Concerning The Djinn . . .

. . . In the World of Castle Falkenstein

by Phil Masters

Art by Ray Lunceford

Being a number of observations, largely as recounted

by Auberon of Faerie to Captain Thomas E. Olam, and
prepared for publication in this world by Philip Masters,
Magister Artium Cantabrigiensis. (Extracted and adapted
from a forthcoming volume concerning the Lands of the
Ottoman Empire in that world.)

Of Solomon and the Bound Ones

Remarks, by Auberon of Faerie

It is hardly a secret that we of Faerie are divided among ourselves. The great
division is, of course, between the "Seelie," my own people, and the "Unseelie"
servants of the Adversary. However, there are other factions and hierarchies, and
one of the most potent and independent-minded groups consists of the Djinn of the
Arabian Lands.

As so often with my folk, there is a tale here, which commences, "Once Upon A
Time."

It is the tale of an old falling-out among the Sidhe. Some three thousand years past,
a band of brash Sidhe lords took umbrage at some imagined lack of respect. Being,
for the most part, denizens of Araby, they took that region for their own. They were
mostly of the darker side of our folk, but perhaps more selfish than brutal; some, in
fact, were honorable, after their fashion. They claimed authority over Sidhe and men
alike, and declared themselves Lords, acting as monarchs rather than the barons
that they truly were. But their superiors chose to disregard this; some perhaps saw
them as useful future-times allies and pawns. Most of 'em were already arrayed with
the Unseelie -- but in truth, the point was rarely raised. These Djinn went their own
way.

They built improbable palaces and cities as marks of their power. (Some still exist, in
deep caverns in the mountains of Arabia, 'neath the waters of the Red or Indian or
Mediterranean Seas, or lost in the trackless desert. Most of 'em are empty, but all
the same, I'd not advise visiting.) They carved out petty kingdoms; when they
deigned to notice humans, they would destroy cities and armies. Worst were those
who chose to intervene in human life; they would offer their services to kings who
would repay with blood sacrifices, not because they had much use for human blood,
but for sport, and out of secret admiration for the ingenuity that humans brought to
the ensuing wars. The brutishness of Assyria and the decadence of Babylon were
largely incited by these "Ifrit." The least of 'em wandered the wilderness in
monstrous guise, slaying and laying waste at whim.

Pride, a wise human has observed, precedes a fall; it makes one forget that one's
power is not infinite. The Djinn despised humans, and paid little attention to the
growth of human skill. 'Twas an understandable error; many of us would love to
know whence King Solomon ben David of Israel derived his lore. Solomon feared
what the Djinn might do to his kingdom, and set out to resolve the problem. He
crafted binding inscriptions that any human could wield, and simple spells of control
that the lowliest hedge-wizard could master. Like other clever humans, he exploited
the Faerie inability to break a sworn oath, trapping whole clans of evil Djinn in webs
of promises. He was even shrewd enough to bargain with the more honorable lesser
Djinn, gaining their service by showing himself preferable to overlords of their own
race; 'tis said that, when he was done, a thousand of 'em would obey the slightest
gesture of the hand which bore his seal-ring.

This was a Long and Secret War, the full record of which is known to none in
modern Europa. (Even I have only second-hand tales and deductions.) Suffice it to
say that Solomon forced many Djinn into brass bottles or stone pillars, closed with
his Seal, and many of these prisoners have spent the last three thousand years at
the bottom of the sea. Even those who are free are oft obliged to wear Iron
Bracelets in symbol of their subservience, preventing them from changing shape or
using many other supernatural arts. The symbol of this victory is the Seal of
Solomon, which no Djinni may pass.

And so the Djinn are mostly trapped, or retire from human company out of caution.
However, the rest of Faerie-kind still avoid their lands, partly out of ancient habit,
partly out of fear of the Djinn, and partly out of a subtler fear. We are not formally
bound by Solomon's master-work, but it has overtones and aspects that none have
yet mapped; "Solomanic" spells might, at the very least, induce discomfort in us.

