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[Let's Read] Al-Qadim: Land of Fate Boxed Set
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<blockquote data-quote="Libertad" data-source="post: 7947036" data-attributes="member: 6750502"><p style="text-align: center"><strong>Chapter 9: Cities of the Pantheon</strong></p> <p style="text-align: center"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/UQkgJ6n.png" alt="" class="fr-fic fr-dii fr-draggable " style="" /></p><p></p><p>These six cities are spread out on the eastern shores of the Golden Gulf. Its citizens are known as Pantheists for their reigning ideology where they recognize only five deities as being truly Enlightened. The worship of other deities within their borders is illegal, and their practice of enslaving otherwise Enlightened Caliphate citizens for pushing the envelope does not endear them to their neighbors. They still pledge loyalty to the Grand Caliph, although there are some factions who feel that the administration in Huzuz is becoming corrupted by blasphemers.</p><p></p><p>Church and state are highly intertwined, and pretty much every ruler or government official is a Moralist priest of some sort. Rulers of the cities have the title of Revered Father, or in one case Revered Mother, regardless of whether their normal title would be an emir, caliph, or likewise. Their conservative beliefs regarding suspicion of the “latecomer deities” extends to a skepticism of social change in general. Which so far works in terms of political stability: even the poorest citizens are guaranteed subsidized housing, healing, and food as part of a religious emphasis on charity, and the Pantheist League cities are much less inclined to war upon each other. I’tiraf is their unofficial capital, and other cities send representatives there to discuss issues in the League Conclave. The government is quite centralized, where bureaucracies can affect multiple settlements in determining a universal set of prices, redistribution of food in regions with grain shortages, and so forth. The League makes use of a universal army known as the Sword of the True Goods, whose members are made to serve in other Pantheist cities to encourage community bonds beyond their hometowns.</p><p></p><p><strong>Fahhas, City of Searching:</strong> Fahhas may have fertile farmland and rivers, but its people are stand-offish and a bit depressed in no small part due to their ruling caliph, Amel al-Yuhami. The death of his former vizier and dear friend changed him, causing him to view the worst in others and becoming crueler in his dispensation of laws and punishments. Torture and executions are becoming more common than temporary slavery and exile. He banished his former court in favor of bureaucrats he can more easily control as well as kicking out all of his female family members by disbanding the palace harim. His easy-to-offend nature causes the overworked chief judge speed through trials if it means avoiding the caliph’s wrath.</p><p></p><p><em>Secrets:</em> The former vizier, Jamali al-Muhib, did indeed die. But she is not truly dead, but a disembodied head of a lich due to a botched ritual which only partially completed the undead transformation. The caliph could not bring himself to destroy her, and imprisoned Jamali in a room lined with lead plates inscribed with holy scripture. Amel still visits her weekly, but her evil nature means that she poisons the caliph’s mind and makes him see threats where there are none.</p><p></p><p><strong>Hilm, City of Kindness:</strong> Hilm is the most tolerant of the Pantheist cities, although still conservative by Zakharan standards. The reigning caliph and people of the city still believe in the superiority of their teachings, but seek a ‘lead by example’ method of evangelism where good works and ensuring Hilm’s prosperity will win over more converts than fire and brimstone threats. This is in part due to the fact that it is a popular land route for pilgrims traveling to Huzuz, many of whom are not Pantheists (although even then they know better than to preach their variant beliefs too publically). The streets are clean, crime in general is rare beyond out-of-town troublemakers, and every citizen capable of work is encouraged to devote time to farming or renovation of buildings to ensure that their neighbors have a good quality of life.</p><p></p><p><em>Secrets:</em> Much like Wasat in the Cities of the Heart chapter, Hilm is intended to be a subdued Shire-like environment where adventure plots revolve around external threats that threaten the peace. Two such sample threats include the kidnapping of the caliph’s daughter which will drive the inhabitants into a vengeful frenzy against whoever they believe is responsible, and being upriver from Talib makes it susceptible to said city’s wererat plague.</p><p></p><p><strong>Hudid, City of Humility:</strong> Hudid’s location as a port touching the shores of the southern Crowded Sea means that it gains a lot of exotic trade goods from the region’s islands and archipelagos. As a result the laws regarding Unenlightened behavior are slightly relaxed for first-time offenders. It is also home to the greatest university of the Land of Fate, teaching a variety of secular topics as well as religious ones including non-moralist philosophies! It is peculiar for the assignment of a female Caliph,* Sajah al-Munsif, who at first had many critics on account of her gender but eventually gained universal legitimacy when said critics' proclamations of societal collapse failed to bear fruit. She bore twin daughters, one of whom seeks to climb the ranks of the local church, while the other left the family upon adulthood for parts and fates unknown.</p><p></p><p>*I believe the proper grammatical term would be ‘Calipha.’</p><p></p><p>Most problems in the city are minor bouts of sectarian fighting in the docks and university between moralists and non-moralists, but a more prominent dilemma are refugees fleeing from the city of Mahabba due to violence involving worshipers of Bala. The Mahabban government believes that Hudid is giving covert support to this banned faith by accepting refugees, and their suspicions are reinforced by Sajah’s refusal so far to investigate the matter further.</p><p></p><p><em>Secrets:</em> The Black Library is an open secret in the university, containing books that are too valuable to destroy yet containing heretical teachings: subject matter includes many adventure hook material, such as secret rituals of the Brotherhood of the True Flame and penned history of the Ruined Kingdoms. The Balanite worshipers are active, and their leader is romancing the caliph’s priestess daughter who is aware of her lover’s faith. The caliph’s other daughter became a prosperous merchant in the Pearl Cities; she despises the Pantheist League and may return to her hometown one day to cause chaos.