Zommoros: Genie or Djinn?

Zommoros: Genie or Djinn?

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Posted by: Avatar Rage.4369

Avatar Rage.4369

Right was have been told that Zommoros is a genie though in game text. However this would mean that he is the only genie we have encountered in any Guild Wars game (at least according to some). Making him one of a kind (excluding the one in the box).

We have also been told via early dev interviews that Zommoros is a djinn, something we have encountered in GW:NF. They fit the same description as Zommoros but some would say that they are not genie, but a different creature all together.

I am just wondering what anyone else has to say on this matter?

Personally I think that genie is a simply a colloquialism for djinn in Tyria just as it is in the real world.

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Posted by: knbBlackTemplar.3059

knbBlackTemplar.3059

In my native language Djinn and Genie mean same :/ What the difference?

80’s: Sylvari Necromancer (Main). Human: Thief, Warrior (PvP Main), Engineer. Charr Guardian

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Posted by: Avatar Rage.4369

Avatar Rage.4369

In my native language Djinn and Genie mean same :/ What the difference?

The only difference is the origin of the spelling really. But as I say above some seem to be under the impression that they are different, at least in terms of the game.

Though on a side note what is you native language? If you don’t mind me asking.

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Posted by: knbBlackTemplar.3059

knbBlackTemplar.3059

In my native language Djinn and Genie mean same :/ What the difference?

The only difference is the origin of the spelling really. But as I say above some seem to be under the impression that they are different, at least in terms of the game.

Though on a side note what is you native language? If you don’t mind me asking.

Russian

80’s: Sylvari Necromancer (Main). Human: Thief, Warrior (PvP Main), Engineer. Charr Guardian

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Posted by: Mystic Starfish.2586

Mystic Starfish.2586

I don’t remember him being called a Genie, I think (almost wrote Melonni), Miyani says that he’s a Djinn she smuggled from Elona when she came to LA

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Posted by: Egon Vidar.9125

Egon Vidar.9125

As others have said, genie and djinn mean the same thing. Jinni/djinni is the plural of djinn (sometimes), and “genie” is the French translation from Arabian Nights, and it just stuck. As far as I remember at least. It’s been a very long time since I’ve read on the topic.

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Posted by: Aaron Ansari.1604

Aaron Ansari.1604

Technically they are the same thing, though in practice someone who says ‘djinn’ is likely to picture something entirely different than someone who says ‘genie’. (thank you, Disney!) Zommoros is a djinn, but some people call him genie because Tyria has a similar cultural disconnect to Elona as Europe and the Middle East/Anet decided the Mystic Forge worked more like a “genie” than a “djinn” and reflected that in-game.

R.I.P., Old Man of Auld Red Wharf. Gone but never forgotten.

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Posted by: Drakkon.4782

Drakkon.4782

Technically they are the same thing, though in practice someone who says ‘djinn’ is likely to picture something entirely different than someone who says ‘genie’. (thank you, Disney!) Zommoros is a djinn, but some people call him genie because Tyria has a similar cultural disconnect to Elona as Europe and the Middle East/Anet decided the Mystic Forge worked more like a “genie” than a “djinn” and reflected that in-game.

Poof! What do you need? Poof! What do you need? Poof! What do you need?

“People don’t hate Scarlet the way Game of Thrones
fans hate Joffrey. They hate her the way Star Wars
fans hate Jar Jar Binks.”-not a direct quote, but still true.

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Posted by: Parisalchuk.9230

Parisalchuk.9230

“Even Zommoros, the eccentric djinn trapped within the Mystic Forge, loves Wintersday. He’s transformed the Forge into a giant snow globe that holds three brand-new holiday activities:”

https://www.guildwars2.com/en/the-game/releases/december-2012/

Straight from an official release. I think that about sums it up.

O O O O I I I O – Spoons and Sporks [Soup] (Retired)
http://www.twitch.tv/parisalchuk

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Posted by: wouw.5837

wouw.5837

In SoS they say Zommoros is a Genie

Elona is Love, Elona is life.

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Posted by: Dustfinger.9510

Dustfinger.9510

Seems to me that A-net has decided that they mean the same thing.

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Posted by: Aaron Ansari.1604

Aaron Ansari.1604

Poof! What do you need? Poof! What do you need? Poof! What do you need?

Poof! What, you didn’t want that? Poof! Not that one either? Poof! You know what, just deal with it!

