"That diamond was the gift of the Caliph of Ras Karim, it might have bought a townhouse in Altdorf, and you used it to pay for this?"
- —Felix Jaeger to Gotrek Gurnisson, inquiring about the rent of the Blind Alley tavern[2a]
The port of Ras Karim is an Arabyan city located some hundred leagues east of Copher the City of Spices.[1a] Currently, the city is ruled by Caliph Halim il Saredi and his wife, princess Yuleh il Toorissi, who have obtained the throne thanks to a recent rebellion.[1f]
History[]
The city was founded by Karim the Benevolent. He forged the Lion Crown, symbol of the power of the caliph throne over the people of Ras Karim.[1d]
In recent times, Ras Karim was ruled by the despotic Caliph Falhedar il Toorissi. He, unlike his father, was a disastrous leader, hated by part of his people and sunk in excesses. This prompted his cousin, niece of the old caliph, Yuleh il Toorissi, and the former advisor of the caliph, Halim il Saredi, to stage a coup to seize power from him.[1b][1d] The plan succeeded thanks to the invaluable help of Gotrek and Felix, who came to the city in search of a being called the "Lurking Terror", and ended up helping the rebel cause.[1a][1e]
The City[]
Beyound its city-gates, Ras Karim hosts a port frequented by merchants from other cities of Araby, the air is heady with smoke and the cloying scent of night jasmine, blooming in the courtyard garden that gave the place its name.[1a]
The Forbidden Garden[]
The Forbidden Garden is a house of ill repute is bathed in the mellow glow of intricately pierced tin lamps. Inside, clusters of men recline on satin cushions around knee-high tables, sipping fragrant mint tea from tiny cups and inhaling smoke from water-filled pipes. The air is thick with smoke and the cloying scent of night jasmine, which blooms in the courtyard garden that lends its name to the establishment.[1a]
In the centre of the tables, veiled, bare-midriffed dancers in gauzy pantaloons sway to whining flutes and pattering drums, while other women served and sat with the men, murmuring seductions in their ears and leaning lasciviously against them as they fed them chunks of spiced lamb.[1a]
The Street of Scholars[]
An avenue bustling with scholars, this is the ideal destination for an adventurer seeking reliable information devoid of fanciful embellishments and useless rumors. Here, one can confidently pose questions and receive accurate, knowledgeable answers.[1a]
Palace of Penitence[]
Under the rule of the former ruler, Falhedar il Toorissi, the palace hosted an arena where prisoners were forced to fight terrible beasts, aiming to subdue the primal instincts of the crowd.[1b]
The Caliph's Palace[]
The Caliph's Palace serves as the residence of the city's ruling caliph, boasting unparalleled wealth within its well-protected treasure chambers. Adjacent to an opulent pleasure pavilion, the palace gardens resemble lush jungles, alive with parrots, monkeys, and exotic flora. Beyond these gardens lies the Court of Palms, leading to the grand throne room.[1c]
The throne room is a spectacle to behold, adorned with white and gold pillars supporting a yellow-canopied dais. The walls feature tall windows interspersed with jewel-covered tapestries depicting hunts, battles, and courtly scenes.[1c]
Upon a gilded settee on the dais rests the Caliph of Ras Karim.[1c]
The treasure vault is enormous, larger than the throne room, with doors in each wall leading to further chambers. Few have seen such vast wealth and art amassed in one place before. Chests bound in iron are stacked up to head height along the walls. Rugs, statues, weapons, and suits of gem-encrusted armor form haphazard mounds, crisscrossed by narrow pathways. Books with gilded bindings spill from overflowing shelves. Vases, urns, gold-and-silver lamps, along with spyglasses, maps, and clockwork toys, clutter every corner. Jewels, crowns, and scepters gleam among the treasures.[1g]
In one corner of a room, a silver-barred cage holds an Arabyan flying carpet. A statue of a monkey with a superior smirk gazes seems to watch at the observer. On a tall onyx stand in the center of the chaos sits an alabaster phoenix egg, seemingly glowing from within with an inner fire.[1g][1e]
Notable Inhabitants[]
- Ghal - Old friend of Halim il Saredi,[1d] in reality, he worked in the past to have him arrested, then tried to take advantage of the recent rebellion to become, thanks to the Serpent Crown, caliph and husband of Yuleh il Toorissi.[1e] He met his death once exposed, devoured by a huge snake that defended the treasure room of the caliph's palace. He was a hard-eyed, hard-muscled man with the bearing of a professional soldier with an abominable Reikspiel.[1d]
- Halim il Saredi - Actual caliph of Ras Karim.[1f]
- Yuleh il Toorissi - Princess of Ras Karim, she's the wife of Caliph of Ras Karim.[1f]
- Karim the Benevolent - Founder of this city, he made the Lion Crown, the true crown of Ras Karim.[1d]
- Falhedar il Toorissi - Former caliph of the city, he ruled Ras Karim thanks to the influence of the Serpent Crown.[1d]
Trivia[]
The short story, Gotrek and Felix: Two Crowns of Ras Karim by Nathan Long is filled with many references to the Disney cartoon, Aladdin, the most obvious is the presence of a magical carpet and a monkey in the treasure room of the caliph's palace, two of the main characters of the film.