Amala-Kahtar, Desert-Dreaming

[Wensleydale]

Once, there was a land. A land of days. A land of nights. And Ha-Uh-Mala spoke, and the land became warm. And Ha-Uh-Mala spoke, and the Animals came into the world. And Ha-Uh-Mala spoke, and the plants came into the world. And Ha-Uh-Mala spoke, and the People came to be. And the People dreamt...

The Sat-uk-Mayan, the Elf-Born, came into the world. The Dasha-tus-Kura, the Dwarf-Born, came into the world. The Dus-uk-Surat, the Small-Born, came into the world. And the People awoke...

The Dasha-tus-Kura built great palaces around the Great River Samuh, and raised the ancient city of Amaru as their capital.

The Sat-uk-Mayan lived in tribes in the deep deserts, living off Wadis and Oases, and built only to honour their dead.

The Dus-uk-Surat travelled between them, setting themselves as the merchants of the world.

The People settled on the Ashaya plain, and became fishermen.

But Ashaya was ruled truely by another people, a people who forged out an empire around their blades. The Kahtar Tribes fell upon Ashaya and the countries around like a storm, and since then, Ashaya has been part of its empire... officially.

But the Kahtar is failing. Its armies have been withdrawn for many years, Ashaya has governed itself. Only a few buried ruins remain, and in its absence the world has gone swiftly. The tongue of the Kahtar is spoken only by scholars, and though its script is used in the Ashayan language, its words are used by almost none. The Kahtar are forgotten. And Ashaya... is just beginning.
 



 Amala-Kahtar as a setting

Amala-Kahtar - or Ashaya - is a setting deep in religious and political opposition, with an Asian-African Mediaeval tech-level and unique races. The elves, dwarves and humans of the setting fulfil very different niches from any usual game, whilst halflings, gnomes and orcs are lost totally. Three new races, the Smallborn, Sihaya and Amaluka, join these, and the classes have been replaced by the Warrior, Dervish and Stalker. Magic is in low supply, Invokers being the only real casting class, but magic items are more common (although still rare), relics of an ancient empire.

What can the players do in Amala-Kahtar? Involve themselves with the Church of the Eye, or the Children of the Prophet? Venture into the Sihaya jungles, where danger lurks behind every tree, or unite Dohyi under one banner? Maybe they will play a Sihaya, and work as an assassin, or hunt as an Amaluka in the caves of Amar? They could wander with the Elfborn nomads in the Ashaya deserts, or negotiate a deal with Smallborn or Dwarfborn... the possibilities are nearly endless. Desert Survival, Political Manipulation... both are all in a day's work for a PC in Amala-Kahtar!

[SilvercatMoonpaw]

How many does this make?

[Numinous]

How many does this make?

Precisely what I was wondering.

Honestly, I think all you've done here is put a fancy coat on an old doll.  You planted the standard merchant halflings, hippy elves, etc. into a desert world and gave them simple names.  Be a little different!  By the time you've made so mnay settings, I expect you to have some more creativity with this!

And please, wtire something a little more substantial before you post yet another setting.

[Wensleydale]

Sorry. I had to cut off in the middle of writing this.

The elves AREN'T hippies. They're more like bedouins. Slightly different, and you'll understand once I write them up...
The halflings? Merchants, true, but not the lovable-rogue-gypsy thing they have going on regularly...

[SilvercatMoonpaw]

Hey, I'm actually jealous!  I have an idea, but am too lazy to write it up.

[Wensleydale]

*raises eyebrow*

Nice.

Anyway... whoever said that the short-folk were halflings? ;)

[Wensleydale]

The People

"The People were placed on this world for a reason. We will find that reason!" - The Prophet Immortal

The People were once sworn to kill all other races, but they have fallen into a time of peace. Led by the Prophet Immortal, it is said that they are destined to burn the world, but whether this is a misinterpreted prophecy or an uncompleted truth is unknown. Only the central, fanatical groups still hold to the War of Purity, and even they are slowly coming to a halt.

Religion: The People hold to the Path. As the Path winds through the Dark and the Light, the People still walk along it, and the Prophet has branded all who do not Heretic. The Prophet Immortal is supposedly the one true focus of the Path's will, the Shower of the Way, and his word is law amongst much of the People.

