Terminology of Jinn

The exact nature of jinn is difficult to define, as the term is used collectively to refer to a myriad of spirits variously aligned to the Faerie, Infernal and Magic Realms. There are no Divine jinn*,* only Islamic angels.

Other terms used within the various folk tales refer to rank or power within various tribes of jinn. The names 'afrit and marid usually refer to the stronger types of Faerie jinn, although their relationship to humanity can be either benevolent or antagonistic depending on their defining role. Confusingly, the terms Ifrit and Marid also refer to two of more powerful of the reportedly 112 jinni tribes. The term "shaitan" typically refers to dark Faerie jinn but is also used to refer to Infernal jinn in general, the specific tribe of jinn known as Shaitan, and in many cases to Iblis himself.

The sahir summoning art of Sihr is defined in its scope by its limitation of summoning only jinn (see Chapter 3: The Order of Suleiman). In this book, the term jinni refers specifically to the collective group of supernatural spirits (in Latin, genii) that inhabit the Islamic lands and are integral to wider Arab culture.

This definition includes jinn aligned to the Faerie Realm, as well as those genii loci found in Muslim lands aligned to the Magic realm. It also addresses a range of Infernal spirits: true demons of Islamic lands and wider Arab folklore, such as Iblis and his descendents; the ghul*;* and local Middle Eastern examples of demons, such as mazzikim and shedim.

Together they form a collective of entities of varied Realm alignment characterized by the following:

• • They share a common special Free Virtue: Jinni that denotes their unique status.
• • They have True Names that can be learned, even those jinn of low Might Score.
• • They are supernatural spirits native to the lands of the Dar al-Islam: the Levant, Iberia, the Maghreb, Egypt, Arabia, Iraq, Mesopotamia, Persia, and Transoxiana.
• • They have encountered Islam and chosen to accept (Faerie), reject (dark Faerie), ignore (Magic), or oppose (Infernal) the teachings of the Prophet.
• • They almost universally speak and understand Arabic (classical) as an Ability, Pretense, or via magic — rare ancient jinn may speak Aramaic, Hebrew or lost Semitic languages.
• • They have the Ability (or Pretense, if Faerie jinn) Theology: Islam (jinn) as part of their exposure to and incorporation into Arab culture.
• • They have some supernatural power that allows them to remain hidden when desired — either invisibility, immateriality, illusory form, or the ability to shapechange into animal guise.

Ultimately, the storyguide is the final arbiter on what is a jinni and what is not a jinni*.* Specific Faerie or Infernal jinni may not rigidly conform to the guidelines presented here if it suits their concept or role to be an exception — this may include select Hermetic and Heroic Virtues and Flaws at the discretion of the storyguide. Each jinni is an individual with his own unique place in the story. Be creative.

Ghosts, demons that are not specifically Infernal jinn, and the European spirits of the Faerie and Magic Realm familiar to Hermetic magi are definitely not jinn. Creatures of Virtue and other physical creatures with a Might score are also not jinn.

Most jinn who interact regularly with humans possess the Faerie Speech Minor Virtue or an equivalent power such as the Minor Heroic Virtue Gift of Tongues instead, giving them the ability to converse in all spoken languages. Some of the rarely-encountered pre-Islamic jinn may claim to speak only Aramaic, or some other ancient Semitic language.

Jinn frequently have Second Sight and a Greater Malediction stating that, when it enters a bargain, it is bound to the agreed terms unless its partner reneges first. The supernatural nature of jinn is usually apparent to regular humans and some animals, such as cats, dogs and horses, although this is reflected in different Flaws for jinn of different Realms as noted later. Many humanoid jinn possess one or more of the Skinchanger Minor Virtue and the Ways of the Land (Desert or, less commonly, Mountains or Plains) and the Greater Immunity: Fire Major Virtues.

As spiritual beings, jinn must possess the Donning the Corporeal Veil Power (for Magic jinn) or a similar power, such as Coagulation (for Infernal jinn) or an equivalent (for Faerie jinn), in order to create a physical body that can interact with material beings. Some minor jinn, such as the Faerie jann and the Infernal ghul, are spirits locked into a physical form, but they can shapechange into at least one other form or become insubstantial or invisible for short periods of time.

Jinn are generally considered extremely long-lived (equivalent to the effects of the Faerie Blood Minor Virtue) but are not always immortal, and many lesser jinn have the Age Quickly Major Flaw rather than being truly immortal spirits.

