Zhyen

From PathfinderWiki
Zhyen
A zhyen.
(Creature)

Type
Outsider
(air, earth, fire, or water)
CR
½
Environment
Any desert or elemental plane
Alignment
Source: Qadira, Gateway to the East, pg(s). 30–31

Zhyen1 are a minor type of genie native to the elemental planes. Curious beings, they can most often be found freely wandering their home plane, but occasionally act as servants or messengers to more powerful beings. The Qadiran arcanists known as daivrat occasionally choose these creatures as familiars.2

Appearance

Zhyen resemble muscular humanoids from the waist up and dissipate into their favored element from the waist down, similar to a smaller jaathoom.32

Jocta

A jocta is a zhyen enslaved or bound to a cruel master who undergoes a physical transformation into a more humanoid form and sullen existence.2

On Golarion

Planar scholars disagree on the nature and origins of zhyen. Some theorize that they are planar material that has separated and grown self-aware, others believe them to be a lesser form of genie, and still others postulate that zhyen are the wholesale creation of more powerful genies similar to the role a homunculus plays to a mortal spellcaster.2

References

  1. Zhyen is both the singular and plural form.
  2. 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 Brian Cortijo. “Bestiary” in Qadira, Gateway to the East, 30–31. Paizo Inc., 2009
  3. Paizo referred to jaathooms as djinn until the publication of Rage of Elements. See Rage of Elements pg. 3 and Pathfinder Core Preview pg. 2.