Oceanid
Oceanids are a type of fey who travel the coasts, often
bringing music and merriment in their wake. They are
most well known for their fascination with humanoids
and largely take on forms that mimic handsome male
members of these races. Oceanids adore beauty of all
kinds but personally lack subtlety. They are invariably
flashy, dressing in brightly-colored clothing and heavily
adorning themselves in jewelry.
Mutable Shapes. Oceanids are shapeshifters who
typically take forms that are almost physically indistinguishable from male humanoids. An oceanid rarely
assumes a single guise for more than a month or two at
a time, but he may revisit an identity later on. Many bear
minor tells that go largely unnoticed, such as too-green
eyes or sweat that smells too closely of ocean brine.
Though they may lack “true forms,” oceanids sometimes
also appear as creatures akin to water elementals, albeit
in a closer approximation of human shape.
Tricksters of the Shore. Oceanids spend much of
their time tricking and playing pranks upon mortals.
These tricks are usually harmless, but they can be
infuriating. A common example of an oceanid prank is
to exchange jewelry for other valuable trinkets—items
that soon crumble into sand once the oceanid takes his
leave. However, some oceanid pranks can turn fatal,
often in the form of drownings. In another favorite
oceanid prank, the oceanid lures his target into dangerous currents with illusory calm waters.
Although some oceanids are indeed malicious, any
deaths resulting from their pranks are usually unintentional. Oceanids can be poor judges of mortal swimming ability and lead victims to their dooms in their
ignorance. When such a fate befalls an object of an
oceanid’s affections, he may become so overcome with
grief that he dissolves into seafoam.
Consummate Musicians. Like many fey creatures,
oceanids have a fondness for music and are skilled
players of lutes, lyres, and other stringed instruments. Many oceanids delight in sharing their expertise with humanoids, and their pupils often go on to
become famous bards. Although not always a means
of enchantment, some oceanids use their songs to
magically attract mortals to the shore. Such lures are
often necessary, as oceanids begin to lose their mental
faculties if they stray too far inland. However, their
intentions for doing so vary: one oceanid may simply
want an audience, while another may seek to draw in
new victims for his pranks.
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