[Hourglass of Zihaja] Chapter 2: The World of Siraaj

[Zeta Kai]

You'd still have to know they were doing that. As opposed to believing that they're eating your cows.

Well, yes, there is a great deal of superstition & old wives' tales concerning both creatures. But both are feared & hated, so when one attacks the other, some people are fine with that. That's all I'm sayin'.

[afroakuma]

But - yet - again: you don't often see that.

[apocalypsePast2]

No, we're gamers, therefore we aren't the inhabitants of Siraj therefore we do often see that.

Metagame thinking, ftw.

[Zeta Kai]

But - yet - again: you don't often see that.

True. Fair enough, it is.

But some have seen it, like myself. Oh, yes, it's true, I have. Sit 'round the fire, boy, & I'll tell you the tale. It happened just over ten years ago, far from here, in the remotest reaches of the desert, where even the nomads dare not tread. I had just joined a caravan heading south from Raqam, through the Sahra Basit on its way to the city of Dajajah.

In a lonely place called the Dunes of Hazaliqabazad (am I saying that right? Doesn't matter), we had camped for the night. The winds were howling, the moons were but mere slivers of color in the star-strewn sky, & there was a strange feeling in the air. No one could quite place it, but something didn't feel right.

Eventually, one of the scouts returning from patrol pointed out what was wrong: even though the wind was whipping at our cloaks & trying to douse our torches, it wasn't disturbing a single grain of sand. He was right; in such a gale, the sands should have been scouring our flesh & blinding our eyes. But for some reason, the desert refused to budge in these winds, & the sands remained still & calm. A shiver went up my spine then that wasn't from the cool night air.

I resolved then to batten down my wares & hide in my wagon until dawn. But before I could even reach my camels, we heard a sound that I will never forget, even were I to live to be a hundred. The shriek of a demon was in all of our ears, & fear rippled through us all in a wave of widened eyes & ashen faces. Even our caravan's leader, a stoic wall of a man known only as the Old Lion, clutched his disk-shaped pendant & whispered a prayer to his distant god.

We soon heard what had caused the unearthly wail. Landing in a heap not far from our camp circle was the body of a red-skinned man. We all immediately knew that this was an ifrit, a genie of flames & cinders, even before the fire-spirit stood & surrounded himself with an inferno. As frightening as the sight of him was, I could see that there was fear in his eyes, as well. He was badly hurt; his arm was twisted & lame, his clothes were tattered, & his skin was a road map of fiery scratches. He wheeled around, as if searching for some place to hide.

Before any of us could flee, the darkness of the desert enshrouded the entire camp, & a terror like I have never since known gripped my heart. I was certain that I was about to die, & to this day, I can scarcely believe that I survived that deadly night so long ago.

From out of the shadows emerged a foul creature. It was like a man, but huge & monstrous. Its blood-red eyes found the genie instantly, & it set upon the poor spirit with its wicked fangs. Smoke enveloped us all as we fled the carnage, & not everyone emerged from the inky black cloud of death.

I found my wagon, but camel was already gone. I abandoned my cart & ran, & continued running until night became day & my knees buckled beneath me. Eventually, after two days of stumbling & crawling, I was found by a search party, who rescued me from the brink of death & madness. Of the three dozen men, women, & children in that caravan, only seven of us were ever found. I will always remember the heat of the genie's flames, & I will never forget that the eyes of the dark one burned even hotter.

Metagame thinking, ftw.

Well, we try to avoid that. We like a little mystery left for the players to discover for themselves. We don't want people to walk in this setting knowing all the answers, which is one of the reasons that we remade some of the races/monsters/spells/et cetera. We would rather challenge the players assumptions, so that we can better deliver a world that feels fresh & new.

[Shadow_Elf]

-Snip-

Lorepost as response to a statement. Your epicness never ceases to amaze, Zeta .

Although, in the 4e crunch, a lone Ghul would not best an Efreet... unless it was a weaker efreet, bound or somesuch. Or unless I make a higher-level alternative Ghul statblock. I will think about this.

[Mercenary Pen]

Although, in the 4e crunch, a lone Ghul would not best an Efreet... unless it was a weaker efreet, bound or somesuch. Or unless I make a higher-level alternative Ghul statblock. I will think about this.

If you do this, you could just take a leaf from dragons and advance it an 'age category'... Because an Ancient Ghul would be pretty cool.

[afroakuma]

If you do this, you could just take a leaf from dragons and advance it an 'age category'... Because an Ancient Ghul would be pretty cool.

I strongly favor this one.

[apocalypsePast2]

And eventually they could reach colossal size...

[Mercenary Pen]

And eventually they could reach colossal size...

Now, I never said anything about advancing size category for the nastier versions, and in this case, I wouldn't personally say that it fits (though I could be wrong).

[Zeta Kai]

And eventually they could reach colossal size...

Oh, no no. They're scary enough as Large. They don't need to be bigger to be badder. But I too am in favor of a 4E version of the ghul that truly matches the ferocity & terror of the 3E version. The current 4E ghul is a Level 14 Elite Controller, but I think that a Level 18 version would be far more appropriate, considering that the 3E ghul is a CR12.

