Aqōlàhqbāe

Eylfārehl of the Great Sea

Perhaps the most inhuman of the Eylfārehl are the Aqōlàhqbāe (which is easier to say when your mouth and lungs are filled with water). An old race of the sea, the Aqōlàhqbyr have built vast spiraling coral cities at the bottom of oceans and deep remote lakes.

Physiology

The inhuman appearance of the Aqōlàhqbāe is a combination of blue and green skin, green hair, tiny pointed teeth, a pronounced gill ruff, and opalescent pale white eyes. They swim with a grace and speed that belies their hominid form. Their fingers, toes, and arms are webbed allowing them swift motion underwater.

Toraf and Mudaf pulled and pulled, each grinning and exclaiming how their catch would make them famous in Korin and all along the coast. They’d struggled with the fish for an hour now and it was giving up its fight. Pulling it closer to their ship Mudaf’s mouth dropped open in disbelief as Toraf grabbed a gutting blade. Yes, they would be famous. As Mudaf grabbed the figure’s leg, it thrashed briefly in the net, bloodied fingers grasping and clawing through the ropes. Toraf buried the slender knife to the hilt into the thing’s chest and the Eylfāe monster screamed, drowning in the air as Mudaf lifted it into the boat.

Although the Aqōlàhqbāe cannot breathe surface air, there are shamans, priests, and magicians among them that are able to Weavespells allowing them to step onto the surface world (though most are loathe to do so). Due to the turned hips and bone shape of the sub-race (more attuned for swimming than supporting weight), walking on dry land is difficult for these Eylfāe. Such forays do not last long for Aqōlàhqbāe soon dehydrate if not submersed in their native fresh or saltwater. In their natural environment they are fearsome predators, nearly always at the top of the local food chain. Unlike the other Eylfāe sub-races, the Aqōlàhqbāe are entirely carnivorous.

Psychology

The Aqōlàhqbāe are generally fearful of the air.

Culture

The Aqōlàhqbāe live in a dangerous realm. Most of the creatures that roam the deep do not make allowances for political borders. Aqōlàhqbāe society is always on guard to defend itself against intruders from the murky vasts. Over the Ages, the Aqōlàhqbāe Eylfārehl have found it easiest to defend themselves from behind the walls of great cities and from within fortresses built on the ocean floors or atop undersea mountains. In times of crisis, all members of the society retreat to these safe havens and arm themselves for its defense.

While most of the dangers for the Aqōlàhqbāe come from the monstrous denizens of the deep, there are others who do not care for the gilled Eylfāe. The Zultàya have long waged bloody war against the Eylfāe interlopers who they claim have stolen valuable resources, slaughtered sacred creatures, and also feed upon the Zultàya like they were livestock. Noble Aqōlàhqbāe return from great hunts with the bodies of dead Zultàya for various celebratory feasts during each year’s course.

Language

Aqōlàhqbāe speak their own tongue of Aqōlàhqbāeqôl (Aqoli). In addition, most can speak the languages of races that live in their vicinity.

Magic

Magicians among the Aqōlàhqbāe Eylfārehl are limited in their spell use, for not all magics are useful underwater.

Characters

Aqōlàhqbāe Eylfārehl are appropriate player characters.

Template

The basic template for Aqōlàhqbāe Eylfārehl characters is 131 CPs. This template includes:

Advantages

  • Dexterity +1 (BASp15) 20
  • Health +2 (BASp15) 20
  • Amphibious — (BASp40) 10
  • Doesn’t Breathe: Gills — (BASp49) 0
  • Energy Reserve (Haladh) 10 (POWp119) 61
  • Less Sleep 4 BASp65) 12
  • Mana Enhancer 1 (BASp68) 402
  • Night Vision +5 (BASp71) 5
  • Pressure Suppport +1 (BASp77) 53
  • Regeneration: Regular (Haladh) — (BASp80) 204
  • Speak Underwater — (BASp87) 5
  • Talent (Aqōlàhqbāe Eylfārehl)† — (BASp89) 5
  • Teeth: Sharp — (BASp91) 1
  • Unaging — (BASp95) 15

† BASp89 Talent (Aqōlàhqbāe Eylfārehl); Includes the skills: Area Knowledge (Specific Area) (BASp176), Fishing (BASp195), Gesture (BASp198), Melee/Pole: Spear (BASp208), Survival (e.g., Freshwater Lake, Open Ocean, Reef) (BASp223), Swimming (BASp224)
1 POWp119 Energy Reserve; 30 pts (Base, 10 Levels) -10% (Abilities Only) -70% (Special Recharge, Regeneration: Fatigue Only, POWp70) = 6 pts
2 BASp68 Mana Enhancer; 50 pts (Base) -20% (Costs 4 FP/Haladh, BASp111) = 40 pts
3 BASp77 Pressure Support; 5 pts (Base, 1 Level) -5% (Costs 1 FP/Haladh, BASp111) = 5 pts
4 BASp80 Regeneration; 25 pts (Base, Regular) -20% (Accessibility, Only in Natural Water) -0% (Fatigue Only, POWp70) = 20 pts

Total = 164 CPs

Disadvantages

  • Ugly — (BASp21) -8
  • Fanaticism (Nature) — (BASp136) -15
  • Restricted Diet: Very Common (Meat) — (BASp151) -10
  • Quirks (Elegant) — (BASp163) -1
  • Quirks (Smell) — (BASp165) -1

Total = -35

Options

A selection from the following template options are appropriate.

Advantages

  • Animal Empathy (Sea Creatures) — (BASp40) 31
  • Damage Resistance: Tough Skin (Scaled)† +1 (BASp56) 32
  • Enhanced Move: Water +1 (BASp52) 183
  • High Manual Dexterity +2 (BASp59) 10
  • Power Investiture (Deep Oceans) +1 (BASp77) 10
  • Pressure Support +2 (BASp77) 94
  • Racial Memory (Nalelehral)† — (BASp78) 40
  • Reawakened† — (BASp80) 10
  • Speak With Animals (Sea Creatures)† — (BASp87) 155

† These traits are reserved for elder Aqōlàhqbāe Eylfārehl.
1 Animal Empathy; 5 pts (Base) -30% (Accessibility, Only on Sea Creatures) -5% (Costs 1 FP/Haladh, BASp111) = 3 pts
2 Damage Resistance: Tough Skin; 5 pts (Base, 1 Level) -40% (Tough Skin) = 3 pts
3 Enhanced Move: Water; 20 pts (Base, 1 Level) -10% (Costs 2 FP/Haladh, BASp111) = 18 pts
4 Pressure Support; 10 pts (Base, 2 Levels) -10% (Costs 2 FP/Haladh, BASp111) = 9 pts
5 Speak With Animals; 25 pts (Base) -30% (Accessibility, Only on Sea Creatures) -10% (Costs 2 FP/Haladh, BASp111) = 15 pts

Disadvantages

  • Intolerance: Race (Zultaya) — (BASp140) -5
  • Phobias: Open Spaces (Above Water) — (BASp150) -10
  • Phobias: Fire — (BASp150) -5
  • Vulnerability: Common (Burning) x2 (BASp161) -30

Nomenclature: Aqolahqba Eylfarehl Dekàlic: Aqōlàhqbāe Eylfārehl (race), Aqōlàhqbāri (pertaining to), Aqōlàhqbāryn (individual), Aqōlàhqbāryr (people)