Friday Encounter: The Lotus Eaters

I don't know what it is, exactly, but it seems like half the people I've ever known can fondly recall that phase of their childhood where they were deeply into ancient mythology. I've seen enough posts and memes about it online to know this is far from an isolated phenomenon. And if I may come clean - yes, I was one of those kids.

A look at this blog is probably more than enough to tell you that already. From an early age, I was fascinated by myths, legends, and folklore from around the world, with all the stories, gods, and monsters they entailed, and it's no secret that this canon formed a fundamental part of my inspiration for the Lunar Lands. When thinking of the works that got me into fantasy and proved the most influential on my conception of the fantastic adventure, The Hobbit is definitely one of them, but equally important would be The Odyssey. In fact, in retrospect, it's some of the most OSR literature out there - the narrative is fairly episodic, showcasing a number of interesting locations and encounters, and the protagonist largely gets by through using his wits to exploit the situation to his advantage more so than brute strength. Odysseus would be very good at old-school RPGs! For this week's Friday Encounter, I've gone back to the source to bring one of the most iconic scenes from The Odyssey to the table.

Do note that if players are familiar with The Odyssey, they may be able to figure out how this encounter works. If this will be a problem, or if you believe such meta knowledge will make it harder for your players to meaningfully engage with this encounter, you may want to substitute a different plant for lotuses, or otherwise change the details accordingly.

The Lotus Eaters

This encounter is probably best suited to a wilderness locale - in order to best present the party with an interesting dilemma, I recommend using it somewhere desolate and inhospitable (such as an oasis in the middle of a desert, or on an isolated island) so that the PCs may mistake it for a spot to rest and resupply.

The party should come upon a community of strange people, who seem especially carefree - nothing seems to bother them or threaten them, and they have no worries, remaining blase about everything and showing little drive or any sense of urgency. Their relaxed demeanor may come across as lazy, but they take life slowly and don't worry about the future, nor do they have regrets for the past. Curiously, these people all seem to subsist entirely on a white lotus plant that grows abundantly in the area, and have no other source of food in sight. A DC 10 History check will note that the people appear to be unusually ethnically diverse and speak in a variety of accents - in fact, these people were all once travelers from distant lands who became enthralled by the lotus and lost sight of their goals, deciding to stay here. They do not remember anything about their past lives or even their names; all they know is that the lotus sustains them, it only grows here, and there is nothing worth worrying about beyond the grove. The lotus eaters know, and will explain, that the lotus leaves them feeling well-fed and peaceful, but are genuinely unaware of its other properties.

The lotus eaters ask the PCs what brings them to their land, but regardless of how they answer, they will insist that they are worrying themselves over silly things and that there is no use in holding onto their troubles. They encourage the party to stay a while and rest, offering them lotus to eat.

Should any PCs eat the lotus, they will find a single plant to be as filling and nutritious as a complete meal, and imparts all the benefits of a hero's feast; in addition, it removes all levels of exhaustion (and stress, for those using the rules from Van Richten's Guide to Ravenloft), as it leaves all who consume it feeling a profound sense of peace and calm. However, these properties are addictive. 24 hours after consuming the lotus, a creature must make a DC 15 Wisdom saving throw or be compelled to seek out more - without it, they discover, they cannot find the same sense of serenity no matter how hard they try. As the lotus only grows in one spot, affected PCs will have the urge to return to the grove of the lotus eaters, and will only move in that direction unless forced. You may wish to mark the hex or point this encounter was obtained on, if using such mapping schemes, to make this easier to track. Repeat this save after 24 hours; on a successful save, the creature manages to overcome their compulsion.

If the lotus is consumed multiple days in a row, the effects become more pronounced. Anyone consuming the lotus over a period of several consecutive days must make the Wisdom save every 24 hours, but the DC increases by 5 each day. Additionally, for every failed save after the first, the affected creature begins to lose its memories. Eventually, they will forget their name and what they came here for, and go back to live with the lotus eaters in perpetual bliss. This is best roleplayed, but magic-users affected by the lotus's memory loss will lose one spell slot per day while under the effects of the lotus. For each day a creature goes without consuming the lotus, their memories will return one at a time each day.

The lotus only grows in its grove; attempting to plant its seeds elsewhere will be unsuccessful. If the grove is destroyed, the lotus eaters will become infuriated that their source of sustenance is gone (they do not remember any food elsewhere and believe the lotus to be the only food in the world) and attack whoever is responsible, fighting to the death.

The Sea of Uam

By strict definition, the Sea of Uam, in northern Al-Riyah, is not really a sea at all, but a large freshwater lake. Nevertheless, for many in the dry Quel'Ahman lands, it may as well be a sea. It stands as an oasis at the edge of the great deserts, and its fertile shores have been well settled, producing bountiful crop yields that sustain Quel'Ahma's people.

Fed by the Shamat River and by a system of underground springs, the Sea of Uam supplies a ring of marshy wetlands, which have been largely settled and given over to agriculture on its south shores. The waters are a hub of activity, with ferries going back and forth across the water to transfer supplies from one village to another, and the lake is well-known for its great bounties of fish, with many inhabitants of the region relying on fishing to sustain themselves.

Despite boasting a relatively large population for a place this far inland in Quel'Ahma, however, the Sea of Uam has no great cities; its people are spread out along a number of small villages along the shore that get by on fishing and farming, largely regarded as country bumpkins by the wealthier elite of the coast. In days long past, the Sea was much more important as a center of commerce, but with trade on the Great South Sea eclipsing the more limited routes through the desert, it began to decline, and many of the region's former cities now sit abandoned, their crumbling walls harvested to build new homes.

The largest settlements on the Sea are both found to its south. On the west shore is the town of Katsir (hex 012.021), which boasts a major market drawing in farmers who travel from miles away to sell their produce every week. As one of the Sea's major population centers, it is managed by an office of Genasi nobles who collect taxes and oversee trade for the Emir - which causes some friction with the largely human populace who are unused to such direct oversight. A nearby cave opens into a large subterranean spring - and a few shepherds who have sheltered their flocks there report seeing winding tunnels, dug by massive crabs and scorpions.

On the east shore is Salamah (hex 014.021), a town that grew around a trading post that stood as a center of exchange between the settlers on the lake and the Caravan People of the desert beyond. To this day, it has many inns and bathhouses, some of them centuries old, and the visiting caravans bring an influx of trade goods from across Quel'Ahma. One caravan has drawn plenty of attention, for one of its merchants, Aberkan Nersesian, has displayed a large carved scarab of blue stone, found in a Nuwapian ruin far to the east. He claims that it has given him great fortune and healed his family's illness, but he refuses to part with it - some have whispered he has even stabbed those who got too close to it, which seems uncharacteristic of the normally patient man...

To the north, the village of Al-Negba (hex 012.014) marks the end of a system of trade routes linking the Sea to the coastal cities, and thus sees its fair share of visitors. Despite this, the village has a reputation as a swampy backwater, and most travelers only seek its service for a ferry to the wealthier settlements on the south shore. Currently, the village is home to an Amidi mystic named Hayim al-Din, who is renowned for his ability to heal the sick and repel evil. He is, however, getting tired of all the attention this brings him, finding it disrupts his meditation, and he intends to leave soon - but how will the people who have become dependent on him to solve their problems cope?

