Chapter III: The Undersea People

Nearly seven centuries ago the world below the waves was shattered Vodas are amphibious people who live in communities hidden in
by the Godwar. This cataclysm united the scattered survivors from the the coral reefs of the southern seas. Their natural ability to shapeshift
various undersea peoples, with former enemies working together to allows vodas to secretly visit nearby coastal settlements.
survive and rebuild. Today you’ll find a diverse tapestry of people and The following chapter details the origins and current place for all of
cultural traditions in most undersea settlements. these options. Notes are also provided for playing half-elves, genasi,
The overall population Under the Seas of Vodari is composed of locathah, and tritons.
merfolk (25%), elves (20%), vodas (10%), grindylows (5%), sahuagin
(5%) and tiburons (5%). Other people (including cecaelia, drag-
onborn, dwarves, genasi, half-elves, locathah, merrow, sirens, and Cecaelias
tritons) make up the remaining 30%. These numbers vary greatly,
with small, isolated communities tending to be dominated by a single “When I reached the age of twenty, I ran away from the palace to
people and the sprawling cosmopolitan cities being full of diversity.
Eleven new racial options are available for player characters in
become an adventurer. Our small group spent many years battling
undersea campaigns: monsters and finding treasure above and below the waves. One of
Cecaelias are amphibious people with a humanoid upper body and our companions was a cecaelia named Shining Moon. His humor
octopus-like lower body and the ability to change their body color.
The charismatic cecaelia spend most of their short lives seeking out and powerful sorcery made him an excellent team member. Our
new places, people, and things to experience. group became quite close and I thought I knew each of them better
Sea Dwarves, or Aurirn, are amphibious dwarves who live at the
bottom of the ocean. These dwarves adapted to living underwater than my own family. One day, ‘Shiny’, as we called him, told us he
after years of mining a magical metal found only in the boiling cracks was feeling great homesickness and had to leave. I then realized that
on the seafloor.
Sea Elves, or Quessari, are amphibious elves who live in underwa-
I had no idea where he was from or anything about his family.”
ter communities found in kelp forests, ocean shallows, and the cos- - Zali Sol, Sun Princess of Solisa
mopolitan cities of Avalsi. An alternative trait is provided for sea elves
who have adapted to cold and crushing pressure of the deepest seas. Cecaelias are amphibious people who are known for their colorful
Sea Draga, or Sea Dragonborn, are amphibious dragonborn who appearance and octopus-like tentacles that make up the lower half
look similar to sea dragons, though they lack wings. Draga with this of their body. Cecaelias spend most of their short lives seeking out
draconic ancestry tend to split their time living above and below the new places and people to experience. They spend most of their lives
waves. wandering the seas and shores of the world, before returning to their
Grindylows are amphibious people with a sharklike head, human- secret homes in the deeps.
oid upper body, and the lower body of an octopus. They are known
for being fearless survivalists who will attack larger enemies or quickly Colorful Camouflage
escape in a cloud of ink if the battle turns.
Merfolk are aquatic people with a humanoid upper body and a Cecaelias are hybrids with a humanoid torso and a lower octopus-like
fishlike lower body. Eons of living in different oceanic zones split the body. Cecaelia have the ability to control the color and texture of their
merfolk into the Sunreach and Twilight merfolk. skin. Most prefer tones of red, orange, and purple and smooth skin
Selkies are amphibious human-looking shapeshifters who can accented by pebbled areas. Their hair usually matches their skin tone,
magically transform into the form of a seal. They are mainly found but can be any color. Cecaelia have large, black eyes that see well in
in cold, northern waters living in small pods with other selkies and any light. Their large and flat ears provide excellent hearing above
common seals. or below the waves. Their torsos tend to be thin and muscular, with
Sirens are beautiful, amphibious people with a fey ancestry. As they
near adulthood, a siren develops a magical gift. Those who enchant
their songs become Seasingers. Those who gain the ability to change
their legs into a tail become Wavedancers.
Tiburons are aquatic people with a humanoid torso and the head
and lower body of a shark. Most tiburons live as nomadic hunters or
as anything else that gives them a reason to move with the currents.

Aquatic People & Amphibious Campaigns

Most of the player options provided in this section
can be played in amphibious campaigns with adven-
tures that take characters above or below the waves.
For a campaign where PCs will spend any significant
time on land, playing a twilight merfolk or tiburon is
not advised. Whenever a twilight merfolk or tiburon
is on land, they have slow movement speeds and are
always considered prone. In addition, a tiburon can not
breathe air.

chapter 1ii | the undersea people 37

 are usually found in caves in the deepest seas and usually average only
a few dozen members. When a cecaelia reaches maturity, they will
usually feel a deep need to set out on their own for a few decades to
experience the world and all the pleasures it has to offer.
When most cecaelia start to reach their twilight years they will feel
deep homesickness, ending their wandering to return home. As an
elder, they are now responsible for running the community. More
importantly, elders spend their remaining days passing their skills,
stories, and knowledge to the next generation, who will strike out into
the world.

Friendly Wanderers
While traveling, most cecaelia seek out natural wonders and interest-
ing people. Most importantly, cecaelia desire powerful experiences
and will try nearly anything once. Cecaelia are known for being
friendly and charismatic, quickly making friends wherever they go.
They prefer to share stories of their experiences since they left home
and deflect questions about where they are from. Cecaelia are self-re-
liant and often travel alone, but enjoy spending time with interesting
people. This private and independent nature has landed cecaelia with
a reputation for being secretive. If a cecaelia can find a group they can
trust, they’ll eventually become less elusive, but unlikely to ever talk
about their nest.

Cecaelia Names
Family and clan names do not exist in cecaelia culture. When born,
a cecaelia is given a single name by an elder, drawn from natural
wonders they saw during decades of wandering distant places. When
a cecaelia strikes out on their own, they will add to their name based
on their own experiences, combining the two.
Names: Breeze, Bubble, Coral, Current, Eclipse, Fire, Forest, Gem,
Jewel, Leaf, Lightning, Moon, Pearl, Rock, River, Rose, Sand, Sky,
Shell, Storm, Sunrise, Sunset, Thunder, Twilight, Wave, Wind

Cecaelia Adventurers
For cecaelias, adventuring provides an excellent way to experience
many people, places, and things. While independent, cecaelias enjoy
spending time with interesting and exciting people such as adventur-
ing parties. They will usually wander for decades until they become
an elder and settle down.

Cecaelia Traits
twilight sky is a Your cecaelia character has certain characteristics in common with all
cecaelia sorcerer
wandering the world other cecaelias.
Ability Score Increase. Your Charisma score increases by 2 and
your Constitution score increases by 1.
Age. Cecaelias reach adulthood at age 16 and live up to 60 years.
small fins at their elbows and webbed hands. From the waist down
Alignment. The short-lived cecaelias tend to seek out pleasures and
cecaelias are similar to an octopus, with eight tentacles that have
new experiences. Most cecaelias embrace chaos and neutrality, with
suckers found on the underside. These tentacles allow them to propel
the rare individual consumed by dark vices.
themselves through the water or to move on land.
Size. Cecaelia are between 6 to 7 feet tall and weigh between 200 to
Deep Origins 300 pounds. Your size is Medium.
Speed. Your base walking speed is 25 feet. You have a swimming
Long before the elves and merfolk arrived in the seas, the cecaelia speed of 35 feet.
were found anywhere from the deeps to the surface. The true origin Amphibious. You can breathe both air and water.
of the cecaelias is unknown, with theories that connect them with Darkvision. Accustomed to life deep underwater, you have superi-
the ancient dakri, krakens, aboleths, or even the goddess Dohaki. Ce- or vision in dark and dim conditions. You can see in dim light within
caelias believe that a mother octopus sent forth her curious children 60 feet of you as if it were bright light, and in darkness as if it were
to explore the world and enjoy all of its delights. Whatever their true dim light. You can’t discern color in darkness, only shades of gray.
origin, some believe cecaelia are visitors from the evil deeps, but few Camouflage. You may alter your skin color and texture and your
hold this prejudice once they have actually met one. hair color, allowing you to blend into your surroundings. This ability
Hidden Homes grants you advantage on Dexterity (Stealth) checks to hide if you
touch a surface that is larger than you such as coral, giant kelp, rock,
Cecaelias are born into small family-based groups that reside in hid- sand, or wood.
den settlements, called nests, far from other settlements. Their homes Tentacles. Your tentacles are natural melee weapons which you can

38 chapter 1ii | the undersea people

use to make unarmed strikes. If you hit with them, you deal blud-
geoning damage equal to 1d4 + your Strength modifier, instead of the
bludgeoning damage normal for an unarmed strike. Additionally, if
you use your Action to make an attack with your tentacles, as a bonus
action you can make a grapple check.
Friendly & Secretive. You have proficiency in your choice of the
Deception or Persuasion skill.
Languages. You can speak, read, and write Common, Deep Speech,
and one extra language of your choice.

