History Literature / TheEtruscan

* GloryHoud: Dorirei, it becomes especially acute after the trio arrives to Magna Graecia. Dorirei does not settle until he manages to outright conquer a city and installs himself as a king.

* AChildShallLeadThem: Turms's [[spoiler: actually Dorirei's]] son Hiuls becomes the leader of the Sicani due to a prohepcy as a supposed descendant of Heracles.

* EpicShipOnShipAction: Ancient naval warfare is featured prominently throughout the book. Since naval rams were invented by that time, ship ramming is a valued and devastating tactic, often sending the whole crew, not to mention the ship itslef to the bottom of the sea.

** Superego: Mikon: - Aloft, mysterious, ethereal, the most intellectual of the three.
* GuardianAngel: Turms sees visions of a spirit taking the form of a beautiful woman. Later on it's all but coonfirmed that she is his personal guardian angel.

* HappinessInSlavery: The Etruscans treat their slaves well and with kindness, even going so far as to free old ones. Horriffyingly averted with the Romans who outright kill their slaves once they are no longer useful to them.

** Dionysus is the main culprit of this one, sacrificing prisoners at war with almost gleeful abandon.

** [[spoiler: The Etruscan ¨Hidden Gods¨ are above and beyond the regular gods, can dispatch the equivalnet of guardian angels to protect mortals from the gods and are essentially unknowable to mortals AND gods alike...that is, until they choose to reveal themselves]].

* Shapeshifting: Arsimoia's face can change into that of other women, which is supposedly a gift from the goddess Aphrodite. The power appears to be limited to the face only.

* AuraVision: [[spoiler: Turms develops this early in the book.]

As with The Egyptian, the story is told via a framing device of Turms remembering his past life from the story's end-point where the protagonist recounts his many journeys across the ancient world, whilst undergoing a psychological (or in this case, spiritual) change.

The novel is one of Waltari's more notable works, though unlike The Egyptian which is down to earth, ''Turms Immortal'' is notable for having significantly more supernatural elements and fittingly so as it's main focus is mankind's relation with spirituality, fate, the divine and one's own inner potential.

* Reincarnation:[[spoiler: Turms is subject to this. When he's not being...something else, he is reincarnated in a human form throughout centuries or even millenia.]]

* Pirate: Dionysus quickly takes the liking to the pirate's life, though he justifies it by claiming that he's merely continuing the war against the Persians that way.

The story of Turms begins as he makes his way to the Oracle Delphi to be judged for a crime against the gods, namely setting fire the temple of Cybele and thus inciting the uprising of Ionian greeks against the Persian Empire. From then on Turms embarks on a journey across the world of the ancient mediterranean. Visiting Anatolia, Magna Graecia (modern-day south italy and Sicily) and the budding city of Rome, before arriving at the land of the mysterious Etruscan civilization.

* BittersweetEnding: [[spoiler: After wandering for fourty years (both physically and spiritually), Turms finally returns to his home city of Clusium and recognises himself/is recognised as a Lucumo. While he rules for many decades and brings great peace and prosperity to his city, the time of the Etruscans is comming to an end and even his powers cannot prevent it.]]
** [[spoiler: The mystical powers that are present across the world are slowly dissapearing, and what will follow them is described as monstrosities born of the underworld.]]

* DeliberateValuesDissonance: As per usual, Waltari does not shy away from depicting ancient mediterranean cultures with all their customs that would today at best be considered morally wrong.

* EpicShipOnShipAction: Ancient naval warfare is featured prominently througout the book. Since naval rams were invented by that time, ship ramming is a valued and devastitng tactic, often sending the whole crew, not to mention the ship itslef to the bottom of the sea.

* FridgeBrilliance: Why does Turms collect simple pebbles at certain moments in his life to eventually store them in his tomb?[[spoiler: Because they will help him remember his past life in the future and since they are worthless and simple, they are all but guaranteed to be spared the ravages of time.]]
* GuardianAngel: Turms sees visions of a spirit taking the form of a beautyful woman. Later on it's all but coonfirmed that she is his personal guardian angel.

* HappinessInSlavery: The Etruscans treat their slaves well and with kindness, even going so far as to free old ones. Horriffyingly averted with the Romans who outright kill their slaves once they are no longer usefull to them.
* HumanSacrifice: Present, though it is no longer tolerated on land and is relegated to the high seas, and even then it is considered somewhat distastefull.
** Dyonysus is the main culprit of this one, sacrificing prisoners at war with allmost gleefull abbadon.

* PowersThatBe: The gods and goddesses are described as this, and they do intervene subtly in woldly affairs.
** [[spoiler: The Etruscan ¨Hidden Gods¨ are above and beyond the regular gods, can dispatch the equivalnet of guardian angels to protect mortals from the gods and are essentially unknowable to mortals AND gods alike...that is, untill they choose to reveal themselves]].
* {{Seers}}: Present in many places and in many forms. You have your standard Oracle of Delphy, fortune tellers, seers, haruspices, auspices, augury, tribal shamans and minor oracles. [[spoiler: Many of the prophecies and fortunes are mostly correct, though they are presented vaguely and are only later confirmed]].

* Pirate: Dionysus quickly takes the liking to the pirate's life, though he justifies it by claiming that he's meely continuing the war against the Persians that way.

* ProudMerchantRace: The Greeks and Phoenicians/Carthaginians are described as skilfull merchants and seafarers, as per their historical background.

* PsychicPowers: [[spoiler: Not mental, although Turms can seemingly increase his charisma and persuasiveness to sway even the most determined people. He also develops a sort of ¨sixth sense¨ whith which he can find unmarked sacred places of power and also sense where a slaughter occured years ago]].
* RightfulKingReturns:[[spoiler: After spending the better part of his life wandering the ancient world, Turms finally returns to his home city of Clusium, recognises himself and is recognized as an etruscan Lucumo and the son of Lars Porsena, and becomes it's ruler]].

* WeatherManipulation:[[spoiler: Turms as per his nature as an etruscan Lucumo and an immortal can call upon storms, which comes quite in handy in a few situations]].

* Seers: Present in many places and in many forms. You have your standard Oracle of Delphy, fortune tellers, seers, haruspices, auspices, augury, tribal shamans and minor oracles. [[spoiler: ,many of the prophecies and fortunes are mostly correct, though they are presented vaguely and are only later confiremd]].

* AncientGreece: The novel kicks off during the Ionian Revolt of 499.- 493. BC though the whole story is set between 500.- 460. BC

''Turms Immortal'' (or ''The Etruscan'' in some editions) is a [[HistoricalFiction historical novel]] by Mika Waltari in 1956. Set in 500s BC, it follows the adventures of Turms, a refugee of seemingly unknown origins as he embarks on a journey that will lead to his transformation, both mundane and spiritual.

As with The Egyptian, the story is told via a framing device of Turms remembering his past life from the story's end-point.

The story of Turms begins as he makes his way to the Oracle Delphi to be judged for a crime, namely setting fire the temple of Cybele and thus sparking the uprising of Ionian greeks against the Persian Empire. From then on Turms embarks on a journey across the world of the ancient mediterranean. Visiting Anatolia, Magna Graecia (modern-day south italy and Sicily) and the budding city of Rome, before arriving at the land of the mysterious Etruscan civilization.

The novel is one of Waltari's more notable works, though unlike The Egyptian which is down to earth, ''Turms Immortal'' is notable for having significantly more supernatural elements and fittingly so as it's main focus is mankind's relation with spirituality, the divine and one's own inner potential.