Sha'ir

The legendary Sha'irs were tale-spinners and advisors to desert chieftains, serving them in much the same way as Merlin advised Arthur in western legend. They were imbued with great wisdom, and boosted the power to communicate with the desert's awesome spirits, the genies.

The Sha'irs of the AL-QADIM campaign are modelled after these legendary figures. They, too, can communicate with genies. But they are more than advisors to chieftains. Members of the Sha'ir discipline are often found alone, as free agents, unfettered by social recruitment and position. They may be found in the city as well as the desert, commanding great power from their dealings with genies. Instead of merely advising rulers, they may be rulers.

Role: Sha'irs are regarded as enigmatic and powerful figures in the Land of Fate. They do not gain spells in the manner of other spell casters. Instead, they acquire their magics and enchantments through the workings of genies. Because genies are a mighty force in the Land of Fate, many would-be attackers think twice before offending a Sha'ir - especially attackers who don't have their own Sha'irs and genies supporting them.

Important Attributes: Charisma and Willpower

Restrictions: Members of any non-genie race may become Sha'irs. Both genders are allowed. The unisex title is Sha'ir (shah-EER). The optional feminine title, preferred by traditionalists, is Sha'ira (shah-EER-ah).

Karma Ritual: The Sha'ir spends time pruning and grooming herself and her gen, prepping them both for an encounter with a genie of great status, one whom the Sha'ir dreams of coaxing into service.

Artisan Skills: Metal casting, glassblowing, embroidery.

FIRST CIRCLE

Talents

• Avoid Blow
• Elemental Tongues (D)
• Karma Ritual
• Melee Weapons
• Sense Genie (AQ) (D)
• Survival (AQ)

SECOND CIRCLE

Talents

• Durability (6/4)
• Elemental Hold (D)
• Memorise

THIRD CIRCLE

Talents

• Arcane Mutterings (D)
• Summon Gen (AQ) (D)

FOURTH CIRCLE

Spell Defence: Increase the Sha'irs Spell Defence by one.

Talents

• Spell Matrix
• Spellcasting (D)
• Thread Weaving (Illusion) (D)

FIFTH CIRCLE

Social Defence: Increase the Sha'ir's Social Defence by 1.

Talents

• Exorcism (AQ) (D)
• Spell Matrix

SIXTH CIRCLE

Physical Defence: Increase the Sha'ir's Physical Defence by 1.

Talents

• Safe Path
• Willforce

SEVENTH CIRCLE

Elemental Protection: This gives the Sha'ir protection from the elements. Damage from elemental attacks is reduced by the Sha'ir's Circle. This is not armour, so it protects against all attacks and cannot be defeated, but armour still offers it's normal protection, cumulatively. Elemental attacks as defined by this talent includes all elementalist spells and genie powers, as well as elements otherwise used. It also includes natural elements, making the Sha'ir immune to dehydration, frostbite and any but the highest falls. In environments where survival would normally be impossible, such as underwater, in a volcano when buried in earth or even on the elemental planes, the Sha'ir can survive for a number of minutes equal to her circle at a cost of one point of strain.

Talents

• Enhanced Matrix
• Thread Weaving (Elementalism) (D)

EIGHTH CIRCLE

Karma: the Sha'ir may spend Karma on any action using Charisma only.

Talents

• Evil Eye (D)
• Genie Binding (AQ) (D)

NINTH CIRCLE

Call Genie: The Sha'ir can call upon the services of genie - either a djinni, dao, efreeti, or marid. The Sha'ir decides which type of genie to call.

A Sha'ir can call upon a genie no more than once a week. The chance for success is 5 percent per circle. If the call is successful, a genie responds in 1d6 minutes. Failure means nothing happens, and the Sha'ir cannot use this ability for a week.

