Space Arabian Knights

Space Arabian Knights

TABLE OF CONTENTS History The Millennium The Calender Timeline The Campaign: Shattering the Golden Age Characters Technology Terms and Definitions Map of the World The Colonies and The Beyond HISTORY This world has advanced to only 1683, but time travelers from our earth might think it centuries in the future. Diverging with a scientific revolution under the Abbasid caliphs of the 9th and 10th centuries, it has advanced far beyond 20th century earth, with universal prosperity and interstellar colonies. The second dynasty of caliphs presided over the classic Muslim civilization. Yet, they spent the years 750-1258 as powerless puppets, and even the early caliphs such as Haroun al-Rashid worried about the legitimacy of their rule. Haroun's heirs allowed Shi'ite sectarians to grow in power by seeking favor of the family of 'Ali (the Prophet's nephew and son-in-law), and failed to impose Sunni interpretations on the Ulama. In Caliph however, their role as "Patrons of the Holy Koran" gave the Abbasids a new form of religious authority, a basis for agreement with the Ulama, and the self-confidence to chastise the sectarians and reform the military. After destroying Byzantium, the great enemy of the Faith, their prestiege was unassailable. Additionally the invention of the printing press in 9th century Baghdad sparked an Islamic Renisance when the first flush of expansion had hardly faded. The Abbasid caliphs supported the resulting burst of innovation, and were richly rewarded by the gunpowder weapons they used to overwhelm Byzantium and Rome. Later, by the time the Abbasids split into successor states, the Muslim world was well towards modernizations, with personal firearms and Newtonian Physics. Egypt achieved naval control of the Indian Ocean, as far south as Southern Africa and the island continent of Djiba (Australia), while its rival Andalus (Muslim Spain) established itself in the Mediterranean and leaped across the Atlantic to the new world of Talentis (hardly noticing the Christian Colony in the far north). Persia fought with the Turks for control of inner Asia, while to the north their proteges the BUlgars expanded from their VOlga heartland to dominate the Khazar and Russian neighbors. The impace of Muslim culture even reached Khitans in northern China, whose conversion revitalized their state and led to the conquest of the Sung Dynasty in China. Egypt and Persia led the way into the Industrial Revolution, which began with oil (from Iraq and Libya) rather than coal. Their rivalry for control of the Muslim heartland lasted centuries, though ironically they fought togther in the greatest wars. When the Global War began with revolts in their Asian colonial empires, they fought Bulgaria, Andalus, and the African sultanates as well as the rebels - and, ultimately were overmatched even with Khitan aid. This ten year struggle introduced industrialized warfare to Caliph and was thought to have demonstrated the folly of armed conflict among the major powers. The Peace of Zanzibar ended the last conflict between the great caliphates for almost 350 years, although there were occasional scares such as the fall of the Ch'i dynasty in China or the suppression of the totalitarian Umarites. THE MILLENNIUM As technology continued to advance and society was repeatedly transformed, the world struggled to adapt. Technology brought prosperity and knit the Earth togther in an increasingly unified global society, even as it began to reach outward to the stars. Older political structures came to seem outmoded: the decline of national governments reached its apex early in this century with the formal dissolution of the Egyptian Caliphate. As Claiph advanced, the world dealt with the side effects of success. Industrialization damaged the ecosystem, which was healed; universal prosperity brought economic dislocations, which were absorbed; and increasingly longevity disrupted social assumptions in ways which are not totally resolved. Shattering the Golden Era: Fourteen months ago, an alliance of old-fashioned imperialists and a new sort of ideological state launched a war of conquest. At first, it was hard to believe that such an inexplicable atavism could pose a serious threat to the modern world, but that illusion has been dispelled. The agressor Alliance now controls a third of the globe, and the rest has responded with a startling bloodlust. THE CALANDER The Islamic calander is lunar rather than solar, consisting of twelve months (alternately 29 and 30 days) each beginning with the new moon. This comes out roughly ten days short, so that a summer month one year will be in winter 16 years later. Islamic years are counted from the "Hegira," Mohammed's flight from Mecca in AD 622. To get an Anno Hegira (AH) date from an AD date, use the following formula: AH = 33(AD-622)/32 (and note that it will usually overlap into the following year). Thus, Caliph's present year 1094 AH is 1683/4 AD. TIMELINE

