Marcotix
2018-12-15, 03:38 PM
PEACH please!
Whale Kin (Cetaci)
Race fluff
The humans streamed into the sandy shores fleeing shambling corpses. A father carrying an infant waded in until before a frantic warrior, charged with his protection, shoved him under. A tense moment passed before a bellowing horn marked the arrival of nine figures approaching from the dusky red sea. Clad in coral armor and clenching heavy spears, they glided atop outrigger surfboards towards the bedlam. When the father had recovered a feted hand clenched his hair. Unable to push the creature away without imperiling the baby he thrashed frantically, just as the horde threatened to take them, a mighty spear pierced his assailants skull.
The Whale Kin had arrived. The tide had turned.
— Marcotic
Perhaps forged from lost magics, or the result illicit dalliances between gods and oceanic fey, the whale folk combine the best attributes of whales and humanoids. Most whale folk live as fishers and kelp farmers in harmony with the Leviathans, massive beasts of the sea that carry villages and even cities, called pods on their backs. Others dedicate themselves to helping other races work with nature and against the darkness of the world. There are a sad few who resent this role or worse and have taken to plundering the shores.
Going with the Flow
Whale Kin are born among, and one with, the waves. As such, the are able to hold their breath for a great time and can swim as well as walk. Like the whales from which they get their name they have specialized organs which enable echolocation and long tails that end like a whales. They grow facial hair much like a human does, with similar varieties of thickness and color. Their skin varies, and can range between the obsidian black of an Orca, to the striking white of the beluga or the eponymous tone of the blue whale.
Living upon the Leviathan
While other races assume that the Leviathans are under Whale Kin's control, the truth is that the leviathans act of their own volition. Some leviathans have patterns that are both predicable and even logical, whereas others seem to change from day to day, hour to hour. Some believe that the beasts are following instinct suited for a time long past. Others point to the unnerving ability of these creatures to arrive near folk in need of help. The more paranoid believe that this is to aid the whale folk in picking over the weak or pillage the dead. After all, the victims wouldn't be in a position to argue right?
The whale folk, culturally, view the idea of controlling the Leviathan to be anathema to the deep bonds of respect that they have with the beasts. Even the act of naming the creature is forbidden, since to name them is seen as a form of control. To avoid confusion general terms such as little brother, the giver, or our pathfinder are common.
Whale Folk Names
Whalefolk have 3 names, a personal name, the family name of the mother and a pod name.
Author note:
I suggest using names from any real-life culture that has the sea as one of its pillars is a good candidate.
Whale Kin (Cetaci) Traits
Your natural talents and a heritage at sea leaves you well suited for adventure both on land and under the waves.
Ability Score Increase
Your Strength score increases by 2.
Underwater Echolocation
Specialized structures in your head enable you to sense your surroundings underwater despite sediment or darkness. While submerged you gain blind sight out to 30 feet in regards to in that same body of water.
Echolocation Assisted Targeting
By focusing your echolocation on a specific target, you reveal vulnerabilities that you can exploit on your next attack. As a bonus action you can choose a target within 30 feet. Until the end of your turn, the first attack you make against the target is at an advantage. Once you use this trait, you can't use it again until you finish a long or short rest.
Natural Insulation
Owing to a dense layer of insulation you have resistance to cold damage and you are naturally adapted to cold climates, as described in chapter 5 of the Dungeon Master’s Guide.
Oceans Mercy
If disabled, sleeping or unconscious you rise to the surface at 20 feet per round. You then float on the surface of water face up in all but the choppiest waters. You can also can drink salt water for 5 days before needing to drink a days worth of fresh water.
Wave Talker
A deep kinship with mammals of the sea enables you to speak, in rudimentary terms, with aquatic mammals.
Languages
You can speak, read, and write Common and Aquan. Thanks to specialized structures, the Cetaci can use this language is to communicate underwater without needing to expel air. Aquan uses dwarf script.
Alignment
With the exception of tradition of respect towards the Leviathans and Nature Orca Kin don't usually aren't concerned with matters of strict hierarchy over individual freedom. Instead they prefer to simply help one another and the peoples of the world. Thus they are usually neutral good. Deep Kin, on the other hand, tend to have a more refined social strata and are more interested in oceanic discovery and introspective thought. They tend towards Lawful Neutral.
