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Arabian Hero

Faithintheblind

By Faithintheblind
in Fantasy Hero

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DavidV Apprentice

DavidV

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Re: Arabian Hero

 

Ok Im starting to put an arabian game together for my players (my first time gm hero system). There are a few things im stumped on and need some ideas to help me out.

 

1)Magic and how it should be done for an arabian styled game.

 

2)Using Islam or making up a differant religion.

 

If you're not comfortable using Islam for whatever reason, do some research on pre-Islamic Arabia. Some of the pre-Islamic religion did make its way into Islam (djinn, for instance), but it was more of a shamanistic, spirit-based religion whereas Islam is rigidly monotheistic. That said, Islam allows for angels, devils, djinn, etc. so there's plenty of leeway for a fantasy campaign based on Islam. Just do your homework and try to learn a bit about Islam so you avoid some of the stereotypes that could come up.

 

Also, The Thousand and One Nights would be required reading for this project.

 

Can't really comment on magic without doing some homework myself.

 

David

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Susano Grand Master

Susano

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Re: Arabian Hero

 

I snagged GURPS Arabian Nights at GenCon. Haven't had a chance to read it though (still working on HEX), but it looks to have some of what you are looking for.

 

Off of the top of my head, the Valdorian Age magic system strikes me as an excellent way to simulate the spirit summoning magicians seen in many 1000 Nights and a Night stories.

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Teflon Billy Experienced

Teflon Billy

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Re: Arabian Hero

 

Ok Im starting to put an arabian game together for my players (my first time gm hero system). There are a few things im stumped on and need some ideas to help me out.

 

1)Magic and how it should be done for an arabian styled game.

I'd look into the pre-Islamic stories, such as 1001 Nights and other folklore collections to get a feel for Arabian magic and supernatural stuff.

 

2)Using Islam or making up a differant religion.
I'd recommend not using this either, IMO post Islam Arabian culture gets really homogenized. If you have access to it, I'd take a look at Al-Qadim, TSR did a very nice job capturing the Arabian Nights feel with open adventuring and Polythiestic Fantasy standards.

 

TB

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Rapier Veteran

Rapier

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Re: Arabian Hero

 

I'd take a look at Al-Qadim' date=' TSR did a very nice job capturing the Arabian Nights feel with open adventuring and Polythiestic Fantasy standards.[/quote']

 

I second this one. Just about the time I was switching over to Hero full time TSR came out with a lot of, actually, very good supplements. Al-Qadim was one of them. I think it was a really good product that provided a lot of good stuff for an Arabian campaign.

 

I would avoid Islam the same way I would avoid Christianity in a game. Religion is one thing you want to keep rather neutral. It's too much of a hot-topic for so many people. Of course, with the right group...but why risk pissing someone off, especially if it doesn't really matter?

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Teflon Billy Experienced

Teflon Billy

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Re: Arabian Hero

 

Hmm found a site for Al-Qadim and it looks like it might help in some areas such as religion but im still stumped on the magic aspect.

Al-Qadim's magic was for the most part had standard Wizards, but they also had a magic user called the Sha'ir. He summoned a little genie who went out and "found" your spells and brought them back as a little gem that the Sha'ir used to release the spell in the real world. I can't remember all the details (I think they got spells a little faster or more of them than a normal mage, to make them more enticing for someone wanting to play a magic user)

 

You should be able to find GURPS Arabian Nights real cheap online, it was one of the books that sellers were dumping like crazy at GenCon.

 

TB

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Faithintheblind Rookie

Faithintheblind

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Re: Arabian Hero

 

Searching through Al-Qadim information I found an interesting book called Caliphate Nights. In the faq it mentions having Djinn-touched characters for something a little magical about them.

 

Also I think I have a way to work out both my problems with one setup. Some is pulled from other sources such as dnd for the differant names of the Djinn for each element. The main religion centers around five elements-Air, Fire, Earth, Water, and Life- and those who govern the elements: Aseir the wanderer(Djinn Lord of Air), Malak(Efreet lord of Fire), Vesha Mistress of sand(Dao Mistress of Earth), Ahriman (Marid lord of Water), and lastly Aaliyah(Jann Mistress of Life). These provide for the arcane and divine magic by combining them in a sense. People can still practice arcane magic without the blessing of that sect of the religion but would eventually attract the attention of the Djinn or followers of the type of magic they are calling upon. There are also two Evil gods Iblis, Demon lord of the Shaitan and Babas the Unclean, lord of Ghuls.

