Air-Aligned Races

[The Glyphstone]

I'm trying to brainstorm possible races that would have a thematic affinity towards the element of Air, without just being arrakoa/raptorans/bird folk. Not in the way of genasi or planetouched, but something that could be associated with air the way dwarves could be associated with earth or merfolk with water.

Any ideas?

[Vahnavoi]

Sylphs seem like the most obvious answer? The second most obvious one is humans, though not in English.

[Millstone85]

I am confused by your inclusion of merfolk because they are a lot like bird folk, just being fish folk instead.

[Mordar]

I'm trying to brainstorm possible races that would have a thematic affinity towards the element of Air, without just being arrakoa/raptorans/bird folk. Not in the way of genasi or planetouched, but something that could be associated with air the way dwarves could be associated with earth or merfolk with water.

Any ideas?

I think there is a wide difference between the Earth/Dwarf and Water/Merfolk connections, and I know wind /= air, but...

I like the idea of a culture/race/whatever that venerates the wind as both a benevolent and malevolent force. If you're thinking of a setting that could have aeronauts I'd probably lean that way...the wind blows where it will, for weal or woe, and while the beings can nudge it, the wind remains ascendant. Their fashion, crafts, speech...all reflective of the wind from gentle breeze to howling cyclone. They dress to catch the wind with flowing silks, scarves and streamers. They braid bells into their hair to chime when the wind blows. They are light, sinewy, agile. Subject to rapid changes in mood or affect. If you want to go a little more extreme, they could have physical modifications that allow gliding.

If you don't want an airborne species, the same could apply to a desert species...the winds bring rain and clouds to give life, while also capable to drying the land and ravaging the body. Everything else still applies (maybe not the gliding).

This gliding along the right thermal?

Or are you looking for existing mythological creatures affiliated with air as a source?

- M

[RedWarlock]

Raptoran actually would be good for that. Beyond just being bird-folk, they have air-elemental associations, and the 3e Races of the Wild version had something about +1 caster level with (air) subtype spells, I believe?

[QuickLyRaiNbow]

Culturally, traveling people work well as having air affinity. That could be something akin to the Romani or Berbers, or even a seafaring people like classical depictions of Polynesians. You'd think of them as being more related to water, but sailing is an activity about the wind and the weather. Mountain-folk, including possibly yetis, could be air-aligned.

Does fire in your conception include the sun? If it doesn't, and if you're sticking with the classic Four Elements model, then sun, moon and stars fit into the Air quadrant, to me, and that means elves to me.

[Mordar]

Culturally, traveling people work well as having air affinity. That could be something akin to the Romani or Berbers, or even a seafaring people like classical depictions of Polynesians. You'd think of them as being more related to water, but sailing is an activity about the wind and the weather. Mountain-folk, including possibly yetis, could be air-aligned.

Does fire in your conception include the sun? If it doesn't, and if you're sticking with the classic Four Elements model, then sun, moon and stars fit into the Air quadrant, to me, and that means elves to me.

Totally where I was going - either travel or those really dependent on the direction and strength of the wind for their basis of life. My vision was hardened elves, less erudite and more rugged and mercurial.

- M

[Mechalich]

The thing about Dwarves and Merfolk, and most other 'earth' or 'water' fantasy beings is that they live in the respective environment. With both air and fire this doesn't quite work, because while underground/mountainous and aquatic ecosystems are quite viable, nothing lives in the atmosphere or while actively on fire in quite the same way. Fantasy sometimes cheats the fire side by creating fictional ecosystems linked to magma/lava and other volcanic systems, which kind of works. Air is, if anything, even harder, because it's a vast undifferentiated expanse that is without surfaces and boundaries, something the human mind isn't good at handling (this is comparatively true in the ocean as well, as we study heavily the surface and the seafloor and struggle to conceptualized the vast midwater environment where there are no surfaces). As a result, a species that lives entirely in an aerial environment would likely be exceedingly alien - something that comes across if you ever look at concept art for gas giant life zones.

Within the context of traditional tabletop fantasy races, you'd want something that could conceivably live within an entirely aerial ecosystem, whether that's on floating islands, the backs of giant stratospheric jellyfish, or whatever. In that regard I'd lean strongly towards non-aquatic races that nevertheless operate in a broadly three-dimensional environment. Bird people are certainly a choice that works, but other options include spider-people, fungus people, and even beholders or other bizarre floating abominations.

[Eldan]

So you might argue that they are water associated, but my first thought was actually sailors? They live on the water, not in it, and they do a lot of reading and predicting of wind and weather and waves (which are caused by wind).