Which said, there are some lesser Faerie free in the Middle East -- mostly foul
Ghuls and nymph-like Peri. But the Djinn were never numerous. I estimate that no
more than five hundred might still endure within the lands of Arabia. However, we of
Faerie have never taken censuses.

The Classes of the Unclassifiable

The Djinn have oft shown great skill in the art of Shape Changing. All of our kind can
do this, o' course, but the Djinn view it as a science in itself, whereas most Faerie
find a shape they like or inherit, and stick to it. (Many Djinn are bound to one shape,
though, courtesy of Solomon.)

This makes classification of the Djinn a tricksy matter, for who can pin a name on
that which has no fixed shape? But one may discern a few categories, or maybe
ranks.

The greatest of the breed are the Noble Djinn, builders of palaces. The nobility is
further divided into the malevolent Ifrit and the less selfish crew who are sometimes
simply termed "Djinn."

The Ifrit are equivalent to the Dark Lords of the Unseelie, and likewise owe
allegiance to the Adversary. However, recall that these are the most potent and
selfish of a band who went into exile rather than remain in the society of their own
kind. I doubt that even the Adversary can be sure of their obedience; I'm sure their
vows to him had weasel words to spare. They are, fortunately, bound by both his
vows in the First Compact, and spells woven by Solomon; thus, they rarely seek to
harm the Sons of Adam directly, unless they forget themselves in rage, or they can
provoke a fool to assault, or they think a little murder would not be noticed. (Though
to open an ancient brass bottle on the shores of Araby is oft unwise.)

Other Noble Djinn are gentler folk, and less danger to men -- but yet they are aloof,
or whimsical, or both. They are just, in their way, but that does not remove their
whimsy; there are many tales of human unfortunates receiving sudden and startling
boons from powerful Djinn who take pity on them. In the courts and palaces of the
nobles, you may find their servants, who are sometimes referred to as Jann. These
are powerful folk, even by the standards of Faerie, but narrow in imagination. They
enter service, less out of loyalty or even compulsion, than because it's become their
habit, and because it gives 'em a way to spend their time. They may be evil or
kindly, but they rarely act either way unprovoked. They make most useful minions to
the Nobles. Some of this class are unattached, having seen their overlords trapped
or retired from this world, and wander the fringes of human city life, or lurk in wells
or cisterns or ruins. They are responsible for much of Djinn-kind's reputation for
whimsy; if a Jann should hear of some happening that catches his humor, he may
help hunt down a criminal, or take a complaining husband a thousand miles from the
wife he's called a scold, or present a feast to a beggar -- or drop an unfortunate
stroller in a pool, to see how humans accomplish this swimming business.

Peri, I confess, I know least about. They are more frequently encountered in Persia
than in the Ottoman domains of Turkey or Arabia; they take female shape, and seem
closely akin to the Nymphs and Forest Women of Europa. They are rarely evil, but
they are proud.

Last, and least, are the Ghuls. The Englishman Edward William Lane wrote of these:

The Ghools are said to appear in the forms of human beings, and of various
animals, and in many monstrous shapes; to haunt burial-grounds and other
sequestered spots; to feed upon dead human bodies; and to kill and devour any
human creature who has the misfortune to fall in their way.

-- Which sums 'em up, I think. They may be Jann, or even Nobles diminished by
Magick, or they may be crude monsters, akin to the Ogres and Trolls of Europa.
Whatever its history, a Ghul is a nasty creature.

Appearances

Arabian sages describe the Djinn as being created of "Smokeless Fire," which is as
good a definition of Faerie-nature as any. Most Easterners believe that the shape in
which they are most like to see a Djinni is as a desert whirlwind, or a water-spout at
sea, and indeed, those are fine, dramatic ways for a brash Djinni to fly. Which said,
however, they may have other appearances.