Draga (Dragonborn)
“Our empire has always focused on land and ignored the sea. Even
in a world of water, our empire lacks a strong navy to challenge our
rivals and completely ignores the undersea nations. The Ralivatuul
clan demands we double the size of our fleet and break tradition by
sending spies into every undersea nation.”
- Surin’a’Tuul, Chief of the Ralivatuul Clan

The dragonborn emerged as hunters who lived by a traditional code

of honor, focused on serving their clan and improving themselves.
The majority of the dragonborn rose in the plains and foothills of the
now lost continent of Varanu, but they also emerged on the coast.
While dragonborn clans battled each other to control the plains,
the Ralivatuul clan of amphibious dragonborn began a conquest of
the eastern sea. After centuries of war on the plains, the great chief
Krivarr united all of the clans into an empire. Under Krivarr, the
dragonborn named themselves the Draga, or chosen ones, and started
a campaign of conquest. As part of the Draga empire, the Ralivatuul
clan was generally forgotten while Krivarr focused on conquering
countless tribes of humans and orcs in the north.
The Draga Empire rose quickly and collapsed just as fast. As the
empire unraveled on the continent, the Ralivatuul clan found it
was unable to administer and defend the massive territory they’ve tarhun’ra’tuul
conquered. The Draga empire once stretched across much of the con- is a draga paladin
tinent of Varanu and all of the eastern sea. By the time of the Godwar, with sea dragon heritage
the empire was nothing more than a memory found in their war
dances and ruins. After the cataclysm, only a small, scattered number
of dragonborn survived, but their physical strength and hard work
made them valued members of their adopted clans above and below
the waves.
Today, the only dragonborn nation is found in the north of the
Marradi Archipelago, on the island of Draga, which they named after
themselves and their former empire.
Sea Dragonborn Traits
Like their surface-dwelling cousins, sea dragonborn were born of
Sea Dragonborn dragons. Their sea dragon heritage manifests itself with traits unique
to these dragonborn. You can offer sea dragonborn as a player option
Each draga draws power from their draconic heritage. The Ralivatuul
by making the following modifications to dragonborn racial stats:
clan traces their heritage to the sea dragons, providing them with the
ability to live above or below the waves. Most amphibious dragonborn • Replace the Damage Resistance trait with the Oceanborn and
live on the island of Draga or in the seas surrounding it. The scattered Stream Breath traits
few living beyond Draga territory are a rare sight in both the port • Add ‘Sea’ to the list of dragons in the Draconic Ancestry table and
cities of the surface and undersea settlements. use its damage type for the Breath Weapon trait
Tall and powerful, draga are respected for their command of both Oceanborn. You have a swimming speed of 30 feet, and you can
martial and arcane traditions. Draga tend to be lawful and focus on breathe air and water.
benefitting their clan, whether that is an extended family of draga or Steam Breath. When using your Breath Weapon you blast out a
a group they adopt. A dedication to their clan makes it easy for sea cone of steam. Creatures and objects that are fully immersed in water
draga to get along well with sea dwarves. do not have resistance to fire damage caused by your steam breath.
Under the seas, dragonborn adventurers often seek knowledge
and artifacts from their past, or work to serve their clan. Others take Draconic Ancestry
on the adventuring life to seek purpose after being exiled, or to gain
freedom from rigid clan responsibilities. Dragon Damage Type Breath Weapon

Sea Fire 15 ft. cone (Con. save)

chapter 1ii | the undersea people 39

 The Night War began deep beneath the mountains, against the
enemy below. Taking heavy losses, the High Thane instituted con-
scription. While few in number and far from home, the Aurirn clan
fought in the deep undersea lakes for their thanedom as marines. The
hill clans refused to send their sons and daughters to die deep under a
far off mountain. Civil war erupted, and those under and outside the
mountains split into the morndir dwarves and thirn dwarves.
Over a thousand years later, the dwarves are a fragmented people,
but the sea dwarves maintain a strong connection with the Mordirn
fallond seahammer is an thanedom of the surface.
aurirn miner from
vonnahr deep
Aurirn (Sea Dwarf)
Aurirn dwarves are called sea dwarves by surface dwellers, but they
are rarely seen above the waves. Most of them are found in isolated
mining communities along undersea trenches or the undersea lakes
deep under the mountains. Adapted to life on the ocean floor, aurirn
dwarves have thickly webbed digits, gills, and scale-like skin. They are
powerful swimmers, but tend to spend as much time standing on the
seafloor as floating.
Aurirn dwarves are a relatively new arrival in Vodari. A few
thousand years ago, a group of dwarves led an expedition to mine
a crack in the seabed off the east coast of Varanu. The molten rock
that slowly poured out of the seafloor was full of rich metals, some
with magical properties. While working at those depths was difficult,
the wealth that was available made the effort worth it. Initially, these
dwarves could mine for only as long as their magic and machines
let them breathe and keep protected from the intense heat. Over the
years, some of the dwarven miners began to physically change. These
dwarves could better resist the heat and pressure, grew gills on their
necks, and saw their skin change to be covered in green-blue scales.
They called themselves aurirn, and found that they felt more at home
in the deeps, with little or no need to return to the surface. As the
number of aurirn grew, the need for magic and machines to mine
the seafloor was eliminated. The depths had little effect on them, and
they were able to mine trenches deeper and further from the dwarven
homeland. Even with all of these physical changes, sea dwarves prefer
to stand on solid seafloor whenever possible, which is seen as a pecu-
liar habit by other undersea people.
Today, most aurirn dwarves remain a loyal piece of the Morndirn
thanedom, but are no longer physically the same as their cousins.
Their work and habitat are dangerous. Even more costly is their
Dwarves commitment to the Night War and the never-ending battles to control
the undersea lakes for their thanedom. While they only number in
the thousands, they’re officially as important and valued as any other
“The Aurirn Clan has always served the High Thane in the Night Morndirn citizens, with a seat on the Board of Clans. Aurirn dwarf
War without question. We have stood beside our brothers and sisters armor and weapons are prized by adventurers above and below the
waves, due to their durability and resistance to heat and rust.
to defend any threat to Morndirn. Whether undermountain or
undersea, any threat to the Thanedom is a threat to morndir and
Sea Dwarf Names
Aurirn dwarves in Vodari have lived under the sea for ages and new
aurirn. As you know, there are threats rising in the deepest seas. We
clan names have come into use alongside more traditional dwarven
are part of Morndirn’s defense that keeps nightmare monsters from names. The following additional clan names can be used for an aurirn
consuming the world. We are part of the line that keeps the darkness dwarf character.

at bay, but that line is stretched thin. Will you fulfill your promise to Clan Names: Basaltbeard, Brineblood, Coldanvil, Emberdeep, Ocean-
blood, Seahammer, Sharkfoe, Swiftstone, Tideforge, Trenchdelver
send aid from undermountain to help us fight our own Deep War?”
Sea Dwarf Adventurers
- Nalral Tidethunder, Thane of the Clan Aurirn
Under the seas, an aurirn dwarf adventurer could be an emissary
sent to visit other undersea communities, completely uninterested in
Dwarves believe they were forged by the hammer of Sindri, the moth-
mining, or just curious about exploring whatever is beyond the edge
er of creation. Whatever work a dwarf takes up, they spend a lifetime
of their small mining town.
to perfect. They are known for being skilled soldiers, miners, smiths,
and artisans. Long ago, the dwarves established their thanedom in the Sea Dwarf Subrace Traits
Morndirn mountain range. In the following millennia, they expanded
their holdings by settling the surrounding foothills, digging deeper Aurirn have the following traits in common, in addition to the traits
into the mountains, and mining the seafloor. they share with other dwarves.

40 chapter 1ii | the undersea people

 Ability Score Increase. Your Dexterity score increases by 1.
From the Depths. You have a swimming speed of 30 feet, and you
can breathe air and water. You ignore any of the drawbacks caused by
a deep, underwater environment.
Fireborn. Adapted to living along the boiling cracks of the seafloor,
you have resistance to fire damage.

