Tortarian

Tortairans are the only remaining race of The Laxum, a once peaceful people driven to near extinction. Hundreds of years of desperately struggling to cling onto life in the inhospitable island of Lazak had turned the Tortarians into a hardened culture of warrior survivalist's, relying on tactics and druidic magic to eek out an existence on an island that seemingly wants them dead.

Basic Information

Anatomy

Tortarians are humanoid turtles, protected by a powerful natural shell. Tortarins resemble snapping turtles most closely, in both the shape and the colouration of their heads.

Dietary Needs and Habits

Tortarains eat fish, seaweed, special magical aquatic good berries, and certain kinds of edible coral.

Civilization and Culture

Major Organizations

Tortarians organize themselves around single, leading families, creating a landed gentry. However, due to the poor living conditions of Lazak, there is very little distinguishing the living conditions on either side of the social hierarchy, practically rendering it moot. The head of each settlement is called the Khan, who each have a seat on the Council of Wavekeepers, who work to coordinate the various interests of each settlement and ensure survival for all.
There are three houses, house Archamendon (house words; Knowledge is Power), house Malakis (house words; Mighty is the Maul), and house Sendar (We Have A Kraken).

Beauty Ideals

Tortarian beauty standards are largely based around shell decoration.

Courtship Ideals

Tortarain's mate for life, a daunting prospect for individuals that live upwards of 300+ years.

Major Language Groups and Dialects

Tortarain's largely communicate in Tortarain, a physical language composed of hand gestures known only to Tortarians. The language developed based on their need to communicate quickly under-water. They can speak verbal Aquan and Terran, but their dialect is slow, rough, and most Tortarains have a hard time speaking for long periods of time.

Common Customs, Traditions and Rituals

Tortarians observe several ritualistic traditions which supposedly are able to predict the future, or elsewise gain insight into the chain of causality itself.

Common Taboos

The murder of another Tortarain is the greatest sin to their people, as it is believed to not only be robbing a single individual of a life, but also, the community of their value.
Additionally, Tortarians generally detest the undead, and those touched with the power of Nul. Such beings are viewed interruptions to the natural flow of the universe, breaking the cycle of life and death.

History

Tortarian history was forever changed with the Deluge of Lazak, an event in which an invading force of Akoran's destroyed Lazak's only earth attuned Source Crystal, plunging the island into a never ending series of storms which have rocked the island for centuries.
Torarians were spared a slow death of starvation by the intervention of several individuals with druidic magic. In the centuries that followed, druidic magic became essential to their survival; stimulating the growth of new aquatic plants, summoning and tending to schools of fish, and creating air pockets within which the Tortarian's could sleep and gain a gentle reprieve from the terrors of their own home island.

Historical Figures

Bataar of the Lungs was the druid who discovered how to create Lung Coral, allowing for the Tortarains to survive more easily under water, and create permanent structures. However, Lung Coral does not produce a huge amount of oxygen, meaning it takes a great deal to even render a single structure fit for habitation.

Common Myths and Legends

The Tortarains are a spritual people, believing that the wrold ebbs and flows in cycles, like the currents of a great ocean. Life flows into death which then flows back into life. Souls similarly follow this cycle, drifting upon the currents as spectral jellyfish.

Interspecies Relations and Assumptions

Tortarains are slow to trust outsides, and harbor a special distain for Akoran, whom they blame as a species for the crimes committed against their island and their people.

Lifespan

Tortarians live for upwards of 300 years.

Body Tint, Colouring and Marking

Tortarians are generally green or brown in colour, with spashes of bright red and yellow around their eyes and mouth. Their shells are generally a darker shade of green or brown on the back, but generally lighter towards the front. 
Tortarains are prone to decorating their shells by carving them with runes and illustrations.

"Your people lucked into a land of milk and honey, my people had to survive off of water and stone. You are soft, we are hard." 

Tortarins

ability score increase: +2 CON, +1 WIS

age: 100 years.

Size: Medium

speed: 30ft and 25ft Swim

Languages: Aquan, Primordial, Tortarin

race features:
Hold Breath: You can hold your breath for extended periods of time. After inhaling, you can hold your breath for a number of hours equal to 1 plus your Constitution modifier.
Natural Armour: Due to your shell and the shape of your body, you are ill-suited to wearing armor. Your shell provides ample protection, however; it gives you a base AC of 17 (your Dexterity modifier doesn’t affect this number). You gain no benefit from wearing armor, but if you are using a shield, you can apply the shield’s bonus as normal.
Shell Defense: You can withdraw into your shell as an action. Until you emerge, you gain a +4 bonus to AC, and you have advantage on Strength and Constitution saving throws. While in your shell, you are prone, your speed is 0 and can’t increase, you have disadvantage on Dexterity saving throws, you can’t take reactions, and the only action you can take is a bonus action to emerge from your shell.
Survival Instincts: You gain proficiency in the Survival skill. Tortarians have finely honed survival instincts.