Alizayd al Qahtani

### Eye color

Gray (pre-ch. 37 Empire of Gold), Crocodilian yellow-black (post-ch.37 Empire of Gold)

## Behind the Scenes

### Appears in

The City of Brass
The Kingdom of Copper
The Empire of Gold
The River of Silver

The youngest prince of Daevabad, Ali is a devout Muslim who longs to see social justice and equality in his city.

## History

### Early Life

Alizayd was born in Daevabad, and was raised in the Royal Harem with his sister Zaynab and his mother Queen Hatset. As soon as he could walk he would follow Hatset around, delightfully babbling about everything he could see. Many of the other women commented on how he was the most curious child they'd ever encountered.

When he was five years old, he was removed from the Harem and placed in the Citadel to be raised and trained by Wajed, to be Muntadhir's future Qaid.

When he was seven years old, Queen Hatset snuck Ali out to the canal to teach him how to swim, an Ayaanle tradition. Unfortunately, that action had the consequence of her being forbidden to be with him unsupervised again.

### Assassination Attempts

Since he was born, there have been numerous attempts on Ali's life. As the second son from two powerful families, he was a potential threat to Muntadhir's throne, as well as a potential target for the enemies of King Ghassan and Queen Hatset. His own behavior was also reason enough for certain attempts on his life.

* Within a day of Ali's birth, two Am Gezira assassins approached King Ghassan with their services, suggesting discreet ways that would not raise suspicions with Ta Ntry. Ghassan killed them with his own hands.

* Though Dara later claims that Ali's hint of childish features prevented him from ending their match in a more lethal manner, his spar with an 18-year old Ali in the Citadel training room absolutely could have ended in death if Ali had not evaded his attacks fast enough.

* After stargazing with Nahri and his siblings on a palace wall pavilion, a Tanzeem shafit shapeshifter named Hanno snuck in and stabbed Ali three times with a long iron knife, one of the strikes going all the way through his back. It was revenge for Ali refusing to further help the Tanzeem, as well as revenge on Ghassan for what had happened to Hanno's young daughter. Jamshid happened upon the scene and Ali used the distraction to headbutt Hanno and slice his throat open with the telescope lens. Jamshid finished the attack by hitting him in the head with a wine bottle, and then under Ali's orders, threw him over the parapet into the lake and took Ali to Nahri for healing.

* While at the infirmary four days later to get his ripped stitches repaired, Ali interrupts Dara and Nahri's argument about running away. They battle immediately, Dara nearly strangling him before Nahri convinces Dara to stop. She heals him before Dara binds Ali's wrists in iron, and threatens to kill him with his own zulfiqar if Nahri refuses to leave Daevabad with him. When she complies, Ali is taken hostage with them.

* Upon the burning warship that had intercepted Dara and Nahri's escape, Ali was shot in the throat and chest by Dara's arrows as he tried to protect Muntadhir from Dara's rampage. Losing his balance at the boat's edge, Ali fell into the lake.

* After being exiled from Daevabad for Ta Ntry's scheming regarding the Tanzeem, Ali's caravan to Am Gezira was betrayed less than a month later. Unknown assassins killed the Ayaanle member who warned Ali of the attack, giving him just enough time to flee through the Euphrates river and into the vast desert beyond.

* Can the desert count as an assassin? Ali nearly died again, not too long after leaving his caravan. Eating some kind of toxic root and weakened from the intense conditions, he fell into a stony crevasse, dislocating his shoulder among other injuries. Unable to move, he was lucky Lubayd and Aqisa found and rescued him.

* A month after Muntadhir and Nahri's wedding, Ali recounts how he learned that he was unable to drown after an assassin had thrown him down a desolate desert well. (In addition to possibly not being canon because this is from a fun deleted scene; he says that attempt happened years ago, but the wedding took place within a year of Dara dying/Ali's marid possession.)

* When Ali was around 22, still exiled in Bir Nabat, an assassin managed to nearly slice his throat. The attempt was interrupted by Aqisa, and the assassin was caught by his own clan; gutted, and left for the zahhak.