Not all jinn have Confidence, but many Faerie jinn possess the Reputation as Confidence Virtue, which grants Confidence to be used for specific actions re-

Jinni names, while similar to those of the humans of the Mythic Middle East, have their own peculiarities. Generally, such names fall into several broad categories and follow conventions similar to other Arab names including the use of nasab, kunya and nisbas. Only the more powerful ranks of jinn such as the *'*afrit and marid have multiple names, often using an honorific name to describe their greatness (laqab) (see the Appendix for further details on names).

The first group of names includes those jinn named after common animals of which they can assume the shape, particularly in the case of Faerie jinn. Such names include:

Af'aa ("Snake"), Arnab ("Hare"), Baghl ("Mule"), Fa'r ("Mouse"), Feel ("Elephant"), Hemaar ("Donkey"), Hesaan ("Horse"), Jamal ("Camel"), Kalb ("Dog"), Maa'ez ("Goat"), Nasr ("Vulture"), Qett ("Cat"), and so forth. Many Magic jinn are named after the natural feature they are associated with as their locus: Amirat al-Jabal ("lady emir of the mountain"), Ighraq al-Siq ("torrent of the gorge"). Others have titular names or nicknames (nisba): 'Abd al-Qinnina ("slave of the bottle"), Bali' al-Ard ("swallower of the ground"), al-Damawi ("the bloody"), al-Ghazzalin ("the weaver"), al-Khalil ("the Empty One"), al-Malik ("the king"), al-Qatil ("the slayer").

Finally, many Faerie jinn have names that seem almost human but have an unreal or dissonant quality to them, for example: Anees al-Galees, Jerjees, Kabikaj, Kharrat, Khyron, Qumqam, Singam, Sakr, Zamzam, Zarmabaha. Troupes are encouraged to generate these latter names by changing some of the letters of Arabic, Aramaic, Turkish or Persian names at random.

King Suleiman was granted dominion over all jinn by God and many sahirs believe that the Art of Sihr is directly descended from his powers. Legends speak of a codex written by the prophet containing the True Names of all jinn, a priceless treasure for any summoner. The list can reputedly update and edit itself magically as jinn are born and die.

Some sahirs claim to have found fragments of Suleiman's list amidst the pages of other books dealing with (Realm) Lore — pages on which archaic names sometimes disappear or emerge between readings. Whether these pages are truly fragments of the greater list or Faerie books created from the legend is unclear — not all the names appear to be genuine True Names. Both Hermetic magi and sahirs may seek to recover such fragments in the hope of reconstructing either the whole text or discovering the means of capturing the True Names of new jinn*.*

lated to their roles, similar to the Ferocity Virtue of animals. Some Infernal jinn have lost the ability to act contrary to the dictates of their passions, transforming into true terrestrial demons, and thus lack a Confidence score.

Although jinn appear to possess free will, Islamic scholars believe this may not be true. The Ghul and Shaitan tribes have already made a choice to side with evil and this decision is reflected in their predominantly dark Faerie nature. Those individual Infernal jinn who have become true demons have sacrificed their free will on becoming irrevocably aligned with Iblis and the Infernal. Faerie jinn may act as if they have freedom but, in truth, their choices are restrained by the roles and stories they inhabit.

All jinn claim a common origin in Jinnistan. Some sahirs and scholars speculate that this means jinn began as creatures of the Magic Realm born with free will, and

This lesser jinni has been created as an example starting magus-level character using the full rules from Realms of Power: Faerie. The selection of skills and particular powers are designed to be useful for a party traveling through the Mythic Middle East. His need for vitality and human interaction to recover Might points provide a strong hook to involve him in adventures and active stories, making him a good choice to accompany magi as a guide throughout the area covered by this book.

Jumayl may be found in any major city in the region or even the ports of the Levant, but he favors the bustling markets around the fortress of al-Mushaqqar in Bahrayn (see Chapter 6: Mythic Arabia), where well-paid work and cheap alcohol can be easily found.

Jumayl

Faerie Might: 15 (Vim)

Characteristics: Int –1, Per +2, Pre 0, Com 0, Str +2, Sta +0, Dex +2, Qik +3

Size: 0

Age: appears 25 Confidence: 1 (3)

Virtues and Flaws: Jinni, Pass as Human; Greater Powers x2, Ostentatious; Faerie Speech, Highly Cognizant, Humanoid Faerie, Increased Faerie Might x2, Improved Characteristics, Reputation as Confidence (caravan guard), Second Sight, Skinchanger, Warrior, Well-Traveled, Wilderness Sense; Greater Malediction (keep any bargain made), Might Recovery Requires Vitality; Carefree, Dutybound (Bedouin honor code), Traditional Ward (Bismillah Invocation), Vulnerable to Folk Tradition.