Caliph Timeline

All dates in AD (not AH.) 622 - The Hegira; beginning of the Muslim calender. Founding of Islam by Mohammed. 796 - Muizz-al-Dawlah invents the printing press in Baghdad; Haroun-al-Rashid becomes patron of first (religious) publishing house. 844 - Abu-Masrur writes Against the Vanity of Philosophers. 855 - Deposition of the Tahirid governors by al-Qahir re-establishes Abbasid central Authority. 873 - Yunis al-Kulaybi invents gunpowder. 888 - Conversion of the Volga Bulgars to Islam. 890 - Ill-conceived shi-ite rebellion; Abbasids retake North Africa. 904 - Abbasid conquest of Andalus reunites Dar al-Islam. 909 - Fall of Constantinople. 920 - Caliph Muhsin sponsors first voyages of exploration in the Indian Ocean. 940 - Founding of Sofala (in Mozambique). 951 - Discovery of Djiba (Australia). 965-70 - Persecutions send sectarians to Sofala and Djiba. First Personal Firearms. 979 - Conquest of Italy, flight of Roman Church. German Emperor Liudolf reforms on the Abbasid model. 987 - Liudolf elected king of France, reuniting Charlemagne's empire. 991 - Volga Bulgars subjugate Kiev. 1001 - Mahmud of Gahzna, a provincial governor, begins full-scale conquest in the Punjab. 1006 - Ibn Sina devises the calculus and a general theory of mechanics. 1011 - Gold discovered in southern Africa, massive immigration to Sofala from Arabia and Persia. 1023 - Death of Caliph Muwaffiq without and obvious heir; succession war begins. 1037 - Formal breakup of the Abbasid caliphate. 1041 - Andalusians establish control of North Africa, shutting Egypt out of the Mediterranean. 1046 - Volga Bulgars annex (Christian) Bulgaria. 1050 - Exchange of emissaries among various caliphates (starting with Andalus and Persia) begins new era in diplomacy. Egyptian merchant/naval force takes control of the Straits of malacca. 1052 - Anglo-Danish "Braseal" founded to replace failed Vinland colony (in northern America.) 1067 - Takrur, in West Africa, converts to Islam and gegins modernizing. 1071 - Eqyptians complete Suez canal. 1074 - Egyptians sack Palembang, dominate Zabaj (Indonesia). 1089 - Takruri jihad conquers West Africa. 1090 - TL 5 reached. 1082-1116 - Reign of Emperor Conrad II, who recentralizes Holy Roman Emperor, builds up a navy to repel Andalusian raids, and acquires England after Cannute's empire collapses. 1100 - Khitans, along the northern frontier of China, convert to Islam. 1104 - "Discovery" of Talentis (America) by Sindbad al-Ghurabi of Cordoba. 1118 - Andalusian jihad against Tula (in Mexico). 1122-41 - Khitan conquest of Sung China. 1143 - Persia begins expanding into Hind. 1149 - TL 6 reached. 1150 - Bulgarians land in west Talentis, Takrur in east, beginning decades of scramble for colonies among all powers. 1171 - Egypt begins mechanization of textile industry. 1185 - First conversions of Haqiyya (Aymara) in the Andes. 1202 - Ishaq ibn-Ayyub invents oil burning engine in Basra. 1227 - Andalus gives Sawi (Pawnee) firearms and support; they dominate great plains. 1236 - First steamships built in Egypt. 1248-59 - Caliph Sevar IV of Bulgaria attacks Muslim heartland, defeating Persia; Egypt allies with Europeans to hold him off. 1259 - Sevar dies after burning Mainz. 1261 - Peace of Constantinople formally ends the Sevarian Wars; Holy Roman Empire becomes "Caliphate of Firanj" in international law. 1275 - Sofala, and later Bulgaria begin using coal powered engines. 1290 - Persia, Eqypt, and Bulgaria divide southeast Asia; war of influence begins in Turkestan. 1302 - After an unsuccessful rebellion, Andalus revises its system of local governments in Talentis. 1310 - Sofala establishes protectorate over central Africa using primitive machine guns. 1328-38 - The Global War: Egypt-Persia-Khitan Coalition against rebels in Hind and Zabaj supported by (chronologically) Andalus, Bulgaria, Takrur, Sofala, and Firanj. Internal Chinese rebellions tip the balance. 1338 - Peace of Zanzibar gives rebels independence except for part of India, Egypt loses Sicily and pieces of Africa. Ch'i dynasty replaces Khitans. 1350 - TL 6 Reached. 1363 - Feminist movement begins. 1375 - Secularists dissociate the Ulama from Islamic Law. 1397 - Invention of the computer chip in Egypt. 1400 - TL 7 Reached. 1425 - Economic crisis leads to global coordination. 1434 - Firas ibn-Basham walks on the Moon. 1450 - TL 8 Reached. 1488 - Imperial Authority fails in China; corporate fudalism. 1499 - Layla Bandih creates an artificial wormhole. 1502 - Totalitarian Umarites gain power in Takrur. 1510 - TL 9 Reached. 1515 - Umarites try to seize power in Andalus but the caliphates combine to remove them. 1531 - Orbital tower built in Zenj, first interstellar probes. 1550 - Islamic revival, controversies over genetic engineering, cloning, bodysculpting. 1568 - First interstellar colony at Falaq. 1577 - Practical neural interface implants. 1590 - TL 10 Reached. 1591 - The Millennium of the Islamic calendar; peak and rapid decline of extreme religious movements. 1595 - "Century Laws" end crisis over antiagathics. 1602 - Caliph Murtada removed in Egypt and cliphate abolished. 1611 - First modern robofac in Turkestan. 1625 - Jamahiriya movement founded in Karkar (in South America), begins to spread through Umma in Talentis. 1640 - Adnan, first djinni, constructed. 1654 - First contact with Aliens. 1676 - Jamahiriya wins power in Taluqi (southeastern North America). 1680 - TL 11 Reached. 1681 - Alien stargate opened in Ahqaf system. 