The Judges of Tehom

This is a Setting in progress by RPGnet user Nick the Nevermet.

An Introduction to the World of Tehom

Think of the legends and myths from Ancient Greece. In these stories, great cities were rules by greater leaders, leaders who were capable of feats beyond that of normal men and women. These were heroes in the sense that they pinnacles of excellence, though their actual moral standing was highly variable.

Now imagine what a world would be like if those ancient Greek cities had a technological level just beyond our own. Hector defending the industrial power Troy against Agamemnon’s battleships and aircraft. A live news feed documents Bellerophon killing Chimera. Fans of Hercules argue in chat rooms about which feat was the best. A documentary claims to expose who really killed the Calydonian boar.

This is the world of Tehom, those heroes are called the Few. This setting is primarily "epic": a sweeping tale of heroism (by at least the Greek definition), against a backdrop of great historical events. Judges of Tehom is a setting where superhuman celebrity-aristocrats either use their public personas for public and personal benefit or they are consumed by fame and conflict. The generic term on Tehom for the people with superhuman abilities is “the Few,” which is distinct from baseline humanity, known as the Many. Though there is a myriad of powers, many are part of legacies, or bloodlines that tend toward the superhuman. The Few rule independent city states in a type of neo-feudalism they call kleocracy, or “rule of the glorious.”

Tehom is a planet with an average temperature slightly colder than Earth that is dominated by large oceans (roughly 87% of the surface is covered by water). The majority of dry land can be found in a large equatorial archipelago called the Set Islands. Within the Set, one finds more or less earth-like conditions. However, the farther one goes from the set, the more strange and alien the flora and fauna of the planet become.

The human population of Tehom is heavily concentrated in large mega-cities called cosmopoli that can contain several million people. Generally, each cosmopolis is an autonomous political entity that controls several less populated nearby islands that are used for agricultural production and other natural resources. ‘‘The Course’‘ is the name of the most populated and prosperous region of the Set. Human society on Tehom is highly industrialized and developed, and a vast information network links the cosmopoli together, ensuring a highly integrated culture. Even the Duidainian Anarchy (The Duidainian Commune) is easily identified as Tehomin in style and culture. The technology level of Tehom is comparable to contemporary Earth, with the occasional superscience creation from one of the Few.

The Tehomin are descendants of planetary colonists from The Garden, an interstellar empire that came to Tehom to terraform it. The Garden failed in its efforts: The climate of the planet destabilized, undetected alien life awoke, and disease engulfed the human population. The Garden quarantined the entire star system, abandoning the colony to its fate. Death and ruin were commonplace until individuals with superhuman characteristics began to emerge within the population. Over time, these Few have become the leaders of Tehomin society, cosmopoli have been built and the Set has been tamed.

History & Geographic Description

Full Article: Judges of Tehom: History and Geography

Tehom is a planet hospitable to human life with an average temperature slightly colder than Earth that is dominated by large oceans (roughly 87% of the surface is covered by water). It is roughly the size of Mars, though its gravity is slightly greater. The majority of dry land can be found in a large equatorial archipelago called the Set Islands. Within the Set, one finds more or less earth-like conditions. However, the farther one goes from the Set, the more strange and alien the flora and fauna of the planet become. The Course is the name of the most populated, and prosperous region of the Set.

The humans living on Tehom (the Tehomin) are descendants of planetary colonists from The Garden, an interstellar empire that came to Tehom to terraform it. The Garden failed in its efforts: The climate of the planet destabilized, undetected alien life awoke, and disease engulfed the human population. The Garden quarantined the entire star system, abandoning the colony to its fate. Death and ruin were commonplace. Then a miracle happened. There is no record of superhuman traits within the Garden, but soon after Tehom was abandoned a small segment of the population began to exhibit abilities and powers beyond what humanity was capable of. These powers were highly variable in their form and seeming origin, and these superhumans became known as The Few. The greatest of them created the Stormward Council. A handful of colony centers survived thanks to luminaries such William Goodguide, Sunbringer, and Dimday Dragoon. Over the next several generations, human society stabilized, exalting their heroic saviors, the Few.

Recently, humanity has faced new challenges. Lord General Risha Thaime is building a military that rivals that of Molyvdos. The oceans is spawning alien monsters bent on attacking anything related to humanity. And most disturbingly, a new revolutionary government called the Dundainian Anarchy has emerged that denounced the rule of the superhuman Few over the Many.

The Few of Tehom

Full Article: Judges of Tehom: The Superhuman Few

The most notable characteristic of the human population of Tehom is arguably the presence of The Few, individuals who exhibit superhuman powers in one form or another. The Few are distinct from The Many, who are the "normal" or "baseline" human beings that comprise the vast majority of the population.

