I think the 3 are Hammanu, Nibanay, and the weird queen of Gulg.
Hamanu is a militaristic ruler, and resembles the ancient king Hammurabi in many ways.
Nibenay is reclusive, and obsessed with furthering his Dragon transformation without going through the rage period.
Lalali-Puy is what those nauseating, new-age, waldenbooks witches like Wiccans aspire to be. She pretends to be a benevolent goddess, but is really just cultivating resources.
Oronis is the only Avangionb, and he is the only SK who truly cares for his people. A benevolent and just SK, he basically lets his people rule themselves and serves as an advisor.
Daskinor is insane and paranoid. And reclusive. And paranoid. Did I forget to mention he's PARANOID? and RECLUSIVE?
Dregoth wants vengeance on the other SKs for killing him, and he wants to complete his Dragon transformation, even though he's undead. He also wants to become a true Power(a god).
Most DS Dm I know ignore the Prism pentad and play with all the sorcerer king alive. I think its mroe interesting like that.
You have Kalak, Androponis, Tectutitlay and the Great Dragon.
Nibenay's interesting, but all of his templars are women. Exclusively women. So if your character's a female, have at it.
Lalalai Puy is interesting, and her templars are more like tribal shamans than traditional, oppressive templar-types. Basically, they truly believe they are worshipping a forest goddess (although the highest levels might suspect otherwise).
If your DM is playing "pre-Prism Pentad," as Pringles says, then there are more options. Kalak of Tyr, Abalach-Re of Raam, Tectuctitalay of Draj, and Androponis of Balic. Following styles for each city-state.
Tyr: (pre-Prism pentad) These are the vanilla templars of Athas. Basically, Kalak is the ruler of one of the few iron mines left, so commands a lot of respect and power among his peers (the other SKs).
(post-Prism pentad) Might be more interesting. The Templars have no magical, channeled powers, but do wield considerable political power (they're the only ones that have been running things for 2,000 years).
Raam: Straight paranoia and back-stabbing. It's a lot like the Republican party.
Draj: Think "Aztec Chieftans" and you're close. Basically, sacrifices are a way of life.
Balic: Very Roman.
Hope that helps! Oh, cities to the North. Since these are big exceptions to most DM worlds (saved for later dates), I'll keep this brief. You wouldn't be a templar of Daskinor unless you liked being dead. If you were a templar of Oronis, you likely wouldn't stray far from your home. That leaves us with the choices above. Or you could be a really cool player and give your DM a "hook" - say you're from a "Mystery SK to be determined later."
Nibenay's interesting, but all of his templars are women. Exclusively women. So if your character's a female, have at it.
It would be an interesting character concept to be "the first" male templar of Nibenay. That would add a bit of uniqueness to the PC if further developed.
It would be an interesting character concept to be "the first" male templar of Nibenay. That would add a bit of uniqueness to the PC if further developed.
True, although I personally can't see Nibenay going for it.
True, although I personally can't see Nibenay going for it.
Yeah, especially with the initiation ceremony.
I could see Nib's appointing some sort of male "chosen one" to lead his armies.
Balic is Greek btw
Balic is more Roman in culture than GReek. Tyr is more Greek in culture than Roman. However, both share some of each cultures (and the two cultures are kinda similar to begin with) - which personally, I think is due to heavy trading agreements between Tyr and Balic.
After the Prism Pentad (the only time period I run my campaigns through, as I think it's far more diverse and interesting with everything in a relative state of chaos), do bear in mind - Hamanu, Lalai-Puy and Nibenay are the only Sorcerer-Kings that are widely known to exist. Oronis is unheard of, Daskinor might be little more than a legend, and Dregoth would just be frightening (even though, pre Dregoth Ascending, he's known as Dregoth the Savior in Raam, as he has been sending his templars to do acts of healing in that city currently ravaged by a plague).
I could see Nib's appointing some sort of male "chosen one" to lead his armies.
Its written somewhere that the Shadow King has many sons and daughters, elevated to the level of Princes and Princesses.