* When Ali was 23 he returned to Daevabad, much to Muntadhir's distress. A welcomeback feast was held in his honor, where Jamshid secretly poisoned his tamarind juice. Using Manizheh's old notes to make it, the silver vapors attacked Ali's throat and turned into sharp shards when Ghassan activated Suleiman's Seal. Nahri was able to save him.

* Five months later, Ali disobeyed a direct order from King Ghassan to stay in the palace by taking Nahri to the Nahid hospital to help the shafit after a violent clash with a Daeva mob. When Ghassan and his men arrived, he attacked Ali and pushed him to the ground, drawing his zulfiqar. It's hard to say if he actually would have killed him, but there was definitely a moment.

* During the second night of Navasatem, Ali revolts and takes command of the Citadel after learning of Ghassan's order to raze a shafit neighborhood in retaliation for a Tanzeem terrorist attack. Ghassan conspires to use Nahri as bait to lure Ali out so he can be captured and executed, threatening to kill Jamshid if she refuses. Nahri refuses, and when Ghassan storms off, Kaveh uses Manizheh's vapor to kill him.

* Also during the second night of Navasatem, Manziheh and her Daeva warriors invade Daevabad. Using a deal with the marid, the cursed lake rose up like a serpent beast and cut the down the Citadel tower, knocking it into the lake and killing thousands of the soldiers inside. If Ali couldn't drown, he would have.

* After launching an attack on the Daeva soldiers and ghouls guarding the beach, Ali is captured by the ifrit Vizaresh and brought to Dara in the palace. Dara waffles between killing him or letting Vizaresh take him as a djinn slave, buying him just enough time to be rescued by Nahri and Muntadhir.

* Still in this palace room, Ali attempts to fight Dara but is bounced back because Dara is protected from marid magic. Dara rips away his zulfiqar and slashes at him; Muntadhir stepping between them at the last second and taking the hit.

* After retrieving Suleiman's Seal ring from Ghassan's body on the outdoor pavilion, Nahri and Ali meet Manizheh. Refusing to give her the ring, Manizheh uses Nahid magic to control Ali's body, threatening to kill him with his own blade if Nahri doesn't hand it over. Nahri gives her a different ring, puts the real ring on Ali's finger, and together they jump into the lake to escape.

## Characteristics

### Appearance

Ali is of mixed heritage, Ayaanle and Geziri. He strongly resembles the Ayaanle with his tall height and black skin, and his mother's stern mouth and sharp cheeks. His eyes are Geziri gray, like his father. His hair is never described. His face is long, elegant, and handsome, with a scruffy chin. As of *Kingdom of Copper,* his beard has grown in a bit more.

After Dara's rampage on the boat that lead to Ali falling into the Daevabad lake and being possessed by the Marid, his body was covered in scars, left by the lake debris. A pattern of scales etched into his left wrist; spiky ridges marred his right thigh; strips and whirls of flesh carved from his arms like one might have wound bandages. A meandering, savage line across his chest as if left by a spiked vine; a ragged line of puncture marks on his shoulder where the crocodile teeth had sunk in; the imprint of a fishing hook in his left palm; pocked divots over his stomach as if fish attempted to feast on him, and much more.

He also has a mottled scar high on his left cheek. Originally Suleiman's seal carved by the marid, he later took his khanjar to it to make it unrecognizable. While exiled in Bir Nabat, a failed assassination attempt left him with a long faint scar under his chin, where his throat was nearly cut.

When the marid take control of Ali or enhance his abilities, his eyes turn black: either entirely including the white, or as a swirl in the gray.

* **Relic:** Ali's relic is a copper bolt through his right ear.

* **Weapons:** Ali usually carries a Zulfiqar at his waist and a khanjar tucked in his belt, and a small knife strapped to his ankle.

### Abilities

**Warrior skills:** Ali spent most of his childhood training in the Citadel to be the future Qaid; therefore he was skillfully trained in battle and strategy. He is especially skilled with the Zulfiqar, considered one of the best of his generation and often compared to Zaydi al Qahtani himself.

