Dao (dow)

Dao is the name for the elemental Genie of earth. A mage once moved a mountain with the help of a dao, according to legends.

Culture

Of all the genie races, the dao are considered to be the most industrious. They devote a lot of time to mining, shaping, and digging, which leads to the prevalence of slavery in their society.

Homeland

Occasionally, solitary dao venture to the Prime Material Plane in pursuit of new markets and supply lines for their empires. They feel most comfortable in mountainous terrain as it reminds them of their home plane, while cities made them uneasy.

Relationship

Dao are generally on speaking and trading terms with Efreet, trading worked metals for minerals. When it comes to other genie races, they hold nothing but scorn and hatred towards Djinn, Marids, and Arcanix.

Other creatures native to the Elemental Plane of Earth usually avoid dao out of fear of being enslaved. The dao use creatures that can move through stone as scouts to identify potential digging sites.

Powerful wizards on the Prime Material plane may attempt to lure dao onto their plane and trap them inside magical gemstones or iron flasks.

Characteristics

Mental traits

Dao are generally considered evil beings and do not see any issue with enslaving others. Despite their fear of losing their own freedom and their hatred for those who would imprison them, they often return acts of fairness and kindness. They take great pride in things that are well-made and in carefully planned plots.

Abilities

Dao are impervious to harm from earth-based and earth-affecting spells or abilities, such as petrification, and can effortlessly burrow through unworked, non-magical layers of earth and stone without disturbing the material. They can also safely carry inanimate objects with them while doing so.

Once a day, a powerful and rare dao can grant a limited wish to a creature native to the Prime Material plane, but it is always fulfilled in a twisted or malignant way.

When a dao is killed, its body disintegrates into a fine crystalline powder, leaving behind any objects on its person. Dao have an innate spellcasting ability that allows them to cast spells like detect evil and good, detect magic, stone shape, move earth, passwall, tongues, conjure elemental (earth), gaseous form, invisibility, phantasmal killer, wall of stone, misdirection, and spectral force.

General Information

Scientific name
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Geographic Distribution
Elemental Plane of Earth
Languages
Primordial

Physiologie

Average Lifespan
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Size
Large
Average Height
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Average Weight
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Others