The village of Rumanah (hex 011.017) sits in a fertile valley, but is largely isolated from the outside world, scarcely receiving any trade. It is built amidst the ruins of an older, and much larger, abandoned city, but its inhabitants are reluctant to explore the ruins further - they have everything they need where they are, and local lore tells of the lingering spirits and ancient curses that cling to the ancient graves. The ruins have not been fully charted, and perhaps there may be something of value there yet...

The village of Ahkbera (hex 012.020) isn't far from Katsir, but the people there have little interest in dealing with the town - they are suspicious of the Genasi and have little interest in being ruled by wealthy dilettantes who don't understand their hardships and ways of life. However, this has proven an issue when the village has of late seen a number of mysterious disappearances, with villagers going missing and their mangled bodies turning up days later bearing strange teeth marks. The elders blame these attacks on a ghul - a man-eating spirit that can take the form of whatever it eats. But can they deal with such a problem when they refuse to go to Katsir for help? And what if the ghul is closer than they think?

The village of Ibtan (hex 015.019) is one of the Sea's wealthier farming communties, owing to its location along the river. It is a center of trade, with many farmers from steadings in the area traveling here to sell their wares - and, as a result, a hotbed of rumor, where news from many nearby settlements can be heard and passed on, often growing in the telling. It is an open secret that many deals on the black market happen here too, with farmers and Caravaneers covertly smuggling goods without having to pay the taxes they might be subject to in larger markets - or that might attract inspection from those who might disapprove of what is sold.

Other points of interest that might be found on the shores of the Sea of Uam include the ruined city of Al-Abeytas (hex 010.016). The city has had a long history, first being built by the Nuwapians, briefly conquered by their Fedreline rivals, and later settled by Quel'Ahmans, before declining into ruin over the ages. As a result, the site consists of many ruins layered on top of one another, with older sites buried in the swamp. The Royal Archaeological Society has sent expeditions here to catalogue and examine artifacts - and many of these expeditions, for one reason or another, have been stricken by misfortune.

Also in the swamp is a long-abandoned and overgrown maqam found at hex 016.015. The old shrine has served as a landmark for travelers, but few are aware of its true significance as the burial place of the Amidi master Abdullah en-Nur. If a faithful devotee of the Covered Path spends the night here in meditation, his ghost may pay a vist and impart knowledge.

Friday Encounter: Gegard the Amazing's Emporium of Magic

A while ago, one of my players suggested that I do a blog post on so-called "common magic items."

My immediate response was "Mike, why in the world would I write something like that?" See, I've been quite outspoken about this. I don't think there's anything that better encapsulates the kind of fantasy I dislike the most than the concept of "common magic items." To me, a magic item should never be common or mundane. They shouldn't be conveniences, and they shouldn't be bought in stores. To do so would be to destroy anything that makes them magic. Magic items should be treasures and quest rewards. Getting one should be a goal in and of itself. They should be special.

What I do like, however, is magic items that aren't there to give pluses to rolls or have immediately useful benefits. I love a good item that can get the players thinking about how it could be applied and exploited to creatively solve problems. The best kinds of magic items, to me, are the ones that don't even have stats, just descriptions of what they do, and it's up to the players to determine how to best use them. The ones that make people think "now, how could I use this?"

And recently, I had the chance to read a couple of posts on "dungeon merchants" from Coins and Scrolls and Goblin Punch. Quirky little NPCs who have quirky little things to sell, thrown into a dungeon, or some other place you wouldn't normally expect a merchant. To me, these two concepts go together like peanut butter and jelly. The only way I can excuse a magic item being bought at a store is if that store is just as bizarre and inexplicable, and if you make sure the items being sold there aren't going to break the game, it shouldn't take away from the items that PCs do need to put in the work for. After doing some thinking on this...yes, Mike, you're going to get your post on common magic items after all.

Gegard the Amazing's Emporium of Magic

This encounter can be used anywhere. It can fit equally well along a road, in a town, or in a dungeon - Gegard the Amazing has a habit of turning up in the strangest of places, after all. It will probably be the most fun if you use this encounter multiple times, using Gegard as a recurring NPC, and ideally having him show up in multiple locations to help sell how he can show up anywhere. Alternatively, you can use the items described here as dungeon loot, or otherwise sprinkle them in wherever you give out magic items.

Gegard Matevosyan is a wayward Caravaneer merchant, and an eccentric even by the standards of the Caravan People. He plies the land in a wagon painted in gaudy colors, pulled by a donkey who he talks to to keep himself company on his long journeys (no one is quite sure whether or not he expects an answer), and can always be identified by the comically oversized turban perched atop his head. Unlike the usually communal Caravan People, he travels alone, but his journeys span far and wide, and he's been known to turn up where he's least expected.

Wherever Gegard goes, he brings his wares with him, selling his merchandise off the back of his wagon. Sometimes, he takes point at markets and fairs; other times, he peddles his stock along the road, going from village to village, and sometimes he turns up with no explanation in the middle of the wilderness or the bowels of the earth. Despite calling himself a purveyor of magic, Gegard buys and sells all sorts of things, showcasing what he has to offer on a carpet laid out over the ground.

Any item listed under Adventuring Gear in the Player's Handbook (or the equivalent in whatever system you're using) can be found in Gegard's inventory, but at ten times the listed price. However, Gegard doesn't actually expect anyone to pay that much for it, and in fact, regards anyone who does as a gullible fool. He will haggle with his customers (this is common practice in the Lunar Lands in general, but especially prevalent in Quel'Ahma), lowering the price if questioned, but never going too low; he insists that he can't give things away for such paltry sums, or his wife and children will starve and he will have no choice but to hang himself for failing his own family (no one has ever seen his wife or children). He is a fast talker and a keen salesman, insisting that his customers simply must have what he has for sale, and tends to refer to people as his friends, even complete strangers.

In addition to more mundane goods, however, Gegard always has 1d4-1 (minimum 1) specials (see below) for sale at a given time - rare and magical treasures encountered in his journeys. He will regale any visitors with their stories and explains any properties they have. Gegard will insist that he is no wizard himself; he only finds and sells these items.

He does have a reputation for trying to spin nonsense in order to con people out of their money - and it isn't unfounded. However, contrary to rumors, Gegard's specials are more commonly real than not. There is a 25% chance that any of Gegard's specials are in fact forgeries with no magical attributes whatsoever. If questioned about this, he will apologize profusely and insist that it was a freak accident that he didn't know about, and that it would never happen again.

If attacked, Gegard will retreat at the first opportunity, jumping on his donkey and taking off via the closest escape route possible, leaving his wares behind. If investigated, there will be no sign of him.

Gegard the Amazing's Special Offers (d20)

1. A miniature clay golem,  no more than four inches tall. It is currently dormant, but if an order is inscribed into its back, it will attempt to execute it. Due to the size of the golem, these orders can only consist of a single word, which the golem will interpret as literally and directly as possible. 500 GP.

