Warhammer Army - Araby

7/21/2019 Warhammer Army - Araby

1/97


2/97

2

raby

y Mathias Eliasson


3/97

INTRODUCTION ............................KINGDOM OF THE SHIFTINThe Arabyans .........................................History of Araby ....................................The Land of Araby.................................Arabyan Tribes ......................................THE ARABYAN ARMY ................Army Special Rules ...............................Sultans ...................................................Caliphs and Sheikhs ...............................Viziers ....................................................Genies ....................................................

Hashishin ...............................................Warriors of Araby ..................................Dibbukim ...............................................Imams ....................................................Corsairs ..................................................Slave Guards ..........................................Desert Riders .........................................Camel Riders .........................................Palace Guard ..........................................Janissaries ..............................................Mamelukes.............................................Flying Carpet Riders ..............................Mujahedin ..............................................

Written/Edited by

Art: Ubisoft Montreal, Paizo Publishing, GiuMelUran, prelude2tragedy, bitterashes, Majima

howlinghorse, maijinprince, grantlion, KamiOriginal Material: Jeff Grubb, Rolph Segers,

Special Thanks

This book is complThe Chaos devices, the Chaos logo, Citadel, CitaGames Workshop logo, Golden Demon, Great Uof Change, Nurgle, Skaven, the Skaven symbolWarhammer Online, Warhammer World logo,

vehicles, locations, units, illustrations and ima2012, variably registered in the UK and other co

3

Contents.......................... 4SANDS ........ 6

......................... 7

....................... 25

....................... 37

....................... 43

........................ 48

....................... 49

....................... 50

....................... 52

....................... 53

....................... 54

....................... 56 ....................... 57

....................... 58

....................... 58

....................... 59

....................... 60

....................... 61

....................... 62

....................... 63

....................... 64

....................... 65

....................... 66

....................... 66

Bladedancers...........................Dervishes ............................Naffatun ..................................Onagers ...................................War Elephants ........................Sandglass of Time ..................Arabyan Steed ........................Camels ....................................Flying Carpets ........................Rocs ........................................Sultan Jaffar, Despot of ArabySalh ad-Dn, Prophet of Orm

Prince of Thieves ....................Jasmine Silverveil ...................Al Thar Master Assassin ....The Lore of the Desert ............Artefacts of the Creed .............Treasures of the Sands ............THE ARABY ARMY LISLords .......................................Heroes .....................................Core Units ...............................Special Units ...........................Rare Units ...............................SUMMARY ........................

: Mathias Eliasson Cover Art: ertacaltinoz

seppe Rava, zamroniagufan, Jan Boruta,, zaskar32, Skyrion, eleme une, Genzoman, vinzenwoo, erenerdogan, Ganbat-Bad, Ischler, M

azuh, narcotic nightmares, Ganbat-Bad, syarul, Eackhartsberg.BoGarry Walsh, Paizo Publishing, Games-Workshop, the Accursed K

Dorado, Alfred Nunez Jr.

To: All the players that have contributed with feedback and ideas.

etely unofficial and in no way endorsed by Games Workshop Limit el Device, the Double-Headed/Imperial Eagle device, 'Eavy Metal,

clean One, the Hammer of Sigmar logo, Horned Rat logo, Keeperevices, Slaanesh, Tomb Kings, Trio of Warriors, Twin Tailed Comhite Dwarf, the White Dwarf logo, and all associated marks, namees from the Warhammer world are either , TM and/or Copyrig

untries around the world. Used without permission. No challenge tReserved to their respective owners.

...................................... 67

.................................. 68

...................................... 69

...................................... 69

...................................... 70

...................................... 71

...................................... 72

...................................... 72

...................................... 73

...................................... 73 ..................................... 74 zd ................................. 75

...................................... 77

...................................... 78

...................................... 79

...................................... 80

...................................... 81

...................................... 82 T .................................... 85...................................... 87 ...................................... 89 ...................................... 91 ...................................... 93 ...................................... 95 ........................................ 96

tofsuprize, DeusInDaemone,YERanek, MelUran, sugarsart,k Design: Mathias Eliasson.

nowledge Gaming Group, Hell

ed., Forge World, Games Workshop,of Secrets, Khemri, Khorne, Lordet Logo, Tzeentch, Warhammer,, races, race insignia, characters,ht Games Workshop Ltd 2000-

their status intended. All Rights


4/97

4

IntroductionWelcome to Warhammer: Araby, your definite guide to Araby, the most religious anddevout realm in the Old World. This book provides all the information youll require tocollect and play with an Araby army in games of Warhammer. WHY COLLECT ARABY?Sturdy Warriors of Araby forms the core of thearmy, supported by swift horsemen from the desert.Mamelukes in shining scale armour provideexcellent shock cavalry, while the elite infantryprovides a solid battle line. Above the battlefieldsoar Flying Carpets, bombarding the enemy withvarious missiles. Terrifying creatures like the WarElephant and the Roc can tear enemy regiments topieces. The mighty sorcerers of Araby cancommand entire sandstorms to engulf their foes,and can command the Genies to do their bidding.

HOW THIS BOOK WORKSWarhammer army books are split into sections,each of which deals with different aspects of thetitular army.Warhammer: Araby contains:

The Kingdom of the Shifting Sands. Thissection describes the history of Araby, from itsfounding by Mulhaed al-Quyat, throughcentauries of terrible crusades to the currentreign. Also included is a map of Araby anddetails of the many battles fought as Arabysarmies battled against the infidels.

The Arabyan Army. Each and every trooptype in the Araby army is examined here. Youwill find a full description of the unit,alongside the complete rules for any specialabilities or options they possess. This sectionalso includes the Artefacts of the Creed,detailing poisons and assassin tool that are onlyavailable to the Arabyans, and the Treasures ofthe Sands magical artefacts that are unique tothe army along with rules to use them in yourgames.

Banners of Araby. Here you will find ashowcase of various miniatures available forthe Araby army,

Araby Army List. The army list takes all ofthe characters, warriors, monsters and warmachines from the Arabyan Army section andarranges them so that you can choose an armyfor your games. Units are classed as characters

(Lords or Heroes), Core, Special or Rare, andcan be taken in different quantities dependingon the size of the game you are playing.

FIND OUT MOREWhile Warhammer: Araby contains everything youneed to play the game with your army, there areother books and updates to be found. For the otherbooks in the series and the latest rules updates,visit:

www.warhammerarmiesproject.blogspot.com


5/97

5


6/97

6

Ki the

The lan northwe

between thGreat Oce Desert tha

Lands o climate i

winds carr give up

suddenly fo peaks. The mountains

seasonalleast, fo

flowing riland is dr needed b

There are the ar

dom oShifting ands d of Araby lies along the t coast of the Southlands Atalan Mountains and the

an. To the east is the Great t separates Araby from the

the Dead. Although the dry and hot, the western moisture laden clouds that their water, as they are rced upwards by tall Atalan resultant rain falls upon the and gives rise to numerous streams that, in winter at rm substantial westward

ers. Although much of the the rivers bring the water cities, towns and villages.lso numerous oases even in d regions to the south.


7/97

7

The Arabyans The Arabyans are great sailors and have for manycenturies fished the adjoining seas and traded southalong the coast, northwards to the Old World, andwestwards as far as Ulthuan. The High Elves do notpermit Arabyan vessels to travel further west thanUlthuan itself, their high-prowed dhows are acommon sight in the outer harbours of Lothern. Fortheir part the High Elves maintain a mercantilepresence in Copher and Lashiek as they have sincetime immemorial. The Elves and men of Araby haddealings even during the long centuries when theElves abandoned the Old World. Being not onlycapable seamen but also bold and adventurous,Arabyans will eagerly exchange fishing and tradingfor piracy, and nowhere is this more the case thanin Lashiek which is consequently known as the Cityof Corsairs.

The mostly densely populated part of Araby lies tothe north of the River of the Serpent, the largestwaterway in the land and one of the few rivers thatflows all year long. This land is home to four greatcities: Lashiek, Copher, Martek, and Alhaka or (asit is sometimes rendered) Al-haikk which meansCity of Thieves in the Arabyan tongue. Each ofthese cities and the surrounding lands forms an

independent principality ruled over by a Sultan orCaliph. South of the River of Serpents the land isnot so fertile and the terrain is much dryer. Thisarid and impoverished region contains no largecities and is mostly home to wandering nomads andreclusive mystical communities. East of the AtalanMountains the great desert stretches for hundreds ofmiles towards the Land of the Dead. The easternmountain valleys support the odd sheltered oasisand help to provide enough water for nomad tribeswho live in the shadows of the mountains and makea living by escorting convoys through thetreacherous passes.

The rulers of cities and their surrounding lands arecalled Sultans and the Sultan of Alhaka is theacknowledged overlord of all the other cities ofAraby. In consequence he is also known as theGrand Sultan the ruler of all Araby.He follows in the footsteps of his father and of hisfathers father before him, being the eighteenth manin his bloodline to ascend the throne. The firstSultan, who discovered the word of the One andspread its wisdom throughout the land so manyyears ago, was hardly more than a boy. The citywhere it all began was Al-Haikk, still the home of


8/97

8

the Grand Sultan and his wondrous palace. Onestep down in the hierarchy of power is the Caliphs,rulers of Arabys city-states and tiny empires.The Caliphs and Sultans claim their legitimacybased upon their own noble heritage related to theirnomadic past, and that a great majority of the

Araby elite are descended from the leaders of thedesert nomads who first settled the Arabyan cities.The city-states are not necessarily theocratic, its just that the leaders are more readily than not highranking religious figures of great influence in theirsocieties.The rulers of Araby maintain their own armiesbased upon the great cities and tributary tribes thatlive in the surrounding lands. The leaders of thesetribes are called Emirs or, amongst the desert tribesof the south and east, Sheiks.

