Al-Qadim
Al-Qadim (literally, “The Old” in Arabic) is a One Thousand and One Nights-themed D&D campaign set in Zakhara, Land of Fate, on a large peninsula south of Faerûn.
Contents
Classes
Equipment
Magic items
Instruments of the jann
“Sounds of Wonder & Delight” by Jeff Grubb (Feb. 1993) Dragon #190, pp.86,88
The instruments of the jann are a collection of wondrous items that are said to have been crafted by the various genies of the Inner Planes to commemorate the ascension of the jann chieftain of the High Desert. With each new jann chief, each of the genie peoples sets its craftsmen to work to produce a full takht of magical instruments—’ud, nay, rababah, qanun, and riqq. The genies (or their mortal agents) attempt great quests to gather the needed materials for the instruments.
This takht is performed for the chiefs ascension by the finest mortal musicians, recruited (voluntarily or not) from throughout the Land of Fate. The music performed is said to be so wondrous that the mortals who perform it and hear it are rendered deaf for the next 10 years for their troubles (saving throw vs. spells applicable). The genies reward those who perform with great treasures—gems and jewelry worth 10–60,000 gp value, and leave them in the desert to find their own way home. The instruments are kept by the ruling amir of the High Desert until his death. Then the instruments are scattered to the four winds, as custom demands. Though the amirs of the jann rule longer than their mortal counterparts, they have been ruling their people longer, and it is estimated that there are 20–40 sets of these instruments scattered throughout the Land of Fate.
the nay of the djinn
The nay provided by the djinn of the plane of elemental Air looks like any other reed flute. However, the reeds are metallic, the perfect specimens of a gold-bearing plant that only survives in the terrible mountains of the Yak-Men. Many brave djinn (and many more of their mortal agents) lost their lives recovering these wondrous metallic plants, called golden wands in the vernacular.
The nay of the djinn allows the player to cast an enthrall spell, as the second-level priest spell of the same name. Duration is as long as the nay is played, but the spell ends when the player stops or is interrupted. The nay may be used in this manner once per day, twice per day if the user is a bard (rawun kit or otherwise).
A bard also may use the nay to “whistle up the wind”: to summon an air elemental of 8 HD, as the fifth-level spell conjure elemental, once per week. The elemental is under the control of the user for as long as the nay is played, but if the music is interrupted, the elemental will return to its home plane and not attack its former controller.
the riqq of the efreet
The riqq is a tambourine of unbreakable steel. Its cymbals are made of crushed coins from the ruined empires of Nog and Kadar, and its surface is wrapped with the hide of a white camel. These are forged in the heart of a volcano to produce the reddish riqq, and terrible runes are painted in the inside the tambourine’s head.
The riqq of the efreet allows the player to cast hold person, as the second-level priest spell, by flashing the runes on the inside of the tambourine at the target(s). This may be done once per day, twice per day if it is used by a bard.
A bard also may use the riqq to “fan the flames”: to summon a fire elemental of 8 HD, as above, once per week. The elemental is under the control of the user for as long as the riqq is played, and if the music stopped or interrupted, the elemental will return to the plane of elemental Fire and not attack its former controller. A large amount of fire (such as bonfire) is required to use this ability.
the ’ud of the marids
The ’ud is solid white, its hardwood surfaces covered with thin, ornate carvings of pearl. The soundbox itself is made of a single great pearl, harvested from the largest clam in the deepest part of the Crowded Sea. The marids do not risk their own lives in these endeavors, but instead avail themselves of lesser beings to recover the pearls.
The ’ud of the marids allows the bard to cast a powerful charm person spell, as the first-level wizard spell, with a −4 penalty on all saving throws against the spell. This spell may be cast once per day, twice per day if the ’ud is used by a bard.
