Ossur

Overview

Ossur are an independent mortal lineage that appeared after goblins, tsekesh, and kobolds but before humans, dwarves, and elves.

They are hairless amphibious people adapted primarily to marine life. Ossur can breathe both air and water, live naturally along oceans and seas, and also function in freshwater environments.

Ancestry

Ossur are not biologically related to gnolls or akkari despite appearing during roughly the same broad period of mortal history.

They represent an independent lineage with no established close relationship to the other major peoples.

Physical Characteristics

Ossur are roughly similar to humans in average height, though their body proportions reflect aquatic movement.

They have strong shoulders, backs, hips, and legs; long hands with partial webbing; broad strongly webbed feet; and completely hairless bodies.

Their skin is smooth-scaled or leathery rather than mammalian. Compact gill openings lie along the sides of the neck, while fully functional lungs allow normal breathing on land.

The face is distinctly aquatic but remains humanoid, with a flattened nose, broad mouth, large eyes, and a low fin or crest along the top and back of the head. Smaller fin-like structures may occur along the forearms, calves, or spine.

Their nails can be dark and slightly pointed but are not true predatory claws.

Males are generally somewhat larger and heavier than females, though both share the same swimming-oriented build.

Variation

Ossur coloration commonly falls within marine ranges including blue-grey, slate, deep teal-grey, sea-green, grey-green, dark blue, charcoal-blue, and pale grey-blue.

Subtle mottling, darker upper surfaces, and lighter undersides are common. Regional populations may trend toward greener, bluer, darker, or paler coloration depending on local waters.

All ossur are naturally hairless.

Growth and Lifespan

Ossur generally reach physical maturity around 17–19 years.

A healthy ossur commonly lives around 110–150 years. Reaching around 160 is notably old, while 175 or more is exceptional.

Senses and Physiology

Ossur possess both lungs and specialized gills. They can remain underwater indefinitely when the surrounding water contains sufficient oxygen.

Their eyes focus effectively both above and below water and are protected by a transparent inner eyelid. Their hearing functions well underwater, and specialized sensory structures in the skin allow them to detect nearby pressure changes and water displacement.

This pressure sense does not allow them to perceive distant objects as if by sight, but it is highly useful in murky water and at close range.

Their bodies tolerate pressure changes and diving depths that would seriously impair humans.

Ossur regulate salt efficiently enough to live in both seawater and freshwater, though their physiology is most naturally suited to marine conditions.

The Wyre

Ossur possess an innate sensitivity to the Wyre as it moves through bodies of water. The sensitivity varies between individuals and is distinct from their ordinary pressure sense, hearing, and awareness of water displacement.

Those with sufficiently strong aptitude can become tidecallers. In Ossur, tidecalling is called suulath and a tidecaller a suulathar. Their magical perception is especially responsive to current, pressure, undertow, flow, depth changes, and the behavior of connected water.

Tidecalling acts through water that already exists. A tidecaller does not simply create water or ignore the physical properties of the body of water being shaped.

Most ossur are not tidecallers. Ordinary ossur can read currents and pressure exceptionally well through biology and experience, but deliberate magical manipulation requires a stronger aptitude and training.

The detailed techniques, limits, ranges, and large-scale workings of tidecalling belong to the dedicated magic records.

Environmental Adaptation

Ossur are primarily a sea- and ocean-adapted people.

Their bodies perform best around coasts, islands, reefs, rocky shorelines, bays, straits, coastal caves, continental shelves, and other marine environments.

They can also live permanently in large rivers, lakes, wetlands, and other freshwater systems.

Prolonged dryness is physically stressful. Ossur skin and gills require moisture, and hot arid conditions increase water needs and can cause skin cracking, gill irritation, reduced stamina, and respiratory discomfort.

They are fully capable of walking and working on land but are less efficient runners than humans.

Reproduction and Heredity

Ossur reproduce through live birth.

Pregnancy lasts roughly ten months. Single births are normal and twins are uncommon. Among ossur who reproduce, around three to five children across a lifetime is ordinary.

Newborns possess functional lungs and developing gills, with aquatic coordination improving during early growth.

Children inherit coloration, patterning, fin and crest form, stature, facial features, and other traits from both parents.