R.I.P., Old Man of Auld Red Wharf. Gone but never forgotten.

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Posted by: Mistro.3059

Mistro.3059

The Genie spelling also seems to come from Genius, the Roman version of Jinii, which is technically the same thing as a Djinn.

Essentially they are a creature that is not human, but also neither demon nor angel. They can be any alignment, and are also somewhat like the Shinto idea behind Kami/Yokai, that basically it is a spirit that embodies anything.

I think most people would agree that he is the mystical genie of the toilet, and he is a cruel entity that feasts upon your tears.

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Posted by: Dustfinger.9510

Dustfinger.9510

he is a cruel entity that feasts upon your tears.

Lol. +5 internest for you!

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Posted by: Sindex.9520

Sindex.9520

I am guessing this subject as brought up because of wooden potatoes interpretation of what happened in the shadowbox short story. Where he say’s that Zommoros is a genie and not a djinn. Supposedly A-net made this canon somewhere. In which they separate the two into different entities, and WP will not believe anyone unless it’s a developer that say’s different.

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Posted by: Dustfinger.9510

Dustfinger.9510

I’d go with the dev word as well. Now I wish we had whichever source WP is using.

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Posted by: Narcemus.1348

Narcemus.1348

In Nightfall there was a Djinn that acted very much like a Genie. There was a quest chain where you track down a Djinn for this guy so he becomes a rich prince, but he still can’t get the girl he wants, lol.

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Posted by: Avatar Rage.4369

Avatar Rage.4369

I am guessing this subject as brought up because of wooden potatoes interpretation of what happened in the shadowbox short story. Where he say’s that Zommoros is a genie and not a djinn. Supposedly A-net made this canon somewhere. In which they separate the two into different entities, and WP will not believe anyone unless it’s a developer that say’s different.

It started with that, but I made the post when I asked some people in game and there is a bit of split. Fair bit of dispute about what he was.

Plus I thought we would put it to rights here, something different to talk about you know instead of Zhaitan and Sylvari.

I’d go with the dev word as well. Now I wish we had whichever source WP is using.

WP was using a source from the game, if you talk to the woman by the Mystic Forge she says he is a Genie. It is were all of this stems from.

So it seems that most here agree with me that he is in fact both, because djinn and genie are the same in GW. Just like real life.

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Posted by: Konig Des Todes.2086

Konig Des Todes.2086

In SoS they say Zommoros is a Genie

Zommoros isn’t met in Sea of Sorrows.

There is a djinn, who is with the Capricorn, but that’s the only djinn in SoS and nothing says it is Zommoros.

Anyways, Zommoros is a djinn. Genie is just another way to spell djinn – it’s the same exact thing in our world. And it seems the same in the GW world too.

Dear ANet writers,
Stop treating GW2 as a single story. Each Season and expansion should be their own story.

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Posted by: Aaron Ansari.1604

Aaron Ansari.1604

Supposedly A-net made this canon somewhere. In which they separate the two into different entities, and WP will not believe anyone unless it’s a developer that say’s different.

Why is it that whenever WP is mentioned on this forum it turns into this sort of warped game of telephone? He never said that, anywhere, neither in the comments or the video itself. Please, if you are going to cast aspersions upon a personage, do try to be accurate.

R.I.P., Old Man of Auld Red Wharf. Gone but never forgotten.

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Posted by: Sindex.9520

Sindex.9520

Supposedly A-net made this canon somewhere. In which they separate the two into different entities, and WP will not believe anyone unless it’s a developer that say’s different.

Why is it that whenever WP is mentioned on this forum it turns into this sort of warped game of telephone? He never said that, anywhere, neither in the comments or the video itself. Please, if you are going to cast aspersions upon a personage, do try to be accurate.

Really now? Then I would direct you to watch this:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IAaOKy1PoCg

From this time 2:42 to 3:55. Tell me what he said?

(edited by Sindex.9520)

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Posted by: Aaron Ansari.1604

Aaron Ansari.1604

He says that he wants a source, other than the wiki, that he is wrong, which is acceptable, laudable even. He mentions his one source, which if you look at the uploader comments on the original video he cites as Miyani’s dialogue (he certainly is not exhaustive in his research, and has been known to miss things sitting under his nose, but that is no cause to be falsely attributing statements to him). NOWHERE does he demand a dev’s personal attention to prove him wrong- he simply requests, quite reasonably, that those who call him out on something cite their information, and that it be taken from something that does not itself suffer such a shortcoming.