Personality Traits: Impulsive +3, Cheerful +3, Impious –1

Reputation: Skilled Caravan guard 2 (Mythic Middle East)

Combat:

Long Sword: Init +5, Attack +14, Defense +9, Damage +8

Soak: +3

**Wound Penalties: –1 (1–5), –3 (6–10), –5 (11–15), Incapacitated (16–**20), Dead (21+)

Pretenses: Animal Handling 3 (camels), Athletics 3 (running), Mythic Middle East Lore 4 (trade routes), Awareness 3 (alertness), Brawl 3 (dagger), Bows 5 (short bow), Carouse 2 (power drinking), Faerie Speech 5, al-Mushaqqar Lore 2 (drinking establishments), Faerie Lore 3 (jinn), Folk Ken 4 (mercenaries), Leadership 4 (battle), Ride 3 (camels), Second Sight 3 (jinn), Single Weapon 7 (long sword), Survival 2 (deserts), Theology: Islam 1 (jinn), Wilderness Sense 3 (find water).

Powers:

Cuirass of the Zephyr, 1 point, Init +3, Auram; as Circling Winds of Protection with Duration of Recitation / Qira'a (as long as Jumayl keeps reciting verses of the Qur'an — equivalent to Concentration).

Blinding Light of the Pious, 1 point, Init +3, Ignem; as Flash of the Scarlet Flames.

Tay al-Ard (Travel), 4 points, Init +1, Corpus; this power instantly transports Jumayl and 2 individuals he holds hands with from one location to another that he has visited before or has an Arcane Connection to, regardless of distance. As Leap of Homecoming, with R: Touch, T: Group, 45 spell levels, 1 Intricacy point spent on reduced cost.

Equipment: a fine damascene steel long sword, leather scale caravan guard armor, flashy jewelry

Vis: 3 pawns of Vim vis, camel's tooth

Appearance: Jumayl ("little camel") is a comely, lithe man of uncertain oriental appearance, alabaster skin and white hair. One eye is iridescent green, the other ocean blue. He favors swirling robes dyed a deep blue color over light leather armor, highlighted by gold jewelry.

This jinni*,* one of the jann*,* is a mercenary guide, forced to wander from caravanserai to caravanserai along the trade routes of the Levant, Arabia, Persia, Transoxiana, and beyond for a crime his brother committed. An excellent swordsman and skilled outdoorsman, he is well known among the Muslim merchants and even Levantine Redcaps for his easy-going nature and bravado in defending caravans from raiders and brigands. Like most Faerie jinn*,* he can change into an animal form — in his case, a white wild Bactrian camel using his Skinchanger Virtue.

Although immune to Fatigue like other faeries, Jumayl is unusually susceptible to the effects of mundane alcohol — a weakness that helps him to play his role within stories along the caravan routes. Unlike most faeries, due to his Might Recovery Requires Vitality Flaw, his Might points, once spent, can only recover if he gets a full night's rest and eats a meal in the company of fellow travelers. This must be done within a human community, eating travel rations or caravanserai meals, drinking beverages fermented by humans and listening to humans sing or tell tales about their travels. For every eight hours the character rests, he recovers a number of Might Points equal to the prevailing Aura as modified by the Realm Interaction Table, or 1, whichever is greater. He does not actually need to eat or drink however. Jumayl knows enough about wizards to avoid leaving Arcane Connections carelessly and keeps his True Name a close secret.

His powers have been created as Greater Powers but could readily be reduced to Lesser Powers to downgrade him to a standard companion if his Ostentatious Major Virtue, 2 Increased Faerie Might Minor Virtues and Highly Cognizant Minor Virtues were also dropped. In this case, his Might Recovery Requires Vitality Major Flaw should be replaced with three Minor Flaws. Alternatively, if used as an NPC, his Virtues and Flaws do not need to balance and further powers with illusions or summoning animals could be added.

changed their Realm alignment to either Faerie or the Infernal only after interacting with humanity and coming into contact with Islam, losing their free will in the process.

