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  The Temple of Thúmis,
  Sage of the Gods
  -An overview of Tsolyáni temples.
  by M. A. R. Barker
  Knowledge of Thúmis, Lord of Wisdom, Knower of Arts, Hidden Seeker of Eternal
  Knowledge, Sage of the Gods, may well date from before the advent of the Golden Age.
  Worship of a being with this name is recorded upon a stone lintel from the period of the
  Dragon Lords.  Yet it was the crippled priest, Pavár of Gánga, who developed a means of
  contacting the great enigmatic interdimensional beings who act as "gods" for the humans
  of Tékumel.  Pavár compiled a book of mysteries (now lost) and coordinated the
  doctrines still followed in all of the human empires.  Thúmis seems to have been one of
  Pavár’s principal sources of information about the laws of science and magic which
  operate in this dimension.
  There is a fragment purported to be in Pavár’s own handwriting preserved in the Temple
  of Eternal Knowing in Béy Su which reads:  "This Lord is cool and detached, clear and
  open to the intellect, full of knowledge and quick to reply...  When one is in contact with
  Thúmis, it is as though one were being viewed by a Mighty Eye, as a man views the
  antics of the Drí [a tiny ant-like creature: Translator], sympathetic in a wise and
  unemotional way, all knowing and aware of present and past, yet somehow concerned for
  Man..."
  The Golden Age ended with the subsidence of the entire region around Gánga.  The
  mighty city of Éngsvan hlá Gánga sank beneath the sea, and with it sank most of Pavár’s
  knowledge and that of his successors.  Much more was lost during the ensuing
  interregnum.  Men who had some access to ancient secrets began to style themselves
  “wizards” and “sorcerers” and to oppress the land.  The worship of Thúmis had always
  been popular in the northern reaches of the Dó Cháka Protectorate, however, and bits of
  knowledge were preserved at Chéne Hó and Páya Gupá.  With the coming of the Second
  Imperium, the organized worship of the Gods and Cohorts began again throughout the
  human lands of Tékumel, and temples to Thúmis were erected in Béy Su, Jakálla,
  Jaikalór, and other great centers.  The priesthoods gathered together what books and
  documents had survived the cataclysm and began to piece together the doctrines of Pavár
  once more.  Contact was again achieved with Thúmis and with others of these “deities”,
  but this contact was much less complete than the method developed by Pavár and now
  lost.  Still, it provided mankind with some insight into the laws of magic and science and
  man’s relationship to the cosmos.  [Unfortunately, however, either these beings are
  unaware of Tékumel’s original dimension or are unwilling to tell their human
  worshippers about it; in all of the many centuries of contact with the “gods” not one of
  them has given any indication of knowing how Tékumel came to be in its present “pocket
  
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  dimension”, how to get back to mankind’s original dimension, or even that such a
  dimension exists.  It is probable that this is beyond the limitations of these “deities”.]
  With knowledge and the establishment of an organized religion, came doctrine, and with
  doctrine came dispute.  Various references to the "Mighty Eye" of Thúmis in the writings
  of Pavár and his colleagues led to the doctrine that Thúmis "possesses the Eye to View
  the World"; i.e. omniscience and omnipresence.  As all who have seen a temple of
  Thúmis know, the image of an eye is worked into the hem of the robe of this god, and his
  priests wear this symbol upon their breast-plaques.  Dispute arose over the nature of this
  "viewing".  Some say that the Eye of Thúmis is not a physical eye at all but rather an
  inherent presence of Thúmis (a "viewing") in every particle of being.  Others claim that
  Thúmis does indeed possess physical eyes, but these are not manifest in this world but
  rather view it from his own dimension.  A third party takes the mention of "eyes" quite
  literally and theorizes that Thúmis has physical eyes which can manifest themselves at his
  will in this world.  This sect points to the many miraculous appearances of "the Eyes of
  Thúmis" throughout history.  They point to the eye-like impressions which magically
  appeared upon a bare cliff face overlooking the site of the Battle of Chéne Hó in 2,019
  A.S., to an eye-shaped stain upon a woman's shawl now held as a sacred relic in the
  Temple of the Eye of Thúmis in Páya Gupá, and to many other such "miracles".  These
  three doctrines -- the "Imminence of the Eye", the "Transcendentalism of the Eye", and
  the "Phenomenal Manifestation of the Eye" -- have split the priesthood of Thúmis since
  before the beginning of the Second Imperium, and this dispute continues to the present
  day.  At times this has led to rioting and violence.  More often it has cropped up as quiet
  intrigue, preferential treatment for one's own sect members, and discrimination against
  members of the other two sects.  The current High Princeps, Gámalu hiBeshyéne, has
  attempted to extirpate this ancient discord by commanding all of his priesthood to busy
  themselves in the codification of mankind's accumulated knowledge into a series of great
  encyclopedias.  This project began well but has faltered somewhat since long-held
  rivalries and hatreds cannot be so easily discarded.  Assisted by a young Cardinal, one
  Chiréne Nemanándu, the current High Princeps continues to persist in his attempt to unify
  the temple, but the weight of centuries bears heavy against them.
  There are several other doctrines of the priesthood of Thúmis which may be mentioned.
  Some of these are almost as thorny as those described above, while others are shared by
  all of the sect.  Firstly, there is the "Emanation of the Supernal Light":  this holds that all
  wisdom (and indeed knowledge of your own being) has Thúmis as its source, and
  emanates outward from him like the radiance of the sun.  Those who have "gone nigh
  unto the god" and "opened their intellects to his light" are able to gain knowledge more
  easily and quickly than those who have "shadowed" themselves with mundane matters.
  There is a strong strain of mysticism in this doctrine, and within the Temple of Eternal
  Knowing at Béy Su there are several adepts who accept pupils for training and who
  demand that real knowledge requires the renunciation of the material world.  Again, this
  doctrine becomes embroiled in the controversy over imminence, transcendentalism, and
  physical manifestation.  One group of the " illumined " as they call themselves, dwells in
  a craggy monastery in the Dó Cháka foothills and faces the sun from dawn until dark,
  
