Ichthyoids

Deep within the seas and rivers of the World of Teréth End live an ichthyoid race known as the Zultàya. Largely unknown to most of the world, the Zultàya are a widespread and populous race with great influence under the Great Seas and along the world’s shores. The fact that few Zultàya have been seen is due more to their desire to avoid the surface than any misconception of scarcity. Members of the race learned long ago that their appearance invokes fear among the land-dwellers.

Physiology

Though there is some variety (i.e., hue, pattern, shape, size, etc.) among the Zultaya, general features are consistent throughout the race. From a distance, the body-shape of the Zultàya is sometimes thought to be a comical hybrid of fish and Yrūn. This idea quickly changes when they are examined more closely.

Zultàya appear as large fish with anthropoid limbs that are not proportionate to their bodies. Their eyes are dish-like and unblinking and their mouths gape with triangular teeth. In addition to proportional fins and gills, the Zultàya have anthropoid arms and legs that extend from beneath the pectoral and pelvic fins respectively. Most Zultàya do not have ventral fins. Despite webbed digits, their anthropoid limbs are folded back against the body while swimming. When moving bipedally, a Zultayan body stands at an angle, balanced on feet and caudle fin. The Zultayan caudle fin is turned 90° from the rest of its body like a fluke; this gives them balance and support when upright. Because of the orientation of their caudal fin, Zultàya swimming is more akin to that of cetaceans than fish.

Psychology

The nine Great Seas are wide and dangerous realms to those that live beneath them. Those that thrive in these waters are either predators or have a well-tuned instinct for survival. The Zultaya, although viewed as fearsome to many, do not consider themselves predators. Their people survive by using the safety of their numbers. This need outweighs all other aspects of the Zultayan mindset; they are a social people whose individuals rarely desire to be away from their kind. Those that are familiar with the race know that solitary Zultàya are likely to be sick or worse.

Living in a society where individuals are never alone creates dependencies and social dynamics that are alien to Yrūn observers. Zultayan society is structured to accommodate this basic need. Priests of the race are focal points for all aspects of Zultayan life (e.g.., love, law, business, spiritual).

Culture

In some respects, Zultayan culture is similar to Yrūn culture. The Zultàya arrange themselves according to family and communities, building towns and great cities connected by an ancient network of trading avenues. In select places (e.g., City of Uralu Sazularyu), the submarine trading networks of the Zultàya meet and interact with the trading systems of the surface-world.

The Zultàya have no nations as the concept is understood among air-breathers. The Zultàya divide themselves by shifting spiritual borders. These regions are called Tayir. The borders of each Tayir may change from year to year depending on the spiritual association of the people within that area. For this reason there are many priests within Zultayan society that try to maintain the binds which keep each Tayir together.

As a people, the Zultàya are not deceitful to each other or those with whom they have civilized relations. Deceit among the race is a terrible crime and dealt with using the strongest punishment issued by its people, exile.

Language

There are many variations among tongues of the Zultaya, most with ancient roots, but many members of the race have come to learn a single shared language for purposes of trade known simply at Zultayan. Locals of a specific water body or region likely have a regional language, which in turn may be divided into sub-languages and dialects. To most land-world dwellers, all languages of the Zultàya sound similar (and may be indistinguishable to all but the most well-trained ears).

Religion

Nearly every aspect of Zultayan life revolves around the race’s shifting religious beliefs. Every Zultàya is educated from an early age about the many Cults, holidays, prayers, traditions, and rituals of their people. Despite a wide variety of deities, demi-gods, heroes, and saints, the Zultàya see all their gods as part of the same religion. Sectarian shifts usually stem from changing interpretations of scripture or social schisms within a Tayir. If a popular religious leader decides his followers would be better served elsewhere, large segments of a Tayir will often split and migrate, forming a new Tayir or joining ranks with another. These schisms are common among the Zultaya, and serve to mix and homogenize the population.

For more information, see Cults of the Zultàya.

Magic

The Zultàya have a preference for Spirit Magic, but seem capable of commanding other styles of magic as well.

Characters

Zultàya are not appropriate player characters.

Template

The basic template for Zultàya characters is 25 CPs. This template includes:

Advantages

• Health +1 (BASp15) 10
• Strength +1 (BASp15) 10
• Amphibious — (BASp40) 10
• Arm ST (Caudle Fin) +3 (BASp40) 9
• Claws: Sharp — (BASp42) 5
• Damage Resistance: Flexible +1 (BASp47) 4¹
• Doesn’t Breathe: Gills — (BASp49) 0²
• Enhanced Move: Water +1 (BASp52) 20
• Extra Legs: One (Caudle Fin) — (BASp55) 10³
• Nictitating Membrane +2 (BASp71) 2
• Night Vision +5 (BASp71) 5
• Pressure Support — (BASp77) 15
• Speak Underwater — (BASp87) 5
• Talent (Zultaya)^† — (BASp89) 5
• Teeth: Sharp — (BASp91) 1

Total = 110 CPs

^† BASp89 Talent (Zultaya); Includes the skills: Acrobatics (Aquabatics) (BASp174), Area Knowledge (Specific Locale) (BASp176), Fishing (BASp195), Navigation (Sea) (BASp211), Survival (Saltwater Type) (BASp224), and Theology (Zultayan) (BASp226)
¹ BASp47 Damage Resistance; 5 pts (Base) -20% (Flexible) = 4
² BASp49 Doesn’t Breathe; 20 pts (Base) -50% (Gills) * 0 (Underwater Survival) = 0
³ BASp55 Extra Legs; 5 pts (Extra Leg, Caudle Fin) +100% (Long) = 10

Disadvantages

• Appearance: Monstrous — (BASp21) -20
• Bad Sight: Nearsighted — (BASp123) -25
• Cold-Blooded — (BASp127) -5
• Dependency: Water — (BASp21) -201
• Social Stigma: Monster (Zultaya) — (BASp155) -15

Total = -85 CPs

¹ BASp130 Dependency; -5 pts (Very Common, Saltwater) x4 (Hourly) = -20

Options

A selection from the following template options are appropriate.

Advantages

• Clerical Investment — (BASp43) 5
• Contact Group (Tayir) — (BASp44) Varies
• Dark Vision — (BASp47) 25
• Enhanced Defenses: Dodge¹ — (BASp51) 15
• Flexibility — (BASp56) 5
• Slippery +2 (BASp85) 4

¹ BASp51 Enchanced Defenses; 15 pts (Dodge) = 15 pts; due to their mobility and narrow profile, it is often easy for Zultàya to turn or flip sideways to avoid attacks

Disadvantages

• Honesty — (BASp138) -10
• Intolerance: Race (Aqōlàhqbāe Eylfārehl) — (BASp140) -5

Nomenclature: Zultaya Dekàlic: Zultàya (race), Zultàyi (pertaining to), Zultàyn (individual), Zultàyr (people)