One of those is Prince Dhojakt, a Royal Defiler (looks like it from the novel's descriptions), who seems to do the job of a templar even though he's male.
I assume he's rather doing the work of a Royal Defiler given leeway to keep templars in their place while Nibenay gives up more and more of the day to day affairs of his city.
For the Dhojakt write-up I made, here is the descriptive text:
The son of the Shadow King, Dhojakt is the custodian of his father’s interests within Nibenay’s realm of influence. He exists solely to be entrusted with the tasks Nibenay would not trust his bare-breasted templars with; his chief concern is the protection of the child Siemhouk, his father’s greatest resource. Representing his father in the political realm during periods of fugue in the Naggaramakam, Dhojakt is a dangerous enemy to make.
Its written somewhere that the Shadow King has many sons and daughters, elevated to the level of Princes and Princesses.
Now that would be an interesting concept. Playing a Shadow Prince templar of Nibnay.
Balic is greek (patrician, Androponis, the architecture)
Trust me, i'm an historian, I know what im talking about.
In fact, I did the search and here it is. Lot of good stuff here, if you're looking for cultural references.
Pringles, you have to prove things with words on a board. Saying you are a historian, and then piping out something that's factually isn't correct sort of ruins your credibility. Besides, this kind of cultural identity of the cities would be better suited to an anthropologist and not a historian. Depending on what kind of historian you are, historians are rarely generalists, and usually focus on a specific era. There's simply too much human history to say "I know everything about history" and leave it at that. No, I could easily say that "I'm an astronaut: don't question my space halfling knowledge," would you believe me? Of course not. Historians also tend to be a bit more careful with their grammar, french-canadian or no.
Now that would be an interesting concept. Playing a Shadow Prince templar of Nibnay.
There are many options to give temporal power to a representative of the king: taking levels in the templar, templar knight, or royal defiler class, as they all confer Secular Authority.
Of these, only the royal defiler does not receive templar spells. Since being a templar (or a templar knight by extension) is out of the question for males in the service of the Shadow King, it leaves only royal defiler as a class with authority over the king's citizens.
In my analysis, only the royal defiler is a class suitable for power-bearing male children of Nibenay. Males not taking this class will simply have a high authority steming from their royal blood, but no actual power like Secular Authority.
For Dhojakt, I gave him both the blood influence and the Secular Authority:
Prince of Nibenay: His privileged position as the son of the Shadow King gives him a +8 circumstance bonus to Diplomacy checks in contests of Secular Authority.
For any other son of Shadow King, I would instead make the bonus a +4 morale bonus to Charisma checks to influence citizens of Nibenay's kingdom.
Mai-a-hii
Mai-a-Haa
Mai-a-Hoo
Mai-a-Ha-Ha
-shudders again- Why did you chose this song as your signature?
Since being a templar (or a templar knight by extension) is out of the question for males in the service of the Shadow King...
I have a hard time believing that Nibnay never had a male templar. I know that a majority of them are women, but I'm sure at some point over the centuries he appointed a male (if not several) with the duties of a templar.
Yeah, especially with the initiation ceremony.
:D Well not quite what I thought. Not that there's anything wrong with it.... I just can't see Nibenay changing his centuries of tradition for one PC. That's all.
Now the idea of a shadow prince.....
Dhojakt is the only male authority figure presented in the DS novels. We have various supplements talking about sons and daughters, plus a ToO novel about a Nibenay priestess caught in a ploy.
Er, what is meant exactly by "shadow prince" ?
-shudders again- Why did you chose this song as your signature?
*Unbuttons shirt - Puts on shades - Gets on plane - Does dance*
"Alo. Salut. Sent Eu, unt Hajduk..."
Yeah, I think its pretty clear cut in the source material that the Shadow King has no male templars, or hasn't had any in living memory.
Having no male templars doesn't necessary equate that Nibnay wouldn't have one at some point.