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  believing that this is the visible source of Thúmis "Light".  Most of these adepts are
  totally blind.  Others hold assemblies in which they sway and chant and pray for a
  manifestation of Thúmis "Light" upon the "eye of the brain".  Others of less mystical bent
  believe that Thúmis will reveal himself only through knowledge, and they thus spend
  their lives studying and concentrating upon every intellectual and philosophical problem
  they can devise.  The extremes of this group can be seen at Mrelú, where the priesthood
  of Thúmis offers free board and lodging to any who can provide any item of knowledge
  not already recorded in their books -- but if a visitor fails to add something to their store
  of learning, they charge him exorbitantly, often resulting in their imprisonment of a
  luckless traveler as a debtor!
  One of the most prevalent doctrines -- and one about which there is no dispute-- is the
  "Perpetration of Sagacity"; the employment of knowledge for societally useful purposes
  in this world.  Thúmis is the patron of teachers, scribes, mathematicians, physicians, and
  all those who work with their minds to serve their fellow man.  In Jakálla there is the Hall
  of the Extended Hand, where physicians endeavor to cure diseases and wounds; in Béy
  Su there is the Dome of Interacting Numerals, where scholar priests aid engineers,
  architects, and others with mathematical problems; in the Monastery of the Sapient Eye in
  the foothills of Dó Cháka [hex 4105] there is the Gallery of Gazing Forth by Night which
  houses the best astronomers and astrologers of the Imperium; and in Thráya the House of
  Laying Out the Lands collects information from merchants and travelers in order to
  complete a geography of known areas of Tékumel.
  In "Empire of the Petal Throne", the image of Thúmis is described as a seated, scholarly
  man with a golden halo, a book in one hand and the traditional Staff of Power of the old
  Bednálljan kings in the other.  While this is the most prevalent depiction of Thúmis,
  Tsolyáni iconography is really much more complex.  Mythologically, Thúmis is the scribe
  of the Gods and this is often shown as a seated, cross-legged scribe, a roll of parchment
  open upon his knees, bareheaded or wearing a simple black skullcap.  He is also a
  frequently occurring character in various mythological epics; e.g., in the Epic of Hrúgga,
  Thúmis appears first to Hrúgga (the major Tsolyáni culture-hero) as a serious-appearing
  man of middle age, who warns him of the Snares of Hehekáino.  Later he occurs as a
  haloed, dazzlingly golden manlike figure with hands which consists of many rays of light;
  here he bestows the Orb of Eternal Light upon Hrúgga.  Again he is seen as a two-legged
  bejeweled serpent who protects Hrúgga from the demon Qu'ú, again as a many-faced,
  many-armed anthropomorphic being who shields Hrúgga during the battle on Dórmoron
  Plain with the minions of Missúm, Lord of Death, a form of Sarkú; and once again he
  appears as a great eye from which rays stream forth when Hrúgga calls upon him in the
  Ebon Pyramid.  All of these forms are considered by Tsolyáni theologians to be equally
  valid and identifiable aspects of Thúmis, who can appear at will in many such shapes.
  There are some forty-seven "usual" manifestations of this type, and iconographers include
  about another score of "rare" or "unattested" forms.  Those interested in this topic may
  consult "Kháriyelyal hiHáyasa" (Appearances of Mighty Glory)by Cha'ánya hiNáshomai
  in the library of the Temple of Eternal Knowing in Béy Su.
  
