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

[Quickleaf]

The Beggar-Thief

Here's my first attempt at the beggar-thief. The "Reactive Stealth" feature is taken from the gnome, and the "handspring assault" & "fox's gambit" powers are from the Aerialist Rogue build from Martial Power.

Beggar-Thief

“All men are thieves –
no matter their stated profession.”

For those who live without hearth or home, Fate is a cruel mistress. Circumstance may have made you a beggar, but ambition has made you a thief. Though you pick pockets and hustle pilgrims by day, at night you dream of a better life from your rooftop shanty. You find it supremely ironic that the exorbitant taxes which pay for the sultan’s palace, or the raids which capture cattle and slaves go unpunished and yet stealing a loaf of bread merits the loss of a hand. Not only do you see nothing wrong with thieving (or, as you would say, “surviving”), but you also see yourself as a champion of the poor, standing up for the downtrodden by making fools of the upper classes, and occasionally sharing your “earnings.” When you finally strike it rich, will the money change you for the better or worse, or will you always remain a child of the streets at heart?

Class Features: Beggar-Thief Talent*, Reactive Stealth*, Rogue Tactics (Artful Dodger), Sneak Attack
Class Skills: Acrobatics, Athletics, Bluff, Diplomacy, Insight, Intimidate, Perception, Stealth, Streetwise, Thievery
Station: 2

Suggested Feat: Escape Artist
Suggested Skills: Acrobatics, Athletics, Bluff, Stealth, Streetwise, Thievery
Suggested At-Will Powers: deft strike, sly flourish
Suggested Encounter Power: fox’s gambit
Suggested Daily Power: handspring assault
Suggested Paragon Paths: Ear of the Souk*, Damsel of Distress*, Dashing Anti-Hero*, Sultan(a) of Thieves*

Reactive Stealth
If you have cover or concealment when you make an initiative check, you may make a Stealth check to escape notice.

Beggar-Thief Talent
When fighting in urban difficult terrain gain a +1 bonus to attack, and for one round during each encounter you may ignore the urban difficult terrain penalty to movement entirely.

 

[Jubelo]

It's been pointed out to me that the cutlass, as I wrote it, is too good.

"With the strengths of a longsword and the defensive ability, what sword and board defender would pass this weapon up?' was the question, and I have no answer.

I don't see a cutlass as being a superior weapon, so just moving it up a notch doesn't seem right for the genre. I see three or four other possibilities: the easiest is to say that a cutlass has the same stats as a shortsword or scimitar (this was the suggestion at wizard's boards), we could have the cutlass as the 'light scimitar' (+3 prof, d6, light blade and high crit) or as the 'short scimitar' (+2 prof, d6, heavy blade, high crit + offhand) or a mix of the two ( +3 prof, d6 heavy blade, high crit).

Let me know what you think!

Jon

 

[Jubelo]

I liked the sample campaign model and the beggar thief

When Martial Power comes out, we might have a couple extra rogue tactics that we can use to model the other thief types.. a tactic that uses Intelligence would be really nice!

Hope you get a chance to look at this before long.

Jon

Actually, now that I've slept on it, doesn't the reactive stealth given as a class trait step on the gnome's toes? What if a gnome takes this class?

Jon (again)

 

[Quickleaf]

It's been pointed out to me that the cutlass, as I wrote it, is too good.

"With the strengths of a longsword and the defensive ability, what sword and board defender would pass this weapon up?' was the question, and I have no answer.

I don't see a cutlass as being a superior weapon, so just moving it up a notch doesn't seem right for the genre. I see three or four other possibilities: the easiest is to say that a cutlass has the same stats as a shortsword or scimitar (this was the suggestion at wizard's boards), we could have the cutlass as the 'light scimitar' (+3 prof, d6, light blade and high crit) or as the 'short scimitar' (+2 prof, d6, heavy blade, high crit + offhand) or a mix of the two ( +3 prof, d6 heavy blade, high crit).

Given it's historical use, a +3 prof bonus seems appropriate, and it was definitely a chopping weapon, so I think the mix of the two works best (+3 prof, d6, heavy blade, high crit).

I liked the sample campaign model and the beggar thief

Thanks Jon!

When Martial Power comes out, we might have a couple extra rogue tactics that we can use to model the other thief types.. a tactic that uses Intelligence would be really nice!

