Editing Judges of Tehom: Thematic Essays (section)

==Optimistic, Elite-Oriented, and Confident==
Thematically, Tehom is characterized by three characteristics

===Humanity Stands Above the Waves===
First, Tehom is ''optimistic''. Tehom is a world where humanity defines itself by the heroic struggle to survive after the Garden's abandonment.  Against all odds, it has not only survived, but has begun to thrive, thanks to the Few who lead humanity. Generations of fast growth have created a general "newness" to the city states of Tehom which is reinforced by the Few's interest in creating beautiful agoras at the center of their cities as a form of cultural competition.  For much of humanity, this is a world of bright lights, shining metal, and new concrete.

===Where the Few go, the Many follow.===
Second, Tehom is ''elite-centered'', with the elite being defined as the few.  The spirit of Lee's Maxim could not apply to Tehom, as the meaning of responsibility is radically different. The Few of Tehom would recoil at the obligations and egalitarianism embedded in its regular use. Tehom's culture of noblesse oblige gives the Few have the right and responsibility to shape and lead society. They are both human yet wonders incarnate.  They are humanity's hope, and they are the source of fascination and adoration. The Few are therefore what allow for humanity's optimism.  

===From Struggle, Victory===
Third, Tehom is ''confident''.  Tehomin history is full of its hare of horrors, yet humanity has always managed to recover and excel. While an optimistic society, Tehom does not expect bland harmony.  Rather, it accepts that the world is full of obstacles, and the humanity will eventually conquer them and improve itself in the process. The wild outer seas are alien realms of the Hadalians, beyond human control.  However, They are also a place of awe-inspiring beauty, and untold resources waiting to be developed.  And while there are fluid conflicts between cosmopoli, the dominant form of state conflict is archonic war: the contained, ritualized duel between champions of competing city-states.  In stark contrast to the destabilizing consequences of constant warfare, archonic duels have been fully incorporated into the structure of society, culture, politics, and the economy.  It is a known quantity, and it is even celebrated by adoring partisans who follow their favorite champions in online chatrooms, fueled by rumors fed to them by a paparazzi.