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  For those who have never visited Tsolyánu, it may be of interest to describe the physical
  structure of a temple.  Although styles differ from period to period, region to region, and
  deity to deity, certain basic features remain the same.  Wherever space permits, the
  Tsolyáni build their temples upon high, flat-topped pyramids of masonry or brick.  These
  great structures have two functions; to raise the temple above the heat and dust of the
  surrounding city and also to create a feeling of awe in their worshippers.  The temple
  proper is then constructed upon this platform, and ramps or staircases lead up to its
  surface from the street below.  At the head of these stairs the worshipper first comes to a
  closed porch or colonnade, where temple guards and low-level duty priests are posted to
  assist the worshippers and to protect the temple premises.  Within, a hall or pillared
  antechamber leads into a great central hall, often of several stories height.  Here the
  worshipper finds a great image of the deity, and here the public rituals are performed.
  Side halls and further colonnades lead off to smaller shrines of some of the particular
  "aspects" worshipped in this temple, and there are usually gates barring the way to an
  inner shrine which can be visited only by persons of status.  In some temples sweeping
  staircases lead up to a higher level where this inner shrine is situated.  At the back of the
  main hall and of the smaller shrines there are staircases within the wall-thicknesses which
  lead up to priests' quarters on the upper floors.  Living quarters are frequently built as side
  buildings on the pyramidal platforms as well.  Important assets, such as great libraries,
  astrological observatories, museum-like Halls of Wisdom Made Manifest, temple
  schools, etc., are also constructed on the pyramid-top to the side of back of the central
  temple.  The pyramid itself often contains rooms and passages which lead to private
  shrines, cult rooms, storerooms and guardrooms, and eventually down to the ancient
  levels of the city underworld.  Since the Tsolyáni often pull down the superstructure of a
  temple and enclose it within a bigger and grander pyramid, building a new shrine on top
  of the new construction, many of the older shrines are buried under many layers of
  previous temple buildings.  These are carefully preserved and maintained as secret inner
  shrines accessible only to the higher initiates.
  If there is room in the city surrounding the temple, there will often be an outer compound,
  where further guard rooms, priestly quarters, administrative chambers for the recording
  and keeping of temple titles and land grants, cook rooms, storerooms, etc., are to be
  found.  One important feature of the Tsolyáni temple is usually built in these outer
  compounds too:  the Túnkul tower.  This strongly buttressed edifice contains the temple's
  great cylindrical gong, the Túnkul, which is rung to announce the holding of ceremonies
  within.  Each temple has its own Túnkul, and the notes of these are recognized by the
  people of the city and are used to tell the time, much as church bells and great clocks such
  as Big Ben in London are utilized in this world.  Some of these Túnkul are huge, needing
  a score of priests swinging a great padded beam slung from ropes to strike them.  If the
  city is too crowded to allow room for these outbuildings, as at Khirgár, the Túnkul tower
  is built open at one corner of the pyramidal central structure.
  Each temple has its own roster of daily rituals and these differ from city to city, even
  within the same sect.  Usually, however, the priesthood of Thúmis celebrates the rising of
  the sun at dawn, a great midday ceremony, another at sunset, and yet another about three
  
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  hours later.  Some add particular rituals at the rising and setting of Tékumel's two moons,
  Káshi and Gayél.  In Béy Su there are more; there the rituals are in order, "The Opening
  of the Eyes of Radiance" at dawn, the "Purification of the Intellect" at midday, the
  "Following of the God" at about three o'clock, the "Purifying of the Lips of Thúmis" at
  sunset, and the "Rising unto the Planets" about two hours later, and the "Visitations of the
  Night" at about two o'clock in the morning.  These involve the presence of all priests and
  priestesses resident in the temple, much chanting from the "Korúnkoi hiHengándàlisa"
  (the Book of Mighty Splendour).  Thúmis accepts no human sacrifices, and thus the only
  presentations made to the god are baskets of fruit, flowers and -- from richer patrons --
  eye-shaped memorial objects made of gold, gems, and other precious substances.  These
  last are inscribed with the donor's name and a request for intercession from the god.
  Individual services are also possible upon payment to the priests.  The poor may obtain
  prayer-scrolls from the hordes of scribes who sit in the outer courtyards, or who line the
  outer entrance halls and colonnades.  Wealthier persons can enter at almost any time of
  day (the gates of the temple are usually shut at night, except for a tiny postern), and a
  payment of a few Kaítars will be sufficient to arrange for the personal mention of one's
  name and presence to the deity.  The side shrines and other public worship areas can be
  visited and will also require small donations.  Those proceeding to the inner shrine will
  be expected to pay more, of course, and the ceremonies there are correspondingly
  magnificent.  Participation in the inner mysteries, held in the older shrines beneath the
  upper temple, is possible only for the most devout and the most well-to-do.  Even the
  most ancient and secret shrines and ceremonies are open only to high ranking priests and
  worshippers of the highest clan status and Imperial position.
  The organization of the priesthood is far more complex than was given in "Empire of the
  Petal Throne".  On "real" Tékumel, almost all of the twenty major priesthoods of
  Tsolyánu are divided into three types of specialists: ritual priests, administrative priests,
  and scholar priests.  Those whose deities favor military matters also have units comprised
  of military priests. A fifth variety, the lay priests, consists of men who are devoted to the
  deity (and usually to scholarship, magic and the practice of medicine, etc.)
  but who are not technically within the hierarchy.  For purposes of the game, all of the first
  three varieties were lumped together as "priests," players interested in a combination of
  military action and religion could either be "priests" (using weapons as maces, etc.), and
  the lay priests were termed "magic users."
  Actual practice is as follows: (1) the ritual priests are those concerned with temple
  observances, as their name implies.  After once passing beyond the stage of acolyte and
  first-level priest (in "real" Tékumel the term is "first circle," but "level" fitted just as
  well), a ritual priest is assigned to a temple where he/she learns the basic observances,
  studies the books of sacraments and ceremonies, and progresses through many, many
  intermediate levels to become a temple's chief ritual priest.  Beyond this stage, the levels
  are partially ritualistic and partially connected with internal temple administration; one
  can progress to the levels of High Priest, Grand High Priest, and finally Temple
  Preceptor.  (2) After becoming a first-level priest and after assignment to a specific
  
