Tritons dwell throughout the Siren Sea, exploring a world of coral forests and secret mountains the “dryfolk” of the surface world will never know. While most live their entire lives beneath the sea, they’re not bound to the deep. Following their inherent curiosity, some tritons venture beyond the waves, seeking to explore a whole world of wonders beyond their own.
Born of the Sea
Tritons are an amphibious people, at home in the water but mobile on dry land. Their bodies are covered in fine scales that range from yellowish-green through shades of blue to deep purple. Their heads are crowned with prominent crests, and fins sprout from their forearms, calves, and shoulders. Their digits are webbed, allowing them to swim as quickly as they can run.
Well suited to life in the deep, tritons wear little clothing unless armored for battle. They fashion most of their clothes and other items from materials found in the ocean: coral, seaweed, shells, bone, sea urchin spines, the shells of monstrous crustaceans, and so on. Having an old, well-developed civilization, tritons know much of how to refine these materials into garb as rich and weapons as sturdy as any found on land.
Land and Sea
For centuries, dryfolk have fished the seas of Theros and have used the sea’s surface as a means of travel. Many tritons interpret this as an intrusion into their domains. As a result, some warlike triton communities respond with periodic strikes against sailors and fishing vessels. Others believe that turnabout is fair play and so venture onto land to hunt for meat, steal supplies from coastal travelers, or raid dryfolk poleis for riches.
Despite the tensions between tritons and the peoples of the surface, some tritons make their lives on land. Enchanted by the feeling of the winds, the rustle of leaves, the ingenuity of land-dwelling inventors, or any of countless other surface-world charms, every triton living beyond the waves does so for their own reasons. In some places, like the polis of Meletis, whole triton communities flourish among dryfolk neighbors. See chapter 3 for more details on the tritons of Meletis and the Siren Sea.
Hand of Thassa
While tritons pay respects to many gods, they tend to revere Thassa, god of the sea, above all other deities. Her devotees see her as the primary god of the pantheon, believing she will bring their people to ascendancy over the monsters of the sea and the poleis of the land.
Depths of Curiosity
Many tritons are intrigued by surface culture. The curious among them venture into sunken ruins and shipwrecks, sifting through the debris for whatever grabs their attention. Often these tritons develop collections of a specific kind of object or lore, trading with one another as they develop a sort of expertise in their field. Some tritons approach investigations of the dryfolk with scientific rigor. Such scholars often hold theories to go along with their collections, hypotheses many are eager to test upon meeting new dryfolk.
MYTH OF DALAKOS AND THE KRAKEN
Dalakos considered himself a triton like any other—curious, quick-minded, maybe even blessed with exceptional cleverness by the gods. But he was unfocused and easily distracted, his potential scattered like seeds on stone. It wasn’t until a kraken rose from the ocean’s deepest depths and began a rampage that threatened Dalakos’s community that he was forced to focus. As the beast drew closer, Dalakos sought ways to turn the monstrosity from its path. He worked day and night, but ultimately his plans failed. All that Dalakos knew was destroyed, obliterated by the might of the kraken.
Yet the kraken carried on, moving toward a coastal human settlement. Amid the ruins of his home, Dalakos had a revelation. Working desperately, the triton crafted a miraculous device, one that ultimately laid low the kraken and saved the town. Today, Dalakos resides inside the kraken’s shell, where he works day and night, his heart broken, but his mind forever focused on bringing his gifts to life.
When the players are seeking the Bident, they can come across Dalakos and seek his assistance to traverse deep into the ruins of the fallen city to find the weapon of Thassa's Champion.
Triton Names
A triton’s name is a symbol of choice. Upon reaching adulthood, a triton might shed the name they were given by their parents for one of their own choosing. Some opt to keep their name, but the majority select one that represents the adult they’ve become. Tritons might even go on to choose yet other names, as they shift from one phase of life to another, or after significant life events. Leaving a home community or transitioning to live among dryfolk might constitute such life changes. Tritons also have a fluid concept of gender and might switch names freely as they shift gender identities.
Female Names: Amathe, Gnorcys, Leurybia, Margomestra, Nereones, Oleia, Samathe, Saphiro, Tethene, Theaneia, Thectra
Male Names: Bysseus, Cetos, Galaukus, Galiton, Kenessos, Odexes, Palamon, Pontreus, Rheteus, Thrasios
Triton Traits
Your triton character has the following racial traits.
Ability Score Increase. Your Strength, Constitution, and Charisma scores each increase by 1.
Age. Tritons reach maturity around age 15 and can live up to 200 years.
Alignment. Tritons tend toward neutrality. Their culture encourages them to be mindful of life’s currents, knowing when to harness fate’s tides and when to flow along with them.
Size. Tritons are slightly shorter than humans, averaging about 5 feet tall. Your size is Medium.
Here’s how to determine your height and weight randomly, starting with rolling a size modifier:
Size modifier = 2d10
Height = 4 feet + 6 inches + your size modifier in inches
Weight in pounds = 90 + (2d4 × your size modifier)
Speed. Your base walking speed is 30 feet, and you have a swimming speed of 30 feet.
Amphibious. You can breathe air and water.
Control Air and Water. You can cast fog cloud with this trait. Starting at 3rd level, you can cast gust of wind with it, and starting at 5th level, you can also cast wall of water with it (see the spell below). Once you cast a spell with this trait, you can’t cast that spell with it again until you finish a long rest. Charisma is your spellcasting ability for these spells.
Darkvision. You can see in dim light within 60 feet of you as if it were bright light and in darkness as if it were dim light. You can’t discern color in darkness, only shades of gray.
Emissary of the Sea. Aquatic beasts have an extraordinary affinity with your people. You can communicate simple ideas with beasts that can breathe water. They can understand your words, though you have no special ability to understand them in return.
Guardians of the Depths. Adapted to the frigid ocean depths, you have resistance to cold damage.
Languages. You can speak, read, and write Common and Primordial.