The fact of the matter is unclear jinn may only appear to change Realms. For example, a Magic jinni of a local geographic feature may be replaced by a Faerie jinni created through stories of its interactions with nearby Muslims. Alternatively an Infernal jinni*,* attracted by the potential for sin created by the presence of pagan Magic spirit, may destroy the original genius loci and take its place. To common folk and even magi, the jinni may appear to have changed Realms as the new spirit assumes the name, appearance, and role of the original entity.

Those jinn who profess to have submitted to or rejected Islam are aligned to the Faerie Realm. Often referred to as pious and impious jinn, their religious behavior is a sham required by their roles in that they appear to uphold or illustrate Islam's tenets as an example or challenge to humans. This type of jinni is the one most likely to be involved with mundanes and they are frequently encountered in the Mythic Middle East.

These creatures often live in groups like humans and mimic the behavior and culture of their mundane neighbors, often appearing as merchants, shepherds and nomads, although city-dwelling jinn are frequently encountered in the farther reaches of the Mythic Middle East. Such jinn generally live in close proximity to humans but in places humans find inhospitable: deserts, ruins, wastelands, and abandoned houses, or in wells, cisterns, latrines, and other taboo places. Together they comprise a group of Faeries involved in meddling with humans in a variety of boundary stories, whether physically or philosophically, but most commonly representing tales concerned with social distinctions or adulthood.

Most of these Faerie-aligned jinn share the following Virtues and Flaws in addition to those noted earlier for all jinn: Eidolon,

Beloved by his master, a young Bedouin sahir named Salih al-Kamil, this jinni takes the form of an exceptional Arabian stallion renowned for his racing ability. His magical travel powers and lack of fatigue allow him to cheat during the dust and confusion of longer desert races. This gives his master great status and pride, feeding his need for Vitality, but is also the source of continual harassment from horse breeders wishing to mate their mares in the hope of producing talented offspring. As they are unaware of the Faerie nature of the horse, such suitors do not realize that time out at stud deprives his master of his magical aid and that such unions will always be unsuccessful in producing foals.

Bali' al-Ard

Faerie Might: 5 (Animal)

Characteristics: Int –2, Per 0, Pre +2, Com –4, Str +4, Sta +3, Dex +1, Qik +5 (racing)*

* Denotes the specialty for Mythic Quickness.

Size: +2

Confidence Score 1 (3)

Virtues and Flaws: Jinni*,* Faerie Beast; Greater Power; Great Quickness x2, Improved Characteristics, Mythic Quickness (racing)*, Personal Power x2, Reputation as Confidence; Curse of Venus, Greater Malediction (keep any bargain made); Proud (Minor), Incognizant, Traditional Ward (Bismillah Invocation), Tragic Intelligence (easily tricked)

* Although a Heroic Virtue, this Virtue is allowed, being integral to the Faerie racehorse concept.

Qualities: Domesticated, Fast Runner, Herd Animal, Imposing Appearance x3

Personality Traits: Proud +3, Loyal +2, Brave +1

Reputations: Magnificent racehorse 3 (local)

Combat:

Hooves: Init +6, Attack +3, Defense +4,

Damage +5

Soak: +3

Wound Penalties: –1 (1–7), –3 (8–14), –5 (15–21), Incapacitated (22–28), Dead (29+)

Pretenses: Arabic 5 (horses), Athletics 6 (racing), Awareness 3 (bad footing), Theology: Islam 1 (jinn)

Powers:

Drinker of the Wind, 1 points, Init +1, Animal; This power instantly transports ' al-Ard from one location to another within seven leagues that he can see or has an Arcane Connection to. As Seven League Stride but as a non-Hermetic effect allows the rider to accompany him to fulfill his racehorse role. Greater Power, 30 spell levels, 2 Intricacy points spent on Initiative and 2 Intricacy points spent on reduced Might cost.

Immateriality, 3 points, Init +2, Imaginem; Makes him immaterial until sunrise or nightfall. Personal Power, 40 spell levels, 1 Intricacy point spent on Initiative, and 1 Intricacy point spent on reduced Might cost

Equipment: exceptional quality tack and harness, coppery gold horseshoes

Vis: 1 pawn of Animal vis, copper horseshoe

Appearance: Bali' al-Ard (Arabic, "The Swallower of the Ground"), appears as a magnificent example of an Arabian stallion, a breed famed throughout the Mythic Middle East and even in far-off Europe.

