Deep Ones

Deep Ones

Subclass: Demihumanoids

*“…and gazing down into the dark abyss of churning*
water, I found, to my horror, that I could make out the shapes of creatures far
below, gazing back…”

*Master Howard Phillips, of the R.B.G.H*

The ocean covers most of our world, and even in this
time of discovery we know very little about life within the depths. Sailors and
fishermen are notoriously superstitious, partly because there might be
practically anything hiding under the waves. Some of these superstitions have
gained traction through the Law of Belief, creating beings such as merfolk and hippocampi,
but when speaking of the Deep Ones it is impossible to know if they themselves
were spawned from the Law or merely augmented in numbers, strength and power by
it.

The Deep Ones are fish-like humanoids, usually between
five and nine feet tall, with females being the bigger of the two. They possess
two arms and two legs, with long, thin, webbed digits of a variable number,
though usually at least three on each limb. Their limbs are long, in contrast
to their trunky, stout torsos and neckless heads. The head is much like a cross
between a humanoid and a predatory fish, with large, unblinking eyes. They possess
gills and lungs, and can thus survive both in and out of water, but prefer the
wet for ease of breathing, protection and the fact that their scaly skin
quickly dries up when removed from any wetness. There is a significant
difference in size, proportions and unnatural abilities between individual Deep
Ones, even among those who share a parent or sibling.

However, the most interesting, and horrifying, ability
of the Deep Ones is their prodigious fertility. They possess the ability to
interbreed with sapient humanoids, to form offspring which are born looking
like the non-Deep One parent, but grow up to slowly metamorphose into a true
Deep One. Typically, it takes at least three decades for the change to be
noticeable, meaning these half breed are supremely useful as diplomats,
merchants, spies or assassins should the Deep Ones ever require anything from
the surface. The metamorphosis can be halted with powerful magic, but not
reversed, thus leaving even unwilling half breed little option but servitude.

If not killed by outside means, Deep Ones are
biologically immortal, simply growing larger and more powerful with age. It is
unknown exactly how large the most ancient of the Deep Ones can grow, for they
are known to retreat into the darkest depths once they grow above a certain
size. Deep One hybrids tend to grow slower, but are otherwise virtually
indistinguishable from true born deep ones when fully metamorphosed.

The Deep Ones inhabit cities built from coral and
rock, which few surface dwellers have seen. They traditionally worship their
own god, Father Dagon, who is a god of the sea, fertility and conquest, often
associated with storms and whirlpools. Disciples of Dagon can generally be
found in most coastal cities, as the god grants his priests abilities like
breathing water and predicting the weather, as well as calling forth bountiful
amounts of fish into the nets of the believers. Dagon asks for repayment for
these services, however; generally either by gifting his children the Deep Ones
with surface goods, or by breeding with Deep Ones to create hybrid offspring.
The Deep ones themselves are generally disinclined to the arcane arts, but
there are some outliers who practice, mainly hydromancy and teleportation. The
Deep One priests are called Stormcallers, and they are treated like lords, very
rarely leaving their cities in the deep.

Deep Ones are rarely seen far from the coast, but have
been known to sometimes travel up rivers to trade with cities further inland.
Given the fertility and longevity of the Deep Ones, there is a sizable number
of the population who support a hostile takeover of surface lands, and it is
not unheard of for these renegades to gather into warbands and raid the
settlements of the surface.

When dealing with the Deep Ones, diplomacy is your
best option until you can ascertain whether your enemy is acting with the
support of the whole of Deep society. If not, you may safely dispatch of the
enemies, for the Deep Ones are eminently pragmatic and care little for their
own. When fighting Deep Ones, fire is an excellent option, as they hold a deep
seated fear of the flames. Close combat should be avoided, as they possess
great strength and endurance, and thus firearms or flaming arrows might be the
best option in battle. Greek Fire is, of course, an option.

 ONE
 PERCEPTION: 5–14
 DEXTERITY: 7–15
 CONSTITUTION: 12–17
 INTELLIGENCE: 6-16
 WISDOM:
 8–16
 CHARISMA:
 5–13
 ·
 WATERBREATHING