The powers of the Few are incredibly diverse, both in their capabilities (super strength, flying, casting spells, etc.) and their origin (some of the Few are born with their traits, some train, some are altered, etc.). Some do not even have inherent powers, but rather wield items of power. The most unifying characteristic of being of the Few is that fate twists around them in improbable and implausible ways. Coincidence seems to constantly conspire in the lives of the Few. They survive the impossible, meet one another by random accident, etc. These coincidences are not always beneficial, and they are not necessarily harmful. Happenstance seems to conspire to ensure the Few have “kleos,” actions & experiences that inspire awe in others.

The Tehomin are aware of these oddities, and have tried to study the nature of the Few as best they can. This phenomenon of non-random events has been the core concern for the philosophies and religions of Tehom since the Abandonment. While consensus is extremely limited, people are aware of this mysterious force they refer to as the Tide's Eye influencing humanity. Many view it as a benevolent force, while many others worry that it does not have humanity's wellbeing as its primary interest.

Origins of the Few

There are very few hard and fast rules on the powers of the Few. However, some general comments can be made. The first question regarding any member of the Few is whether or not they are part of a Legacy, hereditary bloodlines of power. Grants (also called granted or grantlings) are children who are born a member of the Few, despite having no ancestry of superpowers. In terms of Marvel Comics, think of Legacies and grants and mutants. There are several ways to have superpowers beyond being a Legacy, including being transformed by some mystical or superscientific process ("the Formed"), wielding an item of power ("Keepers"), or even in rare circumstances diligent training ("the Risen").

The Roles of the Few

There are several common terms for the types of roles the Few occupy within Tehomin society. Archons are the leaders of Tehomin society. Where their authority comes from is secondary: Archons may be attached to business ventures, government agencies, or even organized religions (the lines between these categories are less distinct on Tehom than in our society). Generally speaking, the majority of the population use the terms "Archon" and "the Few" interchangeably, as there is an assumption that the Few are in leadership positions. The Few who are not Archons could have other roles to play, such as becoming mercenaries, criminals, madmen, or technical experts.

Tehomin Society and Kleocracy

Full Article: Jedges of Tehom: Tehomin Society and Kleocracy

The human population of Tehom is heavily concentrated in large mega-cities called cosmopoli, the largest of which measure several million people (Pinnacle, the largest cosmopolis, has an urban population of roughly 8 million). Generally, each cosmopolis is an autonomous political entity that controls several less populated nearby islands that are used for agricultural production and other natural resources. Human society on Tehom is highly industrialized and developed, and a vast information network links the cosmopoli together, ensuring a highly integrated culture.

The cosmopoli of Tehom are dominated by the Few – superhumans with powers and abilities fantastic in their scope. These powers may be something they were born with, developed later in life during a stressful event, the product of scientific experiments, or based on super-scientific items in the individual’s possession. Powers are exceedingly diverse, and many seem to defy the laws of science as understood by mortal humans. When one of the Few has a leadership position, he or she is known as an Archon, though many use the terms "Archon" and "the Few" interchangeable. Adoring fans follow the every move of the Archons, and this fixation is woven into the political structure of the cities as well.

This social order grounded in fascination in the Few is called kleocracy, the rule of the glorious. Kleocracy is a form of neo-feudalism. Kleocracy emphasizes the celebrity of the Few, noblesse oblige of the Few toward the many, and large scale monumentality to demonstrate the glory of the city state. Additionally, kleocracy is built on the idea of Archonic War, or the idea that it is better to have superheroic champions defend a city-state and its interests rather than full-scale military actions.

The primary exception to the rule of kleocracy is the Dundainian Anarchy, which is an island run without superhuman rulers. While they are culturally still quite similar to the cosmopoli of Tehom, their government and revolutionary ideals terrify many throughout the Set.

Things to do on Tehom when you're Glorious

For commentary on the themes and tropes of this setting, please visit the page Judges of Tehom: Things to do when you're Glorious

Glossary

• Adhocracy. An element of kleocracy. In short, the responsibilities of Archons is fluid and not defined by a fixed office as found in formal, bureaucratic organizations.

• Archonic War. The preferred form of violent conflict between Tehomin city states. Rather than having a conflict between militaries, the city states of Tehom often will have a duel between champions to determine the outcome.

• Archon. An Archon is one of the superhuman Few who has a position of authority within a cosmopolis. The type of power or authority is not defined by the term Archon: one could be a military position, a governmental role, a magnate of a particular industry, or anything else. Many use the terms Archon and the Few interchangeably, though this is not technically correct.

• Auxiliary. A mercenary or freelance member of the Few who is hired by a cosmopolis, a corporation, or an Archon. To be an Archon implies a general responsibility, while being an auxiliary suggests a narrow set of responsibilities and rewards.

• The Banished. The banned are outlaw or renegade members of the Few that have no responsibilities for running a cosmopolis (Lord Genderal Risha may be widely considered evil, but he isn't banished). Some pillage for personal gain, some are motivated by vendettas, and some appear to just want to watch the world burn.

• The Common Sphere. The realm of Tehomin society left to the daily life of the Many. This is the realm of humdrum work and family life.

