Myr ("Mur")
Myr (or Myrduna) are the Daiduna of the waters, commonly called “Riverfolk” by other races. They are an amphibious race that thrives in any freshwater, though they do not need to dwell in water to survive.
Physical Characteristics
Myr average about 3 feet tall and weigh about 40 pounds. They are sleek bodied and slim, and possess fish and amphibian-like traits, such as fins, webbed feet and gills. No two Myr have the exact same traits – some appear more froglike or newtlike, while others appear more piscine. Their skin color ranges between white, blue and gray, though in some more forested or swampy areas some stray into green skin color. Most Myr have spotting or highlights of color, sometimes quite vibrant, around their gills, eyes, earholes or webbing. Myr sex is difficult for other races to identify. Myr have a total of six sexes, due to unique adaptations that allow them to thrive in any freshwater environment. Myr sport colored marking, mentioned above, that identifies the sex of the Myr to other Myr. Myr are staunch defenders of any any body of water, especially that of their home water, which they often refer to as their Mother River or Mother Lake. Myr can swim in salt water, but they are unable to breath in it without magical assistance. Socially, Myr are a bit naive, making interactions with other races intriguing and often confusing. Most Myr are good natured and friendly, and oftentimes don’t understand why other people are not equally as friendly. A typical Myr community lives under the guidance of a small council comprising officials appointed by consensus. Council positions can be held indefinitely, though a community unhappy with the performance of a council member can call for her resignation. Intermarriage in Myr communities is common, with children raised communally. A fair amount of regional diversity exists in Myr culture, as influenced by the specific ancestry of independent settlements. Myr sometimes may marry other Myr from outside their own communities. Myr communities rely primarily on trade, giving them ample opportunity to interact with a diverse range of other races and foreigners. They often establish neighborhoods within the settlements of other races along bodies of water, and if adequate respect is given to Myr and the water they thrive in they get along easily. Myr communities do what they can to retain their autonomy, and think of themselves as outside human laws, and beholden only to their community.Outside the Water
Myr are land-dwelling and aquatic, though most prefer to spend their time in the water. Some Myr have trouble sleeping outside of water, as they tend to rest floating upright and lying down can feel unnatural. Some Myr suffer from Insomnia when they stay on land too long, and many develop elaborate rituals to get a good night’s sleep, such as insisting on cold temperatures or complete darkness. Some may dampen their bedroll with water, taking comfort in the cool and clammy feel of the fabric. Water is incredibly harsh on most dry materials, but Myr have several materials upon which they rely frequently: eel skin, shells, stone, woven kelp, and similar materials are all practical and useful underwater. Coral, not native to the freshwater Myr dwell in, is especially treasured and valued much like precious stones. Myr who dwell on the surface more, such as those that live in-land or travel inland often wear very little compared to their human neighbors- a pair of shorts, a tight-fitting top and sandals, and often light woven cloak of linen or wide-brimmed hat to cut down on the sunlight.Religion
Myr’s principle interests lie in the welfare of their community and their moral concerns focus upon the health of their community and upon the water they live near. While not deeply religious, Myr practice a form of supernatural ancestor worship and shamanism, praying to and worshiping the natural world itself. Rather than focus on deities, Myr pay tribute to spirits that live in the things around them and influence their lives, with no greater spirits than those of the waters.Basic Information
Anatomy
Myr are bipedal, humanoid amphibians that appear to be related to salamanders or newts. They have soft, shiny skin that varies in color. Adults do not have a tail, but their neonates do.
Biological Traits
Myr are staunch defenders of any any body of water, especially that of their home water, which they often refer to as their Mother River or Mother Lake. Myr can swim in salt water, but they are unable to breath in it without magical assistance.
Socially, Myr are a bit naive, making interactions with other races intriguing and often confusing. Most Myr are good natured and friendly, and oftentimes don’t understand why other people are not equally as friendly.
Myr communities rely primarily on trade, giving them ample opportunity to interact with a diverse range of other races and foreigners. They often establish neighborhoods within the settlements of other races along bodies of water, and if adequate respect is given to Myr and the water they thrive in they get along easily. Myr communities do what they can to retain their autonomy, and think of themselves as outside human laws and beholden only to their community.
Myr are land dwelling and aquatic, though most prefer to spend their time in the water. Some Myr have trouble sleeping outside of water, as they tend to rest floating upright and lying down can feel unnatural. Some Myr suffer from Insomnia when they stay on land too long, and many develop elaborate rituals to get a good night’s sleep, such as insisting on cold temperatures or complete darkness. Some may dampen their bedroll with water, taking comfort in the cool and clammy feel of the fabric.