Well, Sysane, I think the point of the issue of there not being a male templar is that the position is a rather sexual one. While one may not engage in the act with Nibenay, the issue is a symbolic one. Nibenay, from all recorded history, seems to be heterosexual. Keeping this in mind, he would probably not be into homosexual activity, or at least not the intimation of such activity. ..."
Errr...I don't think I insinuated that Nibnay would engage in homosexual acts. Just that I don't think its out of the question that he had or would have a male templar. Look at Semouke. She's the youngest templar in Nibnay's history. There's always an exception to every rule. Especially when the SK that made those rules chooses to bend them when it suits his purposes.
Draj: Think "Aztec Chieftans" and you're close. Basically, sacrifices are a way of life.
I am looking for some visual ideas for dress for the citizens, warriors, and templars of Draj. Currently the templars (moon priest from the PrC doc) have an egyptian/aztec type of feel to them. Were there any actual pyramids in Draj? If so, did the resemble the pyrmaids of ancient egypt?
Any info would be great.
Look at Semouke. She's the youngest templar in Nibnay's history. There's always an exception to every rule. Especially when the SK that made those rules chooses to bend them when it suits his purposes.
I don't see the exception to the rule here. Siemhouk is a female, and albeit she's a youth she has the maturity of an adult (she is rumored to have the spirit of a deceased templar within her, IIRC).
And its Nibenay, Sysane, not Nibnay.
(sorry, it nagged at me 
)I don't see the exception to the rule here. Siemhouk is a female, and albeit she's a youth she has the maturity of an adult (she is rumored to have the spirit of a deceased templar within her, IIRC)
The exception that no one of her age would normally be premitted to attain her level of prestige and power.
I find balic to be in the greek style. even with the emphasis on the sea-faring people, its wise to remember there was water only 2000 years ago (a portion of Guistenal sank beneath the waves) i think the water recession was a more recent effect (read: jihad on the druids post Rajaat).
Yes that part is an exception, but it can't be used to infer the possibility of another exception, this time on the point of gender, since the first exception is not about gender.
Its an example that Nibenay "does" bend his own rules when it suits him and his goals.
the reference to Nibenay Templars is found in the Nomad novels. the last book of the series has a soliloquy with one of his senior wives. apparently in the last generation or so Gallard has ceased relations wtih any of his wives, more now than ever obsessed with draconic transformation. it also states that newer wives can go their entire lives without ever seeing their husband king.
Yeah, but the Tribe of One series is pretty inconsistent with even the original boxed set. I personally wouldn't base campaign rules around those series of books.
But once again, if you like the idea, go with it. It just isn't something that I'll have in my campaign.
Nibenay is only required to make a brief apparition in the nuptial bed: teleport in, do his thing, grunts, teleports out, over.
I think such an ectic timetable might be too much for a studious Nibenay [/sarcasm]
I think the only place there are actual (canon) images of Draji citizens or templars is in Veiled Alliance. Think grass skirts, big medallions, headdresses, that sort of thing. A semi-feral look in a highly-organized, very structured society. They are far closer to the Aztecs than the Egyptians. To my knowledge, the only city-state that came close to Egypt in culture was Kalidnay, and that was just in passing (names and such).
As for pyramids, there is a ziggurat-type structure that people are sacrificed on, if I remember right. As I've said in a few other posts, my players typically avoid Draj, so I haven't spent a whole lot of time fleshing it out or researching it in my own campaigns.
Like all fantasy campaigns, use the Aztecs as your base, but the "true" Draji culture is more "loosely based" on the Aztecs rather than a copy. You might want to consult your DM and see what city he'd like you to be from (for story reasons). All of the city-states are interesting in their own way.
Insufficient data about the Phoenecians is available to say anything other than the name is Phonecian, and they were primarily a SEAFARING people, anyway. Balic is more Roman than Greek, because the Greeks did not have a SENATE(From the latin SENATUS, or council of Elders) or PATRICIANS(from the latin PATERFAMILIAS, or Families of the Fathers)Both of these are ROMAN terms, and there is reference made to Androponis being referred to as the FIRST CITIZEN, a ROMAN term for the Emnperor. Also, Roman architecture is a reformed version of the Greek styles, so as to be very easily mistaken for Greek.Trust me, this is the real deal. I'm taking Latin and History of Western Civilization right now, got out of class about 20 minutes ago, and we just studied Greece and Rome.