Amidst all the struggles of rival princes, sultans and

prophets are the townspeople of Araby themselves.In a majority of Arabyan cities, the common folkare a grey background to the vivid intrigues of theprinces that despise and use them how they will.However, many townsmen in the fiefs around thePlain of Haytin have maintained the martial spiritof their ancestors. It can be said that their rulers fearthe will of the townsmen, as they will often formarmed bands to protect themselves from raiders oreven the army of their ruler. They display a fierceindependence regardless of who claims to governthem.

The people of Araby are divided into two broadgroups: the nomads and the city-dwellers.While the nomads dwell primarily in the high,romantic desert plateaus, the citizens for the mostpart, inhabit Arabys lowlands and coasts. It iscooler and wetter there, with frequent morning fogsand heavy but brief rains during the monsoonseason. Life is not driven by the search for waterand green grass, as it is for the nomads. Thoughirrigation and wells are still required for agriculture,in general, the people of Arabys settlements haveeasy access to water and other basic necessities-things the nomads hold so dear.The citizens are sedentary as well as settled. A manoften lives in the same house as his father, and inthe same community as his grandfather. There is agreater sense of continuity here than in the desert,with buildings and businesses offering proof ofmans ability to tame the land. Trade is moreestablished in the settlements, which often havesuqs (covered markets) in addition to open bazaars.The population is more highly concentrated herethan in the wild lands, giving rise to stronger rulesof order and law. Arabys citizens also are morecosmopolitan than the desert-dwellers, for theyhave been exposed to foreign visitors. Traders fromfar-off lands rarely venture into the inhospitabledesert, but they frequently visit Arabys great cities.

As a result, the citizens have gained a broader,more practical outlook. While they are oftenreferred to as city-dwellers, they live in settlementsof all sizes, from the crudest collection of mud-brick hovels to the golden towers of Al-Haikk.From the perspective of the people, their lives arethe same-soft, sedentary, and restricted. Indeed, thesimilarities between those who live in a village andthose who live in a great city far out-weigh thedifferences.

Outside the settled areas of Araby, tribes of nomadswander the hot deserts from watering hole towatering hole. These tribes resemble trading-caravans, but contain whole families. The nomadsare fiercely independent of their city-dwellingbrothers.The men of Araby are much the same as the men ofthe Old World states, such as the Empire andBretonnia, but the little differences between themhave led to years of war between the two races.Whilst the men of the Empire have pale skins andblondish hair the men of Araby have olive colouredskins and thick black hair. They often cultivatesmall pointed beards and tend to have brown eyes.They usually wear turbans and loose fitting robes,mainly because its too hot to wear anything else.

The LandThe people of Araby adhere to an established andregular system of agricultural production. Commoncrops include wheat, maize, rice (where water ismost abundant), dates, legumes, and citrus fruits. In

the terraced plantations of the Pearl Cities, fragrantlemons and pomegranates flourish on the lowerslopes.


9/97

High above, coffee grows. Most ofagricultural land relies on irrigation;receive enough rainfall to grow cropsome villages, a single waterwheel tdonkey may support a small farm nglorified garden. Near the cities, wh

occurs on a larger scale, the grand cirequired to irrigate the fields are moindividual farmer can handle.In Araby, the ultimate and official ois the Grand Sultan. He is granted thOrmazd in exchange for guiding Aralong the path of enlightenment, inthe laws of the One. In turn, the Gragrants ownership of the land to theand Emirs, who are to manage the pand provide for the Grand Sultans

These local rulers in turn provide gr

lesser magistrates and worthies (in lindividual farmers.A farmers grant commonly states t

9

rabysfew areass without it. Inurned by alarger than are agriculture

vil worksre than an

wner of all landis land by thebys peopleccordance withnd Sultanaliphs, Sheikhs

arcels grantedeople.

ants to still

rge areas) or toat the farmer

will forward a portion of themoneyraised to the creator otakes the form of a tax. Fundare used to create irrigationfund public works, and strenwhen necessary.

They are also used to pay thforwarded to whoever standsthe ladder of ownership. In tsimilar system applies to spawarehouse district, as well aused for manufacturing or arthrough a series of grants, thbusiness, person, or artisan cFarmers are not bound to theessentially renters; few of thwhich they toil. They work slivelihood, and much of whaland owner

Because the land owner musnot in his or her best interesttax, or to insist on receivingfarmers yields are poor. Hafind that farmers are driftingdown-and tax collectors aretrails.Responsible magistrates gaitheir own grant-taxes with simprove the land, thereby brifunds. In general, all land cocan be rewritten to avoid disand no one wants to see far

failure is beyond their controThe government of Araby prland grants: temporary and ptemporary grant is enforcedlives up to his or her obligatidue in taxes. If the grantee faobligations, the granter mayagreement. Temporary grantdies, moves on, or ceases tothe intended fashion withoutpermission of the granter.

The recipient of a permanentrather than an individual. Thindefinite-it remains in effeccontinues to live in the areamay be rescinded, however,man or fails to pay its taxes.less common than the tempopermanent grant typically inrequires a higher initial payBecause a permanent grant aon their land, three or four gthe same city block.This orderly system of grantestablished under the first SuQuyat. A group of advocatesqadis) arose to handle confli

crops grown orf the grant. This moneys raised in this manneritches, dig new wells,then the city walls

grant-givers own tax,one rung higher one cities proper, a

ce in the suq and in theto facilities that are

tistry. In other words,common merchant,

an obtain a little plot.land. They arem own the ground on

olely to earn at they earn goes to the

t also pay taxes, it isto apply too severe afull payment when thesh magistrates soonoff, production isot on the magistrates

enough funds to paymething left over tonging in even morentracts are flexible andster. Crops may fail,ers starve when such

l.ovides two types ofermanent. Thes long as the grantee

on and pays what isils to fulfil suchchoose to cancel thes also end if the granteeuse the granted land infirst obtaining the

grant is a familygrants term ist as long as the family

r utilize the land. Itif the family dies to aThis type of grant israry variety. Though aolves lower taxes, itent from the grantee.

llows a family to buildnerations often live in

and ownership wasltan, Mulhaed al-

and judges (called thets between granter and


10/97

10

grantee. The qadis duties quickly expanded. Todaythese important figures adjudicate crimes againstthe state, against faith, and against fellow men andwomen.

Attitudes and CustomsIn the villages, towns, and cities of Araby, a love offamily is closely linked to a love of ones home. Tothe nomad, home and family are synonymous. Tothe city-dwellers, home means having roots andcontinuity, a safe and constant haven that helps givea person an identity almost as much as his or herfamily does. Even traders who wander the seas onvoyages of many years pay tribute to their hometown. Home also represents familiarity. Given theirsedentary tradition, the citizens can usually tracesome relationship-through blood, marriage, ormutual history and experience, that links them tomost of the people in their village, town, or city.While such a thin bond may not open the palacedoors to a beggar, it does create a sense ofcommunity, and it helps the people in gatheringinformation, conducting business, or merely gettingaround in their home town or city.

HospitalityLike the desert tribes, the people of the cities andlowland settlements believe an honourable personmust be hospitable. The citizens make much ofwelcoming visitors at the city gates-even strangers.In practice, however, individual city-dwellers donot feel as great a sense of duty toward a stranger asthey do toward a guest they know. Often, a citizenmay discharge his responsibility to be hospitable bydirecting an unfamiliar or somewhat displeasingface to the nearest mosque or hospice. A knowntraveller, however, is almost always welcomed bythe people.Guests who have been invited into a city-dwellershouse receive the same respectful treatment as an

honoured guest of the Arabyans. On the first eve ofa guests arrival, a great feast is laid out, oftenabove the means of the host. If the guest remains onthe second and third evenings, smaller meals ensue.The atmosphere is festive. The traveller tells of hisor her journeys, and family members or hired

minstrels provide further entertainment. On thethird morning, the guest is expected to depart. Theguest may leave a gift of some type if he or she isso inclined, but this is not required.If a guest has no other business in the city, the hostmay request assistance with the family business:making deliveries, carrying messages, minding thestall, and so forth. This often exposes the travellerto a number of different professions. Occasionally,a wanderer will arrive in town, become intriguedwith a particular craft, and remain as an artisan.Adventurers, on the other hand, have oftendiscovered that immersion in such a routine

interferes with their deeds of glory. Rather thanbecome .glorified messengers. For their hosts, theystick to inns and hospices.As long as a guest is working on behalf of a host,the host is responsible for the guests actions. Inturn, the guest may not shame or endanger the hostin any way. The guest may not steal from the hostor the hosts comrades. Nor may the guest draw aweapon except in defence of the host. Such are therules of hospitality.

