Aasimar

An aasimar’s physical appearance depends largely on the nature of his celestial ancestors. Though most aasimars closely resemble their mortal parents, all have one or more distinctly celestial physiological traits. This might include metallic-looking hair that shines like silver or gold, skin that glows with its own internal light, or the presence of a shining halo that clings to the aasimar’s form. Most aasimars arise from the union of humans and celestials, and so they resemble humans, though aasimars may be born from any humanoid race.

Celestial ancestry can also manifest as an unearthly beauty that transcends mere physical appearance or cultural ideals. Even aasimars with unusual characteristics that might otherwise be seen as unattractive in their particular culture tend to have an indefinable beauty that makes it difficult to focus on their f laws, and any physical oddities are generally ignored or interpreted in positive ways.

The majority of aasimars have physiological characteristics that hint at celestial ancestry without revealing which type of celestial touched their bloodline. However, some aasimars bear closer connections with their divine ancestors and have visible aspects that reflect this deeper bond.

Description

Aasimars are humans with a significant amount of celestial or other good outsider blood in their ancestry. While not always benevolent, aasimars are more inclined toward acts of kindness rather than evil, and they gravitate toward faiths or organizations associated with celestials. Aasimar heritage can lie dormant for generations, only to appear suddenly in the child of two apparently human parents. Most societies interpret aasimar births as good omens, though it must be acknowledged that some aasimars take advantage of the reputation of their kind, brutally subverting the expectations of others with acts of terrifying cruelty or abject venality. “It’s always the one you least suspect” is the axiom these evil aasimars live by, and they often lead double lives as upstanding citizens or false heroes, keeping their corruption well hidden. Thankfully, these few are the exception and not the rule.

"I’d kill for hair like hers. It’s so thick and shiny, it’s almost like silver. I said as much to her once and she stared at me like she didn’t understand. I suppose she has no idea what it’s like to be less than perfect. My mother asked her for a lock of hair once, to help my sister get over the croup, but she wouldn’t give it. You’d think someone with a face like an angel’s wouldn’t mind losing a few strands of hair. And the way all the boys follow her around—no good can come of it, I tell you. No good at all.” – Arika Avertin, Sandpoint baker.

Racial Traits

You can find the Aasimar Racial Traits here.

Relations

Aasimars are most common and most comfortable in human communities. This is especially true of those whose lineage is more distant and who bear only faint marks of their heavenly ancestry. It is unclear why the touch of the celestial is felt so much more strongly in humanity than other races, though it may be that humanity’s inherent adaptability and affinity for change is responsible for the evolution of aasimars as a distinct race. Perhaps the endemic racial traits of other races are too deeply bred, too strongly present, and too resistant to change. Whatever dalliances other races may have had with the denizens of the upper planes, the progeny of such couplings are vanishingly rare and have never bred true.

However, even if they generally tend toward human societies, aasimars can become comfortable in virtually any environment. They have an easy social grace and are disarmingly personable. They get on well with half-elves, who share a similar not-quite-human marginal status, though their relations are often less cordial with halforcs, who have no patience for aasimars’ overly pretty words and faces. Elven courtiers sometimes dismiss aasimars as unsophisticated, and criticize them for relying on natural charm to overcome faux pas. Perhaps of all the known races, gnomes find aasimars most fascinating, and have an intense appreciation for their varied appearances as well as the mystique surrounding their celestial heritage.

Alignment and Religion

Aasimars are most often of good alignment, though this isn’t necessarily universal, and aasimars that have turned their back on righteousness may fall into an unfathomable abyss of depravity. For the most part, however, aasimars favor deities of honor, valor, protection, healing, and refuge, or simple and prosaic faiths of home, community, and family. Some also follow the paths of art, music, and lore, finding truth and wisdom in beauty and learning.

Many aasimars see religion as a way to learn about their ancestry, and even—perhaps through their devotion— to earn the attention of their celestial ancestors. Those who turn their back on their divine heritage still tend to contextualize their rebellion in terms of faith, often turning to the worship of evil gods.

Most aasimars worship good deities, especially those who count a large number of celestials among their servants. Sarenrae is popular among aasimars from all cultures because she was once an angel herself. These aasimars see her as a role model, or perhaps suspect they are distantly related to the goddess or a member of her host. The Empyreal Lords, particularly Arshea, Ragathiel, and Sinashakti, are also popular among aasimars for this reason.

Evil aasimars widely worship Asmodeus, as they may still be drawn to order and law even as they eschew goodness. The worship of Zon-Kuthon is also grimly popular, with the most twisted aasimar masochists taking blasphemous delight in defiling their own blessed bodies. Others turn to Lamashtu or Rovagug, seeking to fully subvert the ideals of their society and destroy those who they feel mistreated them.

Of course, not all aasimars take on respectable roles in society. Aasimars have a reputation for being good and honest people, which makes the ones who turn to crime all the more successful. Those with a more selfish or depraved disposition make excellent con artists and swindlers.

