Tricksters, Helpers & Household Spirits

The Spirits of Everyday Life

Beyond cosmic battles and desert monsters lie the small spirits of domestic life. These are the entities peasants actually encounter: helpers in fields, tricksters in homes, protectors of specific locations.

Hamzad (همزاد) - The Companion Spirit

Region: Widespread (Chaharmahal, Bakhtiari, Kohgiluyeh, Lorestan)

Name Meaning: "Born-together" or "Twin"

Nature: Personal spirit attached to individual from birth

Appearance: Invisible double, exact copy of person but made of consciousness

Behavior:

• Protective guardian throughout life
• Warns of danger through intuition/dreams
• Sometimes plays pranks (hiding objects, making noises)
• Strength reflects person's alignment—Spenta person has strong Hamzad, Angra person has weak or corrupted one

In Némand:

• Mechanical Reality: Hamzad is person's own consciousness-echo. Fragment of soul existing semi-independently. Explains "gut feelings" and "intuition" as actual communication with externalized self-awareness.
• Tier: Varies with user (mirrors their own power)
• Advanced Use: Tier 4+ users can deliberately manifest and communicate with Hamzad. Acts as external advisor—literally talking to objectified aspect of self.
• Danger: If corrupted by Angra, Hamzad becomes saboteur. Whispers doubts, suppresses good impulses, amplifies bad ones. Internal enemy.

Story Hint: Protagonist has recurring "gut feelings" that save their life. Eventually meets mystic who explains Hamzad concept. Teaches meditation technique to communicate directly with companion spirit. Device: protagonist can ask Hamzad "what do I really want?" or "what am I not seeing?" Gets honest answer from uncorrupted self-aspect. Personal growth through literal self-dialogue.

Musa-ku-Taghi (موسی‌کو‌تقی) - The Dual Spirit

Region: Gilan, Khuzestan, many northern provinces

Alternative Name: Taghi-ku Naqhi

Nature: Two-part entity. Musa (one aspect) and Taghi (another). Work together.

Behavior: One appears as old man offering help, other as young man testing character. They are same entity showing different faces.

In Némand:

• Alignment Test: Old man begs for help (testing compassion). If aided, young man appears later offering reward. If refused, both disappear—wasted opportunity.
• Tier: 2-3
• Fragment of: Possibly Sraosha or Rashnu (judgment/test entities)
• Mechanics: Uses Peyvand + Dāvar. Creates connection (old man's need) then judges response (character test). Reward matches character shown.

Story Hint: Protagonist encounters beggar (old Musa). Low on supplies, hard choice: share or conserve? If shares despite need, Taghi appears miles later with exactly what protagonist needed. If refuses, later faces obstacle that sharing would have prevented. Karma as actual game mechanic.

Tabe & Tabe'e (تابع و تابعه) - The Poet's Companions

Region: Khuzestan, literary traditions

Name Meaning: "Follower" (masculine and feminine forms)

Nature: Jinn who serve poets, writers, and artists

Behavior:

• Whisper inspirations during creative work
• Help find perfect words, arrange verses, solve artistic problems
• Loyal to specific artist (bond forms if artist properly respects them)
• Can become jealous if artist neglects craft or takes credit without acknowledgment

In Némand:

• Nature: Consciousness fragments attracted to creative energy. Feed on artistic expression (non-consumptive—they grow stronger when art is created, don't deplete artist).
• Symbiotic Relationship: Artist + Tabe creates better work than either alone. Mutualistic.
• Tier: 1-2 (individually weak, but valuable)
• Creative Magic: In world where consciousness shapes reality, powerful poetry/art can have magical effects. Tabe & Tabe'e enable this.

Story Hint: Protagonist meets court poet with amazing verse. Poet admits secret: has Tabe'e companion. Offers to teach invocation. Protagonist learns that magic isn't just engineering—can be artistry. Later, protagonist writes heartfelt letter/speech with Tabe aid. Words carry actual magical weight—persuasion becomes supernaturally effective. Shows creativity as magical discipline.

Divkhan (دیوخان) - The Gossip Silencer

Region: Fars Province

Domain: Punishing gossips and slanderers

Behavior: Hunts people who spread malicious rumors. Literally silences them (various folklore methods—sews lips, steals voice, causes throat disease).

In Némand:

• Alignment: Ambiguous. Punishes wrongdoing (Spenta) but through violence (Angra method). Vigilante justice entity.
• Tier: 2
• Interesting Contrast: Divkhan fights Spazg Div (demon of slander). Both focus on speech crimes but opposed. Spazg creates lies, Divkhan punishes liars. Chaos vs. violent order.
• Mechanics: Enforces Peyvand negatively—severs connection between slanderer's mind and voice. Corrupted Darmāndan (remedy by removal).

