Setting Background History Religion Character Creation and Alternate Rules Races Backgrounds Classes Equipment Oh, imagine a land, it's a faraway place Where the caravan camels roam Where you wander among every culture and tongue It's chaotic, but hey, it's home. When the winds from the east And the suns from the west And the sand in the glass is right Come on down, stop on by Hop a carpet and fly History To another Arabian night… This chapter will give a broad overview of the Factions, Nations, and major NPCs, as well as a brief idea of where they all fit together. Religion What is Al Arda? Faith is all-important in Al Arda. This chapter Al Arda is a world much like our own, though will explain which ones you can be a part of, where magic runs rampant, even wild in the and which ones you may wish to avoid. very streets of her great cities. It is a world where Princesses dream of another life, Station, Honor, Fate, and The where beggars can become kings, and where Evil Eye a wrong turn on the dunes can end your This chapter will explain rules involving the very life. social and mystical customs of the land. This world is based on the myths, fantasies, and Rule Zero: Look out for Djinnis. pop-culture view of the Middle East and the Arabian Peninsula in particular. Angels, Race Devas, Asuras, Daemons, and Devils all The Races which inhabit the land are described make their appearances, as do Djinni. Fate here. rewards noble heroes, cunny thieves, and wily sorcerers all, but can turn against any Background who invoke her aid too often. It is a land of Your background determines where you begin, blood oaths, mystical portals, and strange but not where you end up… realities. Class When you play in this setting, you are bound by This chapter will give a few roleplay ideas to forces beyond your control. Fate, Station, those who wish to have a full Arabian Purity, Piety, and Honor are the pillars of Nights experience with their class choices. life in this realm, and to ignore them is to invite disaster. Equipment This chapter will explain what additional This document is split into small chapters, each equipment, and starting rules, we will be with important information, options, and playing with. rules for your perusal. Abbayad is ruled by a Sultan Jubya, the Iron Lord of Heavenly Guidance. He believes he deserves the title of Caliph, despite control Four-hundred years ago, the Jihad cast down of his city being partially contested by the the Idols and unmade the Serene Empire. Guilds. The Maiden Alia, the Prophet, created the new world order. Then, her heirs fought for The Holy City of Taras is where the Maiden their piece, and it was undone. ascended into heaven, and it is where the Tortles believe their creator, the Mentor, the The Caliphate may never be restored. Instead, Terrasque is buried in a deathless sleep. every city and kingdom claims to be its Here was also the place where the Martyr successor. None truly hold the mantle. None descended into Hell to reclaim the soul of yet. The successors of the Maiden are split Malik. Suffice to say… it’s a contested city. into the Nazir and Fatma factions. Fatma believe blood makes the heir, and so track Taras is ruled by no one ruler. The mountain her bloodline to find their rulers. Nazir city is ruled by the Grandmaster Luis San believe Royalty is inherently sinful, and Gabriel, the Imam Khalid Al Ghul, and the disdain such, preferring magic and merit to local Hetman, Bey Murad. guide them. Nazir are the minority. Other great cities include Sharrawahn, the The city of Al Qutma is an ancient city. It is said ancient Moth City of the Fire, Vitalianople, that God entered the world through its the walled Imperial City of Nine Kings, famous Red Gate, and its architecture shows Junipero, the Golden City, Nagjalad, the it truly profound heritage. Al Qutma, or Emerald Citadel, and The Brass Cities of the Kamar, is said to be as old as Time itself, Mechanica. built by the hands of giants and angels. The Nagaji claim it was their founding city, and One final note. Beware the Brotherhood. They the Mothfolk the same. Their strange, mixed slake a thirst for blood and paradise by buildings cover the oldest sections of the slaying the living. city, all built around the mighty Ziggurat, and ancient temple now serving as a Nazir Mosque. But beneath Qutma is a different story. The city of Djinnad, the legendary city of the Djinnis, can be entered from here. The underside of Qutma is this magical place, and any doorway might