Elves
“The vile sahuagin pose a threat to our very existence. The southern
clans barely survived the last assault by those devils. Our ancient en-
emy has been quiet for far too long. They have not gone into hiding
out of fear of our might. I believe they are taking the time to build up
for their next assault. I will take a group of our finest trackers and
ride into the deeps and hunt its worst.”
- Prince Varath Liradon, Quessari General

The elves are children of the natural world and love all that is
beautiful. They believe they arrived on this world from beyond, long
ago, and their ancestors were given a choice to live above or below
the waves. The Godwar and its aftermath took the lives of many
elves above and below the waves. The scattered survivors were split
between those who worked to rebuild their homelands and those
who formed communities with outsiders to survive. In the centuries
since, the majority of elves have continued to reject isolation in favor
of trade, exploration, and war. Today, the elves are a fractured people,
kept apart by geography, ideals, and ancient hatreds.

Quessari (Sea Elf)

Quessari elves are commonly called sea elves by surface dwellers,
though they are a rare sight on the surface. While they are distant
cousins of the elves, this split predates history and is remembered
only in myth.
Sea elves are allies of whales and dolphins, and mortal enemies of
sahuagin. Like surface elves, they love nature, art, music, and magic.
Unlike most of their surface dwelling cousins, quessari avoid isola-
tionism and interact with other aquatic people and surface dwellers.
They can be found living in underwater communities found in kelp
forests, ocean shallows, and the cosmopolitan cities of Avalsi.
Quessari elves have skin that ranges from green to blue in color, dara amarali is a
often marked with patches or stripes. Their hair is usually worn long quessari elf from areni
and flowing, in colors that include blue, black, or green. They also
have gills that are visible in their necks and over their ribs. Quessari Sea Elf Adventurers
who primarily live underwater prefer scant, loose, flowing clothes Under the seas, many quessari elves spend a few decades exploring
formed from underwater plants. Those who spend significant time on the seas to experience the world beyond their home. Others leave
land will usually wear surface dweller clothing for sun protection. Sea home to challenge themselves and hone their skills against the
elves can survive out of water for days or even weeks, but they feel like dangerous threats found in the wild seas. Quessari are also sent out
they are “drying out” without regular access to the sea. on important missions by their clan’s elders. While rare, a quessari
elf could be forced into being an adventurer after being banished for
Sea Elf Names going against their clan. Quessari adventurers are much more likely to
Sea elves share naming traditions with other elves. They are given a be found below the waves. Those few who venture above the waves to
child name until they choose an adult name after their hundredth the surface world usually do so to complete an important quest.
birthday, which reflects their bond with the sea. In addition, sea elves
have family names which are unique to their culture. When traveling Sea Elf Alternative Traits
and living among non-elves, some sea elves will translate their family Quessari elves who spend significant time living in the deepest seas
names into common. can adapt to its cold and crushing pressure. In an Under the Seas of
Family Names (Common Translations): Alulilta (Seadancer), Vodari campaign, you can choose to substitute the Friend of the Sea
Amaralu (Seaflower), Galimfodel (Brightwave), Halimara (Sea- trait for the trait below.
weedgrove), Liavaydal (Seawhisper), Liradon (Wavesong), Sirith- Child of the Deeps. You grew up living in the deepest seas. You
alun (Bluewater), Talamillon (Silvercoral), Talamaril (Silverpearl), have resistance to cold damage and ignore any of the drawbacks
Velessar (Seastar) caused by a deep, underwater environment.

chapter 1ii | the undersea people 41

 marro hidequick is a
grindylow from tasi

Grindylows petty criminals, depending on where you are when you ask. Wherever
you find a grindylow, they’re likely making the most of what life gives
them.
“Finding a home in the seas has been tough for grindylows. When
Fearless & Quick
we tried to settle down, we were called vermin and pushed out or
Grindylows are amphibious people with a humanoid upper body,
even hunted down. Forced to scavenge the open seas as nomads, we and the lower body of an octopus. They are similar in size to halflings
learned to survive. The Godwar actually made things better for grin- and goblins, but their tentacles are longer than legs. Their head has a
slightly sharklike appearance. Their eyes have dark irises and scleras
dylows who survived in what is now Avalsi. For the first time, we
that are slightly yellow or red. Their rubbery skin comes in a range of
were treated as equals. In the aftermath, grindylows built as much of colors, from coral to sea green. From the waist down grindylows are
Damari, Koralla, and Tasi as anyone.” similar to an octopus, with eight tentacles that have suckers found
on the underside. These tentacles allow them to propel themselves
- Wixlo Razorteeth, Grindylow Storykeeper through the water or to move on land.
Grindylows are naturally immune to fear and have been known to
Grindylows have a humanoid torso and lower body made up of take down huge and dangerous prey as a group. They aren’t reckless
octopus-like tentacles. They are fearless and will swim against larger and are excellent at escaping if a fight turns deadly. Grindylows are
creatures, quickly escaping if the fight turns for the worse. Grindylows average swimmers, but can quickly propel themselves away using
are as likely to be found drifting the currents as hunters of the open their tentacles when in trouble, using an ink-cloud to mask their
seas as being citizens in one of the cosmopolitan settlements of Avalsi. escape. If they can, most prefer to avoid a fight, but will stand up for
Above the waves, sailor stories generally paint grindylows as sneaky their companions against bullies and those suffering under tyranny.
bandits who will clean out the stores of a ship. Below the waves, While grindylows are small, they are tough and only fools underesti-
grindylows are welcomed as resourceful survivalists or shunned as mate them.

42 chapter 1ii | the undersea people

Resourceful Survivors Grindylow Adventurers
Most scholars believe grindylows and goblins share some kind Grindylows are fearless and always up for the excitement that the life
of ancestry, which is supported by their shared use of the goblin of an adventurer offers. Nomadic grindylows already live dangerous
language. According to grindylow storykeepers, long ago they lived lives roaming the open seas and adventuring offers a change of pace
on the coast of a vast continent. The deep swimming nuku fish was a from the tribal responsibilities. For city dwelling grindylows, adven-
delicacy for them, but hard to catch. The goddess Vesi, tricked them turing provides an escape from the rules of society and a chance to see
into transforming their legs into tentacles to be better fishers. The the world.
grindylows celebrate this as fact and believe they had the last laugh on
the goddess. Grindylow Traits
Long before the Godwar, grindylows were pushed and chased into Your grindylow character has certain characteristics in common with
the dangerous open sea by the elves, merfolk, and others. Forced to all other grindylows.
live away from rich seabeds full of life, they learned to survive in the Ability Score Increase. Your Dexterity score increases by 2 and
wild seas with limited resources. Grindylows are known for being able your Constitution score increases by 1.
to survive harsh conditions and their ability to eat nearly anything is Age. Grindylows reach adulthood at age 8 and live up to 70 years.
legendary. When the seas were devastated by the Godwar, starving Size. Grindylows are between 3 to 4 feet tall and weigh between 40
merfolk, elves, and vodas found resourceful grindylows scavenging to 80 pounds. Your size is Small.
food where there appeared to be none and finding shelter amid the Speed. Your base walking speed is 25 feet. You have a swimming
destruction. Together, this diverse group survived and established the speed of 30 feet.
thriving cities found in current day Avalsi. Darkvision. Accustomed to life deep underwater, you have superi-
Today, grindylows are found throughout the seas. Just under half or vision in dark and dim conditions. You can see in dim light within
of all grindylows live in nomadic tribes. They hunt massive territories 60 feet of you as if it were bright light, and in darkness as if it were
in the open seas and can be found anywhere from the shallows to the dim light. You can’t discern color in darkness, only shades of gray.
deeps, and from the frozen north to the boiling seas. They’ll also sur- Amphibious. You can breathe both air and water.
face for short jaunts, hunting tidal pools or even a quick raid on the Fearless. You have advantage on saving throws against being
deck of a ship or port. The remainder of grindylows are found living frightened.
in the cities of Avalsi or in Nah-Hak, an isolated grindylow settlement Quick Escape. Whenever you take the Disengage action on your
in the northeast. turn, you also gain the benefits of the Dash action.
Ink Cloud. As a bonus action, you release a 5-foot-radius cloud
Fun Loving Rule Breakers of ink that extends all around you if you are underwater. The area is
Millenia of living on the outside made grindylows resilient. They tend heavily obscured for 1 minute or until the end of your next turn if a
to avoid complaining about inconveniences and prefer to stay positive strong current (at least 3 miles per hour) is present.
and look at the humor in even the toughest situations. Grindylows re- After you use your Ink Cloud, you can’t use it again until you finish
quire little to survive and few of them work to just amass wealth. Most a long rest.
prefer vocations they see as important or exciting. This draws them Resourceful. You gain proficiency in the Survival skill.
to careers that include artists, explorers, guards, hunters, messengers, Languages. You can speak, read, and write Common and Goblin.
politicians, soldiers, scouts, and spies.
Nomadic grindylow society has few rules and their nomadic nature
makes owning many possessions difficult. By necessity, a nomadic Merfolk
tribe of grindylows will have all they need spread out among them,
with possession in the hands of whoever used an item last. When “We must be vigilant to never return to the dark days of civil war
a nomad visits a settlement, they tend to find the rules and social
conventions easy to ignore and difficult to understand. When they
that tore our people apart. It is time for both sides to forgive each
are hungry they grab food, when they are tired they sleep, and when other. If we need a reminder of what we can become at our worst,
a door is locked they find another way in. These grindylows can find look at the twisted and savage merrow. We reach out a hand in
countless ways to be rude or even break laws, but this mischief usually
avoids any serious crimes. friendship from Klara’Mer to Solisa. We hope one is offered in
In contrast, when the average city-dwelling grindylow knows where return.”
their next meal is coming from and has shelter, they tend to obey
the rules and positively contribute to society. Even so, most enjoy - Azura Silverreef, Queen of Klara’Mer
bending the odd rule, and a small number choose the exciting life of
a criminal. Merfolk are aquatic people found throughout the seas from north
to south and from the ocean’s surface to the deeps. Eons of living in
Grindylow Names different oceanic zones has split the merfolk into the sunreach and
Grindylows are born as larva-like grindywiggles with five or more twilight merfolk. Sunreach merfolk are found on the vast seabeds still
siblings in a litter. The average grindywiggle’s life expectancy is low, so within reach of the sun’s light. Twilight merfolk hunt the dim twilight
they aren’t given a name until they develop into a sturdier grindylow waters and into the midnight depths below.
around the age of two. At that time, a grindylow is given a single
name. In addition, every grindylow bears a family name, typically a Shallows & Deeps
nickname given to a valiant ancestor. Merfolk are amphibious with a humanoid upper body and a fish-like
Male Names: Bilnyx, Blek, Dralax, Gix, Ket, Mak, Tik, Vrurkl, Ulvosz, tail from the hips down. On the top of their heads are softer, hairlike
Wixlek, Zamex, Zybb fins. Small fins can be found extending from their elbows and their
Female Names: Ammi, Blel, Drolla, Fixil, Lizkel, Marro, Roo, Slin, fingers are webbed. Merfolk tails are long and powerful, with smaller
Taga, Vren, Wixlo, Zammo fins and a large fin at the end. This system of fins serves to help with
Family Names: Darkcloak, Fastsneak, Hidequick, Inkshroud, Long- balance, stabilization, and steering while swimming at great speeds.
tooth, Manyscars, Pointysnout, Quickeater, Razorteeth, Sharpblade, Merfolk scales and fins are found in nearly any color you’d find
Swiftswim, Tricktentacle under the sea from light pink to deep indigo. Sunreach merfolk scales

