Sha'ir

Sha'irs were unique Zakharan wizards who communicated with the spirits of the elements: the genies. Some Zakharans even believed traces of genie blood were spread across all races populating the Land of Fate, and that this genie ancestry manifested itself the most within a sha'ir.

Requirements
Sha'irs had no special requirements, though it took a certain level of bravery and confidence to willing deal with genies. Female sha'irs were sometimes called sha'ira.

Role
These wizards were mysterious and powerful figures in Zakhara. They could not memorize spells which was the norm for most wizards, rather they acquired all of their magic and enchantments through genies. Since it was widely known that sha'irs associated with genies, most would-be attackers thought twice before threatening them.

Possessions
Sha'irs often only carried a staff or dagger and they never wore armor, though they did use magical items that protected them from harm as other wizards did.

Skills
Sha'irs had an awesome variety of magical powers, each revolving around genies.

These wizards could not create magical items or use spells in the conventional manor like other magic-users. They did not even have their own spellbook.

Summoning a Familiar
Sha'irs were able to summon a small elemental familiar called a gen. Gen could be summoned from each of the four elemental planes. No matter which plane the gen came from, it happily became the sha'ir's servant and worked in all of the elemental planes to find magic for its master, including planes opposed to their native element.

The ritual required to summon and bind a gen lasted many hours. A sha'ir could spend time fasting and communing with the nature of the elemental plane from which the gen would emerge to ensure success. A sha'ir could not be interrupted during this time.

Requesting a Spell
Once summoned, gen were able to find information for the sha'ir by accessing a special network used by all genie-kind, allowing the gen to retrieve spells for their master. Once a sha'ir stated which spell they required, the gen would travel to the appropriate plane and fetch it for their master.

In order to request a spell, a sha'ir needed to know of the spell's existence. Basic spells were considered common knowledge, but the sha'ir needed to actually see more advanced spells cast in order to request them. Sha'irs could even request the strange spells cast by ajamis, or outland wizards. In rare instances, sha'irs were even known to request priest or cleric spells.

Gen required time to find a requested spell, and stronger spells took longer to find than weaker ones. Extremely powerful spells sometimes caught the attention of gods or god-like beings. Once a gen was sent off to find a spell, it was not guaranteed that they would return safely.

Once a spell was requested, the sha'ir could not cancel the request or recall the gen. They were forced to wait for the gen to return with or without the requested spell. When a gen returned with a spell, the sha'ir could only cast it once before the knowledge was lost. Also, sha'irs could not send their gen to retrieve another spell until their current spell was used or expired, preventing them from hording magic. Sha'irs still needed physical spell components for applicable spells. All verbal and somatic components were imparted telepathically between the gen and their master.

Divine Magic
Especially brave sha'irs could send their gen off in search of clerical or priest spells. Unlike arcane spells, divine spells were granted by gods and goddesses, so there was a good chance that a gen would bring back more than just a simple spell. Nothing happened to a sha'ir requesting a priest spell until they attempted to cast the spell, at which point they risked divine retribution. Stronger spells had a greater chance of attracting a god's attention. Punishment could be quite severe depending on which god was offended by the sha'ir's brazen activity.

Consequences of divine retribution included:
 * suffering a case of the evil eye
 * having the hand of Fate turned against the sha'ir
 * dealing with a messenger sent by the offended god to teach the sha'ir a lesson
 * being transported to face the offended god directly on their home plane

Recognizing Genie Work
Through their constant exposure to genies and genie-kind, sha'irs eventually gained the ability to recognize items that were crafted by genies, spells cast by genies, or even spells provided for other sha'irs by their gen. Sha'irs could also detect invisible genies and genies masquerading under an illusion or polymorph ability.

Calling Jann
Once per day a sha'ir could call upon a jann for assistance. Though they were lesser genies, jann could provide valuable assistance to the sha'ir, and were readily available in Zakhara. To call a jann the sha'ir would literally yell out loud to grab their attention. The call of more powerful sha'irs ranged farther than weaker sha'irs. If a jann was within range of the call they would come to their aid.

