Homebrew Caephalae Species Details

Cephalae are a race of aquatic people who live between the sea and the land. Like other merfolk they can shift their form to have legs on land, and gills and tentacles under water similar to those had by octopi. Human-like torsos exist above the waist and are covered in a waterproof carapace, with gills around their necks. 

Their eyes are one solid colour with a sideways slit pupil used to taking in small amounts of light. 

Their skin colours tend to be similar to that of their tentacles, even when they are in their 'humanoid' form on land. This can vary from bright orange, to patterned, to dark blues blacks or whites depending where they come from. 

History:

Mutated from octopi and sea elves by the blast of a dying abyssal creature, they have been around for a couple of thousand years now. They are one of the oldest of mer people and though this is the most common story told about their origins, it is a myth widely told however. Because of this myth they often worship the great octopus goddess, and some even say that her bones are floating around the ocean now home to a vast underwater city of Cephalae, though there is little to verify this. 

Society: The Caephalae are a mostly nomadic people. They travel to find various civilizations and learn from every society that they visit, valuing the chance to learn and gain new knowledge. They usually form small families, mating for life and having only one or two sets of children. These are usually single births, though on occasion twins can occur. They do this by laying an egg that they then nurture under water until the egg hatches and the baby is born. If their children are too numerous they will starve themselves to watch over their young rather than let them suffer. 

They will sometimes explore the shores, and when they do they are capable of transforming to have legs. They cannot be out of water for more than three days before they start to 'dry out'. 

Caephalae tend to live in underwater cave villages, or cliffside amphibious societies. There is a single city underwater built on the old floating bones of a monstrous creature, though it is notably hard to find. 

Ability Modifiers: 

Add a +1 to either Dexterity or Strength, and a +2 to intelligence 

Age: Caephalope mature by aged 12 and live to a maximum of 80 years old. 

Alignment: Usually Caephalope follow a strong moral and legal code, and as such fall along the lawful axis, adhering to either societal or familial laws passed down to them known as a Code. They can fall anywhere on the spectrum of good to evil. 

Caephalae Names: 

Caephalae tend to have names that contain soft consonants and long vowels, and their names vary depending on the location of their birth. 

Size: Medium 
Usually caephalae have a torso that has the same proportions of humans , but their tentacles extend far beyond this. They can reach and grasp ten foot from them. 

Languages: Aquatic, Common, +2 others 

Type: Humanoid 

Caephalae Traits

Underwater Amphibians

Darkvision

 You have superior 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 dim light. You can't discern color in darkness, only shades of gray. 

Grasping Tentacles

Your tentacles are adept at grabbing prey and finding they way into pockets. 

You do not need a free hand to grapple an enemy. If you tart your turn with an enemy grappled, you may choose to deal bludgeoning damage equal to your strength or dexterity modifier plus proficiency as your constrict your pray. 

Ink Splash

When threatened a Caephalae will often try to blind their enemy with ink to escape. When an enemy moves within 5 foot of you you may use your reaction to shoot ink at their eyes. The enemy must succeed a DC 8 + your prof + Dex Mod to avoid this, and cause the ink to land in an adjacent square to them. On a failure the enemy is considered Blind if on land, or the entire square is filled with ink reducing the visibility to Dark vision only for any creature in that square. The affects last until the end of your next turn. 

You can use this reaction a number of times equal to your proficiency modifier per long rest. 

Underwater Amphibian

Not only do you have the ability to transform to have legs on land, but you can breath underwater thanks to your gills and above land with your lungs. 

Caephalae however are drawn to water, thanks to the circumstances of their birth as a race. After three days out of water you will start to dry out if you do not submerge yourself. If you do not, you will have to roll a Con check. On a DC 12 you succeed. On a fail you gain one level of exhaustion. If you fail three Con saves you will fall unconscious and start to suffocate. 

Underwater Camouflage

Thanks to the colouring of your tentacles and skin you blend in to you watery environment, making it harder for enemies to spot you. 

You add your proficiency modifier to stealth checks in water.