TEXT: Introduction
  A land of howling wind, monstrous sand dunes, no standing water, and an ever-chang-
  ing landscape, the Great Dune Sea is widely regarded as a wasteland. Yet nomads make 
  their home on the outskirts, tending their flocks on the sparse vegetation of the desert and 
  eking a living as traders and guides. Within the dunes, so legends say, lie several ruined 
  cities, mostly covered in sand, but occasionally revealing their ancient buildings to the 
  curious. This supplement expands on material found in Hellfrost: Land of Fire. 
  OrIgIns Of the Dune sea
  Before –800, the area now encompassed by the Great Dune Sea was relatively flat des-
  ert. Meltwater from the Lizard Tail Mountains flowed into river channels, whereupon it was 
  channelled into qanats (subterranean tunnels used to carry water dozens of miles for use 
  in irrigation without it evaporating), and the oases permitted not only settlements, but the 
  building of great cities.
  That the wind rose suddenly in that year and has never ceased since has perplexed 
  sages down the centuries. For most, the fact that it occurred a mere one year before the 
  accepted date of the jinn’s arrival cannot be ignored. Oral tradition and a few surviving 
  records from before the jinn conquest clearly indicate cities stood in the desert, but there 
  are no indications these could have been a threat to the invaders. Surely so mighty a foe, 
  creatures which stormed through the densely populated Kingdom of Magor like locusts, 
  could have destroyed a handful of cities rather than electing to create a monstrous wind 
  to bury them. Thus the question as to who or what caused the birth of the wind, and the 
  subsequent growth of the Great Dune Sea, goes unanswered.
  A related question is where is all the sand that is slowly spreading outward coming 
  from? Surely, scholars argue, such a great wind would have left the core scoured clean 
  while building up the outer dunes. True, no explorers are known to have reached the 
  center of the sea, but even viewing deep into the region from a tall dune reveals naught 
  but dune after dune stretching into the distance. Of course, the true center is often con-
  cealed beneath sandstorms, and it may be that no explorer has traveled close enough to 
  the center to view whatever lies there.
  With these two questions in mind, savants believe that lurking in the center of the Great 
  Dune Sea is a gateway to the realm of the jinn, specifically those of the majin and kham-
  sin. Such a portal between realities would explain both phenomena, but until someone 
  reaches the dead center, explores thoroughly, and returns, it remains a hypothesis.
  35009
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  the great Dune sea
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  While this argument is popular among both Devoted 
  and Faithful, it is not the only one. One outlandish claim 
  holds that the citizens who once dwelt in the region 
  brought doom upon themselves, misusing a powerful 
  relic. Others insist the area contained something pow-
  erful the gods did not want the jinn to take possession 
  of, and thus made the region impassable. This argument 
  holds little water, since there is no clear historical evi-
  dence the region held anything of value, and even if it 
  were true, the jinn could likely have mustered enough 
  power to remove the sands.
  exploration
  Travel through the Great Dune Sea is arduous at best, 
  and fatal at worst. Walking, and sometimes crawling, 
  up the towering dunes is extremely fatiguing and time 
  consuming. Taking detours to remain on relatively flat 
  terrain, which occur infrequently, is little better, for it 
  greatly increases the distance one must walk to traverse 
  but a short way toward one’s destination.
  Shock sand, electrically charged areas of desert that 
  can release its static charge in a deadly burst of lightning 
  (see page 12), is a frequent problem. While there are 
  few natural predators, dune storms (see page 12) and 
  free khamsin and majin jinn exist here in larger numbers 
  than most anywhere else in Al-Shirkuh.
  Food and water are scarce, though an experienced 
  desert wanderer might strike it lucky on occasion. The 
  need to carry all one’s food and water adds a heavy bur-
  den for those without access to feast spells.
  coupled with the burning heat and lack of sustenance, 
  there is the constant wind. When it rages, the sun is ob-
  scured by great black clouds of choking sand for hours 
  on end, turning day into night. As one travels deeper 
  into the sea, so the likelihood of a sandstorm increases. 
  Since the wind always blows outward from the center, 
  this makes progress increasingly more difficult. Erecting 
  tents is a difficult chore, and one can rarely enjoy a good 
  night’s sleep out of fear of being buried in a storm.
  Because of the wind, the sand is driven into every 
  crack and crevice. No matter how well protected a traveler 
  might be, the fine particles work their way under robes 
  and armor, chafing the skin, leaving it red and sore.
  trade & tribute
  Blue Water Oasis sits on the Southern Trade Road, 
  the only overland link between the western cities of Al-
  Shirkuh, and part of the great highway that eventually 
  runs to distant Rassilon (by land and sea). The only per-
  manent watering hole between hulwan, city of Gardens, 
  and clearwater Oasis, Blue Water is also conveniently 
  located almost exactly halfway between the two distant 
  realms, something generations of rulers have used to 
  their advantage.
  Rather than travel the entire route, an epic journey 
  of some 2,000 miles, a great expense in terms of both 
  time and money, merchants from the Emirates and ca-
  liphate quickly began to see the oasis as a convenient 
  marketplace. here, merchants sell their cargoes to the 
  local nomadic tribes, who transport it on the next leg of 
  the journey, or directly to their foreign counterparts.
  While the population of the Great Dune Sea seems 
  high for such an arid and inhospitable region, most of 
  the tribes are scattered along the fringes or spend long 
  months moving up and down the trade road. however, 
  the Dune Sea is considered their homeland.
  Several times a year, the outlying tribes, rich with coin 
  and goods from having carried the goods of merchants, 
  send great trade camel trains to Blue Water. This mas-
  sive influx swells the population fivefold, bringing much 
  wealth to the sheikh, as well as many political problems. 
  in addition to trading wares, the tribes arrange marriages, 
  settle disputes, swap stories and gossip, and honor their 
  gods in mass ceremonies.
                        
  rules Of the realm
  These setting rules apply in the Great Dune Sea.
  * Air Magic: Within the dunes proper, attempts to 
  cast spells or miracles with an air trapping are made 
  at +1.
  * Tough Going: The strength of the wind, the steep 
  climbs, the constant rubbing of sand against skin, 
  and the soft sand on the flats make travel exhaust-
  ing. Each day, travelers must make a vigor roll to 
  avoid gaining a level of Fatigue. Treat this as Bumps 
  and Bruises. characters with the Sand Walker Edge 
  roll at +1, and those with the improved version at 
  +2.
  * Trade at the Oasis: Blue Water Oasis is an im-
  portant center of trade. it counts as a town for the 
  purposes of buying and selling goods. When a cara-
  van is present, or during the gathering of tribes, it 
  counts as a city.
  * Trade with the Nomads: There are no perma-
  nent settlements here, and few Bedu walk the land. 
  Trading opportunities are very few and far between. 
  When nomads are encountered, they are rarely in 
  the business of trading. Streetwise rolls to sell boo-
  ty suffer a –2 penalty. Even with success, the buyer 
  offers only 10% on a successful roll, with a raise in-
  creasing the value to 25%.
  * Wind: For every 20 miles the heroes travel toward 
  the center, draw a card from the action deck at the 
  start of each day. A black card means a sandstorm 
  strikes at some point during the day. Multiple black 
  cards mean the storm lasts for cumulative periods 
  (so drawing three black cards means the storm lasts 
  3d4+3 hours in total). With a Joker, the storm lasts 
  for 24 hours. When moving away from the center, 
  draw one less card each 20 miles they cover.
  land of fire realm guide #9
  
