Homebrew Zora Species Details

Within Water's Reach

Zoras are an amphibious people. Though mobile on dry land, they rarely stray far away from the riverbanks. Their bodies are covered in fine scales that range from a greyish green through shades of blue to deep red. Their heads have caudal extensions shaped like the tails of dolphins or other marine beasts, and fins sprout from their forearms, hips, and calves. Their digits are webbed, allowing them to swim as fast as they can run. Zoras build their settlements in vast caverns beneath lakes, grottos hidden behind waterfalls, the ruins of half-submerged cities, or structures they carve from ocean cliffs. Rivers are their highways, and they are not known to use land vehicles of any sort. A zora's diet consists primarily of fish and other marine life, which is why many zoras are skilled fishers. Suited to a semi-aquatic life, zoras wear little clothing unless armored for battle. They fashion most of their clothes and other items from materials found along the water's edge: coral, seaweed, shells, bone, driftwood, the shells of monstrous crustaceans, and so on. Having an old, welldeveloped civilization, zoras know much of how to craft these materials into garb as rich and weapons as sturdy as any found on dry land. Much of their metal equipment is gained through trade, though the ore they are able to extract themselves is refined through lengthy cold-forging processes.

Patient Perspectives

Zoras can live over 400 years, giving them a broad perspective on events that might trouble the shorter-lived races more deeply. They are more often amused than excited, and more likely to be curious than greedy. They tend to remain aloof and unfazed by petty happenstance. When pursuing a goal however, whether adventuring on a mission or learning a new skill or art, zoras can be focussed and relentless. They are slow to make friends and enemies, and even slower to forget them. They reply to petty insults with disdain and to serious insults with vengeance. Like the waves lapping on the shore, zoras are fluid in the face of danger. They trust in diplomacy and compromise to resolve differences before they can escalate to violence. They have been known to retreat from intrusion into their hidden realms, confident that they can simply wait the invader out. But when the need arises, especially when their rivers and lakes are being threatened, zoras reveal a stern martial side, demonstrating skill with nets, tridents, and strategy

Haughty but Gracious

As zoras age, they hold themselves to ever higher standards of speaking as a matter of pride, using proper etiquette and other formalities when interacting with each other. Social standing is important to them. Each individual zora knows exactly who within their communities are of higher or lower status than them, and they behave accordingly. Because zoras rarely travel far from sources of water and are protective of their communities, they have limited dealings with other races. This may cause them to become haughty, though they generally remain gracious even to those who fall short of their high expectations, which is most nonzoras. Still, with their strong sense of duty and beneficence, they can find good in just about anyone.

 

Exploration and Adventure

Enchanted by the feeling of the wind, the rustle of leaves, the ingenuity of land-dwelling inventors, or any of countless other dry-land charms, a rare few zoras take up adventuring out of wanderlust. Since they are so long-lived, they can enjoy many decades of exploration and discovery. They dislike the bustle of dry-land settlements, preferring to navigate streams and rivers to explore the natural world beyond their homes. When traveling away from sources of water, zoras avoid hot sunny days as it causes them to dehydrate at a rapid rate. They love the rain, however, and may be seen outside dancing and singing to their heart's delight while other races run for cover.

Zora Traits

Your zora character has a variety of natural abilities, the result of generations of zora refinement.

Amphibious.

You can breathe air and water.

Emissary of the Sea

Aquatic beasts have an extraordinary affinity with your people. You can communicate simple ideas with beasts that can breathe water. They can understand 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, and you ignore any of the drawbacks caused by a deep, underwater environment.

Water Magic

A child of the sea, you can call on the magic of elemental water. You know the shape water cantrip. When you reach 3rd level, you can cast the create or destroy water spell once 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 do so again until you finish a long rest. Wisdom is your spellcasting ability for these spells (see spell descriptions).