I just want to give some words of encouragement... This set of episodes opened a whole new understanding of the pre-Columbian Americas for me. The ability to see American states interacting with each other provides a much deeper image than just knowing how the Aztecs or the Mayans did things.

For reference, this is /u/snickeringshadow's "cheat sheet" on some of the players involved in this drama, at least in the early period:

Chichimecs: The descendants of the semi-nomadic hunter-gatherers who migrated to the Lake Pátzcuaro region in the Early Postclassic period. Includes several families ("tribes?"), but the important one is the Uacusecha which became the Tarascan royal dynasty.

Ticatame: The apical ancestor of the Chichimec noble families. Killed by the lord of Naranjan in revenge for shooting two noblemen in an altercation over a deer. Vapeani and Pauácume: Two chichimec (Uacusecha) brothers that founded the city-state of Pátzcuaro. Descendants of Ticatame. Assassinated in a conspiracy by the lords of Xaraquaro and Coringuaro.

Cétaco and Aramen: Two brothers, sons of Vapeani. Cousins of Taríacuri. Aramen was assassinated by Caricaten of Xaraquaro for sleeping with his wife. Taríacuri: Son of Pauácume, King of Pátzcuaro, founder of the Tarascan Empire. If you don't know who this is you weren't paying attention. Curátame: Taríacuri's estranged son from his first marriage. Briefly king of Pátzcuaro.

Híripan and Tángaxoan: Taríacuri's "nephews" (really, the sons of his cousins) and heirs. Second and third emperors of the Tarascan Empire, respectively. Hiquingaje: Taríacuri's second son and heir, as well as the fourth Tarascan emperor.

Other Lords of Lake Pátzcuaro: Lords who are not Chichimecs. The original inhabitants of the Lake Pátzcuaro Basin.

Caricaten: King of Xaráquaro, and head of a political bloc known as the islanders. Helped orchestrate the assassination of Vapeani and Pauácume. Also helped force Taríacuri into exile.

Chanshori: King of Corínguaro, assassinated Vapeani and Pauácume. Also father of Taríacuri's first wife and held Taríacuri and his people as vassals while they were in exile.

Zurunban: King of a minor city-state called Taríaran. Notable for his political allegiance to Chánshori of Corínguaro. Also notable for his high priest, Naca, who suffered a rather unfortunate fate at Taríacuri's hands. In retaliation, Zurunban and the islanders forced Taríacuri into exile. Later, he provided political protection to Taríacuri after his vassalage with Chánshori ended.

This was posted in the Part 1 discussion.

I´m late for the party, but I have to say this whole Tarascan thing was really enjoyable, thank you!

I have a couple of questions regarding the limits of the Tarascan empire, who was in Colima? Chichimecas or someone else? and who was at the other side, Mixtecos? or there was someone else in between in what is today the state of Guerrero? I know there are ruins in Guerrero but I can´t remember who made them.

Also another question, does the "usos y costumbres" way of self governing set in place now in places like Cherán have anything to do with the traditional ways back in precolumbian times or is it a whole diferent thing made up as some sort of mix of different traditions?

Thank you