Equipment Descriptions (AA)

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This section describes some of the more unusual items available for purchase in Zakhara. Items
commonly found elsewhere and those described in the Player's Handbook have been excluded.
==Clothing==
Aba: The traditional desert robe, simple and flowing in design. Most abas (pronounced AH-bahs) are monochromatic—black, brown, and white being favorite colors. The amount and type of embroidery on the edges reflects the relative luxury of the garment; the best abas are trimmed with threads of gold. Some abas may be made of dyed fabric and bright colors, especially those designed for festival days and special occasions. The aba is closed at the waist with a sash and has full, open sleeves. It is traditionally worn with a keffiyeh (headcloth) and an akal.
Agal: A cord or group of cords designed to hold a keffiyeh (headcloth) snugly to the head. Basic versions are simply hemp cords, but more ornate agals (ah- GAHLZ) are made of silk, and some are trimmed with semi-precious stones and dusted with gold.
Anklet: A bracelet worn loosely above the feet, usually made of silver. Anklets are a common form of feminine vanity in Zakhara. More ornate versions are made of gold and set with small bells. Even in heavily moralist areas, the jingle of anklets can be heard, signaling the approach of a fashionable woman whose only visible part may be her feet. Clerics of the Faith Moral have a dim view of such vanities, but no church dictum prohibits it.
Caftan: A flowing ankle-length overgarment, cinched at the waist with a sash. Most caftans are made of cotton, but richer versions are made of silk or brocade, and stitched with rich embroidery.
Chador: A full-body robe for women, complete with a hood and face-covering that may conceal even the wearer's eyes. (Small holes allow the woman to look out but prevent any from seeing in.) Women in regions controlled by the moralists commonly wear this garb in public. The chador (SHAH-dor) of an unmarried woman is white, while that of a married woman is black, and the chador of a widow is red. 
Dishdashah: A simple tunic, usually worn by farmers and poor merchants. Length varies between the knees and ankles, and the dishdasha (dish-DAH- shah) is held closed by a belt, rope, or sash.
Dolman: A loose, floor-length robe with sleeves, similar to the aba but preferred in more urban areas as a common form of dress.
Fez: A round felt hat for men that looks like a short cone with a flat top. A tassel roughly as high as the hat hangs from the crown. Most fezes stand about 6 inches high and are red with a black tassel.
Jellaba: A heavy "winter aba," worn over the traditional aba, and usually made of wool or felt. The jellaba (jell-AH-bah) runs to the ground and is typically less decorative than the aba worn underneath.
Keffiyeh: The traditional headcloth worn by most men and women of Zakhara. Length and style varies from tribe to tribe and from city to city, and sometimes from family to family. The keffiyeh (keh-FEE-yeh) is held in place by the akal.
Turban wrap: A long strip of fabric wrapped around the head to produce the turban common in many cities in the Land of Fate. If wrapped around a skull cap, the turban is a flattened sphere. If wrapped around a fez or other support, the turban is taller, rounder, and more impressive. The turban wrap is often held in place by a pin or broach, particular if the wearer is of high stature.
==Daily Food and Lodgings==
Koumiss: A drink of fermented mare's milk, koumiss (KOO-miss) is very potent. It is forbidden in regions under moralist control.
Meals: These vary according to price and type, with more expensive meals emphasizing variety and freshness. A good evening meal may consist of rice heaped high with fresh mutton, figs, dates, and olives pulled from the tree, finished with honey-candies. A more common evening meal (in a town or city) would be a simple ragout or meat stew, with bread, and fruit. A poor evening meal consists of just rice, perhaps with dates, dried fruit, a bit of tripe, or a strip of dried meat.
Sherbet: A sweet fruit drink in Zakhara. It is often sold by vendors roaming the streets of major cities, carrying chilled tanks of sherbet on their back, along with cups to share.
Wine, Heart of Wine: A potent brew. Heart of Wine is a wine that has been aged in the desert heat or in mountain snows until the water has evaporated or frozen, leaving a more powerful substance behind. Like all alcoholic or fermented beverages, Heart of Wine is forbidden in moralist areas.
==Animals==
Camels: These cantankerous beasts are subject to the same quality variables as horses, as listed under "Quality of Equipment" in Chapter 6 of the Dungeon Master's Guide. (Owners gain the same benefits for camels of high quality, and suffer the same penalties for those of poor quality.) A white camel is considered a sign of good fortune, and as such may fetch 2 to 5 times its listed price.