[Mastikator]

So you might argue that they are water associated, but my first thought was actually sailors? They live on the water, not in it, and they do a lot of reading and predicting of wind and weather and waves (which are caused by wind).

I kinda love this idea. Though it brings to mind Avatar the Last Airbender, the air nomads lived on mountaintops and had gliders to fly. Makes me wonder, could you have a people that does both of these things? A people that spend their time 50% on boats and 50% on tall cliffs/mountains adjacent to oceans and use gliders to travel between. You could give them extremely limited air control that they use to power their sails and gliders.

[Unoriginal]

I'm trying to brainstorm possible races that would have a thematic affinity towards the element of Air, without just being arrakoa/raptorans/bird folk. Not in the way of genasi or planetouched, but something that could be associated with air the way dwarves could be associated with earth or merfolk with water.

Any ideas?

The elves?


I am also surprised as why you put the merfolks in the same category as dwarves, rather than in the same category as birdfolks.

[QuickLyRaiNbow]

So you might argue that they are water associated, but my first thought was actually sailors? They live on the water, not in it, and they do a lot of reading and predicting of wind and weather and waves (which are caused by wind).

And that gives a ton of scope for improvisation. How about a whole species of Phoenician-esque minotaurs who use their innate abilities and sensitivity to the air, wind and sky to be perfect navigators? Their craft form together in giant flotillas, seeding colonies throughout the sea, sending off war parties to raid and harry the coasts. Smash Polynesian, Phoenician and Viking stereotypes together, make them minotaurs and add a little dash of air magic.

[Maat Mons]

Floating islands and sky pirates are where my mind jumps to.

Tangentially, my favorite air-themed race is Lesser Aasimar. Though that’s another bird-like one, at least once they take the Outsider Wings feat from Races of Faerun. I guess you could instead go with Lesser Tiefling, for a bat theme. Actually, competing societies of Lesser Aasimar and Lesser Tieflings living on floating islands sounds kind of fun.

I also kind of like how Elves are so in tune with nature that they have biologically different versions for every environment, Drow for caves, Aquatic Elves for the seas, Avariel for mountains, and boring old regular Elves for forests.

As a more off-the-wall idea, flying squirrel people. They live in a forest of trees so tall they know of the ground only from legend and so expansive they’ve never even considered that the forest might have an edge.

[Millstone85]

I also kind of like how Elves are so in tune with nature that they have biologically different versions for every environment, Drow for caves, Aquatic Elves for the seas, Avariel for mountains, and boring old regular Elves for forests.

I like that too. But then there are so-called "high" elves who are in tune with... wizardry? It is so odd.

I do wonder what OP thinks of avariel, the winged elves, as an air-themed race.

[QuickLyRaiNbow]

I like that too. But then there are so-called "high" elves who are in tune with... wizardry? It is so odd.

I do wonder what OP thinks of avariel, the winged elves, as an air-themed race.

That's the root of my earlier question about the sun, moon and stars. In the Dragonlance conception, elves are basically split between sun (the Qualinesti), the stars (the Silvanesti), and the earth -- the kagonesti, the original elves who predate the split. (The moon is a bit complicated, as the moons are the three gods of magicForgotten Realms had at one point moon, star and sun elf subraces. So I think what you have is actually something like aquatic elves representing water, wild elves representing connection to the earth, regular elves being associated with celestial bodies and potentially with air, and kinda nothing for fire.

[Metastachydium]

Forgotten Realms had at one point moon, star and sun elf subraces.

Yup. Moon Elves are mechanically the same as High Elves, except with blue hair too.

and kinda nothing for fire.

3.5 also has Fire Elves (and Celadrin (both are kinda really just "Denasi for other races", especially the latter, so this might be cheating)).

[Eldan]

I like that too. But then there are so-called "high" elves who are in tune with... wizardry? It is so odd.

I do wonder what OP thinks of avariel, the winged elves, as an air-themed race.

In a past game, I did use the high elves as being attuned to the high mountains (hence high). Actually, all the elves were one race, they became more attuned as they stayed in a place. High elves are those who go to the mountaintops to meditate.

[QuickLyRaiNbow]

Yup. Moon Elves are mechanically the same as High Elves, except with blue hair too.



3.5 also has Fire Elves (and Celadrin (both are kinda really just "Denasi for other races", especially the latter, so this might be cheating)).

Yeah, I wasn't really counting celadrin or fire elves, mostly because they're not... they're just there. They have no narrative weight. Fire elves especially are just a mechanical creation. There's also stuff like the famous water orc. It was all grist to the content mill.

Personally I feel like dwarves are associated with fire as much as they are with earth. That's what smithing and forging and smelting are, really; the combination of fire and earth.

