D&D Homebrew Races/Monster Classes - The Selkie / Seal Shifters
An updated aquatic race and racial/monster class for Dungeons & Dragons 3e/3.5. The Selkie, also known as a "sealwere" or "seal maiden" is a creature found across folklore, and is detailed in the Fiend Folio supplemental book for D&D.
The configuration for this interpretation of the selkie race was created by Aboleth Eye!
As always, though this was made with D&D 3.5 edition in mind, with a few tweaks you can absolutely use this material with Pathfinder 1st edition! -- Aboleth Eye
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| Selkie illustration, Fiend Folio 3rd Edition (2003) for Wizards of the Coast by various editors and artists |
Selkies are creatures found in the folklore of Ireland, Scotland, the Faroe Islands and regions near those countries. Their stories follow similar ones with mermaids, undines and other seductive water creatures. In folklore they are either seals who shed their pelts to become beautiful humans on land, or are inversely humans who don a special seal pelt to transform into seals. They are typically seductive and mysterious in nature, often marrying humans but returning to the sea inevitably.
Selkies are commonly known as "seal maidens", due to the prevalence of tragic folktales regarding "selkie brides" stolen or held back from returning to the sea by a man. Some also call them "sealweres", as if they are seals that can transform into humanoids--but they are humanoid creatures with the shapechanger subtype, rather than any sentient animal or magical beast.
Selkies have appeared in many editions of Dungeons & Dragons. They appeared as human-like seals in 1983's Monster Manual II for 1st edition D&D; and for 3rd edition D&D they were included in the Fiend Folio supplemental book (2003). These humanoid shapeshifters are entrancing and lithe, but are also warriors who arise from the sea with glistening mithral weapons and armor.
There is not much given in terms of a distinct culture of their own, and they never received a 3.5 edition update in the Fiend Folio Errata--so this is my attempt to codify their abilities for my own campaign rulings, and to give them a bit more balance with similar creature and player options.
Appearance & Physiology
Selkies are a race of marine-acclimated humanoids, typically found in colder climates by the sea. They resemble normal humans from the northern regions mostly in appearance. Typically they are tall and full-figured, their larger bodies giving them better resistance to extremely cold water, great storms and even tundra conditions. Their hands and feet are webbed in humanoid form, which helps them swim even outside of their marine homes. They are able to breathe both air and water, without having gills.
Selkies of any gender are often confused for humans when their webbing is hidden. They are almost always very attractive to human standards, though they often have gray hair or black hair with gray streaks. Their skin coloration is usually pale or a deep tan, and large patterns of gray and black speckling is common on their shoulders and torsos. If a selkie has a large scar in one form, their other will have a similar physical mark or scar. And if a selkie loses an arm or leg in humanoid form, their seal form will also thereafter be missing that limb and vice versa. Any body part removed from a selkie, regardless of form, becomes permanently affixed in the seal form's equivalent--but it can be reattached with powerful healing magic to either form without hindrance.
Their eyes are usually deep blue or gray--often described in romantic terms as a "stormy sea" or "beautiful lagoon". Even in seal form, their animal eyes are said to have a curious spark of intelligence.
Speaking of, the most famous trait of all selkies is their ability to transform into seals. Whenever a selkie is in the sea, they assume the form of these marine pinniped animals. In seal form, selkies are completely indistinguishable from normal seals, aside from their more intelligent behaviors and eyes. Selkie tribes often travel with large pods of seals to hunt alongside them, and they use these pods as herd camouflage when hidden among so many.
While most shapechangers have control over their abilities, a selkie's choice of form is involuntary. A selkie is always transformed into seal form whenever they are immersed or swimming in bodies of saltwater. And they are always forced into humanoid form whenever they stand on dry land. Only in locations where the land and sea meet, such as beaches or tidal pools, can a selkie actively choose which form they take.
Selkies are shy and typically never allow other humanoids to see their transformation; at least not knowingly. Witnesses claim that upon contact with dry land these creatures become briefly wreathed in saltwater. This involuntary magic seems to cocoon them and blur the visual changes of the effect, and the selkie is immediately in their other form when it ends. When a selkie in humanoid form becomes immersed in marine saltwater, however, their body immediately emits a cloud of countless tiny bubbles; and their seal form emerges from this cloud once it disperses. Otherwise there is no obvious sounds or visuals accompanying such a drastic magical transformation.