Despite their shape-changing, Djinn do have particular forms in which they

habitually rest. Some, like Europan Faerie Animals, take four-footed shapes, but
that's too inconvenient and undignified for most. Others adopt human form, which
their breed sees as a sign of refinement. (It is not that they find humanity especially
handsome, but on the one hand, creating a disguise that humans themselves will
believe is proof of skill, while on the other, the Djinn appreciate human creativity and
wit, and practice in the art of human shape-taking hints that a Djinni is a versatile
aesthetic sophisticate.) Thus, one may hear of Djinn lovers of either sex, oft times
unrecognised at first; one may also recall the Arabian Nights tale in which the hero is
ferried across a lake by a Djinn with the head of an elephant and the body of a lion,
to meet a whole horde of monstrous Djinn -- whose king alone resembles a
handsome young man.

However, even some lowly Djinn are capable of passing for human, which can be
useful, especially if they have to work in human society. Some are prone to a
particular error; their eyes open and close sideways, instead of up-and-down.
Others are more traditional, and take a bipedal, two-armed shape with a few
embellishments; green skin, great size, lengthy fangs or claws, glowing eyes, or
other such fripperies.

Constraints Upon Djinn-Kind

On occasion, the Djinn show some

of the same arbitrary problems as
Europan elf-kind, such as "marriage
prohibitions," or a hatred of the
smell of sulphur. However, they
have two great limits; the Faerie
dread of iron, and the peculiar
binding laid by Solomon.

Djinn and Metal

Mr Lane tells us: "To defend themselves from a Jinee . . . the Arabs often exclaim,
'Iron! Iron!' . . . or 'Iron! thou unlucky!'"

Like other Faerie, the Djinn are vulnerable to iron, and may indeed be deterred by
the mere threat of the stuff. However, they are a sturdy folk, and rarely greatly hurt
by the mere presence of the plain metal, if they have cause to remain. Nonetheless,
a blow from a Cold Iron sword will likely slay 'em. If they choose to wield weapons,
they disdain the fine silver of Europan Faerie-rapiers, thinking it flimsy and frivolous;
they prefer a kind of brass of their own alloying, which is hard as all but the best
steels. (My dwarven friends mutter that it's brittle.) This stuff polishes up well, too,
and glows in the Arabian sun.

The Gifts of Solomon ben David

Of Solomon, Mr. Lane obtained tales:

No man ever obtained such absolute power over the Jinn as Suleymn Ibn Dood . . .
This he did by virtue of a most wonderful talisman . . . a seal-ring . . . partly
composed of brass and partly of iron. With the brass he stamped his written
commands to the good Jinn; with the iron . . . those to the evil Jinn . . . Over both
orders he had unlimited power . . .

The Seal of Solomon is not simply the six-pointed "Star of David" that serves as a
Jewish emblem; the full seal is surrounded and embellished by inscriptions and
invocations. These were, of course, originally written in Hebrew; today, they are as
likely to be Arabic, and work no less for that, thanks to the efforts of Arabian
wizardry. (Magister Morrolan is attempting, as an exercise, to recreate 'em in
modern English or German; ask me not how he proposes to test his translation.)

To some Djinn, Solomon gave imprisonment in brass bottles; to others, he gave Iron
Bracelets. These are marked with his seal, and the Djinn is bound, not only to retain
them, but to avoid any attempt to remove them. They seem to be a form of parole,
imposed on the less actively evil Djinn, especially Jann; their effect is to prevent the
Djinn from changing its form, or most uses of the power of Etherealness. The small
quantity of plain iron does not cause the wearer actual injury by its presence (and
the Djinn becomes accustomed to the unceasing sense of wrongness it induces).

Most important of all, Solomon left a basic teaching of his Lore, which remains
known to practically every wizard in Islamic lands. This is one reason why the Djinn
are far less of a nuisance to human-kind than might be expected.

Religion and the Djinn

It is not my policy to pass comment on human religion. 'Tis no secret that some of
the Faerie turn away in fear from its trappings, from the Cross, or the tolling of a
church bell -- but a human free-thinker would doubtless note that there are Faerie
who'll turn and flee from a coat turned insides-out, or from salt. Think what you will.
If we don't, as a rule, join you in church of a Sunday, assume nothing of our
morality.

