TEXT: The Player's Guide to Zeif
  v1.0
  Current as of January 22nd, 2006
  Compiled and Documented by: Jake Robins
  History compiled and documented by the Zeif History Team 
  (Warren Banks, and Brent Jans, and Jake Robins)
  The Player's Guide to Zeif v1.0
  
  TABLE OF CONTENTS
  Introduction
  People and Culture of Zeif
  The Baklunish People
  The Bak
   
   lunish Hegira
   
   
  The Four Feet of the Dragon
  Two Distinct Cultures
  Equestrian Values
  Orcs in Zeif
  Others Races in Zeif
  Geography of Zeif
  Fertile Lands
  The Wadi Khijar
  The Retsaba
  Arid Regions
  The Timarral
  The Plains of Antal
  The Paynim Lands
  The Vaar
  The West Coast
  The Bakhoury Coast
  The Gulf of Ghayar
  Mur
  Risay
  Komal
  The Dramidj Island Chains
  The Ataphads
  The Jansibs
  The Qayah-Bureis
  Cities and Settlements
  Zeir-i-Zeif
  Palace of Peh'reen
  Fortress of the Sea Lion
  The High Bedestan
  Zeir Imaret
  Kabir Kafez
  Dhabiya
  The Sanserail
  Nafiq
  Beit Castan
  Ceshra
  Barakhat
  Antalotol
  Mukhazin
  Military of Zeif
  The Infantry
  The Spahis
  The Royal Navy
  The Uruzary Corps
  Zeifan Religion
  Al'Akbar
  Azor'Alq
  Daoud
  Geshtai
  Istus
  Mouqol
  Xan Yae
  Zuoken
  Historical Survey
  The Post Empire Days
  The Beginnings of a Sultanate
  The 
   
   Sultan's Truce
   
    and War Titles
   
   
  Death of Ozef the Warrior
  Creation of the Uruzary Corps
  Commissioning of the Palace
  Zeif and its Neighbours
  The Merchant's War
  Eastern Fortification (Lopolla)
  Creation of the Spahis
  War of Possession
  The Banishment of the Sorcerers
  Western Colonization (Bureis)
  Waning Influence
  Kwalish Disappears
  The Slaughter of the Sea People
  Theft of the Relics in Ekbir
  First Khedivate in Mur
  Brazen Horde, Secession of Tusmit
  Paynim Unrest, Severing of Ket
  Order of Kwalish Founded
  The Battle Beneath the Waves
  The Dramidj Peace Agreement
  Mur's Khedivate Autonomous
  Modern Day Zeif
  The Bakhoury Subjugation
  The Sand Battle
  The Siege of Zirat
  Purge of the Ministry of the Treasury
  Purge of Ceshra
  The Last Manifestation of Istus
  The Timars of Zeif
  Definition of Terms
  The Timar Designations
  Appendix 1: Glossary of Terms
  Appendix 2: Maps of Zeif
  The Player's Guide to Zeif v1.0
  1
  
  Introduction 
  [Back] 
  This guide is a massive collaboration of the various 
  sources of canon that is available to the region of 
  Zeif from published sources over the years as well 
  as projects designed and created by the Zeif Triad 
  and their delegates.  It is designed as both a 
  means of information centralization as well as a 
  guide and helpful tool for all players wanting to 
  create more flavourful PCs for play in the Living 
  Greyhawk Campaign.  Periodic updates (typically, 
  and hopefully, bi-annually) will be made to this 
  document to keep it up to date, reflecting new 
  canon created through meta-organizations, 
  modules and interactive events.  This document is 
  also available on the Internet in a easy-to-browse 
  format at the official Sultanate of Zeif website ( 
  http://www.zeif.ca ). It is compiled here for your 
  convenience. 
  It is the hope of the author and the Triad that this 
  document can be printed off and carried by 
  convention organizers and gameday coordinators 
  in efforts to supplement and enhance Zeif regional 
  modules, as well as to provide answers to players 
  who are trying to design more flavourful characters. 
  Any suggestions for this document can be posted 
  on the Zeif Website forums, or mailed to the Zeif 
  Triad ( triad@zeif.ca ) or directly to the author, Jake 
  Robins ( mendahu@gmail.com ).
  The Player's Guide to Zeif v1.0
  2
  
  The People and Culture of Zeif
  [Back] 
  The Baklunish
  [Back] 
  Zeif's citizens are comprised largely by humans, and 
  are primarily of the Baklunish stock.  Physically, Zeif's 
  Baklunish humans are much like their cousins in the 
  Sultanate's  neighbouring  nations,  including  Ekbir, 
  Tusmit and Ket.  They have skins in dark  golden 
  hues, and across the Flanaess, only the Flan have 
  darker  skin.   Their  hair  is  often  straight  and  fine 
  textured,  with  colours  generally  dark,  varying  from 
  dusky brown to blue-blacks.  Their eyes are often 
  green  with  varying  degrees  of  gray,  though  some 
  have hazel and pure gray hues.  Their features are 
  often characterized by high cheek bones and aquiline 
  profiles.
  The sedentary Baklunish favour exotic colours and 
  almost gaudy styles in their clothing, and the types of 
  colours can vary from man to man, village to village, 
  or beylik  to  beylik.   They  often  wear single piece 
  garments, like long robes  or coats over breeches. 
  Turbans are a commonly worn on the head.  Nomads, 
  on the other hand, tend towards pastels and earth 
  tones,  and  their  garments  are  often  much  more 
  complex,  including  puffs,  frills,  and  slits  to  show 
  contrasting undertones in their clothes.  They wear 
  leathers and hides during war time, as well as, of 
  course, their clan's heraldry.
  Baklunish are a very tradition-bound people.  They 
  place  great  importance  on  the  past  and  their 
  ancestors,  and  as  such  Baklunish  tradition  has 
  remained fairly static over their long history.  Zeif's 
  people  still  practice  customs  which  the  early 
  forefathers of the Empire once practices, for example. 
  While  the  primarily  dialect  in  Zeif  is  the  Osfaradd 
  Baklunish,  the  Ancient  Baklunish  tongue  is  used 
  extensively  for  religious,  government,  and  other 
  ceremonial events.
  As a people, Baklunish are a very calm sort, and they 
  are  known for  their conservative  demeanour in  all 
  their affairs.  Even heated debates rarely escalate to 
  shouting matches; instead, Baklunish prefer to trap 
  their verbal opponents with their own words.  They 
  remain courteous and polite even when confronting 
  hated enemies.  The measure to which a Baklunish 
  can  maintain  this  level  of  self-control  is  often  an 
  indicator of his honour, and as such, even the most 
  vengeful Baklunish can remain composed even when 
  faced with the most angering of circumstances.
  Baklunish are also a very artistic bunch, and chief 
  among their arts are singing and dancing.  Baklunish 
  incorporate  song  and  dance  into  many  of  their 
  ceremonies,  from  religious  holidays  to  annual 
  nationalist  events.   There  are  work  songs,  meal 
  songs, and many songs for horses.  The Paynims are 
  reputed to have some of the finest dancers, belonging 
  to  the  many  Dervish  orders  on  the  plains.   The 
  Dervish  dance  is  a  dizzying  display  of  rotational 
  movement and honed balance.  Some even learn to 
  apply it to a highly effective but rare combat style. 
  Also, Baklunish have a penchant for puppetry, and 
  puppeteers are well-respected and in high demand 
  for entertainment, especially in the larger cities.  Many 
  historical events are re-enacted through marionettes 
  in various displays by Baklunish.
  The Baklunish Hegira; Calendar of Zeif
  [Back] 
  The Sultanate of Zeif follows its own calendar called 
  the Baklunish Hegira, which measures the passing of 
  years from a different point than the Common Year 
  calendar used more extensively across the Flanaess. 
  The Baklunish Hegira marks years from the inception 
  of the Baklunish Empire, marking the birth of the first 
  dynasty.  The current year for 2006 is 3255 BH (596 
  CY).  To easily calculate this from the Common Year, 
  add to it the figure 2659.  For example, the year 591 
  CY is 3250 BH (591 + 2659 = 3250).  To convert 
  back, reverse the process.  For example, 2443 BH is 
  -216 CY (2443 - 2659 = -216).
  The Four Feet of the Dragon
  [Back] 
  All Baklunish people follow a core philosophical code 
  called the Four Feet of the Dragon, and the Sultanate 
  of Zeif is no exception.  The Four Feet embody four 
  principles  that  Baklunish  strive  to  exemplify 
  throughout their lives, and it has been their tradition 
  since their histories began. It is important to note that 
  these  philosophies  are  hardly  clearly  defined 
  strictures;  there  is  often  interpretation  room  when 
  acting on them.  However, most Baklunish follow the 
  same common interpretation.
  The first philosophy is that if Honour.  Of all the Feet, 
  Honour  has  the  most  vague  definition.   Baklunish 
  strive to act with honour in all their dealings, friend or 
  foe.  An honourable negotiation or battle is preferred 
  above a deceitful or misleading action.  Baklunish 
  honourably give respect to all people, and prefer to 
  work  with  those  who  also  embody  it.   Traits 
  associated  with  honour  include  loyalty,  honesty, 
  reverence  and  lawfulness,  though  a  Baklunish  will 
  unhesitatingly act against these virtues if he must to 
  preserve his honour and the honour of his family.
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  Next is Generosity.  Baklunish are some of the most 
  charitable people in the Flanaess.  They are expected 
  to  give  generously  with  money,  food,  supplies,  or 
  whatever.  They are also expected to be discreet; 
  charity is not something that Baklunish do to curry 
  favour  or  respect.   Anonymous  donations  are 
  common  across  Zeif  and  other  Baklunish  nations. 
  The quantity of charity often grows as an individual's 
  wealth grows, and these charities are usually directed 
  at people or institutions less fortunate.  Hospitality is 
  an important off-shoot of generosity;  Baklunish take 
  great  pride  in  offering  lodging  to  others,  and  will 
  commonly take in travellers to feed and shelter them. 
  There are many free hostels built across Baklunish 
  lands, and most people know that they can find help if 
  they can find a Baklunish human.
  The third of the Feet is Family.  Family is a loose term 
  to  Baklunish;  generally  it  defines  any  unit  of 
  community  that  an  individual  belongs  to.   For 
  example,  a  Baklunish  human  may  have  many 
  families,  including  his  blood  relatives,  his  church 
  community, his military unit, his village, or even his 
  beylik.  The sense of community is strong among all 
  Baklunish, and they are fiercely loyal to each of their 
  families  and  its  members.   An  insult  to  any  in  a 
  Baklunish human's family is an insult to her, and it is 
  this sense of bonding that has proven success among 
  all the nations of the West.  They take great pride in 
  each of their families.
  The last of the Feet is Piety.  Baklunish are very 
  faithful people, and they are expected to be pious in 
  their  actions.   Because  there  are  many  different 
  deities in the Baklunish pantheon, they are also very 
  tolerant of other faiths, in order for their piety to co-
  exist peacefully with others'.  Baklunish are heavily 
  involved  in  their  communities  church  organizations 
  and take religious matters very seriously.  Temples 
  are frequent among all of their cities, and the various 
  faiths  play  important  roles  in  government  and 
  economy.
  Two Distinct Cultures
  [Back] 
  Baklunish are often described as having two different 
  types of culture, and the Sultanate of Zeif showcases 
  both equally.  The first type is the nomadic Baklunish, 
  who are tribal by nature and live on the plains and 
  scrub lands of Zeif's southern regions.  These include 
  the Paynims  as well as  other nomadic  tribes who 
  have closer allegiances to the Sultanate.  Baklunish 
  nomads are unique in their cultures from tribe to tribe, 
  but most place high values on the Four Feet of the 
  Dragon as well as the culture of the horse and the 
  mounted warrior.  The Baklunish Nomads are known 
  for their outstanding equines, and their skill at war 
  with them.
  The second type of Baklunish people is the sedentary 
  agricultural  type.  
   These  people  create  vast 
  farmlands, such as Zeif's Retsaba, which spans from 
  the capital to Ceshra.  From these farmlands arise 
  great cities and communities, and further from that is 
  the Baklunish people's uncanny knack for trade and 
  economics.  Zeif exemplifies this with its great coastal 
  cities and intensive trade network.
  Equestrian Values
  [Back] 
  The Baklunish people are known across the Flanaess 
  for their distinct cultural appreciation of horses and 
  their  ilk.   Horses  have  a  prominent  role  in  all 
  Baklunish society, and Zeif follows suit. Horses often 
  have as many rights as humans in Baklunish lands, 
  and in some lands (like Ket), horses have more rights 
  than some races such as elves or gnomes.  In Zeif, it 
  is not  so extreme,  but the senseless murder of a 
  horse is likely to draw equal if not more ire from those 
  who were friends with the animal than it would were 
  the victim a man.
  Baklunish people's equestrian traditions date back far 
  back  into  their  histories,  and  their  legends  and 
  mythology are filled with stories of great heroic steeds 
  and gargantuan mounts tugging their world through 
  the cosmos.  Since the Empire's days, the Baklunish 
  have used horses in all aspects of their lives.  Most 
  notable is perhaps their use in war.  Baklunish are 
  more skilled than any on a horse in battle, and the 
  reputations of Baklunish cavalry inspires fear in their 
  enemies'  hearts.   Horses  have  permeated  their 
  culture  to  such  degrees  that  they  follows  many 
  customs which might be strange to outsiders, such as 
  toasting at meal times to each horse in the family, or 
  sharing hair braids with a favourite horse.  Baklunish 
  even  celebrate  their  horses'  birthdays,  putting 
  flowered wreathes on their necks and feeding them 
  special treats.
  The Orcs of Zeif
  [Back] 
  Zeif is home to many orcs.  Roughly a tenth of the 
  population is likely orcish in some way or another. 
  Orcs in Zeif are descendants of the first mercenaries 
  which fought for the Baklunish Empire against the 
  Suel Imperium, more than a millennium ago.  Today, 
  Zeifan orcs are an impoverished underclass. They live 
  primarily  on  the  plains  of  Antal,  and  the  city  of 
  Antalotol.  Across those scrubs are the various tribes 
  and clans which encompass the population.  These 
  tribes are quite "watered down", as some have put it; 
  they do not display nearly as much fierceness as a 
  The Player's Guide to Zeif v1.0
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  typical orc tribe, and they have abandoned many of 
  their totems and ways of life.  Most orcs in Zeif work 
  as miners, labourers, or scavengers, and none hold 
  political office, or any other position of power, save for 
  military.
  The only real opportunities for Orcs in Zeif lies in the 
  Uruzary  Corps,  a  brotherhood  of  military  heavy 
  infantry which act as the Sultan's personal guard and 
  task force.  Every four to six years, lieutenants from 
  the Corps make a visit to the tribes and enact the 
  Fierce Harvest, selecting up to half of the presented 
  orcs from the tribes.  The tribes receive a payment for 
  each orc selected, and those so selected are shipped 
  off and inducted into a 20 year service term under the 
  employ of the Sultan.  The Uruzaries receive intense 
  training, and today are regarded as one of the more 
  powerful military units in existence in the Baklunish 
  lands. Uruzaries who climb the ladder can achieve 
  officer ranks in the Corps and hold some respectable 
  power.  Many eventually retire, however, and whether 
  it  was  a  voluntary  retirement  or  an  untimely 
  retirement, they make their way to Mukhazin, a ruined 
  city  on  the  plains  inhabited  primarily  by  Uruzary 
  veterans.
  Other Races
  [Back] 
  Races beyond humans and orcs are scarce in Zeif, 
  but are definitely not non-existent. Of the remaining 
  races, the halflings are likely the most common.  They 
  have found niches in the cities of Zeif, plying their 
  trade as merchants, or otherwise putting their keen 
  senses and dexterous fingers to work as craftsman 
  and entrepreneurs.  Some have found homes in the 
  Vaar, making lone hobbit holes in the hills, and some 
  even take to the seas.
  Dwarves and gnomes also find home here, and most 
  are attracted to the mines in the Vaar.  The dwarves 
  come for the chrysoberyls, while the gnomes look for 
  opportunities to develop and sell their various mining 
  contraptions.  Gnomes are also particularly interested 
  in the workings of Kwalish, and many join the ranks of 
  the intriguing Order of Kwalish.
  Elves  are  perhaps  the  most  rare  of  any  of  the 
  demihumans.  Forests and trees are sparse in Zeif, 
  and most elves find it hard to deal with it.  The closest 
  forests  are  the  Udgru  in  northern  Ekbir  and  the 
  Bramblewood in Ket, and both are too far to draw 
  elves to the Sultanate.  Those that do find haven in 
  Zeif are often exiles or wanderers.
  The Player's Guide to Zeif v1.0
  5
  
