At the start of gaming, the player characters already know many other persons within the Atlantean culture. Some of the more noteworthy are listed here, including the members of the high council and those likely to be mentors of the player characters. The High Council may have as many as ten members - however, there are usually two or more vacant seats. There are currently seven sitting members of the High Council, four males and three females.
The High Council
SARKIS CHELINI male~/senior member/traditional - The leader of the High Council, he oversees all deliberations with fairness and patience. He is firm in his commitment to the rituals and practices that have made Atlantis what it is. He can be a bit humorless at times.
TOMAN CEFALU male/military leader/bellicose - A fiery young conqueror who is sometimes short-sighted and hasty in his judgements. He is a great warrior who attained his rank by virtue of his many bloody victories.
RATIGAN HARTRICK male/scholar/skeptical - Highly intelligent and analytical, he often takes the contrary position for the sake of argument. The extent of his knowledge is unsurpassed in Atlantis.
PARR SKEVAL male/sacred/pacifist - A peacemaker and conciliator among the ruling class. His skills in communicating and negotiating have spared Atlantis many internal conflicts.
PLUTA DINELLA female~/merchant/conniving - A ruthless merchant with a genius for developing new sources of wealth. She is largely responsible for establishing the Minoan colony.
OSIKA SERENATI female~/sacred/nurturing - Highly valued for her ability to identify talented young people coming up through the ranks. She can be very helpful to those who gain her favor. She cares little for flattery and ostentation.
JURENA CIGNO female/naval commander/tough - A hardened veteran of many naval exploits. She is known as a master strategist. Most of the naval forces are in her control.
RYON MANGAN male/educator/helpful - A teacher of those seeking admittance to the ranks of the scholarly caste. He is sincere in his efforts to help his students succeed.
GRANATA ELLING female/spiritual advisor/pragmatic - A thoughtful counselor to those seeking guidance. She is direct and brutally honest to those who seek her advise.
HAMZA KUFTA male/combat trainer/fun-loving - A weaponmaster who trains young people in the art of combat. He enjoys carousing after workouts and is famous for his sexual appetite.
STREBER PALOZZI male/trader-merchant/scheming - A clever merchant who is always hatching some kind of get rich quick scheme. They say he would sell his own mother if the right deal came along.
NEVIN SPEER male/tradesman/jovial - A light hearted metal smith who is always quick with a jest. He is an expert in the production of swords and other bladed weapons.
PEHTA RENEHAN female/courtesan/trusted - Once the most sought after prostitute in Atlantis, she now trains younger women in the arts of seduction. She has friends on the High Council.
TIERNO TESTA male/sacred leader/strict - A high ranking priest in the temple of Posador. Similar to a dean, he determines who will be admitted or removed from the study of the sacred rites of Posador.
PINEDA SANGIR female/astrologer/wise - A gifted seer who is able to grasp the complexities of human events. She always displays an intensity that is frightening to some and disconcerting to others.
Physical Appearance of Atlanteans
At this point in history there are only the three basic races; Caucasian (white), African (black), and Eastern (yellow). The Atlanteans themselves are originally of Nordic (Caucasian) stock, but are the first deliberate racial mixers. Exceptional individuals of the other two races have purposefully been included in the breeding program. This means that Atlanteans have a high degree of variability in appearance and tend to be brown-skinned or light-skinned. Eyes are usually brown, but sometimes hazel, gray or blue. Hair color tends to be brown to sandy blond, but again, other colors may be seen as well.
Units of Measure
For convenience sake, we will assume that the english system is exactly the same as that used in Atlantis. Twelve inches to a foot, three feet to a yard etc. Creating an alternative system of measurements would add nothing to the story. Using the familiar system prevents the players from having to learn a lot of essentially useless terminology.
Monetary System
The only recognized media of exchange are gold and silver. Both are typically refined to about 12 carat purity and formed into flat strips, one half inch in width and about a sixteenth of an inch thick. Strips are originally made in twelve inch lengths, but are soon broken into half inch increments. A half inch increment of silver ( 1/2" X 1/2" X 1/16" ) is equivalent to the basic GURPS monetary unit (one dollar). Gold is worth twenty-four times as much as silver, therefore a half inch increment of gold is equivalent to twenty-four dollars. The barter system is prevalent throughout most of the non-Atlantean world.
Creatures
Almost all earth creatures present in the twentieth century AD exist in the antediluvian world, plus many more that have since become extinct. Many of the unfamiliar creatures of this time will be driven to extinction by the great cataclysm about three hundred years in the future of this game. Others that survived the flood were later hunted to extinction or fell victim to man's technology. Some are larger versions of creatures that still exist in smaller form. Others are hybrid species that resemble more than one animal. Still others are the result of magery and/or scientific experimentation. Therefore, an abundance of different life forms are present, and many of the most unfamiliar forms exist primarily on the Atlantean sub-continent. Encounters with predatory animals will be commonplace away from the city, unless the group is large enough to discourage any approach. Individuals that stray from the group may be ambushed by predatory creatures waiting for just such a chance.
There are also a few sentient humanoid types in existence other than mankind. Three are the descendants of the other hominid strains (homo australopithecus, homo neanderthalis, and homo erectus). These peoples are known as pygmies, giants and ogres, respectively. The nocturnal pygmies are small and slender, and about as intelligent as humans. They are typically clever and agile and live in small social groups. The giants are not that much larger than humans, and similar in description to a yeti or bigfoot. Large, solitary and clumsy, they are much less intelligent than humans, though still sentient. The ogres are basically cavemen, close to humans in intelligence and dexterity, but without man's social systems and complex language. The one other humanoid form is found only on Muan and is a marsupial. Little is known about this life form other than that they use tools and language.
There are a few other creatures that are truly sentient, but these forms are not naturally occurring. Dragons, harpies, and other such sentients are actually human beings transformed through the use of powerful, forbidden magic. Most are either powerful sorcerers turned evil, or persons said to be transformed by one or another of the deities. Such creatures are the most powerful beings on the planet. The deities themselves cannot appear on the planet unless they assume a mortal form, according to legends.
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