[ISLE] East Haven (Acquaanhome)

[Duke of URL]

The Island

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History

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No one knows when the acquaans first settled (or originated) on the island they call Acquaanhome. The acquaans either don't know or they choose not to share that information with outsiders. Not that outsiders typically care anyway. But it is clear that for many tens, if not hundreds, of years they lived peacefully in their own isolated world.

The island was first discovered by the pirate vessel Plunder, under captain Fanris Callais. The ship had ventured from the normal shipping lanes to avoid pursuit by a warship, and ran across this uncharted location. Captain Callais pretended friendship with the natives, while taking his time to survey the island.

There was only one usable bay, and it had a narrow channel for entry. The rest of the island was surrounded by cliff edges, or shallow water choked with reefs that would not allow large ships to pass. Captain Callais saw the island's ease of defense and unknown location as the perfect place to establish a safe port for pirating vessels.

Captain Callias recruited the aid of other pirate ships, and they formed a rag-tag army that was sufficient enough to invade the island and conquer the natives, whom they immediately enslaved. The pirates named their settlement Buccaneer's Cove. The native acquaans were pressed into whatever menial service the pirates desired, not the least of which were the normal manual labor on board their ships, taking advantage of the acquaans' natural seamanship.

All went well for the pirates for quite some time. While it only took a few years for the general location of the new pirate settlement to be commonly known, the pirates still survived several generations of attempts to dislodge them. Blockades were expensive and difficult to maintain, and the pirates could rely on the island's resources to be self-sufficient enough to outlast any such attempts. Invasion was deemed too difficult due to the geographic features first noted by Captain Callias.

The break for the "authorities" came with the capture of the pirate ship Storm Surge. Her captain, Yir Tergan, was taken alive by a vessel from the kingdom of Trenea. King Mallick promised that Captain Tergan's (and his crew's) crimes of piracy would be pardoned in exchange for assistance in taking Buccaneer's Cove. The Storm Surge was repaired, and the hold filled with soldiers. Upon returning to Buccaneer's Cove, the Storm Surge's crew drugged their former comrades, and the soldiers slew or captured most of the pirates with little fight. True to his word, King Mallick pardoned the crew and officers of the Storm Surge for piracy, and then had them summarily executed for slavery.

Buccaneer's Cove was re-named East Haven, and a naval outpost and shipyard for the Trenean kingdom was established there. The acquaans were freed from slavery, but were treated little better. Most acquaans shun the town and live in small villages dotting the shallow coasts, though as the town expands, the native acquaans find it harder to stay independent. Many talk of finding a new home, though a significant minority simply just accept the situation as the way it is.

Geographic Features

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Demographic Features

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The Natives

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Acquaans

Acquaans are an unusual breed of humans, who appear to have some sea elf mixed into their genetic makeup as well. Their true origins are unknown, although they largely believed to have evolved independently on the island where they were first discovered by pirate bands seeking to build a safe haven for themselves to rest, repair their ships, and store their booty. The native acquaans were enslaved by the pirates, and forcibly bred to improve their marine skills, so that they could be used for menial shipboard tasks, leaving the pirates free to practice their fighting skills, or often just to be lazy while the acquaans did the real work.

Several generations ago, the pirate stronghold was eventually discovered and successfully raided and the acquaans were freed from slavery. Nevertheless, the city that eventually was built there (East Haven) is still very much a rough-and-tumble place, being on the fringes of civilization, and acquaans are still found press-ganged onto less reputable vessels.

Most acquaans can be found on their island (which they call Aquaanhome), though they tend to stay away from the city as much as they can.

Physical Description

Acquaans look very much like standard humans, though they tend to have very milky eyes, a slightly blue-green tinge to the skin, and some sport webbed fingers and toes. They tend to be slightly shorter than regular humans (males: 4'8"+2d8", females: 4'4"+2d8") and tend toward the slender side (males: 100# x1d6, females: 80# x1d6).

Organization

Any.

Environment

Acquaans prefer to be close to the water, and preferably salt water, at all times. They tend to avoid cities and towns when possible. If they must be in a city, they are most likely to be found near the docks

Alignment

Any, although most acquaans tend toward true neutrality, more from indifference rather than for philosophical reasons.

Religion

Most acquaans worship Obad-Hai, though adventurers often pledge themselves to Fharlanghn instead.

Adventurers

In general, acquaans would prefer to stay on their native island. However, as the city continues to grow and prosper, more and more acquaans are becoming restless and seek out ways to leave. Some are searching for new, "uncivilized" lands to settle on while most take to the seas for the general freedom and closeness to the ocean that comes with being a sailor.

Acquaans adventurers can be found having any class, though the race's past forced breeding makes arcanists much less common. Acquaan druids and rangers almost exclusively have aquatic or amphibious animals or coastal birds as companions.

Acquaan
Medium Humanoid (Acquatic)
+2 DEX, -2 CHA, -2 INT: Acquaans are very nimble, but bred for servitude and menial labor
Speed: 20 ft., Swim 20 ft., Climb 20 ft. Acquaans are not particularly mobile on land, but can swim and climb very well
+8 racial bonus to all Climb and Swim checks
-2 racial penalty to Search and Spot checks (unless underwater)

Marine Adaption (ex): Each acquaan has one of the following abilities:

• Shipwright: +4 racial bonus on Craft checks related to shipbuilding, Craft is always a class skill
• Sea-Legs: +4 racial bonus to Balance and Concentration checks while on board a sailing vessel
• Rope mastery: +4 racial bonus on Use Rope Checks, use Rope is always a class skill

Vestigial Gills (ex): Acquaans can breathe normally underwater for 10 minutes per point of CON modifier (minimum 10 minutes) without needing to surface for air
Automatic Languages: Common. Bonus Languages: Any.
Favored Class: Any. A multiclass acquaan's first class taken does not count when determining whether he or she takes an experience point penalty for multiclassing
Level Adjustment: +0

The Treasure

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The Lost Treasure of Captain Callais

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The Secret

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The Acquaanhome Liberation Front (not to be confused with the Liberation Front of Acquaanhome...)

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[Blue_C.]

All creatures with a climb speed have a +8 racial bonus to climb. You, of course, don't have to do that, but it does stick out.

[Duke of URL]

Thanks for pointing that out. I've modified the race entry somewhat to account for that.

Also, added history under the "Island" heading and left titles for the other areas to fill in, to whet any appetites.