Politics: Only the Prophet Immortal holds the People as one. The Agad-Aya, the Clan-Wars, began long before the Prophet came and would still carry on to this day had he not stopped it. The Clans are many, and they fight amongst one another as a matter of course. Now, however, it is no longer violence that is their tool, but subterfuge and lies. Strange as it may seem, the People are as adept at deception as the greatest of the Dwarf-Born. Only the Children of the Prophet are more adept than they, as they have one true wish - to be the one to guide the People down his chosen path, to take up the mantle of the Prophet Immortal.

Currency: In some ways, the People are still uncultured. They have no currency of sorts, preferring barter, but the rich can afford the expensive Al-Rah, small spheres of gold, silver and pearl. These are used for expensive items, and may develop into a currency in time.

Cities and Lands: The People control much of the Northern and North-Western coasts, with cities built along it and further in towards the deserts. As part of Ashaya, they are technically ruled by the Amay-Dura, but few know this, and fewer that he is still alive.
The capital of the People's lands is Dumar, or literally 'Heart', where the Prophet resides. The Abati clan and the Huma clan also live in Dumar, as well as representatives from every other clan, nation, and race in Ashaya.

Languages: The People speak Ashayan, although, as all dialects are, it is corrupted.  

Other Races: Until about forty years ago, the People were engaged in a genocidal war against the other races on the whim of the Prophet Immortal. Although this has stopped, the People are still untrustworthy in the eyes of the other races, leading them to near-hatred. The People forgive and forget, they were just following the whim of the Prophet.

[Wensleydale]

The Dasha-tus-Kura (Dwarfborn)

 "Am'Ne-Ured!" - Dwarfborn Battlecry meaning, literally, 'For The River!'

Short, stout, heavily tanned and sporting long braids, the Dwarfborn have built the most populous and large of cities, created the most beautiful and huge of architectures, and mastered the most... delicate of deceptions. With a plan dictated by the River-Born, they believe that the world will soon come to an end... and the Dwarfborn will be saved by protecting the River.

Religion: The Dwarfborn spurned the Path long ago. To them, the River is their god, their goddess, their ruler, their lord. The Riverborn is constantly reincarnating, the body of the old buried in the mud far beneath the river and the new being born on a raft above it. The Riverborn may be male, or female, but always the incarnation of the river.

Politics: It is said that the Dwarfborn can twist truth around a needle and make it dance. They often have to make use of this skill, as their religion demands that they never lie - not that this hinders them one bit.
The three Houses are constantly vying for the honour of hosting the next Riverborn, attempting to gain the present one's favour so that he will grant THEM the honour of birthing his reincarnate soul. It is religion and honour that drives them more than anything else, and the Aem-Braids, worn by almost all members of their society, show their status with the River through him (as well as debts, whether they're married, successes, duels etc).

Currency: The Dwarfborn make use of Simtat, ringed beads that are worn on Aem-Braids. This form of currency is intriguing - if you wish to buy something from a shopkeeper, you can either take on one of their debts and pay it (the amount of service/goods etc marked on the bead's side) or take up a debt of your own. The Simtat-Arum, bankers in a way, give out what could be called loans: they create the beads and give them out to shopkeepers in exchange for taxes (goods and service).    

Cities and Lands: The Dwarfborn make their homes around the Great River, the widest river known to Ashaya, where irrigation is easy and riches are found. Almost any resource can be found in the Dohyi Desert, from gold to limestone, and thus Atayam, as they call their land, is intensely rich. Despite this, the Small-Born are wary of trading in Atayam. If you stay there for too long, you could get mixed up in their complicated honour system...
Atayam's jewel of a capital city is Babyla, the so called Tower City, an ever-growing place of domes and spires. Here, the Riverborn makes his home and it is here that he is buried and reborn...

Languages: The Dwarfborn speak their own corrupted version of Ashayan, but their favourite language is their own, a mix of Ashayan nouns and Dohyi Nomad verbs and adjectives. They use pictograms for most of their official writing, but more commonly they use the Ashayan script. The Dwarfborn also have their own complex sign-language, which involves body language as well as handsign (this is particularly useful between dwarfborn diplomats).

Other Races: No race trusts the People fully, and the Dwarfborn are no exception. Other races are there to be traded with, manipulated, and bought out, as well as made slaves.