Tolerance Hospitality is closely related to a city-dwellerswillingness to be tolerant. A guest need not sharethe beliefs or racial heritage of the host to beaccepted and welcomed. Indeed, a fellow Arabyanwith varying religious or social beliefs, whovenerates a different enlightened god or comesfrom a different part of the civilized world-cancount on several evenings of lively discourse butnothing worse.


11/97

Though agreement among civilizeduncommon if not rare, tolerance ofeffect an Arabyan tradition.Tolerance does have its limits, howe

it extends to those who profess a belof the One, a belief in the authoritySultan of Al-Haikk. An individualbelieve in some higher divinity is visuspicion and perhaps even hostilitybelief indicates that a person also laanchor that separates civilized folkTo the Arabyans, it is better to belieantithetical position or a competitivbelieve in nothing at all.Unbelievers can expect to be deniedmost, to be sent on their way by maverbally or physically attacked by a

A wise unbeliever, it can be said, kephilosophy private.

Respect for AuthorityAn Arabyans notion of what is civiback to the recognition of the Grandultimate authority, though each city-a great independence from the rest ofrequently a sense of superiority.Distance accounts in part for this attArabys outposts are far-flung. Thatcoupled with tolerance on the part oSultan, gives local rulers a fairly freattending to the demands of their cobasic independence of the Arabyan

11

peoples may bether ideas is in

ver. In general,

ief in the wordsf the Grandho does notwed with

. A lack ofks the moralrom barbarians.ve in angod than to

hospitality byy, and to berighteous few.

eps his or her

lized harkensSultansstate often feelsf Araby and

itude.distance,

f the Grandhand in

mmunities. Theeople also

plays a role in establishing tLike the city-dwellers manyaccustomed to choosing theiand the authorities who accofew commoners have qualmA leaders position is based

between the leader and the pThe people agree to follow aruling of a qadi or a religiouthe leader is expected to maand fair to the people. Amonchoose their sheikhs for theinecessarily for their bloodlinrespect for authority is at its

Among the city-dwellers, hois well entrenched-overseeincollecting taxes, and keepinggenerations. In theory, the G

his successor from among himost competent. But for theonly the eldest son has succekeeping with this tradition, achooses his eldest son as sucaccordingly.Further down in the hierarchcourts of caliphs, sheikhs andemocratic form of rulershiplevel, the qadis are arbitratornoted above, they are chosenby the community or by theThe common people frequen

group with suspicion, for thebureaucracy do not always cof the people. A communityrulings of judges they dontto earn this respect are usualloffice.

Azyat: The SnakeAzyat: The SnakeAzyat: The SnakeAzyat: The SnakeThe Cult of Azyat gainfluence with the SuCaliphs in the period

Wars. Their assassinsundermined the poweestablished cults, andhad an unprecedentedThrone. However, incult of Azyat is outlaonly in secret by assasmagicians. The follofirm believers of maghuman sacrifices, anddevastating and debilimuch feared cult in A

is regional autonomy.desert nomads areown rulers. If rulers

mpany them are unfit,about removing them.n an informal contract

ople he or she leads.chief or to honour theauthority. In return,

e choices that are wiseg the nomads, whomerit and not

es, this democraticfinest.

wever, the bureaucracytrade routes,

records that spanrand Sultan can choose

s sons, naming thepast five generations,eded his father. Inlocal ruler regularlycessor and grooms him

y of power-beneath theemirs, a more

occurs. On a locals and mediators. Asin one of two ways:uling bureaucracy.tly view the latter

goals of theincide with the desiresoften ignores theespect. Qadis who faily removed from

ododododined considerableltan and the majorbefore the great

and spiesr of the morein a short time theyhold on the Azuremodern days thewed and worshippedsins and darkers of Azyat are

ic, vengeance, andalong with theirtating magic are araby.


12/97

12

ArchitectureThroughout most of Araby, wood is at a premium,as hardwoods of value must be imported from theall the way from the Southlands. Such

considerations affect the way buildings areconstructed.The simplest building material is unfired mudbrick, shaped into a one-room building with a roofof woven fibres or cloth and a floor of packed dirt.Easily constructed, this is the poorest form ofhousing. This style of architecture is most oftenused for outposts and the houses of poor villagers.Multi-room buildings of baked clay brick are animprovement upon the previous design. Their roofsare made of branches woven into a mat, which isthen clad with clay tile. Woven mats cover theearthen floor, and niches in the wall serve as

containers and cupboards. This is the most commonform of housing in rural areas and agriculturalcommunities. Such homes often boast a smallcentral court.In the cities, housing styles improve dramatically.Baked brick is still the building material of choice,but it is usually white-washed on the outside andplastered within. Arched ceilings become common,along with tile work and other interiorornamentation. The house gains simple woodenfurnishings, usually just a table and a chest ofdrawers. Some of these structures rise severalstories tall, housing generations of the same family.

Wealthy merchants and officials of the cities canafford to build homes using stone and timber. Theinteriors are richly tiled, with painted frescoes on

the court walls. The central court becomes an oasisof greenery, an extensive garden with floweringplants, pools, and bubbling fountains.The greatest buildings of Araby are its palaces andmosques. These are worked in stone, richly detailedwith mosaics and hand-painted tiles, and decked inprecious metals that are often inlaid with ornatepatterns. Palaces generally bear the mark ofgenerations of rulers and their individual tastes.They are great, complex sprawls of individualbuildings, apartments, and private courts.Mosques of Arabys cities are large structureswhere the faithful can gather en masse. The groundfloor of a mosque usually contains one great, singleroom with arches and pillars soaring high overhead.Most mosques also have minarets: tall, slendertowers from which the priests call the faithful to

prayer.While the temples of Arabys towns and villagesmay not be as grand, most have the same basicfloor plan.The central garden court is a common theme inArabyan housing, found in simple abodes as well asgrand palaces. Life in a house with a centralcourtyard focuses upon the court.Outer walls have no windows on the ground floor,giving the home the appearance of a small fortress.Even the upper stories rarely have windows facingthe street. Inside, however, each of the rooms onthe ground floor has a set of glass doors or

windows that open onto the court. Rooms of theupper stories overlook the garden court withbalconies and verandas.


13/97

13

In its simplest form, the garden court is no morethan a collection of potted palms grouped around acistern. In larger homes, it may be an opulentgarden of flowering shrubs and fountains, laid outin a geometrical array. In the palaces, acre-largecourts are filled with roses and other flowers,

fountains, pools, ornamental trees, and tame beasts.The garden is an oasis for the inhabitants of thehouse, an island of cool tranquillity in a hot andoften hostile world.

Another feature common to the settlements ofAraby is the central marketplace. In the villages,this may be no more than a sleepy open court setaside as the bazaar. In the cities, however, themarketplace often includes suqs, great shoppingareas that are sheltered from the sun by roofspitched high overhead.

Gender in ArabyIn unenlightened times, before the word of theThe Prophet spread throughout Araby, the roles ofmen and women were simple. Men ruled thehousehold and were responsible for its livelihood.Women kept the house and raised the children. Thecoming of the One and the establishment of theGrand Sultanate have broadened womens rolesamong the Arabyans, but a good deal of thetraditional customs remains. Araby can be said toprovide an opportunity for equality, but any town-dwelling woman who desires that equality must bewilling to grasp it for herself.Today, throughout most of Arabys settlements, aman is still is responsible for his wife and family,and he is expected to provide a living. The womanis responsible for upholding the mans honourthrough moral behaviour. She maintains the houseand rears the children. Though an upper-classwoman may oversee servants who work in thehousehold, rarely does she relinquish all dutieswhere her children are concerned.According to Arabyan tradition, women live apartfrom men in the same household. Womensquarters are the harem. The harem is a separate areawhere only women and children may go. (Themaster of the household may enter, but in general,even he does not, or he may ask for permission toenter out of respect for the womens privacy.) In apoor household, the harem is no more than a roomwith a tapestry hung over the door. In the Sultanspalaces, the harem is a magnificent complexguarded by its own elite unit of the Sultans Guard.Arabyan women have always had a high degree ofequality with men; the nomads harsh,impoverished lifestyle demands that every persondo his or her part to ensure a tribes survival andsuccess. This kind of equality has only recentlycome to town-dwelling women.Nonetheless, today there are bold women amongthe Arabyans who act as merchants, artisans, and

mercenaries- who take up many of the same rolesas men.A woman may receive land grants and maintainthem under the same conditions as a man. The talesof Araby are filled with women who were wiser,bolder, and more capable than the males in theirown families.

Arabyans treasure their women as priceless jewels,particularly among the upper classes, where wealthand status is traced through matrilineal descent.Men and women both pursue whatever professionsthey choose, though females do so with slightlymore freedom, as their fathers prepare the way forthem with gifts and guarantees of comfort no matterwhat wealth (if any at all) their choice of life willbring. No profession is barred to a Arabyan woman,and if she elects to become a weaver or a dervish, awizard or a horse breeder, no proper Arabyan fatheror husband dares stand in her way.An Arabyan man works much of his life to gainsufficient wealth and status to prove his worth as ahusband. When he marries, his wealth is his. If hehas but one wife, there is little problem indetermining who will inherit his riches. If a manhas multiple wives - which normally happens onlyif he is a prince of the royal house, or absurdlywealthy - then he must make annual assignments ofhis wealth to each of the wives in his household, fortheir use and for the inheritance of their children. Ifa woman has multiple husbands (an occurrencereserved for the richest women, and then only thosenot of the royal house), she is the keeper andassigner of their wealth. Most Arabyan womenrarely find one husband adequate to their demands,and so will not tolerate a second incompetent.


