Leviathan (5e Race)

Leviathan

Lurking beneath the deep, the leviathans are an important part of any seafaring civilization. The diverse sightings of massive sea monsters of many shapes and forms lurking beneath the water; some believe they are monsters, others that they are gods, but something is certain, most of them are smarter then they look.

Physical Description

Sketch made by a Fisherman

Emerged leviathans look as using heavy clothes always paired with helmets and masks, with no way of seeing skin or eyes behind their visors and misty lenses. The appearance of those clothes is different from each leviathan but its generally inspired on their subrace and personality. For example, while sea-serpent emerged love using suits of brown and dark blue tones of leathery material, they will have bones and spikes protruding from said clothes, either from slayed prey or from the bones of their old body; being used maybe as horns, sometimes even using the two sides of jaws as pauldrons. But on the other side, kraken Emerged will generally wear robes or more silky clothes, decorating them with bright-colored gemstones that look like squids eyes to resemble their old self. Coral striders usually settle for light looking garments commonly based on adventurer's clothes, but will fill it with trinkets and pieces of bright coral pieces and shells giving them a more "happy" and exotic look. Anglers love keeping trinkets, knick-knacks and just scrap in general, so they end using darker colors. But those get rapidly obfuscated by the pieces of tiny metal that get attached on them, often bearing large amounts rings and necklaces that they find together with other shiny objects.

History

Leviathans are a group of different species of sea monsters that roam the deep oceans of the world. While most are confined in the depths, a decent amount of Leviathans have learned how to change their titanic form for humanoid shapes with magic. Those who manage to learn the ways of this skill are commonly referred by others of their race as "The Emerged". The process to becoming Emerged is painful and confusing, the world outside the water is a harsh land, filled with animals and plants they never ever saw, the change of scenery can and will overwhelm those who dare to seek a new life, so only the most dedicated can embrace their expanded horizons in search of treasure, fame, vengeance or whatever has given them the willpower to crawl out of the darkness.

Society

Leviathans generally wander out on the sea by themselves, their size makes it extremely difficult to roam in groups of more then two members. But that doesn't mean that meetings can't happen, most "societies" have a specified place to meet at a certain time periods, where they will discuss anything that comes into minds; Even if they are seen as murderous entities, most intelligent Leviathans are lonely, and so, these "meetings" let them spend some time of those who share their kind, telling stories and tales of what they have seen and want to do.

Leviathan Names

Leviathans do not receive names upon birth. Most of them make their own names, be it just guttural sounds (Akehath'Utr), the name of an island they know (Silversands), a mix of words (Sharp-too), and even names of ships they found or sunk themselves. These names are often followed with a title given to them. A title can only be given by either more then 4 Leviathans, or a single one who holds reputation.

Leviathan Traits

A Leviathan taking humanoid form takes the power of the sea and their skill of hunt to battle. These fierce warriors turns the tides of battles with swift strikes and precise lunges.
Ability Score Increase. Your Strength score increases by 2.
Age. Leviathans who manage to survive up to 5 years are considered mature, but only way older ones are strong enough to create a humanoid form. There is no catalogued maximum age for leviathans. Some have been hibernating for thousands of years.
Alignment. Most who join the land-living have a high sense of honor, leaving them to the lawful side. But if they have just arrived to dry land, they are generally chaotic, for they don't know the detailed laws and governments from most societies.
Size. Leviathans in their anthropoid form stand between 6 to 8 feet tall. Your size is Medium
Speed. Your base walking speed is 30 feet. You have a swimming speed of 30 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.
Deepest Darkest Depths. You can use an action to conjure a 10-foot diameter sphere of seawater in an unoccupied space within 10 feet of you. The sphere can hover up to 1 foot from the ground, but it must remain within 30 feet of you. As a bonus action, you can move the sphere up to 30 feet. This movement doesn’t have enough force to cause damage. This sphere lasts for 10 minutes or until you dispel it with a bonus action. The sphere holds a variety of Tiny ocean beasts such as fish and squid. This water is too salty to drink without proper purification. You cannot use this feature again until you finish a long rest.
Amphibious. You can breath both air and water.
Tidal Grapple. While you are grappling a creature, that creature cannot breathe and is considered to be suffocating. This does not affect creatures that are amphibious or do not need to breathe.
Languages. You can speak, read, and write Common, and Primordial (Aquan).
Subrace. Choose either the deep kraken, coral strider, sea serpent or Angler fish.

Deep Kraken

You were a giant squid with an unblinking eye with a piercing gaze. The krakens are the smartest of the leviathans, and what they lack in physical power they pack in the ability to conjure magic with their bone symbols.

Ability Score Increase. Your Intelligence score increases by 1.
Eye of the Kraken. Your darkvision improves to 120 feet. You gain proficiency in the Arcana skill.
Sunlight Sensitivity. You have disadvantage on attack rolls and on Wisdom (Perception) checks that rely on sight when you, the target of your attack, or whatever you are trying to perceive is in direct sunlight.
Water-Form Tentacles. You know the mage hand cantrip.

