Dreugh ("drehk")

Known as the "Altmer of the Sea", the Dreugh are considered one of the most alien and dangerous races in the known world. These beings are part man (or mer, perhaps), part octopus, part crustacean. They have undersea territories spanning the cooler northern waters between the Atmoran Circle and the Tropic of the Apprentice, although some variants are rumored in the frigid Sea of Ghosts, and near the equator.

Kings of the Adjacent Place

The myths of several northern cultures speak of a time when the Dreugh ruled all of Nirn. The mortal races were slaves, subject to their utter cruelty and fed upon as cattle. In those days, they were smarter, and worshipped The Ruddy Man, a crab-like god figure.
One account, found in the Commentaries on the Mysterium Xarxes, a rambling series of treatises by the cult-leader Mankar Camoran, the Dreaugh actually ruled a realm called Lyg, which existed before and in parallel to the current Kalpa. This mythical continent has a long history in esoteric theosophy, described as an inverted imprint of Tamriel, created somehow by accident, and existing in an Adjacent Place where time runs backwards. According to Mankar, Lyg was/will be ultimately destroyed when the Magna-Ge create Mehrunes Godsbody to defend the people from tyrants.
The ocean floor is dotted with possibly artificial constructs made of coral, believed to be the ruins of the Dreugh civilization.

Modern Dreugh

Whatever tragedy befell them, the best tamrielic anthropologists and oceanographers believe that present-day Dreugh have had no long-standing organization for millennia. Once returned to the sea, True Dreugh organize into Schools, loose alliances for mutual protection. These associations break apart and reform freely, typically ending in violence. They generally turn to scavenging to survive. Most tamrielic sea-fishermen have at least one story of a group of Sea-Dreugh swarming their fishing nets.

Life Cycle

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Zoea

Dreugh are hatched from eggs spawned on land. This sub-sapient stage is spent following its Broodmother around, and competing over scraps of meat. Under the broodmother's protection, most will survive to the end of the first year. After this, they are guided into the sea so she can molt. Life underwater is much harsher, as their broodmothers are far less aggressive or watchful, and they are preyed upon by their larger siblings, predators, and even adult Dreugh as food.

Megalopa

At around five years old, surviving hatchlings undergo First Molt, in which they shed and consume their carapace for the first time. At this point, they are extremely vulnerable, and will find someplace dark and hidden to complete their growth. They undergo rapid mutation, and in a matter of days, will emerge as heavily reinforced Megalopa, or moltlings. They develop human-like intelligence over the coming months, experimenting and learning how to exist and defend themselves beyond instinct. Although their broodmother has left them, she will have hid Fol'rha, sigils with complex meanings throughout the nursery area. If they are intelligent, a moltling will deduce the meanings of the Fol'rha, and learn about the wider ocean, and may even learn the beginnings of magic before venturing out on their own.
Megalopa can exist on land, but most prefer to stay at sea to avoid the wrath of the Land Dreughs.

Land Dreugh

Sometimes called "Billies" by Bretons, Land Dreugh are their spawning phase. At around 18-20 years old, Dreughs will again molt, and undergo Karvinasim. Once their carapaces are again regenerated, Land Dreughs will head directly onto land in search of a mate, killing and devouring any living thing that stands in its way. The males are frenzied and cannot be considered sapient. Females retain enough intelligence to avoid encounters with the tamrielic races when possible, but will use shock spells to stun and overwhelm any that threatens her. Males will mate and move on several times during their land year, while females will find a secluded spot to lay their eggs, and then protect them with her life. The primary threat to a Broodmother's eggs are any males who did not contribute to their genetic makeup.

Ruddy Broodmother

Some female Dreugh become Ruddy Broodmothers, a form of Land Dreugh that retains their full intelligence, and may never become a Sea Dreugh. Due to their mind, Ruddy Broodmothers become the most dangerous form of Dreugh encountered on land. They may have several litters over a lifetime, or forgo mating in pursuit of other goals. They molt and mutate every year, but never to the point of becoming a distinct creature, and may live on land or in the sea.

True Dreugh

The final form of most Dreugh who survive into adulthood. When the madness of Karvinisim subsides after approximately one year, Land Dreughs return to the sea where they again molt and mutate. Called Sea Dreughs by sailors, True Dreughs have humanoid forms to varying degrees, molting and mutating randomly every few years. Most have legs or tentacles, some will have multiple arms with hands, claws, or spear-like tips. These Dreugh form enclaves called "Schools" with varying survival tactics and cultures. True Dreugh who are careful and lucky can live to be around 200 years old.

Dreugh Lord

The deeper into the sea a Dreugh travels, the more dangerous it becomes. For reasons unknown, some Dreugh are drawn to the dark later in life. Instead of growing old, they enter a new phase of being. Dreugh Lords are powerful beings, each with a unique shape. Larger, smarter, and more calculating than the rest of their kind, Dreugh Lords will sometimes resurface from the deep sea as warlords, kings, or sages, and can survive an extra 200 years in this form.

Ruddy Lord

Almost unknown in the sea is the ancient Ruddy Lord. A vision of the Ruddy Man Himself, and in many ways take on the same mantle, these beings live seemingly indefinitely within the darkest trenches of Nirn. Through unknown means, they enthrall lesser beings, and use them to work subtle influence on the politics of the sea. They say a land dweller killed one once, but it possessed the body of an elf, and wore its own carapace as armor. There may only be one of these beings at any time. It may actually be the same soul in different bodies. No mortal being has ever lived to tell with its mind in tact.

Dreugh Traits

As a True Dreugh, you possess the following traits:

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Ability Score Increase

You have +2 to your Constitution and Dexterity scores, and -2 to your Charisma score.

Age

The Dreugh lifecycle is in distinct stages, each with their own spans that can vary greatly depending on environmental factors like temperature, serenity, etc. Most males die after spawning on land due to their overwhelming aggression at that stage. It is unknown what causes the rare further stages after Sea Dreugh. Most will decline, starting around age 150 unless they evolve.

• Zoea - 0-7 years
• Megalopa - 5-20 years
• Land Dreugh - One year, between the ages of 18 and 20
• Ruddy Broodmother, 20-200 years
• Sea Dreugh - 21-200 years
• Dreugh Lord - 150-350 years
• Ruddy Lord - 300+ years

Alignment

Dreugh treat their enemies with merciless cruelty, and their friends with betrayal. Although not a monolith, the cold, unforgiving sea leaves little room for compassion, let alone hierarchy. They are most often Neutral or Chaotic Evil.

Size

During the Sea Dreugh stage, they range between 6 to 10 feet long. Your size is Medium

Speed

Your base walking speed is 30 feet, although many Sea Dreugh are no longer equipped to travel on land. Your swimming speed is 40 feet.

Languages

Dreugh do not have any organized instruction as children. They rarely learn Tamrielic languages. You speak Dreghla, a language of resonant intonation underwater. You can also read the Fol'rha, meaningful glyphs inscribed in hidden places. There are over 19,000 possible Fol'rha, but their meanings may be gleaned from a combination of simple component features.

Parent ethnicities

• Beastfolk