14/97

14

When an Arabyan man dies, his wealth is dividedaccording to his previous wishes among his wife

and daughters; Arabyan sons inherit very little,though tradition stipulates that weaponry and

horses go to sons first. An Arabyan house with nodaughters is considered empty, and a widower whodies with only male heirs is considered cursed bythe gods. In this case only does a son stand to

inherit much of anything - including, almostimmediately, the attentions of other Arabyanfathers seeking young, wealthy husbands for theirdaughters.

MarriageMarriages are essentially contracts between twofamilies, arranged by parents even while thechildren involved are young. In many regions, thebest marriage is still a traditional one: the unionbetween a girl and her first cousin on her fathersside.If two young people without this relationship desirea love-match, the parents may still approve -provided station, faith, race, and profession do notstand in the way. In general, a civilized man canmarry beneath his station, but a woman does not. Abad match, may voided by parents or authorities.In poems of the rawuns, such a parentalimpediment is often the start of evening-long talesof how the lovers are split apart and pass throughall manner of adventures before they are at lastreunited and married. As in many areas of theirlives, heroic and adventurous men and women mayignore tradition and do pretty much as they please.Or perhaps it is the other way around: to avoid anunwanted marriage, an average city-dwellersuddenly becomes a free-wheeling, far-rangingadventurer.If a woman is independent (usually defined ascapable of making her own living), even if shemarries she is considered a separate legal entityunder the law.She can hold property apart from her husband. Incontrast, a woman who is dependent on her spousemust share any property she attains during hermarriage with the exception of the amount shebrings with her to the marriage. A husband mayalways have property or possessions that areconsidered separate from the wifes.

PolygamyPolygamy, the practice of having more than onespouse at a time, is rare but tolerated in most ofArabys settlements. The traditional arrangement: ahusband with more than one wife is more common.Four wives is the unofficial maximum. Accordingto legend, the first sha.ir had four genie wives, andArabyan tradition reflects that legend. In general,only wealthy men can afford more than one wife (inpart because every new wife may bring forth morechildren). Many upper-class men feel one wife issufficient, however. The first wife must approve ofany additional wives in the household. If she agrees

to share her husband, she still retains authority overthe household.Some men keep courtesans, but only with theirwives permission. While Arabyan law does not

prohibit this practice, it does not endorse it, either.Tradition demands that a man be married beforetaking a courtesan; to avoid marriage entirely isconsidered shameful.In the past, Arabys Sultans rarely married.Instead, they maintained large harems of courtesansand concubines, some of whom were gifts fromlesser rulers.This allowed them to neatly bypass the four-wifelimitation of proper society, and to only recognizeoffspring who showed promise or worth. Bothchildren of courtesans and concubines have risen to

power in this fashion. Todays Sultans does havefour wives, however, in addition to a large harem.This practice has helped endear him to the commonpeople.While a polygamous marriage generally places allwives under one roof, a second tradition is commonin many trade cities on the coast. In thisarrangement, each wife lives in a different port ofcall; she works as an independent woman, sellingthe goods her husband conveys. These wives knowof each other, but they may never meet.


15/97


16/97

16

What goods Araby cannot provide for itself it gainsfrom trading. Rare spices, teas, and silks are all inconstant demand by the city-states. Salt arrives inabundance, traditionally harvested from seawaterdrawn up in buckets from ships crossing the GreatOcean. Incense of all kinds passes through Copher,including the valuable healy myrrh.

Arabyan traders are not without their own needs.Root vegetables are scarce in Araby, as the land ismore suitable for wheat, legumes, fruit trees, and(in the mountain highlands) coffee. Certain meatsare in demand; cultured Arabyans have a sharpertaste for lamb and beef than they do for chevon(goat meat), despite the countless goats that roamthe land and are herded by its commoners. WhileArabyan bronze work is still among the best in allthe Old World, dwarves and elves forge steel moreskilfully than Arabyan smiths, who turn to them forarmour and weapons. Arabyans admire the strengthand appearance of horses, and a fast, powerful, ormerely beautiful horse might fetch twice or evenfive times its normal price in the markets of Araby,assuming the owner is willing to part with theanimal.

Elves are a somewhat common sight in the coastalcities of Araby. Sea and High Elf traders havebrought goods to and from Araby since the firstcities, and all coastal cities have had permanentElven community for more than a thousand years.

SlaverySlavery is a fact of life in Araby, and a vital part of

Arabys economy. Without slave labour it would beimpossible to produce crops, the roads would fallinto disrepair and the economy would collapse. The

slaves are a mixed lot, people from all over theworld captured by slavers or captives taken in tribalconflicts and sold. Many are Arabyans themselves,impoverished peasants, criminals and prisoners ofwar.It is most common among the city-dwellers, but itis not a dominant feature is most areas. Mamelukes,of course, are an exception, but their roles assoldiers and administrators make them unusual. Aperson may become a slave in one of threefashions: by debt, by breaking the law, and bylacking civilization. People who have incurred agreat debt and are unable to pay it off may beenslaved and sold; usually to the group they owepayment. Such enslavement lasts until the debt isconsidered paid through labour or until the slavesfamily finds sufficient funds to settle the matter. Adebtors relatives are never enslaved in his or herplace, and children who are born to debtor slaves inAraby are considered free.Those who have seriously transgressed Arabyslaws may also be enslaved for their crimes. Theterm of enslavement is life. In numerous cases,however, rulings have been reversed in response toa slaves sincere penance and good deeds. Again, acriminals family may not be enslaved as a result ofthe crime, though in a sense they are punished, fortheir honour is stained. Children born of slaves whoare criminals are considered free. The slaves owneroften raises them as his or her own.Finally, some people in Araby are enslaved simplybecause they are uncivilized. They lackunderstanding and acceptance of the law of the Oneand therefore are in need of firm enlightenment.Natives of various islands, certain mountain tribes,and unbelievers who wander the deserts are oftencaptured by slave-masters and sold into servitude.


17/97

The law of the One prevents a civilibeing enslaved in this fashion, but abe enlightened and still not gain hisSlavers who are truly unscrupulouscapture pilgrims and claim they werthe time-asserting that the ways of c

later, spurred by the desire to escapeChildren born of such slaves remainthey fail to embrace the law of theSlave-owners have a number of respunder Arabyan law. They are respohealth of their charges, and failure tresult in fines. Slaves who are starvotherwise abused are poor workerseventually rebel; qadis have been kntheir freedom in light of their masteconduct. Slave-holders are also respactions of their slaves; if a slave dapersons property, the slave-owner i

accountable. Slave-holders may nota slave due to illness or age, and thefor slaves who can no longer perforduties. However, slave-owners mayslaves at any time, and some ownerswhole groups their freedom. A slavethe owners permission to marry a fthereby also become free.While it is true that the law requiresto treat their slaves well, the Mamelmore tangible power, are the greatesmost elite military forces in Araby,themselves slaves, property of the G

They were captured as youths by otand trained to become perfect, loyalCopher is the home to the largest ac

17

ed person fromslave may lateror her freedom.may sometimes

heathens ativilization came

slavery.slaves only ifne.onsibilitiessible for thecomply may

d andho may

own to grants immoralnsible for theages another

s held

cast out or selly must providetheir normal

free healthyhave grantedmay receiveee spouse, and

slave-ownerskes, a much

t enforcers. Theamelukes are

rand Sultan.

er Mamelukeswarriors.ive slave

Khar-mel is one of the few kShe has oft been encounteredover the centuries. Despite benormally appears as a beautifabout 30 years of age, althouto appear as a swirling cloudfire on occasion.Like all Djinn, Khar-mel knoforgotten by mortal man andpriests have tried to summonquestions. If she does have onthirst for knowledge. Anyonare undertaking a quest in seawell secure Khar-mel's servic

market in Araby and any slaport in this city must be honsuffer a price, for the Mamelanything less. Companies ofmountains near the cities anyouths from the hill tribes. Yraids that turn out to be less tMameluke training are offeras personal servants. Pantheislavery, and not just the enslcriminals, and the unenlightethey are willing to enslave aagree with their faith.Lastly, the raiders who hail fthe Dead often engage in slabe very liberal in determininand therefore suited to slave

nown Djinn of Araby.in the western deserting centuries old, shel Arabyan woman ofh she has been knownf dust or a pillar of

ws many secretsmany sorcerers andher to answer theire weakness it is herwho claims that theych of ancient lore may

es.

eholders who makeurable and fair orukes do not tolerateMamelukes roam thebeyond, seizing

ouths captured in suchhan suitable ford in the slave marketsts also promotevement of debtors,ned. With provocation,yone who does not

rom near the Land ofing, and they tend towho is not civilized

y.


18/97

Travel Travel in Araby is not something onAll the major cities are connected bthere is a great amount of ships sailiTravel does have its dangers. The rodangerous in themselves. When the

beneath thick dunes of sand or windmountainsides, it is likely that a banwill be waiting in ambush at the nexsudden sandstorm will bury you alivshould know the wisdom of movingand firsthand experience of the areavery helpful. Sailing is more comforare still hazards with pirates, stormstreacherous reefs.The most common modes of transpbe to book a passage on a sea-goingcaravan. Caravans move slowly, butand well guarded enough to dissuadMerchant caravans often attract a stentertainers, mercenaries, adventureWith so many travellers, a journeycan be an adventure in itself.