Genetics and Reproduction
Sex chromosomes in most amphibians are homomorphic (undifferentiated) in both sexes and are characterized by frequent turnover. This is in sharp contrast to sex chromosomes in 2 major vertebrate groups, the mammals and birds, where they are heteromorphic in one sex and are highly conserved. Sex-determining mechanisms in anuran amphibians, particularly in relation to the turnover of sex-determining genes and sex chromosomes, are summarized and their evolution is discussed.
A single Myr is either a fertilizer (X chromosome), oviparous ( U chromosome, egg-laying) or viviparous (y Chromosome, live-bearing) – and each Myr may have one or two of these characteristics. Oviparous species lay eggs that develop and hatch outside the mother’s body with no parental care after the eggs are laid. Viviparous Myr are aplacental (lacking a placenta), and their embryos rely primarily on a yolk-sac for nutrition during gestation.
| Chromosome | x | y | u |
| X | Xx | Xy | Xu |
| Y | Yx | Yy | Yu |
| U | Ux | Uy | Uu |
Growth Rate & Stages
Upon hatching, fledgling Myr quickly develop functional arms and legs, starting life with somewhat underdeveloped limbs. Over the first year of life, Myr fledglings develop air-breathing lungs and become become more brightly colored during this time. Once fully metamorphosised, they leave the water and live a terrestrial/amphibious life, though young Myr ("neonates") in their first 10 years tend to spend more of their time in water. Around a Myr's 10th year, their motivating tail falls off.
Myr require moisture to keep their skin wet and prevent dryness and cracking, and young Myr are more prone to his skin condition. The years following a Myr's first decade see them fully metamorphosed into their final form, a bipedal humanoid amphibian with a varied appearance, often newt-like, frog-like, or fish-like.
Civilization and Culture
Major Organizations
A typical Myr community lives under the guidance of a small council comprising officials appointed by consensus. Council positions can be held indefinitely, though a community unhappy with the performance of a council member can call for her resignation.
Beauty Ideals
Water is incredibly harsh on most dry materials, but Myr have several materials upon which they rely frequently: eel skin, shells, stone, woven kelp, and similar materials are all practical and useful underwater. Coral, not native to the freshwater Myr dwell in, is especially treasured and valued much like precious stones.
Myr who dwell on the surface more, such as those that live in-land or travel inland often wear very little compared to their human neighbors- a pair of shorts, a tight fitting top and sandals, and often light woven cloak of linen or wide brimmed hat to cut down on the sunlight.
Gender Ideals
Gender as a concept among the Myr can be difficult for many other species to understand, much less recognize. The existence of nine distinct sexual biologys amongst the Myr, coupled with their mercurial social structures, has lead to many misinterpretations of what "gender" even means to the Myr.
Most Myr view gender an arbitrary and unnecessary limitation invented by other species for unknown reasons. While some Myr may wear clothing determined to be "male" or "female" in human society, this is often a pantomime of gender that a Myr may perform to "fit in" with human societies - Myr living in purely Myr societies often wear little in the way of clothing, as it inhibits free movement through water.
Relationship Ideals
Intermarriage in Myr communities is common, with children raised communally. A fair amount of regional diversity exists in Myr culture, as influenced by the specific ancestry of independent settlements. Myr often create permanent relationships with Myr from outside their own communities.
Major Language Groups and Dialects
Riverfolk write very little, so they don’t have a rich body of literature, but what they do write uses the Daiduna script, though they have their own language. Myr language does not have gendered pronouns for anything - people, objects, etc are usually referred to with a sound not dissimilar to a human glottal stop, produced by the puckering of a gill-apparatus.
The Myr oral tradition is very strong. Almost all riverfolk speak Common to converse with the people in whose lands they dwell or through which they are traveling.
Common Customs, Traditions and Rituals
Myr’s principle interests lie in the welfare of their community and their moral concerns focus upon the health of their community and upon the water they live near. While not deeply religious, Myr practice a form of supernatural ancestor worship and shamanism, praying to and worshiping the natural world itself. Rather than focus on dieties, Myr pay tribute to spirits that live in the things around them and influence their lives, with no greater spirits than those of the waters.
Ability Score Increase: Your Dexterity score increases by 2.
Size: Myr’s average about 3 feet tall and weigh about 40 pounds. Your size is Small.
Speed: Your base walking speed is 25 feet. Your swim speed is 40.
Lucky: When you roll a 1 on the d20 for an Attack roll, ability check, or saving throw, you can reroll the die and must use the new roll.
Amphibious: You can breath underwater. You can breathe air just as well. You are considered proficient for any Athletics check that applies to swimming.
Riverfolk Nimbleness: You can move through the space of any creature that is of a size larger than yours.
Languages: You can speak, read, and write Common and Aquan. Riverfolk write very little, so they don’t have a rich body of literature, but what they do write uses the Daiduna script. Their oral tradition is very strong. Almost all riverfolk speak Common to converse with the people in whose lands they dwell or through which they are traveling.
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