  Geography of Zeif
  [Back] 
  The north shore of Zeif leads into the Dramidj Sea, a 
  vast sea which extends east past the Tuflik to flank 
  the Caliphate of Ekbir and further north up through 
  the Tiger Nomads and further to the mysterious land 
  of Black Ice..  It dips west around Zeif's coast, the 
  Bakhoury  Coast  before  it  heads  further  west  into 
  more uncharted lands.  The Sultanate's influence is 
  said to extend into much of the Dramidj north of it, 
  including  the  few  archipelagos,  notably  the  Jansib 
  Islands  in  the  northwest  and  the  Ataphads  in  the 
  northeast.  Zeif maintains this territory through use of 
  its vast armada of ships under the command of the 
  Sultan.  The mouth of the Tuflik remains the boundary 
  between the Sultanate and the Caliphate of Ekbir, and 
  it  is  generally  accepted  that  the  seas  beyond  the 
  mouth belong to the Caliph. The  Tuflik  river flows 
  southeast  and  marks  Zeif's  eastern  border  and 
  remains so until it flows through the Tusman hills into 
  Ket.  The city of Ceshra, which lies on the Tuflik's 
  bank,  is  regarded  as  the  most  easterly  settlement 
  under the Sultan's control.  Zeif's final border, the 
  south, is a hazy one, and slowly degrades into the 
  lawless lands of the Paynim nomads, controlled by 
  old  tribes  of  refugees  from  the  Twin  Cataclysms. 
  Beyond these lawless regions, lies the nation of Ull, 
  the  only  recognized  sovereignty  that  the  Paynims 
  have.
  The Fertile Lands of the Wadi 
  Khijar and the Retsaba
  [Back] 
  The Wadi Khijar
  [Back] 
  The river valley called the Wadi Khijar is one of the 
  largest and only landmarks which dots the vast fields 
  of the Sultanate of Zeif. Once long ago, a great river 
  flowed from the Crystalmists which form Ull's borders, 
  carving a wide valley through the lands now called 
  Zeif before emptying into the Dramidj. Some believe it 
  was the Twin Cataclysms which dried the river, but it 
  is  uncertain.  Regardless,  the  name  of  the  original 
  river  is  lost  to  time,  and  only  the  wadi's  name 
  remains, which was bestowed upon it by the Paynim 
  tribes who live near it. Today, its bed is fertile, but the 
  large population of rocks and annual flooding makes 
  for  bad  farming.  As  such,  the  wadi  is  largely 
  untouched by man, and while vast stretches remain 
  quite  barren,  marked  by  occasional  scrubs,  a  few 
  pockets of oasis-like fertility emerge every so often, 
  evidence  that  water  gathers  underground  due  to 
  certain rock formations beneath the surface. Annually, 
  usually during the early year rainy season, seasonal 
  run-off accumulates to a vast degree, and the valley 
  floods  for  up  to  three  or  four  weeks.  This  is  an 
  important time for Zeif's wildlife, as well as the people 
  of Zeif. The trade routes from the east to the west are 
  temporarily cut off from each other except by barges 
  (which the local farmers are quick to profit on, though 
  larger,  more  major  transport  is  regulated  by  the 
  Mouqollad Consortium, who have licensed barges to 
  transport large goods), but this time brings benefits as 
  well. In northern Zeif, where the western arm of the 
  Retsaba stretches, the farmers of Zeif have carved 
  irrigation systems where they can capture the run off 
  into pond-like stores from which they water their crops 
  year-long.  It  also  provides  for  quick  transport  into 
  Dhabiya, which lies at the mouth of the Khijar before it 
  flows into the sea. At this time of year, the wadi is also 
  a very important holy symbol for the faith of Geshtai, 
  who hold certain ceremonies at its mouth.
  The Retsaba
  [Back] 
  Zeif's northeast shore, from the foothills of the Vaar to 
  Ceshra  on  the  banks  of  the  Tuflik,  is  called  the 
  Retsaba, and it is marked by Zeif's most fertile and 
  profitable soil. It is here that the vast breadbasket of 
  Zeif  lies,  almost  entirely  covered  in  farmland.  The 
  eastern Retsaba is flanked by the Tuflik, and it is from 
  this  mighty  river  that  they  procure  water  for  their 
  crops. Much of their crops are cultivated and brought 
  into Ceshra for distribution, where parts are exported 
  down  the  Velverdyva  trade  route  while  others  are 
  sailed into Zeir-i-Zeif for mass consumption by the 
  Sultanate. The farms nearer to Ceshra are marked by 
  their rolling hills, as they lie on the extremities of the 
  Tusman hills who lie east of the Tuflik. The farms in 
  central Retsaba are blessed by their proximity to the 
  capital, but there is less water and the farmers are 
  forced to grow hardier crops. Because of this, there 
  are  also  many  ranch  lands  instead  of  farms,  and 
  much of Zeif's cattle industry is found here. To the 
  east,  the  farmers  depend  largely  on  the  annual 
  flooding of the Wadi Khijar to irrigate their crops. The 
  Zeifans  have  mastered  the  techniques,  and  the 
  farmers are largely successful there.
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  The Arid Regions of the Timarral, 
  the Plains of Antal, the Paynim 
  Lands and the Vaar
  [Back] 
  The Timarral
  [Back] 
  The largest bulk off land in Zeif is called the Timarral, 
  and it stretches from the north shores of the Bakhoury 
  coast and the town of Beit Castan, crossing the Wadi 
  Khijar and going all the way to Ceshra. It is largely 
  uncultivated, save for a few stretches in its northern 
  reaches which border the Retsaba, and its grasslands 
  are  flat  and  barren.  A few  trade  routes  cross  its 
  breadth,  bringing  supplies  to  and  from  the  major 
  settlements of Barakhat and Antalotol. Other smaller 
  villages mark its expanse, largely situated near the 
  trade routes or the wadi. The Timarral is also notable 
  for its large population of altimars owned by the Elder 
  Spahis of Zeif's cavalry. The largest are found in the 
  west around the cavalry's stronghold in Barakhat, but 
  many border the south of the region, keeping watch to 
  the south over the masses of Paynims, the Plains of 
  Antal,  where  Zeif's  orc  population  is  centred,  and 
  most importantly Ull. The Timarral is home to some of 
  its own nomadic tribes, mostly Paynims who have 
  migrated north.
  The Plains of Antal
  [Back] 
  The Plains of Antal are some of the harshest lands in 
  Zeif, and it is a lawless region ruled by orcs and 
  Paynim  nomads.  The  scrub  land  is  marked  by 
  patches of grass as well as plateaus of limestone. 
  Little plant life exists here. The Plains of Antal are 
  home to a large majority of Zeif's orcs, whose tribes 
  live  a  nomadic  lifestyle  among  the  scrub.  Paynim 
  nomads also find home here, and disputes between 
  them and the orcs are as frequent as the sunrises. 
  Antal is marked by one major settlement, the city of 
  Antalotol, a caravan town and rival of Barakhat. At 
  least half of its population are orcs who have come to 
  the  town  seeking  work.  It  is  situated  on  a  high 
  plateau,  giving  the  city  a  large  purview  of  the 
  surrounding lands.
  The Paynim Lands
  [Back] 
  South of the Sultanate are the Paynim Lands, which 
  are generally regarded as the southern border of the 
  nation. The Paynims, nomadic tribal horsemen, roam 
  these grasslands as their own territory. The Paynims 
  have  no  major  permanent  settlements,  and  no 
  established government beyond their own traditions 
  and  customs.  The  lifestyle of the  mounted  warrior 
  prevails above all else, and law has no place here.
  The Vaar
  [Back] 
  The Vaar comprises a small but jagged piece of land 
  in northwestern Zeif, just west of Dhabiya and the 
  Wadi Khijar. They are mostly rocky hills dotted with 
  crevasses and caverns. Zeif has long mined the Vaar 
  for various precious materials found there, and it has 
  long been a major source of the Sultanate's wealth. 
  Included in these materials are the blue granite that 
  forms  the  walls  around  Zeir-i-Zeif,  as  well  as  the 
  chrysoberyls and peridots which the Sultan is so fond 
  of. Much of the Sultanate's small dwarven population 
  can  be  found  here,  trying  to  make  a  living  in  a 
  particularly non-dwarf land, as well as trying to live 
  peacefully with the large amount of orcs who make 
  their way from the Antal plains to the Vaar looking for 
  work.
  The Gulf of Ghayar and the 
  Bakhoury Coast
  [Back] 
  The Bakhoury Coast
  [Back] 
  The Bakhoury Coast lies further south of Beit Castan, 
  comprising the coastline on the eastern side of the 
  Gulf of Ghayar. It is composed today of over a half-
  dozen petty emirates who only recently came under 
  control of the Sultanate. The coast is a hub of piracy, 
  shady dealings, and unlawfulness, traits the Sultan 
  would like to rectify. However, he is finding more and 
  more than the Bakhoury Coast is a place of instability, 
  and Zeif's hold on the region is waning.
  The Gulf of Ghayar
  [Back] 
  The Gulf of Ghayar is a large point of water dipping 
  south from the Dramidj, dividing Zeif and the 
  Bakhoury Coast from some other nations which form 
  a region that is largely uncharted and undocumented. 
  The gulf has long been a place of violence and 
  activity. Brave merchants sail from these rogue states 
  to Zeif with gold in their eyes, praying to Istus for safe 
  passage and general avoidance of the piracy which 
  operates here. The fleets of Komal, the Jansibs, and 
  Zeif patrol these waters, often at odds with each 
  other.
  Some of the most important activity, however, 
  The Player's Guide to Zeif v1.0
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  happens underneath the waves. Many aquatic races 
  are found on the bottom of the Gulf, great cities of 
  merfolk and locathahs. Historically, Zeif had been 
  enemies with these people, and they were involved in 
  the infamous Battle Beneath the Waves, which 
  happened in the Gulf. However, today, thanks to the 
  efforts of some diplomatic past Sultans, the merfolk 
  are at peace with Zeif, and often make visits to the 
  coastal towns, such as Beit Castan and Nafiq. Many 
  have turned to the worship of Mouqol, and are even 
  becoming involved with the Consortium.
  Mur
  [Back] 
  The nation of Mur was once under the yoke of Zeif. 
  The Sultanate held it as a khedivate for decades in 
  recent history, though it eventually proved unprofitable 
  and was granted autonomy. It remains a rare 
  destination for most Zeifans, however, and most know 
  little about it.
  Risay
  [Back] 
  Risay is one of three major nations across the Gulf of 
  Ghayar which have had numerous dealings with the 
  Sultanate yet remain largely mysterious. Some say it 
  is smaller than Komal or Mur, though its boundaries 
  are uncertain.
  Komal
  [Back] 
  Komal is one of the larger nations across the Gulf, 
  and a traditional enemy of Zeif. For centuries its fleets 
  have battled with Zeif's and reportedly consorted with 
  pirates from the Gulf to the three major island chains 
  in the Dramidj. Komal has managed to secure many 
  colonies in these islands, including the port of Yif 
  Qayah, which was formerly held by the Sultanate. Zeif 
  has never managed to secure holdings from the 
  nation, and to this day Zeif knows little of their 
  customs.
  The Island Chains of Jansib, 
  Qayah-Bureis and Ataphad
  [Back] 
  The Ataphads
  [Back] 
  The Ataphads islands comprise the easternmost of 
  the three major island chains which mark the Dramidj 
  Ocean. Some believe that it was colonized during the 
  days of the Empire by its degenerates and criminals, 
  outcasts from the Baklunish society, though others 
  contend that old Ur-Flan families have intermingled 
  there as well. Today, other terrible races of monsters 
  have somehow bred with them, and the natives of this 
  island are scarcely human and followers of cults and 
  practices that citizens of Zeif wish to know nothing 
  about. Wise sailors avoid this place.
  The Jansibs
  [Back] 
  The Jansibs are a group of five islands and are the 
  westernmost of the three major chains. Four balmy 
  forested isles surround a larger one dominated by a 
  volcano. The islands are notorious for housing many 
  pirates and other bandits from Zeif and the Gulf, 
  preying on merchant coasters heading to and from 
  the Gulf. Other monsters are said to inhabit them as 
  well.
  The Qayah-Bureis
  [Back] 
  The Qayah-Bureis isles are the largest of the three 
  major chains, lying directly north of western-central 
  Zeif. It is home to many isles and some major 
  settlements like Bureis and Yif Qayah. It has been 
  colonized since the early days of Zeif, and has 
  changed hands several times. Today, Zeif has lost its 
  hold on the islands, though is desires the return of the 
  territory. Komal was the last to take the northern 
  regions, but the majority of the isles are disputed 
  territory.
  The Cities and Settlements of Zeif
  [Back] 
  Zeir-i-Zeif
  [Back] 
  The capital city of the Sultanate is known as Zeir-i-
  Zeif, though foreigners (infidels!) mistakenly refer to it 
  as Zeif City. A near fifty thousand subjects  of the 
  Sultan make their home in this coastal metropolis. 
  Zeir-i-Zeif marks a historical site for the Sultanate, for 
  its location marks the landing point of Ekbir's ships as 
  they sailed in to aid Ozef make his final stance and 
  claim victory over Ghayar's satraps and the Imperial 
  Pretenders.  His  encampment  grew  over  the  900 
  years to the sprawling city it is now. Today, its blue 
  granite spires and shining riches mark Zeif as a rich 
  and powerful nation among the Baklunish Basin.
  The Player's Guide to Zeif v1.0
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  The Palace of Peh'reen
  [Back] 
  Zeir-i-Zeif's most notable landmark is of course the 
  Palace of Peh'reen, which is the seat of power in the 
  Sultanate. The three-section edifice, built over 700 
  years ago of the finest marble to be found in the 
  Sultanate by Jehef the Splendid, holds not only the 
  Sultan's mansion, but also his cabinet, the Diwan, and 
  the Harem, the other important institution to the 
  government. The Outer Palace is where the Diwan 
  holds court, and it is here that much of Zeif's 
  administrative duties are overseen. The various 
  ministries which govern the nation are all found here, 
  each headed by a chief minister who represents the 
  people in the cabinet. The entire Diwan is overseen 
  by a Grand Vizier, and a man by the name of Awan 
  Mevet, former royal chamberlain, currently holds this 
  position after a recent removal of the former Grand 
  Vizier, Okolloz Seyish.
  The Inner Palace is overseen by the royal 
  chamberlain, and it is here that the Sultan makes his 
  home, among many other residences as well. It is 
  said that the Inner Palace is unrivaled in its beauty, 
  decadence, and sheer luxury. The Sultan keeps the 
  halls well-protected; in fact they are patrolled by the 
  100 most powerful and disciplined Uruzaries. The 
  Sultan demands this protection not only for himself, 
  but for the twelve vaults as well, which hold the 
  Sultanate's wealth. It is known that the last vault 
  remains empty, predestined home for the acclaimed 
  Jacinth of Inestimable Beauty. Finally, the third 
  division of the Palace is called the Harem, and is 
  under the purview of Nara Kur, the Matron Sultana (or 
  the Veiled Sultana, as she is sometimes referred to 
  for her secrecy). She is the Sultan's mother, and was 
  once a concubine before the bore the heir apparent, 
  who is now the current Sultan. The Harem is home to 
  the Sultans body of concubines and consorts, who 
  number well into the dozens. The concubines often 
  vie for favour from Murad, and he grants this to those 
  who are his favourite. Some bear his children and 
  gain elevated status. However, the Harem also serves 
  a second purpose, and that is as an educational 
  institution. The Sultan reserves the most prestigious 
  academics and scholars to school not only his 
  children (besides the heir apparent), but the children 
  of wealthy noblemen around the Sultanate. Everyone 
  who is a member of the Harem (whether school boy 
  or odalisque) is kept very segregated. Entrance is not 
  permitted to many, and day passes are rare for those 
  who reside within.
  The Fortress of the Sea Lion
  [Back] 
  Zeir-i-Zeif is also home to the headquarters of the 
  Royal Navy of Zeif, called the Fortress of the Sea 
  Lion. It is a citadel built on a rocky island in the 
  capital's harbour, attached to the city by a long 
  fortified causeway. It serves as both the administrative 
  centre for the navy as well as the home of the 
  Kapudan Pasha, the High Admiral of the Navy. The 
  grounds of the Fortress extend to encompass much 
  of the harbour, whether a large portion of the fleet 
  holds port, including the Kapudan Pasha's enormous 
  seven-decked vessel, the Lion's Mane. The current 
  Kapudan Pasha is known as Pandhar Reis. The Reis 
  is a large man with a voracious appetite, with a small 
  head for politics. He rarely attends court, but still 
  remains a favourite of the Sultan, and he is generous 
  in his gifts to the sovereign in order to maintain it. 
  Pandhar Reis is more often found at sea, roaming the 
  Dramidj, where he is most at home.
  The High Bedestan
  [Back] 
  The faith of Mouqol maintains its most important holy 
  site in the capital of Zeif, the High Bedestan, which 
  ultimately serves two purposes. While it is an 
  important site for administration and application of 
  Mouqol's faith throughout the capital (it is in fact a 
  temple), it chief purpose is the headquarters for the 
  Mouqollad Consortium, which is a large trade guild 
  who administers much of the mercantile efforts 
  spanning the Sultanate and abroad, all the way down 
  the Velverdyva. The clergy holds court at the High 
  Bedestan monthly, and many of the most revered 
  clerics and merchants gather to discuss the economic 
  trends of the region, receiving news and advice from 
  the Consortium and returning it. The High Bedestan is 
  also home to another important annual event held by 
  the church. The Assayers' Examinations occur during 
  the spring of every year, and they are used for 
  determining who will join the ranks of the prestigious 
  Assayers every year, and who gets to rise to the 
  acclaimed rank of Master Assayer. The end of this 
  festival also marks the beginning of the caravan 
  season, and at this time old trade contracts expire 
  while new one begins. The Examinations represent a 
  great turning point in the trade season, and much of 
  Zeif's strong economy depends on it. Of important 
  note is the recent joining of the Mouqolladi mer-clans 
  who have been making the festival for the past four 
  years. Special underwater facilities have been built to 
  accommodate the new arrivals, and a couple of the 
  merfolk have gained office in the Consortium and the 
  clergy.
  Zeir Imaret
  [Back] 
  Mouqol is not the only faith in Zeif's capital, however. 
  The faith of Al'Akbar maintains a large temple-hall 
  called Zeir Imaret. While the temple largely serves as 
  The Player's Guide to Zeif v1.0
  9
  
  a hostel (hosting primarily Al'Akbarian pilgrims from 
  Ekbir and beyond, as well as travellers), it also is 
  known as a meeting place for the Qudah, the 
  recognized faith of Al'Akbar in Zeif. They gather here 
  as needed when the Sultan requires religious 
  judgment, as well as to discuss important matters of 
  the faith (including the most important holy mission, 
  the search for the Cup and Talisman).
  Kabir Kafez
  [Back] 
  The last notable landmark of Zeir-i-Zeif is Kabir Kafez, 
  a small palace built on the royal mausoleum grounds 
  which is used to house the Sultan's heir apparent. 
  When the heir apparent is chosen by the Sultan, he is 
  sent here to rule over his own domain until he 
  ascends to the throne of the Sultan. He receives the 
  title Sheik al-Kafez, and receives his education from 
  the true ruler of the palace, Black Naubek, the Grim 
  Vizier. The Sheik al-Kafez is kept in isolation until his 
  time, but is considered to rule over Kabir Kafez.
  Dhabiya
  [Back] 
  The ancient city of Dhabiya, which lies at the mouth of 
  the  Wadi  Khijar  on  the  coast  of  the  Dramidj,  is 
  considered one of the oldest  cities  in Zeif. It was 
  founded by satraps of the Baklunish Empire before its 
  fall, and bears many architectural reminders dating 
  back to that time (such as the twin-shedu emblem 
  which marks its ancient gates, the old herald of the 
  Empire).  The  "old"  families  of  Dhabiya  consider 
  themselves to have the most long-dated and pure 
  pedigree  in  all  of  Zeif  (though  today  they  have 
  intermarried with the proper nobles houses of Zeif to 
  ensure their position). They are also reputed to have 
  many  ancestral  ties  to  the  inhabitants  of  the 
  Ataphads.
  The old families of Dhabiya are renown for their 
  disregard for the official politics and government of 
  Zeif. They remain cloistered in the Upper City, where 
  the city's ruler Rafayda Amir administers the city with 
  little regard to the Diwan's edicts. The old families 
  have many ancient traditions (they retain the use of 
  Ancient Baklunish, for example, and not the Osfaradd 
  dialect used commonly in Zeif), and outsiders who 
  cross them often find that they have offended them by 
  marring some ancient unknown custom, and are 
  subject to what locals call the "evil eye". Anyone so 
  afflicted is best advised to leave as soon as possible.
  The lower city operates much more in line with what 
  one would expect. It is a hub of trade from up and 
  down the Wadi, and from the Dramidj. Dhabiya is a 
  centre for much of the western agriculture and a 
  prominent sea-trade and ship-building industry. Many 
  of Zeif's flotilla was built in Dhabiya. The Mouqollad 
  Consortium dominates most of the trade, but the old 
  families control some special sectors (such as the 
  illegal slave trade).
  The Sanserail
  [Back] 
  Dhabiya's most prominent landmark is likely the 
  Sanserail, a large pillar-like structure which marks the 
  skyline from miles away. Its foundation was built 
  during the final years of the Empire by the Imperial 
  High Priestess of Istus, who passed with the Twin 
  Cataclysms. When the Empire fell, the temple to the 
  Lady of Fate remained ceremonially unfinished, 
  lacking a roof at the peak of its pillar. Today, the 
  church of Istus operates the temple, reserving the 
  outer halls for the daily rituals and the inner halls for 
  meditation. The roof is now covered in a canvas 
  which is redressed every three years as part of a 
  special ceremony. The clergy takes the old canvas to 
  old temple ruins from the Empire's day and burns it, a 
  ceremony called the Holocaust of Roof-Canvas. 
  Often, the temple ruins south of Barakhat, the Pillar of 
  Istus, is used, though the clergy has been known to 
  make occasional pilgrimages to ruins deeper in the 
  Dry Steppes.
  Nafiq
  [Back] 
  Nafiq was not always a coastal city, but a base of 
  operations for the Royal Navy of Zeif on the western 
  coastline. It originally operated as a supply base for 
  the fleet who was too far from the capital or Dhabiya 
  to resupply, and was often the staging point for the 
  Navy's many initiatives in the Gulf of Ghayar. Nafiq 
  remained as such for years, until the notable Battle 
  Beneath  the  Waves,  during  which  a  great  battle 
  between Zeif and the merfolk of the gulf occurred. 
  While the event resulted in a destruction of much of 
  the Royal Navy, it eventually engendered negotiations 
  and finally a peace between the Sultanate and the 
  merfolk.
  As the peace came to be, the merfolk began returning 
  captured naval officers to Zeif, and Nafiq found itself 
  home to over hundreds of officers and crew who, 
  having faced much trauma in their final career days, 
  decided to retire. With this, Nafiq became its own 
  rightful town. To this day, it has become a retirement 
  spot for many grizzled seamen of the country, and the 
  Sultan provides lodging for these retired veterans 
  (though the funding truly comes from the Mouqollad 
  Consortium).
  The walled city also is home to many ceremonies and 
  The Player's Guide to Zeif v1.0
  10
  
  festivals celebrating the peacefully relations between 
  Zeif and the merfolk, and diplomats and emissaries 
  from the underwater world often travel here to make 
  contact with the Sultanate. Contact has been so great 
  over the last century that special underwater 
  accommodations have been constructed for the 
  visitors, and it is tradition for the retired sailors to join 
  the emissaries in these underwater grottoes as a sign 
  of friendship and cooperation. Facilities exist to 
  promote the cohabitation of both the water-breathing 
  merfolk and the air-breathing men of Zeif, including 
  special air-filled chambers or water breathing potions.
  Nafiq is ruled appropriately by a retired naval officer 
  by the name of Yildwar Dey, who is actually a 
  childhood friend of the current Sultan, Murad. His 
  family had enough wealth to afford Yildwar's tutelage 
  in the Harem, though since this time the two have 
  grown apart. Yildwar prefers the less political position 
  out on the coast then entrenched in the back and 
  forth of the Diwan and the capital.
  Beit Castan
  [Back] 
  Beit  Castan  is  only  recently  a  proper  city  in  Zeif. 
  Originally, it was a coastal settlement belonging to the 
  Bakhoury Coast, but In 3046 BH (387 CY), the town 
  came fully under Zeifan administration when its famed 
  Amir, the last of his kind, proclaimed a self-exile and 
  departed from the city. Some believe that this event 
  was the first leading to the eventual subjugation of the 
  Bakhoury  Coast,  which  is  now  a  Zeif  controlled 
  hotbed of civil unrest. Regardless of its implications, 
  the exile of the Last Amir granted Zeif a new city that 
  became its most westerly settlement along the coast, 
  and provided it with continued riches to fund its great 
  power.
  Beit Castan is renown for its pearl bed, which lies all 
  over its harbour and beyond. Pearls from here are 
  acclaimed to be some of the largest and richest found 
  throughout the Gulf and the rest of Zeif's coastline. 
  The city has made quite a trade of it, selling its wares 
  mainly to customers from the Bakhoury Coast as well 
  as exporting them east to the aristocracies of Zeif's 
  neighbours.
  Beit Castan is also a port of illegal smuggling. The 
  Dusk Lash is said to be headquartered her, and is 
  involved in the illegal transport of many goods from 
  the unstable emirates of the Gulf and the Bakhoury 
  Coast. The criminals of Zeif know that Beit Castan is 
  a good place to rid themselves of loot, and a good 
  place to retrieve items not normally available to the 
  common people of the Sultanate. The Dusk Lash is 
  said to be tied to the faith of Xan Yae, and the 
  Goddess is a popular choice of worship along the 
  Gulf's coasts. She has a temple in Beit Castan which 
  is on the docks, and the Dusk Lash makes a 
  headquarters of a small buildings which adjoins it.
  Curiously, Beit Castan is also home to one of the best 
  and few licensed privateers outside of the Bakhoury 
  Coast, where such bounty hunters are common. 
  Turhan Dey is also the ruler of the seaside town, and 
  she works the seas in search of the pirates that 
  smuggle the goods from her city on her ship the 
  Silent Siren in between duties with the town's 
  administration. She is very skilled at her job and is 
  known to be unbelievably lucky in her affairs. Some 
  believe she is favoured by Istus, but others liken her 
  success to the less frequent naval patrols in the area, 
  leaving more for her to catch.
  Ceshra
  [Back] 
  Ceshra is a city of great importance to Zeif, as it lies 
  on the Tuflik and marks the entryway to Zeif by most 
  of the trade and visitors from Ket and further down the 
  Velverdyva  trade  route.  Though  smaller  than  its 
  historic rival Sefmur the capital of Tusmit, which lies 
  directly across the river, the town is nonetheless a 
  great  player  in  foreign  trade.  Ceshra  deals  with 
  imports  from  Ket  predominantly,  but  also  handles 
  many  exports  from  Zeir-i-Zeif,  including  precious 
  metals  and  gems  taken  from  the  Vaar  and  the 
  esteemed pearls all the way from Beit Castan. It is in 
  Ceshra that Zeif enacts its massive trade taxes on 
  goods from Ekbir, Tusmit and Ket, which brings them 
  bad relations and a lot of money.
  Ceshra has long had relations with the Paynims. Until 
  about two decades ago, they have faced extensive 
  banditry from the tribes, but some peaceful co-
  relations between the tribes and the Sultan have 
  spared them from such banditry, and now the tribes 
  cross the river and make raids in the Tusman hills. 
  Today, the Paynims can find much work in Ceshra as 
  mercenary escorts for caravans and ships heading 
  out of Zeif down the Velverdyva, as the route is quite 
  dangerous any time of the year.
  The city is led by a long-standing civil servant called 
  Hussan Bey, who once worked in the Ministry of the 
  Treasury over forty years earlier. He is notable for 
  having survived both the Sultan's purges, in the 
  ministry and again in Ceshra seventeen years earlier. 
  Hussan is a bitter rival of the Pasha of Tusmit, who 
  rules the city across the river, and despite direction 
  from the Sultan to cooperate with the Pasha, 
  especially regarding his opposition to Ekbir, Hussan 
  remains wary of the man, and has an extensive 
  network of spies in the capital. He constantly sows 
  dissent among the people of Tusmit and is trying to 
  bring the Pasha down, jealous of his favour with the 
  Sultan.
  The Player's Guide to Zeif v1.0
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  Barakhat
  [Back] 
  Barakhat is an open city found in the western central 
  grasslands  of  Zeif.  It  serves  as  a  caravan  town, 
  dealing with most of the trade of the Paynims and 
  anything  else  coming  north  from  Ull  or  the  Dry 
  Steppes. The faith of Mouqol holds a large fortified 
  temple and marketplace here, and the Consortium 
  dominates much of the trade which goes on here. The 
  city competes quite fiercely with the city of Antalotol to 
  the east, but largely is considered the winner in that 
  contest.
  This is due primarily with the city's ties to the 
  Paynims, who often steer traffic coming north to the 
  west and not the east. Barakhat doubles as the 
  central stronghold of the Spahis, the cavalry of Zeif. It 
  marks the western boundary of the Spahis' influence, 
  and many large altimars, the senior knight's fiefs, can 
  be found in the region. The leader himself, a man 
  called Koyun Kinja Elder Spahi, a Paynim himself, is 
  in fact a vassal in the cavalry, and his fief lies in the 
  trust of his daughter Deshani while he governs the 
  town. His palace in Barakhat is adjacent to the Hall of 
  the Spahis, an hall which the Elder Spahis' use to 
  discuss matters pertaining to Zeif and their 
  involvement. The knights rarely convene; only when 
  matters implicate more than any one's individual 
  altimar does concern rise among them. They are a 
  fairly independent group.
  The city is heavily entrenched in the culture of the 
  mounted warrior, and as such the Paynims find haven 
  here. Horse trading is rampant among the dusty 
  crossroads, and many of the tribes of the plains bring 
  forth their goods to trade for food and beer. Many 
  come to enlist as mercenaries in the Spahis, as 
  outside the Hall of the Spahis lies the recruitment 
  office, where the various Elder Spahis place 
  announcements and calls for soldiers.
  South of Barakhat lies a very important landmark, the 
  Pillars of Istus. Once a great temple complex in 
  service to the Lady of Fate, dating back to the last 
  years of the Baklunish Empire, the ruins are now no 
  longer used as an active temple, but serve as a 
  grounds for a very important holy ceremony for Istus' 
  faithful: the Holocaust of the Roof-canvas, from the 
  Sanserail in Dhabiya. Every three years the faithful 
  bring the replaced roof canvas from the temple to the 
  north for a ritual burning, in hopes of bringing forth 
  manifestations of the deity. Istus' manifestation has 
  last occurred in 3238 BH (579 CY), and the faithful 
  patiently await the next showing every time they burn 
  the canvas.
  Antalotol
  [Back] 
  Antalotol is a strategically placed city found in the 
  scrub lands of Antal, built on a high bluff which can 
  see over ten leagues in any direction. The town is a 
  desolate caravan town, plying what little trade it can 
  from the Paynims and the small traffic coming north 
  into  Zeif.  It  is  populated  heavily  with  orcs,  whose 
  tribes inhabit the plains surrounding the city. Over half 
  of its numbers are orcish, and Antalotol is probably 
  the most orcish city in Zeif. The language here is 
  heavily  influence  with  orc  words,  and  the  small 
  amount of culture that Zeif orcs have left can be found 
  in every corner of the city.
  Antalotol competes heavily with Barakhat for caravan 
  trade, but is largely unsuccessful. It is as such largely 
  poor and in need of renovations and supplies. The 
  government provides small amounts of funding to the 
  impoverished orcs, but it is largely insufficient. The 
  citizens here work very hard to carve an existence 
  from the dusty plains and the dirty streets. The current 
  ruler is a stocky fellow by the name of Nejak Pasha, a 
  sorcerer who once occupied a position in the Inner 
  Palace, but was transferred as Pasha of Antalotol 
  over twenty years ago. He is rumoured to have orc 
  blood in him, but he largely denies these accusations. 
  He is otherwise a rather stern and unforgiving man, 
  reflecting the harsh life he lives in the scrub of Antal.
  Mukhazin
  [Back] 
  Not far from Antalotol lies the ruined city of Mukhazin. 
  Mukhazin was once a powerful city ruled by an Orcish 
  Malik loyal to Ghayar, during the days of his satrapy. 
  When  the  Empire  fell,  the  survivors  found  shelter 
  here, but eventually became enslaved to the orcish 
  tyrants here. It remained so until Ozef razed the city 
  in his war against the Pretenders, freeing the people 
  and destroying Mukhazin. Today, the fortress of Dar-
  Zaribad is built on the old city, and is entirely under 
  the command of retired Uruzaries who had sought 
  exile from Zeif's society.
  It is ruled by Uluj Aga, a scarred forty year veteran. 
  The orcs are very unwelcoming to outsiders, of which 
  they receive little. The city is said to be haunted, and 
  many believe it true. Fallen Uruzaries are brought 
  here to be buried, and their spirits are quite believed 
  to guard the city. One such story haunts many young 
  child's dreams, a story of a massive spirit army of 
  orcs risen from the grave to send back a raiding party 
  from Ull, only to then turn on the Zeifan Infantry who 
  lost to them in the first place. Mukhazin is a largely 
  unvisited place.
  The Player's Guide to Zeif v1.0
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  Zeif's Military
  [Back] 
  Zeif has a long history of military conquest. The 
  Sultanate  has  had  its  hands  in  a  half  dozen 
  different nations, holding them as colonies at one 
  point  in  time.  Each  division  of  military  has  had 
  many years to develop and refine itself, and today 
  Zeif boasts fighting forces that inspire awe into its 
  neighbours.  The  infantry,  while  once  heavily 
  involved in foreign objectives, now deals primarily 
  with urban security; town guards and police. The 
  Spahis,  Zeif's  cavalry,  hires  Paynims  as 
  mercenaries  and  patrols  Zeif's  rural  areas  from 
  their  many  headquarters  across  the  plains.  The 
  Royal Navy maintains protection for Zeif's vast sea-
  trade, dealing with the constant threat of piracy as 
  well  as  maintaing  ocean-faring  influence  in  the 
  neighbouring  nations  Zeif  has  had  its  eyes  on. 
  Finally, the Uruzary Corps, the Sultan's personal 
  infantry  guard,  executes  special  missions  and 
  cultivates a reputation for the mot fierce, disciplined 
  military unit in the Baklunish West.
  Zeif's Infantry
  [Back] 
  The Zeif infantry is one of the oldest divisions of the 
  military.  When  Ozef  Khan  founded  Zeif,  he 
  achieved it through a well-trained army of nomads, 
  which,  while  mostly  cavalry,  did  include  a 
  substantial amount of foot soldiers. Zeif's infantry 
  developped early on as a means to ensure security 
  in the various beys and cities which Ozef and the 
  early Sultans asserted control over. The infantry 
  was truly Zeif's "standing" army. Initially they did 
  very little moving around, and were often stationed 
  in one spot for long periods of time. Because of this 
  early tradition, they easily evolved to encompass a 
  branch which became the town guards for most of 
  Zeif's cities, a system still in use today.
  When  Zeif  began  expanding  its  influence,  the 
  infantry got their first real chance to act. While the 
  cavalry initially did most of the spearheading for 
  Zeif's imperial moves, The infantry were charged 
  with securing acquired territory. Many were shipped 
  to  the  island  chain  of  Qayah-Bureis  as  well  as 
  Zeif's  former  Khedivate  in  Mur,  not  to  mention 
  Tusmit and Ket, where they established order and 
  quelled instability common with new  colonies.  It 
  was during this imperial age that the infantry was at 
  its  biggest  and  strongest.  However,  as  Zeifan 
  hegemony diminished again, the infantry got cut 
  when it came to funding.
  Today,  the  infantry  exists  still as  a  ready army, 
  prepared to advance on any territory as the Sultan 
  sees fit. In the mean-time, however, they maintain 
  urban  security,  policing  Zeif's  cities'  streets  and 
  ensuring  order  in  the  Sultanate's  most 
  concentrated areas, where cavalry are impractical. 
  Each city maintains a division of the infantry as 
  their guard force, who answers to the pasha or bey 
  of  the  area,  who  recieves  his  orders  from  the 
  Ministry of War. The standing army, those left in 
  garrisons in various places in Zeif, answer directly 
  to  the  Ministry.  Recently,  the  infantry  has  been 
  busy  on  the  Bakhoury  Coast,  where  they  are 
  stationed  to  try  and  eradicate  the  unlawfulness 
  which has corrupted the region. While the navy 
  acquires the ports and defends the sea, it is the 
  infantry  who  are  in  the  thick  of  things  and 
  maintaining a standard of security.
  The officer class of the Infantry works in a similar 
  fashion as the Spahis and the Navy. Rich families 
  can  purchase  commissions  for  their  sons  and 
  daughters  to  become  officers,  and  it  acts  as  a 
  means  to  be  rid  of  an  otherwise  unemployable 
  offspring. The agas of the infantry are charged with 
  training and hosting these officers in exchange for 
  the  commission.  While  this  system  sometimes 
  produces  inefficient  commanding  troops,  it  does 
  alleviate the costs of the units greatly, and is a 
  system  which  the  Sultan  does  not  intend  to 
  collapse any time soon.
  The Spahis of Zeif
  [Back] 
  In the Sultanate's earliest years, it maintained a 
  standard  cavalry  operated  directly  under  the 
  Ministry of War and funded from the Sultan's own 
  pocket.  This  force  was  powerful  and  grew  very 
  large  as  Zeif  expanded  its  influence,  especially 
  when dealing with the Paynims and stretching into 
  Tusmit and Ket. Eventually, the cost efficiency of 
  this  force  diminished  greatly,  and  the  Sultanate 
  knew it would have to revamp the system. Yazerak 
  the thunderous did just that in 2755 BH.
  Today's system is much more efficient, driven, and 
  most importantly cheap. Yazerak appointed several 
  of  his  highest  ranking  officers  as  Elder  Spahis 
  (Elder Honoured Knights), and charged them with 
  hiring, training, and maintaining their own division 
  of Zeif's cavalry. The Elder Spahis were in charge 
  The Player's Guide to Zeif v1.0
  13
  