Jann called in this manner offered their assistance freely. They were not charmed or under any compulsion to help the sha'ir. Thus, if a sha'ir, or their companions, showed hostility toward the jann, it would abandon them. Sha'irs who deliberately attacked a called jann lost the ability to call future jann unless some kind of restitution was made.

Jann who aided sha'irs sometimes sought the sha'ir at a later time, seeking their assistance in some manner or another. If the sha'ir refused to aid the jann, then the sha'ir's reputation in the eyes of all jann was greatly diminished.

Elemental Protection
Due to their close relationships with genies, who were elemental creatures, sha'irs gained protection from all elements. Spells or attacks from the elements did not harm them as much and they were able to resist their effects more. These abilities were increased for the sha'ir when dealing with the element of their gen's native plane.

Additionally, sha'irs were able to survive on any of the elemental planes without additional protection for a period of time based on the power of the sha'ir.

Calling a Genie
Once a sha'ir gained a moderate amount of power they were able to call upon true genies — djinn, dao, efreet, or marids. Most sha'irs typically called a genie native to the same elemental plane as their gen. This power could only be used once per week.

Successfully calling a genie did not mean that the arriving genie was friendly. Genies who were attacked by anything upon their arrival instantly lashed out at their attacker and the sha'ir, regardless if the sha'ir had anything to do with the attack in the first place. A genie would not perform services for the sha'ir unless they were bribed, threatened, or otherwise convinced to help. Genies aligned with the same elemental plane as a sha'ir's gen were more likely to offer their services. The opposite was true for sha'irs whose gen were from a different elemental plane than the genie.

Genie services included manual labor, transportation, protection, or using the genies' inherent abilities. Wishes could also be granted but only if the genie was able to figure out a way to twist them to their advantage.

Sha'irs who called upon genies too often had a greater chance of randomly being visited by genies who tasked them with a small quest. Refusing these quests harmed the sha'ir's reputation within the genie circles. If a sha'ir refused enough genies in this manner then that specific type of genie would refuse to answer their calls for a full year.

Binding a Genie
Part of the reason for a genie's existence was servitude to mortals or greater beings. This is one aspect of genie culture that sha'irs were able to take practical advantage of by entering into contracts with the elemental creatures. A sha'ir was able to increase their standing in the entire genie community if they had a bound genie serving them. Genies entered into such contracts willingly, they were not slaves to the sha'ir, though they were under obligation to remain with their new master for the duration of the contract and perform all of the sha'ir's orders. Such contracts were considered carefully by the genie before they agreed to the terms of service. Sha'irs were able to bind dao, djinn, efreet, and marids.

To bind a genie the sha'ir first needed to call the genie in the regular manner. At this point the sha'ir and genie would discuss the terms of service. Genies were free to add or remove details from the contract. Any number of factors could influence the genie's willingness to accept the contract, including:


 * the sha'ir's natural charisma
 * how powerful or weak the genie considered the sha'ir to be
 * whether or not the sha'ir had bound previous genies (sha'irs were more likely to bind genies if they had bound genies in the past)
 * the sha'ir's acceptance or denial of the genie's specific contract demands
 * if the sha'ir ever used a genie prison

Once the genie agreed to the contract, they became the sha'ir's bound servant for 101 days.

Common contract demands from genies included:


 * the sha'ir would immediately release the genie from servitude if any other contract demand was broken
 * the sha'ir agreed to disdain from asking for wishes
 * the sha'ir agreeing never to use a genie prison on the genie
 * providing for the genie a lifestlye to which it was accustomed
 * allowing the genie a 1 day break every 10 days
 * sharing treasure with the genie (sharing large amounts of treasure with genies was an easy way to make bound genies happy and eager to serve)
 * the genie would be allowed to flee (and return later) if it was critically injured during combat
 * the genie would be free from the contract upon the sha'ir's death

Genies who loathed serving sha'irs were known to make outlandish requests in the hope that the sha'ir would utterly reject them.

