Jenoine are an alien race of supernatural beings possesing god-like skill and ability. It is unknown if immortality is among their traits, but their powers are nevertheless extremely formidable. Their height is roughly over nine feet; they are broad, robust and look strong. Those encountered so far appear without clothing and entirely hairless. They have large and wide-set black eyes facing forward, a "sort of" mouth, without wrists and any visible sexual characteristics, but at least females of their species have been encountered. Their torso's seem to contain excess copies of vital organs which they are capable of regenerating if their working ones are damaged. Jenoine are resistant to effects of amorphia and the powers of Morganti or conventional blades with the exception of Great Weapons, especially Godslayer. They have their own language which sounds to an Easterner (and persumably Dragaeran) listener as something in between a screech and some form of howl and is likely high-pitched.
In the past, they had visited Dragaera and somehow manipulated part of the already existing species of Easterners into present day Dragaerans through genetic combinations with varied specimens of local wildlife. Their other area of interest was Chaos, which ultimately led to their disappearance from the land. There is a popular theory that suggests Easterners were also subject to breeding in psionic ability of which the result was psionic ability equal, or almost equal, to Dragaerans (the theory is likely Dragaeran and likely baised towards them). It is also notable that Dragaerans do not accept the aforementioned explanation about them being a byproduct of Easterners.
History[]
In the distant past, well before the formation of the Dragaeran Empire, the Jenoine colonized Dragaera. It is unknown where they came from or what their true intentions were. The planet was already inhabited by the native Serioli as well as by some Eastern colonists. Sethra Lavode asserts that the Dragaeran race are, in fact, descended from Easterners modified by the Jenoine. The Jenoine performed genetic experiments on Dragaerans using various (possibly, thirty-one) local animals, causing the thirty-one tribes to roam the continent after their abscence (which later became the seventeen Houses). Their experiments seem to have focused on several species; they worked succesfully on manifesting intelligence to jhereg. Their servants, at the time, included two present-time gods: Verra and Tristangrascalaticrunagore.
Eventually, a Catastrophe happened, resulting from a chain of accidental occurences (it is said to include a dispute among the Jenoine or certain actions on the part of their servants - or some combination) which seemingly has to do with another area of which the Jenoine are interested: Chaos. The Catastrophe itself was (what is presently called) the Greater Sea of Chaos. Suddenly, there were no Jenoine and a set of new gods. The gods name themselves the Lords of Judgment; they worked, with help from other individuals, to prevent a return of these beings.
Known Incursions[]
There have been three attacks by the Jenoine on the Dragaeran Empire recorded or mentioned by Paarfi of Roundwood or Vlad Taltos
- One Jenoine partially manifested during the Battle of Adrilankha in Sethra Lavode, and was able to temporarily neutralize the Orb (and in addition, greatly enhance the power of Orlaan).
- One Jenoine "redefined the defenses" of Dzur Mountain, approximately concurrent with the events of Taltos, although not recorded there. Sethra Lavode defeated the Jenoine, but not without help. See also:
- In Jhereg, Aliera e'Kieron mentions this to Vlad, who then remembers a comment that Sethra Lavode made, which he realizes was about this incident.
- In Orca, Kiera comments on this to Loftis, and remembers it to whomever she is narrating her thoughts to.
- Several Jenoine kidnapped Aliera e'Kieron and Morrolan e'Drien, plotted to drain and use the Lesser Sea of Chaos, and later showed up by that Sea and physically fought several gods, described by Vlad in Issola.
In addition to the above, in Issola, Verra mentions that there were attacks by the Jenoine on the Greater Sea of Chaos, the Halls of Judgment, and the Imperial Palace (which may be a reference to the neutralization of the Orb, see above), all of which were successfully resisted.