  
  Sheikh Akbar, an astute businessman, charges mer-
  chants a flat 1% tax on any transaction carried out at the 
  oasis, be it barter or for coin. While it is an added ex-
  pense merchants must work into their prices, it is a very 
  reasonable rate, and has done nothing to deter trade.
  major locales
  The Great Dune Sea is a turbulent area, its dunes 
  rolling like waves driven by the terrible wind that howls 
  from its core. Anything on the surface, be they dropped 
  items of little value or entire cities of ancient design, are 
  continually covered and uncovered. Somewhere beneath 
  the sands are numerous ruins.
  CIty Of the sun
  in days of yore, long before the arrival of the jinn, a 
  great city stood in the Great Dune Sea. Opinion is divided 
  between serious scholars and storytellers over its nature. 
  According to fanciful tales, designed to attract audi-
  ences and coin rather than reveal any hidden truth, every 
  inch of the city was covered in beaten gold, causing it to 
  shine like a beacon. The story ends on a typical down-
  beat moral note. So rich were the citizens, and so lured 
  by material wealth, that they turned away from the gods. 
  Angered as the temples were torn down to make way for 
  warehouses and treasuries, the gods caused the city to 
  be swallowed by the sand.
  it is these fanciful but popular tales that draw adven-
  turers into searching for the city, for the rewards on offer 
  are beyond the wildest imagination. While explorers 
  down the ages have claimed to have found the city, usu-
  ally by dint of uncovering a few gold coins or a golden 
  plate engraved with ancient texts lying in the constantly 
  shifting sands, the true city has yet to be unearthed.
  Scholars, on the other hand, believe the city took its 
  name from a magnificent temple of Shamash that domi-
  nated the city center. Gold was certainly found here in 
  great quantities, for the temple’s dome was covered in 
  gold panels to honor the god of the sun. One ancient 
  story says the hole in the center of the dome was filled 
  with a huge crystal, which magnified sunlight into an in-
  tense beam. This focused light served as the high altar.
  The end of the city, according to these enlightened 
  thinkers, came about not through greed, but by the 
  arrival of the jinn. however, here scholastic opinion is 
  split. Some claim Shamash buried the city, full as it was 
  of devout worshippers, so as to prevent the jinn from 
  despoiling it. A related story holds that such was the 
  citizens’ faith that Shamash took them into the heavens, 
  the city shining as a yellow star in the night sky. Others 
  follow the view of storytellers, claiming the citizens lost 
  their faith in favor of honoring the jinn as gods and were 
  punished. Those of more pessimistic nature say the city 
  was reduced to rubble by the jinn invaders, the treasures 
  taken away along with the inhabitants.
  the CraCklIng tOwer
  The location of this building, which lies close to the 
  center of the Great Dune Sea, is visible for dozens of 
  miles, not because of the structure’s height, but because 
  of the permanent lightning storm that rages in the skies 
  above. Below the boiling clouds, from which bolts of 
  electricity crash into the building with alarming regular-
  ity, the circular tower rises three stories from the sands. 
  how far it descends is unknown, but given the height 
  of the dunes in the area, the tower must be at least two 
  dozen stories tall.
  Reaching the tower is no mean feat, for the sands 
  for miles in all directions are deadly shock sand. Dune 
  storms roam the region, while monstrous air elementals 
  flit through the turbulent clouds and dance across the 
  charged sand. On rare occasions, storm dragons have 
  been seen frolicking amid the blue-white lightning, add-
  ing their own deadly discharge to the constant storm.
  Standing before those who survive the approach, the 
  tower rises from the sands like a blue, gently tapering 
  spike. The stones, cut to unusual shapes and slotted 
  together with unearthly precision like a gigantic three 
  dimensional jigsaw, are an unusual shade of blue. Touch-
  ing them can be fatal, for while much of the energy is 
  transferred into the interior of the building via a metal 
  spike that protrudes from the conical roof, some of it 
  is carried down the exterior face. No windows offer in-
  gress, and if there is a doorway, it is buried deep beneath 
  the crackling sand.
  common opinion regarding the tower is divided. 
  Some believe the structure was once home to a khamsin 
  noble, and the storm is a way of ensuring her privacy. 
  Others say the site is a prison for a khamsin jinni placed 
  here by Suleiman, the lightning, a product of the realm 
  new COmbat eDge
    DuneswImmer
  Requirements: Novice, Agility d6+, Strength d6+, 
  vigor d6+, Survival d6+
  Whether blessed by a majin jinn or Duamutef, or 
  trained in a secret technique, the character can sink 
  into and move through sand (and only sand).
  The Edge functions as the burrow power except the 
  character’s Pace is equal to his normal Pace (and he 
  cannot run) and he may remain submerged for a 
  number of rounds equal to his vigor die. After this, 
  he must make a vigor roll each round with a cu-
  mulative –1 penalty per round after the first. Each 
  failure adds a level of Fatigue. if incapacitated while 
  submerged, death occurs in a number of rounds 
  equal to half the victim’s vigor die. if someone can 
  get to the victim within five minutes of “death,” he 
  can be resuscitated with a healing roll at –4.
                      
