Homebrew Whalan Race Details

"We were born unto the majesty of the Whirl, those of us who breathed of his blood. For in his death he became our brother, sustaining us and nurturing us through our great change. We share of his wisdom, and return to him our own, for who knows when one day it may be needed, and when he will again awaken from his slumber? And on that day, he shall have what knowledge he needs to makes what decisions he feels necessary, and we too ... Well, we shall also be prepared."





New Scions of the Whirl

With the dismantling of the World Before, and the creation of the Corona, the Sea Elf denizens of the oceans were reshaped and merged with the magic of the Whirl.

As individual elemental scions of the sentient, laconic waters of the Whirl, the Whalan were transformed by the blood of the god of Magic into a new species. The Whalan retain only some of their Sea elven heritage, with their physical appearance of elves only truly manifesting into as solid visage when they emerge from the Whirl onto land. For their existence within the Whirl, Whalans appear as an aqueous elven form.

Living in small, close knit communities, the Whalan live in waters of ethereal beauty, in the midst of ancient kelp forest where soft chanted poetry drifts through the waters. Whalan love nature and magic, art and artistry, music and poetry, and the good things of the world.

They are a curious, friendly race who are always seeking new experiences, leading many to commune with Scinta based peoples. As self proclaimed scions of the Whirl, the Whalan are also able to communicate with the creatures within it, as well as the enigmatic and nebulous mind of the Whirl itself, which they affectionately call "brother", sharing its knowledge in an intimate, yet often limited, capacity.

Ephemeral and Graceful

With their strange watery, elven appearance, Whalans appear hauntingly beautiful to humans and members of many other races. They are slightly shorter than humans on average, ranging from well under 5 feet tall to just over 6 feet. They are more slender than humans, weighing only 100 to 145 pounds. Males and females are about the same height.

Whalan coloration encompasses tinges of blues and greens, and their skin is often quite transparent in nature. Whether they are in their havemore solid land based form, or ther more aqueous water based one, they always have a shimmering, watery appearance to them. Whalans have no hair, and the hair that appearing their head is more skin to flowing water in nature. They favour short, flowing clothing when on land.

A Symbiotic World

Whalan can live well over 500 years, giving them a broad perspective on events that might trouble the shorter-lived races more deeply.

They are more often very curious. They are frequently accused of inattentiveness, jumping from one object of fascination to another, which often causes friction and annoyance in others. They can, however, hyperfocus on things that are of great interest to them, and can gain expertise in subjects and ideas to which they are attached with relative ease.

They are fast to make friends and enemies, and even slower to forget them.

Whalan are diplomatic and understanding, however when it comes to the defense of their friends, family and the sanctity of their brother, the Whirl, they are fierce. They will not be lead to aggression easily, however are able to fight and defend themselves with great skill.

Elemental Lives

Most Whalan dwell in small communities hidden among the Whirl. Whalans fish and tend gardens within the Whirl, and their skill and magic allow them to support themselves. They are talented artisans, crafting finely worked jewrlry and art objects. Their contact with outsiders is frequent, however they prefer to meet strangers outside their communities or in their travels within the Whirl or Scintas. Strangers are not often invited to a Whalans community, and it is a great honour to receive such an invitation.

On its death, or when rendered unconscious, a Whalan will return to its elemental water form. If a Whalans dies within the Whirl, it will impart its knowledge and experiences with the Whirl itself. If it dies on land, it is always the will of any Whalan to be returned to the Whirl if it has perished away from it, in order for it's menories to become a part of the Whirl itself.

Adventurous Souls

As a right of passage in their younger age, a Whalan will spend a number of years outside of the Whirl and in the company of air breathing peoples. Their innate curiosity leads them to investigate all of the world around them, and to then return that knowledge to the Whirl itself.

Whalan Names

Whalan are considered "unformed" until they declare themselves adults, some time after their 50th day of birth. During their childhood, they retain no name, instead sharing in a communal name by which all children of the Whirl are known.

Child Names: "Child of Radoshon"

Male Adult Names: Olasha, Damano, Ronada, Fasharo, Sodesha, Retadra, Solista, Banesta, Hadisto, Renbaro, Farmasta

Female Adult Names: Shenini, Deniti, Justini, Denistu, Wefenu, Goditu, Ashrenu, Zoliniti, Carisi

Communal Names (Common Translations): Ashanan, Deshanan, Rashagan, Veshtan, Restanadan, Rowsadafan

Whalan Traits

Ability Score Increase

Your Dexterity score increases by 1. Your wisdom score increases by 2

Age

Whalans reach maturity at around 50 years of age. An Whalan typically claims adulthood and an adult name around the age of 50 and can live to be 500 years old.

Alignment

Whalan love freedom, variety, and self-expression, so they lean strongly toward the gentler aspects of chaos. They value and protect knowledge, as well as community freedom, and are more often good than not.

Size

Whalans range from under 5 to over 6 feet tall and have slender builds. Your size is Medium.

Speed

Your base walking speed is 30 feet. Your swimming speed is 40 feet.

Darkvision

Accustomed to the often dim world of the Whirl, 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.

Water sense

You have proficiency in the Perception, and advantage in perception checks when in water.

Return to Self

Whalana don’t need to sleep. Instead, once per day, remaining semiconscious, they return to their watery elemental state for 4 hours a day. You may only do so within a vessel that can hold 3 gallons of water. While in this regenerative state, you can dream after a fashion; such dreams are actually mental exercises that have become reflexive through years of practice. After resting in this way, you gain the same benefit that other races do from 8 hours of sleep. Failing to return to self once per day will negate a long rest. If a long rest is not taken, 1 point exhaustion is taken every 6 hours after you have been awake for a 24 hours.

Languages

You can speak, read, and write Common and Aquan. Whalan literature is rich and varied, however is only ever verbal and their poems are famous among other races.

Symbiotic fortitude

Due to your symbiotic nature with the Whirl, you have advantage on Wisdom saving throws.

Whirl Survival

You have proficiency with the spear, trident, light crossbow, and net.

Elemental Vulnerability

As a creature of elemental water, you are vulnerable to fire and lightning damage.

Commune with the Whirl

Once per day you can communicate with the Whirl, if you are not currently within it. If you are within the Whirl, you may use this action to directly speak to the Whirl. This acts and an Augury spell, and can be used again after a long rest.

Turn to Water

Once per day, you have the ability to transform into your base water form for 10 minutes. Turn to water has similar properties to the spell Gaseous form. You may transform yourself, but not any items you are wearing or carrying into elemental water. When a character drops to 0 hit points they remain in this form. While in this form, your movement on land is reduced to 10 feet. Within the Whirl, your movement is increased to 60 feet. You can enter and occupy the space of another creature. The target has resistance to nonmagical damage, and it has advantage on Strength, Dexterity, and Constitution saving throws. You can pass through small holes, narrow openings, and even mere cracks. While in the form of water, the target can't talk or manipulate objects, and it cannot easily interact with objects. You can't attack or cast spells.

Friends of the Whirl

Using gestures and sounds, you can communicate simple ideas with any beast that is aquatic and has an innate swimming speed.

Manipulate Water

You gain the innate ability to manipulate water, as per the Shape Water cantrip.

Your Whalan character has a variety of natural abilities, the result ofits symbiotic relationship with the Whirl