'Uman

Located at the eastern end of the Arabian Peninsula, 'Uman's interior is mostly hot and dry desert, while the coastal mountains and plains are cooler and more fertile, supporting agriculture. The province also forms a channel for trade between Arabia and the Indian Ocean, which is conducted via various ports on its coasts. The majority of the population of 'Uman follow a variant form of Islam called Ibadism.

Perhaps the same as the Crypto Portus ("Hidden Port") of Ptolemy or the Moscha of Pliny, this coastal town is a prominent trade point for voyages traveling beyond the Mythic Middle East. Many voyagers dreaming of wealth depart, never to return, from its quays. Recently conquered from the Abbasids by the local Yahmad tribe, the city is looking to expand trade further eastwards. It is the home of a large group of sahirs specializing in the Solomonic Art of Travel, who have founded a bayt al-hikma dedicated to discovering the legendary islands encountered in the tales by Sinbad the Sailor.

Nizwa is the royal city of 'Uman, home to the local Nabhanid kings and a center of religion, trade and art. It has numerous beautifully decorated mosques and palaces, as well as bustling markets that are particularly famous for their silver jewelry and finely crafted daggers. Several buyut of sahirs are found within the city and its hinterlands.

However, Nizwa also has a darker side, reputed to be the home of witches and sorcerers. Among the deeds ascribed to these are instantaneous travel, achieved by crossing a line drawn in the sand to appear at another location, and, more sinisterly, turning people into mindless slaves by making them appear to die, then taking their "corpses" and controlling them.

Descendants of Great 'Ad, the giants of southern Arabia are colossal magical creatures from pre-Islamic times. Descended from Noah's third son, they have dwelled within magic regiones deep within the deserts of Oman since the loss of their greatest creation, the fabled City of a Thousand Pillars. Unlike many magical creatures, the 'Adites are not immortal and weaken if they spend too much time outside strong desert Magic auras.

Giant of 'Ad

Magic Might: 20 (Corpus)

Season: Autumn

Characteristics: Int 0, Per +2, Pre –1, Com –1, Str +13, Sta 0, Dex +1, Qik –4.

Size: +7

Confidence Score: 1 (3)

Virtues and Flaws: Magic Human; Improved Characteristics, Magical Champion, Ways of the Desert; Pagan; Anchored to the Desert; (Magical) Animal Companion, Offensive to Spirits.

Magic Qualities and Inferiorities: Gigantic x6; Focus Power, 3 points; Monstrous Appearance (free); Acclimation Prone; Susceptible to Deprivation.

Personality Traits: Proud +2, Focused –1 Combat:

Chisel (as knife): Init –4, Attack +3, Defense –2, Damage +15

Stomp (kick): Init –5, Attack +4, Defense –1, Damage +16

Soak: +3

Fatigue Levels: OK, 0, –1, –3, –5, Unconscious

Wound Penalties: –1 (1**–12), –3 (13–**

24), –5 (25**–36), Incapacitated (37–** 48), Dead (49+)

Abilities: Animal Handling 2 (falconry), Arabia Lore 6 (cities), 'Adid 5 (ancient), Bargain 3 (payment for services), Brawl 2 (stomp), Craft (stonemason) 6, Magic Lore 4 (Arabia), Survival 3 (desert).

Powers:

Stonesmith, 1–4 points, Init –4, Terram: Duplicates any non-Ritual Creo Terram, Intellego Terram or Muto Terram spell less than or equal to 20th level that affects stone, at a cost of 1 Might point per magnitude of effect.

Equipment: mason's tools, sand-colored Bedouin robes

Vis: 1 pawn of Corpus vis in heart, 1 pawn of Terram vis in each hand.

Appearance: Towering above the average human, a giant of 'Ad stands over 30 feet tall but appears much more civilized than the primitive giants of Europe. They have an affinity for falcons and other birds of prey and are usually found accompanied by at least one nesting within their long hair or beard. Lone giants emerge from the deep desert to offer their building skills to sorcerers and emirs, in return for insights into the secrets of eternal life.

A giant of 'Ad is balanced as a starting character, albeit a powerful initial Companion option. This character guide has 295 Experience Points available to spend on Abilities and 5 Virtue points free (to be balanced with 5 points of Flaws). His falcon companion may be either mundane or magical, although proportionately larger (up to Size +3) and has its statistics adjusted accordingly.