2. A small copper tube hung from a chain, containing a scroll with an inscription in ancient Nuwapian script. The wearer is unaffected by disease or ageing and does not need to eat, drink, or sleep, but registers as undead to divine sense and similar effects. 700 GP.

3. A shriveled, mummified hand. "Think it came from a sorcerer. Wouldn't want to run into that fellow! Well, maybe he's not so bad without his hand." It points a finger toward any secret doors in the room. 300 GP.

4. A bottomless bag of salt. Good for repelling ghosts, at least. 150 GP.

5. A talisman in the shape of a hand with an eye in its palm. "The hamsa! Protects against the evil eye, it does!" Grants the wearer Advantage on saving throws against curses and other such effects. 200 GP.

6. A potion that causes one's blood to taste foul for 1d12 hours. Useful against vampires or mosquitoes. 200 GP.

7. A billy goat that can smell gold. "Think 'e used to be a dwarf, before that witch cursed the poor sod." As noisy, smelly, and ill-tempered as a normal goat. 300 GP.

8. An hourglass that remains perfectly balanced no matter what conditions it's under. 200 GP.

9. A 170-pound copper vat containing the pickled body of Emperor Gotthard II of Vardessy, who ruled 300 years ago. "See, 'e died in a war 'round these parts, and 'is men wanted to preserve 'is body for burial. Guess that didn't work out." 750 GP.

10. A skein that could be used to weave a flying carpet...if you can find anyone with the knowledge to do so. 400 GP.

11. A brass lamp with an inscription in Nuwapian script. "I hear that if you rub it while reading the inscription, it'll release the genie inside! Problem is, I've got no clue what it says...what're you looking at me for? I'm but a humble merchant!" 300 GP.

12. A compass that always points toward the nearest body of water. Useful for if you're in the desert. Not so much on a boat. 400 GP.

13. A bridle that will cause any animal who wears it to become obedient to the user as long as it is worn. "'Course, gettin' it on 'em is the hard part..." 600 GP.

14. A lucky platinum coin. Once per day, the user can reroll any roll, but must take the new result. 200 GP. "What do you mean, that's too much for one platinum coin? This one's lucky! Do you accuse an honest man?"

15.  A mummified human tongue that chants softly in an arcane language at night. "Honestly, I don't want this. Take it off me, please." 300 GP.

16. A bomb that reappears in the user's possession the next day after it explodes. 525 GP.

17. An 8-foot length of rope that knots itself on command. 400 GP.

18. A gold cage containing two parrots. They are telepathically linked to each other; one hears everything the other hears, and may repeat it if asked. It may also repeat it if not asked. They aren't the most obedient. 600 GP.

19. A goose-feather quill that can write out a single sentence on its own, if dictated to. 300 GP.

20. A knife that gives off a spark like a matchbook if another item is struck across it. "Got that one off a would-be enchantress who wanted to make a flaming dagger - didn't work so well." 250 GP.

The Abbiyad Mountains

Though Quel'Ahma is known as a desert land, its terrain is more varied than many travelers would expect, particularly in the relatively fertile Al-Riyah. The Emirate of the Winds is home to the Abbiyad Mountains - the name of this great range is derived from a Quel'Ahman word for "white," for they are so tall that on their upper slopes they are covered in snow year-round. Shielded from the hotter climate of the lowlands, these mountains are home to a robust forest of cedar trees, and the sight of the Abbiyad Mountains breaking over the horizon has brought relief for many travelers lost in the desert - not only for being an easily recognizable landmark for navigation, but also because they hold the promise of cooler and more hospitable lands within sight.

The Abbiyad region is known for its cedars, and many of the communities that hug the slopes of the mountains rely on the export of timber - in Quel'Ahma, where trees are scarce, the Abbiyads have provided essential materials for Al-Riyah's robust fleet of merchant vessels, which both rely on the wood for construction and export it to other parts of the realm. Though the mountains are a rugged hill country, with little in the way of major cities, a number of villages have grown up around them.

Perhaps the largest of these is Misri (hex 013.034), located on the trade route that goes north to the great city of Hajar, a major stopping point for caravans. Although the people there largely live an independent life and have little want for the attention of outsiders, they nevertheless see much traffic from merchants, traders, and nomads, and they have found their own ways to take advantage of this. The village is built along a number of multi-leveled terraces in the hills, with the main road winding through a narrow valley, and the people there hold a great market along this street, with vividly colored banners flapping in the breeze as merchants hawk all sorts of goods from their stalls. During business hours, the amount of traffic can slow passage through the mountains - which is just as the people like it, since it means merchants have no choice but to stop and peruse the town's wares. Many merchants spin elaborate tales about what they have for sale in order to make it seem more exotic and appealing, and to fetch a higher price than what it is by all means worth. They have no regrets for their dishonesty - after all, it doesn't affect them if they con some gullible outsider who won't come that way again out of a few coins.

Further off the beaten path is Ain-Kinan (hex 013.036). A more rustic community of foresters, it - like any village in Al-Riyah - has its own maqam; that is, a small domed shrine, built on a high place and often associated with a long-dead master of the Covered Path, sometimes (but not always) marking the site of their burial. In rural Al-Riyah, many people, though ostensibly Elementalists, care little for the grand pagentry of official cults and temples and devote their prayers to saints and spirits; in fact, not all masters honored by maqams can be historically verified, and some may be vestiges of cults to forgotten gods. Ain-Kinan's patron saint is Aziz S'himi bin Amnon al-Qadir, said to have been a Genasi official who renounced his life of luxury to pursue the Covered Path. It is said that those who leave food inside the shrine overnight will find it miraculously multiplied the next day.

Finally, in the southern foothills of the Abbiyads is the village of Al-Mazrah, which stands at the foot of the Lahksa River. Its people largely subsist as farmers from the flooding of the river, though they do harvest some lumber as well. Located not far from the village is a strange inscription cut into the stone of the mountainside, in what appears to be Nuwapian script. Those who can decode it will find it promising to honor one who has proven themselves stronger than the king of all beasts of the land and air - a DC 15 History check will reveal this must be referring to a gryphon, many of which dwell on the slopes of the mountains. If one anoits the wall with the blood of a gryphon, it will open into a hidden chamber containing 4,500 GP in gold and jewels and a scroll of etherealness.

Despite the scarcity of trees in Quel'Ahma, much of the cedar forests of the Abbiyads remain untapped. This is for good reason - the deepest reaches of the forest are known as a land of monsters, and few have emerged from them alive. Perhaps the most infamous of them all is the gorgon Kombaba, a monstrous ogress with iron claws for hands and snakes for hair, whose flesh is like steel and whose gaze can petrify (stats of a medusa, but with 159 HP and Large size, with Resistance to slashing, piercing, and bludgeoning attacks from nonmagical sources); she dwells in a cave located at hex 014.037, but has been sighted roaming the mountains by those lucky enough to escape to tell the tale.

