The Five Empires of the World of Tekumel

Tekumel is a fantasy world with a history stretching back 60,000 years and more. Tékumel is based on the mythologies of India, the Middle East, and Mezo-America. It features large political empires that have existed for millennia, similar to Ancient Rome or China, numerous non-human races, horrific creatures, active god's, powerful magic, intrigue inside of intrigue, rigid social strata, and ancient advanced technology.

It is inhabited by humans of South Asian, Mesoamerican and Middle Eastern descent, plus a large variety of nonhuman intelligent lifeforms. The published game EMPIRE OF THE PETAL THRONE (EPT)  assumes that Tekumel is a lost colony of starfaring mankind; this may or may not be true in this campaign. In any case, the inhabitants aren't aware of the "lost colony" theory.

The Five Empires, huge, tradition-bound empires with medieval levels of technology vie for control using magic, large standing armies, and ancient technological devices, occupy a large portion of the northern continent. These five human empires (Livyánu, Mu′ugalavyá, Salarvyá, Tsolyánu, Yán Kór), along with various non-human allies (Ahoggyá, Chíma, Hegléth, Hláka, Hlutrgú, Ninín, Páchi Léi, Pé Chói, Shén, Tinalíya) who are descended from other star faring races, vie to control resources, including other planar "magical powers" and ancient technology, as they vie for survival and supremacy among themselves as well as hostile and other non-human races (Hokún, Mihálli, Nyaggá, Urunén, Vléshga).