D&D 4E Forked Thread: Al-Qadim, Land of Fate 4e

[Khaalis]

Just to add my thought on location. I have a feeling in the back of my mind that Zhakara will get a DDI/Dragon article dedicated to it, detailing some of the changes as it exists in Faerun. It will make for another strong home base for Genasi and the future Elementalist class (assuming its still in the works). However, I do not see it getting anything more than Dragon level attention (though possibly more than one article, but I wouldn't bet on it).

 

[Philosopher]

Hmm.

I'd be tempted to say that heavy armor uses up a healing surge if you wear it for more than an hour or in heavy combat.

Then you can slap on even more healing surge penalties in the right environment.

Maybe you could use Endurance checks to resist the surge leak.

This is in line with the current environmental effects, and does nothing to muck about with the basic math of the classes.

This is great! The loss of a healing surge makes sense. Plus, if the character is out of healing surges, let's say they lose hit points equal to their healing surge value. That means that it could be worth it to put on heavy armor sometimes, but not for an extended period of time. That's exactly what I was hoping for.

 

[Philosopher]

So, we have to make a decision about our goals with this project:

1. Leave story out of it, update just the rules
This is the minimal effort approach, nothing fancy, just a direct translation, and leave the story to the DMs

2. 30-40 year advance, "Feuding Heirs" concept
Use a different timeline which keeps old fans connected but opens up new options for them, balance between 4e and AL-QADIM

3. Official FORGOTTEN REALMS timeline
Become the banner for AL-QADIM 4e as Planewalker.com did for Planescape, get published in Dragon magazine, detail effects of Spellplague on Zakhara, advance timeline 100 years

I'm for #2. Any other ideas?

Overall, my preference would be for 1 or 2. However, as others have already pointed out, going with 3 would give AQ the most attention. So I think 3 would be the best option.

 

[Philosopher]

One angle we could work the Spell Plague is "Breaking of the Djinni Seals" in which a huge number of imprisoned djinn are released, and all djinn contracts are rendered null and void. They are seen riding great storms of flame and lightning, leaving the sky stained with indigo hues in their wake (a Zakharan aurora borealis). Vendettas against the sha'ir who bound them are taken on the sha'ir (if living) or on their descendants. The oldest ones rival the Djinn Lords in power but are forbidden from returning to Jinnistan and may stake a claim to their own fiefdoms. Introduce the genasi as having always been in the background, but now becoming more prominent in the wake of the progenitors' liberation. Well, that's all I've got for now...

I like this. It makes the spellplague into an AQ-relevant event rather than something random that happens (as far as Zakharans can tell).

 

[Daniel D. Fox]

So you're for the +100 year advance, right?
One angle we could work the Spell Plague is "Breaking of the Djinni Seals" in which a huge number of imprisoned djinn are released, and all djinn contracts are rendered null and void. They are seen riding great storms of flame and lightning, leaving the sky stained with indigo hues in their wake (a Zakharan aurora borealis). Vendettas against the sha'ir who bound them are taken on the sha'ir (if living) or on their descendants. The oldest ones rival the Djinn Lords in power but are forbidden from returning to Jinnistan and may stake a claim to their own fiefdoms. Introduce the genasi as having always been in the background, but now becoming more prominent in the wake of the progenitors' liberation. Well, that's all I've got for now...

I love this idea. Even more so, the "free" Djinni can become a player race - and surprisingly, may be simply called Genasi Ecology of the Genasi

Works out pretty well!

 

[Quickleaf]

Well, it seems like everyone involved in this project (hodag, Dr Strangemonkey, Philosopher) is for making this the official AL-QADIM 4e update. I admit that "Breaking of the Djinni Seals" could make for a great plot twist and explain genasi well. Also, a 100 year advance allows us to change the feel in the ways I've mentioned, more menacing & mysterious, new types of magic, a time of division.

If we're going this route...
1. I think we need a timeline of the intervening century, which I see as a history chapter filled with adventure hooks, mysteries, continuations of plots from the old Land of Fate boxed set, etc.
2. We need to decide what/who caused the seals to be broken

Just to add my thought on location. I have a feeling in the back of my mind that Zhakara will get a DDI/Dragon article dedicated to it, detailing some of the changes as it exists in Faerun. It will make for another strong home base for Genasi and the future Elementalist class (assuming its still in the works). However, I do not see it getting anything more than Dragon level attention (though possibly more than one article, but I wouldn't bet on it).

I'm betting you're right. Maybe we'll be the ones to write it?

 

[Quickleaf]

A quick run down of who wants to be involved in the project, and what you've mainly expressed interest in working on. I expect there to be cross-pollination, this is just a list for organization sake. Anyone else?

