Inhabitants - Water (TIP)

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It's said among many races and on many planes that water is the giver of life. The Bottomless Deep certainly reflects this, for a tremendous number and variety of creatures make their homes here.
In most cases, life here is very similar to that found in any large, terrestrial ocean. Plankton, seaweed, and other basic life forms are eaten by larger creatures that are themselves devoured by their betters. The natural glow of this plane seems to be well suited for photosynthesis, as creatures that thrive only in sunlight survive here without difficulty.
Observant cutters notice one exception to a "normal" ocean scene, however. Those aquatic creatures dependent on air-whales, dolphins, and the like-can no more survive here than air-breathing folks, unless they find a large air pocket to sustain themselves. Such areas are not unknown, but their rarity and the delicate balance of their ecosystems ensure that the watery natives who value these unique domains keep them well guarded against intrusion.
==Elementals==
The most common creatures found in the plane of Water are, of course, water elementals. These creatures vary greatly in size, power, and intelligence, the wisest or more powerful ruling over vast kingdoms. They're very territorial, however, so a body can usually spot a water elemental nation by the absence of other creatures. Water elementals don't tolerate anything so large as a minnow in their realms, so planewalkers're well advised to avoid these places.
The most powerful of all these creatures is lstishia, who rules all neutral elementals. But because his kingdom is diffuse and scattered throughout the plane, many look upon the united nation ruled by Olhydra, the Princess of Evil Water Elementals, as the more potent realm.
==Animals==
While it's easy enough for the primes to think of the Elemental Plane of Water as nothing more than a giant ocean, this is a tremendous oversimplification. If one must think in these terms, then the Bottomless Deep must at least be recognized as a super-ocean.
What does this mean? Well, the plane of Water is home to sharks and salmon, whitefish and walleyes, it is not a natural sea. For many reasons, the absence of gravity among them, the Bottomless Deep has spawned more than its share of giant sea creatures. These range from normal animals like large squid to oversized titans like the giant nautilus. With all the room offered to its inhabitants (unlike the finite seas of other planes), there's little limit on how big some of the creatures can grow. Chant has it that there're sharks and octopi (to name just two) that reach hundreds, if not thousands of feet in length.
And as you marvel at that, the true magnitude of this fact must be reinforced with one simple statement: The vast majority of all fish (even giant ones) are carnivores.
==Monsters==
The best known of this plane's monsters is probably the water weirds. While they're technically elementals, most folk, including other elementals, think of them as dangerous monsters. Water weirds form in the regions bordering the quasiplane of Salt, where the foul radiations of the Negative Energy Plane seep into the water. These creatures are the bane of all who dwell in the Bottomless Deep.
Many species of aquatic monsters have made their way into the plane over the years. These range from the murderous beholderlike eyes of the deep to the passive zaratan. Mottled worms, an aquatic version of the purple worm, lurk in pockets of elemental Ooze or Earth, waiting to strike at the unwary. Deadly vodyanoi hunger constantly for the taste of sentient flesh.
==Marids==
The Elemental Plane of Water is home to the ma rids, a powerful race of genies. They're a reclusive folk who live in scattered burgs throughout the plane. Their greatest city is the Citadel of Ten Thousand Pearls (described below), in which the ruling Padisha resides. Most other strongholds house 2d10 marids and are built in close proximity to one or more coral masses or, more rarely, an elemental pocket. They don't like to live out in the open.
Marids are known for their pride and egos. All claim to be of noble lineage, with the most lowly of them employing titles like shah, atabeg, or mufti. They look down on all other races but tolerate the presence of jann and djinn. They bear a great hatred for the dao, efreet, and all other such opposed elemental races. Lesser creatures, including humans, elves, and just about everything else in the multiverse, are considered rabble. As such, the marids generally ignore themunless they become a nuisance.
Out of necessity, the marids established loose alliances with the nereids, water mephits, and undine. At the same time, they display open hostility toward the hydrax, spitters, and varrdig. And when they encounter the fiendish hydroloths and wastriliths, the marid set aside all other matters to destroy them. 
How do marids react to planewalkers? Well, that usually depends on how well the bloods can entertain the genies. If they can keep these master storytellers amused for a time, the outsiders will probably be allowed to go on their way. A truly gifted group might even persuade the marids to aid them in some way. Those who fail to amuse their captors need not worry about future audiences.
Canny bloods remember that marids have the power to bestow the ability to breathe water for days at a time. They also keep in mind that these genies have the ability to take such temporary water breathing capabilities away, regardless of their source....