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  temple, an administrative priest is given tasks involving the recording of tithes, the
  keeping of records, maintenance of vital statistics for the residents of his/her area,
  collecting and accounting of land taxes, produce, donations, etc., etc., and many other
  such clerkly tasks.  Most temples own large tracts of land, worked by peasants, tenant
  farmers, renters, etc., and all these things must be kept in order.  Temple buildings,
  payments to craftsmen for decorations, repairs, new accouterments, robes and symbols,
  etc., etc., are also to be recorded, and the network of priestly administration has to be
  maintained and overseen out into the smallest villages.  If an administrative priest shows
  promise, he/she can be promoted to head of a local temple bureau, then to temple
  administrative commandant, then to commandant of a small city temple complex, then to
  a larger city or fief, then to overlordship of a district, then to the governor of a major city
  and its suburbs, then to regional or provincial commandant, and finally to the High
  Council of the temple.  At this level, the High Preceptor of the ritual priests also becomes
  a member of the High Council.  (3) Scholar priests again pass through their acolyteship
  and are assigned to a temple.  They continue their studies in the temple's schools and go
  on to major study in a major city, where they are promoted to the rank of scholar, then to
  senior scholar, then to ranking scholar, then to licentiate, then to proctor of scholars, then
  to High Scholar -- and these last are also members of the High Council.
  Temples which have military units within their hierarchies (as opposed to the patronage
  or financial support of a non-temple Imperial legion) hire low level soldiers directly from
  their adherents among the peasantry and urban residents.  Some temples, such as the
  Temple of Vimúhla, insist that all temple soldiery undergo training as acolytes, first level
  priesthood, and then a special indoctrination as military priests before they can become
  Soldiers of the Flame.  These recruits are quickly separated into those who will be
  fighters and field officers, versus those who will go on into military administration.  The
  latter progresses much as regular Imperial soldiery; through a sort of basic training in
  officership, to captain, major, colonel, force commander, general, and high general (the
  terms are all rough equivalents of the Tsolyáni terminology and do not mean exactly what
  they imply in English).  High Generals are again members of the High Council of the
  temple.
  Lay priests are generally quite unstructured.  These scholars usually have occupations
  other than those of regular priests, and their main connection with their temple is simply
  of religious membership.  In "real" Tékumel such lay priests are often itinerant
  physicians, makers of spells and potions for the poor, scribes and teachers with a bent
  towards religious study but who are unwilling to undergo the rigors of temple hierarchy
  membership, etc.  Some of these lay priests do go on, of course, to become great scholars
  in their own right, and they are then recognized by their temple as great wizards and are
  included, if they wish, in the High Council of the temple.
  The High Council is supervised in most temples by senior priests, termed "patriarchs,"
  and these in turn select two or three of their number to serve as a governing council.  One
  of these then acts as Grand Adept for the temple as a whole and reports directly to the
  Petal Throne in Avanthár.  A few temples have an intermediate level between their
  
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  governing council and the Grand Adept:  a small body of Lord Adepts, who act as the
  advisors to the Grand Adept.
  Education in Tsolyánu is obtained primarily through temple schools; those of the "good"
  alignment attend the schools provided by the priesthood of Thúmis and his cohort,
  Keténgku; those of the so-called "evil" persuasion are schooled by the priesthoods of
  Ksárul and Grugánu.  Other temples maintain smaller specialized educational institutions
  where their particular doctrines are imparted.  Those who wish to learn the profession or
  skill of their clan do not attend a temple school but rather a specialized clan school; these
  teach the fundamentals of reading and simple mathematics and then go on directly to
  impart their clan occupation to the apprentice.  When a particularly bright boy or girl is
  found, however, his/her clan may provide support to keep the child at one of the temple
  schools.  These offer courses in the basics of literacy and mathematics, plus theology,
  calligraphy, the recitation of epics, music, divine ritual, languages, history, poetry and
  versification, etc.  Further training is then provided for those who would remain in the
  priesthood, while less priestly-inclined students return to their clans, apply for posts
  within Imperial bureaucracy, etc.  Peasants and low-level townspeople are largely
  illiterate and enjoy none of these benefits, of course.  No census has ever been issued, but
  one might estimate a literacy rate of only fifteen or twenty percent in the Empire.  Most
  military units recruit directly from the peasantry and also from the townspeople.  More
  literate and intelligent youths are then trained by the Legion for officership, while the
  remainder serves out a contracted term as simple soldiery.
  Education, thus, is the prerogative of those who can find support, either from their clan or
  from the personal fortunes of their parents and families. Slaves are not normally educated,
  although the great households maintain training for slave clerks, scribes and such
  specialized skills as singing, dancing, poetry, art, etc.  The scions of the great nobility are
  often educated partially by these slave tutors and partially at one of the more prestigious
  temple schools.  Any free citizen of Tsolyánu may enroll as a priest or priestess and
  undergo whatever education and training he/she can afford.  Once accepted into the
  hierarchy as a priest/priestess, the young student need no longer be supported by a clan,
  parent, or other patron but rather receives support from the temple.
  The priesthood of the temple of Thúmis is thus a complex institutionalized structure.
  Both males and females may serve in the hierarchy, and unlike many religious groups in
  this world's history, priests and priestesses may marry -- within their own clans, usually,
  but also occasionally one another. Depending on their parents' desires, the children of
  such unions can be made members of the parents' clan to learn a skill or profession, or
  they may be brought quite young into the temple school and educated for the priesthood.
  As has been stated elsewhere, the Tsolyáni do not share sexual restrictions of many
  cultures of this world, and there is considerable mixing between boy and girl students at
  the temple schools.  This is not frowned upon unless it interferes with the student's
  educational development.  The only deity who does not favor "co-education" thus, is
  Dilinála, the cohort of Avánthe, who accepts only females into her sect.
  
