Genie, Jann (Quasielemental)

Description

Like their distant relatives, the Jann, the Jann Si’ar and the Jann I’san are genies composed of not one, but four elements. In their case, however, these being the positive and negative Quasielements, respectively. Their origins unknown, thought at times to be servants of long dead elemental princes, or perhaps rebellious Jann tribes who forsook their more powerful genie masters, they make a strong influence upon society in the Inner Planes, causing disorder and chaos where they strike.

Combat

Like their more “mundane” kin, the regular elemental Jann, Jann Si’ar and I’san prefer to use great scimitars and composite bows in combat. The evil Jann Si’ar, slightly stronger than their positive cousins, enjoy exeptional strength scores varying between 18/51 and 18/00, their cousins reaching merely 18/90, their weakest being 18. All hit probability and damage adjustments resulting from exceptional strength are applied as normal.

Furthermore, an ability reserved solely to the Jann Si’ar, is an electrical discharge that occurs whenever they strike any other creature. The damage by such a discharge is 1d4+1and affects all creatures susceptible to such attacks.

Jann Si’ar and I’san both sport spell-like powers, performed at the 12th level of ability (unless noted otherwise).

1. Twice per day Jann Si’ar and I’san can increase or decrease their own size, or the size of an individual they touch. The maximum size is 24 feet, and the minimum being 2 inches. Unwilling targets are granted a saving throw vs. spells.
2. Twice per day, Si’ar Jann can increase their speed, doubling movement and attacks, affecting as the use of oil of speed would.
3. Both are capable of casting create food and water as a 7th level priest (creating 7 cubic feet of food and water).
4. They may transmute elemental material from one elemental to another. Jann Si’ar may transmute any elemental material into one of the positive Quasielements, and the Jann I’san may do so, changing elemental material into one of the negative Quasielements.
5. Last, Jann Si’ar and I’san may become ethereal once per day, for a maximum of one hour.

Additionally, Jan Si’ar and I’san can breath underwater and fly at will, with no effect on their other abilities, and are naturally immune to the effects of the natural surrounding of their positive or negative Quasielements, respectfully.

Habitat/Society

Quasielemental Jann society is a nomadic one, with larger and smaller tribes roaming the Quasielemental planes. They raid and foray occasionally into nearby planes and the prime, however they never remain there long, preferring the desolate wastes in their home planes in the long run.

Society is based around the importance of the tribe and the extended family, and the individual’s role within. Every extended family is ruled by a patriarchal or matriarchal authority called a Sheik, that is usually, but not always, the strongest and the eldest.

A number of extended families, connected usually by ties of blood and ancient pacts, make up a tribe, which is in turn ruled by a Malik and the Ulama of the tribes. The Sheik is the patriarch of one of the strong families who rules by popular concession, and who has the support of the other major family leaders and Sheiks.

The Sheik decides on all matters worldly, including where to roam, who to raid and what to do with the spoils – leaving matters religious and spiritual to the Ulama – the wise men, or teachers of the tribes.

Sheiks are usually Jann with 9 Hit Dice and of genius intelligence (17). The Malik is commonly of 10 Hit Dice and of slightly higher intellect (18). The Ulama, numbering usually 1 for every 20 members of the tribe, will be of supra-genius intelligence (20) and will have the full abilities of a 12th level Elementalist, specialized in the four Quasielements of their home-planes. However, the Ulama are also weaker, their lived spent to study and teachings, thus giving them Hit Dice of 6.

Tribes will fight each other over choice raiding grounds, spoils and the control of special or holy locations throughout their home-planes, these usually being places with permanent portals or gates to the Jann Si’ar and I’san holy planes.

An interesting cultural aspect of these wild Jann, is their consideration of specific planes as “Haram” – holy and forbidden. None but their Ulama, their wise men, may enter these planes. For the Jann Si’ar, it is the plane of Radiance, which they also consider to be their plane of birth. Similar sentiments are held by the evil Jann I’san concerning the plane of Vacuum.

On a special note, it seems that every five thousand years or so, an Ulama is found with exceptional skills in battle, as well as in their spiritual matters. This unique individual is then proclaimed messiah, uniting all of his Jann brethren, to wage war upon their opposite cousins from the other side of the Inner Planar ring. Also, these messiahs usually appear in both races simultaneously, bringing massive warfare throughout the elemental planes.

Both Jann Si’ar and Jann I’san have interesting traditions concerning strangers, those being anyone non-Jann. Any stranger coming upon a Jann tribe may ask for refuge – and without question he will be granted Sanctuary for 7 days, treated as an honored guest, if not as close family. However, this comes with a price. The guest must drink a whole cup of a special drink the Jann Si’ar and I’san make, a drink made up of their Quasielements, which acts as a powerful poison, due to the elemental mix. The drink causes immediate 5d6 hp damage, but those who survive are immediately cured by the tribe’s Ulama and accepted into their midst. Guests are expected to help fight with the tribe in combat, but otherwise are treated as guests in all respects.

Once the 7 days of sanctuary are over how the guests are treated depends on the Jann. Jann Si’ar will kindly ask the guests to leave, their stay accepted only if they offer payment in the form of valuable gifts, whilst the Jann I’san will either leave the guests, stranding them, or even outright assault them, robbing them of all their possessions.

Ecology

Considering themselves to be the essence of chaos in the Inner Planes, the Jann Si’ar and I’san spend their time raiding upon other races, including other Genies. Naturally, the Jann Si’ar seek plunder with minimum loss of life, while the Jann I’san revel in the carnage wrought. Both will avoid attacking repeatedly the major forces in the Inner Planes, as well as the larger Genie cities, in order not to step on too many toes and draw more attention than they can handle. Occasionally, they will make raids upon the prime, however this occurs rarely, and only in areas with significant Genie influence, such as Zakhara.