Religion All enlightened Arabyans share a padespite the differences in the gods tFor example, those who are faithfulenlightened wash before every forma small bowl of water. It is also custprostate oneself upon the ground torising and kneeling several times. His truly required is that men and woheads toward Al-Haikk and pray forthe path of goodness.Civilized Arabyans pray three timesOrmazd: at dawn, two hours past mihours past sunset. Each time, a gongthe mosques, reverberating throughcommunity. For the morning and miimams in the mosques call from theinviting devout worshippers to attenthe temples of their gods. While atteencouraged, it is not strictly requiremay pray virtually anywhere.Enlightened Arabyans follow a simiprayer, though no gong sounds to antime of day. In the morning and eveprostate themselves, facing Al-Haiktheir god.At midday, most nomads simply bofor a moment of silent contemplatioAt least once per week, family memattend religious instruction and sermosque.In areas where moralist attitudes prefor men and women are separate. Elwelcomed to a common service.At least once in their lives, enlighteare expected to make a pilgrimage t

18

e does lightly.roads, and

ng the coast.ads aredon't fade

along sheerof robberst bend or ae. Travellersin numbers,traversed istable, but thereand

rtation wouldvessel or join amost are largeany attackers.

ange lot;rs and wizards.ith a caravan

ttern of prayer,ey worship.andal prayer, usingmary to

pray, perhapswever, all thaten bow theirguidance along

each day todday, and twosounds fromut thedday prayer,minarets,d services inndance is. The faithful

lar pattern ofnounce theing, they

k, and praise

their headsn.bers commonlyons at a

vail, servicessewhere, all are

ed ArabyansAl-Haikk,

centre of all civilization. It ismosques and relics of the faiMore importantly, this is theSultan. Khalil al-Assad al-Zof the Gods, Giant among MUnbeliever, Confidant of GeHaikk to visit the Golden Mof the One lies. Almost as grin the Grand Sultans court,Throne.The pilgrimage is always athe experience is especiallyAscension and on the GrandOn those two days, His Enlisure to appear before the peoreceive his personal wish thaupon each and every one, ththem to goodness, and that tto glory.Many enlightened nomads alpilgrimage to Al-Haikk durimost, however, it is enough trepresentative of their tribein their names.

here that the greatestthful can be found.home of the Grandhir, He Who is Worthyen, Scourge of thenies. Pilgrims go to Al-

sque, where the Houseeat a goal is standingefore the Enlightened

orthy undertaking, butrized on the Day ofSultans birthday.htened Highness isple. The faithfult fortune may smilet the gods may guidee One may guide them

so strive to make theg their lifetime. Foro know that aill make the journey


19/97

19

Ormazd is the sole Arabyan god. Also known asAl-Alnon, The One, Ormazd was once the SunGod and ruler of the pantheon of Kemet. Whilefollowers of the Old World cults still lived in mudhuts, worshippers of Ormazd began to build thegreat civilization along the banks of the River

Nyllus. From the union of Ormazd and his consort,Innuli, came the other deities of the Kemetpantheon: Orierus, god of the night and theunderworld; Besta, goddess of cats and stealth;Thebias, god of knowledge, magic, and music;Kleamanta, goddess of rivers and fertility; Horanamthe Vengeful, god of war and retribution; andNefarini, goddess of beauty and protector of thefamily.The Kemet Empire grew strong and without rivaluntil the Pharaoh Ormahkaten, Chosen ofOrmazd, placed the cult of Ormazd above allothers and thereby enraged the other cults. Upon

Ormahkaten's death, a Civil War erupted in Kemetwhich ended when the land was overrun by theHettites. The gods of Kemet, including the newly-arrived Khaine, rebelled against Ormazd at thistime. Incensed by this outrage, Ormazd baked theland for years, punishing corrupt deity and mortalalike before taking his leave of them.Having abandoned Kemet to its fate, Ormazd foundbelievers in the nomadic Arabyan tribes of thedesert. For years Ormazd tested his newworshippers to ensure their devoutness and avoidthe problems that plagued the now-decadent anddegenerating Kemet Empire. At this time, Ormazd

came across Nefarini and Horanam who pleaded forhis return. Instead, Ormazd stripped his treacherouschildren of their powers and vowed eternal revengeagainst the the other gods of Kemet.Ormazd returned to strengthening his worshippersspiritually through teachers, known as Prophets.The tenets of Arabyan law were developed during

this time. In Kemet, Necromancy became dominantand the ruling class more decrepit under theKemetian gods. Their cults were soon overwhelmedwhen Kemet was subjugated by powers. With thesenew rulers, the cults of the Old World (chieflyMyrmidia and Verena) came to dominate Kemet.

The first and greatest Prophet, Mulhaed al-Quyatbegan his teachings in the caravan town of Mendai.It was he who inspired the Arabyan forces into aholy war which resulted in the downfall of theConstantian Empire and the conversion of thepeople in the lands of Araby to the worship ofOrmazd.Ormazd is never portrayed in any form as to do sois a violation of his scriptures.

The greatest temple to Ormazd is found in the holycity of Martek, birthplace of the Prophet Mulhaedal-Quyat. The temple grounds are the largest in the

world as they must accommodate the multitude ofthe faithful who are on pilgrimage to this site. Aswith all temples to Ormazd, the GreatTemple is dominated by a large central domesurrounded by a number of lesser domes. There isno ornamentation on the exterior and interior wallsof the temple nor furnishings within except for amosaic on the floor. The mosaic is usually that ofthe sun, although other symbols of Ormazd may beused in addition. Adjacent to this temple is theresidence of the High Priest of the cult and the hallwhere he meets with his council of priests.Other temples and shrines of Ormazd include a

niche in the wall indicating the direction to the cityof Martek. This enables the faithful to offer theirprayers in the right direction. Shrines to Ormazd arefound alongside the main roads connecting thecities of Araby, usually at a day's journey distancefrom one another.


20/97

20

Internal ConflictsFormally, Araby is at peace with itself and itssurroundings. It is a unified community, ruled withwisdom and enlightenment by the Grand Sultan.No major opponents of the Enlightened Throne lurkwithin its lands. The infidels of the distant North donot pose a threat, for they are separated by greatoceans and mountains, and the desert itself.Reality, however, is less pretty than these officialcourt pronouncements. Araby has a plethora oflesser rulers; caliphs, emirs, sultans and sheikhs.Which of these is superior to the others depends onthe person you ask. Most are local rulers acting as ifthey are the supreme power in their own region,even though they recognize the ultimate authorityof the Grand Sultan. As a result, these small powersfrequently become embroiled in petty wars witheach other, each trying to claim superiority of theothers.As a rule, the cities of Araby are well defended.All maintain a common militia and a watch. Theformer is called upon in times of crisis to repelenemies. The latter is a permanent force of soldiers

serving as palace guards and city patrols. Inaddition, a number of Arabys cities have their ownstanding armies, navies, or both. Some cities retainthe services of mercenaries and Mamelukes forprotection. Most military units consist of infantryand cavalry, with an occasional magical unit or anairborne support wing.Siege craft is not common in the Araby, and theArabyans generally lack the war engines of thenorthern nations.

The Sultans are proud of their troops and especiallyof their cavalry so that no expense is spared either

on their equipment or maintenance. It is popularlysupposed that the horses of Araby are descendedfrom Elven horses brought over from the west

many centuries ago. They are graceful and swiftcreatures and very highly valued. The very best ofthe Arabyan foot-solders are also well equipped,with steel armour, keen tulwars, gleaming helmets,and fine silk clothing. These household troops orguards accompany the Sultans when they travelbeyond the grounds of their magnificent palaces.The loyalty of these troops is famous. They areamply rewarded with riches, luxuries, and prestigeas a result. The ordinary foot soldiers are moreplainly equipped and usually carry simple iron-hafted spears or bows. As well as these regular andgarrison troops there are the irregular fighters fromthe desert tribes, including camel mounted warriorsfrom the lands to the south and east.The modes of warfare in Araby also tend to bedifferent from those of their northern brethren.Whilst the armies of the Empire tend to rely ontheir heavily armoured blocks of mounted knightsto destroy their foes, the armies of Araby rely onlighter armour and hope that their extra speed andmanoeuvrability compensates.

The desertThe deserts of Araby are vast and foreboding.Temperatures frequently climb above 130 degreesduring summer days and plummet below freezingduring winter nights. No other region is as cruel,yet to the desert nomads, no other place is asdivine. Many a wanderer has remarked on theperfection of a cool desert morning: a cloudlesssky, glittering dunes, and no other creature to beseen for miles, except perhaps a fleeting gazelle.Most of the Arabyan desert is not dunes, however,but an expanse of dry, rocky plains. Here and thereare fields of volcanic debris - great, broken, black

expanses. Trees, where they exist, are stunted and


21/97

brown. Thorny shrubs and grasslandregion, turning green during winterconcealing their life behind a brownfacade. In the height of summer, a fsucculents and sprigs of milkweed sdunes, but the gravel plains are barrAraby has one mayor desert: the Savirtually no permanent water sourcehandful of precious wells and oases.A lack of water is not the only dangholds. Mirages entice the unwary trawaters of sheer illusion. Sandstormsbeasts and bury encampments. Wintthe sky with lightning, flood the holltents from moorings. Worst of all, pblack clouds of locusts that strip a pthe last blade of grass before the noherds arrive.

