Homebrew Carcharia Species Details

The Carcharia are one of the sentient species that inhabit Lyrea. Carcharia are a diverse race of Shark-people that can take on many forms and shapes. They are perhaps the most diverse of all the races. Some are hammerheaded, others are torpedo shaped. They can grow from 4 feet tall to 10 feet tall, averaging around 7 or 8 feet tall. They all have arms, legs, and tails. They also have webbed clawed hands, and webbed feet, as well as gills and lungs. Carcharia are adapted to live in the ocean, as well as on land, but they must reproduce in water, and they need to wet their gills every 4 hours or so before the organs dry out and cause major discomfort or even death. Carcharia also have rough skin that can damage softer skinned creatures who touch it.

They are native to The Land Reefs in Azon and Venia, the Cerulean Sea, Emerald Sea, Sleeping Sea, and the Ocean of Ruona. They are not found in the Sea of Ghosts or anywhere inland on any continent. Carcharia are amphibious, and live comfortably underwater, as well as on land, provided there’s a water source for them to wet their gills every so often. Carcharia are a tribal semi-nomadic race, and do not tend to build large cities, but rather localized villages that are generally self-sufficient. Carcharia are hunter gatherers with some tribes able to farm ocean life.

Carcharian society values strength and bravery. They are known to hunt large game and take trophies from fallen enemies and game. Whales, giant fish, wild sharks, and other monsters of the deep are coveted prey to Carcharian hunters.

Each village is a tribe, and these tribes generally skirmish with each other very commonly. These skirmishes are less about defeating the other tribe, and more about the ceremony of the affair. Raids often end up in the taking of food, trophies, and mates, with some minor bloodshed and rarely death. There are two dominant tribes, the Rakahanga in the West, and the Rarotonga in the East. The only real difference between the two tribes is their location. Other, smaller tribes are mixed into a loose coalition to either the Rarotonga or the Rakahanga as tributaries. These smaller tribes assist their patron tribe in battle and trade. The tributary tribes also pay their patrons tributes to remain in the dominant tribe’s good graces.

There are a few exceptions to these coalitions. Notably being the Nuku Hiva tribe. The Nuku Hiva tribe are peaceful traders and craftsmen. They do not honor strength and bravery the same way in which the other tribes do. The Nuku Hiva see strength in dedication to one’s craft, and bravery in standing up for what one believes in. They tend to shy away from combat, although they can and will defend themselves if pressed. Being brilliant craftsmen, the other tribes are content to leave them alone with nothing more than glib insults. The other tribes value Nuku Hiva goods, specifically their weaponry. All Carcharia use weapons in addition to their natural bite and claws, but these weapons are made exclusively out of bone, shell, and teeth. Metal corrodes easily in the Land Reefs and oceans. Carcharia are known to wear armor to cover specific areas of the body. This armor is generally made from bone and shell.

Another exemption is the Suwarrow tribe. The Suwarrow tribe lives exclusively in the deepest parts of the Cerulean Sea and rarely encounters other sentient beings, to include the other tribes of Carcharia. The Suwarrow are a mysterious tribe with little known about their particular cultural practices or history. One thing that sticks out with the Suwarrow is that they resemble Goblin Sharks, Greenland Sharks, and other deep dwelling species, which are not common among the shallower Carcharia.

Carcharia Traits

Darkvision, Bite, Powerful Build, Intimidating Presence:

Ability Score Increase

Darkvision

Accustomed to life underwater, 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.

Bite

Bite. Your fanged maw is a natural weapon, which you can use to make unarmed strikes. If you hit with it, you deal piercing damage equal to 1d6 + your Strength modifier, instead of the bludgeoning damage normal for an unarmed strike.

Powerful Build

Powerful Build: You count as one size larger when determining your carrying capacity and the weight you can push, drag, or lift.

Intimidating Presence

Carcharians have an unsettling appearance. You have proficiency in intimidation, but you have disadvantage on all skill checks for social interaction with non-carcharian creatures that do not use the intimidation skill.

Aquatic

You have a swimming speed of 30 feet, and you can breathe air and water.