies).

As part of their complicated theology, the Disciples of Nothingness also worship disintegration; death; suicide; extreme gravitation; and the absence of and/or negation all all light, with some especially devout cultists blinding themselves. They preach the worthlessness and futility of all existance; the inexorable nature of entropy and dissolution; and the eventual fate of all to be devoured by Iajuxxa. They pay heed to the Gluttonous Prophets, eyeless obese psychics who constantly gorge themselves to maintain an ecstasis in which their pineal gland receives emanations from Iajuxxa in it's distant orbit from the three suns.

Some sects have discovered Ancient disintegration facilities where they attempt to negate as much matter as possible, offering sentients as especial offerings to The Ever-Sucking Maw. Rumors whisper of Disciples of scientific bent who seek out ancient particle accelerators in order to create micro black holes with the aim of destroying the planet while creating another mouth for The Great Unmaker.
Some legends speak of Iajuxxa's Exarch upon Algol, Hunger "The Witch With Mouths For Eyes," and her warlock-sons Starvation and Gluttony.

[NSFW] An Erotically Charged Scene From The Algol Adventures...

Another awesome R. Ruddock masterwork, this one illustrating a scene from The Planet Algol Playtest Campaign, Chapter 14, Part II. (I'm not letting JamesLOTFP be the only one posting boob artwork this week!)

"...As Buzz is sneaking through passages of red stone, cunningly avoiding the guards, he spots Radar and beckons the youth to join him. They come to a door of red metal and after listening at it and hearing nothing but a gentle burbling of water they cautiously open it.

Inside is a luxurious bath-chamber with several pools of different kinds of perfumed and heated water as well as a rack of expensive liquors. The two Earth Men hoot and holler in joy before stripping down and plunging into the baths. Buzz jumps into a tub of hot, swirling water while Radar dives into a pool of scented bubbles.

As the two begin vigourously scrubbing the adventuring filth off of their bodies they hear a husky female voice exclaim "Who is this in my bathing chamber?..."

"They look up and see a tall, stunning female, completely nude and Scarlet everywhere aside for her black pupils, standing in a doorway. Radar blushes and begins trying to sneak to his clothing while Buzz saunters up and says "Do not worry my lady, I am no threat...unless you'd like it that way"

Dripping soapy suds, Radar the Earth Boy grabs his clothing and dashes out the door he entered. As the embarrassed, naive youth dressed himself he hears moans of passion emanating from the bath chamber while he feels a strange stirring in his heart. He realizes that in the brief seconds he saw her that he has fallen in love with the Scarlet Lady..."


Please check out R. Ruddock's artwork blog "Fantasy Obscure" and let him know what you think about his excellent artwork!

The Jagged Gut Slicer Gin House & The Future of Agog City

Located in "The Rough Side" neighborhood of Adomaz, The Jagged Gut Slicer is a low-class gin house frequented by cheap thugs, mercenaries, bravos and the like. The low-ceiling common room is dimly illuminated by garish purple and green indirect lighting, concealing the signs of intoxicant abuse on the sullen, emaciated, nude dancing slaves that cheap entertainment in curtained, stained alcoves. The clientele and staff will mock non-fighter patrons, but will respect any fighting-men or equivalent who seem capable. The Jagged Gut Slicer only serves gin, usually a vile concoction with a metallic aftertaste but high quality stock is provided to respected customers. The staff will direct those seeking stronger fare to the Den of Utmost Repose in the alley behind the premises.

Vexid, a personable and garrulous Zermish Man sellsword currently in the employ of the Baron of Adomaz as a bodyguard for the noble houses' children, frequents the Jagged Gut Slicer when he is on leave. Vexid enjoys discussing rumors with soldiers and adventurers, as well as providing unsolicited, well-meaning advice.

The owner of The Jagged Gut Slicer is Zho-Mug the Face-Eater, a retired champion pit fighter famous for holding his opponents in a bear hug and than eating his foe's face. Zho-Mug is a tall, muscular, leathery Gresh Man in late middle age who dresses in a shiny black synthsilk half-cape and shiny black plasteel plate armor. He wears bright red Woman's' Paint smeared about his lips and his teeth have been filed to points. Despite his appearance, Zho-Mug acts in a jovial, good-natured fashion, but will progressively become more incoherent, inappropriate and somewhat creepy as conversation progresses, possibly a consequence of year of both intoxicants abuse and the use of physique-enhancing chemicals and hormones.

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Also, courtesy of an investigative report by Geordie Racer, Agog City...OF THE FUTURE!

A traditional song of the Nomads and Freemen of the Western Badlands

Kharvil Vrayn is the name, and I rode on the Verdant Plain
Til all the war machines came and ruined all the grain
In the year of Widows' Cries, we were hungry, we were barely alive
I took the road to Yexyd that fell
It was a time I remember, oh so well

The night they burnt Free Yexed down
And the cinders were stingin'
The night they burnt Free Yexed down
And the refugees were singing'
They wept "Za, Za, Za..."

Back with my Woman in High Skree and one day she called to me
"Kharvil, quick, come see, there goes Warlord Arzhee"
Now I don't mind, I'm huntin Vrood
And I don't care if the silvers no good
Just take what you need and leave the rest
But they never should have taken the very best

The night they burnt Free Yexed down
And the cinders were stingin'
The night they burnt Free Yexed down
And the refugees were singing'
They wept "Za, Za, Za..."

Like my father before me, I will roam the land
And like my brother above me, who took a Freeman stand
He was eighteen, proud and brave, but the Autarch put him on a stake
I swear by the blood below my feet
You can't raise a Vrayn back up when he's in defeat

The night they burnt Free Yexed down
And the cinders were stingin'
The night they burnt Free Yexed down
And the refugees were singing'
They wept "Za, Za, Za..."