Rogue State
The Glass Emirate
اتَّكَلْنا منه على خُصٍّ الاتحاد قوة
"Unity is Power." ~ Arabic Proverb
The Glass Emirate
اتَّكَلْنا منه على خُصٍّ الاتحاد قوة
"Unity is Power." ~ Arabic Proverb
Hello and welcome to my forum game proposal largely inspired by Dadarian's excellent Bergwald. Much like Bergwald, we play as influential figures within a struggling minor nation caught up in the power struggles of super powers. This game is in early planning stages, and may not come to fruition for some time, but I'd like to know if there is interest before I move ahead - I'd also be happy to answer any questions you may have.
In Emirate of Glass, players fill the role of citizens within a fictional arab nation, Sahadan, one that finds itself free of foreign dominion in the mid 1920's. For the vast majority of our nation's history, we have been a mere province of foreign power. Following World War One, after rising up against the Ottoman's to gain our independence, the western powers promised to support our new found sovereignty. Too late did we realize that we were lied to, and once again brought to heel for our nation's most coveted prize, oil. But freedom is not a flame so easily snuffed. Like we did with the Ottomans, we rose up against the British and cast them out of our homeland.
Can we keep our new found freedom, freedom paid by the blood of our countrymen? Or are we doomed to bear the weight of imperial ambition for the foreseeable future to come? Will we remain a Monarchy? Shall we usher in a new political system exulting virtues of freedom for all or is a dictatorship our fate? You decide, and fight for your vision of the future!
Also, for your perusal, here is a brief history of our nation to hopefully give you a better idea of the setting...
A Brief History of the Emirate of Sahadan
Sahadan traces its roots to the Persian Empire, where it existed as an inconsequential border province to the empire. Ancient Zoroastrian ruins were unearthed a century ago that indicate Sahadan might have served as a military outpost for protecting trade routes across the Middle East from as early as 500 BC.
After the decline of the Persian Empire, when the borders rescinded north around 260 BC, Sahadan enjoyed a brief period of autonomy. Sahadi people began to develop their culture, free from the yoke of Babylon. Drawing heavily upon Zoroastrian influences, the Sahadi generally adhered to three tenants, ideals which are prevalent in Sahadi culture today;;
Over time within the Roman Empire the Sahadi developed strong ties with the Farazi people of Farazd, their western neighbour. The two peoples became strong trade partners and inter-married. Under the tutelage of the Romans, the Sahadi cemented their faith in Zoroastrian, building a temple in honour of Ahura Mazda, the Supreme Being, and developed innovative mining techniques for extracting gold, silver and copper from the western hills.
Facing a sharp decline, Rome abandons Sahadan and leaves it’s people to their own devices around 405 AD. In 500 AD, The Islamic faith spreads across the Middle East. An arabian army from the south invades Sahadan and depose the Sahadi leaders, though they are allowed to keep their Zoroastrian faith in exchange for fealty to the Arab Caliphate. However, in a few generations time, the Sahadi have fully converted to Islam, and the temples built to honour Ahura Mazda are converted to honour God and his prophet Muhammad.
By 980 AD power in the Arab world became concentrated in Egypt, under the Fatimid Caliphate. Early in the eleventh century, Sahadan was recognized as a Sheikhdom, under the Khalili sheikhs, and swore fealty to the Caliphs of Egypt, once again serving as a border bastion to a foreign power. At this time, along the banks of Zujaj Lake, a fortress is built that would become Bahgazi City, the future capital of the emirate.
Early in the thirteenth century, Sahadan was conquered by the Turks, and became a province of Ayyubid Sultanate. Though the Khalili sheikhs resisted, they were soon ousted from power by the Sharafs, a rival dynasty that agreed to aid the Turks in the submission of their people. For their loyalty the Sharafs were named Emirs and given the Sheikhdom of Farazd as their vassals. Under the Sharafs, a warrior culture was fostered, inviting hashishins of Syria to train an elite sect of warriors who became known as Ghadib Alllah, or God’s Wrath. Ghadib Allah would campaign against the crusaders throughout the thirteenth century before fading away in the fifteenth century, when invading Mongols killed them or drove them into hiding.
