Aasimar

"The blessed ones, eh? Call them what you want; aasimar, heavenborn, angelkin, holy ones, whatever. I think it's all poppycock. Sure, they're real- everyone knows someone who's met an aas-ie. But they're not all holy and lovely. Sure, some of those weird glowing guys are nice enough, walk around healing folks, whatever. But don't let that deceive you- they're just as likely to be bad as anyone else. And when they're shitty people, they're especially shitty."

Basic Information

Anatomy

Aasimar generally resemble their parent race quite closely, with several notable differences. Although each aasimar manifests their empyreal heritage differently, they generally have features like metallic sheens to their skin, glowing eyes, and metallic-seeming hair. In addition, most aasimar have features that resemble the particular type of celestial that they are descended from- an angelkin descended from a Solar angel might have six small vestigial wings, whereas a lawbringer descended from a Hound archon might have an elongated canine snout.

Genetics and Reproduction

Hailing from various species of non-humanoid celestials, the genetic and biological makeup of an aasimar is almost entirely held together by magic. Due to the strange composition of their bodies, aasimar are often infertile, similarly to most other planetouched races. However strangely, aasimar bodies are still receptive towards having children with celestials- especially those similar in type to the aasimar's celestial ancestor- and many celestial warriors (angels especially, as usual with dalliances of this type) have left their homes in the heavens to care for a family with a mortal aasimar.

Growth Rate & Stages

Aasimar spans at the same rate as their parent race- usually humans- but upon reaching maturity and manifesting their celestial heritage, their life span and aging rates slow. Aging slowly compared to their peers and families, adult aasimar often feel very isolated within communities of their parent races unless they are lucky enough to be born into families of long-lived races like elves.

Additional Information

Facial characteristics

Typically, Aasimar have several characteristics that show their empyreal heritage quite plainly. This can range from golden glowing eyes to feathered arms to hair that moves and glows like fire. In addition, they are a generally comely race- having tranquil resting facial expressions, strong facial features, and bright expressions.

Geographic Origin and Distribution

Aasimar can be found all across Korthos, found in any community that is large enough to have some possibility of celestial blood- or just celestial influence- in the ancestry of its citizens. Although more common in human lands, the blessed can be found occasionally in communities of any race- from elves to dwarves and orcs to tengu.

Civilization and Culture

Naming Traditions

Aasimar are almost always born into non-aasimar families, so they don't really have any culture of names or language. However, many aasimar feel quite at odds with the groups of peers they are raised with, and a common trend is for an aasimar is to name themselves after a particular abstract concept they feel driven to embody. Those aasimar aspiring to live up to holy ideals often choose names like Chastity, Truth, or Beneficence, but similarly evil aasimar seeking to defile may choose duty-names such as Wrath, Falsehood, or Pride. Not all aasimar take upon these virtue or sin names, of course, but those with strong connections to various moral ideals often take up names that they feel represent those ideals.

Major Organizations

The Order of the Kindness is a small cult of good-aligned aasimar dedicated to the empyreal lord named the Kindness- a demigoddess who once was a mortal aasimar oracle on Korthos. This order is mostly composed of clerics, oracles, and monks, who all strive to achieve physical and spiritual perfection in order to become angelic servants of the Kindness, or even to become demigods in and of themselves. Although welcome to non-aasimar, the overwhelming majority of this Order are aasimar, perhaps because of the dedication required by them only being found rarely outside of the race.

Major Language Groups and Dialects

Although almost all aasimar are capable of speaking Celestial, few do. A language as innate to them as breathing, the lilting musical speech of Celestial is often a trait that most aasimar don't even realize they possess until exposed to writings or speech in Celestial- a quirk of their empyreal heritage. Additionally, aasimar generally speak the languages of the cultures that raise them.

Common Etiquette Rules

Although generally beautiful and insightful, the tendency of aasimar to become fervently devoted to their morals often leads to a disconnect when they interact with humanoids. Often coming off as aloof and condescending- if not blatantly narcissistic- aasimar often find themselves at odds with their peers. Whether driven by an innate desire to do good or by the tireless conviction so many aasimar share, they often have little regard for etiquette or politeness, instead opting to speak bluntly. Still, the radiance of most aasimar gives them a natural talent for interacting with others- although they may not always come off as friendly or kind, they will almost always come off as forceful conversationalists and skilled negotiators.

Culture and Cultural Heritage

Although not united by any cultural or geographic location, aasimar share many traits with each other, even between various planar lineages. While the empyreal quirks an archon-born aasimar has may differ from those possessed by a garuda-born, all aasimar possess a fervent strength of conviction and are zealous in their pursuits. Although the nature of what they pursue differs, aasimar of all moral codes are similarly overcome by a zealous focus when pursuing a cause dear to them- something that can lead aasimar to become successful revolutionaries just as easily as it can turn them into tyrants.

Common Myths and Legends

Legend holds that an aasimar named "Kindness" was one of the predominant mythological heroes that led the revolt and subsequent exodus of human slaves from draconic lands to the east. In doing so, go the stories, Kindness was elevated to divine status, first as a Solar Angel in servitude of an empyreal lord and then filling the seat of said empyreal lord. Whether the story is true or not, an empyreal lord known as the Kindness does still rule over one of the thirteen heavens, and she does answer prayers and grant divine strength to mortals- especially aasimar.

Interspecies Relations and Assumptions

Many aasimar feel an innate discomfort in the presence of evil outsiders or the undead- often going so far as to feel discomfort when around tieflings or dhampir. Although many aasimar overcome this, the discomfort can often lead to difficulty maintaining personal relationships with tieflings, dhampir, or other beings with a typically evil or unholy heritage. In addition, often seeming out of place as children, many aasimar have strained relationships with the races of their parents, instead seeking out those who are similarly outsiders in their own communities.
In many ways, the Kitari and the aasimar are incredibly similar. Both have celestial blood flowing through their veins, and both are incredibly driven in their goals. However, the Kitari as a race are much more monolithic and have a united culture dedicated towards the goal of eradicating evil and corruption, a fact that often leads aasimar to feel jealousy directed at the empyreal bird-folk. On the part of the Kitari, however, aasimar are viewed as some of the few humanoids capable of being blessed in the way the Kitari are, and they often take aasimar 'under their wing' and train them in the ways of purification.

Origin/Ancestry

Celestial, any humanoid race

Lifespan

Aasimar, like most other planetouched, can generally live to be anywhere between 300 and 400 years of age before passing away.

Average Height

Aasimar are similar in height to their parent race.

Average Weight

Aasimar are similar in weight to their parent race.

Alternate Racial Traits:

The following are several racial traits that Aasimar can take in place of their normal racial traits. The following traits list what racial trait they replace at the end of each trait, and represent differing ancestry or heritage of Aasimar.
Flameborn: Your heavenly ancestor was a member of the court of an empyreal liege associated with flames and fire. You gain fire resistance 10, and can cast flaming sphere as a spell-like ability once per day, with a caster level equal to your character level. This replaces the racial spell-like ability trait, as well as the racial cold and acid resistance traits (a Flameborn aasimar still gains resistance to electricity, as normal).
Herald of the Wilds: You are descended from a celestial being that served a cause of seeking good in the wilds. You may cast speak with animals as a spell-like ability once per day, and speak with plants as a spell-like ability once per week, with a caster level for both equal to your character level. This replaces the racial spell-like ability trait.
Resplendence: Some aasimar are particularly domineering and brilliant, shining with divine command and splendor. Able to assume a commanding presence, you may cast eagle's splendor once per day as a spell-like ability, with a caster level equal to you character level. This replaces the racial spell-like ability trait.