Homebrew Cecaelia Species Details

It had been a long, stormy venture. My men and I were venturing on high waves of the Sea of Fallen Stars. We were transporting our treasure that we had retrieved from a mystical dungeon, a quest well completed if I do say so myself, and now we were making our journey back to the mainland. However, Tymora was not on our side that night, as we got caught in a violent, turbulent tempest. I knew my crew and I could handle it, so I wasn't to paranoid, we'd weathered worst storms in the past. Little did we know, the storm was the least of our problems.

We had been warned that these seas were haunted by a wicked undead pirate crew that had lost their lives to some unknown beast from the depths of the sea, and that they sailed their ship eternally looking for innocent bucaneers like ourselves to pilage. We waved it off as rumor and fairytail. Oh how very wrong we were. The first thing we saw was the red skull flag waving in the distance. Then the metal head of a dragon at the head of their ship. And soon, while we were only just preparing our battlements, they were upon us. We fought long and hard throughout the night, but we were exhausted and at a disadvantage as the deck was slick and slippery, while the vile, reanimated skeletons of the undead crew seemed to magically adhere to the wood as if it was a clear, calm night. All hope seemed lost. I order my men to abandon ship to save themselves, while I stood in the center of our attackers, ready to accept my fate as the captain, as the wraith commander of the enemy crew was about to cut me down with his blade. However, then Tymore decided to smile upon us

To my surprise, I saw one of the body of bones near the rear of the group seemingly dissapear off the edge of the ship. The crew looked to each other in confusing. The captain sent one of his minions to peer over the edge. He wasn't looking for more than two bats of an eye before I saw 'em dragged off the edge, this time, I swore I caught a glimpse of some sort of... tentacle? At this point, multiple of the undead scallywags were looking off the ship, and each and everyone of them almost immediately dragged of the ship. Eventually, the captain himself went to see what the issue was, and this time, I very plainly saw long, thick, blue-green tentacles wrap all around the captain, grabbing his arms, his legs, his waist, restraining his movement and causing him to drop his sword. He eventually managed to rip the tentacles from his person and fall back on the deck. He pushed himself back from the edge, yelling in terror. He didn't get far before five more tentacles reached up, coiled around his legs completely and dragged him off, screaming the whole way.

I sat there, petrified in fear, wondering when whatever eldritch horror this creature was coming for me, but after a few moments of the white noise of incessant downpour and strong winds, I saw the head of Jack, my first mate, appear over the edge of the dock. Too my bafflement, he was smiling and waving. "Look cap! We got merfolk friends! Er- Octofolk? I'm not really sure, but they're very playful! Woah!" he exclaimed before I saw him grap his hat as he was lifted up onto the ship by the same blue-green tentacles to which the undead crew fell victim. Laughing, he gestured me over. I was both scared and curious at the same time, and curiosity got the best of me, as I shakily got to my feet. I slowly made my way to edge of the ship and looked over to see... Mermaids! But they weren't excactly mermaids, because instead of one large fish tail, these people had tentalces below their waist. Their skin was of a lighter blue-green color similar to their tentacles, their eyes were blue and pupiless, and their hair was long and flowing. They had playful grins on their faces as they were light-heartedly tossing my crew between their tentalces. My crew seemed to be enjoying themselves like little shipboys, giggling and chortling while they let themselves be toosed around like playthings. And I'm not going to lie, I may have wanted to join them. Eventually, we saw the ship that the undead scum had arrived on slowly dissipate into the fog, hopefully gone for good. Our new aquatic allies eventually raised my crew back on their feet and onto the dock, and we all saw the dark storm clouds start to clear out into a beautiful, pink dawn sky. When we asked if there was any way we could repay them, they octupus people simply told us to come visit them every so often as they apparently didn't get many guests crossing above their home. My crew and I vowed to come visit every time we sailed the Sea of Fallen Stars. And with that, they gave our ship a friendly push towards the mainland and waved us goodbye. I'll never forget that special encounter with the Cecaelias of the Sea of the Fallen Stars.

— Johnny Swordwind, Captain of the Mermaid's Bounty

Living in and taking care of the ocean, most Cecaelias are known to be people of curiosity and inquisitiveness, constantly questioning the world around them, and trying to understand every detail about their environment. Most are known to be kind and helpful to those that travel above their homes in coral reefs, kelp forests, and underwater caverns. They are said to be a sister race of Merfolk and are often thought to come from the same lineage of aquatic peoples.

Aquatic Nature

Cecaelias, like many other aquatic peoples, have bodies that are built for a marine environment but have adapted to be able to go above land, even though they do not function as effectively above water. The skin of their humanoid half is smooth and moist and provides them with an amphibious versatility. Their skin color tends to match the temperature of their home environment, so Cecaelias that live in the deeper or colder parts of the ocean usually have darker, cooler skin tones (blue, purple, green, gray, black), and those that live in warmer or lighter environments typically have lighter, warmer skin tones (yellow, red, orange, tan, white). Cecaelias' hair are made of the same squishy composition and are of same or similar color to their bodies. In addition, Cacaelias have gills on the either side of their neck for water breathing.

