Tritons

## Anatomy

Triton are humanoid creatures adapted to living in the ocean. Their skin and hair is deeper in color, typically green or blue though other colors exist, the closer they live to the surface due to being exposed to sunlight focused through the water. Triton that live closer to the bottom of the ocean can appear to be paper-white of skin and eyes, as no light reaches those depths. Triton have webbed hands and feet, as well as fins along their arms, legs, and backs for the sake of improved maneuverability in the water. The Triton living closer to the surface are typically more physically fit than their deep-dwelling kin, as food is more plentiful closer to the surface in the form of fish.

A Triton’s skin holds water for a short time in order to allow them to travel onto land, but this water will run out within a day or two. Triton can live in either fresh or salt water without issue, but many have a preference one way or another, and will complain about being forced into the water outside of their preference, despite the fact that it is harmless to them. Deeper Triton will have tougher skin and less water capacity in order to compensate for the increased pressure of living in such deep waters. Especially deep water Triton may find themselves drying out in a matter of hours, but they have not been seen on land before to test this hypothesis. Gills are typically found on either the neck or the sides of the torso, and they close up when the Triton is on land to avoid the escape of water.

## History/Culture

Triton as a species diverged from humanity thousands of thousands of years ago, moving into the sea as humans moved further inland. Eventually the distinction between the two was so large that they forgot they were ever the same thing. Triton believe that they have been here since before humanity, and humanity believes the opposite to be true. Those strongest of the newborn Triton race continued to look deeper into the ocean, gradually acquiring the strong skin that allows them to live in the harshest of environments, where even light dares not tread. Along the way they also lost the pigment of their skin and hair, as those content closer to the surface gained their blue and green colors.

It is this divide that defines Triton society. The deep-dwelling Triton are believed to be stronger, smarter beings than those who live closer to the surface. They form the upper class of Triton society, and are rarely questioned by others. Deep-dwelling Triton often command upper-dwellers to collect food for them, as so little lives in the depths with them that they have not already hunted. In this way those who live in the upper regions of the sea are enslaved by the deep-dwelling Triton, and split the fruits of their hunt with those below who can not gather food of their own. This sharing is not done in kindness, but in fear of what punishment may be exacted upon them if they disobey.

That aside, the surface-dwelling Triton often find themselves in contact with sea-faring merchant ships, and are known to trade bits and baubles they find discarded in the depths, or provide whatever help they can to sailors in exchange for food. Often sailors can arrive back to port with their arms wrapped in seaweed, as a form of bandage improvised by a crafty Triton. These strange remedies offered by Triton are often strangely effective. For example, bandages of seaweed applied by a Triton could cause a wound to close quicker than with a normal cloth bandage. It’s not known exactly why this is, but it’s generally accepted that Triton simply have a better sense for how to effectively treat wounds, or that their remedies benefit from being made of aquatic materials.

The flow of Triton society is from the surface to the floor. Higher-up members will gather food by either hunting or trading with sailors, and deliver this food to lower echelons of society after having scraped off what pieces they need to survive. This process repeats itself until the lion’s share is presented to the deep-dwellers, and is promptly devoured. These deepest of the Triton have never been seen by land-dwelling eyes before, and are believed to have become even more monstrous with time, losing their ability to leave their homes due to their fierce evolution making less pressurized waters unlivable, much less the surface.

## Religion

Surface-dwelling Triton believe in a mysterious council of deities simply referred to as “The Deep Ones”. These gods are never given names, and act as an ever-shifting conglomerate of divine purpose. The surface-dwellers believe that after giving the largest share of food to the deep-dwellers, most of that share is offered to The Deep Ones. This is not the case, and the deep-dwellers in fact made up The Deep Ones as yet another way to keep surface-dwellers subservient to them. The deep-dwelling Triton serve no gods but themselves, at least they think themselves gods. The reason Deep Ones are never given names, or specific dominions of control, is so that a deep-dweller does not need to know what other lies have been told to the surface-dwellers, only that The Deep Ones would be mad if not enough food was delivered. It is for this reason that surface-dwelling Triton rarely spend time on land, even if they have the ability to do so. Time spent not hunting or trading is a potential affront to their gods.

**NOTE:** Your Triton may not adhere to these beliefs, and may reject The Deep Ones, but no Triton knows that The Deep Ones are a lie. This is the best kept secret of the seas, so do not have your Triton know things they could not possibly know. Also keep in mind that no matter your reasoning, other Triton will not reject their gods with you. To reject The Deep Ones is to reject your home.