Genasi are humoid and demihuman races that have been supernaturally touched by extraplanar forces of an elemental plane. They may come from among any of the races of Arda and are considered to be half-elemental, naturally possessing physical, mental and magical characteristics associated with their specific elemental. Genasi are exceedingly rare in Arda and originate in one of three ways:
- Born from a union of a humanoid/demihuman parent and elemental parent
- Born during a major elemental event, such as a hurricane, earthquake or volcanic eruption
- Born after sustained parental exposure to an elemental magic source
Those born during a major elemental event tend to be revered among their people, if they do not have physical markings associated with their element, even if they have innate elemental capabilities - so may be more common that scholars believe. Those born near an elemental magic source are the most common, with small multigenerational populations of earth genasi living near active volcanos, fault lines. Earth genasi tend to be the most prevalent among the Dwarves due to their close habitation with sources of earth element power. Water Genasi are perhaps the most common, living among coastal and island populations as well as beneath the waves among water-breathing demihumans, such as Sea Elves and Tritons. It is possible to find multigenerational populations of Water Genasi on remote islands that are regularly scourged by typhoons, in coastal rainforests that receive seasonal monsoons and tropical cyclones, as well as under the sea where portals to the elemental plane of water frequently exist in a sustained state. Fire and Air Gensasi are exceedingly rare. Multigenerational populations of fire genasi are known to live in remote volcanically, or geothermically active locations, such as the Tephra Pass in Ghalistra. These Fire Genasi tend ofton occur in populations of Tieflings or Dragonborne. Multigenerational air genasi populations have been reported to live as subjects in the realms of various Cloud Giants and or Apu, such as those in the Apu Council in Qarac. Few independent communities of Air Genasi are known. Air Genasi are often associated with races such as Avians, Gracelies, Aasimir and Falkerie.
In summary, most tend to be born among larger populations and may never see another of their kind within their life time. Some live in multigenerational communities and have developed their own cultures related to their innate elemental capabilities and appearances. Those that do live in communities, tend to be subject to a stronger elemental being, such as a Cloud Giant, or a clan within a larger Ashari Tribe. In fact, the largest populations (though not independent) of Genasi are thought to be among the Ashari Tribes of Arda, where they are welcomed and incorporated into the larger culture - often losing their distinct cultural identity, even if retaining their distinctive physical characteristics. Ashari differ from Genasi, in that their elemental inheritance is a cultural one, rather than a biological one like a Genasi. Ashari become attuned to a specific element due to their close association with an elemental place of power. Therefore it is possible and common for a Genasi to be an Ashari of a particular tribe.
The rarest of the Genasi are those born of an elemental:
- Fire Genasi with an Efreeti parent
- Water Genasi with a Marid parent
- Earth Genasi with a Dao parent
- Air Genasi with a Djinn parent
They are most likely to live near places of great elemental power or within the elemental plane to which they are aligned. Some live among the Ashari Tribes of Arda, others are extraplanar expatriots living among the denizens of the elemental planes.