Brainstorm: EA/MA/LA Arabian/Islamic themed nation

[Squirrelloid]

Decided I'd take a stab at a mod, especially since no one seems to be doing one with this theme. This is a definite work in progress, and I'm on the look out for good ideas. I think I have the best feel for the EA version right now.

I still need a name (or set of names) for the nation, but I have some subtitles in mind at least. I'll use $Name for the nation name throughout, unless inspiration strikes me.

Notes on 'genie'. The proper singular is jinni. The plural is jann. Herein I'll be using jinni/jann to refer to a particular type of 'genie'. All the following are considered 'genies': jinni, ifrit, ghul, shaytan. 'Genies' need not eat.

Note on language: I want to get arabic names for most unit types, but i'd like them rendered in roman characters, and sadly most online translations render directly into arabic characters which I can't read.

EA: $Name, Arabian Nights

The empire of the Jann kings, powerful beings of pure magic who rule native humans and lesser jann. Some humans have taken to worshipping the jann, and these humans are given privileges and bade to rule over other men. Many of these less fortunates are slaves of the state or powerful individuals.

The jann kings have concealed the awakening of the nascent god, and use their pretended divinity and magical puissance to extend the influence of their true master.

Historical note: Inspired by some Arabian Nights tales and put into a framework that makes internal sense

Strengths and weaknesses
Units: Cheap chaffe, ranged units expensive and magical, generally poor armor.
Priests: Weak
Magic: Strong fire/air/astral, some death/blood

Units:
Slave Infantry
Really cheap, weak, poor weapons, no armor, poor morale.

Desert Nomads
Stealthy, wasteland survival, good weapons, poor armor, good morale

Camel Riders
Light cavalry, wasteland survival, sword, poor armor, good morale

Temple Warriors
sacred, good armor, sword + shield, good morale

Lesser Ifrit
Capitol only, expensive, throws fire bolts, flies, magical being

Lesser Jinni
Sacred, capitol only, expensive, flies, throws lightning, magical being

Commanders:
Nomad Scout
40Ld scout, wasteland survival

Sheikh
40Ld commander, wasteland survival

Mounted Sheikh
40Ld mounted commander, wasteland survival

Priest of the Smokeless Fire
Human. Sacred. H1 +50% ?A +50% ?F. 80Ld

Shaytan
Mage. Stealthy +20. Air and maybe Death or Blood. (A2 + 10% ?DB)? Flies and can fly in storms.

Ifrit
Mage. Fire and Blood or Death. (F2 + ?FDB or F1 + 2?FDB)

Jinni.
Mage. Sacred. Astral + ? (maybe S1 + 100% ?ASD + 10% ?ASDB). Flies.

Jinni King
Top-tier mage. Sacred. Capitol only. Astral + Air + random anything. Flies.

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MA: $Name, Warriors of the Faith

Over time the grip of the jann kings weakened on the outlying provinces, but the jann were losing interest in the world, and secluding themselves from it, and so didn't notice. And as they withdrew their presence the worship of them began to falter. In this crisis of faith there emerged a prophet to both humans and jann, bringing the holy word of a newly awakening god. The human empire grew strong, expanding the word of god by diplomacy and the sword. The jann remained connected to them through the worship of this new pretender, although they now needed to be called by powerful clerics.

Historical note: Inspired by islamic tradition, history, Haroum al-Rashid, and Neil Gaiman's take on him in the Sandman

Unit note: There's a real mixed bag of units I could choose to use, so I've left this purposely vague for now. As everything from camel cavalry to elephants to various types of infantry make sense, this needs narrowing down.

Strengths and weaknesses
Units:
Priests: Strong
Magic: predominantly Air/Earth/Fire/Water, some Death

Units:


Commanders:
Scout

80 Ld Commander

120 Ld Mounted Commander

80 Ld "War Priest", H2

Hashishin
Stealthy. Assassin. Sacred. H1X1 (possibly X = Death)

Alchemist
Probably as per existing unit.

Imam
H3 F2E1 +200% FAWE, sacred

Vizier
A2F2 + 200%FAWED + 10%D, capitol only

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LA: $Name, subtitle

I'm reasonably certain I want this to be crusader era islamic armies, but possibly early Ottoman Empire. I need to resolve some things about MA yet to really start thinking about this era. Ie, if MA ends up covering the same ground crusader era would, there's little reason to use it for LA.

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National Spells:
Call Ghul:
Commander Mage with D + B. Can shapeshift into a Hyena. Stealthy and Assassin.

Genius Locus:
Completely immobile mage commander summon (no teleport if possible). Is the 'spirit' of a location. Might need to make this summon one of a handful of uniques, because I want each one to modify local scales and I don't know if I can randomly generate such an effect. Only one per location if possible.

EA 'Genie' commanders become summons for MA/LA

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Heroes:
Iblis (EA, maybe others)
Mythological: devil analog, but a jinni rather than a fallen angel.
Game: mage, Air + Death + Blood

Jabir ibn Hayyan (MA, LA)
Historical: Alchemist, father of chemistry
Game: Alchemist-type mage hero

Sulayman (likely LA)
Mythological: King Solomon. In arabic tradition he bound most/all the jann into an object, and could command them to do his bidding. Important later in demonology (see: Solomon's Key, Solomon's Seal) (I don't care to comment on the nature or reality of a historical solomon).
Game: mage hero, possibly air/astral or earth/astral?

Sinbad (any)
Mythological: Duh
Game: Is it possible to enable pseudo-magic for site searching only? Because that would seem to be the most appropriate.

Scheherazade (EA, MA?)
Mythological: More duh
Game: Powerful Astral?

Aladdin (MA)
Mythological: ibid
Game: some unique items (Ring, Lamp)?

Ok, that's probably enough for now...