Marid

Yes, he looks like yet another man-fish. He's also the most powerful of all the genies, so watch yourself.

Marids are one of the four genie races of the multiverse of Dungeons & Dragons, being associated with the Elemental force of Water. Like all genies, they are natives of either the Elemental Planes, specifically the Plane of Water, or the Elemental Chaos, depending on whether you look at them from the perspective of the Great Wheel or the World Axis. One of the weirder things about marids is that they went from being a race of sexy blue women and handsome blue men to increasingly ugly fish-folk over the editions.

Great Wheel

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Regarded as the most powerful of all the genie races, the rare marids are certainly the most arrogant! All marids claim some form of petty nobility, and the race is awash in shahs, princes, mufti, khedives, caliphs, minor khans, emirs, atabegs, and beglerbegs. Further, no set order is given to the rankings and honorifics, creating a hodgepodge of conflicting hierarchies and precedence. The truly "noble marids" are superior to these creatures, and are the stuff of legends across the planes.

Towering and beautiful, marids are as fair of face as they are powerful of form. Their skin matches the many colors of the ocean, from the serene blue of tropical waters to the somber greens of a storm-tossed sea. Skin color changes to reflect the moods of an individual marid - the darker the creature's mood, the darker the color. A marid's hair is usually blue-black or dark gray, but a few have tresses as snowy as froth upon a wave. Such white-haired creatures are considered the most chaotic of this strong-willed, independent race.

The ultimate capital of the marids, the home of its Great Padishah, is the Citadel of the Ten Thousand Pearls, a mighty metropolis located in the heart of the Elemental Plane of Water. This legendary place is also the home of truly noble marids. Only a handful of worthy mortals have visited the citadel and lived to return to the Prime Material Plane.

The independent nature of marids makes the Prime Material Plane a common site for visits and adventures. However, it is not mortals they seek. Marids tend to avoid contact with "lesser races" - which, to a marid, means all other races. So when they do appear on the Prime Material Plane, it is often in a remote locale or a place inaccessible to others. During the monsoon and hurricane seasons, for example, these reclusive tourists favor the open sea and the jungle coast. Mortals who have witnessed some of the Prime's worst tropical storms have sighted marids frolicking in the whirlwinds and waterspouts.

Those dealing with marids should keep in mind that these creatures are egotistical and vain - with good reason. Their self-image only slightly exceeds reality - in AD&D, marids had the power of 26th level wizards, whilst noble marids were 30th level. Even the most powerful sha'ir angers a marid at his or her own risk. Bribery and flattery are often the best means for dealing with these genies, who view an obsequious man as a man who knows his place. Of course, while such honeyed tactics generally avoid raising a marid's ire, the genie still may not answer the supplicant's request.

Marids are noted for their whimsical nature. More than few have accepted all manner of gifts, only to vanish as soon the giver began making firm requests. Further, marids lie often and they lie creatively. They are not malicious in their deception, but "embellishments" suit their fancy. Knowledgeable mariners and travelers avoid asking directions from a marid, because the genie will undoubtedly direct them through the most "interesting" route - meaning the route with the greatest peril and excitement. Prying the truth out of even a friendly marid is a lengthy process recommended only for the patient and the powerful.

Not surprisingly, marids are champion tale-tellers. Their favorite legends emphasize the prowess of the marid race in general and of the speaker in particular. When talking with a marid, mortals should take care to prevent the conversation from digressing into other matters. One further note of warning: Marids consider it a crime for a lesser being to interrupt them-and offending a marid is a sure way to summon its wrath.

Marids have no need to eat or drink in the traditional sense, though it pleases them to do so. They are sensitive to flavor and tastes. A tenser in a marid household consists of exotic salts releasing pleasant tastes into the water. Though marids are creatures of the sea, they can breathe equally well on dry land. As befits "nobility," marids try to surround themselves with the finest items of the highest quality. (As noted above, all marids proclaim themselves to be noble, however feeble the justification.) Many arrogant genies are not above kidnapping a skilled human artificer for use in their own court. Such kidnapping does violate the law among marids, however. Should word of the action reach the Citadel of the Ten Thousand Pearls, justice may be sought with the marids who are truly noble.

As a race, marids treat others - including other genies - as inferiors of various grades, ranging from poor cousins to petty annoyances. In turn, the water-based genies are viewed as imperious, obnoxious, vain, preening, and haughty. Marids tolerate the jann and djinn. They dislike efreet and dao, who (in the marids' opinion) do not know their proper place. Humans are the most disgusting of individuals that marids must tolerate, although there are certain members - mainly powerful sha'irs and exceptional leaders - whom the marids will deal with on an almost equal footing.

In AD&D, marids have the unique ability to cast the spell Alter Reality once every year. This basically an Illusionist version of the Wish spell, although details have been lost to the mists of time. The noble marid's affinity for this ability is unclear; neither it nor the Wish spell are mentioned in their profile. In 3rd edition, this was changed to simply casting Limited Wish once per year... which ironically makes them worse at granting wishes than the Dao!

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5e

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Hailing from the Elemental Plane of Water, the marids are the most wondrous of genie-kind. Although all genies wield great power, even the lowliest marid sees itself as clearly superior to the flighty djinn, the groundhugging dao, and the fuming efreet. Large and piscine, marids are a strange sight to behold, particularly when clad in the finely stitched vests and colorful pantaloons they favor. They speak in voices as soft as the sea breeze or as sonorous as storm waves breaking against a rocky cliff. In flight, their lower bodies transform into columns of foamy water.

