folklore - intro

I think its about time I put together some common folklore into a section, there a many folk-laws associated with the djinn, this is just a rough draft!

In Arabian and Muslim folklore jinns are often portrayed as ugly and evil demons having supernatural powers which they can bestow on persons having powers to call them up. In the Western world they are called genies.

King Soloman

Legend has it that King Solomon possessed a ring, probably a diamond, with which he called up jinns to help his armies in battle. (often djinn are bound to stones of value, but soloman lead the djinn who choose to follow allah though a djinn called zuba ) The concept that this king employed the help of jinns may have originated from 1 Kings 6:7, "And the house, when it was in building, was built of stone made ready before it was brought there, so there was neither hammer nor axe nor and tool of iron heard in the house, while it was in building."

In Islam, jinns are fiery spirits, particularly associated with the desert. While they are disruptive of human life, they are considered worthy of being saved(religious stuff ! ). A person dying in a state of great sin may be changed into a jinni in the period of a barzakh, separation or barrier.

The highest of the jinns is Iblis, formerly called Azazel, the prince of darkness, or the Devil (father of all shaiytan). The jinns were thought by some to be spirits that are lower than angels because they are made of fire and are not immortal. They can take on human and animal shapes to influence men to do good or evil. They are quick to punish those indebted to them who do not follow their many rules.

Lamps

In the "Arabian Nights" jinns or genies came from Aladdin's Lamp.

Homeland

There are several myths concerning the home of the jinns. According to Persian mythology some of them live in a place called Jinnistan. Others say jinns live with other supernatural beings in the Kaf, mystical emerald mountains surrounding the earth

The Nature of Djinn

The Nature of Djinn

Djinn are related to European faeries, being originally creatures of nature. They acted as nature, being neither good nor evil.(this is commonly written which is why I allow , fae, elves ,imps ect into the djinn -its just the english version, though i strongly recommend you embrace the arabicness of kos, its half the fun!!)

Many arabic texts refer to "the Choice" brought about a change in their essential nature. In response to their acceptance of a decision between the forces of good and evil, God(allah) gave Djinn one thing that the European Faeries never had: a soul, whose final disposition is dependent upon the choice made by each Djinni. Thus Djinn can be Muslim or diabolical.

((within kos this is not something I really encourage - as it has been written that we shall not speak of or rp traditional religions, secondly indigo is a proud infidel , retaining older laws than Christianity or sky gods -because on many levels ones choice of religion has absolutely nothing with whether your good or evil, this kind of rhetoric.. eg your Muslim or your evil is just not helpful)

Most Djinn can also change into the shape of an animal ally to their tribe , and even in their more human forms some physical evidence of that animal remains with them, such as a tail, or small horns, or fur on parts of the body. Many may fly if need be, while almost all can create illusions, an ability learned originally being a part of from the desert.