Origin of the Species - Fire Genasi
General Summary
The Journal of Extraplanar Archaeology was recently granted an extraordinary opportunity to interview the esteemed Dr. Pall Gar, professor and founder of the field of philo-archaeology and author of the multivolume A Brief Dwarven History of Pandora as well as several articles for this very publication. He is currently working hard on his upcoming book, Origin of the Species: A Guide to Humanoid and Other Semisentient Fauna on Pandora, but today he agreed to sit down with us and fill us in on how his research is progressing.
Before we get started, what can you tell us about your book, Professor? We are all very excited!
No doubt you are. My upcoming publication on the origin of species of Pandora will be seminal to understanding all further developments of history on the plane, and likely influence much of those very same developments. Especially those who pick up a copy and commit its content to memory.
...
The fire genasi are no doubt of particular interest to my readers as they have provided the most direct influence upon the local regions of all the elemental races, if not the most nucleus among all the other races.
What can you tell us about them?
The fire genasi can trace their lineage directly to the elemental Plane of Fire, although the nomadic tribes claim their lineage to the elemental lord himself, known as Kossuth. Nothing remarkable there, most genasi, most races in fact, claim their heritage is that of a great ancestor when it it most likely something much more mundane, in this case the influence of some powerful efreeti lord. It is my guess that they bred with a slave population of early humanoid colonists they had captured in order to retain a wishing population for them to influence. I myself have had to resist several such attempts to collect me back after I left the capital city of their most populous nation. Seems my fame as an author had reached them, as well.
You're saying they recognized you on sight?
Indeed! During my travels throughout the plane I have earned the respect of all of the local warlords and despots, and after accepting Abkheset's invitation, I equally charmed their leaders, as well.
What can you tell us about your travels?
In this particular instance, I saw a rare opportunity to observe the other inhabitants of the plane and acquainted myself with some local mercenaries. One of these minor "kings" of a small trading village north of the Kingdom of Fjordhaven joined me as well. I prepared a series of tests and in each case, I provided a problem, proposed a solution, and then recorded the results.
What did you discover?
In the first case, I bid them steal a sailing vessel in order to transport my supplies, an abundance of crates (empty, of course). The "king," a fire genasi himself, decided to acquire passage on the vessel through monetary means. Both of the other mercenaries supported this decision as well, and so I conclude that financial solutions are often the preferred method to solving problems, rather than the direct or diplomatic.
Our first destination was Kishdanhar, a border city of the fire genasi theocratic state of Abkheset. Built upon the ruins of its previous occupants, much of its current denizens know nothing of their history. When one of these new inhabitants proved troublesome, the mercenaries dealt with the fallout by allowing themselves to be captured by the locals, some provincial political squabble about a missing ambassador. Their misadventure allowed me ample time to consult with the population and review the native ruins upon which the reconquerors had built their entertainment establishment. The city was indeed elemental in origin, with several of the building blocks showing magical creation. Not willing to let my experiment end prematurely, I politely convinced the local government officials to release the mercenaries into my care. As I had promised payment, they were still willing to escort me through the desert, validating my earlier conclusion that financial gain is the preeminent virtue among Pandorans.
Our next destination was the Sandswept Desert, through bandit-filled trade routes, sandstorms, and debilitating heat. The arid landscape was shrinking ever since the Abkhesetians opened up a pyramidal structure releasing a waterfall of commerce and well, water, into the ancient and now-expanding canal system. Nevertheless, some of the more barbaric fire genasi tribes continue to retain their nomadic traditions and have not submitted to what they called the "urbanization" of their fellows, of which they accused the trader king. The desert is not without its dangers, however, and one such danger had to be dispatched by a judicious use of icy prison by a Fjordhaven trader. Shrekar's Solution, indeed.
The nomads claim that their god, a more wrathful and detached version of Kossuth I surmise, conjured a storm that "blew away" the flora and water. I suspect that it was the result of an ancient clash between followers of Kossuth and the Mulhorandi pantheon, or more specifically, Set, but more on that later. My work in the desert complete, we contracted a barge from the trading post of Raqib to the capital.
The city of Shedje is quite large for Pandora. Split into two parts, its inner city is forbidden to all but its citizens. Most citizens, as I gather, must either be of fire elemental heritage or a slave so favored as to be freed. Using the aforementioned political squabble to my advantage, I acquired entry whilst one of my companions evaded further arrest. The efreeti attempting the arrest dared to attempt to collect the would-be prisoner's belongings, however, and it was only at that point that there was resistance. I shan't belabor the moral flexibility point further.
