Asterak

In the deep, dark region of sea known as the demersal zone, the band of water just above the sea floor, one might find an ethereal ballet of luminescent jellyfish and other glowing creatures. If one allows their eyes to adjust, this sight could rival the clearest starry night on the surface. Amidst this wonder, the asteraks thrive, harnessing the magic of the world around them.

**Physical Description:** True to their habitat, asteraks appear as otherworldly merfolk. They are gaunt creatures with long eel- like tails. They have elongated spindly arms and spider-like fingers that are webbed with a wispy membrane. An asterak’s neck is disproportionally thick, housing powerful gills. While hairless, their heads feature 6-10 delicate feelers that end in bulb- like structures. They have large, dark, emotionless eyes, no nose, and a slit-like, toothless mouth. Their skin is smooth and light- blue in color, with their “feeler bulbs” and fingertips presenting a shocking purple or magenta color. Their entire body is luminescent, shifting intensity in rippling waves that match the individual’s mood and disposition.

Males and females of the asterak race differ only subtly by the standards of most races, and are often only evident to other asteraks. Asteraks, like many merfolk, are oviparous (egg-layers). Their eggs, however, appear to be made of ornate crystals and are fertilized through repeated electrifying by the male. These unusual reproduction methods may explain why there are no known asterak crossbreeds. Asteraks typically consume jellyfish and other soft-bodied invertebrates, and therefore have no need of teeth.

**Society**: Like many deep sea species, asteraks are a highly nomadic race. Most reside in permanent caravans. These convoys often contain a menagerie of deep sea life, including colossal jellyfish, giant eels, and various free-swimming crustaceans. Great groups of asteraks may travel in seemingly erratic routes over thousands of miles, all the while gathering food, supplies, and knowledge. Most remarkable of all is that many of these individuals never encounter solid ground, preferring instead to hover in the water column a few hundred feet above the sea floor. From the sea bed, they can be seen twinkling far above, gently bobbing along in their eternal procession to nowhere in particular.

Despite their seemingly peaceful existence, asteraks are indeed a very dangerous race to encounter. Arcane knowledge and supplies are especially sought after, and their approach to acquiring such is often non-negotiable, merciless, and utilitarian. A hapless wizard who encounters an asterak caravan may be swiftly and silently shocked into unconsciousness, stripped of all his possessions, be subject to powerful divination magic to syphon off whatever knowledge he holds, and then left defenseless in the crushing darkness. Unfortunately, this is perhaps the best-case scenario, as many asteraks enjoy the practice of vivisection, especially on innately magical creatures.

**Relations:** Asteraks work well with other asteraks most of all, but do harbor respect towards races that can work together to defend themselves. While they value individual freedom, they believe that working together is the only thing that merits continued existence. Thus, small groups and individuals are often either ignored by the asteraks or treated as one might treat a wild animal.

Other races respect the danger that a large group of asteraks poses, but also value their worldliness and arcane knowledge. Indeed, few other races boast such extensive knowledge of the deep sea, or have amassed such a diverse magical arsenal.

**Alignment and Religion:** Most asteraks have a “survival of the fittest” outlook and therefore a staunchly neutral stance. However, their alien nature and disregard for other races often lends some individuals a decidedly evil disposition. Asteraks, as a whole, are seldom religious and have no deities of their own. However, in the pursuit of power, some will turn to deities that offer access to the domain of Magic such Mariblee, Halbok, Saloth, and Gorgulth (described in chapter 5).

**Adventurers:** Most asterak adventurers are considered “perverts” by the mainstream of their own race, as they firmly believe that anyone who would leave the caravan must be quite masochistic in nature. Despite this, a rather large percentage of asteraks do tend to take up the adventurer’s path at some point in their lives, be it for the pursuit of power, the acquisition of magic, or perhaps because they truly do wish to inflict pain on themselves. Most asterak adventurers are wizards or magi.

**Names:** Asteraks name their children in their native tongue of Photok, which is a silent language of bioluminescent flashes and patterns. When dealing with verbal races, they will often adopt names for themselves that lack hard consonants, as many of the race find these sounds difficult to pronounce. While their Photok names will have gender connotations, their adopted verbal names rarely carry such meaning. Verbal names are usually chosen by the individual based on how easy they are to say and acoustic appeal.

## **ASTERAK RACIAL TRAITS**

* **+2 Intelligence, +2 Constitution, -2 Strength:** Asteraks are smart and hardy creatures, but not terribly strong.
* **Racial Buoyancy:** -60C, **Depth Tolerance:** 10,000 feet
* **Merfolk:** Asteraks have the merfolk subtype, as described in the CERULEAN SEAS CAMPAIGN SETTING.
* **Medium:** Asteraks are Medium-sized creatures.
* **Normal Swim Speed:** Asteraks have a base swim speed of 30 feet.
* **Bonus Feat:** Merfolk select one extra feat at 1st level because they are quick to master specialized tasks and are varied in their talents.
* **Gills:** Merfolk can breathe underwater indefinitely through gills in their neck and sides. Consequently, most merfolk are water dependent, and can breathe for a few hours on land before having to submerge. Nommo begin suffocating immediately upon leaving the water.
* **Seawalker:** Merfolk were never meant to move on land. They do so at a movement rate of 5 feet (though may move faster by using the Climb skill, see Chapter 4 for details). This feature generally precludes them from a land adventure at low levels, which should not be a major issue for an entirely aquatic campaign. At higher levels, spells and magic items may help merfolk explore dry-land in short intervals, with more permanent solutions becoming obtainable at the highest levels.
* **Darkvision:** Asteraks can see in the dark up to 60 feet.
* **Spell-Like Ability:** *Shocking Grasp* 1/day (caster level equals the asterak’s level).
* **Energy Resistance:** Asteraks have electricity resistance 5.
* **Advanced Bioluminescence:** An asterak can control th intensity of his bioluminescent light from no light at all, up to the intensity and functionality of a hooded lantern.
* **Pressure Sensitive (1,000 feet):** Asteraks are highly acclimated to extreme depths, and suffer from low pressure. Treat this as if they exceeded their pressure range above depths of 1,000 feet.
* **Languages:** Asteraks begin play speaking Photok and Dagonite. Asteraks with high intelligence scores can choose any language they want (except secret languages and Pelagic).