I was wondering about incorporating info from supplements, since it would require their use by anyone wanting to run certain builds in AQ4e. Personally, I find the current powers/builds pretty limiting, and would like to have more to work with.

Actually, now that I've slept on it, doesn't the reactive stealth given as a class trait step on the gnome's toes? What if a gnome takes this class?

Yeh, I was thinking the same thing as I wrote it. I think I'll revise that class feature to more accurately reflect what I'm going for - the ability to fade into a crowd unnoticed, or slip inconspicuously into an alley while trailing a mark.

 

[Quickleaf]

regions of zakhara

100 years has passed... venerable dwarves and elves recall the Great Unbinding, when storm genies rode thunderheads casting green lightning down upon the earth with savage glee, when sha'ir lost their ability to call upon the genies and many were hunted down by their former servants, when the yak-folk and the dao waged war in the World Pillar Mountains causing earthquakes to wrack the north... yet to the human majority such things are the province of tales of their grandparents. Most folk are more concerned with the realities of the present day, and these are greatly shaped by the region in which they live.

Cities of the North (Tuigan Sultanate)
50 years ago, the Cities of the North were invaded by the Tuigan khan Kaland Pyar, whose nephew had been abducted during a raid by Zakharan soldiers for boy mamluks. Khan Kaland sought to create a clan-society which would purify the decadent ways of the city – to the Khan, the best way to defend his people’s steppe was to conquer their enemies. When he invaded the “Free Cities” he met fierce opposition, but skillfully timed his attacks during in-fighting. After just three years he conquered the 4 northernmost cities of Zakhara before the Grand Caliph recognized a Tuigan Sultanate. Harsh punishments for thievery, cowardice, and lying were implemented, all youth were required to learn Tuigan, horsemanship, an elaborate code of honor, and spend 2 years living as a nomad border-guard. However, great leeway was given to the independent character of the city-states. Any mamluk fleeing to the Sultanate would be freed from service.
The last of the cities to fall to Khan Kaland Pyar was proud Muluk, whose people suffered under an endless winter siege. Wishing to spare further suffering, the Khan met with Muluk’s King and, impressed by his character, allowed the kings of Muluk to rule on as vassals of the Tuigan.

Cities of the Mamluks
During the Tuigan invasion, the mamluks fought valiantly, declaring marshal law in Umara and Liham. In many cases they fought against their forgotten relatives; during these battles it was not uncommon for mamluks to return to their Tuigan families or for yunichaar to seek sanctuary among the mamluks. With the greatest source of mamluks (the Tuigan tribes) having received recognition and Enlightenment, the mamluks had to look to dwindling hill tribes for new slaves. Eventually, the Grand Caliph implemented a policy requiring a term of service from the children of mamluks; depending on the quality of service by the mamluk this “sword due” could be reduced, increased, or erased entirely.
The Mamluk Rebellion: Several mamluk generals disagreed with the Grand Caliph’s acknowledging the Khan’s proposed sultanate, and with the indentured servitude of their children, and increasingly this cadre of mamluks became more independent of the Grand Caliph, pursuing their own agendas. It is not uncommon for orders from Huzuz to be “delayed” or “misinterpreted”. Some believe the Qudran emir even has pretensions for the Enlightened Throne.
Liham Insurgency: A group of citizens has grown discontent with the increasingly heavy-handed policies of the mamluks ruling Liham, and plans to overthrow the government, purportedly allying with even the corsairs of Hawa.

Cities of the Heart
Raiding tribes have become commonplace as the Caliph of the Shadows terrorizes the populace with dramatic assassinations. Hardly a week goes by in any of the cities without a public official being slain, a noble child being ransomed, a mosque being burned, or a bloody head arriving at the Grand Caliph’s palace gate.

Cities of the Pantheon


Cities of the Pearl
The Choking Coast: A terrible drought befell the southeastern deserts 25 years ago, and wadis dried up as tribal and village refugees flooded the streets of the Pearl Cities, shanty-towns rapidly consuming the outer boundaries of the cities.

Cities of the Ancients

Cities of the Farthest Shore
The Corsair Domains, the Crowded Sea, a new city facilitating trade with Akota...