In 1520 AD, the Ottoman Turks had spread across the region, conquering Syria, Egypt, and Western Arabia, including Sahadan. The Ghabid Allah reemerged to fight the foreign invaders, but after some minor victories, were crushed and annihilated in 1534 AD, in what became known as the Nabakh Massacre, where Emir Kaalim Sharaf betrayed the warrior order and sent them to be killed by the Ottomans. Though the Ghabid Allah were believed to be destroyed, the brutal assassination of Kaalim nearly a decade later left scholars wondering if a fragment of the order survived afterall.
In the late eighteenth and early nineteenth century the power of the Ottoman’s faltered and Sahadan came under the rule of the Egyptian Viceroyalty. Farazd was released from Sahadan vassalage and the Sharaf’s were emirs in name only. Before long however, the power of the Turks waxes again, and Egypt and Syria are soon brought back into the fold of the empire. Sahadan follows suit in the late nineteenth century.
In this period the Middle East is recognized by western powers as being of vital strategic importance - a vital trade thoroughfare between the west and the empires of the east. Nowhere is western influence felt stronger than in Iran.
By 1914, the British Empire has economic control of Iran and economic collapse in Egypt opened the door to British power. The Middle Eastern south and south-east coastlines were under British control and Italian powers were present across the Red Sea in Africa and France holds sway over the economy of Syria, causing strife with the Ottoman Turks. By this time the Ottomans had finished construction of the Hejaz Railway, originally built to support pilgrims making the treacherous trek north to the holy lands.
The Hejaz railway crossed Sahadan, much to the displeasure of the Farazi, who by this time had become rivals of the Sahadi, born from Farazd supporting Egypt and Sahadan supporting the Turks. With the completion of the railway, and now having a direct line to Constantinople, the economy of the landlocked Sahadan began to surpass Farazd.
Faced with opposition in the region, the Ottoman Empire aligns with Germany. Following the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand, heir to the throne of Austria-Hungary, the world is plunged into a destructive war the likes of which had never been seen before, World War One.
In 1916, the Emir of Mecca, Hussein bin Ali, called for a revolt against the Ottoman Turks, pursuing a dream of a united Arab state spanning from Syria to Yemen. Hussein accused the Turks of violating the sacred tenets of Islam and called a rebellion against the impious Ottoman Empire. Much of the Arab world took up arms against their Ottoman overlords. The Ottoman and their loyalists argued that the arab rebels were being manipulated by the western powers, who sought to fracture and govern the muslim lands. What followed was two years of fighting, resulting in the Ottoman Turks losing control of their holdings in the Middle-East.
In Sahadan, the Sahadi were divided in whom to support. Most were sympathetic to the rebellion and followed Omar Khalili, descended from the Khalili Emirs of the middle ages. Omar was a Ra’ed , or major, within the Arab army, and commanded the campaign in Sahadan. The Sharafs remained loyal to the Ottoman Empire and labeled Khalili traitors. A bitter civil war followed.
Khalili targeted the Hejaz Railroad early in the war, breaking the link between Bahgiz City and the outlying towns, as well as cutting off Ottoman reinforcements. Despite losing the railroad, turkish reinforcements invade by sea, landing in Farazd and bolstered by Farazi regulars. The Turks won several victories and the Arab Revolt was soon in danger of losing the Sahadan front.
In response, British and French special forces infiltrated the emirate and began giving logistical support to Khalili’s rebels. The result was a decisive turn in momentum for the rebels, who were able to drive the Turks across the Ahmar Desert, and into Farazd. Many pushed for an invasion of Farazd, but Sharaf and his loyalists still held Bahgazi City. This was also the around the time of the Taraf Massacre, where Arab troops massacred an entire brigade of Ottoman troops. Ottoman troops soon retreated from Farazd, leaving Sharaf and his army to their own devices.
Khalili’s rebels, backed by the British and French, took up positions outside the city and began shelling across a span of two weeks, destroying much of the city’s infrastructure. The Sharafs fled the burning city and the loyalists surrendered in October of 1918. A few months later the Ottoman Empire would surrender, in January of 1919.
In the Hussein-McMahon Correspondence, the United Kingdom agreed to support Arab independence if they revolted against the Ottomans. It soon became apparent that western powers had no intention of allowing an independent arab state. The Middle East was carved up and handed over to the victors of the war, Omar Khalili, now the Emir of Sahadan, is rendered a puppet of British oil interests.
