Religiously and politically motivated killers,
assassins often belong to the Kharti or Ismar sects,
though other groups are known to have assassins too.
They are not only masters of the silent kill, but also
of undermining the beliefs of the faithful, sowing
discord, and inspiring doubt. An assassin must be
resolute in faith, terrifying in action, and masterful in
rhetoric. Some assassins have rebelled against their
former comrades, and are hunted by those they once
served.
Beggar (streetwise scavenger)
Beggars are at the bottom rung of society, yet
everyone thinks twice before harming them. It might
be the Caliph in disguise after all! Or what if it is the
legendary Beggar King? Overall, most beggars fade
into the background, eking out a living on scraps and
charity. Above all else, the beggar dreams of making
it big some time and never having to beg again.
Corsair (sea pirate)
Masters of the sea, corsairs are a mixed
lot of privateers and pirates. While some scoundrels
follow the strictest code of honor, others are willing
to sell anyone into slavery for a bit of coin. A daring
combatant and legend on the high seas, the corsair is
often a hunted criminal, and just as often a dashing
heroine. She can’t be trusted farther than a knife’s
throw, but no one knows the ocean like she does.
Dervish (ascetic wanderer who performs miracles & healing)
An initiate in Sufi mysticism, the dervish walks a
sacred path called tariqah, experiencing union with
their god while one is alive. Sufism is the surrender to
their god over and over again, and the embrace of one’s
consciousness as gifts and manifestations of their god.
Some dervishes retreat from society to practice
asceticism, though just as many become political
activists. Dervishes give up many worldly belongings,
often becoming ascetics, in their quest for gnosis.
Desert Nomad (desert ranger)
Many nomads are Afghanar, but others are Brythtar,
Charisian, Hyconian, or Kelbian. You live at the mercy of fate,
enduring sand storms, eating a meager handful of dates,
and traveling distances that would make a city-person
crumble just to reach an oasis spring. In your eyes, the
true beauty of life is living beneath the celestial carpet of
the Almighty’s stars. Your people may be fully nomadic,
working the deep desert caravan routes, or they may
practice transhumance, traveling to lowland valleys with
their herds during summer and returning to their villages
in winter. Your tribal identity is essential to you, as
important as your own life if not more so.
Courtesan
Skilled in song, dance, poetry, debate, massage, and
the sexual art, you are a consummate companion.
You are a cut above the average prostitute, and
are often found in the company of courtly figures.
Indeed, you may have at one point been a harem
slave or worked at a brothel, but you have created
a new life for yourself, aspiring to greater power
and self-determination. Before you were a slave,
now you choose your suitors – Who knows what the
future holds?
Guard
Often, guards in Al-Greya belong to prestigious
military or police groups appointed to guard the palace,
the city, as a Eunuch for a harem, or as a Ghulam slave
bodyguard to a noble. At the bottom rung are the caravan
guards who are often youth who hardly know how to swing
a sword. The guard is a loyal professional who will go
down fighting if it means his charge stays safe.
Female Slave
You worked as a domestic servant, cleaning the house,
shopping at the souk, helping to raise the children of
your old household, and you may have been coerced
to act as a concubine. You have developed a shrewd
eye for detail.
Ghazi (basic fighter)
Literally, the term ghazi means “forgiver”, and that is
often the role that a ghazi takes, tempering formidable
violence with mercy and absolution. This holy warrior
is charged with defending the faith from foreign
nations. Ironically, the ghazi is often the first to oppose
the militant expansion of corrupt caliphs. She is a
thoughtful warrior who chooses battle as a last resort.
Sha’ir (spell caster)
The sha’ir (sha’ira) summons forth minor spirits to do his
bidding, often for accumulating personal power, but
sometimes for benevolent or even pious reasons. They
are often feared figures in various kingdoms, bartering
with djinn for mysterious reasons. Many sha’ir praise
Sulluk Alshemen as the first of their kind, and consider
their art to be of great religious significance.
Djinn-Touched (spell caster)
You are touched by magic. Perhaps you are the
grandchild of a beautiful peri who disguised herself
in human form to woo a handsome warrior. Perhaps
you were under a djinni’s enchantment for many
years and have only recently escaped. Or perhaps
you entered the wondrous land of Jinnistan and no
longer behave or age as other mortals. Whatever the
case, your presence is enchanting and perhaps a little
fearful.