Desert camels and mountain camels share the same game statistics as noted in the Monstrous Compendium. However, mountain camels have smaller feet, and while they are more sure-footed in hilly terrain, they are not very useful in the desert.
No type of camel is suitable for riding into combat unless it has been trained as a war camel. (Even then, it is a stubborn, uncomfortable mount.) Further, a camel that is designated for breeding is not usually used as a beast of burden.
Horses: The larger and heavier breeds of horse found in less civilized lands are not suited to Zakhara. Their size causes them to overheat quickly, and most do not survive. As a result, the "mounted knight" from foreign lands is doubly damned, both for his own heavy armor and his straining mount are a hindrance in the Land of Fate. The lighter and more nimble breeds of horse are common as Zakharan mounts, and only rarely do they serve as pack animals (they are too valuable for such work). In the most savage and parched deserts of Zakhara, horses are impractical.
Monkeys: A small monkey is a common urban pet, and is very entertaining and inquisitive. Monkeys can be trained to perform simple tasks. They have been known to carry off small valuables, and Zakharan law declares that a master is responsible for the actions of his or her pet.
Pigeons: The common pigeon or dove is kept in gardens for decorations. The homing pigeon has been trained to return to a particular location when released. The land-seeking pigeon has been trained to head for the nearest land, and is used by mariners at sea. Once released, this pigeon will fly up, then use its uncanny sense of geography to head for the nearest island or continent within 150 miles. If no such land exists, then the bird will return to the ship. Once the pigeon reaches land, it is never seen again by its original owners.
Songbirds: Songbirds of a wide variety of plumage and voice abound in the jungles and along the shores of the Land of Fate. They are also valued additions to urban gardens. A songbird may be trained to a particular song at greater cost.
Storks: The stork is a symbol of good fortune to the city peoples, who admire the bird's fidelity, apparent honesty, and willingness to let lesser birds nest beside it for protection. Storks purchased in a bazaar are raised for sale, and never slain.
==Transport==
Barijah: This small, 40-foot dhow (a general term for boat) is commonly sailed along the coasts, where it serves fishermen, pearl divers, merchants, and the shore-dwelling pirates who raid them. The ship is a small coaster made of sewn (not nailed) lumber. It lacks a sterncastle. It is lateen-rigged (having a triangular sail), with a tapered prow, and a tapered or square stern. The rudder may be mounted on the side or stern. The ship carries a crew of 10 men, but it can comfortably bear four times that amount, or 40 tons of cargo. The barijah has a base movement rate of 3, an emergency rate of 6, and a seaworthiness of 40 percent when traveling in sight of land. In open water, seaworthiness drops to 30 percent. (See "Ocean Voyaging" in Chapter 14 of the DMG).
Canoe, reed: A common and easily built boat along wide rivers and swamps, this canoe is created from long packets of reeds bound with hemp, and can carry four people within its small quarters. It is a ship of antiquity, and is not used for long distance travel. The reed canoe can move 200 feet per round, or 2 mph, and can carry 500 pounds of cargo.
Canoe, outrigger: The outrigger is a large, sea- going canoe supported by a great pontoon or catamaran. Up to 50 feet long, the vessel can carry up to 20 warriors and hold up to 2,000 pounds of cargo along its length. It moves up to 180 feet per round, or 2 mph. On the high seas, some outriggers use sails to triple their movement rates.
Chariot: Another type of transport dating back to the earliest days of civilization, the chariot died out in Zakhara with the introduction of the saddle and stirrup. It is still used on occasion, though mostly in showy processions and in cities. Often is it pulled by camels or elephants rather than horses.
Launches: These small boats are carried by larger vessels as lifeboats or (as is more typical) shore boats. The smaller ship is the dunij; it can hold four passengers, move 60 feet per round, or 1 mph, and can carry 500 pounds. The larger boat is the qarib; it can hold up to 15 passengers or 2,000 pounds of cargo, with the same movement rates as the dunij. Some qaribs may be fitted with a lateen sail as well, and may move three times as fast.
Litters: These conveyances for the wealthy are essentially large, flat couches with awnings, carried by servants or slaves. The common litter allows one individual to recline comfortably while being borne by four others. The great litter may carry up to four passengers, and is carried by 16 servants or slaves, four to each corner.