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  Players who wish to be priests/priestesses in the game "Empire of the Petal Throne" are
  allowed to assume they are already part of the Tsolyáni hierarchy.  In fact, however,
  foreigners entering the Imperium for the first time may spend a year or two finding their
  way about this complex culture before deciding to enter one of the priesthoods.  They are
  then allowed to enter the temple schools, where they must support themselves until they
  are approved as first level priests/priestesses.  They are then given the usual training and
  allowed to serve as their interests and skills permit.  It is true that the deities of Tsolyánu
  have their counterparts in some other empires -- Mu'ugalavyá, Yán Kór, and to some
  extent Salarvyá (Livyánu's shadow deities are another matter) -- although attributes and
  forms may differ considerably.  A young Salarvyáni follower of Shiringgáyi, their
  principal goddess, might choose to follow Avánthe, her nearest Tsolyáni counterpart, but
  this is not absolutely necessary -- he might perceive closer affinities with Hnálla, Thúmis,
  Karakán, one of the cohorts -- or even with one of the "evil" deities, since Shiringgáyi
  embodies several of those attributes as well.  In "real" Tékumel, stray castaways from the
  great southern continent across the Deeps of Chanayága are very rare.  Their religious
  predilections seem to fit in with one or another of the Tsolyáni deities, however, and
  several such foreigners are now recognized priests, scholars, etc., within the Tsolyáni
  hierarchies.  Again, this seems to be a matter of personal conscience and desire.
  Nonhumans are another problem.  The Ahoggyá, Hláka, Pygmy Folk, and Tinalíya would
  not in "real" Tékumel ever give allegiance to one of the human gods; their own deities are
  quite different and almost unintelligible to humankind.  The Páchi Léi, Pé Chói, and the
  Swamp Folk, on the other hand, tend to ape their human neighbors and accept the human
  deities as their own while they are in the lands of men.  They claim that these same deities
  are manifested to them in much the same way as they appear to humans; the names and
  attributes are different, of course.  The Shén accept human deities indifferently while
  journeying in human territories, but they always revert to the worship of their own two
  great deities when they return home.  One of these, the One of Eggs, is apparently roughly
  equivalent to the human "good" alignment taken all together, while the other, the One
  Who Rends, is an amalgam of the evil deities.  The inimical races -- Hlutrgú, Hluss,
  Shunned Ones, and the Ssú -- stand completely outside the human system.  There is no
  question of alignment for them; they are always hostile and make no alliances with
  human "good" or "evil."  Their gods, whatever they may be, are totally opposed to the
  whole human pantheon, whether it by Hru'u or Hnálla.
  There is also the question of priestly duties for players in "Empire of the Petal Throne."
  Often a group of players will enter a new city and simply walk up to their temple and ask
  for food and lodgings.  They are then surprised when they are asked for papers from their
  former city assigning them to this new post.  In "real" Tékumel, of course, a priest or
  priestess would quickly be given regular tasks within the hierarchy and would be
  expected to serve there until given an assignment elsewhere.  Free choice does not much
  enter into it.  If a member of the priesthood is assigned a post, he or she is expected to go
  there and perform accordingly; upon this performance he/she will receive further
  promotions -- or demotions.  In order to facilitate adventuring in the game, however,
  priests in my own campaigns usually find some leniency -- an understanding duty priest
  
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  who is willing to report that this person has now arrived here and wishes to be enrolled
  this temple.  This is done for a consideration, of course.  Priest and priestesses who travel
  upon temple business are housed in guest quarters in the outer temple compound (if there
  is one -- otherwise in such guest quarters as the temple may possess inside).  If they then
  enter into the local hierarchy, their permanent lodgings and food are arranged.  There are
  of course special leaves of absence; e.g., to take care of family or clan business, to
  perform special missions, and even to take care of personal business concerns (priests are
  not forbidden to engage in trade, providing that it does not interfere with temple duties).
  A Tsolyáni duty priest would be nonplused to find a stranger strolling into his temple
  saying, "Hi, I'm so-and-so, just in from Jakálla -- can you fix me up with a bed and some
  dinner?"  In order to simulate more of "Tékumel reality," a referee should assign each
  "priest" or "priestess" regular duties and see that these are carried out.  Travel should be
  with permission of the temple authorities and should be hopefully result in some good for
  the temple.  Missions to another city should specify objectives and time to be spent there.
  Leaves of absence can and should be provided, but within limits.  Unauthorized absences
  and derelictions of duty should be disciplined -- even to expulsion from the priesthood.
  This is how it would really be...
  Another question frequently asked is whether or not one will find temples to these same
  deities in other lands?  Can one travel to Ssa'átis and be assured of finding a temple of
  Thúmis there ready to assist?  The answer varies from place to place:  in Mu'ugalavyá one
  finds temples to the local equivalents of all the Tsolyáni gods, plus the peculiar cult god
  of the Mu'ugalavyáni, Hrsh.  In Yán Kór similarly one will encounter much the same
  deities under new guises, although there are several smaller sects and local cults.  Little
  Pijéna worships their strange "She Who Is Not Seen," perhaps a form of Avánthe, or
  perhaps an aspect of Dlamélish -- strangers are not permitted to view their rituals.
  Ghatón, Milumanayá, Sa'á Allaqí -- all share modifications of the Tsolyáni religious
  system, descended from the same ancient faith, that of Éngsvan hlá Gánga.  The
  Salarvyáni hold their form of Avánthe, Shiringgáyi, in especial reverence, although small
  temples to some of the other deities also exist there.  In far-off Livyánu the overlordship
  belongs to Qaame'él, Lord of Shadows, and the other gods of that priest-ridden land are
  equally mysterious and secretive.  Whether these deities are really the same
  interdimensional beings as the "gods" of Tsolyánu, or whether they are simply creations
  of their human worshippers -- or whether they are interdimensional beings different from
  the familiar twenty of the Imperium -- these are questions known only to the gods
  themselves.  It is clear that the Livyáni are mighty sorcerers and are indeed in contact
  with some interdimensional force, but whether Qaame'él or the Horned One of Secrets of
  the city of Laigás are the "same" as the gods of Tsolyánu is as yet unresolved by scholars
  and theologians.  Referees of "Empire of the Petal Throne" may wish to simplify the
  matter by allowing all nations of Tékumel to have the same deities, or they may wish to
  make them different.  In reality the matter is quite complex and has not been resolved by
  the scholars of Tékumel themselves.
  It may be noted that even within the Imperium there are centers and strongholds of each
  deity.  The farther west one goes, the more one finds the worship of Vimúhla
  