This jinni can only assume animal form although he is able to become immaterial. He is an example of a potential khadim (servant spirit) of a beginning unGifted sahir with only limited scores in the Solomonic Arts. See Chapter 3: The Order of Suleiman for more details of khadim and sahir.

Bali is not balanced for use as a starting player character and is based on an Arabian racing horse — essentially a modified courser. Like all horses he gains a +3 to running rolls.

There we saw a man casting his net to catch fish, and presently he pulled them up and behold, in them was a cucurbite of copper, stopped with lead and sealed with the signet of Solomon, son of David, on whom be peace! He brought the vessel to land and broke it open, when there came forth a smoke, which rose a twisting blue to the zenith, and we heard a horrible voice, saying, 'I repent! I repent! Pardon, O Prophet of Allah! I will never return to that which I did aforetime.' Then the smoke became a terrible Giant frightful of form, whose head was level with the mountaintops, and he vanished from our sight...

— Tale of the "The City of Brass," The Thousand and One Nights

Folk tales abound in Eastern folklore of poor fisherman who cast their nets into the ocean, calling upon God's aid only to pull in strange and ancient bottles. Termed "cucurbites" and known to the peasant folk as Suleimanic Bottles, these vessels are gourd-shaped copper flasks sealed with a lead plug embossed with the Seal of Suleiman. When the stopper is removed, a jinni issues forth, either thankful or wrathful toward its rescuer, but always a potential source of wealth or woe. In some tales the prison is in the form of a seal ring, or, most famously, a humble battered lamp. The origin of these mystical containers is unclear — some may indeed represent pre-Islamic jinn bound by Suleiman in ancient days, while other examples may represent echoes of the legends of spirits bound by his magical descendants and contemporary sorcerers.

So popular has this motif become in Arab folklore that a particular type of Faerie jinn, the Bottles of Suleiman, have become associated with this story, taking the form of the vessels themselves. Typically involved in stories about the Bringing of Riches and Humility (Realms of Power: Faerie, page 79), these liminal entities can be found anywhere along the shorelines of Islamic lands, usually near the villages of poor fishermen.

'Abd al-Qininna, a servile Bottle of Suleiman 'afrit

Faerie Might: 30 (Imaginem)

Characteristics: Int —, Per +2, Pre +2, Com

0, Str +4, Sta +2, Dex +1, Qik +1

Size: +3 (in *'*afrit form)

Confidence Score: 1 (3 points)

Virtues and Flaws: Jinn, Monstrous Appearance, ; External Vis (Major: copper cucurbite, grants Self-Confident), Greater Power x2 (Tay al-Ard, Flight), Ritual Power x4 (Binding Oath, Grant: Wealthy); Faerie Speech, Improved Powers x2, Lesser Powers x4, Narrowly Cognizant, Reputation as Confidence*; Intangible Flesh, Sovereign Ward (Bismillah)

Personality Traits: Proud +3, Sly +3, Cruel +2

Reputations: Terrifyingly magical +3 Pretenses: Penetration 6, Theology: Islam 1 (jinn)

Powers:

Binding Oath, 5 points, Init –19, Vim; Voice, Penetration +15; Upon "releasing" the apparently captive 'afrit from its prison, the rescuer can bargain for a set three wishes or a length of conditional service depending on the personality of the individual Faerie jinni, provided he agrees to destroy the cucurbite and permanently release the jinni from captivity. 50 levels, Ritual Power, 5 Intricacy points spent on reduced cost.

Eidolon, 2 points, Init –2, Imaginem; This power allows the Suleimanic Bottle to manifest its glamour both as the prop known as a cucurbite that appears to contain its essence and then in a second form as a towering humanoid column of smoke issuing from the mouth of its prison. 20 spell levels, selected twice.

Illusionary Home, 4 points, Init –4, Imaginem; Creates a sumptuous phantasmal palace for the bearer of the cucurbite. 40 spell levels.

Flight, 3 points, constant, Auram, Touch; 30 spell levels as Wings of the Soaring Wind. Loosely Material, variable points, Init –5, Corpus; The spirit can form either a simple physical manifestation of its cucurbite that can be touched by a potential master or add substance to its 'afrit form so it can bear loads, invoke Touch range powers or engage in combat at the request of its master. 25 spell levels.

Tay al-Ard (Travel), 4 points, Init +1, Corpus; This power instantly transports the 'afrit and others it carries from one location to another that the bearer of its cucurbite has visited before or has an Arcane Connection to, regardless of distance. As Leap of Homecoming, with R: Touch, T: Group. 50 spell levels, 1 Intricacy point spent on reduced cost.

