The tales of countless lands tell of the magic of genies, the power of these creatures of wind and f lame to conjure one’s wildest dreams from thin air, to reduce armies of one’s enemies to dust, and to work wonders limited only by imagination. Such tales exaggerate much, but at their root lies a single undeniable truth: some genies can grant wishes. Blessed with the might to reorder reality, yet cursed never to take advantage of their own powers, genies both take pride in their incredible ability and resent that their gift can only serve the wills of lesser creatures. Regardless of their individual views on such might, genies have for countless centuries refined the art of granting wishes, which many among them know as wishcraft. Whether used to maintain the delicate pattern of creation or to curse those who would presume to make themselves masters over genies, this potent art form borders on the power of the gods and can rewrite the fate of whole worlds. As the artists of reality, wishcrafters might bring to life vivid dreams or throw whole realms into living nightmares. The power is theirs, but such opportunities spur on the ambitions of those daring and foolish enough to treat with these potent and capricious beings.
What follows reveals many of the secrets and methods of the genie-refined art of wishcrafting. While primarily utilized by the jinn, numerous powerful creatures and skilled magic-users throughout the planes might employ this potent art. Those who would dare make wishes might also benef it from understanding the philosophies of the creatures that bring their desires to life, and in so doing prevent calamities for themselves and untold others. Finally, notes on a variety of magical spells discovered and cultivated by geniekind make these magics available to mortal spellcasters for the first time.
Several types of genies possess the ability to restructure the foundation of existence, to work miracles upon worlds and planes, to grant the most potent of magical boons: wishes. As creatures infused with the magic of creation and living elemental might, genies possess a greater understanding of reality than most beings, seeing the tapestry of creation stretching through the planes and touching every creature living therein. Only a relatively limited number of powerful beings possess the ability to fundamentally affect this vast lattice, and hold it as a great honor and responsibility to avoid damaging the delicate knitwork that facilitates the existence of all things. Thus, geniekind has long cultivated the art of wishcraft, the magic and skill of using their powers over creation to create wonders that retain the order and elegance of reality.
Genies take great pride in their ability to grant wishes, as they are known throughout the planes for this godlike ability. While djinn and efreet are the best-known wish granters, nearly every race of genie takes pride in its brethren’s abilities, and many seek out paths to grant wishes of their own. Although some individual genies—particularly jann—might prove resentful of the innate powers of their kindred, most seek their own routes to such power rather than brooding on the unfairness of the sphere.
Regardless of how they come by their powers, though, genies possess one law that rules over their ability: no genie may grant wishes to another genie, especially themselves. Such is seen as the path to destruction and the purview of the few beings genies consider even greater then themselves. While they might affect the weave of reality through their wishes for others, to take advantage of such powers and rework creation for personal goals is seen as brash and dangerous at best, and blasphemous, even criminal, at worst. Thus, genies commonly only grant wishes for creatures they view as deserving, who have gained some measure of control over them, or to whom they owe a debt. Even in such cases, though, they are hardly helpless or forced to affect creation against their will, as genie wishcrafters know many ways to influence and twist the wishes of other creatures, either to punish undeserving petitioners or to avoid what they perceive as harmful wishes. Even the mightiest of kings and heroes might not be fit in a genie’s eyes to have his wishes granted. Thus, as a matter of good form, most genies demand offerings proving a wish seeker’s worthiness. This often takes the form of some exotic or otherwise precious treasure, as likely to be magical in nature as not. The impressive nature of such a gift often goes far in persuading a genie to grant wishes for a mortal, though some might take further coercion even after being presented with the rarest of gifts.
Genies know that not all wishes deserve to be made. Reality is like a symphony and some wishes ring like discordant notes. These wishes make demands of the cosmos that were never intended and that are not meant to be, falling outside even the bounds of magic. While such reality-breaking wishes are gradually eroded by time and the innate forces of existence, they can cause great damage while their effects linger, and when cast about wildly and in great number can even degrade the fabric of the planes to terrible effect (see Wishwarps, below). Conscious of such strains on the foundations of creation, genies avoid granting wishes that undermine the common laws of existence. To this end, wish makers who entreat genies to perform tasks that could naturally occur are more likely to find their wishes granted as they desire, while those who presume to make wild demands of reality often find themselves thwarted by offended genie wishcrafters.