</p><p></p><p><strong>I’tiraf, City of Confessions:</strong> The League Conclave serves as the governing body of the Pantheists, and its location in I’tiraf makes the city extremely important politically speaking. The citizens' egos are similarly swelled by this, believing that Zakharans outside the League are no better than Unenlightened barbarians. Some even claim that no evil or heretical people live here. But when they come within its walls, they are quickly found and punished for their crimes, or so they claim. Its emir, Most Revered Father Rimaq al-Nimar, is the most powerful person in the League and rarely appears in public. Government officials refuse to let non-moralists in the Conclave building or within the emir’s presence, and heavy taxes are levied upon merchant caravans and vessels who cannot prove a moralist faith. Non-moralist merchants get around this by hiring ‘captains of convenience’ to conduct business and trade on their behalf.</p><p></p><p>Xenophobia has been growing in I’tiraf as of late. Every so often a rumor spreads that warships from the Pearl Cities, Afyal, or some Unenlightened place spread. Panic escalates to the point that hate crimes against foreigners increase, and the city watch and navy use this time to increase their forces and funding which persists long after the riots subside.</p><p></p><p><em>Secrets:</em> The Revered Father is actually an illegitimate child. Rimaq’s true father is but a humble baker, for his mother’s husband was unable to conceive children and thus turned to other methods to ensure the line continues. There are two possible means of resolution provided: the Revered Father is dismayed but eventually comes to terms with this, stepping down and passing leadership to a worthier candidate* before becoming a wandering pilgrim. Or Rimaq steadfastly denies the charge, and in turn causes an eventual power struggle and maybe even a civil war within the League or the hometown of his biological father.</p><p></p><p>*who may not prove to be a worthier choice after all.</p><p></p><p>Finally, the ambassador from Talab is a wererat, who in truth only acts for the furtherance of his kind, his official Moralist duties are but a cover identity.</p><p></p><p style="text-align: center"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/CYWheIG.png" alt="" class="fr-fic fr-dii fr-draggable " style="" /></p><p></p><p><strong>Mahabba, City of Charity:</strong>Another port city, Mahabba is much less tolerant than Hilm or Hudid in no small part to violent religious conflicts with the followers of Bala of the Tidings. Although most in public preach adherence to moralist teachings, Mahabba is more of an occupied city whose soldiers fear that Bala’s cultists may lurk within any home, waiting to strike. The caliph and his court are similarly affected: its Revered Father is a half-elf faris* who only trusts advisors that have personally seen battle firsthand, while one of his viziers is an ex-wife who mutually divorced upon realization that they were more devoted to their jobs. The chief judge, Othmar bin Jaqal, is also in charge of spies, and while he has suspected ties to the Brotherhood of the True Flame most in government are more concerned about Bala’s followers at the moment to act on this.</p><p></p><p>*Devoutly religious Fighter class kit.</p><p></p><p>The city’s major thoroughfares are lined with checkpoints, and Othmar’s spies retain a Stasi-like influence as informants and agents. Curfews occur immediately as night falls, and music in general has been all but banned for fear that Bala’s followers can enact foul magic through song, instrument, and poetry. Although Bala’s followers have lived secretive lives for the past 500 years, they conduct rebellions on and off again every few generations; this spate of martial law is a more recent one, starting two years ago in response to the assassination of Mahabba’s previous ruler seven years ago. I must admit, a half-decade of inaction seems rather slow to me.</p><p></p><p><em>Secrets:</em> Bala’s worshipers have an elaborate series of gestures and code words to communicate with each other. Their own violence has increased in spite of martial law, to the point that even civilians suspected of aiding the government (such as foreign traders) have been attacked and killed. The old temple of Bala has been long since destroyed and buried, but there are some underground chambers still intact with powerful relics.</p><p></p><p><strong>Talab, City of Questing:</strong> Bordering the Ruined Kingdoms and Haunted Lands, Talab is a common first stop for adventurers seeking to plunder the secrets of said regions. Its caliph, Kia al-Sadid, prefers the more down-to-earth title “Humble Servant of the Enlightened Gods” rather than the Revered Father moniker. This is because he is serving an interim leader on account of his predecessor’s assassination at the hands of the Storm That Which Destroys, a holy slayer fellowship which acts as the “shadow army” of the Pantheist League. Kia has a light hand on trade, but when justice is demanded his response is swift and fierce.* His primary court assistants are a priestess scribe and librarian, and a barbarian convert to Pantheism who acts as an emissary to his own kind.</p><p></p><p>*or so the book claims. See below.</p><p></p><p>Talab is far inland in an arid region, its populace relying upon wells connecting to underground streams in the nearby mountains. They’re guarded by a mamluk society known as the Parched. Talab is also home to a thriving slave trade; Kia’s predecessor was more hands on in regards to prosecuting illegal slavery (enslaving the Enlightened), which some believe may have been why he was slain in the first place. Now the authorities look the other way...which seems a bit contradictory in regards to the caliph’s swift justice above.</p><p></p><p>Many tribes from the Ruined Kingdoms pass through here, although the city-dwellers are suspicious of them as well as the desert tribes of the Haunted Lands. The local government is highly concerned about diseases and the health of its citizenry, and commanded the Parched to conduct renovation and upkeep of the wells while also charging slave-traders with increased regulations as to the health of their slaves.</p><p></p><p><em>Secrets:</em> The seeming concerns of Talab’s caliph are but an act. He as well as his entire court and the Parched mamluks have been infected with lycanthropy of the wererat strain. Kia’s eventual goal is to infect the rest of the city via poisoning their water supply, which will also affect Hilm. As their numbers grow, Kia hopes to become leader of a changed Pantheon as a sort of ‘wererat king.’