Looking through some old material from a previous Saga and came across good old Zhulbin. Our game was sent in the near/middle east and so had a strong association with Djinn and the like. I think the character can be easily re-skinned for use in Western Europe as a more traditional faery.
When I drafted him up, I was considered a few different ways of using him. As a foil for a Companion, as a Side adventure for a Companion and a few Grogs. In the end his Scimitar was picked up by a Magi who claimed it for his own. Luckily he was loath to destroy it for the Vis, and there commenced a number of hilarious encounters with Zhulbin.
Basically the NPC was cursed, every roll he made or any of his Boon Companions made was guaranteed to botch. It was unreal. The faery and his companions would storm up over a dune, declare that "Justice was here!" and "You thieves will not get away with this!" and then would promptly roll four or five botches on their surprise round and accidentally kill one another or die on the swords of the grogs. This happened repeatedly. The PCs and players were completely bewildered. I am not sure they ever figured out what was going on, and it became unbelievably funny. However, I think the character has some strong story potential.
Zhulbin Shazade - Affrit of the Scimitar
A Fairy Affrit, that has External Vis Quality, the Vis apparels as damascene scimitar. Zhulbin is an ancient, proud, and angry Jinn. He is a champion of his kind; and claims to have fought along side Solomon, Saladin, and the Fatimid Caliphs. However, as part of his Story, he is only able to “remember” this information when he takes on the Righteous Form. Otherwise, he appears as a young hero, and crafts a tale (that he fully believes) of woe and fortune to fit his surroundings. He is in all cases a pious Muslim.
His story is one that resonates with those who are dreamers, who believe that they deserve more and are capable of more. His story starts with the loss of his weapon, a beautiful scimitar of Damascus steel. When Zhulbin is separated from his sword, he seeks out others to help him find it, usually through stories about a lost inheritance, cruel theft, or the hand of Allah. He uses his outstanding Presence and Persuasion, Leadership, and Folk Ken Pretenses to convince people to join him. He typically finds noble warriors and disenfranchised noble men to join his cause. Together they find other heroes, typically two to four and search for signs of the blade in the region. These adventures often take them into danger and typically through some various Faery stories and events. When the Heroes find his Sword, he challenges the wielder to a fight, he is unarmed and the thief is typically holding a blazing scimitar (that can not hurt Zhulbin).
If Zhulbin wins and is reunited with his scimitar he takes on his Righteous Form and thanks his companions for saving him. If he loses the fight, but not ‘killed’ he take son his Righteous Form and grants the victor one wish within his power for the return of the blade. If he is killed he reforms and starts the quest again. Typically he works to make his quest take two or three seasons, so that someone wielding the scimitar may face the Djinn about once a year. The Faery gains vitality from all aspects of this story: The role of wronged hero, the leader of a group of boon companions drawn together by fate, the single combat, and the final victory or defeat. Indeed, being ‘killed’ is also fine, as the sword keeps him from dying.
When Zhulbin gets close to his Vis source it begins to heat up. In a fight with him, it begins to burn with an intense (magical) Fire (+5 and +2 per round, penetration of 15). The fire itself does not hurt Zhulbin. Note that his unarmed combat pretense is significantly better than his sword play.
Attributes: Size +2, Strength +4, Int -1, Per +1, Dex +3, Qck +3, Sta +2, Com -2,Pres: +3, Faery Might: 5 or 10 (I think!)
Pretenses: Single Weapon (Sword) + 3, Brawl (in a duel duel): +6(+8). Athletics (feats) +4, Penetration(Fire) +3, Theology Islam: +2, Lore Jinn: +2, Area Lore: Persia +2, Folk Ken (Heroes) +3, Arabic 3, Farsi 5, Berber +4, Leadership (Boon Companions): 3, Persuasion (Questing) +2, Awareness (Heroics) +1. Confidence 2 pts
Virtues and Flaws: Puissent Brawl (added +2 above), Faery Sight, External Vis (Major 4 Igneum Vis, [sword that grants the wielder the Fairy Power of Burning Brand: Igneum, -2, 1 Fatigue, add a +5 Fire to the sword, 2 Fatigue gives a +10 fire]), Berzerk, Vow (hunt down the sword thief), Traditional Ward (Bismillah Invocation), Malediction (Bargains), Incognizant and Cognizant (knows it is Fae after its victory or defeat when it take son the Righteous Form, but while a Man, it only knows it is on a holy quest to retrieve the sword, as determined by his Fate and Allah).
Powers:
Don the Corporeal Veil (0pts, -5, Corpus): The form of a young handsome warrior, with reddish hair, and rippling muscles. His size +1. This is the form he is usally encountered in, and while a Man he is Incognizant.
The Righteous Form (0pts, -2, Igneum), a humanoid fiery Affrit size +2.
The Sun Bull: (0pts, -5, Animal) A large +2 size bull/aurach golden reddish.
Incorporeal: (0pts, +2, Vim) Incorporeal spirit.
Elemental control (XXpts, +0, Igneum): Creo and Rego Igneum effects: Levels 1-20, Costs 1 pt per Magnitude (only accessible when in Righteous Form/Sun Bull or Incorporeal).
Inspire (3pts, +0, Mentum): Can give its Oathbound Companions (hunting the sword thief) a bonus so that Confidence grants them a +4 bonus.