A bard, regardless of kit or origin, may use the ’ud to “raise the waters”: to summon a water elemental of 8 HD, as above, once per week. A suitable amount of water, such as a river or lake, must be available to use this ability. The elemental is under total control of the ’ud player, and if the ’ud player stops, the elemental will return to its native plane without harming the bard.
the rababah of the dao
The rababah is constructed of the finest materials. Its bow is made of the hair of the fastest horse in the High Desert, and the circular soundbox is made of the skull of a great roc.
The rababah of the dao allows its user to cast an entangle spell, as the first-level priest spell of the same name. This operates against any target on sand or soft soil as opposed to those near grass and vines, but the effects of the spell are the same. This spell may be cast once per day, twice per day if the rababah is used by a bard.
A bard also may use the rababah of the dao to “shift the earth”: to call into being an earth elemental of 8 HD, as above, once per week. The elemental is under the full control of rababah player, such that if the musician stops or is interrupted, the elemental will return to its native plane without attacking the bard.
the qanun of the spirits
The qanun is made of the finest mahogany brought from the Isle of the Elephant. Its strings are said to be made of solidified light, though others, report they are made of spun gold, hardened and tightened to the breaking point. Its picks are carved from a single emerald gem.
The qanun of the spirits is the most powerful of the five instruments of the jann. When the qanun is played, the player has the effect of the fire truth, the first-level wizard spell. Instead of fire, the truth of the speaker’s words is determined by the sweetness of the instruments tone. Untrue statements create sour notes. The spell may be used once per day, twice if the player is a bard.
A bard also may use the qanun to “call the ancestors”: to speak with dead as the third-level priest spell, and to animate dead (as the second-level priest spell), both as if the bard were a 20th- level priest. Each of these abilities may be performed once per week, and the qanun is needed only to cast the spell-like abilities, not to maintain control or contact.
the takht of the jann
Each of the instruments of the jann is mildly powerful in its own right, but brought together into a single orchestra, they prove to be an extremely powerful magical combination. If a takht of bards (rawun or otherwise) all wield the instruments of the jann under the direction of a single sha’ir, the takht may summon into this plane an army of genies. There will be four units of genies, one of each of the four elemental genie races, and each under the command of a noble genie of the proper race—marid, dao, efreet, and djinn. Each unit will consist of one hundred members of the respective race. It takes an hour for all the troops to arrive and assemble, and if anything interrupts the summoning players, the spell fails and those that have arrived will not be under any control (and likely will be irritated at the shair as well).
If the summoning is successful, these genies will be under the command of the sha’ir directing the takht, and will remain so for an hour and a day (25 hours). During this time they will build, move, and attack at the whim of this shair. They will even fight other genies if so instructed by the sha’ir. After their time of servitude ends, they will return to their own plane, and will not harm or act against that particular sha’ir for the next 101 years.
This is an incredible amount of power to place at the disposal of a single individual, and a complete set of instruments is only held in the hands of the living Amir of the High Desert. There are stories that a full set has also been collected and is in the hands of the Grand Caliph, but this is unsubstantiated. The genies are very aware of the potential of mortals who acquire a full set, and as such, all genie servitors (including gen and the like) are continually on the lookout for individuals attempting to assemble a full collection of the instruments. Clever fakes, mysterious robberies, and even disappearances of collectors have been reported in legend and tales of those attempting to recreate the takht of the jann.