 

This is what I have so far.

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Kortay Mirlor Enthusiast

Kortay Mirlor

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Re: Arabian Hero

 

Al-Qadim's magic was for the most part had standard Wizards' date=' but they also had a magic user called the Sha'ir. He summoned a little genie who went out and "found" your spells and brought them back as a little gem that the Sha'ir used to release the spell in the real world. I can't remember all the details (I think they got spells a little faster or more of them than a normal mage, to make them more enticing for someone wanting to play a magic user)[/quote']

 

Even more interesting was the "Clockwork Mage" who could make clockwork-driven thingies. Could be animal/bird shaped, or more "functional" looking. Cute thing is they could kinda stick spells in 'em and call the spells out later. The fancier machines could call up the spells them selves, according to the orders the CwMage gave 'em.

 

Unfortunately, I never saw the main Al-Qadim books :(, and only saw a few bits and bobs about CwM's, so I can only give ya a patchy description.

 

Too bad; CwM's - - - - Hell, the whole Al-Qadim setting - - - - sounds like a fun idea. Wish I had the whole books. :weep:

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Teflon Billy Experienced

Teflon Billy

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Re: Arabian Hero

 

Even more interesting was the "Clockwork Mage" who could make clockwork-driven thingies. Could be animal/bird shaped' date=' or more "functional" looking. Cute thing is they could kinda [i']stick spells in 'em[/i] and call the spells out later. The fancier machines could call up the spells them selves, according to the orders the CwMage gave 'em.

 

Unfortunately, I never saw the main Al-Qadim books :(, and only saw a few bits and bobs about CwM's, so I can only give ya a patchy description.

 

Too bad; CwM's - - - - Hell, the whole Al-Qadim setting - - - - sounds like a fun idea. Wish I had the whole books. :weep:

Like I said, I've got all of them sitting 7 feet behind me. I'll take a closer look later in the week and post some info if you want me to.

 

They had some interesting fighter classes called Mamulukes which had differing facial tatoos indicating level and what sect they were from.

 

They had a Rogue class called a Barber, and I can't remember what the priests got.

 

There was also in one of the adventures instroduced a type of mage called a Geomancer. They used ley lines and were supposed to be powerful.

 

It was a very nice setting, and something that I miss dearly in the modern d20 age. They just don't make settings like they used back with TSR. Heck, I'll take Spelljammer over 90% of the dreck they are producing these days.

 

Though, my cursory reading of the first 100 pages of Ptollus by Monty Cook gives me hope that I made a quality purchase for a new campaign setting (I hope so considering it cost me $120)

 

TB

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prodigyduck Enthusiast

prodigyduck

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Re: Arabian Hero

 

As suggested above, I recommend reading the GURPS Arabian Nights and TSR's Al-Qadim books.

 

As for the religions of the game, that is for you to decide. For my fantasy Arab settings, I use the generic "Fates" as a guiding force.

 

As a note, don't have people use the word "infidel" unless they know what it means. I hate that word, and think it gets used a little too often.

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Kristopher Grand Master

Kristopher

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Re: Arabian Hero

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pre-Islamic_Arabia

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hadith_of_pre-Islamic_marriage_forms

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shabaks

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Manichaeism

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zurvanism

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zoroastrianism

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Narin_ghaleh

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alevi

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Narratio Experienced

Narratio

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Re: Arabian Hero

 

As Rapier said. Keep away from existing religions. Make it pre-Islam. Remebering stories I've read and listened to while i was wandering around the oil fields, all magic from that time period is based upon spirit summoning and using them to do the work. The magician is just a tool user or an employer.

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Susano Grand Master

Susano

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Re: Arabian Hero

 

As Rapier said. Keep away from existing religions. Make it pre-Islam. Remebering stories I've read and listened to while i was wandering around the oil fields' date=' all magic from that time period is based upon spirit summoning and using them to do the work. The magician is just a tool user or an employer.[/quote']

 

Like I said -- go pick up Valdorian Age and use it's magic system.

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