Races: Sapient Cetaceans - The Known World

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Prince_Staghorn #1 · Jan 1st, 2015 · · ·

Sapient Cetaceans are among the most mysterious of beings. Even their language, Cetacean, is enigmatic, as dialects vary between Toothed and Baleen whales, and even further between the different species.

AMBULOCETES

Zorag

A coastal native of Stirrope, the Zorag have little in the way of real society, living as their ancestors always have- as aquatic ambush predators. However, occasionally they can be persuaded into a conversation with would-be prey.

ARCHAEOCETES

Ogopogo

A race of sapient archaeocetes capable of traveling into freshwater, the Ogopogo are usually found along the coasts and within the deeper lakes and rivers of the Crystal Tundra. While Ogopogo are mostly isolated due to their choice of habitat (Despite its name though, the Crystal "Tundra" is really more of a taiga biome), they get along better with land-dwellers, but at the same time don't get along well with Baleen Whales, and just outright see dolphins as a source of food, much to the disgruntlement of the baleens. However, Ogopogo can avoid the Baleens due to being able to navigate better in shallower waters and going upstream into fresh water.

The baleens see the Ogopogo as "primitive brutes", while the Ogopogo view the baleens as "ignorant pacifistic round-heads", with "round-head" being an Ogopogo term for "modern" whales, referring to the melon, an organ which these archaeocetes lack.

Hydrarchos
Oh, you like whalesong? HERE'S your f*cking whalesong ya damn landwalkers!

Unlike their Ogopogo relatives, these whales are too large to travel upstream, and so stick to the open ocean. However, they otherwise differ little from their relatives

Skeljúngur

The Skeljúngur is a sapient archaeocete which, unusually, has armor. When they take offense against a ship which they see as having somehow wronged them, a shell-whale will position itself in the path of an oncoming ship, and will continue to obstruct the vessel’s course if the captain tries to avoid it, until the ship eventually hits it, whereupon the whale will destroy it.

ODONTOCETES

Bottlenose Dolphin

You think that the dolphins hate sharks, and thus are allies of convenience, if nothing else. You would be wrong. Dolphins don't hate sharks. They have no concept of hatred. They are innocent as fry, and those of you who liked to tear the legs off of shrimp when you were young will understand just how dangerous that makes them...- a senior Aquastrian guard to new trainees

Dolphins are common, and of the five sapient species, the bottlenoses are the most familiar. They have a reputation as fun-loving and gentle pacifists. This is false.

Dolphins only understand 'fun' and 'not-fun,' and only in relation to themselves. They are a frighteningly unpredictable force, as they are fond of unrestrained fun... and for them, murder and rape fall under the definition of "fun".

Dolphins don't make tools, as their only manipulators are their mouths, and they lack both the patience and oral dexterity needed to craft items. They can use tools, certainly, whether employing sea sponges as nose covers when sussing out sonar-obscured prey or using stolen pony-crafted implements as crude spears and bludgeons, but you're never going to find a craftsdolphin.

Relations between sea ponies and bottlenoses are... complicated. Given their wildly different moral and behavioral frameworks, the two races' relationship is completely context-dependent. If dolphins savage a school of sharks that's swimming towards a sea pony settlement, then the ponies are going to be grateful. If a playful pod romps their way through the market square to grab all the shiny things they can carry, then the ponies are going to be annoyed. If a male dolphin tries to force himself on a mare, then the ponies are going to be incensed.

From the dolphin's perspective, ponies of all kinds are fun more often than not. They tend to stay in one place, so if dolphins ever feel like seeing ponies, they know where to find them. Ponies have lots of neat things, and they never seem to run out. They attract sharks and other fun things to fight. They make lots of funny noises. Sometimes they have unfun reactions to attempts to have fun, but it's so hard for them to guess when and why.

Thus, a sea pony's opinion of dolphins depends on his or her experience with them. Those who have had largely positive encounters with dolphins will think kindly of them, seeing them as endearing, if a bit odd, while those with largely negative experience will view them as annoyances at best, unpredictable menaces at worst. The default attitude depends on the nature of the pony in question and dolphins' reputation in the settlement. Generally speaking, the closer to the borders, the worse ponies think of dolphins. Not coincidentally, they also encounter dolphins more often.

Unfortunately, they are pretty much untouchable. They can be rebuked, and if they start a conflict, ponies can defend themselves, but any proactive aggression draws the notice and ire of the baleen whales, which is as bad an idea as publicly shaming a sea serpent and has similarly horrific consequences, as Baleen whales are basically "parents" who spoil and enable their sadistic "children", and any unprovoked attacks on them will bring a swift and fierce retribution.

As for the few things that are considered "not-fun", pain isn't fun, but dolphins don't really do empathy, so they don't grasp that other creatures experience pain. Furthermore, the adrenaline rush of battle both results in net fun and blocks out the pain until after combat. Being denied fun is not fun by definition, and depending on both the availability of other fun things to do and how much the dolphin wants to do the denied activity, it may lash out in an attempt to get at the fun. Sitting still isn't at all fun, as dolphins want to be in constant motion unless they're very tired or are particularly engrossed by some fascinating fun thing.