In the lands of the Djinn, though, things are different again. Most of the Ghuls, and
many o' the servant-class, flee the prayers of a Moslem. (It should be noted that
this is a religion with no great love of "Holy Symbols" or pictures; to the Moslem, the
Word is all-important.) More potent evil Djinn -- Ifrit -- will disregard such things,
though I doubt they'll happily lay hands upon the written Koran; they see themselves
as blasphemers, and glory in it. Others, though, take a very different view; they treat
the words of Islam with respect, for they are good Moslems.

If this seems surprising -- well, forgive me one remark on human faiths here; Islam
is tolerantly all-encompassing, in its own way. Those as will speak the Avowal of the
Faith are Moslems yet, whatever their birth. If Djinn will swear to being Moslems, the
Faithful will not dare gainsay 'em.

But these are not the Djinn a human is most like to meet. Being Moslem, and thus
dedicated to virtue, they refrain from murder and Ghul-habits, and they also feel that
it would be unkind for them to wander 'mongst the "Sons of Adam." They have their
own mosques, underground, or in distant wilderness, and they see no need to share
those of humans. It would be, they say, an unmerciful thing to walk amongst
humankind, where their nature provokes fear. Apart from which, human sorcerers are
forever trying to enslave 'em, and resisting that may involve 'em in actions they don't
enjoy.

Still, if you meet such, treat 'em with courtesy and you'll avoid trouble. Invoke a
Moslem prayer, and they'll nod in agreement, and salute you as a co-religionist, but
not be driven off.

There's one other matter to mention here. The Lord of the Unseelie is, o' course,
named The Adversary. Now, there have been faiths in the East who've believed in
One God, who was faced and opposed by a great foe; the Moslems call that foe
Iblis, the Christians, Satan. Others have talked of such a being as, simply, the
Adversary. Well, the Unseelie's chief was never a fallen angel or servant of the
Almighty, but he's not short of diabolical malice. If he's become confused with
something in human scriptures, it might serve his purposes, or just amuse him.

Game Notes: At least three out of four Ghuls and half of non-Moslem Djinn Servants
will be driven away by an avowal of the Moslem faith; if in doubt, the Host can cut
the cards to decide. The words must sound sincere; this might work for a non-
Moslem who's practised the formula -- Richard Burton swears it saved his neck
once or twice -- but if nothing else, it's disrespectful of others' beliefs; passing
Moslems may take offence, or suggest that, having claimed the protection of Islam,
you should continue to obey the rules of the faith.

As to whether Christian symbols can be effective against Djinn, even Auberon isn't
sure. In theory, they might be; if it's the mere symbolism that carries the power, well,
they're symbols, and if it's the religion itself, remember that Moslems see Christ as
an authentic prophet. It may literally be a matter of convincing the Djinn that this is
holy -- presenting it strongly while making the point in words, loud and clear. This is
best left as a matter of the Host's judgement and good roleplaying.

Djinn in Play
Tom Olam's Comments

Extracting the above from Auberon cost me two good bottles of Hungarian Tokai
and a night recounting stories from my side of the Faerie Veil. (Thank heaven for old
movie plots.) My worry here is to translate it into game terms.

The Djinn (like any Faerie) require a little care in the handling for hosts; they are both
extremely powerful and peculiarly vulnerable. Their classic, Arabian Nights role is not
as simple monsters to be fought; it is as plot devices and components of puzzles.
For example, in the tale of "The Fisherman and the Djinni," the Djinni is released by
accident, proposes to slaughter the human fisherman out of hand, but succumbs to
trickery -- after which, it provides favors that enable the fisherman to make his
fortune. Similarly, in the tale of Aladdin, the Djinni makes the hero rich and important
-- but the interest of the story lies in Aladdin's relationship with the princess and her
family, while the humor comes from the moments when the Djinni cuts loose at full
power, and from Aladdin's mother's reactions.

