Djinn

They have a reputation, of course. Tricksters, liars - the kind of beings who twist the applicant's wishes in on themselves, turning every boon they thought they'd been given into poison. The truth is, they're perfectly honest. People just aren't very good at knowing what really matters.
- Arken Qureshi, on Djinn
Djinn could be thought of as parasites - ones that subsist on the natural human tendency to be unsatisfied with one's lot in life.
They are spiritual beings, taking no true corporeal form. Their only physical presence in the world is in the object their life is necessarily bound to. It can be any object, from the traditional bronze lamp to a simple coin. Objects containing Djinn become indestructible - or more accurately, frozen in time. Objects containing Djinn have been observed at the moment of a Djinn's death, rapidly showing the scars of aging and effects of any attempts to destroy the item that may have been attempted over the Djinn's history.
The owner of an object containing a Djinn is referred to as the Djinn's applicant. A Djinn will only appear to and communicate with its applicant, and will follow almost any direction - or grant any wish - the applicant desires. Djinn have been known to refuse requests if the request in question is beyond their power to grant.
It is through granting these requests that Djinn sustain themselves. Every wish or request comes with a cost - one that the Djinn makes entirely clear to its applicant before granting any request. This cost is always in terms of time - either from the applicant's own life, or the lives of those around them. Whether the cost is drawn from the applicant or from others is based on the nature of the individual Djinn, as does the particulars of how the cost is exacted. The Djinn uses the surrendered time to increase its own lifespan.

Basic Information

Anatomy

Djinn can appear in any form they choose, usually one they have calculated to best appeal to their applicant. Most, therefore, will appear human.

Genetics and Reproduction

A Djinn may choose to create another Djinn by splitting its own life energy in two. It usually, but not always, keeps the greater portion for itself.

Lifespan

Lifespan dependant on applicant wishes