==Other Races==
The Elemental Plane of Water virtually teems with aquatic races. These include tritons, sahuagin, mermen, ixitxachitl, and even reef giants, among others. While these races work well enough together within their own societies, often building magnificent cities and splendid palaces, they don't tend to get along well with their neighbors. Warfare and feuds between these various folk is the standard state of affairs. A leader who united some or all of these bickering races under her own banner would become a dangerous warlord in very short order.
==Powers==
Perhaps mirroring the variety of races and creatures of Water, the powers of the plane outnumber those in the other Inner Planes. They include the majestic rulers of elemental Water, the patrons of several aquatic races, and even a reclusive sea god. 
AHTO. Many folk think of sea gods as stormy and violent deities who whip up a typhoon or two whenever they're in a bad mood. While this may describe some such powers, it doesn't reflect the character of Ahto, a power of the Finnish pantheon.
Ahto is a greater power known to his worshipers as Mthe King of the Seas." His symbol is a rippling wave of water, and this icon often appears throughout his aquatic kingdom, the Curling Wave.
Most of Ahto's time is spent in contemplation of the sea and in the protection of its creatures. He's served by a loyal cadre of warriors, all reef giants, who defend the Curving Wave. Ahto's most important proxies, a clever bard named Alano in (Px/♂ human/B 16/Free League/NG) and a most fascinating creature known only as the Water Dwarf (see MProxies," below) reside in the city as well. From time to time, Ahto sends them forth to do his bidding, but they are generally assigned duties that keep them near their lord and master. 
BEN-HADAR. Ben-hadar rules his kingdom of good-aligned water elementals from a hidden fortress in the coral reef of Ssesurgass. Those who have met him describe Ben-hadar as rude and boorish. His arrogance, they say, is second only to that of the evil fire prince Imix. To say the least, he pushes the limits of what might be considered Mgood."
Still, he does occasionally battle the evil water elementals commanded by Olhydra. Further, he seems to be at least somewhat interested in the well being of his followers. He's caught up in long-running feuds with both Chan and Zaaman Ru!, who find him personally repugnant. They accuse him (quite rightfully) of being both narrow minded and having no interest in the fate of good-aligned forces outside of the Elemental Plane of Water.
Ben-hadar appears as a tall humanoid figure made of sparkling blue-green water. His massive hands resemble the claws of a lobster or crab and his eyes scintillate like the sun on a breaking wave. 
BLIPDOOLPOOLP. Blipdoolpoolp, the matron of the kuo-toa, makes her home in an expanse of gloomy water known as the Murky Depths. This region stretches across several hundred miles and mimics the properties of a smoke pocket At will, she can cause the entire place to become infused with the toxic qualities of a red tide (see above). When this happens, however, only those she wishes to harm suffer the tides' effects.
The Murky Depths possesses a solid, sandy Mbottom" and actually has gravity (unlike the rest of the plane). Along this unusual sea floor, her petitioners have built a twisted city of coral and stone. Most say that the strange look of this place mirrors the even stranger mind of Blipdoolpoolp.
It is generally conceded that Blipdoolpoolp is a tad on the barmy side and would rather avoid all contact with the agents of her enemies (the drow and illithids). Despite this, she is quick to act when her own realm is intruded upon. Chant is that no one who enters the Murky Depths emerges again unless they can offer the Sea Mother some new secret or magical power. Even then, of course, there are no guarantees. 
Those petitioners who serve Blipdoolpoolp are said to sometimes take the form of evil or chaotic thoughts that drift about in the Murky Depths, haunting and tormenting unwanted visitors along with Blipdoolpoolp's more substantial agents. Her most prominent solid agent is Priest-Prince Va-Guulgh (Px/♂ kuo-toa/P 10,T10/NE), who's said to be more than half in love with the barmy power he serves. 
EADRO. Most of the multiverse's locathah and merfolk pay homage to Eadro, the greatest of their kind. Although his exact origins are lost to history, his kingdom of Shelluria is a bountiful and pleasant place to live. Here, living locathah and merfolk mingle freely with the spirits of Eadro's petitioners, who take the form of insubstantial, brightly colored fish. These gossamer creatures radiate all the colors of the rainbow and fill the place with a natural sense of peace and tranquillity.
All this serenity hides the fact that Eadro is missing. Just over a decade ago, this power left his home behind. He left a council of three proxies to rule in his absence, saying that he would return once a certain important matter was resolved. What that might have been or what has become of Eadro remains unknown. In recent months his proxies' granted abilities have begun to wane, hinting at the worst. 
ISTISHIA. Istishia's followers believe that the whole of the Elemental Plane of Water forms his body. Every drop of water everywhere in the universe, they say, marks a place where his tears have fallen or his blood has been spilled. Of course, the Elemental Princes dispute this, but what would you expect? 
