Arabian Adventures for DF

b-dog · 12-11-2015, 08:09 PM

The PCs have been invited by the sahir Malik Abdullah al Haz. They have crossed the Mediterranean on a barge and have landed in a small port city at night. The PCs follow the directions that the sahir gave to them. Any PC that possesses Magery can see a mystical symbol above a door. The symbol glows a metallic blue in the moonlight. Those without Magery can see nothing. If the symbol is read aloud then the door magically opens and a servant then greets them and takes them to some rooms to sleep.

The rooms are decorated with ornate fineries and the beds have sheets of silk. There the PCs sleep until morning when they are greeted by the voice of the muezzin singing the morning adhen, the call to prayer. Any Wizards, Summoners, Druids, Necromancers, and other magic users can feel the adhen through their body as the power of Allah reduces all mana levels and natural and unholy sanctity to nothing during the call to prayer. This reaffirms the faith of the umma that Allah is the greatest and no other power can compete.

After the adhen, mana and sanctity levels return to normal and the sahir comes out to greet the PCs. He is pleased to see the PCS and tells them of an errand that he would like them to do for him and that he will pay them handsomely if the mission goes as planned. He pulls out an old sheet of papyrus on which appears to be a map. He hands it to the PCs and then tells them to meet at the banks of the Nile to go upriver and then go on to expedition to explore the tomb of Pharraoh Makrut.

Gold & Appel Inc · 12-12-2015, 07:53 AM

Why do the servants of a God that apparently frowns upon Magery make Magery vital to finding their informative markings? Why is sleep mandated? Any PC in one of my DF campaigns would distrust that scenario and post watches on general principle. Also, this whole thing sounds like a set-up. Why don't we just kill this Sahir guy and take his stuff? Suspension of Disbelief Not Happening Yet.

seycyrus · 12-12-2015, 08:49 AM

@Gold

Your criteria for SoD seem to be a bit ridiculous. Does your PC take the old drunk who knows some rumours and torture him for information? Do you go through the introduction to every module and scan it for inconsistencies?

I don't see any "frown upon magery". I see "that's the way it works around these parts."

The story is told to provide a backdrop for the campaign, and to cue potential players in to a very interesting magical dynamic that occurs. It succeeded.

Nereidalbel · 12-12-2015, 08:59 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by seycyrus

I don't see any "frown upon magery". I see "that's the way it works around these parts."

The local deity is Allah. That's about as "Magery is bad!" as a god can get...

seycyrus · 12-12-2015, 09:03 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nereidalbel

The local deity is Allah. That's about as "Magery is bad!" as a god can get...

Okay... but that's still the way it works.

And it doesn't seem like Allah is as all encompassing in this campaign compared to say 14th century Saudi Arabia.

b-dog · 12-12-2015, 09:56 AM

The sahir refers the PCs to a souq that they can purchase supplies from. Camels are recommended as is water. For the desert has great powers of thirst. Magical water will not satiate thirst in the desert. All must bring water to tide their thirst in the desert. Use dehydration rules to simulate insufficient water. Clerical or magical water will exist for a short time and disappear leaving those who drink to remain thirsty. Outside of the desert in towns and cities and oases, magical water can be created but once brought into the dessert it likewise will disappear after some time. Magical items that produce water will likewise fail to produce lasting water. Only cosmic items will be able to produce lasting water and these are rare and made by the ancient deities or possibly a gift from Allah.

To get to the Nile will take 2 weeks on camel. Use DF Wilderness Adventures to help with travel.

Phil Masters · 12-12-2015, 10:11 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nereidalbel

The local deity is Allah. That's about as "Magery is bad!" as a god can get...

Not especially. Allah dominates all other powers, and weird foreign wizards may also be demon-worshippers or blasphemers, but there's no particular laws against magic that I can recall. Djinn - creatures of supernatural power - can be good Muslims, after all.

For that matter, Islam probably has less of a record of witch-hunting than Christianity. A wizard who presents as a scholar, doesn't claim that his powers make him theologically special, and shows up at the mosque on Fridays, might well be seen as basically okay.

Nereidalbel · 12-12-2015, 10:50 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Phil Masters

Not especially. Allah dominates all other powers, and weird foreign wizards may also be demon-worshippers or blasphemers, but there's no particular laws against magic that I can recall. Djinn - creatures of supernatural power - can be good Muslims, after all.

For that matter, Islam probably has less of a record of witch-hunting than Christianity. A wizard who presents as a scholar, doesn't claim that his powers make him theologically special, and shows up at the mosque on Fridays, might well be seen as basically okay.