What began with such promise and optimism, a nation finally free of foreign shackles, soon realize they are once again a mere province of a foreign empire. Reconstruction of the war torn nation is slow, if at all. Yet the oil fields and mines in the east of the nation are quickly brought back to operation, with the Anglo-Persian Oil Company laying claim to the oil rich region. Despite what the name might suggest, it is dominated by the British.
A wave of indignation sweeps across the country, and a nationalist movement is born. What begins as peaceful protest is soon radicalized as Omar Khalili forms a secret police, comprised of mostly of foreign mercenaries, to violently crush all opposition. The newly formed military warily follows the orders of Emir Khalili, many of the top brass remembering him as a war hero, but as the violence escalates, even they forfeit their support of the Emir, many abandoning their post to join the rebellion.
In 1923 the nation was gripped by civil war once again. APOC abandoned the oil fields, leaving much of their equipment behind. A group of radicals emerged claiming to be the Ghadib Allah, targeting high ranking government officials and members of the army and secret police. Denounced as terrorists, the Ghadib Allah took up a leadership role of the rebellion, and hopes that the government would restore order withered away, awash in bombings, assassinations and mass killings.
The Mosheer, leader of the military, faced with an increasingly demoralized army, and erratic orders from Khalili, finally denounced the Emir and withdrew to the border, where what was left of the army defended the nation against an attempted Farazd invasion. It is widely believed that the Farazi operated with British backing. Using the pretense of restoring order, the Farazd invasion force expected to find a nation in turmoil, assuming an easy victory. The Mosheer proved them wrong, and obliterated their tank column in a hail of artillery fire. Without their heavy armour, the Farazd retreated across the Ahmar Desert.
By November of 1924, nearly the whole country was under rebel control, save for Bahgazi City, which was held by Khalili and his secret police. The nation braced for a violent battle in the city. Rebels filed into the city streets, and to much surprise, were greeted as heroes by the city’s inhabitants. All the city was turned over to them by former governments officials denouncing Khalili. Khalili what was left of his men barricaded themselves in the Zujaj Palace. It appeared that his western overlords had abandoned Khalili to his fate.
As a new year dawns, so too does new found hope. Their brutal dictator had been robbed of his power, forced to live in seclusion within his palace like a cornered dog. The nation, for the first time in centuries, was in the hands of the Sahadi. Whatever challenges that lay ahead, it would be them, not some foreign ruler on some far off throne, that would decide the fate of the nation.
Sahadan traces its roots to the Persian Empire, where it existed as an inconsequential border province to the empire. Ancient Zoroastrian ruins were unearthed a century ago that indicate Sahadan might have served as a military outpost for protecting trade routes across the Middle East from as early as 500 BC.
After the decline of the Persian Empire, when the borders rescinded north around 260 BC, Sahadan enjoyed a brief period of autonomy. Sahadi people began to develop their culture, free from the yoke of Babylon. Drawing heavily upon Zoroastrian influences, the Sahadi generally adhered to three tenants, ideals which are prevalent in Sahadi culture today;;
- Humata, Hukhta, Huvarshta, which mean: Good Thoughts, Good Words, Good Deeds.
- There is only one path and that is the path of Truth.
- Do the right thing because it is the right thing to do, and then all beneficial rewards will come to you also.
Over time within the Roman Empire the Sahadi developed strong ties with the Farazi people of Farazd, their western neighbour. The two peoples became strong trade partners and inter-married. Under the tutelage of the Romans, the Sahadi cemented their faith in Zoroastrian, building a temple in honour of Ahura Mazda, the Supreme Being, and developed innovative mining techniques for extracting gold, silver and copper from the western hills.
Facing a sharp decline, Rome abandons Sahadan and leaves it’s people to their own devices around 405 AD. In 500 AD, The Islamic faith spreads across the Middle East. An arabian army from the south invades Sahadan and depose the Sahadi leaders, though they are allowed to keep their Zoroastrian faith in exchange for fealty to the Arab Caliphate. However, in a few generations time, the Sahadi have fully converted to Islam, and the temples built to honour Ahura Mazda are converted to honour God and his prophet Muhammad.
By 980 AD power in the Arab world became concentrated in Egypt, under the Fatimid Caliphate. Early in the eleventh century, Sahadan was recognized as a Sheikhdom, under the Khalili sheikhs, and swore fealty to the Caliphs of Egypt, once again serving as a border bastion to a foreign power. At this time, along the banks of Zujaj Lake, a fortress is built that would become Bahgazi City, the future capital of the emirate.
