The Sword of Fate

Fate has a way of finding just the right time and the right people it needs to perform any task in the known world. It doesn’t matter what land you may hail from or what world you may inhabit, Fate will find you and have its way with you. It tends to guide you in ways you cannot imagine and influences the choices you make with far-reaching repercussions.

The Shame of Sefara bint-Khalil

Centuries ago, the Fire Mage Sefara bint-Khalil crafted a great sword of immense power. She called it Sayf al-Qadar, the Sword of Fate. With the power of her magic and the skill of her sword, she roamed through the scorched sands of the desert nation of Agresium and united the roaming bands of Al-Bakhtiaria.

Sefara bint-Khalil gathered and led her army, Asfar Yad al-Naryne (the Yellow Hand of Naryne) against the treacherous Caliph Anwar al-Raman who usurped the throne from his brother. The great walled city of Ayn Minzar with its mirrored spires and golden mosques did not fall immediately to Sefara bint-Khalil and the Asfar Yad al-Naryne because the Caliph had not only his own army of soldiers Asad abd-Noran (the Slave Lions of Noran) who were all to eager to paint the desert red with the Fire Mage’s blood, but also an army of mighty jinn serving under him.

The Fire Mage also had jinn as well as otherworldly hosts at her command. In the end, the battle was rumored to take nearly 40 days as the sands soaked up the blood and vultures feasted on the dead. Tired and wasting away, the Fire Mage surveyed her army and knew that she was fighting a loosing battle. There was no way within the realm of her control that she could take the city and remove the Caliph from the city.

She prayed to Naryne with no answer. The Imams and other Shi’ars had no answers. Even her might army of jinn and otherworldly hosts gave her no advice. She only had one choice left; after all, the known mistake is much better than the unknown truth. Sefara bint-Khalil saw all of the dead and knew she still had an army.

As she brought about the rites and rituals to raise the dead from the sands in all defiance of the Great Church and all she knew to be righteous and true, she knew her soul was damned to be ripped to pieces from the devils and demons of Hell. Sefara bint-Khalil wept as her undead army, her Azma bin-Azmati stormed the gates of Ayn Miznar.

With the reinforced army, Sefara bint-Khalil overtook the shining city of Ayn Miznar and dethroned the Caliph and restored the balance of power to the blistering country of Agresium, but not without a price.

It is said that she spent the rest of her days killing and destroying the undead that she had raised on that most shameful days in an effort to bring restitution to her soul in the eyes of Maal. It is not known if she was forgiven as the Maalites are not speaking about it.

The Disaster of Aziz al-Ajami

Once again, the balance of power in the scorched desert lands of Agresium has shifted. A new Caliph has risen from the high deserts and has sworn his allegiance to the God of Tyranny, Naran. The Caliph Qazim khel Khayal, Khan of the Ghost Warriors has risen to power and taken the mantle of leadership within Ayn Miznar.

Along with the Ghost Warriors, Caliph Qazim khel Khayal has created a conscripted army of slaves (Mamluks) and assigned his Imam to create, instruct and train holy warriors (Fasir) to strengthen his grasp on the shifting sands.

Aziz al-Ajami escaped from the slave camp of the Caliph known as the Janzir al-Hadid, the City of Weeping, with only one burning thought in his mind, he had to find the Sayf al-Qadar and put the Caliph to death upon its blade. For days he had wandered the wastes finding allies to form a rebellion. Fate was on his side. Soon, others joined Aziz al-Ajami as his rebellion grew. The Dib al-Rih (the Wind Wolves) began to fight the Mamluk army of Caliph Qazim khel Khayal.

During a successful raid against one of the Caliph’s strongholds, Aziz al-Ajami found a lead as to where the Tomb of Sefara bint-Khalil was located. Taking a few of his trusted soldiers, Aziz al-Ajami retrieved the sword only to be attacked by the Caliph’s Fasir. As the battle took place, the band of former slaves and barbarians of the desert were pushing the Caliph’s Holy Warriors back.

Aziz al-Ajami pushed his fate too far.

Something happened in the Tomb of Sefara bint-Khalil. Aziz al-Ajami and most of his men were attacked by something other than the Caliph’s Fasir. The Caliph’s warriors and the Wind Wolves, including Aziz al-Ajami mysteriously disappeared. Only one of the Wind Wolves made it out of the tomb alive.

A former slave and lieutenant of Aziz al-Ajami named Al’ia bint-Hazir staggered out of the cursed tomb found herself miles away on the trade route known as the Black Road where she was picked up by a caravan heading towards the Baronies of the Glenfields. Within the city of Lantim, the Jewel of the Gleaming Falls, Al’ia bint-Hazir is hiring adventurers to find Aziz al-Ajami and the Sword of Fate.