Quickleaf
Legend
Hi all! I'm trying to create a Persian fairyland and I'm looking for good sources (literary or otherwise). Know any?
I have enjoyed Raven Crowking's fairy thread immensly, and I'm using some ideas there, however the eastern "peri" have a different feel. The few stories I've come across paint them as spirit guides, muses, and lovers. So far I've relied on the Arabian Nights tale "Prince Ahmed and Peri-Banou", the Shahnameh (Persian Epic of Kings, 7 times as long as Homer's Odessey...though fairies get almost no coverage, poor blokes), and various internet resources.
Thus far I have created a map of the fairy land, called Shad-u-Kam (the province of delight). I have details on three cities:
Amberabad, city of amber, with its floating palaces, decadent nobility, public debates, reliance on sap to grow, cowards hiding from battle with the deevs, political exiles of the capital city, the rare lauded mortal hero visiting, and dreams blending with reality.
Jauherabad, city of jewels, accessible only after a perilous journey, located high in the emerald Kaf mountains where dwell all manner of magical creatures, it is home to the noble warrior houses, aerial retreats of powerful sorcerer lords, and a dungeon for reforming captive deevs.
Ahermanabad, city of the deevs (demons), located in a deep valley to the south, where deevs torment captive peries in dangling iron cages, king Arzshenk plots the destruction of Jauherabad, dragons are forced to teach their secret names to the deevs, mortals are targetted for tempting via crystal balls, and slaves - failed deevs and captives - toil in the mines.
The peries of Jauherabad and deevs of Ahermanabad wage war on each other continuously. While the peries of Amberabad do contribute to the war, they also conceal a number of military deserters and enemies of Jauherabad's elite. Unfortunately, the deevs usually have only one way to avoid the war effort - coming to the mortal world. This occurs if they: (1) Are sent to tempt a mortal or aid the deevs who rule the state of Mazinderan behind the scenes. (2) Are conjured/summoned by a sorcerer. (3) Flee across enemy territory and escape into the mortal world; usually such escapees are very strong or very clever, have no association with the rest of deev society, and hide in the wildlands which they terrorize. (4) Are bound by a powerful human warrior, who intimidates them to serve. (5) A rare few are spared and taken captive, to be used as bargaining chips for captured peries; such deevs rarely wish to return home, and one of the noble houses attempts to rehabilitate them of their evil ways, often acheiving partial succees.
I have enjoyed Raven Crowking's fairy thread immensly, and I'm using some ideas there, however the eastern "peri" have a different feel. The few stories I've come across paint them as spirit guides, muses, and lovers. So far I've relied on the Arabian Nights tale "Prince Ahmed and Peri-Banou", the Shahnameh (Persian Epic of Kings, 7 times as long as Homer's Odessey...though fairies get almost no coverage, poor blokes), and various internet resources.
Thus far I have created a map of the fairy land, called Shad-u-Kam (the province of delight). I have details on three cities:
Amberabad, city of amber, with its floating palaces, decadent nobility, public debates, reliance on sap to grow, cowards hiding from battle with the deevs, political exiles of the capital city, the rare lauded mortal hero visiting, and dreams blending with reality.
Jauherabad, city of jewels, accessible only after a perilous journey, located high in the emerald Kaf mountains where dwell all manner of magical creatures, it is home to the noble warrior houses, aerial retreats of powerful sorcerer lords, and a dungeon for reforming captive deevs.
Ahermanabad, city of the deevs (demons), located in a deep valley to the south, where deevs torment captive peries in dangling iron cages, king Arzshenk plots the destruction of Jauherabad, dragons are forced to teach their secret names to the deevs, mortals are targetted for tempting via crystal balls, and slaves - failed deevs and captives - toil in the mines.
The peries of Jauherabad and deevs of Ahermanabad wage war on each other continuously. While the peries of Amberabad do contribute to the war, they also conceal a number of military deserters and enemies of Jauherabad's elite. Unfortunately, the deevs usually have only one way to avoid the war effort - coming to the mortal world. This occurs if they: (1) Are sent to tempt a mortal or aid the deevs who rule the state of Mazinderan behind the scenes. (2) Are conjured/summoned by a sorcerer. (3) Flee across enemy territory and escape into the mortal world; usually such escapees are very strong or very clever, have no association with the rest of deev society, and hide in the wildlands which they terrorize. (4) Are bound by a powerful human warrior, who intimidates them to serve. (5) A rare few are spared and taken captive, to be used as bargaining chips for captured peries; such deevs rarely wish to return home, and one of the noble houses attempts to rehabilitate them of their evil ways, often acheiving partial succees.
I think it was just called Persian Folklore but I can't be sure; I believe it was originally translated and published in the early 20th century and reprinted in the 60s or 70s. Anyway, it has great stories about the hidden cities of the Peris. I hope you can find it.
It appears we have similar tastes in near eastern fantasy.
