Shalarin

Shalarin originally come from the dimension of Abeir Toril back long ago when it was more closely connected to Earth. Shalarin are an aquatic race of humanoids. They are excellent swimmers and are adapted to every facet of underwater life. Because of this however they do not fare well at all in other environments. You will not find any of them outside of their home environment without sufficient items or magic to help them fully adapt to a new environment. When on land they much prefer to have the ability to "swim" through the air and not walk on the land.

 

Species Name: Shalarin

Type: Humanoid Fish

Physical Traits: These hairless waterborne humanoids usually have dark blue skin (though other hues are not uncommon), large dark eyes, long spindly arms, webbed fingers and toes, and a dorsal fin that travels down from their head to the base of their spine and are as slender as elves. Shalarin are graceful swimmers and are adorned with a prominent dorsal fin that runs from the bridge of the nose up the forehead and over, down the back to the tailbone and fanning out approximately two feet at its highest point, between the shoulder blades. They also have gill slits, not at the neck, but rather along the collarbones and ribcage on either side of their torso. They are unable to leave the water and breathe air, as they do not have lungs. Shalarin are similar in size to humans, growing to around six feet in height. Their skin is sleek and scaleless, similar to a dolphins in texture and coloration, ranging as widely as the colours of coral. Shalarin eyes are less like humans and more like those of fish and cetaceans.

Height: 5-7' feet

Weight: 50-250lbs

Abilities: Shalarin are highly sensitive to electrical fields, and are capable of generating an electrical charge that they typically use for active electrolocation. In dire situations they can discharge dangerous levels of electricity, but this is risky and leaves them severely weakened until they can rest and recover. They are able to dive down to a maximum depth of 20 metres per CON.

Mobility: Legs

Sensory Organs: Visual

Communication: Vocal

Reproduction: Shalarin are oviparous creatures, laying their eggs externally and incubating them for six months in warm subsea caverns and mud. Shalarin eggs are both coloured and textured, flawlessly indicating the caste of the child-to-be. Once an egg is laid, it is transferred to clan hatcheries, and once born the infant Shalarin is raised by surrogate parents who are of the same caste as the child.

INT: 3D6, WIS: 3D6, STR: 3D6, DEX: 3D6, CON: 3D6, CHA: 3D6, MR: 2D6/4D6 swim, HPs: CON +D8, AC 7

Orbit/Climate: See Earth

Feeding Habits: Omnivore. They eat kelp, seaweed, small fish like herring or sardines, sea snails, plankton, and crustaceans.

Lifespan: 80 years

Technology: 2

Culture: Standard. Diversified mix of kind and evil people. Shalarin live in a rigid caste society, and they consider it very important to find out as quickly as possible what caste other beings belong to, in order to understand how to properly interact with them. Giving a Shalarin disparate information (such as warrior that cooks or sings) can cause a great amount of confusion. The four castes of the Shalarin culture are the Protectors (the warriors), the Providers (the workers and servants, as well as the rulers), the Scholars (historians, poets, bards, singers etc.), and the Seekers (the explorers). Shalarin are generally open and polite, although they remain somewhat aloof to sea elves, due to long-ago persecutions by that race. To many, Shalarin seem naïve, but this is untrue. They are open and trusting, but far from foolish.

Shalarin as a rule wear pearl or silverweave armour, although some have tried surface-dwellers. armour, though they avoid armour that interferes with their dorsal fins. Weapons are equally diverse, though they favour tridents and tapals.

Government: Tribal

Population: 5,000,000

 

 

Creating a Shalarin character

Step 1: Attributes
Roll attributes as normal. Mana = INT + WIS x3. Mana is recovered at a rate of 10 per hour if remain active (but not using magic) and 20 per hour if asleep. Mana can however be permanently traded for HPs at a rate of 1 for 1. Hit points = CON +8, +8 per level.
Step 2: Skills

Choose skills in the normal manner according to the character's class.
Step 3: Abilities

Shalanir gain all the following free;

Night Vision - The character can see in absolute darkness at a distance equal to his normal sight.

 

Additionally Felinar start with 35 Points to spend on any of the following abilities. As they earns more experience they may buy or rebuy more abilities.
Ability Cost Notes
Animal Empathy 5 Shalarin can establish telepathic communication with any normal or giant aquatic animal within line of sight if he does nothing else in the round. The animal must have a minimum INT of 1. This has the following benefits:
He can communicate to the creature that he desires its friendship. If the offer is sincere (and the animal will be able to sense if it isn't), the creature can be calmed and will not attack or flee unless it is attacked. It will answer any of his questions.

Further he can then recruit this animal as an ally. Once he does so he permanently psionically links with the animal turning it into a familiar. At any point he may see through the familiar's eyes, smell through its nose, hear with its ears, taste with its mouth or link with any of its other senses (including supernatural ones). The two are always in constant telepathic contact.

Enhanced Taste 5 Can identify the specific ingredients of anything that have previously eaten, drunk or sample tasted. This includes chemicals, animals, plants, toxins and poisons.
Increased AC 10 +1 AC
Increased Thac0 10 +1 Thac0 with melee weapons at levels 1, 3, 5, 7, 9, 11, 13, 15, 17 and 19.
Intimidating 10 This character has greater presence, +1 CHA
Natural Chameleon 5 Using this ability the Shalarin can blend into and render himself nearly invisible in coral areas, kelp forests, clumps of seaweed, or any other area with dark or shaded terrain. When hiding he can conceal himself from attackers and eavesdrop on his enemies. He can hide near a well travelled area and secretly observe passersby, or conceal himself near an enemy campsite waiting for an opportune moment to steal their supplies. 

He may also move with a minimum of sound, almost as if he's walking on air. Even creatures with the sharpest ears are no more likely to detect his presence than they are to hear a feather drop.
Nature Heal 5 Only ocean terrain maybe selected for healing at phenomenal rates. He must concentrate for 1 minute uninterrupted to perform the following healing; restore 1 HP per INT, +1 per level per 10 minutes; reduce the damage and duration of drugs, toxins and poisons by 4% per INT, +1% per level and gives +1 to save per 4 INT; negate all pain for 1 minute per INT, +1 minute per level; or stabilize his condition (stops bleeding, binds wounds, etc.) for 15 minutes per level.
Nature Survival 5 Due to a Shalarin's extensive experience and training in the ocean they gain +1 to any physical, combat and survival rolls made while within that environment. Each time this ability is rebought he may take an additional +1.
Natural Mana 10 +10 Mana at levels 2, 4, 6, 8, 10, 12, 14, 16, 18 and 20.
True Sight 5 The character can see the true image of any person or object regardless of any form of concealment, disguise, illusion or invisibility. This also includes the ability to detect whether it is magical, and whether it is harmful or helpful.
Step 5: Classes
Any but Shaman is the favoured mage class.

 

Heroes Earth
Atlantean experiments first created the portals to Abeir Toril allowing the Shalarin to visit Earth. With the destruction of the first Atlantis the portals also closed trapping the Shalarin who were already here. They went their own way and established their own undersea community.
 

Post Holocaust Era:

Like the other sea races the Shalarin were forgotten beneath the ocean until they recently resurfaced.

 

 

Races