The genie who responds to this call is not necessarily friendly. If any force or character attacks the genie. It will be hostile to both the attacker and the Sha'ir who called it in the first place. Furthermore, the creature won't perform a service for the Sha'ir unless bribed, cajoled, threatened, or otherwise persuaded. The "service" performed by a genie may involve labour, transport, active protection, or use of genie abilities. Wishes are an exception. The talent Genie Binding is used to see if the genie agrees to the service.

Talents

• Astral Sight
• Enhanced Matrix
• Thread Weaving (Nethermancy) (D)

TENTH CIRCLE

Karma: The Sha'ir may spend Karma on any action using Willpower only or Willforce.

Talents

• Armoured Matrix
• Lasting Impression

ELEVENTH CIRCLE

Spell Defence: Increase the Sha'ir's Spell Defence by 1.

Social Defence: Increase the Sha'ir's Social Defence by 1.

Talents

• Armoured Matrix
• Genie Prison (AQ) (D)

TWELFTH CIRCLE

Physical Defence: Increase the Sha'ir's Physical Defence by 2.

Talents

• Elemental Travel (AQ) (D)
• Thread Weaving (Wizardry) (D)

THIRTEENTH CIRCLE

Audience with Genie Ruler: The Sha'ir can seek and receive an audience with the rulers of djinn, dao, marid, and efreet - truly a great honour. A Sha'ir can seek an audience only once per month, whether the reason is great or small.

Only one type of genie can be contacted at a time. A Sha'ir who wishes to speak with genie rulers must journey to the plane of choice. Within 1 to 10 days, a procession of genies will appear and automatically grant the Sha'ir an audience.

This power also enables a Sha'ir to choose a willing spokesperson who then seeks the audience instead. Assuming the spokesperson is not a Sha'ir, he or she must go to a desolate area such as the deep desert, then wait. In 1 to 10 days, a procession will appear as described above, automatically granting an audience.

The Procession. In the Land of Fate, a genie procession comprises 1 to 3 noble genie rulers, 50 to 300 jann, and 10 to 100 ordinary genies. In the genies' native plane, those numbers are doubled. Genies will not appear at the scene of a battle. If the procession is attacked, they will attempt to destroy the attacker(s) for 10 rounds, then vanish. Sometime later, the same genies or their agents will return to deal with the characters who affronted them.

The Audience. Noble genies can answer questions pertaining to their element, and know many things besides. They can issue rulings on the actions of other genies or their race. And they can advise those who are seeking to deal with genies or other races. If the Sha'ir (or spokesperson) reports a crime committed by a lesser genie, a noble genie can summon that creature for immediate judgement, provided the lesser genie's name or description is known.

Characters who stand before the noble genies and make an appeal should note that they, too, will be judged - especially in regard to their other dealings with genies. A noble genie may forgive characters who have slain genies and jann in the heat of combat, and those who have imprisoned a malicious spirit; such applicants will be granted a chance to explain their actions. Applicants who have ambushed genies, violated agreements, slain genie-kind without quarter, behaved ignobly to genies - or simply have been party to any of these actions - will find themselves in great danger. The character has one chance to use Genie Binding. If this fails, the noble genie passes judgement: the guilty one is slain and justice is served. If the bargain succeeds, the noble is merciful: the applicant is stripped of all earthly belongings, and promptly returned to the Prime Material Plane. Higher success levels might bring more lenient results. When the feathers are of gold it is unwise to make broth of the hen.

While great, the power to receive an audience is used sparingly, especially by Sha'irs who have entrapped or slain their share of genies over the years.

Talents

• Orbiting Spy
• Spell Crystal Lock

FOURTEENTH CIRCLE

Recovery Tests: The Sha'ir gains one additional recovery test per day.

Social Defence: Increase the Sha'ir's Social Defence by one.

Talents

• Astral Pocket
• Share Matrix

FIFTEENTH CIRCLE

Physical Defence: Increase the Sha'ir's Physical Defence by two.

Karma: The Sha'ir can use the Karma step of a genie he has imprisoned or in his service.

Talents

• Multiweaving
• Share Matrix