The World of Abadonya

Life in More Than One World

Aquatic Elf communities are found in Oriander's reef belts, sheltered underwater valleys, sea caves, lagoon systems, and the submerged remains of older settlements.

They are fully amphibious and can live above or below the water indefinitely, though most prefer homes that maintain easy access to the sea.

Small communities often remain politically independent, cooperating with neighboring settlements when protection, trade, or exploration requires it.

Coloration of Sand, Coral & Kelp

Aquatic Elves are slender and graceful, with delicate translucent webbing between their fingers and toes.

Skin tones vary widely and often reflect the environment: pale sand, gold, living coral, russet, deep green, or kelp-dark coloration. Some families gradually shift in appearance over generations as they settle in different waters.

Their hair is usually long and silky, often appearing in blue, green, teal, black, or other sea-toned shades that move dramatically underwater.

Cities of Reef and Stone

Aquatic Elf settlements are usually smaller than surface cities. They favor coral shelves, natural caverns, drowned ruins, carved stone terraces, and structures built partly above and partly below the water.

Some settlements maintain dry halls for visitors and surface-dwelling relatives, while the deeper residential quarters remain entirely submerged.

Architecture is open and three-dimensional, with entrances at multiple heights and pathways designed for swimming rather than walking.

Seeking What Sank

Aquatic Elves have a strong tradition of exploring submerged ruins, especially places containing art, historical records, magical relics, and evidence of vanished civilizations.

Oriander contains countless wrecks, collapsed coastal sites, buried reef chambers, and ruins swallowed by the sea. Aquatic Elf expeditions often spend months mapping a single site.

They are proud of their expertise but practical enough to work with outsiders when an expedition requires skills they do not possess.

A People of the Island Waters

Oriander is the principal homeland of the Aquatic Elves in Abadonya. Their strongest populations lie beneath reef-protected waters, around island chains, and near drowned sections of older settlements.

They frequently interact with Undines, Merfolk, Tideborn, and other aquatic or coastal peoples while preserving distinct elven customs and family traditions.

Aquatic Elf guides are particularly valuable around submerged ruins, flooded tunnels, coral labyrinths, and dangerous coastal waters.

The Ocean as Living History

Aquatic Elf traditions often connect spiritual growth with exploration. The deeper waters are not merely dangerous; they are places where forgotten history waits to be rediscovered.

In Abadonya, Rivera is a natural patron for many Aquatic Elves through traditions of sea, current, and living water. Rashtala attracts arcane explorers seeking lost magical knowledge, while Mandella appeals to those focused on recovering forgotten truths.

Aquatic Elves may follow any alignment or deity. Their pride in sea-born culture does not determine individual morality.

Standard Pathfinder 1e Racial Traits

Ability Score Modifiers: Aquatic Elves gain +2 Dexterity, +2 Intelligence, and –2 Constitution.

Type: Aquatic Elves are humanoids with the elf and aquatic subtypes. Creatures with the aquatic subtype can move through water without making Swim checks and always treat Swim as a class skill.

Size: Aquatic Elves are Medium creatures and have no bonuses or penalties due to size.

Base Speed: Aquatic Elves have a base speed of 30 feet and a swim speed of 30 feet.

Languages: Aquatic Elves begin play speaking Common and Elven. Aquatic Elves with high Intelligence scores can choose Celestial, Draconic, Gnoll, Gnome, Goblin, Orc, and Sylvan as bonus languages.

Elven Immunities: Aquatic Elves are immune to magic sleep effects and gain a +2 racial saving throw bonus against enchantment spells and effects.

Keen Senses: Aquatic Elves gain a +2 racial bonus on Perception checks.

Elven Magic: Aquatic Elves gain a +2 racial bonus on caster level checks made to overcome spell resistance and a +2 racial bonus on Spellcraft checks made to identify the properties of magic items.

Weapon Familiarity: Aquatic Elves are proficient with rapiers, short swords, and tridents, and treat any weapon with the word “elven” in its name as a martial weapon.

Low-Light Vision: Aquatic Elves can see twice as far as humans in conditions of dim light.

Amphibious: Aquatic Elves can breathe both water and air.

Race Points: 14 RP.

These are the Pathfinder 1e racial mechanics used for Aquatic Elf characters in Abadonya.

Alternate Racial Traits

Deep Sea Dweller: Gain darkvision 60 feet and cold resistance 5. This replaces low-light vision and Elven Immunities.

Surface Features: Gain a +4 bonus on Bluff and Disguise checks when attempting to pass as a surface elf. This replaces Keen Senses.

Surfacer Antagonist: Gain a +1 bonus on attack rolls against humans. This replaces Elven Magic.

These options use the normal Pathfinder 1e alternate racial trait replacement rules.

Explorers of What Lies Below

Aquatic Elves frequently adventure in search of submerged ruins, lost magical traditions, strange marine life, and forgotten historical records.

Wizards, arcanists, magi, druids, rangers, fighters, witches, and other exploration- or magic-focused classes are common, though Aquatic Elves can pursue any class.

An Oriander Aquatic Elf adventurer might investigate a drowned city, recover a magical relic before surface treasure hunters reach it, map an impossible trench, or leave the sea to follow rumors of an artifact whose trail continues inland.

Return to the Races of Abadonya index to browse other ancestries.