Biaism al-Qunat (in the Name of the Icons)

 We are the people of the void, may the Icons protect us, our voices raised as a single choral voice disrupting the plans of the Darkness between the Stars.  Our changes were wrought for a sacred purpose, to serve the greater good and protect those who have no such adaptations.  You will see us in the quiet places where the unadapted cannot tread without their mechanics and smart materials, their weakness is so obvious if it was not for the Icons we would leave them to their fate.  Now come with me if you want to live little storyteller!  Report of Ali ibn Yusef filed from the hulk of the shuttle Mosiac. Source The Anoa are mentioned in the Last Cyclades (p.103) in a passing reference as one of a number of Humanite Tribes.  In addition, some of the thinking behind the Anoa is based on Neal Asher's Polity Universe material and the Known Space books by Larry Niven.  This post attempts to expand that entry into a playable option. Appearance The Anoa are ...

 As someone keen on the game and in preparation for the campaign we are playing, I have consolidated all references to potential talents and additional Tech.  At the moment, this just takes in the following books: Core Rules  The Dying Ship EmissaryLost The Last Cyclade Scenario Compendium 1 Atlas Compendium I have not covered any of the material in the Faction Tech book available from DTRPG as a PDF.  I would suggest you purchase it, although all rules relating to Faction Techn required for both Emissary Lost and The Last Cyclade are covered in those rule books.  I have also left all description of the Talents and Tech out, please buy the books or get your GM to discuss with you if any of the listed below are of interest.

"Feet-pounding, hand-waving in praise (of God), exulting in the glory (of God), (and exclaiming), "O our Lord, You have brought us to life!"  Rumi on the Sacred practice of dance amongst the Sufi. Trouble not your mind with the past, nor with the future precipitous¬ly. Seize for yourself this day’s delights, for there is no knowing what sunset may bring. This day is mine! There may be no morrow! The future is naught but deception. How could I be so ignorant as to behold the beauty of this world and not embrace it? Oum Kalthoum - Ruba'iyaat al-Khayyam Ahlam's Temple is the bringer of joy, trainer of the greatest Courtesans in the 3rd Horizon and of course secret spies working in their own way to ensure the safety of the people. They were part of the triumvirate that ultimately led the Firstcomer factions in the final assault on the Nazereem's Sacrifice, ending the influence of the First Horizon for good. Historically they draw upon Ecstatic Dancers in the t...

Based on the earlier write up of the Ekilibri the following character creation flow should deliver a working and balanced character. Ekilibri have a number of flaws in comparison to Human characters, They have no reputation as a result of being considered pets. They are not versed in most modern technologies, meaning they will start with less education than most humans They are weak in comparison to humans (being on average 1 metre tall). To compensate for this Ekilibri in the main rules are given access to three talents: Battlecry :  The Ekilibri can let out a loud, high shriek that is painful and disorienting at Short Range. Everyone in the area of effect must test FORCE. Failure means 2 points of stress and the loss of one’s next action. Someone with sensitive or enhanced hearing gets a -2 to the roll. Agility :  The nimble Ekilibri can jump far and high, as well as squeeze into very tight spaces such as ventilation shafts or pipes. Nightvision :  E...

  Ekilibri The ekilibri are a small species native to the Jungle areas of their Kua.   They are Arboreal in nature and nocturnal, the deep darkness below the canopy, meaning that for many ekilibri, day and night cycles are mostly meaningless.   For ekilibri, dye has taken the place tattooing found in many human cultures, status, job and caste are all denoted through patterns painted onto their fur.   For Human’s, these dyes are vivid but simplistic patterns.   To the e kilibri, the colours are almost blinding, reflecting light in the higher spectrums which their eyes are particularly suited to perceive.   Ekilibri have a complex, caste-based social system.   Individual ekilibri are always aware of where they are placed in relation to each other, there is no confusion in ekilibri society when one ekilibri meets another they instantly know each other’s relevant position in the social hierarchy.    As a nocturnal species, ekilibri is highly ...

 The Order of the Pariah “What I have done I have done only for the sake of God and the Muslims, nor out of a desire for wealth or kingdom.”    The Siege of Tyre in 1111-12, according to the Chronicle of Ibn Al-Qalanisi "Give precedence to the jihad of yourselves over jihad against your enemies, for if yourselves are among your enemies prevent them from being disobedient to their Creator (who is praised). You will succeed in your hopes of victory over them. Make right what is between you and your Creator, and He will make right for you what is wrong in your (current) state of being, and reconcile your enmity. Tear out your disobedience to God" Kitab al-Jihad of 'Ali ibn Tahir Al-Sulami. The above two extracts from different chroniclers of the Muslim response to the Jihad will provide the framework for my examination of the Order of the Pariah . The Order is a complex amalgam of military and community services, ultimately focussed on the salvation of the Third Horizon, fr...

  Firstly, a disclaimer, I am not an Islamic scholar or an expert in either linguistics or comparative religion.   When we draw from Arabic sources, it worth remembering that language is a child of culture and in Arabic, Islam has heavily influenced the language.   For instance, the following phrase is commonly recognized as a greeting (and is used incorrectly in many TV shows and Movies). SALAM ALAIKUM ( السلام عليكم ) – literally meaning “peace be upon you” This is a greeting that is between Muslims it is not intended for use by non-Muslims or between a Muslim and a non-Muslim.   The meaning of the phrase is a specific reference to the peace of God being a blessing to the person who receives it. It is also important to recognize that while this blog draws upon Islamic concepts, the The Middle East is not a monolith.   Christianity, Judaism, Zoroastrianism, Yezidi, Druze and folk beliefs all play across this region creating a rich tapestry ...

   " Be gracious to me, Providence and Psyche, as I write these mysteries handed down for gain but for instruction; and for an only child I request immortality, initiates of this our power, which the great god Helios Mithras ordered to be revealed to me by his archangel, so that I alone may ascend into heaven as an inquirer and behold the universe. " The Liturgy of Mithras When you wake up in the morning, tell yourself: The people I deal with today will be meddling, ungrateful, arrogant, dishonest, jealous, and surly. They are like this because they can’t tell good from evil. But I have seen the beauty of good, and the ugliness of evil, and have recognized that the wrongdoer has a nature related to my own—not of the same blood or birth, but the same mind, and possessing a share of the divine. And so none of them can hurt me. No one can implicate me in ugliness. Nor can I feel angry at my relative, or hate him. We were born to work together like feet, hands, and eyes, like the...