Dao

The dao were a variation of genie from the Elemental Plane of Earth. Dao often ran gem-mining operations there or on the Material Plane. They could especially be found in the wild regions of Zakhara.

Dao appeared as humanoids with bodies that had external physical characteristics that evoked their elemental nature, though some varieties were capable of shape-shifting into another form. They formed their own distinctive societies in their native planes. Because they had powerful supernatural or magical abilities, genies were sometimes called upon or summoned by spellcasters to grant wishes or perform services for them. The individual varieties have differing attitudes towards humanoid races native to the Material Plane.

Homelands
Genies literally carved out an empire from the Elemental Plane of Earth, called the Great Dismal Delve, based strongly on slave labor. They were ruled from their capital city of the Sevenfold Mazework by their Great Khan Kabril Ali al-Sara al-Zalazil.

Beyond the Elemental Plane of Earth, dao could be found living in great numbers on the Quasi-Elemental Plane of Dust, the Quasi-Elemental Plane of Minerals, the Para-Elemental Plane of Magma, and the Para-Elemental Plane of Ooze.

Beyond those planes, dao could be found roaming with magical protection across all of the Inner Planes, as well as the Astral Plane and Ethereal plane, in search of creatures to enslave.

Relationships
Those that lived on the Para-Elemental Plane of Magma sometimes engaged in warfare with the efreet that inhabited the plane.

Trivia

 * The yikarian term for the dao was "earthservants."

Appearances

 * Adventures:
 * Princes of the Apocalypse
 * Storm King's Thunder (mentioned)
 * Tomb of Annihilation
 * Waterdeep: Dungeon of the Mad Mage
 * Baldur's Gate: Descent into Avernus


 * Video Games:
 * Al-Qadim: The Genie's Curse
 * Baldur's Gate II: Shadows of Amn
 * Neverwinter Nights 2: Mask of the Betrayer
 * Neverwinter Nights 2: Mysteries of Westgate