Aasimars possess an inborn charm and confidence, making them excellent leaders and organizers. Their innate connection to the divine leads many aasimars to take on roles in religious organizations, running temples or climbing high in church administrations. Other aasimars direct these skills toward secular ends, becoming healers, politicians, or community leaders. Aasimars gravitate toward these roles not only because they have a natural talent for them, but also because they see public service as an opportunity to improve their homes. Some aasimars instead trade on their otherworldly charms to earn a living, becoming performers, courtesans, or diplomats. Aasimar entertainers earn fans quickly, and easily find patrons to support their art. Even aasimars who take up more mundane professions approach their crafts with an artistic mind-set, striving to create works that bring ease, happiness, and harmony to their users.

Society Aasimars are too rare and widely dispersed in the Inner Sea region to have a society or culture of their own. Instead they tend to adopt the society and culture of their mortal parents and live out their days among mortals. Aasimars fit in best with those societies that hold freedom, civility, and justice as virtues, such as Andoran, or with those who actively crusade against evil, such as Mendev. Especially decadent societies such as Taldor, or those with a tyrannical bent such as Cheliax, are appealing only to the most self-concerned or wicked aasimars, and to those who believe they can change such a society or help its victims.

Origins

Though aasimars have the blood of celestial beings, their ancestry is at least one step removed from the original introduction of that blood: the child of a union of a mortal with a celestial being is a half-celestial, not an aasimar. Aasimars may be born from the union of the half-celestial with another mortal being. The possibility of an aasimar birth continues to many generations after that union, even when two mortals have children, so long as one of the mortals is a direct descendant of the half-celestial. Although half-celestial creatures come in many shapes and forms, aasimars are only born from humanoids.

Heritages

Though for most aasimars the source of their celestial blood is unknown, there are some who can trace their blood back to a specific type of good outsider and their very personalities may be shaped by this ancestry. These aasimar heritages are as follows:

Agathion-Blooded (Idyllkin)
Angel-Blooded (Angelkin)
Archon-Blooded (Lawbringers)
Azata-Blooded (Musetouched)
Garuda-Blooded (Plumekith)
Peri-Blooded (Emberkin)

Etymology of Aasimar

The word aasimar in the Common language derives from a combination of the Supernal terms "aasu", meaning "new", and "imarr", meaning "birth".

Aasimars on Golarion

Though not common by any measure, aasimars are most often found in nations known for their dedication to good or for their tremendous piety, such as Andoran, Lastwall, and Mendev. Varisia also has a relatively large number of aasimar births, perhaps due to the prevalence of empyreal cults in Magnimar and the Lost Coast.

Areas tainted by wickedness also tend to have large populations of aasimars, though the aasimars are not usually born in these regions. Rather, many are compelled to fight for righteousness, and flock to places where they can take up arms against the forces of evil. The orc hordes of Belkzen, the demonic invasion of the Worldwound, the undead monarch of Geb, and the tyrannical governments of Cheliax and Nidal all draw aasimar crusaders.

Aasimars are far more common in Tian Xia, and in particular the nation of Tianjing, than they are in Avistan or Garund. Tian aasimars traveling to the Inner Sea region usually pass through Absalom, Katapesh, or Qadira, and are not uncommon in these centers of trade.

Names

Male Names: Aritian, Beltin, Cernan, Cronwier, Eran, Ilamin, Maudril, Okrin, Parant, Tural, Wyran, Zaigan.

Female Names: Arken, Arsinoe, Davina, Drinma, Imesah, Masozi, Nijena, Niramour, Ondrea, Rhialla, Valtyra.

Those aasimars who choose to reject the influence of their celestial heritage and follow a darker path are also drawn to wander and explore. These aasimars usually seek a quick path to the wealth or power they believe they are owed due to their superior heritage, or they strive to leave their mark on the world, no matter the cost. Others instead adopt sinister patrons such as evil gods or fiends and adventure to draw the attention and favor of these dark forces, who they hope will reward them handsomely.

For those aasimars who do not feel the pull of destiny, societal exclusion may drive them into a life of adventure; in this way, they can choose to remain apart from settled communities rather than being held at a distance because of their unusual ancestry. Adventurers are generally less discriminating than settled folk, and most adventuring parties are quick to accept an aasimar so long as she possesses some skill with a blade or a talent for magic.

AdventurersCelestial heritage often manifests as a compulsion to heal the world, to root out evil, and to mend the torn fabric of society. Those aasimars who take up arms or spells to defend the defenseless, vanquish powerful malicious beings, or destroy powerful evil artifacts often push themselves into a life of adventure. Even aasimars who have stayed within the confines of their cities or villages for their entire lives may find themselves answering an internal call to adventure in their twilight years, as if they are driven to complete one last great work before departing this world. Even previously unremarkable aasimars may abandon their lives as shopkeepers or farmers to undertake one final grand quest.

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