  the great Dune sea
  
  
  of air, preventing it from escaping. And yet, those who 
  have visited the tower and listened intently between the 
  thunderous booms and loud crackling swear to have 
  heard faint noises from within. Some say they resembled 
  a monstrous heartbeat, slow but steady, while others in-
  sist it was the rumble of immense gears and chains, like 
  those found on portcullises.
  GM’s Note: The tower’s width at the top is 18 yards, 
  extending to an impressive 60 yards at the unseen base. 
  internally, the tower is divided into 20 levels joined by a 
  circular stair. On each level, a circular walkway surrounds 
  a 6 yard wide shaft the runs the entire length of the tower. 
  No safety barrier prevents falling. The metal spike seen at 
  the top of the tower descends down the exact center of 
  the shaft. From the walkway, stretching back to the outer 
  wall of the tower, are numerous rooms and chambers. 
  When lightning strikes the top of the spike, the energy 
  hurtles down its length toward the tower’s base. Arcs of 
  deadly electricity shoot out toward any exposed metal 
  on the walkways. When the spike is charged, the interior 
  lights up with a brilliant blue-white light. Otherwise, it is 
  cast under a cloak of stygian darkness.
  Crypt Of the flamIng swOrD
  Many are the tales concerning Shihab ibn-Kalim and 
  his flaming sword. One of Suleiman’s closest friends, Shi-
  hab was a mighty warrior. After imprisoning an ifrit noble 
  in a scimitar, Suleiman gifted the blade to his lieutenant. 
  So armed, Shihab slew countless jinn, dragons, and gi-
  ants, as the stories attest, thus making the desert a safer 
  place for the liberated slaves. virtually every Bedu tribe 
  has a tale detailing how Shihab saved them from some 
  dire threat. Most storytellers agree that when Shihab 
  died, Suleiman had him buried in secret in the southern 
  foothills of the Lizard Tail Mountains (now technically 
  within the Great Dune Sea), for his ancestors had once 
  lived in the area. his flaming sword was entombed with 
  him, for no others were worthy to wield it.
  The story of the flaming sword makes for great enter-
  tainment, but explorers who take it at face value greatly 
  endanger their lives should they ever uncover the crypt. 
  in truth, the tale is much older than the era of Sulei-
  man. it came to be associated with the great prophet in 
  the decades after his death, when many existing stories 
  were reworked to include him. The crypt does exist, but 
  it houses no hero of old. Within its labyrinthine corridors 
  lies the withered corpse of a powerful magician. Born in 
  an age before the jinn invasion, when knowledge of mag-
  ic was far superior to that practised today, the sorcerer 
  was buried with several relics and many texts concerning 
  esoteric aspects of the magical arts.
  Afraid his tomb would be plundered, an act which 
  would rob him of power in the afterlife, the magician 
  enchanted a large number of scimitars using permanent 
  telekinesis and smite powers, the latter having a fire 
  trapping. Still animated, the true flaming swords after 
  which the tomb was named float through the corridors 
  and halls in search of thieves.
  ClerICs Of tamarnI
  Training: Although Tamarni has many aspects, 
  pleasure ranks highly. Movitiates are inducted into 
  the joys of alcohol, drugs, and sex, gifts granted 
  mortals by the gods to be enjoyed. Followers are 
  great believers in enjoying life, for as Suleiman him-
  self said, “One day your life will pass in front of your 
  eyes, so make it worth looking at.” But there is lit-
  tle joy in pleasure by oneself, and so novitiates are 
  taught to share. This is especially true of wealth—al-
  though money enables one to buy pleasure, there 
  is pleasure to be had is giving to the less fortunate. 
  As the popular saying goes, “The miser’s riches are 
  poverty and his kitchen is poor”—there’s no point 
  having money if you don’t spend it.
  Regardless of their favored aspect, all candidates 
  are expected to be stealthy—it helps when explor-
  ing ruins, hunting rats, and avoiding those who 
  think pleasure is a sin. Tests often involve creeping 
  up on the temple’s sacred cats and snatching their 
  favorite toy without altering the beast. Tests begin 
  with domestic breeds, and slowly work up to the 
  sacred lions and other big cats.
  Prayers: clerics appease their goddess by invoking 
  images of pleasure. For instance, a prayer might be-
  gin, “i stroke your belly so you might grace me” or 
  “Let my prayers be as wine to your lips.” When con-
  tent or feeling lucky, many followers actually purr 
  like a cat, something outsiders unused to the cult’s 
  ways find disconcerting. 
  Popular sayings center on topics such as the nu-
  ances of luck (“All sunshine makes a desert”), the 
  belief that positive action and seizing the moment 
  is better than relying solely on luck (“Wishing does 
  not make a poor man rich”), and enjoying oneself 
  while one can (“The day of happiness is short”).
  Adventures: Natural curiosity and the desire to in-
  crease their wealth makes clerics open to almost any 
  adventure, even if they are not under any orders. 
  Tomb-robbing is especially favored, since it gives 
  them a chance to plunder, explore new places, and 
  test their abilities. hunting vermin may not be es-
  pecially glorious or financially rewarding, but it is 
  something the cult specializes in; sooner or later a 
  cleric will be called upon to battle giant rats.
  Character Guidelines: The wildly varied nature 
  of the cult means there is no such thing as a typi-
  cal cleric. Those who favor exploration or thievery 
  should invest in Agility, Lockpicking, Notice, and 
  Stealth, with Thief a favored Edge. clerics seeking 
  pleasure or wealth are better off with Gambling and 
  Persuasion. Suitable Edges are those favoring cha-
  risma, as well as Rich. Luck is a popular Edge, good 
  fortune being one of the goddess’ many aspects. 
  clerics should avoid the Poor hindrance—poverty 
  is a major sin.
  land of fire realm guide #9
  
  
  the gOlDen pyramID
  The tale of the golden pyramid is beloved by storytell-
  ers and audiences alike, for it is a story of greed, betrayal, 
  murder, and vengeance.
  it begins in the days after hekata fell to ruin. Far to 
  the south there lay a small but powerful kingdom, a vas-
  sal state of that tainted kingdom and its withered rulers. 
  Long conquered, the rulers of that nation titled them-
  selves pharaohs and fashioned temples and tombs as 
  their royal masters had one done. Among the pharaohs 
  that governed here was a warlike and greedy ruler, whose 
  name history has forgotten. he conquered many lands in 
  the southern desert, demanding excessive tributes from 
  his subjects so as to ensure his treasury was always full. 
  The best items plundered or offered he placed to one 
  side, for they would form his personal burial goods.
  Although the pharaoh had a wife and young son, he 
  fell for a maiden offered him in lieu of tribute by a vassal 
  lord, eventually taking her as his second wife. history 
  records her name as Nefermeses, which in the hekatic 
  tongue means “one born of beauty.” And by all accounts 
  she was a creature of exquisite appearance. But whereas 
  her visage was fair, her heart was black, and full of lust 
  for the pharaoh’s fabulous wealth, which he shared with 
  no one.
  Fearful of tomb robbers, the mighty pharaoh ordered 
  that his pyramid must be impregnable. Architect after 
  architect offered up plans, but in each the lord saw a 
  fatal flaw. Eventually, a humble slave brought before him 
  a plan of devious cunning. While his tomb would include 
  many common features, such as traps and a labyrinth, 
  he planned to use the hydraulic power of sand to lower 
  huge stone blocks once pharaoh had been laid to rest. 
  With a single blow, the entire pyramid, save for the cen-
  tral crypt, would be completely encased in stone. The 
  great secret was known to but three individuals.
  While an army of slaves labored under the lash to 
  construct the edifice and pharaoh journeyed abroad to 
  further increase his wealth, Nefermeses plotted against 
  the pharaoh’s wife and heir. Through poisoned words, 
  seduction, and hollow promises, she had murdered 
  those who stood before her and the throne. Eventually 
  her greed got the better of her, for she could not resist 
  the lure of the great treasure, and she had the pharaoh 
  murdered on his return from campaign.
  The pharaoh had long suspected her hand in the 
  murder of his wife and son, and in secret had moved the 
  entire treasury into his tomb in preparation for his even-
  tual death. Nefermeses was distraught, for her scheming 
  has brought no financial reward. She invoked her claim 
  to the throne, demanding the royal wizir hand over the 
  gold and jewels. The wizir duly bowed, and with forced 
  politeness informed his new queen that she would be 
  allowed to claim the gold only once pharaoh’s body was 
  laid in its sarcophagus, a task she herself as successor 
  must achieve.
  Thus the ending of the story begins. unaware of the 
  cunning trap, Nefermeses, led by the wizir and a pha-
  lanx of priests who would journey to the afterlife with 
  their old lord, entered the pyramid. Fully aware of what 
  awaited, for he knew the secret of the pyramid, but un-
  afraid of death, the wizir handed Nefermeses a hammer 
  and told her to break open a clay seal, the act of which 
  would lower the huge granite lid over the mummified 
  corpse and thus complete her rise to full queen. With a 
  gleeful grin, she cracked the seal, causing the sands to 
  flow forth. Throughout the pyramid, the vast blocks slid 
  loudly into place, cutting off the exits and sealing the 
  treacherous queen in with the gold she so craved.
  it is said by the Bedu that her final scream still echoes 
  around the desert on still nights. The Bedu also believe 
  the queen still lives within the pyramid, a fell shade de-
  nied an afterlife by the gods, and forced to spend eternity 
  surrounded by her ill-gotten treasure.
  Of course, even if the pyramid could be located, 
  it would take an army of laborers many years to hack 
  through the stones to find the crypt. Burrow spells are 
  no use through stone, and teleporting blind would be 
  temples Of tamarnI
  As discussed in Land of Fire, Tamarni’s temples are 
  licentious dens of gambling, drink, drugs, sex, and 
  every other vice one can imagine (and some one 
  can’t). here a worshipper can indulge in almost any 
  pleasure he desires without fear of being arrested 
  for illegal or immoral behavior. Many also serve as 
  thieves’ dens, gathering places for spies and infor-
  mation brokers, and centers of black market activ-
  ity. And it’s all completely legal.
  While within the temple, patrons are protected by 
  religious tolerance laws. Thus, while the cult of 
  Shamash would dearly love to put an end to the 
  immoral behavior the cult propagates, it has no ju-
  risdiction over another cult, for only iblis and his 
  subservient minor gods are enemies of the people. 
  Anyway, trying to close the temples would be next 
  to impossible, for many of the high and mighty citi-
  zens of the caliphate and Emirates frequent the cat 
  goddess’ temples on occasion.
  This is not to say the temples are lawless places. 
  Acts of theft and violence within the temple are 
  strictly forbidden. Any behavior which interferes 
  with the enjoyment of others, such as making exces-
  sive noise or being insulting to fellow worshippers, 
  is also prohibited.
  Offenders are dealt with by paladins honoring Tam-
  arni’s aspect as protector of the home. After a beat-
  ing, perpetrators are stripped naked and thrown 
  into a room full of angry cats. This is usually enough 
  to deter repeat behavior, but those who cannot con-
  trol their urges face being arrested and tried. Like 
  all cults, it has the right to carry out any penalty 
  befitting the crime, up to and including the death 
  penalty (mauled by temple lions).
  the great Dune sea
  