  of everything, from who they hired, how much they 
  paid each soldier, as well as the fighting styles of 
  each. However, they bore the costs of these armies 
  alone; the Sultan offered no monetary payment to 
  the Elder  Spahis.  In return,  however,  each  was 
  granted his own fief, an altimar where he could 
  build a castle and rule over his lands, as well as 
  given a military jurisdiction over a select bey or two 
  nearby to his altimar. He receives all income from 
  his  land  and  uses  this  to  fund  his  army.  Elder 
  Spahis are a form of aristocracy in Zeif; they hold 
  as much prestige and honour as any bey.
  The Sultan did, however, decree certain standards 
  of cavalry as part of the agreement between him 
  and his vassals. A uniform was standardized, and 
  each Elder Spahi is held to certain quotas of troops 
  to maintain. The hierarchy remains constant from 
  altimar to altimar,  as well as the military power 
  associated  with  each  rank.  In  this  way,  Zeif 
  procured itself a large and growing army, and only 
  at the cost of a few petty fiefs.
  The Spahis are known for their quick tactics and 
  swift assaults. Unlike some of the heavier eastern 
  cavalry,  the  Spahis  are  typically  very  lightly 
  armoured and fast on their hooves. Their steeds 
  are  lean  mounts,  some  of  the  fastest  in  the 
  Baklunish west. They prefer hit and run tactics over 
  all-out assault, and work best when disorganizing 
  enemy ranks instead of slaying them outright. In 
  melee, the Spahis are skilled in the use of lances 
  and spears, as well as swords of all types, most 
  notably scimitars and falchions of different stock.
  Worth mentioning is also the skill of the Spahis with 
  regards  to  mounted  archery.  Many  units  in  the 
  ranks  are  "stinger"  units,  who  skirt  the  battles 
  delivering fast volleys of arrows before darting off 
  around  the  enemy.  Constantly  in  motion,  these 
  archers  are  difficult  to  confront,  and  cause 
  devastation among the enemy lines. Because of 
  this need, all Spahis are trained in the use of bows, 
  and are required to use those that are usable on 
  horseback.
  The hierarchy of the Spahis is well defined and 
  each rank has very specific duties. Typically, an 
  Elder Spahi appoints one Kahya (a chief steward) 
  to administer  his fief and his troops. Below  the 
  Kahya are the Komutan Spahis, who command the 
  troops. There are a number of the Komutans who 
  are  assigned  to  various  provinces  (the  Elder 
  Spahi's assigned pashaliks, beyliks and deyliks) to 
  command  the  regiments  in  each,  respectively. 
  There is also a Komutan Spahi assigned to the 
  Elder Spahi's own fief. Below the Komutans are the 
  lowest  of  the  Spahi  (officer)  class,  the  Spahis 
  themselves. These knights are in command of up 
  to a half-dozen Kaptans.
  The Ghulam ranks are composed of Kaptans, who 
  answer directly to the Spahi ranked knights. They 
  can command up to 160 cavalry each. They divide 
  this number into four groups of 40, and assign each 
  a  Teoman.  These  Teoman then  subdivide  again 
  their 40 into four groups of 10, each commanded 
  by a Komiser Muavini. Below this, are the lowest 
  rank and file troops, the Silahdars.
  The Spahis serve primarily as a military unit. In 
  times of war and aggression, the Spahis are sent in 
  alongside the Uruzaries and the infantry as one of 
  three primary ground forces. They are one of the 
  largest and most powerful of the three. When Zeif 
  extends  its  influence  to  neighbouring  nations 
  connected  by  land,  the  Spahis  are  often  the 
  spearhead  of  the  action,  first  on  the  scene. 
  However, their duties span much more than this 
  outside of battle.
  The  Spahis  serve  their  Elder  Spahi  as  a 
  mercenary, and their job description crosses many 
  different fields. Silahdars and Komiser Muavinis act 
  as  local  police,  settling  disputes  among  the 
  populace, patrol the countryside and the streets of 
  smaller villages, and ensure the protection of the 
  people they serve.
  Outside of the major cities, they serve as guards in 
  the absence of a proper city-guard organization. 
  The people of Zeif know that if there is trouble 
  about, a Spahi is a good choice to summon. Spahis 
  also serve some administrative and menial duties 
  within their altimars of service. Teoman are known 
  to collect taxes and issue certain licenses, and they 
  even participate in construction of roads or other 
  public works buildings, directing the Silahdars and 
  Komiser Muavinis who do the bulk of the manual 
  labour. It is perfectly within the right of an Elder 
  Spahi to utilize his men in anyway he sees fit. He's 
  the one who's paying them in the end.
  The Sultan has also been known to call Spahis to 
  his service in times of celebration, war, or other 
  important activities. Generally, if the Sultan needs 
  muscle, he calls in the Uruzaries, but sometimes 
  mounted soldiers are required, such as the case of 
  parade escorts, etc. These ceremonial duties are 
  generally reserved for the Spahi class of Spahi, 
  though  some  Kaptans  are  sometimes  invited. 
  The Player's Guide to Zeif v1.0
  14
  
  Because  the  Spahis  are  mercenaries  under  the 
  employ of the Elder Spahi who hired them,  the 
  Elder Spahi actually maintains the right to refuse 
  this service. However, this is generally regarded as 
  a very bad decision, it has never been done before 
  in the history of the organization.
  The Royal Navy of Zeif
  [Back] 
  The  Royal  Navy  of  Zeif  is  a  powerful  military 
  institution  which  has  a  reputation  across  the 
  Dramidj  sea  for  its  strong  force  of  arms  and 
  dominant presence on the high seas. Based out of 
  the capital of Zeif, where the great Fortress of the 
  Sea Lion rests on a rocky outcropping in Zeir-i-
  Zeif's harbour, the Navy patrols Zeif's coasts from 
  Beit Castan to the mouth of the Tuflik. The size of 
  her  flotilla  is  unmatched  across  the  northwest 
  coasts.  The  Navy's  enemies  in  the  past  have 
  included many pirates from different sources. To 
  this day they continue to battle the corsairs of the 
  island chains which surround the nation, as well as 
  any rogue bandits from the Tuflik. Formerly, the 
  Navy had many confrontations with the merfolk of 
  the  Dramidj  (of  note  is  the  Battle  Beneath  the 
  Waves, during which the Navy suffered a grave 
  defeat), but today the Sultanate is in alliance with 
  them.
  Naval warfare is an art mastered by Zeifans, who 
  have held nearly unchecked superiority across their 
  coasts  since  the  fleet's  inception.  Typically,  Zeif 
  employs the use of large war-galleys powered by 
  oars and sail, outfitted with massive rams on their 
  bows.  Often  they  are  outfitted  with  elevated 
  platforms at both ends of the ships where archers 
  gain  vantage.  Some  are  equipped  with  siege 
  weaponry, typically ballistas and catapults. While 
  the ship fires upon its enemies, it will close the 
  distance,  hoping  to  outmaneuver  the  ship  and 
  ramming it. Then, the enemy is boarded and the 
  ship is taken, so long as the ramming did not do 
  considerable damage.
  The Navy today maintains a large population of 
  locathah  scouts,  which  helps  the  fleet  retrieve 
  reconnaissance from its enemies under the cover 
  of the sea. This tradition dates back over three 
  centuries. Also today, the peace between Zeif and 
  the merfolk of the gulf has led to more alliances 
  between the Navy and the people of the sea.
  The Royal Navy of Zeif has old roots. It was born 
  not  long  after  the  Sultanate  was  united  under 
  Ozef's reign. After the initial inauguration by Ekbir, 
  the Caliphate granted its successor state a small 
  flotilla of ships to help with its own naval protection. 
  Zeif needed the ships to secure its trade routes, 
  which are largely what has brought the country 
  such economic success today.
  Since then, the successive Sultans have continued 
  to build the size of the fleet, and within a hundred 
  years,  they  had  proved  that  Zeif  owned  the 
  Dramidj. From the the Tuflik to the reaches of the 
  Bakhoury  Coast,  the  banner  of  the  Sea  Lion 
  became known as the supreme naval force in the 
  area.  The  Royal  Navy  remained  largely 
  unchallenged  for  nearly  seven  hundred  years. 
  Their first real defeat came in 3095 BH ( 436 CY) 
  during  the  great  conflict  known  as  the  Battle 
  Beneath  the  Waves.  The  event  followed  a 
  culmination  of  tension  between  the  people  of 
  Komal and the merfolk of the Dramidj,  and the 
  Kapudan  Pasha,  the  High  Admiral  of  the  fleet, 
  foolishly led the flotilla into a narrow straight where 
  they were besieged by the merfolk. They quickly 
  found their oars bound and their hulls breached 
  from beneath the waterline, and the defeat cost 
  them over three quarters of their fleet. The Navy's 
  power over the coasts was crippled for nearly half a 
  century. Today, peace has been achieved with the 
  merfolk.
  In the present year, the Navy has recuperated and 
  patrols  Zeif's  coastline  vigilantly.  The  current 
  Kapudan Pasha is a man called Pandhar Reis, who 
  commands a massive seven-decked galley called 
  the Lion's Mane. He maintains direct control over 
  the whole fleet, despite the Navy being nominally 
  under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of War.
  The Uruzary Corps
  [Back] 
  The Uruzary Corps is an old division of the military 
  founded  by  Jehef  the  Splendid.  They  are 
  comprised  entirely  of  orcs  (including  some  half-
  orcs), who are purchased from their tribe by the 
  Sultanate at a young age and indentured into a 
  twenty year active term. Serving on the Corps is a 
  great  honour  desired  by  many  orcs,  and  many 
  climb to great prestige in its upper echelons. It has 
  become a symbol of orcish pride and identity in 
  Zeif, seeing how much of their traditional culture 
  has been assimilated and lost since the fall of the 
  Empire.
  Since their inception, the Corps, also called "Ojak", 
  The Player's Guide to Zeif v1.0
  15
  
  has cultivated a reputation of supreme discipline, 
  loyalty,  and  ferocity  on  the  battlefield.  They  are 
  known to follow even suicidal orders. They harbour 
  a philosophy called the  Giribim, which essentially 
  dictates that the intent of the Sultan is the supreme 
  decision maker, and they discipline themselves so 
  much  that  this intent  becomes  their  own.  Thus, 
  they are capable of making the same choices as 
  their leader without receiving the order. This level 
  of programming and training is what has brought 
  the Uruzaries to their level of power enjoyed today.
  Despite this fierce loyalty, the Uruzaries experience 
  a  calm,  monastic  lifestyle.  Their  hierarchy  is 
  defined  in  terms  of  positions  of  the  Sultan's 
  household, as they are intended to be the Sultan's 
  personal  guard  (despite  having  enlarged  to 
  encompass many more duties than this). As such, 
  some Uruzaries are called janitors or cooks as a 
  title of rank. Uruzaries are proud of these ranks, 
  content to serve the Sultan in any way they can.
  The  Uruzaries,  conceived  as  solely  personal 
  guards of the Sultan, have adopted many duties in 
  the Sultanate. They maintain their guard duties in 
  the capital; the Palace is near overrun with them, 
  vigilantly  protecting  the  Sultan  and  his  retinue. 
  However, they are also situated around the city as 
  guards for important sites and even the gates at 
  times.  Besides  this  guard  duty,  they  are  also 
  employed  in  many  special  military  missions, 
  serving as paramilitaries in situations where the 
  regular army or Spahis won't do. Uruzaries have 
  been  known  to  storm  criminal  hideouts,  arrest 
  corrupted government officials (as they did in the 
  famous Purges of Murad), and otherwise serve as 
  national police. They are commandos and special 
  agents, operating directly from the Sultan's will.
  The Player's Guide to Zeif v1.0
  16
  
  Religion In Zeif
  [Back] 
  In  the  Sultanate  of  Zeif,  worship  is  directed 
  primarily at a Pantheon of deities specific to the 
  Baklunish  people,  simply  called  the  Baklunish 
  Pantheon. The Baklunish Pantheon's patronage is 
  spread  out  throughout  the  Baklunish  Basin, 
  meaning  that  Zeif  shares  its  deities  with  Ekbir, 
  Tusmit,  and  even  Ket.  Outside  of  these  lands, 
  these deities receive much less worship, though in 
  some places they are not entirely unknown. The 
  Pantheon is headed (though it is probably only a 
  token leadership) by the Goddess Istus, , the Lady 
  of  Our  Fate.  Most  of  the  Pantheon  shares  her 
  views on neutrality, and only a spare couple have 
  extremes in alignment. Many of  them are hero-
  gods,  Baklunish  mortals  who  ascended  to  the 
  heavens and achieved divine power. The Pantheon 
  reflects much of the ways of life of the Baklunish 
  people;  fatalism,  cynicism,  modesty  and 
  righteousness. The information that follows is a list 
  of the deities in alphabetical order, designed to help 
  players understand the deities and choose one for 
  their PCs to worship. Much of this information is 
  summarized  in  the  Living  Greyhawk  Deities 
  Supplement, available in the downloads section of 
  this website.
  When making a new character for the region of 
  Zeif, it is recommended that PCs choose from the 
  following  list  of  deities,  as  these  are  the  most 
  common in Zeif. This is not to say that other deities 
  (including those in the PHB) are not present in Zeif, 
  only that they are uncommon and unrecognized by 
  the Sultanate. Information on these deities can be 
  found  in  the  deities  document  (available  in  the 
  downloads sections).
  Al'Akbar, the Restorer of 
  Righteousness
  [Back] 
  Gender: Male
  Rank: Demigod
  Portfolio: Guardianship, Faithfulness, Dignity, Duty
  Titles: High Cleric, Restorer of Righteousness
  Holy Symbol: An Image of the Cup and Talisman 
  of Al'Akbar
  Alignment: Lawful Good
  Favoured Weapon: Falchion
  Weapon of the Deity spell: +1 defending falchion
  Domains: Community (CD), Good, Healing, Law, 
  Protection
  Be a vessel of kindness and emblem of devotion, 
  for  the  righteous  man  is  both  steadfast  and 
  merciful. Be not as the untutored infidel, but rather 
  heed your superiors, and submit to their wisdom 
  and  guidance.  Let  the  faithful  strive  always  to 
  nurture the seed of Good in the soil of Law, that by 
  doing  so  they  are  received  into  the  Garden  of 
  Al'Akbar.
  History of the faith
  Al'Akbar  was  once  a  mortal  man,  a  direct 
  descendant of the Emperors of the first dynasty of 
  the Baklunish Empire. He was born 2166 BH (-493 
  CY), and he witnessed the early days of the great 
  wars with the Suel. When he was seventeen years 
  old,  his  family  suffered  a  great  embarrassment 
  which  is  not  described  in  the  history  texts. 
  Regardless of the cause, he left to live with the 
  Paynims, where he learnt to be faithful to the great 
  gods of the nomads. He became a hero to the 
  Paynims,  and  eventually  enacted  his  own  holy 
  pilgrimage to the Pinnacles of Azor'Alq in 2208 BH 
  (-451  CY),  where  he  encountered  many  divine 
  beings,  including  the  fallen  heroes  of  the  first 
  Dynasty. They spoke to him prophecies and named 
  him successor of the Empire and High Priest of the 
  Baklunish, and he returned to his people to preach 
  the holy word and the breadth of the prophecies he 
  learnt, most notable being the fall of the Empire. 
  His  efforts  were  unsuccessful,  and  thirty  years 
  later, the Twin Cataclysms befell the land.
  The surviving mage-priests of the Empire met at a 
  sacred  site called  Tovag Baragu,  where,  led by 
  Al'Akbar, they implored the gods to forgive the sins 
  of their people. Eventually, they were answered, 
  and Al'Akbar was gifted with the holy relics of the 
  faith, the Cup and Talisman of Al'Akbar. With this 
  power,  Al'Akbar  was  able  to  lead  the  survivors 
  away from the ruined land, destroying the enemies 
  which blocked their passage. The last sovereign of 
  the  Empire  renounced  the throne and  delivered 
  unto  Al'Akbar  the fate  of  the  Baklunish  People. 
  Al'Akbar led them north and east, where he found 
  the lands of Ekbir and settled them. With one last 
  pilgrimage to the Pinnacles to confirm his divine 
  quest,  he  ruled  over  Ekbir  for  ten  years, 
  constructing  a  great  mosque  to  himself  and 
  founding the country of Ekbir. He died at the age of 
  89 and ascended into divinity, and today remains a 
  demigod.
  The Player's Guide to Zeif v1.0
  17
  
