Genasi

Basic Information

Anatomy

Genasi are human-shaped. They tend to have a curled point to their ear, and a bit of sharpness to their facial features. They have a connection to magic on a physical level. Sometimes they'll have markings show up on their skin, which look a little like glowing tattoos.
And that's about all that could be considered universal traits among genasi! Everything else is up for grabs: Size, color, inhuman features, you name it.
There are four primary subtypes of genasi, one for each of the magical elements: air, fire, water, and earth. There are some similarities between the genasi in each group, but what truly unites them is the elemental magic which shapes their bodies.
While genetics play a part in which element a genasi will become, it's not a clear-cut formula, and it's not uncommon for a child to have a different element than either of their parents. The only way to guarantee a specific element is with aggressive selective breeding, something that is only seen amongst the highest families who have enough power to enforce arranged marriages. For the rest, all elements mingle freely and there is little sense of superiority between them.

Pristine Genasi

There are a rare number of genasi who never awaken to any element, known as pristine genasi. It's believed that this is highly influenced by genetics, and is specifically a rare recessive trait found predominantly in men (sort of like color blindness). Due to their rarity, pristine genasi have not been closely studied, and even other genasi only know a little about them. Common knowledge is that they have strange powers of their own, and for this reason they feature significantly in their people's lore.

Paragenasi

At the other end of the spectrum are the paragenasi, who manifest two elements as a single hybrid type. For example, someone who carried both the air and water element would become an ice genasi, with all the traits and powers associated with it. Similarly, air and fire would become a smoke genasi, while fire and earth would become a magma genasi.
Many centuries ago, this was considered a rare phenomenon on par with the pristine genasi, and you would only see one in a hundred or less manifest these traits. However, with each passing generation this has grown more common, and now about one in every dozen will manifest some paragenasi traits. On top of that, the types of hybrids have grown more and more varied, to the point that it's difficult to keep their classifications to just six groups. (People do it anyway, because it's an easy way to identify the source elements.)

Growth Rate & Stages

For their adolescence, genasi resemble young elves in appearance and only show small traces of any non-genasi bloodlines. As they grow into adulthood, genasi will undergo their awakening, a time when their innate elemental properties manifest. There will be dramatic changes over a couple months, and then slower growth and changes that will taper off around 5-10 years.
During their awakening, their non-genasi traits will also emerge in full. In fact, due to the chaotic magic which drives their change, they might take on extreme traits from these bloodlines. For example, a half-elf or half-orc genasi might end up looking remarkably close to a full-blooded elf or orc, save for their elemental properties.
Even though their early growth is close to a human's, they stay in their prime for decades longer, as if buoyed by the same youthful lifeforce that sustained the ageless genies. This can make it hard to tell a genasi's exact age, or predict how long their lifespan is going to be. When they do start to reach a senior age, some of them might age gracefully, but many others get hit with it like a freight train as if that same youthful magic was suddenly pulled out from under them.

Ecology and Habitats

Their world's climate is particularly hot, with a mixture of arid and lush regions.
The elemental nature of the genasi makes it easy to adapt to extreme climates, which makes them seem like natural explorers and something you should see as commonly as tieflings. However, they rarely settle on other worlds, since lower class genasi only leave their homeworld when authorized by nobility. The ones you might come across are more likely to be born from a travelling genasi's love affairs than a homeworld genasi who never went back.

Additional Information

Social Structure

Their world is organized into an aristocracy.
In lower classes, genasi families are not always expected to be close, particularly not extended families. It's instead believed their most important relationships come from the joining of a secule, a group comparable to a guild or fraternity. In their secule, a genasi will learn the skills necessary for a chosen path, will receive assignments, and will build close relationships with their fellows. By performing well, they are given the opportunity to reach higher social status. Some use this as an opportunity to elevate their relatives, while others use it as a way to cut ties with their past.
On the other hand, the noble classes are very particular about tracking their bloodlines, and family heads will use relatives as resources to accumulate power. A noble can expect to have everything in their life chosen by the family head, from arranged marriages to governing positions.

Civilization and Culture

Naming Traditions

While the genasi are fond of elemental names, it's not until adulthood that they know for certain which element their children will awaken to. Thus, their names often reflect one of their parents' elements instead.
Sometimes this can end up in a complete mismatch. When this happens, the genasi might change it to something more appropriate, or they might keep it anyway for personal reasons.
Given their heritage, they are cautious about giving out their full names, as the genie's truenames were an essential component of the magic used to bind these magical beings into gilded treasures. There seems to be some relationship between this and the aversion of truenames by Fairies, but the exact nature is highly contested: Some say it was early discoveries of olde fae magicks which allowed alchemists to concoct the spell of binding in the first place. Others claim that the fate of the genies gave other magical beings pause, as no fairy would want to be stuck in a bottle, either.
Anyway, in light of this fact and how highly they value respect, the genasi have a lot of implicit rules about names:

• Genasi do not go around asking everyone their names. They would find that weird and intrusive. (Sorry, DM.) Instead, if they do not know someone, they might opt to call them something like "stranger" or, if they're being polite, "friend".
• Many of them will instead use nicknames that are shortened down to a single syllable. This is especially true for those born with longer names, or those who think very highly of themselves. Using someone's longer name carries a tone of superiority, like a parent scolding a child, and so shortening it is seen as more polite than affectionate.
• Titles and ephitets are highly valued, and genasi will show respect by using it in lieu of any other name. When they drop it, they're either being incredibly condescending, or they are implying a level of familiarity where it's not necessary to be polite. (Or both, like calling someone "sweetie".)
• Other nicknames, i.e. ones not based on their real name, are seen as small epithets in their own right. To give one is a gesture of approval and admiration. Even the ones that sound insulting are treated as more playful than hostile.