Other dwellers of the deep woods may be more helpful. At hex 015.034 is the tower of Khadul al-Ghazzawi, a noted scholar and astronomer who has made his home in the mountains to better study the motions of the stars, and chart the course of fate. He is a bitter recluse and will not tolerate those who waste his time, but he may be able to impart advice on what the future may bear. At hex 015.036, meanwhile, is a shrine where the Amidi mystic Jamilah ibnat Karim dwells atop a snowy mountain peak, living her life in meditation. She is a wise old woman who can guide those who seek her to the path of perfection, but her mountain may only be found by those who actively search for it, and to ascend it is a challenge in and of itself, fraught with dangerous conditions and powerful guardians. Jamilah will only instruct one who shows enough dedication to the cause to brave the threats its pursuit entails.

Lastly, beyond the mountains, in the desert, is a ruined Nuwapian tomb (hex 016.038), in which is buried an ancient priest, Pahemnetjer, who pursued the path of lichdom. Though this lich still remains dormant in his coffin, buried far below the earth, his undead servants still stand guard against would-be tomb robbers, and so do many traps and enchantments placed to safeguard the priest's phylactery. A band of Caravan People are camped in the ruins above ground; they know of the dangers within and will provide rumors and trade with those who wish to brave its depths, but will not think of setting foot inside themselves.

The Covered Path

The way of Elementalism holds that in order to achieve harmony and alignment with the cosmic forces of the universe, each individual must strive in the pursuit of perfection, seeking purity in accordance with the elements and their associated traits as much as is possible for them. Conventional doctrine preaches that the way to do so is attained through governance in accordance with the Four Books of the Elements, under the guidances of the priests and temples who safeguard the purity of the elements and guide the people in homage to them. However, another path to perfection exists - the Covered Path.

There is some debate as to whether the Covered Path represents a particular school of thought within Elementalism, or another religion entirely. While it accepts the elements as the cosmic forces that sustain all things and holds the gods as imperfect and unworthy of worship, it also rejects temples, the priesthood, and the caste system. - which has made it appealing to the lower classes, and a target of persecution from officials who find it a threat to their authority. To those of the Covered Path - the dervishes - the pursuit of perfection is not a one-size-fits-all goal to be imparted to the masses from on high. Rather, it is a personal journey, one that must be discovered by each person in their own way.

The Covered Path was founded centuries ago by a human scholar named Amid al-Samad, and thus, its practitioners are also called Amidis. Where the name came from has puzzled scholars. Some believe it came from Amid's practice of disseminating his teachings in debates with other scholars held on a bench beneath a cover of palm fronds, while others posit a link to the woolen caps used by mystics to cover their heads. Whatever the case is, the Covered Path quickly took hold as a popular movement, and in the years since, it has given rise to a multitude of different schools and philosophies - all of which, however, claim a direct line of teaching that can be traced from student to master all the way back to Amid himself.

According to the Covered Path, Amid al-Samad was the perfect being - the first living thing created, but who lived in secret for milennia until the time came for him to reveal himself to the world. Although conventional Elementalism claims that humans are inherently imperfect beings due to being made up of all four elements in equal parts, and thus impure, devotees of the Covered Path argued that this balance of elements actually made one's existence more harmonious, as it ensured no one element overpowered the others. Nevertheless, the Covered Path is not a phenomenon exclusive to humans, and numbers genasi and even a few genies among its ranks. A core teaching of the philosophy is that everyone, regardless of their social standing or place of origin, is an equal in the balance of the universe, and that the only pursuit in life worth following is understanding this balance, not wealth, power, or personal gain.

Many Amidi dervishes thus follow an ascetic lifestyle, deliberately cutting themselves off from earthly desires to pursue spiritual enlightenment alone. Every school of the Covered Path approaches this differently, but they all hold that wealth and comfort is a distraction from perfection. For this reason, they are often compared to the monks of northern lands. Like monks, they devote their lives to study and meditation, with little communication with the outside world - in particular, they are well known for their rituals in which they gather to play music and whirl in place, allowing themselves to be moved only by instinct and the ecstasy of spiritual revelation.

Unlike monks, however, dervishes do not flock to monasteries. Every member of a given school considers themselves to be part of the same brotherhood, but, in keeping with the individualistic focus on perfection, dervishes of the Covered Path undergo spiritual training under a master, who sees to their personal instruction. Amidis maintain that it is not possible to achieve perfection through passively reading theory; they must actively be guided. They do congregate at their own schools and holy sites, however, many of which are the tombs of esteemed Amidi masters. Traditionally, they are buried in their homes, which become shrines tended to by their families and students. These shrines are often sought out as places of pilgrimage in a dervish's journey to spiritual understanding, and become hotspots of congregation where knowledge (and, informally, rumor) is shared, often providing housing for itinerant mystics, with shade and water to relieve themselves from the desert heat. Some masters, in fact, are so devoted to the cause that they choose to let their spirits linger at their tombs after death, forgoing rest in the Land of the Dead so that they may impart their wisdom to those who seek it.

To the dervishes of the Covered Path, adventure is not a means to gain power, fame, or wealth. It is an exercise in patience, understanding, and broadening one's horizons, often with functions that may make little sense to the initiate at the time. These mystics are tolerated by some authorities more than others, and they often find themselves as outsiders beyond their own communities. But they and their communities can be found all across Quel'Ahma.

Background: Amidi Dervish

Skill Proficiencies: History, Religion

Tool Proficiencies: One musical instrument of your choice

Languages: Quel'Ahman; one language used for mystical and poetic texts

Equipment: A set of common clothes, a begging bowl, a musical instrument of your choice, and a scholar's pack.

Feature: Path of Perfection. You have a master who personally instructs you in the journey to perfection, and they will offer you guidance if sought after. You are also welcome at any Amidi shrines or gatherings of the faithful.

Feature: Asceticism. Your school under the Covered Path requires that you pursue some form of voluntary asceticism to cut yourself off from worldly distractions and focus on the big picture. As long as you practice this restriction, you may cast Divination once per day by whirling in place for ten uninterrupted minutes until you recieve a vision. If you break your restriction, your master will give you a quest of penance to undergo before you may make use of this feature again; until then, other dervishes will recognize that you are out of balance with the universe and refuse to help you. Roll 1d8 on the following table to determine your restriction.

1. Cannot eat meat, legumes, or leavened bread.

2. Must spend one hour per day in meditation.

3. Must travel exclusively on foot (boats are fine if your destination can only be reached by water).

4. May only wear unadorned woolen robes.

5. May not use edged weapons to shed blood.

6. Must give all wealth attained to charity (your fellow dervishes will provide you with food, water, and other necessities). If using gold for EXP rules, consider money donated in this fashion to be worth EXP.

7. Cannot consume alcohol, caffiene, or other mind-altering substances.

8. Cannot willfully lie. 

Note: A PC may take up tutelage of a master of the Covered Path during play. If this happens, they gain the Path of Perfection and Asceticism features regardless of whatever background they already have. Consider having the PC undergo a personal quest to prove their dedication to the cause in order for them to obtain these features.

Friday Encounter: Sandstorm

I have long maintained that adverse weather and environmental hazards are greatly underutilized in RPG encounters. They create realism and vesimilitude by showcasing the many difficulties real-world travelers may encounter and proving that such events don't have to be fantastic to be interesting, and often times present challenges for the players to overcome without having to fall back on combat. Here's an example of how weather can create an interesting encounter.

