Azer

Description

From Dungeons & Dragons Monster Manual (2015):

Natives of the Elemental Plane of Fire, azers are master crafters, expert miners, and sworn foes of the efreet. In appearance and manner, an azer resembles a male dwarf, but this is a facade. Beneath its metallic-looking skin, an azer is a being of fire, which outwardly manifests in its fiery hair and beard.

Made, Not Born. Azers don’t reproduce. They are each crafted from bronze by another azer and imbued with a portion of the crafter’s inner flame. Each azer is sculpted with unique features. This crafting process limits the growth of the azer population and is the primary reason that these creatures remain rare.

Volcanic Dwellers. Azers dwell in a kingdom on the border between the Elemental Plane of Earth and the Elemental Plane of Fire — a range of mountains and volcanoes whose spires rise as a series of fortresses. Beneath mountain peaks, under volcanic calderas, and amid rivers of magma, azers extract gleaming metals and glittering gems from the earth. Squads of azer patrol the passes and tunnels of their realm, fending off the salamander raiders whose efreet masters order strikes against the azer kingdom.

Enemies of the Efreet. Long ago, the efreet and the azers were allies. Azers helped create the City of Brass, forging that home of the efreet into one of the most wondrous places in creation. When the azers had finished their work, the efreet betrayed them, making a failed attempt to enslave the azers so as to protect the secrets of the city. Despite occasional raids and skirmishes, however, the two sides have so far refrained from all-out conflict. The azers believe that only the threat of them revealing the hidden ways into the City of Brass keeps the efreet in check.

Masters of Metal and Gems. Azers are masterful artisans, and create beautiful works from the gems and precious metals found in their volcanic habitat. They rate the value of such treasures above all other things, sometimes dispatching parties across the planes to seek out rare metals and gemstones.

When azers are called by magic to the Material Plane, it is typically to help forge an elaborate magic item or work of art, for it is said that their skill in such craft knows no equal.

Living Fire. An azer doesn’t require food, drink, or sleep.

From 2nd Edition:

The azer are a race of humanoid creatures that normally inhabit the Elemental Plane of Fire. Except under special circumstances, they are very rarely found on the Prime Material Plane.

Azer on their home plane are part of an extremely regimented society where every individual has his or her place. The azer civilization in general is heavily stratified, with law taking precedence over individual freedoms and even an individual’s life.

Azer construct their outposts and cities as towers built from basalt, granite, or metal. There they dwell in small groups, using their plentiful complexes of flames to shape the stone.

They grow strange trees with metallic outer skins or barks, and the leaves of these trees are actually made entirely of metal — in some cases, precious metals.

Azer are unfriendly and taciturn, and they lack compassion. They capture and interrogate intruders; particularly dangerous or violent prisoners are slain. They are greedy, particularly for gems that are a clear purple or red (rubies, amethysts, garnets, etc.) Once given, the word of an azer is a solid bond.

It is not known just what if anything azer eat. On their home plane, their only enemies are other intelligent fire dwelling creatures, and even then this enmity is not related to relative position on the food chain. The greatest of their enemies are the efreet, who sometimes fight wars of conquest against the azer, taking their territories and making slaves of them. The azer defend themselves and their towers with powerful, bellows-like air projectors and special containers used to pour elemental water on attackers.

Amaimon is the legendary king of the ager. He is the largest (9+8 HD), strongest (18/00 strength), and most intelligent of all azer. He has 35% magic resistance; his other powers are unknown.

Amaimon’s nobles number from 8d4 and are only slightly weaker than their king (7+6 HD, 18/76-90 Strength). They have 25% magic resistance; the noble azers’ full powers are also unknown.