Subraces
Despite your hulking stature, you're people tend to be reserved, tranquil, and introspective culturally. Your people are dedicated to understanding the mysteries of the deep and helping other races work to protect the sea and nature. Masters of the deep wide ocean your body is well adapted to deep dives at crushing depths, but on land your bulk leaves you with a ponderous gait. You are larger then most, starting at 7 feet, & it is rare to see one of your kind weigh less then 300 pounds.
Ability Score Increase
Your wisdom score increases by 1.
Deep Blue Adaptation
While you're bulk leaves you with a plodding movement speed of 25 on ground, you are remarkably fast (swim speed 40) when in the depths in which you make your home. You are able to hold your breath for up to an an hour in a single breath and are comfortable at depths of up to 5000 feet.
Deep Listener
The echolocation of your people combines with a culture known for not wasting words to leave you well versed in finding deep meaning in body language. You gain proficiency with Insight.
Path in the Black
Deep Kin are expected to spend a great deal of time in inky blackness of the deep sea. As such they are capable at keeping their heading, avoiding dangers, and hunting for food. You gain proficiency in Survival.
Powerful Build
You count as one size larger when determining your carrying capacity and the weight you can push, drag, or lift.
Whether its under the waves or crashing on shore, you're communal nature and easy going attitude allows you to overcome challenges with style. You are able to move as well upon the land as you are in the sea. Although generally larger then humans, averaging 6 feet tall and 250 pounds you are still dwarfed by your Deep Kin cousins.
Ability Score Increase
Your charisma score increases by 1.
Tide Line Adaptation
As nimble on land as in the sea, you have a Movement Speed of 30 and a swim speed of 30. You are able to hold your breath for up to an 30 minutes in a single breath and are comfortable at depths of 300 feet.
Big Talker
Your communal way of life has taught you the best way to ensure everyone gets something. You have proficiency in the Persuasion skill.
Natural Sailor
You seem to have an innate ability to sail vehicles of all kinds. You have proficiency with Vehicles: Water
Whale Kin (Cetaci)
Race fluff
The humans streamed into the sandy shores fleeing shambling corpses. A father carrying an infant waded in until before a frantic warrior, charged with his protection, shoved him under. A tense moment passed before a bellowing horn marked the arrival of nine figures approaching from the dusky red sea. Clad in coral armor and clenching heavy spears, they glided atop outrigger surfboards towards the bedlam. When the father had recovered a feted hand clenched his hair. Unable to push the creature away without imperiling the baby he thrashed frantically, just as the horde threatened to take them, a mighty spear pierced his assailants skull.
The Whale Kin had arrived. The tide had turned.
— Marcotic
Perhaps forged from lost magics, or the result illicit dalliances between gods and oceanic fey, the whale folk combine the best attributes of whales and humanoids. Most whale folk live as fishers and kelp farmers in harmony with the Leviathans, massive beasts of the sea that carry villages and even cities, called pods on their backs. Others dedicate themselves to helping other races work with nature and against the darkness of the world. There are a sad few who resent this role or worse and have taken to plundering the shores.
Going with the Flow
Whale Kin are born among, and one with, the waves. As such, the are able to hold their breath for a great time and can swim as well as walk. Like the whales from which they get their name they have specialized organs which enable echolocation and long tails that end like a whales. They grow facial hair much like a human does, with similar varieties of thickness and color. Their skin varies, and can range between the obsidian black of an Orca, to the striking white of the beluga or the eponymous tone of the blue whale.
Living upon the Leviathan
While other races assume that the Leviathans are under Whale Kin's control, the truth is that the leviathans act of their own volition. Some leviathans have patterns that are both predicable and even logical, whereas others seem to change from day to day, hour to hour. Some believe that the beasts are following instinct suited for a time long past. Others point to the unnerving ability of these creatures to arrive near folk in need of help. The more paranoid believe that this is to aid the whale folk in picking over the weak or pillage the dead. After all, the victims wouldn't be in a position to argue right?