Sambuk: Aside from the barijah, the sambuk is the most common ship in the Land of Fate. It has a keel length of 75 feet and a beam (width) of 20 feet. The crew comprises 15 to 20 sailors. In addition, the sambuk can carry up to 80 passengers or 90 tons of cargo. The sambuk has no sterncastle, only a raised platform. The ship is navigated with a stem-mounted rudder and lateen (triangular) sails. It is marginally more reliable than the barijah, having a 40 percent seaworthiness in all waters. The sambuk's base movement rate is 3, and its emergency rate is 5.
Zaruq: The zarug (zah-ROOK) is a small ship, though it's slightly larger than the barijah. Rather than having a square stern, the zaruq comes to a point at both ends. On average, the ship measures 50 to 60 feet in length. It carries a crew of 15 to 20 men, and can also carry up to 60 tons of cargo. The ship's base movement rate is 5, its emergency rate is 7, and its seaworthiness is an admirable 50 percent when sailing in sight of the shoreline. Given these qualities, the zaruq is a favored ship for small merchants and coastal pirates. In open water, however, the zaruq's seaworthiness drops precipitously to 30 percent.
==Zakharan Weapons==
Elephant goad: Also called an ankus, this tool is primarily designed to help control and direct the movement of elephants. It may also be used as a weapon. There are two goads, each with similar qualities: a "riding" ankus with a 14- to 18-inch handle, and a "foot" ankus with a 5-foot handle.
Jambiya: This curved, double-edged dagger is the common tool used by peoples of the desert. In addition to a fighting weapon, it serves as an all-purpose cutting blade and an eating utensil that's both knife and fork. Unlike the standard western dagger, the jambiya (JAHM-bee-yah) is a poor throwing weapon; its maximum range is 1.
Katar: Also called the punch dagger, the katar is a short, easily-concealed weapon. It differs from other daggers in that its handle is perpendicular to the blade, not in line, allowing more force to be applied. The katar cannot serve as a thrown weapon.
Razor: A barber's tool, the razor is not usually intended as a weapon for combat. However, since barbers often find their lives taking an odd turn, they may be required to defend themselves with this "tool of the trade."
Scythe: Like any normal scythe, this one consists of a long wooden handle topped with a curved blade, which is often used to cut hay. In this case, the blade can be locked into two positions: 1) perpendicular to the handle (as is common), and 2) extending straight out from the end, parallel to the handle. Changing the blade's position requires a full round. In position one, the scythe can be swung
effectively by a character on horseback, provided the rider can guide the mount without reins. The scythe is a two-handed weapon. In position two, the blade can be set to receive a charge.
Sword, cutlass: This sword has a long, slightly- curved blade and a basket-handle. It is the weapon of choice for the corsair and the occasional swashbuckling merchant-rogue. In addition to the damage listed, the cutlass can also give the wielder a +1 benefit while parrying (if that optional rule is used), and can increase punching damage to 1d3.
Sword, great scimitar: This weapon has a huge, curved blade. It is most commonly wielded by the local ruler's executioner, which is why it is also dubbed the "headsman's sword." Deadly but cumbersome, a headsman's sword is the best weapon to use against an opponent who is going nowhere.
Tiger's claws: Also called bagh nakh, this weapon is like a set of brass knuckles with spikes. A series of rings with spikes fit over the bearer's fingers (thumb excluded). When the wearer makes a fist, a spike sticks outward from each knuckle. The weapon is easily concealed. It is used primarily by slayers, who tip the spikes with poison.
Tufenk: Little more than a long blowpipe, the tufenk is used to project Greek fire across a short distance. (To Zakharans, Greek fire is "oil of liquid stars" or simply "liquid star.") The weapon's maximum range is 10 feet. The tufenk requires two hands to use, and is usually rested upon a steady surface as well. It takes one round to light a vial of Greek fire; in round two the fire is projected toward a single target. It inflicts 2d6 points of damage in round two, and 1d6 in rounds three and four. The tufenk's rate of fire is one attack every three rounds. It is an unwieldy weapon, as well as being potentially dangerous to the individual carrying the oil. When it's used as a melee weapon, the tufenk's game statistics match those of a quarterstaff.
==Armor==
Lamellar: Lamellar is a type of scale mail made of overlapping metal plates (lamellas), connected by metal links. Lighter and less costly than standard scale, lamellar is the most popular of the heavier armors available in Zakhara. It is worn in relatively cool areas.
Shield, daraq: Similar to the western buckler, this small shield is carried primarily by horsemen. The daraq can be used to fend off one specific opponent per round. Although most daraqs are made of laminated hide and tortoise shell, metal versions can also be found in urban areas.