Early in the thirteenth century, Sahadan was conquered by the Turks, and became a province of Ayyubid Sultanate. Though the Khalili sheikhs resisted, they were soon ousted from power by the Sharafs, a rival dynasty that agreed to aid the Turks in the submission of their people. For their loyalty the Sharafs were named Emirs and given the Sheikhdom of Farazd as their vassals. Under the Sharafs, a warrior culture was fostered, inviting hashishins of Syria to train an elite sect of warriors who became known as Ghadib Alllah, or God’s Wrath. Ghadib Allah would campaign against the crusaders throughout the thirteenth century before fading away in the fifteenth century, when invading Mongols killed them or drove them into hiding.
In 1520 AD, the Ottoman Turks had spread across the region, conquering Syria, Egypt, and Western Arabia, including Sahadan. The Ghabid Allah reemerged to fight the foreign invaders, but after some minor victories, were crushed and annihilated in 1534 AD, in what became known as the Nabakh Massacre, where Emir Kaalim Sharaf betrayed the warrior order and sent them to be killed by the Ottomans. Though the Ghabid Allah were believed to be destroyed, the brutal assassination of Kaalim nearly a decade later left scholars wondering if a fragment of the order survived afterall.
In the late eighteenth and early nineteenth century the power of the Ottoman’s faltered and Sahadan came under the rule of the Egyptian Viceroyalty. Farazd was released from Sahadan vassalage and the Sharaf’s were emirs in name only. Before long however, the power of the Turks waxes again, and Egypt and Syria are soon brought back into the fold of the empire. Sahadan follows suit in the late nineteenth century.
In this period the Middle East is recognized by western powers as being of vital strategic importance - a vital trade thoroughfare between the west and the empires of the east. Nowhere is western influence felt stronger than in Iran.
By 1914, the British Empire has economic control of Iran and economic collapse in Egypt opened the door to British power. The Middle Eastern south and south-east coastlines were under British control and Italian powers were present across the Red Sea in Africa and France holds sway over the economy of Syria, causing strife with the Ottoman Turks. By this time the Ottomans had finished construction of the Hejaz Railway, originally built to support pilgrims making the treacherous trek north to the holy lands.
The Hejaz railway crossed Sahadan, much to the displeasure of the Farazi, who by this time had become rivals of the Sahadi, born from Farazd supporting Egypt and Sahadan supporting the Turks. With the completion of the railway, and now having a direct line to Constantinople, the economy of the landlocked Sahadan began to surpass Farazd.
Faced with opposition in the region, the Ottoman Empire aligns with Germany. Following the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand, heir to the throne of Austria-Hungary, the world is plunged into a destructive war the likes of which had never been seen before, World War One.
In 1916, the Emir of Mecca, Hussein bin Ali, called for a revolt against the Ottoman Turks, pursuing a dream of a united Arab state spanning from Syria to Yemen. Hussein accused the Turks of violating the sacred tenets of Islam and called a rebellion against the impious Ottoman Empire. Much of the Arab world took up arms against their Ottoman overlords. The Ottoman and their loyalists argued that the arab rebels were being manipulated by the western powers, who sought to fracture and govern the muslim lands. What followed was two years of fighting, resulting in the Ottoman Turks losing control of their holdings in the Middle-East.
In Sahadan, the Sahadi were divided in whom to support. Most were sympathetic to the rebellion and followed Omar Khalili, descended from the Khalili Emirs of the middle ages. Omar was a Ra’ed , or major, within the Arab army, and commanded the campaign in Sahadan. The Sharafs remained loyal to the Ottoman Empire and labeled Khalili traitors. A bitter civil war followed.
Khalili targeted the Hejaz Railroad early in the war, breaking the link between Bahgiz City and the outlying towns, as well as cutting off Ottoman reinforcements. Despite losing the railroad, turkish reinforcements invade by sea, landing in Farazd and bolstered by Farazi regulars. The Turks won several victories and the Arab Revolt was soon in danger of losing the Sahadan front.
