Magical Beings

The world of Daevabad is filled with magical creatures and races, unseen to most humans. This page lists all of the groups, along with links to their main articles (if available).

## Beings of Fire

### Daeva/Djinn

Main article: Djinn
Daeva was the ancient term for this race of fire elementals that could shapeshift and pass between various worlds, until the Prophet Suleiman sharply curbed their magical abilities as punishment for harming humanity.

The daevas who submitted to him served a hundred years without magic to build a temple to the Creator. Afterwards they were freed, though returned with limited magic and new mortal forms that reflected the human countries they were sent to. Split into six separate tribes with different languages, appearances, and homelands, they had to build a new way of life for themselves. Descendants of Anahid, a daeva that earned Suleiman's respect and blessings that would be passed on to her Nahid children, kept the title Daeva for their tribe name. Although the other tribes (Geziri, Ayaanle, Sahrayn, Tukharistani, and Agnivanshi) continued to refer to themselves as daevas, after Zaydi al Qahtani's rebellion those tribes all took the human word "djinn" as their species name.

See more: Daeva and Djinn History

### Ifrit

Main article: Ifrit
The original daevas who defied the Prophet Suleiman and were stripped of their magical abilities. Though they remained in their original firery bodies that could live for thousands of years, many turned to learning blood magic to get around their non-magic curse. Sworn enemies of the Nahid family and all djinn/Daevas that bowed to Suleiman, the ifrit revenge themselves by enslaving other djinn and giving them to humans to cause chaos.

Notable members: Aeshma, Vizaresh, Qandisha, Sakhr

### Simurgh

Scaled firebirds that the djinn are fond of racing.

### Zahhak

A large, flying, fire-breathing lizard-like beast.

## Beings of Water

### Marid

Main article: Marid
The Marid are extremely powerful water elementals. Near mythical to the djinn, the marid haven’t been seen in centuries but have an ancient connection to the Ayaanle as well as to the creation of Daevabad and Zaydi al Qahtani's rebellion.

## Beings of Air

### Peri

More powerful than the djinn and far more secretive; the peri keep resolutely to themselves. Intelligent bird-like creatures with the power to recreate the landscape with a swoop of their wings.

Notable Members: Khayzur

### Rukh

Enormous predatory firebirds that the peri can use for hunting. Bloodthirsty creatures that will eat anything; they have an excellent sense of smell, making them great trackers. Easily the size of a shop with a wingspan as long as a street; they have ebony eyes, glittering blood-red feathers, and a long black beak with a sharply curved tip.

### Shedu

Main article: Shedu
An emblem of the Nahid family, shedu are legendary winged lions, with pale golden fur, silver eyes and manes, and colorful iridescent wings. Once tamed by Baga Zal e-Nahid and brought back to Daevabad, they used to soar over the city and aid Nahids in battle against the ifrit. However as the Nahids lost their way, the peri recalled the shedu back to their mountains and they haven't been seen by djinn in millennia.... until the peri send one to Nahri.

Notable Members: Mishmish

## Beings of Earth

### Ghouls

Reanimated, cannibalistic corpses of humans who had made deals with the ifrit.

### Ishtas

A small, scaled creature obsessed with organization and footwear. Very useful in mosques. For a bit of fruit and negotiation, shoes can be returned after prayer, scrubbed and fragrant with sandalwood.

### Karkadann

A magical beast similar to an enormous rhinoceros with a horn as long as a man. Has scaly gray skin, yellow feet with three toes, and its horn juts straight from its forehead.  King Ghassan keeps one by the royal arena, used for executions.

### Muwaswas

A magical sandfish found in the deserts of Am Gezira that may occasionally go on a rampage.

### Nasnas

A venomous creature resembling a bisected human that prowls the deserts of Am Gezira and whose bite causes flesh to wither away. Can also cause life-long poisonous reactions. Fatal if left untreated.

### Shardunazatu

*He Who Humbles,* a terrifying, ancient Earth demon that was imprisoned underwater in the Sea of Reeds by Tiamat. Twice the height of an elephant with the body and horns of a bull; the tortured, purpling face of a woman; the wings of a bat; a striped serpent's tail; and front feet that ended in taloned hands. Wields an enormous trident and has a magical mud ability to turn prey into controllable stone statues. Has silver blood and mud-colored eyes. Was defeated by Alizayd al Qahtani in a deleted scene that was a pre-order bonus for The Kingdom of Copper, and later edited and added to The River of Silver.

## References

World of Daevabad - SAChakraborty.com, also found in the Glossary of the Daevabad Trilogy

1. ↑ The City of Brass, ch. 9, pg. 166
2. ↑ The City of Brass, ch. 9, pg. 167
3. ↑ The Empire of Gold, ch.1
4. ↑ The City of Brass, ch. 4, pg. 58-59
5. ↑ The City of Brass, ch. 6, pg. 115-117
6. ↑ The Kingdom of Copper, ch. 11, pg. 166
7. ↑ The Kingdom of Copper, Prologue, pg. 13