Arbic
A fully aquatic Near-Human, Arbics have developed their aquatic adaptations naturally, and still bear enough resemblance (both anatomically and genetically) to humans to be considered Near-Humans rather than aquatic humanoids.
Although they're fully aquatic, they still breathe air, which limits the spread of their underwater cities to place where they can anchor to the seafloor without running out of air, or which force them to build regular breathing stations on the way down.
Arbics have evolved in the endless salty oceans of their home planet, but can also live just fine in freshwater or even on land. Though there are no physical problems which derive from living a land-bound life, most arbics will crave exposure to water and an opportunity to swim, and do better mentally if provided with both.
Basic Information
Anatomy
At first glance, arbics appear very human-like. They're somewhat bulky, with a rounded but streamlined shape to their body, keeping plentiful fat on their bodies to stay warm in the water, but that's not very strange--nor especially notable, when fully clothed.
Typically, it is the face which gives away an arbic's non-human nature. While their overall face is very human-like, their nose bridge is continuous, a smooth slope from the forehead down to the tip of the nose, and big compared to most human noses.
Their eyes are also larger than typical for humanoids, helping them see in the darker depths of the ocean, with large round pupils and expansive irises, often leaving the sclerae out of sight, and in turn making their eyes look dark and wet like a seal's. They also have whiskers in their eyebrows, scattered among the more normal hairs. Whiskers are often white, but can be the same color as the eyebrow hair. One arbic may have both colors of whiskers.
Arbics have very small ears, more rounded in shape than a human's, and which lie almost flat against the head, in a more streamlined shape. Despite this, however, they're still visibly present, and recognizable as ears.
Aside from the face, the other visibly non-human trait arbics carry can be found in hands and feet. All digits end in sharp claws, used to more easily hold on to slippery surfaces, be it fish caught as prey or slippery rocks underwater. Both hands and feet are also webbed, aiding in swimming.
Arbics have limited hair growth, growing some on the head but rarely on the body, though it does happen. Their smooth skins are gray to brownish, and patterned with countershading (darker on the back, lighter on the front). Hair, including the eyebrows, is typically the same color as the darker back. Irises are likewise typically dark, and often a similar brownish color as the hair.
Arbic concept portrait by DarkNymfa
Genetic Ancestor(s)
Average Height
1.65 - 1.72 m
Body Tint, Colouring and Marking
Gray to brownish, lighter underside, darker back and hair. Irises also dark.
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