</p><p></p><p>Hanya al-Mufih, the barbarian ambassador, may have one of two origins: the one offered in the Adventurer’s Guide as an Unenlightened-turn-missionary, or being a secret member of the Storm Which Destroys. He helped assassinate the previous caliph, manipulated in part by Kia.</p><p></p><p style="text-align: center"><strong>Chapter 10: Cities of the Ancients</strong></p> <p style="text-align: center"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/Pfkkfqa.png" alt="" class="fr-fic fr-dii fr-draggable " style="" /></p><p></p><p>The easternmost lands of the Zakharan peninsula are perhaps the most geographically distinct. Most of the land is covered in sweltering rainforests, with several large tropical island chains off the southeast coast. In times long past various Unenlightened empires ruled, some even as far as the Haunted Lands and modern-day Pantheist territory, but only the kingdoms of Nog and Kadar are known by name in modern times. A third civilization once ruled over the island of Afyal, and the number of kingdoms beyond is hotly debated over by historians. Nobody knows what entailed the decline of the Ruined Kingdoms, but evidence of their existence is demonstrated by their decaying structures and temples.</p><p></p><p>The people of the Ruined Kingdoms were relatively isolated from the rest of Zakhara, and as such were the ones that came to Enlightenment the latest. Those from elsewhere in the Caliphate can be prejudiced in regards to this, viewing them as still being nostalgic for their supposed savage ways and gods. The Ruined Kingdoms’ inhabitants, for their part, believe that their ancestors still live beneath the ground and may one day come back to life, even if they’re more comfortable with the Enlightened faiths. Slavery in general is more common here, and the governments of Halwa and Dihliz aren’t overly concerned if they end up enslaving fellow Enlightened or not. Its leaders take the title of Khedive, a local term for rulers.</p><p></p><p><strong>Dihliz, the GatewayCity:</strong> Located on a plateau, Dihliz is a primary trade city for those seeking to travel to and from the rest of the Ruined Kingdoms. Its government is highly involved in trade via the Ministry of Secrets which catalogs various dungeons, ruins, and similar places in the region while also granting adventuring parties claim rights to areas. Its archives are less than useful, as scrolls are frequently misfiled or stolen. The Ministry of Riches imposes a small tax on all treasure extracted from said places, and since most such goods are smuggled anyway, the Ministry devotes most of its efforts to regulating dangerous magical items.</p><p></p><p>Most of Dihliz’s buildings are stone foundations said to be fashioned from the bricks of a pre-Enlightenment temple. This bears a hint of truth, for most buildings contain anti-divination magic which blocks most scrying and “Detect Evil/Magic/etc” spells. It also has an interesting relationship with the island city of Afyal: 100 years ago Dihliz was formed by said city to regulate the adventuring and treasury industry. Although theoretically independent, its local ruler is assigned by the Grand Caliph at the recommendation of Afyal’s padishah.</p><p></p><p><em>Secrets:</em> The pre-Enlightenment inhabitants of the region created a particularly powerful earth monolith to serve as a river guardian; during a war in the last days of Nog, the entity was destroyed, her body mixing with the dust of the region. The monolith’s magical ambience is responsible for the anti-divination stonework.</p><p></p><p>The Ministry of Secrets are no fools; evidence of truly valuable and dangerous sites are secreted away in a well-guarded library, its finders bribed or threatened into silence. The public archives are but a front.</p><p></p><p><strong>Kadarasto, City Most Sinister:</strong> Located 100 miles inland on a river from Dihliz, Kadarasto has unique ancient architecture which is angular, windowless, and has a preponderance for five-sided rooms. It is believed to be built on the ruins of Kadar’s capital, and has a negative reputation. Its ruler, Khedive Aman al-Qasi abu Nari, is an amoral politician whose “mouth intones the prayers but whose heart is as black as ebony.” Other rumors include that his mother was a priestess of Shajar (local pre-Enlightenment god), and his father a member of the Brotherhood of the True Flame. He is popular among the common folk on account of being of local origin rather than a foreign appointment, and also because he and his son’s legions guard the local ruins from tomb-robbers hailing from Afyal and Dihliz. The city’s rich hate him but tolerate him as a necessary evil; the city’s economy profits off of the ruin-delving trade.</p><p></p><p>As you may have guessed, there are several pre-Enlightenment cults still worshiped in secret, and their followers use underground catacombs to conduct their rites.</p><p></p><p><em>Secrets:</em> The Khedive’s evil is not supernatural in origin, nor do his parents have ties to any secret societies. He is a selfish person who realizes that a careful balance of power between the rich and poor, Enlightened and Unenlightened, is preferable than chaos. His son, on the other hand, is more ideological in regards to preserving Kadarasto’s cultural heritage and has made contacts among the cults, the Brotherhood of the True Flame, and even the Storm Which Destroys in hopes of using them to harm adventuring interlopers.</p><p></p><p>Finally, Cholk min Kado is a rich merchant who poses as a simple carpet-dealer but runs a criminal empire of antiquities and magical items.</p><p></p><p><strong>Medina al-Afyal:</strong> “Medina” is the Arab word for “city,” and I’m unsure as to why this one’s entry differs from the standard format of “X, City of X.” The island itself is commonly known as Afyal, or the “Island of the Elephant,”* while its major city Medina al-Afyal, or “City of the Elephant.”* Afyal is a rich land of abundant natural resources, specializing in local hardwood not found elsewhere in Zakhara along with mines of precious metals. The ruling House of Alon has a close heritage to the family of the Grand Caliph, something in which the city takes pride. Sadly, its current ruler, Alad bin Alaq bin Alonka of Alon, is certifiably insane and delusional. The man is known for rather illogical decisions, ranging from appointing people to government posts based on a pleasing physique, recognizing all 22 of his at-present children as being equally worthy of simultaneously ruling the city upon his death,** and ordering new buildings commissioned then destroyed in a week, and then rebuilt again with no rhyme or reason. The padishah still acts on good intentions, his policies wrought of logic that makes sense only to him rather than for selfish or petty reasons. He is fond of traveling through the city streets on a magically floating palanquin, accompanied by pots shooting out silver and copper pieces into excited crowds.