Athamaru

You might..

• Find being alone uncomfortable.
• eat foods others find unpalatable, including mosses and algaes.
• Be distrustful of large civilizations and advanced technology.

Others probably..

• find your appearance scary.
• Become repulsed by your diet.
• Have a major curiosity for underwater mundanities.

Physical descriptor

Athemaru vary from village to village, but most have large fins along their backs, large mouths and glassy fishlike eyes. They are vaguely humanoid but have fins along their limbs. Their heads and necks are usually much wider than other humanoid races, and gives them room to eat large amounts of underwater plankton and wildlife.

Society

Athamaru dwell in spread out villages all along the oceans deeper reefs. They are generally wary of outsiders, and slow to trust; however they form very strong social bonds when they do trust someone. These bonds often involve a ritualistic bonding in which the Athamaru will bring the outsider into their tribe and family as an honorary member. They take these bonds very seriously, and the betrayal of an Athamaru community will result in the distrust and even hatred of following generations for as long as their bloodline remains connected.

Most information in Athamaru villages are kept by Sirens, Tellers of evocative tales. These storytellers weave their oratory with magic and bring the tales to life before the eyes of their audience. These story telling performances are widely considered the most beautiful theatrical performances one can see. The mixture of sound and visual artistry often hypnotizing crowds into passive and placid pupils helping them absorb the information in its entirety. Sirens are responsible for teaching the youth of Athamaru villages.

Each community consists of genetically related Athamaru, typically all born from a single parent. In most settlements, the parent is known as the matriarch and serves as the leader. When this parent nears the end of their life or otherwise stops laying eggs, several Athamaru in the community choose to undergo certain physical changes, including an increase in size, to announce their intention to become the next matriarch. The decision to be considered a matriarch isn't taken lightly, as the eventual leadership role is responsible for the community's survival and continuation. Each community selects their next matriarch from these “hopefuls” in their own way. Such traditions include democratic elections, trials of knowledge, and contests of physicality involving deep diving or riding untamed wildlife.