Through magical effects, such as a discern shapechanger spell used to reveal a creature's "true form", selkies appear as overlapping images of both their humanoid and seal forms. This is probably due to the nature of their transformation being involuntary; they are both humanoid and seal altogether, not more one or the other. This makes them a rare type of shapechanger that has no singular "true form".
Interviews with selkies are rare, and have often been involuntary on their part. What has been gleamed about their own understanding of their shapeshifting is only oral history, which varies according to their tribe's beliefs. Some stories share themes of a young man or woman being pursued by an unwanted lover and being transformed into a seal to aid their escape--whether by some spirit of the ocean, a sea hag or other sea-related figure varies tale by tale.
Others believe that they are the descendants of humans who fell in love with nereids and other marine fey, and their ancestors were given their seal form as a boon, passed down by blood.
A selkie's life is bound to the sea from birth. If these humanoids are kept away from regularly immersing or swimming in marine saltwater, they begin to weaken and will inevitably die. They can breathe air and water equally, so it is not as dramatic as say a shark or trout drowning out of water. Instead, after a week or so passes away from the sea, a selkie's body begins to weaken. They become susceptible to fatigue and cold much more easily, and their metabolism decreases rapidly. Day the day the selkie begins to wither before one's eye...
Tragically, if a selkie continues to be isolated from immersing themselves in marine saltwater they will pass away.
Luckily, if a weakening selkie is given access to a body of marine saltwater they recover at a rapid rate when immersed. Recovery sometimes takes as little as an hour, though it depends on how long they were deprived of saltwater. Some element of their being can only flourish if given access to marine saltwater. Through records, journals and notes from scholars (and those who kept selkies as prisoners), it seems that adding salt to fresh or brackish water will not alleviate this physical dependency to the sea, no matter the concentration of salt or other marine environmental elements...
Selkies are capable of having children with other humanoid races of medium size, so long as the selkie is in their humanoid form during acts of physical intimacy. A selkie that becomes pregnant, by another selkie or a humanoid, can shift between humanoid and seal form without any risk or harm to the pregnancy. Delivery of children, however, does require a selkie to be in humanoid form. Humanoid women who become pregnant by selkies have no obvious signs or unique symptoms of their child's selkie heritage--it is a average period of pregnancy for their humanoid race.
Half-selkie children are always their non-selkie parent's race. They typically will have webbing between their fingers and toes, and may inherent physical traits from their selkie parent--but they do not gain a selkie's shapechanging gifts or other abilities without magical means. They sometimes can tap into natural affinities towards sorcery or water magic, but other than that they are not more inclined to cultural inclinations beyond how they are raised.
Half-selkies are typically abandoned with their non-selkie parents. Selkies are aware that their children by other races are not equipped to travel through the sea as they do, and it is typically heartbreaking for them. They rarely intermingle with other races in romantic or sexual partnerships because of this inevitable tragedy. When a selkie abandons their half-selkie children, their love keeps them from being apart for long: stories about seals who are recognized across many migrations or sometimes never leave a particular beach are believed to be selkie parents unable to stay away from their children. But most half-selkies never meet their sea-born parent; either they refuse to be seen or seemingly vanish while at sea...
A half-selkie can choose to undergo a special ritual to fully become a selkie. The ritual requires a half-selkie to find a selkie tribe and learn of their cultural heritage for at least a season. After undergoing several cultural trials in selkie crafts and culture--including hunting, singing and crafting--the half-selkie is then set on a special pilgrimage. The half-selkie must travel as a humanoid across a body of saltwater of some significance, going from one point to another by foot and canoe. This can be traveling along and entire coastline, or crossing an ocean
Despite rumors, selkies do not procreate or perform sexual acts with seals or other marine animals. Suggesting that is extremely distasteful towards selkies. They view seals as animal companions, and not on the level of consensual or sentient partners.