Sandstorm

This encounter is, obviously, most applicable when the PCs are traveling through a desert (such as those found in Quel'Ahma or Valossa). However, many mechanics presented here could easily be applied to a snowstorm if one wishes to use this encounter in a more wintery clime.

While traveling the desert, the PCs notice harsh winds whipping up sand over the horizon. Before long, their view into the distance is blocked by a great cloud of sand, swirling as high as the eye can see - and it's coming closer! Anyone familiar with the desert, whether PCs or NPC guides, will immediately recognize this as a sandstorm - and the party only has a few brief moments to prepare themselves before the storm is upon them!

There are a number of ways to address this encounter. The PCs might try to take cover or set up some form of shelter, such as a tent, if they have one. However, it may not be so easy to do so in time! Enter Action Time, using a flat d20 roll with no modifiers for the initiative of the sandstorm. The sandstorm starts 90 feet away from the party and moves 30 feet closer to the party on its turn. To set up a tent, the PCs must achieve three successes on a DC 15 Sleight of Hand check, assuming of course that they have the necessary materials. Alternatively, there may be rocks, walls, or other forms of cover that the PCs might try to run toward. It's best if these are placed such that the PCs might need to make multiple move actions to get there. Hopefully, they can get to safety before the storm overtakes them!

If the storm does catch up to the party, however, they aren't out of the woods. Once it catches up to the party, for each round on the sandstorm's turn, roll 1d20. On a roll of 10 or higher, the storm threatens to blow through whatever cover the PCs have. Any PC who attempts to brace the shelter must make a DC 12 Constitution save or the party is affected by the storm (see below) on all subsequent turns until a successful save to stabilize the shelter is made. PCs affected by the storm have Disadvantage on this save. If multiple PCs assist in this, the save is made with Advantage.

Alternatively, the PCs may choose to try and press onward through the storm, braving the danger. If so, they are automatically affected by the storm. Any PCs affected by the storm must make a DC 15 Constitution save or take 1d8 slashing damage from the sand abrading their skin and getting in their airways. Additionally, they gain the Blinded condition on a failed save until they are out of the storm. The sand is impossible to see through - melee attacks in the midst of the storm are made with Disadvantage (unless made by a creature with Blindsight or some form of protection), and ranged attacks automatically miss due to the heavy winds.

After three rounds, the sandstorm passes the PCs by and things proceed as normal. However, if the PCs attempted to move through the storm, they may find themselves lost, unable to guide themselves through the all-consuming sands! Have whoever is leading the party make a DC 20 Survival check; on a failure, they will find they moved in a direction other than what they intended (roll 1d8: 1. north; 2. northeast; 3. east; 4. southeast; 5. south; 6. southwest; 7. west; 8. northwest). If multiple PCs attempt to move through the storm independently, they may become separated this way...

There are, of course, a number of twists one can throw into this encounter. One could turn it into an interesting combat encounter by having the PCs attacked by enemies capable of withstanding the storm in its midst, thus forcing them to deal with opponents they can barely see or hit! Alternatively, one might decide that rather than merely a spell of wind, the sandstorm is actually the work of an angry air elemental or djinn, and it's up to the PCs to placate them in order to proceed safely.

The Ruins of the Nuwapians

The genies were not the first civilization to rule over the deserts of Quel'Ahma. Long before the rise of Vardessy, before the Way of the Four Elements held sway, Quel'Ahma was ruled by a great empire of a bygone age, one remembered only by the eldest of the genies of Tasshen. This was the age of the Nuwapian Empire - one of the greatest of its day, and one that saw rise to great advances in the mystic arts - and one that lives on, in its own ways.

There is much that remains still unknown about the Nuwapians. There are many ruins and artifacts yet to be unearthed, and many inscriptions that have yet to be decoded. The Royal Archaeological Society of Quel'Ahma has made it its mission to retrieve as many Nuwapian artifacts as they can to better understand these mysterious people. What is known is that the Nuwapians came from a land far over the sea, settling Quel'Ahma, and there they established a great empire that stretched across the desert sands and as far as into Golnir, ruled by an emperor who was perceived by the people to be a living god, and they held power over the lands for more than three milennia.

The emperors of the Nuwapians were esteemed sorcerers, always seeking to further their power and rise above the common men they governed. It was through their magical aptitude that they cemented the legitimacy of their reigns, and earned fear and admiration from the lower classes. Through magic, the Nuwapians sought to surpass the limits of mortal men; to become stronger and more enlightened. Their ultimate goal was to conquer death itself - and of the ruins that remain among the deserts, there are many great mausoleums where the bones of ancient kings are buried amidst their wealth and the bodies of their retainers, in the hopes that they may one day rise from the dead and make use of such riches.

But perhaps the greatest achievement of the Nuwapians came when finally they managed to unlock the secrets of immortality.

By all recorded accounts, it was the Nuwapians who were the first to discover the secrets of lichdom - the process by which the mortal soul could be separated from the body while still keeping the life force that sustained consciousness, allowing one to live forever. At the height of the empire, the Nuwapians' greatest emperors and nobles were liches, who underwent this process to transcend the very boundaries of mortality, and to become as gods, whose reigns could go untested by time or the sword. With this power, the Nuwapians sought to extend their reach even further, and realize their destiny as the masters of reality.

Ultimately, though, this would not come to pass. Over time, the once-great empire dwindled to a collection of warring city-states and petty kingdoms, before those too vanished. The downfall of the Nuwapian Empire is steeped in as much mystery as its rise. Some say that the emperors, in their pursuit of eternal life, overstretched themselves and lost sight of more earthly concerns, allowing their empires to fall into ruin right under their noses. Some say it was the people who rose up against their masters, tired of being at the whims of such powerful beings. Some even say that the fall of the Nuwapian Empire was an act of Morthanos himself, who sought to punish mortals for their hubris in evading his reach. In the end, the great cities and temples of the Nuwapians fell silent, and were buried beneath the desert sands.

Still, the influence of the Nuwapians was not lost. Their discoveries became a part of the canon of magic and mysticism, and many of their spells and rituals have been passed down and perfected over the ages. So too, the spirits of many great sorcerers of the Nuwapians live on, still standing guard over the ruins of the palaces they ruled from in life. Many Nuwapian ruins mark the burial places of ancient liches, resting in their sarcophaguses until the day comes that the Quel'Ahmans fall and they may once again reclaim their birthright. The traps, guardians, and mystic wards these magicians prepared to safeguard their phylacteries still stand against intruders to this day. And if any of these bygone emperors are released from their slumber, they are not likely to react well to the strange new worlds they discover...

The Caravan People

The majority of Quel'Ahmans live in cities that hug the fertile coastline, and follow whatever trade routes and oases cut through the deserts beyond. But they are not the only folk of Quel'Ahma. There are still those brave enough to roam the deserts, and they form an important artery of trade between the cities - and even into lands beyond. These are the Caravan People, or Vistani in their native tongue, and they have spread far and wide over the world, yet still have not forgotten their traditions.