**Water abilities:**
As a member of Hatset's family line, Ali exhibited some ability to manipulate water as a young child, though it seemingly went dormant as he got older. Potentially related, Ali would occasionally sweat, even though pureblooded djinn don't do that. After his near-assassination attempt by Hanno who was then thrown into the Daevabad lake (while possibly still being alive), Ali gained some enhanced healing ability that activates when he's in contact with water.

After the marid possession, Ali's water powers grew exponentially. Able to sense water around him and tied to his emotions, he is capable of drawing it towards him from the environment, even unconsciously: an oasis bubbling up from the sand where he lay dying; new plants sprouting from his spilled blood. If not forcibly reining it in, water will burst from his hands and create a fog. With focused intent, he can command the water like a whip, and summon his weapon to him on a wave. His swimming speed has also greatly improved; he is incapable of drowning and no longer thirsts.

**Languages:** Ali speaks five languages: Geziriyya, Ntaran, Djinnistani, Tukharistani, and Arabic. He is usually mocked for not knowing Divasti, however.

**Literacy:** Unlike many djinn, Ali is literate and an avid reader. Particularly in history and economics.

### Outfits

#### In City of Brass

* When Ali snuck into a Daeva Quarter tavern with Sheikh Anas and Hanno, he wore a rich teal Ayaanle robe, a matching turban that wrapped loosely around his neck in the Ayaanle fashion, and a collar of gold worked with coral and pearls. He also used a magic potion to temporarily change his eye color to bright gold.

* Ali's Geziri soldier uniform is a black sleeveless tunic, a calf-length white waist-wrap, a dark gray tasseled turban, and boots. When he was temporarily Qaid, he wore a crimson turban instead.

* For his first day as Qaid, Ali wore a torn sleeveless gray tunic, an indigo waist-wrap with burn marks, sandals, and the crimson turban.

#### In Kingdom of Copper

* At the welcome-back feast, Ali wore a rich black dishdasha trimmed with pale moonstone beads, a grass-green robe patterned in silver ikat, and a beautiful silver turban wrapped in the Geziri style that revealed his copper relic.
* When Ali joined Nahri and Subha to tour the Nahid hospital ruins, he wore an ankle-length white dishdasha, a pale green belt, charcoal-colored turban, sandals, and a leather bag filled with scrolls.
* For the hospital's opening celebration, Ali wore an elegant pale silver dishdasha with midnight-colored stripes, and a teal sash belt.

## Quotes

#### From City of Brass

* [Kaveh] "I need to speak to your father. It is most urgent."

[Ali] "You do know that you're in the Citadel? I understand it must be confusing at your age... all these buildings that look nothing alike, located on opposite sides of the city..."
* [Ali] "Are you going to assassinate me?"

[Muntadhir] "No, akhi. I'm going to save you."
* [Ali] "Afraid of a little water? Worried the marid will get you?"

[Dara] "At home in there, aren't you, little crocodile? Does it remind you of Ta Ntry's fetid swamps?"
[Ali] "Sand fly, dog, crocodile... Are you just working your way through the animals you can name? How many can be left? Five? Six?"
* [Nahri] "The interest in my country, in improving your Arabic... I take it that was all pretense?"

[Ali] "No, it wasn't. I swear. However our friendship started, however I felt about your family... It's been a dark few months. My time with you... was a light."
#### From Kingdom of Copper

* "Those 'explosive stick things' are called rifles, and you are all sadly lacking a spirit of enterprise."
* "No, I wasn't afraid. I was *tired*. I'm tired of everyone in this city feeding on vengeance. I'm tired of teaching our children to hate and fear other children because their parents are our enemies. And I'm sick and tired of acting like the only way to save our people is to cut down all who might oppose us, as if our enemies won't return the favor the instant power shifts."

