Mortal Races: Tritons

During the Hostwar, the First City became so sinful that the Almighty One smote it from the face of the earth. In a single night, the land sank down beneath the ocean, and the First City and almost everyone in it was slain. The Storia says that tritones descent from those who did not die. There were still some who were virtuous within the city, and when the water claimed it, their faith saw them transformed into fish-people.

Tritones dwell around the coast-line in underground communities. They worship the elemental forces of water, and frequently consort with undines. They are rarely seen on land: while they can breathe air as well as water, they find it uncomfortable to be out of the ocean, and only send embassies when they find it necessary. The most commonly seen tritones are exiles. There are also stories of tritones rescuing sailors who are lost at sea, but also of tritones luring ships to wreck. Oddly, tritones are also the subject of a number of bawdy sailors' songs and stories.

The largest known tritone community is near Vanzenia, and it sends leaders every year to ceremonially submit to the red dragons, bearing tribute from sea-wrecks. While the dragons cannot swim to their home, their fiery breath could boil the ocean around them. Scholars think that there may be a larger tritone community, in the sunken ruins of the First City, somewhere lost deep beneath the waves.

Image result for triton renaissance art
Art: 'Triton and Nereid.' Jacopo de' Barbari, c. 1497.

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