  10
  predominating -- so much so that Mu’ugalavyá may be said to be his territory in spite of
  the presence of the ancient cult-god Hrsh.  Vimúhla is also strong in Fasíltum.  Sárku is
  very strong in the north, particularly around the City of Sárku [hex 4115].  Hnálla and
  Karakán are powerful in Béy Su and Avanthár.  Thúmis, as said above, predominates in
  Dó Cháka, has a large following in Béy Su, and is also worshipped in Sokátis.  Ksárul is
  in ascendancy in Mrelú and to some extent in Púrdimal...  And so on.
  Another frequently asked question concerns the existence of religious feast days and
  holidays.  Thúmis is honored on the twenty-fifth of the month of Dohála in Túmíssa,
  when his Festival of Light and Wisdom is celebrated.  The same pageant is celebrated on
  the same day in Sokátis, and the two cities vie with one another in the pomp and splendor
  of their rituals and feasting.  During the five intercalary days inserted at the end of the
  Tsolyáni year many festivals are celebrated in various cities:  on the first of these days the
  festival of the "Web of Wisdom" is celebrated by the sect of Thúmis at Mrelú, and on the
  fifth day Páya Gupá holds the "Visitation of the Eye."  These are the primary festivals
  devoted to this deity, although smaller ones are held almost every month during the year
  in some city or other.  The general form of these great holiday celebrations consists of the
  distribution of free food and drink at the temples of the god, rich pageants and
  processions from one temple to another (e.g. Thúmis' image ceremonially "visits" the
  temple of Hnálla during the Festival of Light of Wisdom), lengthy ceremonies and
  offerings, visits by Imperial officials and persons of status to the temples, feasts, dancing,
  and mimes.  All of the temples have such special ceremonies and holidays, which
  members of other sects may attend or not as they choose.
  A final doctrinal point may be mentioned here.  Every temple has within it those who
  may be classified as "conservatives," those who follow the "middle of the road," and
  those who advocate some type of reform or radical change.  The temple of Thúmis is no
  exception to this common human characteristic, and within the temple hierarchy there are
  those who staunchly follow the old ways and the laws of the ancestors exactly as they
  were laid down.  Their objective is the continuance of the status quo -- if anything, a
  return to values they somehow perceive to be slipping away.  These are most likely
  followers of the Phenomenal Manifestation of the Eye doctrine.  Those in the middle are
  often simply the time-servers, those who go along with their daily cares and perceive no
  great need to alter society one way or another.  The "radicals" are more important:  those
  in the temple of Thúmis have established an inner, secret society called the Brotherhood
  of Supernal Wisdom, made up of largely of younger priests and priestesses, particularly
  those educated in the temple school at Béy Su.  Another center of this group is Sokátis.
  This group believes that true wisdom must be made to triumph, and those who follow
  anti-societal doctrines (i.e., the followers of "evil" deities) must be brought around to
  perceive the error of their faiths and the Truth of Light.  This group has been much
  suppressed by the senior priests, who fear that such tendencies may bring about violence
  and a breach of the centuries-old Concordat (the treaty between all of the twenty Tsolyáni
  sects not to engage in inter-sect violence, assassination, and warfare).  This, say the
  conservatives, would plunge the nation into civil war and would open the door to the Yán
  Koryáni, the Salarvyáni, etc.  The Brotherhood of Supernal Wisdom states that it wants
  