History

The Age of Genies

While records of the time are scattered and incomplete, it's a well-accepted fact that genies were the progenitors of the genasi race. As a whole, the genies were a deeply admired race of mysterious, ageless beings who averaged between 10 to 12 feet tall. Their features were dark and refined, and their skintones ran the gamut of ethereal colors, from shimmering, silvery blues to warm honey golds to dark, rich coppers. Their bodies were incredibly toned and muscular, whether lean and lithe or imposingly broad. And they were eager to flaunt these bodies, usually dressing lightly in flowing, shimmering silks embellished with lavish golden jewelry and precious jewels.
If that sounds absurd and exaggerated, like it came out of someone's oversexed fantasy novel rather than actual historic accounts, then you might be happy to know that many others agree! However, records are remarkably consistent about these details, and shadows of these traits are still seen in genasi today. One common theory is that the genies were using their potent magic to make themselves unfairly attractive, altering their bodies on a more fundamental level than other shapeshifters.
Which brings us to the next widely accepted facts about the genies: They were elementals, beings woven straight from primordial magic and who could control it with ease. Each one had a deep affinity with one of the four alchemical elements, but would have powers that extended far beyond, such as flight, shapeshifting, invisibility, illusions, telepathy, and divination.
They were also rumored to have the highly coveted power of manipulating fate, rewriting reality through an unparalleled control of wild magic. Through this, they became renowned for granting wishes. This always came with terms and conditions, as their power could do many incredible things like change a person's luck or transmute anything into gold, but they were by no means gods and couldn't accomplish feats like changing history or manipulating souls. However, they did find it fun to try granting larger wishes in only the most technical sense, making use of creative, sneaky interpretations of these requests.
Their planet was sought out by many other races, who described it as a fantastic gilded paradise akin to El Dorado or Shangri-la. The genies were respectful and benevolent, fun-loving and mischievous, wild and curious, and overall the exact sort of people who found endless delight in meeting visitors from other worlds. They acted as generous hosts towards all who came peacefully, and lavished them with all their favorite types of material pleasures.
So, in what might be the least surprising turn of events in all of known history, these visitors stayed and gave rise to an explosive population of hybrids between the genies and just about every known mortal race. While many distinct lineages can still be seen, these descendants have more or less stabilized into their own species and culture, a motley patchwork of beings known as the genasi.
While the genies are no longer found on their homeworld, we do know in broad strokes where they went. Word had spread that their powers extended into the wildest dreams of alchemy: they could create such impossible things as the elixir of youth and the all-healing panacea, and they could divine the recipes for solutions like aqua regia. However, the mortals started taking these wishes for granted, and the genies decided to rebuff them. In retaliation, a spell of transmutation was devised that would bind a genie into a small vessel, like a bottle, locket, or oil lamp, usually something gilded and bejeweled to reflect their coveted status. A genie could only regain their form and power while the vessel was open, and could only be freed from the spell if the vessel was destroyed. What happened from there is a separate story for each and every genie.

The Age of Genasi

The modern Genasi world has sadly lost much of its unspoiled beauty, but not all. Their cities have preserved a considerable amount of the ancient genie architecture, while others remain as ruins in the untouched regions of the globe. And with elemental magic still running strong in the blood of their people, the genasi have tended dutifully to maintaining a strong, healthy environment for their world. Some would say it feels more like a carefully cultivated garden rather than the lush, wild paradise it used to be.
The culture of the genasi has also shifted from the utopian anarchy of their genie ancestors. Some of their core values do remain from the virtues of the genies, including respect, gratitude, hospitality, and an open acceptance of other cultures. However, as their society gained more structure, the genasi settled into an overt class system ruled by aristocracy. The noble classes are expected to be benevolent, selfless masters, while the lower classes are taught that there is great honor in being a diligent, obedient servant. This seems like a recipe for inevitable unrest, but it's been staved off with a promise of upwards mobility for genasi who prove themselves as people of great honor and merit. The fact that no one has ever moved up into the level of aristocracy, save the rare few who marry in, has yet to be challenged.

Interspecies Relations and Assumptions

The genasi see very little difference between themselves and the people of other worlds, and welcome travelers with a unique brand of hospitality. Their society is peppered with a mishmash of influences from other cultures, creating a varied and vibrant identity of their own. They are also open to relationships with offworlders, other than the noble classes who avoid comingling even with other genasi.
However, this might not be a well-known fact except to those who actually come to visit, as lower class genasi need the clearance of the aristocracy before they're allowed to board a ship and leave. Thus, many worlds have only had genasi visit as traders or diplomats.
The aristocracy as a whole are greedy for power. Under a guise of politeness, they will gladly look for opportunities to control other worlds. However, the Adamantine Authority does keep them in check, since it makes them cautious about drawing too much attention to their own world and all its inequalities.

Lifespan

120 years (with plenty of outliers)

Average Height

5ft. to 7ft. (with plenty of outliers)

Average Weight

Given the difference between the air genasi and the earth genasi? It's not even worth estimating

Related Organizations

• Lithos clan