In any case, wishcrafters prove proud and potent. Those who make common cause with such a genie find an incredible ally, but one whose art they must show great reverence for, lest the capricious creature seek to turn their desires into a confounding lesson. Those who make enemies of such creatures had best seek to make amends, as genies are long lived and possess fantastic memories, and might grant every wish asked of them in a way that offends their foe.
Wishes hold innate potential for danger. The more elaborate the wish, the greater the chance for it to have unanticipated effects. Those preparing to make a wish should consider several truths and take certain precautions.
Trust: Wish makers hoping to avoid accidents should implicitly trust the object or creature granting their wishes. A second party holding control over a wish’s fulfillment has the greatest potential for danger, ranging from the inconvenient to the instantly lethal.
Precision: Wishes should be stated clearly and concisely. Should a wish’s fulfiller seek to confound the wish maker, they will do so no matter how safely one thinks a wish is phrased. Long-winded wishes rife with jargon and contingences are likely to merely annoy wish granters or open unexpected opportunities for danger.
Modesty: Where possible, wishes avoid reshaping all of reality, and wish granters often seek to chide those who seek to remake creation to suit their whims. The best wishes tend to be modest wishes, those that recreate the effects of mortal magic or the powers of great creatures, aid creatures other than the wisher, or are immediate and avoid persistent effects. The desperate warrior who wishes for a magical sword, the nomad leader who wishes for an oasis to save his people, or the wizard who wishes to heal an ally in a single instance are all fine examples of such simple, difficult-to-corrupt wishes.
Mortals are a foolish lot. Most lack foresight and imagination, and their goals and dreams reflect their puerile concerns and limited senses of reality. They live, struggle, and die, all the while making their brief efforts all the more painful, futile, and short by their attempts to influence the world and creatures around them. And nothing holds a light to the imperfect comprehension and willful ineffectuality of mortal life than granting them the power to influence reality.
On rare occasions, through the use of fantastic magic, employment of potent magical treasures, or alliance—willing or forced—with creatures possessing innate control over the powers of creation, mortals gain the opportunity to have their wildest desires granted, often to their detriment. While magical spells and tools rarely possess intentions of their own and yield absolutely to the whims of their user, when one relies on another to grant their desires, they make themselves slaves to the wish granter’s interpretations. In such arrangements rise the potential for wishes gone awry, for a wisher’s words, a wisher’s intentions, and the wish fulfiller’s execution to misalign in unexpected, comedic, ironic, or even deadly ways. Thus wish makers risk much when they place their wishes in the hands of another being, especially one that might misunderstand or feel slighted by a less potent being’s desires.
When it comes to granting wishes to disastrous effect, few creatures prove more malicious and masterful than efreet. Cursed with the power to remake creation for any creature but themselves, these cruel genies delight in seeing creatures they perceive as their lessers come to ruin through their own desires. The efreet tell tales among themselves of great torments inflicted on foolish wishers by their might, competing for the most clever, dramatic, and ironic wish fulfillments. Noted here are just a few techniques widely used by efreet in corrupting the wishes of impertinent mortals, though the greatest distortions remain the secrets of ancient and experienced efreeti oathbenders.
The Literal Lie: The best-known and least subtle method of granting a wish in a way that actually curses the wisher sees the wish fulfiller take a literalist’s role. In such cases, a wisher who asks for skin like steel might be transformed into a metal statue, while a wish for a personal castle might result in such a structure physically falling upon the wisher. As stories of this trick have spread throughout innumerable cultures, only foolish and trusting wish makers tend to fall for this blunt deceit, and even the efreet look down upon those of their own kind who corrupt wishes in this manner as amateurish and common.
The Fickle Fate: Some wish granters take the role of agents of fate, be it good fortune or darkest doom. As most wishes benefit only the wisher, rarely does a wish’s effect bring some boon to a third party—quite the opposite in fact. Corrupt wishes that take this route might see one who wishes for great wealth find a parent or loved one mysteriously murdered, only to reveal a secret fortune now theirs to inherit—though fate might also make them a likely suspect in such a crime. Alternatively, the wish to live forever might make the wisher a vampire, forcing him to live off the lives of innocents to survive.
Nothing from Nothing: Although wishes allow one to create anything he pleases, such magic demands great responsibility be taken with its use. While few mortals see the intricate weave of reality, genies know it well, and given the opportunity avoid recreating or unraveling vast sections for shortsighted desires. Thus, whenever possible, genie wish granters prefer to merely move or rework existing materials when granting wishes. A fickle wish granter might then respond to a wish for vast wealth by teleporting away the treasury of a nearby kingdom, the hoard of a deadly dragon, or all the valuables in a surrounding city, leaving the wisher to face the consequences when others discover the theft. Alternatively, the desire for some superior ability, like the power to breathe underwater, might see the wisher’s body transformed to have organs like those of a fish rather than recreating his lungs to perform an unnatural function.