chapter 1ii | the undersea people 43

 Aubori, the goddess of nature. is popular among merfolk, though they
call her Ilu’Meri. Myths tell of Ilu’Meru taking the form of a beautiful
merfolk and leaving a trail throughout the seas teaming with life in
her wake.
Merfolk epics tell of their vast empire that nearly circled the entire
continent. After centuries of stability, a group of merfolk that sought
an end of this dynasty were offered great power by the goddess
Dokahi. She channeled pure chaos from the Abyss into the merfolk,
corrupting them to create the merrow. Dohaki was pleased with her
growing tribe and sent them out to conquer the merfolk for her. The
seas filled with merfolk blood and the once great empire was no more.
The merfolk were able to defeat Dohaki’s merrow, who retreated to
the darkest depths.
Over the following centuries, the merfolk rebuilt their homes and
began to thrive again, but the once great capital of the empire was lost
and control of merfolk was up for grabs. A group of tribes in the west
united under a new king in Klara’Mer. In the east, a group of tribes
united, forming the Solisa Union, where tribes took turns leading a
shared council. Solisa would have no king and Klara’Mer refused to
join the union. The King War had begun. The war raged across the
seas for nearly a century. Allies were asked to choose sides, but most
chose to stay neutral, begging their neighbours for a peaceful resolu-
tion. In both the east and west, the twilight merfolk refused to join the
fray and retreated into the depths, worried more about merrow and
other threats from below. Before a victor could be determined, a cata-
clysm interrupted the war, causing even greater merfolk bloodshed.
The Godwar and its aftermath took the lives of more merfolk
than their war, the scattered survivors were split between those who
worked to rebuild their homelands and those who formed commu-
nities with outsiders to survive. In the centuries since, the merfolk
remain a fractured people, but talk of forgetting the past and moving
into a future together has finally begun.

Tribes of the Sun & Twilight

Merfolk can be found through the seas, and their people are as varied
in culture as the people of the surface. Their society is made up of
decentralized tribes, most of which are loosely administered by a far
off capital. Tribes are left to control most aspects of daily life, yet will
quickly rally under a single banner when merrow or other shared
threats present themselves.
Surface dwellers rarely meet merfolk and would be surprised to
know how numerous they are beneath the seas. Most merfolk live
close to nature, in areas where protection and food are plentiful. Their
settlements, from village to city, are built into and upon the seafloor,
coral reefs, and basin walls, taking the look of the local environment.
Settlements closer to the surface are full of bright colors while deeper
zini kaluro is a sunreach locations glow from the light of bioluminescence.
merfolk sea singer bard The differences between the sunreach and twilight merfolk are nu-
from soli
merous, but they share much in common as well. Sunreach merfolk
harvest coral, farm seabeds, and shepherd schools of fish. Twilight
merfolk survive by hunting larger creatures found in the deeps. Both
train aquatic animals to serve as mounts and guardians. Merfolk who
and fins are generally bright and bold, often mixing a variety of tones live within the reach of the sun’s rays enjoy upbeat songs and dancing,
and colors as varied as the creatures they share their home with. Twi- while those who dwell in the darkness lean towards epic poetry and
light merfolk scales and fins tend towards darker, solid colors, with more somber tunes. Sunreach merfolk tend to accent their colorful
bioluminescent highlights that can be activated. scales and fins with jewelry made from shells and gold and gems if
While all merfolk can breathe air or water, the sunreach and twi- available. Twilight merfolk favor the simple and practical, choosing
light merfolk are from different worlds. Sunreach merfolk live close bioluminescent accents over jewelry. Merfolk are generally unable
to the surface, interact with creatures above and below the waves, to forge weapons, armor, and tools, so they have become excellent at
and can even transform their tail into legs to visit land. The twilight crafting anything they need provided by nature and salvaging ruins
merfolk are adapted to the depths and can handle the cold, pressure, and shipwrecks.
darkness, and other dangers found there.
Merfolk Names
A Fractured Empire The roots of most merfolk names reflect the nature of the sea or a
The merfolk believe they were born from the sea itself and love the physical characteristic of merfolk. Merfolk in Vodari are given a birth
natural beauty of the undersea world’s plants and beasts. Worship of name given by their parents. They also have a tribal name, which

44 chapter 1ii | the undersea people

they’ll use as a last name when dealing with merfolk from other tribes
or non-merfolk.
Male Names: Arillo, Claro, Ellyro, Irto, Kaluro, Keros, Koru, Lano,
Maru, Nallos, Niru, Rio, Samu, Trito, Valos, Zuno, Zuni
Female Names: Ariella, Clara, Elhara, Irta, Kalli, Kora, Kyma, Lani,
Mari, Nalla, Neri, Ria, Syrissa, Thalassa, Valla, Zalli, Zina
Tribal Names: Azurino, Brightscale, Coraltail, Deepfin, Essari, Fesira,
Kaluro, Kerosa, Lyriana, Moontide, Okeani, Silverreef, Luminsol,
Shellshifter, Swifttail, Tidebreaker, Undini, Wavefin

Merfolk Adventurers
Most sunreach merfolk become adventurers to protect nature, explore
ruins, visit far off places, or to just get away from busy city life. They
can be found anywhere from the islands of the surface to the deep
seas far below. Twilight merfolk tend to keep away from the shal-
lows, preferring the deeper seas. Their reasons for adventuring are
more dire, such as hunting down the worst visitors from the deeps or
another important quest.

Merfolk Traits
Your merfolk character has certain characteristics in common with all
other merfolk.
Ability Score Increase. Your Dexterity score increases by 2.
Age. Merfolk reach physical maturity around the age of 20 and can
live nearly two centuries.
Size. Merfolk range from 6 feet to over 7 feet long and have slender
builds. Your size is Medium.
Speed. Your base walking speed is 10 feet. You have a swimming
speed of 40 feet. Whenever you are on land you are always considered
prone.
Limited Amphibiousness. You can breathe air and water, but you
need to be submerged at least once every 24 hours to avoid suffocat-
ing.
Merfolk Weapon Training. You have proficiency with the net,
javelin, spear, and trident.
Language. You can speak, read, and write Common and Primordi-
al (Aquan).
Subrace. In Vodari, eons of living apart in different zones of the
ocean resulted in the emergence of two subraces of merfolk: sunreach
merfolk and twilight merfolk. Choose one of these subraces.

Sunreach Merfolk
As a sunreach merfolk, you live in the sunlit seas closest to land.
While everything you need to live can be found close to your home
under the waves, curiosity and trade often brings you above the
waves.
Ability Score Increase. Your Charisma score increases by 1.
lano deepfin is a
Landwalker. As an action, you can magically transform your tail twilight merfolk who
into humanoid legs. Your legs have no impact on your worn equip- hunts the deeps
ment and any worn magical items work identically to when you have
a tail. While you have legs, your base walking speed is 30 feet and you
have the ability to stand up from the prone position. Your swimming
speed decreases to 20 feet. You can change your legs back into a tail as
an action.
Child of the Tides. Whenever you make a Nature check, involving
plants and animals in coastal or undersea environments, you can add Ability Score Increase. Your Wisdom score increases by 1.
twice your proficiency bonus, instead of any proficiency bonus you Swift Swimmer. When you use the Dash action on your turn, you
normally apply. can swim an additional 10 feet
Speak with Small Beasts. You can communicate simple ideas with Darkvision. Accustomed to life deep underwater you have superior
Small or smaller beasts using gestures and sounds. Sunreach merfolk vision in dark and dim conditions. You can see in dim light within 60
befriend animals above and below the waves, finding fish, birds, and feet of you as if it were bright light, and in darkness as if it were dim
other animals to be excellent companions, scouts, and guides. light. You can’t discern color in darkness, only shades of gray.
Child of the Deeps. Twilight merfolk live in the deepest seas. In
Twilight Merfolk addition, you have resistance to cold damage and ignore any of the
As a twilight merfolk, you live in the deepest and darkest seas. Your drawbacks caused by a deep, underwater environment.
ancestors survived the dangers of the depths far from the light, which
has bestowed you with darkvision and speed.

chapter 1ii | the undersea people 45

 or seal. A selkie’s humanoid form is nearly physically identical to a
human, but their fey heritage can give them away. They live in small
family pods made up of other selkies and common seals. Most selkies
are happy living their lives hunting the coastal waters of the north
with their pod. A rare few are born with an insatiable curiosity to visit
far off lands and seas full of adventure.

Child of the Northern Seas

havi is a selkie hunter
from the northern seas A selkie’s humanoid form is nearly indistinguishable from a human
except under close scrutiny. Selkies tend to be the same height and
slightly more muscular than typical humans. A selkie’s fingers and
toes have webbing slightly longer than that of a normal human. When
exposed to water, this webbing extends significantly. In addition, a
selkie’s eyes are often larger and darker than most humans, adding to
their kind, almost child-like, expression. A selkie’s hair color usually
matches with their seal form and their skin coloration encompasses
the normal human range. For example, a selkie whose seal form has
silver fur with dark spots, would likely have silver hair and many
freckles or beauty marks.

Shapeshifting Fey
The origins of the selkie people lay in the feylands. Like other fey,
they arrived in Vodari thousands of generations ago. While a selkie’s
humanoid appearance is nearly identical to a human, their fey
heritage gives them an otherworldly grace and charm. These fey gifts
can reveal a selkie’s true nature, but usually, just help them make
friends. Their fey heritage also provides other gifts such as the ability
to breathe both air and water and magically change into the form of a
seal. When they shapeshift, selkies appear to grow or shed a seal skin,
with most wearing the seal skin as a cloak. For most selkies, modesty
is an alien concept, preferring to be naked while among themselves,
wearing clothing only when among outsiders. A selkie’s seal form
(size, shape, and coloration) is similar in many ways to common seals.
To pick out a selkie in seal form among the common seals in a pod is
near impossible for non-selkie.

The Call of the Sea

Selkies live in pods of two to ten family members who travel with and
live alongside pods of common seals. Selkies are born as seal pups,
gaining the ability to shapeshift around the age of three. Most selkies
spend near equal time in their seal and humanoid forms, swimming
between two species and two worlds, slightly out of place in both.
Most selkies spend the majority of their lives in the coastal waters of
cold northern seas, though some pods migrate to more temperate
Selkies climates or even choose to live on land for a time. While wary of
strangers, they are friendly, kind-hearted, and willing to help out
anyone in need.
“Years ago, I was out on lookout duty along a quiet stretch of Njord’s
Selkies are known to fall in love easily and quickly, but their first
east coast. A few minutes after I settled into a hidden spot, I saw love will always be the sea. In Nordaa, tragic love stories are told of
a seal approaching the shore. The seal appeared to shed its skin as unfortunate souls who fall in love with a selkie, only to have the rela-
tionship end when the sea calls. Seals have their own stories, told by
it turned into a human woman and walked onto the rocky beach. selkies, about losing their selkie mate when curiosity pulls the selkie
The woman began a dance full of swaying and jumping under the away to the deep seas or far off lands. Selkies never intend to leave,
but the call of the sea can be overpowering. Yet, some selkies stay and
moonlight. Unconsciously, I shifted my position to get a better look, remain in their humanoid or seal form until old age takes them.
but the noise must have startled her. She quickly gathered up her
Selkie Names
seal skin, dove into the waves, and was gone. To this day, I can’t look
Selkies prefer a single name that is short, simple, and often related to
at a seal without wondering if it’s her, a selkie.” the cold, northern seas they call home. Their names will sometimes
- Grainne Jewele, Njord Lookout be created by combining the names of their parents. While on land,
selkies prefer to pass as human and usually adopt a human name they
like the sound of.
Selkies are amphibious seal-people with fey ancestry who are tied
to the sea. They are usually found in cold, northern waters, but are Male Names: Aalto, Bol, Cuain, Eigho, Havo, Hegg, Kalast, Kuu,
comfortable anywhere from deep beneath the waves to dry land. Mallo, Nuno, Roin, Soki, Sundo, Tamo, Tuul, Verm
Selkies are natural shapeshifters who can take the form of a humanoid Female Names: Aurini, Bati, Cuan, Eighi, Gera, Havi, Isi, Kali, Mara,

46 chapter 1ii | the undersea people

 Nula, Oona, Rakki, Saili, Tama, Tuula, Valti Seal Skin. As an action, you can magically assume the shape of a
seal. You can revert back to your natural appearance as an action, and
Selkie Adventurers you automatically do so if you are unconscious.
Though most selkies are happy living their lives hunting the coasts of While you are transformed into your seal form, you retain your
the northern seas with their pods, some are born with an insatiable statistics, traits, and features. In addition, the following rules apply:
curiosity. These selkie dream of visiting undersea ruins, port cities, • Your base walking speed is 20 feet. You have a swimming speed of
and far off seas. Since most selkies live away from civilization, they 50 feet.
will often observe a settlement from afar before visiting. No matter • Your Armor Class equals 12 + your Dexterity modifier.
how strong their wanderlust is, eventually, the call of the sea pulls • You can take the Dash action as a bonus action while underwater.
them home. A selkie kept from the sea for too long will grow weak or • You have advantage on Wisdom (Perception) checks while under-
could even die of a broken spirit. water.
• Your teeth are a natural weapon which you can use to make un-
Selkie Traits armed strikes. If you hit with it, you deal piercing damage equal to
Your selkie character has certain characteristics in common with all 1d4 + your Strength modifier, instead of the bludgeoning damage
other selkies. normal for an unarmed strike.
Ability Score Increase. Your Dexterity, Wisdom, and Charisma • You are limited in the actions you can perform by the nature of
scores each increase by 1. your seal form, and you can’t speak, cast spells, or take any other
Age. Despite their fey ancestry, selkies age at nearly the same rate as action that requires hands or speech.
humans, reaching adulthood at 20 and living just over a century. • Your gear melds into your seal form. You can’t activate, use, wield,
Size. Selkies are about the same size as humans, ranging from 5 to 6 or otherwise benefit from any of your equipment.
feet tall. Your size is medium.
Languages. You can speak, read, and write Common and Sylvan.
Speed. Your base walking speed is 30 feet. You have a swimming
speed of 30 feet.
Fey Ancestry. You have advantage on saving throws against being
charmed, and magic can’t put you to sleep.
Sirens
Darkvision. Accustomed to swimming in the deep sea, you have
superior vision in dark and dim conditions. You can see in dim light “Old sea legends told of monsters called sirens who would lure sail-
within 60 feet of you as if it were bright light, and in darkness as if it ors to their death with their beauty and songs. I’ve met a few of their
were dim light. You can’t discern color in darkness, only shades of
folk over the years and I don’t think there is any truth to those tales.
gray.
Child of the Northern Seas. You’re as comfortable in cold northern The curious ones who come into town show up barely clothed and
waters as you are on land. You can breathe air and water. In addition, without a coin to their name. They’re friendly and try to trade shells
you have resistance to cold damage.
Speak with Seals. Selkies spend their lives living with seals who are and other worthless bits. The funny thing is that they’re so charming
their friends and family. You can speak to and understand seals and and beautiful that they can always find a barmaid or shopkeeper
other species of marine mammals as though under the effects of a
speak with animals spell. who’ll accept a trinket or a song for trade.”
- Cristobal Bruma, Mayor of Westara