Quote:

Originally Posted by The Quran

"Keep away from the seven destructive sins!" They said, "What are they, O Messenger of Allah?" He answered, "Associating partners with Allah; practicing sorcery; taking a life, which Allah has made forbidden except for a just cause (according to Islamic Law); eating Riba (usury) eating up an orphan's wealth; fleeing from the battle field at the time of fighting (with the unbelievers); and accusing chaste women, who never think of anything that can touch their chastity and who are good believers, of fornication.

Quote:

Originally Posted by The Quran

One who learns magic, less or more, has become an infidel and his association with Allah is completely severed.

Pretty sure magic is forbidden there. They're still executing people for practicing magic to this day, including street performers. This setting is literally spitting in Allah's face, and how this sahir has any power at all shatters my suspension of disbelief.

~~Peter Knutsen~~ · 12-29-2015, 01:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by seycyrus

Your criteria for SoD seem to be a bit ridiculous. Does your PC take the old drunk who knows some rumours and torture him for information? Do you go through the introduction to every module and scan it for inconsistencies?

Lots of groups who play GURPS Dungeon Fantasy cheerfully and openly go for the murder-hobo style. Torture is perfectly legit.

~~evileeyore~~ · 12-29-2015, 03:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Peter Knutsen

Lots of groups who play GURPS Dungeon Fantasy cheerfully and openly go for the murder-hobo style. Torture is perfectly legit.

Not if they are supposed to be the Good Guys.

Also in a standard DF the Town is a 'safe space'. If my PCs violated the safety of the Town, the Town would violate their safety right back until they were dead.

And then they'd all make new characters and understand not to do that again.

12-11-2015, 08:09 PM	#1
b-dog Join Date: Nov 2006	Arabian Adventures for DF The PCs have been invited by the sahir Malik Abdullah al Haz. They have crossed the Mediterranean on a barge and have landed in a small port city at night. The PCs follow the directions that the sahir gave to them. Any PC that possesses Magery can see a mystical symbol above a door. The symbol glows a metallic blue in the moonlight. Those without Magery can see nothing. If the symbol is read aloud then the door magically opens and a servant then greets them and takes them to some rooms to sleep. The rooms are decorated with ornate fineries and the beds have sheets of silk. There the PCs sleep until morning when they are greeted by the voice of the muezzin singing the morning adhen, the call to prayer. Any Wizards, Summoners, Druids, Necromancers, and other magic users can feel the adhen through their body as the power of Allah reduces all mana levels and natural and unholy sanctity to nothing during the call to prayer. This reaffirms the faith of the umma that Allah is the greatest and no other power can compete. After the adhen, mana and sanctity levels return to normal and the sahir comes out to greet the PCs. He is pleased to see the PCS and tells them of an errand that he would like them to do for him and that he will pay them handsomely if the mission goes as planned. He pulls out an old sheet of papyrus on which appears to be a map. He hands it to the PCs and then tells them to meet at the banks of the Nile to go upriver and then go on to expedition to explore the tomb of Pharraoh Makrut. Last edited by b-dog; 12-11-2015 at 09:00 PM.

12-12-2015, 07:53 AM	#2
Gold & Appel Inc Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: One Mile Up	Re: Arabian Adventures for DF Why do the servants of a God that apparently frowns upon Magery make Magery vital to finding their informative markings? Why is sleep mandated? Any PC in one of my DF campaigns would distrust that scenario and post watches on general principle. Also, this whole thing sounds like a set-up. Why don't we just kill this Sahir guy and take his stuff? Suspension of Disbelief Not Happening Yet.

12-12-2015, 08:49 AM	#3
seycyrus Join Date: Jul 2013	Re: Arabian Adventures for DF @Gold Your criteria for SoD seem to be a bit ridiculous. Does your PC take the old drunk who knows some rumours and torture him for information? Do you go through the introduction to every module and scan it for inconsistencies? I don't see any "frown upon magery". I see "that's the way it works around these parts." The story is told to provide a backdrop for the campaign, and to cue potential players in to a very interesting magical dynamic that occurs. It succeeded.

12-12-2015, 09:56 AM	#6
b-dog Join Date: Nov 2006	Re: Arabian Adventures for DF The sahir refers the PCs to a souq that they can purchase supplies from. Camels are recommended as is water. For the desert has great powers of thirst. Magical water will not satiate thirst in the desert. All must bring water to tide their thirst in the desert. Use dehydration rules to simulate insufficient water. Clerical or magical water will exist for a short time and disappear leaving those who drink to remain thirsty. Outside of the desert in towns and cities and oases, magical water can be created but once brought into the dessert it likewise will disappear after some time. Magical items that produce water will likewise fail to produce lasting water. Only cosmic items will be able to produce lasting water and these are rare and made by the ancient deities or possibly a gift from Allah. To get to the Nile will take 2 weeks on camel. Use DF Wilderness Adventures to help with travel.