Harriad

Harriads are tiny demons of smokeless flame, similar to djinn in material. They are universally luminescent and beautiful, and tempt mortals with the ability to grant riches. This wealth however comes at a price, as the dealmaker will grow uglier as they grow wealthy, until they're immensely wealthy (about Status 6 and Multimillionaire 2) but completely hideous. At this point, the harriad leaves, and all that magically gained wealth and status fades with it. Other side effects include deformities, a ruined voice, and smelling awful.
== Breaking the Curse ==
Defeating the harriad is never about killing the harriad. Curses based on deals are seldom so simple. There are two main ways to cure the curse of a harriad.
# A ritual, quest, trial or such: From riddles and puzzles to trials of personal character, harriads will honor a counter-deal on its success, releasing their vicitm
# Giving up the wealth and status gained from the harriad
== Origins ==
This creature comes from Arab folklore, originally the harrii'ad, the harrii demon, a secret force behind the rise of corrupt and powerful individuals. There's also the ebaddi'ad (offering perfect health for sacrifices) and the jhani'ad (offering love in exchange for money). They are red, yellow, and white respectively. 
== Fanon Tactics ==
Harriads are magically and financially brilliant, but their addiction to appearance (or perhaps, addiction to Faustian bargains) make them poor business partners. As they're tiny and rather vulnerable to even a gust of wind, they tend to be clever manipulators and good at bailing out early. To truly "beat" the harriad, see Breaking the Curse (above).
== Stranger Encounters ==
With their expertise with administration, fast-talking, merchantile and finance skills, it may be quite possible that a harriad has found work as an ISWAT branch treasurer. So long as none of the Mundanes know they're talking to a glowing flame over the phone, the branch is ensured to remain successful.
== References ==
*Creatures of the Night, Vol 1, p.7-8
Category:Concepts