Khayal

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Khayal were secretive genies of the Plane of Shadow.

Description
Khayal were humanoid in appearance, with dusky gray skin and black eyes that resembled a void.

Unlike other genies, who had no issue with existing outside of their home plane, khayal could not exist indefinitely outside of the Plane of Shadow and their constitution would sustain damage for every 24 hours they spent outside of it.

Combat/Abilities
They were agile fighters with great finesse and wielded the power of shadow magic. Their style of fighting revolved around stealth, ambushing their opponents, and use of underhanded tactics.

Personality
Like all genies the khayal were arrogant, proud, and easily offended creatures that looked down on most races. Though willing to retreat when odds are not in their favor, they feel deep humiliation from such an action and will sustain a grudge against those responsible.

Lying and trickery were a major aspect of their life, though khayals considered it taboo for one to lie to another khayal. If a creature was ever able to provide a khayal irrefutable proof that they had managed to deceive them, the khayal would feel honor-bound to owe them a favor.

As a race, the khayal had a deep-seated aversion to all other genies. They are especially hostile towards the jann and have been sporadically waging a clandestine war against them for eons. Scholars have theorized that the first khayal may have materialized formlessly outside of the four elements and eventually bonded with the shadows, concluding that khayals' heightened hatred of the jann would be derived from the latter being composed of all four elements.

Habitat/Society
The primary home of the khayal was the City of Onyx in the Plane of Shadow, though other communities were known to exist. The ruler of all khayal held the title of Malik al-Khayal, meaning "King of Shadows," and resided within the Grand Palace of Endings. Leaders of smaller communities held the title of Emir.

Trivia
One meaning of "khayal" (خيال) in Arabic is "imagination".