Tathebran

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"They look...cuddly. I feel like I'm supposed to say something incredibly observant. But they're hosts that put us to shame...and they look like that."
-Frelic Silverpaw, The Great Explorer

Peaceful Ocean-Dwellers

Tathebran are amphibious creatures that dwell on the floor of the seas of Kraken. Their cities are woven of anemones and sea plants which are carefully crafted so as not to interrupt the ocean tides, and great coral reefs are grown along the structure exteriors. The few races on lands near their cities either have no hint of their existence, or secretly trade with them and call them friend. The Tathebran typically stand between four and five feet in height. Their heads are wide and noseless, with entirely transparent eyelids that give the impression they do not blink. Their limbs are underdeveloped and possess long, thin independent digits. Three pairs of external gill stalks originate behind their heads and are used to move oxygenated water. The external gill stalks are around one feet in length, and lined with red filaments that harvest more oxygen. Four gill slits lined with gill rakers are hidden underneath the external gills. Their teeth are hardly visible, and almost entirely vestigial.

They are instinctively peaceful creatures, and their skin comes in five variations: brown/tan with gold speckles and an olive undertone, pale pink, pure white with golden speckles, grey, and entirely black. Their eye colors range from black, gold, green, and purple. They can, to a small extent, shift the tones and some pigment of their skin for camouflage purposes, and are known to regenerate even small parts of their brains when injured. Behind them stretch long, thick tails that hold thick and flat membranes along the top and bottom to help them swim faster. On land, their external gill stalks fall down their shoulders and appear similar to thick dreads while sealing their gills to allow them to breathe above water.

Talented Healers

Tathebran are exceedingly skilled in healing magic, as well as divination. Their Seers and Clerics are often spoken of in passing myths among surface cities who speak of the oceanic tribes with fantasy and disbelief. Their biology also lacks the blood types and genetics of other races, allowing transplants to occur without complication. Much of their society is based around these traits, healing and assisting where they can. Medicine and study are in large supply, though as a result much of the under water cities suffer a large lack of defensive ability. They don't mind, though, and are perfectly content to help in ways that leave the impression that they may not exist at all whenever they can help it. They are also reliant on those few who know of them as a certainty to keep their existence a secret.

Tathebran honor their dead in a similar manner, parting them off and using them to heal others whenever possible. In this way, they believe their ancestors live within them and aid them through life. The new parts will not shift color to match, which can lead to interesting appearances among the ocean citizens. The parts of the departed that go too long without being used are instead decomposed as fertilizer for their gardens, but nothing is wasted.

Their structures wind around themselves, and come to bulbous ends filled with air to keep the structures from collapsing by floating the upper half above the ocean floor. Bio-luminous plants are used nearly everywhere to light their paths and cities, and are even grown in small clear pots for lanterns to light their way in the darkness of the ocean floor. Their garments are often also passed down from parent to child, and are made as long flowing robes crafted from hydrophobic plant fibers and natural dyes to help them glide through the water. The designs are simple, often stripes or patterns, with emblems on the back when necessary to portray ranks in certain professions.

Aquatic Helpers

The Tathebran see it as a sacred duty to maintain as much of a balance as they can in the ocean. Though they are still prey to sharks, octopi, whales, and many other creatures of the ocean they remain concrete in their belief that even those creatures are to be healed (with precautions) and sent on their way. This extends to travelers, however, and the Tathebran will even attempt to help subdue a Kraken or Dragon Turtle if it becomes necessary for maintaining this balance. Though, most would much rather rescue the travelers after and heal them before sending them on their way.

There are, however, more combative and aggressive members of the Tathebran. Most of them are vegetarian, however now and then some members are born that find a taste for meat. Typically this happens on accident, blood or meat may find its way in their mouth during a healing of another creature, or an injury they sustain. When this happens, the Tathebran begins to change over the course of several years, and look vaguely more ape-like in physical stature. Their tail will become shorter, and thicker for more powerful bursts of speed. They grow taller, typically reaching heights between 5 1/2 to 6 feet tall. Their limbs will begin to develop more muscle, and their long fingers will strengthen. Their teeth will become slightly more prominent and stiffen. These members typically become soldiers and fighters, and are incredibly aggressive towards outsiders. They are the members that learn to craft weapons and armor of the hard coral that grows along their cities, as well as of the nacre, the rainbow-sheened material that lines the insides of mussel and other mollusk shells. Their faces will elongate slightly, and their gill stalks will lengthen further, until they reach between two or three feet, and they lose the ability to heal others entirely, instead developing the ability to speed up their regeneration by devouring living meat.

Tathebran Names

Tathebran name their children in their own language, using sounds that are easier to discern below the surface of the sea, at least for those whose ears are well attuned to hearing the subtle differences in the sounds. This language uses the lips, tongue, and throat to speak, lacking any sounds that involve teeth.

Name Examples: Appobble, Bubble, Cuppa, Ebbib, Gupp, Illibil, Lobblip, Opple, Ubblibble, Yppla

Features

Ability Score Increase: As Tathebran can slowly regenerate themselves, you gain +2 to constitution.
Alignment: Tathebran are almost always good natured, and tend to be lawful. The carnivorous members have been known to be more chaotic in nature, but continue to hold good intentions as a standard.
Amphibious: As a Tathebran, your swim speed is 35ft. and you can breathe under water.
Age: Tathebran reach maturity around 12 years of age, and only live to be 35 before they die.
Size: Tathebran are medium sized creatures
Speed: As a medium sized creature, your base speed is 30 feet.

Subraces

Tathebran have two subraces, the majority of them are in the first category of Healer Tathebran. Physically weak and mentally strong, compassionate creatures. Their kin, the Warrior Tathebran, are larger and stronger, and while still compassionate towards their kin they are wary of outsiders and can be incredibly aggressive.

Healer Tathebran

Ability Score Increase: Healer Tathebran are scholars, but physically deficient. Gain +1 to Inteligence, and -1 to Strength.
Compassionate Healers: When using a healing spell, you may choose to use one of your hit dice to increase the effect.
Empathetic Seers: When using Divination magic, add 1d4 to any checks and rolls.

Defender Tathebran

Ability Score Increase: Defender Tathebran sacrifice the usual life of study for one of dedication and hard work, even at the cost of a more beastly appearance. Gain +1 to Strength and -1 to Charisma.
Burly Build: Your base speed increases to 35ft., and when underwater you can use a bonus action to 'burst' swim an additional 10 feet.
Eat: When in combat, you may choose to make a bite attack. The modifier for this is your Dexterity, and if successful you will damage your target for 1d4 piercing damage. You heal by a number equal to the damage dealt.

Languages. Aquan, Elven