Coral Strider

Beautiful giants who slowly walks on the sea-kissed ocean floor, coral striders carried entire ecosystems in their back. Your old beauty was brought over as pure charisma. Striders can make charming allies with specialty in persuading and calming people with their unique personality.

Ability Score Increase. Your Charisma score increases by 1.
Walking Ecosystem. Hundreds of species depended on you, and it seems you still have an effect on them. You are proficient in the Animal Handling skill.
Subaquatical Charisma. You know the friends cantrip.

Sea Serpent

The sea serpents are natural hunters. Their giant fangs and monstrous roars are the last things many sailors have seen before being met with a quick death.

Ability Score Increase. Your Strength score increases by 1. As normal, you cannot increase an ability score over 20 with this trait.
Athletic. You are proficient in the Athletics skill.
Hunters Lunge. You can use a bonus action to place a mark on a creature you can see within 60 feet of you. If the creature has not taken any damage, they are unaffected by this trait. While the creature is marked, if you move at least 20 feet straight towards it and hit it with a melee attack, the target takes extra damage equal to your proficiency bonus. The type for this damage is the same as your melee attack that hit. The mark lasts until the target drops to 0 hit points, or you place the mark on a different creature. You must finish a short or long rest to use this trait again.
Eye Of The Storm. You know the booming blade cantrip. Wisdom is your spellcasting ability for this spell.

Angler Fish

Your beautiful light only serves as bait for your maw. Angler fish are masters of distraction, misdirecting enemies and creating traps alike.

Ability Score Increase. Your Dexterity score increases by 1.
Deceptive. You are proficient with the Deception skill.
Charming Bait. If you are in darkness, you can use your action to conjure a small orb of light that hovers near your head. This orb emits dim light up to 5 feet from you. It dissipates after 1 minute, or until you are in bright light, or you dismiss it with a bonus action. If a creature starts its turn within 60 feet of you while this light is active, you can use your reaction to have that creature make a Wisdom saving throw. The save DC is equal to 8 + your proficiency bonus + your Charisma modifier. The creature automatically succeeds on the save if it is blinded, or has darkvision. On a failed save, the creature is charmed by you until the orb dissipates. On a success, the creature becomes immune to your charming bait feature for 24 hours. While a creature is charmed this way, it must use all its movement to move towards you and will not move away from you while directly adjacent to you. Whenever it takes damage from a source other than you, the creature can repeat the saving throw. A creature can also repeat the saving throw at the end of each of its turns. You must finish a long rest before you can use this trait again.
Lights of Deception. You know the dancing lights cantrip.

Random Height and Weight

Base Height	Height Modifier*	Base Weight	Weight Modifier**
6′ 0''	+2d12 inches	200 lb.	× (2d10) lb.
*Height = base height + height modifier **Weight = base weight + (height modifier × weight modifier)

Suggested Characteristics

When creating a Leviathan 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.

d8	Personality Trait
1	I love to study and watch the Fauna and Flora of the dry-land.
2	I feel way less lonely then I was when stuck in the deep.
3	Sometimes I go to the beach and swim to remember home.
4	I love watching the skies, the clouds and stars are some of my favorite things from dry-land.
5	I worked with some sailors once, the way they see us is quite different from what I imagined.
6	The cuisine from here is definately one of my favorite things to enjoy.
7	I have been learning laws since I got here in fear of commiting a crime by accident.
8	I sometimes wish I could show the landdwellers the beauty of the ocean floor.

d6	Ideal
1	Discovery. Theres just so much to learn, I don't think i'll ever be able to finish it all!
2	Culture. I will learn from their culture and introduce them to ours, we aren't so different.
3	Hunt. Its fun to prey on some landdwellers, they are fast but predictable, sometimes I even get money out of it!
4	Society. I will become a member of their society, maybe join a village or castle of some sorts.
5	Vengeance. Those who hunt us for sport will be surprised to learn we are now hunting them back.
6	Exploration. I want to see all the dry-land has to offer, the mountains, the caves, the forests... Everything!

d6	Bond
1	Sometimes I miss talking with some of my kind.
2	The scent of salt and the cold embrace of the sea still call for me.
3	I've become too atached to somewhere special here, I do not know if i'll ever to be able to forget it.
4	This new body is good, but my old one was easily better.
5	My old blood was strong but unrefined, this new one gives me more freedom.
6	I actually miss the simplicity of my life before Emerging.

d6	Flaw
1	Those who are inferior to me will not recieve respect from my part.
2	Some who live here disrespect my kin, and they will pay.
3	Im too slow to get used to new stuff.
4	I still lack the social skills needed to befriend people.
5	These laws confuse me, so many of them that just keep changing.
6	It fills me with sorrow of having to abandom my loved ones back in the deeps.

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