The origins of the Caravan People are a matter of debate. Their oral history claims that they once held a great empire, but it was shattered in an ancient war and they were cast out to the roads by the victors. Some have thus identified them with the bygone Nuwapians, who held Quel'Ahma in the days before the reign of the genies. Others dismiss these claims as mere myth, and believe them to be a third, and unrelated, ethnic group apart from both modern Quel'Ahman humans and Nuwapians. Whatever the case may be, though they consider the deserts of Quel'Ahma to be their ancestral home, the Caravaneers have migrated far beyond, and now they may be found wherever there are roads.

The Caravan People are nomads - they travel typically as family groups, which can become quite large as the extended family tends to stick together, and the caravans of multiple allied clans may band together into a tribe. These caravans are often led by a sheikh - an elder or other such chieftain - who settles disputes and guides migrations, but for the most part, individual caravaneers have great independence. They travel in trains of horses, camels, and carts, herding their livestock with them, from destination to destination, often camping beside the road and setting up tents where they stop. Typically, they will stop at towns to sell their wares at markets and look for odd jobs among the locals, often as tinkers or entertainers, before they leave and move on to the next town when there is no more trading to be done.

In this way, the Caravan People are an important mechanism for the exchange of goods and ideas - because they do not stay in one place for too long, they bring news and rumors with them wherever they go, and can disseminate such ideas much farther than more sedentery folk could. When Caravaneers stop at a market, they may bring goods from far afield, carrying southern silks and exotic perfumes potentially as far as Kvesland. All they seek in return is gold to keep the flow of trade going, and the grain their nomadic lifestyle does not allow them to cultivate - in particular, they will trade for wheat, which they grind into a flour to make couscous and dine upon it with stewed meats and olives around their campfires, dancing and laughing into the night.

Also because of their itinerant lifestyle, the Caravan People tend to be perceived as outsiders wherever they go. They are not beholden to the Quel'Ahman caste system, but neither are they greeted as equals in many of the towns they stop at, and the more settled folk often look upon them with suspicion. They have a reputation, whether deserved or otherwise, as thieves and con artists, and indeed, a few notorious Caravaneers have fallen to these trades. But they have a strong tradition of honor and hospitality. They value familial bonds and are loyal to their kin to a fault, and they will accept lost travelers into their camps to treat them with meals and a place to rest - no matter how far they travel from home, they have not forgotten how harsh the desert can be, and they know that the kindness of a stranger could well be the difference between life and death. This is a philosophy they stick to even in more temperate climes. For the Caravaneers, to bring harm or misfortune upon a guest is considered one of the gravest of crimes, one that is punishable by exile - and, considering the ancestral memory of the deserts, to be condemned to exile is, to a Caravaneer, akin to being condemned to death.

The connections of a Caravaneer family run deep, and one is expected to be loyal to one's kinsmen. Many caravans in Quel'Ahma and beyond have played this to their success, making use of the loyalty between brothers and cousins to extend their patriarchs' reach. Some of these caravans form wealthy merchant dynasties that have secured control over lucrative trade routes - but among the more unscrupulous sorts, it is also a structure that has led to the rise of crime families, controling underground empires of smuggling, spying, and assassination, which they may offer for the right price. Although the Caravan People have been faced with persecution in some lands, in others, the local rulers have come to see them as useful assets indeed. They travel great distances and never stay in one place for long, which makes them useful as spies, bringing in intelligence from many corners of their masters' domain and vanishing without a trace. They guarantee the influx of wealth from other lands. And if one can enter the gratitude of a caravan, every man and woman therein will raise arms in their support if it comes to it.

Background: Vistani Caravaneer

Suggested Names: Romani, Armenian, or Berber names

Skill Proficiencies: Performance, Persuasion

Tool Proficiencies: Tinkers' tools, one instrument or gaming set of your choice

Languages: Vistani, one other language of your choice

Equipment: A set of colorful common clothes, a set of tinkers' tools, an instrument or gaming set of your choice, an abacus, a map of the surrounding region, and a pouch containing 30 GP.

Feature: Well-Traveled. The DM will give you a list of three settlements close to the starting area of the campaign that your caravan has been to. You know any important or relevant information about these places. You also have contacts (extended family members or business partners) in each settlement who will provide you information and shelter you if need be.

Note: These rules replace those given for Vistani in Curse of Strahd. As such, Vistani in the Lunar Lands do not have inherent cursing abilities (a Caravaneer might know some magic, but that's because they're a magician, not because they're Vistani). My Vistani function like actual people and not magical fairies, thank you very much.

Friday Encounter: The Genie's Lamp

Of all the D&D horror stories out there, I'm sure that a solid chunk of them (if we filter out the ones that involve the words "it's what my character would do," anyway) involve the wish spell. The fun thing about such a spell is that it can do anything. It's a feature that truly shows the infinite potential of a TRPG if what a player can do with it is only limited by their imagination, and encourages the sort of creative thinking and problem solving that make TRPGs truly shine for me. The downside of wish is that giving a player access to infinite potential is very easy to abuse...unless the DM decides to have some fun with it, anyway.

Here's an encounter that plays on an old trope to get players thinking of how well they use their wishes. Perhaps it's a bit trite. Practically everyone has seen a genie someone had to throttle in a bottle, right? (Is my theater kid self showing?) But the reason cliches like this exist is because there's something about them that appeals to us, and a lot of them could very easily make for some fun scenarios at the table. Part of what appealed to me about D&D growing up was the idea of stepping into the same kinds of stories I loved and getting to make the decisions for the protagonist(s), and I think there's something to be said about presenting players with recognizable scenarios that have been the plot of many a TV episode or thought experiment to see how they would approach them.

The Genie's Lamp

This encounter can be used anywhere. It could be in a dungeon, in the wilderness, after defeating a major opponent, or perhaps even in a town. It doesn't even have to be in Quel'Ahma (or wherever genies come from in your setting); captive genies fetch a high price on the black market, and the sorcerers who control them may spread far and wide. Whatever the case may be, the PCs should come across a brass lamp carved with elaborate designs - it might be abandoned, pawned off at a market, or looted off a defeated foe.

If the lamp is rubbed, a cascade of sparkling smoke pours from the spout - and from that smoke manifests Tahir Avram Majdi abd al-Malik, a noble djinn who has been held prisoner in the lamp for centuries, bound under the spell of a cruel magician who wished to harness the genie's powers for his own gain. Recognizing the PCs are unfamiliar to him, Tahir introduces himself and expresses his gratitude for being freed from his prison. As is customary among his people, he agrees to grant them a taste of his power as a reward for their generosity, promising three wishes, with no rules or restrictions applying (other than that they cannot wish for more wishes), before he returns to the flying city of Tasshen.

The twist is that the long years of confinement and servitude have caused Tahir to grow resentful of all mortals, and he sees the PCs as no different than the wizard who bound him in the first place. He still offers his services to them - it's tradition, after all - but secretly, he only intends to pay lip service to the idea. In reality, Tahir wants revenge, and he will go through whatever means necessary to twist the PCs' wishes against them, in a scheme to teach them that they cannot hope to control such great and powerful entities and get away unscathed.

