Genie, Tasked, Harim Servant
CLIMATE/TERRAIN: Any
FREQUENCY: Very rare
ORGANIZATION: Solitary
ACTIVITY CYCLE: Any
DIET: Omnivore
INTELLIGENCE: High (13-14)
TREASURE: W
ALIGNMENT: Lawful neutral
NO. APPEARING: 1
ARMOR CLASS: 4
MOVEMENT: 12
HIT DICE: 7
THAC0: 13
NO. OF ATTACKS: 2
DAMAGE/ATTACK: 1d10/1d10 or by weapons
SPECIAL ATTACKS: See below
SPECIAL DEFENSES: See below
MAGIC RESISTANCE: 10%
SIZE: L (8 ft. tall)
MORALE: Champion (15-16)
XP VALUE: 1,400
Harim servant genies serve many purposes. Though they guard the women of a harim, the genies also entertain the women and perform minor tasks around the harim area. Most harim servants are male. They are tall and muscular, but not especially handsome. They usually dress in well-made clothing of fine fabric, yet in simple designs.
Tasked harim servants are desired by many powerful harim owners of all races, including other genies. When they work for other genies, they tend to be less protectors and guardians, and more menial servants. Thus, most enjoy working for lesser beings, because it builds their own importance.
Combat: Tasked harim servants can cast each of the following spells three times per day: cantrip, control temperature 10’ radius, mending, minor creation, and major creation. They can cast alarm and create food and water once each per day. Harim servants cast spells as if they are 9th level wizards or priests, and they use spells to protect, entertain, and serve the women of the harim.
Tasked harim servants are also versed in melee combat. They normally carry two weapons, often a pair of great scimitars. Due to their size, strength, and skill, they have no problem wielding both weapons at the same time. Without weapons, a tasked harim servant attacks with fists.
Habitat/Society: Tasked harim servants are usually males who act almost in a fatherly manner toward their charges, seeking to guide, protect, and help. Female harim servants are strong matrons who seek to bring order to the harim. Both genders demand respect and do not hesitate to punish unruliness, though they generally try to combat problems by offering caring and a sense of family.
The genies take care of all the needs of the women, from mending and cooking to guarding and foot-bathing. They use cantrip liberally for cleaning and entertainment, using other spells as necessary to increase the comfort of the harim. They have nonweapon proficiencies in healing, sewing, cooking, and local and ancient history. The genies also serve as storytellers, entertaining with legends, tales of genies, and amusing jokes. Some tasked harim servants have other skills, such as singing or dancing, which they can teach to the harim women.
Harim servants demand little pay, receiving gratification from doing a good job, as well as the adoration of their “daughters”. Besides a little pay and good treatment, these genies also require good treatment for the harim, though they answer to the harim’s master, the genies tend to develop an emotional attachment to the members of the harim.
If any of a genie’s requirements are not met, or if it is bound to service, it twists its duties toward other purposes. It becomes less a servant to the harim master, and more a servant to the harim members. The genie becomes a friend and confidant, keeping the secrets of the harim women. While the genie follows the letter of his orders, he will seek to avoid the spirit. For instance, the genie might choose not to see one of the women sneaking away to meet a paramour.
In some rare instances, the genie might aid a woman to escape or pursue an affair, or may even become a paramour himself. These occurrences may meet the needs of the harim women, but will most definitely irritate the harim master. The offense to the genie or his charges must be great before actions like these are taken.
Other genies do not approach the women of a harim protected by a tasked genie, unless the harim servant genie chooses to allow them access (for example, if the harim master is cruel, and the tasked genie knows another genie who will help and protect one of the harim women). There are a few tasked genies devoted to looking after the men of a selama. They have similar attitudes to harim servants, wishing the best for their charges and for the whole selama.
Ecology: Tasked harim servants get along well with most lesser races, particularly the women. Since they are so attuned to the needs of the harim, they can often empathize with women they encounter outside the harim. If asked for advice, however, they do have a-tendency to suggest clothing and actions more suited to a harim girl than to an adventurer or merchant, and they often try to pamper and guide women they meet.
A tasked harim servant goes insane if his harim is taken away from him or harmed severely, feeling that he has failed them. These often become tasked slayers.
Originally appeared in City of Delights (1993).
