Genasi (Jen-AH-see)
Genasi are planetouched humans, infused with the power of the elements. Along with aasimar and tieflings, genasi are the most common planetouched found on the world of Ghemjana.
Technically speaking, the genasi are not a race but rather a general classification of humans who had 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.
Basic Information
Anatomy
No two genasi are alike in appearance. Some can 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.
Aafter the Spellplague, no genasi can maintain a neutral, "non-elemental" state, and their physical appearance changes depending on the elemental soul that they are currently manifesting. Those genasi manifesting an "earthsoul" have brown skin and golden eyes. Those manifesting a "firesoul" have bronze skin and orange eyes, with flickering flames coming out of their heads. "Stormsoul" genasi have purple skin with glowing, crystal spikes of silver in place of hair. Genasi with the "watersoul" manifestation have skin the color of seafoam and are bald. "Windsoul"-manifesting genasi have silver skin with blue and gray crystalline "hair".
Genasi are about the same size and stature as normal humans, but their bodies display signs of greater physical strength, and other subtle indications of their heritage.
Genetics and Reproduction
The child of an elemental creature with a human is a half-elemental. The child of a half-elemental and a human is a genasi. The child of a genasi and a human might show planetouched traits or purely human ones. Thus, overtime, the elemental bloodline is diluted until it is no longer obvious in most individuals. However, every few generations, a child might display his or her elemental heritage as a genasi.
If two genasi of the same element were to produce offspring, the child is always a genasi of that element; if the couple is of differing elements, the child will take after only one of the parents. However, both elements are still present in the child's blood and might manifest in future generations.
Para-genasi came about when a half-elemental of one type mates with an elemental creature of another type.
The genealogy of an individual genasi is extremely difficult to determine, as the elemental planes have many sentient lifeforms capable of interbreeding with humans. Moreover, most such races will never admit to such a coupling and will reject both the half-elemental offspring and any of his or her descendants.
Genasi possess a lifespan comparable with that of humans, reaching 75 years on average barring accident or violence. However, like other planetouched, some genasi have life spans roughly 20 to 40 years longer than normal humans.
Behaviour
Unlike many planetouched races, genasi generally take pride in their unusual features. Furthermore, because of their elemental power, most genasi feel a sense of superiority over other races and even over other genasi—including those of the same element. This is not so much a matter of prejudice as it is simple fact—a simple mortal cannot possibly understand the mind of one with elemental heritage. In return, the genasi are perhaps the most distrusted of the planetouched races for being the most alien.
The personality of the typical genasi reflects her or his core element. For example, a fire genasi might have a "hot temper" and an earth genasi might take life slowly and carefully. Between the Spellplague and the Second Sundering, because of their roots in the powers of the Elemental Chaos, genasi are by nature changeable and contradictory. Nevertheless, the psychology of a genasi depends vastly on what element is currently manifested by the individual in question. Thus, genasi who can manifest in more than one way think of themselves as possessing multiple personalities. Such genasi might even use one when dealing with one group of friends while using another to interact with another set. Others are more picky and chose friends who could cope with their changing nature.
Many genasi philosophers believe that their race exists as a compromise between the chaos of the primordials and the divinely crafted world of the gods. A few genasi take this to heart and try to eliminate one or the other aspect of their nature, either becoming agents of chaos or disciples of order, but these individuals are considered the exception rather than the rule. Most genasi are simply grateful for the innate connection to the elemental forces that shaped the world that they all share.
Genasi have a strong ability to adapt, perhaps only superseded by humans in this regard, and embrace change as an inevitability or even something to be relished. Even lawful genasi embrace this change, and genasi of all kinds value the possibilities the future might bring, such as new allies or new opportunities. In many ways, genasi are the most flexible of races, less stubborn and more willing to accept new ideas for better or worse.
One of the traits found commonly amongst all genasi is a strong sense of ambition. All genasi have a desire to better themselves and advance their status, either through pursuit of power, the acquisition of friends, or other means. Nearly all genasi have dreams and aspirations and will pursue these goals throughout their life and though few genasi are truly patient, so strong are their passions for these goals that they will often continue to follow them even long after individuals of other races would have given up and moved on. Simply put, they feel that they have a destiny and a calling to leave a name for themselves.
Additional Information
Perception and Sensory Capabilities
All genasi have inherent magical powers and resistances related to their element.
During the era after the Spellplague, a rare few genasi could control two elemental manifestations simultaneously. These powerful entities are known as elemental tempests.
Like other planetouched, because of the strength of their elemental heritage, many spells that specifically affect humanoids have no effect on genasi. On the other hand, some spells that affect outsiders are effective against them, such as banishment.
Civilization and Culture
History
Calimshan has a higher population of air and fire genasi, because of its history of djinni and efreeti rulers.
After the Second Era of Skyfire, the genasi of that land became engaged in a civil war over the Skyfire Wastes. When the Calimemnon Crystal shattered and the ancient foes Calim and Memnon were released, so too were many of their genasi servants. The two noble genies immediately began their epic war again, and the genasi took sides, joined by those genasi already living in Calimshan and even more from nearby lands of Tethyr, Amn, and the Lake of Steam. The Second Era of Skyfire ended suddenly in the Year of Holy Thunder, 1450 DR, when Calim and Memnon mysteriously disappeared again to their home planes. At that point, the power vacuum was filled by the genasi, who ruled Calimshan and enslaved many humans under them, reigning from the cities of Calimport and Memnon. The human slaves, led by a Chosen of Ilmater eventually overcame their genasi masters, restoring Calimshan to human rule and returning the genasi population once again to minority status.
Also after the Spellplague, when Abeir and Toril were merged again for a time, the lands that were once Chondath became the realm of Akanûl, which was ruled by genasi originally from the continent of Shyr. Prior to coming to Toril, these Abeiran genasi had been enslaved by the primordial Karshimis, but his citadel was not transferred with them to Toril, leaving them free to form their own kingdom. The majority of the citizens of Akanûl had the windsoul manifestation.
Members of the Burned, a group of Abeiran genasi, believed themselves to be direct descendants of original genasi crafted by the primordial Nehushta to be its slaves and that all other genasi "tribes" descended from theirs, but most other scholars refuted this local legend.
On Ghemjana, genasi are thought to have always been on the world, though almost entirely on the continents of Hestoria and Svilgard.
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