Homebrew Undine Race Details

The Undine is a human-like creature that lives underwater. Most typically they reside in the Elemental Plane of Water but can be found in other planes. They are strongly associated with water, of course, but also of air, plants and nature in general.

Origin, Appearance and Nature

The true origin of the Undine is not known but there are rumours that early humans found their way to the Plane of Water and adapted to live there. Others believe an ancient god took humans to the Plane of Water and changed them to live under the water. Other theories suggest they are actually the result of some experiment.

Most Undines appear human - often exhibiting no differences than any normal human. Some, however, can develop cosmetic traits that humans do not possess: their hair can be almost any colour including green, blue, pure white, pink, etc and any kind of hue or shade of these. The same is said for their eyes. Their skin can also vary in colour but less wildly: some may have seagreen, light green, light blue or bright pink colours. They can also develop marks upon their skin - patterns of various colours. Interestingly these colours and patterns are not necessarily hereditary - they seem unique to the individual and are believed to be an expression of that individual's soul rather than inherited traits.

Most Undines are serene, secretive and peaceful but can be pushed to anger and when they are they exhibit a wrath like a devastating storm - but they always find a way to return to a state of tranquility. It is not the Undine way to forge battles, seek conquest or make war. They prefer to keep themselves secluded and away, and choose diplomacy first. Still, they are curious and do send the more adventurous indviduals out to explore the world and other planes.

Undines have strong ties to nature and its magic and are born with innate magical abilities over water and air.

Culture & Physiology

Physically an Undine is very close to a human but adapted to life underwater. Their skin is naturally resilient to damage, they can sense the vibrations of water, see in the dark, breathe underwater, are omnivores, and can swm faster than humans. These do not show physically: they don't fins or anything and these abilities stem from a natural magic that is part of their being. Just as dragons hold magic to fly (wings alone do not suffice) and breathe fire, the Undine hold magic to sway water to swim and breathe water.

Undines have the natural ability to control their fertility: offspring occur only when intended. Reproduction occur between male and female and gestation is about six months. A single birthing typically produces one to three young. Undines treat reproduction and love separately: two undines may become lifemates regardless of gender. In undine society a lifemate and a spouse are different: spouses serve the purpose of assistance and reproduction but lifemates are for love. It is normal for an undine to have multiple spouses but will only ever have one lifemate - even if the lifemate dies, the bond is never broken and the one left behind would never take another lifemate. It is more common for male Undines to have multiple spouses but this is more because they are less common: only 1 in 4 Undines are male. The society is very matriarchal: there may be a king and queen but the queen is the one that rules, and the mothers rule the families, raise the young, serve as warriors and labourers. Since males are less common, they are less likely to serve as guards or warriors and their roles tend to be limited to scholars, sages, teachers, and are sometimes pampered - kept happy for their assistance in reproduction.

Undines are capable of producing offspring with humans and such pairings always result in Undine offspring. Undines are also, curiously, able to produce offspring with elves and half-elves but the children will only have a one in three chance of being Undine and hybrids seem impossible: a child is either Undine or it is elf or half-elf like the other parent.

As a culture Undines are secretive: their homes are remote and small, and their society favours equally rule needed for peace and order and the freedom of individual expression. At first glance their homes will be incredibly simple and straightforward - but be wary during the change of the seasons for their celebratory parties held for these events can get quite wild. They greatly favour nature and while they may have knowledge and weapons, many individuals learn to enhance their natural magic and become druids or develop sorcerous powers of the storm.

Names

Undines do enjoy learning of other cultures and those that appear the same as a human often spend time in human cultures and eventually return to tell stories. Undines therefore often adopt human traditions and commonly take human names. Those that don't take human names may take names from other cultures that were visited or from other planes, or they have names in primordial languages (typically Aquan) referencing character traits or physical descriptions (like naming their child the Aquan word for Sapphire if it has blue skin and hair, for example).

Undine Traits

Your Undine character has the following racial traits.

Ability Score Increase

Your Constitution and Wisdom scores both increase by 1. You may increase one ability score of your choice by 1.

Age

Undines mature at the same rate as humans do but live much longer: they can live to be up to 650 years old.

Alignment

Undines understand the need for law and order but also the importance of individuality and the need to put morality over rules. They prefer to be helpful and seek peace. This leads many Undines to be Neutral Good.

Size

Undines range from under 5 to over 6 feet tall and have slender builds. Your size is Medium.

Speed

Your base walking speed is 30 feet, and you have a swimming speed of 30 feet.

Amphibious

You can breathe air and water.

Underwater Senses

Adapted to underwater environments where light is refracted and weaker, you have superior vision in dark and dim conditions. You have darkvision out to a range of 60 ft. Furthermore, while submerged in water you can sense movement and vibrations in that water through your skin: you possess tremorsense to a range of 30 ft using the medium of water.

Deep Sea Skin

Adapted to even the most extreme ocean depths, you have resistance to cold damage, and you ignore any of the drawbacks caused by a deep, underwater environment.

Your skin, being adapted to extreme pressure, is more resilient to damage allowing your skin to serve as natural armour. When you aren’t wearing armour, your AC is 13 + your Dexterity modifier. You can use your natural armour to determine your AC if the armor you wear would leave you with a lower AC. A shield’s benefits apply as normal while you use your natural armour.

Innate Spellcasting

As an Undine you possess innate magic over air and water. You know a cantrip: choose either Gust or Shape Water. You have the ability to cast a spell which is either: Create or Destroy Water, Fog Cloud or Ice Knife (choose one, this choice cannot be changed later). You may cast this spell once and regain the ability to do so after completing a long rest. When you reach 3rd level you gain the ability to cast Gust of Wind once and regain the ability to do so after completing a long rest. When you reach 5th level you gain the ability to cast Tidal Wave once and regain the ability to do so after completing a long rest.