1682 - Hind and Jamahiriya launch invasions, mostly successful. - - - - 1683 - Jamahiriya invades Bulgaria and Nihon, Hind launches northern offensive against Persia. - - - 1684 - June 30. Current Date. Global war threatens all of Caliph's achievements. - THE CAMPAIGN: SHATTERING THE GOLDEN AGE The game will revolve around one of the themes below. Mercantilism: Robofacs are in high demand as production shifts to war material. Nano-facs are hard to support, require hard vacuum, and very volatile. As entrepuners, take charge of or support the war effort. Or try to stay out of the war, the Koran prohibits killing. Will you be strong enough? Also, as a team of Technicians, it is possible to have any combination of skills, advantages, and jobs. In a TL 11 world, no one flips burgers. Educated, intelligent persons work in every field, supporting the robots, and computers that run the world. Even the military needs them as designers, technicians, hackers, field ops, and security personel. Special Ops: The Mujhadi are the Islamic Special Forces and have superior training and skill to normal soldiers, which have been on garrison duty for 350 years. As the elite you will take on the most daring and dangerous of missions. Numbers and Strength are not amongst you allies, but surprise, relative superiority, and shock are. War: The last war was three tech levels and 350 years ago, so Battlesuits and Thruster-Chutes are not being fully realized. As officers or enlisted personel, fight on the front lines for control of the robo-facs. Ground forces are predominantly male, while air forces are predominantly female. Naval forces generally balance out. Espionage: War = Espionage. Takes side for ideologies or the highest bidder. Live on the razors edge of cloak and dagger; either in the real world or on the Global Computer Network as a technician fighting the InfoWar. Space: Live and work on one of the stellar Caliphates cargo ships, shuttles, space docks, stargates, or orbital elevators ("Bean stalks"). As Spacers, you are the life blood that keeps interstellar society togther. Frontier: With only five colonies, there are many planets and worlds to be explored. Just the five colony systems have dozens of moons, planetoids and belts to explore and map; or exploit. Stargates allow instant travel between any two stargates. The only downside is that there has to be a stargate at the recieving end, or travel is at sub-light speeds. Robot probes with stargates have been sent to the nearest 20 stars with planets; just probes were sent to the nearest 80 stars. Not all probes deployed properly at the 20 with planets. Humans are sent on the follow up missions. This will mean that the scouting team was sent ten to twenty years in the past. : : : CHARACTERS Characters for the game will depend on what Theme everyone would like up above. Otherwise, make what you want and I'll choose a theme. Trust me, I've got one. I just wanted to leave the option of choosing the Campaign's format up to you all. Character Templates from Warriors, Special Ops, Traveller (and suplaments), and other books can all be adapted. Just keep the History and Character of the world in mind. TOTAL POINTS: 200 Plus use One More Point to get that little extra you need. ATTRIBUTES: Limit of ST 20, DX 16, IQ 16, HT 16. DISADVANTAGES: 50 points in disadvantages. I count quirks as disadvantages. STARTING MONEY: 200,000 Credits. 80% of this goes towards cost of living. Spend one point to buy half starting cash. During character generation on a one time bonus. AGE LIMIT: 100 POINTS PER YEAR OLD: 2 CYBERNETICS: Implants only. No attributes per Black Ops. No Bionics or obvious cyberware unless from the Jamahiriya. BIO-TECH: Medical, and implants only. BIO-FORMS: Only two can be chosen from the list below. Limits do not apply to Player Characters. Likewise, the point costs do not count against your point total (thus, PC's are 2 Male Human [27 points.] Attributes: ST +1 (10), DX +1 (10) IQ +1 (10) Racial Limit: HT 14 Advantages: Panimunity Level II (5 points), Hard to Kill +1 (5 points). Disadvantages: On the Edge: Lesser (IQ +2 rolls) (-10 points). Taboo Traits: High sensitivity (-1), Empathy (-1), Advanced Social Skills (eff sk. 16+) (-1). Female Human [32 points.]: Attributes: IQ +2 (20), HT +1 (10) Racial Limit: IQ 13 Advantages: Panimunity Level II (5 points), Easy Childbirth (1), Selective Reproduction (1), Light Mensus (3), Common Sense: Lesser (IQ -3 rolls) (5 points) Disadvantages: Reduced Hit Points -2 (-10) Taboo Traits: Severe Mental Instability (-1), Callousness (-1), Extreme Ego/Machoism (-1). MAGIC/PSIONICS: No Magic. No Psionics. ASAT. TECHNOLOGY The world of Caliph is universally TL10, with areas of TL11. Nothing exists below TL10, all weapons, science, technology, and medicine are TL10. Adjust prices, capacity, and damage, etc. accordingly. The Stellar Caliphate (The Colonies or Frontier or Other Worlds) are generally TL11, though with the war, some have been cut off and slid back to TL8 or TL9 is places. Their individual infrastructures have been reduced to support TL8-9, not Earth's. TERMS AND DEFINITIONS A-E F-J K-O P-T T-Z A: Abbasid: member of a dynasty of caliphs ruling the Islamic empire especially from their capital Baghdad and claiming descent from Abbas the uncle of Muhammad. Ala ElRahib Wa ElSaa: You're welcome. Andalusian: Spain including Sierra Nevada & valley of the Guadalquivir. B: C: Caliph: a successor of Muhammad as temporal and spiritual head of Islam -- used as a title D: E: F: G: H: Hamam: Restrooms. I: Ibna: Daughter. Ibn: Son. J: Jihad: Holy war waged for Islam as a duty. K: L: laa: No. M: Min Fadilak: Min Fadilak. Mohit: Ocean. N: na'am: Yes. Naher: River. O: P: Q: R: S: T: Tal: Mountain. U: V: W: Wadi: Valley. X: Y: Z: MAP OF THE WORLD Why is this map upside down? The choice between putting north or south at the top of a map is arbitrary. Europeans have used north since cartography became advanced enough to stop using east, but medieval Muslim cartographers preferred south. In Caliph, modern cartography began in Egypt. Egyptians are accustomed to viewing the Nile as flowing "down" - the river delta is lower Egypt - and this tradition determined the pattern for Caliph's map.