Their lower half is a collection of eight flexible tentacles that start at the base of their torsos in place of legs. Two of their front tentacles are slightly larger and stronger the rest are used for grappling and holding prey, and the other six tentacles are supplementary tentacles, mainly used for swimming at incredibly fast speeds, but are also used for walking (if you can even call it that) on land if need be. Cecaelia tentacles are soft and slick on the outside but have hard, resilient cartilages that make them structurally muscular. The bottom of their tentacles are covered with suckers.

In addition, in the center of their mass of tentacles and underneath their torso, they have a large, circular, rostrum maw that, when open, reveals several sharp teeth, that they use to eat large prey. It takes a Cecaelia about an hour to consume and digest large prey through their maw. They are able to use their humanoid mouth to eat, but typically prefer to eat through their maw, as the mouth on their face does not have taste buds. In addition, small, circular pores surround the maw from which they can shoot black ink as a defensive mechanism when they feel threatened.

Caretakers of the Sea

Many Cecaelias act as caretakers of their environments. In thanks for providing them with a home, Cecaelias typically take on the role of stewards for the ocean, making sure the water is clean, taking care of and protecting the plants and wildlife, maintaining friendly relations between other aquatic peoples, and even supervising travelers that happen to traverse above their areas. Those that attempt to harm them, their homes, or the wildlife living around them are met with the near-impenetrable force of the community. Sea creatures and beasts alike consider them allies and friends and aquatic evils acknowledge them as forces to be reckoned with.    

Communal Society

Cecaelias maintain very community-based societies, helping one another and regarding each other as family. These bonds are the foundations of most Cacaelian cities. These cities are usually built along the ocean floor, in underwater cave systems, along the sides of underwater trenches, and sometimes even in coral reefs. Despite their natural tendency towards freedom and independence, Cecaelias do have a sense of organization and order, so they typically elect leaders they feel are capable (usually elders), and these leaders work for the people. This form of authority effectively forms the structure of democracy in most Cecaelian societies. Cecaelian cities aren't particularly common, but those that exist generally have quite a large and well-established population and municipality.

Unrivaled Curiosity

Cecaelia's have an infamous tendency to stick their tentacles where they don't belong. They are no strangers to snooping around. However, this trait is also what makes Cecaelias so intelligent and inventive, always striving to learn more about the world around them along with any other subjects that catch their interest.

Cecaelia Traits

With tentacles, amphibious skin, and natural inquisitiveness, Cecaelias are mystical familiars of the sea.

Grasping Tentacles

Your tentacles are sticky and deceivingly quick and powerful, adept at seizing creatures and restraining their movement. Your tentacles are able to fully coil around your targets, allowing you to grapple creatures without needing a free hand. Adept at constraining your prey, you can choose to painfully tighten your grip around creatures you've grappled. If you start your turn while you have a creature grappled with your tentacles, you can use a bonus action to constrict the creature and deal bludgeoning damage equal to 1d4 + your Strength modifier.

Ink

Cecaelia's utilize a very useful defensive tactic when they feel threatened. They have ink sacs located in the lower parts of their hips that can produce ink through siphons around their maw. When in water or water-like liquid, you can shoot your ink through your siphons to attempt to temporarily an attacker. If in an aquatic environment, when a hostile creature moves within 5 feet of you, you can use your reaction to attempt to shoot ink in their eyes. The creature must make a Dexterity saving throw against a DC equal to 8 + your proficiency modifier + your Constitution modifier. On a failure, the creature is blinded until the end of its next turn. Once you've used this ability, you cannot use it again until you finish a Long Rest.

Ability Score Increase

 Your Intelligence score increases by 2, and one other ability score of your choice increases by 1.

Age

Octofolks remain squidlings for a good 3-5 years after their birth. However, they mature into their teen years soon thereafter. They reach adulthood around age 15. Octofolks live very long lives, having the capability to live up to 1,000 years old. Octofolk that live past 750 are considered elders, and those that live past 900 years are considered ancients. Both are generally regarded with much respect.

Alignment

Octofolks typically lie on the more chaotic side, living freely and independently and on the whims of their own curiosity and inquisitiveness. Most tend to be kind, helpful, and good-natured. However, some allow their curiosity to turn to trickery and deceit, and arrogance. These darker Octofolks usually live further down in the depths of the ocean in, near, and around the trenches, as opposed to kindhearted Octofolk who live in the more beautiful environments of the ocean.

Size

The humanoid top halves of Octofolks tend to be around 5 feet tall, and their tentacle parts tend to be 5 to 11 feet when stretched out completely. Tentacle length generally increases with an Octofolk's age. Your size is considered Medium.

Speed

Your base walking speed is 20 feet, and your tentacles give you a 50 feet base swimming speed.

Languages

You can speak, read, and write Common, Aquan, and one extra language of your choice. Octofolk are born with the ability to speak the language of the ocean, Aquan, so that they can communicate with other marine peoples. Octofolks grow to learn the common language. In addition, due to their curious nature, Octofolk tend to pick up the languages of those who sail above their homes.  

Darkvision

Accustomed to the darkness of the depths of the ocean, your eyes are adapted to low light settings. 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 only discern shades of blue in darkness.

Amphibious

You can breathe on water as well as on land.

Natural Inquisitiveness

Your innate curiosity grants you a knack for noticing details others may pay no mind to.  As a result of this scrutinizing disposition, you gain proficiency in either Perception or Investigation.