Al-Riyah Hex Map

We're back with another hex map for another month in the Year of the Gazetteer, this one covering part of Al-Riyah. One hex equals six miles.

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.

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.