Story Hint: Court slanderer spreading vicious rumors about protagonist's ally. Before protagonist can act, Divkhan manifests and strikes slanderer mute. Protagonist witnesses entity's work. Question: Should protagonist thank Divkhan (it helped) or oppose it (violence without trial)? Gray morality: sometimes "good outcome" comes from questionable method.

Pa Kashak (پا کَشَک) - The Leg-Puller

Region: Khuzestan

Alternative Names: Bablavi, Abd Almay, Obaydalmay, Ali Varakesh, Ghulak, Ali Balakesh, Madar Howz

Behavior: Grabs people's legs from water (wells, pools, ponds) and pulls them in

In Némand:

• Tier: 1
• Nature: Minor water div. Feeds on surprise and fear of sudden submersion.
• Habitat: Stagnant water, wells, any still water where consciousness can settle
• Weakness: Moving water disrupts it. Simple blessing (Spenta invocation) prevents manifestation.
• Purpose: Teaches children not to play near dangerous water. Folk boogeyman with survival function.

Story Hint: Child falls into well. Protagonist dives in to rescue. Feels something grab leg—Pa Kashak. Must fight underwater while rescuing child. Dual challenge: physical rescue + div combat. Success requires staying calm (consciousness control) while in mortal danger.

Sang Jayook (سنگ جیوک) - The Rock Thrower

Region: Sistan & Baluchestan, Hormozgan

Alternative Names: Sang Jabok, Sang Januk

Behavior: Invisible entity that throws rocks at travelers. Seemingly without reason. Can be playful or dangerous depending on mood.

In Némand:

• Tier: 1
• Alignment: Neutral-to-mischievous
• Nature: Minor jinn bound to rocky terrain. Lonely, seeks interaction (throwing rocks is communication attempt—albeit poor one).
• Mechanics: Uses telekinesis (corrupted Darmāndan—moving physical objects without touching)
• Weakness: Speaking to it directly makes it visible. Can be negotiated with.

Story Hint: Rocks pelting protagonist during mountain travel. Annoying but not dangerous. Realizes entity is just lonely—starts talking to empty air. "Why are you doing this?" Sang Jayook appears, reveals it hasn't spoken to human in decades. Offers to guide through mountain pass in exchange for conversation. Shows even "hostile" spirits might just be misunderstood.

Household Protectors & Hearth Spirits

Malaakat (ملاکت) - The Kitchen Guardian

Region: Gilan, Hamadan, Hormozgan, many provinces

Alternative Names: Ma'laakat, Malaakeh, Malaaykat, Mulookt

Domain: Kitchen, food preparation, hearth

Behavior:

• Protects food from spoiling
• Prevents cooking accidents
• Makes meals more nourishing (same ingredients feed more people)
• Becomes upset if kitchen is disrespected (waste, uncleanliness)

In Némand:

• Tier: 1 (very minor power)
• Alignment: Benevolent
• Nature: Consciousness fragment formed from generations of cooking in same kitchen. Absorbs familial love, hospitality, care in food preparation.
• Mechanics: Passive Spenta-Vapour generation. Meals cooked in kitchen with strong Malaakat are literally more nutritious—contain life energy.
• Invocation: Cleaning kitchen with mindfulness, thanking hearth, offering first portion of meal

Story Hint: Protagonist recovering from injury. Village grandmother's soup heals faster than medicine. She explains: Malaakat blessed kitchen for 50 years. Teaches that sacred can exist in mundane. Magic isn't just weapons—it's grandmother's soup, blessed by decades of love.

Aroosak (عروسک) - The Treasure Doll

Region: Massive distribution (multiple provinces, many name variants)

Alternative Names: Gonj Banai, Gonjeh Banoee, Arousak Gol, Ginjeh Vani, Zarbanoo, Zarbanoo Kooyee, Somooreh, Zarbaniykeh, Zarmalakeh, Masooreh, Zalzarkhoosi, Gonj Khoseh, Zalmalayki, Ishpitka, Zal Mal Ki, Aroos Meesh, Resq

Folklore: Doll or small female figure that guards buried treasure

Behavior:

• Appears near hidden valuables
• Sometimes guides worthy people to treasure
• Sometimes guards treasure violently
• Tests moral character: those who ask permission can take share; those who steal get cursed

In Némand:

• Nature: Consciousness-imprint left by whoever buried treasure. Their protective intent given form.
• Tier: 1-2 (individually weak, but treasure often has magical properties)
• Variation: Spenta-aligned owner creates helpful Aroosak. Angra-aligned creates hostile one. Reflects creator's nature.
• Loot Mechanic: Finding Aroosak means treasure nearby. Character test: respect spirit's guardianship or desecrate grave? Choice affects alignment and whether treasure is cursed.