Stats:

* +2 CHA, -2 DEX.
* Medium Size.
* Base Land Speed 20ft.
* +3 racial bonus on Appraise, Diplomacy, Persuade and Sense Motive checks.
* A Dwarfborn can hold his breath four times as long as a human underwater.
* Automatic Weapon Proficiency with the scimitar and dagger (dwarves make frequent use of both.)
* Automatic Languages: Dwarfborn, Ashayan OR Dohyi-Common.
* Bonus Languages: Dohyi-Common OR Ashayan, Dwarfborn Sign Language, Kahtar, Dohyi-Nomad, Amaya, Dus-Uk.
* Favoured Class: Warrior.

[Wensleydale]

The Sat-uk-Mayan (Elfborn)

 "I for I, I for my Brothers, I for my Sisters, I for my Tribe." - Elfborn saying.

The literal meaning of Sat-uk-Mayan: Hunters in the Waste. Herders of animals in the deep Damana and Cahya, the Elfborn are undisputed rulers of the desert. Still following their own mutated version of the Way, they hunt in the desert and kill in the desert.

Religion: The Elfborn follow the Way, through Darkness and through Light. Their Way is different from the People's Way, however - for a start, they do not believe that the Prophet Immortal is real. They have the same attitude towards the Riverborn. They just follow the guidelines of the Desert Writings, carved in stone in Kahtar ruins, and hunt those who move through their lands, not necessarily killing them, but making sure they are watched.

Politics: The Elfborn live in family groups within Tribes. Although all family groups belong to a Tribe, tribes often split up or rejoin during the course of a year. Each tribe is led by a Shekah, and tribes frequently war with one another, although they are quick to unite against a common threat. Just as frequently they ally and trade slaves and goods, often travelling together for a while. It is a... simple existence.

Currency: The Elfborn barter and have no currency.

Cities and Lands: The Elfborn make their home in the deeper deserts. Their only structures are semipermanent huts, and they prefer tents. The one place you could call a city is the Kahtar Ruins of Damul, the only place that the Small-Born are allowed to visit freely. Tribes take up residence here for sometimes years at a time, trade is common and fighting is rare.

Languages: The Elfborn speak Kahtar. It is believed that they were the personal slaves of the Kahtar before the Downfall, and the mostly-intact language that they speak is thus Kahtar. Kahtar uses its own script and its own speech (although the script is also used by Ashayan).

Other Races: Elfborn are suspicious of almost all other races, but if they are willing to trade, Elfborn will do so. The only exception are the People, who no race except their own trusts. The People are killed on sight at worst by most Elfborn, or enslaved at best.

* +2 Dex, -2 Cha.
* Medium size.
* Base Land Speed 30ft.
* Low-Light Vision.
* Automatic Weapon Proficiency with the Shortspear, Scimitar, Dagger and Javelin.
* +3 Racial Bonus on Climb, Hide, Jump and Move Silently checks.
* +1 Racial Bonus to AB against Humans and Smallborn.
* Automatic Languages: Kahtar, Ashayan OR Dohyi Nomad.
* Bonus Languages: Dohyi Nomad or Ashayan, Dohyi Common, Dwarfborn, Sihayan, Dus-Uk.
* Favoured Class: Stalker.

[Wensleydale]

The Dus-uk-Surat

 "Why make trouble when you can make money?" - Smallborn saying.

The Smallborn are greedy, manipulative creatures famous for buying where it's cheap and selling for extortionate prices elsewhere. Their skills of persuasion are legendary, but that doesn't mean people like them. With sharp, small fangs, catlike eyes and clawed hands, the Smallborn present an odd image indeed...

 Religion: The Smallborn follow no religion except that of profit. Small of stature they may be, but they don't see religion helping anyone else, so why should they take it up?

 Politics: The Smallborn are led by the Taker. The Taker is always the richest of the group, and everything belonging to the group belongs to the Taker. The Taker is the head of the family group, and the All-Taker leads all of them as a King. A Taker can be deposed by votes, but there is no dishonour in leaving the position.
Apart from that, only one rule is constant: Why make trouble, when you can make money?

 Currency: The Smallborn pride themselves in that they can deal in any currency, anywhere. They have currency for everyone, including Simtat, coins and goods.

 Cities and Lands: The Smallborn see the world as their own for the buying. Everything has an owner, everything can be bought, and the Smallborn see it as their duty to do so. The world is their land, and they travel across it. Different Smallborn family groups mean little to one another - they're just there to be traded with, bought (literally), and manipulated.