  Details of the Faith
  The faith of Al'Akbar today is split into two distinct 
  branches, the Exalted Faith and the True Faith. 
  The Exalted Faith recognize the holy supremacy of 
  the Holy Caliph of Ekbir, and is common through 
  Zeif,  Ekbir,  and  Tusmit.  They  are  scholars  and 
  recognize  academic  achievement.  They  promote 
  diplomacy,  art,  poetry,  and  use  the  Ancient 
  Baklunish tongue. They tend towards a NG or LG 
  alignment, and mostly bear the title of Qadi, which 
  means  judge.  The  True  Faith  recognizes  the 
  supremacy of Grand Mufti of the Yatils, and have a 
  much  more  fundamental  approach  to  religion, 
  recognizing hard work and plain speech. They tend 
  towards  a  more  LN  alignment,  and  are  known 
  collectively  as  Mullahs.  Both  faiths  serve  as 
  ministers, judges, scholars, teachers, and general 
  civil  servants,  as  well  as  healers  advisers  and 
  guardians for the military. They make ritual prayers 
  at dawn and dusk, and are generally tolerant of 
  infidels so long as they uphold the faith's ideals.
  The Cup and the Talisman of Al'Akbar form a very 
  important relic for both faiths. In 2878 BH (219 CY), 
  the relics were stolen during a holy procession in 
  Ekbir by a band of strange elves flying on winged 
  eagles.  The  event  brought  into  question  the 
  different ideals of the faith, and the Grand Mufti 
  eventually ended up seating responsibility, though 
  he denied it. The great schism occurred, separating 
  the faith into the Exalted and True, and to this day 
  the remain at odds. The Cup and the Talisman 
  have not ever been found, and it remains a holy 
  quest for all members of Al'Akbar's faith.
  The Faith in Zeif
  The  recognized  faith  of  Al'Akbar  in  Zeif  is  the 
  Exalted Faith, and is known as the Qudah. They 
  hold assembly at the main temple to Al'Akbar in 
  Zeir-i-Zeif, called Zeir Imaret. Zeir Imaret serves 
  not only as this assembly hall and temple, but also 
  as a hostel for travellers or homeless, and even as 
  a hospital to care for the sick or wounded. The 
  Qudah has long sought to strengthen and support 
  the  lawful  institutions  of  Zeif  (attaining  political 
  power for themselves, for which they have long 
  contended with the Mouqollad for), but they are 
  known  to  have  heavy  activity  protecting  and 
  preserving quality of life for the common man of 
  Zeif,  which  is  why  the  faith  holds  so  much 
  popularity among the commoners.
  Al'Akbar's chief representative in Zeif is Pir Nerrim 
  Qadi (LG Baklunish male, Clr 14). This tall, highly 
  energetic leader is, at age 36, the youngest Pir 
  Qadi  in  three  centuries.  He  has  the  unenviable 
  responsibility  of  reconciling  the  ethical 
  requirements  of  the  Exalted  Faith,  under  the 
  authority of the Holy Caliph of Ekbir, with the duties 
  imposed  upon  his  assembly  by  the  laws  and 
  government of Zeif.
  Azor'Alq, the Son of Light
  [Back] 
  Gender: Male
  Rank: Hero-god
  Portfolio: Light, Purity, Courage, Strength
  Titles: Son of Light, Banisher of Darkness
  Holy Symbol: An armed man standing atop a 
  stone summit
  Alignment: Neutral Good
  Favoured Weapon: Scimitar
  Weapon of the Deity spell: +1 flaming scimitar
  Domains: Good, Sun, War
  Strength grows in the light of courage. The bright 
  sword of Azor'Alq, once drawn, may be sheathed 
  again only in victory. A true leader is the first to join 
  battle, and the last to seek rest. The flame of truth 
  must be tended with good thoughts, good words, 
  and good deeds, so that the purity of its light may 
  dispel the tyranny of darkness.
  History of the Faith
  Like Al'Akbar, Azor'Alq was once a man, and a hero 
  of the first dynasty of the Baklunish Empire, living 
  over  three  thousand  years  ago.  The  earliest 
  records of his existence in the holy texts recount 
  his valiant defence of the royal family from fiends of 
  darkness as they fled from their defiled homeland 
  across a desolate mountain range somewhere in 
  the west. Tales of his ascendancy are unaccounted 
  for,  but  to  this  day  the  bards  still  sting  of  his 
  courage. He now resides on the Material Plane in 
  the  Pinnacles  of  Azor'Alq,  a  great  fortress 
  somewhere  in  the  Dramidj  Ocean,  where  he  is 
  served by his paladins, the Thousand Immortals.
  Details of the Faith
  Azor'Alq  promotes  unwavering  good  and 
  unmerciful destruction of all that is evil. He has a 
  particular  penchant  for  destroying  fiends  and 
  undead, the two creatures which he abhors the 
  most.  He  is  sometimes  mistaken  for  a  fire-
  worshipper,  due  to  his  desire  to put  light  in  all 
  darkness. He is called upon by warriors and any 
  who lack courage. They are known to have affinity 
  The Player's Guide to Zeif v1.0
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  with dragons, and some legendary followers were 
  known to ride them as mounts.
  The Faith in Zeif
  Nafiq remains the largest bastion of Azor'Alq's faith 
  in  Zeif,  where  its  main  temple,  the  Pharos  of 
  Azor'Alq, lies. It bears a large beacon of fire which 
  constantly remains lit, and is used as a lighthouse 
  by  sailors  coming  into  port.  Ushah  Pala  abdu-
  Azor'Alq  (LG  Baklunish  male,  Rog  2/Pal 
  5/Shadowbane Inquisitor 7) is the current head of 
  the  faith  in  Zeif,  after  the  former  head  was 
  assassinated  under  mysterious  circumstances  in 
  3250 BH.
  The faith of Azor'Alq in Zeif remains constantly at 
  odds with the faith of Xan Yae and their sponsored 
  guild of smugglers called the Dusk Lash (who they 
  invariably blame for the assassination of the former 
  leader). No direct conflict occurs in general, though 
  they are hardly diplomatic to each other. Followers 
  of Azor'Alq are also known to be cold towards the 
  Suel,  remembering  the  deeds  their  empire 
  committed over a millennium ago. Strangely, they 
  have a good relationship with most of the orcs of 
  Zeif, due to their dedication to courage and honour 
  with the Sultanate over the years.
  Daoud, the Mendicant
  [Back] 
  Gender: Male
  Rank: Hero-god
  Portfolio: Humility, Clarity, Immediacy
  Titles: The Mendicant, Unraveller of Deceptions
  Holy Symbol: A multi-coloured patch of cloth or 
  tangle of yarn, with seven threads depending from 
  the bottom, one from each distinct colour of the 
  spectrum
  Alignment: Neutral
  Favoured Weapon: Quarterstaff
  Weapon of the Deity spell: +1 defending 
  quarterstaff
  Domains: Magic, Travel
  Seek the boundaries of fortune, good and bad, for 
  there the threads of destiny are exposed. Never 
  desire more than fate provides and never accept 
  less than fate demands. A fabric of lies must be cut 
  with sharp words.
  History of the Faith
  Over two hundred years ago, Daoud was lived as 
  the  son  of  a  wealthy  Baklunish  noble  family  in 
  Tusmit. His family exemplified the Four Feet of the 
  Dragon, and he grew into prosperity and acclaim, 
  even  eventually  becoming  a  legendary 
  philosopher-pasha of Tusmit. It was in his middle 
  years that fate struck him ill. The reasons of his 
  downfall  are  undocumented  and  speculated, 
  though his followers today stress that the reasons 
  for his transformation are unimportant. It is only 
  important that it was the harsh hand of fate which 
  stripped him of his titles and acclaim, and exiled 
  him from his homeland by the Caliph of Ekbir, who 
  currently held power over Tusmit.
  He  crossed  the  Tuflik  to  live  in  Ceshra  as  a 
  mendicant priest of Istus, spending his days at a 
  place now called Daoud's Quoin, a fallen minaret 
  on  the  streets.  He  lived  in  utter  poverty  and 
  contemplated the harshness of his mistress, the 
  Lady of Our Fate. It was here that he developed his 
  new philosophy, gathered followers, and eventually 
  ascended  into  godhood  through  a  portal  that 
  opened in the quoin. 
  Details of the Faith
  The faith of Daoud preaches a different type of 
  philosophy, contrary to the popular Four Feet of the 
  Dragon. In the place of Honour, Family, Generosity, 
  and Piety, he put Honesty, Humility, Poverty, and 
  Endurance, a philosophy he calls the Path of the 
  Seeker. The followers are brutally honest in their 
  affairs, and they do not treat wealth or social status 
  as  any  sign  of  power  or  respect;  in  fact  they 
  abandon  all  such  things  in  themselves,  seeing 
  them as unnecessary and blasphemous to Daoud's 
  teachings. They place their trust in the hands of 
  fate, seeing its inevitable pull as the proper path of 
  life.
  The Faith in Zeif
  Daoud's  faith  is  centred  in  Ceshra,  where  the 
  Mendicant  ascended.  There,  dressed  in  tattered 
  rags, Nivad the Mendicant, servant of Daoud (N 
  Baklunish male, Cleric 13 of Daoud), preaches to 
  the  beggars  and  passersby.  Otherwise,  there  is 
  very little organized or centralized groups of the 
  faith.
  The one thing the faith is centrally involved in is the 
  Uruzary Corps. It was during their occupation of 
  Ceshra that the Uruzaries adopted Daoud's clerics 
  as their chaplains. They related to the Daoudian's 
  dry humour and disregard for social status, and 
  today the faith of Daoud is their official religion.
  The Player's Guide to Zeif v1.0
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  Geshtai, the Daughter of the Oasis
  [Back] 
  Gender: Female
  Rank: Lesser Deity
  Portfolio: Lakes, Rivers, Wells, Streams
  Titles: Daughter of the Oasis
  Holy Symbol:A waterspout
  Alignment: Neutral
  Favoured Weapon: Spear
  Weapon of the Deity spell: +1 frost spear
  Domains: Plant, Travel, Water, Weather (CD)
  Tranquility is a benign state, and it should take an 
  extreme act to disrupt it for more than a moment. 
  When such a disruption comes, turn its force back 
  upon itself to negate it,like the stone that breaks 
  the surface of a lake only to be covered and lost. 
  Water, like tranquility is hard to find but necessary 
  to vitality. Water is more precious than gold, for a 
  thirsty man gets no sustenance from his wealth.
  History of the Faith
  Geshtai's  influence  has  long  been  important  in 
  Baklunish life. Since the early days of the empire 
  they  have  recognized  the  importance  of  fresh 
  water, and her faithful have always held respect 
  with the various powerheads throughout Baklunish 
  history. She has been particularly popular among 
  the Paynims,  who follow her  guidance  to water 
  sources hidden in the dry plains. After the fall of the 
  Empire, when the survivors were forced to flee into 
  the  lands  where  water  was  more  scarce,  her 
  following only increased.
  Details of the Faith
  Today her clerics act as guardians and caretakers 
  of Zeif's water sources, whether they are lakes, 
  streams,  rivers,  oases,  or  hidden  wells.  They 
  protect them from Geshtai's enemies, who promote 
  disease, poison, and fire. She especially dislikes 
  Pyremius because of this. She is heavily revered 
  by travellers, nomads and farmers, who all depend 
  on  her  water  to  live.  Her  clerics  can  be  found 
  wandering parched lands and directing lost men 
  and  women  to  water,  and  they  explore  all  the 
  sources to be found in their territory, studying the 
  flow and nature of water. Though often tranquil and 
  patient,  a  follower  of  Geshtai  can  be  incredibly 
  enraged by those who use destructive magic on 
  water.
  The Faith in Zeif
  The faith of Geshtai is centred in Ceshra, which 
  borders Zeif's largest freshwater source, the Tuflik 
  river. The temple is built on its banks and actually 
  descends into the river. The leader of the faith is a 
  Cyra  the  Wellspring  (N  Baklunish  female,  Druid 
  14). She often makes pilgrimages along the length 
  of  the  Tuflik  River,  looking  for  signs  of 
  contamination or drought. Her constant traveling 
  companion is a dire otter named Akici. Followers of 
  the faith in Zeif also show their numbers during the 
  annual  flooding  of  the  Wadi  Khijar,  and  some 
  important rituals are held there during this season.
  Istus, the Lady of Our Fates
  [Back] 
  Gender: Female
  Rank: Greater Deity
  Portfolio: Fate, Destiny, Divination, Future, 
  Honesty
  Titles: Lady of Our Fate, The Colourless and All-
  Coloured
  Holy Symbol: Gold Spindle
  Alignment: Neutral
  Favoured Weapon: Web of Istus (net) 
  Weapon of the Deity spell: +1 distance net
  Domains: Celerity (CD), Chaos, Destiny (RoD), 
  Knowledge, Law, Luck, Mind (CD), Oracle (CD)
  Everything is connected to every other by invisible 
  strands that push and pull over time. The choices a 
  person  makes  in  life  affect  the  pull  of  some 
  strands, allowing one to alter fate in a small way, 
  but some of these webs of fate have a strong and 
  inevitable  pull  that  cannot  be  escaped.  The 
  perceptive can come to understand these strands 
  and watch them to predict the future. Accepting 
  your destiny is the greatest service you can make 
  to yourself, for dishonesty about your role in the 
  world leads to ruin and disaster.
  History of the Faith
  Istus has been a chief deity among the Baklunish 
  since the Empire's days, where she was the chief 
  religion of the state. She has long remained aloof 
  from the other deities in her pantheon, preferring to 
  concern herself only with the fate of the universe. 
  Her influence passed on to Zeif easily after the 
  Empire  was  destroyed.  In  Zeif's  early  days, 
  Al'Akbar held most of the sway, but when Ozef the 
  Warrior, founding Sultan, was killed in a horrible 
  attack, the old families of the region pressed their 
  influence, and Istus regained her position as chief 
  The Player's Guide to Zeif v1.0
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  deity.
  Details of the Faith
  Istus  is  the  chief  deity  among  the  Baklunish 
  Pantheon, but she rarely acts as a figurehead or 
  leader. She is in fact quite aloof from her fellow 
  powers, preferring to deal solely with the fate of the 
  universe  and  all  who  live  in  it.  She  is  said  to 
  sometimes be accompanied by a cloud-like prince 
  from the Plane of Time. She otherwise appears as 
  a  Baklunish  woman  of  any  age,  carrying  her 
  mystical golden spindle from which she creates the 
  strands of fate.
  Istus' clerics have seen the absolute extremes of 
  fate, and are quite cynical or stoic as a result. They 
  are often unmoved by unlikely events, seeing it 
  simply  as  fate.  Some,  however,  worship  her 
  because  they  believe  they  have  been  well 
  rewarded by fate. They serve often as diviners and 
  oracles, making predictions on the next decision 
  that Istus will make about fate.
  The Faith in Zeif
  Istus has long been a part of Baklunish culture, and 
  when  the  Empire  collapsed,  its  influence 
  transferred and lived on through Zeif and the other 
  Baklunish nations. Today, Istus' faith can be found 
  throughout the Sultanate, and her teachings have 
  permeated every nook and cranny of the nation (for 
  example,  the  walls  surrounding  Zeir-i-Zeif  are 
  decorated with mosaics in Her honour). Today, her 
  faith  is  centred  in  the  city  of  Dhabiya,  in  the 
  pinnacle temple called the Sanserail. It is the oldest 
  temple  in Zeif,  having been  founded  during  the 
  Empire's days by the last Imperial High Priestess. It 
  was never completed, but still serves as a holy 
  grounds.  The  roof,  instead  of  being  domed,  is 
  covered in a canvas which is replaced every three 
  years in a ritual called the Holocaust of the Roof-
  Canvas. The followers remove the old canvas and 
  transport it to the Pillars of Istus, a great holy site in 
  the Timarral. There, they burn the canvas and pray 
  to the Lady of Our Fates. On some occasions, they 
  are  blessed  by  the  manifestation  of  the  First 
  Servant of Istus, a great whirlwind which consumes 
  the  ashes  and  sacrifice,  giving  portents  of  the 
  future to its followers. This has not occurred since 
  3238  BH  (579  CY),  and  the  followers  of  Istus 
  patiently await his return.
  Mouqol, the Merchant
  [Back] 
  Gender: Male
  Rank: Lesser Deity
  Portfolio: Trade, Negotiations, Ventures, 
  Appraisal, Reciprocity
  Titles: The Merchant
  Holy Symbol: A set of scales and weights
  Alignment: Neutral
  Favoured Weapon: Dagger
  Weapon of the Deity spell: +1 defending dagger
  Domains: Knowledge, Pact (CD), Travel, Trickery
  Reward  is  not  gained  without  risk.  The  perfect 
  bargain satisfies both necessity and desire. The 
  wise know the worth of a thing as well as its cost. 
  Greed makes the wealthiest into debtors. All life is 
  a matter of exchange.
  History of the Faith
  Mouqol's faith dates back to before the Empire, for 
  he  was  present  in  the  war  between  Light  and 
  Darkness  which  precipitated  the  mythic  Hegira, 
  which  marks  the  beginning  of  the  Baklunish 
  Empire.  Since those  days he has overseen the 
  constant trade and economy that the Baklunish are 
  so known for. When Zeif was founded, Mouqol was 
  there; his clerics established the first of the many 
  trade negotiations between Zeif and its neighbours. 
  Today, his faith and his organization, the Mouqollad 
  Consortium,  governs  the  economy  from  the 
  Bakhoury Coast to Ket.
  Details of the Faith
  Mouqol is the deity of trade, and the marketplace is 
  his holy ground. He establishes many temples and 
  churches  right  in  the  centre  of  such  bazaars, 
  collecting  taxes  to  fund  their  insurances  of  fair 
  trade within its purview. They tend not to hoard 
  their wealth, preferring to donate it to charitable 
  works.  His  clerics  are  master  negotiators  and 
  appraisers, some of the most skilled merchants in 
  the Baklunish West.
  Clerics of Mouqol believe in fair trade and seek out 
  magical  deception  or  fraud,  eradicating  it.  They 
  prize the ability to discern the true desires of their 
  customers and deliver unto them the most precious 
  treasures.  They  travel  plenty,  seeking  out  new 
  marketplaces and trade opportunities.
  The Player's Guide to Zeif v1.0
  21
  
  The Faith in Zeif
  Mouqol's  faith  in  Zeif  is  centred  in  the  High 
  Bedestan  in  Zeir-i-Zeif,  which  serves  as  a 
  marketplace, a temple, and a headquarters for the 
  Zeifan branch of the Mouqollad Consortium. The 
  Worthy  Elders  of  Mouqol  hold  court  here  on  a 
  monthly basis to discuss the economy and trade 
  situations domestically and abroad. They are lead 
  by the Most Worthy, Feyin ibn-Cemul al-Zeir-i-Zeif 
  (N Baklunish male, Cleric 19 of Mouqol), an aged 
  priest  whose  contemplative demeanor belies his 
  skill as a master negotiator. When Feyin trades 
  with non-Baklunish, he goes by the name Feyin 
  Cemul.
  Mouqol's  faith  is  not  limited  to  the  Baklunish 
  humans  in  Zeif.  Recently,  His  name  is  being 
  spoken among the merfolk tribes of the Dramidj, 
  particularly in the Gulf of Ghayar. These merfolk 
  seek trade with Zeif, wishing to trade the precious 
  underwater treasures that humans cannot procure. 
  They are regularly making trips to the cities in Zeif 
  where they can hold court with the Consortium. 
  Special underwater lodgings are appearing more 
  and  more  in  Zeif,  seeking  to  accommodate  the 
  seafolk.
  Xan Yae, the Lady of Perfection
  [Back] 
  Gender: Female
  Rank: Lesser Deity
  Portfolio: Twilight, Shadows, Stealth, Mental 
  Power
  Titles: Lady of Perfection
  Holy Symbol: Black Lotus Blossom
  Alignment: Neutral
  Favoured Weapon: Falchion
  Weapon of the Deity spell: +1 defending falchion
  Domains: Knowledge, Mind (CD), Trickery, War
  Reality depends upon three metaphysical ideals: 
  the Universal Mind (the universe and all things in it 
  exist  because  the  mind  created  them  and 
  maintains  them),  the Perpetual Harmony (life is 
  balanced, symmetry is in all things, achieving a 
  similar state puts one in harmony with nature), and 
  Internal Peace (martial and mental activities must 
  be mastered to attain a higher level of existence). 
  Flamboyance and wasted energy have no place in 
  the Lady's realm. The extremes of good and evil 
  must be sought out and tempered with harmony to 
  maintain balance.
  History of the Faith
  Xan  Yae's  beginnings  are  uncertain,  for  Her 
  approach was in shadow. For centuries, she has 
  worked in the background of Baklunish history, and 
  today she is found not only in the Baklunish West 
  but other hidden places across the Flanaess. She 
  likely predates the Empire.
  Details of the Faith
  Xan Yae's faith is a faith of harmony and balance, 
  and  a  fervent  believe  in  maintaining  them.  She 
  prefers her  clerics  to  operate subtly,  seeking to 
  right extremes in beliefs to a balanced way without 
  wasting energy on flamboyance. Her faith is an 
  active  one,  constantly  hunting  extremes  in 
  government,  alignment,  or  other  radical  factions 
  and bending them to balance. Her followers hone 
  their mastery of the self, becoming skilled warriors 
  or practitioners of the mind.
  The Faith in Zeif
  Xan Yae's faith is mostly hidden in Zeif, but does 
  have  a  central  headquarters  in  the  city  of  Beit 
  Castan. This temple is a windowless structure of 
  mysterious  secrecy.  The  faith  is  known  to  be 
  involved in the Dusk Lash, a cabal of smugglers 
  who operate out of Beit Castan, though they have 
  remained detached enough to avoid arrest or other 
  legal complications.
  Zuoken, the Servant of the Lady
  [Back] 
  Gender: Male
  Rank: Demigod
  Portfolio: Physical and Mental Mastery
  Titles: Master of Da'Shon and Edel, Servant of the 
  Lady
  Holy Symbol: A striking fist
  Alignment: Neutral
  Favoured Weapon: Fist of Zuoken (unarmed 
  strike)
  Weapon of the Deity spell: +1 improved unarmed 
  strike, defending
  Domains: Celerity (CD), Mind (CD), Strength, War
  To learn Da'Shon is to be on the path to perfection, 
  for the use of weapons is a hindrance to the ability 
  of mankind to attain the goal; once the goal is 
  reached, one can use such things without fear of 
  losing  sight  of  perfection.  One  must  strive  to 
  achieve the pinnacle of physical and mental ability. 
  One must pursue harmony to achieve perfection, 
  The Player's Guide to Zeif v1.0
  22
  
