Al-Qadim: Land of Fate (5e conversion)

[MessiahMushroom]

This is how you can insert images using the website:

<img src='http://www.eugenefromentin.org/Heron-Hunting.jpg' style='position:absolute;bottom:-20px;right: -50px;' />

I've been sticking with images that are in the public domain. Edmund Dulac did beautiful illustrations for The Arabian Nights in 1907.

I have the person's email address who did those conversions (which may be inactive), but that's it.

 

[Quickleaf]

This is how you can insert images using the website:

<img src='http://www.eugenefromentin.org/Heron-Hunting.jpg' style='position:absolute;bottom:-20px;right: -50px;' />

Ah, awesome, I just saw you added that in your How To.

I've been sticking with images that are in the public domain. Edmund Dulac did beautiful illustrations for The Arabian Nights in 1907.

Dulac's work is great. There's also a good selection of other European painters over here: http://www.mythfolklore.net/1001nights/pix/index.htm All their work is in the public domain.

 

[MessiahMushroom]

Dulac's work is great. There's also a good selection of other European painters over here: http://www.mythfolklore.net/1001nights/pix/index.htm All their work is in the public domain.

What a superb resource! I love Tea for jbass's work too. Their color, texture, and detail is astounding.

 

[Quickleaf]

What a superb resource! I love Tea for jbass's work too. Their color, texture, and detail is astounding.

OK! I put together a template for everyone's Al-Qadim creations for the DM's Guild. It's in PDF, Word, and Mac Pages formats.

Let me know what you think? I'd like to get some feedback on anything I should fix or include before posting it to DM's Guild. In particular, I'd like to hear from folks about the Word version, since I created it in Pages and exported to Word.

Fonts that I used, all found for free online:

Andada
Andada SC
Bodacious
Missale AS Lunea
Omnia
Open Sans

 

[Bravesword]

Hello everyone!

Wow, a lot of new stuff here! The references, artwwork and templates are excellent!

I would love to work with an adventure, but I would enjoy more to create a sourcebook with an updated description of Zakhara considering recent events, something like a smaller version of the Sword Coast Campaign Guide. Such model would work great in my opinion, because it could feature some light descriptions of the main places and kingdoms of the land, customs, religion and current events (which may or may not involve a metaplot in this case). After that, we could have some rules reference updating some races, classes and AQ stuff for D&D 5e.

This model could target an audience looking for both a book reference guide for Arabian Adventures, as well as those interested in setting description and environment.
[MENTION=20323]Quickleaf[/MENTION], I shall use your templates to begin to put the main ideas of the setting into an initial draft, trying to create a consolidated version of the material discussed here.

We could have some guys focused in specific targets (like ruleset, setting description, art edit, etc). This surely doesn´t mean that anyone could comment and/or make suggestions in other areas, but only for us to have an overall structure of who would be doing what. What do you think?

 

[Quickleaf]

[MENTION=61095]Bravesword[/MENTION] Welcome to ENWorld! I appreciate your enthusiasm I've actually been consolidating what I've written into a document, so no need to roll the same wheel up the hill!

I've been at this project since Sept 2014 (well, and earlier if you count 4e). Wow, time flies. And that was actually my initial hope, that a group of people from the community would want to contribute to a setting document. There was a TON of work done by the community for AQ during the 3e/3.5e era, and then it dropped off a lot during 4e, with only a handful of us tinkering at it. Getting people to actually invest time into a fan project is another thing, especially when the goal is a "free" or "pay what you want" document for DM's Guild.

I know [MENTION=6789613]MessiahMushroom[/MENTION] and I are planning on collaborating.

My strengths are:

• Writing, setting and rules
• Cartography in GIMP / Photoshop, Sketchup, AutoCAD
• Layout in Adobe InDesign

I am an amateur artist, and I've even got a Wacom tablet, but I've yet to really figure out how to do digital art and get beyond the sketching stage. However, if we do get a couple people who prefer to write, I could switch gears and try my hand at some art though it wouldn't be professional quality.

