al-Kathos - the False Shair

There are no true sha'irs native to al-Kathos. If somehow a true sha'ir (one from Zakhara for example) he is left almost totally powerless. He cannot cast spells (sha'irs are granted spells in a unique way as explained below) and even the attempt to do so can be extremely dangerous for him.
The only sha'irs that can exist and do exist in al-Kathos are false sha'irs. These differ from normal sha'irs in a variety of ways.

False Sha'irs have all the basic requirements of normal sha'irs and one additional one. False sha'irs may not be of any good alignment. The evils that they have to commit to gain control of the mastery of the genies of al-Kathos soils their soul in a way that makes this class inaccessible by those of good alignment.

True sha'irs receive a small elemental familiar at first level. These gen (as they are called) come from the elemental plane. In Ravenloft the gen a false sha'ir receives is a often a foul mockery of a true gen and is created by the dark powers. Because of this there is a great (75%) chance that the gen summoned is a pseudo-familiar and responds as such, attempting to protect their master by killing all of his companions. If the gen is not a pseudo-familiar it is summoned from the corresponding elemental plane and will behave much like a normal gen except that they are less loyal. Though they are bound to their sha'ir the relationship is tense at best as they regard the sha'ir as the villain who ripped them out of their homeland and brought them to this foul place. Gen often attempt to annoy their masters by not following their orders perfectly, although they always follow the "gist" of what is asked of them. They never feel truly comfortable in there new "home and often appear skittish when out in the open.

False sha'irs are able to cast spells much the same as their true counterparts. Although I cannot reproduce the lengthy section of rules here the following adjustments can be made. When false sha'ir send their gens to find spells it takes only 1d4 rounds + 1 round per level of the spell to find any wizard spell. When the gen is sent for the spell the gen embarks upon a dangerous journey through the mists of Ravenloft and returns with the spell. The gen never leaves the demi-plane and the origins of the spell are unknown. Each time the gen is sent into the mists there is a 10% chance that they will not return. If the spell is one that a wizard of level equal to that of the sha'irs could not cast (a higher leveled spell) there is a 45% chance that the gen will not return. If the gen does not return the sha'ir suffers the penalties of a lost familiar. When gen are sent for priest spells (yes sha'irs can cast priest spells) they do not enter the mists. Instead they are sent to a temple of a god who could grant the spell. They must then retrieve the spell from the temple. Because of this there is a chance for a dark powers check equal to 2 times the level of the priest spell requested. The chances for a gen not returning are a base 10% chance + 30% for each level difference between the level of the spell being requested and three levels less then the sha'irs current level (for example a sixth level sha'ir would have simply the base 10% chance for losing his gen when requesting a 3rd level priest spell but would have a 70% of losing his gen when requesting a priest spell of 5th level.) Sending a gen to bring back a priest spell for which the gen has no chance of returning is an act of ultimate darkness. The sha'ir is still subject to the penalties of losing a familiar. If the lord of a domain has sealed his border then the gen will be unable to seek spells. The gen is still subject to 10% chance to being lost but this is the maximum chance when the border is sealed.

The sha'ir's ability to recognize genie work at 3rd level is unchanged.

False sha'irs are unable to call upon the Jann for aid at fifth level. Instead upon reaching fifth level the sha'ir receives the ability to recognize the Jann in their mortal guise. This requires merely an act of concentration on the part of the sha'ir.

Because the dark powers prevent the sha'ir from feeling the forces of the elemental planes false sha'irs receive no elemental protection at 7th level.

At ninth level sha'irs receive the ability to summon a genie of al-Kathos. They cannot summon genies from the elemental planes. If somehow a sha'ir is able to summon a genie from an elemental plane (through use of a magical item or another wizard) the genie will be so angered by this breach of the trust that they will fight the sha'ir to the death and cannot be bargained with. As it is al-Kathosian genies are not particularly friendly. They will either fight the sha'ir, leave, or perform a task he requests. The payment for the task is always one which either leaves the sha'ir is indebted to the genie or one for which the sha'ir must make a great personal sacrifice. When the genies do perform the task they make a point of doing it to the specifications specified by the caster but make no additional effort. If the opportunity presents itself to cause great grief to the caster but still follow his "wishes" the genie will use the opportunity to its fullest.

At 11th level the sha'ir can attempt to bind a genie into servitude. If he does so and is successful then the genie will serve without question for 1001 and one days. At first the genie appears nice, even friendly toward the caster. As the days pass, however, the genie grows dark and nasty. Eventually the sha'ir become aware that the genie is watching him when he look away or that he approaches him and only stops when the sha'ir faces him. During this time the sha'ir may grow increasingly paranoid as the genie leaves small signs of its presence near the sha'ir. For example a sha'ir who has bound an Efreet may find that his sheets are slightly scorched when he awakens. As the 1001 days pass the incidents becoming more and more threatening although the genie will not actually harm the sha'ir. At the end of the 1001 days the genie will leave abruptly. It will return exactly 3 days later and attempt to murder the sha'ir. Before it tries to kill him however it first tries to scare him. It wakes him up with strange noises signs of its presence haunt the sha'ir as he flees through the night. For example a sha'ir who had bound a Marid awakens to what sounds like splashing or the crashing of waves. As he pulls himself out of bed he finds that there is pool of water beside his bed. All of a sudden he finds himself choking as the Marid fills the room with water and attempts to drown him.

At 13th level the sha'ir is granted the ability to create a genie prison. Much like a normal genie prison the materials must be of exceptional, however, in Ravenloft a darker component is always required. For example a sha'ir making a genie prison out of a ring may find that the ring must be made of the bones of an innocent, and that the sha'ir must freshly harvest these bones. The component of the prison is determined by the DM and told to the sha'ir in advance so that making an al-Kathosian genie prison is always call for a dark powers check. The prison will only function on genies native to al-Kathos. If somehow taken out of Ravenloft it has no effect on normal genies. Genies bound by these prisons are almost always violent and tricky. They will attempt to harm or cause as much grief to the person summoning from the prison as possible without violating the terms (such as directly attacking the sha'ir although it may seek intermediates to attack the sha'ir.) If the sha'ir is still alive when the genie is released from the genie prison the genie will attempt to murder the sha'ir in the manner described above for "binding a genie."

Sha'irs native to al-Kathos have no naturally ability to remain safe in the elemental planes or to travel to these planes upon reaching 15th level. If somehow they are able to leave the demi-plane and gain access to an elemental plane they find themselves with no special immunity to its harsh effects.

False sha'irs are unable to communicate with the leaders of the genies. Because of this they are unable to seek an audience with these leaders upon reaching 17th level. They may, however, attempt to seek an audience with Malbus. To do so is extremely foolish. Malbus is under no special compulsion to grant the audience and he is under no compulsion to let the sha'ir live. To seek an audience with Malbus the sha'ir must go into the desert and wait without food or water for seven days. If at the conclusion of these seven days sha'ir is still alive servants of Malbus will arrive to bring him to Malbus for an "audience" or merely kill him on the spot. If sha'irs wish to seek an audience with the genie lords of al-Kathos then they must meet one additional requirement. They must be dead (see genies)

Sha'irs are free to attempt and bind the tasked genies of al-Kathos. They must follow the guidelines for binding a normal genie and in addition they must research an obscure ritual relating to the nature of the tasked genie. Though these rituals aren't as a rule call for a dark powers check, the nature of many of them is ample reason for such a check.

Comments and suggestions regarding this site be sent to:
gomez@gryphonhill.com