Genies under contract with a sha'ir heeded their commands, but commands conflicting with the genies nature could carry unwanted results. For example: A sha'ir requests that a good-natured genie steal an item. The genie performs the task and returns with the item, but leaves a letter to the victim of the theft explaining where the sha'ir might be found. The same guideline applied for evil-natured genies asked to perform an act of kindness.

A sha'ir who allowed their bound genie to die while under contract could not call or bind another genie for 100 days. The next attempts to bind genies of the same kind that died were much more difficult.

Creating a Genie Prison
This bold ability allowed the sha'ir to craft a specialized cell designed to ensnare a genie against their will. The genie would be forced to do the sha'ir's bidding with freedom being its reward for services rendered. Sha'irs often used a genie trapped in this manner to force them to do things that they would not normally do; such as grant wishes. Genie prisons could also be used simply to imprison a genie who was otherwise interfering with the sha'ir's plans.

The genie prison needed to be completely constructed before an attempt was made to trap a genie. Genie prisons could be made from any material, but some kind of metal was often selected for its durability. If a genie prison was physically destroyed, then all of its magic was released, along with an irate genie. Common genie prisons included rings, lamps, bottles, gems, and vials.

Once the genie prison was successfully constructed and imbued with magic, the sha'ir had exactly 10 days to capture a genie before the magic from the prison expired. Sha'irs could capture specific genies if called, or random ones that they encountered along their travels. A sha'ir needed to be within 100 yards (91.4 m) to attempt to capture a genie.

Genies trapped within a genie prison could only gain their freedom if the prison was destroyed, or they were willingly released by the sha'ir based on the sha'ir's terms.

Sha'irs could imprison up to 5 different genies at any given time, though each genie needed a separate genie prison.

Since holding a genie against their will was a hostile act, the genie community took note of sha'irs who abused this power. Genies typically refused to deal with sha'irs who trapped other genies, and any sha'ir gaining an audience with a genie lord was required to justifying their actions for using a genie prison or face harsh consequences.

Elemental Travel
After years of developing their craft, sha'irs could cross the Ethereal plane and traverse any of the elemental planes they wished. When travelling in this manner, a sha'ir could spend many days upon an elemental plane.

Sha'irs could even bring other travelers, both willing and unwilling, along with them during their inter-planar travels. Any traveler brought in this manner gained the same elemental immunity that the sha'ir enjoyed. Upon returning to the Prime Material Plane, the sha'ir would reappear in the same spot from which they departed. If that spot was occupied, they would appear close by.

Receiving an Audience with a Genie Lord
Truly powerful sha'irs were received by genie lords. This could occur only once per calendar month.

In order to do this the sha'ir needed to travel to the appropriate plane of existence for the type of genie lord they wished to contact. Only one type of elemental genie could be contacted at a time. Several days would pass before the sha'ir was greeted by a procession of genie-kind who would accompany them to the genie lord.

Sha'irs could also designate someone to take their place in requesting an audience. The petitioner needed to wait for several days in a remote area such as the deep desert. They would then be greeted by the same procession of genies.

The Procession
The procession that greeted the sha'ir was comprised of noble genies, jann, and regular genies. They would not appear at the site of a battle. If the procession was attacked in any way, they would seek to destroy the attackers and then vanish without greeting the sha'ir.

The Audience
Sha'irs who were granted an audience were able to get advice from noble genies who possessed truly vast intelligence and wisdom regarding a wide array of topics. Sha'irs could even report the crimes of lesser genies who were then immediately summoned and dealt with by the noble genie.

In turn, sha'irs were also judged for any wrongdoings committed against genie-kind and punished accordingly.

Known sha'irs
Listed below are sha'irs who traveled the Land of Fate:
 * Aasim
 * Jadd Ala'i
 * Al-Fatat
 * Mara al-Gurab Sakir
 * Safia al-Gurab Sakir
 * Akura al-Hiyali
 * Inayah bint In'am
 * Akim al-Kalaas
 * Khadiga
 * Khalil
 * Nikolai Nikopolis
 * Adnan al-Raqi
 * Alim Zangi