  so every issue must be considered from both sides 
  so that a balance may be struck between the two, 
  allowing a harmonious resolution.
  History of the Faith
  Zuoken was once a mortal in the service of Xan 
  Yae, a master of the Edel ("gift of fate", or psionics) 
  and the Da'Shon ("Falling Hail", a complicated form 
  of martial arts practiced by his sect of Xan Yae). 
  His  mastery was  so  great  that  he  ascended  to 
  divinity through sponsorship of his Lady.
  In 3164 BH (505 CY), Zuoken suddenly stopped 
  manifesting to his faithful. Investigation revealed 
  that  the  deity  was  somehow  captured  and 
  imprisoned somewhere in the central Flanaess. His 
  followers crusade endlessly to find and free their 
  deity to this day.
  Details of the Faith
  Zuoken's faith teaches Da'Shon and the way of 
  Xan Yae. They are ultimately similar to Xan Yae, 
  though the focus on shadows and twilight seems to 
  be  replaced  with  complete  physical  and  mental 
  mastery, and other perfection of the self. Zuoken's 
  faithful seek to master their bodies, find and free 
  their  patron,  and  are  known  to  attack  on  sight 
  members of the Scarlet Brotherhood.
  The Faith in Zeif
  Zuoken has no major temple in Zeif where matters 
  of the faithful are discussed. He possesses a small 
  shrine in the Garden of Shadrakir, which is tended 
  by Ali- Naghi, the Disciple of Balance, servant of 
  Zuoken (LN Baklunish male, Cleric 12 of Zuoken). 
  His  sister,  Allahbas,  the  Disciple  of  Balance, 
  servant of Zuoken (LN Baklunish female, Monk 12), 
  teaches the ways of Da'shon to a select group of 
  disciples. Zuoken's faithful are also known to set up 
  hospitals where they take care of the aging, for 
  understanding and accepting the changes time has 
  on the body is an important aspect of Da'Shon.
  The Player's Guide to Zeif v1.0
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  A Historical Survey of Zeif
  [Back] 
  The Post Empire Days 
  (2237 BH – 2353 BH; -422 CY – -306 
  CY)
  [Back] 
  In days past, there existed two great empires in the 
  lands west of what we now call the Flanaess, the 
  two  of  them  dominated  by  the  Suel  and  the 
  Baklunish respectively.  Relations had always been 
  tense between the two nations, but in their final 
  days, they fought in some of the largest wars that 
  Oerth has seen.  Both sent mercenary armies of 
  orcs  and  goblins  at  each  other,  but  this  only 
  resulted  in  bloodshed  and  death.   No  serious 
  territory or victory was achieved. 
  Their conflict escalated to a fateful point in 2237 
  BH (-422 CY).  The great Suel Imperium brought 
  down the Invoked Devastation upon the Baklunish 
  Empire,  and  much  of  its  land and  people were 
  destroyed, reduced to dust and what is now known 
  as  the  Dry  Steppes.   There  were  survivors, 
  however,  and  they  were  a  group  of  Baklunish 
  mage-priests who gathered at a sacred site called 
  Tovag Baragu.  There, they combined their strength 
  and  struck  revenge  on  the  Suel.   The  Rain  of 
  Colourless Fire befell their enemies, and in turn the 
  Suel nation was reduced to ashes, a land we now 
  call the Sea of Dust.
  Those Suel that survived fled east to settle in the 
  lands of the Flanaess. The Baklunish fled north.  It 
  is during this time that the cleric Al'Akbar founded 
  Ekbir on the eastern shores of the Dramidj.  Other 
  survivors fled among the Paynims, taking up the 
  nomadic lifestyle on the plains of the lands which 
  are now Ull and Zeif.  Some, however, would not 
  see the Empire so easily defeated.
  A man called Ghayar Khan, who was nothing but a 
  civilian during the last dynasty, gathered survivors 
  and  fooled  them  into  believing he  was  the  last 
  descendant of the royal family.  He led his followers 
  to the lands around the Gulf which now bears his 
  name, and settled the lands now known as Risay, 
  Mur, Komal, and the Bakhoury Coast.  He installed 
  false satraps along the coasts, and subjugated any 
  survivors  who  did  not  accept  his  rule.   He 
  eventually  pushed  his  influence  eastwards,  and 
  within a decade claimed dominance over much of 
  what is now Zeif.  Still he claimed to be the rightful 
  heir to the Empire, and proclaimed his lands the 
  new Empire.  Ghayar and his Satraps eventually 
  became known as the Imperial Pretenders.
  Ghayar  pushed  his  limits  in  greed,  and  drew 
  himself thin across the vast plains.  The Paynims 
  and other survivors who now lived under his false 
  dictatorship,  eventually  grew  distasteful  of  the 
  Pretenders.  One such clan, the Osfaradd clan, set 
  into motion the events that would eventually create 
  the Sultanate of Zeif.
  The clan was led by a great war leader called Ozef 
  Khan.  He travelled across the lands calling upon 
  the aid of  any warrior  who would fight  for him, 
  challenging all Baklunish to resist a dictator who 
  was not of royalty.  To him, the Empire was dead, 
  and no false ruler would dominate his people.  He 
  led a campaign against Ghayar, and fought for a 
  short  couple  of  years.   Ghayar  had  not  the 
  resources  to  fight  the  gathered  strength  of  the 
  Paynims, especially not when in the final days of 
  the war, Ozef brought help from the fledgling nation 
  of Ekbir.
  Ekbir had been founded by Al'Akbar, and though 
  the priest only ruled it for ten years before passing 
  on  and  ascending  to  divinity,  the  stories  of 
  Al'Akbar's pilgrimages to the Pinnacles of Azor'Alq 
  and the holy site of Tovag Baragu lived on.  They 
  knew that the last remnant of the royal family had 
  renounced the throne on one such pilgrimage and 
  surrendered the fate of the Baklunish people to 
  Al'Akbar.  They saw the Paynims and the survivors 
  of the Empire as their people, belonging to the 
  Caliphate,  and  they  felt  that  Ghayar's  rule  was 
  illegal.  They sent ships and soldiers to Ozef, and 
  they landed on the north shores of Zeif, where Ozef 
  had made a final stand against the enemy Khan.
  Ozef defeated the Imperial Pretenders and within a 
  few months had routed the last of the satraps from 
  his lands. The Holy Caliph of Ekbir decreed that 
  Zeif would be a new nation, a partner to Ekbir and 
  rightful lands for Baklunish, and in 2353 BH (-306 
  CY), Ozef was crowned the first Sultan of Zeif.  Zeif 
  was  granted  a  small  amount  of  soldiers  and 
  vessels who would defect to the Sultanate, and the 
  grounds  of  Ghayar's  last  stand  became  the 
  foundation for Zeir-i-Zeif, the capital city.  A new 
  nation was formed, and Ekbir hoped that Zeif would 
  grow into a valued ally and devoted of Al'Akbar. 
  However, things would eventually not go as well as 
  The Player's Guide to Zeif v1.0
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  they thought.
  The Beginnings of a Sultanate 
  2353 BH – 2529 BH (-306 CY – -130 CY)
  [Back] 
  2353 BH (-306 CY): The Sultan's Truce 
  and the Tradition of War Titles
  [Back] 
  In Zeif’s early days, many issues of integration and 
  instability  plagued  Ozef’s  rule.   The  remaining 
  satraps  and  emirs  of  Ghayar,  who  were  not 
  comfortable giving up their lands, challenged the 
  new Sultan’s rule. The roving Paynims desired to 
  remain free from any yoke of a new autocracy.  The 
  descendants  of  the  orcish  mercenaries  of  the 
  Baklunish-Suel wars had fled north from the Dry 
  Steppes  and were settling into what would become 
  Antal.  Finally,  there was the  heavy presence  of 
  Ekbir's missionaries in Zeif.  Their presence forced 
  Ozef  to compromise  his ideas with the Caliph's 
  desires.
  The  first  Sultan  knew  that  he  would  have  to 
  establish  his  absolute  power  and  created  the 
  Sultan's Truce.   The Truce declares that the sultan 
  is the single ultimate and proper authority in the 
  Sultanate and automatically dismissed all claims 
  against the Sultan, recognizing him as the absolute 
  ruler of Zeif.  
  With the Sultan’s Truce in place, Ozef was now 
  empowered to remove the petty beys, emirs and 
  satraps who were dissenting, replacing them with 
  his own loyalists and smoothing out administrative 
  duties  in  the  process.   Ozef  backed  his  claims 
  through force of arms.  The dissenting rulers either 
  quickly fell in line or were relieved of their duties.  
  One problem with the  Truce, however, was that 
  Ozef  lacked  a  proper  existing  aristocracy.  He 
  couldn't  leave  the  former  satraps  of  Ghayar  in 
  charge of his states but the only recognized nobles 
  in  Zeif  were  members  of  his  own  clan,  the 
  Osfaradd, and most of his close allies were Khans 
  in his army, not politicians. It was because of this 
  that the tradition of war titles came about. Through 
  the Truce, Ozef began granting the heroes of battle 
  the title of  effendi, a gracious title of honour, and 
  granted them positions of power over timars in the 
  area.  This is how Ozef formed an upper class, and 
  the tradition of granting war titles still exists today, 
  though  it  is  often  reserved  only  for  the  most 
  deserving heroes.  
  It should be noted that those ousted by Ozef during 
  the Truce were not removed from power for long. 
  Many of them, including Ghayar expatriates and 
  old families of the Empire, eventually regained their 
  status  through  intermarriage  and  adoption  with 
  Ozef's new caste.
  2366 BH (-293 CY): Ozef's Death
  [Back] 
  Although Ozef the Warrior had only a short reign in 
  comparison, his influence was critical.  Not only did 
  he defeat the Imperial Pretenders, uniting Zeif and 
  becoming  its  first  Sultan  but  during  his  thirteen 
  years in office, he planted the seeds that would 
  allow Zeif to grow into the greatest nation in the 
  west and largest successor state to the Baklunish 
  Empire.  However, his ideas of unity between all 
  the  people  of  the  Baklunish  Basin,  particularly 
  Ekbir, were short lived.
  In 2366 BH (-293 CY), he accepted an invitation 
  from the Caliph of Ekbir to visit the Caliphate.  En 
  route to the neighbouring nation, his vessel was 
  attacked at the mouth of the Tuflik River by a great 
  sea-monster,  the  dragon-turtle  Xoshour.  Some 
  witnesses  claim  to  have  seen  the  Sultan  from 
  shore, fighting valiantly unto his death, the hope for 
  a union between Zeif and Ekbir dying with him. 
  Ozef’s remains were not recovered and remain lost 
  to this day.
  Ozef's death brought about much change in Zeif. 
  The nation took on a life of its own, shaking off the 
  yoke of Ekbir that Ozef had attempted to preserve 
  during  his  reign.   Ozef’s  religion,  the  faith  of 
  Al'Akbar eventually faded as chief religion of the 
  state.   Though  worship  of  Al’Akbar  remained 
  popular, events would conspire to make way for the 
  ascension of the faiths of Mouqol and Istus as the 
  more prominent religions in Zeif.  
  Over  the  next  hundred  years,  Zeif  would  grow 
  incredibly  in  size  and  wealth,  and  Ozef's 
  successors would attempt to extend Zeif’s borders 
  to  encompass  many  of  the  surrounding  lands 
  merging them into a single Zeif controlled empire.
  2454 BH (-205 CY): The Creation of the 
  Uruzary Corps
  [Back] 
  Orcs have always had a place in the Baklunish 
  Empire, the reign of the Imperial Pretenders, and 
  The Player's Guide to Zeif v1.0
  25
  
  the Sultanate of Zeif. They were once mercenaries, 
  fighting the Suel in the great wars, which escalated 
  to the Twin Cataclysms.  Ghayar used them as 
  maliks, powerful tyrants with authority near that of a 
  king, granting them states in his empire, the most 
  notable  of  which  was  the  satrap  of  Mukhazin, 
  where the ruined city of the same name now lies.  
  Orcs were rebellious in Zeif's early days, resisting 
  Ozef's control and seeking an identity and purpose 
  on the plains.  Ozef repeatedly tried, and failed, to 
  subjugate the orcs, while Ozef’s successors even 
  banned them.  It wasn't until the reign of Jehef that 
  the orcs finally received a chance to change their 
  destiny.
  Jehef was one of the most successful Sultans Zeif 
  had known, largely responsible for the early growth 
  and  eventual  dominance  of  Zeif  over  its 
  neighbours, but when he first came into power, Zeif 
  faced many problems:   Bakhoury resistance, pirate 
  raids,  and  constant  paynim  disturbances.   The 
  worst  problem  were  the  orcs.   They  attacked 
  caravans and villages, living up to their reputation 
  as fierce warriors.  
  Jehef knew battling the orcs would be a long and 
  costly path.  Recalling how the ancient Baklunish 
  Empire  has  utilized  the  orc  warriors  as  shock-
  troops, Jehef turned the orcs' fury and momentum 
  against  his  enemies  by  founding  the  Uruzary 
  Corps.
  Attempting to harness orcish rage, Jehef inducted 
  hundreds of the most battle-hardened orcs into a 
  special  Sultan-controlled  military  task  force, 
  providing  command  positions  for  the  orc  khans 
  (leaders).    Over the next few years, Jehef had this 
  force trained in infantry combat,  using discipline 
  and  dogma  to  cow  the  orcs'  chaotic  nature. 
  Eventually, he had a small but powerful force of 
  elite orc soldiers to act as his personal guards and 
  they became the Uruzary Corps.
  The Uruzary Corps has grown since this time, and 
  has become a beacon of glory for the orc tribes. 
  Today, it is a great honour to serve on the corps, 
  and most young orcs aspire to join.  The Uruzary 
  Corps are fearsomely loyal to the Sultan and are 
  feared by all of Zeif's neighbours, serving as a 
  guard unit, a task force, and an army. 
  2481 BH (-178 CY): The Commissioning 
  of the Palace of Peh'reen
  [Back] 
  The  Palace  of  Peh’reen  was  commissioned  by 
  Jehef  the  Splendid  as  tribute  to  himself. 
  Unsatisfied with the current royal dwellings, Jehef 
  used his vast fortune to finance the commission of 
  a grand palace in 2458 BH (-201 CY).  The palace, 
  now  known  as  the  Palace  of  Peh’reen,  was 
  constructed over a period of twenty-three years, 
  finally  completed  in  2481  BH  (-178  CY). 
  Construction  of  the  palace  was  completed  by 
  employing  nearly  twenty  thousand  workers  from 
  Zeif and surrounding countries. 
  So extravagant was Jehef that he paid for colossal 
  brick scaffolding rather than wait for enough wood 
  to be imported for standard wooden scaffolds to be 
  constructed.   The brick scaffold was so enormous 
  that  it  estimated  that  it  would  take  years  to 
  dismantle.  Again Jehef displayed his wealth by 
  decreeing  that  anyone  could  keep  bricks  taken 
  from the scaffold.  Legend has it that the scaffold 
  was dismantled by peasants overnight.
  The Palace of Peh’reen is comprised of three main 
  parts: the Inner Palace (home of the sultan and his 
  Uruzary body guards) which was completed first in 
  2469  BH  (-190  CY),  the  Harem  (home  of  the 
  sultan's numerous concubines and consorts) which 
  was completed second in 2475 BH (-184 CY) and 
  the Outer Palace (home the ministerial offices and 
  the Chamber of the Diwan) which was completed 
  last in 2481 BH (-178 CY).  
  Many  beys,  deys  and  sheiks  sent  material  and 
  manpower  to  be  used in  the  completion  of  the 
  Palace of Peh’reen.  The famed bronze gates of 
  the palace were a gift from the caliph of Ekbir, 
  given to Jehef upon completion of the Inner Palace.
  The palace was said to truly be complete when 
  Ismuyin, Jehef's grandniece and next Sultan after 
  him founded Zeir-i-Zeif's walls from blue granite, 
  mined at home in the Vaar.  Ismuyin called it the 
  Sultana's Girdle, and it protected the capital and 
  the  palace.   At  each  of  its  gate,  the  Sultana 
  personally  designed  mosaics  depicting  and 
  honouring Istus.  The Sultana's Girdle is one of the 
  most beautiful pieces of architecture in Zeif.
  The  palace  has  suffered  from  varying states  of 
  disrepair and neglect over the past 350 years but 
  Sultan  Murad  has  recently  commissioned  the 
  The Player's Guide to Zeif v1.0
  26
  
  restoration  of  several  sections  of  the  Palace  of 
  Peh’reen as part of his vision of returning pride to 
  the once great nation of Zeif.
  Zeif and its Neighbours: Growth 
  and Development
  2529 BH – 2850 BH (-130 CY – 191 CY)
  [Back] 
  2529 BH (-130 CY): The Merchant's War
  [Back] 
  It was under the rule of Jehef the Splendid that Zeif 
  was at its peak in size, wealth and power. The 
  pockets  of  many  grew  full  under  Jehef’s 
  sovereignty.  It seemed as if there would be no end 
  to Zeif’s prosperity.  
  However, as the rewards grew,  so, too, did the 
  stakes.   Competition  between  merchant  clans 
  became fierce.  Many resorted to sinister tactics 
  such as arson, vandalism, theft and even private 
  assassination  to  secure  favourable  business 
  arrangements or dissuade competition.  
  Many  complained  about  the  conditions  but  the 
  merchant  clans  paid  large  tributes  to  the  many 
  viziers and rulers in return for a limited degree of 
  autonomy and the situation continued to escalate 
  unchecked.  
  During this time, the Mouqollad Consortium did not 
  exist as it is does today.  Priests from the temple of 
  Mouqol  attended  marketplaces  to  oversee  fair 
  business  practices  but  those  that  could  not  be 
  bought or intimidated were run off or killed.  The 
  Temple  of  Mouqol,  led  by  Worthy  Elder  Jafiq 
  Al’Qalil, lobbied Jehef and the Diwan to restore 
  order  to  no  avail.   The  viziers  and  the  Sultan 
  continued  to  turn  a  blind  eye  as  long  as  their 
  coffers continued to flow.  However, Worthy Elder 
  Jafiq Al’Qalil was a skilled diplomat and negotiator. 
  Aware that Jehef would soon need to step down, 
  he began to seek out allies and like minds.  
  In the spring of  2529 BH (-130 CY), Jehef  the 
  Splendid died under a cloud of controversy.  Jehef 
  had no male heirs to assume the role of Sultan. 
  Many stepped forward to make claim to the throne 
  but in the end the only legitimate claim was from 
  Jehef’s  grandniece  Ismuyin.   Later  that  spring 
  Dismaying was appointed the first and only Sultana 
  of Zeif to date.
  Initially Ismuyin struggled to exert control over her 
  cabinet.  However, during a particularly hot summer 
  in 2529 BH (-130 CY), her situation would change. 
  The merchant clan private wars escalated to all out 
  conflict.  Mercenaries hired by rival merchant clans 
  were  openly  engaging  one  another  in  armed 
  combat in the streets of Zeir-i-Zeif.  The week-long 
  battle resulted in extensive property damage and 
  casualties.
  During the “Merchant’s War”, Jafiq Al’Qalil gained 
  audience with the Sultana.  Jafiq urged her to take 
  control of the situation.  Inexperienced and unsure 
  of  herself,  Ismuyin  sought  council  from  those 
  present.  It was Jafiq who gave her the confidence 
  she needed by offering a sound course of action.
  Ismuyin sent the Uruzary Corps along with the city 
  guards to put an immediate end to the fighting. 
  She  then  declared  the  formation  of  a  trade 
  organization to oversee fair and equitable business 
  practices.  Ismuyin appointed Worthy Elder Jafiq 
  Al’Qalil  as  head  and  placed  control  of  the 
  organization with the priests of Mouqol.
  Some  of  the  more  prosperous  merchant  clans 
  rallied against this new “Mouqol Trade Consortium” 
  but  to  no  avail.   The  Sultana  gave  preferential 
  treatment to the group and the new organisation 
  had gathered many of the merchant clans under its 
  banner with the promise of an equal share of profits 
  and  respite  from  the  violent  market  which  had 
  previously dominated Zeif's economy.  
  Within  the  next  fifty  years,  the  now  dubbed 
  Mouqollad  Consortium  grew  significantly  in  size 
  and stature.  Its fair and ordered practices were a 
  welcome  change  to  the  strife  of  old  and  most 
  opponents had since allied with or backed down 
  from  the  group’s  collective  power.   Soon  the 
  group’s influence spread throughout all of Zeif and 
  even  into  neighbouring  Baklunish  countries.   In 
  2602 BH (-57 CY), the High Bedestan in Zeir-I-Zeif 
  was completed firmly establishing the Mouqollad 
  Consortium’s presence.
  The wide spread influence and incredible wealth of 
  the  trade  organization  also  had  a  tremendous 
  effect on the faith of Mouqol establishing it as one 
  of the predominant faiths in Zeif culture.
  The Player's Guide to Zeif v1.0
  27
  
  2614 BH (-45 CY): The Eastern 
  Fortification of Lopolla
  [Back] 
  In the 27th century BH, Zeif was growing thirsty with 
  expansionism, and Irmun greatly desired to make 
  Zeif into an Empire. By this time, trade coming from 
  the Velverdyva was increasing.  The city of Sefmur, 
  which guarded the Tuflik, acted as a gateway to 
  Ket and beyond. Sefmur handled the trade that 
  brought in much of Zeif's income.  However, Ket, 
  the  middle-nation  between  Zeif  and  its  trade 
  partners, was sapping valuable revenue and goods 
  for its own as the shipments passed from east to 
  west or vice versa through Ket  territory.   Irmun 
  realized that seizing this choke point would greatly 
  increase his earnings.
  The land of Ket was an easy victory for Irmun.  It 
  held no government in the early 27th century BH. 
  The land was mostly filled with nomads and small 
  independent  villages,  founded when  refugees of 
  the Twin Cataclysms moved east.  In 2617 BH (-42 
  CY), Irmun moved his army eastward and founded 
  the city of Lopolla, which would be his easternmost 
  outpost.  He claimed Ket as a province of Zeif, and 
  began imposing his laws on the land.
  The Kettite people were indifferent at first. Zeif's 
  armies provided protection from monsters in the 
  Yatils and the Bramblewood, which covered most 
  of Ket at the time.  As an unorganized nation, Ket 
  lost  little  in  the  way  of  tax  revenue  when  Zeif 
  subsumed  control  of  her  since  the  unorganized 
  nation  lacked  the  structure  and  organization  to 
  properly collect those taxes.  The colony existed 
  peacefully for over two hundred years, and Zeif 
  procured  much  in  the  way  of  trade  power 
  throughout  this  period.,  It  wouldn't  be  until  the 
  Brazen Horde stormed through the Baklunish Basin 
  that Zeifan hegemony would be challenged in Ket.
  2755 BH (96 CY): The Creation of the 
  Spahis
  [Back] 
  Yazerak's  reign  was  marked  by  his  lack  of 
  proficiency in economic matters.  He was said to 
  have fired many financial advisers over the course 
  of his short 24-year term, claiming them ill-suited 
  for the job.  However, many came to speculate that 
  the advisers were dismissed for trying to keep the 
  Sultans  poor  spending  habits  in  check.   The 
  Sultanate's budget was at its worst by 2755 BH (96 
  CY), and Yazerak was forced to come to terms with 
  his growing poverty.  It was then that Yazerak made 
  what is regarded as his best budgetary move.  He 
  transferred  ownership  of  Zeif’s  cavalry  to  the 
  Spahis. 
  Yazerak  was  fond  of  trumpeting  Zeif’s  powerful 
  cavalry  around  in  shows  of  martial  prowess. 
  However,  they  were  an  expensive  military  unit, 
  costing hundreds of thousands of efrits in housing, 
  food, weapons, and especially mounts.  Yazerak 
  decided  to  offload  the  enormous  cost  by 
  implementing a system of vassalage to manage 
  the cavalry.  
  Yazerak  chose  a  dozen  of  his  most  powerful 
  knights (dubbed Elder Spahis) and granted each a 
  altimar in key points  across the Sultanate.  Most 
  were located in the west or south to keep checks 
  on the Paynims and the orcs.  The Spahis were 
  expected to maintain the  current  cavalry  duties, 
  namely patrolling and policing their assigned areas. 
  In return, the Spahis were given jurisdiction over 
  their altimar and all income generated from it, as 
  well as jurisdiction over neighbouring timars.  It was 
  with this new income that each Spahi was required 
  to fund and coordinate his own forces.  
  In one swift move, Yazerak quickly changed the 
  infrastructure  and  relieved  himself  almost 
  completely of the cost of maintaining Zeif’s cavalry. 
  The decision proved so successful that the Elder 
  Spahis' units even grew in size as Elder Spahis 
  were forced to hire more men to satisfy quotas. 
  Many Elder Spahis hired Paynims, whose natural 
  affinity  with  mounted  combat  made  it  easy  to 
  cheaply lure them into mercenary positions in the 
  various Elder Spahis' forces.
  While the move helped ease Yazerak's financial 
  troubles, he still found himself deeply in debt.  His 
  next  course  of  action  lead  to  the  War  of 
  Possession, and gave the Spahis their first real 
  test.
  2769 BH (110 CY): The War of Possession
  [Back] 
  Yazerak’s  irresponsible  spending  habits  had 
  drained the royal treasury.  Only the sight of a near 
  empty vault would waken him to this fact and force 
  him to implement several cost saving initiatives. 
  Some,  like  the  creation  of  the  Spahis,  were 
  successful and well received; others were not.  It 
  was Yazerak’s least popular idea, the taxation of 
  water, that caused Zeif to erupt into civil war and 
  The Player's Guide to Zeif v1.0
  28
  
  put an end to Yazerak’s twenty four year reign.
  In 2760 BH (101 CY), Yazerak claimed control of 
  all supplies of water, building government outposts 
  at the larger sources to control water distribution 
  and collect money.  He charged the newly created 
  Spahis  with  guarding  the  water  supplies  from 
  thieves as well as collecting the water tax money in 
  more remote locations.
  While the water tax initially brought money back to 
  the royal coffers, it greatly angered the people of 
  Zeif.   The  penalty  for  not  paying  the  tax  was 
  reduction in water rations and even denial of water. 
  Initially, the Spahi were able to maintain order but 
  as the years passed and the situation grew more 
  desperate, the level of civil unrest increased.  Many 
  died from thirst but many more went hungry and 
  malnourished.  The price of food had increased to 
  compensate for the rise in production costs placing 
  further financial strain on the citizens.  People were 
  going  hungry  with  many  resorting  to  criminal 
  activities to afford food and water for themselves 
  and their families.  Spahi patrols policed the streets 
  struggling  to  control  the  chaos  caused  by  a 
  desperate populous.
  In 2767 BH (108 CY), the situation finally came to a 
  head when huge water riots broke out in Zeir-i-Zeif. 
  Hundreds  of  people  converged  on  government 
  water  huts  and  razed  them  to  the  ground, 
  demanding  the  water  tax  be  revoked.   Yazerak 
  quickly put down the riots by sending in several 
  Spahi units.  Violence erupted and though many 
  were injured or killed in the clash, the riot was 
  momentarily quelled.  
  Zara, a priestess of Geshtai, had been become a 
  figurehead in the fight against the water tax.  From 
  the  taxes  inception,  Zara  had  organized 
  demonstrations  against  the  various  levels  of 
  government in protest.  When word of the Sultan’s 
  attack on the people of Zeir-i-Zeif reached Zara’s 
  ears,  she  was  outraged.   Zara  organized  the 
  people of Zeif and began a march of protest north 
  from  Ceshra  towards  the  capital.   Many  joined 
  Zara’s band along the way, numbering nearly one 
  thousand  strong  by  the  time  they  reached  the 
  outskirts of Zeir-i-Zeif in 2769 BH (110 CY).  
  As the group made camp outside the city, Zara was 
  summoned to meet with the Sultan.  There, she 
  demanded the Sultan make the water free to the 
  people once more.  Yazerak denied Zara’s request, 
  ordering her to disband her army and leave.  When 
  Zara  declined,  Yazerak  angrily  ordered  her 
  executed as an example to those that would defy 
  him. Zara’s followers were incensed by the Sultan’s 
  actions and in a moment of rage and anguish, took 
  up arms and marched on the palace.  
  Once again, Yazerak decided to solve his problem 
  with force and called upon his beloved Spahis to 
  turn back the mob. However, when the Spahis rode 
  out to do battle, they were suddenly enveloped in a 
  huge mysterious cloud of wind and dust, knocking 
  many from their horses and scattering the men. 
  Inspired by a what the protesters believed to be 
  divine intervention, the mob quickly overcame the 
  remaining Spahi and proceeded to the palace.  The 
  Sultan’s Uruzaries met the throng in battle but the 
  sheer number of the mob proved overwhelming. 
  The people poured into the castle and within an 
  hour had Yazerak executed.  
  To satisfy the people,  Mirzad the Holy, Yazerak's 
  successor,  immediately revoked the water tax and 
  handed over all legal water claims to the faith of 
  Geshtai,  who  made  the  water  free  to  all  and 
  continue to do so to this day.  
  With  the  people’s  demands  met,  order  soon 
  returned  Zeif,  putting  an  end  to  the  War  of 
  Possession.
  2788 BH – 2814 BH (129 CY – 155 CY): 
  The Banishment of the Sorcerers and the 
  Arcane Sanctum
  [Back] 
  On a warm afternoon in the summer of 2780 BH 
  (121 CY), citizens in Zeir-i-Zeif's marketplace were 
  witness to an event of great magnitude.  A powerful 
  creature with eyes of fire yet walking in constant 
  shadow descended on the city’s central bazaar in a 
  murderous rampage.  Many people died and much 
  property was destroyed before clerics of Mouqol 
  were able to destroy the creature.
   