The whale folk, culturally, view the idea of controlling the Leviathan to be anathema to the deep bonds of respect that they have with the beasts. Even the act of naming the creature is forbidden, since to name them is seen as a form of control. To avoid confusion general terms such as little brother, the giver, or our pathfinder are common.
Whale Folk Names
Whalefolk have 3 names, a personal name, the family name of the mother and a pod name.
Author note:
I suggest using names from any real-life culture that has the sea as one of its pillars is a good candidate.
Whale Kin (Cetaci) Traits
Your natural talents and a heritage at sea leaves you well suited for adventure both on land and under the waves.
Ability Score Increase
Your Strength score increases by 2.
Underwater Echolocation
Specialized structures in your head enable you to sense your surroundings underwater despite sediment or darkness. While submerged you gain blind sight out to 30 feet in regards to in that same body of water.
Echolocation Assisted Targeting
By focusing your echolocation on a specific target, you reveal vulnerabilities that you can exploit on your next attack. As a bonus action you can choose a target within 30 feet. Until the end of your turn, the first attack you make against the target is at an advantage. Once you use this trait, you can't use it again until you finish a long or short rest.
Natural Insulation
Owing to a dense layer of insulation you have resistance to cold damage and you are naturally adapted to cold climates, as described in chapter 5 of the Dungeon Master’s Guide.
Oceans Mercy
If disabled, sleeping or unconscious you rise to the surface at 20 feet per round. You then float on the surface of water face up in all but the choppiest waters. You can also can drink salt water for 5 days before needing to drink a days worth of fresh water.
Wave Talker
A deep kinship with mammals of the sea enables you to speak, in rudimentary terms, with aquatic mammals.
Languages
You can speak, read, and write Common and Aquan. Thanks to specialized structures, the Cetaci can use this language is to communicate underwater without needing to expel air. Aquan uses dwarf script.
Alignment
With the exception of tradition of respect towards the Leviathans and Nature Orca Kin don't usually aren't concerned with matters of strict hierarchy over individual freedom. Instead they prefer to simply help one another and the peoples of the world. Thus they are usually neutral good. Deep Kin, on the other hand, tend to have a more refined social strata and are more interested in oceanic discovery and introspective thought. They tend towards Lawful Neutral.
Subraces
Despite your hulking stature, you're people tend to be reserved, tranquil, and introspective culturally. Your people are dedicated to understanding the mysteries of the deep and helping other races work to protect the sea and nature. Masters of the deep wide ocean your body is well adapted to deep dives at crushing depths, but on land your bulk leaves you with a ponderous gait. You are larger then most, starting at 7 feet, & it is rare to see one of your kind weigh less then 300 pounds.
Ability Score Increase
Your wisdom score increases by 1.
Deep Blue Adaptation
While you're bulk leaves you with a plodding movement speed of 25 on ground, you are remarkably fast (swim speed 40) when in the depths in which you make your home. You are able to hold your breath for up to an an hour in a single breath and are comfortable at depths of up to 5000 feet.
Deep Listener
The echolocation of your people combines with a culture known for not wasting words to leave you well versed in finding deep meaning in body language. You gain proficiency with Insight.
Path in the Black
Deep Kin are expected to spend a great deal of time in inky blackness of the deep sea. As such they are capable at keeping their heading, avoiding dangers, and hunting for food. You gain proficiency in Survival.
Powerful Build
You count as one size larger when determining your carrying capacity and the weight you can push, drag, or lift.
Whether its under the waves or crashing on shore, you're communal nature and easy going attitude allows you to overcome challenges with style. You are able to move as well upon the land as you are in the sea. Although generally larger then humans, averaging 6 feet tall and 250 pounds you are still dwarfed by your Deep Kin cousins.
Ability Score Increase
Your charisma score increases by 1.
Tide Line Adaptation
As nimble on land as in the sea, you have a Movement Speed of 30 and a swim speed of 30. You are able to hold your breath for up to an 30 minutes in a single breath and are comfortable at depths of 300 feet.
Big Talker
Your communal way of life has taught you the best way to ensure everyone gets something. You have proficiency in the Persuasion skill.
Natural Sailor
You seem to have an innate ability to sail vehicles of all kinds. You have proficiency with Vehicles: Water