Aasimar

Summary

The Aasimar were created in the wake of The Cataclysm to protect the mainland from the hostile creatures that live in The Rime and The Scathe. The largest group, simply called The Guardians, can be found in Athan and The Outlands. However, smaller orders of Aasimar also exist in Erek, Mul, and the Larmashi Islands.

Subraces

Most Aasimar are Protectors, specialized for protecting Vrashyn from destructive creatures. Others become Scourge Aasimar, charged with fighting evil in mainland Vrashyn and hunting down Fallen Aasimar. Fallen Aasimar are those who break their oath to protect the mortal realm. When this occurs, their appearance transforms to mark them as potentially-dangerous oathbreakers. 

Physical Traits

The Aasimar are not a naturally occurring lineage: Instead, people volunteer to be ritually transformed into them. Those selected for the transformation ritual spend years training their body and mind for their new form, becoming as skilled in rhetoric as soldiery. Most are transformed in middle adulthood, as transformation is considered too physically taxing for children or the elderly. Further physiological changes include losing all their old racial traits in exchange for darkvision, resistance to necrotic and radiant energies, and natural healing capabilities. Depending on where they are stationed, Aasimar may be resistant to hot or cold weather as well. They range in height based on how tall they were at the time of transformation, gaining about a foot in the process. Despite their stature, they weigh less than 40 pounds.

Appearance

Regardless of their race of origin, newly-transformed Aasimar have grey skin, long white hair, and glowing white eyes. They lose all hair except for that on their head, including their eyebrows, and their nails become as hard as steel, no longer needing to grow. The Guardians wear blue, white, and grey and are given a Sun Blade as a symbol of their purpose, while other orders have different colors and signature weapons. Scourge Aasimar serving on the mainland usually wear local clothing and may even employ a glamer to hide their race from the evil beings they hunt. As a result of their broken oath, Fallen Aasimar are cursed to have their hair, eyes, and all the clothes they wear turn black, marking them as a traitor to all. For all subraces, any distinguishing characteristics of an Aasimar’s birth race are muted but still visible after their transformation. A former elf would have shorter but still pointy ears, for example.

Culture

Aasimar gain the ability to speak Celestial when they are transformed and retain any other languages they knew before. They have no unified religion, instead swearing their vow to a god or spirit from their original culture that represents justice and purity. Among The Guardians, families are expected to live up to the same moral code as the Aasimar if they want to live in the community. Many Fallen Aasimar are those who chose to follow loved ones exiled from Athan. However, if an Aasimar serves half their life faithfully, they are allowed to retire. Most choose to stay nearby to their original posting, but this is not a requirement.

Relations with Others

Aasimar are held in great esteem by most intelligent races due to their service to the world, but have the closest relationship with Elves, Dwarves, Orcs, and Humans. Each of these cultures has tales of the horrors that were unleashed after The Cataclysm and credit Aasimar with holding many of them at bay. Despite this shining reputation, their unusual appearance and isolation can result in confusion and even fear among those unfamiliar with them. Most orders try to assign Aasimar to their culture of origin whenever possible to alleviate the isolation that many experience when on mainland duty.

Kitesail Trainee by Austin Hsu

Homebrew Features

Age: Aasimar live almost exactly 160 years due to the nature of their oath. They are required to spend 80 years protecting Vrashyn and may live the rest of their lives as they will.

Alignment: Imbued with celestial power, most aasimar are good. Fallen aasimar are most often neutral or evil aligned.

Size: Aasimar are always size medium, even if they were size small before their transformation. They are typically tall, but are unnaturally light, weighing less than 40 pounds.

Languages: Aasimar can speak, read, and write Celestial, which they learn upon their transformation. They also retain knowledge of the languages they knew before they transformed.

Sunlit/Moonlit Soul: When you build an Aasimar, you can choose to ignore the effects of hot weather rather than cold weather if you wish.

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