</p><p></p><p>*According to Google Translate, the Arabic word for elephant is الفيل, or “alfil.” Which seems close to Afyal, so this part may also be grammatically correct.</p><p></p><p>**He initially had the choice for an eldest heir, but that one went missing on a voyage.</p><p></p><p>The Island of Afyal is full of humid hills and jungles, with various small villages of woodcrafters and lumberjacks connected by roads. The capital city’s buildings are made of marble and hardwood, giving an aesthetically pleasing and unique look. The mosque serves as the largest center for Selan’s worshipers in the Land of Fate, and the padishah’s palace combines mundane and magical means of construction. A series of linked buildings and towers are regularly reshaped by dao genies at intervals.</p><p></p><p>Afyal is also notable for a caste system, where one’s economic and occupational role in life is believed inevitably fixed by Fate. A person may never rise above one’s station, and the lower classes are expected to defer to their betters in all things regardless of merit or circumstances. Additionally, the island’s elephants are unusually intelligent and docile, easily domesticated for all manner of tasks. Killing an elephant is a crime punishable by death.</p><p></p><p><em>Secrets:</em> The padishah is insane, so the government and economy functions day to day by merchant houses. The Crown Prince, Alakbar, disappeared on a voyage into the Crowded Sea four years ago. His fate is left to the DM, but if he were to return then the Padishah would recognize him and not his 22 other children as the next-in-line.</p><p></p><p>Various elephant statues to the Lost One are being rediscovered around the island. In order to better hide from the Enlightened faiths, the god dissipated his essence into the islands’ elephants, which is why such animals are more intelligent than their kind elsewhere. When 10 or more of them gather they are capable of casting Charm spells of increasing magnitude based on their present number. The elephants only use such spells to encourage people to carve more idols of the Lost One. Beyond this, the god does not encourage the elephants to violent behavior and seems rather peaceful.</p><p></p><p style="text-align: center"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/mxGRJmD.png" alt="" class="fr-fic fr-dii fr-draggable " style="" /></p><p></p><p><strong>Rog’osto, City of Spires:</strong> This metropolis’ title comes from its huge metal spires with rounded tops, whose visual similarity to mushrooms also gave it the alternate title “City of Fungus.” Such towers are not found anywhere else in the Ruined Kingdoms or Land of Fate proper, and their interiors have been renovated to serve as living space for modern-day inhabitants. The towers’ construction points to evidence of a civilization neither human nor demi-human, and 3 of the 25 towers still intact have been claimed by the ruling khedive as a palace. Considered the most magical city in the Land of Fate,* the towers’ legacy attracts spellcasters of all kinds who use them as research labs and private living spaces. The majority of inhabitants live in white-washed mud-brick houses surrounding the towers’ bases, and some of the towers’ foundations have been broken off to form into a rather strong steel alloy that rusts less and melts at a lower temperature.</p><p></p><p>*Although Huzuz and Qadib are close seconds.</p><p></p><p>Rog’osto’s ruler, Khedive Samia al-Sa’id, is a powerful sha’ir whose court is made up of various factions acting as delegates for spellcasters of a certain tradition or more mundane occupations. Some of the more interesting figures include a flame mage who is open about his membership in the Brotherhood of the True Flame, but claims that most of its negative reputation is due to a few bad apples;* a Pantheist League ambassador who only stays in Rog’osto so she can pay adventurers to smuggle magical items out of the Ruined Kingdoms so they don’t end up in the hands of “Unenlightened mages;” and an ambassador from Afyal who will handsomely reward any adventurers who can unearth the truth about the race that built the towers.</p><p></p><p>*Not true.</p><p></p><p><em>Secrets:</em> Rog’osto’s towers were built by locathah back when much of the land in the area was underwater. They warred against an air-breathing race who summoned a great elemental force to raise their civilization past the water level, thereby drowning all those who could not escape in time. The locathah survivors retreated to the deep ocean.</p><p></p><p><strong>Thoughts So Far:</strong> I like both of these chapters, although with a preference towards the Ruined Kingdoms over the League of the Pantheon. One thing that has been bugging me about the moralists is the Leagues’ seeming harmony; the class description of a Moralist Priest in Arabian Adventures points to holding a single deity as superior and more prone to fighting devotees of other gods and faiths. While this makes sense from a Pantheon/non-Pantheon perspective, the League is rather united and tolerant as it concerns their five favored gods. I’d expect the moralist cities of the League to be more prone to conflict than ones in other regions, but that would erase their rising power as a unified bloc.</p><p></p><p>Another thing that strikes me as odd is of the Storm Which Destroys being more approving of a deregulated slave trade in Talab. Although we’ll cover them in Fortunes & Fates, their duties are to advance the cause of the Pantheon and settle internal disputes, and are often regarded as radical even by most of the Leagues’ members. I presume that most of the Enlightened being enslaved may be non-Pantheists, which would make sense, but the previous rulers’ crackdown on the trade to be replaced with a more crooked ruler intones that Pantheist followers were targeted as well. This is an area which it would help to more closely explain.</p><p></p><p>The Balinite and wererat conspiracies in Mahabba and Talab serve as good sources of conflict in the otherwise safe and clean League, and I do like how the other regions (such as the Pearl Cities and Ruined Kingdoms) touch upon their influence beyond their chapter proper. It serves to make the League feel like a veritable geo-political power unmatched elsewhere in the Caliphate.