Selkie Transformations Sirens are beautiful amphibious people, descended from a group of
When your selkie character changes between its seal fey who were banished to the mortal realm. Sirens live where massive
waves crash into rocky coastlines, far from civilization. The sea is their
and humanoid form using your Seal Skin trait, how the home and provides them with all they need to survive. The hidden
transformation works is up to you. Here are a couple settlements of the sirens are found on rare occasions when outsiders
of ideas: follow the beautiful singing or catch them swimming. Sirens seek out
beauty in all forms, delighting in the sheen on a beautiful shell or the
• When you change into humanoid form, your seal grand architecture found in the distant cities.
skin turns into a cloak that you always wear. To
change into your seal form you wrap the cloak
Legendary Beauty
tightly around you. The cloak is full of powerful fey The alluring beauty and songs of the sirens are legendary, but many of
the old sailor stories paint them as deadly monsters. Their fey heritage
magic and cannot be sold, given away, or destroyed.
has blessed them with otherworldly beauty and sirens are always
If lost or stolen, it will return to you at sunrise. physically stunning with gold or amber eyes, long hair that ranges
• When you change shape from seal to human form, from light blue to deep indigo, and slender but muscular builds. Their
you shed your seal skin and must keep it safe and skin ranges from turquoise to indigo, with an iridescent sheen while
in sunlight. They are similar in height to humans on average, ranging
secure. As long as you have your seal skin in your
from 5 to 6 feet tall. Being amphibious, sirens have fins on their calves
possession, you may use your Seal Skin trait and and forearms, webbed hands and feet, and gills in their neck that close
may maintain your seal form indefinitely. Without tightly while on land.
your seal skin, you may not use your Seal Skin trait
Fey Outcasts
until the skin is retrieved, you are the target of a
Long ago, the sirens lived in the Feylands where the beauty of their
greater restoration, heal, regenerate, or wish spell,
songs was legendary. Muse, an archfey, was jealous of the sirens and
or you regenerate the skin after a year and a day. decided she would trick them. She challenged Aria, the vain siren
queen, to a singing challenge. The loser and all her people would be

chapter 1ii | the undersea people 47

 Curious Visitors
Sirens live far from civilization and have all they need to live on their
own. Over their long lives, some sirens get curious and visit the far
off port cities or undersea settlements. Most people who meet a siren
find them friendly, charming, and captivating. Siren awareness of
their natural beauty and allure, provides them with confidence when
dealing with others, with some even acting vain. Siren society has few
rules, but they are informally led by a matriarchal council of elders.
When they enter civilization the rules and laws folk obey both fasci-
nates and outrages these visitors. Sirens are raised communally, so the
concept of a family is new to them. While the people of the cities are
interesting, the large statues and towering architecture put sirens in
awe.

Siren Names
Siren names can draw on their traditions or a common word for
something found in nature. Family ties are unimportant to the
communal sirens and they do not have last names. A name is given to
them by the entire community when they are born. Once they come
of age, they select their own name to go by. For sirens, there is not
much distinction between male and female names.
Names: Achelo, Aelar, Aeraki, Aria, Bela, Breeze, Cadenza, Can-
to, Calypso, Cela, Ceto, Chari, Choro, Clio, Coral, Echo, Grace,
Harmony, Laguna, Melody, Mezzo, Molpe, Pearl, Rain, Reef, Ruby,
Sapphire, Sargasso, Silver, Stone, Storm, Sundance, Teles, Thalassa,
Venia, Wind, Zara, Zeno

Siren Adventurers
Most sirens are happy to spend their days amongst their kind. The few
sirens who take up the life of an adventurer usually are looking to ful-
fill their desire to see the outside world, or to find creative inspiration
for their songs and art. Sirens come from small, close-knit communi-
ties and seek out interesting companions.

Siren Traits
Your siren character has certain characteristics in common with all
other sirens.
Ability Score Increase. Your Wisdom score increases by 1.
clio is a siren seasinger from
the rocky coast of arushi Age. A siren matures at the same rate as humans, but they’re
considered young until they reach the age of 30. On average, they live
close to three centuries.
Size. Sirens have slender but muscular builds. Their height ranges
from 5 to 6 feet. Your size is Medium.
banished. Aria, knowing she had no equal as a singer, greedily ac- Speed. Your base walking speed is 30 feet. You have a swimming
cepted. The contest was to see which of them could lure a mortal with speed of 30 feet.
their singing. Muse put beeswax in the ears of the mortal and threat- Amphibious. You can breathe air and water.
ened to turn his family into birds. Unaware of Muse’s treachery, the Fey Ancestry. You have advantage on saves against being charmed,
defeat tormented Aria. She jumped from the highest cliff and crashed and magic can’t put you to sleep.
into the rocks below. The sirens were exiled to Vodari in humiliation Languages. You can speak, read, and write Common and Sylvan.
and without a leader. Subrace. Two subraces of sirens are found in Vodari: seasinger
sirens and wavedancer sirens. These distinctions are based on which
Idle & Idyllic Lives magical gift a siren receives as they near adulthood. Seasingers and
wavedancers usually live in the same communities, or at least in close
For most sirens, their days are idle and peaceful. The sea provides
proximity to each other. Choose one of these subraces.
them with fish to eat, material for clothes, and whatever else they
need, with little work. Most days sirens can be found sunning them- Seasinger Siren
selves on the rocks, frolicking beneath the waves, or relaxing in the As a seasinger siren, your love of singing has bestowed magical gifts
undersea caves and caverns they call home. Sirens are fascinated with upon you. During adolescence, your beauty and presence became
natural beauty and art in any form. They often sing to each other or even more alluring and you gained the ability to enchant your songs.
in beautiful harmonies. When it storms, their songs shift into wailing Ability Score Increase. Your Charisma score increases by 2.
ballads. They also enjoy creating jewelry, making carvings of wood Alluring. You have proficiency in the Persuasion skill.
and bone, and creating elaborate paintings on the rocks. Sirens wear Singer. Whenever you make a Charisma (Performance) check to
little amongst themselves, seeing no reason to hide their form. They sing, you can add twice your proficiency bonus, instead of any profi-
enjoy wearing jewelry made from shells and other trinkets found in ciency bonus you normally apply.
the shipwrecks close to their homes. Siren Song. You can use your action to sing a song laced with a

48 chapter 1ii | the undersea people

 sapphire is a siren
wavedancer exploring
the cities of avalsi

subtle enchantment to a creature that you can see within 60 feet. If it Ability Score Increase. Your Dexterity score increases by 2.
can hear you (though it need not understand you), it must succeed Sea Dancer. You gain proficiency in the Acrobatics skill and
on a Wisdom saving throw. The DC for this saving throw equals 8 + advantage on Dexterity (Acrobatics) checks made while underwater.
your Charisma modifier + your proficiency bonus. On a failed save, it In addition, whenever you make a Charisma (Performance) check to
becomes charmed by you for one hour or until you or your compan- dance, you are considered proficient in the Performance skill.
ions do anything harmful to it. The charmed creature regards you as Darkvision. Accustomed to life deep underwater and having fey
a friendly acquaintance. When the effect ends, the creature knows it heritage, you have superior vision in dark and dim conditions. You
was charmed by you. can see in dim light within 60 feet of you as if it were bright light, and
You can target an additional creature with your song at 3rd and 5th in darkness as if it were dim light. You can’t discern color in darkness,
level. The creatures must be within 30 feet of each other when you only shades of gray.
target them. Tail. As a bonus action, while the lower half of your body is
After you use your Siren Song, you can’t use it again until you finish submerged in water, you can magically transform your legs into a tail
a short or long rest. covered in bluish-green scales. Your tail has no impact on your worn
equipment and any worn magical items work identically to when
Wavedancer Siren you have legs. While you have a tail, your base speed is 10 feet, your
As a wavedancer siren, your love of frolicking beneath the waves pro- swimming speed increases to 40 feet, and whenever you are on land
vided you with gifts as you grew from a child to an adult. You gained you are always considered prone. You can change your tail back into
the ability to magically transform your legs into a tail. legs as a bonus action.

chapter 1ii | the undersea people 49

 Beneath the waves live the nomadic tiburons, though land dwellers
know them better as the sharkfolk. Tiburons are natural hunters
who are often feared and misunderstood, due to their appearance
and violence filled past. Despite this, tiburons are generally peaceful
(if left alone). Most tiburons are found far from the busy undersea
settlements, living as members of nomadic tribes called shivers. These
tiburons endlessly wander the undersea wilderness, always on the
move. Rare tiburons can be found swimming alone, but their restless
nature doesn’t keep them in one place for long.

