Genasi Ethnicity in Edda | World Anvil
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Genasi

The elements are powerful forces of nature, creating and destroying in equal measure through magic and natural life. Sometimes, the life that comes from these elemental forces is quite literal, creating people who are wholly unique.   Genasi is the catch-all term for mortals who have an innate Elemental Power within them. The four typical types you can find are Air, Water, Earth, and Fire, aka the four cardinal elements, but some intermingling exists as well.   In Edda, there are generally two groups of Genasi you will find. The first is Hearth-Borne, Genasi who evolved from Mortal Forms that retained the power of the elements that composed them when The Tower changed them from material to flesh. The second is Planar Genasi, mortals who spawn naturally from The Elemental Plane and its four elemental kingdoms.   There's very little difference between the two on the biological level, save for the fact that Hearth-Borne Genasi tends to have traits of other mortal races as well as their elemental ones, whereas Planar Genasi tends to have much less rigidness and tend to wear their elemental origins on their sleeve.   For the purpose of this article, all Genasi mentioned will be Hearth-Borne Genasi from the Material Plane, as the Planar Genasi kingdoms are much more homogenous in population, and therefore the articles on their kingdoms will have the wealth of information for Planar Genasi culture.

Naming Traditions

Unisex names

Genasi follow typical naming structures of the areas they live in, but rather strongly use their own language of Primordial more than any other language they're nearby, so names will be in that language more often than not, a trait they share with their similar yet more specifically elemental Triton cousins. [Real life equivalent: Greek]

Culture

Major language groups and dialects

Since their inception, Genasi have spoken the language known as Primordial [Real Life Equivalent: Greek], which is regarded as the language of the elements, as most elementals speak some kind of dialect of Primordial, or at least understand it. While on the Material Plane, Primordial is the sole language, the Planar Genasi speak specifically Ignan [RLE: Swedish], Aquan [RLE: Norwegian], Auran [RLE: French], and Terran [RLE: Danish] depending on their elemental origin.

Common Customs, traditions and rituals

Genasi have a strong connection to the holiday of Veilnight since it allows for mingling with The Elemental Plane more than usually possible. Additionally, Gaia's Feast is a holiday they celebrate no matter their surrounding culture, where they will intermingle with natural elements where they can, and indulge in the magic the land has to offer.

Ideals

Beauty Ideals

Genasi don't have strict ideals for beauty, but for those who like to spice up their wardrobe and appearance, it's typically seen as trendy to accessorize using natural items. A flower crown, a bracelet made of real jade, etcetera. If it uses real materials from nature, especially if it's element coordinated, it's fashion.

Gender Ideals

A concept that encapsulates the societal Genasi mood on Gender, Courtship, and Relationship is the ideal of balance. Elements are at their best when they work alongside each other in harmony, not opposition, so it's a strict idea that one cannot think of themselves better than others and that they should inversely place themselves at the same levels as all other people, self-doubt be damned. This has caused an outward perception that Genasi can be cocky or haughty, especially in formal areas due to their lack of humility.
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