Conversely, if you want to use Djinn as monsters, make sure that the Dramatic
Characters are up to the fight. In the Arabian Nights, there is at least one very
spectacular shape-shifting duel between a sorceress and an Ifrit, while in Bedouin
folklore, Ghuls serve the same function as Ogres in Europa -- formidable
opponents for tough and clever heroes. A wizard who has studied the lore of
Solomon can make a huge difference; a quest-style plot for Europan characters
might involve a Djinni who is too powerful to confront at first, forcing a wizard to
search out spells to restrain it.

Djinn Powers

As Faerie, all Djinn have the standard Abilities of Etherealness and Glamour (see
Castle Falkenstein, p.160-161), and also Shapeshifting if the game is using The
Memoirs of Auberon of Faerie (see p.14-16 in that book); they also have "Kindred
Powers" of their own. As habitual shape-shifters, they often have Good or better
ratings in the relevant power -- unless currently obliged to wear Iron Bracelets,
which restrict them to effectively Poor Etherealness and Shapeshifting, and make
them unable even to become liquid or to reach through walls. Above-Average
Glamour is rarer, usually being restricted to Djinn Lords.

Other Djinn Powers:

Be Unseen: As for the Fetch (Castle Falkenstein, p.174). This Ability is popular with
benevolent Djinn, especially Moslem believers, who prefer to perform the Hajj
pilgrimage to Mecca undisturbed by startled humans.

Perform a Great Work: As for the Brownie (Castle Falkenstein, p.174). An Ability
typically possessed by minor Djinn Servants.

Know Mortal Desire: This is primarily a Ghul ability; Ifrit also use it (more subtly). It
involves the ability to probe a mortal mind, and determine what the victim loves or
desires; the Djinn then uses Shapeshifting or Glamour to mimic the desired thing.
Match the Djinn's level in this Ability against the victim's Perception; a success for
the Djinn attracts the victim, and a High success will often overcome all logic and
sense, at least for a moment.

As a rule, Poor Ability in this will only discern the most basic form of the victim's
desires; food, a partner of the appropriate sex, the admiration of others, and so on.
Average Ability finds some details, such as a taste for romance with blondes, or a
fondness for fruit. Good Ability will pick up subtleties; preferred physique in a
partner, or a specific area of vanity. Great Ability detects what the subject most
desires -- the smell of fresh cardamom-scented coffee, or an image of some first
love who has haunted the person's deepest dreams. An Exceptional rating means
that the Djinn extracts many clear details, perhaps surprising or even disgusting the
victim, if they ever have the chance to think about the things that were displayed to
them. A Djinn with Extraordinary ability is frankly cruel, even if they mean well; a
human who sees that which they display is rarely happy with real life, ever again.

Obtain from Elsewhere: This Ability gives the Djinn the power to obtain goods or
materials from elsewhere in reality, and present them to whoever asks. (Technically,
this might be theft, but it's very hard to detect or prove; many Djinn appear to know
of great hordes of "lost" treasure, reducing the potential for embarrassment.) Of
course, a Djinn with flight powers might achieve the same result, but with this
power, the Djinn doesn't have to move (except possibly extra-dimensionally --
leave that question to metaphysicians). Note one limitation; the Djinn might obtain
almost anything, but it has to already exist, somewhere in the world.

With Poor Ability, a Djinni can find general categories of item that are commonplace
in the near vicinity, and will fit in one hand; loose change, a little food or drink of an
unspecified kind, or a knife, say, and the fetching requires an hour or two. With
Average Ability, the goods can be a little more specific, and the Djinni's "reach"
extends for several hundred miles; thus, the beneficiary can request a hot meal,
coffee, silver coins, or a plain sword, all within ten minutes or so. At the Good level,
the power can obtain items in two or three minutes, and they can be almost any
common thing that might be located on the same continent and that can be carried
two-handed; a bag of gold coins, a fine meal or an impressive sword, or a gun.
(Djinn of lesser power find requests for "high-tech" items confusing, and rarely
obtain the desired results; any Djinni is likely to be hopelessly bemused by over-
specific requests for modern products.) Great Ability is the minimum required to
obtain living animals, or anything else that may be moving around unpredictably;
otherwise, it can obtain most items that can be seen publicly somewhere in the
world and lifted by normal human strength, in about a minute. With Exceptional
Ability, the Djinni can produce rare and exotic items of no more than human size in a
few seconds. At the Extraordinary level, the Ability can instantly find pretty well any
item, even if it is unique, provided that it could pass through a doorway.