A Better Life: With innumerable beings existing upon equally innumerable worlds, any creature might believe itself better suited to life in another form. Some wish granters seek to better match shape with desire. In these cases, wishers who long for the power of flight might find themselves transformed into birds, while one with the desire to see behind itself might be transformed into a xorn. Even more subtle wishes, like the desire to never be alone or to never be hungry might see a wisher changed into an ettin or living machine.
A Cursed Blessing: Some wish granters take it upon themselves to teach moral lessons or twist their wish results to ironic ends, making a wisher regret what he wished for or even die as a result. A creature who wishes to hear the thoughts of other beings might find himself surrounded by an endless cacophony of sound and thus be driven to sleeplessness and ultimately madness. Alternatively, a wisher who desires the return of a departed loved one might be stalked by its ravenous living corpse. The desire for a particular piece of knowledge might also see the wisher teleported to a place that knowledge might be found, but not granted the ability to comprehend such information, survive in the new environment, or return home.
Artistic Interpretation: Most wishes leave some measure of room for the granter’s interpretation and preferential meddling. Thus, a wisher who asks an efreeti to make her beautiful might be transformed into a creature lovely by efreet standards. The wish granter might also go beyond what is asked, granting a wish for a thousand rubies in a gigantic indestructible glass jar or a wish for musical talent with the inability to play any song but the wish granter’s favorite melody.
In this month’s adventure, “The Final Wish,” the efreeti general Jhavhul makes a daring grasp for power, seeking to fulfill his centuries-old goal of reawakening the terrifying Spawn of Rovagug, Xotani the Firebleeder. To this end, the deadly genie has abandoned all the traditions and stipulations of his kind, forcing lesser creatures to make wishes to benefit him and using his inferiors’ powers to arm his legions with the power of wishcraft. Thus, many of the encounters in this adventure involve unique beings with strange and wild powers and possessions, granted to them by Jhavhul and his minions’ recklessly granted wishes. Aside from making these creatures more dangerous, the lands now claimed by the efreeti’s army might have spawned any number of wishwarps. While the genies recognize the danger of these areas of weakened reality, most fear Jhavhul far more than the traditions of their people.
To combat the strange powers Jhavhul has granted his minions, the djinni Nefeshti has the power to grant allied PCs their own wishes. She, however, retains her people’s respect for the power of wishcraft and refuses to grant wishes that might further damage the already frayed reality around Pale Mountain. As she grants her wishes willingly, the PCs cannot force her to grant any wish she does not choose. To aid them, she might also explain what makes a good wish and give the PCs insights into the ways and rules of her people with regard to this great power. Should a character try her patience with consistently ridiculous, dangerous, or overly powerful wishes, even she might see fit to grant their desires in a reprimanding manner.
Fortunately, though, as she might grant up to three wishes a day, any admonishment she exacts might be undone the next day—should her student demonstrate he’s learned something from her chastisement.
The abuse of wishes causes a strain on reality—yet another reason why genies generally avoid granting too many wishes to mortals, and why they usually allow the wish to follow the path of least resistance and try to avoid granting wishes that unmake or transform reality too greatly. Most uses of wish do not put undue strain on the world—it’s only when one tries to use a wish to produce effects greater than those outlined in the spell description that the stress becomes severe.
A single powerful wish with a greater effect (such as wishing for a legendary artifact, wishing to raise several long-dead bodies to life, or wishing an entire city into a bottle) generally doesn’t cause a problem. But when many such wishes are uttered and granted in close proximity (both in time and locale), there is an increased chance of causing distortions in reality. These distortions are known as wishwarps.
As a general rule, the GM should decide if abuse of wishcraft causes a wishwarp to manifest. If a wishwarp does appear, the size and duration of the wishwarp is also subject to GM approval, but a good guideline is that the wishwarp affects an area twice as large as the area affected by the wish, and lasts for a number of days equal to twice the caster level of the wish granter.
Within the area of a wishwarp, reality and magic have become unstable. The region seems dimmer or brighter than normal, smells are more potent or obscured, and sounds seem either strangely muted or strangely clear.
All Intellect-based checks made in a wishwarp are disadvantaged as a result.