I interviewed a few slavetraders and discovered nearly all of the slaves entering the Forbidden City were never seen again. This time I saw an opportunity to test the band of mercenaries' resolution to lawful means of acquiring travel: I proposed they sell themselves into slavery in order to get inside, but they chose to break the law and use a combination of spells to steal our way inside. I shouldn't be surprised, most of the Outer Planes are Chaos-infested, ever-revolving upon themselves, layers of astral and abyssal motes of soul-energy blown about or devoured, and Pandora is no exception. Morals are subjective, after a--
Perhaps we should move on, Professor.
Hmm. Very well.
At the heart of Shedje is a vast temple, its pyramidal shadow covering the city even to the eyes of those outside the walls. Upon entering the city, my suspicions were confirmed: The snakelike statuary, preponderance of burial chambers, and ancestor worship showed a clear connection to the Mulhorandi deities. The fire genasi are supported by their efreet overlords, but despite their strength, this is a silent culture war, as even the tribal Kossuthites benefit from trading their slaves to the Set-worshippers. I hesitate to say who is winning--the ruins in Kishdanhar may tell a cyclical story.
Truly fascinating. And the Pyramid of Set? Did you make it inside?
Unfortunately, I wasn't able to spend much time there, as my escort found themselves caught between a vast army of efreet and a mummified ten-headed hydra, I believe it was. It was quite a show of summoned devils and archons, but researcher that I am, lives are most important, so I had leverage my name to intervene on their behalf, yet again. They were so grateful they gave me a special mnemonic device as a gift. No doubt, you're interested about what was actually inside the temple...
But for that you'll have to buy the book.
--from the Journal of Extraplanar Archaeology, Volume XXXIII - Eleint 1376 "Genasi of Pandora: Interview with Pall Gar, Philo-Archaeologist"
Before we get started, what can you tell us about your book, Professor? We are all very excited!
No doubt you are. My upcoming publication on the origin of species of Pandora will be seminal to understanding all further developments of history on the plane, and likely influence much of those very same developments. Especially those who pick up a copy and commit its content to memory.
...
The fire genasi are no doubt of particular interest to my readers as they have provided the most direct influence upon the local regions of all the elemental races, if not the most nucleus among all the other races.
What can you tell us about them?
The fire genasi can trace their lineage directly to the elemental Plane of Fire, although the nomadic tribes claim their lineage to the elemental lord himself, known as Kossuth. Nothing remarkable there, most genasi, most races in fact, claim their heritage is that of a great ancestor when it it most likely something much more mundane, in this case the influence of some powerful efreeti lord. It is my guess that they bred with a slave population of early humanoid colonists they had captured in order to retain a wishing population for them to influence. I myself have had to resist several such attempts to collect me back after I left the capital city of their most populous nation. Seems my fame as an author had reached them, as well.
You're saying they recognized you on sight?
Indeed! During my travels throughout the plane I have earned the respect of all of the local warlords and despots, and after accepting Abkheset's invitation, I equally charmed their leaders, as well.
What can you tell us about your travels?
In this particular instance, I saw a rare opportunity to observe the other inhabitants of the plane and acquainted myself with some local mercenaries. One of these minor "kings" of a small trading village north of the Kingdom of Fjordhaven joined me as well. I prepared a series of tests and in each case, I provided a problem, proposed a solution, and then recorded the results.
What did you discover?
In the first case, I bid them steal a sailing vessel in order to transport my supplies, an abundance of crates (empty, of course). The "king," a fire genasi himself, decided to acquire passage on the vessel through monetary means. Both of the other mercenaries supported this decision as well, and so I conclude that financial solutions are often the preferred method to solving problems, rather than the direct or diplomatic.
Our first destination was Kishdanhar, a border city of the fire genasi theocratic state of Abkheset. Built upon the ruins of its previous occupants, much of its current denizens know nothing of their history. When one of these new inhabitants proved troublesome, the mercenaries dealt with the fallout by allowing themselves to be captured by the locals, some provincial political squabble about a missing ambassador. Their misadventure allowed me ample time to consult with the population and review the native ruins upon which the reconquerors had built their entertainment establishment. The city was indeed elemental in origin, with several of the building blocks showing magical creation. Not willing to let my experiment end prematurely, I politely convinced the local government officials to release the mercenaries into my care. As I had promised payment, they were still willing to escort me through the desert, validating my earlier conclusion that financial gain is the preeminent virtue among Pandorans.