Survive and Endure: Most Djinn can use Etherealness to adopt a form that can
survive in any environment, but many also have this Ability, which enables their
physical bodies to adapt to environments that should roast, drown, or crush them.
(The Djinni will probably prefer more normal conditions -- but this can be a matter
of whim, and some enjoy swimming in boiling oil.) It cannot be used to resist injury
from attacks, which use "shock" effects -- just to survive continuing conditions. It is
absolutely no use against the effects of iron.

At the Poor level, it permits the Djinni, in human-like form, to wander through the
arctic or the tropics in the same clothes without discomfort, or to remain underwater
for several minutes. Average Ability means that the Djinni looks comfortable in any
conditions that a human can endure for brief periods, and can breathe water like a
fish. With Good Ability, the Djinn faces arctic blizzards with equanimity, sees a vat of
boiling oil as a bath, and doesn't have to bother about oxygen. At the Great Level,
this Ability lets the Djinni live in a baker's oven, breathing the flames and nibbling the
hot charcoal, or stroll around on the floor of the deepest sea. With Exceptional
Ability, the Djinni can live full-time in a vat of molten steel or liquid nitrogen, or
survive the pressures in the centre of the Earth. At the Extraordinary level, the Ability
would permit the Djinni to travel for years through the vacuum of space and walk on
the surface of the sun, or dive to its heart.

Swift Flight: Many Djinn (mostly nobles and messengers) are even faster in flight
than their Etherealness would imply, and can fly in fully solid form (always useful
when carrying mortals around), unlike many Faerie who must become mist-like or
shape-change into a bird to achieve full speed. This Ability grants flying speed
appropriate to its level (see Castle Falkenstein, p.140), and the Djinni can triple its
movement rate in straight lines over long distances, out of combat. (For example, a
Djinni with Good Swift Flight can manage 300 mph for long-distance travel
purposes.)

Typical Djinn Abilities

Note: "Swordsmanship" is the Eastern counterpart of Fencing, renamed here for

aesthetic reasons.

Ifrit

Athletics Good, Charisma Good, Courage Good, Etherealness Great, Fisticuffs

Good, Glamour Good, Know Mortal Desire Good, Physique Exceptional,
Shapeshifting Good, Survive and Endure Great, Swift Flight Great, Swordsmanship
Great, Tinkering Poor.

"Friendly" Noble

Athletics Good, Be Unseen Great, Charisma Good, Courage Great, Etherealness

Great, Obtain from Elsewhere Average, Perception Good, Physique Great,
Shapeshifting Good, Survive and Endure Great, Swift Flight Great, Swordsmanship
Good.

Djinni Lady

Charisma Good, Comeliness Great, Courage Good, Etherealness Good, Glamour

Great, Know Mortal Desire Great, Obtain From Elsewhere Good, Perception Great,
Performance Good, Physician Good, Shapeshifting Great, Stealth Good, Survive and
Endure Average.

(This is a type of Djinniya -- female Djinni -- which appears in number of Eastern

stories; attractive, intelligent, and tending more to subtlety than raw force. Some of
these "Ladies" are good-natured and helpful, or may feature in "romantic" tales for
male audiences; others are more likely to appear in the worst sort of paranoid male
fantasy. The Peri of Persia can be treated as equivalent to various Europan female
Faeries.)