MigrationDuring the summer months, when tare bare, the nomads establish crowbeside oases or wells. Their tents offrom the sun; temperatures inside fr110 degrees.For most nomads, this is a miserablnot simply because it is hot, but alsonomads despise being settled.This is a good time to seek diversiobusiness in a village or town. The nlivestock, wool, woven textiles, cur

perhaps some roasted locusts. In turwheat, dates, and weapons. If the trithey also purchase trinkets and finer

21

s dot thend spring, then

, cracklingw hardy

till grow on then.ra. Here,exists - just a

r the desertvellers towardscour men ander storms fillows, and riprhaps, are the

asture bare toads and their

e grasslandsed campser little reliefquently top

experience;because

by doingmads sellcheese, and

, they buy rice,be is wealthy,y.

With the onset of autumn, ain the desert. Spirits soar, ancamp; tents, food stores, cusand thin mattresses stuffedto personal belongings. Theeight months, the tribe will

place, breaking camp everythe coming of winter, nightsIn higher elevations, a bit ofground, melting as the sun bhorizon.

With the onset of spring, graFamilies camp far apart, seea luxury: privacy. The campto hear the warning blast frohowever. Each family knowneighbours, and they feel hothem.

Tribes arrange their tents inmaking raids by the enemypenetrate the circle, they areusually leads to their defeat.Each tribe migrates within itdirah. A typical dirah coversBoundaries are unofficial, anneighbouring tribes are comtheir mutual survival; if thedirah is poor, they must seekenmity does exist between trprotects their own territory,its wells.

To the nomads, theft of livesthe mark of brave, successfualso take part in raids; thosereputation as great warriors.The nomads routinely travelon camelback to conduct a rthey seize anyone who mighenemy of the impending attalocation is close, and the raiboth mounts are used, with ocamel.

Provided all goes well, raidiswift assault just before theharried attack during a dust stribes, death of the enemy isonly to acquire.Warriors fight valiantly hanwho are weaker feel no dutySurrender is not dishonourabdesire to go on living, embatplace their thumbs between ttheir fingers toward their att

it of rain begins to fallthe tribe packs up the

ions, ornate carpets,ith cotton, in additionigration begins. For

ove from place to

eek to 10 days. Withgrow windy and cold.snow even falls to theeaks free of the

zing is at its best.ing what is otherwiseremain close enougha neighbours horn,

the position of theirour-bound to protect

widespread circle,ore difficult. If raiderssurrounded-which

own territory, or200 square miles.d alliances betweenon. This helps ensure

razing in a tribes ownit elsewhere. When

ibes, each fiercelynd most importantly,

tock is not sinful; it isl men. Women maywho do earn a

over a hundred milesid. Along the way,be able to warn thek. If the targetsers own horses, thenne horse backing each

g is a quick affair: areak of dawn or atorm. For honourablenot a goal; they raid

-to-hand, but thoseto fight to the death.le. To show theirtled warriors simplyheir teeth and extendckers.


22/97

When my brother, Ridwaz, took thKhalibon, I fled for my life, stowingmerchant caravan bound for Dimashqwere in disagreement over who shoulbut that was overcome by my presenc

son of my father. I was made King ofand soon learned that my two other bstrangled in their sleep by the eunuchSince that day I have feared for my lisurround myself with the most learneAraby, in the hopes of them administhealth should Ridwaz send his dark fagainst me.

~ Memoirs of King Dukas

The nomad code of honour demandwho do not fight be left alone. In thare usually quite safe, for only a disnomad would harm them. Pots, carpstores are suitable for looting, but awoman wears on her person (as mucduring a raid) is considered off-limitMany nomad tribes also conduct raidistant villages and outposts. Unfortdwellers do not observe the same ruin battle as honourable nomads. Asraids are often bloody affairs for botcreating an enmity and hatred that dquickly.

Blood FeudsDespite the nomads rather civilizedraiding, fights to the death do occur.blood feud, such a conflict may arisbelieves one of their members has bkilled, or a matter of honour may triWhatever the cause, the conflict esc

22

e throne ofaway in aue. The nobles

rule the city,e, as I was the

Dimashquerothers wereof Ridwaz.

fe and Id men ofering to myllowers

of Dimashque

that womenir tents, theyonourable

ets, and foodything ah as possible,s.s against

unately, townles of etiquette

result, theseh sides,

not fade

views on Known as a when a tribe en wronglyger the feud.

alates into a

deadly exchange, with eachof the other until the conflictSheikhs of warring tribes cafeud between them. A third,mediate. He or she begins widigging and burying. Each si

lines in the sand-one for eveIf the death toll is uneven, thmust pay a blood price (usuacamels and money) to offsetThe neutral sheikh strives topreserves the honor of every

SheikhsThe nomads look for four thicourage, wisdom, generosityimportance of the last trait sunderestimated. A lucky sheiand all members of the tribethat good fortune.While it is true that many shformer sheikhs, in the Highconnection nor a sheikhs sethe qualities listed above. Thusually passes to a sheikhsguaranteed to keep it. No noa sheikh who is unworthy ofOver the course of time, nokilled many leaders who werstupid, or dishonourable.As noted above, the nomadsbe generous. That, in a largesheikhs honour. It is the sheno tribe member goes hungrhave food and warmth. Thewater, clothing, and housingright. A nomad has only to nif it is at all possible, he or s

ide killing a memberis resolved. rarely end a blood

neutral sheikh mustth a ceremony ofde in the feud draws

y tribe member killed.e side with fewer lineslly a combination ofthe other tribes loss.set a price thatne involved.

ngs in a sheikh:, and luck. Theould not bekh is blessed by Fate,would like to share in

ikhs are the sons ofesert neither a familyare as important as

e position of sheikhldest son, but he is notad tribe will support

respect.ads have banished ande deemed weak,

expect their sheikhs topart, determines aikhs job to ensure thator cold while othersasic necessities; food,are every nomadseed these things, and,e will receive them.


23/97

23

The Mage The Mage The Mage The Mage"It must be twelve days now", thought Ben Ahrim. "Twelve days and our water all gone.We cannot last much longer".

"Twelve days ago we met the caravan - rich traders from the north. They offered to buyour treasure and sell us water in return. We were too greedy. We knew that we could getmany times the value when we reached a town. And water at that price? Ha! We weresure that we would soon reach an oasis and fill our water bottles for free. What fools wewere!"

"I was right though. Very soon we saw an oasis. A clear pool surrounded by lush greentrees. So cool and inviting. It is torture now to think of it. As we approached we brokeinto a run but the more we ran the farther it seemed to be. Finally the image shimmeredand faded leaving only burning sand. I know not what sort of infernal magic it was."

"God was frowning on us. Maybe it was a curse from the ancient ones we had disturbed.Abu ben Baba, our mage, was the first to abandon us. He came to me and announced thathe would save us. Before he could reply he walked away and no-one saw him again. Weall suspected that he had used his magic to abandon us and save himself. Still, I shouldnot speak ill of him. He saved all of our lives many times over in the great necropolis.Time and again he used his powers against the evil creatures that emerged from thetombs. If only he could have saved my uncle, the Sheik. He persuaded us to come to thisland to make our fortunes. Fortunes we found. So much gold and treasure that we leftbehind water skins so that we could carry more. What fools we were."

"My uncle fought one of the walking dead. In life he must have been a nobleman for hewore a gold circlet on his head and wielded a flail. On the end of each chain, the flailbore a skull that wailed and chattered with an unearthly din. I have to admit that most ofus froze to the spot and couldn't approach the foul creature. Only after it had killed ourbeloved leader did the mage bring his magic to bear and lay the mummy to rest."

"After the death of my uncle I became the new leader. I was his chosen heir. I am doomedto be the new sheik for a very short time only. Every day that passes the sun takes it'stoll on my men, my tribe, my family. I have killed them all by my greed.""Overhead there are vultures circling. They can tell when death is close. They startedgathering yesterday - or was it the day before? My mind is beginning to play tricks. Imust keep walking. If I stop and lay down I know that I will never get up."

"Even now the vultures are flying lower. It is said that they are the same creatures thatnecromancers lure to their death and then rais again to do their bidding as undead carrion.This vulture looks strange. It must be another mirage or a vision brought on by thirst.Maybe my eyes are failing. I am sure that I can see a short fat man standing on a carpet

flying over the dunes. Is it really Abu the mage or am I finally gone mad?"


24/97

24


25/97

25

History of ArabyLittle is known of the history of Araby between thefall of Nehekhara and the coming of the Prophet,Mulhaed al-Quyat. Most information regarding thistime is derived from the tales of the merchants thatfirst encountered the local nomadic peoples andcame upon the already shining city of Al-Haikk.

The people of Araby have dwelt in the peninsula ofAraby since men first arrived in the world and havefounded perhaps the most ancient cities of humancivilisation. They were at that time much like thetribes which still dwell in the deep deserts, a proudnomadic people with a strong sense of honour andloyalty. The history of these people is a turbulentone. Much of their past has been filled with war.The most important of these wars came long agoand has its own causes which stretch back evenfurther.

