Janni

I've never quite known what to do with elemental outsiders (AKA genies) such as the Janni. I've used intelligent elementals in a few different ways over the years. They range from normal ancestries one might have as a neighbor, to aliens foreign to the experience of the average person in a particular world. This has given me an occasion to give it some more thought, though.

Elementals are a staple of fantasy tabletops; you're almost guaranteed to run into one in the first few levels of a new game. To a certain degree, their omnipresence can make them seem a bit... Mundane? This doesn't have to be the way, though!

To that end, if you find the occasion to do so, I recommend deploying elementals of all kinds—including the Janni—as a way to flesh out some of the more planar aspects of your setting.

The Janni itself is a pretty standard "humanoid" (but not with the humanoid trait!) statblock. What it lacks in offensive ability at level 4, it is rife with narrative options.

The Janni has access to a suite of arcane innate spells—most notably plane shift—that make them the perfect creature to bring a low to mid-level party into one of the elemental or astral planes. Consider this when you think about adventure design—a janni spurned could trap a party in one of the elemental planes, entirely out of their element! (hah)

Overall, as the only elemental that is not aligned to one of the four traditional elements, the janni can add an easy mechanical in for narrative elements within your story. Consider what elemental societies and cultures may be like. Perhaps you can have a janni trade empire or diplomatic organization between the elemental planes!

Overall, take what the janni has to offer mechanically, and make it yours within the narrative—a core tenant of what we do here.

- Reece

Hook 1 (Max) - The King of Elements

A flamboyantly dressed young man sits atop a pile of valuables brought to him by his subjects, inspecting an ornate chalice. His skin is in a state of constant flux, changing from one color to another. He throws the cup aside and turns to his officers gathered before him.

"This is a good start. But we're going to need a lot more."

This draws an immediate response from one of the soldiers.

"We are already risking it as is! The baron is sure to take notice if we take even more."

The man merely shrugs and returns to his inspection of the pile.

"Then make sure he doesn't. Even if he does, what does it matter? Once I claim my birthright, no one will stand up to me." He pauses, placing a hand on the sword at his hip. The sheath seems to be shifting faster than his skin, almost vibrating with untapped power. "Now, is there anything else?'

"No, oh King of Elements."

Hook 2 (TJ) - Elemental Envoys

The Elemental Planes used to be in disarray. The Material Plane served as a battlefield for all of the Elemental Lords to air their grievances, of which they had many. Considering the ley lines don't allow travel directly between elemental planes, the Material Plane was caught in the crossfire of any and every conflict the Elemental Lords brought to bear.

After one particularly destructive battle, the denizens of the Material Plane concocted a plan. As the go-between for the Elemental Planes, the Material Plane had access to a bit of every type of elemental magic. Pressing this advantage, Material Mages created beings with the powers of every elemental plane, yet at home in none. The Elemental Envoys were born. This corps of jann serve to mediate the squabbles between the Elemental Lords, finally bringing a modicum of peace to the Material Plane.

When a group of envoys go missing while within the Plane of Fire, the balance between planes and the resulting tentative peace is immediately threatened.

Hook 3 (Reece) - Elerental

It's quite uncommon for denizens of the elemental planes to willingly interfere in the goings-on of the material plane. More often than not, mages of all kinds use the services of lesser elementals to perform simple tasks or act as allies in battle.

Uli'oknama'ar, an enterprising janni merchant, has decided that this use of elemental assistance is exploitative—unless of course he is involved in the particulars of the transaction.

Conveniently for Uli, his long-time lover and confidant Niil is a contract demon who has spent a long time teaching Uli the particulars of both magic and planar law.

Unfortunately for everyone else within 500 miles of Uli's center of operations, if they are to attempt to summon or use the assistance of an elemental, they are instead greeted by Uli himself or one of his many bureaucratic assistants. His organization "negotiates" a rate that the mage must pay in order to summon the desired elemental. They, naturally, take their cut in order to fund the operation of their network.

