Dreadfolk

Dreadfolk are a race of amphibious humanoids native to the Trinary Sanctum. They are able to live for around 200 years. They are omnivores, however they rarely eat meat other than fish. They typically have dark skin tones, ranging from greens and blues, to the rare pure black. They have various red markings around their bodies.

## Appearance

Dreadfolk have dark skin which can range from blue to green. Rarely pure black skin tones have been observed, known as Abysism. All Dreadfolk have dark red birthmarks of various shapes and sizes all over their bodies. Some may only have one or two, some may be nearly pure red, but most are somewhere in between. There will always be markings around the eyes and at least one finger. They are rather short, ranging from 4'2" - 5'11"

Dreadfolk have slender torsos with skinny legs, but huge arms. Their feet are long and webbed, being where most of the Dreadfolks' swimming speed comes from. Their large arms were used for combat, though they weren't particularly effective and thus the Dreadfolk had to rely almost entirely on their magic to fight. They have four large fingers akin to tentacles on each hand. Their face and stomachs have gills, making 14 in total.

Additionally, large fins can be seen on either side of their heads. They are typically a different color than the rest of the body, with the exception of those with Abysism. They serve very little purpose in the water and are useless on land, leading them to become a common place for body modifications such as piercings.

Dreadfolk have small mouths as they originally were intended for eating small plants and fish. Their eyes are black with their iris being split in two halves.

## Culture

Dreadfolk culture has changed drastically over their recorded history. In their earliest recordings, tradition was highly valued. While still prevalent today, they are much more open to outsiders than in the past.

### History

The history of the Dreadfolk is integral to the history of the Trinary Sanctum. They were the first to be coerced by the mysterious trickster and so the first to receive their magical abilities. After receiving their abilities and having their lake dried up, they would begin to search for a new home. Having never left their old home, however, they vowed to return one day and return it to it's former glory, refilling it. They would wander for several years, creating small settlements in various other lakes throughout the country. Around the year 1451, nearly one hundred fifty years after they left, they received a call from the trickster to return to their old home. It took the closest settlements mere days to arrive, seeing thousands of Borrck surrounded by hundreds of dead Schenn. They would first attempt to strike a small hunting party, but were defeated by the Borrck known as Houffh. Thus began the almost five and a half centuries of war.

### Diet

In the past, Dreadfolk ate almost exclusively underwater plants, with a small amount of fish. Algae farming was and still is a very common profession among Dreadfolk. Algae grown deep underwater is considered a delicacy.

## Perception Magic

Perception Magic grants the ability to influence others' perception of the world. Whether by making them hallucinate or creating the illusion of pain, Perception Magic is thought to be the most powerful of the Three Gifts. Dreadfolk can cast Perception Magic on multiple people at once, if they are powerful enough, although it weakens the effect. Making oneself invisible to someone is typically the first spell that young Dreadfolk learn. The hardest spells are those that cause or alleviate pain. It is nearly impossible to use these spells on multiple people at once without significantly dulling the effect, typically to the point that it would be useless.

## Etymology

The name Dreadfolk was given to the race by The Trickster at the same time they were granted it's other gifts. The Trickster chose it because it felt Aarynysst Daarh, having Abysism, was a frightening looking creature. The word for Dreadfolk in Ghmertongue is "sashineli khalkhi".