Whatever the PCs wish for, Tahir will execute it in way that will harm, inconvenience, or negatively impact them the most while still falling under the parameters of what they wished for. He will never refuse a wish or produce something other than what was wished for, but his definition of "what was wished for" is a broad one, and he weighs his interpretation heavily against the PCs. Use your judgment on how to best twist a wish. For instance, if a PC wishes for a magical sword, Tahir will give them one that is cursed (it's still magical; they never asked for a good enchantment). If they wish for an adversary to be dead, Tahir might ensure that their death creates a power vacuum that an even greater foe could occupy - or even turn that enemy undead, but still very much active and against the party, and quite possibly stronger than before!

If the PCs call Tahir out on his tricks, he will not lie or make excuses, simply pointing out that he still gave the PCs what they wished for. If they attempt to harm him, he will jump back into the lamp and hide there, refusing to emerge until it is rubbed when the PCs have no harmful intentions. If the PCs try to get rid of the lamp, it will keep mysteriously turning up in their possession, though Tahir himself will never appear unless summoned by rubbing the lamp.

This is, effectively, a way to challenge the PCs into thinking creatively to try to outsmart the genie. They might twist their wishes to be as specific as possible, for instance - though Tahir will still try to find whatever loopholes he can. A truly creative PC might be able to weaponize Tahir's wishes into creating cataclysms that will be as harmful to enemies as they are to the party themselves!

Once three wishes have been made, Tahir keeps to his word and vanishes off to Tasshen, glad to finally be rid of those pesky mortals. The lamp then becomes an ordinary lamp, worth 80 GP.

The Elemental Faith

Elementalism is, of course, not the only religion practiced in Quel'Ahma. There are populations of Pantheonists there, and temples to the gods can be found in many major cities, often catering to foreign visitors (and consequently most prominent in Al-Riyah). There are even some people, often in remote or tribal regions, with customs comparable to the Old Faith. And Quel'Ahma is also home to the mystic traditions of the Covered Path, a philosophy dedicated to the pursuit of transcendence from earthly concerns. But it is Elementalism that comprises the Quel'Ahman state religion, underpinning much of Quel'Ahman society and informing and legitimizing the caste structure of its society, and it is certainly the path practiced by the majority of its citizens.

Elementalism is quite different than other religions, especially those of the north. The faithful do not direct their worship to any sort of entities, such as gods, spirits, or ancestors, but to the cosmos itself.  The pursuit of Elementalism is not to serve the whims of higher beings. It is to live in harmony with the elements, and to strive toward achieving the perfect balance of the elements within one's being, as much as is possible for one to do in their station in life. Elementalism does not assert the gods do not exist (given all the miracles they have performed, that would be a foolish assumption) - rather, it cites that even the gods are prone to the vanities of mortals, and thus are not worthy of worship no matter how powerful they are. It contends that gods are not above the fabric of the universe, but a part of it, and just as subordinate to it as mortals are.

In the pursuit of perfection, the Elemental Faith is characterized by logic and rational thought. Its tenants are outlined in the Four Books of the Elements, a collection of holy texts and observations by generations of holy men, which describe the nature of the elements, their role in making up the universe, and how they influence life, as well as how their balance affects both individuals and the world. The elements are each associated with all things in life - the cardinal directions, personality traits, the bodily humors, and so on - and this tradition has influenced alchemy and science, as Elementalism encourages one to understand the natural world in order to best live with it and understand how to master it. Quel'Ahman society is in itself an attempt to create the perfect order in accordance with Elementalist teachings, as is reflected by the privilege given to genies and genasi for their perceived greater purity, and how the four emirates are laid out to correspond to the four elements, organized spatially according to what the Four Books hold to be in proper balance.

However, there is plenty of room for interpretation. The Four Books of the Elements are comprised mostly of anecdotes, parables, and philosophic musings, sometimes even apparently contradicting one another, and with little effort to explain themselves. Some anecdotes are older than others, and some come from sources believed less reputable than others, but they are included within the body of the text nonetheless. It is thus up to the individual to interpret the texts and what they mean, and to determine how perfection can be achieved with the information they impart. Many scholars in Quel'Ahma study the texts obsessively and debate their meaning, and it is an important task of the genasi elite to interpret the Books and judge how they may be used to apply policy - something that has, in the past, sparked wars over differing interpretations.

Elementalist places of worship are built around examples of the elements. Though some have drawn parallels between Elementalism and the worship of sacred sites found in some Old Faith traditions, Elementalists do not truly worship examples of the elements so much as they worship the elements themselves. A specific rock or a holy fire are only parts of the great cosmic forces that compose the universe, and when Elementalists venerate such things, they do so as extensions of the greater elements, standing in for something much bigger and harder to comprehend - at least to outsiders. That said, these objects are valued for their purity, and to move or handle them requires complex rituals to ensure this purity is not disturbed. Each temple venerates a specific element, according to the direction in which it is placed, and where it is located. Thus, temples west of Tasshen, including those in Al-Riyah, worship the wind. These elements must be kept pure, and great measures are taken in order to do so.

A typical wind temple contains a sanctum that is kept open to the sky, placed to the west and faced by worshipers when addressing their prayers, but this sanctum may only be entered by members of a priestly class to keep the wind as pure of other elements as possible, and those who face it must veil their faces and wash their hands and feet so they do not contaminate the air with the impurities of their sweat or breath. When it rains (rare in Quel'Ahma, but it still happens), the opening of this sanctum must be covered with a cloth so that the air is not polluted by rainwater, and this cloth may never be used twice to prevent any lingering residues of past rains from entering the site.

Because Elementalists worship no gods, they are not granted powers through prayer. In the Lunar Lands, most clerics actually learn their spells through study in a temple rather than direct divine intervention, and Elementalists also observe traditions of magical training so that their priests are better equipped to understand the cosmos. Use a Way of the Four Elements Monk to represent the average adventuring Elementalist priest. A Pyromancy Sorcerer could also represent a priest dedicated to fire.

The Castes of Quel'Ahma

Social stratification in Quel'Ahma is set up according to a caste system that reflects how closely one can trace their lineage to the great genies - the more genie blood one has in their veins, the more power they hold in society.

Since time immemorial, the genies have held sway over the Quel'Ahman desert. These magical beings command great power, and they embody the four elements that shaped Quel'Ahma and all other lands, which caused them to come to be seen as emissaries of the cosmic forces and being in some way closer to perfection. But in ancient times, the genies grew content in the power and respect they were afforded - and they saw fit to exert it. They amassed vast harems of humans in an attempt to spread their noble lineage, or merely to slake their baser desires (for even if the genies were more perfect beings, they were just as vulnerable to mortal temptations). Their children were the genasi - those of mixed genie and mortal blood.

As time went on, the population of genasi increased more and more, and the genies began to fear that they were diluting their issue too thoroughly with mortal stock - that the genasi had tarnished the perfection of the genies by mixing it with the follies of mankind. To that end, the genies issued an edict that has been law in Quel'Ahma ever since - the formation of the three castes.

