Mernotaur (5e Race)

Mernotaur

“

We are no one's steeds. We may not walk the best on land, but we are nonetheless walking!

”

Physical Description

By Yanied

Mernotaurs are strange humanoids with obvious features of a hippocampus. Hippocampi are horses of the sea, so mernotaurs are like the centaurs of the sea. Their front quarter is that of a human's upper body. They have the forelimbs of a horse and the long tail of a fish. Scales cover their horse and fish portions. Mernotaurs also have finned ears and tend to have dark colored hair, often with bits of seaweed mixed in after a swim. Because they only have the front legs of a horse and not the hind legs, mernotaurs are not very good at running on land with their lagging tails. However, they are very able swimmers, able to keep their hands free whilst galloping through waves like a steed.

History

The origin of mernotaurs is in the Elemental Plane of Water. They lived as a minority among triton, usually playing the role equivalent to that of a squire to a knight. Mernotaurs have a mixed reception with triton, as they were valuable allies in the fight against evil creatures of the deep like sahuagin. However, they were also seen as lower than that of a typical triton. When some mernotaurs migrated to the Prime Material Plane as well, they began to seek their own fortunes away from their given roles in their old home. As such, they formed their own communities purposefully away from those of triton.

Society

In general, mernotaurs are usually a sight only in coastal areas and the oceans and seas itself. Their tails impede in proper moving while on land, so they cannot stray inland as far as a triton can. They are known to help save people that shipwreck along the coasts where they live, and also work for fisheries. Sometimes, people mistaken them for mermaids because of their tails. In communities by the seaside, they are seen as very helpful people to know. Elsewhere, no one may even know of their existence.

Mernotaur Names

Coming from the Elemental Plane of Water, mernotaurs are speakers of Aquan, and so their names usually include such influences. Since their migration to the Prime Material, they have learned to incorporate Common language into their names, usually taken from that of seaside communities they frequent.

Male: Sasar, Loher, Ido

Female: Seran, Emar, Hijar

Mernotaur Traits

Centaurs of the sea
Ability Score Increase. Your Wisdom or Charisma score increases by 2 and one other score of your choice increases by 1.
Age. Mernotaurs are considered mature at 15 years of age, like triton. However, their lifespan is only 150 years.
Alignment. Like triton, mernotaurs tend toward good alignments and stand against the evils of the deep. However, they have a side to themselves that seeks more freedom than a triton would.
Size. Mernotaurs stand between 5 and 7 feet tall, with their equine forelegs reaching about 3 feet at the withers.
Speed. Your base walking speed is 25 feet and 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 can breathe both air and water.
Steed of the Depths. Adapted to even the most extreme ocean depths, you have resistance to cold damage.
Aquatic Emissary. Aquatic beasts have an extraordinary affinity with your people. You can communicate simple ideas with beasts that can breathe water. They can understand the meaning of your words, though you have no special ability to understand them in return.
Hooves. Your hooves are natural melee weapons, which you can use to make unarmed strikes. If you hit with them, you deal bludgeoning damage equal to 1d4 + your Strength modifier, instead of the bludgeoning damage normal for an unarmed strike.
Atypical Build. Any climb that requires hands and feet is especially difficult for you because of your equine legs and fish tail. When you make such a climb, each foot of movement costs you 4 extra feet, instead of the normal 1 extra foot.
Languages. You can speak, read, and write Common and Aquan.

Random Height and Weight

Base Height	Height Modifier*	Base Weight	Weight Modifier**
5′ 5''	+2d12	200 lb.	× (1d8) lb.
*Height = base height + height modifier **Weight = base weight + (height modifier × weight modifier)

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