  11
  no such violence (contrary to the pressures from certain other secret societies within
  others of the temples of the "good" gods, who advocate almost a holy war); they say that
  instead they wish to establish the schools of Thúmis on a broader basis and educate more
  Tsolyáni children the doctrines of wisdom; they desire to expand their practice of
  medicine and science and thus entice more of the common folk to join the temple of
  Thúmis (to the detriment of the other temples, of course); and they argue that only
  through a concerted campaign to indoctrinate, to obtain high posts, to favor adherents of
  Thúmis and the "good" gods, etc., will they be able to bring about an end to the ancient
  worship of the "evil" ones.  In these plans they are joined by the Pure Light Society of the
  temple of Hnálla, and by certain other secret societies in various priesthoods of the
  cohorts.  They are opposed not only by counterpart groups in many of the "evil"
  priesthoods, but also by the Girdle of Purity Society of the temple of Avánthe and the
  Clan of the Sword of Righteousness of the temple of Karakán, which wish to take
  stronger measures to extirpate the worship of "evil" gods.  The results of this struggle are
  not clear, but it is obvious that one of their first goals is the removal of the present High
  Princeps, Gámalu hiBeshyéne, whom they perceive to be essentially a conservative.
  A word or two about some of the current personalities within the temple of Thúmis may
  be of interest.  The High Princeps, Gámalu hiBeshyéne, was born at Pétris on the island
  of Gánga in 2,319 A.S.  He was raised as a minor noble's son, studied astronomy and
  navigation, and served for some time as a merchant sea captain, an occupation not
  uncommon for the sea-faring folk of the southern isles.  He first came to Jakálla in 2,344
  A.S. and somehow became involved with the temple of Thúmis.  He then led several
  expeditions of a mercantile nature to places as far away as Tsoléi.  Upon his return to
  Tsolyánu, he devoted himself to the priesthood of Thúmis and received rapid promotions.
  Eventually this led to his appointment as High Princeps, with the fief of Páya Gupá being
  given to him for personal revenue.  He has since attempted several reforms, one of which
  is the compilation of the great encyclopedias mentioned previously.  He has also
  attempted to establish a military presence for the sect of Thúmis, who had previously not
  been known to be a "military-minded" deity:  he is patron and current high general of the
  Legion of the Lord of Wisdom, 22nd Imperial Heavy Infantry, based at Páya Gupá.  He
  now has mustered some four cohorts and has two others in training.  He hopes to increase
  these troops to their maximum of twenty cohorts within a year or two, but the short
  supply of good recruits around Páya Gupá -- and also the lack of available training and
  equipment there, due to great military demands being currently made upon all of
  Tsolyánu by its military leaders -- have slowed his efforts.  Rivals within the temple of
  Thúmis have also done all they can to frustrate his plans, believing that Thúmis has no
  business fielding a military force!  Such matters, they say, should be left to the violent
  gods.
  Lord Kashónu hiSsáivra, of the ancient Green Bough Clan, was born at Jakálla and is
  now about forty-seven years of age.  He is the chief advocate of the doctrine of the
  Phenomenal Manifestation of the Eye, and is a great proponent of conservatism and the
  status quo.  He is currently senior high priest of the temple in Jakálla.  Lord Kashónu is a
  man of many pleasures, somewhat rotund and known as a good companion at a feast.  He
  
  12
  is close friends with Prince Esélné, the Emperor's son, and his contacts include most of
  the high nobility of the Empire.  Lord Kashónu is a dangerous man when crossed,
  however, and it is rumored that he will use his influence to topple the current High
  Princeps if he can.  He believes that the temple of Thúmis should emphasize the physical
  manifestations of Thúmis in the rituals more and should engage in a long-range building
  program to house the sacred relics of Thúmis in more grandiose fashion.  Pageants and
  celebrations are dear to him, and he is an inveterate quoter of the sacred scriptures.
  Lord Dúrugen hiNáshomai, High Princeps of Thúmis in Béy Su, of the Clan of the Red
  Mountain, is about fifty-nine years old and is the chief proponent of the doctrine of the
  Imminence of the Eye.  This man is not originally of high clan lineage and has worked his
  way to the top of his order by dogged effort (and some carefully laid intrigues).  He is thin
  to the point of emaciation, bald, with the typical central-Tsolyáni hooked nose and sharp
  chin.  His interests include philosophy, several of the sciences, and art, and he served on
  the High Council of the temple with distinction for the past five years -- and fully
  expected to be made Grand Adept of the temple after the recent demise of Lord
  Tuingáshte hiSsáronel, the previous High Princeps.  Instead, the High Council of the
  temple split between three candidates and ended by recommending a comparative
  newcomer, Lord Gámalu, to the Petal Throne.  More surprising, the Imperium concurred
  in the recommendation!  This was possibly due to pressures exerted by both friends and
  enemies of the three likely candidates -- rather than offend any faction, the Imperium
  agreed with the High Council and opted for the newcomer.  Lord Dúrugen is a sincere
  and devoted man, however, and he will do as the Imperium commands -- until he is able
  to do otherwise with impunity....
  The oldest of the current heads of the temple of Thúmis is Lord Rírutlu hiVrázhimy, of
  the Standing Stone clan, who is about sixty-one years of age -- quite elderly for a
  Tsolyáni, where life expectancy is not too great.  He is the chief advocate of the
  Transcendentalism of the Eye, and his followers within the hierarchy are very numerous.
  Lord Rírutlu is one of the senior administrative priests of the temple, and much of the
  bureaucracy and administrative network are in his hands.  He is a thickset, smallish man,
  of no great strength but yet possessing considerable vitality.  In his youth he took a great
  interest in women, and at one time he had some twelve wives and many concubines.  His
  last wife died about a year or so ago, however, and he is now alone, totally devoted to his
  administration -- and to a brood of grandchildren who are mostly teenagers now.  He is
  interested in Daqú, the Tsolyáni game of draughts, and in poetry, although in his youth he
  was quite athletic and a powerful wrestler.  His main objective now seems to be the
  establishment of a solidly effective administration and a central network for tithe
  collections.  He is thus partially in agreement with Lord Gámallu but can never consent to
  the building of a legion for the temple, holding that this is a great drain upon the temple
  resources -- even if Lord Gámallu supports this legion from the revenues of his own
  personal fief of Páya Gupá, this takes away tithes and donations which might otherwise
  have gone to the temple.  He is thus firmly opposed to a military role for the temple.
  
