Cecaelia

Cecaelias are curious and social half-octopus creatures with a love of novelty. A short-lived race, cecaelias search for every bit of enjoyment they can draw from life. They take pleasure in new experiences, from trying new land fare to meeting a previously unknown race and exploring unknown waters.
From the waist up, cecaelias resemble humans with agile but muscular builds. Their eye, hair, and skin coloring tends to mimic that of surfacers in nearby communities; this natural adaptive trait allows them to more easily form social bonds with neighbors. Instead of humanoid legs, cecaelias have eight cephalopod tentacles that allow them to move quickly both on land and underwater. Cecaelia tentacles tend toward shades of brown, russet, emerald green, and deep blue, with coral tones on the suckered underside.
Cecaelias are proud but don’t hold themselves above other races, reacting with cautious openness when meeting new people. They’re sensitive to condescension, though, and they anger quickly if they suspect someone is talking down to them. Overly flowery language or flattery can likewise insult them; cecaelias respect those who speak plainly, even if what they have to say is unpleasant.
Cecaelias rarely form large settlements. Cecaelia families with infants and young children band together for protection, remaining in one area. Once the children reach the age of five, they’re considered strong enough to no longer need the protection of a large group; the family then leaves the settlement with the children and resumes its nomadic ways.
Cecaelias often decorate their bodies with tattoos. Cecaelia tattoo artists are valued members of a cecaelia community and create colorful pigments from cephalopod ink, sea plants, and tropical fish. Always seeking new experiences, cecaelias also visit coastal settlements and hail passing ships to trade for tattoo services; a cecaelia sporting a “land drawn” tattoo earns respect and admiration from her peers. Most cecaelias favor swooping, abstract tattoos reminiscent of ocean currents, though some memorialize their adventures or significant life experiences with symbolic images.

Racial Traits As cecaelias are unusual and powerful monstrous creatures, you should play one only with your GM’s permission.

• Ability Scores: +2 Dexterity, +2 Wisdom, –2 Intelligence: Cecaelias are nimble and have a canny insight, but they tend to be flighty.
• Size: Cecaelias are Medium creatures, and they have no bonuses or penalties due to their size.
• Type: Cecaelias are monstrous humanoids with the aquatic subtype. Cecaelias are amphibious and can breathe both air and water.
• Languages: Cecaelias begin play speaking Aquan and Common. Cecaelias with a high Intelligence score can choose from the following: Aklo, Celestial, Draconic, Elven, Giant, Gnome, and Halfling.

Movement & Movement Abilities

• Normal Speed: Cecaelias have no trouble moving about on land using their tentacles and have a base speed of 30 feet.
• Swim Speed: Cecaelias have a swim speed of 40 feet.
• Jet: Cecaelias can swim 200 feet backward as a full-round action. A cecaelia must move in a straight line when jetting and does not provoke attacks of opportunity when she uses jet.

Senses

• Darkvision: Cecaelias have darkvision with a range of 60 feet.
• Tentacle Sense: While swimming and not grappled or grappling, a cecaelia can spread her tentacles wide to form a sensory net around herself as a swift action. This grants blindsight to a range of 10 feet and lasts as long as the cecaelia concentrates or until the cecaelia attacks with a tentacle or moves.

Defensive Abilities

• Natural Armor: Cecaelias have a +2 natural armor bonus.
• Ink Cloud: Once per hour as a standard action, a cecaelia can emit a 10-foot-radius sphere of ink while underwater. This ink cloud provides total concealment and persists for 1 minute.
• Stable Tentacles: Cecaelias cannot be tripped.

Offensive Abilities

• Tentacle Attacks: Cecaelias have two tentacle attacks that deal 1d4 points of damage. These attacks are primary natural attacks and have a reach of 10 feet. This extended reach only applies to the cecaelia’s tentacle attacks and not to any other attacks she makes.

Origin/Ancestry

Ninth Crossing

Lifespan

80