When Istishia has dealings with his subjects or others, he manifests a smaller form. Whether this is truly him or just some manner of emissary, no one can say. In any case, those who claim to have seen Istishia personally describe him as a towering waterspout. His face is difficult to discern, but those who look closely see two pinpoints of light set above the whirlpool of his mouth.
Istishia looks upon the battle between good and evil as a passing fancy. In time, all such things are worn away just as the river's edge gradually consumes the land it abrades. He's a patient power, one who recognizes that even the highest mountain can be destroyed one pebble at a time.
Presumably, Istishia would enter the theoretical clash between Olhydra and Ben-hadar if one side or the other were about to seize control of the plane. Because those two seem more interested in battling extraplanar enemies, however, it seems unlikely that Istishia will ever need to intervene. 
OLHYDRA. Olhydra may be the Princess of Evil Water Elementals, but she isn't particular about those who worship her. As such, she counts among her followers a great diversity of evil aquatic creatures. These include such deadly races as sahuagin, vodyanoi, seawolves, eyes of the deep, and even (it is rumored) a renegade sect of hezrou tanar'ri. Of all the archomentals, Olhydra is probably the closest to becoming a true power.
Olhydra dwells in a coral castle guarded by an army of water weirds. She spends a great deal of time hidden away within the confines of her palace, presumably plotting her next attack against !mix, the Prince of Evil Fire Creatures. Indeed, she considers him her greatest enemy and almost ignores Ben-hadar, who would seem to be a much more obvious enemy.
The princess usually takes the form of an endlessly breaking wave of water some 20 feet across. She is said to have other forms, but this is the guise in which she greets all visitors to her realm.
There are those who say that the spirits of Olhydra's most faithful become the animating force that drives the evil water weirds, but this seems unlikely. In truth, it's more probable that the Princess of Evil Water Creatures absorbs her petitioners in an attempt to increase her own power (and the fact that she has petitioners at all puts her above her brethren archomentals). 
PERSANA. The patron power of the tritons, Persana is a being of great intelligence and an artisan's eye. He is a masterful sculptor, but his talent truly shines when he turns his efforts to architecture. Chant is that no structure designed with his help ever falls unless he wills it to do so.
For many centuries, Persana was a nomadic power. He wandered the plane of Water, lending his influence to those building the various magnificent structures that dot this plane. It is said that he himself laid the cornerstone of the Citadel of Ten Thousand Pearls.
Persana's recently taken up residence in Shelluria, the citadel home of Eadro. He came in answer to a summons from the council of proxies who rule in the absence of their own patron. Chant is that Persana is making ready to mount an expedition to locate Eadro and return him to his home.
==Proxies==
With all the powers that make their home in this plane, it's no wonder that there're an equal or greater number of powerful proxies. Though only two are noted below, rest assured several others wander the plane on missions of their respective powers' bidding. 
THE BLUE COVEN. Hidden away in the depths of Olhydra's coral fortress is a dark chamber of corrupted magic and terrible secrets. Here lives the Blue Coven, a trio of sea hags who serve Olhydra loyally and without question.
Chant is, the Blue Coven once tried to summon and command Olhydra. Although the Princess of Evil Water Elementals was more than able to resist their efforts, she admired the guile and courage of these creatures. Instead of destroying them instantly, she embraced the hags as worshipers.
The three members of the Coven long ago lost their individual identities. Their personalities have merged to such an extent that they now can only be considered one hideously evil entity with three distinct bodies. This has enhanced their spelkasting ability and made them among the most powerful examples of their kind anywhere in the multiverse. These hags are said to have access to dark magical lore unknown elsewhere in the cosmos.
It's also believed that Cegilune, the patron power of hags, is very resentful over this whole affair. She sees the members of the Blue Coven as dangerous renegades and has vowed to see them destroyed.
THE WATER DWARF. The Water Dwarf (Px/♂ dwarf/F 16/LG), whose real name is unknown, serves Ahto. It is said that he was once the Icing of a great dwarven nation. When his people mined too deeply into the earth, they found an immense underground ocean. The Water Dwarf mounted an expedition across this great expanse but was lost when his drakkar was swallowed by a vortex to the Elemental Plane of Water. 
Although he died soon after arriving in the Bottomless Deep, Ahto found the dwarf king's body. Amazed to find a dwarf in the plane of Water, the god decided to restore the poor creature to life. In doing so, the King of the Seas replaced the whole of the dwarfs physical form with water. In essence, he became a water elemental with the spirit of a dwarf trapped inside.
The Water Dwarf is Ahto's primary proxy. When a body offends the King of the Seas, the Water Dwarf is dispatched to set matters straight.