  
  extremely dangerous. There is also the possible matter 
  of the angry shade awaiting those who do reach the 
  treasure.
  the hangIng garDens
  Not every tale involving buried cities revolves around 
  fabulous wealth. Some 50 years ago, a nomadic hunting 
  party stumbled across a fresh body. clutched in man’s 
  hand was a hastily written scroll, upon which the man 
  had written of a wonder he has seen with his own eyes 
  while within the Great Dune Sea.
  his tale told of a colossal wall, 40 feet high and 30 
  feet wide, which surrounded an enclosure of 10 square 
  miles. Within were many stepped structures, artificial 
  terraces held aloft on forests of thick columns. Staircases 
  allowed access to the upper levels, while thin walkways 
  supported on elegant arches covered in climbing plants 
  permitted travel between terraces of similar height.
  Built around an oasis, water was carried to the up-
  per levels by means of magic of unknown origin, which 
  dragged leather sacks up shafts and emptied the water 
  into great cisterns placed atop the highest terraces. Af-
  ter irrigating the upper level, the water trickled down 
  to the lower levels by means of artificial waterfalls and 
  concealed channels. Rather than being built on sand, the 
  entire gardens stood on flagstones sealed with molten 
  lead. Narrow channels carried excess water back to the 
  oasis, preventing the sand from devouring it.
  The garden was, so told in the written account, as 
  richly decorated as the grandest palace of the richest 
  king. The columns were worked to resemble noble ani-
  mals, while the facing of the terraces was worked with 
  images of birds and beasts. upon the terraces grew trees 
  and plants of every kind known to man, their roots sunk 
  into fertile soil dragged across the desert from the banks 
  of some long-dried river. The text supposedly went on 
  to describe the scores of plant species found here, but 
  little knowledge of these survives in the stories repeated 
  by the Bedu tribes. The scroll ended with the explorer’s 
  party being engulfed in a sandstorm. Bereft of water, the 
  lone survivor used his last strength to record his won-
  drous find as he staggered toward the oasis.
  While the Bedu oft repeat the story to amuse guests, 
  they place no veracity in the existence of the hanging 
  Gardens, for the great dunes would have concealed such 
  a site centuries ago. in their opinion, the man was suf-
  fering from heat stroke, and his story was naught but 
  a memory of distant hulwan, city of Gardens, and its 
  Floating Gardens. What became of the scroll is unknown, 
  for the Bedu do not prize written texts. 
  The gardens are very real. Protected by some power-
  ful enchantment, they have resisted the advance of the 
  sands, which now lap at the top of the walls, giving the 
  impression the gardens sit in some natural depression.
  clerics of Ashtart located in hulwan, city of Gardens, 
  have spent years researching the story, for Suleiman of-
  ten spoke of creating a paradise in the desert, and the 
  description does indeed closely match that of the city’s 
  Floating Gardens. could the latter have been copied from 
  an earlier design drawn by the hand of the great prophet 
  or based on actual visits to the hanging Gardens? until 
  a thorough examination of the site is conducted, who 
  built the gardens and for what purpose must remain yet 
  another mystery of the desert.
  JInn OutpOsts
  While the wind sometimes blankets the trade road 
  in sand, the dunes are, at present, many miles from en-
  gulfing the route save in the extreme northwest. Dotted 
  along the eastern fringe of the well-traveled route are 
  numerous structures. Raised by the jinn, they served as 
  outposts marking the end of jinn hegemony and the start 
  of the free lands of old.
  constructed from massive stone blocks cut by majin 
  jinn in distant quarries, transported to the sites by armies 
  of slaves, and raised into position by khamsin jinn, the 
  edifices are impressive monuments to the awesome 
  power of the alien invaders. viewed from the desert, they 
  appear to be carved from a single block of stone, for no 
  mortar or joins are visible. To prevent cracks forming, 
  ifrits used their fiery heat to melt the stones, giving them 
  a smooth finish. Only on the inside are joins between 
  individual blocks visible, for the jinn cared little about 
  aesthetics in functional structures.
  festIval tO tamarnI
    Cat Day
  Amt Yaus al-Niwt Baot Alak Arkhet
  On good days, cats purr softly and curl up on laps, 
  drive away vermin, and entertain children with 
  their playful antics. Yet they can also be destructive, 
  use the house as a toilet, drag in dead (or half-dead 
  or alive) animals, yowl all night, and hiss, bite, and 
  scratch. As with luck, owning a cat is a mixture of 
  good and bad fortune.
  Worshippers spend this day pampering their pet 
  cats, offering them expensive sweetmeats, grooming 
  and washing them, stroking their fur, rubbing their 
  bellies, and scratching their ears in the hope they 
  will be well-behaved over the next year. Some even 
  go so far as to give up their beds to their cats for 
  the night. Many citizens buy bags of treats, throw-
  ing one to any cat who crosses their path, for any of 
  them might be a servant of Tamarni in mortal guise. 
  Stroking a cat brings short-term good fortune, so 
  citizens try to stroke as many as possible.
  harming a cat in any way, including scolding it, also 
  brings exceptionally bad luck. in the short-term, it 
  may bring a thump from a cleric, for they are abroad 
  in great numbers tending to the needs of the cities’ 
  many strays.
  land of fire realm guide #9
  