Thanks, Terminus. I didn't know where to begin with Pringles' assertions. Nice to see an intelligent post.
Pringles, you have to prove things with words on a board. Saying you are a historian, and then piping out something that's factually isn't correct sort of ruins your credibility. Besides, this kind of cultural identity of the cities would be better suited to an anthropologist and not a historian. Depending on what kind of historian you are, historians are rarely generalists, and usually focus on a specific era. There's simply too much human history to say "I know everything about history" and leave it at that. No, I could easily say that "I'm an astronaut: don't question my space halfling knowledge," would you believe me? Of course not. Historians also tend to be a bit more careful with their grammar, french-canadian or no.
Preach On, Brother Dawnstealer!!!!
Lalali-Puy is what those nauseating, new-age, waldenbooks witches like Wiccans aspire to be. She pretends to be a benevolent goddess, but is really just cultivating resources.
She is benevolent, you infidel! Bow down so I may bring your head to my queen! :P
Seriously, I never thought she had a "Wiccan" feel. I always thought she was more of a Amazon type kind of jungle goddess.
I am looking for some visual ideas for dress for the citizens, warriors, and templars of Draj. Currently the templars (moon priest from the PrC doc) have an egyptian/aztec type of feel to them. Were there any actual pyramids in Draj? If so, did the resemble the pyrmaids of ancient egypt?
Any info would be great.
Check out the pyramids of the Meso-american cultures, IMHO, they are better than the Egyptian models. I envision the Draji culture as a fantasy Meso-American culture. ( Incas, Aztecs, Mayas, Toltecs) Check around. Look a the Architecture and artifacts. I am working on an Illustration for the Moon priest PRC currently.
Check out the pyramids of the Meso-american cultures, IMHO, they are better than the Egyptian models. I envision the Draji culture as a fantasy Meso-American culture. ( Incas, Aztecs, Mayas, Toltecs) Check around. Look a the Architecture and artifacts. I am working on an Illustration for the Moon priest PRC currently.
bah I just finished the moon priest :PAlso, I have completed illustrations for the arrow knight and the veiled one. I am going to begin working on illustrations for the leech, shadow mage, tik-tik, and the kreen warrior. Let me know if you have completed or are working on any other works. We could compare notes, or at the very least make sure we are not duplicating work.
...oh, did I really say that aloud? :angelhide
reading the greek/roman thing makes my head spin. can't it just be said they are mediteranean and be happy?
as for gulg, she does the nature scene. they call them druids, or hippies, where i come from. seems more halfling-ish a culture than most is all (read: halflings are the source of life...and modern nature!)
for the origin of this post:
there once were 15 SKs (wyan & sacha did their thing after the imprisonment/reward stage...and whose to say it was a day or decade betwen?)...i mean at various times in the 2000 years since there have been well declining numbers.
why not play in a time when even Kalid-Ma walked the sands?
or before Borys took to the skies in a rage and teh world hid in the cities for a century?
or before Dregoth's plan fell on ill winds to his rival Abalach-Re?
or before Sielba got a bright glint of conquest in her eyes?
or even before Keltis had a change of heart?
or before Daskinor went where all men-who-worship-power-and-exhange-their-sanity-for-the-form-of-reptilian-sorcerors go?
and shoot why not just make your own sorceror king and give him a city in the burning wastes
im pretty confident they pulled kalid-ma out of somewhere post-original design for the sake of ravenloft, and that made canon!theres a world and a history to work with there, shouldn't be a contest between 3 SKs, but as many as you'd like in your campaign
it seems fair to say the designers were neither historian nor anthropologists, and took liberties in both borrowing the cultures of our own history as a grounds for representing the diverse cultures of athas.
I'd agree with that.
reading the greek/roman thing makes my head spin. can't it just be said they are mediteranean and be happy?