Humans make up the lowest caste of Quel'Ahman society, and are the most numerous in number. They are the common people - the laborers, farmers, soldiers, and slaves. Under the philosophy of Elementalism, it is believed that all earthly creatures, including humans, are composed of all four elements in equal parts - but for this reason, each individual element is impure, making it harder for that being to attain true perfection (humans are believed, under Elementalism, to still be capable of perfecting their beings, but it is harder for them to do so compared to genasi or genies. They are encouraged to strive toward being as perfect as they can be). As the genies care not to risk their magnificent immortal existences in the toils and trifles of everyday life, it is the humans who are tasked with all the dirty work they wish not to sully their hands with. One does not see an almighty djinn engaging in hard labor, after all.

This does not mean that humans in Quel'Ahma are doomed to a life of squalor and poverty. It is, in fact, quite possible for humans to attain wealth and influence, and some of the finest scholars and the most well-traveled merchants have been of human stock. But their lives are fleeting and their powers diminished compared to their masters, giving them less opportunity for advancement, and they are not often trusted with more important positions.

Sample NPC: Mahmoud ibn Yusha is a trader in Hajar, a nexus of several important caravan routes that pass through Al-Riyah. As the city is a cosmopolitan one, with many travelers from foreign ports passing through, he has made great business buying and selling goods from many lands, and he is keen to flaunt his wealth in treasures from foreign lands, trimming his turban with furs from the north and his robes in silks from the City-States, among other things. He is regarded as somewhat of an eccentric; some of his peers argue that he has grown too much like the Northerners he deals with, and has taken to a love of gambling and strong drink. However, he uses his connections well, and has befriended several merchants and their entourages, making him privy to all sorts of information that passes through the city and beyond.

The Genasi - those who can trace their heritage back to mixed mortal and genie parentage -  make up the middle caste of Quel'Ahman society. Though they were descended from the mingling of great and lesser beings, their population grew so great as to earn them recognition as a separate caste, and now it is expected that genasi marry and associate with other genasi to avoid diluting their genie blood any further with that of mere mortals. If mortals are composed of the four elements in equal parts, then the genasi have a greater percentage of one element compared to the others, granting them longer lives and greater attunement to magic - they are thus seen as being closer to the pure, unrefined form of their respective element, but not attaining the purity of a true genie. They can still grow old and die, and their powers are diminished compared to their forefathers, but humans still treat them with awe and respect - if not fear. Generally, genasi of a given type are more commonly found in the emirate corresponding to their element, but exceptions occur, be they well-traveled merchants or simply well-connected officials.

Genasi are the executive class of Quel'Ahma. They are clerks, government officials, and merchant-princes, often overseeing particular towns or businesses for the benefit of their genie masters. Often born into wealth and privilege, the average genasi can expect to not have to deal with the back-breaking manual labor of humans, but they cannot afford the idle luxuries of a true genie either - rather, it is they who must manage the humans on behalf of the genies, to ensure that everything proceeds under the auspices of order. Still, their long lives and relative freedom warrants them plenty of time to themselves, and many are philosophers and scholars, turning their attention to decoding the mysteries of the universe while their underlings take care of the hard labor.

Sample NPC: Zakariah al-Diklah bin Eli al-Su'ud is the administrator of the town of Mesenshah, and an envoy to the Emir who ensures that his word is carried out. He is a loyal servant to the Emir and respects his judgments, but is not without ambition - he has led an initiative to open up relations with the outside world, in particular sending more envoys to Wulin in the hopes of strengthening trade with the far-off land. However, he will not hesitate to back off if convinced that doing so is in the Emir's wishes. When dealing with others, he is strict and businesslike - he finds it unbecoming of a noble genasi like him to be tied up with mistakes and unprofessionalism.

The Genies - djinn, efreet, marids, and dao - are the ruling class of Quel'Ahma. They are immortal beings of the elements, composed of their respective element in its purest and unmixed form, and are thus seen as models of elemental perfection that mortals must strive toward in all regards possible. As beings of great magic, they command power over even the wisest of genasi, and they have lived long enough to master untold knowledge. It is no surprise, then, that genies are treated with awe and reverence, in a matter some foreigners have compared to living gods.

Quel'Ahma is divided into four emirates, and the Emir who rules over each one is a genie with power over the corresponding element. Those these spirits keep the company of genasi courtiers and whatever human envoys are lucky enough to be granted access to their marvelous palaces, they socialize with their own kind, usually comprised of their extended families, which can grow quite large and house many generations beneath one roof. As can be expected, this puts aspirants for the throne (though genies are immortal, they often grow bored of ruling for too long and choose a successor before abdicating) in close contact with one another - and this can cause palaces to turn into hotbeds of intrigue as competing factions jostle with one another for their place in line. The homeland of the genies is the holy city of Tasshen - the dwelling place of the Sultan of all Quel'Ahma, and a flying city that soars above the clouds. No mortal has ever laid eyes upon it, and any who set foot in it would be summarily disintegrated.

Despite the importance of their positions, the genies of Quel'Ahma tend not to be active rulers. They are content to live in splendor and opulence, spending their immortal existences in the pursuit of decadence. After all, they have genasi to worry about the complicated business for them. This hands-off approach to ruling does, however, mean they can easily be swayed by ambitious viziers who tell them what they want to hear while furthering their own schemes, and there have been many times where the disgruntled populace rose up against their genie masters who spent their taxes on their own dalliances - though the power that the genies wield is an effective deterrant to unrest.

Ironically, as creatures of magic, genies may possess great power, but power can be worked on them as well. With the right spells and rituals, it is possible for a genie to be bound into a physical object, such as a lamp or ring, and forced to work its powers for the benefit of its captor - even if that captor is a mere mortal. Much like fairies or demons, they are creatures of their word, and if outwitted they have no choice but to serve those who gained power over them. Of course, binding a genie in such a way is a grave offense and a symbol of insubordination in Quel'Ahma, but it is one way in which mortals have fought back against their masters. If a genie is freed from such imprisonment, it is customary for them to reward their gracious rescuers with three wishes.

Sample NPC: Najii Rafiq Itamar al-Gefen ibn Mahir Amjad is the Emir of Al-Riyah. A powerful djinn known for his skill in magic and his ability to see into the future, he is well respected by his people, who view him as the embodiment of the wind itself. As such, no one dares offend him, lest he call storms against them and strand their ships. Despite such a fearsome reputation, though, the Emir is a jolly soul who spends much of his time drinking, feasting, and laughing in the company of his court. He's quite laid-back and takes little seriously; compared to other genies, he is unusually lenient with letting strangers into his court, and has been known to entertain noted guests with grand spectacles if they are present in the area, merely to enjoy their company. He leaves much of the heavy lifting to his courtiers and officials, allowing himself to enjoy such luxuries, but he is as mercurial as the wind, and it would be unwise to believe that he would not pose a threat if offended.

Note that foreigners - be they those from outside Quel'Ahma, Caravan People, or citizens of the independent cities not under the sway of the Sultan - are not considered to be part of any castes, not even that of humans. This allows them to enjoy more mobility and opportunity than may be limited to human Quel'Ahmans, but also means they cannot depend on the genasi or genies to protect them if they fall back to their authority.