Otakawa

River-runners, diplomats, and warriors, Otakawa are a friendly sort that stick true to their ideals. They are thought to come from the western reaches of the world, Wom'lai the origin point of most the world's beastfolk. Due to their capabilities in the water and they're propensity to have large families, they are one of the most widespread races in Aldebaran. Particularly prominent in The Whirl, they always stay close to towns and cities near water.
The otterfolk are a very amicable people. They have a charitable sense of community and family, and most otakawa worship the Theotian Yis. Family is one of the most important structures to an otakawa, and those they consider family can extend to the entire populace of a village. When that family is threatened in some way, an Otakawa can become very vicious. Having an innate sense and trained from childhood to wield long pointy sticks, they're just as good at sticking fish as they are their enemies.
Otakawa enjoy hard work, and harder revelry of the holidays. Most try their best at anything they do. The motto of the Otakawa people is, "if you shovel shit, be the best damn shit shoveler there is." Personal aptitude is a little shy as being just as important as family to them. They consider it embarrassing to be just average at what they do, and others of their kind will rib on them if they are.
Despite being a very hardy race, some among them are born with more brains than brawn. Gifted with an ability to see a little more into their surroundings, these individuals receive a sort of minor shunning from their kin. Nothing truly terrible, but physical attributes are more attractive amongst their kind rather than intelligence. That is until they figure out a better method of doing something that should have been obvious.
There aren't many evil otakawa, but if they're isolated enough they can be wary of outsiders to their villages. Some of the tribal otakawas of the realms can be dangerous. Powerful hunters within the rivers, they can contest even iruxi when it comes to local dominance. They're REALLY good with spears too. Even the racial weapons of dwarves and gnomes, they seem to innately understand.
While capable of land movement and living within landlocked regions, an otakawa will quickly become a sad otter in they don't have something to swim in. Their people are naturally nomadic. While they always want a home to return to, most go through a wanderlust phase where they go out and experience the world. Cutting across the seas in ships, drifting along rivers, adventure is a life that suits them naturally. They make for good and trustworthy companions, and quickly consider those in their group as a sort of second family. Very versatile, they make for excellent casters and sturdy warriors. You can't really expect an otakawa to be able to filch something out of a person's pocket or shoot a bow well, but otherwise their talents are vast.

Anatomy

Otakawa are typically dark brown in color, though their undersides recede to gray a bit. They have black and brown eyes, a stunt little muzzle with some whiskers, and a big black nose. They average around 5"4, a little smaller than the average of races. They tend to be stocky though, weighing around 180lbs. They have two stumpy webbed digitigrade legs, and two 4 digit stumpy arms. Their tail is fat and drags along the ground, and they have soft fur.

Otakawa

Type Humanoid/(Mustelid)

Ability Score Modifier +2 Charisma, +2 Intelligence or Constitution, -2 Dexterity

Size medium

Speed 30ft, 40ft. Swim;

Language Otakawa start with three regional languages. Otakawa with high intelligence scores are capable of learning Aklo, Aquan, Draconic, Elven, and Sylvan.

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Racial Traits

• [0 RP] Hold Breath (Ex): Otakawa can hold their breath for four times their Constitution score before risking drowning or suffocating.
• [1 RP] Low-Light Vision (Ex): Otakawa can twice as far as humans in conditions of dim light.
• [1 RP] Swim (Ex): Otakawa are decent swimmers and have a swim speed of 40ft. This confers a +8 racial bonus to Swim checks.
• [0 RP] Otter Empathy: Otakawa receive a +4 racial bonus on Handle Animal towards otters.
• [4 RP] Scent (Ex): Otakawa have an excellent ability to sniff things out and gain the scent ability.
• [1 RP] Bite (Ex): Otakawa have some chompers, gaining a natural bite attack (1d4).
• [2 RP] Skill Focus (Diplomacy): Otakawa are very personable and friendly creatures, gaining a +2 racial bonus on Diplomacy skill checks.
• [3 RP] Spear Trained (Ex): Otakawa are trained from birth in spearplay, and as a result are automatically proficient with polearm-like weapons. Review the polearm and spear fighter weapon groups for examples.

Scientific Name
Luter Hominem
Origin/Ancestry
Mustelid
Lifespan
60-80
Typical Habitat
Around rivers and lakes, they are a social race often found in civilization near port towns as well
Average Physique
Longish thin bodies, average strength, stubbish arms and legs. Fat tail.