R.I.P., Old Man of Auld Red Wharf. Gone but never forgotten.

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Posted by: Sindex.9520

Sindex.9520

Saying that he wants a source from somewhere, that is not directed by the players/fans. Is still a roundabout way of saying “I want a source to come from past, present, or future Guild Wars development to reference the contrary.” Which needs a direct citation from whatever any Guild Wars developer has/will state(d), in/out of the game. Anyways I done arguing over semantics, because it’s not the issue on hand.

Nevertheless I have no idea why Miyani does not reference him as djinn, instead of a genie. Maybe it’s because of that 250 year gap that developers constantly reference to; when histories get reinterpreted in game. Or maybe it’s cultural or a geographical thing like you mention earlier in one of your earlier post. In the end I would agree with the others when it comes to the two entities being one in the same. Since I have not personally interpreted anyone in game stating that a genie is a separate entity to a djinn. Even Miyani who say’s he is a genie does not say it’s any different to a djinn.

(edited by Sindex.9520)

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Posted by: Aaron Ansari.1604

Aaron Ansari.1604

I would not like you to take this personally, but I have no intent of allowing that to be the last word, as his request is not nearly as unreasonable as you indirectly imply it to be. All he is asking for is that the naysayers point to some portion of the body of the game, or its numerous online and printed supplements, from which they are drawing their own conclusions, as he himself has done. Not at all unlike what has been done here.

I do agree that it is not the issue at hand- he is operating upon the assumption that there is a distinction between djinn and genies, whereas the unanimous consensus here is that there is not- but I feel compelled to speak up in his defence, as this forum frequently creates straw men out of his work, the warped game of telephone which I mentioned beforehand. It is unfair to him, especially when it is not his videos themselves that many here are aggravated by but rather the followers of his who hold his musings up as gospel, which is truthfully just as bad.

R.I.P., Old Man of Auld Red Wharf. Gone but never forgotten.

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Posted by: marnick.4305

marnick.4305

Technically they are the same thing, though in practice someone who says ‘djinn’ is likely to picture something entirely different than someone who says ‘genie’. (thank you, Disney!) Zommoros is a djinn, but some people call him genie because Tyria has a similar cultural disconnect to Elona as Europe and the Middle East/Anet decided the Mystic Forge worked more like a “genie” than a “djinn” and reflected that in-game.

That’s like saying there’s a difference between soldiers and servicemen because in German it’s translated as Krieger (thank you Saving Private Ryan).

Or water and dihydrogen-monoxide being different things (thank you Penn and Teller).

Genies and Djinn are the same thing. Synonyms.

Supposedly A-net made this canon somewhere. In which they separate the two into different entities, and WP will not believe anyone unless it’s a developer that say’s different.

Why is it that whenever WP is mentioned on this forum it turns into this sort of warped game of telephone? He never said that, anywhere, neither in the comments or the video itself. Please, if you are going to cast aspersions upon a personage, do try to be accurate.

Really now? Then I would direct you to watch this:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IAaOKy1PoCg

From this time 2:42 to 3:55. Tell me what he said?

He was wrong. Plain and simple. He’s made other mistakes too, some in very common lore. I’ve seen him not know stuff mentioned in presearing. Not that it’s a problem … WP is a decent guy and does his very best to make a compelling show. But he does qualify that all is speculation. And that’s how you should watch his show … pure speculation.

If I can’t play Guild Wars 2 at work, I won’t work in Guild Wars 2 either.
Delayed content is eventually good. Rushed content is eternally bad. ~ Shigeru Miyamoto

(edited by marnick.4305)

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Posted by: Avatar Rage.4369

Avatar Rage.4369

So back on topic, we are in majority agreement that in Tyria, just as in the real world, djinn and genie are interchangeable.

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Posted by: Barradin.3164

Barradin.3164

Just dropping in – This is WP.

Yeah, I said Zomorros is a genie. Why? Because I had seen miyani call him that. People then attempted to correct me because ‘’the wiki says hes a Djiin!’’ – to which my response is that the wiki can be edited by anyone, and on its own is not a source.

Days ago on reddit we had a discussion where someone pointed out the wintersday page, which is a REAL source. At this point I conceded they were probably interchangeable terms.

Big deal. Jesus guys please don’t be so pedantic. I am a human being and I have never claimed to know everything ever.