Yeah, that too.
as for gulg, she does the nature scene. they call them druids, or hippies, where i come from. seems more halfling-ish a culture than most is all (read: halflings are the source of life...and modern nature!)
Hmm... I'm a little too young too remember but I don't think hippies use to take heads as trophies. :evillaugh As for being halfling-ish, yeah, sort of but without the halflings. Gulgans, in my view, are pretty agressive in nature (and for nature :D ) towards anything not from Gulg. This is due to the supposed "godhood" of their queen (that worked for her where Badna didn't for Raam's sweetheart).
reading the greek/roman thing makes my head spin. can't it just be said they are mediteranean and be happy?
Thought I did say that by saying these were fantasy settings loosely based on actual settings. More inspired by them than any real, straight analogy.
Anyways,
there once were 15 SKs (wyan & sacha did their thing after the imprisonment/reward stage...and whose to say it was a day or decade betwen?)...i mean at various times in the 2000 years since there have been well declining numbers.
True, but those times are only slightly documented, and then only as a very loosely-termed "history." The time immediately before Tec, Abalach Re, and Andy's demise were 2e and were very well-documented. That is, before 2.5e came out and killed them off.
True, but those times are only slightly documented, and then only as a very loosely-termed "history." The time immediately before Tec, Abalach Re, and Andy's demise were 2e and were very well-documented. That is, before 2.5e came out and killed them off.
Which doesn't actually happen till 10 years after the death of Kalak. Definitely plenty of time to use them and stay somewhat true to the official DS time line. That is if your a stickler for canon. ;)
Of course, I have my ways of "adjusting" things. To slaughter an Orwell quote: "He who controls the DMG, controls the future."
Seriously, I never thought she had a "Wiccan" feel. I always thought she was more of a Amazon type kind of jungle goddess.
she isn't a wiccan type of anything TerminusVortexa may not know what wicca is, they may have been watching to much charmed or bewitched or some crap. the little kids that want to be bedifferent aren't wicca though it is the fluffiest of the newage and the reconstructed religons.
I'm sure someone is going to have something to say about my comments but who cares.
she isn't a wiccan type of anything TerminusVortexa may not know what wicca is, they may have been watching to much charmed or bewitched or some crap. the little kids that want to be bedifferent aren't wicca though it is the fluffiest of the newage and the reconstructed religons.
I'm sure someone is going to have something to say about my comments but who cares.
1. TerminusVortexa is not a "they" it's a "he" . Me. And I know D*** well what I'm talking about.
2.I knew plenty of the weird, dagger-waving, pentagram-scribing wiccan "pagans" in my youth, heck, I've probably "been" , in the biblical sense, with about 12 of them. So I grouped them in with the modern-day "Druids" , earth witches , and such in my previous posting, because the point I was trying to make is that they and Lalali-Puy all share that same "earth-worship" tree-hugger, Goddess-This and Goddess-that type of attitude, the primary difference being that Lalali-Puy actually claims to be the goddess.The exception to that categorization is the ORIGINAL druids, of which there are NONE LEFT, who only have earth-worship in common with the other religeons. Also, I , for the record, would like to say that it is rather effeminate for a man to rise up and defend Wicca. But I have seen first-hand how those feminazi covens can manipulate dudes into doing whatever they want. If you, Wolfheart, are a female who practices Wicca, sorry for stomping on your toes, but I stand by my opinion. If your some dude rising to their defense, ask your coven-leader to give back your manhood and free you from their bondage. Need a kleenex?
Anyway, this thread isn't about me badmouthing modern, misguided neo-pagans.lt's about the Sorceror-Kings. Remember that before you make me waste my time responding to your attempts to discredit my words, because unlike certain people, I actually research stuff before I post if I'm not darn sure about what I'm going to say, and try not to resort to shredding other people's words up unless they persistently push a wrong point. Or unless they try to say that I am.
it seems fair to say the designers were neither historian nor anthropologists, and took liberties in both borrowing the cultures of our own history as a grounds for representing the diverse cultures of athas.
reading the greek/roman thing makes my head spin. can't it just be said they are mediteranean and be happy?
