Sahuagin, Sea Devils, or Rightful Rulers of the Abyss?

Sahuagin were the natural enemies of Quaren elves and lizardfolk and Sharkhaan. Elves and sahuagin could not co-exist peacefully, and wars between them were often prolonged, bloody affairs that occasionally even interfered with shipping and maritime trade. Sahuagin tolerated the lizardfolk much more than they did the elves. While there are many things in common between the Sharkhaan and Sahuagin, they even revere the same pantheon of Elder Dragons and the Shark god Salokor, the bad blood exists due to the religious reverence and treatment of sharks and other animals and a different take on the creation myth and a different interpretation of their religious beliefs that has caused an unforgivable divide between the two. They also hated the kuo-toa and the morkoth, though it was not unheard of for these races to ally on occasion.
They lived in underwater settlements that also had underground passages and tunnels, which connected the houses above the floor. The palace of the king was always much bigger than any of the other buildings in the area. They also had a very particular way of keeping lore, using what they called singing bundles—conchs and shells supported by bone and sinew. When shaken, they made the clicking and hissing sounds of sahuagin language.
Multiple births were frequent among sahuagin and they dealt very harshly with offspring who were not robust or aggressive enough, eliminating them through compulsory fights to the death between the young. Sahuagin seemed fixated on all aspects of consumption and were eager to weed out anything they saw as weak or unworthy to compete for resources.
When going to war, sahuagin followed a certain protocol called the Laws of Battle. Sometimes however, a group of the sea devils would form a so-called Wild Hunt, which went on a frenzied rampage ignoring all rules.
Savage fighters, sahuagin asked for and gave no quarter; not even to children or babies. They had wide and powerful jaws filled with long, sharp fangs, which they often used in battle. When swimming, a sahuagin tore with its feet or hands, striking with its talons or a weapon. Spears and tridents were their favored weapons, which they often coated in a poison they prepared. About half of any group of sahuagin were also armed with nets that were laced with barbs. Especially when in groups, they rode mantas as a means of transport to assault ships and other vessels.They also used sharks as allies in battle, but the number of sharks they could control was limited to an unknown amount.
When a Shark Priestess has died and there are no Barons to maintain order, it is not unheard of the tribe going into a frenzy to avenge the loss of their leader, even resorting to acts of pure terror to avenge the believed guilty groups.

Basic Information

Anatomy

The sahuagin are a powerful aquatic race. They have a scaly skin of green or brown, with webbed fingers and toes. Their mouths are filled with fangs and breathe through the use of gills. Fins jut out from a sahuagin's head, back, and arms, and a sahuagin has a finned tail. Traditionally, they are much stronger, faster, and smarter than humans.

Biological Traits

Sahuagin were usually green skinned; darker on the back and lighter on the belly. Many had dark stripes, bands, or spots, but these tended to fade with age. Sahuagin were highly fish-like, with webbed feet and hands, gills, and a finned tail. There was additional webbing down the back, at the elbows and, notably, also where human ears would be.Some sahuagin developed towering physiques, reaching 9 feet tall.The larger beings usually rose to higher positions, as the savage nature of the sahuagin enabled challenges to the death for higher status. Females developed specks of yellow on their tails, which would grow in number until the whole tail was of a deep yellow color. At that point, the female was no longer considered fit for mating
Mutations About one in every 216 hatchlings possessed four functional arms. These four-armed mutations were often black, fading to gray in color. While sahuagin usually killed off defective hatchlings, they allowed these to live.
If a sahuagin abode was near a sea elf community or was frequently visited by a sea elf, a strange mutation occurred within the sahuagin clan. About one in every 100 hatchlings appeared to look like a sea elf with greenish-silver skin and green or blue hair. These mutants were called malenti. Malenti were shunned by the clan as whole, but were protected by the clan's ruler and raised as spies by the clans best warriors and the priestesses.

Additional Information

Social Structure

The sahuagin have a clan-based society, with most clans warring with one another with the same zeal they show to assaulting seafaring ships and fishing villages. So far, this internal clan warfare has kept the sahuagin from unifying against the other races of Auriga and the rest of the surface world. They have been known to deal with great creatures of the deep, it has been recorded times where Sahuagin have served great leviathan Elder Dragons or Krakens, even the believed to be extinct Aboleth.

Geographic Origin and Distribution

Coastal and warm climates are the preferred nesting place for Sahuagin tribes, though there are exceptions.

Average Intelligence

Average Sahuagin are smarter than the average human or elf, if given the same academic circumstances it is likely a Sahuagin would figure out the solution first.
The blood rushing adrenaline instinct however can overpower this intellect and cause the Sahuagin to make choices that are not sound.

Perception and Sensory Capabilities

Having extraordinary affinity to the water, sahuagin have access to echolocation and can see in the pitch black darkness of the watery deep.

Civilization and Culture

Average Technological Level

Sahuagin reject all forms of bio energy manipulation, to tap into Auriga's energy is vehemently opposed, only the shark priestesses are allowed to practice and learn how to tap into the natural energies.

Major Language Groups and Dialects

The Sahuagin have created their own sophisticated language, using Aquan as a base structure. The script is a mixture of dwarvish script and human lettering. It is read right to left.

Common Customs, Traditions and Rituals

Sahuagin worshiped Salokor, god of sharks, as their patron deity and the father of their race. They also perceived him as the ultimate adjudicator and incarnation of punishment, officiating over an endless struggle between mythic figures. These figures were the hunter: "He Who Eats", and the hated: "It That Is Eaten", with the struggle between them reflected in every aspect of life. Because of this, sharks were seen as holy creatures to them, and dolphins were hated for their friendship with aquatic elves. The sahuagin made regular, living sacrifices to Salokor by feeding beings to the sharks that followed every sahuagin priest.

History

The origin of the sahuagin have been lost to speculation. It is speculated that when Elves changed to Quaren in the deep sea that some transformed into sahuagin instead. This is a myth though and has no basis in research at this moment. Before the Celestial Flood, the sahuagin have been dipicted in fighting the Delian Order, one of the first knight orders formed in Auriga. The order successfully fought back the sahuagin, but betrayal and plotting behind the scenes led to the Delian Order to be abandoned to the Celestial Flood or to be conquered by the overwhelming aquatic forces.
This was the last noted recording of the sahuagin having any organized force or empire to their own. After the Celestial Flood the sahuagin have been referenced only as small tribes and independent groups. After the Jade Dynasty they have gotten more bold in their raids and attacks on land walkers of the Celestial Sea.

Lifespan

Unknown

Average Height

They range from 6 to 9 feet tall

Average Weight

200+ lbs

Average Physique

Average Sahuagin are stronger than the average Elf or Humanoid folk. A Sahuagin Baron's strength matches an ogre.