Location
The water races live within the Caspian and Aral Seas of Cimmeria. Many of them live around the edges of the water near the land and islands. The deeper areas belong to locathah and scrags that can survive at those depths. A few of the water races live in the ruins of Phoenix after the Second Alliance War. The Delain River leading to the city from the Caspian Sea is also occupied by a few water race villages.
Relations with Other Races
Many water races wish to be left alone by the other races of Cimmeria. The top of the seas is shared, but below the surface belongs to the water races. As long as that territory is respected, the water races have no issues. Some of the subraces have different views on this matter. Famine can strike below the sea as well, causing sahuagin to attack ships for food. Locathah and scrags have also been known to kidnap surface dwellers to sacrifice in rituals to revive banished gods. Merfolk and tritons rarely cause issues to surface dwellers.
Common Deities
As the new god of the sea, Zelus is first and foremost for the water races, especially sahuagin and merfolk. However, many are still loyal to Poseidon and Amphitrite even after their lord was cast down. Cults have formed seeking the return of their lost lord, particularly among the tritons who lost their position of power in Poseidon’s court. These groups mix with even older cults still loyal to Oceanus and Tethys who rule the ocean outside of Cimmeria.
Place in Adventuring
The water races live separate from the rest of Cimmeria. Water race adventurers on the surface are rare, but they do exist below the water’s surface. These adventurers face the threats of the deep to keep their underwater settlements safe from sea monsters.
Each water subrace favors different classes. Tritons are typically paladins or clerics due to their closer connection to the gods of the sea. Merfolk are typically sorcerers or fighters. Locathah are typically rogues or druids. Scrags and sahuagin both favor the barbarian class but sahuagin also occasionally train in the druid way. Water races are rarely rangers or wizards. The fighting style of a ranger doesn’t work below the waves and the writing required for wizards is difficult underwater as well.
The water races occasionally feature as threats for the surface world of Cimmeria. When surface dwellers violate convoluted peace treaties the water races strike back. It falls to adventurers to reestablish peace. Bands of sahuagin, scrags, and locathah also occasionally fall into more violent habits that result in conflict between the surface world and the underwater world. The aquatic environment requires that more experienced adventurers take on these challenges, simply because more powerful magic is required just to breath, move, and survive for long periods underwater.
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