[Maat Mons]

In a past game, I did use the high elves as being attuned to the high mountains (hence high). Actually, all the elves were one race, they became more attuned as they stayed in a place. High elves are those who go to the mountaintops to meditate.

I was considering something similar, except attunement would be based on where your mother spent time while she was pregnant with you, and there would be no way to change it after birth.

[Grim Portent]

I think nomadic races can be well suited to an air affinity theme. Off the top of my head I would go for centaurs. Open plains and mountain plateaus are the major environment I think of when air comes to mind, with the sea coming after them, and centaurs fit the open plains really well.

[Psyren]

I think nomadic races can be well suited to an air affinity theme. Off the top of my head I would go for centaurs. Open plains and mountain plateaus are the major environment I think of when air comes to mind, with the sea coming after them, and centaurs fit the open plains really well.

This was my thought as well; nomadic creatures who live on open plains would give me a thematic feeling of "air" so I'd add in Halflings. I'd also point to mirthful, "springy" races like Harengon and Satyrs as "air races."

I'd also point out that there are some races with variants that can fit any element, like Dragonborn (e.g. Blue/Bronze for air) and Eladrin (Spring for air).

Also, regarding birdfolk - if the objection there is their flight ability being unbalanced, I'd point to Kenku.

[Xihirli]

Nomadic and sky-based? My suggestion is Goliaths. They live up high, and depending on how much you lean into them being giant-kin they could venerate the Storm King and the giants who live in the sky.

[thorr-kan]

The goliaths and raptorans in the high mountain places is a good thematic choice. Link them with the giant pantheon (2E's Giantcraft), and you have some lore. Fold in the floating isle ideas, and I think you're set.

For some variety, the Savage Coast/Red Steel setting from 2E Mystara has the ee’aar and enduk. The former are another culture of winged elves, while the latter are a culture of winged minotaurs, possibly based on Mesopotamian iconography.

[AceOfFools]

Here’s a brainstorm of less literal directions you can take air affinity:

Astrology and augury (in the older, reading the future in flights of birds sense). Big on signs and portents, and wisdom.

The sky more broadly, with a focus on duality and cycles. Day and night. Phases of the moon.

Song and music.

Bird herding. Maybe they aren’t themselves winged, but they have a culture around riding griffons, giant owls, etc.

Windmills, and wind powered machines. Sail-powered land vehicles (sleds) make a striking visual.

Storms. Lightning and rain, obviously, but also sandstorms and tornadoes. Volatile, unpredictable and powerful. Good for rage-fueled barbarians.

Necromancy; usually more earth affiliates with tombs and crypts, but if you instead focus on ghosts, and spirits blowing in the wind… could work.

If I was doing this myself, I’d mix and match from multiple suggestions or ideas to make something unique.

[Psyren]

Nomadic and sky-based? My suggestion is Goliaths. They live up high, and depending on how much you lean into them being giant-kin they could venerate the Storm King and the giants who live in the sky.

I agree, Goliaths are a great fit for this too despite many people associating mountains with earth; their ability to thrive at high altitudes is definitely thematic of Air.

In 2024, they'll be able to easily represent all four elements with their new subraces/giant heritages.

[Beelzebub1111]

Thinking about this Goliath is an interesting choice, but if I could throw out an idea: Serpentmen. Or some form of desert dweller that worships coatls. The desert is a perfect example of air infusing everything. a lack of solid ground, no water for miles, and while it is hot there is a substantial lack of kindling and fuel to create fire. The only element around and infused through everything is air.

[Millstone85]

Thinking about this Goliath is an interesting choice, but if I could throw out an idea: Serpentmen. Or some form of desert dweller that worships coatls. The desert is a perfect example of air infusing everything. a lack of solid ground, no water for miles, and while it is hot there is a substantial lack of kindling and fuel to create fire. The only element around and infused through everything is air.

Eberron has the shulassakar. They are similar to yuan-ti but get increasingly feathery as well as snakelike. I don't remember them being desert dwellers but that would be a nice addition.

[RedWarlock]

Shulassakar are based in the Valenar desert in Eberron.

[Millstone85]

Shulassakar are based in the Valenar desert in Eberron.

Well then, they are a perfect match for Beelze's idea!

[Vogie]

In a worldbuilding type of sense, you could use some of the smaller races and make their societies very air-focused, having them go the balloon/blimp/airship route because they are physically smaller and lighter than the larger races. I just watched the first bit of the newest series of Doctor Who, and goblins on an airship are featured in "The Church on Ruby Road". However, you might use the more nomadic halflings or the more traditionally mechanically minded gnomes in your execution.