Dr Strangemonkey: story
hodag: monsters
Philosopher: character classes, rules
Quickleaf: story, character classes, layout

Edit: I sent a letter to Wizards asking about their plans for Al-Qadim in light of our community project. Who knows, maybe they'll shed some light?

 

[Dr. Strangemonkey]

You know Mouseferatu is a huge Arabian Adventures fan. If someone can PM him it might be worth it to see if he's interested on a casual level.

There are some rules elements I'd be interested in, too, but I think it'll work well to let people have a focus but keep the boundaries loose.

One nice thing about advancing the storyline a fair bit and including some nasty disasters is that it gives us more of an opportunity to introduce new cultures or themes.

I think if you develop the 'Civilizing the Tribes' theme out a bit you can actually use it to introduce the problem of 'super-nomads' like the Seljik Turks who keep their nomadic ways even as they integrate civilized peoples into their society.

If you put together a means to get a Persian/Byzantine civilization on the scene - Maybe a nation coming through from Abeir - then you've hit all the major societal scenes of the Mideaval Middle East.

You could even throw a Prester John style Eladrin kingdom behind the Pearl cities, tie that in to the new dustbowl there, and then you've hit Ethiopia as well.

And I think it would be sweet if we came up with a Zhakarin convergence for the Spell-Plague.

You know, Mystra was never a part of the setting. So we could say that the Spell Plague is simply a terrible mystery to the Zhakarans.

Or we could say that there was a simultaneous Zhakaran event. That something broke in Al-Quadim too and that the feedback between the two events actually created the entirety of the disaster.

Neither side of the event is necesarilly aware of how they were affected by the other.

Then if you want to do a FR - Al-Quadim campaign you can explore the ties between the two.

But if you want to do a strict Al-Quadim campaign then you have an independent reason for the story changes that doesn't need to rely on FR or Toril at all.

 

[Quickleaf]

You know Mouseferatu is a huge Arabian Adventures fan. If someone can PM him it might be worth it to see if he's interested on a casual level.

How do you PM in the new setup? I remember talking with him about it way back when I had started writing Caliphate Nights. My guess is he's busy with his own projects, but I'd love to get him on board.

I think if you develop the 'Civilizing the Tribes' theme out a bit you can actually use it to introduce the problem of 'super-nomads' like the Seljik Turks who keep their nomadic ways even as they integrate civilized peoples into their society.

Well, that was one idea I had for the Astoks of the north. A lot of potential for desperate tribal raiders who unexpectedly end up overthrowing a tyrannical sultan, and are left with the question: now what do we do?

If you put together a means to get a Persian/Byzantine civilization on the scene - Maybe a nation coming through from Abeir - then you've hit all the major societal scenes of the Mideaval Middle East.

AL-QADIM seems to imply that Egypt and Persia analogues existed in the past but are no more. Nog and Kadar stand out as possibilities, but neither of those had a Persian theme.

I think the real opportunity to introduce a new region is Akota, but that's based off of India or is it Ethiopia?

You could even throw a Prester John style Eladrin kingdom behind the Pearl cities, tie that in to the new dustbowl there, and then you've hit Ethiopia as well.

You know, I was contemplating an oasis or isle outside of time that is believed a myth. Could be that it gets discovered and now the rulers are divided between those who want to embrace the rest of Zakhara and those who wish to remain separate.

And I think it would be sweet if we came up with a Zhakarin convergence for the Spell-Plague.

I'm fleshing out the "Breaking of the Seal" concept, but I'd love to hear other ideas - maybe we can combine them?

 

[Hodag]

So you're for the +100 year advance, right?
One angle we could work the Spell Plague is "Breaking of the Djinni Seals" in which a huge number of imprisoned djinn are released, and all djinn contracts are rendered null and void. They are seen riding great storms of flame and lightning, leaving the sky stained with indigo hues in their wake (a Zakharan aurora borealis). Vendettas against the sha'ir who bound them are taken on the sha'ir (if living) or on their descendants. The oldest ones rival the Djinn Lords in power but are forbidden from returning to Jinnistan and may stake a claim to their own fiefdoms. Introduce the genasi as having always been in the background, but now becoming more prominent in the wake of the progenitors' liberation. Well, that's all I've got for now...

Oh I really like this, especially the "All contracts are rendered null and void..." bit. What about the Yakmen/Dao arrangement? If that has been shattered as well, there is probably a pretty heavy duty war going on in the Yikkarian realm. The yakmen are no slouches in the magical firepower ability, so it would not be a walkover by the dao, but those mountains would be insanely dangerous to transit.