  It was learned that a group calling themselves the 
  Cult of Fire were responsible.  The Cult of Fire 
  revealed  themselves  publicly  as  a  group  of 
  arcanists whose ultimate goal was a mass sacrifice 
  to  their  evil  god  with  the  intent  to  gain  greater 
  magical powers as a reward.
  Soon,  more and  more these  terrifying creatures 
  appeared  to  plague  Zeif,  yet,  the  Cult  of  Fire 
  continued to elude authorities.  Property and lives 
  The Player's Guide to Zeif v1.0
  29
  
  were being lost and no one seemed able to do 
  anything.   The public grew terrified and neared 
  hysteria.  Upon learning that a group of unknown 
  arcanists  were  the  ones  responsible  for  such 
  chaos, the situation only worsened.  Angry mobs 
  gathered  and  began  attacking  known  and 
  suspected arcanists.  
  The  Sultan  at  the  time  of  this  occurrence  was 
  Mirzad the Holy, a devout worshipper of Al’Akbar. 
  The  Diwan  (the  Sultan’s  cabinet),  lead  by  the 
  Grand Vizier Amir Qaquesh, pressured the Sultan 
  to  outlaw  arcane  magic  and  arrest  all  those 
  suspected of practicing it before the situation grew 
  out of control.  
  The Sultan rejected his Viziers' recommendations. 
  He attempted to maintain order by adhering to the 
  teachings  of  Al’Akbar,  preaching  respect  and  a 
  sense of community.  The Sultan would continue 
  on this path until 2784 BH (125 CY), when the Cult 
  of Fire made an unsuccessful attempt on his life. 
  The reaction from the people at this turn of events 
  was riotous and in many cities arcanists, innocent 
  or not, were being tried and executed by vigilante 
  groups.  
  The assassination attempt and its aftermath was 
  more than the Sultan could handle.  To protect the 
  innocent arcanists from persecution and to put and 
  end to the terror caused by the Cult of Fire, the 
  Sultan finally gave into his Viziers' pressure and 
  issued a ban on the practice of arcane magic and 
  banished all arcane magic users from Zeif.
  Unbeknownst to but a few, the man behind these 
  events was the Grand Vizier himself.  Today, he is 
  simply referred to as the Black Vizier for his true 
  name was wiped from historic records.  The Black 
  Vizier  was  a  powerful  necromancer  with  high 
  aspirations.  For nearly twenty years he had been 
  slowly working his way into a position to enact his 
  plans to rule Zeif and at last they were coming to 
  fruition.  He had engineered the Cult of Fire as 
  means to rid Zeif of those who might be powerful 
  enough  to  oppose  him.   With  the  land’s  most 
  powerful arcanists banished, the Black Vizier was 
  able  to  move  to  the  next  step  of  his  plan: 
  dismantling the Qudah and the faith of Al’Akbar.  
  The Black Vizier’s only real opposition was the faith 
  of Al’Akbar.  He used powerful magics to control 
  the Sultan’s actions and through the Sultan,  he 
  began to slowly dissolve the faith, greatly reducing 
  its abilities and influences.  Many of the its leaders 
  were sent on diplomatic missions of peace to far 
  away lands.  Many others were relocated to more 
  remote areas of Zeif to spread the word of Al’Akbar. 
  The end result was the same.  The Black Vizier 
  was able to divide the priests and lure each one 
  into a deadly trap.  Key individuals were replaced 
  with creatures disguised to mimic the individual’s 
  appearance.
   
  Others
   
  sent
   
  occasional 
  correspondence or were simply never heard from 
  again.
  For  over  twenty  years,  the  Black  Vizier  worked 
  behind the scenes secretly controlling the Sultan 
  and  Zeif.   The  Black  Vizier's  true  plans  went 
  unsuspected and undiscovered until 2808 BH (149 
  CY), when a mid level priest of Al’Akbar secretly 
  witnessed the true form of one of the heads of the 
  Qudah:  a  creature  with  eyes  of  fire  like  those 
  summoned by the Cult of Fire twenty five years 
  earlier.  
  The priest realized the possible ramifications and 
  wisely  chose  to  seek  outside  assistance.   He 
  managed to make contact with several of Zeif’s 
  former mages and secure their aid.  The arcanists 
  posed as low level acolytes of Al’Akbar and began 
  to investigate the matter further, using assistance 
  provided by the faith of Al’Akbar to secure their 
  cover and assist their investigation. 
  What the arcanists found was even greater than 
  expected.  They uncovered a plot to control Zeif 
  that lead straight to the Grand Vizier.  In early 2811 
  BH  (152  CY),  the  arcanists  were  ready  to  act. 
  They confronted the Grand Vizier and his minions 
  at the palace in an epic battle.  The Grand Vizier 
  was nearly victorious against the group of arcanists 
  but the Sultan was able to break free of his control 
  long  enough  to  provide  his  fatal  blow. 
  Unfortunately, in doing so, the Sultan suffered a 
  mortal wound and was lost as well.
  Shorty after these events, Beroz became Sultan. 
  He revoked the laws banishing arcane magic and 
  its practitioners.  He then charged the group of 
  arcanists responsible for the Grim Vizier’s defeat 
  with  the  task  of  establishing  a  state  sponsored 
  school of magic.  The school’s mandate was to 
  oversee the instruction of responsible magic use. 
  The group accepted and in 2814 BH (155 CY), the 
  Arcane Sanctum opened its doors officially marking 
  the return of arcane magic to Zeif.
  The Player's Guide to Zeif v1.0
  30
  
  2813 BH (154 CY): Western Colonization 
  (Bureis)
  [Back] 
  The Zeif Sultan Beroz was an adventurous man 
  who spent large parts of his reign exploring the 
  Dramidj Ocean by ship earning his nickname ‘The 
  Mariner’.  While Beroz made many journeys, it was 
  his first voyage as Sultan that most remember.  It 
  was  on  this  first  voyage  that  he  explored  the 
  Qayah-Bureis chain of islands, claiming them on 
  behalf of Zeif. 
  In  2811  BH  (152  CY),  Beroz  became  Sultan. 
  Shortly afterwards, Beroz took several ships and 
  sailed throughout the many islands in the central 
  Dramidj Ocean, focusing particularly on the Qayah-
  Bureis  chain.   Zeif  traders  had  frequented  the 
  Qayah-Bureis islands in the past but no real effort 
  had  been  made  to  explore  or  colonize  them. 
  Seeing  an  opportunity,  Beroz  declared  Zeif’s 
  intention to claim and colonize the Qayah-Bureis 
  islands. For nearly two years, Beroz and his ships 
  sailed  throughout  the  area,  mapping  and  laying 
  claim to some of the more promising locations.  
  However, the Sultan’s actions were not welcome by 
  many  of  those  that  inhabited  the  region.   The 
  Komali people in particular actively opposed the 
  Sultan  and  the  idea  of  Zeif  occupation.   They 
  claimed the islands were rightfully theirs and fought 
  to  drive  out  the  Sultan  and  his  men.  
   
  In 2813 BH (154 CY), Beroz returned to Zeir-i-Zeif 
  and made his claims to the Qayah-Bureis islands 
  official.  He sent ships to some of the larger islands 
  and began establishing Zeif run ports as well as 
  small naval outposts to help enforce his claims. 
  The  largest  of  these  ports  was  Yif  Qayah,  a 
  frequently used port that Zeif seized and upgraded 
  to handle larger ships.  Yif Qayah would now act as 
  home for many Zeif colonists and as the central 
  hub for Zeif shipping throughout the islands.
  Still the people of the islands, led by the Komali, 
  fought  the  Zeif  occupation.   It  was  only  after 
  several overwhelming defeats at the hands of the 
  Zeif navy that the Komali people were forced to 
  release their claims to several of the islands in the 
  Qayah-Bureis chain. 
  With the Komali threat neutralized, Zeifan interests 
  in  the  Qayah-Bureis  islands  prospered.  The 
  Qayah-Bureis islands belonged to Zeif for over two 
  hundred years before the Komali people returned 
  to take back their lands.  With the crushing defeat 
  of the Zeif navy in the Battle Beneath the Waves in 
  3095 BH (436 CY), the Komali took control of the 
  port of Yif Qayah and several of the surrounding 
  islands.   Many  of  the  other  island  inhabitants 
  rejected Zeif sovereignty and also retook their land. 
  Zeif  could  no  longer  control  the  Qayah-Bureis 
  islands, and they have remained outside of Zeif 
  control since that time.
  Waning Influence
  2850 BH – 3133 BH (191 CY – 474 CY)
  [Back] 
  2855 BH (196 CY): The Disappearance of 
  Kwalish
  [Back] 
  In late 2883 the renowned inventor Kwalish was 
  summoned  to  Zeir-i-Zeif  by  Sultan  Kouroz  “the 
  Cruel”  and  asked  to  construct  powerful  war 
  machines to bolster Zeif’s military might.  When 
  Kwalish  refused  to  make  such  devices  Kouroz 
  captured and imprisoned Kwalish.  Kouroz placed 
  Kwalish in a magic proof room and under threat of 
  death, forced the inventor to design and build the 
  machines Kouroz craved.  Realizing that escape 
  was nearly impossible, Kwalish soon went to work 
  designing and building a strange device.  
  By mid 2855 BH (196 CY), Kwalish finished his 
  device.  During its demonstration to Kouroz, the 
  clever Kwalish revealed that he had secretly built a 
  means of escape, and cunningly disappeared from 
  the palace.
  Outraged,  Kouroz  sent  Uruzaries  to  the Arm  of 
  Kwalish (Kwalish’s tower located off the coast of 
  Zeif near Nafiq) to recapture Kwalish and recover 
  the device, but they were unable to gain entry.  The 
  Sultan stationed his soldiers to observe the Arm of 
  Kwalish for over a year but never did it show signs 
  of life.  Kwalish has not been seen since.
  While most think Kwalish dead, there are those that 
  speculate  Kwalish  is  still  alive and  that  he  has 
  found  peace  elsewhere.   Some  theorize  that 
  Kwalish’s trip was one way and that he may be 
  looking for a way back while other suggest that 
  Kwalish found a secluded spot in which to create 
  and has no interest in returning to Zeif.  In the 
  meantime,  his  tower  sits  vacant  awaiting  its 
  master’s return.  
  The Player's Guide to Zeif v1.0
  31
  
  2871 BH (212 CY): The Slaughter of the 
  Sea People
  [Back] 
  While  modern  Zeif  historians  argue  over  what 
  exactly led to the decline of Zeif's imperial days, 
  they can all agree that the tyrannical rulership of 
  Kouroz the Cruel certainly played a major part.  
  During the reign of Beroz the Mariner, Zeif enjoyed 
  a  peaceful  and  beneficial  relationship  with  the 
  Merfolk  of  the  Dramidj  Ocean  and  the  Gulf  of 
  Ghayar.   It  was  through  this  relationship  that 
  Kouroz the Cruel was able to lure merfolk soldiers 
  into a devastating ambush known in Zeif history as 
  The Slaughter of the Sea People.
  Kouroz had eyes on the land of Komal, west of Zeif 
  across  the  Gulf.   The Komali people had been 
  proving themselves a difficult problem for Kouroz 
  and his plans of expansion.  They had a growing 
  relationship with the merfolk which Kouroz, who 
  feared such an alliance, sought to end.  Kouroz 
  met  with  Locathah  leaders  and  persuaded  the 
  Locathah to assist him in his fiendish plan.  
  As the Locathah massed for war, Kouroz met with 
  the  merfolk’s  Sidi  (the  ruler  of  all  merfolk)  and 
  sought his aid in helping to wipe out a scourge of 
  Locathah, who he claimed were massing for some 
  kind of attack.  The Sidi agreed to aid Kouroz and 
  sent a large force of merfolk warriors to aid the Zeif 
  navy in a supposed raid against the Locathah near 
  the Qayah-Bureis islands.  
  As the merfolk entered battle, the Zeif navy turned 
  on them.  Caught between their supposed allies 
  and the locathah, the waters ran red with blood as 
  nearly all the merfolk soldiers were killed.
  Kouroz’s plan was successful.  He had destroyed a 
  large portion of the merfolk military and ended any 
  threat that  a Komal/merfolk alliance would have 
  posed, paving the way for further Zeif conquest in 
  the area.  However, Kouroz’s deception was the 
  basis for over 250 years of strife between Zeif and 
  merfolk, strengthening the Komal/Merfolk alliance, 
  costing  the  lives  of  thousands  of  Zeif  sailors 
  through  raids  and  sunk  ships  and  ultimately 
  culminating  in  the  naval  disaster  known  as  the 
  Battle Beneath the Waves.
  2878 BH (219 CY): The Theft of the Relics 
  in Ekbir
  [Back] 
  In 2878 BH (219 CY), during the Procession of 
  Blessing ceremony in Ekbir, the Cup and Talisman 
  of Al’Akbar, two famous holy relics of the faith, were 
  stolen by strange elves riding giant eagles.  The 
  thieves  escaped  and  were  last  seen  heading 
  towards the Barrier Peaks.  The Cup and Talisman 
  of  Al’Akbar  have not  been seen since,  and the 
  thieves were never discovered.
  In the aftermath of the theft the grand mufti, a chief 
  religious adviser in Ekbir was deemed responsible 
  for the loss of the Cup and Talisman and exiled 
  from his homeland.   He vehemently denied the 
  accusations and left with his followers, eventually 
  finding refuge in the Yatil Mountains.  There he 
  espoused new teachings of Al’Akbar, causing the 
  famed schism in the faith.  The original teachings 
  were  referred  to  as  the  Exalted  Faith,  which 
  emphasized
   
  diplomacy
   
  and
   
  academic 
  achievement.   The  mufti’s  new  teachings  were 
  known as the True Faith, which focused more on 
  hard work, plain speech and obedience.
  The  schism  within  the  faith  of  Al’Akbar  had  a 
  sizable impact on Zeif.  The powerful influence of 
  the True Faith in Ket was a major reason for the 
  severing of Ket from Zeif and set the tone for Zeif 
  attitudes towards the teachings of the True Faith.
  Why would Zeif reject the teachings of the True 
  Faith?  
  The  Qudah (the Zeifan assembly of the Exalted 
  Faith of Al'Akbar) were then and remain today the 
  only clerics of Al’Akbar officially recognized by the 
  government.  Since the Exalted Faith of Al’Akbar 
  maintains sole influence with the government, it is 
  in the position to hinder the spread of the True 
  Faith within Zeif and likely played an influential role 
  in the severing of Ket, though this theory remains 
  unsubstantiated.
  Also, Zeif’s early prosperity and relatively stable 
  religious history has given little reason for Zeifan 
  followers of Al’Akbar to convert to the True Faith. 
  The Exalted Faith (as it became to be known) was 
  well established and widely accepted early in Zeif’s 
  history, well before the creation of the True Faith. 
  While the wealthy in Tusmit turned to the True Faith 
  in  protest  of  the  high  taxes  incurred  from  the 
  building of Exalted Faith hospices and schools, Zeif 
  The Player's Guide to Zeif v1.0
  32
  
  avoided a similar incident by having said systems 
  in place already.  
  While the schism of the faiths brought about much 
  change  in  the  Baklunish  Basin,  Zeif  remained 
  largely untouched, rejecting the faction.  Today, the 
  Exalted  Faith  continues  to  hold  sway  over  the 
  Sultanate.
  2917 BH (258 CY): First Khedivate in Mur
  [Back] 
  In 2892 BH (233 CY), when Kouroz the Cruel was 
  assassinated  under  mysterious  circumstances,  it 
  was  hoped  that  his  successor,  the  handsome 
  Sultan Keshkadar the Golden, would carry Zeif into 
  a better era.
  Keshkadar  was  not  the  leader  that  many  had 
  hoped.  While he did not lack in skill, he was not a 
  great  warrior  like  Ozef  nor  a  brilliant  mind  like 
  Zeyim/efez.   Keshkadar  compensated  for  his 
  weakness  by  utilizing  his  strength:  his ability to 
  recognize men of superior skills and utilizing their 
  talents.  One such man was the renowned kapudan 
  pasha, Nuzad bin Farim al-Zeif. 
  Nuzad led Zeif’s navy to several decisive victories 
  as  Zeif  continued  to  expand  westward.   Some 
  belittled  Nuzad’s  accomplishments  claiming  that 
  Zeif’s enemies had been reduced to ruin during 
  Kouroz’s  ruthless  expansionist  agenda  and  that 
  since they lacked the hated figurehead of Kouroz 
  the  Cruel  to  rally  against,  they  lacked  the 
  motivation to fight.  Nevertheless, the fact remains 
  that Nuzad continued to produce results.  In 2914 
  BH (255 CY) Nuzad reached further west than any 
  other  Zeif  commander  when  he  landed  on  the 
  beaches of Mur.  
  Over the next three years Zeif continued to move 
  forces into Mur and in 2917 BH (258 CY) Zeif had 
  set up its first Khedivate there.  Again, Keshkadar 
  chose wisely, appointing the prominent Vizier Naml 
  bin  Rahdi  from  the  Ministry  of  Weights  and 
  Measures as the Mur's first Khedive.  
  Not only was Naml Khedive a keen mind and savvy 
  businessman but he had also had an empathy with 
  the people of Mur.  By the end of his twenty-three 
  year term as Khedive, Naml bin Rahdi had become 
  respected by the people of his Khedivate for his fair 
  and honest dealings. He was also well respected 
  by many back in Zeif for his role in establishing a 
  lucrative trade business between Mur and Zeif.
  2958 BH (299 CY): The Brazen Horde and 
  the Secession of Tusmit
  [Back] 
  When Ozef founded Zeif, he claimed all the lands 
  east to the Tusman hills, including everything that 
  is now Tusmit, though his claim was weak, and the 
  only thing preventing the loss of the territory was 
  the Sultans' skilled placement of loyal pashas.  In 
  the early years, Tusmit was weak, and the early 
  rulers of Zeif easily manipulated the government 
  and named close friends, politicians, and khans as 
  the  Pashas  of  Tusmit,  leaving  the  territory 
  independent  but  loyal  nonetheless.   Tusmit  has 
  always officially been independent, but the pashas 
  of Tusmit remained loyal to the Sultans of Zeif.  It 
  was these loyal puppet pashas that effectively kept 
  Tusmit part of Zeif for nearly 700 years.
  In the first half of the 30th century BH, a great force 
  called  the  Brazen  Horde  entered  Zeif  from  the 
  west, led by a great khan who was rumoured to be 
  from Komal.  Melek II had summoned this horde as 
  a last ditch effort to deal with the Paynim problems 
  of late, hoping to put a nation of nomads between 
  Zeif and the Paynims.  It worked extremely well for 
  him at first, though the far-seeing consequences of 
  his actions were to be troublesome indeed.
  The horde moved through the Paynim lands fluidly, 
  assimilating some of the Paynim into the horde and 
  joining forces with many of the other Paynim tribes. 
  Soon, however the horde became intent on richer, 
  less defended lands and began moving north.  The 
  Horde  stretched  into  Tusmit  and  Ekbir's  more 
  southern lands, ravaging the lands and people as 
  they passed through.  Still the Horde continued, 
  wreaking more damage as they moved into Ket 
  and even the lands past, including Veluna. 
  Upon learning of Melek's involvement, Ekbir and 
  Tusmit became quite angered.  Ekbir demanded 
  reparations for the damage the horde had done. 
  The lands to the south were in ruin.  Trade and 
  production of trade goods were lost.  Worst of all, a 
  horde of nomads were now settled all over the 
  Baklunish Basin.  Tusmit criticized the Sultanate for 
  their carelessness in allowing the Horde to get so 
  far, and for the first time in years, the pasha spoke 
  out against the Sultan.  Tusmit threatened civil war 
  and claimed it would cultivate its independence.
  Rather than fight a war Melek knew he would lose 
  (for Tusmit held many of  his armies and would 
  certainly  be  bolstered  by  Ekbirran  forces),  he 
  The Player's Guide to Zeif v1.0
  33
  
  preempted Tusmit's claim to secession and offered 
  it to Ekbir as reparations.  Melek withdrew many of 
  his forces and secured his eastern front, as well as 
  maintaining control of the western half of Sefmur 
  (the part which lies on the west bank of the Tuflik, 
  now called Ceshra).  Ekbir accepted and replaced 
  Tusmit's Pasha, quickly quelling any uprising that 
  might occur.
  Melek's invitation to the horde proved to be a bad 
  idea, and he had to accept the loss of Tusmit as a 
  result  of  it.   Worse,  he  had  to  deal  with  the 
  displaced  Paynims  and  horde  tribes,  who  were 
  settled all over his lands and much of the rest of 
  the Baklunish Basin, including the far province of 
  Ket, which would bring more news in the future.
  2972 BH (313 CY): The Paynim Unrest 
  and the Severing of Ket
  [Back] 
  When  the  Brazen  Horde  effectively  invaded  the 
  Baklunish  West,  Melek  faced  many  problems. 
  Initially, he lost the province of Tusmit, having to gift 
  it  to  Ekbir  as  reparations  for  the  damages  the 
  Horde had caused.  For the decade and a half 
  which  followed,  Melek  would  have  to  deal  with 
  more of his mistakes.  
  In  all  of  his  lands,  the  displaced  Paynims  and 
  members  of  the  Horde  were  causing  problems. 
  They raided caravans and generally plagued much 
  of Zeif's infrastructure, economy, and security.  This 
  was true not only for Zeif proper, but the province 
  of  Ket  as  well,  where  the  Horde  was  quite 
  successful in imposing their laws and views on the 
  people  of  Ket.   Melek  needed  Ket  greatly;  the 
  profits  from  the  choke  point  on  the  Velverdyva 
  trade route were crucial in funding Melek's military, 
  which he greatly required at this point in time.  He 
  had displaced paynims to deal with and two other 
  colonies to maintain.  
  Melek knew that he could not spread his military 
  too thin and try and deal with both Zeif and Ket's 
  horde problems.  Regrettably, he withdrew all but a 
  skeletal force from Ket and focused on ensuring 
  Zeif's security.  For over fifteen years he battled the 
  enemy in Zeif, beating back the Horde which had 
  managed to settle nearly to the coast.  In this he 
  was successful, and by the end of his reign he had 
  secured much of Zeif.  Many regarded this as his 
  one true accomplishment, despite having caused 
  the problem in the first place.
  However,  in  the  aftermath  of  the  Horde,  Melek 
  faced more trouble.  Back in Ket, the Horde had 
  nearly taken over, and little help from Zeif arrived to 
  help them.  Furthermore, the empire of Keoland 
  was beginning to extend its influence northward in 
  efforts to secure its borders.  It saw Ket as a liability 
  and began exerting its control over the land, yet still 
  no help came from Zeif.  Kettites were growing 
  impatient  with  Zeif's  ineptitude  to  secure  its 
  holdings, and in 2972 BH (313 CY), the Bey of 
  Lopolla claimed independence from the Sultanate. 
  Melek was  powerless  to  prevent  it,  and  had  to 
  accept another loss at the expense of his mistake.
  Melek II was frowned upon by many critics after his 
  death. He had lost two of Zeif's most important 
  colonies due to a blunder on his part. While Melek 
  II had managed to secure his nation against the 
  Paynim Unrest, Tusmit and Ket would never again 
  be part of Zeif.
  3050 BH (391 CY): The Order of Kwalish 
  Founded
  [Back] 
  Kwalish  was  said  to  have  left  many  unfinished 
  works behind him when he disappeared in 2855 
  BH.  Many sought to emulate his genius in the two 
  centuries that followed, but no one could match his 
  ingenuity  or  level  of  craftsmanship.   It  became 
  increasingly clear to those in the field that no one 
  person could equal the inventor Kwalish.
  In the early part of the 31st century BH, a small 
  cabal of inventors and craftsman came together to 
  share  their  knowledge  and  study  the  works  of 
  Kwalish. For years they met, bringing many brilliant 
  minds to the study of Kwalish’s works.  As time 
  wore on, however, many members died or left the 
  order to pursue other goals.  . While the loss of one 
  mind’s knowledge went unnoticed, the loss of many 
  did  not.   It  became  apparent  that  the  art  of 
  invention  perfected  by  Kwalish  would  eventually 
  become lost as generations passed.  The group 
  needed  to  record  and  document  Kwalish's 
  magnificence, and keep it safe so that others could 
  build on the knowledge.  In this spirit, the Ascetic 
  Order  of  Earthly  Protection,  or  the  Order  of 
  Kwalish, was founded.
  In the two centuries that followed, the Order has 
  been responsible for many advances in technology 
  in Zeif, as well as maintaining their initial goal of 
  documenting Kwalish's work.  Today the Order has 
  a  membership  comprised  of  some  of  the  finest 
  The Player's Guide to Zeif v1.0
  34
  
