Aarongar (5e Race)
Aarongar
| “ | One can't blame them for savagery, knowing just what madness gave birth to them. | ” |
Squaline
Aarongar are fish humanoids born of experimentation. They have a pointed shark head and a large dorsal fin. They have only a thick trunk of a neck which connects to their human-like torso. They have thick humanoid arms ending with webbed hands Their legs are thick and stumpy and their feet are the thick end of a flipper. They have only a small bit of a tailbone rather than a tail. Aarongar bodies are completely covered in smooth sharkskin, with colors ranging from albino, blue, grey and black, and always have white undersides. Their eyes are that of a shark but can be a variety of colors, like a human iris. They also have tongues, unlike a shark.
Out Of Madness
The aarongar are a race of fish-human hybrids created by a wizard diseased with madness. Combining human subjects with forcefully accumulated shark essences, the wizard conducted many a painful experiment on poor vagabonds kidnapped off the street for his own maddened amusement. He was honestly quite successful and turned many a poor sap into a weird monstrous mix of the two. Early creations did not live long, however, and many died from the conditions they were kept in. This did not bother the madman, as he simply continued to create more, with accumulating success. These experiments were carried on long even after the wizard died, as his works found willing ears within the reaches of dark circles. Disciples decided these creatures would be perfect enslaved soldiers for their dark armies.
As a result of the experimentation taking a militaristic turn, later generations of aarongar grew more and more fearsome, as well as wily. This should have been a clear warning sign, but the wizards, instead of destroying this monstrosity, continued to create them, even making so many that they would number well in the hundreds. Their minds were not so enslaved as the wizards had thought, for their wiliness helped them to appear servile, when in fact they plotted to escape this hell of an origin. With their numbers, they rose and slaughtered their masters in one fell coordinated swoop. Free, they broke out of the arcane laboratories which held them and spilled forth into the world like a newborn scourge. The original mad wizard rumoredly planned this as a lasting curse on the world, having broken so many lives to create these creatures. They would continue to mindlessly procreate and spread their numbers, having just the bestial instinct to do so.
The aarongar spread and sowed and reaped their seed crop many a time and their population swelled. People fled at the sight of this newfound monstrosity and initially could not combat it appropriately. This came as an alarm to many human kingdoms, who saw how these creatures were quite vicious and rabid. Thus, many kings and generals put their heads together and allied to staunch the threat. They launched an all-out crusade against the hordes. Aarongar, while capable on land, fare far lesser than they would in water, their main element. The wizard had originally kept his creations housed by the shores, but their population had pushed them inland, hopping along bodies of rivers and swamps. Outside of these encampments, they were slaughtered in droves. They were no match for the lightning magic which human wizards often used to destroy their grotto nurseries, as well as drive them out of the waters.
They were cut off from the sea and pincered on land. A majority of aarongar died to the human crusade against them, the remainder fleeing and regrouping like rats in inland bodies of water. It is believed this threat of extinction brought their wiliness once more to the surface from the muck of instinct in their scarred minds, the same wiliness which saved them from eternal slavery. As they licked their wounds and slowly regrew their numbers in hiding, they made parlay with other ostracized races, like drows and tieflings. From them, they learned of many things, like religion and magic.
As time passed outside their exile, people spoke dismissively of "that land shark freak invasion," and thought little more of it. It was not considered something particularly worthy of boasting, unlike triumph in war. Many forgot of the aarongar, and other shark races like coyouin and selachin bought a newer, friendlier face to the table for all squaline beings. Aarongar could now step out from the shadows of their past, as most of the original experiments died off, leaving offspring who, though bearing still some instinctive urges, had better chances to survive in the outside world.
An Evolution
Most aarongar live in swampy lands, unclaimed by anyone, or abandoned due to their poor livability. Some may live in saltwater areas where food is plentiful. They eat smaller fish and animals, and often spend their time hunting in packs. Aarongar society is likewise to that of a primitive tribe. They originally functioned like apes, with the alpha male simply procreating with all the woman. However, the need to organize against impending destruction changed this, forcing them to evolve into a more civilized society where the roles for survival came to be divided. The hierarchy of a typical aarongar tribe goes: chieftain, heir, soldier/healer, priestess, fishers/farmers/guards/tradesmen, peasants, housewives. Roles are often based on sex. The chieftain has children with the women of the tribe who are healthy and have proven their fertility. Upon reaching their own maturity, the aarongar males participate in a ritual to move to manhood. Each goes through a trial, finally reaching a clearing in the woods, where groups of these boys will fight. The winners will continue to compete until only one is left standing, and whoever the winner is, becomes the chieftain's heir. The chieftain and his heir will usually sit in their tents and pull political calls, as they have no other peers in power. The other boys will be sent from the tribe to fend on their own, sometimes returning with a tribe of their own. They may redeem themselves by proving their use to sustaining the tribe otherwise.
Women are considered lowly in this species, and they spend their time doing chores and caring for the children, and of course, reproduction. They are rarely given positions of combat or power. Females are, however, not barred from areas of study, which is relatively new to aarongar, having only recently shed their purely bestial mindsets. Many of the aarongar will just study the common chores and fighting, as well as spiritual practice. Some are allowed to study healing magic and are even allowed to travel to learn. It is becoming increasingly accepted to aarongar that their wiliness rivals their instinct in the roles of survival.