 Languages: The Smallborn have their own language, but it's secondary. Much more important are the languages of customers - mostly Ashayan and in some cases Kahtar. They speak their own language around other races and when conferring, but surprisingly they generally use Ashayan whilst in personal, non-secret conversation.

 Other Races: Other races are there to be traded with and manipulated. The Smallborn have no fear of the People, but they prefer to trade with others. They are the only Ashayan race known to travel far beyond Dohyi, indeed, even the most far-ranging of dwarfborn are known only to travel into Dohyi itself.

 

* +2 Dex, -2 Con.
* Small Size.
* Base Land Speed 30ft.
* Low-Light Vision.
* +3 Racial Bonus on Appraise, Bluff, Persuade, Spot and Sense Motive checks.
* Automatic Weapon Proficiency with the Dagger, Dart, Punching Dagger, and Sap.
* Natural Attacks: Bite 1D3, 2 Claws 1D2.
* Automatic Languages: Dus-Uk, Ashayan OR Dohyi-Common OR Dohyi-Nomad.
* Bonus Languages: Those of the above not chosen as automatic languages, Dwarfborn, Kahtar, Sihaya.
* Favoured Class: Dervish.

[Wensleydale]

The Firmament

The stars are many. Diviners read them by watching their patterns, Prophets declare them to be perfected. The Sword, the Warrior, the Dancer, the Lion, the Hunter and the Shield. The Shield protects all others from the Lion, a deadly animal also known as the Murder. Those born under the sign of the Shield are considered blessed, and those under the sign of the Lion to be cursed.

Planes of Existence: There are only two planes: the real, and the spiritual. The Spirit World, or Amenta, is the home of the dead. The dying can travel into the Amenta, sometimes, as can those in dreams. The Amenta is endless, filled with the paradises and hells of infinite different peoples... and here also, the Djinn and the Spirit-Halves reside. The Spirit-Halves are the part of the soul that exists in the Amenta - animals, objects and even the world itself have these, although many are never awakened, they must be tended to. The Spirit Walkers perform this duty, individuals born with the ability to walk in the Amenta, but perhaps this will not be enough...

[Wensleydale]

The Monstrous  

Gnolls run in twilight, scavenging across the Deserts, harrying Elfborn and taking injured or wounded for meat. They speak with their own language, laughing with a high-pitched, repeating screech, and hunt nothing healthy. They follow no religion in particular.

Asissa, Lizardine creatures with their own language, religion, and abilities, watch and wait.

Beast-Shifters wander rare in the world, transforming into monsters at night. Speaking in the language of their birth, they are still more than just beasts, and by day they are the man or woman they once were.

Golems, mindless automatons of an age long past, still carry out their tasks, fighting away those who stop them.

Undead, intelligent or mindless, animated by magical energies and driven by their creators.

Lost Souls, forced or broken from the Amenta and wandering the world.

Djinn, summoned from the Amenta and forced into their masters' will.

Daemons. Whether evil or beneficient, daemons are all powerful and magical. Soul and magic bound into one body, Daemons come in varieties for every type of animal and element.

These are the few foes that a character might face... but it is not these, but others of their kind, that they should worry about.

[Wensleydale]

Reserved for Warrior, Dervish, Stalker

 Warrior

HD: D12.
Skill points at 1st level: 4 + int mod x4.
Skill points at each additional level: 4 + int mod.
Class Skills: Climb (Str), Craft (Int), Handle Animal (Cha), Intimidate (Cha), Ride (Dex), Jump (Str), Profession (Wis), and Swim (Str).

[class=Warrior]
[bab=fighter]
[fort=good]

HD: D12.
Skill Points at 1st: 4 + Int Mod x4.
Skill Points at each additional level: 4 + Int Mod.
Class Skills: Climb (Str), Craft (Int), Handle Animal (Cha), Intimidate (Cha), Ride (Str), Jump (Str), Profession (Wis), and Swim (Str).

