Racial abilitiesMedium Size
Base Speed 30 feet.
Swim 30 feet
Gills (Mer-kin have greater tolerance for leaving water than their aquatic parent, but need to return within 4 hours/point of CON (after that, refer to the suffocation rules on page 88 in the DMG).
Immunity to Sleep spells and similar magical effects
+2 racial saving throw bonus against Enchantment spells or effects.
Low-Light Vision: Mer-kin see three times as far as a human does in starlight, moonlight, torchlight, and similar conditions of poor illumination. They retain the ability to distinguish colors even then, and in better illumination, often have superior color vision to most humans, being able to distinguish more shades of colors than most, just as their aquatic elven parent can. Mer-kin and elves get a -1 bonus to the DC of spotting forgeries and artistic frauds because of this heightened color sense.
NOTE: Most aquatic societies live in shallow water, usually less than 50 feet deep, and often less than 20 feet deep and near shore. Below 50 feet, sunlight is often totally blocked. Members of such races also cannot go too deep, despite being able to breath water, and often may only go about 50 feet deeper than a human before problems of water pressure make traveling even deeper problematic.
+1 racial bonus on Listen, Search, and Spot Check rolls (though they do not have their elven parent's ability to notice secret doors as well).
+2 racial bonus on Listen checks if they are in water, as sound travels better in water.
Aquatic Elven Blood. That is, spells and magic items that affect aquatic elves with also affect Mer-kin.
Deep Sashelas
Deep Sashelas is the Lord of the Undersea and the patron of sea elves, whom he created long ago by modifying Corellon's land-bound creations. Sashelas is a powerfully creative deity who is forever changing the environments below the sea, creating islands and reefs by altering the continental rifts, tinkering with undersea volcanoes, and the like. He is said said to create the deep undersea caverns that the sea elves can use for air-breathing when they wish. Sashelas is also known as the Knowledgeable One, for he provides advice as to where food can be found or the enemies are hidden. The sea elves also claim that Deep Sashelas is the auther of the Chambeeleon, a resplendent spell tome held in the royal vaults of Thunderfoam an age ago but since lost. Followers of other aquatic gods make similar claims.
Deep Sashelas is a member of the Seldarine and remains on good terms with the other elven deities, but he directs most of his efforts towards maintaining an alliance of nonhuman sea powers known as the asathalfinare. While he does not explicitly lead the group, the Lord of the Undersea occupies a pivotal role and mediates many potential conflicts and disagreements. Other members of the asathalfinare include Trishina, the dolphin goddess (who is Sashelas's consort), Surminare, goddess of the selkies, Syranita, goddess of the aarakocra (whose membership is somewhat of an anomoly), Persana, god of the tritons, Eadro, leader of the merfolk and locathah, and the enigmatic Water Lion.
The Lord of the Undersea opposes the machinations of all evil powers of the seas, including Abyssal lords such as Demogorgon and Dagon, as well as those whose followers long ago retreated to the underdark, such as Blibdoolpoolp. Sashelas has a special emnity for Sekolah the Great Shark, the sahuagin god, and for Panzuriel the Enslaver, a dark power worshiped by kraken and other sentient, evil denizens of the ocean depths. The Lord of the Undersea helped banish and weaken Panzuriel long ago. Sashelas respects Panzuriel's growing power, and the Lord of the Undersea considers carefully what steps can be taken to restrain and bind that evil power of the sea bed. Likewise, Sashelas works to contain the evil of the human sea goddess Umberlee, and of late has lent his aid to the human god of sailors, Valkur, as a natural counterweight to Umberlee's burgeoning influence over the seas of Abeir-Toril.
The Lord of the Undersea is a charismatic leader and an inspired creator whose art is everchanging. Unlike the other Seldarine, Deep Sashelas is rarely satisfied with whathe's done nad always seeks to improve it. Deep Sashelas can be fickle and flighty, and there are many myths that involve his amorous exploits with such creatures as mermaids, selkies, mortal sea elven maids, human females, and even one demigoddess, it is rumored. Trisina has some tolerance for such straying, but not too much. Sashelas's fellow Seldarine derive great amusement from Trisina's ability to spot Sashelas's wandering attentions and stymie him, usually by warning off the object of his desire.
Deep Sashelas is very active on Abeir-Toril. His avatars often terraform the undersea environment, although he does not undertake such actions without first consulting other deities with an interest in such matters. He does not overinvolve himself by dispatching avatars to help sea elves in battles, but he will do so if he scents any involvement by Sekolah, and his avatars keep a watchful eye on any unexplained activities that might involve Panzuriel (unusually organized raids by merrow or koalinths, for example). His avatar is 50% likely to be accompanied by an avatar of Trishina unless the avatar has been sent to woo or seduce some pretty female who has attracted his eye. Rarely the avatar may accompany an avatar of another member of the asathalfinare.
Will pick stats and let you know today
-SJ