Male Slave
You constructed bridges and government buildings,
worked in salt mines and sugar plantations, did other
hard labor, and may have been impressed into military
service. You have been near death many times.
Mamluk
While the officers of the Caliphs army might be nobles,
the cavalry are slaves from across the world and
beyond. The mamluks have their own culture, one in
which a person of any social status can rise to great
fame, eventually earning freedom. Mamluks belong
to specific hierarchies, identifying their leader and
allegiance with flags, emblazoned shields, and even
tattoos.
Soldier
You serve in the military of your province, defending the
borders of the Caliphate, and conducting raids against
enemy outposts, but more often you tend to more mundane
tasks. The digging of trenches, transport of military gear,
construction of forts, performing drills and parades – these
things occupy more of your time than combat. During
times of war you are hailed as a boon to the nation, during
times of peace scorned as a detested parasite on society.
Merchant
Straddling the fence of the law, the merchant walks a
delicate balance between usurer and pioneer. A skilled
merchant can sell water to a man in a fountain, and sand
to a man in the desert. Merchants motivate exploration
in their search for new markets, and if they spread
enlightenment at the same time, so much the better.
Mullah (religious and other academic knowledge)
Learned theologian, teacher, scholar, legal advocate – a
mullah is all these things. Holding a respected position
in his community as an authority on temporal and divine
law, the mullah often becomes involved in the religious
clerical hierarchy, and stands to advance to positions of
great power.
Lesser Noble
Lesser Al-Greya nobility includes the Sayyid (lord),
Sitt (lady), Faris (knight), Mu’allim (master), and
Qadi (judge). Such nobles are a mix of those who
have inherited their titles and those who have earned their
high status. Though they have fewer responsibilities than
other nobles, they also are less influential.
Performer
Al-Greyan society loves its performers, whether
they are poets reciting religious odes outside the
mosques, musicians performing at local coffee
houses and caravanserais, or tribal dancers exciting
crowds around a fire.
Physician
You stand at the forefront of Al-Greyan
medical knowledge. Studying at one of the prestigious
institutions of medicine, you returned to begin your
own practice. However, you find your practice is
beleaguered with charlatans, parochial clergy preaching
the power of faith over science, and entrenched barbers
trying to protect their careers. Confident in the powers
of reason and science, you have pressed ahead, blind
to the magic around the next corner.
Ruffian
Hafa and other cities of the Caliphate are no
stranger to the ayyarun – armed gangs of thugs. You
are (or were) such a ruffian, operating a protection
racket for your neighborhood, protecting them both
from corrupt police and rival gangs. Your vows of
brotherhood to your fellow rogues are stronger than
blood. You drink as you please, draw your knife when
the mood strikes you, and go out of your way to make
trouble for the authorities.
Sailor (fisherman or trasdesman of the sea)
Each voyage you swear is your last, but the sea calls
you back every time. Whether serving in a merchant
marine, on a fishing boat, exploring uncharted islands,
or seeking to make a fortune in trade, you spend more
time at sea than you do at your home port. You’re
salty, adventurous, and prone to exaggeration – all the
makings of a good captain…or a corsair.
Scientist/Alchemist
Your so-called “magic powers” are simply the result of
your understanding of natural phenomenon and their
connection to the human condition. You believe your
powers are scientific capabilities that anyone who applies
him or herself can learn. Your powers are not fatiguing
and cannot be targeted by other powers like Dispel or
Ward so long as you use them in a believable way that
is consistent with reason and logic. For example, you
could use Cure Disease if you had prepared an herbal
tea, but not by laying on hands.
Djinn Possessed Elementalist (spellcaster)
Referring to themselves with grand titles – “brother
of the north wind” or “lady of the ocean waves” –
djinn possessed elementalists are colorful characters, both
elitist and shamanic. Though these elementalists favor
wind-wracked mountaintops and other desolate areas, they are
often found in the desert tribes and cities of Al-Greya serving
princes and sheikhs while seeking out mystical
knowledge and hidding from Djinn Binders.
