Ih'araniar

The Ih'araniar are an ancient race of ocean guardians long forgotten by the mortals who reside in the world above the waves. the Ih'araniar have lived in the deepest depths of the ocean for as long as the world have existed and carry their knowledge through special mental link that all family units share. As regions are managed from small family units it is easy to carry on the history of the region meaning no information has ever been lost. When representatives of each family come to meet to discuss things that have been happening in the regions they have all the knowledge they could need to convey that status of that region and all the memories of events over those times.

While one family member is chosen to be the representative for that region, another is chosen to ascend and live on land to keep tabs on what is happening amoung the mortals. They are free to live life the way they wish to while there but are tasked with sending information to the family when they can to ensure people know what is happening. Many who move to the surface will never return to life in the sea, finding it too 'alien' to return to. They have longer lives than humans but happily live on the surface, with many having families, creating half human children with various abilities.

Task

The Ih'araniar were created to be the guardian of the sea and the creatures that live within it. This mostly extends to making sure the oceans are protected to a manageable level and that the creatures within it are as protected as they can be. They are also tasked with being the guards of the great monsters that wish to rise up and take over the surface world. Beings that mortals have given many names are magically sealed in regions of the world where they are maintained by the Ih'araniar, or, in rare cases, used by the Ih'araniar to gain control over a region once more.

All members of the Ih'araniar families can control the monsters in their region through magical markings on their bodies that force the beasts to listen to them. Ih'araniar understand the danger of using these beings for anything other than desperate situations is dangerous as the control they have can be broken and to go against the control of the family can result in the markings becoming useless.

Abilities

▸ Magical Protection that hides their markings from mortals. Can be seen through by kids, animals and some adults.
▸ Ability to breathe in both water and air
▸ Ability to read the air and sea to understand conditions to an extreme level, from understanding upcoming weather (even days in advance) to tidal changes and techtonic shifts.
▸ Appearance Manipulation: Changing hair colour, eye colour, skin pigmentation etc.
▸ Shape Changing: Limited ability to change their forms to better adapt to the situation they are in.
▸ Healing: Mostly used passively by their own body to heal injuries at a quickened rate, this can be channeled into other people to aid their body in healing injuries.
▸ Weather/Sea control: Can affect weather patterns, ocean currents, tide levels, and water in general to a great extent. This is normally only used when needing to prtect or subdue the creatures of the ocean.
▸ Speaking with sea creatures
▸ Controlling the beasts, as mentioned

Threats

While many have forgotten about the Ih'araniar there are still those who seek them through stories passed down in families. Stories of mermaids and sirens are often exaggerated stories of the Ih'araniar. Those aware of anything that they can do often capture and abuse those they believe to be Ih'araniar or their haalf breed children and force them into using their abilities. In some regions this is not a problem at all, in others this is a threat that has family units near extinction.