Nightfall
Sage of the Scarred Lands
From the journals of Khallad Emresh, Exalted Brother and favored Ecclesiastic of the Just One.
It has been many moons since I last slept with out fear. My dreams still are haunted by the days spent listening to the laughter of those foul spirits, as they sucked the life and souls away of my comrades. I cannot shake that fear even now, under the roof of Balanced Temple, as I scribe down these words. For I know now that even with my faith and warhammer at my side, I could not save them. Who can from creatures that prey on their dreams? Even the dark goddess of the Night, The Crone Queen, could not be as cruel as these creatures. For in my heart I saw they had no souls. These beings formed of the elements had as much essence and conscience as that of the thunderstorm. Truly they had little care and were as merciless as the progenitor, the foul Titan Mesos. But I misspeak myself, for I start at the end rather than beginning. It began as all mishaps do, in attempting adventure. My comrades and I were a small adventuring band funded by the Balanced Temple and the Exemplars. We had explored many ruins and fought to bring order in places where the reign of barbarism and titan-worship still held sway. While not legendary or awe inspiring, we had considered ourselves adept in our chosen vocations. Our skilled woodsman and tracker, one Darrin Ruun, hailing from the near by village of Kursh, was a fine a guide and woodsman as I had seen. He also had a great loathing of giants, considering them "spawn of Kadum" and was thus determined to see wiped clean from the face of the wilderness. The paladin, one Unther DeBronis, claims the mighty Barconius as a second cousin. While more set on matters of what is right instead of fair and orderly, he was a devout paladin and was one of the handful of candidates ready to receive training from Order of Mithril. Lena, a half elf, was a mystery and even now that she is gone, remains so. What little I knew of her, her father was one of those elves touched by Chern on the distant continent of Termana. Her mother was apparently a human swordarm, for sale to the highest bidder. Lena made her way here to find some answers and meaning, as well practice both her craft of stealth and magics. While I myself find such practice of arcane spells unsettling, since all know that such magics come not from the gods, I found her still an admirable companion and a trustworthy friend. I myself considered only the duty I felt, in trying to bring order this land. My own family has felt the brunt of hardships due to the incursions of these uncivilized and godless creatures. Thus it was to our surprise that we attracted the attention of a small village far to the west, where Doomrim Mountains lay. An request for assistance had reached the church's ear about "strange titanspawn, powerful and magically adept, feeding on people's dreams and souls"; The letter gave directions to the town, called innocently enough, Oaktown. We traveled for many weeks, until we came to our destination. There...oh there the horrors. Before we even made camp for the night, a stranger appeared, looking human enough. Something about his presence made use feel bewitched, at least not to safely consider the implications of such things. Then he started asking us...questions. Nah more like our heartfelt desires. Lena was the first to answer "To be accepted by human and elf alike" Then came those terrible words "As you wish" Instantly Lena changed, from the lovely half elf into a flower of rare beauty...only to be stepped on the fiend! We tried to move, but found we could not. We were still enspelled. Then he turned to Unther."Make your wish!" The paladin screamed 'I wish you dead, foul creature" The creature laughed again, this time changing shape into its true form, that of a hideous near reptilian creature. "Foolish godslave! I am Jinn! By the blood of my father Mesos, no mortal wish can hurt me! I am the instrument of your race's undoing!" With that he twisted Unther neck, snapping it clean off "A waste." Then he turned to Darrin, 'Make your wish human flea, and know that only by this will you be spared death." Darrin must have believed the creature...or hoped any way "I wish to have the power to destroy giants" The Jinn laughed again "As you wish." Suddenly and most horribly, Darrin became one with his powerful sword, that he had called "Giantcleaver". The Jinn took up the weapon "Thus you know the futility of the dreams of revenge human!" Finally he turned to me and hissed "A godslave incarnate! So divine one, have you enough faith to face your dreams, only to watch them die?" I managed to scream hoarsely "My faith is in the Lawgiver! He protects and defends me" The Jinn laughed, a horrible sound that I'll not soon forget. "So you say. But I have fed well this night god devotee. So I offer you this one wish. So choose wisely, then follower of the uspurers. For know that I and my brethren seek your doom" "And so I will seek yours, through the province of my god. My wish is this: That I know your race, that I understand your history and culture, and that I with this knowledge, I will know how to defeat you" The Jinn laughed and he said those words again "As you wish human!" My mind was flooded with knowledge, knowledge of Mesos' experiments, of his creation of the genie races, and his last experiment, that of his Jinn, as a both a weapon and a tool to teach all races respect for arcane magics. Thus did the knowledge nearly consume me...driving me mad. But it exactly only a smaller toll than the guilt that because of me, because of my presence, the Jinn would be ready for the next band I now know fear, but I also know hope. For even though I fear their power, my god and the knowledge I have, will aid others. But still I hear them laughing, and each night I see them, feeding on souls, offering to give wishes to the foolish and weak willed. And I despair, for they will soon have what they need, enough souls to open ways back to their other genie brethren. But I also hope for they cannot sustain themselves forever, locked away in their home near the Doomrim Mountains.
So here are the Jinn!
Large Outsider (Evil)
Hit Dice: 12d8+120 (136 hp)
Initiative: +9 (+5 Dex, +4 Improved Initiative )
Speed: 40 ft., climb 20 ft, flight 60 (perfect)
AC: 28 (+5 Dex, + 12 natural, -1 size, +2 deflection bonus)
Attacks: 2 Claws + 19, Bite +14 or unholy scimitar +2, +21/+16/+11
Damage: Claw 2d4+7, scimitar 1d8+9
Face/Reach: 5ft. by5 ft. / 10 ft.
