Gillian

“Come smooth shallows or mighty storms, we always weather the tide. ”

— Gillian

Gillians, or Kesarii in their native tongue, are a race of aquatic beings. Hailing from the Barren Sea, hundreds of leagues separated their homeland from the land-dwelling sapients of Azura. They established great underwater metropoles called Videnasii thousands of years ago, but almost all of these were destroyed. Only some coast-straddling settlements were spared, and the race was scattered across the seas and continents of Azura. This diasporic nature has given them an extremely diverse culture, with most of their populations being heavily influenced by whatever groups preceded them in their new lands. Only the beliefs and practices of the Tykonian population are precisely known.

The culture of these Gillians is characterised by a doctrine of devotion towards their elders. Their origin myth suggests that they originated from the animals they resemble, being granted the gift of thought by a life-giving elixir which bled up from fissures in the seafloor. Most Gillians today attribute this act of creation to one or more members of the widespread Tykonian pantheon.

Life expectancy: ~70 years

Height: 5'2"—6'4" ft. (max.) [1,57—1,93 m.]

Weight: ~100—220 lbs. [45—99 kg.]

Language: Kalivahal

Description

Reflecting their supposed origin, all Gillians greatly resemble fish*—albeit with humanoid limbs. With two hands and two legs, they can walk and manipulate tools just as capable as any other thinking being. They retain the gills, fins, and tails of their ancestors—allowing them to breathe underwater and swim with ease** against the ocean’s rolling waves. Their ability to breathe underwater does not prevent them from breathing on land, but their bulky tails are cumbersome on land, making them often quite clumsy. Still, it is not entirely detrimental to them, being as large as it is, a Gillian can easily use their tail as a means to defend themselves, with any hits from it carrying roughly the same power as a strong kick. Nonetheless, their aquatic traits come at a significant cost: any Gillian living on land must ensure their bodies and gills stay hydrated to prevent drying out in the sun. Even a day without water can cause damage, making it harder to swim or breathe properly, and take longer to heal. In extreme cases, it can even cause permanent damage. They are usually seen carrying water pouches or potions filled with water or other hydrating liquids.

* Including marine cetaceans, like whales, and marine molluscs like octopi.
** Unlike other races, Gillians are capable of swimming even when wearing plate armour.

Personality

Though born to the Barren Sea, the Gillians have spread far and wide—establishing themselves at the shores of every continent. Those Gillians living on land usually congregate by bodies of water, forming tight-knit communities they call Rennasii—many Gillians today live in such communities. However, a life below water is still far from foreign to them. Seeking to recreate their destroyed homes, many Gillians have taken to the creation of new cities much closer to the shore—a process that began some five hundred years before the present. The same name calls these settlements as their old metropoles, Videnasii—reflecting their cultural importance to the Gillian people. The culture of a Videnas is usually exceptionally reflective of the Rennas of its founders.

Within Tykonian Gillian society, the most important hierarchy is the family, or Lanas—clans which generally consist of between fifty and one hundred individuals. Reflecting the harsh nature of the ocean, each family is expected to be self-sufficient. Reverence for one’s elders (Lanivasii) is also widespread—a trait perhaps remnant from the destruction of their old society. Following in the footsteps of one’s elders is seen as the greatest virtue to them: so much so that the children are expected to fully learn the skills and careers of their parents before even so much as thinking of forging a new path for themselves. Divergence from this dogma is viewed as a great betrayal by the broader culture, who shun such free-swimmers (Peritasii, literally “traitors”) and expel them from their communities.

History

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