Homebrew Sahuagin Species Details

Tooth and Fin

About 7 feet tall and weighing over 250 pounds, sahuagin are built to hunt. Solidly muscular, the sea devils are humanoid in basic shape with horns and membranes that form frills down the spine and along a powerful, lashing tail. Similar structures form distinctive ear frills on the sides of their heads, and their hand and feet are webbed. Fingers end in hard claws, and a sahuagin’s wide mouth is filled with multiple rows of sharklike teeth. Their skin is incredibly thick, rivaling leather armor in terms of protection. Sahuagin skin tones range from dark green to dusty blue along the back of the body, fading to lighter shades on the creature’s underbelly. Frills and fins can be yellow, red, orange, or pink, in contrast to the base skin color. Sometimes mutations occur, and the more powerful and feared sahuagin warlords sport four arms or sharklike tails instead of legs. Primarily aquatic, sahuagin can survive for several hours at a time on dry land, though they are extremely uncomfortable out of water.

Circling Beneath the Waves

Although they can survive in fresh water, sahuagin prefer warm bodies of salt water at depths of at least 100 feet. Temperature and pressure are no obstacle to them, and they build great settlements of stone and coral on the lightless ocean floor. Sahuagin cities are honeycombed with spherical chambers and cylindrical tunnels. Most structures in a sahuagin settlement sport doors and corridors wide enough to accommodate swimming sharks. If the city is close enough to the surface to catch light, sahuagin cultivate beds of seaweed to provide padding and comfort in their otherwise unfurnished living chambers. Despite their monstrous appearance and bloodthirsty nature, sahuagin are highly civilized, and they prize intellect, order, and structure. The most powerful sahuagin in a city or settlement rules under the title of “Lord of Blood and Battle,” and the remainder of the society breaks into two main castes: nobles and commoners. Despite the social strata a given sahaugin is born into, all sea devils receive a mandatory education. Most of this training revolves around battle and tactics, but the sahuagin keep a meticulous oral history. Sahuagin life is cruel and brutal within this rigid structure, filled with the constant struggle of the weak brutalized by the strong

Deep Devotion

The clergy represents a notable exception to the caste system that dominates sahuagin society. Only female sahuagin are seen as worth of channeling divine power, and male sahuagin clerics are unheard of. The chief concern of sahuagin clergy is the interpretation and maintenance of the tlalloc, an ancient and extremely accurate calendar. The tlalloc is a massive stone or coral disc covered in intricate carvings that also serves as the altar. The priestesses track significant events and preside over holy rites during momentous moments. The sahuagin religion claims that the first shark people came from a strange place in the deepest trenches of the ocean. Supposedly, these ancient sahuagin carried the first tlalloc calendar stone with them when they emerged from the crushing black depths. Sharks are venerated as the perfect symbol of power, hunger, and dominion over the oceans. Temple structures serve as hatcheries for schools of sharks, and the creatures cluster around the temples awaiting the bidding of the sea devils

Predators and Prey

Sahuagin rule their territory ruthlessly and efficiently, demonstrating the most dangerous qualities of intelligent beings and sharks. The sea devils rarely form alliances with outsiders or even other aquatic races of similar temperament, viewing all other ocean-dwellers as competition for food and territory. Parties of sahuagin patrol up to 50 miles from their home settlements on hunting, scouting, and raiding excursions. Non-sahuagin encountered can expect an inhospitable welcome. No other race that crosses currents with the sahuagin kindles such extreme and undying hatred in them as the aquatic elves. War between these two races is frequent, prolonged, and bloody. The reason for this mutual hatred is shrouded in mystery, but a connection between the races certainly exists, proved by the existence of the malenti. Malenti are rare sahuagin, sometimes born when a settlement of sea elves exists within close proximity to a sahuagin community. The malenti, though racially sahuagin, look exactly like aquatic elves. Most are killed at birth, but a few survive to serve as spies and assassins who can slip into the ranks of the sea devils’ ancient foes

Sahuagin Names

Sahuagin have a single name that starts with a single syllable at birth and grows more complex over the course of their lives. The core of the name is a short, personal one, occasionally with an addition due to a powerful lineage or ancestor. Deeds throughout a sahuagin’s life add new syllables, culminating in a lengthy, complex title that conveys great glory and prestige

Sahuagin Names Anaklaton, Anhual, No’chilok, Shalekol, Tesozomoc, Toltacayotl, Ultolnnok, Vol’Ocaan, Xoltalol

 

Sahuagin Traits

Ability Score Increase, Age, Alignment, Size, Speed, Superior Darkvision, Blood Frenzy, Amphibious, Weapons Training, Bite, Shark Telepathy, Languages

Ability Score Increase

Your strength score increases by 2 and either you wisdom or constitution scores increase by 1.

Age

Sahuagin come of age in their late teens. Though age takes its toll, there is no known upper limit to sahuagin lifespan

Alignment

Their regimented nature marks sahuagin as universally lawful, and nearly all are evil. Sea devils who buck these trends are either killed or exiled, accounting for the occasional sahuagin adventurer.

Speed

Your base walking speed is 30 feet, and you have a swim speed of 40 feet.

Superior Darkvision

Accustomed to living in the dark depths of the ocean, you can see in dim light within 120 feet of you as if it were bright light, and in darkness as if it were dim light. You cannot discern color in darkness, only shades of gray

Blood Frenzy

As a free action, you can enter a blood
frenzy until the end of your turn. While in blood frenzy
you have advantage on melee attack rolls against any
creature that doesn’t have all its hit points. You can use this once. You only regain uses after you complete a short or long rest.

Amphibious

You can breathe air and water

Weapons Training

Proficient in Spear, Yklwa, Pike, Trident, and Net.

Bite

You have proficiency with your bite. Your bite deals 1d6 piercing damage

Shark Telepathy

You can magically command one shark within 120 feet of you using limited telepathy. This command is limited to simple concepts such as “come here,” “defend me,” or “attack this target.

Languages

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