Homebrew Nautilari Species Details

The Nautilari are believed to be among Ægir’s earliest creations, ancient beings whose forms have changed little since the first ages of the sea. Their bodies are largely humanoid, but their heads are encased within great spiral shells that grow naturally as part of their anatomy.

Within that shell, their brain and nervous system are divided into several interconnected sections. This allows a Nautilari to separate its attention into different streams of thought, an ability known as Divided Mind. They do not possess multiple personalities; instead, different parts of the same consciousness can focus on separate tasks at once.

Their unusual anatomy also gives them a Chambered Mind. Psychic attacks struggle to overwhelm them because their thoughts are spread across multiple mental chambers, allowing them to isolate and lessen the effects of psychic intrusion.

In the modern age, Nautilari are exceptionally rare. Most live in exile or deliberate seclusion, dwelling alone or in small groups within towering coral spires, forgotten undersea sanctuaries, and ancient ruins buried deep beneath the ocean. Because of their long lives, isolation, and immense stores of knowledge, they are often regarded as sages, scholars, and keepers of forgotten history. There also seen as powerful and often board powerful merchants vessels as scholars, are advisors to powerful Merefolk kings, and are hired by pirate lords for there spell casting abilities.

Nautilari tradition claims Ægir created them this way intentionally: one being, one mind, many chambers.

• Average Lifespan: 180 to 300 years, with especially old Nautilari sometimes reaching 400.
• Average Height: 5’4” to 6’4”. Their shell can make them appear taller or broader than they actually are.
• Average Weight: 160 to 260 lb, with a significant amount of that weight coming from the dense spiral shell surrounding the head.
• Sexual Dimorphism: Relatively subtle. Males and females are similar in overall size, though females tend to have slightly broader shells while males more often develop longer or sharper shell ridges. Individual variation is greater than the difference between sexes.
• Society: Neither strongly male- nor female-dominated. Nautilari traditionally place far more importance on age, knowledge, and wisdom. An elder scholar might command considerably more respect than a young noble regardless of sex. They often live alone with older Nautilari teaching younger generations once they reach the near end of there life span.

 

 

Nautilari Traits

As a nautilari, you have the following racial traits.

Creature Type

You are a Humanoid. You are also considered an elf for any prerequisite or effect that requires you to be an elf.

Size

You are Medium.

Speed

Your walking speed is 30 feet, and you have a swimming speed equal to your walking speed.

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 discern colors in that darkness only as shades of gray.

Arcane Focus

You have Advantage on Constitution saving throws made to maintain Concentration on a spell.

Divided Mind

If you are already concentrating on a spell and cast another spell that also requires Concentration, you can choose to concentrate on both spells simultaneously.

While concentrating on two spells:

• While concentrating on two spells using Divided Mind, you cannot have Advantage on Constitution saving throws made to maintain Concentration from any source.
• Whenever you fail a Concentration saving throw, both spells end.
• You may voluntarily end either spell normally.

You can use Divided Mind once per Long Rest.

Chambered mind

Your thoughts are difficult to disrupt or invade.
You have Resistance to Psychic damage.

You also have Advantage on saving throws against effects that would read your thoughts, alter your memories, or magically influence your mind.