Jann (Djinni Servant)

Athletics Good, Comeliness Poor, Etherealness Average, Fisticuffs Great, Glamour

Poor, Physique Great, Shapeshifting Average, Survive and Endure Average, Tinkering
Poor, plus one of the following at Great level: Perform a Great Work, Obtain From
Elsewhere, Swift Flight, or Swordsmanship. Reduce Etherealness and Shapeshifting
to Poor if the Djinni wears Iron Bracelets.

Ghul

Athletics Good, Etherealness Poor, Fisticuffs Good, Glamour Poor, Know Mortal
Desire Good, Perception Good, Physique Great, Shapeshifting Average, Stealth
Good, Survive and Endure Poor.

Djinn Dramatic Characters

Note: Djinn are powerful beings, and should only be played as Dramatic Characters
with the Host's specific, considered permission -- but a skilled player could take
the part of a minor Djinni, who need not be any more powerful or game-unbalancing
than a Dragon or a Daoine Sidhe.

You are a Djinni. Not one of the Lords, to be sure, but a little above the run of Jann.
You have enough initiative to go out and have adventures on your own. You may be
an aristocratic hanger-on, or a superior sort of servant -- distinctions are blurred.

Perhaps you have recently been released from a prison closed with the Seal of
Solomon. Of course, you were never malicious enough for that wise human king to
think you should be put away -- but other human wizards have not always applied
his lore with as much justice. Or perhaps you served an evil Ifrit in Solomon's time,
and when Solomon defeated your master, he recognised that you were not truly evil,
but bound your power with Iron Bracelets as a punishment for serving evil. Now, you
sometimes look at them, remember why they are there, and wander the world
seeking to redeem yourself.

Then again, perhaps you are simply a masterless sort, who has lived for the past
few centuries in some remote ruin. Now, you have decided to go a-wandering once
more. Or perhaps you normally live in an organised community with others of your
kind, and it's some duty that has led you to have dealings with the Sons of Adam. In
that case, you should be careful how you act; on the one hand, you don't want to
frighten anyone, and on the other, you don't want some nervous sorcerer trapping
you in a brass bottle for a thousand years!

Strong Suits: Etherealness, Perception, Physique.

Faerie Power: Choose one from the list above. Alternatively, choose two, but neither
may be taken at better than Average power. Note the effect of Iron Bracelets, if
worn.
Possessions: Baggy silk trousers; heavy silver jewellery; a scimitar of Djinn Brass.
In Your Diary: Notes on the strange ways that the world has changed in recent
years; snippets of information on the world beyond your homeland (humans are
travelling further and faster these days!); philosophical thoughts on the nature of
human and Djinn desire.
Why You're Here: If you were recently released from imprisonment, perhaps it was
one of these modern folk who released you, and you have sworn to accompany and
aid them for as long as it takes to pay this debt -- or perhaps you have an ancient
vow to accomplish, and these humans are going to same way. On the other hand,
perhaps you were never trapped, but are a good Moslem who has recently
discovered a vile plot by some Ifrit, which these folk are opposing, and you feel it is
your duty to oppose such evil. (Or you could simply have gone on the Hajj
pilgrimage, invisible or disguised as a human, and then decided to see some more
of the world while you are out and about.)

Then again, perhaps it is simply the old problem; boredom. You may be a lesser
relative of the Djinn aristocracy, tired of the Faerie Veil -- even in the lush, exotically
oriental form into which your kind shape it -- and you are determined to search out
new experiences in the mortal world. In that case, you may well feel that these
Farangi have more new and exciting ways of thinking and acting than the
conservative folk of the Ottoman Empire. But who needs a reason? You are a Djinni!
Now, what do humans mean by that word, "whimsical"?

Article publication date: June 19, 1998

Copyright © 1998 by Steve Jackson Games. All rights reserved. Pyramid subscribers are permitted to
read this article online, or download it and print out a single hardcopy for personal use. Copying this
text to any other online system or BBS, or making more than one hardcopy, is strictly prohibited. So
please don't. And if you encounter copies of this article elsewhere on the web, please report it to
webmaster@sjgames.com.

Home - Subscribe! - Current Issue - Playtesting - Chat - - - Feedback