Cultures of the Age of Empires

Copyright Peter Mork © 2016

Te'klu

By now, the Te'klu have claimed all of the lands south of the God Mountains, east of the ocean, west of the desert and north of the Great Swamp. This swath of territory has been tilled, sown with seed, and fertilized with the blood of soldiers.

Each plantation or village is a largely autonomous collective that pays taxes to the closest city, which provides soldiers to police and protect. All of the cities in a Warren are ruled by a Governor, a position elected by the resident nobility and approved by the king.

Originally, there were several small kingdoms, but these have coalesced into three sprawling kingdoms. Collectively, these kingdoms formed a republic whose leader was dictator for life. The first dictator (Tawasuyu) was generally considered a benevolent ruler who helped the Te'klu expand their kingdoms while reduced internal conflicts.

When Tawasuyu passed away, decades of strife ensued. None of the subsequent dictators managed to hold power for more than 2 years. Most lasted only a few months. During this time, the frontier shrank as the armies of turned against each other and the Ezolatl harried the most remote settlements.

Finally, the three kingdoms managed to unite behind Tawasuyu's grand niece. Cayk'qui crushed the remaining resistance and began to retake the lands lost in the preceding decades. The nobles were not always happy with Cayk'qui's policies, but the results were impressive.

On her deathbed, Cayk'qui dissolved the republic, passing control not back to the kings and nobles, but to her daughter. Mojarca has inherited the imperial crown, seeking to expand the Te'klu sway without reverting to civil war. Some of the nobles actively support her efforts, a sizeable faction opposes her, and most of the people (including many nobles) are keeping their heads down for the time being.

Lifestyle

Most Te'klu live on large plantations, although a fair number now live year-round in cities. About a fifth of the population are landowners, many of whom still own slaves (another 40% of the population). The remaining two fifths are tenant farmers, professional soldiers, and craftsmen.

Culturally, there are wide variations from one region to the next, at least superficially. Every group has its own local customs and rituals, but these are all variants on the same basic themes. Each group is fiercely proud of its athletes and warriors.

Clothing

Most Te'klu wear short pants and vests, with a poncho and wide hat to provide protection from the rain or sun, respectively. These items include elaborate decorations from which one can quickly ascertain from where its owner hails.

Everyday attire is made from coarse fabric. Fancier clothing is made from fine wool (from eastern Ambitus) or silk (from central Ambitus). This cultural uniform includes a mace of some sort, although in many cases, this mace is more ceremonial and less functional.

Marriage

Marriages are almost always between two individuals from the same region. For the lower-classes, this likely means from the same plantation or village. For the upper-classes, this usually means the same city or Warren. Potential marriages must be approved by the local leaders, who can often be swayed by money.

Religion

All Te'klu hold the Great Lady (Nin-Kisura) in the highest esteem. She keeps the undead at bay and allows the borders to grow without end. Temples to her can be found everywhere.

Each region also has a local patron. Some regions venerate another god. Most worship a local spirit or mythic figure.

Fears

The Te'klu are confident that they can overcome virtually any challenge. They fear each other's ambitions, but no external force, save for Psychic magic. They uniformly fear and despise all forms of psychic power, under the (misguided) belief that this, clearly, is the path to becoming undead.

Skills

Te'klu have access to the following skills.

Specific Te'klu Cultures

Central Te'klu

Historically, the Central Te'klu competed with the Western kingdom for land. Once the Te'klu became a seafaring people, the Central kingdom turned to the sea for expansion (leaving the marsh to the Ivazazhit).

The Central kingdom is the least geographically compact because their navy has laid claim to most of the Warrens that border the sea. They are expert sailors who have grown contemptuous of those who still live off the land.

Eastern Te'klu

The Eastern Te'klu provide the bulk of the food for the empire. They have expanded well into the land of Dreams (Qod). They have assimilated numerous tribes along the way, converting these people to the wonders of potatoes and peppers.

Island Te'klu

When the empire was on the verge of collapse, and the borderlands were falling to barbarian invasion, many Te'klu fled to the islands. These colonists have only sporadic contact with the empire. As a result, the island Te'klu are most self-sustaining than their continental peers.

Western Te'klu

The Western Te'klu have remained truest to their cultural origins. They are strongly militaristic (their leaders are always drawn from the military). They are the least trusting of outsiders, and the most likely to face an invasion from the west.

Starting Skills

[1] To determine a character’s background options, add up the racial cost (46 for Human, Kish) and the culture cost (7–10). Convert that total into talent points or background options using Talent Law. The Kish/Te'klu combinations fall in the 26-75 point range, resulting in 55 talent points or 6 background options.