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Hello everybody Jorphdan here the PH is silent.
I love the Land of Fate, which is Zakhara, and the Al-Qadim setting.
I’m guessing this will be a series of videos on the lore and history of Zakhara, but I
don’t plan that far in advance with my videos so we’ll see how many this turns out to
be.
I do love this setting though partially because of it’s Arabian themes and I love that mythology.
Powerful Djinn, deserts, evil viziers, maybe this all has to do with my love affair with
Disney’s Aladdin.
So let’s dive in south east into the Land of Fate, and discover what makes it tick.
Zakahara is part of the Forgotten Realms, it is on Toril, just another continent.
It’s separate from Faerun by a large ocean, and the World Pillar Mountains.
These mountains formed the greatest barrier to enter Zakhara keeping the area isolated.
Currently controlled by Yak-men it is a dangerous place to navigate through.
The humans here speak a common language of Midani.
Not unknown to Faerun, in ancient past people from Zakarah known as the Calishites traveled
to Faerun via portals.
Which is where we get the nation of Calimshan.
Powerful genies brought them there as slaves, until the Calishites rebelled against their
captors.
You can find out more about Calimshan from my other video in the top right corner, or
in the description below.
Navigating by land is dangerous because of the World Pillar Mountains, but the sea isn’t
much better.
The oceans are plagued with pirates and corsairs who plunder ships they can find.
Attempting to sail from Faerun to Zakhara there is a strong chance that if the dangerous
ocean events or weather don’t get you the pirates will.
The Land of Fate is surrounded by three major seas, The Great Sea stretched to the north
and west separating Zakhara and Faerun.
To the east there is the Sea of Foreigners which led to the distant lands of Kara-Tur.
Finally to the south was the Crowded Sea.
This sea was home to a collection of islands, some inhabited and some not, many undiscovered.
Zakahara is home to huge deserts and powerful genies.
Genies seem to take a particular interest in Zakhara and when visiting the Prime Material
Plane often appear in the Land of Fate.
In Zakhara people often talk about the enlightened.
There are a great many monsters and creatures within the Land of Fate, but those civilized
and willing to work and/or trade are considered the Enlightened.
The common language Midani and Zakhara culture are common between the Enlightened Races.
Elves, Dwarves, and Humans all made their home in Zakhara.
Unlike Faerun, which has no continent system of government Zakhara, itself, is ruled by the Grand
Caliph in Huzuz the City of Delights.
Also known as the Shining City it is the capital of Zakahara and it’s greatest city.
Although there are other rulers in other cities they are all governed by Huzuz and it’s
Grand Caliph.
It was here in Huzuz that the enlightenment began.
You see the first Grand Caliph had a vision of the Loregiver.
The Loregiver, also called the Handmaiden of Fate, or the Maiden of Beauty was once
a young girl that Fate had chosen to bestow it’s knowledge too.
She used this knowledge to write sacred scrolls that would become the basis for Law in Zakhara.
The scrolls were hidden within a cave because the people of Zakhara were not yet ready for
such wisdom, the Wisdom of Fate.
Centuries later the Loregiver bestowed the information of their location to the Grand
Caliph who used the scrolls as a basis for all Law within Zakhara.
It brought civilization, and culture to the races of Zakhara.
There are many gods in Zakhara society but everyone, and I do mean everyone, respects
and follows the idea of Fate.
It was Fate that changed the entire continent into what it is today.
It was Fate that united all the lands of Zakhara under one banner of Enlightenment.
This occured around 800 DR.
With later editions of D&D we don’t have updated information for Zakhara, or Al-Qadim.
So I don’t have current information, for the sake of my research the latest date was
1367, which is a ways behind the current year of the Forgotten Realms 1491.
So just know that when I speak of people, or locations, they might have changed, or
passed on because of outdated information.
As of 1367 the current Grand Caliph was Khalil al-Assad al-Zahir, the 18th wearer of this
title and direct descendant of the first Grand Caliph.
One can hope that Wizards of the Coast will bring attention to this setting again with
a source book for 5th edition.
The Grand Caliph rules Zakhara through local potentates with Huzuz being the location of
his personal domain.
He governs with a large group of trusted advisors known as the Court of Enlightenment.
The city of Huzuz is famously home to the Gold Mosque, the largest and most impressive
temple in the Land of Fate.
It is unique in that it is not dedicated to one god, but all enlightened gods.
The Grand Caliph often comes to the temple to pray and be seen as a religious man to
the people.
It’s pillars and walls are overlaid with gold, and even the tilework is laced with
gold.
It rises 90 feet above the street and it’s central dome, also golden, has four tall minarets
that rise above any other buildings in Huzuz.
There is a garden behind the Mosque which surrounds the original house of the Loregiver.
Within the temple are depictions of the enlightened gods.
No doors can be found, only large inviting archways.
It is so huge, roughly 5,000 people can worship at once.
The House of the Loregiver is a building said to be the original home of she who became
the Loregiver.
There is some contention whether or not this is the actual home of the Loregiver, or just
a home that existed when the Loregiver was alive.
Regardless, almost everyone agrees that this is the site where the first Grand Caliph received
the vision that led to the sacred scrolls.
The house isn’t very impressive, a one-story, one-room house with walls and a foundation
of clay.
Yet it is a holy place for many Zakharans.
The House of the Loregiver is surrounded by numerous magical protections and is guarded
by eight priests at all times.
Although they are not necessary because anyone who approaches more than 10 feet of the house
finds a wall of force has sprung up to stop them.
If you dispel this wall of force another magical effect takes place, an overwhelming feeling
of dread.
Hopefully frightening the defiler out of this sacred location.
If this is resisted there are four noble genies, of each element that appear to defend the
house.
Finally, anyone who can get past all of this and touch the house is instantly paralyzed,
no saving throw.
Special thanks to our sponsor for this video Dungeon Craft.
Be sure to check out their kickstarter by clicking the link in the description below.
I hope to have more Zakhara videos in the near future, so stay tuned.
Thank you for liking, subscribing, and sharing these videos with your gaming group.
I’ll see you all next week with another video.