Fierce & Restless Hunters

Tiburons are sharklike aquatic humanoids who are fast and powerful,
with fierce hunting instincts. Their appearance often leads to others
fearing them, especially the shark hating elves. Their heads have a
mouth filled with jagged teeth, dark colored eyes, and a larger fin on
the back of their neck. Tiburons have sharklike tails that are long and
powerful, allowing them to move on prey quickly. Tiburons vary in
their appearance from one tribe to another. Their scales can vary by
coloration or pattern (such as spots and stripes). Physical differences
such as the shape of their snout or tail fin are also found. Tiburons all
share a restless nature, driven by their ancient shark ancestry. While
tiburons are within a large shiver, they can take turns sleeping, con-
tinuing to swim even while unaware of their surroundings.

Ancient Warriors
In a time before time, the twin goddesses Vesi and Taeva battled for
control of the seas in one of their many wars. Vesi’s army suffered
great losses and she looked for a means to change her fortunes. The
goddess Dokahi provided a way, combining shark and soldier to
bolster Vesi’s ranks. Under Scatho’s command, these hybrids helped
achieve many victories, proving to be effective soldiers by combining
tactics and ferocity. When Volkan’s devastation ended the fighting,
these soldiers ended up dividing into two people. The most wicked
among them descended in the darkness, twisting into vile sahuagin.
Those who fought with valor embraced the light, making the twilight
seas and above their home and became tiburons. Over millennia, the
tiburons turned away from raiding, destruction, infighting, and the
destroyer gods who created them. They became hunters of the open
seas, adopted a code of honor, and took up the worship of Kalder who
embodied their most prized ideals.
akulo is a skilled Today, the only evidence of a shared ancestry between sahuagin
tracker and hunter who and tiburons is their use of the Sahuagin language. Tiburons view sa-
provides for his shiver huagin as dishonorable abominations and things usually turn bloody
when their paths cross.

The Endless Hunt

Tiburons call no place home, living as nomadic hunters or as anything
else that gives them a reason to move with the currents. In general,
tiburons are content to leave the running of the undersea world to
others, as they endlessly hunt the seas. Most tiburons live in tribes
called shivers, that number in the hundreds. Shivers also contain rem-
Tiburons oras, fish who groom and remove parasites from tiburons in exchange
for protection. Together they follow prey where it leads, ignoring
“Tiburons consider the entire ocean their domain. When a shiver territorial boundaries and going to war against any who swim against
them.
passses through your seas, little can be done to sway its path. By the
Shivers don’t randomly swim the seas. Tiburons have long mem-
hundreds they swim over, under, and through reef, forest, and field, ories, and their pathways are passed from generation to generation
taking what they want and leaving little behind. In their wake, they through dance. These paths avoid cities, seek out abundant seas that
can handle their passing, and only revisit territory years after the en-
leave a lifeless wasteland. Avoidance is the best practice when deal- vironment has recovered. Tiburons are like a force of nature. Initially,
ing with tiburons, as standing against them will only create trouble an area that has been seen the passing of a shiver appears decimated.
In actuality, tiburons only take what they need and the environment
for yourself. Thankfully they only pass through our kingdom once a quickly restores itself, usually with more life than before.
decade.” Most tiburons live their lives according to a code of honor that
helped them turn away from the uncontrolled destruction and vio-
- Prince Varath Liradon, Quessari General lence of their past. Key principles of the code include the following:

50 chapter 1ii | the undersea people

• We are fierce warriors who only go to war against those who raise
a spear towards us. Those who die protecting their shiver, die with
honor.
• The seas belong to no person or nation. Everyone has a right to
hunt the seas.
• We endlessly hunt and move forward, as staying in place will make
you weak and soft.
• The shiver carries only what it needs. Together we carry everything
that one of us needs.
• Our young must be protected until they can hunt on their own.
Our elders must be cared for to preserve their wisdom.
• Those who have no honor are exiled and must swim alone.

Tiburon Names
Tiburons have a long tradition of passing first names of those who
have recently ended their swim to newborn pups. Tiburons do not
have family names and their second name denotes which shiver they
belong to. Shivers are named for a physical trait shared or valued by
the group.
Male Names: Akulo, Coda, Denti, Hai, Kalo, Mako, Nahu, Rechu,
Suoko, Tauro, Zralo
Female Names: Akula, Capa, Denta, Hanta, Kauikaa, Mazzu, Nina,
Racca, Siakaa, Taru, Zrala
Shiver Names: Bladetooth, Deepswimmer, Fasttail, Greatfin, Ham-
merhead, Longtooth, Quickjaw, Razorbite, Roughscale, Stripetail,
Sharptooth, Strongbite, Swiftfin

Tiburon Adventurers
Those tiburons who live as wandering hunters rarely go off on
adventures voluntarily. Those who take up the adventuring life are
well suited for it, but are usually exiles seeking to reclaim their honor.
Other tiburon adventurers could be sent on an important mission by
the leader of their shiver. For those rare tiburons born in a settlement,
adventuring can provide a way to satisfy their restless nature.

Tiburon Traits neresi is a voda wizard from a

hidden undersea village
Your tiburon character has certain characteristics in common with all
other tiburons.
Ability Score Increase. Your Strength score increases by 2 and your
Constitution score increases by 1.
Age. Tiburons reach adulthood at age 15 and live up to 80 years.
Size. Tiburons are tall with heights around 7 feet. They have a large
muscular build with their weight averaging around 300 lbs. Your size
Vodas
in Medium.
Speed. Your base walking speed is 10 feet. You have a swimming “Early one morning on the beach, I saw a human woman who
speed of 40 feet. Whenever you are on land you are always considered looked like she was dressed for swimming. Then to my surprise I saw
prone.
Water Breathing. You can breathe only underwater. her change into a person with blue, rubbery skin. When she saw
Darkvision. Accustomed to life deep underwater, you have superi- me, she turned my way and gave me a wink. Whatever she was, she
or vision in dark and dim conditions. You can see in dim light within
60 feet of you as if it were bright light, and in darkness as if it were
dove into the waves and was gone. Nobody will believe me, but I
dim light. You can’t discern color in darkness, only shades of gray. know what I saw.”
Powerful Build. You count as one size larger when determining
- Arcos Monesti, Veraci Fisher
your carrying capacity and the weight you can push, drag, or lift.
Bite. Your sharp teeth are a natural weapon which you can use to
make unarmed strikes. If you hit with it, you deal piercing damage Vodas are an amphibious people who primarily live in underwater
equal to 1d6 + your Strength modifier, instead of the bludgeoning communities in coral reefs along the coasts of the southern islands
damage normal for an unarmed strike. and colonies. Their close proximity to the settlements of land dwell-
Keen Smell. You have advantage on Wisdom (Perception) checks ers and the curious nature of the vodas has brought them into contact
that rely on smell. with the surface world. They often use their innate shapeshifting to
Frenzy. You can allow your instincts to take over. When you hit a hide among surface dwellers and protect knowledge of their existence.
creature that is below its hit point maximum with a melee weapon at- As you create your voda adventurer, consider how your character
tack, you deal extra damage that equals your level. Once you use this prefers to appear to non-voda. Do they choose a single false identity,
feature, you can’t use it again until you finish a short or long rest. switch to whatever appearance they fancy, or spend most of their time
Languages. You can speak, read, and write Common and Sahuagin. in their natural voda form?