Water is a marid's native element, and the genie can manipulate water in virtually any way it desires. A marid can walk on water and breathe naturally beneath its surface. It can create water or shape clouds of fog and mist from the vapor in the air. It can even transform itself into mist, or use water as a weapon to bludgeon its foes.

Marids are rare on the Material Plane. They inhabit mighty and majestic coral fortresses located in the Elemental Plane of Water. These citadels float in the depths of the plane and contain opulent, air-filled chambers where slaves and guests reside. A marid doesn't expect much from its slaves, simply wanting to have them for the status of ownership. Marids go out of their way to obtain skilled slaves, and aren't above kidnapping mortal artists, entertainers, or storytellers for use in their courts.

All marids claim a title of nobility, and the race is awash in shahs, sultans, muftis, and khedives. Most of these titles are mere pretense on the part of the self-important marids. Marids treat all others- including other genies- as inferiors of various grades, ranging from poor cousins to petty annoyances. They tolerate djinn, dislike dao, and despise efreet. Humanoids are among the lowest of the creatures that marids must tolerate, although they sometimes deal with powerful wizards and exceptional leaders on an almost-equal footing. Doing so has sometimes proven to be a mistake, since wizards have managed to imprison marids in conch shells, flasks, and decanters over the ages. Bribery and flattery are the best means of dealing with marids, to which an obsequious mortal is a creature that knows its place.

Marids are champion taletellers, whose favorite legends emphasize the prowess of marids in general and of the speaker in particular. Fanciful genies, they lie often and creatively. They aren't always malicious in their deception, but embellishments suit their fancy. Marids consider it a crime for a lesser being to interrupt one of their tales, and offending a marid is a sure way to invoke its wrath.

World Axis

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Much like the Dao, very little is known about the marids of the World Axis. These silvery blue-skinned, pearl-eyed, subtly fish-like humanoids are mighty elementals of water, and characterized by their adventurous natures and their egos. These genies roam the great seas of the cosmos in search of excitement and adventure; they value freedom and individuality above all else, and follow only those who lead by example or inspire them through heroic efforts. This might have something to do with the fact that each individual member of the race considers itself to be nobility, but still, the race's nominal leader, the Great Padisha, rules with a light hand.

Boisterous and cheerful by nature, marids greatly prize tales and ballads, and they frequently hold storytelling and singing competitions with extravagant rewards for the victors. The winning story typically portrays marids as clever, infallible protagonists who make everyone else look bad by comparison. Marids also hold contests of arms, such as wrestling bouts or matches between fighters wielding trident and net. In addition, they organize great hunts for formidable prey, such as krakens and aquatic dragons. As with the bardic competitions, the winners are lavished with extravagant prizes, usually pearls, coral, or items of arcane power.

When conversing with a marid, one should display the respect due a superior, never interrupting and speaking only when spoken to. Flattery and displays of obeisance earn the most favorable response. Marids are keen judges of talent, and are readily impressed by an extraordinary storyteller, singer, hunter, or duelist.

Marids pride themselves on their large and diverse households, and they routinely invite creatures (the more exotic, the better) to be their servants and companions. Such an association is entirely voluntary, since marids greatly value free will - one of their greatest virtues, and which can often make up for their ego. Allies can include intelligent sea creatures such as aquatic elves, tritons, kelpies, and water elementals; fish and mundane aquatic beasts such as killer whales, sea snakes, various sharks, and dolphins; and magical beasts of the oceans.

Marids seldom leave the Elemental Chaos, but when they do, they might ally with any other intelligent creature that shares their goals and showers them with attention, gifts, and flattery. Wizards rarely attempt to bind marids, who make troublesome servants at best, and implacable enemies if they regain their freedom.

Ironically, one could make the argument that the marids of the Elemental Chaos are actually less annoying - or even outright heroic! - compared to their Great Wheel counterparts.

Pathfinder

Pathfinder's marids have not devolved into ugly fishfolk, instead remaining as sexy blue people. Still the most powerful of the genies, they are also 16 feet tall!

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Publication History

The marid, like the dao, are the "youngest" of the D&D Genie races. They only appeared in Advanced Dungeons & Dragons, making their debut in the article "Featured Creatures" in Dragon Magazine #66, before seeing official print in the adventure Lost Caverns of Tsojcanth and the Monster Manual II.

They first made their appearance in AD&D 2e under the "genie" heading in the Monstrous Compendium Volume One, which was then reprinted in the Monstrous Manual. The noble marid and the Great Padisha of the Marid appeared for the Al-Qadim setting in the Monstrous Compendium Al-Qadim Appendix. The marid also appeared in this setting under the header "Genie of Zakhara" in the Land of Fate boxed set - this sourcebook offers the largest amount of lore that the marid has ever enjoyed, and is far more informative than the Monstrous Compendium/Manual entry.

History would repeat itself, with the x losing its place of prominence in Dungeons & Dragons 3rd Edition; instead of appearing in the Monster Manual, like the djinn, efreet and even jann did, it wouldn't make its debut in 3e until the release of the Manual of the Planes.

It fell even further from grace in Dungeons & Dragons 4th Edition, however; it's only presence was the article "Bestiary: Dao and Marid" in Dungeon Magazine #199.

It finally reappeared alongside its fellow genies in the Monster Manual for Dungeons & Dragons 5th Edition, the first time all four were in a core splatbook since 1993.