Perhaps the most abstract form of unfun is being alone. Dolphins can entertain themselves, sometimes to and through the misfortune of anything nearby, but fun shared is fun multiplied. A dolphin doesn't consider itself alone when with other sapients, though most prefer having some other dolphins in the mix.

Flying Dolphin

Peaceful relatives of the Bottlenose, these dolphins have the morality their child-like cousins lack, and have a strict set of laws governing them.

Liir

Found across the Grey Ocean, Liir (seen here travelling with a common beast of burden/cousin, the much larger Dire Pilot) are the only cetaceans with an almost equine-like culture.

Liir have different methods of surviving in different areas, making various different cultures within the species. Those found near reefs are farmers, with entire cultures formed around tending to species that could be utilized for food and tools, such as various edible crabs and a species of domesticated "guard squid". Meanwhile, nomads (like those shown) formed a bond with the Dire Pilots, using their slipstreams to cruise the oceans and hunting prey with far greater efficiency. Milk, teeth, and bones (when possible) are utilized to the Liir’s advantage, and they thrive in an open-ocean ecosystem.

However, the nomadic Liir still retain contact with other Liir populations. If one was to ask a farming Liir, they would have only poor things to say about their nomadic compatriots; at best, the nomads are considered uncultured weirdos, at worst, bloodthirsty barbarians. Neither viewpoint is fair however, because the nomads serve as a surefire way to allow for the dispersal of technology and ideas to the many different reef cultures, who are frequently separated by hundreds of miles.

Dire Dolphin

Highly aggressive and militaristic, Dire Dolphins live in organized clans and frequently attack other marine races.

Shimmerfish

Like Dire Dolphins, Liir, and Flying Dolphins, Shimmerfish are basically Bottlenose relatives with a sense of morality... and like the Dire Dolphins, it is skewed in favor of aggression.

Named for their glistening hides, Shimmerfish can form rough, shimmering images underwater with their glowing bodies, sometimes appearing like golden, sunken treasure or even luminescent figures, leading to often fatal "pranks" for the land dwellers who see these images.

Lemurian Dolphin

Descended from a Lemurian bioengineering program, Lemurian Dolphins are actually found throughout the Great Pelagic.

These beings were originally intended to be protectors for Lemurian fishing expeditions, with modified intelligence to circumvent the normal dolphin's somewhat vague sense of morality (non-sapient dolphins have a similar world view to Bottlenoses, but fall just short of being classified as fully sapient). Additionally, the new species was modified to have greater speed and endurance, higher sonic output, and somewhat lessened aggression.

The resulting product, however, was fully sapient, though they hid this fact from their Lemurian masters for many years. Eventually, however, they left after one of the Lemurian civilization's many falls, and from their spread throughout the Great Pelagic. The Lemurians subsequently created a new, non-sapient guard beast (the Sea Lance) from primitive stem-cetacean stock.

Lemurian Dolphins live in matriarchal pods of 25 individuals, usually followed by smaller pods of males. They are relatively peaceful compared to other sapient oceanic dolphin species, but will not back down from a fight if a peaceful alternative is not available... and as a result of the Lemurian's tampering, these beings are capable of firing a powerful sonic pulse at enemies.

Boto

Native to Tapiri, the boto are the most mysterious of the cetaceans. Very little is known of their culture, but the native Tapir, Ahuizotl, and Eohippus tribe give them an air of respect.

The one well-known aspect of Boto culture is their shamans, the Encantados. Besides the ability to shapeshift into Tapir or pony form, encantados frequently wield other magical abilities, such as the power to control storms, "enchant" or haunt other beings into doing their will, and the ability to inflict illness, insanity, and even death. Shamans of other species are often needed to intervene and ameliorate the situation, but sometimes the spell is so great that it can not be completely cured.

Orca

The largest of the dolphins, Orcas have a rather dark sense of humor, which even comes out in their particular dialect of Toothed Cetacean (Orca consists of sweet whistles and flutings, peppered liberally with spits and fizzes, which most cetaceans find "unpleasant" against the skin.)

While they do hunt the larger baleen whales, in a casual whale-to-whale (as opposed to predator-to-prey) meeting with one, they often open with a joke, usually so horrible, but somehow so funny, that it puts the baleen whale at ease, though they're still cautious. (Casual meeting or not, orcas are still predators)

Orcas have the same fun/unfun worldview as bottlenoses but they're not quite so flighty as their smaller cousins. There are things (hunting, mating, and death) that an orca takes very seriously, and you likely wouldn't want to be in the same seas as an orca in a serious mood. A pod of orcas who've switched out their usual darkly humorous banter for hunting calls is cause for empty streets and tense seapony faces peeking out from behind drawn curtains, though Orcas don't see seaponies as food.

Sverðhvalur

The Sverðhvalur is a relative of the Orca, which possesses a blade-like dorsal fin. The bladed dorsal fin is used as a weapon, and a sverðhvalur will swim underneath prey items to cut their bellies open with crisscross slashes.