• Cosmopolis. A Tehomin city-state. An independent political entity, a cosmopolis is a sprawling sustained by international trade, the powers of Archons, and the hinterland territories under its control. Cosmopoli, save for some key exceptions, are ruled by Archons.

• The Course. The Course is a channel in the middle of the Set Islands that collectively form the most developed, prosperous, and populated area of the planet. From space, the Course looks like nothing but cities and sea.

• The Few. In-setting term for superheroes, individuals who have some degree of power that goes beyond normal humanity. The Few may be magical in nature, users of super-science like powered armors, altered on a biological level by science (intentionally or accidentally), or they could be a heredity mutant and therefore part of a Lineage. Some members of the view do not even truly have super powers as such, but are rather exceptionally trained individuals. Different city-states think about the Few differently and organize their societies and legal codes accordingly.

• Focus. A mystical item or weapon of power. When a member of the Few has a focus, he or she is called a Keeper.

• The Formal sphere. The realm of Tehom society associated with control and leadership over political and economic concerns. It is the realm of Archons.

• The Formed. A member of the Few who gained his or her powers due to some event or process that occurred during their lives. They were not born with their powers, nor are their powers dependent on an external object.

• Founders. A human born to parents who have no powers but who nevertheless has superhuman capabilities. Founders have the ability to begin legacies.

• The Inhuman. A member of the Few who is not actually human. They could be a robot, or a nonhuman life form.

• The Kairos Covenant. An alliance between Srimec City, Pinnacle, Saltmerche Citadel, and a dozen smaller cosmopoli.

• Keepers. Members of the Few who possess an item of power. Unlike many other members of the Few, Keepers do not have any inherent superhuman abilities.

• Kleocracy. The neo-feudal form of government that dominates Tehomin society. It is the rule of the glorious, the rule of the superhuman Few over the Many, combining temporal power with celebrity.

• Legacy. A legacy is a hereditary bloodline within the Few. In short, they are mutants who exhibit superhuman powers. Some cosmopoli, like Pinnacle, are actively run by lineages, while in others they are distrusted as being detached from the Many. Some forms of cryptotechnology exist that can identify lineages, and sometimes even suppress lineage-based powers.

• The Mad Legion. Members of the Few who have gone insane from their power.

• Magistrate. Technocratic members of the Few. They have given up celebrity in the name of expertise.

• Monumentality. An aspect of kleocracy where the Archons of a city spend resources creating monuments and major works that demonstrate the power and glory of the city and its rulers.

• The Many. Baseline humanity. The Many are the vast majority of the population, and they are "normal" humans. Due to the history of Tehom as a lost colony, the range of physical variation associated with different races is present, though society is not as explicitly organized around race and ethnicity as many societies on Earth. The main question is which cosmopolis is home.

• Patrimonialism. An aspect of kleocracy where the Few are expected to act with responsibility and charity toward the Many. It is noblesse oblige.

• The Peers. The secretive ruling council of the Dundainian Anarchy.

• The Risen. The Risen are those Few who are not members of lineages, but gain their powers through some form of rigorous training.

• Sacritech. Super-science, the technology created and understood by the super-intelligent Few. Sacritech is not merely more advanced than baseline Tehomin science; it is qualitatively different. Sacritch always appears to the Many to be violating one or more natural laws of the universe (be it thermodynamics, gravity, or something else).

• The Set. The Set is gigantic archipelago near the equator of Tehom. The vast majority of habitable land is found among the Set Islands, and as a consequence, it is home to the vast majority of Tehom’s human population. The Set’s ecology is almost completely Terran in its character, though some precursor life remains around the edges. The deep oceans far from the shallow waters of the Set are a source of mystery and dread for much of the population, and its dark abysses are havens for pre-terraform Tehomin life.

• Stormward Council. The original ruling council of the Few that helped humanity survive the abandonment by The Garden. They are seen as the founders of Tehomin civilization.

• Static Struggles. A highly formalized type of archonic war.

• The Synopticon. The civil sphere of tehomin society. It is the realm of community and culture.

• Technocrat. One of the Many who has risen to a position of influence due to his or her expertise. Archons rely on technocrats to help make their endeavors successful.

• The Tide's Eye. A unique phenomena to the planet Tehom which alters probability and imbues some people and objects with powers. Little is known how it functions.

• Ventures. Organizations lead by Archons. They may be oriented toward business, governmental responsibilities, or something else. The key trait is they are a formal organization recognized by a cosmopolis.

Specific Setting Pages

• Eiren Bay is moderately sized cosmopolis known for being a culturally diverse location due to its location as the headquarters for the Kairos Covenant. It is also one of the less "alien" cities on Tehom, allowing it to be a potential start place for a campaign.
• The Dundainian Anarchy is a description of the Dundainian Anarchy, the political boogeyman of Tehom where the Many rule themselves without the Guidance of the Few, who were ousted from power in a revolution years ago.

Campaigns

• Defenders of Eiren is a campaign set in the democratic free city of Eiren Bay and follows the exploits of the city's heroes.