Some depictions of selkies, usually through oral reports, claim that all female selkies are beautiful humanoids who turn into seals, while all male selkies are merely seals with humanoid eyes, hands and feet. Other suggest that selkies become half-seal, half-humanoid when on beaches or standing in water. The unknown about selkies, on top of these secondhand descriptions, result in strange and often hilarious depictions of these humanoids. See the image below for a misguided depiction of a selkie in the water.
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| Selkie, AD&D Monstrous Manual (1993) for TSR, Inc |
Selkie Culture & Personality
The selkie people are well-suited for living in the deep ocean, and they keep their secrets well. They are extremely curious for new experiences and meeting new people; humanoid settlements and their ships fascinate them. Selkies are also known to be very shy individuals, not only demure and gracious in personality but wary of revealing their true natures.
Selkie brides are a common fairytale told among fishermen and sailors, but there is an even split in sex between them. Males and females work in tandem to hunt and travel in their large pod-tribes, moving between favorite settlements along the coast or underwater. Culturally there are very little activities that are reserved for only a singular gender.
Local humanoid cultures do influence selkies when they interact in with humanoid coastal settlements. They try to blend in and mimic any cultural norms related to gender roles, but they find it more hilarious than impactful.
Selkies have various arts and crafts that they continue by tradition. Artisans work metals like mithril into weapons and chainmail. They also tan and process animals they hunt in the wild, such as sharks, whales and polar bears. Seals are considered honorary members of their communities; they will trade and sell other animal pelts and meat to humanoid coastal communities but never those of seals.
Singing and storytelling are two cultural arts with great significance to selkies. Selkies keep only an oral history, so storytellers are an honored place among their tribal communities and often becomes leaders. Song is highly valued alongside a good memory for stories. Most migratory tribes do not carry instruments due to their seal forms, but more permanent settlements along the coast will craft instruments like drums and shakers from animal hide, driftwood or shells.
Selkies sing over long distances to signal to other tribes of their presence. Even in seal form, selkie singers can give calls with musical messages and signals that non-selkies will not notice. When tribes come together for trade, special holidays and companionship, singing is how these meetings start, end and mark special ceremonies.
Another facet of selkie culture is humor; storytelling and singing seriously are to be praised, but selkies are clever and free creatures at heart. Comedy, telling jokes and tall tales, are great additions to selkie communities and they often have friendly competitions with the best jokes or story winning a prize or special meal.
Despite their usual lack of strength, selkies are not weak creatures by any means. They are lithe and nimble, especially in the water. They are also extremely clever and charismatic. They work well together hunting and overcoming obstacles using tactics, rather than brute force.
According to tales told by sailors, some tribes of selkies have taken to piracy. They would leap onto ships from the depths and transform into their humanoid forms clad in chainmail and blades made from mithral and seashells. It seems that these creatures have access to vast stores of mithral on the ocean floor, and by using underwater volcanic vents and magics they can shape it into anything they wish. Mithral is incredibly light and strong, which makes it a valuable material for arming creatures that swim in the sea.
Selkie tribes are hunter-gatherers in predominantly marine or coastal marine environments. They hunt bears, sharks and whales like many indigenous tribes of arctic regions. Seals are taboo for selkie cultures to hunt as food, but they will drink seal milk for special occasions and ceremonies, and to supplement feeding newborns.
Selkies will hunt schools of fish in pods of several seal-form partners; chasing them into nets woven from sea foliage. They gather mussels, clams, crabs and other shellfish along the coast. Seaweed and other sea plants are also harvested, in both humanoid form at low tide and in seal form in or beneath the water.
Selkies prefer to eat their meals cold and raw. Most fish and marine animals are safe for them to eat without being cooked. Fires typically attract attention from seal hunters and other wandering humanoids; so cookfires are very rare. Selkies do enjoy most foods found on land, but when apart from the sea they will do almost anything to get a taste of the ocean.
Some tribes in the far north pursue great sea monsters for food and materials--sea drakes, krakens, and more are hunted by pods of selkies using guile and teeth to outwit these terrifying creatures. These selkie groups often have young selkies become adults by a special task: to either touch or take a piece of such a creature and survive.
