Talk:Al’Akbar

Glossary of useful native terms

I9 Day of Al’Akbar (1986, p.20)

Babouche

common heel-less leather slipper.

Baklava

almond and honey cake.

Baksheesh

bribe.

Baraka

good luck, a blessing.

Barakala-Oufik

native expression for wishing someone good luck.

Bazaar

large, cheap market.

Bey

high official under a Sultan.

Bled

isolated desert hinterland.

Caliph

honorary political and spiritual leader.

Caravanserai

caravan shelter in a desert.

Casbah

desert city or native house.

Chaksukah

vegetable stew.

Chechia

cylindrical headgear made of cloth.

Cithara

stringed musical instrument.

Couscous

common native dish made of steamed wheat semolina, mutton and vegetables.

Dhow

small, oriental sail boat.

Divan

smoking room, or large sofa.

Djebel

mountain.

Djellabah

native’s long robe with a hood.

Djinn

desert spirit (see Djinni in MM1).

Effendi

Sir; man of property or education.

Erg

great sand desert.

Fahtmah

woman.

Fellah

peasant.

Fennec

small desert fox.

Fez

conical, brimless felt hat with a tassel.

Fonduk

merchant hostelry.

Haik

large cloth worn by the native women.

Halva

pastry of crushed sesame seeds and honey syrup.

Hamada

rocky plateau in a desert.

Hammam

common public baths.

Harem

secluded area allotted to native wives.

Harissa

hot sauce served with couscous.

Henna

traditional reddish dye covering native women’s hair and hands.

Houri

mystical virgin in a paradise.

Iwan

large, open entrance to a temple.

Jihad

holy war against the infidels.

Keffieh

long cloth used as a headgear.

Khat

plant whose leaves contain an euphoria-inducing drug.

Khol

black substance used to darken eyelids.

Kif

smoking drug causing a state of dreamy tranquility.

Kif-kif

native expression for same thing.

Kouglar

curved dagger.

Krak

desert stronghold.

Maboul

native expression for crazy.

Makhzen

cavalry corps provided by desert tribes for the Sultan.

Makroud

fried pastry dipped in a honey syrup.

Mameluk

elite slave soldier.

Marabout

holy man.

Medina

old, sleazy district in a native city; perhaps located in the northwest in.

Khaibar.

Mehari

(plur. mehara) swift dromedary.

Merguez

spicy native sausage.

Minaret

high, slim tower above a temple.

Muezzin

priest who calls the people to prayer from the top of a minaret.

Mufti

chief of police (Mameluk commander in Khaibar, under the Bey’s orders).

Mujahedin

holy warrior in a Jihad.

Narghile

long smoking pipe.

Oasis

small, green area in a desert.

Oued

river crossing a desert.

Pouf

ottoman, small backless and armless seat.

Qahwa

dark strong coffee.

Qa’id

chief of a smalah or of a tribe.

Rahat-Lokoum

paste-like sweets; almond, rose or pistachio flavored.

Raiya

a forcigner, but worshjpper of the true faith.

Roumi

an infidel lo the true faith.

Salaam

native expression for Welcome.

Sand Rose

yellow or pink gypsum concretion found in sebkhas, resembling roses.

Saroual

long, puffy pants.

Sebkah

dried salty marshes.

Shish-Kebab

marinated cubes of beef or lamb grilled with vegetables on skewers.

Smalah

large family.

Souk

covered market (see bazaar).

Sultan

native king, or sovereign ruler.

Sultana

wife of a Sultan or ruling queen.

Tchador

long veil covering women’s faces.

Yataghan

large double edged scimjtar.

Zawiya

hostelry associated to a religious complex or a school.

Ziggurat

large tower supporting a temple.

AD&D 2nd Ed.

cup and talisman of Al’Akbar

Encyclopedia Magica (Vol.1, p.352 & Vol.4, p.1419) • Book of Artifacts (p.30) • I9 Day of Al’Akbar (p.20)

Value: — xᴘ, — ɢᴘ (75,000+ gp [cup] and 10,000+ gp [talisman] in jewelry value)

The cup of Al’Akbar is hardly an inconspicuous item. It is a large chalice, big enough that, were it filled, it would take two hands to lift. The vessel is made of hammered gold and chased with a silver filigree. Twelve great gems (each worth 5,000 gp) are set in mounts of electrum to form a band around the rim. Overall, the craftsmanship is clearly the work of a goldsmith of extra-ordinary skill and artistry. Although it does not radiate magic, the cup is always bathed in a golden aura.

