History TabletopGame / EmpireOfThePetalThrone

* LiteralMinded: The Tinalíya
* LizardFolk: The Shén

* MightyWhitey: ([[SubvertedTrope Subverted]]) The setting goes out of its way to keep players form braking the setting with "white savior" characters so common in [[PulpMagazine pulp fantasy]]. Anyone with fair skin would be looked upon like an Albino, who are seen as freaks of nature. Anyone with oddly-colored hair or eyes would be seen as wicked, untrustworthy, and "cursed by the gods." The views of western civilization are so alien to the people of Tékumel, that such a person would be dismissed as insane, or killed outright for being an affront for the natural order of things.

* FantasyContraception: Women who do not wish to conceive chew "Lisutl root"

* HumanResources: The nomadic tribes of Milumanayá's Desert of Signs are so impoverished that they put every part of a human body to good use (the flesh is eaten, the skin tanned, the hair is spun into cord, the bones are made into tools, and so forth). Under extreme circumstances, a tribesman many even volunteer to be put to death to ensure the rest of the group has the materials it needs (such as a volunteer is called "one who serves").

* HiveCasteSystem: The insect-like Hlüss, one of Tékumel's native intelligent species

* HufflepuffHouse: There are five human empires (Livyánu, Mu'ugalavyá, Salarvyá, Tsolyánu, and Yán Kór). In the original roleplaying guide, Tsolyánu gets pages devoted to it and explaining the inner workings of its society. Meanwhile, the other four get a paragraph. The smaller civilizations, such Saá Allaqí and the people living in the Milumanayá deserts, don't even get that.

* DeepCoverAgent: The minions of the Goddess of the Pale Bone
* DeliberateValuesDissonance: This setting was built on averting contemporary western fantasy's distorted outlook on history and the wider world. So much so, that the customs and traditions expressed, while based on real-world examples, are so seldom found it most works of modern fantasy, it comes off as alien to new players.

** The first applies to human characters. It consists of "Good" and "Evil" (with [[NoPointsForNeutrality no neutral option]]). [[NonIndicativeName Despite the names]], the alignments aren't actually a measure of how moral a character is; it refers to whether they worship the Gods of Good or the Gods of Evil. Good-aligned characters cannot associate with evil characters or kill good-aligned characters. Evil characters can associate with good-aligned characters but can also kill good-aligned characters. They can also kill evil characters not in their party. Later Tékumel games change these alignments to "Stability" and "Change".

* CharacterAlignment: The game actually has two set of alignments:
** The first applies to human characters. It consists of "Good" and "Evil" (with [[NoPointsForNeutrality no neutral option]]). [[NonIndicativeName Despite the names]], the alignments aren't actually a measure of how moral a character is; it refers to whether they worship the Gods of Good or the Gods of Evil. Good-aligned characters cannot associate with evil characters or kill good-aligned characters. Evil characters can associate with good-aligned character but can also kill good-aligned characters. They can also kill evil characters not in their party. Later Tékumel games change these alignments to "Stability" and "Change".
** The second one applies to the non-human monsters. This alignment is the creature's attitude toward humanity. The three options are friendly to humanity, neutral to humanity and hostile humanity.

A highly non-{{Standard|FantasySetting}} [[TabletopGames fantasy game]] created by M. A. R.[[note]]for Muhammad Abd-al-Rahman[[/note]] Barker. It was first officially published in 1975, making it one of the earliest TabletopRoleplayingGames — and exceptionally unconventional for its time. However, the rules are clearly based on early versions of ''TabletopGame/DungeonsAndDragons''; it’s the setting that is so unusual.

Over the years, Tékumel has had several role playing games. This include ''Gardásiyal: Adventures on Tékumel'' (1994), ''Tékumel: Empire of the Petal Throne'' (2005), and ''Béthorm'' (2014). There was also a supplement for ''Swords & Glory''. In addition, there are five novels set in the universe: ''The Man of Gold'' (1984), ''Flamesong'' (1985), ''Lords of Tsámra'' (2003), ''Prince of Skulls'' (2002), and ''A Death of Kings'' (2003).

* BarbarianTribe: The N'lüss people of the far north.
* BeardOfBarbarism: The N'lüss are noteworthy for their beards.

* BornUnderTheSail: The Chíma and the Nóm.

** The first applies to the humans characters. It consists of "Good" and "Evil" (with [[NoPointsForNeutrality no neutral option]]). [[NonIndicativeName Despite the names]], the alignments aren't actually a measure of how moral the character is. It refers to whether they worship the Gods of Good or the Gods of Evil. Good-aligned characters cannot associate with evil characters or kill good-aligned characters. Evil characters can associate with good-aligned character but can also kill good-aligned characters. They can also kill evil characters not in their party. Later Tékumel games change these alignments to "Stability" and "Change".

* WarriorPrince: Princes Eselné and Mirusíya.

** The first applies to the humans characters. It consists of "Good" and "Evil" (with no neutral option). Despite the names, the alignments aren't actually a measure of how moral the character is. It refers to whether they worship the Gods of Good or the Gods of Evil. Good-aligned characters cannot associate with evil characters or kill good-aligned characters. Evil characters can associate with good character but can only kill evil characters not in their party. Later Tékumel games change these alignments to "Stability" and "Change".

* HufflepuffHouse: There are five human empires (Livyánu, Mu'ugalavyá, Salarvyá, Tsolyánu, and Yán Kór). In the original roleplaying guide, Tsolyánu gets pages devoted to it and explaining the inner workings of its society. Meanwhile, the other four get a paragraph.

%%* BarbarianTribe: The N'lüss people of the far north.
%%* BeardOfBarbarism: The N'lüss are noteworthy for their beards.

%%* BornUnderTheSail: The Chíma and the Nóm.

%%* WarriorPrince: Princes Eselné and Mirusíya.

* AliensNeverInventedTheWheel: Actually, humans forgot about the wheel for the most part, in their decline from technological civilization to agrarian culture. They have the wheel, but they have nothing like a horse for wheeled vehicles, and lost the idea for the [[NoBikesInTheApocalypse bicycle.]]

* BarbarianTribe: The N’lüss people of the far north.
* BeardOfBarbarism: The N’lüss are noteworthy for their beards.

* BornUnderTheSail: The Chíma and the Nóm.

* WarriorPrince: Princes Eselné and Mirusíya.

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(This article is a stub. Please embellish!)

A highly non-{{Standard|FantasySetting}} [[TabletopGames fantasy game]] created by M.A.R.[[note]]for Muhammad Abd-al-Rahman[[/note]] Barker. It was first officially published in 1975, making it one of the earliest TabletopRoleplayingGames — and exceptionally unconventional for its time. However, the rules are clearly based on early versions of ''TabletopGame/DungeonsAndDragons''; it’s the setting that is so unusual.