I might have let it be, if Pringles hadn't been so persistent about being incorrect. When he brought up specific examples that were dead-on wrong, I felt the need to set the record straight. Also, it helps to have a specific idea of what cultures the Athasian cities are based on, because you can then use historical precedent to fill out other everyday aspects of life in that city-state. ;)
Back to the original point, thank you very much for answering the Admiral's questions (they were my questions as well). The campaign will be kicking off shortly.
Also, it helps to have a specific idea of what cultures the Athasian cities are based on, because you can then use historical precedent to fill out other everyday aspects of life in that city-state.
Bingo.
Ouch! Feel the flames! It's not called the 'Burnt World' for nothing.
Sorry, never been one to hold my tongue. It's what made me such an interesting public speaker.
. If your some dude rising to their defense, ask your coven-leader to give back your manhood and free you from their bondage. Need a kleenex?
Anyway, this thread isn't about me badmouthing modern, misguided neo-pagans.lt's about the Sorceror-Kings. Remember that before you make me waste my time responding to your attempts to discredit my words, because unlike certain people, I actually research stuff before I post if I'm not darn sure about what I'm going to say, and try not to resort to shredding other people's words up unless they persistently push a wrong point. Or unless they try to say that I am.
I am a man, I am not in a coven, and as for you knowoing plenty of the weird, dagger-waving, pentagram-scribing wiccan's, I feel for, you most of the women in wicca are the feminists that don't want men to "be in control of them" but don't want to be the militant feminists either yet they are very close to it. A "real" wiccan isn't anti-man they aren't anti-anyone. I would agree that Lalali-Puy would be maybe a mix of druidic, earth magic, and shamanic, but i wouldn't say that Lalali-Puy is wiccan.
The so called "traditional", I know what tradition right! Its not that old!, wiccans are more a group of a people that see them selves as "spiritual healers" and not much else. Oh and umm what exactly is a coven-leader? most of the women that "lead" a coven are called a High priestess though there are other variations.
As for your past experiance with wiccans and other groups. its to bad that you had such a bad time, most i have known have been great people and pretty good partiers too. There are some real nuts out there as well.
Seams you had a real bad time top be so hostile, but anyway.
This is a thread about the Sorceror-Kings which is why I commented because I do not think there is anything wiccany about Lalali-Puy nor would any wiccan's i'm sure. If you wish I can ask several. besides that as i said before i think she would be more druidic, earth magic, and shamanic. Shamanic covers a large basis even riding the edge of necromancy.
As for your insulting me I'll forgive you this time, but for general hostility towards those that do not think like you.... get some help!
My comment was that you may not know any wiccans. Most who clam to know wiccans don't or only know the women that want to shut men out of everything cause they are controlling type of personality, thats not what wicca is the slightest and you would know that if you knew any real wiccan's.
But believe what you like little one.
:surrender
Come on, guys: take it to the wiccan boards and duke it out. The one thing I'm sure of is that there are no wiccans on Athas (at least, not in my campaigns). Calm down, relax your fingers, deep breath, move to another board. When you get it out of your system, bring your inspirations to us.
Back to the topic at hand, I believe the question about different SKs has been answered.
For my part: all three mentionned SMs in the first post have templars that are quite home-centric, they don't wander a lot, making it tough for any PC to have a typical "adventuring" career.
Urik: Hamanu has closed his borders, so his templars have no business steping outside the boundaries of Hamanu's kingdom (a large circle drawned around Urik and its client villages, and a smaller one around the Smoking Crown mountains).
Nibenay: the templars either work in the Naggaramakam, patrol the city, or lead incursions in the forest to imper Lalali-Pui's servants.
Gulg: the templars are involved in the day-to-day culture, make hunts in the forest, or lead incursions in the forest to imper the shadow king's servants.
forget all you know about our cultures because it is OUR earth we are talking about. The flavour of Athas will get lost if you have Greeks, Romans or Aztecs running around.
