Building My Dungeons and Dragons World Part 4: The Aasimar

 Introduction

    Where there are gods, there are celestials. Where there are celestials, there are bound to be aasimar. This is why I spent last week creating the cosmology of my world and the Celestial Empire. While gods, celestials, and aasimar can be anywhere in my world, the Celestial Empire has the highest population. So heavy in fact that the aasimar are part of elite groups inside the Empire that help protect and serve the Empire's goals.

Aasimar

Reference Link: https://forgottenrealms.fandom.com/wiki/Aasimar

    One of the races referred to as planes touched, the aasimar are half-breeds, in this case, half-human and half-celestial. Their bloodlines are physically represented differently based on which race of celestial sired them, though they do share some characteristics, like pupilless eyes and silver hair. They have three subraces that they divide into: Fallen, Protector, and Scourge.

    Fallen Aasimar is not allowed inside the Empire. When an Aasimar succumbs to the darkness, they are rounded up and given a choice. Exile or execution. Most choose exile, which means they are escorted to the nearest border of the Celestial Empire and sent away to fend for themselves. The obvious problem with this practice is that it has led to an increase in hostile activity along the borders of the Empire as the enemies of the Empire look to recruit the exiled half-breeds for their own malicious causes.

    The Protectors and the Scourge are both usually incorporated into the various elite groups inside the Empire. Their subraces determine how they serve the Empire. Protectors are often assigned to ensure the protection of the borders. They are stationed in villages and cities near the border to protect the communities from harm. Scourge, on the other hand, are assigned to offensive units, and deployed into the areas near the border to rid them of evil forces.

    This situation is one of many that has led to the borders of the Celestial Empire becoming war zones of good vs. evil. While the aasimar are not solely responsible for this war and are far from the only people playing a role in it, they have become the symbol of it. Inside the Empire, they are praised for their efforts and sacrifice. Outside of it, they are viewed as symbols of the Empire's terror and are often the scapegoats behind the suffering outside the borders.

The Bardic College of Valor

Reference Link: https://www.pinterest.com/pin/403775922833239411/

The Celestial Empire has several elite groups inside its borders and each has several aasimar inside its ranks. The Bardic College of Valor is one such elite group. Focused on sharing the stories of mighty heroes both past and present, it is little wonder it has made its home in the land of heroes. The college teaches people from across the Empire skills in combat and song before sending these artists back out into the Empire. The aasimar often get sent back to border communities where their songs help encourage those who spend their lives in the most dangerous area of the Empire, inspiring new heroes to stand up in defense of their homelands.

Paladins

Reference Link: https://www.deviantart.com/taggedzi/art/Aasimar-Paladin-938119664

    There is no single elite force of Paladins inside the Empire. Every oath has its place and its area of expertise. Likewise, everyone has aasimar that serves its purpose. 

• The Oath of the Ancients protects the many communities of the Empire, with many drawn to the border communities where the darkness is most prevalent. 
• The Oath of Conquest is most popular with Scourge Aasimar as it heavily focuses on conquering the forces of evil so thoroughly that they have no hope of standing up against the Empire. 
• The Oath of the Crown is usually dedicated to the gods inside the Celestial Empire, though not always. It is an oath popular with Protector Aasimar as it calls them to protect the order of the Empire from the evils at its gates.
• The Oath of Devotion is most dedicated to the lawful good gods of the Empire, protecting not only the order of the Empire but its justice as well.
• The Oath of Glory is another oath popular with the scourge assimar as it emphasizes acts of glory and heroism. What greater glory is there to be found than to march into the evil lands around the Empire and destroy the enemies of the gods.
• The Oath of Redemption has its place inside and outside the Empire, as its members look to save their enemies from the darkness that consumed them. This often brings them to odds with the other oaths due to their tenets of mercy often interfering with the other oaths' tenets that call for violence or punishment.
• The wars at the borders have incurred many casualties and paladins have seen most of them with their own eyes. In an environment like this, the Oath of Vengeance is not uncommon among either paladins or aasimar.
• The Oath of the Watchers is constantly vigilant for threats to the Empire from other planes of existence. This practice has put them at odds with some of the other oaths, who are constantly exposed to and have dealings with entities from other planes. It is another oath popular with protector aasimar as it is seen as the true frontlines of the war against evil.
• Oathbreakers are not uncommon in aasimar society. They are forced to face the absolute worst that both society and the multiverse itself have to offer. It takes a strong will to resist these forces. A will not everyone has. Oathbreakers are almost always fallen aasimar as well and easily some of the greatest weapons the enemies at the borders have against the Celestial Empire.

The Divine Soul Sorcerers

Reference Link: https://www.pinterest.com/pin/659707045425703898/

    It is pretty clear what elite group of sorcerers would be most prominent inside the Celestial Empire. That said, this group loathes being referred to as sorcerers, feeling that it puts them on the same level as sorcerers with other lineages, which they see as lesser and eviler. To combat this ideology, they prefer to refer to themselves as the Divine Souls. While sorcerers with divine souls are rare, even in the Empire, this group is not to be underestimated.

    They view themselves as elites since their power comes directly from the gods. What's more, aasimar makes up almost the entire command structure of this organization, because what is holier on the mortal plane the having a divine soul and a half-divine body.

    But even this organization is not above the flaws of the Empire they reside in. Sorcerers of almost any alignment can join their ranks, provided that they are not evil. This group not only bans evil members, but they will also hunt down evil sorcerers if alerted to their presence. This is usually followed by the same choice afforded to Fallen Aasimar, exile or execution.

    The exile of these evil sorcerers has given rise to an evil twin organization outside the Empire. This group refers to themselves as the Divine Sorcerers, openly defying the naming conventions the good group uses in an act of defiance. This group will also hunt down evil sorcerers, but this is to invite them to their own organization and protect them from the violence of the war.

    While these two groups have never openly acted against each other, their members have often come to blows on and off the battlefield over the years.

The Celestial Warlocks

Reference Link: https://sagegamers.com/dd-5e-aasimar-warlock-guide/

    Similar to the Divine Souls, the Celestial Warlocks are magic individuals who get their powers from the celestials directly. But while the Divine Souls are born with these abilities, the Celestial Warlocks make a pact with the Celestials directly, similar to how the Paladins make oaths to their gods. 

    But there are several key differences between the Celestial Warlocks and the other elite organizations inside the Empire. The Warlocks get more of their powers from the celestials than the gods. Additionally, most don't go rogue or fall since they specifically sought out celestials to make pacts with as opposed to the other organizations that had little choice in the matter.

    But that is about the full extent of their differences. Just like the other groups, the Celestial Warlocks often find themselves on the borders of the Empire, either protecting communities from harm or actively waging war against the forces of evil that hound the borders.

    This group lacks a lot of the elitism found in the Divine Souls and with good reason. Most of the warlocks have been looked down on by the members of the Divine Souls since their magic is not as pure as theirs. With this in mind, the Celestial Warlocks will rarely help out or work with the Divine Souls. In fact, it is so rare, that many ordinary citizens view the two groups working together as a sign that things have truly gone wrong.

Conclusion

    The Aasimar are the race that best represents the best and worst of the Celestial Empire. I feel the need to reiterate that both celestials and aasimar exist outside the Celestial Empire. as such this organization of their race is not universal across the mortal plane. But this was a good opportunity to further world build the Celestial Empire. I hope you enjoyed it and look forward to a new blog next week.