Shalarin

Shalarin also known as fishfolk, are a race of humanoids who live in the depths of the oceans. Their body is resistant to water pressure found at the bottom of the ocean. They were able to comfortably descend to 2,400 feet (730 meters) and able to function at even greater depths for short periods of time. Very few creatures were able to surpass them, namely Tritons, Krakens and some Whales.

Shalarin are hairless humanoids with smooth skin like that of a dolphin. They arethe same general shape as humans or elves, although they are closer to the lithe elven body type. Both genders were generally around 6 feet (1.8 meters) tall, with elongated fingers and toes and webbing between the digits. Most adult Shalarin have a lighter-colored dorsal fin that rises from the bridge of their nose back across their skull and down their spine to their tailbone. The tip of the fin is about 1 foot (0.3 meters) on top of their head and fans out for 2 feet (0.61 meters) behind them at the shoulder. The colored markings on these fins clearly show which caste an individual belongs too. Should a Shalarin become a magic user, their fins and webbing would take on a permanent glow. While most Shalarin were a silvery color, they could also be a wide range of other colors including ivory, red, orange, midnight blue, or jade. Bronze was noted to be an unusual and highly attractive coloration. Their eyes were dark and had no iris.

Like most aquatic races, Shalarin rarely wore clothes due to the drag it created while swimming. Most wore nothing more than a belt or harness made of woven kelp, sea snake skin, or eelskin. These would be used to carry necessary weapons or equipment. Shalarin nobles would sometimes wear clothes while at court as a mark of status, but these were generally very sheer and silky.

Shalarin breathed through gills located on their torsos. They took in water at their shoulders near the collarbone, and exhaled through slits along their rib cage. They could not survive for long out of the water.

While many aquatic humanoids retained eyes like those of surface races, Shalarin had eyes more like fish and cetaceans, being completely black or, more rarely, a very dark blue or purple. They had a nictitating membrane that cleaned and protected their eyes. This membrane automatically receded when there was enough light to see a short distance without it. Living at some of the deepest and therefor darkest depths of the ocean, their eyes were very sensitive to light. Even on a cloudy day the light of the sky was uncomfortable to them, and full sunlight was blinding. As such they would not happily approach the surface during daylight hours. They were known to wear goggles if expecting to travel to the ocean's surface.

Shalarin were oviparous, laying eggs instead of giving live birth.

In contrast to the Tritons, who tend to build great cities, Shalarin prefer life in seclusion, living in small family groups in large caverns at the bottom of the sea. They shy from the Lawful society of the Tritons, preferring to stick their survival hunting instincts in the depths.

Very few Shalarin become magic users, instead prefer to relay on stealth, subterfuge, poison and rage weapons to fight.

While generally staying out of the Tritons way, the Shalarin benefit much from proximity to Tritons. Their are their main source for trade, as the Tritons live deep enough for the Shalarin to be comfortable around and the Tritons can more freely swim to the shallower waters, and even the surface, while also providing the Shalarin with weapons, armor and other war tools. In return Shalarin use their excellent darkvision to mine precious metals and gems for the Tritons.

Conflict between Shalarin and other races are rare, as they are mostly a peaceful race who would rather avoid conflict by swimming to a safer place.