[class]
[bab=fighter]
[fort=good]
[special][1]Bonus Feat[/1][2]Bonus Feat[/2][4]Bonus Feat[/4][6]Bonus Feat[/6][8]Bonus Feat[/8][10]Bonus Feat[/10][12]Defensive Stance 1/day, Bonus Feat[/12][14]Defensive Stance 2/Day, Bonus Feat[/14][16]Defensive Stance 3/day, Bonus Feat[/16][18]Defensive Stance 4/Day, Bonus Feat[/18][20]Defensive Stance 5/Day, Bonus Feat[/20][/special]
[/class]

Class Features

Weapon and Armour Proficiency: A Warrior gains proficiency with all martial and simple weapons and all armour and shields.

Bonus Feat: At 1st level, and every even numbered level thereafter, a Warrior gains a bonus feat, chosen from the Fighter Bonus Feat list. He must meet the prerequisites for this feat.

Defensive Stance (Ex): When he adopts a defensive stance, a Warrior gains phenomenal strength and durability, but he cannot move from the spot he is defending. He gains +2 to Strength, +4 to Constitution, a +2 resistance bonus on all saves, and a +4 dodge bonus to AC. The increase in Constitution increases the warriorâ,¬,,¢s hit points by 2 points per level, but these hit points go away at the end of the defensive stance when the Constitution score drops back 4 points. These extra hit points are not lost first the way temporary hit points are. While in a defensive stance, a warrior cannot use skills or abilities that would require him to shift his position. A defensive stance lasts for a number of rounds equal to 3 + the characterâ,¬,,¢s (newly improved) Constitution modifier. A warrior may end his defensive stance voluntarily prior to this limit. At the end of the defensive stance, the warrior is winded and takes a â,¬'2 penalty to Strength for the duration of that encounter. A warrior can only use his defensive stance a certain number of times per day as determined by his level. Using the defensive stance takes no time itself, but a warrior can only do so during his action.

 Dervish

HD: D8.
Skill Points at 1st: 6 + Int Mod x4.
Skill Points at each additional level: 6 + Int Mod.
Class Skills: Balance (Dex), Climb (Str), Craft (Int), Hide (Dex), Jump (Str), Perform (Dance), Move Silently (Dex), Profession (Wis), Swim (Str), Tumble (Dex).

[class=The Dervish]
[bab=fighter]
[ref=good]
[special][1]Whirling Dervish 1/Day, Movement +10ft[/1][3]Up the Walls[/3][4]Whirling Dervish 2/Day, Movement +10ft[/4][6]Dancing Charge[/6][8]Whirling Dervish 3/Day, Movement +10ft[/8][10]Singing Blade[/10][12]Whirling Dervish 4/Day, Movement +10ft[/12][14]Feather Fall[/14][16]Whirling Dervish 5/Day, Vengeful Blow 1/Day, Movement +10ft[/16][18]Vengeful Blow 2/Day[/18][20]Whirling Dervish 6/Day, Vengeful Blow 3/Day, Movement +10ft[/20][/special]
[/class]

 Class Features: All the following are class features of the Dervish.

 Weapon and Armour Proficiency: A Dervish is proficient with all simple weapons and all light weapons of the martial category.

 Whirling Dervish: A Dervish can enter a trance a number of times per day determined by his class level (see the table above). Entering the trance is a standard action. Each round the Dervish can make a whirlwind attack (as the feat) as a swift action. He gains a bonus equal to half his Dervish level on balance, jump and tumble. The only actions he can make whilst in the trance are move actions and special attack actions (bull rush, charge, disarm etc). He takes a penalty of -4 to wisdom based checks whilst in his trance, as he is hardly aware of the world around him. He cannot use strength-based skills (except jump), and he cannot enter a trance whilst wearing medium or heavy armour or carrying a one-handed or two-handed weapon (except a quarterstaff, double sword, scimitar, net or whip). His trance lasts for a number of rounds equal to 5 + dex modifier (minimum 2). During the trance the Dervish continually moves, spinning, jumps from foot to hand to foot to blade and avoids enemies' blows.

Up the Walls (Ex): At 3rd level, a Dervish can run up walls and across ceilings at will, as long as he completes his move on a horizontal surface.

Movement: Every four levels, a Dervish gains a +10ft bonus to his movement speed.

Dancing Charge: Beginning at 6th level, a Dervish can perform a dancing charge. He can charge even when others cannot (even using charge in conjunction with his Up the Walls ability), although he may still need to make tumble, jump or balance checks depending on the circumstance.