This "Elemocracy" as they call it is an annoyance to just about everyone who tries to use summoning magicks. The local mages guild is looking for someone to rectify the situation, or at least strike a more permanent deal with Uli and Niil.

Efreet

While i kind of hate the "hehe, every wish gets corrupted" trope that seems so popular in the hobby, and even consider it a symptom of a greater issue - namely, the players vs GM mentality - if you really like those? Use Efreeti, its implicitly in their nature to corrupt wishes to their own gains.

Aggagni the malik has a very specific choice of victims. His army of spies, scouts and turncoats is present across the world. Whenever a sorcerer with a fiery blood, someone aspected to a fire breathing dragon, or a cleric worshiping one of the fire gods makes their first kill, Aggagni appears before them offering to fulfill a single wish. While he will rarely straight up corrupt the wish (unless insulted during the exchange), if a wish can somehow help him advance the construction of his fortress-city, he will take the opportunity. Once Granjipoor, the scourge of Mortals is complete, Aggagni plans to launch a full-scale invasion of the material realm and crown himself its god-emperor.

An immortal monster from the realms beyond is ravaging the world. Only magic as powerful as the wish spells can even allow it to die, though it would still take a heroic deed to actually slay it. The gods have abandoned the mortals, as they gave up hope long ago. As a group of warriors and mages prepare for their last stand against the foul beast, a devil and an efreet appear before them. The devil offers them a wish in exchange for their souls. The efreet smiles from ear to ear and says he will grant them a wish that will to exactly as they ask. As the sounds of wanton destruction draw ever closer, the heroes must choose.

Even without the wishes and fireballs, an efreet is a tough combatant. An efreet rogue's favourite way to loot is an overly elaborate prank. Several years ago, he decided to put an alarm spell on an ornate old lamp. When someone touches the lamp, the efreet dimension doors to appear before them, using some smoke and mirrors tricks to make sure the finder believes he was truly stuck in the inanimate object. If the victim is alone, he slays them outright and takes their belongings - but he much prefers meeting groups. In such a case, he spends a few days filling the ears of the finder (his faux "master") with tales of jealousy and betrayal - and when the group inevitably starts a fight, he uses it to disappear with their treasures, as well as the lamp. Then he places the lamp somewhere for the next poor suckers to find, and the cycle starts anew.

Djinni

The friendliest and most sociable of geniekind, the djinni make for phenomenal social encounters that push forward the point that you're not in Kansas anymore.

A deaf djinni is disaster engine, as the residents of New Dervishire recently found out. A venerable and gentle-natured being, Angharadd promised each resident of the newly founded colony three wishes - and he has been hard at work making them come true. Unfortunately, his hearing is damaged - and his will is literal. After several mishaps, the least of which is a man who became incredibly good at overcoming large turtles, a group of emissaries are sent to the old genie to beg him to ask twice. However, the noble elemental refuses to admit he has made a mistake - and if pushed, can become violent.

A group of bounty hunters have been hunting for their nemesis for ages. Their hunt, a legendary quest that has been sang about in taverns across the entire world, has taken them across the elemental planes. Finally, they catch up to their quarry in the Netherworld. As they draw to a close, a djinni vizier appears. Out of sheer need for amusement, he offers to fulfill up to seven wishes - but for every wish that someone in the group is granted, one will be given to their nemesis as well.

A sad looking djinni found sitting by the road offers a group of adventurers a wish fulfilled if they get him back the platinum ring he is bound to. The ring, he says, was stolen by a master thief then sold, and is now in the possession of a mighty noble of the Svalyaki line.
In truth, the djinni is not able to grant wishes to mortal, and was never bound to the ring - instead, it is a mighty artifact capable of visiting great harm upon one of the efreeti. The djinni has a plane shift ready to go as soon as the adventurers bring him the ring - but if they see through his lies, or try to one-up him in any way, he will haunt them for the rest of their lives.