Just because the original Designers used some realworld cultures for some names doesn't mean you should convert it all. Some Names are ok but stuff like the art from VA should be ignored, the art of Brom gives you a better idea of the clothes or the culture anyway, heck even Baxa is of more use.
You surely had your own picture of the cities when reading the PP or the Wanderers Journal, try to stick to this and you will have something unique.
This is just my opinion, so please don't take offense. Don't forget it's fantasy
.Oh and please, please don't fight, we are all lovely Dark Sun fans, aren't we, so forget our real world disputes on the boards. Use an obsidian knife instead ;).
My 2 cb,
forget all you know about our cultures because it is OUR earth we are talking about. The flavour of Athas will get lost if you have Greeks, Romans or Aztecs running around.
Just because the original Designers used some realworld cultures for some names doesn't mean you should convert it all. Some Names are ok but stuff like the art from VA should be ignored, the art of Brom gives you a better idea of the clothes or the culture anyway, heck even Baxa is of more use.
I totally agree with this. I was never a fan of the earth cultural counterpart thing on Athas. Athas is Athas not some alternate real world Earth. I understand they paired off city-states with earth like civilizations in order to create a uniqueness between them. However I feel it would have been better if they went an alternative route than just doing a "insert Romanesque or Aztecan culture here" type thing they did.
Maybe its more that the art from the Veiled Alliance book turned me off more than anything to this cultural thing. Brom and Braxa DS art was just that, "DS art" . It had an Athasian feel without the consideration of "hey I'm suppose to draw a templar from Draj. I better make him Aztec looking".
My DS campaigns haven't suffered in any way from not using the "plug in real world culture" mechanic that has been tagged to the city-states.
Just wanted to add my 2 bits :P
Nibenay is kind of the opposite. He's more of an absentee landlord; he lets his templars run most everything while he researches ways to not become insane. He's rarely seen among the people and almost never leaves his temple.
Lalali Puy is very much a part of her people's culture and everyday life. Basically, she's a forest goddess that walks among them. She's kind of right in between Hamanu and Nibenay. She's organized and involved in the local government, but more because she's protecting her own power base from nearby Nibenay (city and SK). She only involves herself as much as she has to.
As far as stats go, Hamanu's a 22-23rd level dragon, Lalalai Puy is around 22nd, and Nibenay is 24th. Nibenay is delaying the 25th stage because that's when the rages start.
Nibenay is kind of the opposite. He's more of an absentee landlord; he lets his templars run most everything while he researches ways to not become insane. He's rarely seen among the people and almost never leaves his temple.
The Shadow King has since changed this approach to ruling in this way due to recent events. Nibenay realized that it was time to reconsider how to rule his city. He lets the templars deal with the daily business of the governement, but he himself has turned this attention to holding court for the city's nobles and free citizens once again.
Right, it does matter when you run the campaign. All three change after the events of the Prism Pentad.
Correct. Lalali-Puy now wants to help restore the forest across Athas. She's even gone as far as to try and make peace with Nibenay and teaching the Shadow King himself how to preserve the Crescent forest.
Humanu however hasn't changed much. His plans have only changed in that he's withdrawn a bit and has sealed Urik off from rest of the Tyr region in order to reflect on what his part will be in these new times.
I'd say what I usually say: play it how it works in your campaign. As long as you're consistent, that's the way it is.
Children of nobles, merchants or templars are exempt from this rule and may be trained by psionic tutors in their homes, but all such tutors must be registered with the Bureau of Security of the Templarate. They are also required to shave their skulls and mark their level of acheivement with tattoos on their foreheads.
There are also some secret psionics schools, most notable the Potter's School in the Craftsman Quarter of the city. This school (located, surprisingly, in a pottery school) is also linked to the city's chapter of the Veiled Alliance.
Foreign psionicists entering Urik are required to register with the templar gate guards and display a ceramic token on their clothes at all times. Violaters of this law are mindwiped and exiled from the city.