Singing Blade (Su): Beginning at 10th level, a Dervish can imbue one weapon with +3D8 points of sonic damage as a full-round action. If the weapon leaves his hand (unless it is being thrown at an opponent) or is wielded by another creature, the sonic damage disappears and requires another action to reimbue it. Once the damage has been dealt, the sonic damage disappears.

Feather Fall: At 14th level, the Dervish gains a permanent Feather Fall effect, as the spell.

Vengeful Blow: Beginning at 16th level, a Dervish can make a Vengeful Blow once per day. This increases to 2/day at 18th and 3/day at 20th. Using the Vengeful Blow is a standard action. The critical threat range of his weapon doubles for the attack, and the weapon deals +1D4 damage/Dervish Level. He adds his dexterity modifier, not his strength modifier, to the damage. A Vengeful Blow's effects can be added to any attack, even one at the end of a charge or performed in a whirlwind attack.
 
 Stalker

HD: D10.
Skill points at 1st level: 4 + int mod x4.
Skill points at each additional level: 4 + int mod.
Class skills: Climb (Str), Craft (Int), Hide (Dex), Jump (Str), Listen (Wis), Move Silently (Dex), Ride (Dex), Spot (Wis), Survival (Wis), Swim (Str), Tumble (Dex).

[class The Stalker]
[bab=fighter]
[fort=good]
[ref=good]
[special][1]Swiftstalk, Track, Camouflage +1, Tracking +1[/1][2]Camouflage +2, Tracking +2[/2][3]Trap Sense +1, Camouflage +3, Tracking +3 [/3][4]Camouflage +4, Tracking +4[/4][5]Camouflage +5, Tracking +5[/5][6]Trap Sense +2, Camouflage +6, Tracking +6[/6][7]Camouflage +7, Tracking +7[/7][8]Camouflage +8, Tracking +8[/8][9]Trap Sense +3, Camouflage +9, Tracking +9[/9][10]Camouflage +10, Tracking +10[/10][11]Camouflage +11, Tracking +11[/11][12]Trap Sense +4, Camouflage +12, Tracking +12[/12][13]Camouflage +13, Tracking +13[/13][14]Camouflage +14, Tracking +14[/14][15]Trap Sense +5, Camouflage +15, Tracking +15[/15][16]Camouflage +16, Tracking +16[/16][17]Camouflage +17, Tracking +17[/17][18]Trap Sense +6, Camouflage +18, Tracking +18[/18][19]Camouflage +19, Tracking +19[/19][20]Camouflage +20, Tracking +20[/20][/special]
[/class]

 Class Features: All the following are class features of the Warrior:

 Weapon and Armour Proficiency: The Stalker gains proficiency with all simple and martial weapons, light armour and small shields.

 Swiftstalk (Ex): A Stalker takes no penalty to Move Silently for moving up to his full speed, and only half penalty for moving more than that.

 Track: A Stalker gains Track as a bonus feat at level one.

 Tracking: A Stalker gains a bonus equal to his Stalker level to the Survival skill for the purposes of Tracking.

 Camouflage: A Stalker gains a bonus equal to his Stalker level to the Hide skill whilst  in woodland surroundings.

 Trap Sense: Starting at 3rd level, a Stalker gains a natural sense that alerts him to traps, granting him a +1 bonus to reflex saves against traps and a +1 dodge bonus to AC against traps. These bonuses increase by 1 every four levels thereafter.

[Wensleydale]

Invoker

HD: D8.
Class Skills: Concentration (Con), Craft (Int), Knowledge (All skills, taken individually) (Int), Profession (Wis), Spellcraft (Int).
Skill Points per level: 4+Int Mod.
Entry Requirements: Concentration 8 Ranks.

[class]
[levels=10]
[bab=rogue]
[will=good]
[special][1]Magesight, Invoke I[/1][2]Summon I[/2][3]Invoke II[/3][4]Summon II[/4][5]Invoke III[/5][6]Summon III[/6][7]Invoke IV[/7][8]Summon IV[/8][9]Invoke V[/9][10]Summon V[/10][/special]
[/class]

 Class Features: All the following are class features of the Invoker.

