Aasimar

Aasimar are planetouched, part human and part descended from one of the good races of the upper planes. They are beautiful and serene, with long white-gold hair, piercing bright eyes and a soft inner glow, and are often mistaken for unusually pure humans, half-elves or even vanguard celestials. Strong emotion makes their heritage shine through their faces like sun through clouds, and few evil beings can hold an angry aasimar's gaze. Most are noble and brave, but a few are cheats and liars for hire.

They fight openly and honorably, but mixed blood makes them slightly frail: +1 Strength and Wisdom, -2 Constitution. Catlike senses give 60-foot infravision and +1 on surprise checks. Fire and cold deal them only half damage, and they get +2 on saves against every sort of charm, fear, emotion or domination.

The typical aasimar is a warrior in ornate heavy armor (banded, plate or field plate) bearing a coat of arms, wielding big weapons such as halberds, maces, two-handed swords and longbows. Poisoned blades and hand crossbows are beneath them. One in four (25%) is a priest or fighter-priest with 3rd-level cleric spells, and another 10% are mages of levels 3 through 7 who roll d4 for hit points and lack the race's 10% magic resistance.

Aasimar roam the upper and neutral planes but avoid long stays below, where they may be taken for celestials, a sight tanar'ri and baatezu cannot bear. They form no societies of their own, adopting local dress and habits wherever they live. Welcome on the upper planes and unnoticed elsewhere, many travel; some become merchants trusted by all, which lets the occasional crooked one get away with fraud.

They intermarry readily, so bloodlines rarely last beyond four or five generations. Unlike tieflings they are seldom outcasts, usually raised respectably by their good parent's kin. One born unknowing on a prime world often rises to be a hero or leader.

Honest and principled, aasimar make model citizens on the upper planes and natural troublemakers in neutral lands, where they sniff out and wreck shady schemes. In the great planar city they must curb that urge. They eat as civilized humans do but dislike raw meat and fiery liquor, preferring fine food and wine.

Tieflings resent aasimar, whose mixed blood is praised while their own is scorned, and see them as spoiled half-breeds who were handed everything. Aasimar find it hard not to distrust tieflings.