The talisman of Al’Akbar is an eight-pointed star of hammered platinum. It is small, no bigger than a large pendant, and comes with a chain of gold and pearls so it can be worn as a necklace. Each point of the star is tipped with a diamond that sparkles in the slightest light. From the points to the center run elaborate patterns of golden inlay. It does not radiate magic.

History

The cup and talisman of Al’Akbar are major holy relics. The two artifacts are always associated with a powerful god or goddess of healing, although the DM must select exactly which one is most appropriate from those in the campaign. In the FORGOTTEN REALMS setting, Lathander could be used, while in the GREYHAWK campaign, Pelor would be appropriate. (Note that these items will not be found in a DARK SUN campaign.)

No matter what faith, according to the sect’s dogma, the cup and talisman were given by the deity after a great disaster that brought untold devastation and suffering to the land. The two items appeared before the high priest in a dream. When the clergyman awoke, the cup and talisman were there, still sparkling with the radiance of the deity. Blessed with the items and knowledge of their use, the holy man went out and cured the multitude of sick and injured.

Unfortunately, the miraculous powers of the cup and talisman did not bring happiness to the people or peace to the temple. When travelers returned to their distant homelands with tales of these two wonders, emperors, kings, and warlords coveted the items. Driven by greed and fear, they marched their armies and sent their agents, to seize the treasures.

Just what battles occurred and who won them is lost along with the names of those who fought for the artifacts. Perhaps one rose victorious over the others only to have the two treastLres seized from him. Perhaps they were stolen by bandits in the chaos of war. All that is known is that when the wars finally ceased, the cup and talisman had disappeared forever.

Even today, though, the legend of their miraculous power lives on in expressions as “cured by the cup” for any miraculous healing or “By the star of Akbar,” an oath to ward off disease.

Campaign use

The cup and talisman of Al’Akbar, because of their powerful healing abilities, are both excellent items for the player characters to acquire and use, and yet unbalancing devices that are best taken out of player characters’ grasp quickly in any campaign where they appear. The cup and talisman can be immensely useful items in an incredibly dangerous adventure where the characters frequently face horrible injury and death. These two artifacts may be vital for keeping the characters alive long enough to have a hope of concluding the adventure.

At the same time, the DM should not use the cup and talisman more than once in this manner. The powers of the cup and talisman allow the characters to flaunt death (and thus perform supremely heroic acts), but if this risk is removed from all adventures, things will grow dull very quickly.

Ideally, the characters find the cup, talisman, or both as the prelude to an even more harrowing task. The characters need the life-giving powers of these artifacts in order to travel to the Outer Planes (where their own magic will not function) and defeat a great foe. The items may be needed to survive a perilous journey of great importance.

Furthermore, the cup and talisman are of great interest to nearly everyone. Followers of the original deity will want their relics returned. Warlords will want the healing power for their armies. Wizards may covet the potion-making powers of the items. Characters must be ready to fight to keep the artifacts.

Once the need for them has passed, the artifacts should be removed. Ideally, the characters return the relics to their proper masters, or else they finally fall prey to the relentless efforts to buy, steal, or seize the items. If absolutely necessary, the original deity can appear and claim the items. Woe to the characters who would at this point be foolish enough to refuse.

cup of Al’Akbar

Constant Powers: Anyone of good alignment who touches the cup receives the benefits of a bless spell. This lasts for 24 hours.

Invoked Powers: The powers of the cup are activated by filling it with holy water, usable once per day. If all of the water is drunk, it acts as a cure critical wounds or neutralize poison spell, or it can be divided into three portions that act as cure light wounds spells, although these fade in 12 hours.

talisman of Al’Akbar

Constant Powers: Anyone of good alignment touching the talisman receives the benefit of a remove curse spell.

Invoked Powers: Once a day the talisman can cast a cure disease or cure blindness spell.

Used together

Resonating Powers: Once a week, the cup and talisman can be used to create the following potions: healing (5 batches), sweet water (3 batches), extra-healing (2 batches), elixir of health (1 batch), or vitality (1 batch). Furthermore, the items gain the power of a resurrection spell (1/day), effective only on good or neutral creatures.

Curse: These items can only be used by good humans and half-elves. When the powers of the talisman or the cup are invoked, the owner ages 1d10 years. The aging is irreversible! Upon attaining maximum age, the owner is transformed into a zombie guardian of the artifacts, unraiseable by any means.