Pre-enlighten ArabyBefore the coming of the Prophet, Araby was a farmore sparsely populated land, empty of the teemingcaravans that now dot its sands and plains. Thenative humans of the region were a wandering folk,goatherds and gatherers for the most part,abandoning one region when the sands came towash them away, only to move their tents eastwardtoward the mountains in summer or toward the seain winter, as the winds took them.Only in the city of Al-Haikk was this wandering setaside. First a trade moot for the various nomads ofthe region, it became the site of a great annual horserace.At first the nomads made seasonal visits, buteventually some came to live there permanently,working the fertile land near the coast. Legendsgrew up around the place - that it was the site ofgreat births and deaths, and that its waters could

heal even the mortally ill.It was the Elves that first were convinced the nativeArabyans were worthy of trade rather thanconquest. Though the locals wore coarse clothing,used crude weapons, and spoke an awful, gratingtongue, their love of horses earned the Elvesfriendship.The Elves established great trading colonies alongthe coast which drew the attention of the desertnomads, and many moved there. These tradingposts would later become the great cities of Al-Haikk, Lashiek, and Copher.

Arabyans came in large numbers from the interiorof the Sahra Desert, expanding Al-Haikk andbringing commerce, learning, and formalizedtemples to the city.It took the Arabyans less than a century to settle thecoast and to expand eastward to the border withKhemri and the Southlands, which sparked a seriesof minor conflicts. Fortifying the boundary with ahundred stone watchtowers and the fortified city ofEl-Kalabad, Arabys armies waited, guarding theborders against their eastern neighbour, the TombKings of Khemri. The armies turned their attentionsouthward and set about expanding. The southerncity of Ka-Sabar was created as a resort town, toshow the ruler that life could be carved out of thedesert and to grant relaxation and quiet to the thencurrent ruler of Araby. They founded othersettlements as well, including Al-Bashir, Martek,and Bhagar, along with many others lost beneaththe sands.


26/97

26

Wars of the DeadThe ancient nation of Nehekhara lay to the east ofthe area which now contains the Sultanates ofAraby. This ancient civilisation fell many years agoto evil forces of its own creation. The undead thatfilled this ancient land and killed all living therewere simply puppets to be controlled by theirmaster, the necromancer Nagash. The terror of thisnew force was first felt in Araby over a thousandyears after the birth of Nagash, the attacksprecipitated by Arkhan the Black. Under thispowerful leader the eastern cities of the oldArabyan Empire were destroyed quickly, the onceproud civilisation reduced to a few weakened citystates and a handful of desert tribes.The empire was strong, however, and held off theundead tide with the first victories against theundead the Emperor considered them to have beendestroyed and there were many celebrations. Hehad not counted on the undying patience andtenacity of his foe. Arkhan continued to raid Arabyfor a thousand years, wearing down the people andthe power of the empire.

Eventually the empire could no longer holdtogether and fractured into a divided group of citystates, each with no loyalty to another. Constantskirmishes between cities further weakened them.Arkhan's defeat finally came not from the people ofAraby, but from some mysterious source they couldnot explain. The Wars of Death ended suddenly, theundead hordes which lurked within the deserts

surrounding Araby suddenly disappearing overdays. The actual death of Arkhan was notwitnessed, but no other explanation could be foundfor the sudden cessation of hostilities, a war thathad become the only way of life to the people ofAraby.The sudden peace was a shock to the people ofAraby. They could not believe what had happened,and still they looked toward the desert with fearfuleyes for another two hundred years. During thistime the power of the individual cities grew andtrade opened up between them, many citiescombining into groups and forming nations. Thepolitical climate swung back and forth betweenvarious cities and the people became even strongeras they battled constantly. These wars were nothingcompared to those fought against the undead and sothe people began to prosper. As time passed, newcities were built on the ruins of the old ones andeventually the terror of the undead became distantand mythical. The people became confident in theirnew strength and the inter city conflicts diminisheduntil the cohesion of the previous empire began tobe rebuilt.

It took many centuries for civilisation to flourishagain. During that time the culture of Araby hadbeen kept alive by the nomadic tribes whowandered in the most remote and inhospitabledeserts, impossible to destroy and too tough to die.Over generations these tribes gradually resettled


27/97

27

many old cities and established new dynasties torule them.

The years of peace stretched past a millennium andso the people became secure in their position andbegan to dismiss the ancient 'myths' of the walking

dead. Only the priests were to hold true to the oldknowledge. They kept the old thoughts alive for800 years but then even they began to discount thewords of their predecessors and to rewrite theaccounts of old historians without reference to theundead. Only one person in the peaceful yearsseemed to have some inkling of the truth, the MadPrince, Abdul Ben Raschid, the author of theblasphemous Book of the Dead . This tome is anaccount of his journey to the Land of the Dead. Itwas discounted and reviled by the people of Arabyand the caliph of the strongest city, Ka-Sabar,ordered all copies destroyed. Ben Raschid himself

died under mysterious circumstances, and hisblasphemies were forgotten.

The Time of the ProphetThe explorer attributed with founding Araby was aman with an unknown past, a wandering nomad bythe name of Mulhaed al-Quayat. His name hassince passed into legend, for many Arabyansbelieved that Mulhaed al-Quyat had been touchedby the One. 1050, while adventuring in the BardoukMountains, he came upon the Desert Mosque. Noone knows who constructed this in the first place,

but it is popularly believed that Ormazd himselfcreated it only for Mulhaed al-Quyat to find it.As he appeared in front of it, a massive light shonefrom the mosque and the sky opened above him.From then on, Mulhaed al-Quyat was never thesame again, for he was now blessed by the One,

Ormazd, and destined to unify the desert tribesunder one faith.

Mulhaed then set out for Al-Haikk, where he begunto preach about the miracle he had experienced. Atfirst he was dismissed as just another lunatic, butsoon the citizens eagerly started listening to him,and he acquired many followers.Over the years, Mulhaed travelled across Araby,preaching his words. The leaders of the tribes whowould not listen, he conquered instead. Ten yearslater, all of Araby was united under his banner, andthe religion of Ormazd was the only one in Araby.

Mulhaed became the first Grand Sultan, and duringhis reign the great palace in Al-Haikk was built,and the land prospered under his rule.Mulhaed al-Quyat ruled for another five years,studying the arts of the spirit and transferring hisknowledge into a single tome' known now as theHoly Book of Ormazd, which contains all of hislaws and wisdom.After Mulhaed's death in 1065 the rulership ofAraby was divided between the Caliphs andSultans, with his son becoming the next GrandSultan.


28/97

Araby Rising in PowerDuring the Age of Enlightenment,again took up the blade of war, seekthe message and mission of Ormazdpower of the Araby, and to enrich ththeir favourites. This led to the conq

of Constantium (former Zandri), furwith the Tomb Kings, and finallythe desert into the Southlands in 115Arabyan warships first unleashed ththe shores of Estalia in 1212, lettingfight their way across the land whilesailed around to meet them on the oArabyans encountered little resistaninto Estalia proper, taking many of tpopulation back to Araby as slaves.

Corsair WarsBy 1240, the cities on the coast of Aflourishing and prosperous. Corsairssailing in their war dhows, were plucoasts of Tilea and Estalia. To countthe Tileans hired more Norse warriolongships. This provoked the Corsaihuge fleet and attack the Norse stroSartosa, which was captured with grThe Norse fought to the death, but tbeing numerous and cunning, prevaimoment onwards the raids of the Cocoasts of Tilea became much worse.found them to be much more difficuthe Norse, and much less willing toraiding in order to serve as mercenabecause the Corsair leaders were booaths to their Emirs and Sheikhs antempted to change allegiance for meIt wasnt until 1501 Sartosa was recthe Corsairs by a mercenary army leCatena. The temporary respite gainemenace of the Corsairs opened up Amerchants of the Old World.

Siege of Brionne Maintaining the rule over northerncapture of Bilbali, Araby turned itsThey laid siege to the city of Brionnthreatening to move further south inThe siege lasted for two years, befodChinon manages to dislodge theOver the next three years, the Arabypushed back into Estalia. Greatly wbattling the Bretonnians, the Arabya

hold the land, and the Estalians, maback Bilbali. It would not last long.

28

rabys leadering to spread, to expand theemselves anduest of the city

ther skirmishesa crossing of0.ir warriors ontheir warriorsthe shipsher side. Thee and crossed

he local

raby wereof Araby,

ndering theer this threatrs in theirrs to gather aghold oneat slaughter.e Corsairs,led. From thatrsairs on theThe Tileanslt to catch thanesist fromies. This was

und by tribalcould not be

re gold.ptured from

d by Lucianod from theraby to the

stalia with theyes eastwards.e in 1342,to Bretonnia.e dukerabyan army.ans would beakened fromns could not

aged to take

The Great Crusade AIn 1435 or thereabouts, an osorcerer known as Jaffar unitusing his charismatic powerGenies. He then swept out ohimself Grand Sultan.In 1448, Sultan Jaffar had unruled it with an iron fist. Conefarious Skaven that the Esplanning an invasion, he gatand prepared his fleet for wa He landed in southern Estalihorde, and quickly seized thimportant southern kingdom,advanced towards Bilbali thenorthern kingdom. As his arthousand were dragged soutbe sold at the terrible slavea life of hard toil in the unbeAs the stories trickled up norRighteous of Bretonnia, worArabyans would turn once EHe soon declared the first Erword to the emperor Frederithe army south in defence ofEmpire neared a state of civithe independent knights of tagainst the unjust invasion alBretonnians, while the Electa part of their own armies.