In response, British and French special forces infiltrated the emirate and began giving logistical support to Khalili’s rebels. The result was a decisive turn in momentum for the rebels, who were able to drive the Turks across the Ahmar Desert, and into Farazd. Many pushed for an invasion of Farazd, but Sharaf and his loyalists still held Bahgazi City. This was also the around the time of the Taraf Massacre, where Arab troops massacred an entire brigade of Ottoman troops. Ottoman troops soon retreated from Farazd, leaving Sharaf and his army to their own devices.
Khalili’s rebels, backed by the British and French, took up positions outside the city and began shelling across a span of two weeks, destroying much of the city’s infrastructure. The Sharafs fled the burning city and the loyalists surrendered in October of 1918. A few months later the Ottoman Empire would surrender, in January of 1919.
In the Hussein-McMahon Correspondence, the United Kingdom agreed to support Arab independence if they revolted against the Ottomans. It soon became apparent that western powers had no intention of allowing an independent arab state. The Middle East was carved up and handed over to the victors of the war, Omar Khalili, now the Emir of Sahadan, is rendered a puppet of British oil interests.
What began with such promise and optimism, a nation finally free of foreign shackles, soon realize they are once again a mere province of a foreign empire. Reconstruction of the war torn nation is slow, if at all. Yet the oil fields and mines in the east of the nation are quickly brought back to operation, with the Anglo-Persian Oil Company laying claim to the oil rich region. Despite what the name might suggest, it is dominated by the British.
A wave of indignation sweeps across the country, and a nationalist movement is born. What begins as peaceful protest is soon radicalized as Omar Khalili forms a secret police, comprised of mostly of foreign mercenaries, to violently crush all opposition. The newly formed military warily follows the orders of Emir Khalili, many of the top brass remembering him as a war hero, but as the violence escalates, even they forfeit their support of the Emir, many abandoning their post to join the rebellion.
In 1923 the nation was gripped by civil war once again. APOC abandoned the oil fields, leaving much of their equipment behind. A group of radicals emerged claiming to be the Ghadib Allah, targeting high ranking government officials and members of the army and secret police. Denounced as terrorists, the Ghadib Allah took up a leadership role of the rebellion, and hopes that the government would restore order withered away, awash in bombings, assassinations and mass killings.
The Mosheer, leader of the military, faced with an increasingly demoralized army, and erratic orders from Khalili, finally denounced the Emir and withdrew to the border, where what was left of the army defended the nation against an attempted Farazd invasion. It is widely believed that the Farazi operated with British backing. Using the pretense of restoring order, the Farazd invasion force expected to find a nation in turmoil, assuming an easy victory. The Mosheer proved them wrong, and obliterated their tank column in a hail of artillery fire. Without their heavy armour, the Farazd retreated across the Ahmar Desert.
By November of 1924, nearly the whole country was under rebel control, save for Bahgazi City, which was held by Khalili and his secret police. The nation braced for a violent battle in the city. Rebels filed into the city streets, and to much surprise, were greeted as heroes by the city’s inhabitants. All the city was turned over to them by former governments officials denouncing Khalili. Khalili what was left of his men barricaded themselves in the Zujaj Palace. It appeared that his western overlords had abandoned Khalili to his fate.
As a new year dawns, so too does new found hope. Their brutal dictator had been robbed of his power, forced to live in seclusion within his palace like a cornered dog. The nation, for the first time in centuries, was in the hands of the Sahadi. Whatever challenges that lay ahead, it would be them, not some foreign ruler on some far off throne, that would decide the fate of the nation.
As far as stats and mechanics you can expect two sets of stats, one for the overall nation, which might include population, GDP, military strength, allies and trade partners, etc, but perhaps most importantly there will be a culture rating. When player's actions bolster the nation as a whole, the measure of people's overall well being and happiness strengthens culture. Should the players make war, strife, and disorder, culture will dip and the nation may become the target of a foreign power or revolt.
For personal stats, players will have an account of their wealth and income, as well as their overall prestige, which effects their impact in the nation overall and how many followers you may have.
You can expect orders taking a year in game time, and hopefully weekly updates and minis.
Some interesting characters you might want to consider when the game gets started are;
A Khalili Royal, with claim to the Emirate.
A Sharaf Royal, with claim to the Emirate.
The Mosheer and other members of the military.
The Ghadib Allah, it's leader and other members.
The Imam, and other members of the Islam clergy.
So who's in?
Find me on IRC at #Rogue_State, or post any questions here.
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