Scarred Experiments
They are mainly hostile creatures, and often do not take kindly to other species coming into their lands. Thus, they are reclusive and have little interaction with other races. Being territorial, they are prone to attack outsiders who come too close. This comes mainly out of their destructive instinct, which can be a struggle for them to control, when rage is so easy to elicit. However, at their best, they are just a bit recalcitrant to come out of their shells, showing their more human nature. They are known to undertake spiritual exercises to vent out their instinct and maintain acuity of the mind, particularly when away from home. Due to the improved control as aarongar progress as a race, people often just believe they are one of the other shark races without much of a second glance.
Aarongar Names
Aarongars do not usually get names until they begin to speak. Until then, they are called pups. As such, their tongue may be considered underdeveloped, making many odd syllables and drag-on names.
Male: Aarhskj, Aasasrre, Brtaag, Hatimofgon, Ilopodionhad, Jokerererer, Koptrtrop, Ladeflsaw, Mannyuger, Nonphikbher, Othhyer, Zethphalgackalacki
Female: Nisltharta, Otooooooooo, Pofogothomphat, Qsffrgooasd, Raodadghid, Tuvovvdsfgh, Veeeephadsaerawda, Whatphatbhat, Xenopluthx, Ythopkgthil, Zedkillopha
Aarongar Traits
Shark people born of mad experimentation
Ability Score Increase. Your Strength score increases by 2, and either your Constitution or Wisdom score increases by 1.
Age. Aarongar live for about 50 years on average and mature at 16.
Alignment. Aarongar flip between the sides of neutrality and chaos. They are rarely ever lawful, save for their own tribe's rules maybe.
Size. Aarongar have heights a bit taller than a humans on average. Your size is Medium.
Speed. Your base walking speed is 25 feet. You have a swimming speed of 40 feet.
Darkvision. You can see in dim light within 60 feet of you as if it were bright light, and in darkness as if it were dim light. You can't discern color in darkness, only shades of gray.
Amphibious. You have gills on the sides of your head, but also lungs. You can breathe both air and water.
Shark Scare. You can frighten the heck out of people due to your squaline appearance. You are proficient in the Intimidation skill.
Blood Scent. Sharks are known to be able to smell a drop of blood up to a mile away. You have advantage on Wisdom (Survival) checks to track any creature with blood whose current hit points are less than its hit point maximum.
Water Stealth. Water is your element. You glide quickly, smoothly, and silently as you swim. You have advantage on Dexterity (Stealth) checks to hide in dim light or darkness while underwater.
Languages. You can read, write and speak Common and Aquan.
Random Height and Weight
| Base Height |
Height Modifier* |
Base Weight |
Weight Modifier** |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5′ 1'' | +2d12 | 161 lb. | × (4d8) lb. |
|
*Height = base height + height modifier | |||
Suggested Characteristics
When creating an aarongar character, you can use the following table of traits, ideals, bonds and flaws to help flesh out your character. Use these tables in addition to or in place of your background's characteristics.
Aarongar are a race embodying a scarred mindset with repercussions that reverberate out through their later generations. However, as they grow in the outside world with new experiences, many come to adopt a variety of temperaments.
| d8 | Personality Trait |
|---|---|
| 1 | I instinctively avoid crowds by all means. |
| 2 | I will talk often about something and then go on a complete and unrelated tangent. |
| 3 | I often smile even when I am not happy. |
| 4 | When thinking about doing something, I always think of how it impacts me first. |
| 5 | I like to see new places, things, and people, or I get bored easily. |
| 6 | When questioned, I will not answer unless it is something I actually know. |
| 7 | I dislike speaking only one language so I like to sprinkle foreign words into all my speech. |
| 8 | I have a strong aversion to those who use magic and I treat them as the plague. |
| d6 | Ideal |
|---|---|
| 1 | Self-Actualization. I know my past and what it entails. But what matters for me is what is now, and what I am and can be. (Any) |
| 2 | Vengeance. I know the forces that are responsible for my suffering remain in this world. I will snuff them out. (Chaotic) |
| 3 | Wisdom. One of the best gifts we have now in our independence is the furthering of mental pursuits. (Neutral) |
| 4 | Assimilation. I don't want to be tied down by the backwater ways of my birth. I want to join society fully as an upstanding citizen. (Lawful) |
| 5 | Blood. If people see me as a monster, then I shall play that role and wreak havoc gladly! (Evil) |
| 6 | Prevention. The desires and horrible ideologies that bred my ancestors are a scourge that must be combated in this world so none will suffer again. (Good) |
| d6 | Bond |
|---|---|
| 1 | I left my family behind in a bog to pursue a better life for myself. I miss them often. |
| 2 | I failed my coming of age ceremony and fled in disgust of my tribe's barbarity. |
| 3 | After coming out into the world, I was almost instantly taken advantage of. I now trust no one. |
| 4 | There is a certain person I think of whenever I am about to get angry and they calm me down. |
| 5 | People out in the world live such curious and intimate lives that I want a part of. |
| 6 | The world is full of people more evil than I. |
| d6 | Flaw |
|---|---|
| 1 | I stutter constantly when meeting new people. |
| 2 | My nerves make me irrationally angry when in uncontrollable situations. |
| 3 | I have little patience for things and people that I do not like. |
| 4 | Once I see blood, I inevitably want to spill more. |
| 5 | Morals are a lost concept on me. I just do what I want. |
| 6 | It doesn't matter if it's a good plan. Don't tell me what to do or you're just wasting your breath. |
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