Homebrew Atlantian (Triton) Species Details

Aquatic Crusaders

Centuries ago, this species entered the world in response to the growing threat of evil elementals. They waged many wars against their enemies on the Plane of Water, driving those enemies into the Darkened Depths where they escaped into the crushing pressure and utter darkness. In time, the members of this species noticed that their ancient elemental foes had grown quiet. Expeditions to the depths revealed that krakens, sahuagin, and far worse foes had fled the Plane of Water for the Material Plane.

The members of the species, driven by a sense of duty and responsibility, would not allow their foes to escape so easily. A great conclave chose volunteers skilled in weapons and magic as part of an expeditionary force to enter the Material Plane and seek out their enemies.

The species spread across the world’s oceans and established protectorates to watch over deep sea trenches, portals, undersea caves, and other locations where their enemies might lurk. They defeated their foes when they found them and drove the rest into hiding.

With their foes banished to the deepest reaches of the sea, they settled in to watch for any sign of their return. Over time, they extended their stewardship over the sea floor from their initial settlements and built outposts to create trade with other races. Despite this expansion, few folk know of them. Their settlements are so remote even merfolk and sea elves rarely encounter them.

 

Haughty Nobles

As a result of their isolation and limited understanding of the Material Plane, they can come across as haughty and arrogant. They see themselves as caretakers of the sea, and they expect other creatures to pay them deep respect, if not complete deference.

This attitude might grate on others, but it arises from a seed of truth. Few outsiders know of their great victories over dreadful undersea threats. Members of this species make little allowance for such ignorance and are delighted to expound upon the great debt others owe them.

They also have a tendency to emerge from their isolation under the assumption that other folk will welcome them as respected allies and mentors. Again, distance drives much of this attitude. Their limited view of the world leaves them ignorant of the kingdoms, wars, and other struggles of the surface world. They readily see such concerns as minor events, a sideshow to the members of this species’ role as the world’s true protectors.

 

Staunch Champions

Despite their off-putting manners, members of this species are benevolent creatures at heart, convinced that other civilized races deserve their protection. Their attitude might grate, but when pirate fleets prowl the waves or a kraken awakens from its slumber, they are among the first to take up arms to protect others.

They readily sacrifice themselves for the common good. They will fight and die for humans, merfolk, and other creatures without question. Their self-absorbed nature makes them overlook the history of other creatures, but they also endure a sense of guilt over allowing the evils of the Plane of Water to enter the Material Plane and threaten its inhabitants. This species believe they owe a debt of honor to the world, and they will fight and die to pay it.

At times their fervor and ignorance of the world can lead them astray. In encountering another creature for the first time they can underestimate it, leaving them vulnerable to deception. With their strong martial tradition, they can sometimes be too eager to leap into a fight.

 

Strangers to the Surface

Given their isolation, most have never been to the surface world. They struggle with the idea that they can’t easily move up and down out of water, and the changing of the seasons mystifies them.

They also find the variety of social institutions, kingdoms, and other customs bewildering. For all their proud culture, they remain innocent of the surface world. The typical protectorate is tightly regimented, organized, and unified around a common cause. One on the surface becomes easily confused by the bewildering array of alliances, rivalries, and petty grievances that prevent the surface folk from truly unifying.

At its worst, an individual's arrogance compounds their tendency to misunderstand the ways of the surface world. It’s easy for them to blame baffling social practices on what the they perceives as the barbarism, weakness, or cowardice of surface folk.

 

Personality

Far from flawless, these champions of good mean well, but they are easily frustrated by others. You can select, roll, or adapt a species-specific quirk from the Quirks table. Use the quirk to inform how you portray your character.

d6           Quirk

1             You phrase requests as orders that you expect to be obeyed.

2             You are quick to boast of the greatness of your civilization.

3             You learned an antiquated version of Common and drop “thee” and “thou” into your speech.

4             You assume that people are telling you the truth about local customs and expectations.

5             The surface world is a wondrous place, and you catalog all its details in a journal.

6             You mistakenly assume that surface folk know about and are impressed by your people’s history.

 

Names

Most of their names have two or three syllables. Male names typically end with a vowel and the letter "s", and female names traditionally end with an "n". They use their home protectorate as a surname, with the name formed by adding a vowel followed by a “th” to the end of the protectorate’s name.

          Female Names: Aryn, Belthyn, Duthyn, Feloren, Otanyn, Shalryn, Vlaryn, Wolyn

          Male Names: Corus, Delnis, Jhimas, Keros, Molos, Nalos, Vodos, Zunis

          Surnames: Ahlorsath, Pumanath, Vuuvaxath

 

Age

They reach maturity around age 15 and can live up to 200 years.

 

 

Size

They are slightly shorter than humans, averaging about 5 feet tall. Your size is Medium.

Atlantian (Triton) Traits

Traits:

Ability Score Increase

Your Strength, Constitution, and Charisma scores each increase by 1.

Amphibious

You can breathe air and water.

Control Air and Water

You can cast Fog Cloud with this trait. Starting at 3rd level, you can cast Gust of Wind with it, and starting at 5th level, you can also cast Wall of Water with it. Once you cast a spell with this trait, you can’t cast that spell with it again until you finish a long rest. Charisma is your spellcasting ability for these spells.

Darkvision

You can see in dim light within 60 feet of you as if it were bright light and in darkness as if it were dim light. You can’t discern color in darkness, only shades of gray.

Emissary of the Sea

You can communicate simple ideas with beasts that can breathe water. They can understand the meaning of your words, though you have no special ability to understand them in return.

Guardians of the Depths

Adapted to even the most extreme ocean depths, you have resistance to cold damage.

 

Languages

You can speak, read, and write Common and Primordial.