Planartouched: Genasi
Genasi are planetouched humans, infused with the power of the elements. Along with aasimar and tieflings, genasi were the most common planetouched found in the world. Technically speaking, the genasi are not a race but rather a general classification of humans who have a heritage (usually unknown) that included some planar being from one of the elemental planes, most often a Genie, (dao, djinn, efreet, marid, or jann) which is whence their name is derived. Each of the four fundamental elements has associated genasi, so the most common genasi are air genasi, earth genasi, fire genasi, and water genasi. No two genasi are alike in appearance. Some could pass as normal humans, bearing the marks of their human ethnicity; for others, their elemental nature is impossible to hide. Their heritage is nearly always evident in one or two physical traits, such as skin or hair color or an elemental aura. Some genasi do not have hair at all; for such genasi, the substance that appears to cover their heads is actually a supernatural expression of their elemental nature. Those that are children of the Elemental Forces pantheon do not become Aasimar or Tieflings but Genasi.
Air genasi are descended from djinn, air genies, though other origins exist, and the touch of the elemental power of wind and air shapes the genasi physique. Like all genasi, the exact appearance of an air genasi varies from individual to individual. Compared with other genasi, air genasi are often slightly quicker, but also somewhat physically weaker. However, just as the wind may vary in strength and temperature, so do air genasi vary in appearance and a few have other distinguishing features. Some have light blue or pale white skin or similarly colored hair. Other strange features may include unusually cool flesh, a voice that carries over the wind, a whistling sound that follows quick movement, or even a slight breeze that seems to follow the genasi. Because the traits that identify an air genasi are sometimes subtle, many go unrecognized for what they are for many years and are sometimes mistaken for sorcerers, although their inherent arrogance and disregard for their appearance fools people into believing they are charlatans at natural magic. Those that are overtly different learn quickly to disguise their nature from common folk, at least until they are able to protect themselves and strike out on their own.
Earth genasi come in many physical shapes and appearances. Many carry obvious traits of the Elemental Plane of Earth, such as blocky features or earthlike skin, but others have earthlike features that are less apparent. Earth genasi are usually born from the union between a dao and a humanoid, from two earth genasi, or from humanoid parents with a dao somewhere in their ascendancy. They could also result from exposure to elemental energy.
Fire genasi carry obvious traits from the Elemental Plane of Fire, such as coal-colored skin, flame-like hair, and fiery eyes. Fire genasi are usually born from the union between an efreet and a humanoid, from two fire genasi, or from humanoid parents with an efreet somewhere in their ascendancy. They could also result from exposure to fire elemental energy.
Water genasi are descended from marid genies, although a few have other origins. Like other genasi, water genasi look generally human except for some distinguishing features. Water genasi are often bright blue in color and most of the race is bald, though there are exceptions. The skin of the water genasi is usually sea-foam green or blue. A few other, rarer, features are found amongst water genasi, such as lightly scaled skin, clammy flesh, blue-green hair, excessive perspiration, blue-black eyes, or a muffled voice that sounds as if drowned in water. Some water genasi might also cause the water in the air around them to condense when afraid, another result of their elemental ancestry. Compared with other genasi, water genasi were often slightly more durable, but also less strong.
Their story beings in the Second Age, Godswar, when the War of the Elements began. Genies who served the future Elemental Forces Pantheon began to rape and pillage many human settlements. The result was the first Genasi to be born. While the human parents would discard them, the Genies didn't, taking them for themselves. The war ended in the event known as The Divine Smite and the gods of elements escaped to the Elemental Planes. Many humans, that worked with those gods, and Genasi fled with them. In this new strange world, they had to survive. Humans didn't last long but their Genasi children did, populating the planes en masse. There were still some genasi on the Material Plane but their population wasn't and isn't near what is on the Elemental Planes. While the race mostly lives on those planes, some of them are keen to visit Tethys, either by curiosity or to escape the harsh reality of living under Genies. There are many noted moments in Tethys history when a group of Genasi founded their own cities or even nations.
On Tethys
As the race is varied, it is safe to assume that Genasi is more-alike humans with the elemental power in their soul fueling their personalities, sometimes to the extreme. They were able to move past that, starting many countries in the world of Tethys. The notable are the nation of Rokantar, descendants of a powerful Dao who took over land by force, Ishmaatar, once slaves to Fire Giants, the Fire Genasi were able to create their own nation, Archotia, a free nation created by Water Genasi once-pirates, or the nation of Silea, who fought the oppression of their race and carved a land of their own. While there are many places that you can find genasi, they are mostly a curiosity for the majority of the population, seen the same as Tieflings or Aasimar.First World
There were very few Genasi in the First World and like on Tethys, they were children or descendants of Genies.
Genetic Descendants
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