Here's my work-in-progress Table of Contents:

[SBLOCK=Table of Contents]
Introduction
Welcome to Al-Qadim!
The People & their Land
Map of Zakhara

Chapter 1: Character Creation
Race, Color, Creed, and… Station
Calling Upon Fate
Zakharan Languages
Naming Your Character

Chapter 2: Zakharan Archetypes
Barbarian
--Horse/Camel Totem
--Path of the Philosopher Brute
Bard
--College of the Desert’s Voice (Rawun)
Cleric
--Truth domain (Hakima)
--Mysticism domain (Mystic)
--Prosperity domain
Druid
--Circle of Aged Masters (Kahin)
Fighter
--Askar
--Mamluk
Monk
--Way of Painted Skin (Mystic of Nog)
Paladin
--Oath of the Struggle (Faris)
Ranger
--Corsair
--Desert Rider
Rogue
--Barber
--Merchant-Rogue
Sorcerer
--Elementalist
Warlock
--Sha’ir
Wizard ??
--Fateweaver ??
--Ghul Lord ??
--Jackal ??
--Scholarly Vizier ??

Chapter 3: The Bazaar
Common Goods
Services
Armor
Weapons

Chapter 4: Spells
Spell Lists by Class & Province
Spell Descriptions

Chapter 5: Gazetteer
The Great Unbinding
Cities of the Heart
Cities of the Mamluks (Mamluk Dynsasty)
Cities of the North (Tuiganate)
Cities of the Pantheon (Pantheist League)
Cities of the Pearl
Tribes of the High Desert
Tribes of the Haunted Lands

Chapter 6: Dungeon Master’s Notes
Campaign Hooks
Magic Items
Artifacts
Zakhara Encounter Tables
Perils of Adventure
Monsters
--Gen
--Genie, Ghul
--Genie, Janni
--Yikaria (Yak-folk)
Villains
--Brethren of True Flame
--Geomancer
--Holy Slayer
--Matrud
--?

Appendix A: Tales of Zakhara
How the Haunted Lands Became So
Last Teaching of the Loregiver

Appendix B: Al-Qadim Products[/SBLOCK]

 

[Bravesword]

It is good to see things moving!

I was one of the creators of a former Oriental Fantasy Setting called Mythica: The Paths of the East (Mítica: Os Caminhos do Oriente) that was released in Brazil in 2005 for d20 System, mainly based upon Japanese, Chinese, Indian and Tibetan cultures. The publishing company that developed it released 3 books for the setting (a campaign setting gazetteer, a bestiary/antagonist book and an adventure/supplement book). I shall confirm if I found an English version that we distributed to some US publishers at that time, so I can share it with you. I play RPG (and AD&D/D&D most of the time) since the early 90’s.

Right now I am a corporate lawyer preparing to get married this year! But I hope that I can help you with some cool ideas and concepts. My strongest skills are related to writing, world building and (to a lesser degree) rules development. I can help you with those, considering the material already prepared and some ideas that I have for Zakhara for D&D/FR 5e.

The opportunity to have it released upon DMs Guild was a great opportunity to have some cool material published by fans, but with a more professional approach. In view of this I hope to help you with the project!

 

[MessiahMushroom]

I'm very excited to help in any way.

My strengths include:

• Writing and editing
• Research and sourcing
• Creative and concept drafting

I also am somewhat of an amateur artist but am limited in my software capabilities. The medium I work with most is ink and watercolor. I'm probably most suited for writing and gathering information for this project, though. I do not have very many programs for finalizing a document (no photoshop, indesign, etc.) so keep that in mind. I do have (and am decent at) Campaign Cartographer for making maps ~ which may come in handy?

 

[Quickleaf]

I love how talented folks on ENWorld are
[MENTION=61095]Bravesword[/MENTION] Sounds like you have some story ideas for where to take certain things in Al-Qadim post-Spellplague? Hit us with you ideas!
[MENTION=6789613]MessiahMushroom[/MENTION] Oh man, Campaign Cartographer. I played around with it back in 2009, but actually found it easier to get the look I wanted in GIMP/Photoshop. But now there are so many cool Cartographer Annuals with great add-on content. We'll see! Thankfully, I now have permission to use [MENTION=14338]hands[/MENTION]omeRob's awesome zakhara map so we're covered for now in terms of cartography.