lead one to its hidden depths. Qutma is ruled by a Council of Imams jointly with an Emir Yusuf. But the realm of Djinnad is ruled by the Prince Marid, whose father (The King of Djinnis Avem Deva) rules now in Hell as Asmodeus. Abbayad is the city of Steel, and was constructed over the last century. It is a city of industry and capital, as well as learning. It is here that the astounding White and Black Steels are crafted, and only here. Abbayad is the site of the House of Wisdom, a library whose interior spaces are larger than its exterior. God made the world in his image. None dispute this. At least, none who wish to keep their head. It is, naturally, what comes after which causes all contestation of Truth. It is the belief of the Aslam faith that God left behind Five Noble Truths, and that it is the failure of mortalkind in following these that Serran has led to the world’s present state. The Serranists follow the old, Imperial faith, which Aslam religion exploded out of the deserts preached mankind’s subservience to a only 400 years ago, its Great Jihad spreading council of Angels. The Serene Empire has the Truth of the Maiden Alia, God’s Chosen fallen, but its remnant states still practice and Anointed. Yet, despite her greatness as this and… other faiths. the Prophet, Alia’s heirs squandered her conquests, and now the people of Al Arda The Council of Angels was originally six angels are scattered, dis-unified. who presided over God’s creation. The Devil was an arrogant angel who disliked The Faith, as it is often called, believes in the God’s decision to give Mortals intelligence, Five Noble Truths: possibly stemming from an argument in the 1. There is No God, but God. And Alia is Garden. He destroyed mankind’s first his Prophet. Empire, and was banished to hell, where he 2. One’s Honor is sacred, and bound in reigned as Shaitan. He was redeemed by a blood. being known as The Martyr, who gave up 3. One’s Piety is professed and acted upon. his life to restore Shaitan to Malik, who 4. Fate is the path all walk. serves as the Lord of Heaven. 5. Evil acts against Good. The other ruling angels are: The Faith is monotheistic, but allows for lesser Angels spirits of God to act on mortal’s behalf. Even Name Aasimar Role a Djinni can be a good Asla, one who El- Fallen The Redeemed follows the Word of God. Malik The Faith is decentralized. Once there was a Cibrael Protector The Patron of Kings Supreme Caliph, but no more. Any priest or and Rulers Imam can make religious declarations, and Petrael Protector The Patron of the Arts, their power is often based on their actions, and Music more so than their seat of power. Whether a Metiel Protector The Lawgiver, Keeper leader is a religious or political one is often a of Knowledge hard to define concept. Dariel Scourge Slayer of Murderers Ezariel Scourge Slayer of Traitors and The Faith accepts that the Serran, the idolatrous Thieves faith which preceded Aslam, and the faith of Sevael Scourge Guardian of the Roads the Tortles (Terrasianism), each worship God in truth, and so while they are infidels… their worship is still allowed as being Brothers of the Book. The Book in question being that of the Alkanun, the Lawbook written by the Prophet. Terrasianism being. Horns of the Wild Hunt adorn The Tortles believe that God made the world, these beings’ Tieflings. but then handed control over to his four 5. Levistus – God of Nature and the Primordials, which constituted Earth, Fire, Weather, trapped in ice. Reindeer horns, Wind, and Water. almost unknown to the deserts, top the heads of his Tieflings. Earth was Terrasque, the behemoth 6. Glasya – Goddess of Conspiracy, the father/mother of the Tortles and Humans. ruler of Hell’s prison. A crown of horns The Leviathan was the Primordial of Water, and lies atop the head of her Tieflings. father/mother of the Asura and Nagaji. 7. Baalzebul – God of Contracts and lawyers, yet unable to lie. Horns like the Fire was Dagon, father/mother of the Djinnis and Dragons. tusks of a great boar curve under the jowls of his Tieflings. Roc was the Primordial of Air, father/mother to 8. Mephistopheles – God of Magic. His the Mothfolk. Tieflings are ‘blessed’ with horns that Where other mortals came from, the Tortles form the sign Omega, signifying their prefer not to think about. magical power. 9. Asmodeus - Avem Deva, the former King of Djinni’s, who sold his crown for The Ouroboros another. He bears no horns, but his Tieflings yet bear those of El-Malik, the The faith of the Nagaji.