In the open ocean, selkies often come into conflict with other creatures for food, shelter, etc. Merfolk and selkies are typically on good terms, trading goods and sharing song and stories. They additionally often join forces against threatening groups of other creatures or great sea monsters like krakens. Sahuagin, locathah and other barbaric aquatic races are not given the same grace and respect. These latter creatures will attempt to seize the goods and food of selkies, usually driving them to shore with great numbers and overtly cruel acts of violence. Selkies lose many of the advantages to their humanoid forms while in water, so they prefer to run where they can regroup and gather aid.
Selkies speak both Common and Aquan. They blend into humanoid and mixed culture settlements to trade, and thus they have picked up the Common tongue. They also speak Aquan, in order to communicate with many other races native to the sea--such as merfolk, tritons, sahuagin and locathah for example.
Selkies usually have higher-pitched but strong voices, reminiscent of seal barking. Selkie bards have voices that can carry for miles, and some are said to compel the wind and weather with their voices alone.
Another facet of selkie communication is how they use their hands when talking. Clapping and movement to their hands is common in their speech while in humanoid form. They use clapping when their communities put forth travel routes or other issues to a vote. A selkie that disagrees with a proposal or request will almost always put effort into showing they cross their arms in disagreement.
They are capable of communicating in language while in seal form, which can take hunters and other enemies approaching their pods by surprise. Tall tales related to seals that can talk, give directions in exchange for food or rescue drowning and wayward sailors are attributed to mischievous selkies in their seal forms.
Selkies who integrate or commune with land-based humanoid races usually make their way as fishermen, storytellers and singers. Many selkies seek freedom and adventure, and the cultures and civilizations on land are intriguing to them. They love to see the wonders of art, music and culture; many bardic selkies return to the sea to spin tales of these wonders from land.
Selkies are very shy and cautious with other humanoids. But if one's trust is earned, they can be incredibly passionate friends and romantic partners. They can be as mild as a calm lagoon, or as tempestuous as a typhoon--and they can switch between every feeling in between with just a word or gesture.
Selkies will often have many mates while with their own people. Adults often take on a lover for a few seasons and then part ways, by choice or any number of misadventures at sea. Children are raised communally by whichever selkies are ashore with them, and parents often go out to hunt or take on adventures for a season while the young learn to gather from tidal pools onshore and learn the ways of their people.
On land, however, a selkie will only every choose one humanoid as their mate. Something about that connection with a land-dweller (as they call most humanoids on land) changes them completely. Any children they have are glorious to behold, and they cannot stand to be apart. But with their tempestuous natures and the call of the sea always beckoning them, these romantic partnerships and conquests are usually short-lived.
Rarely, in some cultures around the marine areas of the arctic and other cold tundra regions, settlements built by the sea will have a local community of selkies living there. Usually built on boardwalks, selkie houses in these communities are usually divided into two floors: one above water and one below. The floors above water are usually only accessible through the lower floor, which is more open to allow fish and other selkies to swim through.
Selkies who live among these humanoid villages and cities often act as guides, bardic performers and sailors aboard ships. Shipbuilding is a novelty to most selkies, and their capacity to work underwater makes them invaluable to land-dweller shipwrights.
Some settlements allow all kinds of sentient aquatic and semi-aquatic races to live in similar half-sunken neighborhoods. Selkies, merfolk and other races seemingly work alongside each other with very little historic or cultural tension between them. Especially compared to the hunter-gatherer tribes in the open ocean, since resources are more scarce and they often clash with land-dweller ships and naval cultures. Because they can shift shape so easily, selkies are usually the representatives for their fully aquatic neighbors that cannot leave water without aid or specialized transit (magical or otherwise).
If any objects have incredible value to the selkie culture, the two of greatest would be seal pelts and mithral. Seals are considered animal kin to selkies, and when a seal bonded to a selkie passes away its pelt is fashioned to be worn as a way to memorialize them.
Mithral, however, is a rare material that selkies culturally value above all others. For good reason, though; due to its incredible light weight but hard durability. Iron and bronze are too heavy for selkies to use, and even in seal form armor made from those materials feels weighty upon them. The metal is also used for ceremonial purposes, believed by most selkies to be a crystallized part of the ocean itself. They keep access and knowledge to underwater veins of the rare mineral deeply secret. It earns banishment or even death to reveal these precious sites--though rumors speculate that they exist in underwater caves with volcanic vents and air bubbles, so that they may work the metal without forges or tools.