Serendipitous Wealth, 10 points, Init –9, Terram; This power seemingly grants the effects of the Wealthy Virtue, but similar to the Wealth of Nations power of False Gods, summons treasure from somewhere else. (See Realms of Power: The Infernal, page 37). 50 spell levels, Ritual Power (Grant: Wealthy), 5 Intricacy points spent on cost.

Vis: 6 pawns of Imaginem, concentrated in its cucurbite prop

Appearance: These Faeries initially appear as their cucurbite, a solid gourd-shaped flask of copper, using their Eidolon and Loosely Material powers. They shift into their smoky column form only when the Seal of Suleiman stoppering their apparent prison is disturbed. This latter form consists of a giant human torso of unnatural color, often red, but sometimes blue or green, surmounted by a monstrous face with horns or jagged teeth. To the inexperienced observer, this fearsome manifestation appears to be the actual faerie, although in reality the jinni remains an insubstantial spirit beneath the illusion.

Bottles of Suleiman is not suitable as player characters due to their unbalanced power and their limited independent potential in stories. Only an exceptionally experienced sahira would be able to bind this powerful version as a spirit companion using the khadim bond, although lesser examples of this type of jinn may be attractive to younger sahira. This jinni is primarily inspired by the stories "The Fisherman and the Jinni" and "The City of Brass."

Loosely Material, Intangible Flesh, and Traditional Ward (Bismillah Invocation), or rarely, Sovereign Ward (Bismillah Invocation). These jinn commonly have powers associated with illusions, flight, shape changing (into animals, whirlwinds or other humans), and travel, rather than the elemental-themed powers of their Magic cousins. Many Faerie jinn suffer from the Minor Flaws Dutybound (Bedouin hospitality), Vulnerable to Brass, Vulnerable Magic (mua'addhin's call) and/or Vulnerable to Folk Tradition. Unlike most other faeries, Faerie jinn possess True Names as noted earlier, even if they have a low Might Score.

The minor Faerie jinn known as jann are highly dependent on human interaction and differ from their cousins in that they must have a physical form, although every janni can transform into at least one other shape, usually an animal. Such lesser Faerie jinn have the following Virtues and Flaws: Humanoid Form, Pass as Human, Dutybound (Bedouin hospitality), Restricted Might Recovery, Traditional Ward: Bismillah Invocation.

Examples of Faerie jinn with details of some of the Virtues, Flaws and powers mentioned earlier include the Bottles of Suleiman, Faerie ghulas*,* Hesaan the racehorse, and the janni Mythic Companionlevel character, Jumayl, detailed nearby.

Faerie jinni counterparts to many European faeries exist within the Mythic Middle East and can be adapted for use in a saga set in the Mythic Middle East, see the Faerie Bestiary of Realms of Power: Faeries, pages 70–83, for further details.

Pre-Islamic Jinn

Long ago during al-Jahiliyya, the pre-Islamic times of the past, Faerie jinn claiming Jewish and Christian beliefs were common. Even in the days before the Great Deluge, the jinn are purported to have followed the original monotheistic religion of Adam. Such jinn would be also considered Faerie rather than Magic in alignment, but are seemingly rare in the thirteenth century.

Many jinn are said to have been imprisoned in ancient times by the Suleiman. These jinn either declare their faith

in the older forms of religion when encountered or else claim to have converted to Islam somehow during their captivity. Such ancient Faerie jinn can be difficult to distinguish from the elemental jinn noted later, even for experienced sahirs, and play roles in stories about discoveries of the past and the fleeting nature of mortal achievements.

Jinn that show little interest in the affairs of mankind or the message of the Prophet are typically aligned with the Magic Realm. Referred to as pagan or heathen (kaffir, "unbeliever") jinn, these elemental spirits are tied to specific landscape features in the wilderness that lies between the major settlements of Arab civilization across Persia, the Holy land, North Africa, and southern Iberia. This natural feature may be an oasis pool, a mountain or a stretch of desert. These spirits are true genii loci, only able to leave their feature through transferring their locus to an individual or object through a form of magical bargain, and may reflect the most ancient and original manifestation of jinn — spirits defined by their geographic identity rather than their reflection of and interaction with Islamic culture.

