Genasi, Air

Note: This race may only be selected by spending a Greater Award!

Air genasi are fast and free-willed. Because the traits that identify an air genasi are subtle, many go unrecognized for what they are for many years and are sometimes mistaken for Sorcerers. Those who are overtly different quickly learn to disguise their nature from common folk, at least until they are able to protect themselves and strike out on their own.

Air genasi are descended from outsiders native to the Elemental Plane of Air and Humans. Most air genasi in Faerun come from bloodlines estabilished over nine thousand years ago by the djinn who founded what is now Calimshan. A few rare air genasi derive from djinn summoned in other parts of the world, and some are said to be born of a line founded by a powerful air mephit sorcerer who lived on the Great Glacier hundreds of years ago. The numbers descended from the servants of air deities such as Akadi, Auril, and Shaundakul are unknown, but likely to be very small. Legends tell of Elves similar to air genasi, possibly descended from followers of the Elven goddess Aerdrie Faenya, but it is likely that these legends are just confused reports of the Avariels.

Appearances

Air genasi revel in their unusual nature, although few ever try to locate the being who founded their bloodline, since most are long dead or banished back to the Elemental Plane of Air. Because the Calimshan djinn bloodlines are so old and have suffered many crossbreedings, it is almost impossible to tell by normal means if two air genasi are from the same bloodline. As a result, all air genasi treat each other as "cousins," although in an arrogant and competitive way.

Air Genasi look Human except for one or two distinguishing features related to their elemental ancestor. Some examples of these features are:

• light blue skin
• pale white skin
• white hair
• light blue hair
• a constant slight breeze in their presence
• flesh that is cool to the touch
• voice that can be heard over any nonmagical wind
• any sudden movement is accompanied by whistling wind

Mind that some (unmentioned) traits could be not or otherwise supported in the models and are therefore in principal not allowed (like glowing eyes).

However, as per the Arelith remarks upon creating a subrace: Due to racial dilution, on Arelith, the skin tones noted are VERY faint. Characters who choose deep colors for these races that are outside of the offered features will be asked to remake, or deleted. Certain obvious racial characteristics WILL prohibit or limit greatly interaction with certain groups or individuals. Common sense dictates that any creatures of monstrous appearance will be treated as monsters, and players who choose these characteristics will interact accordingly, or be asked to remake, adjusted, or deleted at the DM's discretion.

What this comes down to: when considering the overall appearance of the character, is it 'slightly creepy' (on a par with a creepy mundane) or is it 'monstrous and scary' on a par with an ogre walking down the street? The latter is where the line has been crossed (and yes, good-aligned monstrousities can still be scary). If you are in doubt, try contacting a DM to clarify whether your idea is viable or not, or accept the consequences it may have if you decide to take the gamble (like, as mentioned above, adjustment/removal of character).

History

With only a few exceptions, air genasi native to Faerun are descended from the djinn who once ruled Calimshan. The djinn and djinn nobles often had Human concubines, and from these unions were born half-elementals. The half-elementals gained status by serving in the djinn's armies, and their own children inherited some of their elemental nature. When the djinn masters were overthrown, many djinn, half-djinn, and air genasi were slain, driven to another plane, or bound in magic items such as iron flasks. The surviving air genasi went into hiding or fled to nearby lands. Now air genasi are most common in the Lands of Intrigue, Sword Coast, and the Western Heartlands. They have intermixed enough with the local populations that at least half of them do not resemble the people of Calimshan.

Outlook

Air genasi, like all the elemental planetouched, are proud of their heritage, regardless of others' opinion of them. They know they are descended from powerful beings, even nobles of their kind. Outside Calimshan most people look upon such things with awe instead of fear, so the air genasi are used to being flamboyant with their abilities and expect a certain amount of deference from normal folk. Because they consider themselves children of the sky, air genasi move about a lot over the course of their lives. Air genasi want to see and taste the air in radically different places and consider settling in one place for any length of time to be confining.

Air genasi view air elementals as dumb brutes but see djinn and other intelligent air-outsiders as potential rivals for attention and power.

Society

Although rarely is more than one air genasi born to any particular couple, these planetouched see each other as members in an extended family, and their tendency to wander means that they are more likely than not to find another of their kind at some point in their travels. Air genasi use these times to exchange news of other air genasi, usually in the form of bragging about their own deeds compared to others. Unlike the bonds that Aasimar share, air genasi feel no need to defend other air genasi, and in fact see another air genasi's weakness as an affirmation of their own strength.

In a few rare cases, particularly charismatic air genasi have gathered a few dozen of their own kind to form a mercenary company, cabal of mages, or mercantile group. These individuals sometimes take air genasi children away from Human parents so they may be raised by their own kind. However, air genasi rarely stay together for longer than a year, so these fosterlings usually end up being raised by one or teo air genasi who stick together after the group dissolves. Still, these young genasi gain some sense of community and often go on to start their own temporary groups.

Creating new character on Arelith

Prerequisite

• Any "base race": Human, Half-Elf, Half-Orc, Moon Elf, Lightfoot Halfling, Rock Gnome, or Shield Dwarf
• No alignment restriction

Abilities

Abilities adjustments will depend on base race.

From base race:

Dex +2, Wis -2

Darkvision

ECL +1

25% lightning immunity

5/- lightning resistance

Starts knowing the Air Elemental stream

They receive half their character level towards climb checks.

Unaffected by heavy wind and other weather effects.

Takes 50% less from falling damage.

Appearance

Air Genasi look human except for one or two distinguishing features related to their elemental ancestor. For some examples of these features see the appearance description above.

Aging

Age (Human Planetouched)		Bonus
Adulthood	18 Years	+3d20
Middle Age	45 Years
Old	68 Years
Venerable	90 Years