We are in the process of reviving our old game group, and a few weeks ago we got together to talk about what we might want to play. I was surprised that the most popular choice was Al-Qadim, TSR’s Arabian D&D setting from the early 90s. It’s something I’ve always liked but never got to play, so I didn’t take much convincing to GM it. I decided, however, to use my own Fantasy AGE rules rather than D&D. I didn’t want to use Second Edition AD&D and if I was going to spend time converting things, I’d rather do it for Fantasy AGE than Fifth Edition.
For the most part, converting material over is easy enough. Turns out I was a little cavalier about handling the sha’ir though. As they are a key element of Al-Qadim and Nicole wanted to play one, I definitely wanted to include sha’ir in the campaign. I sat down this weekend and took a first crack at doing so and I figured I might as well toss them up on my long-neglected blog so other folks could have a look. I decided early on that I wanted to make sha’ir a mage specialization but figuring out how to best represent their various abilities in Fantasy AGE took some consideration. I ultimately decided to make a lot of their abilities spells and created a Genie Arcana to house them.
Old Al-Qadim fans may note a couple of things. First, I cut down the amount of time it takes gen to find spells for the sha’ir. This at least gives a chance for a mage to get a Novice spell during a combat encounter, though more powerful spells must be sought during narrative time. Second, since sha’ir is simply a specialization for the mage class, this means they will have regular spells to cast. Basically, I wanted to make sure they had something more than arcane blast to play with while the gen was off fetching other spells. Since the core sha’ir abilities require both an arcana and a specialization though, I don’t think they’ll overpower other kinds of mages.
The rules I designed follow. First there’s the Genie Arcana and its spells, then the sha’ir specialization and the rules for gen fetching spells. Enjoy!
Genie Arcana
You know the magic of the fabled genie. You can summon, bargain with, and sometimes command genie, though you must always keep your wits about you.
Novice: You learn the spells summon gen and summon jann.
Journeyman: You learn the spell summon genie. You gain the focus Intelligence (Genie Arcana).
Master: You learn the spell bind genie. You can also choose one spell stunt you can perform for –1 SP when casting Genie Arcana spells.
Summon Gen
Requirements: Genie Arcana (Novice)
Spell Type: Utility
MP Cost: 2
Casting Time: Minor Action
Target Number: 9
Test: None
Description: You summon and bind a small elemental familiar known as a gen. The first time you cast this spell, you choose a type of gen: daolanin (Earth), djinnling (Air), effreetkin (Fire), or maridan (Water). This first casting takes 3d6 hours and allows you to find and bind a gen, who becomes your willing servant thenceforth, and can subsequently be summoned as a minor action as indicated above. This is a specific gen, so name them! Your gen remains with you unless dismissed (a free action), banished back to its elemental plane (by having its Health reduced to 0), or sent on an errand (such as fetching a spell for a sha’ir). If dismissed or banished, you can summon your gen again by casting this spell.
Summon Janni
Requirements: Genie Arcana (Novice)
Spell Type: Utility
MP Cost: 5
Casting Time: Major Action
Target Number: 11
Test: None
Description: You cast this spell and yell for aid, and all jann within 10 miles hear the call. If there are any in the area (GM’s discretion; jann are typically found in forlorn places), a single janni will appear. They can help lost travelers and provide some basic hospitality. Beyond that, the janni must be negotiated with for any additional aid. This spell compels them in no way. Should you ever attack a summoned janni, this spell will automatically fail for you until you make restitution to the jann, which should be an adventure in itself.
Summon Genie
Requirements: Genie Arcana (Journeyman)
Spell Type: Utility
MP Cost: 12
Casting Time: 1d6 minutes
Target Number: 15
Test: None
Description: This spell allows you to summon a genie from the elemental planes. You can choose to summon a dao (Earth), djinn (Air), efreet (Fire), or marid (Water). You gain a +2 bonus to the casting roll if the genie is of the same element as your gen familiar. YIf the casting roll is successful, the genie appears in 1d6 rounds. Then it is up to you to negotiate with the genie; the spell does not compel them to help you. You may be able to convince them to aid you, though bribes are more common. Threats can also be effective, but you must tread carefully. Genies consider it rude to cast this spell more than once a week. Each attempt after the first suffers a cumulative -2 penalty on its casting roll.
Bind Genie
Requirements: Genie Arcana (Master)
Spell Type: Utility
MP Cost: 20
Casting Time: 1d6 minutes
Target Number: 15
Test: Opposed Communication (Bargaining)
Description: You may attempt to bind a genie within 10 yards of you into service for up to 101 days. You gain a +2 bonus to the casting roll if the genie is of the same element as your gen familiar but suffer a -5 penalty instead if you’ve ever used a genie prison on this type of genie. The casting time represents a negotiation between you and the genie, during which you settle on the conditions of the genie’s service. Make an opposed Communication (Bargaining) test. If you win, the genie can set 1d6 conditions to service. If the genie wins, there are 1d6+4 conditions. See page 106 of Arabian Adventures for typical conditions. You can only have one genie bound into service at a time.
Sha’ir
Mage Specialization
A sha’ir is a mage well-versed in the magic and customs of genies. Their elemental familiars can travel beyond the Land of Fate to recover spells for the sha’ir’s use. More powerful sha’irs can summon and even bind powerful genies.
Sha’ir Talent
Classes: Mage
Requirements: You must have at least the novice degree of the Genie Arcana talent and one of the elemental arcana talents (Air, Earth, Fire, or Water). You must also have the Intelligence (Genie Lore) focus.
Novice: You can send your gen to the elemental planes to find a specific spell for you. See the Gen and Spells section for details.
Journeyman: You gain protection against elemental attacks. You get a +1 bonus to resist spells from the Air, Earth, Fire, and Water arcana. Elementals of all types suffer a -1 penalty on attack rolls and a -2 on damage rolls when targeting you.
Master: You can create a genie prison. This requires 3d6 days and a successful TN 13 Intelligence (Genie Arcana) test. If successful, the genie prison can be used when you encounter a genie (whether through summoning or happenstance). If you successfully cast bind genie and they fail a Willpower (Self-Discipline) test vs. your Spellpower, the genie becomes bound in your prison. If you fail the casting roll or the genie resists the spell, they realize what you are trying to and turn hostile. Note that this use of bind genie requires no negotiation, as you are using magical means to compel them into the prison.
Gen and Spells
The defining feature of the sha’ir is the ability to send gen to the elemental planes to bring back spells that can then be cast. This takes time but has the advantage of allowing the sha’ir to cast spells they don’t know and from arcana they have not studied. Dispatching a gen to find a spell is a minor action and each attempt takes an amount of time dependent on the type of spell requested. If you make a successful Intelligence (Genie Arcana) test, the gen returns in the time indicated on the following table with the requested spell. The degree of success on the test indicates how many hours you have to cast the spell and you can only do so once. If you haven’t cast it before the time elapses, the spell is lost.
Type of Spell Test TN Time to Fetch Spell
Novice 10 1d6 rounds
Journeyman 12 1d6 minutes
Master 14 1d6 hours
A sha’ir must be at least a level 5 mage to request Journeyman spells and a level 10 mage to request Master spells. Barring this restriction, any spell from the Fantasy AGE Basic Rulebook and Fantasy AGE Companion can be requested. Special or unique spells outside of these arcana can only be requested if the sha’ir has witnessed them being cast.
Gen stats to follow later.