TEXT: Loyalty to the 
  Sultan 
  Created by: Cory Fliegel 
  Edited by: Zeif 
  Metagaming group 
  About the characterÊs Loyalty
  About the characterÊs Loyalty
  About the characterÊs Loyalty
  About the characterÊs Loyalty    
  This is a character’s choice to proclaim their 
  loyalty to the Sultan. This may be taken at any 
  time in the character’s career, it does not have to 
  be chosen at character creation as other 
  backgrounds may require. 
  History of the S
  History of the S
  History of the S
  History of the Sadakat Festival
  adakat Festival
  adakat Festival
  adakat Festival    
  The festival dates back to 2355 BH. After Ozef 
  had declared the sultan’s truce and installed his 
  own allies to leadership roles in the 38 timars 
  that Zeif sees to this date.  
  Each year the Festival of Sadakat brings 
  thousands of loyalists to Zeir-i-Zeif for two weeks 
  of revelry for their beloved Sultan Murad. For two 
  weeks most activities in Zeir-i-Zeif focus on 
  giving praise to the Sultan and prayers for his 
  health and continued reign. This festival peaks 
  with an appearance of the Sultan himself, in a 
  parade of his honor that begins in the palace of 
  Peh’reen, runs through the main avenues of 
  Zeir-i-Zei,f and ends at the Büyük Kilise of Istus. 
  The many days of the festival serve to honor not 
  only the current sultan, but also those that came 
  before him to make Zeif the prosperous country 
  it is today. 
  Parades honoring Ozef the Warrior serve to 
  show the conflicts that were overcome in the 
  face of so many enemies. Warriors recreate the 
  battles that took place during the war against the 
  Imperial Pretenders. Warriors, dressed in the 
  Chitin armour and carrying the scorpion claw 
  weapons of the Scorpion Warriors of the Dry 
  Steppes, demonstrate in mock battles. These 
  show how Sultan Ozef fended them off in the 
  southern portions of Zeif that border the 
  Paynims. 
  Mer-Folk, dressed in their ceremonial shell 
  armour honor the Sultan with pledges of loyalty 
  and trade with their surface dwelling trade 
  partners. They bring with them this astonishing 
  armour to be sold at premium prices. 
  Naval displays abound, from the tours of the 
  finest ships in the fleet, to demonstrations of 
  rope use and balance that dazzle those who 
  watch. The navy also uses the festival to recruit 
  more to her armada. Sailors wear finely woven 
  cord armour that protects them, but also allows 
  them the buoyancy they need if they were to be 
  tossed overboard during a battle. 
  Many of the halflings that call Zeif home also 
  journey to Zeir-i-Zeif to pay their respects and to 
  show the baklunish of Zeif that they are just as 
  loyal to the Sultan as any other baklunish. Many 
  demonstrate their skills with the warsling. Their 
  prowess is challenged by many baklunish at 
  tournaments throughout the weeks of festivities. 
  Special “sling ranges” are set up in several areas 
  where they challenge the best archers around. 
  Clay bottles are set up at specific ranges and 
  competitors take turns using either the warslings 
  or bows and blunt arrows to hit them. The 
  competitor that hits the furthest target, and 
  breaks it, is declared the winner. It surprises 
  many when the halflings take home the small 
  prizes offered.  
  The orcs of the Sultanate are also present. They 
  display their superior skills in sparing matches 
  featuring exotic blades and equipment used by 
  the sultan’s personal guard. Subject’s reactions 
  range from amazed to uncaring of the orc 
  presence. But the guards of Zeir-i-Zeif always 
  maintain 
  order 
  amidst 
  the 
  crowds. 
  They 
  understand that open aggression against those 
  orcs that may make up the sultan’s person guard 
  someday would be frowned upon by the Sultan 
  and thus would garner his disfavor towards them 
  for allowing any harm to come to them. This 
  display also serves as an attempt by the clan 
  leaders to showcase their warriors in hopes that 
  they will be chosen in the Fierce Harvest later in 
  the year. 
  Even those who venerate the Grim Vizier parade 
  through the streets after the sun dips from the 
  sky. Attired in their bone armour or pitch-black 
  clothing, they pay homage to the “man” who has 
  been instructing the future sultans in their rolls 
  as rulers of Zeif for the past three centuries. It is 
  a somber precession lead by lantern bearers. 
  The lanterns are specially made to cut through 
  the fog that has been known to linger in Zeir-i-
  Zeif after the hot days. They say the lanterns 
  show the souls of the faithless by outlining them 
  in a blue fiery glow. Not many take this seriously 
  