Story Hint: Protagonist finds Aroosak while searching ruins. It offers deal: "Take half, leave half, and tell no one of this place." Protagonist must decide. If agrees, gets wealth + safe departure. If tries to take everything, Aroosak becomes hostile (animates into combat form). If leaves everything, gains Aroosak's blessing (permanent minor luck boost). Three outcomes based on greed level.

Herch (هِرچ) - The Sheep Grappler

Region: Khorasan

Behavior: Wrestles with sheep and goats at night. Doesn't harm them—just grapples. Farmers find livestock exhausted but uninjured.

In Némand:

• Tier: 1
• Alignment: Neutral (weird but not malicious)
• Nature: Minor jinn that craves physical interaction. Not intelligent enough for conversation—expresses itself through wrestling.
• Interesting Cultural Note: "Herch" sounds like "هرچی" (harchi = "whatever"). Suggests entity is called "Whatever" because nobody knows what it actually is.
• Mechanics: Purely physical (no magical attacks). Can be wrestled by Pahlavani practitioner. If beaten honorably, might become ally.

Story Hint: Protagonist staying at farm. Hears commotion at night—finds Herch wrestling goats. Instead of attacking, protagonist challenges it to proper Pahlavani match. Wins through technique (not magic). Herch, impressed, becomes comic relief companion. Sometimes helps in fights (tackles enemies), sometimes causes problems (wrestles protagonist's horse). Mascot character opportunity.

Denu Shemar / Deno Shemar (دِنوشِمار) - The Tooth Counter

Region: EXTREMELY widespread (Fars, Golestan, Hamadan, Kermanshah, Khuzestan, many others)

Alternative Names: Qamqameh, Gargaraak, Dandoon Shomar, Dandan Ashmarak, Kalpuk, Dalkeh Maran, Kachman, Koodee, Kalbak, Dian Shmireh, Dandushmarak, Sarkashginnak, Dandoon Beshmoro, Gargaras, Kalb, Tateh Kam

Behavior: Counts teeth of sleeping people. Doesn't harm—just counts. Wakes people up with eerie whispering of numbers.

In Némand:

• Tier: 0-1 (nearly harmless, pure nuisance)
• Alignment: Neutral (bizarre compulsion, not malicious)
• Nature: Minor jinn with obsessive behavior. Fragment of corrupted Dāvar (judgment fixated on meaningless metric—counting teeth instead of assessing character).
• Cultural Purpose: Teaches children to keep mouth closed while sleeping (dental health) and not sleep with mouth open (prevents dry mouth/illness).
• Why So Widespread: One of most common minor jinn. Reproduces easily in any settlement with sleeping humans. Almost parasitic but harmless.

Story Hint: Comic relief. Protagonist woken by Denu Shemar's counting. Annoyed, asks "Why?!" Jinn pauses, confused—"I don't know. I just...must count." Moment of humor showing even supernatural has absurd aspects. Later used for alarm system: if Denu Shemar suddenly stops counting (meaning bigger threat scared it away), protagonist knows div or danger nearby.

Didomak (دیدومک) - The Rooster Spirit

Region: Extremely widespread

Alternative Names: Titi-wok, Titi Qalandar, Tito Vang, Titiron, Chosunak, Titimak, Didim, Titoom i, Pashlak, Titiyosh ak, Tatawa, Di Do Dang Karreh, Titaavak, Kharoos Kooli, Titravaask, Daz Didomak

Appearance: Rooster-shaped or rooster-associated spirit

Behavior: Causes roosters to crow at specific times. Sometimes helpful (warns of dawn/danger), sometimes annoying (crows at wrong times).

In Némand:

• Tier: 1
• Alignment: Neutral-to-Spenta
• Sacred Connection: Roosters are sacred in Zoroastrianism (announce dawn, drive away darkness/Deevs). Didomak might be fragment of this sacredness.
• Power: Can sense approaching dawn/danger. Rooster crowing is its warning system.
• Multiple Names: Suggests regional variations OR single entity that adapts linguistic expression to local dialect

Story Hint: Protagonist camping. Rooster crows unusually—not dawn, wrong time. Remembers Didomak. Realizes it's warning. Moments later, div or bandits attack. Rooster's crow saved them. Later protagonist deliberately travels with rooster as early warning system. Mundane animal + household spirit = practical magical tool.

Design Philosophy: Household Magic

Notice these entities make home and farm feel magical without being epic:

• Hamzad: personal guardian
• Malaakat: kitchen blesser
• Didomak: rooster warner
• Aroosak: treasure guarder

This grounds your world. Magic isn't just pyramid raids and div battles—it's in everyday life. Grandmother's soup is blessed. Traveler's intuition is Hamzad. Rooster's crow is spirit-warning. This makes setting feel lived-in and authentic.