THE COLONIES AND THE BEYOND

Falaq:

A hot, wet, slightly low-gravity world, actually the moon of a gas giant. Its three settlement (initially by Haqiyya, Persia and Zenj) are sizable but relatively primative (TL9). Immigration has slowed since the other worlds were discovered; population 18 million.

Pishon:

The most densly settled colony with 31 million people, Pishon is a temperate world of archipelagoes in a planetary ocean. The islands have been terraformed, although the ocean still holds native life.

Ahqaf:

The farthest, least Earthlik, and most important colony world, Ahqaf system is the home of the alien stargate. The planet is dry and very hot, with a bearable climate only around the north polar seas. Its original settlers (strict traditionalist Muslims) are being swamped by new arrivals; they total perhaps 5 million.

Thule:

Discovered and largely settled by Firanji. About 3 million live in the termperate equatorial regions of the small, cool world, and another million in system space. They have ambitious plans to improve Thule's climate by altering its atmosphere.

Aubaqhf:

The newest of the colony planets, first settled only three years ago. A large earth size world whose surface is 95% covered in a water ocean. Earthlike temperatures, and an ocean full of animal life have made it a very important world. The predominantly muslim inhabitants number perphaps 15 million. They have plans for it much like Pishon.

Legends of Far Worlds:

In an Earth-centered game, other planets serve the same thematic purpose as th parts of old maps labeled "Here be dragons": realms of unknown wonders. Even the colony worlds are poorly explored, and non-human space could hold anything.

Last updated 000612

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