Special Attacks: Spells, spell-like abilities, consume soul
Special Qualities: telepathy, SR 29, planar mastery, Damage reduction 20/+2, resistances, immunities, fast healing 12, vulnerabilities
Saves: Fort +14, Ref +13, Will +15
Abilities: Str 25, Dex 21, Con 23, Int 24, Wis 25, Cha 18
Skills: Listen +22, Spot + 22, Spellcraft + 26, Hide +20, Move Silently +20, Knowledge (Arcana) +26*, Knowledge (Religion) +26 Knowledge (Nature), +26, Scry +26
Feats: Improved Initiative, Spell Focus: Enchantment, Spell Focus: Transmutation, Spell Penetration
Climate/Terrain: Any mountain or desert
Organization: Solitary, duo, or cabal (3-8)
Challenge Rating: 14
Treasure: Double Standard
Alignment: Always neutral evil
Advancement Range: As character class.
[Editor's note, Jinn receive a +5 racial modifier to their Spellcraft, Scry, and all Knowledge checks]
Description
Before his death, Mesos had become slight obsessed with creating a new race that could not only be powerful spellcasters, but would also be considered something of near godlike power themselves. Thus he focused on wishes, since this power often mimicked that of the gods own power. Finding most other races lacking, he turned to his other children, that of the genies. He took and molded it, granting it greater power as well as infusing it with negative energy, thus feeding of the stuff of the gods, souls. With this he infused a great need for this new genie, he called Jinn. Unfortunately before he could make more than handful, Enkili played his infamous prank and thus triggered the start of Divine War. Now they live in the Doomrim Mountains, hunting what few mortals they can, and also gather souls to use in their scheme to open a new portal to the realms of their brethren genies, hoping to start another Divine War, one in which they will win. The Jinn look like large humanoids, with scaly faces and two tentacles that writhe as they move.
Combat
Jinn prefer trickery and deceit to out right combat. When faced with resistance, the Jinn will fight in hand to hand combat, but always favoring spells to help aid in it&8217;s true mission, to consume souls and grant wishes to bring back Mesos.
Spells(Sp): Can cast spells as a sorcerer equal to it's HD and also cast druid spells at half it's HD. It generally favors spells that use enchantment and/or mind influencing spells along with illusion spells. They also favor spells that will help in getting people to wish.
Spell like abilities (Sp): Casts these spell at will: alter self, detect good, detect magic, see invisibility, gaseous form, misdirection, wall of stone, produce flame, pyrotechnics, invisibility, wind walk, persistent image, enlarge, reduce, speak with animals, summon swarm, rend the sovereign soul*. 3/times a day: limited wish (to any humanoid or monstrous humanoid) wish(as per its limited wish ability), suggestion, dominate monster, call lighting, Enkili's lighting storm*, dispel magic, wall of fire, wall of thorn, wall of stone, great dispelling. 1 per day: awaken lesser titan avatar*, animate dead, finger of death, sever* Consider these spell cast by a 15th level sorcerer. Note that all the wishes it grants to these people will be by the letter BUT always favoring the Jinn itself for any reason.
[Editor's note, spells marked with an asterisk are from the book Relics and Rituals]
Consume Soul(Su): When a Jinn grants a wish, the recipient of the wish must make a Will save (DC 10+ Jinn' HD + Cha bonus) or suffer the negative effect. If said individual does suffer a negative effect, it' soul will be consumed by the Jinn. This gives a +2 to HD per HD/character level of the creature, as well as increases all its abilities scores by +1 per 4 HD/character levels of the creature. If the Jinn consumes up to quadruple it's HD, it cannot consume any more creatures for 1d4 days. How it can expend this benefit but only in a special crystal made to store souls. These souls are beyond all hope, save divine intervention. Only a true resurrection cast by either a god's avatar or it's Herald can release any of these souls.
Planar Mastery(Ex): Since they were formed from parts of the elemental planes, as well as from the negative energy plane, Jinn gain +1 bonus to their attack rolls no matter what element they fight in. They also gain the ability to survive in harsh conditions, meaning they can survive in any of the elemental planes, except the positive.
Resistances(Su): Jinn have lighting and acid resistance 20.
Immunities(Su): Jinn are immune to fire, cold, and sonic damage as well as death attacks and arcane necromantic spells.
Vulnerabilities(Su): All cure spell act as inflict spells when used against Jinn. Inflict spells still inflict damage. Also halve their spell resistance when affected by cleric and/or paladin spells. Finally, any cleric and paladin spells that have divine energy as part of their damaging/offensive powers, that deals MAXIMIUM damage against the Jinn. Example, Ethan, a 14th cleric of Corean, casts Flame Strike at the Jinn. Half the damage is fire, but the other half IS divine power. Thus Ethan deals 42 points of damage. Also if a cleric has the feat, Sacred Spell, that also would work.
Telepathy: A Jinn can communicate with any creature with an Intelligence higher than 3 at range of 300ft.
Jinn Characters
Jinn tend to favor spells over physical battles, especially when using their consume soul ability conjunction with their wish granting abilities. Thus they have a large number of sorcerers as well as wizards in their groups. Fighters and rangers are known to them, but most tend to be fighters. Barbarians are unknown to them, since they are still a civilized race. Druids and adepts fill out the roles of priests, often receiving visions through the combination of arcane and druid magics. Clerics are forbidden and thus don't exist. Rogues and bards are rare but not unheard of. Their favored class is sorcerer. While they are not recommended for PCs, their ELC is +12
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But I can change that to half the HD if you'd like. It wouldn't offend me. And uping the CR rating, I can live with.