Rarely, a selkie will beg their elders to craft them a mithral pelt. This rare magical item anchors their innate shapeshifting abilities to the pelt, binding it forever (or until it is given away or destroyed). The pelt of a well-loved seal is somehow imbued with the properties of mithral through completely unknown techniques. Only the greatest artisans among selkies know the trade, and a selkie that has been granted a pelt is allowed the privilege of being present while it is made. Those granted a pelt are sworn to secrecy thereafter. Many selkies without a mithral pelt believe that the one being attuned to the item sing their soul into the object, binding them for life, as part of the ritual.
A mithral pelt is often called the "doom of a sealfolk" by selkies. It provides excessive freedom while on dry land, and allows a selkie to fully suppress their shapechanging abilities even when in the sea. They more easily pass for humans without that ability surfacing, and they can remain away from the sea for longer. It is usually only requested by selkies who have fallen in love or become married to land-dwellers; and thus it is often the precursor to a tragedy.
Though it provides a delay in a selkie's dependency on the sea, the call of the sea cannot be ignored forever. And if a selkie's partner or lover keeps the mithral pelt hidden, the selkie will often fall ill and die. Or, in an equally tragic turn, their lover will neglect their vigilance over the object and the selkie's instincts will compel them to leave forever once they have their pelt returned. The trauma of such a fate, to die land-bound or abandon the love onshore forever, leaves these selkies forever changed, for good or ill.
Details about the mithral pelt are written at the bottom of this post.
Selkie Racial Traits
The following are updated racial traits for Selkie characters:
- Medium Humanoid (aquatic, shapechanger)
- Racial Hit Dice: 3d8
- Racial BAB: +2
- Racial Base Saves: Fort +1, Ref +3, Will +1
- Racial Skills: Craft (any), Handle Animal, Listen, Perform (any), Spot and Swim
- Racial Skill Points: (2 + Intelligence modifier) x 6
- Racial Ability Scores: Strength -2, Dexterity +2, Intelligence +2, Charisma +2. Selkies are more streamlined rather than muscular; and they are remarkably more clever and entrancing than other humanoids.
- Base Speed: 30 feet, swim speed 90 feet
- Racial Proficiencies: Selkies are proficient with simple weapons and longswords. They have proficiency with light armor and shields (excluding tower shields).
- Special Abilities/Attacks:
- Alternate Form (Su): A selkie has the ability to assume the form of a seal in saltwater, however they have limited control over which form it remains. If a selkie ends their turn standing on dry land, they are forced into humanoid form as a free interrupt action at the end of their turn, and remain in humanoid form until they are next on dry land. If a selkie is immersed above the knee in saltwater they automatically assume seal form at the end of their turn, and they remain so until they are out of water. Only if a selkie is standing on beaches, shallow coastal waters, etc. where the sea meets land can they choose to assume either humanoid or seal form as a free action at the end of their turn (once per round). Sources of fresh or brackish water do not trigger this transformation at any stage.
- In Seal Form, a selkie retains their size, ability scores, saving throws, etc. They gain a +5 natural armor bonus to Armor Class and a single natural bite attack once per turn, inflicting 1d6 piercing damage plus their Strength bonus. They lose any equipped armor or shield bonuses from humanoid form while in seal form. Selkies in seal form continue to speak as normal, and can cast spells with verbal and somatic components as normal (without requiring the Natural Spell feat).
- In seal form, any gear or armor worn by the Selkie in humanoid form melds into their seal form and becomes nonfunctional (including armor and shields). When the selkie reverts to its humanoid form, any objects previously melded into the new form reappear in the same location on their body that they previously occupied and are once again functional. Any new items worn in an assumed form fall off and land at the selkie’s feet. This is similar to the druid’s wild shape ability.
- Because their transformation is involuntary, a selkie cannot be forced by magic to assume humanoid or seal form. Against effects like discern shapechanger and others that reveals a shapechanger’s true nature or form, selkies appear to be both their seal and humanoid form overlapping one another.
- Amphibious (Ex): A Selkie can breathe both air and water in either of its forms.