A wishwarp’s true danger revels itself whenever a spell or spell-like ability is cast within the area. Each time someone casts a spell or uses a spell-like ability, the caster must make a DC 20 caster level check. With a successful check, the spell or spell-like ability manifests normally.
In addition, the sensory effects of the spell or spell-like ability are strange and unpredictable. Walls of stone created in a wishwarp might be bright red and smell of spoiled fish, for example, or a fireball might shriek like a hungry baby and look like a vortex of black smoke. The actual spell effects do not change—a fishy red wall of stone is still just as hard to break, and a black, smoking, hungry baby fireball still does fire damage.
If the caster level check fails, the spell’s sensory effects are adjusted as detailed above, and there’s a 50% chance that the spell manifests at 1d20 caster levels lower than it should (an adjusted CL of 0 or lower indicates the spell fails entirely) and a 50% chance that the spell is enhanced as if by Enlarge Spell, Extend Spell, and Empower Spell metamagic feats.
Whenever a creature’s spells are warped by reality in this manner, the spellcasting creature takes nonlethal damage equal to twice the level of the spell that was cast as the magical energy courses painfully through his body.
Aside from their power to reshape reality through wishcraft, genies possess a heritage of magical lore stretching back farther than the oldest mortal empire.
Noted here are five spells, each created by one of the different races of jinn, sometimes bartered to mortal magic-users.
School evocation [earth]; Level sorcerer/wizard 3
Casting
Casting Time 1 standard action
Components V, S, M (a lump of coal)
Effect Range 20 ft.
Area cone-shaped burst
Duration instantaneous
Saving Throw Reflex half; Spell Resistance yes
Description
A cone of tiny, sparkling slivers as hard and sharp as filed diamonds springs from your outstretched fingers at tremendous speed. Any creature in the area of the torrent takes 1d6 points of slashing damage per caster level (maximum 10d6). These magical slivers are treated as adamantine and cold iron for the purpose of overcoming damage reduction. In addition, this spell bypasses up to 1 point of an object’s hardness per 2 caster levels (maximum 10).
School evocation [air]; Level druid 3, sorcerer/wizard 4
Casting
Casting Time 1 standard action
Components V, S
Effect
Range personal
Target you
Area 5-ft.-radius burst/2 levels (maximum 25-ft.-radius burst)
Duration 1 round
Saving Throw Reflex negates; Spell Resistance no
Description
This spell creates a severe blast of air (approximately 50 mph) that originates from you, affecting all creatures in the burst. A Tiny or smaller creature on the ground is knocked down and rolled 1d4×10 feet, taking 1d4 points of nonlethal damage per 10 feet. If flying, a Tiny or smaller creature is blown back 2d6×10 feet and takes 2d6 points of nonlethal damage due to battering and buffeting. Small creatures are knocked prone by the force of the wind, or if flying are blown back 1d6×10 feet. Medium creatures are unable to move forward against the force of the wind, or if flying are blown back 1d6×5 feet. Large or larger creatures may move normally within a hurricane blast effect. Hurricane blast can’t move a creature beyond the limit of its range. Any creature, regardless of size, takes a –4 penalty on ranged attacks and Listen checks in the area of a hurricane blast.
The force of the gust automatically extinguishes candles, torches, and similar unprotected flames. It causes protected flames, such as those of lanterns, to dance wildly and has a 50% chance to extinguish those lights.
In addition to the effects noted, a hurricane blast can do anything that a sudden blast of wind would be expected to do. It can create a stinging spray of sand or dust, fan a large fire, overturn delicate awnings or hangings, and blow gases or vapors to the edge of its range.
School evocation [air, earth, fire, water]; Level sorcerer/wizard 6
Casting
Casting Time 1 standard action
Components V, S, M/DF
Effect
Effect persistent line of elements 30 ft. long
Duration concentration, 1 round/3 levels (see below)
Saving Throw Reflex half; Spell Resistance yes
Description
A shimmering torrent of raw elemental power springs into existence, originating from your outstretched palms. The blast resembles a horizontal whirlwind of howling winds, searing flame, and tumbling shrapnel of ice and metal. Any creature in the area of effect must make a Reflex save or take 8d6 points of damage from a variety of effects—2d6 points of fire damage, 2d6 points of cold damage, 2d6 points of sonic damage, and 2d6 points of slashing damage that overcomes adamantine damage reduction.