Taumafisker

Relatives of the Orca, Taumafiskurs are cruel, destructive, and spiteful; worse than that, they have an excellent memory and will hold grudges for as long as they live, tracking down anyone who they feel has wronged them. They flip boats over, tear them up with their teeth, pummel them with their tails, and even get under them crosswise and fold them in half.

Narwhal

Narwhals are only common in northern oceans, rarely venturing as far south as the Crystal Empire's coasts.

Among cetaceans, Narwhals are unique for incorporating mainstream magic into their spells, rather than relying on magical whalesong alone.

This has allowed them to become powerful Ice Magi, unparalleled by any seagoing race.

Beluga

the messengers of the northern whales, Belugas are VERY talkative. However, they have a bad reputation for being terrible gossips.

Beaked Whale

Considered not the brightest of whales by other cetacean species, these whales live mysterious lives, and are rarely encountered even by other seagoing races.

Sperm Whale

If whales needed a race of warriors, this species would be the one most considered for the position.

Sperm whales are the largest of the sapient toothed whales, and the ones who can dive the deepest. They are proud, noble, and easily offended.

They have no interest in land dwellers, and often go to lengths to either avoid them or get rid of them. Any pony telling of a ship being "heroically rescued from a kraken attack" by a Sperm Whale has misunderstood the situation of the whale getting an easy meal of kraken meat.

Stökkull

The Stökkull is a close relative of the Sperm Whale, but can be even more fearsome than its cousin. While not the largest or the most well-armed of whales, it is remarkably powerful for its size, and is easily capable of pile-driving ships into a watery grave. Stökkull means “jumper”, or “leaper”, and this is an apt description of this whale’s habits. When agitated and trying to incapacitate large prey (or ships), they leap out of the water, and then dive nose-first, pulverizing boats and breaking the backs of large whales.

Stökkull are also eyeless, relying entirely on echolocation.

MYSTICETIDS

Blue Whale

The blue whales are surrounded by myths and legends. Because of their incredible lifespan they have seen things no one remember anymore, and a few ancient specimens claim to have been young adults at the time of the Changeling-Griffon War.

The Blue whales are generally a friendly species. They are cautious toward strangers, but if you are kind and non-aggressive they will quickly open up. They love to learn and to share the wisdom they've gathered over their long lives. For those who seek them out though, be warned, for while they love to share their vast knowledge will have two requirements that must be met:

1. They will ask why you want to know what you want to know, and they don't accept simple answers.

2. They have a test for anyone who comes before them. YOU must teach them something they don't know. This may sound hard but really it isn't, the main reason for this is to test if the seeker can set aside the tales and such surrounding the blue whales. They mostly have no idea of the things happening on land, thus it is easy to find something they don't know.´

"Before i share what i know, i must make a request from you my dear seeker."
"Absolutely honored one."
"Please, teach me."
"H...how will I do that? Aren't you blue whales suppose to be all knowing?"
"Some may say so, but alas we aren't. We must learn as well, thus I propose a exchange of wisdom rather then just a lecture for one of us."

- conversation between a blue whale and a knowledge seeker.

The Blue whale dialect bears signs of age. They speak in a very old dialect of Cetacean and can therefore be hard to understand at times. Younger Blue whales are also taught their old dialect, but they are starting to learn newer languages.

The culture of the blue whales is what makes them hard to locate. As they grow older they start to roam the seas with their life mate, but otherwise alone. The only place to reliably find them is the middle of the so called "No whales land". Here they blue whales meet during the initial two months of spring for the purpose of mating and meeting old friends. After the months have passed they leave again.

Interestingly, it should be noted that Blue Whales think very highly of changelings. No one knows the reason, save perhaps two unique beings... a nearly 300 year old whale and the skull of a changeling king.

Right Whale

surveyors of the ocean, Right Whales are expert navigators, and spend much of their time traveling and exchanging stories. However, they cannot go as deep as sperm whales, and cannot fit into small spaces like smaller beings, and so enjoy the company of other races.

Gray Whale

While Right Whales know the topography, Greys are experts of the ocean currents, using them to navigate the dense kelp forests of the Emerald Sea. Mysterious, they are nevertheless good-natured.

Humpback Whale

the most renowned of all baleen whale species, while Blue whales are founts of history, Rights are experts in undersea topography, and Grays know the ocean currents, Humpbacks are experts in the knowledge of the Whale Song, the source of cetacean magic.

Humpbacks are known as the "Great Singers" amongst seagoing races. Gentle and passive, these cetaceans, like most Baleens, are slow to anger. However, like other baleen whales, they are considered closer to forces of nature than material beings, and so are treated with respect.

Harrrmul

a relative of the Humpback Whale, the Harrrmul are massive, peaceful inhabitants of warm waters. through a special process, they get coral colonies to grow on their backs, attracting a large amount of tropical fish as well.

Inkquill

Inkquill #2 · Jan 1st, 2015 · · ·

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