  
  The outposts vary in design. Some are tall, square 
  towers with flat roofs standing inside a courtyard encom-
  passed by a defensive wall. Others contain several single 
  story buildings. Most had cellars, and in many cases 
  these form sprawling labyrinths of corridors and cham-
  bers running deep beneath the sand. Those outposts 
  intended to hold slaves had wells excavated (jinn do eat 
  and drink, but it is not a requirement for life). Many of 
  these have dried up, but a few still contain water reach-
  able after excavating the hardened layer of sand that has 
  formed on the surface.
  Although the outposts make for ideal fortified resting 
  places, few caravans are brave enough to make use of 
  them. Suleiman never journeyed this far, and most mer-
  chants and nomads believe rogue jinn still inhabit the 
  ruins. in some cases they are right, but most are empty, 
  their halls echoing only to the footsteps of curious, fool-
  hardy, or brave explorers searching for ancient records 
  or abandoned relics of the mighty race.
  At least one outpost, located ten miles east of the trade 
  road near the start of the dunes, is in the hands of an orc 
  tribe. Frequent raiders of lightly guarded caravans, they 
  have survived only because the nomads refuse to travel 
  near to the building.
  serenDIb
  The name of Serendib, the Glittering city, has survived 
  the passage of time by dint that it is a comparative recent 
  construction, at least when compared to other ruins in 
  the Great Dune Sea. 
  The reason for its survival is purely down to it being a 
  jinn city, and thus it was populated by the ancestors of the 
  modern citizens of Al-Shirkuh and survived in their early 
  oral stories. constructed using jinn magic, Serendib lay 
  in the northeast of the region, and was finally consumed 
  by sand only in the last century.
  here, cargoes of precious stones mined in the Lizard 
  Tail Mountains were brought for cutting and polishing 
  before being sent to the jinn homeland further north. 
  When news of Suleiman’s rebellion reached the distant 
  city, the jinni overlord, reputedly a majin, ordered the 
  entire population of slaves expelled rather than killed, as 
  some of his peers elsewhere had done. Storytellers claim 
  his move proved prudent, for when Suleiman heard the 
  story he granted the jinn clemency.
  By all accounts, Suleiman demanded the jinn hand 
  over the gems stored in the city as recompense for the 
  suffering his people had inflicted. No fool, the jinn com-
  plied immediately. however, he neglected to include the 
  polished stones stored in vaults beneath the city, for he 
  took Suleiman at his literal word rather than the spirit 
  of his decree. Alas, Suleiman was not called the Wise for 
  nothing, and thrice he asked the creature if it had handed 
  over all the gems. Thrice it replied in the affirmative.
  As punishment, Suleiman bound the jinn into a large 
  diamond, which he then placed in the vaults. here the 
  jinn, whom Suleiman judged greedy, would be able to 
  stare at his stockpile until the sands of time ran out.
  Although the surface portions of the city was plun-
  dered before the sands encroached, the vaults have yet to 
  be discovered and looted. Storytellers warn against such 
  action, despite the rewards it would bring, for touching 
  the wrong gem could release the jinni, a creature who, 
  after five centuries of imprisonment, is likely to bare 
  more than a passing grudge against mortals.
  the sIlent CIty
  Another lost city swallowed by dunes, the Silent city 
  takes its name from the belief the citizens were cursed 
  by iblis. The emir was a greedy man, and in his lust for 
  wealth made a deal with iblis. in return for unimaginable 
  wealth, iblis said he would claim the soul of every citizen 
  on the eve that a day passed without someone in the city 
  uttering a single scream. Believing himself the cleverer 
  of the two, the emir ensured that just before each dusk a 
  citizen chosen at random was tortured mercilessly until 
  he screamed. Being a young man of good health, this 
  practise continued for over 70 years, resulting in over 
  29,000 innocent souls tortured.
  One day, an enemy army approached the city. The 
  sentries tried to call out an alarm, but no sound came 
  forth, They tried ringing the great alarm bell, but it failed 
  to toll. unable to mount any defense, and with their 
  festIval tO tamarnI
    luCk Day
  Anshi Yaus al-Niwt Alak Neteru
  Tamarni is a fickle mistress, blessing and cursing 
  mortals in equal measure. it is said that each time 
  a mortal takes an action where luck might play a 
  part, Tamarni flips a coin drawn at random from a 
  pouch. Such is her wealth, that the goddess keeps 
  one pouch for every mortal. One side of the coin 
  is engraved with the image of a cat, the other a rat 
  (one of iblis’ many symbols). if the cat lands face 
  up, then good luck will fall upon the mortal. The 
  vermin gazing upward spells misfortune.
  in order to weigh the odds in their favor, mortals 
  sacrifice special coins stamped with two cats. These 
  are available from all temples of Tamarni at a cost of 
  10 dinars apiece. The coins have no intrinsic value, 
  being of base metal painted in gold-colored paint, 
  and are not legal tender. Some citizens offer these 
  up to the goddess by placing them in a cat’s basket. 
  Should the animal voluntarily curl up on the coin 
  before the next dawn, then the supplication has 
  been successful and the coin added to Tamarni’s 
  pouch. Once accepted, the coin is destroyed—ac-
  cording to the cult, attempting to use the same coin 
  more than once actually creates a vermin-headed 
  coin in the purse.
  the great Dune sea
  
  
  gates wide open, the entire city was put to the sword, 
  their death screams heard only in the Bottomless Pit, 
  where iblis rejoiced at their beautiful cacophony. Since 
  that fateful day, it has been impossible to produce any 
  sound in the accursed city.
  persons of note
  The dunes may be a desolate wasteland, but the sur-
  rounding land is home to many nomads. A few of those 
  that may help or hinder the heroes are detailed below.
  awaD Ibn-huDhafah
  Gruff, blunt, and not one to suffer fools gladly, Awad 
  is a frequent visitor to Blue Water Oasis. he visits several 
  times a year to trade pelts, teeth, and occasionally a small 
  trinket for provisions before disappearing back into the 
  desert. Most denizens of the oasis give him a wide berth, 
  partly because of his temperament and partly because 
  they believe he is completely insane.
  Awad’s left leg is missing below the knee, replaced 
  with a stump carved from sand worm bone. in return for 
  filling his waterskin, Awad tells any one willing to spare 
  the time how a monstrous sand worm with scales of 
  purest white burst through the sand of the Great Dune 
  Sea while he was hunting and snatched him up in its 
  colossal teeth. Fortunately, the creature’s aim was poor, 
  and Awad escaped with just a severed leg. he vowed to 
  get revenge for his mutilation. he actively seeks support 
  for his quest, offering his hunting partners they can keep 
  whatever they find inside the creature’s gut. Many have 
  traveled into the wastes with Awad in search of his white 
  sand worm, but few ever return.
  tOutak the vulture
  A frequent visitor to Blue Water Oasis, Toutak is a 
  sand goblin ushabti mage. A notorious petty thief and 
  scavenger (hence his nickname), he lurks around visit-
  ing caravans, ever hopefully of stealing a few scraps of 
  metal or wood. Once he has collected as much as he can 
  carry, he slinks away into the desert. he may be gone for 
  weeks or months, but he always returns. No one knows 
  what the goblin is doing, and to be honest, no one really 
  cares. Jokes abound that he is trying to open a bazaar or 
  sells the items to gullible travelers as antiques uncovered 
  from the shifting dunes.
  For all the perceived flaws of his race, Toutak is a 
  skilled golem creator. he has the unsettling habit of mut-
  tering to himself about his “machine.” One night, after 
  imbibing too much date wine, he had a fantastic dream in 
  which he was sat inside a colossal golem that could bur-
  row beneath the sand. On waking, Toutak realized that 
  if he could construct such a golem, the shifting dunes of 
  the desert would be no obstacle to him uncovering lost 
  cities and their fabulous wealth. Lacking the funds to buy 
  the components he needs, Toutak has spent the last ten 
  years scavenging for supplies.
  his golem is located on the edge of the dunes, in a 
  ruined caravanserai. it resembles a gigantic crab with 
  wooden legs and huge metal scoops in place of claws. 
  The golem is ugly, crudely patched together from flat-
  tened pots and pans held in place with leather straps and 
  nails made from scraps of metal. unlike other golems, 
  Toutak’s creation requires manual input through a 
  complex series of levers to function effectively. Despite 
  a decade of work, he still requires 5,000 dinars worth 
  of materials and many months of hard labor to finish 
  his project. What he really needs is an investor (stealing 
  roughly 100 dinars worth of metal each visit is not help-
  ing productivity). 
  unfortunately, Toutak is paranoid that his device 
  would be stolen if others knew its purpose. Thus, he at-
  tempts to court investors with tall stories about uncover-
  ing a lost city. Fully aware of how much money he could 
  earn with his golem, he is prepared to offer potential 
  investors a return of five-to-one on their investment.
  unCle nasIm
  An elderly Bedu and minor merchant, Nasim, who ev-
  eryone calls uncle out of respect, controls the black mar-
  ket at Blue Water Oasis. he demands a hefty cut of any 
  illicit trade, but in return offers genuine protection from 
  the authorities. Those who cross him are usually found 
  dead in the desert soon afterward. Nasim never does his 
  own dirty work—he has a gang of loyal cutthroats more 
  than willing to carry out his orders.
                        
