Genie, Hamzad
When it comes to outsider races, I’m a big fan of genies. They’re powerful and imposing enough to serve similar roles as devils, angels, fey, and so on, but they also tend to be a lot more human in their motivations and behaviors. While there are already several races of genies to choose from, they don’t get new members at the same rate as other outsiders, like demons or devils or angels. Today, I thought I’d try my hand at providing a new type of genie, this one linked to the Ethereal Plane.
Genie, Hamzad
This lithe, beautiful giant has pearly-white skin decorated with opalescent tattoos in strange designs that seem to shimmer and writhe across its skin. Its eyes are a deep shade of amber that seems to give it an almost inescapable gaze.
HAMZAD CR 9
XP 6,400
NG or NE Large outsider (extraplanar)
Init +8; Senses darkvision 60 ft.; Perception +18
DEFENSE
AC 24, touch 18, flat-footed 15 (+8 Dex, +1 dodge, +6 natural, –1 size)
hp 114 (12d10+48)
Fort +12, Ref +12, Will +11
DR 10/adamantine; Resist acid 5, cold 5, electricity 5, fire 5; SR 20
OFFENSE
Speed 30 ft., fly 60 ft. (perfect)
Melee 2 slams +19 (1d8+4 plus suggestive touch) or +1 merciful spiked chain +19/+14/+9 (2d6+7 plus 1d6 nonlethal)
Space 10 ft.; Reach 10 ft.
Special Attacks suggestive touch (DC 23)
Spell-Like Abilities (CL 12th; concentration +19)
Constant—detect anxietiesUI(DC 20), detect desiresUI (DC 20)
At Will—dream, dream scanOA (DC 23), dream shieldPPC:OO, plane shift (willing targets to elemental planes, Astral Plane, or Ethereal Plane only)
3/day—charm monster (DC 21), false vision (DC 22), greater create mindscapeOA(DC 24), greater invisibility, mirage arcana (DC 22), mirror image, nightmare (DC 22), persistent image (DC 22)
1/day—grant up to 3 wishes (to non-genies only), dream voyageOA (DC 26), mislead (DC 23)
STATISTICS
Str 18, Dex 27, Con 19, Int 15, Wis 16, Cha 25
Base Atk +12; CMB +17 (+21 to disarm); CMD 36 (40 vs. disarm)
Feats Combat Expertise, Dodge, Greater Disarm, Improved Disarm, Power Attack, Weapon Finesse
Skills Bluff +22, Diplomacy +22, Fly +14, Knowledge (planes) +17, Perception +18, Sense Motive +18, Sleight of Hand +23, Spellcraft +17, Stealth +19
Languages Auran, Aquan, Common, Ignan, Terran; telepathy 100 ft.
SQ change shape (animal, humanoid, or elemental; polymorph), illusory form
ECOLOGY
Environment any (Astral Plane or Ethereal Plane)
Organization solitary, pair, company (3–6), or band (7–12)
Treasure double
SPECIAL ABILITIES
Illusory Form (Su): As a standard action, a hamzad can transform itself into a being of pure thought, effectively converting its body and all of its gear into illusions. In this state, the hamzad is immune to non-magical sources of damage, and suffers only half damage from magic weapons and spells. Creatures that interact with the hamzad may make a DC 23 Will save to disbelieve it. Creatures that disbelieve the hamzad deal full damage to it while it is in illusory form, and suffer only half damage from the hamzad’s own attacks. Further, such creatures have a 50% chance of ignoring any spells or abilities used by the hamzad while it is in illusory form. The hamzad can return to its normal state with another standard action. Each time a hamzad becomes illusory, creatures interacting with it must disbelieve it again, although a creature that previously disbelieved it in the last 24 hours gains a +4 bonus on saving throws made to do so.
Suggestive Touch (Su): The very touch of a hamzad clouds the minds of lesser beings. Any creature that is struck by one of a hamzad’s natural attacks, or which otherwise allows itself to be touched by the genie, must succeed on a DC 23 Will save or become more susceptible to suggestion from the creature, suffering a –2 penalty on Will saves made to resist the hamzad’s spells and spell-like abilities for 1 minute. This is a mind-affecting charm effect.
Ecology
The hamzadi are a race of genies that make their home primarily on the Ethereal Plane, although they do maintain enclaves on the Astral Plane, in order to do trade with their various genie cousins. Somewhat reclusive by nature, and relatively few in number, this race is far less well-known than the djinni or the efreeti, for example. Further, they rarely visit the Material Plane directly, and so mortal races have even less knowledge of them than denizens of the planes.
While each of the other genie races are innately tied to a particular physical element, such as air, earth, fire, or water, the hamzadi seem to be linked to a somewhat more ephemeral element. The exact nature of this link has been debated by scholars for some time, with various arguments being made that they are linked to dreams, desires, consciousness, and souls, among other claims. The hamzadi themselves politely refuse to comment on the subject, leading some to believe that there is some nefarious secret to their nature.
Although potentially capable of any alignment, hamzadi have a strong tendency to align themselves very closely with either good or evil, with very few caring particularly strongly for chaos or law. For centuries, scholars believed that there were actually two races of the creatures, hamzadi and “dark hamzadi,” leading those who interacted with them to believe that they could tell the contents of the genies’ hearts by their appearance. This had predictably tragic results for several summoners and planar travelers before the myth was eventually dispelled.
Little is known about hamzadi culture. Rumors persist that the hamzadi possess a strange and unique ability to mark or claim a sleeping creature within its own dreams, pulling their sleeping mind from the realm of dreams and out into other dream realms. Evil hamzadi are believed to use this to enslave mortal creatures, forcing them to toil and work every night as they sleep, until eventually the creature expires in the waking world from exhaustion. Good hamzadi are said to use this ability to grant escape to creatures whose lives are full of misery, taking them on wild and whimsical adventures as they sleep, or calling upon heroes to aid them in important dream quests.