As the evil sultan didn't knogathering to fight him in Bri

ainst Arab y scure Arabyaned the nomadic tribesand ability to summonthe desert and made

ited all of Araby andvinced by thealian Kingdoms wasered his massive army

r.

with his enormouscapital of the mostMagritta, andmost importanty marched north,to Araby in chains, toarkets of Lashiek into

arable Arabyan sun.th, King Louis theied about where thestalia was conquered.rantry War and send

III didn't want to senda foreign nation, as thel war he appealed toe Empire to go fightong with ther Counts each offered

of the armiesnne he quickly got


29/97

29

overconfident sending his fleet into theneighbouring country, Tilea. His massive fleetsailed through the Tilean Sea to attack the city-stateof Tobaro, while Tobaro was better defended thanthe sultan had expected. The defenders of the citymanaged to hold the sea walls and protect the outercity from an invasion fleet many times their size,driving them into a humiliating retreat and showingfor the first time that the Arabyans could bedefeated, even when they were gathered in force.

Allied InterventionThe allied army consisted mostly of heavy cavalry,a thing the Arabyans lacked as their deserthomeland isn't suited for horses or thick armour.With this superiority, they crossed the mountainsinto Estalia and quickly won victories against theArabyan army. After much hard fighting, thearmies of Sultan Jaffar began to retreat.As Jaffar realised he couldn't win in the fieldagainst the superior army, he withdrew to hishomeland while he left a force in the mostimportant city of Estalia, Magritta, under thecommand of the Sheikh Emir Wazar, better knownas Emir the Cruel. The retreating Arabyan army setfire to all villages on their path to the capital,slaughtering the population. Few had been sparedthe spiteful wrath of the Sultan, and the sight of themurdered innocents horrified the Knights. Thosefew who survived begged the knights fromBretonnia and the Empire to rescue those familymembers which had been brought to Araby. As the

inhabitants were enslaved and forced to fortify thecity, the crusader army marched south throughEstalia. Seeing how the vengeful Arabyans had put

entire towns to the torch as they fled back south,they vowed to deliver Sigmars vengeance againstevery man responsible for these crimes. Theywould visit his own cruelty upon his people, theywould carry their swords to Araby itself.

As they assaulted Magritta they knew that the siegecould go on for years, and Jaffar would be able togather a fresh army in Araby if they didn't pursuenow. Thus they decided to split their army in two,one would stay to besiege Magritta and break thelast Arabyan strongpoint in Estalia before followingthe other army into the hot deserts of Araby, a taskthat would take eight years and the intervention ofMymidia to complete.

After Estalia, and the fair city of Magritta inparticular, had endured the ravages of Jaffar and hisarmy it had given all those who had fought to saveEstalia a desire to exact vengeance. They resolvedto pursue Jaffar into his own land. Araby wasrumoured to be filled with untold riches andpromised yet more opportunity for winning honourby feat of arms.As the main force arrived in the ports of southernEstalia ships were brought in from all over the OldWorld. A great fleet was hastily assembled and thecrusading army set sail for Araby.

The Crusade Reaches ArabyAs the crusaders sailed, Jaffar and his men preparedfor the coming invasion. When they finally arrived

in the spice-trading city of Copher it was heavilyfortified and the defenders were well prepared forthe coming battle. Yet they weren't prepared for the


30/97

30

wrath Jaffar had brought upon them, and once thedefenders first started faltering against theonslaught, the high spires were pulled to the groundand much of the population were put to the sword.

When the crusaders landed in Araby they were

unprepared for the desert heat and the lack of water.Progress was slow, and Jaffar's forces, being lightlyequipped and highly mobile, were able to avoidbeing caught in a pitched battle. The campaigndragged on for one year and then another.The crusaders were playing straight into Jaffarsschemes, he had expected that once they had foughtfor months in the sweltering heat of Araby theywould lose their taste for vengeance and returnhome. While they weren't prepared for a desertcampaign, they were urged on by the fact that thelocals hated Jaffar even more than the crusaders androse up against him.

Gradually the grim determination of the crusadingknights, prepared to endure against hardship beganto tell against Jaffar's warriors, many of whom werebecoming tired of his tyranny. Several tribes simplydeserted and disappeared into the vast desert toawait the outcome.

For months they marched through the hot desertstowards the capital, Al-haikk, were Jaffar haddecided to make his stand, where the outcome ofthe war would be decided, once and for all.

Battle of Al-HaikkAs the crusaders laid siege to the sultansstronghold, many hundreds of tribesmenconscripted by Jaffar revolted, plunging the cityinto disarray and throwing the careful plans ofJaffar into chaos. Seeing that his last hope forvictory would be meeting the enemy in the field,where the hot desert sun would deter the OldWorlders used to a different climate he marched outto meet the army at his doorstep.While Jaffars army slightly outnumbered thecrusaders, the lack of heavy cavalry in his armycame into play once more. As the infantry of botharmies fought a desperate battle, with the crusadersbeing pushed back in the heat, thousands of heavilyarmoured knights charged into the side of theArabyan light infantry, thousands of tons of metalcutting straight through the lightly armouredspearmen like a scythe. This charge has beenimmortalized by many legendary stories and songs,colouring the ground red as the Arabyans werecrushed beneath thousands of armoured horses, acolour that remains to this day.

Jaffar died that day, pierced through the back by aBretonnian lance as he fled. Now seeing theirhonour satisfied, the knights of Bretonnia decidedto return to Copher and sail home. Yet most of theImperial knights stayed for years hunting down and

defeating remnants of Jaffars dark empire, andalmost 100 years passed before the last of theEmpire troops had returned home.

It was in this century that many of the ImperialKnightly Orders were founded, as they discoveredmany things previously unknown in the Old World,they often named themselves after this, such as theKnights Panther.

Araby, however, proved too vast and hostile to beproperly conquered and held. Instead the crusadingknights demolished fortifications, burned evilbooks, flung down the idols and carried of as muchtreasure and exotic luxuries as they could find. Asthey sailed home, they burned Jaffar's vast fleet ofwarships for good measure. No sooner had they leftthan the nomad tribes swept in from the desert todivide Jaffar's realm amongst themselves.

Time of Decline and Civil WarWhen tempers calmed after the crusades, more than250 years of relative peace rested over Araby, andprosperity enriched many families to the point thatthey could petition the Grand Sultan for grants ofnobility. Peace and prosperity, however, alsobrought complacency and laziness. Too much goldand too few labourers meant that the city of Al-Haikk fell to shambles, the resort of Lashiek wasabandoned to pirates, and attentive eyes turnedfrom their neighbours. The Grand Sultanconsidered invading Estalia again, but having beenrepelled twice before by the Knights of Bretonnia,thought better of it.In 1557, a debate over the successor to The GrandSultan Achmed al-Javaira turned bloody, and a


31/97

31

dozen Caliphs and Sultans left Al-Haikk to contesttheir rightful claim to the throne of Araby. TheGrand Vizier made ready the armies of Araby, incase any of the factions wished to fight their battleson Al-Haikks territory which he was responsiblefor in the absence of the Grand Sultan.

The Grand Vizier did not care which of thecontestants came out of the conflict victorious, onlythat the promise of Arabys independence wasmaintained. The succession took nearly 15 years toresolve, during which time Araby also faced troublein the form of invading Orcs.With the succession conflict forcing the GrandVizier to return to Copher to endorse a familyclaim, the Sultan of Martek leapt at the opportunityto strike Al-Haikk at its weakest, and crossed theborders in 1572 with a force of more than 40,000Arabyan soldiers. This proved a greater force thanAl-Haikk could contend with to keep its holdings,

and the city lost much of its influence in the areaover the next decade.Peace with Al-Haikk was not achieved for anothertwenty years, with the final border appearing muchas it had for millennia. The conflict sharpened theArabyans swords and whetted the nations appetitefor blood, however, and the peace with Al-Haikkleft the Martek with a bloated military that soonturned its eyes to homesteading, mercenary work,and slavery, though many soldiers were posted onthe east border, reinforcing safe trade between thecities.

The Crusades ContinuesIn 1688, the Knightly Orders which had stayed inAraby after the first crusade was on the war pathagain. They sacked Istrabul the same year, but weresoon driven back by the Arabyan armies.For the next 300 years, petty skirmishers would be

thought between them, with both factions losingand gaining ground. The crusaders took smallercities along the coast and made petty kingdoms forthemselves, and in 1814 they managed to takeIstrabul and hold it.For the next 150 years the crusades continued, untilfinally the city of Ka-Sabar eventually united acoalition of its neighbours under Emir Abdul Sali-Dinibn Hashid who conquered the remainingCrusading Kingdoms in Araby and halted theadvance of the invader. This sent the power of Ka-Sabar higher and when the last of the Empire shipsfled from the shores of Araby after the third an

Documents

Warhammer Army - Araby