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| Designers | Jeff Grubb |
|---|---|
| Publishers | TSR, Inc. |
| Publication | 1992 |
| Genres | Arabian Nights |
| Systems | AD&D 2nd Edition |
Al-Qadim is acampaign setting for theDungeons & Dragonsrole-playing game which was developed byJeff Grubb withAndria Hayday forTSR, Inc., and was first released in 1992. Al-Qadim usesOne Thousand and One Nights as a theme and is set in the land ofZakhara, called theLand of Fate.[1] Thematically, the land of Zakhara is a blend of the historicalMuslim Caliphates, the stories of legend, and a wealth ofHollywood cinematic history. Zakhara is a peninsula on the continent ofFaerûn in the world ofToril, the locale of theForgotten Realms campaign setting, although Al-Qadim is designed to stand on its own or be added to any existing campaign setting.[2] The basic campaign setting was divided between two game products:Al-Qadim: Arabian Adventures, a sourcebook describing character creation rules, equipment, and spells unique to the setting, andAl-Qadim: Land of Fate, a boxed set describing the land of Zakhara, with separate sourcebooks for the players and theDungeon Master.[1]
The firstAl-Qadim product,Arabian Adventures, was released in 1992.[3]Arabian Adventures presents only the basic rules for playing a D&D game set in a general Arabian setting, much like theOriental Adventures book. The specific details of the setting are dealt with in later publications.
TheAl-Qadim setting was designed with a limited scope, and was intended as a two-year project that was extended one more year beyond that because of its popularity.[4]
Shannon Appelcline commented on Al-Qadim's 1992 release as "an Arabic setting that ended up placed in the southern Forgotten Realms. Like the other games of this period it had a strong artistic design, here overseen by Andria Hayday. The 'cultural book' as Grubb called it – trying to suggest that it was an Oriental Adventures like release, rather than a full-blown campaign – was well received. Grubb would later say that was because they had managed to hide the setting's potential from 'the suits'".[5]: 26
There are a number of important concepts to the Zakharan culture including honor, family, social station, purity, piety, and hospitality.
Zakharan society is broken into two main divisions:
Zakhara's society is made up mainly of humans, butdemihumans such aselves anddwarves are present in the setting as well, as well as humanoids such as orcs,goblinoids, andogres. Unlike most settings, there is practically no racial disharmony in Zakhara: humans, elves, and orcs alike share the same culture, lifestyle, and social status, and races traditionally considered evil savages, such asgoblins, are instead valued members of society. The nomadic Al-Badia are predominantly human, whereas the Al-Hadhar possess greater diversity. The nomads and city-dwellers, humans and non-humans alike are all united as a single culture under a single religion (a polytheisticpastiche ofIslam[6]) and as subjects of thecaliph; the entire continent is effectively a single empire, although different regions, city-states, and tribes have unique local cultures.
Not all inhabitants of Zakhara belong to the shared culture, however: there are many tribes of pagan human barbarians who reject the Law of the Loregiver and the worship of the Pantheon, and certain monstrous races—including the yuan-ti, the vile yak-men (or yikaria as they call themselves), and mostgiants—dwell apart in their own societies.
The people of Zakhara speak and write a common language calledMidani (represented byArabic).
Zakhara has a widevariety of gods, but all recognize the power of Fate, who may cast down the mightiest sultan or raise up the meanest beggar. None can agree on her nature, whether the mother of the gods or an elemental force, but all acknowledge her power. InDungeons & Dragons game terms, Fate is not given statistics, spells, or priesthoods as are most deities. This pantheon includes Hajama, Hakiyah, Haku, Jauhar, Jisan, Kor, Najm, Selan, and Zann, as well as local deities and demigods such as Bala, Ragarra, and Vataqatal.
In the distant past, a woman known only as the Loregiver penned the scrolls that clearly laid out the laws of the land, some say guided by the hand of Fate. The wisdom of this Lore was immediately recognized and became the basis of law in Zakhara. The vast majority of Al-Hadhar and most Al-Badia are Enlightened in the way of the Loregiver.
Player characters in the Al-Qadim setting can choose from any of a number of character types. Al-Qadim uses the concept of character kits, a more rigid layer atop the traditionalDungeons & Dragonscharacter classes. These kits are generally available to all characters, with certain restrictions based on the race of the character.
All standard races are present, includinghumans,elves,dwarves,half-elves,gnomes, andhalflings, although they do not suffer many of the racialprejudices traditional to most Dungeons & Dragons campaign settings. Non-human characters are rarer than they are in other traditional Dungeons & Dragons settings, including the rest of Toril. TheCity of Delights accessory suggests goblins, hobgoblins, kobolds, lizard men, ogres, half-ogres, orcs, and half-orcs as appropriate PC races as well.
Standardclasses allowed include all the classes from the player's handbook except specialtypriests (includingdruids) and specialistwizards.
Kits described in the core campaign setting are as follows:
Additional wizard kits are presented in the Complete Sha'ir's handbook, which include the Astrologer, Clockwork Mage, Digitalogist, Ghul Lord, Jackal, Mageweaver, Mystic of Nog, and Spellslayer.
Additional kits are presented in the "Scimitars Against the Dark" article inDragon #198. These include the Priest Defender (Priest) and Sungazer (Wizard). In addition, the Tomb Robber (Rogue) is adapted from the Burglar kit.
Al-Qadim had a number of support products released before the line came to an end. These include:
Accessories:
Boxed sets:
Adventure boxes:
Adventure module: