Aasimar

Brothers! Sisters! Hear me! A new child of the divines is born! Revere him! For we can only hope that the divines will bless all of mortal-kind with this blessing. - Brotherhood cleric.

Being born from the coupling of an Celestial and a mortal, the aasimar struggle with the identity that is thrust upon them by their ancestors.

Basic Information

Biological Traits

Aasimars look mostly like their mortal parent, except for some minor physical trait that reveals their unusual heritage. Typical aasimar features include hair that shines like metal, jewel-toned eyes, lustrous skin color, or even glowing, golden halos.

Civilization and Culture

Naming Traditions

An aasimar will typically have a name from the culture of it's mortal parent.

Aasimar that are within the Brotherhood of Light are given high titles and rank early on, which in reaility only alienates them further from the people they must now grow up around.

Major Language Groups and Dialects

• Common
• Celestial

Culture and Cultural Heritage

Despite its celestial origin, an aasimar is mortal and possesses free will. Most aasimar follow their ordained path, but some grow to see their abilities as a curse. These disaffected aasimar are typically content to turn away from the world, but a few become agents of evil.

In their minds, their exposure to celestial powers amounted to little more than brainwashing. Evil aasimar make deadly foes. The radiant power they once commanded becomes corrupted into a horrid, draining magic. And their angelic guides abandon them.

Even aasimar wholly dedicated to good sometimes feel torn between two worlds. The angels that guide them see the world from a distant perch. An aasimar who wishes to stop and help a town recover from a drought might be told by an angelic guide to push forward on a greater quest.

To a distant celestial, saving a few commoners might pale in comparison to defeating a demonic cult. An aasimar's guide is wise but not infallible.

Common Customs, Traditions and Rituals

An aasimar, except for one who has turned to evil, has a link to an angelic being. That being, provides guidance to the aasimar, though this connection functions only in dreams. As such, the guidance is not a direct command or a simple spoken word. Instead, the aasimar receives visions, prophecies, and feelings.

The angelic being is far from omniscient. Its guidance is based on its understanding of the tenets of law and good, and it might have insight into combating especially powerful evils that it knows about.

History

Aasimar have appeared in tales and stories throughout the history of the mortal kingdoms. As such, their history is scattered throughout time, and is usually interwoven with much grander myths and legends.

At the height of it's power, the most devout of the Brotherhood of Light's followers were known to disappear into the celestial planes, and re-emerge bearing aasimar children. This time period is where most Aasimar can trace their roots.

The celestials still occasionally descend from the celestial planes to couple with mortals, resulting in the birth of a new Aasimar.

Interspecies Relations and Assumptions

Most societies interpret aasimar as good omens, though it must be acknowledged that some aasimars take advantage of the reputation of their kind, brutally subverting the expectations of others with acts of terrifying cruelty or abject venality.

“It's always the one you least suspect” is the axiom these evil Aasimars live by, and they often lead double lives as upstanding citizens or false heroes, keeping their corruption well hidden. Thankfully, these few are the exception and not the rule.

Lifespan

160 years

Average Height

Depends on mortal parent

Average Weight

Depends on mortal parent