 Invoke: Beginning at first and improving once every other level, the Invoker can Invoke his special abilities. These range from Invocation of Dahehk (1st level) to Invocation of Amhelath (5th level). Invocations are usable once every 1D4 rounds/level of the Invocation, and have different effects depending on the specific Invocation. All invocations require a concentration check to use (DC 15 + double the level of the invocation), and their effects begin from any unoccupied square within 15ft of the Invoker. He opens a gateway into the Amenta at this point, and the effect Invocation he chose is pulled from it. He can target the effect as if he was standing at that point (for instance, he can conjure a ball of fire aiming around a corner by creating a gateway facing in that direction, even if he cannot see it). The DC for an Invoker's invocation is equal to 10 + half his Invoker level + his charisma modifier. The Invocations are as follows:

Invocation of Dahehk: You create elemental energy using the morphic nature of the Amenta and hurl it through the gateway. This can take the form of either a 20ft-radius spread (+10ft/level) or an 80ft line (+10ft/level), and you can choose between fire, cold, electricity and sonic damage. A foe can take a reflex save to halve the damage. The attack does 1D6 points of damage per Invoker level. Cold damage (water) can extinguish flames, whilst fire damage can ignite flammable objects. Sonic ignores objects' hardness, and electricity does +1D4 damage against opponents wearing metal armour.

Invocation of Solomon: You can disappear and reappear at any point within 400ft by stepping through your gateway and reappearing at another one, travelling through the Amenta instantaneously. The gateway remains open for 1D3 rounds before closing, and others can travel through it too. You cannot shift into anything solid, instead reappearing in the nearest open space.

Invocation of Siyal: You open a gateway which forcibly sucks enemies in and seals them in the Amenta. The gateway affects all within a 30ft cone before it, requiring them to succeed on a Fortitude save or be sucked 10ft towards the gateway. The gateway remains open for 1D6 rounds, and those sucked in are trapped in the Amenta with no way of escape except through their own abilities (or if an Invoker opens another gateway).

Invocation of Tarashk: You release some of the Amenta's mutability into a single enemy, transmuting them either into stone or into flesh. If you use the first option, the subject, along with all its carried gear, turns into a mindless, inert statue. If the statue is broken or damaged, the subject (if ever returned to its original state) has similar damage or deformities. The subject can attempt a Fortitude save to negate the effects.
If you use the second option, the Invocation restores a petrified creature to its normal state, restoring life and goods. The creature must make a DC 15 Fortitude save to survive the process. The Invocation also can convert a mass of stone into a fleshy substance. Such flesh is inert and lacking a vital life force unless a life force or magical energy is available. (For example, this Invocation would turn a stone golem into a flesh golem, but an ordinary statue would become a corpse.) You can affect an object that fits within a cylinder from 1 foot to 3 feet in diameter and up to 10 feet long or a cylinder of up to those dimensions in a larger mass of stone.
Both uses of this invocation can only effect creatures within 60ft +10ft per level of the gateway.

Invocation of Amhaleth: This Invocation fires seven intertwined beams of raw Amenta to leave a gateway in a 60ft cone-shaped burst. Creatures with less than 7HD are automatically blinded for 2D4 rounds, and all creatures within the area are randomly struck by one or more beams:

[th]D8[/th][th]Colour of Beam[/th][th]Effect[/th]

1	Red	20 Points Fire damage (Reflex half)
2	Orange	40 Points Acid damage (Reflex half)
3	Yellow	80 Points Electricity damage (Reflex half)
4	Green	Poison (Kills; Fortitude Partial: 1D6 Con damage)
5	Blue	Turned to Stone (Fort negates)
6	Indigo	Insane (as Insanity Spell)
7	Violet	Sent to the Amenta (Will negates)
8	-	Roll twice more, ignoring any further 8 results

 Magesight (Su): An Invoker has a constant Detect Magic effect, as the spell, at a caster level of his Invoker level.

[Wensleydale]

The Calendar

Brought in by the Kahtar Empire, the Amus Calendar (AC) begins long, long ago, before the oldest records of Ashayan History. It was first written by Amus himself, a scholar of the Kahtar. It works in six-hundred year segments, a period sacred to the Kahtar. It works by counting down the days (sixty per season), seasons (six per year) and years until the next six-hundred year period is complete. For instance, your birthday could be eleven days after a period is over. Thus, you would have had it on 59/49/5 (Day, Year, Season). The periods, known as Sects, are counted too. Ashaya is currently in the 16th Sect, and therefore you would have had your birthday of 59/49/5 of the 16th Sect. There are no weeks in Ashaya, neither are their any names for days. There is just the endless counting down to the next Sect.