 

[Quickleaf]

Barber

“Anyone can give you a haircut, but a scalping you get once in a lifetime…”

Legends tell of the mad barber who murders his clients, but most folks dismiss such tales as fantasy. That is unfortunate for them. Plying your razor and wit inconspicuously in the bazaar and noble houses, you are a barber – an apothecary, informant, surgeon, and a menacing spy hellbent on revenge. Whether you seek blood for a wrong done to you, or are willing to do whatever it takes to uncover a conspiracy, you carry a list of targets who deserve death. While you may choose to bring them to justice alive, or even attempt to make them repent of their wicked ways, you always do so in a twisted fashion. You derive a sick enjoyment from watching your clients squirm as you engage them with an offbeat and rambling story…and all the more so when it is the wicked man who unwittingly submits to a shave. Will you become the bloody-minded barber of legend or in the final hour will the razor of your revenge be put to other uses?

Class Features: Barber Razor Talent*, Death by Many Cuts*, First Strike, Rogue Tactics (Brutal Scoundrel)
Class Skills: Athletics, Bluff, Heal, History, Insight, Intimidate, Perception, Stealth, Streetwise, Thievery
Station: 8

Suggested Feat: Press the Advantage
Suggested Skills: Bluff, Heal, Insight, Intimidate, Stealth, Streetwise
Suggested At-Will Powers: inconspicuous strike*, piercing strike
Suggested Encounter Power: torturous strike
Suggested Daily Power: trick strike
Suggested Paragon Paths: Daggermaster, Damsel-of-Distress*/Dashing Anti-Hero*, Ear of the Souk*

Death by Many Cuts
Once per round, when you have combat advantage against an enemy and are using a light blade, you inflict ongoing damage upon that enemy when an attack hits. You decide whether to apply the ongoing damage after making the damage roll. As you advance in level your ongoing damage increases. The ongoing damage ends on a successful save.

Level.....Ongoing Damage
1st-10th.....4
11th-20th.....6
21st-30th.....10

Barber Razor Talent
Against a foe that is prone, restrained, or stunned increase your damage die by one. When you wield a dagger you gain a +2 bonus to initiative.

 

[Quickleaf]

Bumping this thread to get the creative juices going again. I would love to know who has been following this thread so far! I remember there being a few folks wanting a return of Al-Qadim on these boards, and some fresh feedback would be very appreciated.

I'm currently trying to finish the rogue kits and compile a list of mega-plots & regional plots. Most recently I've been brainstorming about a prophecy concerning "three blind princes" who fracture the caliphate.

The Feuding Princes
The Grand Caliph must decide which of his three sons will inherit the Enlightened Throne, but their actions bring division to the Land of Fate. Though their palaces are all in the vicinity of Huzuz, the princes have little love for one another.

Suhail, the eldest son, is a paladin whose blind faith threatens to sunder the Enlightened Faith into vying factions. Returning home after the holy war against the southern drow to find his family torn apart, he sought guidance but no cleric could shed light on his destiny; thus he set out to find the Tablets of Destiny (ostensibly to learn who should be heir).
Aim: Revitalize the Enlightened Faith, Convert/subjugate Crowded Sea,
Supporters: Order of the Crescent, mamluks of the Dauntless, Swords of the True Gods, the Readers mystics, The Grey Fire holy slayers
Palace: Suhail’s palace is located in Huzuz’s Pilgrim’s Ward, where he hosts visiting scholars and learns of clues about holy places from pilgrims.
Brothers: While he loves his brothers, he considers Qasim a disgrace and Omar an uncouth brute; he and Omar are not on speaking terms.

Qasim, the middle son, is a bard whose blind ambition...

Omar, the youngest son, is a warlord whose blind desire threatens to precipitate war. Fearing the fracturing of his father’s empire, Omar believes a preemptive war against the Cities of the Ancients (whose governments are being corrupted by loyalists of Nog) will unify the people. Unwittingly, his courting of the Akotan princess is leading Zakhara towards a divisive and controversial war with Akota.
Supporters: Several mamluk societies, hill tribes, al-Bulad merchant house, dwarves of Al-Akara, Soft Whisper holy slayers, and Keepers of the Seal arcane society.
Palace: Omar’s palace is located along the Al-Sarif inland of Huzuz where he studies military history, hosts visiting generals, and trains his personal mamluk unit.
Brothers: He harbors a grudge against Qasim for stealing his fiancé, and thinks Suhail would make a better monastic than a leader (Suhail’s “faith” once cost a battle).

 

[Dr. Strangemonkey]

I'm still very interested.