Some of these pagan jinn claim to represent pre-Islamic divinities worshiped by the Arabs in ancient times or ancient powers of long lost races and cultures, but they are not dependent on human vitality like their Faerie counterparts. As Islam spread, other initially non-Arab Magic spirits were forced to adapt, accepting additional Inferiorities in return for retaining their places of power or else evolving into Faerie or Infernal versions of their former manifestations like the Forest Spirits of ancient Germany (see Chapter 3: The Forest of Guardians of the Forest for further ideas).

As primal Magic creatures, many have strong elemental ties. They are aligned with one of the classical elemental Forms of Auram, Aquam, Ignem and Terram and can be affected by the appropriate El-

The creature 'Abd al-Qininna reflects a reasonably powerful version of this motif — an *'*afrit able to drastically change the fortunes of the poor man who releases it. In contrast, the simplest and least powerful of this class may possess only the Eidolon power, have much diminished characteristics and merely dissipate upon release with a great show of imagery and an exclamation in praise of Allah and Suleiman. These lesser jinn feed off the vitality shed by the simple wonder of the common fisherman before dissolving their cucurbite or projecting an illusion of it washing back out to sea in the confusion caused.

Although bottles are the commonest form for the cucurbite prop, similar Faerie jinni prisons have been described that manifest as brass rings, bowls, or most famously as a battered lamp. The creature portrayed in the Aladdin story would be more powerful than the one described here, perhaps with a Might of 50 or more and extra magical powers. An intermediate example with a Faerie Might of only 20 would simulate the "Slave of the Ring" in the Tale of Aladdin or one of the lesser jinni initially called upon by Suleiman to fetch the throne of Balqis, Queen of Sheba.

Three Wishes?

Many captive Faerie jinn are compelled by their story to bargain or create a contract with their rescuer. Typically, such jinn offer three wishes, within their power, using their Binding Oath Ritual Power. The price of the compact is usually the promise of release from further imprisonment once service has been rendered. Breaking the contract inflicts a Major Flaw. Depending on how carefully the party promising release has couched the terms of the contract, this Flaw may either allow the 'afrit to angrily depart, cursing its arrogant rescuer with a poor reputation (Faerie Antipathy, Major) or to remain and torment the foolish knave until driven off (Plagued by Supernatural Entity).

Those experienced in the bargains of jinn, possessing a Faerie Lore score of 6 or greater or one of the applicable summoning Arts or Accelerated Abilities at 11 or more, know to include the appropriate caveats to prevent the latter occurrence. These individuals are also aware of the correct formulae to command the released Faerie back into its prison, successfully ending the story safely. Of course, the knowledge of what to use the third and final wish for does not protect against the temptation of greed.

emental Summoning Art, although they have true intelligence and are not considered simple elementals. Other jinn embody the living Herbam aspects of nature. Such Magical jinn, being Magical Spirits, need not eat or drink and do not age unless they suffer from the optional Age Quickly Flaw.

These elemental creatures are the type of jinn most commonly summoned by both non-Hermetic and Hermetic sahirs and are generally the most easy to identify as jinn using either Magic Lore or an appropriate Area Lore (see Chapter 3: The Order of Suleiman). Each has a mandatory Ways of the (Land) Virtue and Magical Air Flaw. These jinn may possesses some or all of the following Powers: Donning the Corporeal Veil (at least once for humanoid form, although additional animal forms are common), Guide, Manifestation and Presence. Crafter of (Form) and/or Ruler of (Form) are common among greater genii loci but optional for lesser jinn. The most powerful examples of these pagan jinn are true Daimons (see Realms of Power: Magic, page 110). The jinni Wahhab is an example of a Pagan jinn (see Houses of Hermes: Societates, page 135).

Unlike their Faerie and Infernal cousins, Magic jinn are not automatically susceptible to the Bismillah Invocation, although many of the less powerful entities possess a Minor Flaw mechanically equivalent to the Traditional Ward (Bismillah Invocation) of their Faerie cousins. Some of the more powerful entities with greater familiarity with the teachings of Islam, as represented by a Theology: Islam score of 3 or more, may even feign submissiveness to catch an unsuspecting sahir off-guard.

The great Daimon of the Empty Quarter, Al-Khalil, mentioned in Chapter 6: Mythic Arabia, the jinni at the base of the Whirlpool of Uballa (Chapter 7: Mythic Mesopotamia) or the feared ruler of the Taklimakan (Chapter 9: On the Silk Road) would all be appropriate to design as powerful Magic jinn.