  scholars, alchemists, inventors, craftsman, wizards, 
  engineers and architects.  The Order’s reputation is 
  that of excellence,  and it is this reputation that has 
  earned  them  the  patronage  of  the  Sultan  on 
  several occasions.  
  3095 BH (436 CY): The Battle Beneath the 
  Waves
  [Back] 
  In 2871 BH (212 CY), Zeif naval forces betrayed 
  their  Merfolk  allies  to  a  Locathah  ambush 
  devastating  the  Merfolk  forces  in  the  southern 
  Dramidj Ocean.  With little to oppose Zeif’s mighty 
  navy,  Zeif  continued  its  slow  progress  into  the 
  lands west of Zeif across the Gulf of Ghayar.  The 
  fiercest  opponents  to  Zeif  occupation  were  the 
  people of Komal. 
  For over two hundred years the Komali willfully 
  continued to fight the Zeif invaders, using guerrilla 
  tactics in an attempt to disrupt Zeif supply lines, 
  cripple Zeif’s navy and demoralize Zeif’s troops. 
  Obstinate and proud Zeif leaders refused to see 
  the people of the west as a real threat, allowing 
  them to continue to build in numbers.  Quietly the 
  people of the west, led by the Komali and their 
  Merfolk  allies,  had  become  a  powerful  force. 
  Carefully  they  planned  and  prepared  for  the 
  eventual  defeat  and  expulsion  of  the  Zeifan 
  invaders.
  In 3095 BH (436 CY), the Komal were ready to 
  strike.  Using a series of raids against the Zeif port 
  of Yif Qayah to anger Zeif leaders and supplying 
  the Zeif navy with the supposed location of the 
  Komal fleet, the Komal/Merfolk alliance lured the 
  Zeif royal naval commander kapudan pasha Ghazi 
  bin Hassim and his ships into a trap.  
  Ghazi bin Hassim reached his position not through 
  skill and experience but bribery and nepotism and 
  despite  intelligence  indicating  gathering  Merfolk 
  forces in the area, Ghazi refused to see the Komali 
  as a threat.  He decided to seize the opportunity to 
  lead  the  Zeif  navy  in  this  important  military 
  campaign and end the Komal nuisance once and 
  for  all.   Thus  the  kapudan  pasha  sent  a  large 
  portion of the Zeif fleet against the Komali rebels in 
  a  vain  bid  to  garner  accolades  and  secure  his 
  name in Zeif military history.  
  Overconfident, Ghazi sent his fleet into the shallow 
  waters of the Ikayal Straight.  Beneath the water’s 
  surface Merfolk forces moved in to sabotage the 
  war-galleys,  disabling  oars  and  breaching  ship’s 
  hulls  below  the  waterline.   Unprepared  and 
  inexperienced, Ghazi bin Hassim's command was 
  ineffective.   The  royal  navy  floundered  and  the 
  overwhelming victory became a horrible disaster. 
  Nearly one third of all boats comprising the Zeif 
  fleet were lost in the waters that day and many of 
  Zeif’s  experienced  naval  officers  were  killed  or 
  captured by Merfolk forces.  
  The Zeifan fleet was forced to retreat, yet still the 
  Merfolk pressed the attack, the memories of the 
  Slaughter of the Sea People fresh in their minds. 
  By the time the fleet reached safety, nearly another 
  third of it was lost.  
  The effects of the Battle Beneath the Waves were 
  almost immediate.  The Zeif port of Yif Qayah was 
  captured and claimed by the Komal, inspiring the 
  others that had been previously subjugated by Zeif 
  to rise up against their oppressors and form their 
  own governments.  Zeif’s supplies of certain goods 
  were cut off, crippling some aspects of Zeif trade 
  and weakening its economy.  
  Particularly troublesome was the dramatic increase 
  of piracy in the Dramidj.  Zeif's navy was now ill-
  equipped  to  deal  with  the  threat  and  many 
  Mouqollad Consortium trade convoys were stripped 
  of their precious cargo with only blood and death 
  as their reward.  
  To further Zeif's humiliation, the Merfolk, following 
  Zeifan  law,  enslaved  hundreds  of  its  sailors 
  captured during the Battle Beneath the Waves in 
  reparation  for  the  damage  caused  by  the  Zeif 
  betrayal nearly two hundred and twenty-five years 
  ago.  
  Zeif’s naval officers remained enslaved for nearly 
  thirty  years  before  Zeif  leaders  were  able  to 
  negotiate  their  release  as  part  of  the  Dramidj 
  Peace Agreement in 3121 BH (462 CY)
  3121 BH (462 CY): The Dramidj Peace 
  Agreement
  [Back] 
  In the aftermath of the Battle Beneath the Waves in 
  3095 (436 CY), Zeif was nearly helpless to defend 
  herself  against  the  many  threats  waiting  in  the 
  surrounding waters.  
  Acts of piracy went unchecked.  The small number 
  of remaining Zeif ships were unable to fully patrol 
  The Player's Guide to Zeif v1.0
  35
  
  the  vast  waters  surrounding  Zeif.   Existing 
  criminals,  vengeful  merfolk  or  those  simply 
  opposed to Zeif took to looting or sinking trade 
  ships sailing Zeifan waters.  The number of pirates 
  seemed  to  grow  exponentially.   The  numerous 
  attacks had a crippling effect on the economy, as 
  many  stopped  sailing  into  Zeif  because  of  the 
  danger posed by pirates in the area.  Those brave 
  or foolish enough to sail the Dramidj found that 
  their  ship’s  cargo  rarely  reached  its  final 
  destination.  
  The lack of naval support also weakened Zeif’s 
  hold  on  many  western  territories,  which  in  turn 
  threatened to end Zeif’s supply of many valuable 
  imports used to finance Zeif’s military campaigns. 
  As it became more costly to protect Zeif’s assets, 
  Zeif  gained  less  and  less  income  from  her 
  overseas colonies.  Turuvez the Triumphant was 
  eventually forced to take action or face the collapse 
  of the once great Empire of Zeif.  
  Faced with dwindling gold reserves as well as the 
  inability to protect his shipping lanes, the pressure 
  on Turuvez was great.  His leadership was called 
  into question.  Unwilling to accept defeat, Turuvez 
  turned to an unexpected source for assistance: the 
  Merfolk of the Dramidj.  
  The Merfolk were as much a threat to Zeif ships as 
  the pirate raiders.  Turuvez knew fighting a war on 
  two fronts was foolish.  He wished to end Merfolk 
  aggressions, allowing him to concentrate against 
  the pirate threat.  
  The task of repairing the damage caused by over 
  two hundred years of animosity was not easy but 
  Turuvez was persistent and eventually the Merfolk 
  were willing to begin talks.  Many doubted Turuvez, 
  questioning  his  motives  openly  criticizing  his 
  actions.   Turuvez  persevered,  however,  and  in 
  3121  BH  (462  CY)  he  and  the  Merfolk  Sidi 
  Occlu’um  the  Forgiving  brokered  the  Dramidj 
  Peace Agreement, ending hostilities between Zeif 
  and  the  Merfolk  as  well  as  appropriately 
  compensating the Merfolk for the release of Zeif's 
  captured sailors.
  The Dramidj Peace Agreement re-established trust, 
  fostered good will between the two peoples and 
  proved to be the initial step towards the current 
  camaraderie enjoyed between the Sultanate and 
  the Merfolk of the Dramidj. 
  3133 BH (474 CY): Mur's Khedivate 
  Autonomous
  [Back] 
  The granting of autonomy to the Mur Khedivate 
  came about for primarily financial reasons.  
  Despite a newfound peace with the Merfolk people, 
  Zeif’s  navy  was  still  spread  thin.  As  trade  was 
  deemed  vital  to  Zeif’s  prosperity,  protecting 
  important  shipping  lanes  from  piracy  was  given 
  primary importance. The support of the Zeif military 
  in  places  such  as  Mur,  therefore,  took  on 
  secondary importance. Also, the cost associated 
  with maintaining a Khedivate in Mur (as in other 
  places) was proving uneconomical.  The money 
  needed to place troops in Mur was beginning to 
  outweigh the amount of profit generated from the 
  Khedivates.  
  The reigning Sultan, Muktar the Crafty, realized the 
  futility  in  throwing  good  money  after  bad  and 
  decided  to  pull  out  from  several  parts  of  the 
  western  lands.  Earning  his  nickname,  Muktar 
  managed  to  turn  the  loss  of  Zeif  assets  into  a 
  windfall.
  In 3133 BH (474 CY), Muktar granted autonomy to 
  the  Mur  Khedivate  in  exchange  for  somewhat 
  favourable trade conditions between it  and Zeif. 
  Muktar  was  relieved  of  the  financial  burdens 
  associated with Mur while continuing to secure the 
  continued flow of important trade goods from Mur 
  to  Zeif  with  Mur  footing  some  of  the  costs 
  associated with procuring the items and preparing 
  them for shipping.  
  Modern Day Zeif: A New Sultanate
  3133 BH – Present (474 CY – Present)
  [Back] 
  3158 BH (499 CY): The Bakhoury 
  Subjugation
  [Back] 
  With the weakening of Zeifan naval power more 
  than sixty years prior, the pirate princes along the 
  Bakhoury Coast had grown in strength and daring. 
  Not only were they able to gather more ships to 
  their cause, but several settlements became openly 
  supportive of the pirates.  By 3158 BH (499 CY), 
  the Bakhoury Coast was a lawless and dangerous 
  place,  where  few  legitimate  trading  ships  would 
  dare to travel.
  The Player's Guide to Zeif v1.0
  36
  
  However, Zeif had not been idle during this time . 
  The  previous  sultan  Muktar  the  Crafty  had 
  brokered a peace agreement with Merfolk of the 
  Dramidj  Ocean.   The  Zeif  navy  was  no  longer 
  facing merfolk raids that continued to cripple their 
  ships, allowing the Zeif navy to sail surrounding 
  waters with greater safety and focus on protecting 
  trade vessels from piracy and other threats.
  In  addition,  the  Zeif  navy  had  spent  the  time 
  steadily re-building and improving its naval fleet. 
  Though the total fleet size was still smaller than it 
  had been before the Battle Beneath the Waves, it 
  almost matched the previous fleet in fighting power 
  due  to  several  changes  in  ship  design  and 
  construction.  Zeif was also able to consolidate its 
  fleet  by  pulling  out  of  many  of  its  holdings  in 
  western lands, freeing many of its existing ships 
  from their duties of protecting Zeif Khedivates in 
  places  like  Mur.   The  Zeifan  Navy  was  slowly 
  regaining its reputation as the most powerful navy 
  in the Dramidj Ocean.
  It was a desire to firmly re-establish this reputation 
  that led Sultan Kamuran (“the Fortunate”) to order 
  the subjugation of the Bakhoury Coast in 3158 BH 
  (499 CY).  He declared his intent to “liberate a 
  people too long removed from the light of Zeifan 
  order.”   Kamuran  mobilized  a  sizable  force  of 
  warships  and  troop  transports,  and  ordered  the 
  fleet to sail for the Bakhoury Coast.
  The  subjugation  began  successfully.  The  Zeifan 
  forces were able to retake and garrison several 
  towns  and  villages  long  held  by  various  pirate 
  princes.   The  Navy  also  succeeded  in  creating 
  forward shipyards and supply depots, eliminating 
  the need for ships to make a long journey back to a 
  safe port for repairs or maintenance. Indeed, great 
  spans of coastline were brought back into “the light 
  of Zeifan order” in a relatively short time.   The 
  Sultan was pleased, but the navy was not.
  The navy was yet unable to strike a decisive blow 
  against the pirates. Utilizing information provided 
  by the Dusk Lash (a secret smuggling ring), the 
  pirate captains continued to stymie the Zeif navy 
  using hidden bases along the Bakhoury Coast to 
  elude their captors.  The pirate captains were so 
  successful in avoiding the Zeif navy that it would 
  take more than fifty years before Zeif naval forces 
  were able to reduce  piracy  along  the  Bakhoury 
  Coast to an acceptable level.
  3186 BH (527 CY): The Sand Battle
  [Back] 
  The Bakhoury Subjugation, a campaign that Sultan 
  Kamuran had originally promised would last  “as 
  long as it took the beach scum to beg forgiveness”, 
  had dragged on for 28 years with no begging in 
  sight.  While both the Sultan and the Navy could 
  point to several early victories, the “beach scum” 
  had  managed  to  fight  the  Zeifan  Navy  to  a 
  stalemate, and by 3186 BH (527 CY) could actually 
  point to a few major victories of their own.  The 
  “Sand  Battle”  is  considered  the  most  telling  of 
  these  victories,  as  it  pointed  out  several  short-
  comings in the Navy’s operations.
  The  Zeifan  Navy  had  for  a  long  time  been 
  frustrated by its inability to pin down the enemy 
  fleet.  Indeed, the pirate commanders realized early 
  on that they could not win such a confrontation; 
  they could not match the sheer power of the Zeifan 
  Navy.   They  wisely  moved  the  fighting  to  their 
  terms.  The pirate forces maintained a campaign of 
  deception and hit-and-run tactics, never giving the 
  Sultan’s naval might one single target to strike; this 
  proved  incredibly  effective.  The  Navy  was  ill-
  equipped for naval skirmish fighting, and suffered 
  from a lack of accurate intelligence gathering.
  In 3186 BH (527 CY), the pirates exploited their 
  advantage to great effect.  Word came to the Naval 
  commanders  that  a  pirate  “fleet”  would  be 
  amassing at Salakesh Cove, with the intention of 
  launching  a  surprise  attack  against  the  nearby 
  Naval supply base.  The local fleet commander, 
  overjoyed at a chance to finally fight the pirates on 
  his terms, never bothered to question the source of 
  this “intelligence”.  He sailed with his entire force, 
  almost a fifth of the Zeifan fleet involved in the 
  subjugation.  When he arrived under the cover of a 
  fortuitous fog, there, as promised, was a large fleet 
  of ships lying at anchor.  Fearing some sort of trap, 
  he sent his locathah scouts forward to investigate. 
  They confirmed the presence of the ships, and that 
  was enough for the commander.  Outnumbering 
  them more than two-to-one, he gave the order to 
  attack, and the might of the Zeifan Navy bore down 
  on the unsuspecting pirate fleet.  It was then that 
  the pirates' trap was sprung.
  The  pirates  had  spent  a  great  deal  of  time 
  preparing the area.  With the help of several earth- 
  and water-elementalists sympathetic to their cause, 
  they had changed the location and size of several 
  sandbars.   Had  the  hot-headed  commander 
  The Player's Guide to Zeif v1.0
  37
  
  listened to a full report from his scouts, he might 
  have avoided what happened next.  Under full sail 
  and oar, the Zeifan fleet rammed headlong into a 
  giant  sandbar  they  had  no  idea  even  existed. 
  While several ships at the rear of the fleet were 
  able to veer off in time, easily two-thirds of the 
  attacking  ships  ran  aground  and  were  stuck  or 
  damaged.  Adding insult to injury, the “pirate fleet” 
  which  had  stood  the  scrutiny  of  the  Locathah 
  scouts, vanished as the now-obvious illusion was 
  dispelled.   While  the  Zeifan  forces  were  left 
  “fighting sand”, the real pirate fleet (really only six 
  ships)  struck  the  now-defenseless  supply  base, 
  stripping it bare and crippling it.  In the short-term, 
  the Zeifan Navy’s strength was seriously curtailed; 
  in the long-term, it became obvious that several 
  changes would have to be made in the structure of 
  naval operations.  Indeed, the “Sand Battle” is often 
  viewed  as  the  seminal  event  leading  to  the 
  development of the modern-day Zeif Navy.
  3207 BH (548 CY): The Siege of Zirat
  [Back] 
  When he came to power in 3189 BH (530 CY), it 
  was entirely possible that Sultan Selim intended to 
  rule Zeif benevolently.  Indeed, the young Sultan 
  began his reign loved by the people, and by all 
  appearances was a devout man.  When exactly 
  this changed is not clear. What is clear is that Selim 
  became seduced by the hedonistic possibilities of 
  his station.  He began to indulge every pleasurable 
  whim, and gathered around himself a court that 
  supported this indulgence.  Still craving the love of 
  his people, however, Selim took pains to hide his 
  lifestyle from those outside Peh'reen.  While the 
  viziers  were  well  aware  of  Selim’s  slide  into 
  decadence, the people of Zeif remained blissfully 
  unaware.
  However, such a state could not last.  As Selim 
  continued to give in to decadence and vice, he 
  became more reckless.  He began making contact 
  with pirates and smugglers, looking for any novel or 
  forbidden  pleasure.   Thrilled  with  the  exotic 
  sensations  provided  by  his  new  acquaintances, 
  Selim began consorting with these criminals even 
  inviting them to attend his court on occasion.  It 
  became a poorly kept secret around the palace, 
  even earning his network of sea-born criminals the 
  nickname “Selim’s Navy”.  
  Blinded by his own vanity and lusts, Selim was 
  caught completely unaware when his new found 
  allies  turned  upon  him.   Using  their  newfound 
  influence with the Sultan, one of the pirate crews 
  carried  out  a  bold  theft  from  the  Palace  of 
  Peh’reen.  Using papers bearing Selim’s seal, the 
  disguised  pirates  gained  entrance  to  the  Inner 
  Palace, and successfully made off with a valuable 
  treasure.  When Selim learned of this treachery, he 
  was furious.   
  Selim ordered the Royal Navy to lay siege to Zirat, 
  the stronghold for many of the pirates with which 
  he once did business.  The Royal Navy besieged 
  Zirat  for  more  than  a  week,  before  finally 
  overrunning the pirate settlement.  On orders from 
  Selim all captured pirates were publicly executed.
  Despite  his  actions,  however,  the  damage  had 
  been  done,  and  Selim’s  reputation  would  never 
  recover.  As word of his behaviour spread, so did 
  the disdain of his people.  Although no one had the 
  temerity to say it to his face, people all across Zeif 
  began openly referring to Selim as “the Scoundrel”. 
  Knowing  he  could  never  regain  his  people’s 
  respect, he sought the comfort of oblivion, slipping 
  further  and  further  into  decadent  decay.   Selim 
  achieved nothing of note during the remainder of 
  his reign, and in 3213 BH (554 CY), after another 
  drunken night in the seraglio, the Scoundrel failed 
  to wake up.
  3213 BH (554 CY): The Purge of the 
  Ministry of the Treasury
  [Back] 
  Under  Selim  the  Scoundrel  the  internal 
  bureaucratic structure of Zeif had rotted, falling into 
  decay  and  corruption.   Foreign  relations  were 
  strained, and trade was at a virtual stand-still.  It 
  was obvious that Selim had long abandoned the 
  Four Feet of the Dragon, and the people of Zeif 
  had lost any hope that the Sultan would watch over 
  them.
  When Sultan Murad came to power in 3213 BH 
  (554 CY), he had a vision for Zeif.  He desired to 
  return  the  nation  to  its  former  majesty  and 
  influence.  More than that, he wished to restore 
  pride to the Baklunish people.  One of the first 
  steps he took to achieve this goal was the purging 
  of the Ministry of the Treasury.  Murad removed all 
  officials rumoured or known to be corrupt from their 
  roles in the Ministry and had them jailed.   The 
  Vizier received special attention; he was publicly 
  executed,  and  his  entire  family  was  sold  into 
  slavery.
  The Player's Guide to Zeif v1.0
  38
  
  Then, in a decision designed to return faith to the 
  people,  Murad  opened  the  trials  of  the  jailed 
  ministers to the public.  Fittingly, he set up an open 
  court in the Market of Zeir-i-Zeif, and any citizen of 
  Zeif who felt that they had been wronged by the 
  Ministry  was  invited  to  air  their  grievances.   In 
  some  cases,  the  “invitation”  was  quite  insistent, 
  and  many  citizens  were  compelled  to  testify. 
  People travelled, or were brought, from all over the 
  land to speak, causing the trials to last for over a 
  month.  Through it all, from sun-up to sun-down, 
  Sultan Murad sat in judgment of all the accused. 
  Very few of the ministers deemed corrupt by Murad 
  escaped punishment.  Most were either executed 
  or sold into slavery along with their families, and 
  the  proceeds  from  these  sales  used  for 
  reparations.
  The  end  results  of  Murad’s  purge  were  mixed. 
  There was no doubt that he had revitalized the 
  Ministry of the Treasury and put Zeif back on a path 
  to prosperity, but his attempt to win the hearts of 
  his people met with, at best, mixed success.  The 
  reparations  that  were  paid  to  injured  parties 
  brought Murad some measure of popularity, but the 
  majority of his citizens now looked upon their sultan 
  with a mix of suspicion and worry, wondering where 
  he might direct his next purge. 
  3237 BH (578 CY): The Purge of Ceshra
  [Back] 
  Belying its small size, the town of Ceshra is one of 
  the most important river ports in Zeif.  Sitting along 
  a bend in the Tuflik River, it lies directly across from 
  Sefmur, the capital of Tusmit, and serves as the 
  hub of trade between Zeif and Ket.  Until 3237 (578 
  CY),  Ceshra and its surroundings were also an 
  extremely desirable place for criminals of Zeif.
  Ceshra was plagued by its own success.  A few 
  years earlier, the Sultan and other important nobles 
  had  bargained  with  the  Paynims  to  curb  the 
  Paynim  raids  against  Ceshra  and  other  Zeif 
  holdings,  focusing  Paynim  energies towards  Ull. 
  Soon Ceshra enjoyed a peaceful setting without 
  fear  of  banditry.   However,  with the  end of  the 
  Paynim raids, a new problem arose.  Citizens were 
  so  content  in  Ceshra’s  newfound  peace  and 
  resulting prosperity that they failed to see or simply 
  ignored the rampant corruption amongst the local 
  merchants  and  politicians.   In  particular,  the 
  infamous Dusk Lash, with the aid of some less 
  scrupulous merchants, had organized a successful 
  black market operation on the Tuflik, easily passing 
  their goods in and out of the country without fear of 
  loss to Paynims.  Ceshra's new concern was easily 
  hidden in the city’s pleasant atmosphere. 
  Murad, however, was not to be fooled.  After the 
  Treasury Purge, the Sultan had placed operatives 
  in  key  locations  across  Zeif,  Ceshra  included. 
  These  operatives'  sole  purpose  was  to  report 
  anything  which  might  indicate  an  unacceptable 
  level of corruption.  So while the Dusk Lash was 
  setting up its smuggling operation, the eyes of the 
  sultan carefully noted not only who the criminals 
  were, but the individual government officials with 
  whom they conspired.  When Murad felt he had all 
  the information he needed, he struck.
  Ceshra awoke one morning to find itself occupied 
  by a combined force of Spahis and the Uruzaries. 
  While the Spahis ensured that no one passed out 
  of the city, the Uruzary Corps had been busy since 
  before dawn carrying out a series of arrests that cut 
  the heart out of the Dusk Lash operation in Ceshra. 
  The Uruzaries, working on information provided by 
  the Sultan’s agents, rounded up and arrested all 
  known corrupt individuals, government officials and 
  criminals alike.  Once again, the Sultan held public 
  trials, and once again virtually all those arrested 
  were either executed or sold into slavery.  In a 
  matter of days the entire government of Ceshra 
  had  been  replaced,  with  the  exception  of  one. 
  Hassan  ibn  Hazdanan  al-Zeir,  an  aristocrat  that 
  had  also  been  exonerated  in  the  Purge  of  the 
  Treasury, was appointed the new bey of Ceshra by 
  Murad, and charged with keeping corruption under 
  control in the area.
  3238 BH (579 CY): The Last Manifestation 
  of Istus
  [Back] 
  On a high tel south of Barakhat sit the Pillars of 
  Istus, an ancient temple of the goddess built in the 
  last days of the Baklunish Empire.  Though the 
  temple is little more than ruins, they play host to 
  one of the most important rituals of the church of 
  Istus.
  Every  three  years,  the  roof  canvases  of  the 
  Sanserail,  the oldest active temple of Istus, are 
  removed and replaced.  The old roof canvas is then 
  transported to the Pillars of Istus and used in a 
  special ceremony dedicated to The Lady of Our 
  Fate.   At  nightfall  on  the  appointed  day,  the 
  canvasses are burned in a ceremony on the steps 
  of the Pillars.  The burning is then followed by a 
  The Player's Guide to Zeif v1.0
  39
  
  night  of  feasting  and  celebration.   At  the  most 
  successful of these ceremonies, the First Servant 
  of Istus manifests as a fiery column that stretches 
  into the air, consuming the ashes of the sacrificed 
  canvas.  After these manifestations, the attending 
  clerics  are  known  to  spontaneously  speak 
  prophecy, and it is recognized that these auguries 
  come directly from The Lady herself.  Because of 
  this  special  connection  with  their  goddess,  the 
  clergy devoutly hope for a manifestation at each 
  ceremony.
  Unfortunately for the church of Istus, 3238 BH (579 
  CY) was the last manifestation in recent history.  It 
  was  also  the  most  disturbing.   That  year’s 
  ceremony saw a particularly large gathering of the 
  devout, and everyone attending had high hopes for 
  manifestation.  As if in reply to their hopes, an 
  enormous column of flame, larger than any before, 
  rose from the fires and consumed the ashes of the 
  canvas.  But unlike the other manifestations, this 
  one remained even after there were no ashes left 
  to consume.  As it hung in the night sky, towering 
  over the onlookers, all the attending clerics of Istus 
  began to speak at once.  Little was understood of 
  what they said; most witnesses claim to have heard 
  only gibberish, or words in no language with which 
  they  were  familiar.   When  the  column  of  flame 
  finally  burnt  away,  the  clerics’ ceased  speaking 
  very suddenly, seemingly unaware of their actions.
  Since  then,  the  church  of  Istus  has  been 
  uncharacteristically reluctant to discuss the events 
  of that day.   Although the official stance  of  the 
  church has been that there is no memory of what 
  was spoken by its clergy at that ceremony, it is 
  believed by some that the church knows too well 
  what  was  spoken,  and  fears  what  was  said. 
  Whatever the truth, the faithful still gather every 
  three years at the Pillars of Istus, hoping another 
  manifestation will ease their doubts and fears.  So 
  far, this has not been the case.
  The Player's Guide to Zeif v1.0
  40
  
