Ecology of The Genasai

[RodneyThompson]

Given how elemental forces are so tied to chaos in the 4e cosmology, does a strongly lawful empire of elemental creatures even make sense anymore?

I don't necessarily agree with that. Part of the genasi collective identity is the struggle to tame the chaos within themselves. While that hasn't happened to such a degree to allow for a massive genasi empire in the World yet, there's no reason why the Wind Dukes of Aaqa couldn't also be tied to the genasi. Maybe they were once windsoul genasi who actually did what all of the genasi aspire to: they tamed the chaos within themselves, allowing them to achieve elemental lawfulness. Maybe that's why they were powerful enough to craft the Rod of Seven Parts.

I don't think my article rules out the Wind Dukes being tied to the genasi by any means. To be honest, I now wish I'd tied them in somehow, given how much fun I had with using the Wind Dukes lore in Age of Worms. Ah well, perhaps in...the future!

 

[Baron Opal]

The issue isn't compiled yet. Rewrite it!

 

[Zaukrie]

Sounds a lot like the Vulcans and the Romulans or the Githzerai and Gythyanki to me. Not that that is a bad thing....

 

[Dire Bare]

*shrug* Kinda bland.

I don't care for the PoL pseudo-setting, and (despite being tagged as an FR article in either an editorial snafu or a bad bait'n'switch) the flavor text adhere's directly to the 4e PoL core setting, making it not of much use to me as far as I'm concerned.

Beyond that, it's really unfortunate that they've done to the genasi what 4e did to the tiefling (gave them a monolithic appearance without much variation). I much prefer genasi to have a wide variety of traits playing off their linked element, and the RP opportunity that went along with that. The design focus on tieflings in 4e and now genasi rubs me the wrong way. Now it's back to generic'ville.

Sorry man, I don't agree with you at all. When the tiefling and genasi were first introduced long ago, there weren't an abundance of "non-generic" abilities for them to play with. Some of that did come later, of course. And the "look" of both races was more variable, but reallly, how hard is that to add to your campaign? Take the 4e stats, but instead of the look in the article (and I'm assuming in the FR Player's Guide), just decide they pretty much look like humans with some special flare tied to their elements.

And, I actually think that out of the box these new genasi are actually more versatile than old school In addition to the four classic elements, we get stormsoul genasi as well. And genasi can now manifest two elements!! I love the idea of a firesoul/watersoul genasi and the inner and outer struggles this brings to the character.

Also keep in mind this is the first appearance of genasi in 4e. We might get even more crunchy and flavor fun in the FR Player's Guide. And after that, we might see genasi show up in other products with more crunchy stuff, and possibly in Dragon articles as well. It's a bit unfair to compare a 3e race in all it's collective glory with the new version that is mere days old.

 

[Dire Bare]

The article is good. Although I would have preferred it if most of the creation myths didn't link genasi to humans. Also, I was kinda sorta hoping that the genasi would somehow be tied in with the Wind Dukes of Aaqa from D&D lore. While I certainly can create any homebrew version I want, the "official" fluff here pretty much closes the door on any genasi empire.

Well, the genasi have always been planetouched humans with some degree of elemental flare. They just simply kept this in without really changing it. And as Moridin said, it's easy peasy to work in the Wind Dukes of Aaqa.

I think a lot of people still get hung up on alignments as straightjackets. Why, those elmental guys have ties to a realm of Chaos! They just can't simply overcome that and become lawful!!! Why not? People in real life overcome long held personality traits all the time, why can't fictional fantasy races? And just because someone in your family tree was a fairly chaotic genie or somesuch, why does that necessarily mean you will be?

Open up your minds folks and use your creativity!

 

[Fallen Seraph]

I quite liked the article, and I am seeing how I can adapt it to take the form of people possessed by spirits and/or spirits that have forged a mortal form.

As for the visual style, I quite like the lines gives it a range of feels. The lines could look sci-fi or they could look very-old and look like Celtic-Woad body art.

 

[Nahat Anoj]

I don't necessarily agree with that. Part of the genasi collective identity is the struggle to tame the chaos within themselves. While that hasn't happened to such a degree to allow for a massive genasi empire in the World yet, there's no reason why the Wind Dukes of Aaqa couldn't also be tied to the genasi. Maybe they were once windsoul genasi who actually did what all of the genasi aspire to: they tamed the chaos within themselves, allowing them to achieve elemental lawfulness. Maybe that's why they were powerful enough to craft the Rod of Seven Parts.

I don't think my article rules out the Wind Dukes being tied to the genasi by any means. To be honest, I now wish I'd tied them in somehow, given how much fun I had with using the Wind Dukes lore in Age of Worms. Ah well, perhaps in...the future!

That's nice to hear! We Wind Dukes fans will wait with baited breath.

I like tying 4e genasi to the Wind Dukes primarily because it gives a newish race a firm place in D&D lore. It's a good way to blend old and new IMO.

 

[Fenes]

I'll do what I did with the Tieflings: Ignore the 4E fluff in favor of the 3e/2E fluff.

 

[Kobold Avenger]

I'll do what I did with the Tieflings: Ignore the 4E fluff in favor of the 3e/2E fluff.

Exactly what I do with Tieflings too.

 

[Fenes]

3E/2E fluff has room for the 4E appearance and background of both Tiefling and Genasi. 4E fluff however doesn't have room for the 3E/2E fluff, it's much more rigid and limited.

No offense to the author, but I do not see why I would limit myself that way.