Pescans are intelligent fishfolk found in the oceans across Mote.
Though their faces and torsos are superficially similar to those of humans, pescans display aspects of fish physiology across their bodies. They have webbed hands and gills on their necks, with blue and green coloration on their scaly skin. Individuals run a spectrum of fishlike appearance: some are bipedal to allow for improved land travel, while others possess long muscular tails comprising the lower halves of their bodies, granting them fast movement in water at the expense of a limited mobility on land.
These aquatic beings originally hail from the Elemental Plane of Water. Many pescans found their way to Mote through naturally occurring waypoints, immigrating to the world and settling its vast oceans in waves over thousands of years.
Pescans were technically among the earliest immigrants to the continent of Esterfell, mostly settling on the continental shelf to its north. Eventually they, along with other peaceful seafaring folks, called their growing nation Xiahulia, and it is where most pescans are found today.
Some pescans have wandered inland to the Esterfell Accord, though their dependence on seawater meant they could never make significant inroads to the inland regions, resulting in most Accord pescans being found in coastal towns such as Cape Bec, Cape Luz, and Suizenloch.
As a pescan, you have the following special traits.
Abyssal Resilience. Your people have stared into the infinite depths of the Elemental Plane of Water, making their mental reserves similarly deep. You have Resistance to the Charmed and Frightened conditions.
Depth Strider. Adapted to the frigid ocean depths, you have Resistance to Cold damage.
Limited Amphibiousness. You can breathe air and water. You must be submerged in water at least once every day, or you gain 1 Exhaustion level at the end of that day.
Water Magic. You know the Elementalism cantrip. When you reach character level 3, you learn the Create or Destroy Water spell, and when you reach character level 5, you learn the Sleet Storm spell. You always have these leveled spells prepared, you can cast them each once without a spell slot, and you regain the ability to cast them in this way when you finish a Long Rest. You can also use any spell slots you have to cast these spells. Constitution is your spellcasting ability for the spells you cast with this trait.