</p><p></p><p>Going on to the Ruined Kingdoms, I love this chapter for several reasons: first off is that it’s the most friendly to the typical Dungeons & Dragons experience. The cities’ economies are moved in large part by the dungeon-delving trade, and the mysteries of prior civilizations give fodder for the DM to come up with concepts and ruins that may be strange elsewhere in Zakhara. Al-Afyal’s intelligent elephants, Rog’osto’s alien spires, and Dihliz’s anti-divination properties help reinforce this and show that there are secret legacies far older than mortal civilization. I also like how Kadarasto deconstructs the ethical problems of dungeon-delving, with a populace that quite justifiably feels that adventurers are taking ancestral legacies far from home for the benefit of a few rich buyers.</p><p></p><p><strong>Join us next time as we cover the Appendices of the Adventurer’s Guide and individual handouts!</strong></p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="Libertad, post: 7947036, member: 6750502"] [center][b]Chapter 9: Cities of the Pantheon[/b] [img]https://i.imgur.com/UQkgJ6n.png[/img][/center] These six cities are spread out on the eastern shores of the Golden Gulf. Its citizens are known as Pantheists for their reigning ideology where they recognize only five deities as being truly Enlightened. The worship of other deities within their borders is illegal, and their practice of enslaving otherwise Enlightened Caliphate citizens for pushing the envelope does not endear them to their neighbors. They still pledge loyalty to the Grand Caliph, although there are some factions who feel that the administration in Huzuz is becoming corrupted by blasphemers. Church and state are highly intertwined, and pretty much every ruler or government official is a Moralist priest of some sort. Rulers of the cities have the title of Revered Father, or in one case Revered Mother, regardless of whether their normal title would be an emir, caliph, or likewise. Their conservative beliefs regarding suspicion of the “latecomer deities” extends to a skepticism of social change in general. Which so far works in terms of political stability: even the poorest citizens are guaranteed subsidized housing, healing, and food as part of a religious emphasis on charity, and the Pantheist League cities are much less inclined to war upon each other. I’tiraf is their unofficial capital, and other cities send representatives there to discuss issues in the League Conclave. The government is quite centralized, where bureaucracies can affect multiple settlements in determining a universal set of prices, redistribution of food in regions with grain shortages, and so forth. The League makes use of a universal army known as the Sword of the True Goods, whose members are made to serve in other Pantheist cities to encourage community bonds beyond their hometowns. [b]Fahhas, City of Searching:[/b] Fahhas may have fertile farmland and rivers, but its people are stand-offish and a bit depressed in no small part due to their ruling caliph, Amel al-Yuhami. The death of his former vizier and dear friend changed him, causing him to view the worst in others and becoming crueler in his dispensation of laws and punishments. Torture and executions are becoming more common than temporary slavery and exile. He banished his former court in favor of bureaucrats he can more easily control as well as kicking out all of his female family members by disbanding the palace harim. His easy-to-offend nature causes the overworked chief judge speed through trials if it means avoiding the caliph’s wrath. [i]Secrets:[/i] The former vizier, Jamali al-Muhib, did indeed die. But she is not truly dead, but a disembodied head of a lich due to a botched ritual which only partially completed the undead transformation. The caliph could not bring himself to destroy her, and imprisoned Jamali in a room lined with lead plates inscribed with holy scripture. Amel still visits her weekly, but her evil nature means that she poisons the caliph’s mind and makes him see threats where there are none. [b]Hilm, City of Kindness:[/b] Hilm is the most tolerant of the Pantheist cities, although still conservative by Zakharan standards. The reigning caliph and people of the city still believe in the superiority of their teachings, but seek a ‘lead by example’ method of evangelism where good works and ensuring Hilm’s prosperity will win over more converts than fire and brimstone threats. This is in part due to the fact that it is a popular land route for pilgrims traveling to Huzuz, many of whom are not Pantheists (although even then they know better than to preach their variant beliefs too publically). The streets are clean, crime in general is rare beyond out-of-town troublemakers, and every citizen capable of work is encouraged to devote time to farming or renovation of buildings to ensure that their neighbors have a good quality of life. [i]Secrets:[/i] Much like Wasat in the Cities of the Heart chapter, Hilm is intended to be a subdued Shire-like environment where adventure plots revolve around external threats that threaten the peace. Two such sample threats include the kidnapping of the caliph’s daughter which will drive the inhabitants into a vengeful frenzy against whoever they believe is responsible, and being upriver from Talib makes it susceptible to said city’s wererat plague. [b]Hudid, City of Humility:[/b] Hudid’s location as a port touching the shores of the southern Crowded Sea means that it gains a lot of exotic trade goods from the region’s islands and archipelagos. As a result the laws regarding Unenlightened behavior are slightly relaxed for first-time offenders. It is also home to the greatest university of the Land of Fate, teaching a variety of secular topics as well as religious ones including non-moralist philosophies! It is peculiar for the assignment of a female Caliph,* Sajah al-Munsif, who at first had many critics on account of her gender but eventually gained universal legitimacy when said critics' proclamations of societal collapse failed to bear fruit. She bore twin daughters, one of whom seeks to climb the ranks of the local church, while the other left the family upon adulthood for parts and fates unknown. *I believe the proper grammatical term would be ‘Calipha.’ Most problems in the city are minor bouts of sectarian fighting in the docks and university between moralists and non-moralists, but a more prominent dilemma are refugees fleeing from the city of Mahabba due to violence involving worshipers of Bala. The Mahabban government believes that Hudid is giving covert support to this banned faith by accepting refugees, and their suspicions are reinforced by Sajah’s refusal so far to investigate the matter further. [i]Secrets:[/i] The Black Library is an open secret in the university, containing books that are too valuable to destroy yet containing heretical teachings: subject matter includes many adventure hook material, such as secret rituals of the Brotherhood of the True Flame and penned history of the Ruined Kingdoms. The Balanite worshipers are active, and their leader is romancing the caliph’s priestess daughter who is aware of her lover’s faith. The caliph’s other daughter became a prosperous merchant in the Pearl Cities; she despises the Pantheist League and may return to her hometown one day to cause chaos. [b]I’tiraf, City of Confessions:[/b] The League Conclave serves as the governing body of the Pantheists, and its location in I’tiraf makes the city extremely important politically speaking. The citizens' egos are similarly swelled by this, believing that Zakharans outside the League are no better than Unenlightened barbarians. Some even claim that no evil or heretical people live here. But when they come within its walls, they are quickly found and punished for their crimes, or so they claim. Its emir, Most Revered Father Rimaq al-Nimar, is the most powerful person in the League and rarely appears in public. Government officials refuse to let non-moralists in the Conclave building or within the emir’s presence, and heavy taxes are levied upon merchant caravans and vessels who cannot prove a moralist faith. Non-moralist merchants get around this by hiring ‘captains of convenience’ to conduct business and trade on their behalf. Xenophobia has been growing in I’tiraf as of late. Every so often a rumor spreads that warships from the Pearl Cities, Afyal, or some Unenlightened place spread. Panic escalates to the point that hate crimes against foreigners increase, and the city watch and navy use this time to increase their forces and funding which persists long after the riots subside. [i]Secrets:[/i] The Revered Father is actually an illegitimate child. Rimaq’s true father is but a humble baker, for his mother’s husband was unable to conceive children and thus turned to other methods to ensure the line continues. There are two possible means of resolution provided: the Revered Father is dismayed but eventually comes to terms with this, stepping down and passing leadership to a worthier candidate* before becoming a wandering pilgrim. Or Rimaq steadfastly denies the charge, and in turn causes an eventual power struggle and maybe even a civil war within the League or the hometown of his biological father. *who may not prove to be a worthier choice after all. Finally, the ambassador from Talab is a wererat, who in truth only acts for the furtherance of his kind, his official Moralist duties are but a cover identity. [center][img]https://i.imgur.com/CYWheIG.png[/img][/center] [b]Mahabba, City of Charity:[/b]Another port city, Mahabba is much less tolerant than Hilm or Hudid in no small part to violent religious conflicts with the followers of Bala of the Tidings. Although most in public preach adherence to moralist teachings, Mahabba is more of an occupied city whose soldiers fear that Bala’s cultists may lurk within any home, waiting to strike. The caliph and his court are similarly affected: its Revered Father is a half-elf faris* who only trusts advisors that have personally seen battle firsthand, while one of his viziers is an ex-wife who mutually divorced upon realization that they were more devoted to their jobs. The chief judge, Othmar bin Jaqal, is also in charge of spies, and while he has suspected ties to the Brotherhood of the True Flame most in government are more concerned about Bala’s followers at the moment to act on this. *Devoutly religious Fighter class kit. The city’s major thoroughfares are lined with checkpoints, and Othmar’s spies retain a Stasi-like influence as informants and agents. Curfews occur immediately as night falls, and music in general has been all but banned for fear that Bala’s followers can enact foul magic through song, instrument, and poetry. Although Bala’s followers have lived secretive lives for the past 500 years, they conduct rebellions on and off again every few generations; this spate of martial law is a more recent one, starting two years ago in response to the assassination of Mahabba’s previous ruler seven years ago. I must admit, a half-decade of inaction seems rather slow to me. [i]Secrets:[/i] Bala’s worshipers have an elaborate series of gestures and code words to communicate with each other. Their own violence has increased in spite of martial law, to the point that even civilians suspected of aiding the government (such as foreign traders) have been attacked and killed. The old temple of Bala has been long since destroyed and buried, but there are some underground chambers still intact with powerful relics. [b]Talab, City of Questing:[/b] Bordering the Ruined Kingdoms and Haunted Lands, Talab is a common first stop for adventurers seeking to plunder the secrets of said regions. Its caliph, Kia al-Sadid, prefers the more down-to-earth title “Humble Servant of the Enlightened Gods” rather than the Revered Father moniker. This is because he is serving an interim leader on account of his predecessor’s assassination at the hands of the Storm That Which Destroys, a holy slayer fellowship which acts as the “shadow army” of the Pantheist League. Kia has a light hand on trade, but when justice is demanded his response is swift and fierce.* His primary court assistants are a priestess scribe and librarian, and a barbarian convert to Pantheism who acts as an emissary to his own kind. *or so the book claims. See below. Talab is far inland in an arid region, its populace relying upon wells connecting to underground streams in the nearby mountains. They’re guarded by a mamluk society known as the Parched. Talab is also home to a thriving slave trade; Kia’s predecessor was more hands on in regards to prosecuting illegal slavery (enslaving the Enlightened), which some believe may have been why he was slain in the first place. Now the authorities look the other way...which seems a bit contradictory in regards to the caliph’s swift justice above. Many tribes from the Ruined Kingdoms pass through here, although the city-dwellers are suspicious of them as well as the desert tribes of the Haunted Lands. The local government is highly concerned about diseases and the health of its citizenry, and commanded the Parched to conduct renovation and upkeep of the wells while also charging slave-traders with increased regulations as to the health of their slaves. [i]Secrets:[/i] The seeming concerns of Talab’s caliph are but an act. He as well as his entire court and the Parched mamluks have been infected with lycanthropy of the wererat strain. Kia’s eventual goal is to infect the rest of the city via poisoning their water supply, which will also affect Hilm. As their numbers grow, Kia hopes to become leader of a changed Pantheon as a sort of ‘wererat king.’ Hanya al-Mufih, the barbarian ambassador, may have one of two origins: the one offered in the Adventurer’s Guide as an Unenlightened-turn-missionary, or being a secret member of the Storm Which Destroys. He helped assassinate the previous caliph, manipulated in part by Kia. [center][b]Chapter 10: Cities of the Ancients[/b] [img]https://i.imgur.com/Pfkkfqa.png[/img][/center] The easternmost lands of the Zakharan peninsula are perhaps the most geographically distinct. Most of the land is covered in sweltering rainforests, with several large tropical island chains off the southeast coast. In times long past various Unenlightened empires ruled, some even as far as the Haunted Lands and modern-day Pantheist territory, but only the kingdoms of Nog and Kadar are known by name in modern times. A third civilization once ruled over the island of Afyal, and the number of kingdoms beyond is hotly debated over by historians. Nobody knows what entailed the decline of the Ruined Kingdoms, but evidence of their existence is demonstrated by their decaying structures and temples. The people of the Ruined Kingdoms were relatively isolated from the rest of Zakhara, and as such were the ones that came to Enlightenment the latest. Those from elsewhere in the Caliphate can be prejudiced in regards to this, viewing them as still being nostalgic for their supposed savage ways and gods. The Ruined Kingdoms’ inhabitants, for their part, believe that their ancestors still live beneath the ground and may one day come back to life, even if they’re more comfortable with the Enlightened faiths. Slavery in general is more common here, and the governments of Halwa and Dihliz aren’t overly concerned if they end up enslaving fellow Enlightened or not. Its leaders take the title of Khedive, a local term for rulers. [b]Dihliz, the GatewayCity:[/b] Located on a plateau, Dihliz is a primary trade city for those seeking to travel to and from the rest of the Ruined Kingdoms. Its government is highly involved in trade via the Ministry of Secrets which catalogs various dungeons, ruins, and similar places in the region while also granting adventuring parties claim rights to areas. Its archives are less than useful, as scrolls are frequently misfiled or stolen. The Ministry of Riches imposes a small tax on all treasure extracted from said places, and since most such goods are smuggled anyway, the Ministry devotes most of its efforts to regulating dangerous magical items. Most of Dihliz’s buildings are stone foundations said to be fashioned from the bricks of a pre-Enlightenment temple. This bears a hint of truth, for most buildings contain anti-divination magic which blocks most scrying and “Detect Evil/Magic/etc” spells. It also has an interesting relationship with the island city of Afyal: 100 years ago Dihliz was formed by said city to regulate the adventuring and treasury industry. Although theoretically independent, its local ruler is assigned by the Grand Caliph at the recommendation of Afyal’s padishah. [i]Secrets:[/i] The pre-Enlightenment inhabitants of the region created a particularly powerful earth monolith to serve as a river guardian; during a war in the last days of Nog, the entity was destroyed, her body mixing with the dust of the region. The monolith’s magical ambience is responsible for the anti-divination stonework. The Ministry of Secrets are no fools; evidence of truly valuable and dangerous sites are secreted away in a well-guarded library, its finders bribed or threatened into silence. The public archives are but a front. [b]Kadarasto, City Most Sinister:[/b] Located 100 miles inland on a river from Dihliz, Kadarasto has unique ancient architecture which is angular, windowless, and has a preponderance for five-sided rooms. It is believed to be built on the ruins of Kadar’s capital, and has a negative reputation. Its ruler, Khedive Aman al-Qasi abu Nari, is an amoral politician whose “mouth intones the prayers but whose heart is as black as ebony.” Other rumors include that his mother was a priestess of Shajar (local pre-Enlightenment god), and his father a member of the Brotherhood of the True Flame. He is popular among the common folk on account of being of local origin rather than a foreign appointment, and also because he and his son’s legions guard the local ruins from tomb-robbers hailing from Afyal and Dihliz. The city’s rich hate him but tolerate him as a necessary evil; the city’s economy profits off of the ruin-delving trade. As you may have guessed, there are several pre-Enlightenment cults still worshiped in secret, and their followers use underground catacombs to conduct their rites. [i]Secrets:[/i] The Khedive’s evil is not supernatural in origin, nor do his parents have ties to any secret societies. He is a selfish person who realizes that a careful balance of power between the rich and poor, Enlightened and Unenlightened, is preferable than chaos. His son, on the other hand, is more ideological in regards to preserving Kadarasto’s cultural heritage and has made contacts among the cults, the Brotherhood of the True Flame, and even the Storm Which Destroys in hopes of using them to harm adventuring interlopers. Finally, Cholk min Kado is a rich merchant who poses as a simple carpet-dealer but runs a criminal empire of antiquities and magical items. [b]Medina al-Afyal:[/b] “Medina” is the Arab word for “city,” and I’m unsure as to why this one’s entry differs from the standard format of “X, City of X.” The island itself is commonly known as Afyal, or the “Island of the Elephant,”* while its major city Medina al-Afyal, or “City of the Elephant.”* Afyal is a rich land of abundant natural resources, specializing in local hardwood not found elsewhere in Zakhara along with mines of precious metals. The ruling House of Alon has a close heritage to the family of the Grand Caliph, something in which the city takes pride. Sadly, its current ruler, Alad bin Alaq bin Alonka of Alon, is certifiably insane and delusional. The man is known for rather illogical decisions, ranging from appointing people to government posts based on a pleasing physique, recognizing all 22 of his at-present children as being equally worthy of simultaneously ruling the city upon his death,** and ordering new buildings commissioned then destroyed in a week, and then rebuilt again with no rhyme or reason. The padishah still acts on good intentions, his policies wrought of logic that makes sense only to him rather than for selfish or petty reasons. He is fond of traveling through the city streets on a magically floating palanquin, accompanied by pots shooting out silver and copper pieces into excited crowds. *According to Google Translate, the Arabic word for elephant is الفيل, or “alfil.” Which seems close to Afyal, so this part may also be grammatically correct. **He initially had the