chapter 1ii | the undersea people 51

 Amphibious Shapeshifters Voda Adventurers
Vodas are an amphibious humanoid species, as comfortable underwa- Most vodas are drawn to exploring above and below the waves of
ter as on land. They have dark-colored eyes, head-tresses, and webbed Vodari. Busy seaports and sprawling undersea settlements call to vo-
hands and feet. The coloration of their rubbery skin varies from bright das as much as uncharted islands and wild seas. The most audacious
blue to deep purple. They are similar in height to humans on average, and daring vodas often become adventurers, to see and experience all
ranging from 5 to 6 feet tall, with generally slighter builds. Due to the that the vast world has to offer.
fluidity of their bodies, they have the ability to naturally shapeshift.
Vodas generally keep their own form while amongst themselves, but Voda Traits
they can set any aspect of their physical appearance to match their Your voda character has the following racial traits.
personal identity, some even changing their appearance daily. With Ability Score Increase. Your Charisma score increases by 2 and
physical appearance alone being an unreliable way to identify each your Dexterity increases by 1.
other, most vodas employ white markings on their skin, which clearly Age. A voda reaches adulthood at the age of 20 and can live up to
identify vodas to each other. While visiting undersea communities, 200 years.
voda are as likely to take their natural form as to shapeshift. While Size. Vodas are about the same size as humans, but relatively slight-
above the waves, most vodas prefer to hide their true appearance and er. Your size is Medium.
take the form of one of the many land-dwelling peoples. Speed. Your base walking speed is 30 feet. You have a swimming
speed of 30 feet.
The Hidden People Amphibious. You can breathe air and water.
Any ancient knowledge of the vodas is found only in their own poems Shapeshifting. As an action, you change your appearance, includ-
and oral traditions, as they have preferred to hide their existence. ing your coloration, voice, or sex. You can also modify your height
According to their most sacred poems, vodas were born in a world and weight as long as your size remains Medium. Your clothing and
of water and flowed out into other worlds. Most scholars agree, citing equipment remain unchanged. With this trait, you can also change
evidence pointing to vodas being migrants to Vodari from the plane into a type of creature that you have seen before that is Medium-sized
of water. Over millennia, vodas quietly built a self-sufficient and and humanoid shaped. While shapeshifting in this way, you retain
hidden society in massive reefs, often only miles away from busy port your statistics and don’t gain any of the creature’s traits.
cities or undersea communities. Vodas have no desire for conquest In addition, you have advantage on any Charisma (Deception)
and war, but they bravely defend their lands when threatened. Living check you make to avoid having your shapeshifted appearance be
so close to the surface world kept vodas out of the age-old conflicts detected.
facing other undersea peoples, such as the elves and merfolk. You can revert back to your natural appearance as an action, and
Vodas lived in peace and secrecy, but not without achievement. you automatically do so if you are unconscious.
Great artists, heroic warriors, and courageous explorers fill their Empathic. You have proficiency in the Insight skill. In addition,
ancient epics. Some exceptional vodas even hold important places of while you’re in your true form and not shapeshifting, you have advan-
honor in the histories of other people (as their disguised persona). tage on Wisdom (Insight) checks.
The Godwar created great destruction above and below the waves. Languages. You can speak, read, and write Common and Primor-
In the aftermath, massive coral reefs grew on the ruins of the old dial (Aquan).
world, in the coastal shallows surrounding the southern islands. Over
the centuries, scattered settlements of voda survivors thrived. Some
vodas continued to hide themselves in their spired cities hidden in Additional Options
the reefs, others joined with merfolk, elves, grindylows, and others to The people described so far are those commonly found Under the Seas
rebuild together. Today, vodas are known to their undersea allies, but of Vodari. However, there are many other people found beneath the
they keep their existence secret from most land dwellers. waves. From the sunlit seas to the midnight depths, Vodari’s undersea
world can provide a place to call home for any character. It’s always
Good-Natured Tricksters up to the GM to decide if a less common origin is available for player
Vodas care deeply for others, hating to see anyone suffer. This natural characters. The following details provide a starting point to introduce
empathy comes in part from their limited ability to sense emotions additional racial options into your campaign.
through their head-tresses. While vodas aresilverpearl
calo good-natured, they love
is a half-elf Half-Elves with sea elf ancestry can be found in small numbers in
noble
to play harmless tricks or take the form of new from they
people damarimeet. the various communities under the seas. Comfortable living above
They fight tooth and fin when those they care about are in danger. and below the waves, many of these half-elves act as diplomats and
They are also natural explorers who treasure the freedom to live life as traders who split their time between the two worlds. They are found
they wish. Most vodas only ask the world to provide carefree days to in the largest number in the trade city of Damari, which sits above
find new ruins to explore, currents to ride, and cities to enjoy. and below the waves.
Genasi were once humans touched by planar elements. Most of
Voda Names them are originally from the island of Sanctuary, an area of powerful
Every voda has a given name and a family name that combines the elemental magic. It is unknown if they are descendants of humans
first names of their parents. Vodas care deeply about the coral reefs changed by elements, or travelers from the elemental planes. While
where they live. The root of most voda names draw from local fea- rare, both air and water genasi adventurers can be found visiting
tures, plants, and animals found in their underwater home. undersea communities.
Locathah are amphibious piscine people who live in underwater
Male Names: Aqilus, Caol, Kai, Nerio, Ondo, Salas, Sedor, Shoali,
communities along the coast where they hunt above and below the
Tsunis, Typhi
water. Locathah are few in number and their tight-knit tribal commu-
Female Names: Amaria, Anosa, Corali, Cyraeni, Marea, Neresi,
nities are wary of outsiders.
Nyissa, Selina, Soli, Tsuna
Tritons arrived from the elemental plane of water long ago. Those
who remained created settlements in the deepest twilit waters. Now
they protect the seas of Vodari from the evils that dwell in its darkest
depths. While most tritons spend their lives as undersea as protectors,
some choose to visit undersea communities and explore the seas.

52 chapter 1ii | the undersea people

Cursed Souls
The Cursed Soul is a character option that was provided in The Seas of
Vodari. Cursed Souls exist between life and death, between the person
they were and the ghostlike being they have become. The following
table expands the Enduring Traits feature to include all of the under-
sea people.
Enduring Traits. Cursed souls lose many of the traits of the person
they were before they became cursed. You retain the traits for your
former race found in the Cursed Soul Racial Traits table below.

Cursed Soul Racial Traits

Race Traits

Cecaelia Amphibious, Darkvision, Tentacles

Dragonborn (Sea) Oceanborn, Steam Breath
Dwarf (Sea) Darkvision, From the Depths
Elf (Sea) Child of the Sea, Darkvision
Grindylow Amphibious, Darkvision, Quick Escape
Half-elf (Aquatic) Darkvision, swimming speed of 30 feet
from aquatic heritage
Merfolk (Sunreach) Child of the Tides, Landwalker, Limited
Amphibiousness
Merfolk (Twilight) Child of the Deeps, Darkvision, Limited
Amphibiousness
Selkie Child of the Northern Seas, Seal Skin
Siren (Seasinger) Amphibious, Singer
Siren (Wavedancer) Amphibious, Dancer
Tiburon Bite, Darkvision, Water Breathing
Voda Amphibious, Shapeshift

Height & Weight

To determine the height and weight for a character, roll for their
height and weight on the Random Height and Weight table. To find
the character’s height, roll the dice as indicated in the Height Modifier
column and then add the number you rolled (in inches) to the char-
acter’s base height.
To find a character’s weight, roll the dice as indicated in the Weight
Modifier column and multiply the number by the number you rolled
for the Height Modifier. Take the total number and add the result (in
pounds) to the character’s base weight.
Ability Score Increases
Random Height and Weight With whatever origin you choose for your character,
Race Base Height Base Weight you gain a racial trait called Ability Score Increase. As
Height Modifier Weight Modifier an optional alternative, you may ignore your Ability
Cecaelia 5’6” +2d12 160 lb. x (2d6) lb. Score Increase trait and assign ability score increas-

Dragonborn, sea 5’9” +2d8 170 lb. x (2d6) lb.

es that fit your character. To do so, simply take any
specific ability score increase you gain in your race or
Dwarf, sea 3’10” +2d4 120 lb. x (2d6) lb.
subrace and apply it to an ability score of your choice.
Elf, sea 4’6” +2d8 90 lb. x (1d4) lb.
If you gain more than one increase, you can’t apply
Grindylow 3’4” +2d4 50 lb. x (1d4) lb. those increases to the same ability score, and you
Merfolk 5’8” +2d12 140 lb. x (2d4) lb. can’t increase a score above 20.
Selkie 4’8” +2d10 120 lb x (2d4) lb. For example, if your Ability Score Increase trait in-
creases your Dexterity by 2 and your Wisdom by 1, you
Siren 4’8” +2d8 90 lb. x (2d4) lb.
could instead increase your Strength by 2 and your
Tiburon 5’10” +2d12 175 lb. x (2d6) lb.
Charisma by 1.
Voda 4’6” +2d8 80 lb. x (2d4) lb.

chapter 1ii | the undersea people 53