Suggested Means of Destruction

• The talisman must be placed in the cup, and the cup filled with water from the river Styx. The talisman dissolves and the cup is voided of magic.
• Ten thousand curse spells must be cast upon the talisman, and then it must be struck against the cup, destroying both.
• They must both be touched by the deity of disease and death.

AD&D

Artifacts

I9 Day of Al’Akbar (1986, p.20)

The Cup and Talisman of Al’Akbar: This pair of holy relics was given by the Great Holy One to his most exalted high priest in the day following a great devastation. It was lost to demi-human raiders and last came into possession of Sultan Amhara, in what is now the Aririan desert, far in the south. Fearing a great invasion, the Sultan of Khaibar concealed the artifacts in two different areas of his palace, where they still remain to be discovered.

The Cup is made of hammered gold, chased with silver filigree, and set with 12 great gems in electrum settings—worth 75,000 or more gold pieces on the market as jewelry. It does not radiate magic (although it permanently glows), and has the following powers:

Minor Benign Powers: bless on contact, cure light wounds seven times a week.

Minor Malevolent Effect: a non-good aligned user loses 5d6 pounds of weight each time the prime power is used, or for every two weeks the user keeps the Cup. When the user’s weight reaches 1/10 of their normal weight, they turns into a deathless, withered creature (see major malevolent powers of the Talisman below).

The Talisman is made of hammered platinum in the shape of a star of eight points, chased with gold inlays, and with a small gem tipping each point. The star depends from a chain of gold and electrum set with silver beading (eight sets of three beads each), a jewelry value of 10,000 or more gold pieces. The Talisman does not radiate magic either, but has the following effects:

Major Benign Powers: cure disease at will, on contact; remove curse on contact up to seven times a week.

Major Malevolent Effect: an evil user withers and ages 3–30 years each time the prime power is used, eventually turning into a deathless withered zombie guardian of the Talisman. See DMG page 163 for more detail on aging.

If a cleric, druid, paladin or ranger possesses both, they may fill the Cup with holy water and immerse the Talisman in the fluid to create a potion once per week. Roll 1d20 on the table below to determine the potion type.

1–5	healing
6–10	extra-healing
11–15	poison antidote balm
16–17	cure disease salve
18–19	remove curse ointment
20	raise dead balm

Whenever both items are reunited, the possessor gains the following powers/effects:

Prime Power: resurrection seven times a week for any neutral or good aligned being.

Side Effect: whenever both items are shown at the same time, all intelligent creatures viewing the artifacts will feel greed and covetousness. Affected beings must make saving throws vs. spell or attack the possessor in an attempt to steal the items. PCs and otherwise friendly NPCs associated with the possessor are only 25% likely to be affected; their henchmen and the possessor’s must first make a loyalty check. Failure in both cases then requires the saving throw vs. spell.

The magical aging and weight loss cannot be prevented or reversed in any way. for more detail on the use of artifacts, check rules in the DMG, page 155.

DMG

AD&D Dungeon Masters Guide by Gary Gygax (p.157)

G.P. Sale Value* 85,000 (DMG p.124)

The Cup and Talisman of Al’Akbar: This pair of holy relics were given by the gods of the Paynims to their most exalted high priest of lawful good alignment in the days following the Invoked Devastation. It was lost to demi-human raiders and was last rumored to be somewhere in the Southeastern portion of the Bandit Kingdoms. The Cup is made of hammered gold, chased with silver filigree, and set with 12 great gems in electrum settings—a jewelry value of 75,000 or more gold pieces on the market. It does not radiate magic, but it has the following powers/effects:

4 × I: __________, __________, __________, __________

1 × III: __________*

The Talisman is made of hammered platinum, a star of 8 points, chased with gold inlays, and with a small gem tipping each point. The star is hung from a chain of gold and electrum set with silver beading (8 sets of 3 beads each)—a jewelry value of 10,000 or more gold pieces. It does not radiate magic either, but has the following powers/effects:

2 × II: __________, __________

1 × IV: __________**

If a cleric, druid, paladin or ranger possesses both, he or she may fill the cup with holy water and immerse the talisman into the fluid to create a potion once per week. The potion will be:

1–5	healing
6–10	extra healing
11–15	poison antidote balm
16–17	cure disease salve
18–19	remove curse ointment
20	raise dead balm

And the possessor gains the following powers/effects from both:

1 × V: __________

1 × VI: __________

* For neutral or evil characters only

** For evil characters only