My semester is about to get heavy, but that won't last too long. And I could really use some side writing projects now.

For the moment, I'm working on a world that riffs of Ray Harryhausen's work and will be using an adapted version of Al-Quadim - smaller and weirder - to represent all of the Sinbad movies.

I think some other regions we should work on are non-urban regions. I'd need to look up the exact geographies, but I think distinguishing between different nomad, barbarian, and corsair regions would be a cool feature.

Hadn't we also discussed thinking about throwing in a Persian/Byzantine region? Lots of heavy cavalry, costumed priest-beauracrats, an ancient decadent culture, and a weird interpretation of the Lore Giver?

Maybe throw it in as an optional region that shows up in the desert after the breaking of the seals.

 

[Jubelo]

I'm still here too.

I just moved and am looking for a local store to transfer to, so I'm a little busier right now than I'd expected. I also can't find any of my notebooks right now

Somewhere, I have the beginning of the write up for the Rekindled Brotherhood.
I thought we should assume that the adventures written before had occurred, so the Brotherhood of the True Flame would have been dispersed. However, one of the leader's charmed wives escaped and bore a daughter. This daughter was raised to believe that her father, interested only in the welfare of his fellow elemental mages, was set upon and murdered by brigands in the service of his enemies. She studied from what books and scrolls had been rescued from the ruins and plans revenge upon the descendants of her father's killers and to reclaim the glory of his vision.

I also had the start of the campaign set in the haunted lands.

The kraken who rules the underdark sea knew that the Peacock Throne would be recovered by the Janni, and knew that whoever sat upon the reasssembled throne would lead a powerful kingdom. Therefore, he set subtle magics upon the pieces of the throne to bend the ruler's actions to his own ends.

The Janni indeed have a new kingdom in the wastes which is beginning to prosper. Their sheik sends treasure and slaves into the earth for the kraken under some fairly reasonable pretext. He also prevents interlopers from descending into the black gulfs beneath the palace he built from the ruins of (umm.. the city in the module Cities of Bone).

More if I can actually find my notes

Jon

 

[Quickleaf]

I think some other regions we should work on are non-urban regions. I'd need to look up the exact geographies, but I think distinguishing between different nomad, barbarian, and corsair regions would be a cool feature.

That's something I've neglected so far, but I also like the idea of giving more life to the desert tribes. Some themes that might be interesting to explore...
* Tribes adapting to city life vs. rejecting it
* Ethics of raiding
* Tribes carrying an older more authentic version of the Faith
* A tribe guarding a secret ruin
* Intermarriage between tribes
* The prophecy of "green fire" from Caravans

Didn't we also discussed thinking about throwing in a Persian/Byzantine region? Lots of heavy cavalry, costumed priest-beauracrats, an ancient decadent culture, and a weird interpretation of the Lore Giver?

Maybe throw it in as an optional region that shows up in the desert after the breaking of the seals.

One idea is to base the eladrin, with their 300+ year lifespans on the Persians. Many of the eladrin's grandparents may have been "pagans", and ancient traditions have likely been integrated into the Faith. How would the eladrin interpret the Loregiver?

Somewhere, I have the beginning of the write up for the Rekindled Brotherhood.
I thought we should assume that the adventures written before had occurred, so the Brotherhood of the True Flame would have been dispersed. However, one of the leader's charmed wives escaped and bore a daughter. This daughter was raised to believe that her father, interested only in the welfare of his fellow elemental mages, was set upon and murdered by brigands in the service of his enemies. She studied from what books and scrolls had been rescued from the ruins and plans revenge upon the descendants of her father's killers and to reclaim the glory of his vision.

Great start! So she has a vendetta against the Grand Caliph? Yet strives to unite the elemental mages?

The kraken who rules the underdark sea knew that the Peacock Throne would be recovered by the Janni, and knew that whoever sat upon the reasssembled throne would lead a powerful kingdom. Therefore, he set subtle magics upon the pieces of the throne to bend the ruler's actions to his own ends.

The Janni indeed have a new kingdom in the wastes which is beginning to prosper. Their sheik sends treasure and slaves into the earth for the kraken under some fairly reasonable pretext. He also prevents interlopers from descending into the black gulfs beneath the palace he built from the ruins of (umm.. the city in the module Cities of Bone).

Moradask? Interesting how you've made the throne a cursed object/artifact! Sounds like it would make a killer campaign.