The elemental line is an ongoing effect that persists for as long as you remain concentrating on it, up to 1 round for every three levels you possess (maximum 6 rounds). The line affects any creatures that pass through it on their turn, requiring them to make Reflex saves or take damage as noted. On your turn you may shift the line’s position as you please. Moving the line does not cause it to sweep through intermediary squares but only affects creatures in its new area of effect.
School evocation [acid, water]; Level cleric 4, druid 3, sorcerer/wizard 4
Casting
Casting Time 1 standard action
Components V, S, M/DF (1 cup of water)
Effect
Range personal
Target you
Duration 1 round/level (D)
Description
This spell surrounds you in a spout of clear acid that aids in deflecting attacks and damages creatures that attack you in melee. The constantly upward-rushing waters grant you a measure of protecting, shielding you so you only take half damage from acid and fire-based attacks. If such an attack allows a Reflex save for half damage, you take no damage on a successful save.
Any creature striking you with its body or a handheld weapon deals normal damage, but at the same time the attacker takes 1d6 points of acid damage + 1 point per 2 caster levels (maximum +10). If the attacker has spell resistance, it applies to this effect. Creatures wielding weapons with exceptional reach are not subject to this damage if they attack you.
School evocation [fire]; Level sorcerer/wizard 2
Casting
Casting Time 1 standard action
Components V, S, M (a pinch of ash)
Effect
Range close (25 ft. + 5ft./2 levels)
Target one creature
Duration 1 round/level
Saving Throw Fortitude negates; Spell Resistance yes
Description
This spell causes a small cloud of searing, choking ash to appear around the face of the target. The creature must succeed at a Fortitude saving throw or take 1d6 points of fire damage and be blinded. The victim must make a new save against damage and blindness for each round the spell persists. The target must have a discernable anatomy and no more than one head in order to be blinded. Undead, constructs, and creatures without eyes or who don’t rely on sight to sense their surroundings can be damaged by this spell, but not blinded.
A moderate wind (11+ mph) disperses the ash cloud in 2 rounds; a strong wind (21+ mph) disperses the cloud in 1 round. This spell does not function underwater.
In many ways, wishes are the ultimate form of magic—they can literally do anything, which makes them an incredible treasure or reward for characters. However, that open-endedness makes them a problem for GMs who don’t know how to evaluate the limits of a wish or handle its effects in the game.
Furthermore, many players (particularly “old-school” players) are used to the idea that the wording of a wish must be extremely precise or the creature granting the wish will twist the intent, like “I wish for a bag of gold” granting them ownership of a bag in a faraway dragon’s lair, or “I wish for a priceless diamond in my hand” physically embedding the diamond within their hand. Fortunately, wishes don’t have to work that way, and the Cypher System has an easy way to determine what a wish can do.
First, consider the source of the wish. Is it granted by a resentful genie who is only doing so because they’re compelled by a magic lamp? Or is it a boon from a grateful wizard or god who sincerely wants to reward the character for a service? An angry, reluctant, or otherwise hostile creature may try to twist a wish, but someone favorably disposed toward the character won’t (unless the PC tries to take advantage of the situation). Unless the GM’s intention is to make the players regret that their characters were offered a wish, it’s best to give them what they ask for, as much as it is within the power of the creature to do so. If the GM wants to twist the wish, do so as a GM intrusion—that way, the character still gets a reward, and they can either accept the twisted wish (which isn’t as good as they had hoped) or pay 1 XP to reject the intrusion (which represents them coming up with airtight wording that can’t be twisted).
Second, consider the level of the creature granting the wish—that’s basically the level of the wish, as the creature shouldn’t be able to grant a boon more powerful than itself. Therefore, it’s reasonable that a level 6 creature could create a level 6 effect. The GM could look at the creature’s other abilities (or abilities of other creatures of its level), decide if what the PC is asking for is within its power, and either grant the requested wish or adjust the result downward until it’s appropriate for the creature’s power.
In this way, the GM can offer “little wishes” from weak creatures like fairies, enchanted lobsters, and so on, and still have “big wishes” granted by gods and powerful genies.
Another benchmark for a wish’s power is to compare it to a cypher of the source’s level—if there is a cypher that can do what the PC wants, and that cypher is equal to or less than the source’s level, it could be a wish. For example, if the PCs use a wish from a level 5 demon to teleport back to their home city 100 miles away, the GM can look at the list of cyphers and see that a teleporter (traveler) cypher can transport one character up to 100 miles per cypher level, so transporting a group of PCs 100 miles is probably within the demon’s power.