  Timars of Zeif
  [Back] 
  This section of the document details the divisions 
  of the 38 timars which comprise the territory of Zeif. 
  Currently, this section does not go into detail of 
  Zeif's  colonies,  namely  the  various  states  and 
  territories  under  the  Sultanate's  control  on  the 
  Bakhoury Coast.  Instead, this document defines 
  the timars traditionally on official Zeif soil.
  The  numbers  indicated  on  each  description 
  corresponds to the Timar map in the appendix of 
  this  document.   Consult  it  for  locations  of  the 
  provinces.
  Definitions of Terms
  [Back] 
  This  document  uses  various  terms  for  timars, 
  including their political designations and the titles of 
  those who rule them.  They are defined herein.
  Timar:  A timar is a general territorial designation 
  used in Zeif.  A timar can be anything that is a 
  clearly  defined  stretch  of  land  under  rule  of  a 
  delegate by the Sultan, generally larger than a city. 
  Timars  include  beyliks,  deyliks,  pashaliks, 
  sheikdoms,  emirates,  satrapies,  as  well  as  the 
  altimar fief granted to Elder Spahis.
  Altimar: An altimar is a Zeifan equivalent to a fief. 
  Altimars are small enough to rarely show up on a 
  full map of Zeif.  They are generally granted to 
  knights  (Spahis)  by  the  Sultan  in  a  system  of 
  vassalage, where they trade the land for service 
  from  the  knight.   Typically,  Spahis  fund  and 
  manage  their  own  divisions  of  cavalry  on  their 
  altimars  and  are  granted  police  jurisdiction  in 
  selected timars nearby.
  Bey (Beylik): A bey is a general provincial ruler in 
  Zeif,  assigned  a  timar  which  they call  a  beylik. 
  Most of Zeif's timars are under rule by a bey.  Beys 
  are  generally  assigned  by  the  Sultan,  but 
  occasionally they are passed on in a hereditary 
  fashion.  Beys hold close to autonomous power 
  over  their  beylik,  though  they  are  regulated  by 
  certain requirements from the Sultan.  As will all 
  positions, however, the Sultan maintains the power 
  to remove a bey at will.
  Dey (Deylik): Deys are a special version of beys. 
  The follow the same idea, but are granted more 
  power and special purposes.  In Zeif, the Deys are 
  common on the Bakhoury Coast and other regions 
  nearby which have to deal with piracy, smuggling 
  and other nefarious deeds.  The Sultan will often 
  waive certain requirements normally assigned to 
  beys, so long as a dey can maintain order in his 
  often lawless deylik.  Deys assigned by the Sultan.
  Emir (Emirate): Emir is an honourary title in Zeif. 
  An emir is essentially a bey, pasha or sheik who 
  once held military office and is now retired. It was 
  derived in order to recognize military officials who 
  have taken to politics, and while officially they hold 
  no more power than a regular bey, they are often 
  treated with more respect.  Emir is also sometimes 
  called Amir.
  Pasha (Pashalik):  Pasha is a much more loose 
  title in Zeif than in other nations who use it.  Mostly, 
  it  is  reserved  for  rulers  of  cities  of  moderate 
  importance (capital cities are often under the rule of 
  the bey or dey of the timar).  However, it is also 
  used in military recognition; the title is associated 
  with many high ranking officials (like the Kapudan 
  Pasha, the admiral of the Navy).  Finally, a pasha 
  can  be  used  as  a  title  of  honour  to  recognize 
  someone  of  importance  to  a  nation  despite  not 
  having official government power. Such titles are 
  bestowed by the Sultan.
  Sheik (Sheikdom):  Sheiks are one of the lower 
  titles used in Zeif's hierarchy.  They are common 
  among  nomads  and  large  family  units,  as  they 
  simply designate a leader of a family unit.  They 
  can  also  be  leaders  of  small  villages.   Sheik 
  designations  do  not  require  official  sanction; 
  anyone can call themselves a Sheik if they deem 
  themselves  deserving,  though  they  would  often 
  need the support of the village or family they rule.
  The Player's Guide to Zeif v1.0
  41
  
  The Timars
  [Back] 
  The timars detailed herein are numbered and refer 
  to their number on the political map of Zeif.  
  1. The Deylik of Saganat
  Saganat is the westernmost timar in Zeif, and is the 
  staging point for many of Zeif's campaigns into the 
  Bakhoury Coast.
  Ruler:  Turfian  Dey  ibnt  Tayyib  al-Bakhoura  (N 
  human female Rog 5/Shadow Dancer 7), who also 
  acts as the ruler of Beit Castan, the capital city of 
  Saganat.
  2. The Deylik of Barashal
  Barashal was formerly the westernmost province of 
  Zeif, before Saganat was officially annexed.
  Ruler: Galhaza Dey ibn Galip al-Barashal (N human 
  male)
  3. The Karisara Emirate
  Karisara is a vast province goverened by a retired 
  Spahi.
  Ruler:  Altug  Emir  ibn  Alparslan  al-Barakhat  (LN 
  human male)
  4. The Sadhan Sheikdom
  Sadhan  is  a  relatively  unimportant  province  in 
  western Zeif.  It is populated very little, and largely 
  depends on Barakhat for its supplies.
  Ruler:  Fakir  Sheik  ibn  Gunter  al-Sadhan  (NE 
  human male)
  5. The Deylik of Balathar
  Balathar is the home province of Nafiq, and another 
  naval staging point.
  Ruler: Yildwar Dey ibn Yusuf al-Zeir (LN human male 
  Rog 4/Ftr 10), who also rules the city of Nafiq.
  6. The Beylik of Katari
  Katari  is  a  coastal  timar  largely  dependent  on 
  Balathar.  It is a beautiful province often sought after 
  as a retirement destination for naval officers.
  Ruler:  Feriha Bey ibnt Faik al-Lysia abdu-Al'Akbar 
  (NG human female)
  7. The Beylik of Varanaad 
  Varanaad is  a  vast  beylik  with  the notable  city  of 
  Barakhat as a lone landmark across its rocky plain. 
  Ruler:  Saban Bey ibn Nihat al-Varanaad (N human 
  male),  who  is  a  former  paynim  nomad.   He  also 
  chooses not to run the capital of his beylik, instead 
  designating  Barakhat  to  a  sheik,  Koyun  Kinja,  an 
  Elder Spahi.
  8. The Beylik of Kalereen
  Kalereen is a fairly wealthy timar, benefiting from its 
  access to three major trade routes in Zeif.
  Ruler:  Vahit Bey ibn Orhan al-Zeif abdu-Mouqol (N 
  human male)
  9. The Beylik of Anaar
  Anaar is a less wealthy timar on the rocky side of the 
  Wadi, but has frequent activity due to its major trade 
  route.
  Ruler:  Ender  Bey  ibn  Baris  al-Dhabiya  (N  human 
  male)
  10. The Beylik of Madara
  Madara is a remote province in the foothills of the 
  Vaar, with a panhandle touching the west coast.  It is 
  quite rocky and uninhabited, save for some remote 
  fishing villages and other mining operations.
  Ruler: Hursit Bey ibn Bugra al-Bakhoura (LE human 
  male)
  11. The Beylik of the Vaar
  The Vaar is a rocky and hilly province in the most 
  northern  reaches  of  Zeif.  
   The  Sultanate's 
  considerable gem resources are found here.
  Ruler: Burciye Bey ibn Bulent al-Dhabiya (N human 
  male)
  12. The Tyran Emirate
  Tyran is a populous timar opposite Dhabiya, privy to 
  its trade route to Zeir-i-Zeif.  A lot of fishing goes on 
  here, and it is home to a major naval base.
  Ruler:  Caglayan Emir ibn Bahri al-Zeir (LN human 
  male), who was once a powerful naval officer before 
  he lost his left arm in battle, forcing him into politics.
  13. The Beylik of Ralavar
  Ralavar  is  a  very  important  province,  home  to 
  Dhabiya,  one  of  Zeif's  oldest  and  most  important 
  cities.
  Ruler:  Gursel Bey ibn Gancii al-Ralavar (N human 
  male), who defers control of Dhabiya to Rafayda Amir, 
  a member of the old families of the city.
  14. The Beylik of Meteen
  A populous farming province, Meteen is blessed with 
  its proximity to the Wadi Khijar, from which it draws 
  The Player's Guide to Zeif v1.0
  42
  
  irrigation.
  Ruler: Dilruba Bey ibnt Dincer al-Meteen (LN human 
  female)
  15. The Beylik of Lysia
  Lysia is home to farmers, fishers and ranchers along 
  the major trade route between Dhabiya and Zeir-i-
  Zeif.
  Ruler:  Yavuz Bey ibn Yurdakul al-Lysia (N human 
  male), who was once a farmer in the area before he 
  ascended to a position of power.
  16. The Beylik of Acoma
  Acoma is mostly a farming and ranching land near 
  Zeir-i-Zeif. 
  Ruler: Yurda Bey ibn Yurdun al-Zeir (N human male)
  17. The Beylik of Palas
  The beylik of Palas is a small farming province off of 
  the Wadi.
  Ruler:  Cicek  Bey  ibnt  Cenk  al-Palas  (NG  human 
  female)
  18. The Beylik of Bain
  Bain is a relatively unpopulated province off of the 
  Wadi. It is home to many Paynims.
  Ruler:  Cengiz Bey ibn Gulhan al-Paynim (N human 
  male), who was once a paynim nomad.
  19. The Beylik of Onnax
  Onnax lies along a major route from inner Zeif to the 
  capital and thus sees a lot of traffic, but no major 
  settlements dot its land.  
  Ruler:  Abdullah  Bey  ibn  Lutfu  al-Ceshra  abdu-
  Geshtai (N human male)
  20. The Sultanate of Zeif
  Though not technically a timar (it has no bey and is 
  considered  the  territory  of  the  Sultan),  it  is 
  nonetheless a territory.  
  Ruler: Sultan Murad the Proud (LN human male Ftr 
  15)
  21. The Beylik of Antaloros
  Antaloros  is  the  largest  province  on  the  plains  of 
  Antal, and home to its capital. It is home to many 
  orcs.
  Ruler:  Mecnun  Bey  ibn Mesut  al-Zeir (NE  human 
  male), who defers rule of Antalotol to Nejak Pasha
  22. The Ghars Sheikdom
  Ghars is one of the more detached provinces from the 
  Sultanate, and is overrun with paynims and orcs. It is 
  dangerous and desolate.
  Ruler:  Hisam  Sheik  ibn  Hassan  al-Dhabiya  (NE 
  human male)
  23. The Beylik of Tarkad
  Tarkad is a desolate province primarily populated with 
  orc tribes.
  Ruler:  Mahir  Bey  ibn  Menderes  al-Antalotol  (LN 
  human male)
  24. The Karada Emirate
  Karada is a border province that deals with many 
  troubles from paynims and orcs.
  Ruler: Ozan Emir ibn Aytekin al-Barakhat (LN human 
  male), who is a retired Spahi.
  25. The Beylik of Sakarta
  Sakarta is a vast under-populated wasteland home to 
  little but a few scant orc tribes and nomads.
  Ruler: Rauf Bey ibn Naci al-Nafiq (LE human male), 
  who is said to have nefarious contacts in the capital.
  26. The Kenja Amirate
  Kenja is another hotbed of violence, and home to orcs 
  and paynims.
  Ruler: Soykan Amir ibn Tansel al-Paynim (LN human 
  male), a Paynim and former Spahi.
  27. The Shald Sheikdom
  Shald lies far from everything, and is a hotspot for 
  many illegal activities.  Its Sheik can easily be paid to 
  look the other way.
  Ruler:  Suzan  Sheik  ibnt  Tevfik  al-Bakhoura  (NE 
  human female)
  28. The Beylik of Ordesca
  Ordesca is a large province with little in it.  Orcs are 
  rampant here, but no trade routes or water sources 
  are near.
  Ruler: Tumay Bey ibn Toros al-Zeir (N human male)
  29. The Beylik of Antasati
  Antasati is a dry and empty place. Paynims are fond 
  of it, and a few orcs.
  Ruler:  Ulviye  Bey  ibn  Vedat  al-Paynim  (N  human 
  male), a paynim.
  30. The Beylik of Naura
  Naura is a vast ranchland in central Zeif.
  Ruler:  Dogukan Bey ibn Dogu al-Naura (LN human 
  The Player's Guide to Zeif v1.0
  43
  
  male)
  31. The Beylik of Sundar
  Sundar is a rich and fertile farming province, blessed 
  by its proximity to the capital, the Ekbirran city of 
  Kofeh, and the Tuflik river. 
  Ruler: Elmas Bey ibnt Varoliye al-Zeir abdu-Istus (N 
  human female)
  32. The Beylik of Akheer
  Akheer is a farming province, one of a few blessed by 
  their nearness to the Tuflik.
  Ruler:  Galip  Bey  ibn  Husnu  al-Ceshra  (N  human 
  male)
  33. The Beylik of Salais
  Salais is a farming province halfway between Ceshra 
  and Zeir-i-Zeif.
  Ruler:  Ibrahim Bey ibn Ibran al-Salais (LN human 
  male)
  34. The Beylik of Thorgoth
  Thorgoth is a fairly desolate place populated mostly 
  by orcs and paynims.
  Ruler: Nazim Bey ibn Ertan al-Zeir (N human male)
  35. The Beylik of Sharda
  Sharda is a far away beylik that is populated with 
  many orcs and paynims.
  Ruler: Yazad Bey ibn Yunus al-Zeir (LN human male)
  36. The Beylik of Elyan
  Elyan is a small province near Ceshra situated along 
  a  small  river.   It  has  many  farms  and  open 
  grasslands.
  Ruler: Zihni Bey bin Zihn al-Ceshra (LN human male)
  37. The Beylik of Andami
  Andami is the southernmost and easternmost timar in 
  Zeif, very near Ceshra.  It is home to many farms and 
  river communities profiting from trade coming up the 
  Velverdyva.
  Ruler:  Buket Bey  ibnt Bukta al-Andami (N human 
  female)
  38. The Beylik of Barat
  Barat is a rich timar dominated by the city of Ceshra, 
  which profits from the large amount of trade between 
  Ket and Zeif.  
  Ruler: Hassan Bey ibn Hazdanan al-Zeir (LE human 
  male Aristocrat 11)
  39. The Beylik of Yadarr
  Yadarr is a rich province built on farming and trade 
  with Tusmit and Ket.
  Ruler: Bunyamin Bey ibn Yaman al-Yadarr (N human 
  male)
  The Player's Guide to Zeif v1.0
  44
  
  Appendix 1: Glossary of Terms
  [Back] 
  This appendix is to help players understand the 
  various terminology used in Zeif which might be 
  foreign to Western players (which most of us are). 
  If  you  know  something  that  should  be  in  here, 
  please feel free to contact the author and he can 
  get it in the next release.
  Aga (or Agha) - A title for military leaders in Zeif. 
  The officers in the infantries are Agas.  Senior 
  officers in the Uruzary also bear the title Aga.
  Al’Akbar – god of faithfulness, duty, dignity & 
  guardianship.
  Altimar - type of territory (rural fiefs) held by Spahi 
  Elders, senior Spahi officers.
  Amir – former military man who is now of a 
  governor of a small state called an Amirate. (see 
  also Emir)
  Amirate – A small state ruled by an Amir (also see 
  Emirate)
  Antal - A region in Zeif, dry arid and desolate, 
  home to most of Zeif's orc tribes.
  Antalotol - A city in Zeif, in the plains of Antal. 
  Home to many orcs.
  Ataphad(s) - An island chain north of Zeif, said to 
  house savage people who use slaves as sacrifice.
  Barakhat - A city in Zeif, headquarters of the 
  Spahis, in the Timarral, west of Antalotol.
  Bedestan – name of headquarters of the 
  Mouqollad Consortium in Zeif (the city).
  Beit Castan - A city in Zeif, just off the Bakhoury 
  Coast, on the Gulf of Ghayar.
  Bey - A title for a governor of a province 
  (sometimes called beyliks in Zeif) who has less 
  power than a Dey.
  Beylik – another name for provinces in Zeif that 
  are ruled by Bey.
  Bureis - A city in the Qayah-Bureis isles.
  Caliph - A religious leader, who acts as both head 
  of state and head of the church. Ekbir has a Caliph, 
  who governs the country and directs the followers 
  of Al'Akbar (Exalted Faith) across the Baklunish 
  West.
  Ceshra - A city in Zeif, opposite Sefmur (the capital 
  of Tusmit) on the Tuflik river.
  Chamberlain – An officer who manages the 
  household of a sovereign or noble; a chief steward.
  Daoud – legendary philosopher pasha of Tusmit. 
  Stripped of status and wealth and lived as beggar 
  in Ceshra after being exiled by the Caliph.
  Daoud’s Quoin – sacred place for worshippers of 
  Daoud.  
  Dar-Zaribad – fortress built on top of Mukhazin 
  ruins. 
  Dey – A title for a governor of a province 
  (sometimes called deyliks) and has more power 
  than a Bey. 
  Deylik – another name for provinces in Zeif that 
  are ruled by Deys. 
  Diwan - Zeif's cabinet. Almost like a parliament of 
  sorts. Composed of viziers (ministers), they govern 
  the Sultanate as advisers to the Sultan.
  Dhabiya - A city in Zeif, on the mouth of the Wadi 
  Khijar, on the north shore, off the Dramidj Ocean.
  Dramidj - The ocean which marks Zeif's northern 
  boundary.
  Ekbir - A country, east of Zeif and north of Tusmit, 
  across the Tuflik river. Ekbir helped Ozef, our first 
  Sultan, found Zeif.
  Emir – former military man who is now of a 
  governor of a small state, sometimes known as an 
  Emirate. (also see Amir)
  Emirate - name of territory held by an Emir (see 
  also Amirate)
  Geshtai – goddess of springs and wells
  Ghayar - Ghayar Khan was the leader of the 
  Imperial Pretenders, a false remnant of the 
  The Player's Guide to Zeif v1.0
  45
  
  Baklunish Empire that once tried to rule the lands 
  of Zeif after the collapse of the Empire.  Ozef Khan 
  defeated him and founded the Sultanate.  There is 
  also a Gulf named after him, which is on Zeif's 
  western shore.
  Ikayal Strait – location where Zeif navy was 
  decimated in Battle Beneath the Waves.
  Imaret - An inn or hostel for pilgrims.
  Istus – goddess of fate
  Jansib(s) - An island chain north west of Zeif. Said 
  to house pirates.
  Kabir Kafez – residence of the sultan’s heir 
  apparent.  Also known as the prison palace since 
  the heir cannot leave until he is made sultan.
  Kapudan Pasha – high admiral of the royal navy.
  Ket - A country, east of Tusmit down the 
  Velverdyva Trade Route.
  Khan - A title of a ruler or leader.  In Zeif, its 
  commonly used in the Paynim tribes.  Our first 
  Sultan, Ozef, was a Khan before he founded Zeif.
  Khedive - A title of a Zeifan governor who rules 
  one of our colonies. Mur, a country on the other 
  side of the Gulf of Ghayar, once had a Khedive 
  (though today he is autonomous). A khedive's 
  colony is called a khedivate.
  Khedivate - A khedive's colony.
  Komal - A country opposite the Bakhoury Coast on 
  the Gulf of Ghayar.
  Mahdi - A title of great import for a messiah or 
  spiritual leader. Used among the Paynims  to 
  describe spiritual leaders of great significance. 
  There is rumour now of a new Mahdi among the 
  nomads.
  Malik – a leader of a state with power near that of 
  a king (example Orcish Malik in the Satrapy of 
  Ghayar).
  Matron Sultana - the Sultan's mother.
  Mouqol – god of trade, negotiation, ventures, 
  appraisal and reciprocity.
  Mouqollad Consortium – a united group of 
  merchants that oversee trade in Zeif.  Headed by 
  powerful priests of Mouqol.
  Mullah - A judge, or religious title for the 
  Al'Akbarrian True Faith.
  Mukhazin – in final years of Baklunish Empire, 
  capital of most powerful orcish Malik in Satrapy of 
  Ghayar.  Now in ruins.  Dar-Zaribad now built on 
  top of it.
  Mur - A country, opposite the Bakhoury Coast on 
  the Gulf of Ghayar.
  Nafiq - A city in Zeif, on the west coast, north of the 
  Gulf of Ghayar.
  Osfaradd – the original clan which the first sultan 
  Ozef the Warrior belonged to.  Also known as a 
  dialect of the Baklunish language spoken by the 
  citizens of Zeif.
  Pasha - A title for a military or civil officer.  In Zeif 
  they often govern cities as a type of mayor.  Their 
  realm is sometimes called a Pashalik.
  Pashalik – realm held by a pasha.
  Paynim - A term used to describe the nomadic 
  tribes which make up much of the southern 
  territories south of Zeif. 
  Peh’reen – the name of the sultan’s palace in Zeif.
  Pir Qadi – chief priest of the Qudah
  Qadi - A judge, or religious title for the Al'Akbarrian 
  Exalted faith.
  Qayah-Bureis - A large island chain north of Zeif.
  Qudah – Zeifan assembly of the Exalted Faith of 
  Al’Akbar.  Only members of Qudah are recognized 
  as clerics of Al’Akbar in Zeif.
  Reis - A title for a military naval captain.  Expensive 
  title to obtain; need patron or lots of money.
  Retsaba - A fertile region in Zeif from Dhabiya to 
  Ceshra along the north coast.
  Risay - A country, opposite the Bakhoury Coast on 
  the Gulf of Ghayar.
  The Player's Guide to Zeif v1.0
  46
  
  Sanserail – holy building dedicated to Istus.  oldest 
  structure in Zeif.  
  Shadrakir – Garden in Beit Castan named by the 
  Last Amir after his friend Shadrakir the Seer.
  Sheikdom – type of territory held by a Sheik
  Sheik – Used as a form of address for a leader of 
  an family or village.  Commonly used among 
  merfolk.
  Sidi – title of the leader of all Merfolk (like the 
  Sultan of Zeif). 
  Spahi - An honoured knight of the Sultan. Zeif's 
  cavalry are called simply the Spahis.
  Sultan - A ruler, like a King. Zeif has a Sultan. He 
  holds absolute power. 
  Sultana - A female Sultan. The Sultan's mother is 
  also known as the Matron Sultana.
  Timarral - A region in Zeif, comprising much of the 
  middle lands from Ceshra to the Bakhoury Coast. 
  Mostly dry and infertile.
  Timars – a general territorial designation.  A loose 
  term in Zeif, it can mean any type of province under 
  power of the Sultan, including beyliks, deyliks, 
  pashaliks, emirates, sheikdoms, etc.
  Tuflik - A river which comes from Ket and the 
  Velverdyva and empties into the Dramidj Ocean.
  Tusmit - A country, across the Tuflik from Zeif but 
  south of Ekbir.
  Uruzary – elite orcish soldiers.  Created to serve 
  as the sultan’s personal guard but evolved and 
  expanded in size and duties.
  Vaar, the - A region in the north of Zeif that is rocky 
  and hilly. Home to Zeif's gem resources.
  Velverdyva - Often refers to a trade route, which 
  goes from Zeif/Ekbir all the way to the Nyr Dyv.
  Vizier - A minister or high government official, 
  working for the Sultan. Zeif's Diwan (its cabinet) is 
  composed of viziers representing different aspects 
  of government.
  Wadi Khijar – long valley that separates the 
  eastern from the western lands of the sultanate of 
  Zeif.  Runs from the Dry Steppes of the Paynims to 
  the northern coast of Zeif.  Used to be a mighty 
  river; now only handles seasonal runoff though 
  may flood during rainy season.
  Yif Qayah - A city in the Qayah-Bureis Isles.  Port 
  once owned by Zeif.  Control of port seized by 
  Komal after Battle Beneath the Waves.
  Xan Yae – goddess of twilight, shadows, stealth 
  and mental powers.
  Zeir-i-Zeif - The capital of Zeif, on the north shore, 
  off the Dramidj Ocean, sometimes called Zeif City, 
  but only by foreigners.
  Zuoken – demigod of physical and mental mastery.
  The Player's Guide to Zeif v1.0
  47
  
  Appendix 2: Maps of Zeif
  [Back] 
  The Player's Guide to Zeif v1.0
  48
  
SOURCE: textdata/thevault/Living Greyhawk/Metaorg Material/Zeif/Players Guide to Zeif v1.0.pdf