Our next destination was the Sandswept Desert, through bandit-filled trade routes, sandstorms, and debilitating heat. The arid landscape was shrinking ever since the Abkhesetians opened up a pyramidal structure releasing a waterfall of commerce and well, water, into the ancient and now-expanding canal system. Nevertheless, some of the more barbaric fire genasi tribes continue to retain their nomadic traditions and have not submitted to what they called the "urbanization" of their fellows, of which they accused the trader king. The desert is not without its dangers, however, and one such danger had to be dispatched by a judicious use of icy prison by a Fjordhaven trader. Shrekar's Solution, indeed.
The nomads claim that their god, a more wrathful and detached version of Kossuth I surmise, conjured a storm that "blew away" the flora and water. I suspect that it was the result of an ancient clash between followers of Kossuth and the Mulhorandi pantheon, or more specifically, Set, but more on that later. My work in the desert complete, we contracted a barge from the trading post of Raqib to the capital.
The city of Shedje is quite large for Pandora. Split into two parts, its inner city is forbidden to all but its citizens. Most citizens, as I gather, must either be of fire elemental heritage or a slave so favored as to be freed. Using the aforementioned political squabble to my advantage, I acquired entry whilst one of my companions evaded further arrest. The efreeti attempting the arrest dared to attempt to collect the would-be prisoner's belongings, however, and it was only at that point that there was resistance. I shan't belabor the moral flexibility point further.
I interviewed a few slavetraders and discovered nearly all of the slaves entering the Forbidden City were never seen again. This time I saw an opportunity to test the band of mercenaries' resolution to lawful means of acquiring travel: I proposed they sell themselves into slavery in order to get inside, but they chose to break the law and use a combination of spells to steal our way inside. I shouldn't be surprised, most of the Outer Planes are Chaos-infested, ever-revolving upon themselves, layers of astral and abyssal motes of soul-energy blown about or devoured, and Pandora is no exception. Morals are subjective, after a--
Perhaps we should move on, Professor.
Hmm. Very well.
At the heart of Shedje is a vast temple, its pyramidal shadow covering the city even to the eyes of those outside the walls. Upon entering the city, my suspicions were confirmed: The snakelike statuary, preponderance of burial chambers, and ancestor worship showed a clear connection to the Mulhorandi deities. The fire genasi are supported by their efreet overlords, but despite their strength, this is a silent culture war, as even the tribal Kossuthites benefit from trading their slaves to the Set-worshippers. I hesitate to say who is winning--the ruins in Kishdanhar may tell a cyclical story.
Truly fascinating. And the Pyramid of Set? Did you make it inside?
Unfortunately, I wasn't able to spend much time there, as my escort found themselves caught between a vast army of efreet and a mummified ten-headed hydra, I believe it was. It was quite a show of summoned devils and archons, but researcher that I am, lives are most important, so I had leverage my name to intervene on their behalf, yet again. They were so grateful they gave me a special mnemonic device as a gift. No doubt, you're interested about what was actually inside the temple...
But for that you'll have to buy the book.
--from the Journal of Extraplanar Archaeology, Volume XXXIII - Eleint 1376 "Genasi of Pandora: Interview with Pall Gar, Philo-Archaeologist"
Rewards Granted
Loot:
[24,100 gp] plus a [3,000 gp] "tip" with a note: "Thanks for the Memories. Signed, Pall Gar"
Experience:
Azim (13): 2,059 XP = 325 (secured passage) + 867 (angry Shai Hulud) + 0 (ran away from efreeti guard/diplomatic incident) + 867 (Temple Guardian)
Alik, Khalid (11): 3,850 XP each = 550 + 1650 + 0 +1650
Alignment:
Azim shifts to
[24,100 gp] plus a [3,000 gp] "tip" with a note: "Thanks for the Memories. Signed, Pall Gar"
Experience:
Azim (13): 2,059 XP = 325 (secured passage) + 867 (angry Shai Hulud) + 0 (ran away from efreeti guard/diplomatic incident) + 867 (Temple Guardian)
Alik, Khalid (11): 3,850 XP each = 550 + 1650 + 0 +1650
Alignment:
Azim shifts to
Show spoiler
Alik shifts to True Neutral (N4/N4).
Show spoiler
Khalid makes makes a slight shift True Neutral (N4/N6).
Show spoiler
(N5/E7).
Dungeon Master
Nihilus (15): 7,200xp/16,000gp/5dt
Report Date
02 Sep 2022
Primary Location
Secondary Location
Related Characters