  13
  Of the younger members of the hierarchy, one may mention the priestess Lady Sitláya
  hiHehésha, of the Grey Cloak clan of Páya Gupá.  She is a scholar priestess,
  approximately twenty-three years of age, and belongs to the family of the hereditary
  governors of Páya Gupá, a post now held by her clan brother, Lord Díyo Sáno hiHehésha.
  Lady Sitláya is already and accomplished sorceress, a scholar of ancient and modern
  tongues and an astrologer of note.  She is also quite athletic and has made journeys back
  into the Pé Chói hinterlands to search for ancient relics reported to be there.  Physically,
  she is tall and slender almost to the point of thinness, high cheekboned and wide-hipped,
  as are many of the people of the Chákas.  Lady Sitláya is also hinted to be one of the
  leaders of the Brotherhood of Supernal Wisdom, an accusation which she would no doubt
  hotly deny.  Her life has been exemplary:  she keeps only one current slave lover, has
  never been married (her aristocratic lineage demands someone of equal clan-status, but
  she has not accepted any of the possible candidates thus far), and devotes herself to her
  studies at the temple in Páya Gupá.  Yet rumors persist that many of the young priests and
  priestesses who work with her at Páya Gupá and who correspond with her from Sokátis
  are members of the Brotherhood.  This is in itself no crime and cannot be acted against,
  since the Brotherhood avowedly refuses to support acts of violence -- yet this young lady
  is worth watching.
  One of the most respected scholars of the temple of Thúmis is the High Scholar Visárga
  Duyumachrsh, a man of about seventy-five years of age, who dwells at the temple of
  Thúmis in Ssa'átis in Mu'ugalavyá.  As his name indicates, he is of Mu’ugalavyáni
  descent.  His field is history, particularly that of the Bednálljan period, and his
  scholarship is famed throughout all of the human lands of Tékumel.  He is uninterested in
  doctrinal disputes and has little patience for anything but his chosen field.  He began as a
  soldier in the Mu’ugalavyáni army many years ago and took an interest in the priesthood
  only after his retirement at a rank equivalent to that of a colonel.  He then studied history
  and traveled to a great many sites in several countries.  His skill at identifying and using
  ancient artifacts is legendary, and scholars flock to his lectures in the Hall of the Four
  Niches in the Red Palace in Ssa'átis.
  Many other priests, administrators, and officials could be listed here, but this should
  suffice for the present.  Much of what has been said above applies to other Tsolyáni
  temples besides that of Thúmis, of course, and it is important to establish a general
  outline upon which later descriptions can be fitted.
  
  14
                                   Grand Adept
     -----------
                |
           Lord  Adept
           -----------
                |
            ---------------------
              GOVERNING COUNCIL
            ---------------------
                |
            ---------------------
            +--------------+--    HIGH  COUNCIL (4)--+---------------+
            |              |  ---------------------  |               |
      |              |            |            |               |
       ----------      -----------      |       -----------     --------
    High 
       High           |          High            Great
        Generals       Preceptors       |        Scholars        Wizards
       ----------      -----------      |       -----------     ---------
      |              |            |            |               |
      |              |            |            |               |
            |              |        Regional         |               |
         General        Preceptor   Commandant     Proctor           |
        ----------     ----------  ============  -----------         |
      |              |            |            |               |
      |              |            |            |               |
         Force (3)    Grand High    District                         |
         Commander      Priest      Commandant    Licentiate         |
         ---------     ----------   =========     ----------         |
      |              |            |            |               |
      |              |            |            |               |
      =======================================================        |
      |                              Temple                 |        |
      |                            Commandant (2)           |        |
      |                            ==========               |        |
      ======================================================         |
      *      (1)         High           |          Ranking *         |
      *  Captain    Ritual Priest       |          Scholar *         |
      * ---------   -------------       |        ----------*         |
      *     |              |            |            |     *         |
      *     |              |            |            |     * |-----------|
      * Non-Com          Chief        Dept.       Senior   * |     Lay   |
      * Officers     Ritual Priests   Heads      Scholars  * |   Priests |
      * --------    ---------------   -----      --------  * |           |
      *     |              |            |            |     * |Physicians,|
      *     |              |            |         SCHOLAR/ *-|Scholars,  |
      *  WARRIOR        RITUAL-       CLERK        WIZARD  * |etc.       |
      * --------        -------       -----       -------- * |           |
      * |  |               |            |            |     * |-----------|
        |  |+--------------+------------+------------+--|             |
        |  |                Priests:                    +-------------|
        |  |-------------------+------------------------|             |
        |                      |                                      |
             |
       |-----------------------------------|
       |            Acolytes               |
       |---------------+-------------------|
  Notes:
  1.  This is the highest rank in those temples which do not support
  legions.  Such warriors are temple guards and are locally recruited,
  
  15
  trained and supported.  There is no central command or coordination of
  forces.
  2.  In temples outside the larger urban areas the high ritual priest
  also serves as the temple commandant and the department heads report to
  him.  If the ritual priest is advanced to a higher administrative post,
  he discontinues his ritual functions.
  3.  A force commander's rank is subject to considerations of location,
  mission, troops, personal status, etc.  The ranks and route of
  advancement are the same as for the regular military forces.
  4.  Members of the High Council are often given the additional status of
  "Patriarchs."
  
SOURCE: textdata/thevault/Empire of the Petal Throne/Temples of Tékumel/Empire of the Petal Throne Temple of Thúmis.pdf