  festIval tO tamarnI
    seCrets Day
  Amt Yaus al-Niwt Alak Neteru
  Any mortal who has interacted with a cat is fully 
  aware of its enigmatic look, the appearance of a be-
  ing that knows something others do not. When a 
  cat has such a look, it is said to have “the face of 
  hemsut,” the minor god of secrets (p. 10).
  On this day in the holy month, worshippers and 
  those with a burden they cannot share with other 
  mortals but feel they must get off their chest, at-
  tend the local temple of Tamarni. For a donation of 
  five dinars, the citizen is permitted to whisper his 
  secret into the ears of one of the many temple cats 
  that laze around the building. if the cat responds 
  with that knowing look or blinks, then Tamarni 
  has heard the plaintiff’s secret and will ensure it is 
  kept safe from prying eyes and ears for the coming 
  year. if the cat yawns, licks itself, or otherwise looks 
  bored, then the secret will be revealed to others be-
  fore the year is out, for Tamarni has already heard 
  the information.
  land of fire realm guide #9
  
  
  wInDy baDI
  A resident of Blue Water Oasis and a cleric of upuaut, 
  Windy Badi takes his nickname from his chronic flatulence, 
  the result of a greater khamsin’s curse for failing to prop-
  erly flatter the vain creature. Badi earns a good living selling 
  alchemical devices to visitors and nomads alike, but these 
  too are affected by his curse. Most times users note no ill 
  effects, but in times of stress, they are rendered stunned by 
  bouts of extreme and especially potent flatulence.
  in game terms, any time a character subjected to a 
  spell from one of Badi’s devices draws a deuce as his 
  first action card in a round, he is automatically Shaken at 
  the start of that round, before any actions are taken. in 
  potentially stressful social situations, such as meeting an 
  important dignitary, the GM should draw a single card. A 
  deuce means the hero is beset by flatulence. he suffers a 
  –2 charisma penalty for the duration of the scene.
  gods & monsters
  These section details three minor deities tied to the 
  cult of Tamarni, two creatures, and two hazards.
  ashnanI
  Titles: The Stealthy One, Purveyor of Fine Goods, 
  collector of Wealth.
  Aspects: Thieves.
  Affiliation: Tamarni.
  Symbol: A key.
  Priesthood: Thief Lords (priests); Thief Swords 
  (paladins).
  Herald: None.
  Holy Days: Tamith Yaus al-Niwt of each month is a 
  holy day. Any day the cleric steals and sacrifices an object 
  is a personal high holy day.
  Duties: To acquire wealth for Ashnani through lar-
  ceny, to defeat any security system.
  Sins: (Minor) being robbed, being caught committing 
  a crime, failure to steal and sacrifice an object of at least 
  100 dinar value once a month; (Major) running out of 
  money, failing to steal and sacrifice an item worth at least 
  500 dinar once per season; (Mortal) failing to steal and 
  sacrifice an item worth at least 1000 dinar once per year. 
  Signature Power: Boost/lower trait (climbing, No-
  tice, Lockpicking, Stealth).
  Powers: Detect (no conceal), invisibility, lock/un-
  lock, speed, teleport, wall walker.
  Trappings: Any except necromancy, though trappings 
  rarely have any physical effects.
  Ashnani, a daughter of Tamarni and qedeshet, quickly 
  developed a taste for material wealth. unlike her father, 
  Ashnani had no desire to work for a living, considering 
  the rewards too small for the effort required. She also 
  questioned the wisdom of having to spend shiny gold 
  coins in order to buy other objects, since all that did was 
  trade one form of wealth for another of equal value. in-
  stead, she turned to thievery, using her natural grace and 
  stealth to sneak into the gods’ homes and relieve them 
  of their valuables.
  unlike her mother and many siblings, Ashnani has no 
  tail. According to popular legend, she made the mistake 
  of trying to rob Shamash’s celestial palace. Ever vigilant, 
  the sun god caught the feline thief and cut off her tail 
  as punishment. Since then, the two deities have become 
  rivals. Shamash’s richly adorned temples are primary 
  targets for Ashnani’s mortal agents. it is further said that 
  Shamash vowed to cut off one of her paws next time he 
  caught her stealing. it is from this threat that the mortal 
  punishment of cutting off thieves’ hands stems (men 
  having no tails), or so storytellers say.
  unlike many minor deities, Ashnani has temples. 
  These are usually the headquarters of a thieves’ guild, 
  and are located in secret places, often in basements or 
  disused buildings. Rich citizens may possess a small 
  shrine to the goddess. here they offer token sacrifices 
  of coins (which are then given to the local temple of 
  Tamarni as a donation) in the vain hope the goddess will 
  not steal any further wealth. in art, Ashnani is shown as 
  a tailless cat clutching a key in her paws. Many statues 
  show her curled up contentedly on a bed of coins.
  Both priests and paladins are thieves. in general, 
  priests operate in the cities, stealing from rich citizens’ 
                         
  festIval tO tamarnI
    temperanCe Day
  Tamith Yaus al-Niwt of each month
  Frequently exposed to all manner of physical, men-
  tal, and spiritual stimuli, clerics may become desen-
  sitized or blasé. in order to ensure this does not 
  happen, Tamarni demands her followers abstain 
  from taking any form of pleasure on the first Day 
  of house of each month. Tabac, sex, drugs, coffee, 
  alcohol, and other such stimuli must be avoided, 
  gambling is prohibited, as are acts of generosity, 
  and even food must be kept bland to avoid giving 
  any form of pleasure. Refusing to enjoy a pleasure 
  is not considered a sin on this day. instead, engag-
  ing in pleasurable activities become sinful (the GM 
  should determine the level of sin based on the level 
  of pleasure the act likely incurs).
  The day does not just affect sentient begins. cats, 
  as servants of Tamarni, must abstain from pleasure. 
  Since cats are prone to idle curiosity, their owners 
  must help them avoid accidental pleasurable acts. 
  Typically, the animal is placed in a small box with 
  enough food and water to last the day. Many cats 
  take this imprisonment with apparent good grace, 
  but many owners claim there is a mischievous twin-
  kle in their eye.
  the great Dune sea
  9
  