- Sea Dependency (Ex): Selkies cannot venture far from the sea for long stretches. A selkie must immerse their entire body in saltwater at least once a week or suffer ill effects. After a week has passed, a selkie must make a Constitution check every day thereafter (DC 10 + 1 per additional day) or take 1 point of Constitution damage. Once a selkie immerses their body in saltwater, they immediately regain 1d4 points of Constitution per hour they remain immersed.
- Feats: Selkies receive Endurance as a bonus feat. They are acclimated for undertaking prolonged voyages at sea and enduring the harshest arctic climates.
- Skills: Selkies have a +8 racial bonus to all Swim skill checks. As aquatic creatures can always take 10 on Swim skill checks, even if distracted or threatened. Selkies can use the run action while swimming, provided they move in a straight line. A Selkie can choose to use either their Strength or Dexterity modifier to Swim skill checks, whichever is higher.
- Languages: Common and Aquan
- Bonus Languages: Any non-secret language
- Favored Class: Bard
- Selkie clerics typically worship the sea in some primordial nature personification, and have access to the Healing, Ocean, Protection, Seafolk and Water domains.
- Level Adjustment: +1
- ECL: 4+
Selkie Racial/Monster Class
- Medium Humanoid (aquatic, shapechanger)
- Racial Hit Dice: 3d8
- Racial Ability Scores: Strength -2, Dexterity +2. Selkies are streamlined rather than muscular.
- Base Speed: 30 feet, swim speed (see Swim Speed class feature)
- Special Abilities/Attacks:
- Alternate Form (Su): A selkie has the ability to assume the form of a seal in saltwater, however they have limited control over which form it remains. If a selkie ends their turn standing on dry land, they are forced into humanoid form as a free interrupt action at the end of their turn, and remain in humanoid form until they are next on dry land. If a selkie is immersed above the knee in saltwater they automatically assume seal form at the end of their turn, and they remain so until they are out of water. Only if a selkie is standing on beaches, shallow coastal waters, etc. where the sea meets land can they choose to assume either humanoid or seal form as a free action at the end of their turn (once per round). Sources of fresh or brackish water do not trigger this transformation at any stage.
- In Seal Form, a selkie retains their size, ability scores, saving throws, etc. They gain a +5 natural armor bonus to Armor Class and a single natural bite attack once per turn, inflicting piercing damage plus their Strength bonus (see the Bite racial class feature below). They lose any equipped armor or shield bonuses from humanoid form while in seal form. Selkies in seal form continue to speak as normal, and can cast spells with verbal and somatic components as normal (without requiring the Natural Spell feat).
- In seal form, any gear or armor worn by the Selkie in humanoid form melds into their seal form and becomes nonfunctional (including armor and shields). When the selkie reverts to its humanoid form, any objects previously melded into the new form reappear in the same location on their body that they previously occupied and are once again functional. Any new items worn in an assumed form fall off and land at the selkie’s feet. This is similar to the druid’s wild shape ability.
- Because their transformation is involuntary, a selkie cannot be forced by magic to assume humanoid or seal form. Against effects like discern shapechanger and others that reveals a shapechanger’s true nature or form, selkies appear to be both their seal and humanoid form overlapping one another.
- Amphibious (Ex): A Selkie can breathe both air and water in either of its forms.
- Sea Dependency (Ex): Selkies cannot venture far from the sea for long stretches. A selkie must immerse their entire body in saltwater at least once a week or suffer ill effects. After a week has passed, a selkie must make a Constitution check every day thereafter (DC 10 + 1 per additional day) or take 1 point of Constitution damage. Once a selkie immerses their body in saltwater, they immediately regain 1d4 points of Constitution per hour they remain immersed.
- Skills: Selkies have a +8 racial bonus to all Swim skill checks. As aquatic creatures can always take 10 on Swim skill checks, even if distracted or threatened. Selkies can use the run action while swimming, provided they move in a straight line. A Selkie can choose to use either their Strength or Dexterity modifier to Swim skill checks, whichever is higher.
- Languages: Common and Aquan
- Bonus Languages: Any non-secret language
- Favored Class: Selkie, then Bard
- Selkie clerics typically worship the sea in some primordial nature personification, and have access to the Healing, Ocean, Protection, Seafolk and Water domains.