## Image Gallery

Promotional poster for The City of Brass, featuring Ali, Nahri, and Dara. (2018)Promotional artwork for The Empire of Gold, featuring Ali and Nahri in Cairo. (2020)The City of Brass (Fairyloot edition) dust jacket art featuring Ali looking upon Daevabad and its lake. (2020)The Kingdom of Copper (FaeCrate edition) dustjacket art featuring Nahri and Ali along with Manizheh and her army. (2020)The Empire of Gold (FaeCrate edition) dustjacket art featuring Nahri, Mishmish, Ali, and Dara. (2020)The character card for Ali from the FaeCrate Empire of Gold Hangover Kit (2020)

## References

1. ↑ The Empire of Gold: Alternate Epilogue
2. ↑ The City of Brass, ch. 29, pg. 501
3. ↑ The Kingdom of Copper, ch. 37, pg 550
4. ↑ The City of Brass, ch. 19, pg. 342-351
5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 The City of Brass, ch. 23, pg. 414-417
6. ↑ The City of Brass, ch. 26, pg. 460-464
7. ↑ The City of Brass, ch. 26-27, pg. 476-477
8. ↑ The Kingdom of Copper, Prologue, pg. 1
9. ↑ The Kingdom of Copper, Prologue, pg. 4-5
10. ↑ Deleted scene/The Kingdom of Copper pre-order prize
11. ↑ 11.0 11.1 The Kingdom of Copper, ch. 2, pg. 58
12. ↑ The Kingdom of Copper, ch. 12, pg. 220, 223-225
13. ↑ The Kingdom of Copper, ch. 23, pg. 380-384
14. ↑ The Kingdom of Copper, ch. 34 pg. 517-519
15. ↑ The Kingdom of Copper, ch. 33, pg. 507-508
16. ↑ The Kingdom of Copper, ch. 37, pg. 550-555
17. ↑ 17.0 17.1 The Kingdom of Copper, ch. 38, pg. 565
18. ↑ The Kingdom of Copper, ch. 40, pg. 597-600
19. ↑ The City of Brass, ch. 4, pg. 64
20. ↑ 20.0 20.1 The City of Brass, ch. 16, pg. 285
21. ↑ The City of Brass, ch. 28, pg. 491
22. ↑ The Kingdom of Copper, ch. 13, pg. 227
23. ↑ The City of Brass, ch. 27, pg. 482
24. ↑ The Kingdom of Copper, ch. 8, pg. 166
25. ↑ The Kingdom of Copper, ch. 12, pg. 225
26. ↑ The Kingdom of Copper, ch. 38, pg. 564
27. ↑ The City of Brass, ch. 14, pg. 251
28. ↑ 28.0 28.1 The City of Brass, ch. 6, pg. 112
29. ↑ The City of Brass, ch. 19, pg. 343
30. ↑ The Kingdom of Copper, ch. 22, pg. 363
31. ↑ The City of Brass, ch. 19, pg. 345
32. ↑ The City of Brass, ch. 24, pg. 434-435
33. ↑ The City of Brass, ch. 25, pg. 443
34. ↑ The City of Brass, ch. 28, pg. 495
35. ↑ The City of Brass, ch. 28, pg. 497
36. ↑ The Kingdom of Copper, Prologue, pg. 8
37. ↑ The Kingdom of Copper, ch. 22, pg. 363
38. ↑ The Kingdom of Copper, ch. 40, pg. 585
39. ↑ The Kingdom of Copper, ch. 5, pg. 102
40. ↑ The Kingdom of Copper, Prologue, pg. 4
41. ↑ The City of Brass, ch. 12, pg. 218
42. ↑ The City of Brass, ch. 16, pg. 283
43. ↑ The City of Brass, ch. 19, pg. 340
44. ↑ The City of Brass, ch. 18, pg. 334
45. ↑ The City of Brass, ch. 4, pg. 63
46. ↑ The City of Brass, ch. 16, pg. 256
47. ↑ The City of Brass, ch. 8, pg. 146, 153
48. ↑ The Kingdom of Copper, ch. 12, pg. 214
49. ↑ The Kingdom of Copper, ch. 18, pg. 297
50. ↑ The Kingdom of Copper, ch. 28, pg. 445-446
51. ↑ The City of Brass, ch. 14, pg. 239
52. ↑ The City of Brass, ch. 14, pg. 247
53. ↑ The City of Brass, ch. 26, pg. 466-467
54. ↑ The City of Brass, ch. 26, pg. 468
55. ↑ The Kingdom of Copper, ch.2, pg. 53
56. ↑ The Kingdom of Copper, ch. 25, pg. 413