Jinni
Last updated 2026-09-10
The Jinn (singular: Jinni) are a mystical race of elemental spirits that were created by Nabu Malikata. After the goddess's death, they turned to serve King Deshret.
Overview
I'm a creation of the sky, yet also a creature of this world. I'm an exile of the ages, a faithful servant to my great lord. I'm an elemental spirit who will not bow to flesh and blood, an eternal prisoner content with the illusion of comfort...
—The Jinni in The Shepherd and the Magic Bottle
Jinn are elemental spirits and have translucent bodies; while the female jinn recounted in legends and the region's history are described and depicted with human-like features, the jinni in Dori's lamp has a distinctly non-human appearance, instead appearing as a spherical creature with a grinning face.
Jinn are believed to be capable of possessing a human's body, which one Jinni uses as a threat against the human boy she dubs "Raven."[1] Normally, however, they reside in items such as magic bottles or weapons.
History
The Jinn were born after Nabu Malikata was cast aside by the heavens, said to be birthed from "intoxicating dreams and the bitter memories of loss." Nabu Malikata wandered the barren wastes for seventy-two nights, her heels worn through by the gravel. The blood that gushed from those wounds turned into springs and streams, which subsequently flowed into gardens. The Jinn were born from the water lilies that grew in those gardens. The Jinn begged her to stay with them, and she agreed.[2]
Eventually, Nabu Malikata met King Deshret, and together they built the city of Ay-Khanoum, a name which means "City of the Moon Maiden" in the Jinn's ancient language.[3] In stories that do not include the Goddess of Flowers, it is instead believed that King Deshret learned about the Jinn's story after capturing them and, afterwards, built Ay-Khanoum as a gift to the Jinn; in return, they built the entrance to the Mausoleum of King Deshret.[1]
The Jinn allegedly became willing servants of King Deshret in his endeavor to rule over the world, entering the silver magic bottles he created for them and becoming marked by his seal. Afterwards, they engaged in acts of creation and exploration on his behalf.[1] According to Liloupar, King Deshret had deceived the Jinn to gain their servitude, telling them that the Goddess of Flowers had not perished but was instead locked in a deep slumber in The Orchard of Pairidaeza, and that he could awaken her with the Jinn's aid.
One Jinni would find itself in Dori's service after being tricked by her into entering her lamp, though it has remained in it ever since as Dori ensures that its wishes are granted after being used in battle.[4] Dori brings it with her on her travels; when she visited Nod-Krai, the turbulent kuuvahki energies caused it to become unconscious, nearly putting Dori in danger until Nefer saved her.[5]
Known Jinni
Currently, most Jinn have been left unnamed.
- Liloupar (fairy, ancestor of the Jinn and a Jinni herself)[1][6]
- Shirin (half-human, daughter of Liloupar)[7]
- Parvezravan (half-human, son of Liloupar and an unknown human)
- Shiruyeh (son of Parvezravan and Shirin, two half-humans)
- Ferigees, older sister of Liloupar, in Eternal Oasis locking mechanism[8]
- The Jinni in The Shepherd and the Magic Bottle and The Tale of Shiruyeh and Shirin (may be fictitious)
- Makhaira's mother[9]
- Makhaira (daughter of a Jinni)
- The Jinni in Xiphos' Moonlight
- Plumpy (the jinn in Dori's lamp)
Trivia
- The female jinn described in legends and Sumeru's history are likely based on the Sila (Arabic: سعلاة si'lā), one of the more malicious type of jinn that are specifically female. The Sila are known for their shapeshifting abilities and being able to produce offsprings from a relationship between a human and a jinni; notably fitting the character of Liloupar, who was the Jinni lover/concubine of the mortal king Ormazd and bore him many children.[10][11]
- The elite enemy Eremites wielding Anemo, Geo, Pyro, and Dendro can summon spirits of omen from inside their weapons to fight for them, likely correlating with the Jinn, as their appearances are identical to the Jinn appearing in the Archon Quest Song of the Welkin Moon: Act IX - As All Falls to Emptiness.
Etymology
- Jinn (Arabic: جن), commonly anglicized as "genie" in English writing, are invisible creatures in Arabic religious systems that are not inherently good or evil. However, if hurt, they will take revenge on the person who wronged them or possess their body.
- The belief that jinni can be placed inside magical items was popularized by the story One Thousand and One Nights, specifically in the tale of The Fisherman and the Jinni.
- The concept of King Deshret marking the Jinn with his seal is likely derived from the real-life legends surrounding the Seal of Solomon, which involves a ring engraved with said seal which allows its wearer to control jinni, given by God to the Israelite king Solomon.
Other Languages
| Language | Official Name | Literal Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| English | Jinni | — |
| Chinese (Simplified) | 镇灵 Zhènlíng | Jinn Spirit[• 1] |
| Chinese (Traditional) | 鎮靈 Zhènlíng | |
| Japanese | ジンニー Jinnii | — |
| Korean | 지니 Jini | — |
| Spanish | Genio | Genie |
| French | Djinn | Jinn |
| Russian | Джинн Dzhinn | Jinn |
| Thai | ญิน Yin | Jinn |
| Vietnamese | Trấn Linh | Jinn Spirit[※] |
| German | Dschinn | Jinn |
| Indonesian | Jinni | — |
| Portuguese | Jinni | — |
| Turkish | Cin | Jinn |
| Italian | Djinn |
- ↑ Chinese: 镇灵/鎮靈
zhènlíng likely derives from the Chinese transcription for "jinni," 镇尼/鎮尼 zhènní, with the second syllable replaced with 灵/靈 líng, "spirit."
Change History
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 Item: The Shepherd and the Magic Bottle
- ↑ Artifact, Flower of Paradise Lost: Ay-Khanoum's Myriad
- ↑ Weapon Ascension Material: Oasis Garden's Mourning
- ↑ Dori's Character Story: Character Story 4
- ↑ Archon Quest, Song of the Welkin Moon, Act III - A Nation That Doesn't Exist, Part 2: Special Operation
- ↑ Artifact, Desert Pavilion Chronicle: Defender of the Enchanting Dream
- ↑ Book: The Tale of Shiruyeh and Shirin, Vol. 2
- ↑ Dune-Entombed Fecundity: Part III
- ↑ Weapon: Makhaira Aquamarine
- ↑ Book: The Tale of Shiruyeh and Shirin, Vol. 1
- ↑ Artifact, Desert Pavilion Chronicle: Legacy of the Desert High-Born
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