  homes, while paladins focus on heavily-guarded build-
  ings and trap-laden tombs. Few clerics ever operate as 
  brigands or bandits—Ashnani is the goddess of stealthy 
  thieves, not thugs and murderers.
  Although widely persecuted by the authorities, who 
  see the cult as nothing more than a thieves’ guild, clerics 
  can earn honest money as security advisors for temples, 
  rich citizens, and businesses. instead of accepting a 
  normal payment, clerics haggle for the right to steal one 
  item of an agreed value. This allows them to fulfil both 
  the cult’s goals in one act. if he is successful, the thief 
  keeps his reward, so long as he points out the weakness 
  in the client’s security so that it may be improved. A wise 
  cleric never highlights every flaw, as doing so prohibits 
  repeat work. if unsuccessful, he goes unrewarded and 
  likely sins for being caught in the act of committing a 
  crime. it is considered very bad form to steal any other 
  wealth from a client during such work, as this tarnishes 
  the cult’s name even further.
  ceremonies involve the destruction of stolen objects. 
  The nature of the destruction depends on the object. 
  Metal goods are melted down and impurities added to 
  prevent the thief still benefiting from the offering, paper 
  is burned, ceramics smashed, and so on. The destruction 
  of wealth in the mortal world causes the object to appear 
  in Ashnani’s secret palace.
  Character Guidelines: As thieves, Agility is the 
  clergy’s primary attribute. For skills, Lockpicking and 
  Stealth are the first obvious choices, with climbing and 
  Notice close behind. The Thief Edge is a natural choice 
  for all clerics, as is Guild Thief for those who want to ex-
  cel at one aspect of their craft. Those who want to avoid 
  unnecessary combats should consider the Fleet Footed, 
  Fighting Withdrawal, and Lurker Edges.
  hemsut
  Titles: The Enigmatic One, he Who Knows All, Finder 
  of Secrets, he Who Listens but Never Speaks.
  Aspects: Secrets.
  Affiliation: Tamarni.
  Symbol: A triangle with a oval inside (symbolizing a 
  cat’s ear and eye).
  Priesthood: Ears of hemsut (priests); Eyes of hem-
  sut (paladins).
  Herald: None.
  Holy Days: Every cleric must pick one Yaus al-Sesht 
  each month to serve as a personal holy day. Secrets Day 
  (p. 8) is a high holy day.
  Duties: To learn secrets.
  Sins: (Minor) failing to learn a secret each month, 
  engaging in idle gossip; (Major) failure to reveal a secret 
  to hemsut, revealing you are a cleric of hemsut; (Mortal) 
  revealing a secret before the next holy day.
  Signature Power: Speak language.
  Powers: Altered senses, boost/lower trait (Spirit, 
  investigation, Notice, Persuasion, and Streetwise only), 
  charismatic aura, detect (no conceal), gravespeak, in-
  sight, voice on the wind, wandering senses.
  Trappings: None with game mechanics. hemsut’s 
  clergy try to avoid drawing attention to themselves.
  The son of Tamarni and qedeshet, hemsut was a kit-
  ten of immense curiosity. One day, he wandered into ib-
  lis lair, where the fell god was plotting against the other 
  deities. hiding in the shadows, hemsut overheard iblis 
  muttering a great and terrible secret. Suddenly filled with 
  feelings he had never experienced before, hemsut real-
  ized that learning secrets was a source of intense plea-
  sure. Knowing that if he shared this secret he would lose 
  the sensation, hemsut never revealed what he learned. 
  critics of the faith claim the young god overheard iblis’ 
  plans to war on the gods, and that his refusal to reveal 
  what he overheard led to untold death and chaos.
  Officially, hemsut has no temples or shrines, but they 
  may exist. As a god of secrets, he is unlikely to reveal the 
  location of such structures, even to his mortal worship-
  pers. Given that his clergy are forbidden from revealing 
  their allegiance, they are a lonely sect.
  hemsut, and thus his cult, is concerned only with 
  learning secrets. how clerics learn secrets is up to their 
  individual nature. Priests are typically silver-tongued 
  souls, capable of loosening tongues with well-placed 
  words or financial incentives, though more than a few 
  act as personal confessors. Paladins prefer a more physi-
  cal approach, often uncovering written information kept 
  in secure vaults or the ancient secrets of lost cultures 
  now residing in abandoned ruins.
  hemsut gains great pleasure from learning new se-
  crets, but his passion is fleeting and he desires more and 
  more secrets. Between learning secret information and 
  the next holy day, the cleric is forbidden from revealing 
  what they have learned to others. Once hemsut has 
  learned the secret, the cleric is free to do with it as he 
  wishes. Some sell the information to the highest bidder, 
  others pass it on freely to others, while unscrupulous 
  types blackmail those they learned the secret from.
  A faction within the cult, known as the Keepers of Se-
  crets, have taken a more disturbing stance. in their creed, 
  a secret is in danger of becoming knowledge unless steps 
  are taken to destroy or conceal it completely. considered 
  heretics by the main cult, they actively engage in the as-
  sassination of those who reveal secret information, and 
  wilfully destroy written information, an act which makes 
  them enemies of qedeshet’s cult as well. Of course, the 
  followers of this creed consider themselves the only ones 
  capable of keeping a secret.
  ceremonies are simple affairs and are held only on 
  holy and high holy days. clerics write down secrets 
  they have uncovered since the last ceremony on scrolls. 
  These are then burned. The smoke carries the secret to 
  hemsut, who revels in the pleasure it brings.
  Character Guidelines: Social interaction, an eye 
  for detail, and an attentive nature are vital abilities for 
  hemsut’s clergy. investigation, Notice, Persuasion, and 
  Streetwise are all core skills for those wishing to unlock 
  secrets. Lockpicking and Stealth are handy for spies, and 
  climbing has its uses. Spirit is important for resisting 
  attempts to wheedle, pressure, or torture secrets from 
  land of fire realm guide #9
  10
  
  the cleric. charismatic and investigator Edges are useful 
  for boosting one’s abilities, and many clerics have the 
  curious hindrance.
  sekhmet
  Titles: Rodent Killer, The claws of Tamarni, Ferocious 
  One, She Who Snarls and Spits.
  Aspects: Rodent extermination.
  Affiliation: Tamarni, Ashtart.
  Symbol: A stylized cat’s head with a rat’s tail dangling 
  from its mouth.
  Priesthood: claws (priests); Teeth (paladins).
  Herald: None.
  Holy Days: vermin Killing Day (p. 11) is a high holy 
  day. Each Yaus al-Niwt is a holy day.
  Duties: To kill vermin.
  Sins: (Minor) not owning a mousing or ratting cat for 
  more than a week, harming or mistreating a mouser or 
  ratter, killing a mouse or rat with a non-melee weapon; 
  (Major) letting a rat or mouse live, using poison; (Mor-
  tal) allowing mice or rats to destroy a granary.
  Signature Power: Beast friend (cats only).
  Powers: Boost/lower trait (vigor, Fighting, Notice, 
  and Stealth only), detect (mice and rats only; no con-
  ceal), fear (only affects mice and rats), shape change (cat 
  only), smite, summon beast (cats only), warding (mice 
  and rats only).
  Trappings: Trappings always relate to cats. Smite may 
  cause the cleric to grow claws or cause jagged teeth to 
  cover a weapon, while fear might summon a spectral cat 
  to put the fear of Tamarni into vermin.
  Special: clerics may take the Disciple of Tamarni 
  Edge, but must be veteran Rank.
  The offspring of a union between of Tamarni and 
  Karmelos, Sekhmet possessed a violent streak unlike any 
  of her siblings. None of the gods could tame the near-
  feral beast, and even the mighty god of war went away 
  nursing numerous scratches and bites. Summoning all 
  her children to help her rid Ashtart’s granary of rats, 
  Sekhmet proved a natural killer. Realizing that the de-
  struction of vermin would be a constant chore, Tamarni 
  promptly promoted her warlike daughter to goddess of 
  vermin slaying.
  A rarity among the minor deities, Sekhmet has tem-
  ples dedicated solely to her worship in every caliphate 
  city, many towns, and a few villages. She is also popular 
  in the Emirates. Temples serve as the headquarters for 
  rat catching guild, and thus operate as much as a busi-
  ness as a center of worship. Whereas Tamarni’s temple 
  cats enjoy a good rub from worshippers, those living 
  in Sekhmet’s houses are feral creatures, and stroked 
  at one’s peril. Many citizens believe having one of the 
  beasts draw blood is a bad omen, requiring a small dona-
  tion to the cult lest rodents infest their home.
  Shrines, usually no more than a stone inscribed with 
  the goddess’ holy symbol or a statuette, are found in crop 
  fields and outside granaries in all Faithful settlements. 
  The underside of entrances to sewers and the doors of 
  citizens’ cellars and larders are often marked with the 
  glyph as a warning to rodents.
  Sekhmet is depicted in statuary as a snarling cat with 
  her front claws extended. usually she is surrounded by 
  images of dead rats, though in many temples dead ro-
  dents are actually laid at the statues’ feet as offerings. in 
  temples of Ashtart and Tamarni, she is shown as a feral 
  kitten toying with a dead rodent.
  By tradition, priests handle infestations of mice, while 
  paladins hunt rats. Despite being clerics and a necessary 
  part of society, Sekhmet’s clergy are very much viewed as 
  lower class citizens. They rank among the mushaf, rather 
  festIval tO tamarnI
    vermIn kIllIng Day
  Varies
  Tamarni was curled up beside the fire, enjoying 
  a long nap, when Ashtart rushed into her house. 
  “There are rats in the granary!” Ashtart exclaimed. 
  Tamarni opened one eye, said she did not eat grain, 
  thus the matter was of no concern to her. Ashtart 
  said that if there was no food, then no one would 
  have the energy to stroke Tamarni. The cat goddess 
  opened both eyes, and said she knew many forms 
  of pleasure, thus the matter was of no concern to 
  her. Ashtart spoke a third time, claiming she knew a 
  pleasure that Tamarni did not. This time the cat sat 
  upright, demanding to know what this could be, for 
  Tamarni knew all the gods’ secrets. Ashtart pulled 
  a small leaf from her robes and gave it to Tamarni, 
  who immediately went into ecstasy upon licking it. 
  Tamarni demanded more of the mysterious herb, 
  but Ashtart refused, saying that she would supply 
  more only if Tamarni kept the granaries free of rats. 
  From that day forth, cats become voracious vermin 
  hunters.
  vermin are a serious threat to the citizens of Al-
  Shirkuh. vermin Day is held the same day as reap-
  ing begins. While the farmers harvest the crops, fol-
  lowers of Tamarni descend on the granaries with 
  a small army of howling cats. The day is spent kill-
  ing every vermin in sight, while lowly mushaf clean 
  up any droppings to prevent contamination. Once 
  darkness falls, priests take to the streets and pala-
  dins to the sewers, bringing terror and death to all 
  vermin until sunrise.
  Even non-worshippers take a swipe at passing ver-
  min, for each one they kill means an extra lick of the 
  wondrous herb for Tamarni. in return for their act 
  of devotion, it is believed the goddess will keep the 
  mortal’s house free of vermin. The more mice and 
  rats one kills, the longer the protection lasts.
  it is widely believed kittens born on this day will 
  grow up to become fierce mousers and ratters.
  the great Dune sea
  11
  