Whatever the case, I doubt this means too much for the story as a whole. We’ll see.

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Posted by: Rainbow Sprint.3215

Rainbow Sprint.3215

Genies and Djinns are the same thing. Though Genies usually refer to the good ones while Djinn is used for the evil ones. So yes he would be a genie as he doesnt seem to have a plot to steal your soul or anything.

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Posted by: Dustfinger.9510

Dustfinger.9510

Just dropping in – This is WP.

Yeah, I said Zomorros is a genie. Why? Because I had seen miyani call him that. People then attempted to correct me because ‘’the wiki says hes a Djiin!’’ – to which my response is that the wiki can be edited by anyone, and on its own is not a source.

Days ago on reddit we had a discussion where someone pointed out the wintersday page, which is a REAL source. At this point I conceded they were probably interchangeable terms.

Big deal. Jesus guys please don’t be so pedantic. I am a human being and I have never claimed to know everything ever.

Whatever the case, I doubt this means too much for the story as a whole. We’ll see.

This is admirable. thank you for posting and that clears it up pretty neatly.

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Posted by: draxynnic.3719

draxynnic.3719

Genies and Djinns are the same thing. Though Genies usually refer to the good ones while Djinn is used for the evil ones. So yes he would be a genie as he doesnt seem to have a plot to steal your soul or anything.

I think that’s pretty much purely cultural. In the original Middle-Eastern mythology, most djinn are, if not outright evil, then certainly not well inclined towards humanity – in Islamic mythology, in fact, their equivalent of the Devil is a leader of the djinn. Europeans, on the other hand, tend to focus more on the wish fulfillment side of things, so in European mythology they aren’t as dark as they can be in the original Arabic.

However, neither term has an inbuilt assumption about alignment, it just represents different cultural expectations by the people using them.

To those who think Scarlet hate means she’s succeeded as a villain:
People don’t hate Scarlet like Game of Thrones fans hate Joffrey.
They hate her the way Star Wars fans hate Jar Jar Binks.

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Posted by: Konig Des Todes.2086

Konig Des Todes.2086

I’m truly surprised such a big deal was made out of what Wooden Potatoes said… he’s not even a member of ArenaNet, so I fail to see why his words are so important. Yes, he makes good summaries (a lot of mistakes or lacking-of-details, sure, but good nonetheless), but it’s not like he’s a Word of God.

Yehs.

Dear ANet writers,
Stop treating GW2 as a single story. Each Season and expansion should be their own story.

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Posted by: Avatar Rage.4369

Avatar Rage.4369

I’m truly surprised such a big deal was made out of what Wooden Potatoes said… he’s not even a member of ArenaNet, so I fail to see why his words are so important. Yes, he makes good summaries (a lot of mistakes or lacking-of-details, sure, but good nonetheless), but it’s not like he’s a Word of God.

Yehs.

I know I did not even mention WP

I just thought it was an interesting, different topic.

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Posted by: wouw.5837

wouw.5837

In SoS they say Zommoros is a Genie

Zommoros isn’t met in Sea of Sorrows.

There is a djinn, who is with the Capricorn, but that’s the only djinn in SoS and nothing says it is Zommoros.

Anyways, Zommoros is a djinn. Genie is just another way to spell djinn – it’s the same exact thing in our world. And it seems the same in the GW world too.

ow really? My mind just made that connection: Genie+Book about LA=Zommoros. have to reread it:p.

Elona is Love, Elona is life.

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Posted by: Meili Ying.3820

Meili Ying.3820

Didn’t read the above posts, but I think that essentially Djinn and Genie are the same, except a Djinn is only considered a Genie if it is bound in some sort of vessel, like a lamp. Seeing as Zommoros is in the Mystic Forge, I would classify him as a Genie.

Fix the Search Function

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Posted by: Getefix.9150

Getefix.9150

i shall put all this misconception to rest

Vabbi legends hint at djinn granting wishes and bestowing powers. In more recent accounts, adventurers have shared stories of djinn who offered them magical knowledge and powerful magical items… including some salvaged from mighty heroes who dared to disturb the djinn.” – guild wars nightfall manuscripts

tada – theyre the same thing

“Nothing is true, Everything is permitted”

Kiel Replacement Movement

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Posted by: KyreneZA.8617

KyreneZA.8617

Champion Troll would be my vote, but that would be based on behaviour, not lore.

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