Omens, Curses & Abstract Entities

Entities Without Bodies

Not all div are physical. Some exist as patterns, probabilities, corruption of luck itself. These are hardest to fight because they have no throat to cut, no body to burn.

Zarir & Tarir (زریز و تریز) - The Twin Deevs

From Bundahishn

Domain: Unknown specific (appear as pair)

In Némand:

• Tier: 3-4
• Dual Nature: Work in tandem. One creates problem, other prevents solution. Perfect div cooperation.
• Example: Zarir causes crop disease. When farmer tries cure, Tarir makes medicine ineffective. Must defeat BOTH simultaneously or neither stays gone.
• Story Hint: Protagonist faces two-part curse. Solving one problem triggers another. Eventually realizes: fighting symptoms won't work. Must find root cause (Zarir & Tarir's anchor-point) and purify simultaneously. Teaches systems-thinking.

Sawul (ساوول)

From Bundahishn

Domain: Famine, food shortage

In Némand:

• Tier: 4
• Manifestation: Doesn't appear physically. Exists as "hunger aura." Where Sawul dwells, food spoils, crops fail, animals starve.
• Feeding Paradox: Feeds on hunger itself. More starvation = stronger Sawul = more starvation. Self-reinforcing.
• Counter: Generosity. Sharing scarce food weakens Sawul (Spenta action disrupts Angra entity). Hoarding strengthens it.
• Zahhak Connection: Sawul likely active in regions under Zahhak's rule. Tyrant's food hoarding empowers demon.

Story Hint: Village suffering famine. Protagonist investigates—no natural cause. Discovers Sawul manifestation. Only solution: convince villagers to share equally rather than hoard. Social/political challenge, not combat. Defeating invisible demon requires changing human behavior.

Nanhis / Naghis (ناگهیس / ناهیه)

From Bundahishn

Domain: Discontent, dissatisfaction, complaint

In Némand:

• Tier: 2-3
• Psychological Div: Causes chronic dissatisfaction. Nothing feels good enough. Achievements feel hollow.
• Related to Āz: Where Āz is greed (wanting more), Nanhis is joylessness (appreciating nothing).
• Feeding: Despair of those who have good lives but cannot enjoy them
• Counter: Gratitude practice. Conscious appreciation disrupts Nanhis. Simple but difficult.

Taromad & Perimati (ترومد و پریمتی)

From Bundahishn

Domain: Pride and ambition (the bad kinds)

In Némand:

• Tier: 3
• Target: Successful people. Whispers that their achievements aren't enough, they deserve more recognition, others are stealing credit.
• Creates: Arrogant leaders, jealous artists, bitter scholars
• Feeding: The gap between deserved and received recognition (perceived unfairness)

Penikh (پنی)

From Bundahishn

Domain: Stinginess, refusal to share

In Némand:

• Tier: 2
• Method: Makes generous people suddenly miserly. "I might need this later." "They don't deserve my help." Corrupts charity impulse.
• Opposite of: Goodness Queen (rewards generosity). Penikh punishes it.
• Story Hint: Protagonist accumulates wealth. Begins feeling reluctant to share. Realizes Penikh influence growing. Must deliberately give away valuables to break demon's hold. Teaches that hoarding wealth isn't just moral failing—it's literal div invitation.

Disease Demons

Jateg (جاتیگ)

From Bundahishn

Domain: Disease, plague, sickness

In Némand:

• Tier: 3-4
• Manifestation: Exists as epidemic. Not single creature—distributed plague-consciousness.
• Method: Corrupts Darmāndan (Remedy). Medicine stops working. Healers become ineffective.
• Counter: Māraspand invocation (healing Yazata) or purification of entire afflicted area (massive ritual).

Zaar (زار)

Region: Fars, Khuzestan (southern provinces)

Folklore: Possessing spirit causing illness, erratic behavior

Zaar Ceremonies: Traditional exorcism through drumming, dancing, exhaustion

In Némand:

• Tier: 2
• Possession: Div fragment enters human consciousness. Shares body, causes illness and personality changes.
• Exorcism Mechanics: Traditional ceremony works—rhythm disrupts div's frequency, exhaustion depletes its energy, host's will reasserts control.
• Not Always Malicious: Some Zaar attach accidentally (lonely fragments seeking consciousness-contact). Can be negotiated with—"What do you want?" Sometimes just acknowledgment, offering, respect.

Story Hint: Ally possessed by Zaar. Protagonist must facilitate traditional ceremony. Learns that some magic requires community participation—drums, dancers, witnesses all needed. Can't solo this challenge. Shows limits of individual hero model.

Curse-Bringers

Evil Vazak (وزغ اهریمنی / وزک)

Domain: Frogs/toads, plague, contamination

Folklore: Evil frog that brings disease

In Némand:

• Tier: 1-2
• Appearance: Unnaturally large toad with wrong-colored eyes
• Method: Contaminates water sources. Single Evil Vazak in well makes entire village sick.
• Weakness: Vulnerable to salt (traditional wisdom). Salt represents purity—disrupts Angra essence.

Chasm ak Deev (چَشمَک دیو)

Name Meaning: "Winking Demon"

Domain: Deception through vision

In Némand:

• Tier: 2
• Method: Its wink causes visual hallucinations. Victim sees things that aren't there or misses things that are.
• Corrupted Didār: Observation itself becomes unreliable. Senses lie.
• Counter: Multiple observers. If two people see different things, one is Chashamak-affected. Cross-reference observations to find truth.

The Conceptual Hierarchy

Notice evolution from physical to abstract:

1. Tier 1-2: Physical monsters (Ghoul, Boz-Mar, Goje-Ferfer). Can be fought with weapons.
2. Tier 3: Semi-physical (Ghalyavun, Owj). Require strategy beyond simple combat.
3. Tier 4: Psychological/Social (Spazg, Taromad, Nanhis). Affect thoughts and societies.
4. Tier 5: Conceptual (Āz, Druj). Pure corruption of fundamental principles. Cannot be "killed"—must be opposed through embodying opposite principle.

Combat Scaling: Early game: kill monsters. Mid game: outsmart demons. Late game: embody virtue to oppose corruption. This creates natural difficulty progression AND thematic deepening.

Writer's Application: Abstract Threats

Abstract entities create different story tension:

• Sawul (famine): Resource management storyline
• Nanhis (discontent): Internal character arc
• Zaar (possession): Medical mystery/exorcism plot
• Jateg (plague): Epidemic crisis requiring social organization

These aren't solved by hero getting stronger weapon. They require community cooperation, behavioral change, social restructuring. Makes protagonist use leadership/wisdom/moral authority instead of just combat skill. Variety in challenge types prevents monotony.