  than the shahrum. Frequently dirty, often carrying dead 
  rodents with them (food for their cats), prone to sniffing 
  the ground and tasting rodent droppings, and willing to 
  crawl through dank sewers without hesitation, they are 
  renowned for their lack of social graces.
  ceremonies involve nothing more than sacrificing 
  vermin. This is done by feeding them to temple cats or a 
  cleric’s vermin hunting companion. Such offerings feed 
  Sekhmet, ensuring she and the cats she commands re-
  main fit, healthy, and ready for duty. Once the sacrifice is 
  completed, worshippers relax by inhaling an infusion of 
  dried catnip mixed with tabac.
  Character Guidelines: Dedicated to the eradica-
  tion of rodents, clerics require Notice to detect hidden 
  vermin, Fighting to deal with their foes, and Tracking 
  to follow them back to their nest. vigor is important for 
  combating any infection carried by the foul beasts.
  Dune stOrm
  Dune storms appear as roughly formed, man-sized 
  humanoids made of sand. Their gritty bodies are illumi-
  nated from within by blue-white flashes of lighting, and 
  rumble like thunder when they move.
  it is widely held they are created by majin and kham-
  sin jinn working together, though some scholars say they 
  were created by Duamutef and upuaut. According to 
  one tale, upuaut sent a thunderstorm to bring rain to the 
  desert at the behest of Ashtart, but Duamutef, who did 
  not want his sandy domain spoiled by plants, trapped 
  it in a sandstorm. Occasionally, a fragment of this ter-
  rible storm, which still rages in the heavens, breaks away, 
  manifesting in the mortal realm as a large sandstorm or 
  thunderstorm. On rare occasions, a lightning bolt strik-
  ing the desert spontaneously gives rise to a dune storm.
  Attributes: Agility d6, Smarts d4(A), Spirit d8, Strength 
  d6, vigor d8
  Skills: Fighting d6, Notice d8, Stealth d4, Tracking d6
  Pace: 6; Parry: 5; Toughness: 6
  Treasure: None
  Special Abilities:
  * Death Gale: When a dune storm is slain, the thun-
  derstorm raging in its interior is released as a pow-
  erful blast of wind. Every adjacent creature must 
  make a Strength roll (adding Size as a modifier) or be 
  knocked prone.
  * Electric Shock: An attacker who rolls a 1 on his 
  Fighting die (regardless of Wild Die) suffers 2d6 dam-
  age with an electrical trapping.
  * Elemental: No additional damage from called Shots; 
  Fearless; immune to disease and poison 
  * Improved Sand Walker: Treats ash and soft sand as 
  normal ground.
  * Touch Attack: +2 to Fighting. On a raise, the vic-
  tim is struck by a powerful electrical charge that arcs 
  across his body. he is automatically Shaken for 1d4 
  rounds. he can attempt to unShake only after this 
  time (though he may spend a benny). This counts as 
  a physical attack.
  Dune thunDerstOrm
  Dune thunderstorms are larger, more powerful ver-
  sions of a dune storm. They use the same stats as above 
  except as noted below.
  Pace: 6; Parry: 5; Toughness: 8
  Special Abilities:
  * Release the Storm: if the creature does not move, 
  it may unleash part of the storm held within its body. 
  This fills a cone Template. Anyone caught in the tem-
  plate must make an Agility roll or suffer 2d8 damage 
  with an electrical trapping and be knocked prone.
  * Size +2: Dune thunderstorms are 10’ tall.
  hazarDs
  bOOm Dune
  Also known as thunder dunes, these dunes produce 
  a deep, vibrating boom when their surface is disturbed. 
  Stealth rolls made on a boom dune suffer a –4 penalty. 
  The penalty drops to –2 if the trespasser has the Sand 
  Walker Edge, and –1 with the improved version. Bedu 
  prefer to make camp in an area flanked by such dunes.
  shOCk sanD
  in the deep desert, sand particles can build up a pow-
  erful static charge as they are blown by the wind, storing 
  and releasing it as a bolt of crackling electricity in the 
  presence of metal objects. This type of sand is known as 
  shock sand, or more poetically as khamsin sand.
  The air within a large region of shock sand is very dry, 
  and the faint aroma of ozone is ever present. identifying 
  shock sand for what it is requires a Survival roll at –2. 
  The roll made be attempted each hour of travel through 
  a region of shock sand.
  For each hour spent in shock sand, the characters 
  must make an individual Survival roll. individual rolls 
  suffer a penalty equal to any armor protection granted 
  by metal armor (e.g., chain mail would be –2). A further 
  –1 penalty applies if the hero is carrying a small, un-
  sheathed metal weapon (spear, short sword, or smaller), 
  –2 for larger weapons (long sword, pole arm, or simi-
  lar). Sensible precautions, such as sheathing weapons, 
  covering hilts and buckles, wrapping oneself in a cloak 
  to avoid exposing armor, and so on, grant a +2 bonus. 
  Failure causes 3d6 damage to the unfortunate victim as 
  he is struck by lightning emanating from the sand.
  Spellcasters invoking magic or miracles with an elec-
  tricity trapping gain a +1 bonus to their arcane skill die 
  while in shock sand.
  Sandstorm Variant: Shockstorms, as the Bedu know 
  them, are particularly hazardous, the sand generating 
  a more powerful charge as it rides the gale force wind. 
  Anyone caught in a shockstorm must make a Survival 
  roll each hour (modifiers as above) or suffer 3d8 damage 
  with an electricity trapping.
  land of fire realm guide #9
  1
  
SOURCE: textdata/thevault/Triple Ace Games/Hellfrost - Land of Fire/TAG35009 - Realm Guide 9 The Great Dune Sea.pdf