Selkie are intelligent sealfolk who live in the shallow waters surrounding Esterfell. For many centuries, their true nature was unknown by landbound peoples, often being attributed to fish tales passed around by sailors.
Unlike some therianthropic societies, selkies do not favor one of their forms over another; rather, both their seal and person shapes are equally natural and part of their being. A selkie will happily and readily switch forms depending on where they might be headed and what they're trying to accomplish, and is as comfortable bobbing in the water as sleeping in soft bedding. To a selkie, changing forms is akin to putting on a thick coat to endure a winter storm, or changing into lighter attire to enjoy the sun's warming rays.
In fact, the act of this transformation involves a literal shedding of skin akin to modifying one's apparel. Taking a person form is as simple as removing the pelt of one's seal form, and wearing it again likewise is all that is needed to become a seal again. The skin of a selkie's seal form is an innate part of their body magically connected to their psyche, such that anyone else coming into possession of such a skin becomes the sole fixation of the selkie. Many a selkie has become wrapped up in problematic romantic entanglements founded in the theft or accidental acquiring of their skin, but these relationships tend to be short-lived or doomed, as the selkie will happily depart once they are able to get their skin back and return to the seas.
Selkies occupy narrow stretches of shoreline bordering sea, and can happily thrive in either environment. They are most often found in colder climates, as the thick hides and blubber of their seal forms allow them to dive to icy depths in their search for prey.
Selkie families immigrated to Esterfell alongside the early human tribes, hiding their nature by maintaining their person forms while in transit. Many took up residence in the lagoon at the center of Malagwa, enjoying the solitude and finding kinship with the native Malagwan seals. Most selkies stuck with familial groups outside of landfolk society, though some formed loose congregations with other selkie families via large pods. Some selkies also took to the northern coasts of Esterfell and helped to form the nation of Xiahulia, though their need for air means they rarely traverse the depths of the society's underwater communities.
- Creature Type: Fey
- Size: Medium (5-6 feet tall)
- Speed: 30 feet (halved in seal form), swim 20 feet (doubled in seal form) (Selkie Skin)
- Resistances: Cold (Aquatic Fortitude)
- Senses: Darkvision 60 feet, Blindsight 5 feet (seal form) (Selkie Skin)
- Life Span: 70-80 years on average
As a selkie, you have these special traits.
Aquatic Fortitude. A life spent traversing the icy ocean depths has given you a hardy resilience. You gain Resistance to Cold damage, and while you are not wearing armor, your Armor Class equals 12 + your Constitution modifier.
Friend of the Sea. You can communicate simple ideas to any Beast that has a Swimming Speed using sounds and gestures, and you can understand the creature in kind.
Hold Breath. You can hold your breath for 30 minutes.
Selkie Skin. You can use your action to don your selkie skin and shape-shift into your seal form, or doff it to shape-shift into your person form, which resembles a human (or the species of a non-selkie parent). Your statistics are the same in your seal form except for where noted in your selkie traits, as well as the following changes:
- Your Walking Speed is halved, and your Swimming Speed is doubled.
- Your whiskers grant you Blindsight to a distance of 5 feet.
- You have advantage on Wisdom (Perception) checks that rely on smell.
- You are unable to speak, and you cannot perform actions that require hands.
- Bite. You have sharp teeth that you can use to make Unarmed Strikes. When you hit with it, the strike deals 1d6 + your Strength modifier Piercing damage, instead of the Bludgeoning damage normal for an Unarmed Strike.
While you are in either your seal or person form using this trait, you are considered to be in your true form. Any equipment you are wearing or carrying, including your selkie skin, merges into your seal form.
While your selkie skin is not merged into your form, it is a wondrous magic item with AC 11 and 3 Hit Points. The skin is destroyed if on a separate plane of existence from you. If another creature Attunes to your selkie skin, you are Charmed by that creature until the Attunement ends, and no spell or other effect can remove this charm. If your skin is destroyed, you grow a replacement skin after you complete a Long Rest.