[Mercenary Pen]

Oh, no no. They're scary enough as Large. They don't need to be bigger to be badder. But I too am in favor of a 4E version of the ghul that truly matches the ferocity & terror of the 3E version. The current 4E ghul is a Level 14 Elite Controller, but I think that a Level 18 version would be far more appropriate, considering that the 3E ghul is a CR12.

That still won't be big enough for the Efreet vs. Ghul match up... 4e Monster Manual Efreets start at Level 22 and continue to Level 28 without my looking at any sources other than the original monster manual, so a level 18 monster is gonna have no chance by comparison.

[afroakuma]

That still won't be big enough for the Efreet vs. Ghul match up... 4e Monster Manual Efreets start at Level 22 and continue to Level 28 without my looking at any sources other than the original monster manual, so a level 18 monster is gonna have no chance by comparison.

I'm well aware.

Which reminds me, I need to insert implementation notes to the timeskip explaining why genies are so much more powerful after only five years.

[Shadow_Elf]

I'm well aware.

Which reminds me, I need to insert implementation notes to the timeskip explaining why genies are so much more powerful after only five years.

Its only efreets and djinni, the dao and marids I homebrewed would fall to a level 18 version of the Ghul. Some even to the current version.

[apocalypsePast2]

Oh, no no. They're scary enough as Large. They don't need to be bigger to be badder. But I too am in favor of a 4E version of the ghul that truly matches the ferocity & terror of the 3E version. The current 4E ghul is a Level 14 Elite Controller, but I think that a Level 18 version would be far more appropriate, considering that the 3E ghul is a CR12.

Gargantuan?

[afroakuma]

Its only efreets and djinni, the dao and marids I homebrewed would fall to a level 18 version of the Ghul. Some even to the current version.

Yes, which is also skewed, as in past editions, the power level runs Djinn, Dao, Efreet, Marid, and in 3.5 a ghul could murder any of them.

And no, Apoc, a Huge elder ghul would be the cap. Also a complete nightmare.

[Lord_Gareth]

The genies managed to regain Zihaja's favor? I dunno, just throwing random stuff out there.

[Zeta Kai]

The genies managed to regain Zihaja's favor? I dunno, just throwing random stuff out there.

I doubt that a change of heart on Zihaja's part would be a good solution, but perhaps patronage from a lesser (real) divinity would be possible. That leaves open Akasha, Sunya, Zaia, the Darshan, Hagalvethr, & Martuakh. Some of those are unlikely or unlikely to help, but a couple of them might have the wherewithal.

[Reverent-One]

Perhaps they've been able to siphon power off of the mortal magic users/whatever "source" arcane magic comes from? Would fit in with 4e spellcasters not being on the level they were in 3.5.

[apocalypsePast2]

Half-ghul Dandan.

[afroakuma]

Half-ghul Dandan.

Not a template.

[apocalypsePast2]

Son of a ghul.

[Zeta Kai]

Not a template.

Hmmm... I'm off to the brewing mines! Away!

[afroakuma]

Oh gods look what you did.

You've gone and given him a kooky and debilitating idea.

[Zeta Kai]

Oh gods look what you did.

You've gone and given him a kooky and debilitating idea.

Don't worry, I'm too busy to be doing anything too kooky. Alas.

[afroakuma]

Thank blazes.

[Shadow_Elf]

Plus, a half-ghul template wouldn't work for just anything. Its not everything that a ghul can... mate with, even with its disguise/polymorph abilities. Although, I suppose that since most dragons can also polymorph... .

[Mercenary Pen]

Plus, a half-ghul template wouldn't work for just anything. Its not everything that a ghul can... mate with, even with its disguise/polymorph abilities. Although, I suppose that since most dragons can also polymorph... .

Unfortunately, all the evidence suggests that, despite their supposed intelligence, dragons really will mate with anything that moves...

Edit: Apart from carts and boats now that I think about it...

[Zeta Kai]

Unfortunately, all the evidence suggests that, despite their supposed intelligence, dragons really will mate with anything that moves...

...Aaand that's why there's no ghul-blooded template. Because there have to be some limits.

Somebody asked if there would be a Dandan-related template, & we had to squash their hopes, as the Big D is a unique entity & does not mate.

And why does everything have to revolve around sex? People are weird; I can't mention basic facts about biology without incurring a netstorm, but the audience clearly wants to mate with ghuls & apocalyptic fish.

Anyway, does anyone have a theory on why genies are so much more powerful in the 4E than they are in 3E? How did they all get so mighty in just 5 years? What happened to them, & what does that mean for the setting?

[Shadow_Elf]

Anyway, does anyone have a theory on why genies are so much more powerful in the 4E than they are in 3E? How did they all get so mighty in just 5 years? What happened to them, & what does that mean for the setting?

Also, how did the Djinni and the Efreets come to be more powerful than the Marids? .

[Mercenary Pen]

Anyway, does anyone have a theory on why genies are so much more powerful in the 4E than they are in 3E? How did they all get so mighty in just 5 years? What happened to them, & what does that mean for the setting?

Second attempt at a Pactspell?