Marid

### Notable Members

Tiamat, Sobek, the one that possessed Alizayd al Qahtani in Daevabad's lake, the one that made a blood-debt deal with Darayavahoush e-Afshin, the Monsoon marid

### Location

Bet il Tiamat, The Nile River, Daevabad's lake, Lake Ossounes, the Gozan, any marid-controlled water

### Enemies

Anahid, Darayavahoush e-Afshin, Manizheh e-Nahid, ifrit, djinn

### Description

Extremely powerful ancient water elementals that were once worshiped by humans.

The marid are ancient water elementals that are extremely powerful and rarely seen. Once worshiped by the humans in ancient times, their followers began turning to the ifrit which led to a war and the intervention by the Prophet Suleiman. They also have a long-forgotten history with the Ayaanle tribe.

## Description

There are many types of marid, from powerful sea creatures with varying appearances to gentle water spirits that cannot be seen separate of the water they inhabit. Using oceanic or lake debris like fins, teeth, shells, scales, nets, hooks, waterweeds, and even other creatures; they can envelop and possess another being's body, and even use that to speak with other races. They have a spoken language that sounds like rushing/slithering water, but with other marid they can simply open their mind to communicate and share memories. Because of this, lying is not of their nature and one they detestingly associate with the djinn/ifrit.

### Powers and Abilities

* **Water manipulation**: Marid are able to control water at will; from thin water tentacles to pull prey in, to crashing waves, to using the entire body of water to create a massive water serpent. Fog can also be created, as well as controlling any debris in the water.

* **Possession**: With access to a person's true name or if it's one of their acolytes, the marid can possess their body. Signs of possession include being covered head-to-toe in ocean/lake debris which burrows deep into the skin, water dripping everywhere, and eyes covered in a black oily film. There is also a salty smell and a heavy presence over them. While a body is possessed, it can be used to communicate with other tribes, or fight with deadly grace.

* **Teleportation**: The stronger marid are able to use the Currents to transport themselves to waters anywhere in the world. When the marid of Daevabad's lake were enslaved by Anahid, this power was used by her and her Nahid descendants to travel around the world and target the ifrit. As later Nahid generations forgot their magic, the marid were able to break free of their bond and shred any djinn/daeva that entered their waters.

## Contacting/Making a Pact

For other beings to contact the marid, a blood sacrifice must be made in a location they deem sacred.
If the sacrifice is accepted, a partnership can be made. The acolyte will be brought under the marid's protection; granted almost anything they desire during their mortal life. However in the end, the acolyte will owe the marid their lifeblood, which the marid will collect through possession.

## Notable Members

### Tiamat

Tiamat was born in the lake that surrounds Daevabad, her scales lining the bottom. Extremely powerful, she is considered one of the marid's gods or mother, according to the ifrit Aeshma. She is described as "a giant sea monster born in the chaos of creation with a penchant for destroying whatever dirt-blood civilizations provoked her ire." After Anahid built Daevabad, Tiamat's scales were brought up as tribute to the Grand Temple, lining the Temple's pathways. They are "the bright orange of a setting sun, flecked with bits of crimson." and glow when near the marid or held by one blessed by them. She is of the original generation of marid, along with Sobek, and thus they consider each other rivals and do not get along.

### Sobek

Sobek is the marid lord of the Nile River. Sobek is of the original generation of marid as Tiamat, and they view each other as rivals and do not get along. He takes the form of an enormous crocodile, but also has a humanoid form with dark green scales and reptilian eyes. He is Alizayd al Qahtani's very distant ancestor, from whom he inherited his affinity for water magic. He holds a terrible grudge against Anahid and has plotted for generations to destroy Daevabad.

### Marid Queen

There is a rumor that one of the al Qahtani kings (possibly Shaddad the Blessed, 2nd king of Daevabad) defeated a marid queen. It's unknown what or who this is referring to. But since Zaydi al Qahtani was allied with Armah, a descendant of Sobek, who used marid magic (and potentially other marid) to help conquer Daevabad during their invasion, there may be some kernel of truth hidden in this rumor.

## Relations with other tribes

**Djinn**: The marid have a mysterious, ancient connection with the djinn of Ta Ntry, though details have been lost over the centuries. There is also an ancient hate with the Daeva because Anahid stole their sacred lake, created an island in the middle of it to built Daevabad, and enslaved the marid that remained in the lake for generations.

* There was also an Ayaanle man who commanded the marid to assist Zaydi al Qahtani in his rebellion against the Nahid Council for control of Daevabad.

**Humans**: The marid enjoy their worship, and their human sacrifices to flood their fields. With the decreasing amount of followers over the millennia, the marid grew more possessive over the ones that remain.

**Anyone that falls into their waters**: Will be devoured, shredded and engulfed as the oceanic/lake debris burrows into their body and the marid burrows into their mind to view their memories. The discarded bodies may wash up on shore later on, but there are never any survivors. Until Alizayd al Qahtani.

## Quotes

* "Blame your Nahid. She who was warned, she who seeks to upend what was wrought in blood!"
* "If you could see the destruction you portend, Darayavahoush e-Afshin, you would throw yourself in the sea."
* "That magic was never meant for daevas. The lake was *ours*. It was sacred. It was the birthplace of Tiamat. She enchanted it so that we could pay homage to her from any water."
* [to Manizheh] "This is not the will of the Creator. It is the ill-fated scheme of a power-hungry woman.

[to Dara] "And you are worse. Twice undead and with the blood of thousands on your hands... and still you serve those who made you into this abomination."

## Image Gallery

The City of Brass (FaeCrate edition) dust jacket art featuring Nahri, Dara, and Khayzur facing off against the ifrit and the marid. (2020)

## References

1. ↑ The City of Brass, ch.27 pg 482
2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 The Kingdom of Copper, ch.7 pg 145-146
3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 The Kingdom of Copper, ch. 22, pg. 361
4. ↑ The Kingdom of Copper, ch.27 pg 431
5. ↑ The Kingdom of Copper, ch.21 pg 341-342
6. ↑ The Kingdom of Copper, ch. 5, pg. 92
7. ↑ The City of Brass, ch. 28, pg. 493
8. ↑ The Kingdom of Copper, ch.7 pg 144
9. ↑ 9.0 9.1 The Kingdom of Copper, ch.7 pg 145
10. ↑ The Kingdom of Copper, ch.7 pg 146