One question I posed was about what sub-classes should we create for Wizards?

In AQ, the normal eight schools of magic were de-emphasized in favor of 4 elemental provinces, and there were several mages who cast very differently from their Faerûnian counterparts. Between Arabian Adventures & Complete Shair's Handbook we have the following kits to use as inspiration:

• Elemental Mage I'm inclined to link this to Sorcerer as an "Elemental Magic" sorcerous origin, possibly 4 linked origins?
• Sha'ir I've designed this as a Warlock sub-class "Noble Genie patron"
• Sorcerer Seems like a non-concept to me, plus it infringes on the Sorcerer class name. Better to cut it out.
• Astrologer
• Clockwork Mage
• Digitalogist
• Ghul Lord [MENTION=6789613]MessiahMushroom[/MENTION] has a version of this done for the Sorcerer class? is it a better fit for Sorcerers?
• Jackal
• Mageweaver
• Mystic of Nog I'm thinking of reinterpreting this as a Monk sub-class "Way of Painted Skin" and tying it to tattooing practices.
• Spellslayer seems to be covered by the PHB feat Mage Slayer, and also seems a bit evil for most heroic parties.

So, if we cut out the ones I commented on, then that leaves us with the following old concepts we could try converting as Wizard arcane traditions...

• Astrologer
• Clockwork Mage
• Digitalogist
• Jackal
• Mageweaver

I really don't know much about these and never saw them in play, so maybe someone could comment about which of these should be converted? Or should we find a way to adapt the existing PHB arcane traditions to Zakhara? Or should we make up our own from scratch (e.g. I worked on a Scholarly Mage "generalist" arcane tradition that might fit the "kindly old vizier" archetype)?

 

[MessiahMushroom]

I really don't know much about these and never saw them in play, so maybe someone could comment about which of these should be converted? Or should we find a way to adapt the existing PHB arcane traditions to Zakhara? Or should we make up our own from scratch (e.g. I worked on a Scholarly Mage "generalist" arcane tradition that might fit the "kindly old vizier" archetype)?

There were two other kits provided in Dragon magazine (issue 198): the Sungazer wizard and the Priest-Defender both of which are interesting but may or may not want to be included. The article, titled "Scimitars against the Dark," also proposed adding psionics into the mix, but I absolutly do NOT recommend that.

As far as the wizard subclasses go, I'll list my comments on each.

• Elemental Mage I think four linked origins would be best. I've got these pretty much covered and can put them together in an afternoon, no problem.
• Sha'ir Though I love @Quickleaf's version, I think it could use some minor rewording and additional parameters set in place. Particularly the genie binding feature could use some additional specifications (CR rating etc.). Maybe when we convert some more of the genies, this ability will be more balanced.
• Sorcerer Totally, let's cut it. [side note: the Draconic sorcerous origin doesn't really have a place in Zakhara]
• Astrologer This tradition would need to be built from scratch but would be fun to do so
• Clockwork Mage The Artificer released in a previous UA article (http://media.wizards.com/2015/downloads/dnd/UA_Eberron_v1.pdf) could be a good stand-in. The tinker feature of the rock gnome (or some other similar features) should make an appearance here.
• Digitalogist I actually took a crack at this a year ago when I was a lil' baby to DM'ing but it's horrendous and confusing. http://www.enworld.org/forum/showthread.php?412345-Wizardly-Tradition-Digitalogist
• Ghul Lord This as a sorcerous origin works because of spell points. I imagine it could be transformed into a wizard tradition simply enough by allowing Hit Die to replenish spell slots somehow.
• Jackal I view this, the spell thief, as being a rogue subclass. And considering that ​arcane tricksters get a spell-thieving ability at 17, should we rebuild this?
• Mageweaver Needed to be made from scratch, I guess. I find this kit really confusing.
• Mystic of Nog I have a player right now who's role-playing as a mystic of nog. He's taken levels in both monk and the rune scribe prestige class. We've reflavored runes as being geomancy, once used in the ruined kingdoms.
  http://media.wizards.com/2015/downloads/dnd/UA_Rune_Magic_Prestige_Class.pdf
• Spellslayer let's scrap it.

looks like we've got our work cut out for us!