choice for an eldest heir, but that one went missing on a voyage. The Island of Afyal is full of humid hills and jungles, with various small villages of woodcrafters and lumberjacks connected by roads. The capital city’s buildings are made of marble and hardwood, giving an aesthetically pleasing and unique look. The mosque serves as the largest center for Selan’s worshipers in the Land of Fate, and the padishah’s palace combines mundane and magical means of construction. A series of linked buildings and towers are regularly reshaped by dao genies at intervals. Afyal is also notable for a caste system, where one’s economic and occupational role in life is believed inevitably fixed by Fate. A person may never rise above one’s station, and the lower classes are expected to defer to their betters in all things regardless of merit or circumstances. Additionally, the island’s elephants are unusually intelligent and docile, easily domesticated for all manner of tasks. Killing an elephant is a crime punishable by death. [i]Secrets:[/i] The padishah is insane, so the government and economy functions day to day by merchant houses. The Crown Prince, Alakbar, disappeared on a voyage into the Crowded Sea four years ago. His fate is left to the DM, but if he were to return then the Padishah would recognize him and not his 22 other children as the next-in-line. Various elephant statues to the Lost One are being rediscovered around the island. In order to better hide from the Enlightened faiths, the god dissipated his essence into the islands’ elephants, which is why such animals are more intelligent than their kind elsewhere. When 10 or more of them gather they are capable of casting Charm spells of increasing magnitude based on their present number. The elephants only use such spells to encourage people to carve more idols of the Lost One. Beyond this, the god does not encourage the elephants to violent behavior and seems rather peaceful. [center][img]https://i.imgur.com/mxGRJmD.png[/img][/center] [b]Rog’osto, City of Spires:[/b] This metropolis’ title comes from its huge metal spires with rounded tops, whose visual similarity to mushrooms also gave it the alternate title “City of Fungus.” Such towers are not found anywhere else in the Ruined Kingdoms or Land of Fate proper, and their interiors have been renovated to serve as living space for modern-day inhabitants. The towers’ construction points to evidence of a civilization neither human nor demi-human, and 3 of the 25 towers still intact have been claimed by the ruling khedive as a palace. Considered the most magical city in the Land of Fate,* the towers’ legacy attracts spellcasters of all kinds who use them as research labs and private living spaces. The majority of inhabitants live in white-washed mud-brick houses surrounding the towers’ bases, and some of the towers’ foundations have been broken off to form into a rather strong steel alloy that rusts less and melts at a lower temperature. *Although Huzuz and Qadib are close seconds. Rog’osto’s ruler, Khedive Samia al-Sa’id, is a powerful sha’ir whose court is made up of various factions acting as delegates for spellcasters of a certain tradition or more mundane occupations. Some of the more interesting figures include a flame mage who is open about his membership in the Brotherhood of the True Flame, but claims that most of its negative reputation is due to a few bad apples;* a Pantheist League ambassador who only stays in Rog’osto so she can pay adventurers to smuggle magical items out of the Ruined Kingdoms so they don’t end up in the hands of “Unenlightened mages;” and an ambassador from Afyal who will handsomely reward any adventurers who can unearth the truth about the race that built the towers. *Not true. [i]Secrets:[/i] Rog’osto’s towers were built by locathah back when much of the land in the area was underwater. They warred against an air-breathing race who summoned a great elemental force to raise their civilization past the water level, thereby drowning all those who could not escape in time. The locathah survivors retreated to the deep ocean. [b]Thoughts So Far:[/b] I like both of these chapters, although with a preference towards the Ruined Kingdoms over the League of the Pantheon. One thing that has been bugging me about the moralists is the Leagues’ seeming harmony; the class description of a Moralist Priest in Arabian Adventures points to holding a single deity as superior and more prone to fighting devotees of other gods and faiths. While this makes sense from a Pantheon/non-Pantheon perspective, the League is rather united and tolerant as it concerns their five favored gods. I’d expect the moralist cities of the League to be more prone to conflict than ones in other regions, but that would erase their rising power as a unified bloc. Another thing that strikes me as odd is of the Storm Which Destroys being more approving of a deregulated slave trade in Talab. Although we’ll cover them in Fortunes & Fates, their duties are to advance the cause of the Pantheon and settle internal disputes, and are often regarded as radical even by most of the Leagues’ members. I presume that most of the Enlightened being enslaved may be non-Pantheists, which would make sense, but the previous rulers’ crackdown on the trade to be replaced with a more crooked ruler intones that Pantheist followers were targeted as well. This is an area which it would help to more closely explain. The Balinite and wererat conspiracies in Mahabba and Talab serve as good sources of conflict in the otherwise safe and clean League, and I do like how the other regions (such as the Pearl Cities and Ruined Kingdoms) touch upon their influence beyond their chapter proper. It serves to make the League feel like a veritable geo-political power unmatched elsewhere in the Caliphate. Going on to the Ruined Kingdoms, I love this chapter for several reasons: first off is that it’s the most friendly to the typical Dungeons & Dragons experience. The cities’ economies are moved in large part by the dungeon-delving trade, and the mysteries of prior civilizations give fodder for the DM to come up with concepts and ruins that may be strange elsewhere in Zakhara. Al-Afyal’s intelligent elephants, Rog’osto’s alien spires, and Dihliz’s anti-divination properties help reinforce this and show that there are secret legacies far older than mortal civilization. I also like how Kadarasto deconstructs the ethical problems of dungeon-delving, with a populace that quite justifiably feels that adventurers are taking ancestral legacies far from home for the benefit of a few rich buyers. [b]Join us next time as we cover the Appendices of the Adventurer’s Guide and individual handouts![/b] [/QUOTE]
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