  though. Many have whispered that on rare 
  occasions the Grim Vizier himself has attended 
  the parade. 
  During these weeks of festival many merchants 
  ply their wares to those who make the pilgrimage 
  from all parts of the Sultanate. As this festival 
  takes place in the height of the month of 
  Reaping and the heat is at its greatest, many 
  merchants turn a tidy profit on all items to 
  combat the heat. Some work, others do not. 
  Parasols, Desert clothing, sunshade oils and sun 
  lenses are a common site during the festival. 
  Throughout this time of revelry those who honor 
  the Sultan also win the favor of his court. The 
  Beys of the land reward such loyalty with the 
  right to purchase land within their timar. The 
  loyalty is branded upon the inner right wrist of the 
  subject with a mixture of flame and magic. Once 
  so branded, it is nearly impossible for the subject 
  to remove the mark. The Bey may remove the 
  mark himself, but scaring the mark with acid 
  normally does this. This is a sure sign of 
  disloyalty to anyone who sees the mark. 
  Becoming a Loyalist
  Becoming a Loyalist
  Becoming a Loyalist
  Becoming a Loyalist    
  To become a loyalist all one needs to do is 
  petition their timar’s Bey. This is accomplished 
  by leaving a tithe to the Bey. At that point the 
  subject will be branded. There is a minor Arcane 
  Mark placed on the brand that will last until the 
  end of the festival. 
  T.U. Cost 
  The trip to the capital and then attending the 
  festival and worships will cost the subject 2 TUs. 
  This festival must be attended each year if the 
  loyal subject owns property in the Sultanate 
  GP Cost:  
  The tithing to the timar’s Bey and the purchase 
  of gifts for the Sultan will cost the subject 100gp. 
  Qualifications:  
  The loyal subject may only reside in Zeif. No 
  character outside of Zeif may take this oath of 
  loyalty as no Bey would allow a foreigner to 
  represent them.  
  Benefits:  
  Below are the items one can find during the 
  festival. These items may only be purchased on 
  the AR that the loyalty oath has been taken. If 
  the loyal subject wishes to purchase an item 
  after that time they must wait until the following 
  year when the festival commences. 
  • 
  From Sandstorm: Atlatal and Spear, 
  Battlehorn, 
  Great 
  Scimitar, 
  Great 
  Falchion, Scorpion Claws, Parasol, Sun 
  Lenses, Desert Outfit, Sunshade oil 
  • 
  From Races of the Wild: Blunt arrows, 
  Warsling, 10ft sq tent 
  • 
  From 
  Arms 
  & 
  Equipment: 
  Bone 
  Armour (any), Cord Armour (any), Shell 
  Armour (any), Candle [Insect bane], 
  Lantern [Fog Cutter], Insect netting, Heal 
  Mat 
  • 
  Races of Eberron: Chitin Armour 
  • 
  May own property in the Sultanate of 
  Zeif as per the Zeif Kasaba Kurmak 
  document. You must check off the Bey 
  that you are loyal to. (You may only have 
  one.) You may wish to consult with the 
  Zeif Kasaba Kurmak Administrator. This 
  will be marked off on your Loyalty to the 
  Sultan Certificate. 
  With the branding of an individual there also are 
  a few social benefits: 
  • 
  The branded individual receives a +2 
  Circumstance bonus to Diplomacy and 
  Gather Information with nobility or those 
  of the same timar. This bonus may not 
  apply if the noble is unfriendly or hostile 
  to the subject’s timar though. 
   
  Changing Loyalties: 
  Changing Loyalties: 
  Changing Loyalties: 
  Changing Loyalties:  
  Sometimes a loyal subject may decide to 
  relocate to another timar. Beys may react to this 
  in different ways. They may accept the past 
  loyalties and remove the brand of their timar.  
  They may find the act disloyal and remove the 
  brand with acid. This will brand the subject as 
  disloyal to the sultan and they may find that they 
  are no longer able to gain a brand of any other 
  timar. A brand so remove can only be healed 
  with a greater restoration, limited wish or 
  wish/miracle cast upon the brand. 
  
  Ways to have the brand removed 
  favorably: 
  • 
  The Sultan himself orders this brand 
  removed. (This may happen if the Bey is 
  removed from power) 
  • 
  Four favors of another Bey. These 
  cannot be of a rival Bey. 
  • 
  Gaining the title Warmaster. See the war 
  titles meta-campaign document. 
  • 
  Approval from the triad. 
  If the Bey decides to remove the brand 
  favorably, the subject will need to pay his new 
  Bey as he did the first. Also, any structure owned 
  by the subject (unless it is a business) must be 
  sold as per the Zeif Kasaba Kurmak guidelines. 
  A business can remain active by the owner 
  paying ½ the current cost to the timar it is 
  located in. 
  If the brand is removed by scaring: 
  If they branding is removed with acid, any lands 
  owned by the character are immediately seized 
  and sold. The sale of these structures goes to 
  the Bey, not the town. 
  There are some burdens if the brand has been 
  removed unfavorably: 
  • 
  The branded individual receives a -4 
  Circumstance 
  penalty 
  to 
  Bluff, 
  Diplomacy and Gather Information with 
  nobility or those of the same timar. This 
  bonus may not apply if the noble is 
  unfriendly or hostile to the subject’s 
  timar though. 
  • 
  In the subject’s former timar, the scarred 
  brand marks him as disloyal to the local 
  Bey and may result in open hostility to 
  the subject, imprisonment on “false 
  charges” and gp fines if caught in the 
  timar. 
  Questions  
  This is a metagame document for the Sultanate 
  of Zeif region of the Living Greyhawk campaign. 
  If you have questions about this organization, 
  you may ask questions on the Sultanate of Zeif 
  region’s Yahoo discussion group (Sultanate of 
  Zeif) 
   
  
SOURCE: textdata/thevault/Living Greyhawk/Metaorg Material/Zeif/Loyalty to the Sultan v1.1.pdf