Sha'ir

Sha'irs were Zakharan wizards who communicated with the spirits of the desert, the genies.

Requirements
Sha'irs had no special requirements. Female sha'irs were sometimes called sha'ira.

Role
These wizards were mysterious and powerful figures in Zakhara. They could not memorize spells as most wizards did, 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 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 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 search out magic for it's master.

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 so long as they were not interrupted.

Requesting a Spell
Once summoned, gen were able to find information for the sha'ir using 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 run off to the appropriate plane and fetch it for them.

In order to request a spell, a sha'ir needed to know of the spell's existence. Some spells were considered common knowledge, but the sha'ir needed to actually see other spells cast 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. Sha'irs still needed physical spell components for applicable spells. All verbal and somatic components were imparted telepathically between the gen and their master.

Priestly Magic
Especially brave sha'irs could send their gen off in search of clerical or priest spells. Unlike wizard spells, priest 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 quit 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

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.