The Ireem Chronicles

Sage approached me today with a rather troubling request. It would appear that many of the humans of Ireem do not know what a djinn is, so she has asked me to write an article to explain. I find it my duty as djinn leader to clear up some common misunderstandings, and perhaps give you a small glimpse into what it is like to be a djinn.

First and foremost, we are not quite the same as demons. Some of us are evil, and some of us are good. Most of us fall somewhere in the middle. Like forces of nature, we are hard to control, difficult to explain, and can be both harmful and beneficial, depending on our mood and our personalities.

Another common mistake is that we are the same as the magi, since we can both 'do magic'. This could not be further from the truth. Most magi are humans who learn to channel magic though long hours of book study and practice. (And despite what some may tell you, they are not to be trusted!) Djinn simply ARE magical beings, and our power flows though our very veins. Over the centuries, as we grow older, our powers evolve naturally without much concern for study.

Perhaps some of you, while not familiar with the term 'djinn', know us by our English name, 'genie.' That name may get you thinking about stories of people who live in bottles and grant wishes. To set the record straight, most of us do not live in bottles (at least not full time), although it is quite possible for us to do so. We can create our own little pocket dimension in there, and some djinni bottles are quite large and fancy on the inside, almost like a palace. However, being trapped inside a bottle, no matter how large and nice the inside may be, gets boring after a while. Most of us prefer roaming about. As for granting wishes... well, those of us who have the power to do so (and not all djinn do) are usually very selective about who we grant them to.

So where did the djinn come from? Legends say that while mankind was created of earth, and angels of pure light, the djinn were created of smokeless fire. We possess free will, just like humans do. We have children, but not nearly as often as mortals, since our lives are quite long, spanning many centuries. It is said that there are more djinn than humans, but we have never bothered to actually count. Most of us are invisible to mortal eyes, living in sort of a realm parallel to the human world. Some of us never take solid form, instead acting as spirits to either protect and help humans, or cause trouble for them. When we do take a form that humans can see, this form can vary widely. Most of us can shapeshift and create illusions, so when you meet a djinn be aware that some things may not be what they seem.

The djinn are divided up into different tribes, the largest ones being the Marid, the Ifrit, the Jann, the Shaitan, the Jinn, and the Ghul. I could write a whole other article explaining the differences between these tribes, but for now I will simply say that we are of many different shapes, and many different tempers. No two djinn are exactly alike.

I do hope I have clarified some things for the people of Ireem. Salaam, and safe travels to you.

-Nakira of the Jann, Djinn leader.