Al-Qadim

A Dungeons & Dragons setting inspired by Arabian Nights.

Al-Qadim is a campaign setting for the Dungeons & Dragons role-playing game, first released in 1992 and developed by Jeff Grubb with Andria Hayday for TSR, Inc. It draws on the theme of One Thousand and One Nights and is set in the land of Zakhara, known as the Land of Fate. The setting blends elements of historical Muslim Caliphates, legendary stories, and Hollywood cinematic history, and can stand alone or be integrated into other campaign settings.

Quick Facts

Designer: Jeff Grubb
Publisher: TSR, Inc.
Date: 1992
Genre: Arabian Nights
System: AD&D 2nd Edition

Facts from the source article.

Publication

The first Al-Qadim product, Arabian Adventures, was released in 1992 and provided basic rules for playing in a general Arabian setting, similar to the Oriental Adventures book. Later publications covered specific setting details. The setting was designed with a limited scope, originally intended as a two-year project, but was extended one more year due to its popularity. Shannon Appelcline noted its strong artistic design, overseen by Andria Hayday, and that the cultural book was well received.

Important concepts

Zakharan culture emphasizes honor, family, social station, purity, piety, and hospitality. Society is divided into two main groups: Al-Badia, the nomadic desert people, and Al-Hadhar, the city people. The population is mostly human, but demihumans such as elves and dwarves, and humanoids like orcs, goblinoids, and ogres, are present with practically no racial disharmony; all share the same culture, lifestyle, and social status. The nomadic Al-Badia are predominantly human, while Al-Hadhar are more diverse.

All are united under a single polytheistic religion and as subjects of the caliph, forming a single empire with local variations. Some pagan human barbarians reject the Law of the Loregiver and the Pantheon, and certain monstrous races like yuan-ti, yak-men, and most giants live apart. The common language is Midani, represented by Arabic. The pantheon includes gods such as Hajama, Hakiyah, Haku, Jauhar, Jisan, Kor, Najm, Selan, and Zann, along with local deities and demigods.

All recognize the power of Fate, though none agree on its nature; Fate is not given statistics, spells, or priesthoods. The Loregiver, a woman from the distant past, wrote scrolls that became the basis of law, and most Al-Hadhar and Al-Badia are Enlightened in her way.

Characters

Player characters can choose from various character types using kits, a rigid layer atop traditional classes, with restrictions based on race. Standard races include humans, elves, dwarves, half-elves, gnomes, and halflings, with less racial prejudice than in other settings; non-human characters are rarer. The City of Delights accessory suggests goblins, hobgoblins, kobolds, lizard men, ogres, half-ogres, orcs, and half-orcs as appropriate PC races. Standard classes include all from the player's handbook except specialty priests and specialist wizards.