Table: The Selkie Class
| Level | Hit Dice | BAB | Fort | Ref | Will | Class Features |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | 1d8 | +0 | +0 | +2 | +0 | Starting Traits, Feat, Bite (1d3), Sea-Bound (1 day), Swim 30 feet |
| 2nd | 2d8 | +1 | +0 | +3 | +0 | Bite (1d4), Sea-Bound (2 days), Swim 50 feet |
| 3rd | -- | +1 | +0 | +3 | +0 | Int +2, Endurance, Sea-Bound (4 days), Swim 70 feet |
| 4th | 3d8 | +2 | +1 | +3 | +1 | Feat, Cha +2, Bite (1d6), Sea-Bound (1 week), Swim 90 feet |
Class Features:
Selkies typically use weapons and armor made from mithral due to its light weight, but some use shell or sharkskin as armor materials.
At 2nd level, a Selkie can remain out of saltwater for 2 day stretches before the normal penalties accrue.
At 3rd level, a Selkie can remain out of saltwater for 4 day stretches before the normal penalties accrue.
By 5th level, a Selkie is no longer considered Sea-Bound and has the normal Sea Dependency of a mature Selkie, starting after 1 full week out of saltwater.
Selkie Mithral Pelt [Wondrous Item]
Additionally, once attuned to a mithral pelt, a selkie’s sea dependency becomes delayed; triggering after 1 month instead of after 1 week. However, if a mithral pelt is missing or stolen, after 24 hours of being separated from it the attuned selkie is unable to assume its seal form or satisfy their sea dependency.
In both seal and humanoid form, a selkie attuned to a mithral pelt gains faint glowing silver bands around their neck, paws and hands. The attuned selkie also radiates a constant faint transmutation effect, even when the pelt is not worn. They can only remove their attunement to a mithral pelt by giving it directly to another selkie, a different selkie attunes to it, a remove curse or similar spell is cast upon them or if the mithral pelt is destroyed.
If a selkie's mithral pelt is destroyed, however, there are grave consequences. An attuned mithral pelt has hit points equal to the attuned selkie's Constitution score. For every 2 hit points of damage the pelt suffers, the attuned selkie suffers 1 Constitution damage. If a selkie is reduced to 0 Constitution from this effect, both the mithral pelt and its attuned selkie are destroyed and their remains turn into seafoam (no save).
Selkies are curious of the world on land and often fall in love with humanoid sailors or fishermen; and tragically when the call of the sea returns there is a chance they will never return. Some of these suitors will lock or hide away the mithral pelt to keep them on land, which results in tragedy, whether it is ever reclaimed or not…
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| Aglarond Coast, AD&D Forgotten Realms: Spellbound (1995) by Valerie Valusek |
Author's Notes:
You can play them fully as their Scottish and Icelandic iterations, wandering tragic lovers and stalwart warriors with shimmering armaments! You can look into a more arctic and indigenous personification for your own campaigns as well--with them as hunter-gatherers and united groups of migrating warriors facing the ocean's great terrors. Or something more cosmopolitan with half-sunken neighborhoods in coastal settlements! The options abound!
I added a couple updates to my interpretation; some quality of life things I felt they needed to be more fleshed out mechanically. Compared to other races of similar Hit Dice and Level Adjustment, they did seem to be missing out on a couple quality of life elements to make them playable. For one thing, I had to better define the limits of their shapeshifting between seal and humanoid form, tying it to the sea and saltwater. I also decided to give them a sea dependency, like a similar race has: the Sea Kin from Races of Destiny. It tied them to the environments they are well-suited for, and inspired me to create a tie-in with the classic selkie bride stories of the stolen pelt.
I also gave them a couple extra things to make them feel more realized. Endurance as a bonus feat felt necessary in my version, since harsh marine environments and cold weather would wreck havoc on them without an innate Constitution bonus. I also figured that they would have Handle Animal as a racial class skill, since otherwise they have no way to train or communicate with the seals they live alongside.
Overall, I feel extremely good about my version of the Selkie. It is playable and updated without overstepping the limits of the ECL and Level Adjustment. And it inspires some unique character builds and stories at sea for players and DMs alike!
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