Works
| Title | Author(s) | SKU/Issue | Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| “Wonders of the Land of Fate” (magic items) | Jeff Grubb | Dragon #179 | 1992-03 |
| Al-Qadim: Arabian Adventures | Jeff Grubb & Andria Hayday | ᴛsʀ2126 | 1992-04 |
| Al-Qadim Appendix, Monstrous Comp. (MC13) | Wolfgang Baur & Steven Kurtz | ᴛsʀ2129 | 1992-06 |
| Al-Qadim: Land of Fate | Jeff Grubb & Andria Hayday | ᴛsʀ1077 | 1992-08 |
| “of Lamps and Logic” (puzzle) | Rob Nicholls | Polyhedron #75 | 1992-09 |
| Golden Voyages (ALQ1) | David “Zeb” Cook | ᴛsʀ9366 | 1992-10 |
| Assassin Mountain (ALQ2) | Wolfgang Baur | ᴛsʀ9431 | 1993-02 |
| “Sounds of Wonder & Delight” | Jeff Grubb | Dragon #190 | 1993-02 |
| A Dozen and One Adventures (ALQ3) | Steven Kurtz | ᴛsʀ9432 | 1993-04 |
| Al-Qadim: City of Delights | Steven Kurtz, Tim Beach & Tom Prusa | ᴛsʀ1091 | 1993-07 |
| “Scimitars Against the Dark” (CJ) | Wolfgang Baur | Dragon #198 | 1993-10 |
| Secrets of the Lamp (ALQ4) | Wolfgang Baur | ᴛsʀ9433 | 1993-11 |
| Ruined Kingdoms [ALQ5] | Steven Kurtz | ᴛsʀ9440 | 1994-01 |
| “the City of Lofty Pillars” | Steven Kurtz | Dragon #201 | 1994-01 |
| “Arabian Adventures Galore!” (CJ) | Gregory W. Detwiler | Dragon #202 | 1994-02 |
| “Arabian Wonders” (magic items) | Gregory W. Detwiler | Polyhedron #92 | 1994-02 |
| the Complete Sha’ir’s Handbook [CR] | Sam Witt | ᴛsʀ2146 | 1994-03 |
| Cities of Bone [ALQ6] | Steven Kurtz | ᴛsʀ9467 | 1994-05 |
| “the Assassin Within” | Paul Culotta | Dungeon #47 | 1994-05 |
| Corsairs of the Great Sea [ALQ7] | Nicky Rea | ᴛsʀ9449 | 1994-07 |
| Caravans [ALQ8] | Rick Swan | ᴛsʀ9459 | 1994-10 |
| “the Tower of Gold” (scenario) | Nicky Rea | Polyhedron #100 | 1994-10 |
| “Topkapı Palace” | Steven Kurtz | Dragon #211 | 1994-11 |
| “the Object of Desire” | Gary O’Connell & Lucya Szachnowski | Dungeon #50 | 1994-11 |
| “the Last Oasis” | Peter Aberg | Dungeon #51 | 1995-01 |
| “the Ecology of the Bird Maiden” | Paul Culotta | Dragon #218 | 1995-06 |
| “the Rose of Jumlat” | Jeroen Grasdyk | Dungeon #57 | 1996-01 |
| “Magical Sands of Zakhara” (CC) | Rudy Thauberger | Dragon #226 | 1996-02 |
| “Scions of the Desert” (CC) | Jim Parks | Dragon #233 | 1996-09 |
| “Blood & Fire” | John Baichtal | Dungeon #63 | 1997-01 |
| “the Roof of the World” (CC) | Wolfgang Baur | Dragon #241 | 1997-11 |
| Reunion (RPGA) [ALQ9] | Jackie Cassanda & Nicky Rea | ᴛsʀ9584 | 1998-04 |
| “Al-Kandil” (Side Trek) | John Baichtal | Dungeon #68 | 1998-05 |
| “Secrets of the Arch-Geomancer” (AL) | Paul Fraser | Dragon #250 | 1998-10 |
| “Secrets of the Brotherhood of True Flame” | Paul Fraser | Dragon #268 | 2000-02 |
| “the Return of the Sha’ir” | Dean Poisso | Dragon #315 | 2004-01 |
| “Champions of Fate” (Prestige Classes of Al-Qadim) | Dean Poisso | Dragon #321 | 2004-07 |
| “Magic and Intrigue in the High Desert Tribes” | Wolfgang Baur | Dragon #351 | 2007-01 |
See also
- Al-Qadim: The Genie's Curse (computer game)
- Arabian Nights (Magic: The Gathering)
- Al’Akbar
